In the imp: Sweet, misty violets...and something almost minty?
On wet: I hate saying this but...household cleaner! A *good* cleaner, mind - like method or one of the other enviro-friendly brands that makes pretty smelling stuff - but still, not what I was looking for. ::crosses fingers for a morph on the drydown::
Drydown: I'm still getting cleaner in the background (but I'm willing to admit that this may be because I'm actually sniffing around for lingering traces of it). On top is an almost effervescent perfumey-ness - very bright, very sweet, and almost kind of delicate. The words "sparkly" and "fresh" come to mind. The violets are alive and kicking, I'm still able to detect a whisper of mint, and nothing even remotely "boggy" has crashed the party yet.
Overall: Not as strongly violet as I'd hoped for, and a bit too aquatic/sweet for my taste, but definitely a nice scent. A good choice for warm weather, going to work, or hanging with friends - very wearable. 3/5
In the imp: Sharp, almost bitter perfume - the kind you'd expect little old church ladies to wear.
On wet: It's sweetened up slightly - I can smell the lilies and the lightest brush of rose...but there's still a sour/bitter edge running underneath.
Drydown: Wow, this is *definitely* not my cup of tea - it reminds me of scented garbage bags. There's this weird burnt-plasticky scent clinging to my skin, and a layer of sharp, generic floral perfume sitting on top of it - the overall result is so sharp, it's almost acrid.
Overall: Traditional, intensely floral blends don't seem to work very well for me, and this one is, unfortunately, no exception. It started out unpleasant, and didn't morph much beyond a cloying floral sheet pulled over hot erasers. Aside from that tiny glimpse of roses and lilies in the wet stage, I wasn't able to pick out distinct flowers at any point. Not a good scent for my chemistry. 2/5
In the imp: Whew! That's some strong muguet! When you get past the LotV attack, the scent underneath is very bright and sweet.
On wet: Hmm, it's softly floral once applied. The chamomile is present as well, coming across as a slightly honeyed, grassy-type smell. I can definitely understand the banana references, though - I'm getting a hint of that, too.
Drydown: Sweet, almost jarring florals. Something vaguely dusty - usually I attribute this to orchids, but I'm not seeing any in the listed notes. Perhaps a sneaky mystery orchid? Or maybe there's another flower that gives off the same powdery-dusty vibe? The chamomile is working underneath the flowery jumble, putting out a smooth, sweet, almost golden calmness to ground the crazy. I'm sad to say it's not enough...
Overall: I'd always wanted to try this blend - I'm mad for chamomile, violets, and autumn leaves. The other floral aspects usually perform well against my skin chemistry, too. For whatever reason, this mix of notes doesn't want to play nice on me - it just wants to alternate between "bananas gone wild" and sweeet n' dusty floral overload. 2/5
In the imp: Mmm...smells like buttered rum lifesavers!
On wet: Lightly buttered rum. Coconut. A dry, almost herbal bitterness that I'm thinking is the tobacco. Strangely enough, I'm also getting a hint of something...minty? Weird - and yummy!
Drydown: The caramel-esque rum and sugary coconut are both deliciously straightforward. I'm not getting tobacco (or that phantom mint note) any more, but I'm sure it's helping cut the sweetness and ground the other two components.
Overall: Edible! Drink Me and Obatala's love child. Definitely a warm weather party scent - also perfect for those cold days when all you can think about is escaping the snow by jetting off to the Caribbean. Elegba is that 'one sniff and you're there' scent. 4/5
In the bottle: Sweet, fresh, water-dappled NECTARINES!
On wet: Ohhh...so good. *huffs wrist* Nectarine, oakmoss, skin musk - each note is coming through loud and clear - and they're *wonderful*!
Drydown: Wow, this is fantastic stuff. Such a clean, fresh scent - like fruit juice -infused raindrops. And the musk is so unobtrusive, clinging to my skin, letting that wonderful fruit-water take center stage like a hovering cloud of pure deliciousness. Long-lasting and nothing but gorgeous.
Overall: I've been searching for a really good nectarine blend, but they're few and far between - most are too perfumey, or the other notes smother the delicate fruity goodness. Ebisu is what I've been looking for, and it's also one of the most *perfect* summer scents I've ever come across, too. Lightly sweet, SO incredibly fresh, both airy *and* watery, and just enough musk to ground everything. Perfection. 5/5
In the imp: Sharp, almost bitter sandalwood, and the lilac air freshener scent that is dragon's blood to my nose.
On wet: Sharp and bitter is duking it out with woody, almost peanutty sweetness. Ah, and here comes the detested DB...
Drydown: The sandalwood's totally taken over (yay!), and I smell divine! I'm getting the sweet, pink-gold sandalwood that's present in Tushnamatay, another that's dry and woody, and another that's almost spicy - although I suppose the dragon's blood could be contributing to either of those effects. DB's only ever made me smell like a bathroom spray, so I can honestly say that I'm absolutely clueless as to what it might be doing at this point, lol!
Overall: I fully expected the dragon's blood to kill this blend for me (because it hates me with a fiery passion), but thanks to my beloved sandalwood, I smell fan-freakin'-tastic - something I *never* thought possible where DB was concerned. I am positively delighted at finding my first wearable dragon's blood scent. 4.5/5
In the imp: A clean citrus-tea scent. Slightly sweet, slightly floral, slighty aquatic.
On wet: Bathroom air freshener.
Drydown: Sweet, sweet floral. Faint citrus. A sharpness reminiscent of ozone - perhaps the bamboo? (I'm discovering that I'm not a fan of bamboo in certain blends.) The sandalwood's underneath everything, lending an almost incensey quality to the overall experience. Still reminds me of something you'd use to clean a public restroom, though.
Overall: I heartily agree with some of the previous reviewers who mention similarities between this scent and Neo-Tokyo. Unsurprisingly, since I absolutely LOATHED Neo-Tokyo (it was the very first scent I needed to wash off immediately), I'm not exactly loving this one, either. A shame, really - I haven't been able to pull off any blends with dragon's blood so far, and this one - with all its exotic ingredients - had me hopeful.
In the bottle: Why am I smelling...butter?
On wet: I'm getting whiffs of buttered corn mixed with a high-pitched floral of some kind. So far this is not at all what I was expecting - it's actually kind of scary.
Drydown: Oh...oh yes...*this* is more like it - the good Doctor's finally decided to leave his popcorn-shilling ways behind him! The scent rising from my wrist is now deep and smooth and wonderful. The darkly sweet, almost fruity mix of tonka, sandalwood, and champaca flower dominates, followed by hints of smoke-laced ginger and the occasional whisper of a dry, almost woody peppery-ness. Delicious!
Overall: Even though I was put off by the buttery popcorn + bathroom-florals-from-hell stage, and wish this was a *tad* smokier, DJS is still an incredibly beautiful blend. The drydown alone rates an easy 4/5.
In the imp: Rich n' fruity, sweet and dark - YUM!
On wet: Very sweet - almost a "high-pitched" sweetness, for lack of a better description. The fruit is kinda hanging in the background, as is something vaguely peanut-patchouli and...something else I can't quite identify - maybe the Siamese benzoin? Maybe the mahogany? Hmm...not sure. Whatever it is, it's coming across as almost...fuzzy? Weird!
Drydown: Still so incredibly sweet - like candied fruit syrup's been poured over my arm. There's a tinge of sourness every now and then - perhaps from the pomegranate? It usually doesn't like me, so that's my guess. Could be the raspberry, too - I've only ever experienced it in Akuma (not a winner on me, sadly), so I'm not that familiar with how it might play with my skin chemistry. The patch/frank/benzoin/wood are just kinda letting those crazy-sweet fruity notes go wild while they cling close to my wrist. Sniffing up close is a bit overwhelming for my nose (yes, it's that sweet and busy), but waving my arm around *in front* of my nose, letting the scent sorta drift together in distant harmony - wow. WOW. Just gorgeous.
Overall: If you haven't already guessed, this is a *seriously* uber sweet blend (according to my sniffer), and not a scent to be slathered willy-nilly! It's a beauty, true - but a *potent* beauty. Very reminiscent of my favourite, Ms. Moriarty, and full of plummy goodness, so will likely be snagging a bottle before CD's departure. Mmm...can't wait to smell her after she's aged for a few months. 4/5
I likewise got this as a frimp from the lovely shelldoo!
In the imp: almost identical to my much beloved Bunny Musk - sweet, clean, and slightly powdery.
On Wet: Mmmm...so delicious - like I've dabbed my wrist with liquid candy. Again, incredibly similar to EBM (the same base, I think), but with an extra dash of powderiness. I'm not detecting anything overtly lemony, but there is a light citrus vibe going on.
Drydown: Still clean, sweet, and pleasantly powdery. There's a hint of that same light spice that I get from EBM. This lasts for ages, too, and the throw is perfect - just enough for me to catch a whiff every once and a while, reminding me of how fantastic I smell.
Overall: I'm a huge Bunny Musk fan, so I'm not surprised by how much I'm enjoying this scent. It's fresh and feminine, sweet and sunny - it's absolutely lovely. I think I prefer my gorgeous bunny blend more, but only by a...hare? (Hardy-Har-Har!!! ) An easy 4.5/5.
In the imp: Dirt...something faintly sweet...an almost spicy underbite - taken all together, I'm reminded of pickled beets!
On wet: Beets in a cellar! The dirt note is still very strong, and there's also something that totally reminds me of what the basement in my childhood home smelled like.
Drydown: A dry, almost burnt woodiness and a soft vanillic undertone has taken over. There's still a hint of beet dirt lingering, but it's in the backseat now, more than happy to be chauffeured around by its fellow notes. Hmm...strangely enough, I'm reminded of hot erasers! That smell you'd get after furiously scrubbing your pink-tipped pencil butt against an incorrectly answered math question? On my skin, Death Cap Drydown IS THAT SMELL!
Overall: Well, I like the scent of dirt well enough, but I'm not much of a beet fan (I'm the only non-beet eater in my family, actually), and this blend is seriously screaming BEEEEEETS!!! - when it's not reminding me of one too many nightmarish math exams, lol. Too bad that woody-vanilla drydown wasn't more intense! 2/5
In the imp: Sweet fruit - like apricot (or in this case, nectarine) syrup.
On wet: Citrus. Lovely, fresh, lightly sugared citrus.
Drydown: Kinda perfumey. The citrus and nectarine sweetness have sort of merged into the other notes, none of which are very distinct to my nose. And I'm picking up on something "off" - like powdery carpet cleaner underneath everything else. Not sure, but I'm betting it's the sage (it doesn't like me usually). If I really inhale and mash my nose to my wrist, I get really delicious whiffs of musk and patchouli - too bad neither are very prominent.
Overall: Not quite what I was looking for - more delectable nectarine, that is. Croquet starts off promising, but the perfumey drydown - complete with sage hate (or whatever that dusty cleaner vibe was) isn't really my thing. I'll stick with my Ebisu, thanks. 2.5.5
In the bottle: Light, smooth, *clean* musk.
On wet: Soooo soft! Sweet, almost soapy, incredibly faint.
Drydown: Sweet, clean powder - instantly evokes a "vintage" feel - like I'd find a bottle of this on a movie star's dressing table back in the 50's. Definitely getting an amber vibe now, too, which I'm not 100% crazy about (amber and I do not click, unfortunately).
Overall: I was really enjoying the soft, almost candy-like muskiness of the wet stage, but the drydown didn't quite work with my skin chemistry. We'll see what happens as it ages. Currently, it's a 3/5 for me.
In the imp: Buttery cake note (similar to Eat Me), and a touch of grapefruit.
On wet: Sweet, tangy grapefruit and...is that what guava smells like? Yum!
Drydown: If pink and yellow were scents, that's what I'd be smelling right now. Cherry blossom's edged out the fruit and taken over as the big star, all soft and pink and sweet like sugar water. There's a touch of something on the sidelines, though - just the barest hint of what I'm thinking is the grapefruit. It's muted - more like what I'd imagine the pith to smell like - less intense, softer, but retaining that grapefruity sharpness/bitterness.
Overall: Definitely a fun, girly scent that could be worn for any occasion. The original cake vibe never manifested on me (thankfully!), so a straight-up blend of sunny pinkness (sweet fruit and even sweeter cherry blossom) was what wafted around me most of the afternoon. Delightful! 4/5
Originally reviewed: July 01 06
In the imp: Faint lavender, something herbal.
On wet: A jumble of notes swirl up - currants and grapefruit in the foreground, herbs and musk underneath.
Drydown: Mmm... Soft, sweet, candyliciousness. I seriously smell edible. It's like the currants and grapefruit have merged into some kind of pink Super Fruit, all glowing and gorgeous and glazed with sugar. The lavender, chamomile, and musk are bundled together just underneath - like a softly fragrant, herbal serving platter for all that yummy fruit.
Overall: Lovely and light, sweet without being overpowering, a beautiful, interesting skin scent, and yet another addition to my bottle wishlist. A strong 4.5/5
LXV - 65
In the bottle: Dorian cake, pure and simple.
On wet: Dorian cake...morphing almost immediately into musky-is that fruit?-cakey-spicy-something else I can't describe-Dorian. Hmmm....not sure if I'm going to like this.
Drydown: Dorian spice cake. It's mellow, skin-hugging, and the first "clean foodie" blend I think I've ever come across. Dorian balances out the foodier aspects so that it doesn't get too cloying or overwhelming (most food-based scents are both according to my nose), and the spicy cake element helps to warm up Mr. D's much cooler, fresher side. The vanilla-sweetness amps considerably as time passes, but the spice lingers just underneath that frosting-like layer, keeping it from getting out of hand. And I'm *still* wondering if I'm catching whiffs of some kind of mystery fruit?! It's not lemon - whenever my nose detects it, my mind flashes to a red/pink fruit - but it's gone before I can latch on to what it could possibly be.
Overall: Not sure how I feel about this one so far - I absolutely love Dorian, but not so much with the spiced pastry he's got tucked away in his pocket. Overt food scents tend to make me queasy, but this one isn't hitting my ick buttons (yet), and I've kept every Chaos Theory blend I've ever ordered to date - adopting this fellow out without giving him a chance to age would seem kinda cruel. So, I guess he'll stick around until I get to know him better!
CDLXVII - 467
In the bottle: Light caramel, possibly some kind of wood, a fruit - maybe apple - underneath.
On wet: Caramel-dipped fruits! (Plum? Apple?)
Drydown: PLUM! Lightly glazed with the most delectable caramel-tinged syrup. There's still a hint of incense/wood underneath, some musk (red?) - maybe even the tiniest smidge of patchouli. I smell incredible right now, and I can't *wait* to see how this scent ages!
Overall: I'm not a foody person *at all*, so I was a little scared when I opened this (extremely full!) bottle, and got a whiff of caramel. Thankfully, it's not only the lightest caramel I've ever smelled, but the plum/musk/woods are strong enough to keep this blend firmly out of the foody category. An amazingly warm, sweet, *sexy* scent - another winner!
CCCXCIX - 339
In the bottle: Fizzy grapefruit and...lilac?
On wet: Grapefruit or lemongrass, but it's almost powdery - reminds me of the pith. No other notes are coming through at this stage - it's like citrus SN!
Drydown: Oh wow, this is gorgeous. The grapefruit has backed off a bit, and is mingling with something so delicate and watery (not aquatic, just a cool, green, moistness) - I'm guessing it's aloe. I still think there's some lilac in here, too - it's soft and gentle, but riding the edge of the scent, giving it just enough creamy sweetness to round things out. That powdery vibe (which is almost gone now) has me wondering if an orchid snuck into the mix somewhere along the line...
Overall: This is a fantastic blend - very reminiscent of Whitechapel (which I )! I will definitely be keeping *and* wearing this scent - it's perfect for me!
MCLXXI - 1171
In the bottle: Caramel or dark sugar, something fruity and fresh.
On wet: Almost instantly, that drizzle of sugary caramel gives way to...uh, herbal bubblegum?? I *think* that's what I'm smelling, but damn, is it ever sharp and weird. And now it's going kinda chemical, like...burning bleach.
Drydown: I still don't know what I'm smelling, but thankfully there's some light caramel-fruit sweetness returning to the forefront. I'm still picking up on what I can only describe as bubblebum, but it's now a supporting note in this strange blend, and no longer horribly offensive. The longer it dries, the more intense the sweet, candied fruit becomes - I'm thinking it might be red plum.
Overall: Out of the 8 CTs that've come my way (4 this round, 4 last), this is the first and only bottle that I really, *really* didn't like. I even had a no-swap policy in place specifically for any CT purchases 'cause they were all unique and made for me, right? But in this case, I think I'll have to bend the rules a bit. This odd duck (odd with my chemistry, at any rate) will almost certainly never see the light of day, and that's no life for *any* BPAL fragrance. I'll have to find it a new home.
MCXLVII - 1147
In the bottle: My nose is instantly hit with strong, "dirty-rooty" patchouli. Loitering around the edges is something bitter, something muddy green. This scent seems really dark at first sniff.
On wet: Menthol, like Vick's Vaporub. The fresh, almost sour twang of newly fallen leaves emerges seconds later.
Drydown: The patchouli is finally rising back up with a tiny lick of dirty smoke alongside it. There's a smidge of lingering menthol, too, but this is primarily all patch, all the time.
Overall: I typically like my patchouli spruced up with some fruit or tobacco or musky-musk, but this is quite nice, too. It's simple, uncomplicated, not overly sweet, not too dark. I haven't received a CT in this category yet (non-perfumey/foody/floral) so it was a nice surprise!
In the bottle: Sweet n' perfumey. Kinda reminds me of a really high-end shampoo.
On wet: Wow, forget shampoo - we're talking upscale perfume here. It's so intense I'm having a hard time picking out familiar notes. It's not foody or watery, amberish or incensey, roses or citrus or tea or ozone...
Drydown: After a few minutes, this totally calms down. It's still *very* perfumey and hard to dissect component-wise, but I'm REALLY enjoying it! It's kind of like a spicy, creamy floral with a shot of fruity sweetness added for good measure. I can only guess at what might be in it: carnation and/or spices, jasmine and/or ylang ylang, possibly bergamot... *is stumped*
Overall: This, my fourth and final bottle of CT, is just lovely. In fact, ALL of my CTs have been wonderful! It *is* a touch heavier than I usually like, but as an evening out/cold weather scent, I think it'll be perfect.
What a great experience CT has been! I hope the Lab continues this tradition, 'cause I'm already excited for the next round!
Originally reviewed: Aug 12 06
In the bottle: Wow, it's an olfactory cacophony - talk about a mish-mash of notes! I think I'm getting...tea? Definitely something sweet or fruity, maybe a touch of ginger?
On wet: Pretty much the same impression as above - like a bunch of crazy notes are battling it out on my skin. Kinda smells...strange. That initial hint of tea is gone (maybe it never existed), and now I'm mostly getting what I think is ginger and something sweet.
Drydown: Spicy sweetness, now underscored by a drier, peppery smokiness similar to something that I smelled in Laudanum - maybe the nutmeg? I think the tea might be back, too, though it's so soft I could be imagining it...again.
Overall: Started out as something appropriately chaotic, and dried down into this spicy, somewhat smoky, strangely sweet scent that I would definitely classify as an upscale Oriental blend. It's a wonderfully warm skin scent for the colder months, and a beautiful and unique addition to my collection.
In the bottle: Mmm...smells like powdery, peppery cherries! I'm instantly reminded of Black Phoenix.
On wet: CHERRIES on STEROIDS! And then...*poof*...they're gone. All I'm smelling now is this gorgeous underbite of black peppery-ness.
Drydown: Still getting that amazing peppery scent (ginger? peppercorn?) with just a hint of sweetness playing underneath. It's an absolutely incredible smell.
Overall: ::swoons:: Mmmm...this blend is like spicy sex in a bottle. I'm thrilled to have something so deliciously unique, and *beyond* delighted by my very first "perfect for me" CT. Thanks to Beth for creating such an exciting fragrance, and for the agents of Chaos that sent it my way!
Originally reviewed: July 28 06
In the bottle: I smell something...sweet, woodsy, maybe a dark floral or two, with just a hint of dryer sheet.
On wet: Wow, what a jumble of notes - everything that was mentioned above, only much more intense. No dominant scent to go by, either. I have no idea what I'm smelling.
Drydown: I *still* can't tell what's in this blend. The possibilities that spring to mind are jasmine, myrrh, and/or ylang ylang, and maybe a touch of something resinous? It's a darkly golden, sweet, perfume-y, and somewhat dry kind of scent.
Overall: An elegant, expensive-smelling blend - not quite my taste, but lovely nonetheless.
In the bottle: very similar to the released version, but there's a hint of something lighter/sweeter swirled into the mix. Interesting...
On wet: Sweet vanilla with a fruity sparkle - creamy and smooth. Definitely not the heavy, heady red musk n' fruit combo I'm used to!
Drydown: It's kinda difficult to get this scent sniffed out accurately - it's faded down so much! What I can smell is a much softer, lighter version of my favourite Misfortune Teller - like someone's added a few drops of the released blend to a bottle of creamy vanilla. The red musk and fruitiness is still present, but not as prominent, and there's a much sweeter edge to both. I'm not certain - it could be the way my nose is interpreting the mix of components - but I'm catching a hint of leather and possibly something resiny, too. Hmm...the longer it dries, the heavier/richer it gets.
Overall: M. Moriarty is my favourite scent and has been for quite some time now. Mlle. Lilith is a close second. They're similar in feel, but serve the many different moods I have. When I want something close to either released version - but NOT a released version (gotta love those annoyingly indecisive days, lol) - then this proto will be a great option, especially once it's had a chance to age into the glorious deliciousness I know it will become. Currently a 4/5 and a keeper.
