In the bottle: Mmm...candied violets that've been smooshed into a delectable powder.
On wet: YUM! Still getting that sweet musk/candied violet - which is actually going more candied rose the longer I sniff - combo. Absolutely delicious!
Drydown: Loving this. Smells like a bolder Tushnamatay that's been dusted with sweet candy powder. What an amazing blend. As others have mentioned, there definitely is something *else* underneath all those good notes, something I can't quite put my finger on, and it does indeed smell "off". Not in an icky way, mind, just something...sharp? biting? metallic?...that kind of peeps out from beneath that powder puff of yumness every now and then - especially when I get in close for a good whiff. I quite like it.
Overall: I'm a fan of sweet powdery-musky stuff, so this scent definitely works for me - it's got great throw, too. An easy 4/5.
In the bottle: Caramelized sugar - almost maple-y.
On wet: Maple sugar and something decidedly RED n' FRUITY! Quite a jarring combination.
Drydown: Sweet, red berry jam. Thick and gloppy. Caramel sugar is glowing underneath. The entire effect is almost...hazy, if that makes sense - like there's this vapour trail of heavy, goo-ified, sugar-berry NOMness wafting up from my skin. It's absolutely *incredible*.
Overall: I all but cried when I heard the preliminary reports on this scent - that one of my all-time favourite concepts was going to be a *gasp* FOODIE blend! - not quite what an anti-foodie like me had been hoping for. With much trepidation and little optimism, I ordered ZA anyway...and I am SO glad I did! YES, it's a foodie scent, and YES, it's super sweet, but holy smokes, does it ever smell GOOD! And it actually works on my skin! I don't forsee slathering it on *every day* or anything, but it's definitely wearable, it's totally fun, and my nose can't seem to get enough of it! DELICIOUS! 4.5/5
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: Mmm...really high-end shampoo.
On wet: Clean, clean, clean! Watery, with just a hint of something floral - again, it brings to mind some gorgeously expensive bath product. Niiiiice!
Drydown: This is *so* clean, so cool, so fresh, it's like I'm in taking a bubble bath. In a lake. While it's raining ever so softly. And pale flowers are floating all around. And the breeze is mild and equally fragrant. Very pretty and evocative...though a tad too perfumey for my taste, heh. The peach eventually peeps out from beneath all those blossoms and well-blended notes, but it's majorly overshadowed by the primary players.
Overall: Quite a heady fragrance, though it maintains a lightness that's very appealing. Reminds me quite a bit of 51 - in feeling, rather than scent similarity. Both are glittery, perfumey, floral-fruit-white resin compositions, and I think both could pass for complex commercial scents (in a good way, mind). Not sure if a bottle is in my future, as I already have 51 to see to this particular olfactory niche, but I will absolutely be keeping and using my imp. 3/5
In the imp: Sweet, unidentifiable fruit, and something almost cleaner-ish.
On wet: Fruit syrup - the kind that you get from canned fruit cocktail. Lightly sweet and pourably slick.
Drydown: I'm mostly smelling musk, maybe whatever the "serpentine green herbs" are, a touch of the lemon/lime combo every once in a while (not very prominent at all), and something dry and spicy-hazy underneath it all - I'm assuming that's the snakeskin. Weirdly evocative! The fruity vibes from the initial application vanished after just a minute or two, but the further it dries, the more currant I seem to get - wonderful! I love Beth's currant notes, so I'm really glad they make a more obvious appearance!
Overall: The list of notes sound like they were made for me - lemon, lime, musk, currant - but it takes a *long* time for these superstars to actually wake up and shine on my skin. I didn't care for the wet-to-dry stages that much, and the later drydown - which I really, *really* like - was super faint and didn't seem to have much throw. I agree with posters before me who mention the 51 comparison. 51 is one of my favourite light musk/fruity blends, and Serpents definitely heads in the same direction the longer it sits on my skin. Even still, it's huffably addictive (my nose is mashed against my wrist even now), so it's quite possibly bottle-worthy in the future. 3.5/5
In the imp: Supa' Spicy! Cinnamon, specifically.
On wet: Cinnamon, cinnamon, cinnamon...with just a *hint* of tea.
Drydown: Mmm...still predominantly cinnamon-yum, but the sweet, grounding scent of sandalwood has finally emerged. It takes a few minutes, but clove shows up next, followed by nutmeg, then the vaguely sweetish allspice. Not getting tobacco or peppercorn - and even the tea seems to have been overshadowed by the main spices - but I'm sure they're all in there, adding their deliciousness to the mix.
Overall: This is one of the most fab spice scents I've ever encountered. It's dry, intense, wonderfully warm, authentic, and all together wearable - no generic candle or potpourri smell going on over here! I can see this being worn all by itself on cold days, or layered under something else to kick up the heat a notch. Excellent addition to the spicy love line-up. 4/5
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: YUM! Sweet mandarin. A tip of the hat to those of you who mention the gummy bear connection - it's a *dead on* description, lol!
On wet: Fizzy, fruity, orange-y. Yes, it's reminiscent of Tang orange drink.
Drydown: Sweet n' simple. Fig on the bottom, mandarin on top. I can't decide if I smell more like candy, or a really, REALLY good bath product!
Overall: I don't know if I'd wear this very often, but it's definitely cheerful and lovely and huffable. Suitable for any occasion, and more than appropriate for any age group - especially the wee BPAL addicts-in-training. A fun 3/5.
(I'm thinking I may layer this with Plunder for some spicy orange tea goodness!!)
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.
In the bottle: Super dark, super rich, medicinal fruit cough syrup.
On wet: Ooooh...delicious apricot simmered in sweet musk. Decadent and candylicious.
Drydown: There was a brief, worrisome moment of "omg, EVIL PLASTIC!" but that seems to have faded. Now I'm getting a sweet, lightly fruited musk with a vague brandied undertone. I also keep getting these odd hits of...violet candy? Whenever it registers, I'm reminded of Psychological Horror, even though they're nothing alike in terms of notes or "feel". Weird.
Overall: I like this blend! It's not as smooth as I would like - especially when compared to the gorgeous released version - but I think that age will help with that. Fruit and musk and sweet stuff grounded with a smidge of something darker are favourites in my scent stable, so I think this proto - which hits all those marks - will eventually do very well for itself. Until it has a chance to soften those rough edges, though, it rates a 3/5.
