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Will post wishlist, bottles, etc. here!

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Indie Perfume Collection [12/2023]

Here is my current full size indie perfume collection! I've been meaning to whittle this collection down, and over the past few years I really have! It's funny how so many of my favorites are perfumes from almost a decade ago that I still cherish to this day. Clearly I move through oils rather slowly. Over time I want to go through and add mini reviews to each of these since that will be fun. Here's to keeping this collection curated! Link to my bottle collection can also be found here! Total Bottles (38)   🔶 Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab (17) General Catalogue Eat Me - Gorgeous cake, earthy woody black currant, and a hint of juiciness from red currant. It’s round, intoxicating and not super sweet. Age has done wonders for this beauty. No. 93 Engine - This honestly has just gotten even better with age. Herbs, resin, besswax, and benzoin. It's golden, spicy, and rich, and it's really mellowed out with time. No edges at all. Snake Oil - My bottle is rather old so the oil is thick and gloriously terracotta colored. It smells of spices, musk, incense, and a sweet sugared vanilla underneath it all. A triumph of a scent that is best experienced with a light hand. Tamora - A warm, fuzzy, amber and peach perfume to end all peach perfumes. Sweet, a hint fruity, golden, and rich. It’s like a warmed summer day where you can feel the heat envelop you, but the juice of a ripe fuzzy peach keeps you refreshed while sitting in your wicker chair. Zombi - Dry decaying greenery, wet earth, and roses. It’s a bit powdery and musky. I used to love this, and in a way I still do, but that musky powdery edge is a little bracing. I will keep this for now, but one day it might make its way out of my collection. Special General Catalogue Collections Hand of Glory (Carnaval Diabolique) - Leather and beeswax and a good dose of sandalwood underneath it all. The leather is so creamy and supple and buttery and positively frenched with melted lightly sweetened candles. A favorite comforting leather. Lady Una (Neil Gaiman: Stardust) - It’s just as I remember it, a comforting vanilla green tea with a healthy dose of a beeswax like honey and lightly spiced, lightly green berries. It’s a bit lactonic but also comforting and a little laundry like and fresh. A bit of a conundrum, but a lovely one. Temple Viper (Carnaval Diabolique) - Sugary incense, resins, vanilla, a bit of smoke, and patchouli. There is also an addicting, lovely, powdery champaca floral tone running through which keeps this a bit lighter than regular Snake Oil. I used to wear a ton of Snake Oil and Samhain, so this reminds me of my college days but it’s something I can still wear and adore! Wulric, the Wolfman (Carnaval Diabolique) - Cocoa and lavender with a large dose of vanilla and a hint of something herbal that keeps this from getting too sweet. Delicious and perfect, especially for sleep!  Discontinued and LE Celeste (BPTP) - Buttery, sugary vanilla, and powdery orchids. It’s very lady-like, and it smells like a lightly purple, velvety, powdery, floral marshmallow. Edith Cushing (Crimson Peak) - Predominantly vanilla musk and grey amber on me. I absolutely adore a light amber scent, and this is a stunning one. It almost has a sweet floral quality that makes it quite approachable. Not the most unique, but lovely nonetheless. My Little Grotesque (Lilith) - Vanilla cardamom cake, nothing more, nothing less. Cardamom and vanilla are two of my absolute favorites so this is a cozy favorite, and I adore that the gourmand vanilla cake note is the same as in Eat Me. Paduan Killer Swarm (2010) - It's sweet, cozy, resinous, and warm. The tonka and licorice are at the forefront when it is wet, but when it dries down the spices and woods come forward to make it feel a little less juicy. It's still an absolute cozy favorite of mine in a similar vein to the Soldier. Halloweenie a World Where There Are Octobers (2013) - The initial blast is all bell pepper, green and dry and a little spicy. It dries down with a bit more of a dry sweetness (like maple syrup without the syrup) and a bit of fall spices. It’s still peppery, but the “green” aspect is mostly gone. Very atmospheric and unique. Golletes (2010) - Lovely, pink, and foody. Of all the foody scents I have, this is BY FAR my favorite. It's just delectable without being too heavy. Yules Snow-Flakes (2009) - I don’t think there will ever be a prettier snow perfume than this one. Minty, slushy, aquatic snow, and something ethereal tying it all together, something floral I think. It’s a crisper, cooler version of Snow White. I am desperate for another bottle. the Soldier (2010) - This starts off as all red musk, black tea, a bit of creaminess, and gourmand anise which I'm assuming is the pie! No black pepper in sight! It's gotten richer and more gourmand over time and has this syrupy almost honeyed red musk and licorice pie vibe now, less tea.   🔶 Arcana and Arcana Craves (3) Astrid's Diadem (Discontinued) - This smells like a delicious lemon merengue with a hint of mint and something a little herbal. There is no cookie or a baked feel, just cream, sugar, a touch herbal lemon, and mint. Honey Craves Sunshowers - Golden glorious vanilla cardamom with an herbal cardamom at the forefront. It’s absolutely stunning. Vanilla Craves Crescent Moons - This smells like the prettiest floating fluffy milk scent. I don’t get any floral, just sweet slightly fatty lactones. Like heavy whipping cream, not butter?   🔶 Fantôme (3) Finist the Falcon - Juicy rose jam with velvety currant and a hint of cream underneath it all. My favorite rose. It’s lush, juicy, and delicious without going gourmand or fruity. Just a vibrant beating heart of a rose. the Fox Sisters - If I had to pick a "signature" scent, it would be this one. It's a cardamom forward chai latte, and it fulfills my wish of both smelling like a snack and being a snack. Perfection. Lycanthrope - Fresh, sweet, and sparkly from the bottle, but on skin a bitter, herbal, freshness from the tomato leaf starts to bloom. There is depth from the oakmoss and lingering sweetness from lychee, peach, and a dash of honey. Overall a gorgeous sweetened fresh spring garden botanical.   🔶 Mythpunk Olfactive (2) Mossmallow Puff - Initially the vanilla marshmallow vanilla is strong with hardly any earthiness, but then the earthy notes peak out and balance the scent quite nicely. I get a lot of rain, moss, and a touch of sweet amber. It reminds me of an early morning rain shower, when dawn is just creeping over the horizon, and you’re outside getting drenched in the rain in your prettiest white dress. Strangeling - This is an earthy, dry, mossy, matcha powder and oolong tea with no sweetness whatsoever. The matcha and tea drenches ink stained pages of yellowed ancient books with slightly vanillic binding. Still, there is no sweetness. It’s quite herbal, but there is no sharpness. It’s got a round warm and dry quality to it. Almost like someone is brewing a cup of green tea on a dry day. I’ve never encountered anything like this, and I love how the tea is not tempered by any sweetness and the journey the scent takes me on.   🔶 Nocturne Alchemy (4) Blue Egypt - The perfect perfume to wear to sleep and perhaps my favorite from Nocturne Alchemy. It's juicy but soft and sweet lavender and chamomile tea. Eternal Ankh - A cool floaty soft vanilla, mostly vanilla with a dollop of white amber. It’s a bit fluffy and powdery and definitely needs some age on it to become beautiful, but once it does? Stunning. It's a classic for a very good reason. Moonstone (Studio) - A slightly powdery marshmallow vanilla. It stays close to the skin and is very lightly sweetened. I suspect this needs age. Opal Vanilla (Studio) - Cozy, sweet, condensed milk vanilla that is more potent in the bottle than on skin. It’s sweet and lactonic and less buttery than I expected. I suspect this needs age as well!   🔶 Poesie (6) Comfort (Winter LE) - A lightly spiced, lightly woody, lightly musky, lightly sweet, enveloping vanilla. Comfort is a good name for this since it smells like a lovely cozy sweater and is perfect for layering. Curiouser and Curiouser (LE) - It's a fluffy and sweet vanilla with a hit of freshness keeping it from getting heavy at all. It reminds me of a lighter, fresher BPTP Celeste but without the "purple" that I largely get from Celeste. Emmeline Pankhurst (LE) - This is Poesie’s tea note with a heaping helping of cool, airy, earthy stone and musk. It’s a pretty, chilly, but more bracing version of their Twice to Tea classic. Initially, the earthy watery elements are strongest, but over time the tea and earthy notes balance each other out. It’s a soft crisp blend that feels both cuddly and invigorating. Poison Pen Lane (LE) - Black tea, berry jam, and a hint of something absolutely snuggly and woodsy underneath it all. This perfume is delicious, cozy, and perfect for fall. The berries are decidedly blueberries, and they recede a bit over time. This feels like a more nuanced, cozy, and grounded take on their Twice to Tea classic. Twice to Tea - It's a sweet scent that has bits of tea, vanilla, milk, lavender, and that sweetness that comes with earl grey tea. It's not super foody but is more of a perfume version of a rather sweet tea if that makes sense. Velvet Moon (Collab) - Initially, this smells like a whisper of a sweet cardamom vanilla. It’s so light I can barely smell it, but in the drydown, it transforms to this papery inky library scent. I really do sense the flickering candle-smoke and hardwood shelving. It’s incredibly evocative.   🔶 Possets (2) Black Annis (Halloween Retour) - Medicinal, herbal, and slightly sweet black licorice. Dark, inky, and absolutely gorgeous. This is the anise perfume of my dreams. Pavane - Cardamom sugar cookies! A rich spiced gourmand that is neither too rich and sweet nor too spicy. It’s a delectable combination of the two, and I love wearing this snuggled up in a sweatshirt with a book in hand.   🔶 Treading Water (1) Déchets - The prettiest fresh floral jasmine scent. I don’t even like jasmine, and I find this to be so lovely. It’s airy and pretty and warm and almost vanillic.
CiaoBonefish

CiaoBonefish

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Testing New Perfume [April 2021]

Wanted to do a quick review of the perfumes I purchased this past month so I would have a place to reference in the future:   POESIE Twice to Tea (5ml) a strongly brewed cup of Earl Grey tea delicately infused with all natural lavender absolute, sweetened with vanilla syrup, and lightened with a splash of milk. I had gotten a sample of this before, and I'm so happy I finally strung for a full size. It's a sweet scent that has bits of tea, vanilla, milk, lavender, and that sweetness that comes with earl grey tea. It's not super foody but is more of a perfume version of a rather sweet tea if that makes sense. A favorite! Keep.   Curiouser and Curiouser (2ml) daisy chains, blades of grass and a rabbithole, a blue cotton frock, airy vanilla clouds. Ok. I need a bottle of this one immediately. I hoped this would be stronger on the grass note, but it is actually stronger on the vanilla. It's fluffy and sweet with a hit of freshness keeping it from getting too heavy. It reminds me of a lighter, fresher BPTP Celeste. Keep, full size wishlist.   Always Time for Tea (2ml) countless cups of black tea loaded with cream, treacle tarts, mini strawberry jam tarts. This is stronger on the treacle tart on me than the strawberries. It's like if Twice to Tea had a ton of molasses and a hint of licorice in it. I like it, but it gives me BPAL the Soldier vibes, and in general I prefer BPAL's the Soldier. Keep.   White Rabbit (free sample) fluffy white fur musk, kumquat marmalade, lacy carrot flower, a wisp of hay and sweet fennel. This is all musk and hay on me. I got a touch of fruitiness when it first went on, but the musk is really the strongest note here. Unfortunately, "musk" notes (apart from red musk) usually just translate to powder on me. Pass.   NUI COBALT DESIGNS the Bees' High Tea (sample) An uplifting blend to forge lasting connections and cultivate friendships. Delicate vanilla cakes with rose petal preserves, elderflower wine, and Earl Grey tea with a dainty drop of spring harvest honey. Smells like BPAL Lady Una, but BETTER. I need to test this again, but wow how absolutely gorgeous. I might need a full bottle. ETA: after a second test, I don't think I need a full size bottle of this one. It's less "better than" Lady Una and more the juicier version of Lady Una. The honey and jammy rose plus elderflower wine is the strongest combination of scents here and it feels very lush. I think I might amp NCD's honey note because it continues to take over after a while which isn't something I am always in the mood to wear. Lovely, but not a forever scent. Keep.   Busy Bee (free sample) A piquant potion for swift and efficient productivity. A blend of Oolong and Tibetan black tea with peach blossom honey, cardamom, and clove, sharpened with pink peppercorn and dry oakwood. Wear this scent for improved focus, diligence, and motivation. This is a sweet, light, honeyed tea on me initially. The peach blossom honey is the star of the show and the spices add a bit of depth without my nose really being able to pick them out. It has a light cozy fuzziness to it as well which goes a bit powdery. As time progresses the honey note gets a bit sharp and really takes over. I liked this initially, but the honey is just too much in this one. Pass.   ALKEMIA (still letting this order rest) First Dandelion (nature's ambience sample set) A springtime daydream of sunny dandelion flowers, green dandelion leaves, and warm dirt. Stronger on the dandelion than the leaves and dirt. Does to powder on me. Pass.   Moss Maiden (nature's ambience sample set) A delicately feral blend of ferns, bark, lichen, crushed autumnal greens, and moss I liked this initially, but it turned to a powdery mess on me. Pass.
CiaoBonefish

CiaoBonefish

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Testing the Collection [2021]

I need to go through my collection, thoroughly test everything, write down my thoughts, and figure out once and for all what I will keep. This blog post is going to catalog my process. (ETA: I never finished this, but I wanted to keep these reviews here for future reference)   Perfume Reviews from my Collection: Black Opal - (4/28) Crisp mineral-esque vanilla with a bit of airy powdery feeling. I love this scent, but it does take a hit to settle into the skin and lose it's slightly sharp edge. It's a warm weather scent for me, and even though it goes a bit powdery it's a keeper. It's also difficult to get a hold of so I don't want to sell it and regret it. Keep. Golletes - (4/20) Lovely, pink, and foody. Of all the foody scents I have, this is BY FAR my favorite. It's just delectable without being too heavy. I knew I loved this. I still love this and need to wear it more! Keep. Hungry Ghost Moon - (4/21) Delicious ginger, ho wood, and rice wine. Slightly sparkly, slightly warm, absolutely divine. I love this perfume. It does go ever ever so softly powdery but not enough to keep me from wearing it. I love how delicate and sophisticated this one feels while also have some playfulness to it. Ok, it's been a while since those last thoughts and unfortunately this goes more and more powdery as it dries. I think my skin just doesn't agree with sandalwood anymore as those perfumes keep going powdery on me. Sigh. Swap/Sell. Inez (5/5) - Sadly I think as time has gone on sandalwood and musk notes now translate as powder on me. I used to loooooove this scent so much, but our time has come. Pass. Kit - (5/4) Straight up woods. Deep, warm, round woods. I like how this doesn't do powdery on me. I want to compare this to other perfumes like Inez and CT: Woods to see if I prefer either of those to this one because I really only need one warm woodsy scent in my collection. This might be it, but it might not! Lady Una - (4/24) I adore this scent. It's soft berries and honey and milk and an absolutely comforting scent. However, Nui Cobalt Design's the Bees' High Tea smells JUST like it... but BETTER. It also lasts way longer on me than Lady Una. I will keep this for now because the scent makes me nostalgic, but I might make it a goal to finish this one up sooner rather than later. ETA: I retested this alongside tBHT and low and behold I actually prefer Lady Una. The honey is more understated in Lady Una and it's more of a creamy but slightly fresh scent while tBHT is more juicy and honey berry. Keep. Lantern Ghost of Oiwa - (4/21) Soft florals, a hint of wood and tea over a bed of rice wine which smooths things over, and a bit of mint to brighten the whole thing. The florals are a bit powdery if I get in close, but the general waft is really lovely. I need to compare this to Hungry Ghost Moon because I remember them being similar, but I'm not sure if I need both. Just tested HGM, and yeah it's just way more my vibe with its added ginger while giving me a similar feel to LGoO. I think it's the ho wood and rice wine that ultimately connect them in my mind, but HGM is less powdery. Swap/Sell. Mag Mell - (4/21) Mag Mell, Oh how I loved you but now I think our time is up. I've just had this bottle for too long. This used to be my favorite bright spring scent with ginger and sage and and amber. It was my favorite, but I think I am now in need of a fresh bottle because it's gone to powder in the past 10 or so years and I really think this has just gone off. I prefer Arcana's Gehern over this one for when I want a fresh ginger verbena scent. Dispose/Recycle. No. 93 Engine - (4/22) This honestly has just gotten even better with age. Herbs, resin, besswax, and benzoin. It's golden, spicy, and rich, and it's really mellowed out with time and isn't so sharp anymore. Keep. Old Moon 2008 - (4/22) Wintery, forestry goodness. Smells just as lovely as the first time I wore it. It makes me so nostalgic as it was the first bottle I bought off of the forum. It's more of a room scent to me than a perfume sent, but it's absolutely perfect for winter. Keep. Paduan Killer Swarm - (5/2) I forget how much I love this scent. It's sweet, cozy, resinous, and warm. The tonka and licquorice are at the forefront when it is wet, but when it dries down the spices and woods come forward to make it feel a little less juicy. I wish the woods and spices didn't overtake the juiciness so much, but it's still an absolute cozy favorite of mine, perfect for fall. Keep. Tarot: the Star - (4/21) This honestly smells like a lemon version of Mag Mell but with more musk and without the . This scent is pretty sentimental to me, and until I find the perfect lemon scent, this one will be staying in the collection. I honestly just find it difficult to let go of. I'm curious how layering this with more foody scents will go? Keep. Theodosius the Legerdemain - (5/4) I like the idea of this scent, but it doesn't really smell like tea to me. It smells more fresh and laundry-esque with a hint of woods. I don't mind this scent. Especially when it has been a while, it's quite nice. It's just not something I think I really want to wear as a perfume anymore. Pass. a World Where There Are Octobers - (5/2) Paper-esque, peppery, a bit sharp. It's a crisp autumn day. No sweetness, just straight up atmospheric vibes. I don't wear this often, but I think I need to break it out more as a layering scent with more warm or juicy blends. I feel like it would temper them in a way. Especially warm autumn scents! It's so unique and definitely a keeper for me. Keep. CT: Woods - (5/5) Just straight up woods with a foody bready vanilla note to it. I like it, but I'm pretty confident I would never actually wear this one. Pass. Edith Cushing - (4/20) I enjoy this on initial application, but over time this just turns to powder. This is mainly a powdery sandalwood with a hint of vanilla underneath it all. Too powdery for me. Swap/Sell.
CiaoBonefish

CiaoBonefish

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Notes I Like, Notes I Don't [11/2023]

LOVE: Amber (particular white, but I love all), Apricot, Aquatics (as long as they are not soapy), Balsam, Barley, Benzoin, Blueberry, Cake, Cardamom, Carnation, Chrysanthemum, Earth/Dirt/Damp Soil, Ginger, Grass, Hay, Herbs, Honeysuckle, Ho Wood, Incense, Lavender, Lemon, Lemon Verbena, Licorice/Star Anise, Marshmallows, Milk/Cream, Mint (particularly herbal), Moss, Orris, Osmanthus, Peach/Peach Blossom, Pine, Red Musk, Resins, Rice/Rice Pudding/Rice Wine, Saffron, Snow, Spices (love them all but less so nutmeg and clove, and cinnamon is good as long as there is no red hots to be seen), Tea (green, black, all really), Tomato Leaf, Tonka Bean, Vanilla/Vanilla Orchid (really just all vanillas with a preference for airy ones), Violets, Woods.   LIKE: Apple, Beeswax, Berries, Caramel, Clove, Cocoa, Leather, Patchouli, Pear, Plum, Rose, Sandalwood, Sarsaparilla, Soft Florals, Tobacco, Vetiver.   QUESTIONABLE/NOT A FAN: Booze, Cherry, Clove, Coconut, Coffee, Indolic Florals, Milk Chocolate, Nutmeg, Nuts, Pumpkin, Smoke (some smokiness is okay, but it can nauseate me)
CiaoBonefish

CiaoBonefish

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My Favorite Indie Perfume [11/2023]

My Current Favorite Perfumes!   Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab: My Little Grotesque (Lilith) Eat Me (GC) Tamora (GC) Edith Cushing (Crimson Peak) Wulric, the Wolfman (Carnaval Diabolique) the Soldier 2010 (Yule) Snow-Flakes 2009 (Yule) Zombi (GC) Celeste 2011 (BPTP) Lady Una (Stardust)   Other Brands: the Fox Sisters (Fantome) Namba (Fantome) Curiouser and Curiouser (Poesie) Eternal Ankh (Nocturne Alchemy) Twice to Tea (Poesie) Honey Craves Sunshowers (Arcana) Gehern the Troll (Arcana) Lycanthrope (Fantome) Poison Pen Lane (Poesie) Pavane (Possets)
CiaoBonefish

CiaoBonefish

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