ophidiae

VASILISSA "Take it, then," the Tsar said, "and bid her do it for me." The old woman brought the linen home and told Vasilissa the Tsar's command: "Well I knew that the work would needs be done by my own hands," said Vasilissa, and, locking herself in her own room, began to make the shirts. So fast and well did she work that soon a dozen were ready. Then the old woman carried them to the Tsar, while Vasilissa washed her face, dressed her hair, put on her best gown and sat down at the window to see what would happen. And presently a servant in the livery of the Palace came to the house and entering, said: "The Tsar, our lord, desires himself to see the clever needlewoman who has made his shirts and to reward her with his own hands." Vasilissa rose and went at once to the Palace, and as soon as the Tsar saw her, he fell in love with her with all his soul. He took her by her white hand and made her sit beside him. "Beautiful maiden," he said, "never will I part from thee and thou shalt be my wife." So the Tsar and Vasilissa the Beautiful were married, and her father returned from the far-distant Tsardom, and he and the old woman lived always with her in the splendid Palace, in all joy and contentment. And as for the little wooden doll, she carried it about with her in her pocket all her life long. She herself had cheeks like blood and milk and grew every day more and more beautiful: creamy skin musk and blushing pink musk with soft sandalwood, white amber, dutiful myrrh, and star jasmine. Wow, can't believe I'm the first one to review this. In the bottle: A sweet, powdery amber that reminds me a lot of Bastet. Wet on skin: Again, very similar to Bastet. Amber is the strongest note, but the musk is there beneath, along with a faint hint of jasmine. The musk really does give it a creamy quality but without any of the sourness I usually get from cream-like notes. Drydown: Amber and musk are still the main notes, but now the sandalwood and myrrh are coming out to play. I can smell the jasmine more now. Combined with the resins, it reminds me of a softer version of Uruk, which is a personal favorite of mine. Dry: Amber, soft and somewhat powdery, along with jasmine and sandalwood. It's a very fresh scent, feminine without being girlie, and sweet without being cloying.

THE WHITE RIDER The wood was very dark, and she could not help trembling from fear. Suddenly she heard the sound of a horse's hoofs and a man on horseback galloped past her. He was dressed all in white, the horse under him was milk-white and the harness was white, and just as he passed her it became twilight. White leather and sandalwood. In the bottle: Leather and resins. Wet on skin: Like standing in my friend's horse barn, swear to god. This smells like hay and horses, it really does. Drydown: Dusty sandalwood, with warm horseflesh underneath it. It's fading awfully fast, alas. Dry: Sandalwood, soft and dry. The leather is still there, but just barely. Overall: Warm and earthy. I like this a LOT, but I'm afraid it's going to be one of those scents my skin just devours whole.

And once again, my quirky biochemistry rears its ugly head. This smells like cinnamon-scented dishwashing liquid on me. I have no idea why, most of the notes are ones I've worn before with no problem at all. But for some reason, this goes all soapy on me. Meh. I really wanted to like this one, too.

On me, this is soft, dusty and warm. I mainly smell sandalwood, but the leather is there just beneath it, comfortable and worn, like an old biker jacket. I think I may need to get another bottle.

Oh, wow, this is yummy! On me, it's a touch bitter when first applied, but as it dries down, it takes on this warm, molasses-and-spices smell, like fresh baked gingerbread. Unlike Green Label Thirteen, there's very little chocolate to this one. It's there, but softly, just an extra little dusting of sweet in the background. Have a feeling this is gonna become a favorite very quickly.

In the bottle this smells good enough to eat. Once it goes on my skin, there's a whiff of chocolate followed by a brief flash of caramel, and then it goes sharp and acrid. It's the smoke note; on me it smells like burnt plastic. Once it dries, it softens a bit and I can smell the chocolate and caramel again, but there's still that lingering burnt plastic smell mucking things up. Now, there are certain notes that I can't wear when I'm all PMS-y because my body chemistry plays havoc with them. Usually chocolates are good, but that smoke note is just not agreeing with me for whatever reason. I'm going to hang onto the bottle, and try it again when I'm not hormonal, see if that makes a difference. If it does, yay. If not, this goes in the swap pile. :/

In the bottle: Fresh cut flowers Wet on skin: Lilies with an undercurrent of soap; my skin does not always love the heady florals. Drydown: Honeyed amber, and a hint of musk. Beneath it all is the soft, sweet scent of fresh flowers. Dry: Warm, spicy amber and musk. Really quite lovely, but has almost no throw to it.

I have a love/hate relationship with food scents. Thankfully, this is one I love. I'm not going to bother with the usual IN THE BOTTLE, WET ON SKIN, etc., because it's really all variations of the same thing: chocolate. Or, more precisely, cocoa. I smell like I've been baking chocolate cakes all afternoon. It's making me want to start chewing on my wrists, they smell so yummy. Think I may have to retaliate by baking brownies later. ♥ As it dries down, I can smell the apple blossoms and honeysuckle. It's very faint, but it's there, and it is NOT going soapy or making me sneeze. Huzzah! Yeah, this is definitely a keeper. 8)

In the bottle: Mainly wood smells. Wet on skin: Warm, dark wood infused with the lingering scent of tobacco. Drydown: The vanilla is beginning to come out to play. Dry: Similar to Perversion, though not nearly as sweet. I love Perversion, but have to use it sparingly because the vanilla can become cloying. With the Antikythera Mechanism, the sweetness is blunted by the oak and teak notes. It makes me think of a Victorian drawing room, with a gentleman smoking his pipe while his wife sits nearby reading. It's warm and comfortable, and makes me want to go wrap up in a soft dressing gown and relax with a nice hot cuppa. Yeah. May have to get a full 5ml of this one.

In the bottle: Amber and something bright and herbal, almost like lemongrass. Wet on skin: Amber and a light, sweet note. I suspect it's the honey, but it's mingled with that same herbal note I smelled in the bottle. From what others have said, I'm guessing this is the kush. There's no sign of the musk, or of the red currant, either. As I've never smelled daemonorops before, I have no idea if that is detectable or not. Drydown: Honey and amber still. The herbal note has gone dry, like grass in summer. Dry: Soft, golden amber, pale honey infused with dry sweet herbs, and the faintest whiff of musk. NICE. ETA: Three hours later, the herbs and honey have faded and what's left is musk overlaid with amber.

IN THE BOTTLE: Green growing things. WET ON SKIN: Damp pine needles, like the forest after a rain. Fresh, vibrant, alive. It definitely smells like spring. DRYDOWN: The forest smells are fading now, bringing out the smoke and incense, and the barest hint of amber. Mmmm, nice. DRY: Damn, it's gone soapy. It's a very nice amber soap, but it's still soap. This *could* be a body chemistry issue. I'm on a combination of antibiotics and painkillers right now, thanks to some recent outpatient surgery. Will try it again after I'm off the meds, because I really like this one up until that final soap note kicked in.

I have two reactions to this scent As a blend, I like it. It is dry, dusty wood, sweetened with vanilla and overlaid with the rugged bite of sassafras. Reminds me a bit of a root beer float, which shouldn't be sexy at all and yet somehow is. This would smell wonderful on a man, OH yeah. As a representation of the town of Tombstone, however, it just doesn't work. I used to live in that part of Arizona, and Tombstone is one of my favorite places on earth. I've gone dancing in the Crystal Palace Saloon, walked the boards of the Birdcage Theater, drunk many a toast at Johnny Ringo's grave. This scent doesn't even come close to capturing the spirit of that place... at least, not for me. Is this a good interpretation of the Old West in general? Yes, absolutely. Is it the Town Too Tough To Die? Alas, no.

I was a bit leery of trying Phoenix Steamworks since Mechanical Phoenix did not work very well for me, and the two are similar in style. I should not have worried. Phoenix Steamworks is a sharp, clean scent, like metal polished to a high gloss. I can't pick out the individual notes, but I have not been able to stop sniffing my wrists since I put it on. Yes, it is reminiscent of a man's cologne, but a subtle, elegant one. Definitely a masculine scent, and one that would be equally at home in the workshop as well as an elegant formal dinner party. If the rest of the Steampunk line is this good, I am going to be in deep, deep trouble.

IN THE BOTTLE: Heady, bright florals. WET ON SKIN: White flowers. Lily, mainly, and palmarosa, with a breath of lime and the faintest hint of coconut beneath it all. DRYDOWN: I can smell the amber now, but it's still mostly flowers. DRY: Yep, still flowers. Shoggoth reminds me of a "girly" liquid hand soap I was given a few years ago. And yes, it does have a slight soapiness on my skin. It's also starting to give me a headache. So, off to the swap pile it goes.

IN THE BOTTLE: Leather, wood and incense. WET ON SKIN: Body-warmed leather, plus something smokey and sweet that I can't quite place. DRYDOWN: There's a rose note in there somewhere, probably from the rosewood. Normally my skin amps rose like whoa, but this stays subtle and soft, more like a wild briar rose than a cultivated tea rose. Beneath that is leather again, and parchment, plus that same smokey-sweet note I can't put my finger on. I suspect it's the tonka, but I'm coming down with a cold and so can't be sure. DRY: More of the same, and damn, it's GOOD. I have no idea what the historical John Dee was like, but the man conjured up in my head by this scent is dead sexy. Wow. This one is definitely worthy of a full bottle, and if I could get the guy to go with? That would be even better.

IN THE BOTTLE: Incense smoke. WET ON SKIN: A strong blast of frankincense, but beneath that is some kind of wood note. DRYDOWN: Wood again. It reminds me of an old-fashioned pencil box. And ... looking at the other reviews here, I see I'm not the only one to have this association. DRY: Old, dry cedarwood, with a hint of smoke. OVERALL: It starts out very much like Penitence, but where that stays smokey and sweet, this goes dusty dry. It's a gentle, peaceful smell, but it doesn't make me think of cathedrals at all. What it does make me think of is a small side chapel, close and warm and tranquil.

IN THE BOTTLE: Some type of resin and citrus. WET ON SKIN: Spiced citrus. Cloves. Beneath that, something soft and almost powdery, maybe amber? DRYDOWN: Definitely amber. Citrus again, and a light, sweet note I can't identify. DRY: I smell like a pomander. It's nice. It's also fading fast, and doesn't have much of a throw. I suspect my body chemistry has something to do with that, as I'm at a point in my cycle where my skin just seems to devour scent.

We're getting the start of a nasty little cold front rolling in. The weather is grey and blustery, there has been thick sea fog, and even a spattering of rain, which has my joints aching something fierce. As such, I decided last night that a nice, long soak in a hot bath scented with Winter Maiden oil was just what I needed. Had this been a perfume oil, I would have avoided it because my body amps rose notes so strongly. Even with the bath oil, the strongest note to me is the white rose, but here it's a soft, clean sweetness rather than the cloying, overpowering scent I'm accustomed to getting from rose blends. Beneath that is the scent of cool, damp evergreens, and a crisp, clear note I assume is the famed "snow note" others have mentioned. Being from Florida, I've had precious little experience with snow, but I will say it reminds me very much of the icy air that buffeted the train I took through Alaska's White Pass over the summer. Winter Maiden is a scent that lasts. One small capful was more than enough to scent the entire bath. When I woke up today, I could still smell it on my skin: amber and sandalwood, overlaid with a green, woody note that I believe is the balsam, plus the faintest dusting of rose. I really, really like this one, though it will need to be used sparingly.

I never did get the rum or the almond to come out, which is disappointing as those are both favorites of mine. Instead, what I got was a mix of sea salt and clove. This is a sexy, warm and spicy scent, and would be absolutely devastating on a man.

IN THE BOTTLE: Strong, buttery vanilla. WET ON SKIN: Mostly vanilla and amber at this stage and it's, mmmm. Just lovely. DRYDOWN: The vanilla softens, and the orris and musk make an appearance. A few minutes later, the aquatics come out, softening the vanilla even further. DRY: It's hard to distinguish the individual notes, it all blends so seamlessly. Lord, this smells good. OVERALL. Warm, golden, rich. This is going on the Must Have list for a full bottle.

Just got this in the mail today as part of the Trick or Treat Inquisition. I was nervous, because usually food smells and I do not get along. This one actually appears to like me. Yay for the Inquisition Imps! In the bottle, it smells like ... pumpkin cheesecake. And really GOOD pumpkin cheesecake at that, just what you'd expect to smell cooking in the kitchen on a crisp Autumn day. Wet on skin, I get a strong blast of grahm cracker. As it dries, it gets spicier, with the cinnamon notes coming strongly to the fore. This is where it begins to smell a bit like a scented candle or cinnamon broom, but thankfully it's not overpowering. The pumpkin is still there, a sweet, subtle note beneath the spice. Fully dry, it's pumpkin and cheesecake, with a hint of spice. This is not something I would wear all the time, but as a seasonal scent, it's fantastic.

I was worried about the jasmine in this, because jasmine and I have a history of Not Agreeing. I love the scent of jasmine flowers in the garden, but on my skin it tends to become overpowering. This is not the case with Uruk. It goes on sweet, like honeyed almonds, then fades down to smoke and the faintest breath of jasmine. Very nice, and much more subtle than I was expecting. ETA: Just thought I should mention, in the months since I first posted this, Uruk has become one of my favorite scents, possibly even my "signature" scent. It's the one I reach for the most, especially if I'm sitting down to write. The more I wear it, the more I love it, and I did eventually wind up ordering a full bottle.

IN THE BOTTLE: "Hi! My name is patchouli!" WET ON SKIN: Intense flash of patchouli. DRYDOWN: Patchouli still, but the orris and myrrh are coming out to play. OVERALL: While patchouli remains the strongest note, the orris and myrrh eventually bring it to heel and don't allow it to overpower all else. This is a night wind in the high desert, dry and sharp. I like it enough to want a full 5ml bottle.

IN THE BOTTLE: Sea smells. Very aquatic. WET ON SKIN: Aquatic notes, mostly salt and sea air. DRYDOWN: The same, with the faintest hint of leather. OVERALL: On the whole, I've had good luck with the pirate-themed scents, and I reallyreally wanted to like this one. Also, musk and leather usually work very well on me, but in this particular blend the aquatic notes overwhelm all the others, so all I'm left with is brine. Which, to be fair, is not a bad thing--it really does smell like a walk on the shore on a windy day--but it doesn't *grab* me the way Pirate Moon and Port Royale did.

Oh. My. God. Why didn't I order two bottles of this? Whyyyyy? It's too subtle to pick out individual notes, but it reminds me of the summers I spent on Anna Maria Island as a child. It's all there: sun, surf, and sand, with a warm Caribbean breeze blowing through the coconut palms. Simply fantastic.