VioletChaos

I have had mixed luck with 13 blends in the past, but the notes in this one sounded too intriguing to pass up. Here goes! In The Bottle: The black tobacco is STRONG. Definitely the primary note here. the chocolate is there, but it's in the back, and it's kind of a thin chocolate, by which I mean not milky or creamy or like strong dark chocolate either. Like watered-down (without the water note). Wet On Skin: The cedar, high john and ginger have joined forces with the tobacco to create something *very* dark and *very* earthy. I hope this mellows some, because right now it might be too strong for me to wear... Dry Down: Ah, the saffron and patchouli are at least saying hello. The chocolate has left the building and what remains is a very rich, down n dirty scent. Sometimes I can't get tobacco to stay put, and this, unfortunately, seems to be one of those times. I'll give it a chance to settle and age for a bit, but this might have to be re-hommed by someone who is more in love with strong tobacco than I.

In The Bottle: furry, plump, ripe apricot and some blood orange in the background. Wet On Skin: the "musk" aspect of the blood orange makes itself known, lending a bit of weight to this fruity endeavor. I *might* detect a hint of the lavender, but the benzoin, thus far, is nowhere to be found. Dry Down: This is like a very sophisticated fruity creamsicle. It's adult, make no mistake, but the fruit and the musk are combining to make something creamy and immanently wearable. In All: Glad I took a chance on a bottle!

This is a lovely jasmine. It seems to evoke connections for people, and this was true for me as well. It reminds me of a solid perfume my mom used to wear in the 70's. she probably got it from a head shop, but the scent itself was a very light, springtime jasmine. As others have mentioned, it stays true from bottle to dry down. I'm not a huge fan of florals, but I took a chance on this one because I thought it might be less like a jasmine perfume and more just like the real, live jasmine flower. I'm not disappointed. I don't know how much I'll *wear* this, but I can see using it to gently scent a room or bedding. It's really quite lovely.

I am REALLY surprised no one has reviewed this yet- this is a perfect Yule atmo spray! I only did my customary 2-squirt testing, but it's exactly what I'd hoped for- the bright scent of spiced pomanders, all ginger-cinnamon-cloves stuck into the ripe, round skin of a big christmas orange. I had a similar atmosphere spray from the Post years ago and very foolishly traded it away, and I've regretted it ever since, so I'm really happy that a similar scent has finally made its way back to the Trading Post. I will NOT be foolish this time, and will in fact hold onto this bottle and treasure it for as long as it lasts!

Mine came with a well-loved copy of Verne's Journey to the Center of the Earth, which I've never read, so that's pretty exciting! In The Bottle: Smoky, well-worn death, and a little dark chocolate (definitely not milk chocolate, this is NOT Bliss). Wet On Skin: The wax is coming in just a little, and it almost comes across as "watery" but pulls back just shy of becoming so. The chocolate is well-tempered by the smokiness of the leather and the aged paper note is making the whole thing smell like sitting in an old library, sneaking sweets when the cross librarian isn't looking. Dry Down: A sweetish, dry age of a leather-bound book with a sliver of chocolate on the side. In All: I don't know that I'll keep this and wear it, but it's a very compelling scent and sure to be a hit with folks that love the Lab's "book" fragrances.

I am a HUUUUGE fan of carnation. It's my favorite on a *very* short list of florals I'll wear, so I got this based on that one note alone. Hopefully, this won't spell disaster! In The Bottle: Sugar, a floral I'm assuming is freesia, and carnation a bit hidden under the first two. I'm hoping carnation gets more feisty on my skin! Wet On Skin: THERE she is! That's my girl, coming out to play! This is most certainly the carnation that was in the single note that came out in 2012, which I love to pieces. There's the same freshness to this carnation that I feel in love with in that SN back then. Even and I type, it's wafting up to me in sweet little lilting bits. As I bring my hand closer to my face, the freesia is much more of a presence- I've not had this experience before, where one note can be smelled from a foot away but the other note is more present up close and personal. It's interesting, but also unsettling: I keep going to huff the carnation and coming away with freesia, which, TBH, I don't like nearly as much. Dry Down: The free is winning out, alas. I'm not surprised- when I wear carnation SN, I have to reapply, so this makes sense. Though, even on dry-down, the carnation is wafting up at me some, so I *might* keep this bottle around to see what new tricks it develops after its had a chance to age a little, perhaps it'll smooth itself out some

Sour pumpkin candies crusted with pumpkin sugar. In The Bottle: Yup, that's sour, sugary pumpkin candies, alright! Wet On Skin: The pumpkin comes to the front, now. It's not a spiced pumpkin, but it definitely isn't just fresh, raw pumpkin, either. This is pumpkin with personality! Dry Down: It's sour sugary...potpourri? It's like a 'fall spice' mix, that's been turned into hard candy. It's a little bizarre, but is really fun and captures the general autumnal vibe. Much less about Halloween, much more about the season, which is nice, because those scents are a little harder to come by!

Plasticky pinks, yellows, lime greens, and baby blues. In The Bottle: A sweet concoction of tart citrus and lime candies- lime, lemon and sour blue! Wet On Skin: There's a hint of that same yummy-fruity-cereal thing that Cheshire Moon had going on. This is a little less "Froot Loops" than that and a little more "Vintage 1982 Strawberry Shortcake and Friends" kind of vibe. Again, I don't mind! Dry Down: This is way more tart than I would've predicted. There's all the bright, neon fruit-stuff, but with this incredible sour-candy edge to it that makes it really singular (as in 'single note'- see what I did there?) In All: Low to medium throw, I had no idea what to expect. It's not the scent I might've envisioned (layers of sugar and chocolate and grass? I got nothing...) but it's really likable just the same. Glad I took a chance!

I get what Patina was saying about the "old lady cologne" vibe. It definitely, upon initial sniff, reminds me of the heavy, cloying perfumes my grandmother's sisters would wear. Moreno, the smell that emanated from their 50 year old perfume bottles sitting on their vanities. That said, I join the chorus that there's something singularly comforting about this scent. It's timeless for me, even as it's reminiscent of a by-gone era. We had Rose of Sharon bushes growing in my backyard as a kid, and perhaps that has something to do with it. The name is a bit of a misnomer- do not expect anything even remotely "rose" about this scent- it's closer to a medicinal lavender/green scent. I don't know that I'll wear this on it's own, it seems kind of intense. But I could see using it in a more medical manner, like for grounding, or to layer with some cologne-y scents, like Dorian, and having an incredible outcome.

In The Bottle: Gingerbread and pink pepper fight for dominance. I'm not getting the pepper as acrid, but it *is* rather strong and bossy. Wet On Skin: The gingerbread is winning, but the pink pepper is giving it some kick. I'm not getting any of the vanilla sugar at this point. Dry Down: This has settled down into something sweetly spicy and delicious, and there's something here I can't quite put my finger on. For me it's evocative of childhood, but like children's perceptions of adults. Like an assumption that we will grow up to still be our child-selves, but have more control over our own destinies. (That was a little heavy. Sorry about that- this is legit what this scent reminded me of!) In All: I got 3 Gingerbreads this year, and all of them, including this one, have been incredible. A bumper crop of gingerbready goodness!

In The Bottle: Okay, I really want to eat this. This is all buttercream, all the time. Ridiculous! Wet On Skin: Mmmmmmm nomnomnom! The red velvet aspect comes out now, this is cake for sure, and there's that chocolate edge that red velvet in particular has. Now that the red velvet has showed itself, the buttercream has morphed into a cream cheese frosting. I die! Dry Down: I can't even. This is just so damn good! This is a foodie-lover's paradise, this scent is. The mint scents, like Lick Me, always evaporate off my skin immediately. But this one is apparently in the right proportions and it's just making me smell like delicious chocolate cream peppermint cake. In All: I am SO in love.

In The Bottle: This is the raspberry counterpart to last year's Strawberry. That's what I got from sniffing in the bottle. I couldn't be more excited. Wet On Skin: Oh, gurl yassssssss. This is the raspberry donut of my DREAMS. I don't even LIKE jelly donuts in actual life, but this? I would eat this donut if it was a plate before me. Dry Down: This scent stays true from bottle to dry-down. This is all warm raspberry donut, all the time. I am in love. In All: I got two words for y'all: Stock. Up.

I get a lemony whiff that I recognize as the nutmeg as soon as I open the bottle. There's also a definite woodsy finish, which I'm betting is the sandalwood being grounded by cedar (cedar alone is instant pencil shavings for me, and this is not that.) Immediately upon contact with my skin, however, all the above disappears entirely and becomes rosewater. Seriously, this is the light, sweet raise of rosewater or maybe, *maybe* the rose base used in cold cream. I had been hoping that some of the clove would be in the mix, or some sandalwood to ground it, but no, this is All Rose Otto, All The Time on my skin. It's a lovely rose, and I'll keep it around for a little bit, but I might just end up swapping it out :/

did you see that there's about ten new scents with the Yule update, that all have ginger and gingerbread as dominant notes??? Looks like you picked the perfect time to try out some new goodies!

In The Bottle: Wow. It's pure apple pie filling. Like, actual filling, not regular apples. I can practically taste the cinnamon and pie spices! Wet On Skin: More of the same! This is crazy delicious! I must restrain myself from licking my skin!!! Dry Down: Ah- *there's* the bit of crust! It's slight- really slight- but it's there. the apple pie filling is definitely the star of the show. This is just incredible. In All: Medium throw and just beyond delicious. This might be the perfect foodie scent!

In The Bottle: I agree there's a strong almond note when I first open the bottle. It's a really rich almond, stronger than I was expecting from a 'milk' variation, but I like it. Wet On Skin: The almond subsides slightly and the balsam of peru-which always smells like a resinous vanilla to me- begins to come out a bit. Another minute or two passes and I'm also getting orris root, though it's less powdery and more woodsy in this mix. It's another thing I didn't expect but that's totally working. Dry Down: Wow. This scent keeps shifting and morphing and kept me guessing a little. But everything has now come together in the final analysis to produce a scent that's rich, deep, woodsy without being over-bearing about it and resinous- just so beautifully, sweetly, richly, resinous. In All: This is really remarkable, named for a remarkable unsung hero of history. It befits her, and I'm so so so glad to have some.

In The Bottle: The saffron is most dominant in the bottle, giving a slightly "root beer" vibe, of all things. Wet On Skin: Saffron is still most prominent, but the frankincense is making a bit of an appearance from around the edges. Dry Down: It's mostly root beer and a touch of frankincense. No woods on me, which makes me *supremely* sad. Still, I think I know someone that will love this tremendously, so off it goes to a better home!

In The Bottle: This is the rich, dirty patchouli from #OccupyWallStreet and then some very fine, very clear honey laid overtop. It's surprisingly elegant, I must say, at least at this stage. Wet On Skin: Yes, this is indeed a root-y, earthy patch, certainly similar to the kind I used to sport from a tiny bottle I carried around in high school. The honey softens the sharpness that straight patchouli essential oil sometimes has. Dry Down: The honey really is nothing more than something slightly smooths and sweetens the patchouli. In All: Surprisingly low throw, given the general behavior of these two notes. Sweet, rich and earthy, this is a pretty great scent as we glide effortlessly into autumn. Knowing how well all kinds of patchouli age, I'm really looking forward to seeing what this is like in a month- though make no mistake, it's just hauntingly beautiful right now too.

In The Bottle: Yup, that's myrrh and rose alright! Wet On Skin: More of the same. As it warms, I'm noticing that the myrrh is turning the rose into one of those dried, "sitting in the attic" kind of roses. It always reminds me of gothic romances, actually... Dry Down: The myrrh has gone all baby powder on me, which is par for the course, unfortunately. But for those that love myrrh and like rose, this scent will be a dream come true!

In The Bottle: Wow. Yes, I agree that this is like an incense. I don't *quite* get Nag Champa from it, but rather something else that might burn speficially in an Indian temple, possibly to Lakshmi. Wet On Skin: Strangely, I'm getting something that's reminding me of violets. I think it might be the pearl orris, which seems like a less dusty, more sweet version of itself. Dry Down: There's a feeling of sacredness with this scent. There's enough "white" notes in this that I can very well see wearing this for Full Moon rites. It's not resinous on me, but it's strong- a little goes a long way. I can't wait to see how it ages.

In The Bottle: Yellow cake and cardamom! Woo hoo! Wet On Skin: Hey cardamom, heeeeeeyyyy! In All: I have been waiting for what seems like for-ev-er for a real, true, cardamom scent, and this is it. Many years ago, when I first found out I had a gluten allergy, there was one tiny bakery in Seattle, where I lived at the time, and they made a gluten free cardamom cake with a rich frosting and I got a slice once a week to remind myself that the world wasn't *totally* conspiring against me. This scent is that cake.

In The Bottle: Mostly sarsaparilla with a bit of vanilla cream. Basically this smells like rootbeer, and I LIKE IT. Wet On Skin: Mostly the same. I hope it stays, because I tested something many moons ago with the sarsaparilla note and it turned to cardboard on me, which was really, really sad. Dry Down: YAY! I win! The sarsaparilla has stayed true and this is a really yummy rootbeer float! Oddly, I get *no* leather, which can be a deal-breaker note for me, but appears to be nowhere to be found in this blend on my skin, except perhaps as the vaguest, slightly smoky afternote. In all: I am loving this way more than I thought I would. Glad to have a bottle!

In The Bottle: SO MUCH COFFEE. I am in love! Also a slight boozy aspect, which would be the coffee liqueur. Wet On Skin: Oh man, this is amazing. It is indeed spiked coffee with a tiny, tiny bit of cinnamon. Really, the cinnamon plays a small role- if cinnamon is a possible deal breaker, I think you should try this, especially if you adore coffee, cause this is the greatest coffee scent since Bah! came out. Dry Down: Yup, dark, rich, almost-Turkish coffee with a slightest dusting of cinnamon. This might be heaven. I am in deep love.

In The Bottle: I think this is the banana scent of my dreams. Wet On Skin: Yummy banana candy (were you a fan of banana Laffy Taffy as a kid? Because THIS is IT) and yummy, yummy vanilla ice-cream. Dry Down: The banana fades slightly on dry down, but it's okay because this is the most incredible cake-cream-banana concoction of ALL TIME. I WANT TO CHEW MY ARM OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In The Bottle: That is some serious vanilla sandalwood combination. Wet On Skin: At this stage, sandalwood dominates. It's the same variety in Tombstone- sweet dry, very desert-y. Dry Down: Dry, clean meat bones, indeed. This arid, sweet blend is a lovely, 'bare bones' (no pun, I swear!) kind of scent in that it's stripped away everything non-essential to become what it is. A good 'sister scent' to Banshee Beat, which smelled differently, but had a similar vibe. Honestly, Banshee Beat didn't work our so well for me in the end, but this here, this is going to be JUUUUUST fine!