VioletChaos

This didn't jump out at me when I placed my initial Yule order, but so many people were raving about it, that I decided to take a chance on a bottle. Lessee what I have here! In the Bottle: Wow. That's...not what I expected. It smells like orange cake with a thin sugar glaze frosting. Holy moly! Wet On Skin: More of the same, with a little of the lavender poking out. This is a sugary lavender, like a mild version of the note in TKO- which I *adore*. I don't like most florals, but give me sugared flowers and I'm so there. Dry Down: The lavender becomes a bit more prominent and the orange has retreated, but I don't mind at all. I've often lamented that I can't wear TKO as a perfume because it does as claimed and knocks me right out. Well now I have a sweet, gentle sugary lavender scent to wear just for fun and I'm totally delighted with it.

Thanks to my pick up fairy!!! In The Bottle: I also get that "green" astringent smell. But it's not sharp or unpleasant or medicinal. I think it's the sage note, most strong in the bottle. Wet On Skin: The black copal is getting in on the act now, lending a nice resinous weight and balancing the sage. It's very "clean" smelling without being soapy. Dry Down: A very gender-neutral scent, this makes me think of being out in Montana, an arid area that isn't quite desert, isn't quite mountain. It's sweet without being cloying, clean without being soapy. A little resinous without being heavy. It's a hard one to pin down, other than saying I can see cowboys, and people who love cowboys, really enjoying this scent

In The Bottle: Warm, creamy goats milk with a dollop of honey. Wet On Skin: Still predominantly goats milk and honey but something creeping the teeniest, tiniest bit into the background. I think it must be the rose but really, it's so so slight it's like an afterthought. Or a memory of an afterthought. Dry Down: Stays pretty true, mostly this scent is pure honey with a lovely splash of goats milk. In All: Low throw. As described a warm, comforting scent. I got two blind bottles because I suspected that this is exactly as it would be, and I'm really glad this is how it turned out. Really wonderful- I expect to wear this a LOT during cozy sweater season, especially!

A gentle musk suffused with red roses, neroli, Moroccan jasmine, tuberose, white tobacco, and bourbon vanilla. In the Bottle: I get soft, sweet rose, some of the tuberose and a bit of the bourbon vanilla. In the bottle like this, it smells like a cousin of my favorite atmosphere spray, Cathouse. I really hope that vibe persists! Wet On Skin: I'm not getting any of the jasmine, neroli or tobacco. However, the musk is starting to come through some and make this sweet floral even sweeter. Dry Down: Wow. This has gotten really interesting. There is somehow the same kind of candy-like sweetness that I get from Midwinter's Eve or Sugar Plum Fairy. I think it's the combination of the tuberose and the vanilla. I'm not much for florals, generally, I'm really picky about them- but this is really quite nice. In All: Medium throw, and rather aggressive for a floral, but the vanilla really pulls it together. If you are a fan of Cathouse Atmo Spray and you've been pining for a perfume to match, I would strongly recommend giving this a try.

I picked this up because the description made me think it *might* smell a bit like Antique Lace and, sniffing directly from the bottle- it does. Like Antique Lace and light champagne. The champagne note becomes *slightly* more obvious once it's on the skin, but it's really well balanced- my skin usually amps the champagne note like crazy, but in this blend, it's actually staying put. By dry-down the champagne fades into the background so that it's just a wisp of itself. At this stage, the opium makes more of an appearance, but again, VERY well balanced. It's lost some of it's "Antique Lace-ness" BUT it's really a very sweet, spicy, sexy scent. This is one of my favorite Lace scents so far and, depending on how it settles over the next few weeks, a backup bottle might be called for!

I got gifted a bottle of this from Puddin and I couldn't be more pleased! Fortunately, I'm not getting of the herby aspect in my bottle- this is the sweet fruity mix from Cheshire Moon- something akin with Fruit Loops but more delicious. I put it to work immediately in the bathroom where the cats had left me some terrible surprise. The scent not only works on baby dragon poop but on full-grown cat poop, too! Woo hoo! Seriously, I can see getting a lot of use out of this lovely room spray. I anticipate using it all winter long!

In The Bottle: TONS of beeswax and some fresh strawberry. Wet On Skin: The beeswax note in this is SERIOUS. If you are a fan of the beeswax note from the Lab, this is surely a scent for you. The strawberry seems to me to be the same as the one from Strawberry Moon 2009- very real and fresh and ever so slightly tart or 'green'. Dry Down: I get none of the "candy" aspect, which is fine, as I usually amp sugar notes. But the strawberry and beeswax have more or less come to an accord. I can't say they ever morph or really mingle- I keep just getting this "wax-then-strawberry-then-wax-then-strawberry" vibe, where they keep each just wafting at me, separate but equal. It's possible with aging that they'll meld some more, though I like both of these notes so for me, it's fine as is. In All: Heavy throw- a little goes a long way, so use sparingly until you see how it reacts with your skin. A nice addition to any lover of strawberry or beeswax notes.

If you took Antique Lace and combined it with delicious fluffy, vanilla-laden marshmallows, you would get this scent. Seriously. This is incredible. There's nothing more to say. I will be getting back up bottles.

In The Bottle: Yummy, creamy sheep's milk! Wet On Skin: Still mostly milk, but a tiny trace of the cinnamon makes an appearance. Dry Down: THERE'S the coconut! Totally worth the wait! Sometimes coconut will dominate a blend, but not here- the coconut and milk blend seamlessly into one sweet, creamy treat. The cinnamon has all but disappeared, and if it lends anything at this point, it's as a background afterthought, something more to add complexity, but pretty much unidentifiable otherwise. In All: Low throw- I had to put on quite a bit- and a nice, "close-to-the-skin" kind of scent. I see this more as a day time kind of fragrance, and definitely could be worn multiple days in a row, as it's pretty understated. Lovely!

This scent is something I got as a Yule gift for my DH. Interestingly, it's compiled of notes that are DEATH on me- but that I tend to like on him. So I won't apply this to my skin, but will give a preliminary, based on what it smells like just in the bottle. And in the bottle, I can tell this is *very* promising. Usually the leather note immediately dominates, especially wet. But in here, the salt is strongest, with the birch a close tis with the leather. The scent is balanced and yes, kind of masculine. Not that I believe this scent can't be or isn't multi-gender, because I think it is. It *is* strong. I could see someone wearing this on a hike, for instance, when there'd be physical exertion involved. I could see it smelling really good mixed with the sweat of a hard workout. So while it's not my personal cup of tea, I very much look forward to smelling it on my beloved.

Of all the pies, this was the one I was most anxious to try. I'm no fan generally of lime perfumes any more than I like lime-flavored candies. But this, this is special. This is, in fact, JUST like *real* Key Lime Pie. The sweet lime is real, the crust is buttery and flaky and it's just wonderful. The whole Pie series has proven itself really fantastic and Key Lime wraps up the testing for me on a wonderful note!

This is...wow. Usually I'm not much for peach. It always comes off somewhat cloying on me. But this peach is fresh and juicy and so...REAL. I can picture being in a room with this big juicy peach. It's actually making my mouth water! Once it starts to really settle into the skin, the crust starts to emerge, and it's really good. A beautiful summer scent, as many of the Pie scents are proving to be. I'm excited to wear it even through the winter, though, to help keep the dark days at bay.

In The Bottle: Sweet blueberry syrup. Wet On Skin: How odd! The blueberry is so rich that it almost starts to smell like black licorice. Dry Down: Ah- THERE it is! The blueberry has dried down to pie filling for sure! This isn't fresh, like Crawdad Dream. This is definitely canned pie filling, plus a little flaky crust tossed in for good measure. I don't really get the cream note, which is a bit sad, but this scent is almost like a companion to Crumpet Rebellion, in the combination of bakery scent and fruit. Just lovely!

In The Bottle: Marshmallows and sweet, light chocolate. Wet On Skin: More of the same, with the chocolate becoming more even with the marshmallow, instead of having a background role. Dry Down: My DH got these chocolate-covered marshmallows from Trader Joe's. This scent kind of reminds me of those. In All: Low throw, less decadent than some other chocolate-heavy scents (like Bliss), so there's more occasions this scent can be worn in. I get no cookie, but the marshmallow has an undertone of granulated sugar.

Oh my, do I ADORE this. This is what I wanted Lemon Scented Sticky Bat but wasn't. A sweet, lovely lemon sugar. It reminds me a tiny bit of the Lemon Meringue doll I had as a kid. This is one of those scents that people of all ages can certainly wear. I would hoard this scent if I could, but for now, I will treasure the bottle I have.

I agree with Absinthetics- this is a non-assuming rose incense. I'm pretty picky about my florals, most go soapy on me. But this one had the tolu and the frankincense to ground it, and the rose balances the myrrh so it doesn't turn into baby powder. Really lovely.

In The Bottle: A light, dusty cocoa, similar to the one in Gelt. Wet On Skin: I'm getting a tiny bit of citrus- which happened with the Ginger Chocolate Soufflé. I wonder if the chocolate note for both of these is the same? It's slight, but it's definitely there. This isn't the chocolate from, say, Bliss or Muddy Puddles. Dry Down: Chocolate and lemon. In All: Low to medium throw, a good daytime scent. I get no vanilla or sugar or honey from this, which is downright peculiar, as I amp all of those notes. I'm going to let it settle and re-try in a few weeks. It's fine as it is, but I might trade away the B/U bottle I got if it stays as is.

In The Bottle: I get a liquidy, boozy chocolate liqueur. Definitely chocolate, but grown up. Not foodie. Wet On Skin: This is interesting. What I assume is the ginger is NOT behaving in a ginger-y capacity at all but instead is combining with the chocolate as orange. It reminds me strongly of those orange-chocolates you can get during the holiday season, actually. Dry Down: Now it's like chocolate-orange pez fancy mixed drink. Huh? In All: This is NOT what I expected in the least. I'm going to hold on to the bottle for now, to see if anything shifts with some aging. Also, sometimes chocolate-orange is what's called for. But with my skin, this is NOT a ginger chocolate soufflé. Nope.

Thanks MarsMomma for being such a great WC Faery!!! In The Bottle: Creamy, yummy, boozy Irish Cream. Front and center! Wet On Skin: Ah! Hello, cake! I was wondering if you'd be here! Dry Down: Another fabulous cake scent from the Lab this year, it combines exactly what the name implies. If you're a foodie, especially the type that swoons over the Lab's cake note (that's me! right here!) then definitely see if you can procure some of this. In All: Low throw, the scent has some of the gentle sweetness of the Lab's eggnog, but with that incredible cake note to keep it from getting too sugary. Really lovely. I expect wearing this a LOT.

I am most intrigued by the inclusion of an avocado note in here- let's see how it goes! In The Bottle: I'm getting a tart citrus note here, and, mixed with the sweetness, is actually reminding me slightly of Christmas at my aunt and uncle's house as a kid, playing with my Strawberry Shortcake dolls. That's not to say this scent smells plasticky, because it doesn't. but there's just that amalgam of sweet and tart and warmth...it's off to a good start. Wet On Skin: The sharp citrus of what I can only imagine to be the cubeb berries is thoroughly embedded amidst the chocolate and the creaminess of the avocado. It's odd, but it's working. Dry Down: This is reminding me a bit of the Dark Chocolate, Chocomint and Lime of Box O' Chocolates Past. It's like this is that scent's 2nd cousin. I like both for their dark chocolate note that stays true, and for the odd tang that the other notes are lending to it. Low throw, this is a strange but likeable scent. It shall have a nice place amid my Chocolate Scent collection.

In The Bottle: sweet plum and black currant and dark, dark smoky vetiver. Wet On Skin: wow. This vetiver is SERIOUS. But although its dominant, the sweetness lingers in the background, making it rich and interesting. This is no one trick pony. Dry Down: I'm not getting any rose, really. But this an incredible smoky, dark scent with sweet notes to round it out- it's like the scent equivalent of what it's like to eat blackstrap molasses. I can't wait to see how it ages!

In The Bottle: Oh. Oh MY. I wasn't sure what "cashmere patchouli " would smell like but this is :exactly: what I'd hoped for. Sweet, soft and earthy and holy moly is this :sexy: Wet On Skin: the plum picks up some of the slack, making the scent have more depth, but without compromising what was already stated. Dry Down: usually I can still pick out individual notes upon dry down. But this actually has melded so seamlessly that's hard to pull apart now, so all I will say is that I'm deeply saddened I did not order two bottles off the bat and also that I agree with those who predict this will age brilliantly!

In The Bottle: dried flowers in an abandoned drawing room ❤️ Wet On Skin: there's something dark that reminds me of myrrh, without going to powder on my skin. Perhaps it's the smoky plum, but I can't be sure. Dry Down: the amber and the lily are definitely adding something that smells like an era long gone. It reminds me a bit of B340, as if a dilapidated hotel's remains still boast that Garbo once stayed there. In All: I'm not certain this is the right scent for me, though those that love rich dark florals are sure to want this in their collection.

In The Bottle: I get the musk right away, it's a sweet one, and with the clove feels very "red" indeed! The oudh gives a smoky incense-y quality right off. Wet On Skin: as hoped for, the saffron is starting to bloom on me, making it more heady and sultry. This is very much an incense blend and I hope it stays that way! Dry Down: the clove is hands down the most dominant note in this, but that's not to say the others don't join in a glorious chorus, because they do. This is smoky and sexy and rich and feels like something to wear to a bawdy party held in a decaying mansion-part glamor, part sex, all disaster. In All: medium throw, I anticipate this will age :very: well. Hoard worthy!


From a 13th century recipe plundered from the vaults of the Zadok family's cellars! In The Bottle: Oh man. My mouth *actually* watered. Even with the most foodie food scent, that NEVER happens. But this scent has tricked my face into thinking there is delicious cranberry juice hidden inside this tiny perfume bottle! Wet On Skin: Okay. It's behaving more like a foodie *perfume* than food now. Still delicious, but the cider part is making it more of a fragrance than something to eat. Dry Down: This is a really nice holiday scent. I feel really excited to have this in time for all the festivities this month! It's a perfect blend of raw fresh apple cider and cranberries. It's not a 'hard' cider, there's no ferment or boozy note in here and I find I'm actually glad for it. In All: The lower end of the medium-throw spectrum, this scent likes to cling and stay close to the skin. In addition to being a must-have for foodies, I would say this is a good addition to the collections of anyone looking for a solid holiday scent to wear to daytime parties and also dinners with friends and family all through the season. I can also see this being a great scent to diffuse into a room with an oil burner. Total keeper!