VioletChaos

I'll open this review by saying I've not had much luck with cherry as a note in the past, but I'm always interested in giving iffy notes another chance, so here goes! In The Bottle: Yep, that's dark chocolate-covered boozy cherries, alright! Wet On Skin: The same notes, but toned down a bit. It still reads as foody, but not in the HAI CHOCO-LUSH! capacity it did before Dry Down: I think I'm getting the star anise now. It's not black-licorice variety, thank goodness, as that type just smells like NyQuil to me But this is adding something...woodsy to this mix. wet and also in the bottle it was just straight-up food all the way. But now the chocolate note AND the cherry have both mellowed, the wine note isn't amping on me the way it usually does, and the anise is grounding it, giving it all a nice base to drop anchor on. In All: A surprisingly understated offering from the Box o' Chocolates this year, this is a chocolate scent that's- dare I say it?- sophisticated. I just think I found my first cherry scent!

RED LANTERN A tribute to the opium den cum bawdyhouses of Shanghai in the 1930’s. Golden amber, blonde tobacco, Sudanese black coconut, rich caramel, black currant, white opium and delphinium laced with a sensual blend of Asian spice. This is everything that I hoped it would be- the rich, sweet decadence of Red Lantern transmuted into a *mood* for one's living space. It's not different from Red Lantern perfume in any way I can detect, scent-wise, and yet there's something here that changes it, makes it a scent for atmosphere. I don't have a compulsion to spray this on my body, even if that were possible, and, interestingly, I don't feel some compulsion to dab on the oil while this wafts through the air. Instead I want to transform my living space, make it into something more befitting this scent. In the same way that a good spritz of Cathouse in my bedroom encourages me to hang pink gauzy curtains in the windows and turn on a sexy lamp with a red bulb in it next to my bed, so too does Red Lantern implore me to hang velvet tapestries on my walls, string tiny lights across my ceiling and invite my most lacivious friends over for a risque game of truth AND consequence. Oh yes, this is one to stock up on

This is a review of the 2015 version. I'm really glad I finally got a bottle of this. Incense notes sometimes escape me and I'm glad I made the effort for this one. The cake is not overly foodie, and the beer acts to keep it in its place. The incense is powdery but with a spicy undertone. I can see this aging really well.

This is sweet, juicy strawberry yumminess! I've been loving the Lab's strawberry note as of late, and this does not disappoint! This is the strawberry found in Strawberry Moon '09- juicy but natural. On the full dry down, some of the marshmallow makes its appearance, but it doesn't turn this into a childish scent. It's sweet and playful, but can definitely be worn by grown ups!

Ume blossoms and pink peony against a pale backdrop of white sandalwood, Japanese apricot petals, lotus root, and spider lily. Alas! Peony Moon and I are not meant to be! I'm sad because Peony as a note is so light and lovely. But florals are notoriously picky with my skin chemistry, so while sad, I'm not terribly surprised that this turned to soap on me This happened at Yule with Little Flora- I'd been hoping the Cream note would temper the Peony but instead it smelled *exactly* like the floor cleaner they use in the PATH train station in NYC and Jersey This story DOES have a happy ending, though: one of my best friends, a dude that some of you know as Othello, had a remarkable experience with this Peony Moon: on *him* it turned into this just lovely light green-tea scent. Fresh and slightly sweet in a green way, this scent is so spring-like and beautiful that it just goes to show that testing on one's own skin is the only way to really know for sure how a scent will work on you. Not a keeper for me, but a definite keeper for Othello!

In The Bottle: BROWNIES! Wet On Skin: The deliciousness of chocolate that is Bliss, combined with sugary, vanilla-y marshmallows. Dry Down: This is really just...perfect. The chocolate and marshmallow just come together to make me feel like I've come in from some terrible damp weather and am now warming up with a big, steamy cup of sweet chocolatey goodness. At the very end, there's a touch of something sweet and resin-y, like a low, rich amber. But it's so transitory, that even when sniffing repeatedly, it only comes for milliseconds at a time. But it's beautiful. In All: As with the others from the Fatherhood '15 series that I've tested, this scent has a low throw, but lots of depth. I think it's my favorite of the bunch, though, having said that, I think that this can be layered with others of the series to possible great effect, especially with the Saturday Morning vibe of Tranquility. LOVE!

In The Bottle: Super-delicious banana taffy. Wet On Skin: The banana is already becoming less candy-like, more real fruit, and added to the mix is the faintest hint of...Fruity Pebbles?! Dry Down: Breakfast in a bottle. The milk steps in at this point and it's mixing with the others to form a sort of sugary-banana-milk. In All: Low throw. A sweet, comforting, gentle scent. The coffee notes this year don't seem to be taking hold on my skin, which is a little sad, but I really love this scent. It's Saturday morning cartoons and watching TV in pajamas and eating bowls of sugary cereal. Well done, Puddin!

In The Bottle: All caramel and vanilla. The caramel is reminding me, ever so slightly, of Pinch With Four Aces. High praise indeed! Wet On Skin: The caramel is still dominant, but now it's morphed into the variety found in well-aged Red Lantern. Again, sure not complaining! Dry Down: Oh hai cream and sugar! Did you come to join the party??? In All: Low throw, though don't let it fool you that this scent stays close to the skin- it's really rich and heady, perfect as a beautiful autumnal scent. I personally appear to be getting zero coffee or bean, which is making me sad, but I'm also willing to let it sit and re-test to see if it changes. In the meantime, I have a super yummy all-caramel-and-vanilla-cream scent, and that's pretty good too.

Enterprise, adventure, restlessness, impulsiveness, and dynamism: Chinese musk and red musk with hyacinth, cactus flower, cubeb berry, galangal, tobacco, pink pepper, and sarsaparilla. in the bottle: sweet, spicy and just a little bit of a citrus note. wet on skin: same, but with a slight cream in it, like lemon curd, not like whipped cream. dry down: this is quickly becoming a combination of lemon, gingery-spice and a touch of curd. in all: this is my second wearing. the first time, i got more spice, less citrus. this seems to morph, and i wouldn't be surprised if a new element came out the third time i wear it. one thread that is consistent is that all the notes *totally* relate to Fire as an element. i personally will be using this in spells where i need some Fire energy present, but at the same time, i think it's a "toned down" enough Fire that it can be worn whenever you just want a little more warmth and energy in your daily routine. my favorite so far of the Phoenix oils i've tried.

L'ESSENCE DU CHAGRIN White chypre, French lavender, rose geranium, opopponax, Peru balsam, bois de rose, lime, and vanilla absolute. This is the one of the five that I was least sure about, but the note combination intrigued me enough to take a chance- let's see how it is! In the Bottle: The lavender is of the 19th Century Men's Cologne variety. Very dapper. In the bottle, this is the dominant note. So much so, that I don't smell anything else. Wet On Skin: the Rose Geranium is starting to show itself now. It's interesting- this is shaping up to be *very* floral, but it definitely reads to my nose as masculine. I'm curious to see what shifts happen next! Dry Down: This is *really* interesting. I feel like this scent has two levels going on, neither of which have ANY thing to do with the other. On the top more obvious level, there's the gentlemen's floral- here is where the lavender, geranium, bois de rose and chypre reside. But then there's this *under* current, and it's the rich sweet balsam, vanilla and opopponax live, and that under current creates the experience- I kid you not - of standing in an English garden with the smell of pancakes wafting in from the neighbor's kitchen. In All: Low to moderate throw, too light for the end of winter, but I anticipate it being a nice daytime scent for early to mid spring. I also plan on having my bf wear this scent, as I have a feeling I'll like it more on him than on myself. A nice counter point to the rest of the series.

As noted, no numbers. I got two bottles- here's the second one. In The Bottle: Candy-sweet honey dust and red licorice Wet On Skin: More of the same. Dry Down: Honey dust and Red Vines. I confirmed that description with DH, and he agrees!

As noted, no numbers. I got two bottles- here's the first one. In The Bottle: Huh. I'm *also* getting sort of a men's cologne/aftershave vibe. There might be aquatic in here, which is a death note for me, so hopefully that settles down. Wet On Skin: Okay. Weird. Now it's morphed slightly into shaving cream- like Barbasol old-school shaving cream- but mixed with...caramel? Tobacco? Both? I'm seriously confused by this scent. Dry Down: Morphed again into...wait for it...Pinched With Four Aces. Caramel, tobacco, a hint of men's aftershave. In All: I actually swapped away my bottle of Pinched many moons ago because I wasn't that into it. I'll sit on this for a bit but it might be better off in someone else's collection. Go figure.

This Series appears to have no numbers. I got two bottles of Oriental, so I'll just post separately for the two different bottles. Here is the second. ​In The Bottle: Ylang ylang mixed with a heavy dollop of benzoin. ​Wet On Skin: The above, with a spice note added in. I know that allergens like cinnamon aren't present, but there's a real spicy aspect to the scent at this stage, which is just making it warmer and sexier. Dry Down: All of the above, but with a little honey powder finish. Holy. Moly. In All: Two for two, the Oriental series was complete win for me. I am *smitten* with this year's CT's!!!

In The Bottle: Deep, rich beeswax. Yes, please! Wet On Skin: Yeah, this is definitely beeswax and NOT honey. There's a soft skin-musk quality of beeswax- and this one in particular- that honey doesn't have on me. I'm getting a very, very subtle spice in the background, but it reads almost like the kind of spice one encounters with carnation. Not the heady clove or cinnamon I'm used to. Dry Down: Ah! *THERE'S* the clove! But even now, the clove is not the in-your-face clove of, say, Peter Quint or the Smiling Spider. This is definitely held in check by the sweet musky richness of the beeswax. I get no vanilla, sadly, but that might change with age. In All: Delighted to have a bottle, just in time for all the upcoming sultry summer nights!

Diwali is beautiful. It's a really mild, soft skin scent, almost like rice pudding, but without being foodie. It's one of my favorites. A great one for summer, because it's not overpowering in the least.

In The Bottle: The vanilla-cognac-tobacco trifecta that I expect from any good "Lace" scent. Wet On Skin: More of the same, but with the black tea making a distant- but distinct -appearance. It's reminding me quite a bit of Black Lace at this stage. Dry Down: This has the soft, slightly sweet feel of Tattered Lace but the cognac edge of Black Lace, without being a dead ringer for either. In All: I am understanding what others were echoing when Beth talked about this being a "Spring Scent". There's a distinct ennui that comes with the wet cold earth warming up that's altogether different than the dry earth of autumn about to lay fallow. As usual, Mme Moriarty nails it in all the most beautiful ways. A love addition to the Lace family.

I am one of the rabid Snake Charmer obsessives, so picking up a bottle was not a tough decision! I agree that this has a lightness to it- but I recognize that the bottles of SC I have, have all been aging for years, so I am going to assume that that is the reason for the difference. In any event, I'm actually glad that the hair gloss isn't quite as rich as the perfume oils have aged up to be, because I don't wear Snake Charmer much in the warm months for that very reason. I *do* anticipate getting lots of use out the the SC HG this summer *because* it's like a lighter version of the perfume. However you look at it, it's a time for lovers of Snake Charmer to rejoice!

I am in love. This is NOT a surprise as I am one of the devoted followers that has four backup bottles of the DM perfume. Alas, I missed out getting backup bottles of this astounding Hair Gloss, and paid a princely sum on eBay just to obtain the one I now have. Having spent this long day living in a wondrous cloud of Dragon's Milk about my head, I join the chorus to beseech Puddin and the TP Goblins to PLEASE consider adding this magical elixir to the GC catalogue! In the meantime, I shall put this in my hair as often as I dare to, to enjoy it as long as I have this precious, precious bottle. <3

I have this special tea that I spent far, far too much on, called Milk Oolong. the reason- the whole reason - that I purchased an entire tin of this loose tea, is that the first time I opened the glass jar in the store to smell it, this glorious and surprising and delicious scent wafted out. It indeed smelled like milk, as well as like a good, lightly aged oolong. I knew instantly that this tea would be tasty and magical and so I threw caution to the wind and purchased the 8 ounce tin. This perfume is the equivalent, in scent, in feeling, in essence. I keep sniffing my skin where I placed a drop of this scent, this oil that somehow missed me in spite of my obsessive involvement for nearly 9 years, and I find that every time I bring my hand up to my nose to smell again, it has the uncanny ability to be a surprise each and every time. I'm so glad I finally procured a bottle!

in the bottle: yummy, yummy YUMMY coffe and creamy eggnog! wet on skin: same, with the coffee smelling more and more like those coffee candies we ate as kids! dry down: the cream and spice of last year's eggnog, combined with the subtle, beautiful coffee of Pinched With Four Aces, this is a total winner. in all: i predict this to be one of the most coveted BPAL scents of the year, if not all time! :wub2:

Okay, this is wonderful. I ordered a decant of this on a lark, and I think I'm going to have to get a bottle of my own. The rose and the wine kyphi are combining to make something sweet and juicy and beautiful. It's like if roses made edible berries, this is what that berry juice would smell like! Nomnomnom. I will use this as a skin gloss for sure, as well as in my hair. I only request that it comes back later as a perfume so I can slather it all the time, everywhere! LOVE!

I love these three notes individually. There are three of my favorite notes. And yet... And yet, I can't place exactly why this doesn't seem to be working out for me. The red musk is not doing the Smut-like thing I thought it was going to do. Instead, it seems to be mixing with the saffron to do a startling impression of powdery myrrh. There's, strangely, a little bit of nag champ that seems to be bringing up the rear. No honey anywhere in sight. I'm truly baffled. I'll re-test in a few days- maybe shipping got it all in a tangle, and I hope that's the case. But I admit I don't have much hope for this one. *Sigh*

In the vial, I get a deep, murky velvety red rose. Once massaged into the skin, it stays pretty true. I expected the wine to be a bit more present, but on me it's more like a whisper, which is surprising- usually wine comes on strong with me. But it's a gorgeous, gorgeous rose. I could see using this as a skin gloss- it seems too good to pour into a bath!

I have waited long- too long- and patiently for this. I cannot wait a moment longer. In The Bottle: Boozy. Chocolate. Frosting. Again, I say Wet On Skin: Oh my. Oh my oh my ohmyohmyohmyohmy. Same as above, but somehow warmer. The warmth of the skin is making it bloom into extra chocolate booze deliciousness. Dry Down: Rich chocolate icing loaded onto a sliver of flourless bittersweet chocolate cake, served with a glass of rich, dry wine. In All: There are hardly words, except: Thank the gods I ordered two bottles.

2015 Version But you know, Red Lantern, like beloved Smut, is one of those scents that changes little from year to year. I used to have a 2006 bottle and I (foolishly!) traded it away. I've waited for several years to get it again and, as before, it doesn't disappoint. Red Lantern is rich and sweet without being foodie. It's a heady, decadent scent, perfect for long winter nights in the arms of lovers or as a finishing touch to being wrapped in heavy silk velvet. Red Lantern lasts. It's strong and warm and a little chewy. It's as thick and captivating as ever. SO glad to welcome it back into my collection.