VioletChaos

in the bottle: yep, fruity wine. like Fruminous Bandersnatch's sophisitcated out of town cousin wet on skin: yummy. almost effervescent. dry down: the alcohol quality has been more incorporated at this point, making the blend more seamless. nicely done! in all: a card of optimism and good fortune on the way, i think the enthusiasm of the Chariot is well expressed here. more, please!

in the bottle: heavy vetiver, something in the background but i can't pick it out just yet. wet on skin: vetiver for sure, but there is something sweet that's tempering it. hmmm dry down: vetiver is still the dominant note, but there *is* something sweet under it that definitely tempers it, takes away the bitterness that straight vetiver generally has. in all: Death is a card not just of endings, but of new beginnings as well. this scent encapsulates that transition time rather well- i have a feeling this will be the oil i turn to through all *my* transition periods, to remind me of the necessary ways that we must let old things go to make way for the new to enter. a must have.

in the bottle: sarasparrilla and something i can't quite define- maybe a bit of ginger ale? wet on skin: fizzy rootbeer soda! dry down: it morphs continuously- i get hints of the sarasparilla but then it moves to this almost-not-quite-fruity end, and then back again. in all: with it's pendulum swing in full force, this is *definitely* Wheel of Fortune!

in the imp: some spice, heavy almond wet on skin: vetiver, clove. dry down: loads of vetiver, a bit of leather, no bay rum. in all: a smoky, spicy blend, not the description on me in the slightest, but a nice one if you like the vetiver-heavy oils.

in the imp: licorice root, cherry bark, and some sort of resinous wood substance. it smells like natural cough syrup- but only the best kind wet on skin: more of the same, but there is a spicy sexy note emerging- something between cinnamon and rosewood? maybe? dry down: it's fading to...spicy cardboard in all: i'll have to try this one again, because my hopes were so high, but it seems to have that note that was in Enraged Groundhog that just turns to wet cardboard box on me. i'd gladly takes Vick's Vapo-Rub over that. sigh...

in the bottle: sweet dark musk and opium wet on skin: i'm getting a sweet almost almond aspect- it's got to be the tonka. it's so rich and wonderful! dry down: as deep as it gets, this sexy as hell scent is extremely well blended and has enough kick to wear out to your most devilish night events but sultry enough for a lusty night at home. in all: sweet, rich, gender neutral, this one has it all. get some! :D

in the bottle: sweet, complex musk. wet on skin: it's...wow. it reminds me of the smell i would encounter in my aunt and uncle's attic when i was a small child- that scent of hidden treasures and musty old dust that smells really good. ancient. dry down: a complex blend, i can't pick out *any* individual notes. all i can say is that it is sweet without being cloying, or floral or food. it's musty and musky. and it fills me with a childhood nostalgia that is disconcerting in it's strength! in all: get this- it's like nothing, NOTHING else.

in the imp: sweet wetness wet on skin: wow. like eating tropical fruits under a waterfall. seriously. dry down: ok, the fruit aspect has toned down a lot. now it's more like...aquatic lemonaide. in all: a light scent, good for the warm months. i just wish the juicy fruit aspect had hung around longer on me. oh well...

in the imp: a luscious, sexy watery rose. wet on skin: reminds me of the candy-like gardenia in Unheavenly City. dry down: yup. all i'm getting is that sweet candy gardenia, although that is not a note listed in the description. in all: sweet but not cloying, extremely feminine- this is a seriously girlie-girl scent, perfect for the femme fatales among you!

in the imp: a light citrus aftershave. wet on skin: yup. same. dry down: yeah. aftershave. in all: a daily scent for the menfolk- clean, innocuous. not bad, but nothing spectacular, either. :shrug:

in the imp: heavy Smut-like musk, and juniper. wet on skin: the pine enters the equation, which is balancing it out a bit, actually. dry down: a soft musk emerges, sweetened by the pine. in all: a late autumnal scent, i would wear this one pumpkin picking- with my sweetie, NOT my little sister.

in the imp: sugared lime! wet on skin: some lavender is coming into the equation. dry down: heavy on that sugary lime, with just a hint of the lavender. i get no other notes from this in all: i was saddened not to get any of the other notes, especially the peppermint chocolate. however, i really, really like the sugared lime in this blend. i could see mixing this with 21 and having a really yummy mojito!

in the imp: lemony green tea wet on skin: same. dry down: same. in all: a light green tea scent, medium throw. good for late spring and summer days when the air is dense and heavy. i would use this to enable some people- many commercial perfumes of the higher end use green tea as a prominent note.

in the imp: patchouli, ylang ylang and vetiver: rather true to it's description. wet on skin: those three are all still present, though the vetiver and patchouli seem to be duking it out for top dog...er, note dry down: patchouli wins! in all: this patchouli-heavy blend is good for those that like this essence. there is a touch of sweetness to temper it, making it wearable for lots of daily use and something i'd personally wear in all seasons.

in the imp: sweet smoky leather. nice! wet on skin: the sweetness gets a bit stronger. it's not cloying, though. dry down: the sweetness had abated. yep, this is pure tanned leather. in all: a single note of leather, really, there is no other note in here to detract. personally, i would layer this with oils that i like but find a bit too cloying that eed tempering, like certain florals or even really sweet foodies. on it's own? just for you SM types!

in the imp: strong neroli. wet on skin: yep- neroli dry down: i'm getting a touch of citrus, not bergamot, more like kumquat. the neroli has settled, become more like orange blossom- less concentrated. in all: a light floral, good for hot days and despite the name, little ones could certainly wear this oil. sweet and innocent

in the bottle: fresh, juicy green apples wet on skin: the yummy apples are still heavy in here, but there's a softer scent in the background- sweeter, definitely snow. it's like eating a crisp apple while sniffing Snow White. dry down: the apple fades and i'm left with a pale ozone. normally i don't like the ozone blends, but this is light enough that it works. in all: glad that i got a bottle for sure, but i'm definitely swapping the back up!

2006 version in the bottle: yummy buttery pumpkin, alright. wet on skin: sweet and yummy, like pumkin cake. not pie, there's definitely a "baked goods" quality about it at this stage. dry down: yup. pumpkin cake. but a bit less sweet. i know- pumpkin bread! in all: i don't get even a hint of anything else. certainly no ivy. perhaps some of those "wood" elements are toning down the sweetness, making it more 'bread-y' less 'pie-y'. but either way, this is a TOTAL keeper for sure.

in the imp: men's cologne. wet on skin: more of the same. dry down: a bit of lime is moving away from the mix. overall, however, this is something i could get at any drug store. in all: i've smelled some of the Labs cologne mixes before, and some of them are wonderful. this one is really mainstream, though. maybe to enable to new guy? that's about all

in the imp: fruity and sweet. reminds me japanese fruit gum! wet on skin: yup. hello kitty strawberry bubble gum dry down: something else has entered the mix. something more subtle that is toning down the fruit-candy aspect. it's not floral, exactly. it's like alcohol. like a fruity alcohol beverage. in all: not exactly my thing, but i could see a whole lotta people getting into this.

in the imp: sweet tobacco, sweet flowers. reminds me just a bit of Black Lace- must be the tobacco. wet on skin: uh oh. it's getting veeeeery soapy on me. dry down:the soapy quality mostly is gone, leaving a definite combination of Black Lace and island florals. in all: on a different person i could see this being THE perfect GC sub for Black Lace. but not for me. also, i don't know if it's related or just coincidence, but i had a total sneezing fit in the moments between sniffing it from the vial and putting it on my skin.

in the bottle: a hot, sweet yummy drink on a cold, blustery day wet on skin: cinnamon, clove, and creamy vanilla. a fantastic mix. i get only tiny hints of the pine sap. it's not "christmas-y" at all. :whew: dry down: this smells to me like horchata, the mexican cold rice and cinnamon drink! in all: i can see this being one to hoard. it's only a matter of time before BPALers everywhere start demanding multiple bottles!

in the bottle: blueberries and fresh sweetgrass. which is AH-maze-ing. wet on skin: oh yeah, full force blueberry. fresh, ripe, and just picked in the sunshine. wow. dry down: the sweetgrass has returned. but the blueberry is still goin' strong! in all: this has GOT to be the most perfect summer scent of all time. like eating a pint of blueberries while lying in hay in a barn in late july. i love this, i love this, i love this! :D

in the bottle: straight up acai berry. which i ADORE. wet on skin: same *keeps fingers crossed* dry down: oh YEAH. in addition to the tart and delicious acai comes a hint of the mum sniffing around. i find the two, although not what i would think of as normal bedmates, interact in a lovely way. in all: yes, i am *very* glad to have picked up a bottle before the Carnivale leaves town!

in the bottle: oh YEAH. THIS is the cardamom i've been waiting for all my life! wet on skin: cardamom, tea, and a hint of that black pepper (which i had feared, but is actually quite perfect in this Chai-like blend!) dry down: lovely, lovely tea. like Chai mixed with a nut milk. not almond or hazel, but something. in all: simply fantastic. the tea scent i've always hoped for, and never found. :D