VioletChaos

Smoky musk, ambergris, tonka bean, brown sandalwood, daemonorops, black currant, and honey. in the bottle: definitely getting the daemondrops, a bit of the black currant and some musk. it's sweet, dark, and rich wet on skin: the daemondrops and ambergris dominate at this stage. incense-y for sure. dry down: wow. very powerful, non gender specific and quite strong on the incense. this reminds me of Jacob's Ladder a LOT, and that's good, because that's my favorite incense scent from the Lab. in all: if you like the incense-type scents, this is a total winner.

Can it really be possible that I'm the first to review this? (Mods, I looked hi and lo, but if I somehow missed the thread, by all means, merge this with the existing one and accept my deepest apologies!) Anyway, On With The Show! In the Bottle: All rum, all the time. This is definitely the same sweet boozy rum note from the Lilith scent, and even has a bit of the creamy element I recall from that one, at least at this point. I'm hoping some butter shows up later, though... *fingers crossed* Wet On Skin: the spicy-boozy quality is showing up loud and proud now, with a strong under note of pure rough sugar. This is seriously RUM at this stage. Dry Down: This has mellowed into a more rummy version of the Egg Nog scent. It's got a cream to it (not butter, which I'm a bit sad about, actually) and still lots and lots of rum as the predominant note, but with a spicier edge. In All: medium throw with a strong but subtle presence, I think Hot Buttered Rum has potential- but maybe needs some aging. I'm going to hold on to my bottle and check it again in later Spring. If it's changed in the way that I hope, it'll be highly covetable indeed. If not- off to the swap pile!

The largest vein in the human body: a torrent of sweet oudh, patchouli, blackwood, red labdanum, and vegetal musk.  In The Bottle: Vegetal musk, which is slightly acrid, and what I'm assuming is the blackwood, which is sort of a dark musky scent. Wet On Skin: The labdanum is coming out a bit as the oil warms on my skin, and it's adding a sweetness to the mix that's making the scent more palatable, less sinister and unrelenting. Dry Down: The sweet oudh and labdamun come front and center, making this a sweet, rich deep affair. I'm not getting a ton of patchouli, which I'm *slightly* sad about, but the rest makes up for that slight loss. This is definitely one of those scents that's bound to get better with aging, but I've been craving some dark, moody scents lately, and this is a nice one!

[No additional description given.] In The Bottle: A rich "brown" musk. Wet On Skin: A sifter, sweeter musk. It's 'warm' still, but it's shifted. It doesn't have the feral, animalistic quality it had in the bottle at this stage. Dry Down: A far more subtle musk, considering how intensely it started off. It's still in the brown musk family to be sure, but it's less dense. Medium throw, sweet, I could see layering this with some of the more 'cold weather' scents, like Snake Charmer or Mme Moriarty. It's a single note for sure, but with a complexity that musk fans will love and appreciate.

The discomforts of royalty: a pearl as large as a spinning wheel. Golden rose oudh and saffron swirling over opalescent orris root and a twinkle of translucent petals. In the Bottle: the dusty rose of the oudh and the sweet-spice of the saffron come through quite strongly! Wet On Skin: The rose gains in intensity, but I get a faint dust from the orris root in the background. Dry Down: A lush dried rose incense. I don't do many florals, but this is pretty compelling. And the oudh has given it a lovely incense quality that just might win me over

Variety is the very spice of life, That gives it all its flavor. ― William Cowper, 1785 Forget about the War on Christmas the years most contentious seasonal battle is actually waged over this inescapable melange of palate-massaging flavors. Weve got the formula down pat, and invite you to join us in a mad-science experiment: Just how far can we bend it before it breaks? I picked up two of these mysterious creatures as it's been a looooooong time since I've had some chaos scents in my life. Here's hoping at least one is amazing on me! First up, bottle #26: oh. my. g-ddess. Banana pumpkin spice. Not, like, banana *bread*. No. This is like, a fresh banana smoothie, right from the blender, with some pumpkin spice mix dusted into it for flavor. Never knew this was a thing missing from my life and now I find myself ecstatic to be the sole individual in the world to have this in my hot little hands!!! This is going to be a really really tough act to follow! Here goes #31: Pumpkin spice and...cologne? In the bottle and wet on skin, I'm mostly getting a sharp fougeré, like a bracing 1940s lavender-based men's aftershave, and a pice of pumpkin spice bread dunked into it. It's bizarre. As it dries, the cologne chills out and it becomes...Dorian and spice cake I can't tell yet if I like it enough to keep it, but testing chaos theory scents is *always* an adventure!!!

Because this is all that I've wanted out of life for months. In The Bottle: Oh. Holy. Cupcakes. Spiced, delicious cupcakes. Wet On Skin: have you ever had fresh, moist spice cake? Because THAT'S THIS. THIS IS THE BEST THING EVER. Dry Down: :pant, pant: Okay. I'm more rational now. This is just exquisite. This is a pumpkin scent for people that fear pumpkin scents. This is mostly a moist, delicious spice cake, with a little yummy bit of pumpkin peeking out of the background. It's glorious. In All: I anticipate this will be very popular.

Scorn the foolishness of others and love, for life is too brief, and death brings everlasting sleep: Ethiopian ambrette seed, summer honey, Alpine lavender, cognac, mate resinoid, peru balsam, and red musk. In the Bottle: The Astringent quality of the Alpine Lavender is the first thing I get upon sniffing the bottle, followed closely by both the mate resinoid and the Ethiopian ambrette seed, which both add a "green" and pungent smell. Wet On Skin: Ah, hello cognac, *there* you are! and red musk- so nice to see you! This is most certainly the red musk note from Smut, and here at this stage it's grounding the lavender and those 'green' notes nicely, as they all seem like they're operating on a higher frequency. So the red musk is acting very earthy in this context. It's a surprise, but I'm liking it. Dry Down: This is one of those scents that has completely morphed from the time it was in the bottle to settling into my skin. I'm getting the cognac and the balsam of Peru both making something dark and a little smoky-sweet, and then the red musk twisting in over that, with a touch of that mate resinoid coming in with a slight citrus finish, almost as an afterthought. This is a somewhat heady, rather complex scent, and I'm betting it's only going to get better with age. In All: Low to medium throw. I've been wanting a secondary scent that had the red musk note I adore so much in my beloved Smut, as smut can be a little overwhelming in some environments, like a day at work. Red Lace had a bit of it, but I always felt like I wanted more red musk than Red Lace could really live up to. But with Vivamus here, I really feel like I've got something that I'll want to wear again and again through the remaining dark winter months. Love!

[No additional description provided.] Note: I find the bathoils to serve me better when I wear them in my hair and on my skin as a moisturizer. This review reflects my applying this oil directly to my skin. While this was not the only sugar and apple combination to come out of this year's NY Comic Con scents, this may in fact be my favorite. The apple comes across more subtly, likely owing to the richer base for the bath oil than a perfume oil, but it's really, really working here. It almost reads as apple *blossom* but not floral in any way. The sugar is soft and sensual and almost adds a very slight lemon note to the mix. The result is something bordering on sexy if not downright baudy. This is the New York of my adolescence- sweet with a dirty edge. And the oil makes my skin ridiculously soft. I am desperately in love.

[No additional description provided.] In The Bottle: Cacao, earthy cinnamon, and dry coffee (the coffee husks of Pinched With Four Aces, if you're wondering!) Wet On Skin: A glorious melding of the above. This is proving to be a surprisingly "dry" and "adult" version of these notes- this is grownup stuff, not Easter kids' candy. Dry Down: The powdery aspect of the cacao mixed with the cinnamon is calling to mind the lovely cassia aspect of Monsterbait: Underbed and I love it just as much here as I did in that scent. This is only slightly sweet, very sophisticated and eminently wearable. I am seriously in love with this! In All: Another Chocolate selection from this year's Box that is absolutely hoard-worthy!

COMPARISON OF CELEBRATED BEAUTIES Vanilla cream, mimosa, and almond blossom. In The Bottle: Mostly almond. A tiny, tiny hint of cream. Tiny. Wet On Skin: More almond, a bit more cream. Almost as an afterthought, the mimosa. but it's literally as I move my hand away from my nose that I get a small whiff. Noting more. Dry Down: Oh THERE you are, mimosa! Wow, that certainly morphed. The mimosa has gone quite powdery on me, a thing that's happened between me and this note before. It *is* held in check by the appearance of the vanilla cream, giving it some density and toning down the floral so it's not quite so baby powder-y. At this point, the almond has disappeared from my skin entirely. In All: Low to medium throw- go easy, I could see this becoming too much if you slather. A sweet, soft springtime scent. I'm personally on the fence about how much I'll wear it, but the vanilla cream is really making me consider. I will wait to see how I feel once it's warmed up outside- this might be the perfect thing for an evening spring stroll.

In the bottle: The "pink" aspect is interesting. It almost reads like strawberry champagne, if such a thing existed. That's not *quite* right, but there's a sweet, innocent feel to this scent. At this point I'd say it's almost the polar opposite of the Opium and Champagne, in feel as well as scent. Wet on skin: There's definitely something more playful in this champagne than the others I've tried. The "sparkling" aspect seems more present and there's a sweet hint that takes the edge off the usual sharpness of the champagne note. Dry down: I am now thinking the "pink" in this equation might be pink pepper or a sweet spicy floral like carnation. The mix is rather fitting, and I predict that out of the new crop of Champagne scents that this one will wind up being the most sought-after for it's sheer wear-ability. In all: light to medium throw, with a playful feel reminiscent of sneaking sips from grown-ups' glasses on New Year's Eve night, this is the one to wear to all upcoming holidays and events when wanting to encompass sophistication and joy without taking yourself too seriously. Lovely.

UNSPEAKABLY EVIL TEMPLE A profane blend of opoponax, galangal root, dried mosses, wormwood accord, sandarac, frankincense, myrrh, and black copal. Yeah, I could see how this would be the perfect thing to spray during a good RPG when all are in some dank dark hole. For atmosphere while gaming, this makes sense. But me, personally, I would not spray this just to add scent to a room randomly. It's dark and dank, with hints of both wet stone and sulphur. So, you know, great for ambience, but I *definitely* would not, say, spray my linens with this scent. I would totally bring a bottle of this to a LARP, though!

FAE FOREST Mist-shrouded woods: Siberian fir needles, white pine bark, aspen leaf, wild lily, bergamot, wood violet, thimbleberry, sun-star, golden bell, snowdrop, heartsease, and bloodroot. This was quite lovely. Though not my favorite of the 3 new RPG sprays, (I prefer resins over pines, personally) this light and fresh scent will find many homes to be happy in. I could see this being used not just during Game, but when a house needs a bit more Spring Time Air going through it. Something to spray when guests are coming in from out of town and I just bet it'll work fabulously after a big, stinky meal (like getting rid of fish odor, for instance!) In All- clean, fresh and bright, I think this scent definitely lives up to its' name.

Kanra up there said this was a moody, broody scent and I do NOT disagree. This is making me have ALL kinds of feels, in a deeply profound way. I'm getting a montage of my adolescence: running down icy nighttime streets with my friends following some major protest and going to punk shows in the grimy, fetid basements of squats on the lower east side and smelling all the oil bottles on the carousel in the Body Shop and walking around Alphabet City, my breath making little plumes in the frozen air as I pass garbage can fires and street vendors selling tiny dram bottles of patchouli, all whilst side-stepping dirty banks of old snow and knee-deep slush secretly waiting in deceptive gutters. It's been a really, really long time since a scent created such a deluge of sense memory for me, but there it is. The prominent notes for me are an ozone-heavy snow that's kept in check by the richness of the indigo musk followed closely behind by the blackened lilac (definitely the note causing some of the teen-angst reverie here). I'm so damn glad that I grabbed a bottle. I suspect I won't wear this one all that often given the intensity of feeling it provokes in me, but I will welcome having it unhand for when I want to deep-dive into the feelings of that exceptional time period (layering with a smear of thick, old punk rock patchouli purely optional )

Something about the hay, peach and musk together that, just whilst in the bottle, is reminding me in some strange way of Snow, Glass Apples. So much so that I went to look at my 13 year old review of SGA for some clues, but found very little. I am guessing that the musk in this blend is the same or similar to one that was in the mix for SGA. It starts to dissipate a bit as soon as it warms on the skin, though. I though for sure that the peach was going to be really prominent in this blend but it isn't at all. The hay and the musk seem to be the dominant notes here. This is a very light, sheer scent. It really does match up with the visuals of the painting, that kind of cool, remote crystalline vibe, all pale cool-tone colors. I personally tend to wear heavier, richer blends in the wintertime, but this is a must-have for this with a special love of sheer musks.

First review! Woo hoo! In The Bottle: Mostly the gingerbread. But, as with Gingerbread Vampire, don't let the name fool you. This is more like gingerbread *spices*- it's quite strong and actually doesn't come across as sweet at all. This is especially surprising with this mix, because there are so many sweetener notes in there with it. Maybe that will change once it warms up on my skin... On Skin: Welllll...slightly. But far less than I would've expected, especially since I tend to amp a lot of those sweet notes, especially sugar and honey. I get the honey a wee little bit, and the chestnut is in there too to help round it out. I get zero hazelnut, molasses or nutmeg. Layered with Ghost Milk: Two fairly soft scents, getting together, to create another soft scent With Vampire, the Milk eased up the rough edges, but with Wolfman, I don't really think it's necessarily adding anything to the proceedings. That said, if you like your scents really foodie, I suspect you will LOVE this combo as it rings all the right bells in a gourmand scent and although I only got a few go this year's Monsters, I suspect that Wolfman will wind up being the most popular choice for layering with the Ghost Milk

In The Bottle: YUM. I'm normally NOT a fan of anise (black licorice and I are mortal enemies ) but DANG, does this smell good in the bottle- it's a diabolical mix of anise, bittersweet chocolate and gingerbread spices. It smells entirely edible, like a non-sweet bread baked with the above ingredients. On Skin: It starts to mellow almost immediately. I'm a bit sad about it because it's so good in the bottle. That said, it seems to be toning down in equal parts, so that the main elements are all still present, just going a bit more subtle. The anise becomes *slightly* more prominent as a result, but I'm still enjoying it. Layered with the Ghost Milk: it's sweetens up the scent, but only a little, because I was VERY cautious about only using a mere touch of the Milk. I would wear this either way, but wearing it alone makes the scent a potential for a sexy evening, whereas with the Ghost Milk it softens it enough to make it completely wearable for daytime winter coziness. Either way, I like the warmth of this one and I bet it's going to get better with a bit of aging too.

In The Bottle: the sweet, cozy vanilla cashmere is the most prominent note I detect immediately, and I'm pleased as punch about it, because it was the thing I was most looking forward to with this scent. Right behind that, stopping it from entering cloying territory is the lovely goats milk note. This is the same goats milk that was in 2012's Mother Shubb's Spiced lait de chèvre, and I think I like it even more here. Let's see how this progresses, shall we? On The Skin: As it warms, the cashmere blooms further. This stuff has intense throw- a little goes a looooong way, so apply sparingly until you see what your skin will do with it. I'm getting no honey or white chocolate, but a bit of the marshmallow is coming through. Usually the sugary aspect of marshmallow amps so loudly on me that it becomes a bit acrid but the cashmere and milk are smoothing out the edges. Still, this mix is POTENT. Dry Down: I'm a growing fan of the "sweater" kinds of scents, and I'm happy to add this one to my collection. In all, this scent is all about comfort, like a smooshy blanket or your favorite old cardigan. As I already mentioned the throw is HIGH, so apply sparingly! Looking forward to seeing how this layers with the new Gingerbread scents!

Mare Nectaris The Sea of Nectar: sweet peach liquor with papaya-infused musk, golden musk, and green ti leaf. This is the first Lunacy I've gotten in AGES! but the notes sounded pretty great, so let's see if the gamble paid off! In the Bottle: Peach schnapps, papaya and musk- oh my! Wet On Skin: Man, that green ti leaf is AMPING on me! Behind that, the fruity aspects are playing around, but definitely overshadowed a bit. Dry Down: This is...odd. If I'm being totally honest, the first thing this reminds me of is a perfume I wore freshman year of high school. It was a "Designer Impostors" fragrance, of all things, and it had a sweet, musky thing going on just like this scent does. But the ti leaf has calmed down and adding some hi notes to this. Hmmm. In All: Medium throw, definitely musky above all else. The ti and the fruits just sort of weave in and out, never staying stable. I can't get a handle on whether it's right for me or not. But I'm willing to let it settle and re-test in a week or two. If nothing changes, off to swaps it goes!

ALMA VENUS Mother Venus Amber-infused blood orange with Italian neroli, ambergris, orange flower absolute, French beeswax, tuberose, Himalayan cedar, and honey. In The Bottle: The blood orange, sweetly tart, comes out first, proving itself to be everything I hoped for. Hot on the tail of that comes equal measures of neroli and beeswax. *Fingers crossed* This might be perfection. Wet On Skin: The beeswax is coming to the fore and now the orange has mellowed considerably. I don't detect the neroli at this stage, but tuberose has entered the picture and it mixing well with the wax. Dry Down: The neroli has returned, and, with the beeswax, is the dominant note. The tuberose is following close behind and the blood orange is there but is now way in the background. In All: A lovely food-and-floral scent without actually being either. This scent reminds me of descriptions of old Italian perfumes, like from the Renaissance period. Low throw this scent stays close and soft to the skin, almost the way a musk would. It's like an update of a traditional floral water recipe. I'm rather picky about floral, but this one is gentle enough that I could see wearing this on a hot summer night and it being just lovely. ETA: I detect NO cedar, which is usually a death note for me. So if you're worried, don't be!

Snowballs of poppy-red musk, tangerine, blood orange, and mimosa blossom. In The Bottle: Wow! I get the strong-but-distinct citrus notes of both tangerine AND blood orange, plus the red musk (which, at this stage, is NOT like the red musk of Smut). There's also something unnameable in the background. It's floral, but...in passing. Like, when I'm sniffing it's not present- until I start to take the bottle away from under my nose. I assume it's the mimosa, being the only note left, but it's most unusual. Wet On Skin: The mimosa is WAY stronger at this point. In fact, it's all mimosa and poppy musk, no citrus at this stage. Dry Down: The mimosa has calmed down some and now the musk is on a more level playing field, so they're pretty neck-and-neck. In All: Medium throw and the combination has a powder-floral thing going on, with something sugary bringing up the rear. It reminds me a bit of the cherry blossom note in Hanami. I honestly don't know what I think of this. I am a huge fan of the Lab's citrus notes and I'm disappointed that my skin seems to have eaten them up in one fell swoop, as I feel they'd lend a roundness to this scent. Without it, it just seems to be all powdery on me I will let it settle and retest in a few days. I might even add a drop or two of King Mandarin SN to my arm next time to see what that does. But if it stays as is, then off to the swaps it goes!

I’ve run away from a little old woman, A little old man, And I can run away from you, I can! In the Bottle: Very thick, very dark, black strap molasses. That's it. Really! Wet On Skin: Okay, now that's it's warming up, the notes are beginning to reveal themselves. The gingerbread is front and center but it's still got that dark, chewy molasses thing going on. I suspect it's the vetiver having it's say in the equation, lending some deep, deep darkness to the mix. I get no clove at this point. Dry Down: The vetiver and clove combine into the gingerbread maelstrom to create a richer, darker, spicier gingerbread than the usual Lab gingerbread note, and it's PHENOMENAL. It's still a bit foodie, but this is a very adult, kinda sexy gingerbread. I'd wear this out for an adult holiday gathering where people like get a little tipsy and handsy In All: I predict this will be very popular, especially as it ages.

The dawn of the Eddic and Skaldic poetry heralded Iceland’s long and rich history of literary culture. Since World War II, there has been a tradition in Iceland called Jólabókaflóðið, or the Christmas Book Flood. It begins with the release of Bokatidindi, a catalog of the season’s new publications. Gifts of books are exchanged on the 24th of December, and Christmas Day is spent reading with your loved ones. This year, we’d like to add a few droplets to the flood. For every purchase of Svarta Fönix Bókaflóð, you receive the Svarta Fönix Bókaflóð perfume, a carefully selected used book purchased from Los Angeles booksellers, and a portion of the proceeds from each bottle will be donated to Project Night Night, an organization that provides security blankets, age-appropriate books, and plush toys to homeless youth. A warm cup of chai, the purr of a bookstore cat, and a roaring fireplace nestled in a library, with books of every size, shape, age, and genre resting on the polished mahogany shelves. In The Bottle: The sweet, smoky scent of the roaring fireplace and the rich smell of the mahogany. A nice start! Wet On Skin: I'm not getting the chai *exactly* but a general warm, resiny spice is what the scent has shifted to. It's very cozy and rich, perfect for a cold, cold winter. I hope it holds! Dry Down: Staying true from application onward, this scent is warm, smoky-sweet and cozy- everything it promises to be, and I'm sure will only get better with age! PS for those interested, the book I received was Positive by David Wellington, which apparently is about zombies, pirates and death cults, among other things. Thanks, Puddin'!

A spectral denial you must not disregard: Burmese heartwood teak, coffee beans, black patchouli, green cognac, and white musk. Thanks to TwilightEyes for making this possible! In The Bottle: Smoky black patchouli, a bit of dark wood (not the teak from Glowing Vulva- this is blackened, rich.) and a touch of cognac. Wet On Skin: The cognac sweetens up a bit- this is the same cognac note from Black Lace and it does a lot to smooth out the rough edges of the heady, dark scent. Dry Down: Wow. This is pretty special. It's like a combination of Black Lace, deep, dark patchouli and fresh-brewed coffee as smelled whilst walking through the French Quarter. It's not sinister, but it *is* serious. In All: Medium throw with a nice, rich undertone that makes this perfect for all genders. I have a feeling this is going to get even better with age!