TheMuses

For me this is one of the few scents that isn't so blended but rather there are distinct phases across each base note. First is the bourbon vanilla, hello sweet booziness ...then there is a buttery phase that goes to - chamomile...and last is the smokey vanilla. The smokey vanilla phase reminds me of a diluted snake oil. As per the description, this scent lingers very close to the skin. I forget what I've put on and get subtle wafting of scent throughout the day that remind me of a very light The Perilous Parlor sans the fruity edge. I am not used to scents being this light, but I can see myself reaching for this often for a subtle vanilla fix. It would make a great work sent as you can keep the scent close to home and not abuse your co-workers. The blue velvet pouch is great and the art work is kick-ass!

When I opened my box one of the three bottles I had ordered had made the box smell wonderful. I sniffed each wrapped bottle and opened this one immediately. My fear - smells great in bottle, will likely smell horrid on me...but not so. It smells familiar (Red Hots candy come to mind) and yet totally unique and new. The musk, smokey vanilla and clove give this one a warm feeling, but the other notes round it out beautifully (lightly sweet and lightly floral) so that it is in no way heavy or cloying. Nice throw - not staying too close to the skin and not turning over the furniture in it race to fill up the room with its presence. I'm getting a subtle hint of soapiness - not sure which one would be causing this (the herbs maybe?). The scent gets more blended as time goes on and the slight soap note is staying in the background. I'll tolerate it for the glorious symphony of the other notes. Its had ok staying power so far. I will definitely keep this. It’s sexy and feminine and grown-up. And on this really humid and sticky NY night - it is perfuming the air and making it all the more bearable...

So now that I know a lot more about BPAL notes, I’m trying to actually order blends that have things that work on me. This blend fit the bill. I set aside today to test it. Wet: Man this oil packs a punch within the first minute! All four notes start duke-ing it out amongst themselves to see who wins. It’s a bit nauseating and cloying actually. And unfortunately the first thing that comes to mind is “Old Lady perfume” or sitting with a Great Aunt for English tea and honey cakes in a rose garden. I may have washed it off at this point, but I was outside running errands and did not (thankfully) have the opportunity, as it begins to settle on my skin after 10 min. Dry Down: OMG! Thick, sweet, dripping honey. This is the seductive honey in Athens. This is the smell that makes me adore Lush’s BNever shower gel. I love this stage and ideas of what I can layer this with starting jumping around in my head. After about two hours its calmed down considerably and turned into a rose baby powder. The rose is a pale pink rose scent similar to Dr. Hunter's Rosewater & Glycerine Hand Creme. Nice, but the honey extravaganza stage was better IMHO. After three hours it’s turned into a fruiter (orange-blossom) O. Complexity: It’s definitely a morpher with very distinct stages. It also has great throw and long lasting power. Overall: Not what I expected, but I kinda like it. It’s definitely memorable. Large bottle? I don’t know. I need to live with the imp awhile and layer it with a few things to see its potential. I hated O originally and slowing finishing the imp turned that affair around, so who knows? I think it will do well as a spring scent and it does leave me feeling very womanly.

I purchased this because I was actully in Khajuraho last year around Vaentines Day and could NOT pass up buying a bottle to bring back my fond memories of India. IMAGES: Picture of my bottle * Note the mispelling on the label: Khajurajo [Warning 18+] Picture I took in India of the actual statue used on the label. (It's the top one.) REVIEW: Wet: Wow..ok, starts out strong and musky and oh, so very exotic. But it is subtle so I slather more on to really get a feel for the scent. Dry Down: 10 minutes later it sweetens and becomes less musky and more perfumy. There is this end note that sorta reminds me of something in Aunt Caroline Joy Mojo. But alas, since there are no notes listed for ACJM I don't know which ingredient is potentially mutual. But maybe this is my association for the “blissful, euphoric” aspect of this scent. And by golly it is! Complexity: This oil is very well layered. Other than the first second it goes on, once it settles on the skin none of the notes fight with each other. But neither can I pick out any of the notes individually. Overall: It is lovely; earthy and sweet and everything nice. Thankfully whatever florals may be here lurk in the background and support this blend, not overtake it. Low throw on me as it sticks close to the skin. I’m glad I have a bottle. Every now and then a girl needs a subtle, comforting, happy, exotic scent to call her own. * Sticks nose to wrist...inhales.....ah heaven. *

Anathema is greek for curse. Not sure how that relates to the notes or experience. Maybe I'm just not creative enough tonight. When wet this is a heavy, heady floral. Those first 5 minutes are frightening as this is one powerful blend. Did I say heavy? I mean real heavy. Thankfully after 5 minutes, it calms down to a less heavy floral. About half an hour in it goes into a powdery stage - which I can handle. And for some odd reason I get cherries towards the end. huh? I like the ending much more than the beginning. However, amongst all my loves, this really is not a fave. It may have to do with the fact that it greatly reminds me of a perfume my aunt wears. Its called Bougarini, and is comes from the Greek island of Zakynthos. Yup, definetly perfumy.

Ok when I read the reviews initially I kept thinking what does bubble gum smell like? When I finally got my imp, I knew what you all meant. Wet this starts out all Hubba Bubba strawberry chewing gum. As Penance mentioned Bazooka Joe is another good comparison. And for some that remember, it’s even similar to that pink stick bubble gum that came with baseball cards and had that light powdered coating. It quickly dries into an ever so subtle pink cotton candy smell with a floral undertone. It almost reminds me a little of Pink Sugar. I adore this, but how I wish it was a bit stronger. It's just a happy, summer day at the carnival scent. It makes studying a much more pleasant experience!

Let me begin with, I'm not a green person. I don’t particularly care for woodsy and herbaly, or what those words might imply scent wise. I thought I had it all figured out with the honey and vanilla blends. Well I got a frimp of this in my last order and decided to try it before I gave it away. OMG! Clean and crisp. The white rose adds a touch of femininity to the green. Yes, it’s a forest, but an enchanted forest. I don’t get the pine or winter berry vibe, but rather a summer forest, with the sunlight breaking through the lush density of the green in full bloom. The sun is burning away a little of the mist and dew, and as the rose scent wafts through, the butterflies and other creatures of the forest come out to play. I am shocked at how much I liked this!!! I will definitely buy a big bottle when I make my next purchase. Ok, I'm cuddling my wrist, I need to stop that.

I always thought Medea smelled very similar to Happy for S.A.D.

When this first went on - wow, I smell just like my uncle! So, I didnt get any images of ocean, salt or rum - but just of male after shave. It goes on crisp and clean and strong and slowly morphs to something deeper and darker as the leather note pulls rank. After wraking my brain in trying to figure out what this was I ran and put it on my brother. He nailed it - Jolly Roger smells very much like Royal Copenhagen cologne for men, and I mean really similar. Brother is keeping this one.

In the wet period (my that sounds strange) Medea reminds me very much of Lush's Happy for S.A.D. shower gel. And yes, many a people have confused Vixen for Karma perfume on me. So it's quite similar.