brsis

Initial thoughts: There was no way I was passing up on this. It's aquatic, which I love, especially as the summer is rolling in. And it's Cthulhu. CTHULHU. If this works on me, it may end up being my go-to summer scent In the imp: This is a sharp, pungent aquatic - in the imp, it smells a little like those nearly-toxic antibacterial hand soaps you get if you work in a catering kitchen. Oddly enough, I quite like that smell. On the wrist, wet: Definately a pungent, fresh aquatic liquid soap - the soapiness is less on the skin, and I'm hoping it will receded even further and just leave me the aquatic. It's currently broadcasting 'clean and wet' which is ideal for summer, if a little on the potent side. Twenty minutes later: This is a very difficult scent to describe - it does have that soapy clean quality that aquatics tend to, but also a deep, dark wetness that I associate with wet rubbery seaweed and the things that grow at the bottom of the pond. It had a dark mystery to it. This isn't quite as 'fresh' as I'd expected or hoped for, and I doubt it's a scent I'll wear often, but I can definately find occasions for it. Verdict: Keeping the imp - will think about a bottle. Tl;Dr: The Elder's favourite soap; fathomless watery depths and wet seaweed.

Since the two scents I was going to reccomend have already come up, another poke for Shango and The Dodo. Two of my favourite scents, hands down, and the sweet wetness of the sugar can comes out really well on me.

I'm rather fond of The Dodo, which is cool and fresh but comforting, or Wilde, which is refreshing but low-key enough that I can ignore it if I want.

Hmmm... my favourite aquatic, hands down, is Y'ha-Nythlei - which is aquatic, bergamot and ambergris. I'm a real fan of the resins so I LOVE the ambergris in this, but it is very subtle - I can only pick it out because I love it and I know it's there. Marae would have to be my top 'beach' scent, though it's not an aquatic (And I won't go anywhere near a beach without long sleeves, a large hat and the promise of fossils and/or fish )

Hmm, I was sure Dana O'Shee had almond, because it behaved like almond usually does - I.E. it smells like Bakewell tart and then dissapears pronto - but checking the notes you're right - it WOULD be listed if it was in there. I don't know if Black Phoenix has almond or not, but it's not what triggered my reaction - I can wear other almond scents (Bastet, Eclipse, Port-Au-Prince, Baron Samedi etc) behind my ears and in the crook of my elbow without any trouble. This was just on the back of my hand.

Initial Thoughts: YAY LOVECRAFT! ... No, I don't have to kick off every single Arkham scent with that. I just do. I love - love love love love love - incense scents, and if it's for summoning something multi-tentacled and madness inducing, so much the better. In the imp: I think there was talk, on the Miskatonic Valley Junior Baseball League Assocation page of the Trading Post, of a pancake breakfast and summoning meet. This smells like what you'd be dribbling over your pancakes at that meeting. It's dark, it's sinister, it's like evil maple syrup. It's LOVE. On the wrist, wet: Hmm... it's still kind of sweet, but it's grounded. Smokier. Sweet but also sour. It's got that kind of cloying, resinous thickness that only incense can achieve, but without any of the musty or powdery feel that it can sometimes get. It's thick and dark and sticky. Mwah hah hah hah hah. Twenty minutes later: This has really settled down close to the skin - I have to snuffle right up close to smell it - and unfortunately it doesn't seem best pleased with my skin chemistry. What little trace I can get is a sour stickyness, like congealed black honey. This is amazing, but it just doesn't play well with my skin. Verdict: Keeping the imp for locket and clothing purposes, but no bottle. Tl;Dr: Skin-tight, slightly soured evil maple syrup.

Initial thoughts: Crap. This was a frimp, and I'm really rather torn over it - on the one hand, I adore pomegranate with a fiery passion. On the other, rose is foul on me. This is either going to be incredible or incredibly awful. In the imp: The two are quite well blended - the pomegranate is taking the edge off the rose and making it juicy sweet. This shifts from second to second from something I really quite like and something I really quite don't. This isn't getting any easier. On the wrist, wet: Again, a fairly even blend - the rose is TRYING to be it's rosy self on my skin, but the pomegranate isn't letting it. On the other hand, the pomegranate is juicy but isn't quite getting to shine. It's a battle and no mistake. Twenty minutes later: And the rose wins. Alas, rose and I do not play well together, so this one is not gonna get worn. Verdict: Swap Tl;Dr: An even blend of rose and pomegranate, dominated by the rose on the dry down.

Initial thoughts: I sniffed this at a friends house and went "Hmmm... getting some of that". Now, looking at the notes, I can kinda see why - black amber and frankincense, yummeh. Bergamot, very good. Neroli... neroli... I'll remember what the hell that is in a minute. In the imp: Sandalwood, bergamot, something fresh which might be the neroli, and frankincense, in that order. Mmmmm... this is fresh and a little sharp, but it's got a distincly haughty masculinity to it. On the wrist, wet: Sharp, slightly sweet, slightly orangy - is that the neroli? Heady bergamot and frankincense. Not much sign of the darker notes coming out to play. This actually smells like green-flavour Starburst. Twenty minutes later: There's a musky cologne quality to this, but unfortunately it's mostly drowned by the sharp sweet stickyness of the neroli and the bergamot. This is far too orangey for me to wear - I dislike oranges with a passion. Verdict: Swap Tl;Dr: A clean, masculine blend heavily overpowered by sticky sweet neroli.

Initial thoughts: ... huh. Okay, look at the notes. Amber, saffron, bergamot, nutmeg, sandalwood, yup, wonderful... tentative on the rose... should be nice. Should be lovely, actually. Except, y'know. It's called Baghdad. And that makes me sad because for as long as I can remember, Baghdad has been a warzone or something pretty close to it. And yet I know that once upon a time it was one of the greatest cities in the world. It's... weird, to say the least. In the imp: Mandarin, bergamot and rose, with a hint of sandalwood. I don't get the heavier notes much at all from the imp. On the wrist, wet: Pretty much the same - the sandalwood is stronger, the mandarin a little less. The bergamot and sandalwood are making this quite sharp. Twenty minute later: Rose and sandalwood soap. Verdict: It was never going to work. Tl;Dr: Rose and sandalwood dominate, drowning the spices.

Initial thoughts: Unf. Gimmee. I'm a film studies student, so attach the words 'Hollywood' to anything and my ears prick up. Aside from that, the list of notes sounds like the lovechild of Ahathoor and Shango. In other words - LOVE. In the imp: Primarily the strawberry, but with a hint of cherry too. I can't quite pick out anything else, except maybe a glitter of heliotrope. This is incredibly sweet, but the amber and musk are giving it a pretty heavy, solid base. On the wrist, wet: Vanilla strawberry - fresh, tangy and toxicly sweet. There's just the slightest tang of amber and man - this is potent stuff. A quick swipe and it's already making my eyes water. Twenty minutes later: Still a thick, vanilla strawberry syrup with a powdery amber undertone. This is very gooey and yummy, but a tad too sickly sweet for my tastes. It might work well layered or on days I'm feeling especially edible, but it's not about to topple any favourites. Verdict: I'll keep the imp but don't think I will wear it frequently. Tl;Dr: Sickly sweet vanilla strawberries with a heavy base.

Initial thoughts: Hmmm... ozone doesn't work on me, but aquatic does. I think. Dragon's blood doesn't really seem to make much of an impact on me, except when it does and then it smells like artificial cherry syrup. Hmm. I'm not expecting the world from this, as you can probably imagine. In the imp: A salty cherry-floral. Bittersweet is the right description. On the wrist, wet: Ocean aquatic, with the heady, almost floral dragon's blood resin. It's behaving less cherry than it usual does. This is actually a rather mournful scent. Twenty minutes later: This is a very low key scent - the more floral aspects of dragon's blood with a very salty kick. It's more than mournful, actually - it's downright miserable. Verdict: Nice, but not my bag. Tl;Dr: Subtle, mournful, salty dragon's blood.

Initial thoughts: Oh my. Oh wow. Oh... my. Leather yes, tonka yes, incense yes, the others I-don't-see-why-not - and it's named after one of the most awesome nutcase geniuses in history. What is there not to love in this? In the imp: Leather, tonka and incense - this is very manly, and a little like the smell of a really old library. It's also fairly potent, which I wasn't expecting. On the wrist, wet: Mostly the same, actually - it smells like a man who's had a little too much to do with old books and incense. I realise that means either a magician or a priest, which makes me giggle just a bit. Twenty minutes later: Mmmm... this is definately a men's scent, and I love it. The leather comes through more strongly in the dry-down, and the incense is not so prominent, but the tonka and woods give it a definate 'cologne' edge that I actually quite enjoy. This is what the handsome rogue who unties you from the traintracks and sweeps you off your feet with crinoline petticoats rustling smells like. Mwah. Verdict: Keeper, and bottle pwease. Tl;Dr: A roguish, charming tonka and woods cologne with undertones of leather and incense.

Initial thoughts: Oh my. I am a fan of teh kittehs - a BIG cat person - and now I'm staring down something with amber, saffron, myrrh and cardamom. Yum. Lotus can aparantly go very sweet on some people, but I have yet to try it so I can't really comment. In the imp: Mmmm... this is good. Golden and warm are the right descriptions for this - it's a cardamom and saffron laden resin, with a whole pure golden honey floral topnote holding it together into something that smells like it should be covered in cream and eaten. Yummeh. On the wrist, wet: Honeyed camomile and spice tea. I don't know what it is that is giving me the camomile - possibly the almond and something? The honey actually seems to be the lotus. I can just pick out the myrrh and the amber, and the musk gives it a definate feline purr. This smells like an Egyptian temple cat, and makes me want to curl up and preen like one too. Twenty minutes later: Most of the overt floral edge has died down, and now this is a sweet, spicy skin-hugging musk. It's got the slightest of 'odd' edges to it - can't quite identify what it is, but I have a feeling it may be the amber behaving 'powdery' as it sometimes can. I don't know that this is something I would necessarily wear often, but at the moment it looks like it could quite happily join the ranks of my sleep blends. I would definately welcome a chance to test this more extensively. Verdict: I'll take an imp of that, thanks. Tl;Dr: Sweet, slightly spicy, skin hugging resinous musk. Warm, golden, and cat-like.

Initial thoughts: I have an unhealthy love of the smell of burning things (Nice things, like toast and wood, obviously, not like burning plastic). That, and I have a certain soft spot for any creature that falls into the 'servant of the Prince of Darkness' catagory - even before reading Terry Pratchet, I imagined it was something like being an underpaid civil servant in a really sucky office with the boss from hell. Literally. They aren't actually mean, honest, they're just taking out their frustations on you because as long as they have your passport/drivers license forms/student loan application they have one tiny little iota of power. I'm a weird kid. In the imp: Smoke, wood ash and Lemsip o.O On the wrist, wet: No, that's not Lemsip... I'm tempted to say either tea tree or eucalyptus. This is definately more herbal than burnt on me, although there is a vague sort of wet woodash kick to it. Twenty minutes later: Hmm... this smells unendearingly like burnt Vics Vapour Rub, wet vetiver and hot ash. It's a no go for me - for one thing, it's a bit too similar to the bastard child of Ligur and Snake Oil, without any of the redeeming qualities of either. Shame really - I was so looking forward to a nice potent smoky blend. Verdict: Swap pile Tl;Dr: Vetiver and burnt ich.

Initial thoughts: Whoah momma. Love tea, love ginger, love the various fox demons in all their nine-tailed varities. I want, and I want bad, and I really hope it loves me as much as I want to love it. In the imp: The ginger is so sharp it's almost citrus, but there is an unmistakable pale tea underneath. This is definately the kind of light, pungent scent you'd get if you leant over a steaming cup of one of those exotic herbal teas. On the wrist, wet: Ginger. Sharp, biting, acrid ginger. This is a fox with sharp little teeth! I'm a big fan of ginger, but this might be a tad too potent even for my tastes unless it mellows in the dry-down. Twenty minutes later: This still smells just like the steam coming off a particularly potent blend of ginger tea. It's very yummy, but a bit sharp and potent for my tastes. This could potentially be a really good layering blend, however. Verdict: Keeping the imp, but undecided on a bottle. Tl;Dr: Hot, steaming and delicious, but sharp, ginger tea.

Hades, Darkness, and the Music of Erich Zahn (Sp?) are my default sleep scents - the GC ones at any rate. Good luck with your puppies (Of young and old varieties)

Initial thoughts: I loved this book. I loved the characters. I loved Crowley with a passion (So much so that I wrote up a film treatment of Good Omens for a piece of coursework and cast Alan Rickman as Crowley). And that is why I'm ever so slightly worried that I'm looking at this and seeing lemon rind and *shudder* red patchouli. Patchouli has proved several times that it hates me, and several other times it has proven that it doesn't really and is perfectly capable of hanging in the background. Likewise, lemon rind isn't the terror that it once was (I had a few unpleasant experiences where I ended up smelling like air freshener). The lilac-oakmoss-vanilla combination actually sounds damn tempting, and as always I'm a sucker for leather. In the imp: A little bit sharp on the citrus off the bat, but after a moment's thought, this is rather promising. I can definately pick up on the smoulder of patchouli, the cologne, and although I can't pick out the leather and such I can feel their presence. Mmm hmmm... On the wrist, wet: Cologne and patchouli - it's a dark, well behaved patchouli though, definately one of the ones I can get along with. A hint of lilac and lemon, and just a little leather. This isn't a 'spectacular' scent so far, but it's coming across very distinguished and wearable. Twenty minutes later: Blast it. This is all patchouli on me - everything else gets drowned into a vague patchouli haze. I'll test it once more before swapping - I'm not about to give up on Crowley so easily! - but I'm rather dissapointed. Verdict: Another test before making a decision. Tl;Dr: The patchouli spoils it for me.

Initial thoughts: *Sigh* Rose. This, I chose for the simple purpose of figuring out if it's actually possible for me to wear rose - every time I've tried it, it's been in a blend that may or may not have gone wonky anyway. So here we are - a genuine, totally rose schmush. I like the roses in my garden, but I've never been able to find anything that smells even close to what they do. In the imp: The mild, innofensive scent of rose scented candles, soaps and other sundries everywhere. Hmm... On the wrist, wet: Floral soapyness. Nah - this ain't flying. Twenty minutes later: Nope - rose turns into a nasty, muggy, soapy floral on me that I just can't be having with - I think it's about time I gave up and decided I just can't wear it. Verdict: Swap Tl;Dr: Rose. Lots of rose.

Initial thoughts: Is it wrong that the first time I saw this scent, I didn't think 'Oh, Alice through the Looking Glass!' but 'Oooh, evolutionary hypothesis'? Hmm... I'm not an overwhelming fan of cherry, and currant is a bit watery on me. I have, however, been looking for a nice deep woody scent that isn't going to be dry on me. Fingers crossed, queeny! In the imp: Cherry. Cherry cherry cherry cherry cherry. That's all I got. On the wrist, wet: Still cherry, but more subdued - must be the woods grounding it. Not unpleasant, but the cherry is a little medicinal for my liking. Twenty minutes later: It's a woody cherry - it hasn't quite lost the medicinal edge on me though. A bigger fan of cherry might enjoy this better than me - it's just not something I'm going to wear. Verdict: Swap pile Tl;Dr: Mild mannered woody cherry.

AFAIK, all cats are allergic to essential oils to a greater or lesser degree. Dogs and (Don't ask me why I know this) guinea pigs aren't. I wouldn't wear perfume to work with animals - save it for afterwards when you smell only of cat

Initial thoughts: Ah, the Dodo. Living in Oxford, I get enough Alice in Wonderland every week of the summer to last a normal person their lifetime, and am on reasonably good terms with what remains of the original Oxford Dodo, being that I visit it every few months or so. So I have a soft spot in my heart for this particular blend even before I've thought about it. This was on my wishlist, but way down the priorities as a 'heh, this might be fun sometime'. Nothing was jumping out at me until I noticed the mango. Lemon peel is making me a bit tentative, as that tends to amp very sharp on me, but I've been looking for something else with sugar cane and - momma - mango. I love the smell of mango and I'm really hoping it's prominent in this. In the imp: Wow, this is... quite indescribable, but I'll try. It's sweet-ish, but mango and sugar cane juice sweet not sugar sweet. It's fresh, but not heavy on the citrus - it's not fruity but it has a hint of fruit - specifically the mango. It's got what can only be the musk, cassia, sandalwood and agarwood grounding it without making it heavy, musky, musty, woody OR dry. It's really complex and strange and perplexing and wonderful and MAN, I hope I like it on my skin because I'm about ready to keep it based on the imp sniff alone. On the wrist, wet: Mostly, it's that weird not-quite-spice-not-quite-wood-not-quite-musk mix that I'm REALLY liking. This is seeming very appropriate to the character, y'know! Oh man, I love this. Love it love it love it. The lemon peel isn't amping like crazy yet, which is a real plus - wish I was getting a bit more of the mango, that's my only problem with it. Twenty minutes later: Oh god. Oh god. Oh. God. MORE mango! Okay, it's a little sharper now from the lemon peel, but that in no way detracts from this scent. It's discreet but bubbly, not in-your-face but it's got great throw - this is an awesomely happy scent, ranking right up there alongside Shango as something I want to slather myself in and then kick down doors. This. Is. Amazing. Verdict: GIVE ME A BOTTLE. RIGHT NOW. Tl;Dr: Bright, happy mango with sweet fresh sugar cane juice, held in check by playful cassia and agarwood. OMG WOW.

Thoroughly corrupted: amber, sandalwood, black patchouli and cinnamon. Initial thoughts: Hmmm... not sure about this one - on the one hand, amber and cinnamon. On the other... black patchouli. Ick. I'm looking for something dark and smouldering, rather than dark and wet like Ligur, and with staying power, unlike Bloodlust. Let the Sin begin! In the imp: I do get the black patchouli most of all, but there are some really complex, spicy things going on in there that I can't quite describe. However, I amp patchouli, so I'm worried I'll lose some of that in the testing. On the wrist, wet: Cinnamon. Dark, luxurious cinnamon - this is no gingerbread cookie. A smoulder of patchouli, but it's really playing quite nice. The cinnamon is really the most prominent at this point, when the patchouli is usually going VROOM on my skin, but it's very unlike any cinnamon blends I've tried before in it's darkness and depth. And it's throw. Man, this is potent. Twenty minutes later: Amazing - it's still that awesome, dark, sultry cinnamon I really liked in the wet stages. The patchouli has not only behaved itself but gone above and beyond the call of duty. This is very aptly named - it's dark and dangerous, sure, but that delicious cinnamon topnote is sitting there, tempting you to come and take a bite... Verdict: Keeper, and maybe even a bottle when it runs out. Tl;Dr: A dark, sultry, smouldering blend with a tasty cinnamon topnote.

Everybody says almond and cherry smell similar and yet those two I've always been able to tell apart... but I mix up almost everything else! Guess that's me being weird again - especially since my skin drinks both of them. I couldn't detect either in Black Phoenix. Hmm... well, I'm not allergic to cherry (I checked my list, and both Kabuki and Libra have it - didn't react to either). Likewise, I'm not allergic to almond - Dana O'Shee didn't do anything. I guess I'll have to email and find out what allergens are in it, because I don't fancy coming up in vein-popping welts again.

Initial thoughts: Hmmm... I was all set up to love this, love it with a fiery passion, and yet... someone pointed out that the ARGHALLERGY note in Black Phoenix might have been cherry. Crap. On a crap stick. Now I'm almost not wanting to test it, which is a real shame. In the imp: Oh man. Licorise and, if I'm being kind, Carte D'or black cherry ice cream. If I'm being unkind, old-style cherry flavour medicene. Awesome! On the wrist, wet: I'm actually testing this on the fleshy part of my forearm, where I figure it can do less damage if I do have a reaction. It's much the same, if slightly less potent, on my skin - cherry and licorise. Yummeh. Now please don't kill me. Twenty minutes later: No itching, no redness - I'm tentative to call it golden, but I don't think I'm allergic to cherry. Hallelueah! Oh yeah, it smells of something! Mmmm... musky licorise. This is really rather good - something bold and sensual without being overpowering. It's the kind of scent you'd notice even if you didn't realise you had. I really like this. Verdict: Provided no nasty flareups in the next hour, keeper and an eventual bottle! Tl;Dr: Bright, medicinal cherry sombers down quickly into rich, sensual musk and star anise.

Hmm... is that regular cherry as opposed to black cherry? Black cherry I can wear with no problems... I'll have to test that bottle of Bloody Mary that arrived the other day.