tinyvulture

I no longer have my imp of Snow Bunny but, from what I recall, the two are nearly scent twins. BPAL’s slush note, so sweet in and of itself, is interlaced with a piercingly sweet floral perfume. I have a hard time picking out specific floral notes, but I’d say the narcissus has quite a presence, while I don’t smell any rose at all. The fir and birch are content to hang out in the background – I think the woodsy notes were a bit stronger in Snow Bunny. This is really a lovely, girly, wintry blend. I’m wishing I had more than this half imp’s worth.

My skin amps citrus, so it’s no surprise that the mandarin orange was the first thing I smelled, along with a dusting of powdery cocoa. But there’s also tobacco, which prevents this from being simply a foody, chocolate-covered orange scent. It’s similar to Cerberus, as others have noted. After about five minutes, the mandarin has taken over completely, obliterating the cocoa and tobacco. I preferred it in its initial state.

The rich brown hue of this oil gives the first indication of its deep, earthy scent. It’s a combination of wild vetiver (khus) and crackling autumn leaves, similar to The Death of Autumn or Samhainophobia, but lacking the grassiness of the former and the herbaceous qualities of the latter. The scorched, “coffee grounds” aspect of the khus is enhanced by tobacco and charred, smoky wood notes. At first I wondered if this was too heavy for my taste, but it’s grown on me. It’s one of those scents that is a true and poetic embodiment of autumn, my favorite season.

At first sniff, I exclaimed, "Peaches and cream!" Which is funny, because I had just been trying to think of a peaches and cream blend. Tamora comes close, but it's more foody, less floral than this scent. The peach blossom is the most prominent note, followed by the Calla lily and other creamy, fresh florals. I can't pick out the rose or black musk, and I'm not sure about some of the other notes such as palmarosa. A flirtatious, happy combination of fruit and flower -- tempting me to buy a 5ml.

I’ve never smelled actual tulips, but this is a slightly creamy floral, woven into fresh green grasses. It’s clean and energetic. Not picking up an aquatic note, which is good news for my skin which hates aquatics. This isn’t really “me,” but it’s pretty. It would make a nice shampoo or lotion.

The notes I can pick out most easily are peach and patchouli. There’s a green bitterness to it, like an unripe fruit. A green peach, just turning white. I can’t smell the cocoa at all, strangely. This smells kind of like Mane & Tail hair conditioner, actually… OK...hold on. I just went and sniffed my bottle of conditioner, and this smells EXACTLY like it. Random!

When I first apply this, I swear it smells like pumpkin and celery. That crisp, watery green scent is really unmistakable. And yet, there’s no celery in the scent description. The scent quickly morphs into a spicy potpourri, fragrant with berries and frankincense. The pumpkin note is surprisingly low-key, just hanging out in the background. The floral notes are nowhere to be found, but that’s fine by me. Then after a couple of minutes, the celery returns. Weird! I already have a lot of pumpkin blends, so this mysterious mixture is off to swaps.

This is a masculine cologne blend, heavy on patchouli, yet it’s got a lovely warm, creamy spiciness, reminiscent of Blood Moon. Tons of amber, as well as cinnamon, cardamom, and other members of the “chai spice” family. It’s exotic but homey and comforting, all at once.

i wish there was a bath oil of this scent. it’s relaxing yet sensual. a heady, full-bodied bouquet of orchids, with just the right amount of sexy red musk (my skin really amps it, and sometimes it’s overkill, but not here!) and a touch of citrus sparkle from the bergamot. i don’t usually care for bergamot, but it pairs so well with the red musk! oddly, i am really not noticing the juniper at all. but that’s fine, i’m still loving this blend.

this is a light, airy, clean scent. i swear i can smell that “fresh linens” note from Dirty…that’s how clean this scent is. the spicy anise comes on strong but fades very quickly, leaving a delicate cherry fragrance hanging in the air. i would love this as a fabric softener. mostly my clothes would smell clean, but every so often i’d catch a whiff of cherry. as a perfume, it’s not really me, but i like the concept.

On me this smells like gentle pink rose, a strong dose of sandalwood, and lemony ginger. I’m not getting the patchouli at all. It’s a pretty, simple, cheerful scent which reminds me of Indian incense.

This scent smells downright bizarre on my skin. I know it’s a floral bouquet, but on me it mostly smells… sour. Like Elmer’s glue. I got this as a freebie direct from the lab, so I doubt there’s anything wrong with it. I think it’s just my weird chemisty. Sourness with some faint floral notes that I can’t even begin to identify because the glue-ness is overwhelming. I gotta go wash my wrist now.

I got this as a freebie in a lab order. To me, it smells like a department store perfume, but not any one scent in particular. Like when you buy a Vogue magazine and it just smells like perfume because of all the different sample strips inside. It’s totally floral, with undertones of green leaves and powdery sweetness. It is very well blended – I can’t pick out any recognizable notes. It’s smooth and pretty and not too strong. Actually, it fades rather quickly. I’m not much for floral bouquets, so it’s off to swaps.

there’s a lot going on in this one. when the scent description says spicy carnations, it is not kidding. they are floral yet extremely spicy, almost as though they had been sprinkled with cinnamon. the juicy plum is a bit sour, but nice, accentuated by the unique earthy, dusty smell of chrysanthemums. overall, this scent smells like fall. like a cinnamon and dried plum potpourri. it would be pretty as a room scent, but i don’t fancy smelling like a craft shop.

a very fresh, green scent, warm and summery. i'm usually not big on anything too citrusy, but mandarin is my exception because of the intense sweetness of it. to me, it's a very cheerful note. although i have to say, i have no idea what green mandarin might be! little green oranges eaten by alien hands? the guava and honeydew add more sweet fruitiness. the honeydew is so realistic! the musks and amber are crucial to the gentle warmth of this scent. there's also a slight tang of ozone. i stay away from ozone-heavy scents, but it's so slight here and it blends really well with the other notes. it's not the right season for me to wear this but i'll hang onto it and see how it ages until next summer.

I love the shimmery golden honey note, but lily just isn’t a good floral note on me. It always fades away into nothingness on my skin. I wish I got more out of this, but I’d have to bathe in it.

i admit, it took me a long time to try this general catalog scent. it never really stood out as something i absolutely had to try. how silly i was! it smells like baby! like sweet, idealized baby scent. baby powder and cream and the sweetness of their breath. i also find a strong likeness to antique lace, only this is a tiny bit heavier on the florals. which isn't to say this is a heavy floral blend. i adore orchid, but it's really light here. the sweet, creamy vanilla is the main event. dreamy and gorgeous. this would be so charming for a little girl to wear as her first perfume. think i need a bottle.

last year’s Pumpkin IV also paired the orange gourd with sage, but this year’s concoction seems more complex, with a wider variety of notes which appear at various stages. the herbal sweetness of sage is immediately noticeable, followed by the spicy and somewhat medicinal cherry tobacco. i think i smell fiery cinnamon, too, although it’s not listed in the scent description. the pine and cedar add to the overall effect but aren’t bold enough to be noticed on their own. the honey and vanilla add a top coat of creamy, smooth sweetness that brings everything together. this blend is foody without reminding you of any one dish in particular. it’s also pretty strong and long-lasting. i don’t crave a bottle but it is quite nice.

at first sniff: fruity pumpkin. the extreme butteriness of this pumpkin note makes it a jarring match with the crisp pear and juicy white grape. it’s like the pumpkin is too rich to be paired with these light, refreshing fruits. i’ve had jasmine tea, and i don’t care for it, but that’s neither here nor there because i can’t smell a drop of it in this blend. not intolerable, but not my favorite pumpkin scent, either.

at first sniff, i get pumpkin and…pickles? there’s something sour, vinegar-like, and i have no idea what it is. it may be due to the age of this decant, now over a year old. luckily, it quickly fades, and the unmistakable sweet scent of sage comes out in full force. if you’ve ever had pumpkin ravioli with sage butter, you know that this little green herb has quite a love affair with the autumnal orange gourd. they complement each other so well. i couldn’t tell you what cactus blossom or sweetgrass smell like, so who knows if i’m smelling them, but the pumpkin and sage form a perfect duo all by themselves.

a resinous, woodsy, masculine blend. almost like a department store cologne. dry and spicy and slightly bitter. the sandalwood is the strongest element, with soft bezoin and opoponax, and a touch of rose popping up from time to time. very little clove or patchouli. it’s really nice, but it feels too masculine for me. i’m curious how it will smell on my husband – i’m thinking good!

in the bottle, this smells of incense (the one from Midnight Mass) mixed with pancake syrup. when i apply it, the coffee grounds pop out for a second, then quickly disappear. next the grasses become apparent. it’s a field of grass, yellowing and sun-baked, but patches of green blades still remain here and there. the dried grass’ slight bitterness is a nice contrast to the dark incense and syrupy maple notes. after about 15 minutes the grass fades. now it’s just incense and syrup. they go great together. lasts for a long time, too.

so much leather, like walking into a men's shoe store! oiled, smooth leather, with a hint of sweetness from the musk. i always approve of musk; it seems to enhance any other note it's paired with. if you're not a musk fan, you might want to stay away. my husband loves this, and i love it on him. suddenly, i don't regret foolishly swapping my bottle of dead man's hand quite so much.

ugh, this it not making me joyful. sickeningly sweet, cloying, like fake cherry candy flavoring. i have a feeling there's lotus in this. after a few minutes a heavy, creamy vanilla appears, making things more tolerable, but still not exactly pleasant. others seem to enjoy it so i'm sure it's a skin chemistry issue. off to swaps!

when i apply it, it’s equal parts lemon, lime and mint, with a little bit of powdery, sweetened dried coconut. it’s very strong. take a deep breath -- it really clears out your sinuses, without being all “eww medicine!” i’m usually not a fan of lemon because it overpowers everything else. but the mint is really holding its own here. i wouldn’t really call this “pretty,” but it’s very refreshing and invigorating. i think it would be good for working out. after a few minutes it does threaten to turn “lemon pledge” but the mint and coconut manage to restrain the wayward lemon and keep things pleasant-smelling.