tinyvulture

I was on a search for the perfect chai tea perfume. Bengal comes close, but it's not strong enough. Clemence is strong. When I first apply Clemence, it's like I'm bathing in strong black tea, flavored with spicy cardamom and clove. And the patchouli and carnation are perfect accents. The patchouli seems "wetter" than usual, almost juicy. Not sure how to describe it. If you love tea scents, pick up Clemence, and be overwhelmed with indulgent tea goodness.

truly a dark, heavy scent as the description implies. nothing subtle about it. a must-have for vetiver fans. its earthiness blends well with the sweet, heady myrrh. i would’ve also guessed that there’s a touch of eucalyptus in this… i smell something minty and medicinal in the background. my husband and i both love vetiver so we’ll be sharing this imp until it's gone.

creamy caramel and fizzy, happy, citrusy orange blossom. i keep waiting for the carnation and iris to make their appearance, but zarita remains strictly a “foody” blend. although the scent description lists sweet cream, i’d recommend this for fans of burnt sugar and caramel as well.

at first this scent is very green and clean, but it dries down to a beautiful floral combination of soft rose and carnation, made springtime-fresh with the addition of ivy. i do love me some carnation, but this is a little too light and wispy for my taste.

i thought this would be quite fruity, but at first all i smell is strong, cinnamony cassia. the lemon peel and mango do appear after a minute, but they’re an odd fit with the cassia. the notes just don’t seem to combine very well. it surprises me that i don’t smell any red musk, which usually amps on my skin. just the cinnamon, lemon, and mango. off to swaps.

a commanding blend of leather and dry, spicy woods, softened only a little by faint florals. i don’t get the honey, amber or berries at all. the leather is so very strong. it’s nice, but not a standout for me among all of the lab’s wonderful leather scents.

i’ll try not to let the fact that my forum name is “tinyvulture” bias my review when i saw the description, i didn’t immediately think “bottle!” but now i’m glad i’ve gotten around to trying a decant before it goes away -- because i may need to stock up. my feelings about frankincense are usually middle-of-the-road, but i’m really loving it here! dry and spicy and resinous, it combines with the various soapy/herbal reeds and fronds to make a subtle yet lovely perfume. it’s very light, like curls of exotic incense smoke wafting through the air, but it leaves a lasting impression. a must-have for frankincense lovers.

this smells like a fruity, spicy potpourri, with a few flower petals thrown in for good measure. i mostly smell the plum and berries, with the lilac and gardenia in the background. i’m usually good at picking out rose or opium notes, but i don’t notice them here. my skin really amps the fruits, which just keep getting sweeter and sweeter. a pretty, home-y, comforting scent.

a soft, creamy coconut, backed with delicate florals and light, warm musk. i’ve never had an opinion about lilac one way or the other, but i have to say it’s really pretty here, in combination with the coconut. minutes later, i’m still not picking up the tea or tobacco. the scent seems to have become sweeter, thanks to the vanilla and tonka. this could become a favorite for when i’m feeling especially “girly”.

floral sprays aren’t usually my thing, but there’s something about this one… it’s a springtime bouquet of white flowers, refreshing and not heavy. the slight fruitiness of osmanthus is noticeable, and there’s a touch of something green and herbal – i’m guessing the ivy – which only adds to the clean freshness of this blend. light, delicate, fades away rather quickly.

when first applied, i smell the creamy caramel and fruity apple blossom. this isn’t an overly foody “caramel apple” scent, however. it’s more subtle and complex than that. the honey is noticeable, although faint. i can’t pick out the amber and skin musk specifically but i know they’re there, adding softness and warmth. i was expecting this to be heavy and sexy along the lines of O, but it’s light and cheery. apple blossom is just such an innocent, happy note, in my opinion, and it’s paired really nicely here with the sweet caramel.

the combination of leather and vetiver is sure to be an instant favorite for my husband. or at least, i hope so the vetiver is dark, earthy, and a little nutty -- very similar to Devil’s Claw which i’m a big fan of. the leather note is sharp and i would say almost astringent, if that’s possible for leather… i’m picturing slick, black leather rather than rugged cowboy leather. the black musk just adds another layer of warmth and sexiness. super hot.

sometimes jasmine works on me, and sometimes it doesn’t. here…not so much. this sort of smells like nail polish remover on me. i can smell a little bit of the rose and the exotic frangipani, but the jasmine is by far the strongest note and unfortunately it’s gone all sour and acidic. off to swaps so it can meet someone it gets along with better.

the ultimate hazelnut scent. i loooove hazelnut. here, it's perfectly enhanced by the sweetness of vanilla and honey. warm, nutty, incredible. the myrrh and sandalwood are noticeable as well. their lovely spicy resins develop more several minutes after application. but the hazelnut is still going strong at that point, too. i'd definitely classify this as a foody scent. must hunt down a bottle.

i’m instantly struck by this blend’s similarity to one of my favorite GC blends, Urd. to me, Dionysia is a more complex and sophisticated take on Urd’s winning combination of juicy purple fruits and patchouli. it will also please fans of Bordello -- BPAL’s plum note is always so lovely! the raspberry is mouthwatering as well. more raspberry scents, please! the benzoin and plum blossom add sweetness and a touch of floral. this is such a pretty, feminine scent. 10 minutes later, it’s mostly plum – yum!

caramel corn studded with peanuts. i think there are also hints of coffee and molasses. super sweet and foody, definitely a cousin of Gluttony and Cockaigne. i wish it was a little more buttery (it’s more like Cracker Jacks than Crunch n’ Munch), but it has great throw and stays true to its original scent without turning to plastic. so, as foody scents go, it’s a keeper.

at first this smells like a basic floral blend, maybe a little herbal, nothing really identifiable. but after a minute, the leather and amber come forward, followed by incense, and make it into something really interesting and sexy. i love the combination of strong masculine leather with the sweet powdery amber. i think i’ve found a floral my husband will actually wear. it’s better than any commercial cologne out there.

it took me a long time to get my hands on a decant and now, in the scorching august heat, i’m instantly nostalgic for a white christmas. that’s how lovely and evocative this scent is. first off, there’s no rose in this. i never heard of hellebore before, but i’d describe its scent as a cross between herbal and evergreen. there’s also a touch of chilly slush, and something floral and fruity (like juicy red berries). finally, there seems to be an intensely sweet and powdery note -- amber, maybe? – that amps up the sweetness of the other notes really beautifully. i don’t know how much justice my description does, but i adore this blend and hope it makes a return in ’08.

coconut, dry woods, and red musk – what a great combination. this reminds me somewhat of the coconutty, seafaring GC scents Blood Pearl and Elegba. but the red musk really adds a whole other dimension. it’s warm and sexy, while the leather and tobacco add a masculine sharpness. and then there’s just a hint of lime. other reviews mention aquatic notes, but i’m not getting that. this pirate ship is not at sea, but shored up on some remote tropical island. eta: this scent is quite the morpher! about 10 minutes after application, the coconut has completely faded and the lime is super strong. but give it 10 more minutes, and it’s all dry, spicy woods (this is my favorite phase). long-lasting, with decent throw.

this smells like a cherry cola when i apply it. then the boozy notes come out. plenty of vodka and spicy rum in this libation! after about a minute, i can pick out each of the notes listed in the description. this is a pretty complex recipe. the almond liquor, mint, orange water and lime all add something. a refreshing and tropical drink that’s not too citrusy – perfect!

at first sniff, this smells like freshly-squeezed orange juice. it’s very sweet and citrusy. as it dries, the scent becomes more complex and there are some green, herbal notes – the bamboo and palm fronds, i’m guessing. i’m not sure if i’ve come across those notes before. the hibiscus seems to be hiding. minutes later, it still smells like orange juice to me!

when i sniffed this in the imp, i so hoped it would work on me. it was absolutely mouth-watering: buttery, cakey, coconutty. this may be an obscure reference, but it smelled like one of those raspberry zinger snack cakes – they’re like a twinkie, only they’re dyed bright red and rolled in coconut. BUT, when i applied it to my wrist, it quickly took on an unpleasant plastic scent. noooo! it actually reminds me a lot of beaver moon. maybe the beaver will make a comeback someday and i can snag a bottle, since it doesn't turn to plastic on me.

I remember Absinthe (the BPAL scent; I’ve never tried the drink) being very minty and lemony, and this is quite different. I mainly smell black licorice and Ricola cough drops (the original herbal kind!) Seriously, that’s exactly what it smells like to me. Sweet and medicinal. There’s a touch of smoky opium and light, soapy florals in the background. This is a really unique and different scent. I’m not sure how to classify it. Herbal/foody? I’d love a hard candy that tasted like this, but I’m not sure I’ll wear it as often as it should be worn. Probably off to swaps.

amber’s the strongest note, immediately recognizable. the perfect amber – sweet and warm and a little powdery. the vanilla musk is its ideal companion, since it is also warm and sweet. i don’t really smell the myrrh or cedar or sandalwood individually. there’s just a general woodsy, spicy undertone that is quite pleasant, but doesn’t make me go “whoa!” i think i’d enjoy it more and be able to pick out the notes better if it had more throw. it’s just not as strong as i’d like.

a fresh, clean floral scent. it’s not really “herbal”, but there’s something “green” about it. makes me think of springtime and everything starting to bloom. there’s a strong, crisp tea note. i smell absolutely nothing metallic that makes me think “chrome.” in fact i’d say this is one of the lab’s more commercial-smelling women’s perfumes, on my skin anyway. it’s very flowery and feminine.