tinyvulture

at first, it’s a lot more foody than I expected! sure, there’s incense, but I also smell tart lemon, something kind of like cantaloupe, and maybe figs? but it becomes less foody as it dries. the lemon mellows out and blends in more with the smoky, sweet incense, and it’s very nice at that point.

I like all of the lab’s oils that smell like incense, and this one is no exception. Nag champa mostly, with the sweetness of grapes. Stays strong for a long time.

Resinous, the smell of churches and incense. Very similar to Cathedral, which I love. This one’s got less of a bite though. It’s warm, maybe from amber. It has an underlying sweetness, almost like butterscotch.

A meditation upon death. Inspired by William Cullen Bryant’s poem. A deep, solemn earthen scent containing pine, juniper and musk. Crisp pine, the sweaty smell of musk, and the scent of wet earth. As pine scents go, I prefer Black Forest because the amber makes it so warm and comforting. But really, they are both great. This is just a lot darker. I think it more genuinely smells like a forest. After half an hour it smells slightly minty and still has that undercurrent of musk. A keeper.

a delicate, feminine, powdery rose. very light and faint. for times when you want just a touch of fragrance, nothing overpowering.

first impression: smells like a kitchen where coffee cake and other sweet spicy goodies are being made. it’s a little too sweet on me, but it’s perfect for my man. on him it becomes darker, richer, warmer, more complex. the frankincense is much more noticeable on him; it really rounds out the scent. perfect for him to wear on days when we are curled up together under a blanket, listening to a storm outside. this would also be nice as a room fragrance.

this reminds me a lot of Hymn, only the rose is less obvious. it’s more of a general floral blend; i can’t pick out any specific flowers. very somber and clean. i can’t smell the incense at all.

my first impression is that of dried rose petals scattered in a church. it’s a somber floral scent, clean and pure, not at all resinous like i expected from the frankincense and myrrh.

I only smelled a hint of bourbon, and it faded away quickly. What remains is more delicate than I expected – a fresh sprig of mint and powdered sugar. I've never had a mint julep so I can't attest to the similarity, but this is nice.

Exactly like leather. How is that possible? I think there’s also a hint of fresh cut grass. My man smells like such a cowboy when he wears this. Although it’s too masculine for me to wear by itself, I’ve found that it smells freakin’ awesome when paired with Tombstone!

sweet orange, like Carnal but slightly more subdued. here, the orange is restrained just a little by the exotic spiciness of the red patchouli. it’s still very, very orange-y, however! the patchouli comes out more over time, which is nice.

starts out as a very strong and juicy blend of red wine and red roses. the wine stands out more than the roses. as it dries, the grape remains strong, but the roses smell powdery now, rather than fresh and luscious. the resiny dragon’s blood is completely absent, on me.

Sweet honey, almonds and creamy milk. Becomes even sweeter as it dries. Warm, soothing, comforting, would be nice on a chilly autumn when you’re feeling under the weather.

A stirring yet gentle perfume. The scent of love and devotion mingled with an undercurrent of heart-rending sorrow. A bouquet of white roses, labdanum, and wild orchid. Hello, orchids! They really stand out, on my skin. Lush orchids and the green, fresh scent of labdanum, made slightly somber by a touch of soft, powdery white rose. I keep thinking I smell a hint of pear, too. It smelled exactly the same an hour later, as when I applied it. It's really good!

This smells like being outside during a storm. There’s the tang in the air, the rain, and the scent of wet foliage. Unfortunately I have the same problem with it as with Undertow, although not as much, where it turns sweet on my skin and ends up smelling kind of like a pina colada, which is disappointing because I really like how fresh and clean it smells in the bottle. No one else has mentioned this so I assume it’s just a weird body chemistry thing. Luckily, I don’t have that reaction with Lightning, so it’s my preferred “stormy” scent.

Upon application, this has a very sweet, syrupy red grape scent. Later a spicy clove/cinnamon smell appears, and takes the edge off the sweetness. You’re left with a warm blend of red wine and spice. Does mimosa smell like oranges? Because I don’t smell any citrus in this. It’s really making me want to go drink some fruity red wine.

In the bottle it smells like pine or some kind of men’s aftershave. When I apply it, it’s invigorating and clean in a Noxema kind of way (I like how Noxema smells). Astringent herbs and a hint of sweet lemon. As it dries, it becomes less herbal and the lemony freshness intensifies. When I sniff my wrists, I feel energized.

I got this as a freebie in my last order, and I love it! Rich, comforting cinnamon. Reminds me of cinnamon almonds. But the resinous myrrh, which becomes more noticeable over time, adds an interesting layer of depth keeps it from being a completely “foody” scent. The honeysuckle and copal add warmth and sweetness.

the rich, buttery vanilla (sometimes I think it actually smells more like honey or --this is weird-- peanut butter) is tempered by the sharpness of the root beer/sassafras, and the warm, woodsy cedar brings it all together. i want to wear this while relaxing by a cozy campfire. it smells good on me and even better on my man, so we are going to have to get a bottle to share.

Fresh, juicy oranges, blended with the sweetness of mango. As it dries, the citrus becomes less noticeable. It transforms into a soft, powdery, slightly floral scent. At first it seems like it would smell good on either sex, since it’s so bright and fresh, but once the citrus fades, it’s definitely a girly scent.

soft and floral. it might be nice to wear when you need help falling asleep. i prefer the stronger, more biting violet scent of bluebeard; this one is a little too delicate for me.

I definitely notice the cedar in this one. And yeah, it does kind of smell like root beer, the way that Tombstone does. Also very resinous, like Cathedral, but not as sharp thanks to the saffron and other spices, which add sweetness. It makes me feel calm.

At first there is a really noticeable, sickly sweet tobacco odor. This goes away once it’s dry. Then it smells mostly like nag champa, with hints of lavender and warm musky labdanum. At this point it is nice, but not very strong, and I don’t know I can wait out the tobacco. I’ve really enjoyed other smoky scents like Hellfire and Brimstone, but I'm not as into this one.

Luscious, juicy plum and other dark, decadent fruits - currant and grape. Just sweet enough, not cloying. Reminds me of the ripe fruity scent of Hollywood Babylon, only with plums rather than strawberries. There’s a hint of amaretto too, but it smells rich and almond-y, not boozy, and really complements the fruit.

i wanted something to wear that would make me happy on hot, humid summer days, and manila is perfect - lush, tropical, sweet, slightly aquatic. i smell banana, but it's not the standard, synthetic, in-your-face "banana" scent (like in scratch n' sniff stickers). it's like a green, underripe banana. there's also coconut and fresh flowers. this will be perfect for relaxing in the sun, sipping a cool drink, after a refreshing dip in the pool.