slave1

Visiting the Temple of Auspicious Fortune Alone on the Winter Solstice In Bottle: Ozone and incense On Skin: This is an interesting combination. The rain note is cold and aquatic, while the incense is warm and smoky. The dust is dry and powdery and all together this scent is alive with contrasts. The notes don’t seem to be working on me though, I can’t really *feel* it. There is a citrus note I smell as well, making the scent a bit sour on me. The scent is a bit effervescent, like a soda… maybe lemon lime? While it is an interesting scent that really makes me think, it’s not one I can see myself wearing. Average throw and average to long wearlength.

THE MAGI In Bottle: Strong resinous cologne On Skin: This is very masculine in feel, it’s like a spicy resinous men’s cologne. I get a white and green feel from this, very clean spices and more cool in feel than warm. Which is odd, since resins and incense almost always warm up a scent on me. The grape is light as well, not overwhelmingly fruity, just crisp. And I don’t smell the vanilla bean on it’s own, although I suspect it helps sweeten the scent and tame the coriander. A very elegant and distinctive scent. After a drydown of about 10 minutes, it becomes more gender neutral. Very nice and formal. It has an average throw and long wearlength.

GELT In Bottle: Powdery cocoa On Skin: This smells like hot cocoa mix, powdery and sweet. After a few minutes it warms up and smells more milky than dry. Like actual chocolate coins. The amber warms it nicely and also gives the scent it’s golden soft feel. This is foody but overwhelmingly so. If you love chocolate, try this one for sure. It has such a warm tone you can’t help but fall in love with it. It stays close to the skin and triggers the come hither and nuzzle me reaction. I still prefer El Dia De Reyes but this would be my backup chocolate scent. Light to medium throw with an average wearlength on me.

Every holiday season should be full of lewd suggestions and filthy double entendres, right? Lick it in earnest! Lick it with vigor! Peppermint candy cane with an extra jolt of sugar. LICK IT LIKE YOU MEAN IT In Bottle: Sweet peppermint On Skin: Peppermint love. I mean this is soooo yummy! It is similar to previous versions but a bit sweeter this year. I also get a bit of skin musk under it all, warming it up and making me really want to lean in and inhale it. The peppermint nicely clears the sinuses while the sugar keeps it from being too sharp. This is the perfect festive scent, gorgeous for the holidays. It’s very subtle and soft, nothing harsh or overwhelming. It has a very light throw and short to average wearlength.

XIV In Bottle: Sweet and planty On Skin: This has a very organic feel. It's sweet though and I love it. I smell greenery and soft dry grasses, maybe hay. It's warm and comforting. I smell a pretty floral note too, nothing perfumey, more simple. As it dries down, it takes on a more sour floral feel on me, but still quite nice. Overall it is green and gold in tone on me. I would call it a farm or field scent to create a visual. XCII: In Bottle: Sweet and feral On Skin: I don't tlike this one... sorry. It is very feral, an animal musk of some sort... maybe civet? It smells like an animal in heat, with a sweet background note. Very red in tone, a bit resinous. Eeek, it's terrible on me, I'm sorry I can't review it any further. LXXXIII: In Bottle: Sweet and spicy On Skin: Clove and a bit of cinnamon or cardamom. Very intense. There is also a bit of a cologne note in the back ground. Yeah, spicy masculine cologne. I get also a bit of leather. It's a little funky to me, something isn't right. It's probably the clove because clove usually hates me with a passion. It has that metallic note and it's very dominant here.

CLXVI: In Bottle: Super orange On Skin: This is yummy, very citrus, orange to be specific. It's soft though, not tart... like an orange creamy candy. Soft and powdery, like orange pixie stix... wait, it smells like PEZ!!!! It's very well blended and the only notes I'm getting from it are orange, sugar, maybe a little vanilla. The powderyness may be from a velvety light amber. It's gorgeous and wish I had gotten a bottle of this!!!

LADY LILITH In Bottle: Tea and florals On Skin: This is gorgeous, purely feminine. It starts out very heavy on the white tea and mandarin but they fade gradually to the background but still remain noticable. As the scent develops the vanilla cream comes out and gives a rich sweet base to the scent. The florals are the dominant feel, but not one in particular, they blend and make a beautfiul bouquet. The musks are divinely soft, with the red being more dominant... and mixed with the opoponax create a lovely depth I love being lost in. Over all this scent is one I would wear alot and I love the feel of it. My only complaint and that is fades super quick and has too light of a throw for me. Guess I'll have to slather and layer. Light throw and short wearlength.

THE GLADDENER OF ALL HEARTS In Bottle: Lavender and powder On Skin: Again I was a bit scared off by the lavender. Sadly, laender and I hardly ever get along. Luckily, the lavender fades quick and the super sweet honeyed milk comes forward. This scent is very creamy and the honey is not like honey single note, it's more a cherry scented honey, very dark and syrupy. The powder makes the scent lighten up a bit. The herbs also help cut through the thickness of the scent. The rose and cranation add a more soft and floral side... both these notes also usually hate me, but here they are manageable since the sweetenss counteracts the normal sour and bitter feel I get from them. The frankincense is very light and just offers a subtle spice, very nice. A very pretty scent, still babylike but much deeper... like concentrated baby. Thats a good thing! Strong throw and long wearlength.

LILITH VICTORIA In Bottle: Sweet and herbal On Skin: I was scared at first, the lavender was overwhelming in the bottle... but on my skin it mellowed out and the vanilla came forward quickly. There's the soft spice of Snake Oil and the tea note from Dorian. The lavender and fennel are very herbal, a bit minty. The lily of the valley is a soft sweet floral in the back fround. I loved this scent at first, but the vanilla and the herbs blended togther almost have that plasticy mint note I got from Love's Philosophy and that didn't agree with me at all. I'm up and down on this one, I love it for the most part but then every so often I get that plastic note. Still, so very gentle and baby like. Light throw and average wearlength.

SCHWARZER MOND 2008 In Bottle: Sweet deep resins On Skin: Well, I loved the original and I love this one. Again it is dark and sweet… all the scents melding into a sticky barrel of resinous heaven. It’s quite similar to the original and has the same overall vibe. It has that spicy warmth, and masculine edge, even though I love wearing it. It’s a night scent for sure, one that will get you noticed and have everyone hovering around you. It’s a great contrast to Lune Noire, both sides of the spectrum. This one represents the dark, dirty, sticky side… I love resins and I love this scent. So happy to have another bottle. Strong throw and long wearlength.

LUNE NOIRE In Bottle: Floral musk On Skin: Ok, this is probably the prettiest floral ever. I am so happy I ordered 2 bottles unsniffed. Oh my god… I could just drown in my wrist… This is so feminine and gorgeous. The blue musk is dominant giving it a bit of a Blue Moon edge, then the florals come into play, the gardenia perfectly creamy. The amber is soft and with the other resins create the softest blanket for the other notes to be cuddled in. The pear is sweet and a bit tart, the oakmoss clean and a bit ozoney. The sweet clove is a shocker, because clove tends to go metallic on me, but here it is very subtle and warm. I cannot explain how much I love this. I thought I wasn’t a floral person, but I will wear this scent whenever I want to go outside my foody box and feel all ladylike. Beth you are AMAZING! Medium to strong throw, average wearlength.

SNOW, GLASS, APPLES In Bottle: Fresh, clean and sweet On Skin: This smells like apples and the original Blue Moon minus the cucumber. It has a clean, crystalline overall feel. Very clear and bright. The apple is dominant, but not in a fruity way… it’s just crisp and juicy. The musk is drop dead sexy, very light, a skin musk. This scent is unisex, I think it would smell fabulous on anyone. It does have a perfumey quality, but nothing generic or mainstream in the slightest. I am not a fan of apple scents, but I LOVE this one if that tells you anything. I love how it is so clean, yet so soft and velvety. It’s very sexy yet elegant, a refined scent for sure. And the bottle art is probably the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. Medium throw, and average wearlength.

LA PRIMAVERA SOAP Tuberose, sugar cane, lemon peel, bergamot, orange blossom, and oakmoss. Packaging: Beautiful! Here is pic: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/icem...ff/IMG_0684.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/icem...ff/IMG_0690.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/icem...ff/IMG_0691.jpg Soap it self is a light blonde faint sage color. Dry scent: Citrus yum! Ok this is very subdued and refined. This is not screaming citrus, it's gracing you with it's prescence. The lemon peel and orange blossom are sweet with just a light tartness. The sugar cane is gritty and sweet, the tuberose is feminine and also a bit tart. The bergamot adds just the right amount of greenery and herby feel, it compliments the scent perfectly. And the oakmoss comes in with a earthy gorunding base that brings the whole blend together. This is an absolute joy to smell. It awakens me yet makes me feel like a million dollars. It is the definition of living life in warm luxury. It's refreshing like a big glass of lemonade on a hot day. I will use this for sure. Wet: Will edit when tried

PENUMBRA In Bottle: Sweet dark purple musk On Skin: I love how purple this scent is... purple is my favorite color and this is so regal and deep it makes me swoon. It is the purple cousin of the latest version of Red Moon. The neroli is soft, the sandalwood is deep and woody, the tobacco offers the perfect amount of dark smoke. The pomegranate just adds to the red/purple tone and gives a slight sweet tartness. It's not as strong as it normally is on me, and doesn't *quite* have it's characteristic sweet-tart note... hmm... I still love this scent and am so happy I ordered 2 bottles unsniffed. The amber is powdery and blends so well with the deep copal. The oakmoss is light and very much in the background. And the lavender also stays in check, it normally amps herbal on me, but here it's just a clean slice here and there. An overall gorgeous scent with a medium throw and short to average wearlength.

IRRELEVANT AND DISTURBING SURREAL CRAWDAD DREAM: In Bottle: Tea and fruit loops On Skin: This has an extreme fruit note... the blue berry and re currant obviously. The green tea comes out next... so now it smells like fruity tea. The vanilla and benzoin give a nice sweet depth. The ginger and coriander give the blend a spicy tone. The scent is very playful, and I LOVE the inspiration.... Beth has the best sense of humor. It is bright, juicy and full of color. I still get a bit of the Fruit Loop feel, but I love it and will wear it when I need spunk and color in my day. Strong throw and medium to long wearlength.

STURGEON MOON In Bottle: Aquatics and cucumber On Skin: Freaking beautiful. Very cool, aquatic and fresh. A cousin of the original Blue Moon. I need gallons!!!! It has the gorgeous crystal blue feel, so nice and cooling. The florals are soft and clean. The aquatic notes are dominant and the cucumber is second in line. I love the velvety musk and the refreshing agave. I love this as a summer scent, it wipes away the 90 degree summer days we've been having. I am 100% in love with this scent. I want it as a perfume, a bath oil, a body spray and a linen scent. So very beautiful. Strong throw and long wearlength.

THE BLASPHEMARE RELIQUARY In Bottle: Sweet and earthy On Skin: Ooooo. Now this is fun. It is super powdery sweet… like honey dust. The myrrh and resins really give it the most gorgeous deep and dark feel. This is freaking sexy, I want a bottle for sure. It feels naughty and seductive, a true come hither scent. Yes, this will be a night scent for me for sure. Even the rose behaves itself which is rare for my skin chemistry. It is there though, sour and a bit sharp, but it’s needed as a nice contrast to the heavy nature of the other notes. I love this as a perfume and would also love it as an incense or room scent. Give me more now!! Moderate throw and average wearlength.

LICWIGLUNGA In Bottle: Pomegranate incense On Skin: Pomegranate loves me. It’s a note that has decided it needs to be on me, a lot. I keep buying pomegranate scents! It pretty much turns to candy on me, yummy Sweet-tarts to be exact. The pomegranate is dominant here, with a nice smoky frankincense base. The fennel and lavender are herby and sharp, the anise is light and just a nice background spice… but starts to become stronger as the scent develops. The verbena adds the perfect citrus sweetness with that slight sour edge. The hemp is fragile… so very delicate and clean. I love it’s contrast. The scent does have a very dry and powdery feel. The throw is light to moderate and it has an average wearlength.

DYAN MOON In Bottle: Floral and berries On Skin: I get a very sweet berry note that jumps out at me, yet I don’t see and berries mentioned. It is sweet and dark red in feel like a very ripe raspberry or maybe even grape? Under that is a gorgeous bluish white floral. As the scent develops I get the rose, which is sour on me… but the other florals balance it nicely. The herbal notes and fresh and sharp, while the chamomile and musk are soft and mellow the scent out very well. So pretty and feminine, a woman’s scent for sure. The rose starts to amp, a bit much for me… I may try layering this with a cream or milky based lotion which would help tone the rose down. Overall though, a beautiful scent! Moderate to strong throw, long wearlength.

HAY MOON In Bottle: Clean grasses On Skin: Very warm and pretty. This is nice fresh hay that has been in the sun. It isn’t dry but it isn’t wet… just fresh. The grasses are green in tone… slightly perfumey… with the hay and sweet honey being golden in tone. It is fresh and clean, very welcoming. The cardamom adds to the warmth and isn’t “spicy” at all. The amber is soft and powdery, adding a nice depth to the blend. The mallow is creamy and mixes with the honey’s sweetness perfectly without being overly sweet. A very nice scent that is unisex and could be worn by anyone. My only complaint would be that it is very light and doesn’t have much throw. I really have to breathe in deeply and closely to fully enjoy it. Very light throw and short wearlength on me.

PICKLED IMP In Bottle: Spicy pine On Skin: This is very interesting!!! The pine is very sticky sweet, like I was just climbing a tree and my hand got stuck in some the aged sap that collects on the sides. It’s old sap for sure, it’s deeper and doesn’t have that sharp note fresh sap has. The cinnamon and clove, both notes I normally dislike, warm this scent up and give it the neatest spice taking away the “forest” tone this scent could have had. I like that they transform it and make it so much more unique. The vanilla is the only note that isn’t warming up on me. It seems like it’s the same vanilla that was in Love’s Philosophy that went completely fake and plastic on me. It’s not the deep creamy vanilla that’s in scents like Antique Lace. It’s odd because vanilla usually loves me, but in this scent and Love’s Philosophy, it dissed me… not sure why. Still, the other notes keep the vanilla in check and I end up really liking this scent. I also love the name. Medium throw and long wearlength.

SIR HUGH OCKRAM'S WINDING SHEET In Bottle: Light wood On Skin: This is a very gentle scent… all of it’s notes so subtle. The sandalwood is dominant, a clean note very white in tone. The linen is next, also white… but tarnished, and yes, starting to rot. I am amazed how “rot” is so perfectly captured here. It’s a bit of a wonky smell, not sure it’s one I’d like to smell like, but this scent for me is about the experience. Another mood evoking scent… The dust is very powdery and makes me almost sneeze, while the hyssop is very bright and sharp. The throw is extremely minimal… you have to lean in close to smell this. It also has a short wearlength.

THE TWO-HEADED GOAT In Bottle: Earth and wood On Skin: This is a very earthy scent… not so much soil but just being outdoors. Plants, the wood of trees, ozone, all sorts of natural elements. The moss gives it a nice clean aquatic note and the birch wood has a pretty light woodiness. The pimento berry is piney and bright. In contrast the dark musk is shadowed and deep… creating a beautiful scent texture. The petitgrain is sweet and natural. A very interesting scent with many levels. It has a medium to strong throw and average to long wearlength.

THE GRAND INQUISITOR'S HERETIC'S FORK In Bottle: Smoke On Skin: This is dark thick smoke, heavy and hot… a huge bonfire and a night full of mischief and debauchery. It sadly, is not a scent that likes me, even though I love where it’s going and I absolutely love the subject matter. But… smoke and vetiver amp like no tomorrow and I’m a bit overwhelmed. The metal is in the background, a bright slice comes through here and there. The dried blood is red and sticky… very deep and slightly bitter sweet. The vetiver and smoke are black, earthy and the darkest of dark. It has a very strong throw and long wearlngth.

TABULA SMARAGDINA In Bottle: Rose incense On Skin: This is pretty much a rose incense single note. Pure 100% rose and incense. Very sharp and sour, with a smoky spicy background. I like small amounts of incense, but rose is my worst enemy so sadly I have to wash it off. If you like classic rose incense, plain and simple with no bells and whistles… this is the perfect scent for you. This is a great scent for fans of Rose Cross. Very strong throw and unsure of wearlength since I washed it off.