Dinah

Weirdly medicinal, with a heavy whiff of patchouli and that same not that made Smut not work for me. There is something sweet and herbal and it all reminds me of cough syrup or some other concoction from my childhood. I guess my chemistry isn't too happy about the Madame. I don't get plum or anything fruity, I don't get vanilla, and it is in fact getting very faint the more it dries. There are hints of red musk with patchouli, but that's the only thing lingering and it's barely there. I just wish what it reminded me of, I cannot place it and it's driving me wild.

The White Rabbit and me, we do not like each other. Which makes me sad because the description sounds so utterly perfect! Alas, my skin immediately amps the honey to something cloying and unpleasanat and directly afterwards come the linen & ginger. Something about that combination, esp. with the milk, really doesn't like my skin. The pepper and black tea have obviously decided to skip this particular party, as they never make an appearance at all. Cheeky buggers.

Thanks to the lovely The_Witching_Hour, who generously gave me a sniffie of this! When wet this is sweet, syrupy and resiny, though with a slightly sharp note that reminds me of medicine (though not unpleasalntly so). As it dries that sharp note disappears more and more, the scent mellows out and gets wonderful round and well-blended. It's not something I'd wear often because it is just too resinous-sweet (I'm more a foodie-sweet person) but it's very complex and intriguing and I'm glad I got to try it.

Hah! This is the first time I get to use that phrase: I'd love a man who was covered in this scent. In fact, I am pretty sure this is what Commodore Norrington smells like, and who wouldn't want to dream about that? When wet, Port Royal is a sweet, floral rum concoction that is truly exotic and pretty strong. As it dries, the scent calms down a bit and turns more spicy. I end up with clean, soap and seaspray skin-scent masked by strong, sweet spices - mostly cardamom and a bit of clove, I think. This would be lovely on a guy. ETA 11/04: Ok, I think I am going to need a bottle of this after all. The warm spicieness of this is just too much to resist.

This is *exactly* what I hoped for - I think I'm in love It's a sharp, fresh green tea with zingy, zesty lime in the background - definitely a pick-me-up on days when I feel sluggish and tired, and perfect for these reather hot late-summer days we've been having lately. Lovely.

Carnaval Diabolique is sticking out its tongue at me. It is a very simple-minded, slightly smokey-sweet lemon on me. None of the others notes come out to play, and that makes me sad.

Honey notes and me often don't get along - however, I figured since I love mint tea with honey, I wouldn't mind the honey here since it would 'belong', if that makes sense to anyone. In the bottle, this scent is perfection - the ideal blend of fresh, soothing mint and the sweetness of the honey. On my skin, however, the mint disappears completely and all I am left with is honey and orange blossom. I smell like honey candy and, sadly, it's just too sweet for me.

This starts out as lovely, sweet, blooming incense on my skin. However, after a short time it turns soapy and all that is left on my skin after it has dried is sweet, sugary soap. I guess the night-blooming flowers, whatever they are, do not like me.

Morocco was the first oil I fell in love with - I sawpped for a half-10ml bottle and it was perfect. Heaven in a bottle (fyi, this still had 'Old Morocco' on the label). Now I've just gotten my second 10ml bottle - it's fresh from the lab, two weeks old or so. The thing I've noticed is: my new bottle of Morocco smells just as heavenly as the old one - but it's much less strong and fades rather quickly. There's just a certain richness that is still missing and that I hope will develop over time. So, that's my experience with Morocco. *g*

Aaah, yes, internet + pjs. For those days when everything else seems like too much effort. White Light is definitely moving to the top of my "must try" list, and I managed to get my hands on a bottle of Moxie so I'll see how this one works for me. Thanks for all the input!

I'm usually not someone who likes orange/tangerine scents, but everytime I go shopping I have to stop by the Origins counter and sniff all their FretNot products and douse myself in the perfume. I'm not sure what it is, but I just need to get a wiff of this scent and I calm down immediately. It really stops the fret from taking me over. Now, I am a worrier. Every mundane task is a huge mountain for me - this morning, I went down to the exam office of my university to get the application form for my master's thesis and just the thought of going down there and fetching a stupid form sheet had me worrying for days because I was convinced they were going to tell me that somewhere, somehow I had overlooked something and had no right to start writing my thesis. That's the kind of person I am. But I'm also wonderful at calming others down - this constant worrying isn't natural to me at all - so I'd really like a scent that helps me remember that. Especially since the thesis and final exams are looming in a few months and I'm pretty sure with the stress I'll be having I don't need to add self-made worries. Anyone know the Origins scent I'm talking about? Or, if not, which of the calming BPALs have worked best for you?

Considering I just got a call telling me I've got a job working shift at a factory for the first three weeks of semester holidays, Moxie definitely sounds like a good suggestion - it sounds like it might keep me awake (conveyor belt work) AND give me the necessary confidence to pull off being thrown into completely new working conditions. I am just so confouded by the orange - soothing blends are usually much more herbal, so I'm surprised by finding the zing so calming. And also afraid of the definitely soothing blends making me sleepy. *scratches head* Thanks for the suggestions, they have given me some good ideas!

Fabric softener through and through. I smells interesting in the bottle, sharp ozone and something very clean and fresh. On me, though, it turns into a really sharp, chemical scent that isn't really pleasant. On my mother, on the other hand, this turns into a beautiful, fresh smelling perfume that really brings a stormy, wet day to mind. Unfair. Off to the swap pile.

Well, I'm sitting here, stressed and unable to concentrate, and my bottle of Dorian is sitting on my desk. I spilled a little on the lable, so my how work-area smells like Dorian and I have to agree, it's lovely and relaxing. Doesn't make me stop dicking around the 'net and start working on my paper, though. But then, I'm a hopeless case.

This is a very strong scent, just as piercing as it says in the description. It's almost pure lily of the valley and lilcas on me (I guess that's why it reminds me a bit of soap...) but there is something in the back that tempers it after a while and makes it less harsh. I guess that'd be the resin? I honestly can't tell. It's a pretty scent and I felt great just smelling it (I have pollen allergy and just being able to breathe those spring flowers in without getting an asthma attack made me feel absolutely blissful) but it's not a scent I would want to have wafting around me the whole day, especially since it stays a pure floral on my skin.

Hell's Belle is a real trickster. It morphs from a sharp floral to something very smoky, seductive and sweet. At first I get pure magnolia, but gradually the mandarin turns the scent into something sweet and soft and creamy. The spices give it that smokey twist that other reviewers have also mentioned. I like Hell's Belle a lot, but I think it is a scent better suited for hot, sweltering summer nights. She's also one not to be trifled with - I have a mild flu and that belle is giving me a headache right now. Still, definitely one for the big bottle list.

This goes on really really sweet and slightly medicinal smelling. The lilac is the predominant note on me, getting stronger the longer Bruja is on my skin. The amber and myrrh make it feel rounded and deep. It's a very spicy, soft floral, but the sweetness it has is quite resiny. I like it, though I'm not sure whether I'd wear it regularly (good thing, since it's a discon ).

In the vial, it does smell slightly sour to me, but I put it on nonetheless to see where it'd go. Well, the sourness disappears, and I get a very fruity scent that is sweet and almost cloying. There's something dark underneath (the musk) and a slightly floral note. Sadly, I don't get the myrrh at all. Something about this scent is soapy - it reminds me of something, I'm not sure what (edit: I got it! Something about the smell reminds me of henna. Now that's strange.) That's all that stays behind when it has dried - a hint of soapy rose and sometimes a whiff of fruit that hides again immediately. I'm not really sure yet whether I like this scent enough to keep the imp or not.

This is a slightly sharp fruity scent on me - more like apples than berries when wet. As it dries, first the tea and the herbs come to the surface and then it gets darker and muskier. I can smell the blackberries now. This is absolutely lovely. It's a perfect balance - the musk creates an earthy foundation together with the berries, and the green tea gives it a very fresh, clean smelling upper layer. On my left wrist, the green tea is stronger, and on my right wrist there's more musk. Ooohkay. I really like this. It's a terribly rainy and grey day, very nasty, but Bewitched reminds me of how walking through rainy heather feels and how fresh and invigorating the wind is when you're out in nature.

In the imp it's a dark, musky, slightly earthy scent, but once it hits my skin it changes rapidly! At first I get a hit of sweet, strong flowers, with the jasmine dominating, and as soon as it gets drier the musk comes through quite strongly. There's something very unusual about this blend that makes me feel as if I've spent all night in a dark bar filled with booze and cigar smoke and people having more than just fun. It's very aptly named! Cabaret, on me, is a heavy, sensual scent and I like it a lot. It makes me feel very grown up. It gets much lighter after a while but never loses the sensuality.

In the imp: Very sweet, slightly tart apricot with a hint of clove Wet: The apricot darkens and there's the clove at the back. Dry-down: The two scents blend perfectly and I get a soft, spicy sweetness that has just enough tartness to keep it from being too sweet. I did get that candle smell that others have mentioned the first time around, but now it doesn't feel as waxy. Ten minutes later: Ooh, the clove really comes out to play now! This is a great scent and very complex, the apricot and clove compliment each other well. It's definitely a feel-good scent, warm and snuggly, great for those cold spring days. I really love this! ETA: Oooh, three hours and a nap later this has turned into a lovely, buttery smell that definitely reminds me of a pastry. Gorgeous.

Hmmm, what do you guys say? Does Loralei smell anything like Noriko? I love the smell of Noriko and it's described as ylang ylang, orange, lavender and rose. Now, the lavender isn't very noticable in Noriko, and neroli smells orangey. I think Noriko would go really well with sandalwood, so those two scents should go together well. Thoughts, ideas?