Medici
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Everything posted by Medici
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In the imp: Chamomile is the most noticible, but I do get a whiff of sandalwood and a touch of musk. Wet: Chamomile and bergamot first and foremost, and sandalwood rising fast to dominate. Mmm, that's really elegant, actually. Perhaps a touch too masculine for regular wear, but I am a chamomile fan so this has already perked my interest. Drydown: Rosewood! No more chamomile, though, but the remaining notes are just humming together wonderfully. It is rather relaxed, though, in fact its making me a bit too relaxed. Libertine is very calming and quiet. On the downside, my arm is just sucking this one up. It's fading way too quickly. Woe. Verdict: I'm going to hold onto this one. The imp may find its way into a small bottle of hand lotion, most probably. 3/5 on Medici's Scale o' Lurrrve
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A tropical, humid, lush scent, with a faint echo of Pacific breezes, jungle blossoms, and deep wet woods. Sampaguita blossoms, banana leaf, palm, and narra. In the imp: Banana! Wet: Banana and jungle girl! Ok, I'm liking. I don't normally like bananarama scents, but the "jungle blooms" are totally making this tropical for me and I think I'm smelling something a bit fruity. Drydown: I AM THE JUNGLE QUEEN!!!! Hand me my loincloth, someone, won't you? I love it. It smacks of the tropics, juicy fruits, wet, dripping waxy leaves and banyan trees. What an absolutely kickass scent for summer! Verdict: We wants a bottle. 4.5/5 on Medici's Scale o' Lurrrrrve
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In the imp: That's super strong! It's like a resin-dipped chocolate. And it's bright yellow on the imp rod and thick in consistency. Oi vey! Bit of citrus too in there... iiiinteresting. Wet: Orange and wax! And its still bright yellow on my skin too. I find that funny for some reason... it really is super thick in consistency. Drydown: Orange and plastic eraser. Ok, that's a no go for me. It's tangy and it's making my nose tingle, which is nice - a great scent to wake up to. Verdict: Is it for me? No. I think I'm having a bad resin day. When this blend finally calms down a bit, it goes a little powdery, but I think I'd already decided in the wet stage that Cairo and I were not meant to be. Goodbye little imp, may your journeys be great.
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In the imp: Neroli, myrrh and musky musk musk. Wet: Much the same, with a hint of rose and a weee bit of citrus. Drydown: Jasmine finally makes an appearance, but at this point, its all swirling together happily and its become difficult to pick out any particular note. The roses do gain some amperage here, but they're forcing this blend into the sort of floral that I don't really care for. It's beautiful, though - just not for me. It's a bit on the heavy side. Verdict: Gorgeous, but not me at all.
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In the imp: Amber and resin incense. Wet: A very regal amber, and resin again, maybe just the barest touch of ozone in there - but truthfully, I was hoping to get the same sort of smoke signals like I get from Scarecrow. Drydown: While this is an exceptionally warm blend (its full of hot air! Ha! Ha! I kid. ), its still really golden and a touch too resin/incensy for my liking. Verdict: The imp's off to my dad. He's more into royal oils of this variety than I am. I think it would suit him well. (Later) My Dad's Two Cents: He can't pronounce the name, but he loves it and wants a bottle. So there you have it. Mr. Medici says its great.
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Preconcieved Notions: Whenever I hear the name Cordelia, I think of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I can't help the association, it's a permanent mental link between one thing and another. I'm hoping that BPAL's Cordelia will break the association up a bit and steer me back to Shakespeare. In the imp: Tea, florals and cedar. Yay cedar! I love woodsy bases! Wet: I get a blast of flowers initially: wisteria, lilac and the osmanthus ring clear, and below that a very solid white cedar base which I looooooooove. Have I mentioned that yet? Drydown: Oh this is so nice and fresh. It's like the lighter, happier compliment to Grandmother of Ghosts. Cordelia sits on the opposite end of the spectrum, like the ying and yang of florals and woods. Verdict: Damn. I might just have to get a bottle. 4/5 on Medici's Scale o' Lurrrve
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In the imp: Musk Wet: Skin musk and musk Drydown: Skin musk and amber, and something a little pungent and herbal. Dried grass makes olfactory sense to me, even though I don't get a distinctly dry grass smell here. Maybe a little vetiver? It's close to the earth without being earthy, warm without being spicey and feral while still being calm. It's masculine, and probably something my dad would appreciate, so I'll be passing the imp along to him.
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Origin: A decant from shay off livejournal a few months back. In the imp: Honeyed florals with a bit of lemon pledge. Wet: Honeyed florals, hyssop, anise, tangy lemon singer following it up... and a spoonful of sugar for good measure. Miam! Drydown: It gets a little creamier with the vanilla - I only get a little, but its just enough, really. This really is a fresh one - its not too far a leap from Absinthe, but far enough to be comfortable which is nice. It is distinctly sweeter, though, and that I appreciate muchly. I could go for a 5ml of this, not a 10ml, because I probably wouldn't wear it that often, but a fiver would be nice to have on hand for hot days. Mmm. Delightful! 3.5/5 on Medici's Scale o' Lurrrve
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Origin: A decant from shay on livejournal from a few months back. In the imp: Musky, smoky, woodsy, spicey. I'm afraid this might be a bit too boyish for me. Wet: Woods, cinnamon, toppling over the narcissus. It's kinda raunchy, but its fading as it dries. Drydown: Where did you go? Well, damnit! It smelled great for all of thirty seconds! Hmph. 4/5 on Medici's Scale o' Lurrve for the scent 1/5 on Medici's "My arm just ate you!" scale for longevity
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Origin: Decant courtesy of the lovely osicat. In the vial: Marigold, red wine (!?), dragon's blood and a bit of spice that reminds me of black pepper. Wet: Marigold and amber and dragon's blood. While its almost candy coated in the imp, here the marigold rings clear. It's burning my arm a little, though. Drydown: Marigold. Damn damn damn. My chemistry just went and wiped out all of the nuance this blend had while in the imp. The dragon's blood sticks its tongue out at me, and blows a raspberry before disappearing entirely. It was nice while it lasted. 3/5 on Medici's Scale o' Lurrve
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Origin: Decant courtesy of the lovely oscicat (to whom I am eternally grateful.) In the imp: Creamy, vanilla floral underscored with fresh mint. Wet: Sweeter than Spooky and just as cold, and creamier than Milk Moon, but a bit warmer. Mint, vanilla and sweet, soft flowers. Drydown: Much the same - its staying fairly consistent throughout. The mint in this blend is so beautifully fresh. It's almost like a hard mint candy that's melted a little. It's sweet and soft and delicious. Verdict: Lots of love for the Chaste Moon. 5/5 on Medici's Scale o' Lurrve
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The new labels are great. I picked up my bottle of Beltane, and my thumb squeaked. Initial response: OMGWTFBBQ! The labels are being printed on.... like... a sticky photo paper, almost. They're shiny!
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In the bottle: A pleasant surprise! Nice, subdued floral - reminiscent of House of Night (which is a long running favourite of mine). A little bit of greenery below that. Wet: Fresh floral. Night-blooming jasmine and lily (I think, truthfully, they're extremely familiar but at the same time I can't place them) being the most predominant notes to my nose. There is something distinctly green below that - like vines. It's not a herby green at all. Drydown: The drydown is fairly consistent, though gradually it begins to sweeten up. It is floral floral with my chemistry, though; fresh and bright. Verdict: I like it. This is my type of floral floral, so I'm not about to complain. For a springtime scent, it gets two very high thumbs up. 4.5/5 on Medici's Scale o' Lurrrve
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Initial impressions: I know you, you rabid rabbit! I've met some of your notes before! It reminds me of the thing in the place that time when Dublin and Antique Lace had a bit too much to drink and woke up together, naked, in the middle of a field. In the bottle: CLOVER and white musk. It makes my nose tingle. Wet: Is that what cotton blossom smells like? Oh that's awesome. It's like the Snuggle fabric softener bear gone on a binger. Very clean, very soft - and yes, I daresay a bit powdery. That herby bit reminiscent of Dublin peeks out a little, but mostly, its faded into the background – my uncultivated nose assumes that was the clover. Drydown: “Green” notes make a brief second appearance, but they don’t stick around too long. If I could pick out a colour association, I'd say white, pale green and a bit of pale lilac. It's... fluffy. It's a fluffy scent; very soft, very forgiving, and very, very pleasant for spring. Verdict: I might not keep the whole bottle, just because this isn't something I'd wear all the time. I do like it, however, and it makes a great, fresh spring scent. 3.5/5 on Medici’s Scale o’ Lurrrve
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Oh dear gods... In the bottle: Thick, gooey butter cream and vanilla. Initial Impression: I need a mop to wipe the drool. Wet: Warm, boozy butter cream and sugar - slightly caramelized, but that's my chemistry doing that. It happens - usually the sugar note goes straight to burning plastic with me. This time its tempered with vanilla, which is a-ok. It means I can actually wear it without fearing that I smell like tire-on-the-barbeque. Drydown: Much of the same as in the wet stage. It doesn't have a lot of throw, surprisingly, I thought it might get stronger, but it’s not happening. Vanilla starts to dominate in the last leg as the caramelized sugar takes a backseat. In brief: WHOOPEEEE! I can actually wear it! Edit: About fifteen minutes in I get a bit of that woodsy sandalwood, but it's definitely not the dominant note in here. No saffron, though, sadly. Damn, that's yummy. It's slightly boozy, and oh so delicious! All you gourmand lovers, I see why you've been fighting to get your hands on a bottle - and I genuinely hope you guys do. I find this to be... not simpler, not less complex, but more subdued than the other monsterbaits. I appreciate Underpants' no-frills (pardon the pun) beauty. It's scrumptious. 4.5/5 on Medici's Scale o' Lurrrrve
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... A blend of traditional lunar oils touched with dry leaves, autumn bonfires, warm mulled wine, feral, animalistic notes and the chill of approaching winter. Origin: Swap over at alchemylab In the Imp: Pine, cherry and musk. Faintly sweet. Yum. Wet: Fine pine, slightly woodsy, bit of fir, almost a sweetish smoked berry smell. Drydown: As above, so below. This is gorgeous, and very raw. In fact, it is precisely the way I'd hoped Samhain would have smelled. Verdict: I *must* hunt down a bottle. It is divine! 5/5 on Medici's Scale o' Lurrrve
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Origins: A decant from a long time ago, also gathering dust in my LE imp box. In the vial: I think my boyfriend has a deodorant that smells like this. Powerfully aquatic, with a touch of ozone, but mostly reminiscent of marine sediment and waving seaweed. Wet: Aftershave. Drydown: Aftershave. Verdict: Yick. Not my cup of tea at all. My chemistry works well with aquatics, usually, and while it's not doing anything ultra funky to this blend - its way way too masculine for my liking. 1/5 on Medici's Scale o' Lurve
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Origins: An imp from a long time ago when SiA was live, that's been gathering dust in my LE decant box. In the imp: Gingerbread, a hint of floral, a hint of citrus. Wet: Gingerbread Poppet meets Sugar Cookie meets the lemon in Dorian. It has aged well, though. Originally it was a lemon-soaked Gingerbread cookie. Drydown: Gingerbread Poppet soaked with lemon juice. (It's at this juncture that I pucker my lips and squint.) Verdict: Too much gingerbread for my liking - the notes stand by themselves and don't swirl together as seamlessly as I'd like. 2/5 on Medici's Scale o' Lurrve
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Since I followed the directions to a tee - I'm actually not going to comment on the scent, although it is pleasant... sort of "yellowish" and buoyant. Upon application to my chakra points this evening I was more intent on focusing on my purpose rather than the scent. In the aftermath of a glorious evening spent in a social environment, I re-open the imp and this is what I get: amber, citrus, a hint of lemon and a powdery note mentioned before. Regarding the effectiveness - oh my. Ok, a bit of back-story: I am a very shy individual. I get nervous easily and sometimes I stammer a little, or I speak too quickly. I'm not the sort to keep an individual's attention very long because it makes me uncomfortable to be on the spot. Anyway, I had plans to go to a party tonight where I'd be seeing a whole bunch of people I haven't seen in some years. While it wasn't a hundred percent necessary to make an impact, I wanted a bit of a nudge when I walked into the room. The armaments: down-dressed, nice, clean makeup, and Oya as my perfume for the evening. The secret battalion: seven tiny drops of charisma - one on each of my chakra points. I have *never* seen that many heads swivel in my direction before. I have *never* been so at ease talking to so many random people in succession. What's best - it was all so natural - it's like I'd slipped into a second skin. The way I carried myself, my posture, even the way I was walking (strutting) around the place was different; more confident, more feminine. I am exceptionally impressed, and in all likelihood, I will buy a bigger bottle of this.
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When I went to Europe (backpacking) last summer, I had to be frugal - it's not like I could carry my entire collection with me since weight's a huge issue (but damned if I wasn't going to smell good!) I chose six imps, and put them in a film canister. My selection went as follows: Three day-wear, all-purpose - one floral (bayou) - one foody (dorian) - one fruity (thalia) Two evening-wear, all purpose - one musky (sin) - one "seductive" (kali) One frivolous I-couldn't-leave-it-at-home - Spooky 2004 Diversity is key. This summer, I'm going to Vegas - but there's a meet and sniff at the con I'm going to, so a fair chunk of my collection plus frimps for friends will be travelling with me. In short - if you really can't decide, pick out your favourites and get a big carrying case.
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In the bottle: Buttercream, with more buttercream, and a small sliver of red fruit. Wet: Berry over buttercream Drydown: Berry berry and... cake batter. (Here is where I duck and cover... my other arm which is presently sporting a singed Underbed recalls that it is not a happy camper.) Ok, ok, we're cool... we've got red velvet cake with berry flourishes. Awesome. Verdict: I'm not so sure this is quite my cup of tea. Going to hold onto the bottle for a little while and see how it ages. Right now, its a bit too berry for regular use.
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In the bottle: Cake batter. Wet: Baking cake. Drydown: BURNING CAKE! BURNING CAKE! OVEN ON FIRE! ABORT! ABORT! Verdict: Damnable sugar note. Maybe I'll keep a decant and drop the remainder of the bottle in swap. At least when I'm in the mood for it, I can pop it into a locket and not worry about my arm producing a sizzled sweets smell.
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Original Review: In the bottle: Sugared violets. I can totally see how this relates to "teh shiny!" It's brassy and flashy, with a bit of soft sweetness that takes three hard lungfuls to catch. It's there, though - a nice dollop of whipped cream on top of clear, runny honey. Wet: Floral honey. Drydown: Floral honey. More floral than herby, definitely. Verdict: S'ok. I was actually expecting more honey - Honey Moon drips with it, while Osun is all... mellow yellow. Elegant, though. Perhaps a touch too floral for my tastes. 3/5 on Medici's Scale o Lurrve The Next Day: I take it back. I've wearing Osun today on my collarbone, and it's a heady, thick perfumy honey. Very elegant, very mood-enhancing (if you know what I mean. I feel like a goddess wearing this.) I'll bump this a point on my scale o' Lurrve: 4/5
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In the bottle: OMG! Cocoa? Chilli? BANANA! Apple. Apple. Chilli! They're all elbowing each other out of the way and no one wants to make room for anyone else. Wet: Banana and chilli seem to be tag-teaming everything else. Apple comes up second, followed quickly by a short pomegranate rush. Drydown: I think I get a touch of sweet pineapple if I turn my arm just so, but for the most part, the apple is dominating. It's crispy and tart and makes you want to pucker your face. it reminds me of the market where I buy my fruit and vegetables... actually... it smells exactly like that. Shango's a fruit market. (Not that sterilized supermarket crap... I mean the real deal... and actual market thankyouverymuch.) Verdict: We likey. 4/5 on Medici's Scale o' Lurrrve
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In the bottle: This makes me think of the low rumble of a thunderstorm miles away in the summer. It's the point of the night where young children see the first flash of lightening, and fearfully turn to their mother to be swept into her arms. Oya is the smell of her perfumed skin - musk, almonds, incense smoke with a smear of booze. Wet: Sweet almond, woodsy undertone that lasts precisely a blessed thirty seconds, with a boozy, floosy plum toppling along after it. Drydown: The fruit notes come up nice and sharp and sweet and dark. The almond sweetens it up in the background, but not cloyingly so. I'm not a huge almond fan, so I'm glad that the plum gradually dominates this blend for me. It's a little smokey, a little bit heavy-lidded, and somewhat somnolent... like a lullaby hummed in the back of your throat. You feel it in your belly. Verdict: 4.5/5 on Medici's Scale o' Lurrrve