coulrophobe

In the bottle: Eep... it's medicinal smelling... astringent But I'll be brave and try it on. On: Medicinal... medicinal... medici- er, wait a minute... tea? That was weird. But yes, to my nose there's something that reminds me of strong black tea, with a hint of spice. Or there was, at least. The tea phase lasted about 5 seconds. Now, Mars has dried down to dragon's blood, and nothing but dragon's blood. With my chemistry, that's OK... but it's not wonderful. I'm one of those that turns the red-resiny-goodness into little bouquets of flowers, and that's not what I want to associate with Mars, sadly. I wish the spices had stayed and kept this blend a little fiercer, but it's pleasant blend anyway - just not exceptional on me.

Yay for orders from Enchanted Castle arriving this morning! I had briefly sniffed Jupiter (but did not try on) when Scourgeotheseas had the Celestials Swap package - I'm so glad I now have a bottle of my very own. Because the big planet is so tasty (please bear in mind - I'm evaluating on scent alone, rather than any magical/ritual purposes). In the bottle: Sweeter than I would expect Jupiter to be - an interesting mix of notes I register as masculine (cedar) and feminine (berries). On me: My chemistry amps up sweetness, and this is by no means a masculine scent as it dries down. It's complex and fruity - I'm still getting the berry scent, and maybe a bit of peach? The cedar lingers in the background and keeps the sweetness from getting out of control... this is almost makes me think of my mom's kitchen - fruits, berries, warmth, and the cedar kindling we use in the woodstove.

I had avoided my poor little imp o' Hades for some time - just too many other blends to try, and it smelled a bit masculine and earthy. But the neglect ceased this morning. In the imp, and when first swiped on my skin, it does smell masculine and earthy - but then it morphs. Sweetens. Gets dusky. Oh my. I've now discovered what that amazing soft-purplegrey-powder scent is... opoponax. It's in my beloved Noir, and makes itself quite evident in Hades as well. Hades is lovely, and not at all what I expected - sophisticated, feminine and unique; a bit murky and mysterious, but not in a bad way at all. I need to smell like this more often.

Hmm... I get a warm, powdery amber scent from Bruja - the lilac stays in the background and mixes with the myrrh (I guess that combo creates the sweet powdery effect), while the amber is most noticeable. Powdery is not a bad thing for me - I rather like this one and I'm glad I got to try it. But, it's not the be-all-end-all of amber scents for me (luckily) - the top spot still goes to The Lion. Bruja is, however, a lovely blend - dark, soft and subtle.

On me, this was pure pungent gardenia - maybe with a touch of jasmine or honeysuckle, but gardenia was definitely the most prominent note. My mother had a gardenia growing up, and when it bloomed I loved the smell wafting through the house - but standing right next to it, the pungency was overwhelming. This blend is similar - wet and in the initial drydown stage, this was a very aggressive and overpowering gardenia scent; I smelled liked I'd been ambushed by a flock of roving gardenia bushes. Damn things just jumped out of a dark alley, bowled me over and stole my wallet. But on drydown, this scent mellowed nicely, turning into more of a femine floral, without the harsh edge/pungency. Not one of my all time favorites, but very pretty once it's calmed down on my skin for a bit.

Like many of the Tarot blends, Wheel of Fortune is complex. On me, it's a very autumnal scent - spiced fruits (fig and plum, maybe?) and berries, with a touch of smoke. Maybe some soft musks or ambers to warm it up, and subtle florals. My nose wants to put it in the same family as Queen of Spades and Mabon. This is completely unlike what I thought Wheel of Fortune would be - for some reason, I was thinking of something a bit sharper and green smelling, rather than this deep, warm plummy smell. It's making me want to curl up under an afghan with a good book and a mug of spicy tea or mulled wine... or rather, that's what I'd do if it wasn't currently the middle of summer. This is gorgeous and unexpected.

I have mixed feelings about autumn... it used to be my favorite season, but as I've grown older, seasonal affective disorder reared its ugly head and I'm miserable without sunlight. But, there are still good things to be associated with the autumn months - I like warm, spicy and smokey scents like: Mabon - Fruity, but not too sweet Samhain - as long as it's not one of the utterly random days that my chemistry plays up the fir, it's deep spicy goodness Carnal - warm spiced fig with the tang of orange Chimera - warm cinnamon cookies! Three Witches - the ultimate spice scent For late-summer-stretching-into-fall, I like The Scarecrow (for those scorching dry days that I love - makes me think of hot wind through fields) and The Hesperides (for still warm evenings, eating ripe apples as the day finally cools off). Although I really, really wanted to love Jack - I was hoping for something that smelled like pumpkin bread - it was too rich and buttery-sweet for my chemistry - but I hear it's wonderful on lots of folks.

Are you thinking of "fire" as hot-spicy, or smokey? I think any of the heavily cinnamon/clove/pepper ones would be great for the former (vaguely wonders when Three Witches might be available again...mmmm); if it's more smokey... hmm. Brimstone or Djinn? As for air, Dirty seemed airy to me, as do some of the lighter florals like the Niflheim you mention and Pele. Lightning or Thunderbird might also be good, but ozone is more of a water-note to my nose.

I say "BPAL" (pronounced bee-pal) if I'm amongst fellow addicts, but call it "Black Phoenix" if I'm talking to someone who's not been exposed to the wonderment yet. I also tend to use "BPAL" when discussing the product, and "The Lab" when discussing the people who create it, or the physical entity. --- As for pronunciations, I usually have no clue (though I knew Oisin instantly, because that was my landlord's son's name when I lived in Galway - I spent a lot of time yelling that name, as he still had keys to the house we were staying in, and forgot that he didn't live there anymore every time he had too much to drink). I've been pronouncing Nuit as "nweet." I pronounced Brinsingamen as "bri-SING-uh-mun" until recently, when a friend who's much better versed in Norse mythology said it was more like "bris-ing-YAH-mun" - but I really have no clue how accurate that is.

This is an older (tarted) imp o' Savage. In the imp: Very light and clean smelling - I can't pick out any individual notes. Wearing: Fresh acquatic, on the masculine side of things, but not in-your-face manly-man. Extremely soapy at first - this mellows nicely upon drydown. And soapy's not necessarily a bad thing - this could keep you smelling shower-fresh all day. It's not what I expected from something named Savage. I was expecting leather, spice, musk... something raw and wild. I'm picturing a natty, well-groomed metrosexual, not chest-thumping barbarian in a loincloth. I think on the right guy, this could mix with his chemistry very effectively. On me, it just smells clean and refreshing - it's like the masculine counterpart to Dirty.

On my skin, Scherezade is smoky, musky, a bit spicy... and just a little rough around the edges. I see the similiarities to Morocco, but Scherezade turns more masculine on me. Definitely not in a bad way, though. To me, the difference between Morocco and Scherezade is like the difference between "sensual" and "sexual." Probably has to do with the different musks involved (I'm not sure which is in Morocco, but I was assuming white). Scherezade is a bit more raw and assertive - definitely a good going-out scent for when I'm feeling particularly predatory!

When I first put this on, I had the overwhelming memory of lying on the beach in Mexico... because it smelled so much like suntan lotion. Just need a bit of salty breeze, swaying palm trees, warm sun, and I'd have a vacation in a bottle. The predominant note for me is coconut, with the slightest hint of mint. I'm finding it similar to Chaste Moon in it's general feel, but rather than Chaste's caramelly warmth, it has minty coolness and ton of creamy coconut. Lest there be any doubt - the "suntan lotion" reaction is a good one - I love coconut. I really wasn't expecting to like this so much, as milk blends are hit or miss with me, but this one's a definite hit.

I missed the boat on this one when it was available from the lab, because frankly, the description didn't grab me. But, I bought a bottle from a forumite after it was discontinued because I was curious, and since I knew a few people that liked it, I figured I could always pass it on if it didn't suit me. When my package arrived, I sniffed... EEEEEEEEEEEE! Why didn't anyone tell me this was a musk scent?! On me, Antique Lace is a sister-scent to Morocco and Oisin. White musk really blooms on my skin (and luckily, I love it), so I probably get more of a similarity between these scents than most people do. Antique Lace is a bit more creamy, and does have a bit of vanilla, but I still find it really close to Morocco, one of my other favorites. I've managed to build up a respectable stash of Antique Lace in the last few months, and I will cherish every drop. Truly a gorgeous blend, and I'm sad it's gone and not as many people will get to experience it.

I first tried Carnal months ago, loved it, ordered a bottle of it, but never got around to reviewing it... well, today I happen to be wearing it again, and am in a reviewing mood. For me, Carnal was one of those scents that reached deep into my memory, grabbed something, and dangled it in front of my nose. In this case, it was my grandpa's flavored pipe tobacco - not the tobacco as it was burning in his pipe, but fresh from the pouch. Thus, Carnal's warm spicey smell is a comforting, homey, nostalgic scent to me, rather than one I associate with the Love Potions category. Rich figs, spices and a subtle tang from the mandarin... mmm. And on my skin, it lasts much longer than most of the blends I've tried. Definitely a keeper.

Unlike some of the other reviewers, I didn't find the vetiver very noticeable in this blend - which was a plus for me, as it's not a note that works very well on me at all. I got pure dark musk and leather from Iago - definitely a dark, warm, sexy masculine scent. My chemistry tends to add sweetness to any blend, and on my skin it ended up smelling like a more masculine version of Loviatar, which I love. I definitely need to go find some nice man to slather this on. *drools*

I'm usually not a huge fan of lavender - it tends to be very sharp and harsh on my skin, though I don't mind it as a potpourri, lightly fragranced soap or a linen spray. But, I give every imp a try. Gaueko is, hands down, the best lavender blend I've tried. On me, it starts off smelling like warm lavendar soap (not necessarily a bad thing), and dries down to a mellow dry wood and incense smell mixed in with lavender. Unlike my reaction to the more herbally blends that feature lavendar, I find this very soothing and calming... I can see it being a great sleep-scent for me. I'll have to try it again before deciding whether I need a big bottle, but it definitely shows promise. I'm happy to have found a lavender blend that actually works with my chemistry!

In the bottle - dragon's blood, with a dry wood scent, like sandalwood or cedar On - huh... where'd the wood go? On me, this was straight dragon's blood, which tends to be a very sweet, heavy floral with my chemistry. Ace of Wands also faded relatively quickly on me - after 2 hours, there was only the faintest breath of dragon's blood on my wrist. Not one I'll be ordering a full bottle of, but I'm curious about all the Tarot blends and was glad to be able to get my hands on an imp.

This one was decidedly odd on me. In the bottle, I could pick up the cocoa/rum scent... but the minute it hit my skin it morphed. Limes and baked goods... I'm thinking key lime pie. A little while later, a sticky sweet tone - almost maple syrup combined with the lime, which was strange. Do I like it? Well... I don't dislike it. Probably a little too sweet for me, but it didn't reach the levels of cloying that Hellcat and Hearth do. I think I'm going to wait and try it at a different point in my cycle and see if that changes the random-kitchen-ingredient effect I got from it. Cerberus is one weird puppy.

I admit it... it probably would have been a long time until I got around to giving ol' Vlad a whirl, had I not received him in a large imp lot I purchased. But despite my misgivings (mainly the fir - that's what ruined Samhain for me), I gave it a try. Preconceived notions: Masculine; likely to be heavy and woodsy (in the coniferous way, not the lovely dry wood way) In bottle: Sharp, astringent, and herbal/fir green Wet: Sweeter than I anticipated (I can smell the orange blossom) and not too heavy on the fir - dark/heavy, yes, but much more perfumey than I thought it would be. Drydown: The woodsy notes don't completely die, but at least they linger in the background. The tobacco, clove and orange blossom come to the forefront, and the result is a very interesting earthy/spicey/sweet scent, with a hint of warm musk. I like Dracul MUCH better than I would have imagined. Maybe not enough for a 5 ML, but this one definitely reinforced my notion that I need to try every blend that happens to cross my path, no matter what my preconceived notions are. Interestingly... I never smelled the mint at all. Weird thing, chemistry.

I was lucky enough to purchase an imp of Noir from a forumite, and I agree with so many of the reviews before me... dark, very sophisticated, and definitely pre-WWII. This one doesn't change much between in-the-bottle, wet, and dry for me. It's a deep, dusky scent - the good kind of powdery. But there's also a deeper note I can't put my finger on that makes it almost gender-neutral - I can't help wondering what it'd smell like on a guy. Of course, I'll never find out, because I'll part from a drop of this lovely oil only when you pry the imp from my cold, dead hand!

Whenever I'm feeling like going out and breaking some hearts, I wear either Loviatar or Depraved. Loviatar makes me smell like a French whore wrapped in leather - sweet, dusky perfume mixed with warm sexy leather. Very commanding yet feminine. Depraved smells like a suggestive remark or a dirty little joke - playful and perverted. Fresh apricots tainted with patchouli... wearing it puts a smirk on my face before I've even left the house.

The ambers that were really lovely on me were Brisingamen, Blood Amber, and The Lion (though The Lion was very soft and subtle, not the strong amber I was expecting). Oddly, Haunted turned into lemon pledge on me, and I don't think there's even any lemon notes listed. But I wound up smelling like a musky lemon bar that had been rolled in baby powder. My chemistry may be a bit odd, though - other amber-fans have loved it.

I found Tum to be a kind of sparkly-grape; also, it depends on individual chemistry, but almost anything with a wine note turns into grape on my skin. Madrid particularly so, and also Wanda. Someone else mentioned Centzon T. - on me, that was grape juice mixed with semisweet chocolate - a strange combination to my nose!

Patchouli is an unpredictable note for me, so I was a bit leery of Imp - but I loved all the other notes, so I figured it was worth a shot. How right I was. Wet: My instant reaction was, "Dirrrrrrty peaches!" If scents were facial expressions, this one would be a knowing smirk. Playful, and a bit pervy - the name suits it. On drydown, this stayed pretty true to form - juicy peaches with a bit of earthy-ness from the patchouli. This was a surprise, as patchouli often turns into old-lady-powder or stinky-'70s-perfume on me. The amber and musk didn't really factor into my impression much - until later, when I compared Imp to Depraved. The amber/musk undercurrent softens Imp a bit, making it the slightly-less-wild sister of Depraved. A keeper... but I have no idea whether to get a big bottle of Imp, or of Depraved.

Erm... I was hoping for another blatantly sexy going-out scent, but it just wasn't to be. I've now isolated civet as the worst note ever on me - I get the poo effect like a few others do. This blend reminded me of softer version of Czernobog; unfortunately, that's not a good comparison (i.e., Czernobog was strongly poopy on me, while this is a more subtle baby-powder poopy... I know civet wasn't listed as a note in Czernobog, but after smelling Debauchery, it *has* to be there!). The musk does its best to make this blend work on me, but the undercurrent of fecal matter just refuses to be conquered. So, sadly... that poor little imp of Debauchery is never touching my skin again!