Ajila

In the bottle – Jasmine, jasmine and yet more jasmine Wet on me – Jasmine is still the only note that I can smell. It’s less astringent than it was in the bottle, but it’s still jasmine Dry on me – A faint, powdery floral Overall – Jasmine and I really do not get on so this blend is not for me

CDXI (411) In the bottle – The initial whiff is sweet, almost butterscotchy, followed by orange blossom and topped off by washing powder Wet on me – It’s weird I would have said that it was orange blossom and melon, but the sent is much heavier than that and I’m getting washing powder as well Dry on me – It settles as a strong sharp floral, that I would guess is some form of lily, but also very dusty Overall – I have to say this just doesn’t work with my skin chemistry at all CDXXIII (423) In the bottle – Almost nothing at all, perhaps peach and possibly watermelon Wet on me – Faint candied watermelon with a hint of something floral, but I struggle to identify florals Dry on me – It disappears quickly in a haze of melon Overall – I think it would have been quite pleasant and refreshing had it lasted just a little longer

In the bottle – Green leafy woods Wet on me – A kind of murky green scent, with something almost acrid about it Dry on me – Dry green and musky, with faint floral highlights Overall – I’m sure some people love it, but it’s really not me

In the bottle – Sweet plum with the lily and musk in the background Wet on me – The pine wood comes immediately to the fore. There is a little softening sweetness to it, but mainly it’s pine Dry on me – It goes a little perfumy, but eventually it dries down to a sweet, musky plum Overall – I like it more than I expected to. I need to decide if my desire to keep it is actually a ‘must keep the set’ mentality

In the bottle – Sweet, slightly spicy apples. More like an apple flavoured sweet than an actual apple Wet on me – Still that candied apple, with a hint of something green, it might be the hawthorn Dry on me – Initially it goes very smoky, but then it settles to a very dry, green apple scent with a layer of musk Overall – It’s a little smoky for me, but when it settles it’s the perfect apple scent I didn’t know I wanted

In the bottle – Very faint amber, which surprises me, because the atmosphere spray and bath oil brimmed with scent Wet on me – Soft, sweet vanilla and amber, with the sharpness of the lily in the background Dry on me – The blend settles into a sweet, golden vanilla Overall – I like the dry down, but the blend seems a little flat and one dimensional on me

Plum blossom, tuberose, oakmoss, violet leaf, jasmine, ylang ylang, lemon peel, orange blossom, and lemon peel. In the bottle – A hit of sweet tuberose – very similar to the atmosphere and linen spray Wet on me – Again with the tuberose, but now with a slightly bitter greenness from the oakmoss Dry on me – The florals gradually fade to leave a green, slightly airy musk Overall – Whilst I doubt that this will ever be a favourite of mine it is much better on me than I anticipated. Perhaps appropriately it shares a feeling with Beltane

In the bottle – Yep, that’ll be mead then Wet on me – Mead, extra honey and … strawberries? Dry on me – Sweet, soft, sticky honey Overall – On me this might as well be a honey single note, but as I love honey that’s fine by me

In the bottle – Something dark and green like vetiver, but very, very dry Wet on me – Soft, warm hay, smothered under what I’m convinced is vetiver Dry on me – I’ve done this without looking at the notes, but I can’t get away from the bitter earthy scent that my nose interprets as vetiver Overall – Not for me

In the bottle – Soap –I’m guessing that it’s the gardenia, but I could be wrong Wet on me – I can only presume that it’s the white tea I smell, but I would have said that it was a pale citrus Dry on me – A soft, slightly powdery floral Overall – It didn’t last on me at all and what there was of it was not me anyway

In the bottle – Initially a hit of cinnamon and then the clove and pine get involved to form Herbals Wet on me – I presume it’s the clove giving it that sharp medicinal scent Dry on me – Warm sweet vanilla with hints of spice Overall – I like this a lot and it was a winner with my friends, even if they did think that it smelt floral

In the bottle – Sweet, thick butterscotchy caramel, with just a hint of salt, which I can only assume is the peanuts. I will lay money on this blend turning to ashes on my skin Wet on me – Thick, buttery caramel Dry on me – Wow, a sweet, butter blend that doesn’t turn to ashes on me. It gets pretty damn close, but then veers away, just as I think that there is no hope left in sight. What remains is a thick, cloying butterscotch scent, which to my work colleagues translated as peanut butter (without being told the notes) Overall – I like it, but it is a ad overwhelming so I don’t really know about the practicality of it as a blend

In the bottle – Red musk, with a slightly sweetened edge Wet on me – The red musk still sits on top of the blend, but is now backed by the earthy patchouli Dry on me – Initially it’s just straight up red musk, but eventually it settles into a sweet, custardy skin musk (no, I have know idea where that combination is coming from, either) Overall – Not what I expected, but still the sort of scent I could happily wear all the time

In the bottle – vanilla musk, carnation and just a touch of cedar Wet on me – Sweet and light and airy and just a tiny bit soapy Dry on me – Oh joy! Warm sweet – almost honeyed vanilla with a soft, sexy musk undertone Overall – I expected to love this and wasn’t disappointed. Warm, inviting and sensuous, but still a wearable every day ‘work safe’ blend

In the bottle – Typically the two notes I was hoping wouldn’t show dominate, the pitch pine and the patchouli, which combine, to my nose, smell like hippy toilet cleaner. Let us hope that my skin chemistry can do something with this unpromising start Wet on me – The pine pitch is still the main event, but there is now a touch of vanilla Dry on me – The warmth of the musk and the vanilla come through to settle into a very come hither sort of scent Overall – Once I’d got over the pine I loved it, although I would have liked more from the honey and the tobacco

In the bottle – Sweet, slightly peppery, green plants Wet on me – Sharp florals with a slightly powdery back drop Dry on me – Warm, dry florals Overall – There’s nothing offensive about this blend, but it’s not really me

In the bottle – High, heavy gardenia Wet on me – Lush green and slightly harsh florals Dry on me – As it dries the patchouli comes through, giving it a warm spicy base Overall – I like the dry down more than I expected, but even that’s overly patchouli for me

In the bottle – Very little, a slight hint of rose and an even slighter hint of red musk Wet on me – Soft, sweet iris, deep red musk and in the back something I would have said was patchouli Dry on me – A faint, slightly sweet floral Overall – I guess I expected this to be rather more full on. I like it, but it’s more the memory of a lover who has gone than a full blown Grind House

In the bottle – All I get is the white musk and the powder notes Wet on me – Dry and clean powder Dry on me – Very clean, slightly warm white, musk, with just a hint of sweetness Overall – Perhaps a grown up version of Antique Lace

In the bottle – Bright juicy peaches bursting with flavour Wet on me – The peaches and honey sit on top of the thick, gloopy cocoa absolute Dry on me – Soft sweet peaches fading into the white musk Overall – Very nice, very nice indeed

In the bottle – Something quite sharp and chemical, I can only assume that it’s the blonde wood Wet on me – Dry, slightly sharp sandalwood with a hint of the Dragon’s Blood Resin in the background Dry on me – Dry woods, which disappear quickly Overall – A bit neither here nor there on me

In the bottle – A plum and raspberry gin cocktail Wet on me – Initially a sweet berryish hit, but then going softer and more feminine, but still with that slightly boozy background Dry on me – A soft, warm, slightly musky vanilla with just a hint of fruits to round it out Overall – My favourite Grind House Lady so far

In the bottle – Warmed grapefruit Wet on me – Grapefruit and washing detergent Dry on me – Poof! Gone in a soapy citrusy flash Overall – I’m impressed, normally sea scents are grapefruit ot washing powder on me, this was both

In the bottle – Warm, sweet coconut and moss – very odd Wet on me – Again that sweet, almost coconut smell, overlain by the sharp scent of decay Dry on me – It fades very quickly to leave a soft sweet, slightly spiced, but very dry scent just lingering on my skin Overall – I liked it more than I expected, but it’s just a bit much for me to get my head round

In the bottle – Parchment and an odd, green leafy scent Wet on me – An odd musty green scent. I don’t know where I’m getting it from or how to describe it Dry on me – A warm dry vanilla that sits close to the skin Overall – I love the dry down, but somehow I’m not as excited as I expected to be