alyelle

2022 lab freebie. In the imp: It's so weird to say it, but... water. I'm so angry. 🤣 Wet: (I managed to spill this all over my hands) If I have to describe it as anything other than "water": a very pale musk, traces of moss, the gleaming silver of a polished flask. Dry: Honestly? It's water. Amazing. Showstopping. Great for layering. I want a whole bottle. Very mild throw, and possibly short-lived, but it's so neutral that it's hard to tell whether it's faded or not. Stars: ★★★½

2022 lab freebie. In the imp: Shiny metal, leather, and frankincense. Wet: Leather, frankincense, motor oil, star anise. Dry: Crumpled aged vellum, motor oil, spicy frankincense. I slightly prefer The Antikythera Mechanism, but this one is very similar and also lovely. Wouldn't have ever bought it, but will definitely keep an imp in rotation. Medium throw with a good long lifespan. Stars: ★★★★½

2022 lab freebie. In the imp: Tangerine, saffron, and cedar. Wet: Saffron and tangerine top notes, a vetiver base (unmistakable in this blend, though vetiver does trick me on occasion), cedar and a slightly powdery amber as it starts to settle onto my skin. Dry: Very little morph, and it fades quickly - I've tried it a few times and have forgotten I'm even wearing it by the end of the day. Mild throw, with no discernible scent after 6 hours. Stars: ★★★½

Lab freebie with a 2022 Activism order; my review for an older imp received in 2018 is here. In the imp: Yuzu, in light touches; lavender and lily, with a backdrop of mint. Wet: White musk, calla lily, and geranium. Warmth from the patchouli, spiciness from the vetiver. Dry: Classic and spicy-sharp: this death is impeccably tailored in a soft dove grey, leather and linen accented with cashmere. The lime and yuzu make what might otherwise have been old a classy, time-honoured tradition. It's short lived, though not as short as when it ages, with a mild throw. Stars: ★★★½

2022 lab freebie, which I likely wouldn't have ordered, so thank you lab elves! In the imp: Golden patchouli, orange blossom, marigold and - yes - pineapple. This is the first time I've consciously smelled pineapple in a fragrance. I love it. Wet: Patchouli, iron filings, something resinous and familiar like wintergreen (but not quite wintergreen). Sunshine, dusk, and old dark woods. If I had to sum up this scent in an image, it would be Voleth Meir's hut from The Witcher, which was based on Baba Yaga's hut anyway. 10/10, quality evocation. Dry: Patchouli and dried herbs hanging from the rafters; the forest cottage of my dreams. I want to run away and live in it. Stars: ★★★★½

2014 purchase; see here for my review of a younger imp purchased in 2021. In the imp: Sage, moss, heather, and bacchanalic musk. Wet: Beautifully mossy with overtones of moistened heather, dying sage leaves, and a woody ragwort stem. Dry: The musk, which is incredibly strong in the initial stages (and a lot stronger in my aged imp than my newer one), soon takes a backseat to the moss, sage, and heather. The effect is lovely, like being deep in a sun-dappled forest glade. The throw is strong, you won't forget you're wearing this, and it lasts a good long while. Definitely better for the aging, I recommend it if you have the patience! Stars: ★★★★★

Another sleeper from 2014 which has been quietly aging without my knowledge! This one was particularly interesting as I reviewed a newer purchase several months back (and about 3 posts up thread). In the imp: The same light oak and fig combination, and a brush of chamomile. Wet: Fig leaf, oak, and... incredibly lush rhubarb. Wow. Dry: I love this - new, it was a beautiful scent, but aging brings it so much more depth. It's soft and quiet, comforting and pure - a mantle of justice to wrap yourself in. The throw is still fairly mild, but it lasts a lot longer once aged (10 hours or more), and wafts up every so often to reaffirm you in your very proper lawful choices. Stars: ★★★★★

2014 decant circle. In the imp: Sandalwood, patchouli, and smoke. Wet: More smoke, patchouli, black tea, and a brush of vanilla. Dry: The most beautiful smoky patchouli. Long-lived, medium throw. Stars: ★★★★

A freebie in a decant circle, so I have no idea how old it is or what conditions it was originally kept under. I've held it in a dark, temperature controlled space to age since receiving it in late 2014. In the imp: Lavender, chamomile, and currant. Wet: A contrary, viscous scent! Chamomile sweetened by red currants and musky black tea, delphinium blossoms and a lavender-scented vanilla shortbread. Dry: I wish I had notes about this pre-aging; it is lovely, and I'm curious to know how it wears when brand new! It settles to a lavender-musk laden black tea with mild throw. Short-lived but worth a purchase, and I absolutely will. Stars: ★★★★½

2014 freebie, aged in temperature controlled conditions. In the imp: Thick, cherry-like resin. Wet: A musky, almost powdery cherrywood, resinous and generous with warm earthy-amber tones. Dry: Sweet resin, with the memory of gloopy cherry. This lasts for ages, it was still going at the 10 hour mark, and has a decent throw. It's definitely a domineering and powerful scent - and I don't not like it, but it's not something I'd wear every day. One of the few scents where I really would limit wearing it to ritual work only. Stars: ★★★½

Yet another recent discovery from that batch I bought in 2014 and promptly forgot about. Will it ever end?! In the imp: Deep rich loam, the sort you want to sink your toes into, wide moss-covered tree trunks, and softly-blowing reeds. Wet: Soft woolens with mud-spattered hems, a belt tied with herb bundles, sturdy leather boots and gentle lemon soap. Dry: Hardly any morph, and a short(ish) lifespan of 6 hours. Mild throw, but lovely when you catch it - I really did enjoy this scent. Stars: ★★★★

Freebie from 2014 which has been aging. In the imp: Dark (very dark!) myrrh, salt, clove, and tobacco. Wet: A light application as the notes list both pepper and pimento - neither of which I'm confident about applying to my skin. After no immediate reaction, I added a second dab, which starts off as clove and myrrh with a touch of moss, and settles into an earthy scent. Dry: Beautifully earthy moss with no pepper or spice to be seen. It's a shame this is now discontinued; it's well worth a test if you can get your hands on some. Stars: ★★★★

Another imp from 2014 which I found carefully set aside to age, but which I somehow made no record (and have no memory) of purchasing. October 2014 was a wild time for me. In the imp: An initial impression of pine-ish-ness. On deep sniff: moss, hawthorn, bark and amber. Wet: Amber, sweet musk, berries and rustling leaves. A hint of honeycomb and cool forest streams. Dry: Vaguely deodorising... like a really posh air freshener. The amber is sweet and dominant for most of the life of this. Wear time is around 6-8 hours with a medium throw. Stars: ★★★½

An imp that's been apparently been hanging out in my aging cabinet since 2014. Highly possible that I bought it, though I have no memory of doing so - that happened with at least three other imps in the same year. If not, a fortunate lab gift; Pontarlier has been on my wishlist for years. In the imp: Fern, rockrose, blackcurrant and absinthe. A very bitter scent that reminds me of some of the woods I ended up with during Chaos Theory VII. Wet: Lilac, rose, and wet ferns, topped by the barest suggestion of blackcurrant. Dry: This fades very quickly - lifespan is 4-6 hours tops with a mild throw at all times. It stays firmly in the mossy-fern olfactory range, with only a vague hint of lilac top notes to break it up. Stars: ★★★

2022 lab freebie. In the imp: Blackened camphor-laurel and a blast of smoke. Wet: The crunchy dried leaves from October smothered in camphor and charcoal, mint (or eucalypt perhaps?), and sage. Dry: Smoke, brimstone, ash, which vanishes without a trace. 4-6 hour lifespan with a bizarrely mild throw for a fragrance with so much darkness about it. Stars: ★★★★