wldhrsjen3

Eh, I'm not sure about this one. I'll have to try it again before I decide. In the bottle: a delicious, rich, dark cherry cordial. So good it almost makes my mouth water! On my skin: initially, this is my perfect cherry fragrance. Dark and sweet, with a hint of tart liquor in the background to keep it from becoming too cloying. Unfortunately, as it dries it turns sour. I can't smell the cherry anymore, and I'm not fond of smelling like stale booze. I wonder if this would work in a perfume locket?

Heh. I tried this last night before bed and all I smelled was apple shampoo, which disappointed me greatly. But I so wanted to love this - and it sounded like the perfect scent for me - so I tried it again this afternoon. And let me just say, what a difference a day makes! I don't know if it's because my chemistry is slightly different or if it's because the scent has had a chance to settle after arriving in the mail, but either way, this is like an entirely new fragrance. Wet: hazelnuts and ripe apples, with a hint of something floral in the background. On my skin: initially, it's a warm, nutty apple - like apple crisp. For a few seconds, a slightly soapy floral note emerges but it fades quickly, leaving the scent of berries behind. As this dries, it blends into a truly lovely fruit fragrance: the sweet crispness of apples mixed with the rich ripeness of berries, with just a hint of tart pomegranate to offer clarity and definition. The smell of nuts remains in the background, giving the fruit a wonderful earthy tone. I love this, and may seriously consider buying another bottle as a backup.

in the bottle: plum and cream, like a warm fruit tart. I can smell wildflowers in the distance - an almost herbal sweetness, a tang of wild green beneath the plum. on my skin: whispers of ripe purple plum and cool cream, but the herbs and wildflowers are intense. As it dries, the wildflowers fade enough to give the plum room for attention. This is a rich, dark purple scent with a hint of malice - the herbs and wildflowers warn of witchcraft and magic. After it has settled, the notes blend in a pleasing fragrance of smooth, sweet cream and plum, laced with a light herbal bitterness that gives it definition and keeps it from becoming too cloying. It's deep and intriguing, and really quite lovely. It reminds me, somehow, of a darker and more intense version of Bewitched.

I'm not generally much of a floral person, but I do love lilacs and roses so I had hopes this might make a lovely spring scent. Sadly, I found it slightly disappointing. In the bottle: roses. A massive bouquet of roses, with lilacs hiding in the background. On my skin: all I smell are roses, with some note along the edge that smells slightly off... I can't put my finger on it. Maybe it's the wisteria? Sadly, I can't find the lilacs - or at least, they don't smell like the lilacs I know and adore. As it dries: the rose remains strong. Although it fades enough to allow suggestions of other flowers to peek through, it's still fairly intense. That impression of something just a little off continues to nag me. Twenty minutes later: it's settled into a more well-rounded floral bouquet, but it's still mostly rose. And, although I smell the hint of lilac, it isn't true lilac. This is just... too floral, too prim for me. I'll pass it on to someone who can appreciate it.

So, a friend passed this imp along to me a while back and I don't know how old it is. I'm thinking I need to order a fresh one with my next order so I can try a comparison because this was lighter than I expected and faded *really* fast. in the bottle: bitter herbs and blood red wine in a dusty chalice. on my skin: hm. Lighter than I expected - something secret and seductive. The herbs dissolve in a dry whisper of sweetness while the scent of wine lingers along the edges like a taste left on a lover's lips. As it dries, the sweet red wine ripens and turns beautifully lush while the earth tones keep it grounded. Unfortunately, it fades very quickly and I'm left with a haunting memory of fragrance clinging to my wrist. This was unexpectedly beautiful and I loved it - I'm anxious to try a fresh imp!

in the bottle: dark and spicy, with flaming crimson undertones and a perplexing sweetness. On my skin: ashy cinnamon. Smoky and almost sickeningly sweet, with a charred note of patchouli and musk. Ack! It burns my skin. Have to wash it off before I can experience drydown. Hm. An interesting, complex scent that definitely conjures dragons, but... I can't tolerate it at all. Have to pass it on.

in the bottle: sunshine and grass, dry wind and warm earth - all framed by the sheltering branches of a tangled wood. on my skin: summer grass, dusty fields, golden amber and the soft velvet of a coyote's marvelous coat. This scent perfectly matches its description and is beautifully evocative of the Coyote. It is a remarkable blend, conjuring the wild shyness of the coyote and its natural habitat. I love it and find it completely fascinating, but it isn't the sort of fragrance I would wear often. The amber and musk are too strong as it dries, but I know someone who will love this so I'm confident it will end up in a good home. :)

In the bottle: dark, somber florals with a hint of musky melancholy. On my skin: a dark crimson rose with bruised petals slowly going black. I catch a hint of velvet musk like the rustle of an old gown across a dusty ballroom. And then, sadly, it turns to powder and old soap.

A gentle white scent, breezes laced with the scent of springtime blooms and citrus. Lemon, lemon verbena, neroli, white musk, white florals, white sandalwood, China musk, bergamot and a drop of vanilla. From the description, I expected something with a little more citrus tang. In the bottle, however, all I smell are white florals and musk. It is clean and white and feminine - sort of a department store fragrance. On my skin: the musk and sandalwood overwhelm any lemon citrus note, granting depth and emphasis to the florals. The vanilla adds a faint but pleasing sweetness. If I was the sort to like musky floral perfumes, this would be lovely. It's a very fresh, innocent blend. After several hours, the musk and florals have faded and left a cool, creamy vanilla behind. Like licking an icecream cone on a sunny day in the middle of a flower garden, with gentle breezes stirring the flowers. Lovely, but not quite for me.

In the bottle: a tumultuous blend, indeed. Sweet, spicy, slightly floral, with a bitter woody note in the background. The individual notes seem to compete for attention, fighting for dominance. On my skin: ah! Not nearly as strong as I feared it might be. At first I smell dry wood and the ghost of flowers, sharpened by the spice of pepper. The musk sweetens and blurs the other notes, blending them in a pale cloud. As it dries, a mellow sweetness (the mandarin, I assume) ripens, giving this scent a beautiful hint of pale gold and pleasing depth. I love the combination of lily and mandarin - they balance perfectly, neither too fruity nor too floral. Alas, this stage quickly morphs and I'm left with nothing but musky pepper. Fortunately the fragrance is pale and wispy on my skin - already fading, like the ghost of a scent. I can still catch a whisper of mandarin and florals, but the pepper and musk make my wrist smell like old incense. This was, ultimately, not at all what I expected. It was, somehow, sweeter and lighter than I thought it would be. I'm so glad I had the chance to try it, but I'm afraid the pepper and musk are just too strong for my skin. I know someone who is going to *love* this, though, so I'm looking forward to passing it on and making another BPAL addict!

In the bottle: red roses and pale jasmine, with a slightly bitter undertone. On my skin: Whoa. Powerful rose, which gives way to jasmine, which blends into a sweet, musky powdery, soapy smell. It settles a bit as it dries and I can catch a vague hint of mandarin, but this remains entirely too floral for me. Even the musk - which I expected to ground and contain the roses and jasmine - only seems to emphasize the sweetness of the florals. This is not for me.

In the bottle: ooh, a luscious dark wine and seductive florals. On my skin: a rich purple fragrance that envelopes me even though I tested just a bit on my wrist. It's sweet and sexy and I love it! As it dries, the grape notes fade and a wonderfully complex golden tone emerges. Rather than being overwhelming, the honey, musk and tobacco flower blend in a warm, earthy base and ground the grapes, wine and plum blossom. The other notes add a layer of sweetness, making this an intriguing fragrance with incredible depth. Although it tones down a bit, the throw is still fairly strong compared to some of the others I've tried. For a few brief moments I was afraid the musk was going to become overpowering, as it tends to do on my skin, but the other notes hold it in check and I love the result. I almost wish the wine and grapes were a bit stronger as I loved that full-bodied fruitiness when it was still wet, but I am unexpectedly delighted with this. I might try layering with Blood Rose for a stronger taste of wine, but I will definitely be keeping this. I love the sweet seduction and can't wait for Husband to come home and smell me.

Hm. I can't remember if I got this imp in an order or if it was one that a friend sent me, so I'm not certain how old it is. My impressions may be related to the fact that it might be a year old already. Anyway. In the bottle: spicy golden honey, with a touch of ripe fig to round it out and ylang ylang to add a floral sweetness. But on my skin, the patchouli takes over and all I smell is dark spice. It fades quickly, leaving warm spice behind. But... I'm not sure this is my style. Still, it's a lovely, complex scent in the bottle and with the right skin chemistry I think this would be amazing.

A golden summer musk with warm fig, orange blossom honey, sweet blueberries, and bright velvety crimson raspberries. In the bottle: the fragrance changes as I swirl the bottle - first golden honey musk, then dusky berry, then a sharp perfume scent. I was a bit worried about how it would smell on my skin. Wet: it's rich and musky with a slightly bitter note that rapidly turns powdery. It smells almost soapy. As it dries: thank goodness the baby powder effect fades, leaving a rich golden musk. There's a faint layer of ripe blueberry, but it's overwhelmed by musk and honey. Later the berries take their turn, growing ripe and sweet. It smells of sun-warmed blueberries, bruised raspberries and honey, with a musky, earthy base to ground it. It's strong - a small drop goes a long way, for me, and lasts for hours. This is the perfect perfume for a warm summer night - a sweet, ripe scent that is both decadent and playful.

In the bottle: a sweet, dark berry with a spicy green undertone. Like berries found in a shady forest, ripe and tangy. I love it. On my skin: wet, I smell rich berries and a crisp, evergreen scent. Not pine, precisely, but... maybe juniper? It reminds me of winter - dark, sweet and cool. As it dries, it starts to smell like a Christmas candle. It's a lovely blend of berry and evergreen, but I don't like smelling of potpourri. Hm... as I wait for it to evolve, the scent only resembles candle/room fragrance more and more strongly. I like it, but I'm not certain I love it as a perfume. I might try again near the Winter Solstice, but I suspect I'll be passing this imp along.