zankoku_zen

In general, I have loved most of the Chinese New Year blends. So, Metal Rabbit on me is essentially a fruity floral. Very fruity. I think the predominant notes on wet are more citrusy, with the mandarin and tangerine. As it dries, the fruit is most recognizable as peach. And underneath, I definitely smell plum blossom and peony. This is big, bright and juicy peachy floral. As for comparisons against other of the Chinese New Year blends: Fire Pig - much more gingery, less floral and with more zing Metal Tiger - Fruitier, but with no lasting power or throw Earth Rat - Melon/Coconut death match Earth Ox - More floral, slightly fruity. Fire Pig is still my favorite, because I love the gingery zing to it, although I have to admit that I find Metal Rabbit pretty adorable.

I definitely got the lime and a white floral, especially on wet. I think the white floral may be the spikenard. As it dries, I get more of the spices and the cedar. The white floral overlay is citrusy and fresh. I think this is a nice floral-wood, a little high pitched for me. But it smells very clean.

Dark musk and male cologne. The musk is reminiscent to the musk in WILF - dirty, sexy, dark. The chypre has faint tinges to the green chypre in Pollution. More warmth than just a chypre. I find the balance on this scent to be just right. Definitely TEH SEX on the right guy.

Gaudium to me is herby love. Its mainly a geranium and lemon verbena for me, with a slight orange peel note and a whiff of lavender. But yes, mainly geranium and lemon verbena. LOVE IT. It's a little too herby/bitter for a perfume, but I really love it as a bath product.

I really get a LOT of lily out of this. In some ways, it reminds me as a more lily-version of Host of Air, which means I must amp up lilies. It's very pure, white, clean floral. I'm not sure about the oppoponax in this, as it seems to be just very light, more like grounding the lily. Erm. This like... LILY LOVE. Hearts are aflutter.

Champagne and Absinthe are exactly that. It is a slightly more boozy and herbal champagne, or by comparison a more fizzy Absinthe. I'm actually quite enjoying it!

Sexy champagne! That's what this is to me. It's the same fizzy note, but blended with something smokey and sweet. Sexy. I think I may like opium after all.

Pink Champagne is fizzy and berry sweet. I think its more like fizzy strawberry candy, with a slight boozy attitude.

This is the same crisp green apple note from Snow Glass Apples overlayed with a fizzy note. Slightly soapy, it also makes me think of Lush's So White scent. Except in perfume form. ... Which may mean I need more...

Champagne and cake. Sadly this is vanilla cake, and the type of vanilla that ends up smelling like playdoh to me. So its buttery plastic and fizzy booze. Odd.

The Russian Dance reminds me to the GC Moscow. It's primarily tea and ambergris with a faint swirl of iris. It also reminds me to the scent of a Lush store, as there is something slightly powdery to me. However, it dries to a musky, patchouli powder. SAD.

For me, the Nutcracker is a mix of frankincense and fig. The frankincense is rich, slightly peppery and its balanced out by the sweetness of the fig. Definitely masculine in vibe. I am not a fan of frankincense, but this scent is pretty.

Tart, crisp, watery floral. Slightly fruity. I have to say that this does not play well with my skin and ends up smelling oddly like the fake floral scent of some nail polish remover.

After testing this SN, I've come to realize that mimosa is the dominant note in the now discontinued blend Succubus. It's a light, fresh, almost sharp, kinda pink floral. To me, it has a subtle citrus overlay to a somewhat fruity, not quite sweet floral. I echo cfrancesca's comment that it sort of reminds me to luxurious French floral soaps. I don't find it a particularly comfortable or accessible, as there is a 'sharp' quality to it in my mind. I think haughty is probably the best word to describe the vibe for this.

Bright, clean citrus. It is definitely the smell of Earl Grey tea, slightly flowery. I think it's also the predominant note in Belle Epoque. Definitely has green/herbal undertones.

ETA: Thanks to a truly and unbelievable friend to sent me a tester of this. I think I'm in love. Tomato Leaf SN is the green, planty, almost dirty note that is very prevalent in Planting Moon. This note for me was overwhelmed in Planting Moon with both the aquatic and dirt component. This is the smell when you snap a tomato off its branch. It smells like outside, a garden and greens. And yes, with a tiny hint of bitter dirt. LOVE IT.

Spicy chocolate. To me, Ein Kuss Von Krampus (EKVK) on wet, smells almost like a combination of pomegranate and chococolate. As it dries, I get a hint of pepper, mustard and other spices. It dries to a much 'spicier' chocolate. The morphing of it reminds me a little to certain 13 blends. Interesting.

OMG! Sweet Pea. It's such an aggressive and overwhelming note. On wet, I got distinct flashback to Juliet, which to me is very much like sweet pea SN - big, bold, sweet. However the SN dries off to a slightly 'fake' note, mildly plasticky and it makes me think of those scented dolls of my childhood. Yeah for a SN that I won't covet. I can't handle sweet pea - either as a SN or when in other blends. This is a nice confirmation of that. Stupid skin chemistry.

To me, Pikaki starts as a bright, exotic floral with very fruit overtones. It's tropical and creamy, while a white floral. As it dries, it acquires a slight jasmine/ylang ylang overlay to it -slightly biting, still heady and floral. I prefer it on wet - when its lush and fruity. Not so much of a fan of the jasmine overlay.

Byron v13 is definitely manly on me. It's got some sweet red musk, a hint of worn leather, and I'm guessing some vanilla and perhaps a swirl of herbs. This one is definitely roguish Byron, as opposed to v7, which was way floral and more of the romantic, hazy perception of Byron. This is the Byron that spouts poetry with a leer on his face, a swagger to his step and you definitely have to wonder about the size of his package.

PP416 is my favorite fizzy scent.

Try Planting Moon.

CLX (160) This one has a strong, buttery, salty note. Very much like in Shill. But underneath of it, I want to say I smell peanut butter. So it's a peanut buttery kind of Shill. Sadly, neither of those notes are things that play well with my skin chemistry.

Sweet metallics and deep woods. In some ways, it reminds me to Bed of Nails except its a deeper, richer blend when it comes to the woods.

Patchouli, teak and dry leaves. It sort of reminds me to Death of Autumn, and its a slightly masculine autumn blend. I have to say that the combination does appeal to me.