zankoku_zen

When I first uncapped my decant, this was a very strong amber/honey mix that made me think of O. Applied, it is less sexual than O by a bit, slightly softer. If O is the act, then Anactoria is the aftermath - lazy, hazy, content, replete. That being said, I think something in this blend doesn't agree with me because it's this amber + honey with a slight 'wool sweater' smell to me.

This is a nice, light Asian floral. For me, I can definitely smell the green tea, with swirls of sake and fruits. I think the fruits maybe more plum than red currant. This is slightly powdery on me, but it's a nice soft, very feminine scent. It's kinda flirty, and sexy, but more sex kitten than in your face. Coy. Mmmm. I do think I like this one.

This has to be the most un-pumpkin pumpkin scent that I've ever tried. At the beginning, the pumpkin is there but it lacks the strong buttery note I've come to associate with it. Instead, it smells like pumpkin and ivy and makes me think of old brick buildings covered in ivy. This scent puts me in mind of an autumn day, with crisp wind and dying leaves in the air, in an old ivy-leagueish college. The perfect kind of scent to accompany a pea coat and a multicolored knitted scarf. On the drydown, the pumpkin is barely present and it's a strongly ivy + other plant smell. I have to admit that this scent was an utter surprise. It's not the kind of pumpkin scent I'd be attracted to, but boy oh boy, was it fun! Definitely a fall scent. Definitely a scent for a fun walk on a not-too-windy day when you want to appreciate all the colors of autumn, and look forward to coming back to a warm cup of tea.

I can see why everyone loves this blend! TKO begins with a almost lemon overtone to a fairly strong lavender. After a few minutes however, I can detect an almost vanilla/amber warm base to it. The warm base with foody overtones makes me think a bit of the feeling I get from Fairy Market --- and it immediately made me think of dreams. This is what fairies would use to put humans to sleep. I went to bed at about 9:45 PM... and didn't wake up until 7 AM, even though the alarm was set for 6 AM. Out like a light. I don't know if it was TKO or that we're getting used to a new mattress, but I had a good night's sleep. And I'm snubbing Oneiroi from now on and getting myself some more TKO! ETA: Used it last night. The husband loved the smell of it and wanted some himself. TKO = made.of.win.

I do get the honey sweetbubblegum at the beginning - but it dries to a very mellow honey, and a small shrill top floral top note that makes me think of jasmine (but I'm beginning to think I don't get along with osmanthus!) Other than that, this is soft, subtle and very sexy.

This starts off smelling as a fruity floral (very promising in my book) and dries to a musky, slightly sweet, slightly sandalwoody scent. Pretty, soft, subtle, with a slight Asian vibe to it. Pretty, but unremarkable on me. I think I'll pass this on to someone who will love it more!

I tend to think of myself as a citrus lover. On wet, this is tangerine and tonka, and it dries to a tangerine flower. It's bright, cheery and citrusy. The jasmine has a sharp edge to it, but you have to really, really be sniffing to get at it. Guess what? I don't think I like tangerine that much! I mean, I love to eat it. I eat tangerines a deux because one is never enough. ... And it does make me sad because this is a very beautiful scent.

Ah, for me, alot of snowy scents will be measured against the Ice Queen standard. This one, shares a few commonalities with the IQ. It's got that 'snowy' smell without an aggressive pine, and it also has a softer floral going on. It's like the Darkling Thrush is IQ's little sister - softer, not as chilly, not as aggressive. I don't get a great throw out of it. Even the husband says it smells kinda similar. For me, it's missing the intensity. But other than that, my imp is a keeper. Esp, when I feel like IQ, but may be leary of cutting into my hoard.

This one on me was pure male cologne. The ozone was very predominant, but very masculine. I didn't get any of the 'steel' or 'metal' connotations on this one. Unfortunately, it isn't the kind of scent that the hubby is interested in wearing. But on the right guy - comandeering, cool, and yet very passionate. It makes me think of Clive Owen, and that is never a bad thing.

Mutable water: the essence of faith. Hemp, opium poppy, sarsaparilla, grains of paradise, passion flower, wisteria, Irish moss, and gentian. This on me was something that smelled like a musky rose. Warm, inviting, but somehow the florals combined together smelled like roses on me. I didn't really get the aquatic stage.

Definitely a strange kitty! What a morpher! At the beginning, it is a lemon buttercream frosting. Which smells absolutely yummy, but I don't want to smell like frosting all day. As it dries, both the lemon and frosting aspect disappear, and warm florals pop out. They remain in my mind, forever link to frosting, so they smell like edible flowers. Very tasty.

At the beginning, this was sweet grass. But as it dries, the sweetness damps down and it does end up smelling more like a weird combination of straw and oddball men's cologne. SAAAD.

This has to have dragon's blood resin because I get that musky sweetness from it, as I have with other blends that have had DBR, inc. the Ars Draconis scents. That being said, lotus invariably turns into bubblegum on me. At the beginning, it was like a spicy bubblegum, and now it's mainly DBR.

This will be a bit skewed at the moment - since I tried it and forgot to take into account "my scheduled fluctuations in hormonal levels". In the vial, this was snowy and piney and very very lovely. I agree with an initial impression of Ice Queen, simply edgier and perhaps more pepperminty. On wet, it morphed a little - and it got something almost spicy on me, but its a light base. I have an overlay of cold florals, which makes for an interesting juxtaposition. I think the spicyness might be from a flower I've smelled before since it doesn't have an incense/sandalwood/food condiment association in my head. I'll be trying this in a week and seeing how it compares. It's absolutely gorgeous in the vial - but I want to try it when the fluctuations have ended for a more accurate review.

At the beginning, the very predominant note is of lilies. And then it erupts into this bouquet of flowers, with rose being a predominant smell. This is sweet, without being overly sugary or foodie, and floral in a light, spring walk among the meadows kinda way. It's a refreshing floral, with a hint of innocence, sun shining in her hair kinda way.

Normally, jasmine and I get along. Not in this blend! I get the dreaded 'cat pee' phase --- and it lasts forever. In fact, it's like a cat taking a whizz among the rose garden. Which is not what I think about when I'm in the presence of MY love. Yeah. This so didn't work out.

I've found that Cloister Graveyard in the Snow shares some commonalities with Ice Queen. It's not the same, but as a single blend, its the one that has come the closest on me. I am going to attempt layering Nuclear Winter with Old Moon and see what I get. Will report later.

Like-wise. On the other hand, A Bachelor's Dog is a much more comfortable leather. If you can handle the smoky tobacco in the background. Personally, I love Severin and Whip, but neither of them are a pure-leather blend.

Ah, this would be like Ireland covered in honey. It's an herbally floral with a sweetness that makes me think of clover honey. Too sweet for me, but it does make me think of an emerald isle in the sea, with blooms and bees and rivers of honey. I imagine a fairy would like this scent.

Upon application -- Soy Sauce?!?! The wet stage still pretty much smelled like a floral soy sauce (hey, don't look at me, I'm also unhappy about that!) The drydown is a dusky, musky floral --- like the fine hair of a furry animal with a sprinkling of dust. It makes me think of bats (although the Emathides were feathered birds), with the sleek membranous skin, which is still delicate and their beady eyes in the darkness. The wet stage pretty much ruins it for me, but this is a scent unlike any other, and in some ways one of the most evocative of a particular animal. Admittedly, I don't get birds, but I still get a scary winged creature! (Okay, not really scared of bats, but you know...)

This is a spicy pumpkin, and the image that came to mind was running your hands through a just sanded plank of wood. Why this wood smells like sandalwood, but I have no idea. And the bits of dust on your hands just smell pretty amazing. None of the buttery death of Jack, just pumpkin and some good solid wood-spice to it.

This is very ozoney on me, almost masculine. It does remind me to Tempest in that case, but it's a little softer due to the lunar oils. Not my cup of tea, but I was still very curious about it.

I was hoping against hope that the lotus would work with the other components. Unfortunately, it doesn't. I get a very sweet, almost bubblegum/fruity kinda smell from this. Kinda like a cool refreshing mixed drink. Snowy? No. Frosty? No. Pineapple snowcone? You betcha. Curse you skin chemistry. Curse you.

Pollution. Smells more like a commercial perfume (minus the alcohol cloud). Good transition point, esp. if he has never smelled BPAL before. Or if he likes traditional perfumes.

This is an herbal red musk. Oddly enough it makes me think of pizza. I'm not sure that 'Great Pizza of Musk' is as attractive a name as 'Great Sword of War'. Definitely not martial in my mind. Instead it's more like 'hey guys, who ordered the herb pizza?' kinda vibe for me.