zankoku_zen

On Bottle: Pears and flowers On Skin: Juicy pear. Very fruity. There is a soft floral undertone to it. After a while, the pear dies down a bit and it becomes more floral. On Drydown: Definitely floral now. I can smell hints of rose and magnolia. Verdict: I'm not big on the initial fruitiness of the scent. I do agree that it is a lovely scent although it feels almost a bit too girly for me. My feelings on this scent are neither love it nor hate it. It might end up in the swap pile. It might not.

In the bottle: Floral. Very Delicate. Can you bottle 'pretty'? Because this is the image and feel what I get. On Skin: Still floral. Still delicate. Fades fast and I got an almost medicinal smell to it. I reapplied 15 minutes later and it seems better. On Drydown: I can smell a bit of the lavender now and it's very calming. I really do get a sense of delicacy and purity. After a while, I can smell the frankincense and its very warm. Verdict: I'm very torn on the issue. Its very pretty and I do like it but I wonder if I can live with how delicate it is at the beginning and then how warm it becomes at the end. It's very lovely but not a stand out for me. It will probably end up in the swap pile.

In the Bottle: Smells very strong as a floral and avery sharp. It makes me take a step back. On Skin: It smells very sharp and very green, almost like crushed lilies and its almost overpowering. After a while, the sharpness is still there although it seems to be calming down more as time passes by or I'm getting used to it. On Drydown: I can smell the cedar now, peeking through. Still floral but there is an intensity there, like something lurking. Verdict: I like the scent enough to keep the imp. It intrigues me. It plots, if that makes sense. I like it because it makes me think 'complex' and 'conniving'. It's not an easy scent to live with, so I don't think I will order more. But good in small quantities. ETA: I got another imp of this after I swapped my original one away. In this one there is an almost patchouli like smell that overtakes the lily in the drydown. It must have been a combination of the cedar and perhaps the black orchid.

In the bottle: Smells floral and spicy. And expensive. I'm excited. On Skin: It smelled very floral for a few minutes and then it turns into soap! On drydown: It has almost completely faded from my skin. Verdict: Doesn't like me at all! Going into the swap pile!

On Bottle: Smells clean and like winter. Faint floral smell. I'm excited! On Application: COCONUTS! The smell is almost overwhelming. Like suntan lotion. Where did the winter go? After an hour: I still have faint whiffs of coconut but its not overwhelming. I'm catching a wift of pine and a hint of vanilla. I smell something else, reminds me of warmth, so I'm guessing it may be the almond? It's smelling a bit more green, which makes an interesting contrast. This isn't exactly reminding me of winter or snow. Overall: I so wanted to like this scent. I guess my body chemistry brings out the coconut and vanilla and all the other warm scents to the forefront. I have to say its an interesting smell. But not what I was expecting. I was expecting something cooler and more wintry. To the swap pile. *sigh* ETA: I have now tried the 2007 incarnation. Doesn't work for me. Not coconut, but still tropical and it has that weird plastic smell to it. This blend, in whatever incarnation just doesn't work on me.

In the Bottle: I can smell the sandalwood. I can't pick out the vanilla but it smells warm. On Skin: Smells like it did on the bottle. I don't get the lily or the mandarin. Drydown: It fades fast on my skin. I agree with the assessment that you can slather this one on. Verdict: It smells wealthy and opulent in my mind. It makes me think of wearing long gowns, going to the opera and drinking martinis in a sophisticated soiree. I like what it evokes but I'm not sure I actually like the smell. It may just not be for me. It will probably end in the swap pile.

In the Bottle: very sharp. very green. there is also something very sweet. On Skin: it still smells green and i can still smell the sweetness. its a very odd mix. On Drydown: the hint of sweetness is gone. it smells very earthy and after an hour, almost peppery on me. Overall: this scent turns very masculine on me and i like the smell, but i rather have my boy wear this. this gives me the impression of being a very powerful scent and not one to be trifled with. as it is, i don't think its me. if the sweetness had remained, i might have liked it better. i'll probably be swapping this. nuts.

In the Bottle: smells like very potent incense. On Skin: i can smell the sandalwood. it's pretty strong. i can't smell the ylang ylang. i have to say that this is a very powerful scent. it does smell sensual. On Drydown: i can smell some floral hints to it. it just doesn't smell like me. the scent is too aggressive for my personal tastes. i may give it another whirl because i really wanted to like this scent, although i did have my doubts when i read about the vanilla tints to it, since i'm not a big fan of vanilla. maybe i just don't do "sexy".

can someone bottle golden sunshine? because this is what the scent makes me think of. i can't really smell the peach or the heliotrope. but i can smell the musk and the oakmoss and the hint of bergamot. overall, i think this is wonderful summer scent. it is light and warm without being overpowering. this one fades really fast on my skin. i'm not sure i would buy an entire bottle of this but the imp is very well worth it in my estimation.

i really like this scent even though i can't pick out a single note from it. it really does make me think of water and rain. i have to agree with the rest of the reviews that it is ozone/aquatic/sporty. i put a little bit on at the beginning of the day. And reapplied around 5 PM. i guess i may have put on too much at reapplication because the scent lasted with me throughout the night and well into the next morning. which in my world wasn't a bad thing. but i'm partial to aquatic notes. i find this scent to be very calming and very relaxing.

In the Bottle: i can smell the mint and the violet. On Skin: definitely smell the violet, the mint isn't as prominent but there is a certain 'fresh' smell to the violets. On Drydown: still smelling of violets. i can smell the slightest bit of neroli at the end. Verdict: i can't smell this after the first fifteen minutes BUT i occasionally catch wiffs of it. i really enjoy the smell of violets and its quickly becoming one of my favorite smells. definitely considering ordering a larger bottle. ETA: 2/4/2008 Ah, how smell changes. I don't actually enjoy the smell of violets, or perhaps I do... in theory but not in this blend. I definitely smelled more of the menthol in this imp, and the violets are now a powdery kind of floral, slightly uplifted by the vanishing mint. Changes in skin chemistry? Probably. Sad that this doesn't work on me, since I did seem to like it so at the beginning.