frecklestars

A regal, commanding scent, but poignant. White cedarwood, blue sage and bay leaf. In the bottle: O HAI MOTHBALLS! cedar cedar cedar. and a bit of sage, which does nothing to rule out my mental pictures of vast closets that are moth-free. decidedly masculine, very strong. On my skin: more CEDAR screaming at your nose and utterly unrelenting. it fades more towards sage and a bit of dirt, so I do catch the poignancy, but it's just too strong for me to wear it. regal, yes, and standoffish, but also still very very masculine. think broadsword-carrying ass-kicking medieval knights. dangerous. once it reaches the sage-and-dirt stage, it reminds me of New Mexican high desert nights, which is lovely, but that cedar stage just doesn't do it for. Last thoughts: I don't want to smell like wood and mothballs and insect killing-things. it's just so strong. I <3 sage, but in chicken, not on my skin. if you are a sage/cedar lover though, this is totally perfect for you!

In the bottle: a deep rich red-brown oil that smells warm and spicy, with maybe a little vanilla. a strong cinnamon-clove vibe, which I adore. it smells proud, if that makes any sense. cake-like scent. dense. almost like grasses? but spicy ones. definitely dry and definitely glorious. On my skin: so not my usual thing, but I can't stop sniffing! spicy and friendly and inviting, like a warm cottage in winter. and it is warm. a little sweet, like vanilla, but with a heavy enough dose of cinnamon that it's not overwhelmingly sweet or cake-like. amber is a good way of describing it. a little sensual maybe, almost gingery. fades to sweet old wild dry grasses. Last thoughts: this one's almost impossible to describe, but it's really interesting. strong and warm and spicy. worth a sniff regardless of your usual preferences.

In the bottle: oh goody, pretty much all of the things I don't like! blergh. rosewood, in a cedar sort of way, and the shy sweetness of chamomile, combined with violets and powdery rotting sandalwood. everything about it makes my nose curl and flee. something kind of dry and mint-like, similar to eucalyptus. also a little sour, like someone's gym shirt. On my skin: it does not get better, only worse! rotting forests, violets growing in trash piles, powder that causes severe sneezing and nausea. maybe some cat pee? there is nothing ok about this scent on me. Last thoughts: not so strong as to be completely repugnant, but definitely not wearable for me, not even a little bit.

In the bottle: surprisingly light and girlish for such a dark oil. I smell candy-like strawberry-vanilla mixed with black cherry soda. the florals are hardly there at all. this is definitely lusty, and uber femme. reminds me of various Victoria's Secret scents. On my skin: the strawberry/vanilla/black cherry come through strongly on me, with musk and what I think is heliotrope as afterhints. it's engagingly juicy, but definitely a little too girly for me to wear on a regular basis. it mellows to a pleasant strawberry vanilla. I think strawberry is the most prominent note on me, and it's a light summery sort of strawberry. Last thoughts: sweet sweet sweet! I'd definitely have to be in the right mood for this one, but when that mood hits, I know I'm going to crave it.

In the bottle: hatching dark plots in the palm trees! the cocoa and shadowy woods are a bit threatening. I would've figured it would be christmas-y, but it's much too threatening for that. there's a lot of resin in this. On my skin: the pine comes out more on me and the cocoa disappears entirely. deceitful woods, a spot for robbers to hide out. I thought the fig might sweeten it, but it remains dark and dangerous. I do like heavily wooded forests, but not on me. Last thoughts: another one of those that's just not my thing. it's quite masculine and though I expected to hate this, it was a surprisingly complicated and interesting scent.

In the bottle: very strong, almost like pine, but definitely dirt. except thick wet dirt isn't listed, so maybe that's what cactus flowers smell like? it's doesn't strike me as roses, but it's more powdery. a little sharp, but mostly just like a very rich cake-y dirt. On my skin: still thick with dirt, the uprooted stems of flowers. it is very solemn. I don't like the powdered aspects of this scent, though I enjoy the dirt. but there's something that turns it into something almost like patchouli (maybe the vetiver) and my nose doesn't like it. makes me sneeze. Last thoughts: it's rich, but something smoky like a heavy incense keeps me from liking it. it's a little too close to old-lady-stale perfume too.

In the bottle: light girly roses. like someone lit a pale pink rose on fire, blew it out, and then rubbed the ashes on the pulse in their neck. it's a little evil, though still decidedly floral. it's a strange combination, but an interesting one. On my skin: turns even ashier and more like smoke on my skin. not smoke from a major fire, but like when you blow out the candles on your birthday cake. kind of like Zombi, but more unnatural. Last thoughts: wicked and girly! such a combination. this is a cemetery perfume, a scent for mourners.

Full disclosure: I am not a patchouli fan. I spent too much time at UC Santa Cruz, smelling everyone around me wearing layers upon layers of patchouli and never showering. It is not for me. If patchouli is also not for you, I imagine you will not be a fan of this blend. However, if it _is_ for you, you'll probably love it (yay you!). I don't hate all you folks who like patchouli, I just can't do it on myself. In the bottle: o hai spicy patchouli! how I didn't miss you. it's very masculine and dark, like deep forest. only someone spilled a spice rack on the ground. it's very mysterious, and that forest aspect makes me want to breathe in as much as possible. until I choke on the patchouli. oh forest hippies, you ruined patchouli for me forever. On my skin: oh, yup, lookatthat! more patchouli. turns a little ashy, almost like burnt out bonfires from drum circles the night before. again, I appreciate the deepness of it that's so like a very foreboding wood, and the masculine aspects of this scent do it well. it reminds me of pine trees quite a bit, with that sap-and-needle vibe. that's quite nice. but...well, I'm sure you know what I'm going to say by this point. Last thoughts: I hate patchouli. hate it. with a passion. I love forests and drum circles and dancing and all those other nice things, but I do not like people who don't shower. and those were the people that wore a lot of patchouli and ruined it for me.

In the bottle: musky coconut incense! this really is soft and lustrous, very languid and more than a little sexy. it kind of makes me drool a little bit, because it reminds me of very rich chocolates with gooey rich coconut centers. yum! On my skin: smells pretty much the same as in the bottle, though with a little less incense smoke. it's still rich and drool-inducing, though it mellows as it dries down. there's a rich powdery-ness to it, although the powdery is not baby powder. more like edible chocolate body powder. I thoroughly enjoy the rich sexiness of it, even though it's way out of my norm. dries to a nondescript (but not unpleasant) musk. Last thoughts: I was really surprised by how well blended this is. not because I think BPAL oils are usually crappily blended, but b/c musk usually leaps out, clobbers me in the face, and leaves me sneezing with a bloody nose. in other words, musk is generally not a pleasant experience for me. but this one was rich, like a dessert, and not at too overpowering.

In the bottle: strongly musky cedar, very masculine. not surprised, given how ethereal the other ingredients are (at least in comparison to those two). I catch a teensy tiny bit of the wisteria, which makes it quite a bit more moody, but not enough to call attention away from the cedar and musk. dreading it, since I know those two things just don't do it for me. On my skin: strongly like cedar and musk when first put on, with the more pleasant floral aspects coming through on the dry-down (mostly wisteria and lilacs). the green tea comes in later on, with an afterwhiff of lemon. this is surprisingly complex! finally changes to osmanthus and a hint of lemon. quite a journey, but the beginning is definitely icky on my skin. Last thoughts: there is just too much to muscle through at the beginning for it to be worth it for me. I love wisteria and lilac (so somber!), and the green tea/lemon combination as well, but that first part with musky cedar at the forefront...no thanks!

In the bottle: the extremely weedy sweetness of the dandelion tones really nicely with the hemp and an odor of alcohol. it smells like very late summer, almost into autumn's chilly breath, and too much burning pavement. the sweetness in it almost reminds me of the sweetness in Dirty, in that it's a bit optimistic, but with more grit. On my skin: the dandelion sweetness quickly gives way to alcohol spilled on hot pavement once it's on my skin. then the hemp comes in, along with tobacco to cover it, hard and fast. this is a very grown-up scent, but in a trashy sort of way. a little too much hemp and alcohol for my taste, but I really like the dandelion and pavement combination. Last thoughts: really unique blend, and not one I would've thought I'd like. the alcohol and hemp are just strong enough to keep me from falling totally in love with this scent. it's pleasantly musky-sweet, seems like it'd be perfect for road trips.

In the bottle: a bit like oranges. it's almost fiery, which is like slashes of lightning across the sky. jagged, but still light and fresh. I adore the sharpness of it - it's like a summer storm on a humid beach you're not supposed to be on. this one's dangerous but still fresh. On my skin: still fresh, still dangerously rainy, over ozone and ocean. refreshing but edgy and crisp under what looks like gentle waves. it's more rain than ocean, but it's still fabulous. I love summer storms in a humid climate. it's dangerous to be around the water, but I just can't resist. Last thoughts: I tested Tempest and Lightning at the same time and while Tempest is utterly my favorite, Lightning is a really good substitute. provided you're not smelling them next to each other. Tempest is greeny-blue gentle ocean, Lightning is dangerous ozone, slashes of lightning, a storm rolling over the ocean.

In the bottle: ocean like the ocean candles from Pier 1. a little bit like citrus, greeny-blue tropical ocean. so warm it's like walking into a hot tub (almost). then a bit of Hawaii rain, some ripe sea grass. On my skin: utterly gorgeous. friendly ocean, a good spot to teach new surfers. more green-blue, a bit like citrus. fresh, crisp, but without any cold breezes or storm clouds. deep, sweet sea grass. it's a gentle ocean for sure. Last thoughts: the perfect ocean. transforms wearer into mermaid. I am utterly kicking myself for not buying a bottle before it was discontinued.

In the bottle: extremely strong sandalwood! I hate sandalwood, so this is not a good sign. all I can find is musk and sandalwood, neither of which endear themselves to me on my skin. I don't catch any of the other supposed complexities this one contains. it's strong and a little like eucalyptus-mint. no sweetness as far as I can tell. On my skin: more sandalwood-eucalyptus-mint ickiness. incredibly strong. not gentle or light in any way, just strong strong strong! it makes my nose crinkle and my eyes water a bit. Last thoughts: icky strong. I can't handle it, had to wash it off.

In the bottle: plum juice and leather, a handful of herbs. if the lilac is there, it's only just, and the floral is overwhelmed by the juiciness of the tart plums and the harshness of the leather. I adore the dark mysterious aspects of this, and it's certainly complex in ways that I didn't expect. not sweet, but rich like wine. On my skin: lilac and a bit of plum juice like wine. the herbs disappear a bit in light of the leather. it's rich, like a banquet table in an abandoned castle, and very complex. I like the plums, but it doesn't really stick around, and I wish the lilacs showed up more in this one. dries fully to a smoky-dark musk. Last thoughts: powdery the longer I wear it, which I hate about it. the lilacs and leather are a little kinky, definitely unconventional.

In the bottle: dried out old hothouse roses, with old dirt that hasn't seen the rain or the sun for a long time. it's not roses the way real roses smell, but artificial flat roses. there's no juiciness to it, which is what I love about roses so much in the first place. that rich garden scent is stolen completely by the dried cinnamon. On my skin: this is so dry on the skin as to be almost like a desert scented like rose. the cinnamon isn't a pleasurable spicy, but rather a dry one again. this seems like a scent that is utterly without passion. still artificial, maybe a little haughty. Last thoughts: I love cinnamon and I love roses, but not together and not this dry. I like juicy roses and a wet sort of cinnamon, like cinnamon coffee or apple cider. this is much drier, and maybe more grown-up. but it's definitely without passion.

Strong black tea and milk with white pepper, ginger, honey and vanilla, spilled over the crisp scent of clean linen. In the bottle: oversteeped black tea with a handful of white pepper and ginger. it's not sweet, though there's something slightly cloying and a bit artificial. it's very like a demented sort of tea party, with all the guests being of the uninvited sort. maybe the crisp linen is what's so artificial? I'm not sure. I like the spiciness though. On my skin: more strong black tea with only a teensy splash of milk. the white pepper refuses to be cut by the sweetness of the vanilla and honey. again there's something a little bit artificial that's plastic and unpleasant. it doesn't age well either - the ginger makes it sour. Last thoughts: I want to like it, I do. the spiciness mixes with the sweetness, without being overpowered by it. but whatever that artificiality is just turns me off. the spice mix reminds me of chai.

In the bottle: deep and spicy, a little like licorice jellybeans. definitely exotic and wild, but I'm not sure I like it. the spiciness is a little too artificial, almost sour. lilies and spice. On my skin: again with the licorice jellybeans! it's mysterious as all hell, and I can picture it in the back of a smoky bar. it's not exactly floral, it's too spicy to be particularly femme-y. Last thoughts: too strong for my taste, but I could imagine this being incredibly sexy on some women.

In the bottle: ick! a very artificial cherry, like a bloody cough syrup. the lily makes it into sugary nastiness. I really don't wanna... On my skin: oh god, gross! more cough syrup/cough drops, a nasty rotting cherry. cleaning products, a little rotting garbage. strong and artificial. there's nothing good about this, even with the lilies (which I usually love). Last thoughts: ick ick ick, no thank you. just can't stand it.

In the bottle: rich champagne, with lotus and grapefruit, some aquatic blooms. it's bright and sparkling, cheerful. the floral keeps it from being wholly citrus. it reminds me a bit of broken mirror shards, but not threatening or anything. On my skin: I hated this the first several times I put it on my skin. this time, it's a little better. it's champagne and grapefruit, no more florals. it's still bright, though slightly less cheerful. it's more grapefruit peel than juice, so it's a little bitter. it's get a little more like a powdery citrus as it wears on. stays mostly grapefruit and champagne. Last thoughts: smells AMAZING & versatile in the bottle, far less so on my skin. pity that, because I adore the combination of aquatic and citrus, with a bit of floral.

In the bottle: the white tea is slightly sour, but the carnations make it greener. it's not particularly like roses (at least not a traditional rose). it's a little girlish, almost innocent. On my skin: the white tea turns powdery and a little like candy. still greenish, like the stems of roses rather than the petals. it gets greener as it wears on, and turns slightly powdery. I adore the green, but it's only that dried phase that I love. the sweetness, I could do without. Last thoughts: I like the tea well enough, but I think the rose and carnations combine to make it too sweet. not a fan of the candy-like aspects of this scent.

In the bottle: exactly like gardenia, tea rose, jasmine, and vanilla. however, there's also a strange lemon element to it. jasmine is at the end, and the tea rose is mixed in, hiding behind the gardenia that's so flamboyant. On my skin: gardenia and lemonade, a bit like a garden party. the vanilla and jasmine too. I love that it's not powdery, and it's a richly floral scent. I wonder what makes it smell so much like lemons though...regardless, it's heady and seductive as all hell. Last thoughts: a sensual mix of strong flowers and womanly curves in a bottled scent.

In the bottle: overly buttery oversweetened blackcurrant tarts? check. roses? not a sign. there's almost something peppery about it, if you inhale deeply enough, but maybe that's just me. I'm beginning to think I'm cursed with food scents. On my skin: still nothing but the tarts, no roses whatsoever. nasty, syrupy sweet, maybe slightly rotted pie crust. again that something peppery (almost like they put nutmeg in the crust!) and blackcurrants, which I'm not a fan of already. still no roses, even on the dry-down. very strange. Last thoughts: one could go into a diabetic coma just smelling this.

The Rising Sun. She is Ostara, Easter, the Anglo-Saxon goddess of fertility and the dawn. She is a protector and friend to all children. Her scent is that of softly glowing skin, jasmine, buttercup and honeysuckle. In the bottle: oh, definitely jasmine! and I adore jasmine, especially when it's streaming in through my windows in the summer. much to my annoyance though, my skin usually turns it into baby powder. I suppose we'll see about this one. it's a pretty strong jasmine, with the honeysuckle hiding pleasantly in the background. definitely floral, definitely femme-y. On my skin: sure enough, more jasmine! and it's turning to powder. it's still pleasant though; I think the honeysuckle saves it from being overwhelmingly powdery. it strikes me as kind of a generic floral, pleasant though it may be. it's not too strong, and as it ages the honeysuckle and buttercup come out more. I imagine it'd be a lovely summer night scent. Last thoughts: reminds me of Nyx, with less rose. the honeysuckle and buttercup keep it from fully turning to awful powdered jasmine, but it's definitely still a bit powdery on me. too traditional for me to wear with regularity, but it is definitely pleasant.

In the bottle: sour woods & soap, something that's a bit like meat rotting. yech! there's strong florals too, like roses and lilacs, but with that spoiled smell layered over it. how I hate the vaguely described scents - I want to know what the notes are, so I can identify what engages my gag reflex. this one is definitely hitting it! On my skin: luckily that rotting element doesn't come through nearly as strongly on my skin. it's jasmine but sharper, roses but sweeter, and perhaps a hint of lilac or wisteria. once it dries, it calms down to a lovely if common floral blend. just feminine - nothing particularly surprising. but that dry-down phase... to the swap pile with you! Last thoughts: if by "foreboding" you mean "the promise of meat yet to spoil fully", then sure. swing and a miss!