frecklestars

In the bottle: I was recommended to this scent because I'm obsessed with aquatics and enjoy both Tempest & Lightning. this one is a summery sea, maybe with a bit of lime. it reminds me of some iced cocktail, light and green-blue and full of clarity. clearly, the description of notes in the catalog is so vague as to be useless, and I'm not good enough at picking out particular notes to tell you any. but I can at least give you some impressions, especially via comparison to other scents. On my skin: oh yes! lemon and a bit of lime and maybe some mint, plus crushed ice that is slowly melting in the sun. tropical ocean perhaps. it's got the refreshing notes from The Dormouse, and the ocean of Tempest but without all the violence. this mellows to something even better: gentle waves that occasionally crash over your head in refreshing lemon bursts. a warm respite from the sun. I could breathe this in all day. Last thoughts: a light blue-green summer sea, perhaps in the tropics, refreshing & warm & cheerfully juicy. it actually reminds me of a particularly juicy green tea perfume I had in high school, one that I've been searching to recreate. I think this is it!

In the bottle: holy heavens that's sweet citrus! it smells very pink, if that makes sense, but still not overly sugary the way Jailbait is (for me anyway). the grapefruit and nectarine are evident, which makes it smell kinda like a cheerful early summer fruit salad, but the sage and a hint of patchouli calm it down and keep it from being too exuberant. I admit that I'm excited about pretty much anything from the Mad Tea Party collection, so I'm biased, but this one has been on my want-to-try list _forever_! I think it smells like it has a good balance of cheerful bright citrus and woody slightly moody other things. On my skin: the patchouli pops right out on my skin, which is a bit unfortunate because I wanted it to stay that sweet citrus. the longer it stays, the more the sage and patchouli and musk come front and center. :cry2:I so desperately wanted this to stay sweet and delicious on me! wahhhh! why does my skin suck so much?! after a few minutes, any hint of early summer is entirely gone and it's just patchouli-sage with the slightest hint of sugar sprinkled on top. grapefruit and bergamot do come out more strongly as it wears (I would've thought it worked the opposite way), but getting through that drydown stage just isn't worth it for me. Last thoughts: patchouli-sage with a hint of sugar, this is _such_ a disappointment on me! I hope it works better for you, or that you like patchouli-sage with musk.

In the bottle: if those are carnations, they smell like baby powder. I suppose there's a little green in them, but it's mostly powdery and not at all like flowers (except fake plastic ones). yech! the plums do come through the more deeply you inhale, and this in combination with that powdery aspect remind me a bit of Bensiabel, only less spice. the deep inhale also helps the scent smell a bit wetter, but my first impression is still very powdery. this does not bode well...maybe the powder is also due to the musk? On my skin: at least on my skin it becomes a musky plum. whew! it's surprisingly subtle, especially given what it smells like in the bottle. I put a good bit of it on and I'm still having to inhale very deeply to catch it at all. the plums aren't juicy, but nearly dried (though not prunes, if that makes any sense). the musk is front and center in this one, but it's a surprisingly tolerable musk (given that musks and I usually do NOT get along). I appreciate the spicy smokiness of it while also staying subtle and surprisingly light. Last thoughts: probably another one of those scents that is good for dark corners in clubs, but not much else. as I'm in a summery mood at the moment, this definitely doesn't suit. but I can see how it would, with the smoky spice of a musk that's subtle enough for my tastes, combined with those strangely dry plums (think like a good, dry wine). I do grow to like it more as it ages and the carnation comes out more.

In the bottle: "oh wow!" was my first response. this is lavender, but not the disgusting chemical lavender that most things smell like. this is fresh lavender, very bright and not precisely floral but not precisely herbal either. it's so bright it's almost like lemons. the lotus adds a watery sweetness to the whole thing and while I don't smell the spice, that doesn't make it less gorgeous. this is a sophisticated scent and I think it smells spot-on for Paris. like walking past the Eiffel Tower in warm rain and feeling quite grown-up and well-dressed. couture. On my skin: a little sweeter on my skin than in the bottle, this is still utter elegance. Beth somehow made lavender juicy, which is rare - usually I find it very dry. the lavender and lotus really play off one another well. the spices are maybe lurking in the background, but this is primarily sweet rather than spicy. as it ages, it does become more spicy, but the lavender backed with lotus definitely remains center stage. Last thoughts: elegant lavender with watery-sweet lotus, this is perfect for femme-y girls who don't want to smell like just another floral. perfect balance of watery and brightness. sweet without clobbering you with sugar.

In the bottle: strong enough to make me cough upon opening. and uh oh, a dark oil - these never seem to turn out well on me. but ok, focus! this is slightly earthy, definitely dark and a bit smoky. if there are any herbs in it, it's the sort that grow in damp dark unfriendly places; no light green floral stuff here! it's spicy, but not in the cinnamon sort of way. it almost reminds me of paprika, but if paprika were blackened and scary. I don't catch ginger in it either. it makes me a teensy bit hungry when I sniff it, though I can't identify why. but it makes me want heavy bread and a thick soup. On my skin: the ginger comes through more on my skin than it did in the bottle, but it's still decidedly earthy in a way that I don't typically associate with ginger. the thickness of the incense is overwhelming. this is not a light perfume, period. the herbs still make it seem heavy and slightly damp. thick is a good word for this one. I wish I could better identify/describe it, but the resins don't seem to want to be described. they're just...thick. and earthy. and evil. maybe a little plasticky. like others have noted, it turns quite lemony later on, which adds a bit of brightness to it. Last thoughts: not for the faint of heart. this is thick and more than a little evil/unfriendly. it does mellow to a softer earthy incense as time goes on, but I don't think I could wear it. I'm a fan of lighter scents in general. this is thick earthy incense dotted with blackened ginger.

In the bottle: a freebie with my last order. it's very richly spiced - I love the ginger - and while there's a little bit of bitterness that comes presumably from the prunes, overall this smells really rich. not sweet per se, though there is some sweetness in it. it's really focused on the ginger and after that, the rum. I think it's almost like a scarier/gothier version of Bensiabel (minus the lilacs), if that makes any sense. On my skin: turns into straight rum and ginger on my skin that quickly becomes all about the cassis. I don't like cassis that much - I prefer cinnamon or clove or a blend thereof - so I admit this isn't my favorite. I appreciate the spiced rum quality of the whole concoction though. I can barely catch some shy hints of the quince, but it's not strong enough to make any lasting impression (i.e. I can only catch said hints if I'm huffing it). as it ages, it becomes sweeter, though no less spicy. Last thoughts: if you want to smell like tasty spiced rum, this one's for you! this is spiced rum with a candied ginger garnish that is defiantly spicy. definite bite to this one.

In the bottle: strongly tobacco! And myrrh, drowning in swampy moss. I was expecting some sweetness with the clove, but there's none that I can find. It's another one of those incredibly masculine scents that I think would smell great on somebody else, but not on me. It's a little like the ashes in Djinn, but not quite as smoking hot. On my skin: it turns into more myrrh once on, with tobacco in the background. Still no sweetness. The moss and seaweed come through later, as it's drying, though it doesn't exactly scream ocean. It isn't a Tempest smell-alike, since there's no wetness. Just smoky darkness here. Last thoughts: darkly smoky, with seaweed and brittle mosses. It's a little spicy with the pepper, but it's in the background.

In the bottle: musk musk musky MUSK! Dried-out hills, dead grass, and a heavy dose of dusty dirt. This is somehow a sad scent to me. The dirt is deep, but not a rich brown earth. There's no moisture to this scent. The dry grasses are nice and remind me of California, but I can't imagine that musk working on me. On my skin: sure enough, it's all musk. And it's a dark one. It smells slightly animalistic, dangerous. This is deeply masculine as well. And it stays dry, never moist, and scary-dark. It's bordering on bitter actually, which deepens as it dries. However, the dried grasses also come up stronger as it dries. Last thoughts: not into musks, but if you are this is one for you. Don't expect any hint of sweetness though; it's a dark one.

In the bottle: definitely sage and sweet pea, a combination I never would've thought of. They're so...opposite! I mean, sage is woodsy and a little masculine. Sweet pea is sweet and girlish and usually too sweet for me. The musk is just lurking underneath, giving a bit of an edge to the whole effect. On my skin: on me, this becomes primarily about the sage, but not so strong as to incapacitate my nostrils. It's lightened just a bit by the sweet pea, which is what keeps it from being bitter. The musk is there, but not overpowering. And usually I hate tonka, but it really works for me in this blend. It ages to mostly sweet pea. I wish the safe stuck around more. Last thoughts: it's unusual, and I appreciate the uniqueness of it. Sweet but not too sweet, a wonderful balance of sage and sweet pea, tempered by musk and a hint of tonka. This one isn't a traditional floral, but it's clearly in the floral category. It would be on my wishlist if it didn't fade only to sweet pea.

In the bottle: pears! Death by pears! And it's candied ones too, sweet and dripping with a very sticky juice. The vanilla is clay-like rather than a true vanilla, which makes me worry about how it turns out once on. There's a sparkling something that reminds me of champagne, with bubbles that tickle your nose, but it isn't that exactly. And the honey notes only make the pear that much stickier. It's thick and sweet. On my skin: thankfully the nearly gag-inducing sweetness that I smelled in the bottle turns to straight pears on my skin. As it dries, the honey and vanilla cream take center stage, with pears hovering in the background like the corps de ballet: all fluttery and delicate in romantic tutus. It's not at all sensual, but sweetly innocent. Just a girl, eating a pair while honey and juice dribble down her hand. The vanilla adds a teensy bit of spice that's almost like horchata, but still vanilla. It hints at something more, but doesn't actually go there. Last thoughts: very girly, very sweet, a little too much for me to wear regularly, but perfect in late spring for formal tea parties. Pink-loving femmes only methinks!

In the bottle: candied orange peels and a powdery sort of candy. There's also something that reminds me of almonds dipped in vanilla. Perhaps the powdery sweetness stems from the coconut combined with chrysanthemums. Regardless, this is so candy-like in the bottle I'm really afraid to put it on my skin. Things like this rarely end well for me! On my skin: at first, it's just that nightmarish powdery candied orange peel. After a second though, it starts to calm down. Bamboo and kumquat-lychee, so somehow it's both woody and very very citrus-fruity. The bamboo sticks around, and saves it from being too sweet and powdery because without it, that's definitely what would happen. The more it dries, the less citrus comes through for me, though it stays distinctly powdery and woodsy. That powdery something is what makes me unable to make me <3 it. Aquatic notes and peony do come through the longer you wear it, but the interim stage just doesn't do it for me. Last thoughts: this is an unusual one, no doubt about it. If you like woody-citrus, it's definitely for you, but given the name I was expecting far more aquatic notes. Never go by the name, only by the listed notes! heh Learned my lesson, thanks.

In the bottle: a rough ocean and waterlogged kelp on the boards of the salty deck. leather and musk. very masculine scent, because the musk combined with the aquatics and the leather. I adore the aquatics, but am less than crazy about the leathers and musk. there's also something in it that reminds me of tobacco. On my skin: turns even muskier and more leathery on me, to the point that the ocean spray is all but drowned out (pardon the pun). the leather thankfully is stronger than the musk, but only by a bit. I would've absolutely adored this if the ocean had stayed the main note, but it didn't. *le sigh* dries to lovely aquatics (like a calmer sea) with hints of leather, no musk to speak of. Last thoughts: manly musk and leather, with a rough and angry ocean spilling over the deck behind you. I like masculine scents, but not this one - just too much musk and leather and rough-and-tumble stiff upper lip for me. this is _very_ masculine IMO, and quite rough. think bar fights and too much rum. very Pirates of the Caribbean, if Jack Sparrow had been less comic relief and more over-masculinized jackass.

In the bottle: minty caramel, which is not a good combination despite those two things being perfectly lovely on their own. it reminds me of burnt sugar, with the black musk (which just smells like opium to me) giving it a head shop vibe. there's something smoky (nicotiana?) and dangerous, like a fire burning out of control. the undertones give it a haunted house feel, like late Halloween nights when you're enjoying being scared. On my skin: the caramel turns into more of a burnt sugar-musk on me, with the mint going away entirely. I like the caramel-ness of it, but there's just a bit too much charred scent to it for my taste. the musks keep it from being too sweet, which is nice considering what it smells like at first. definitely an unusual blend, and things that I wouldn't have thought to pair with one another. Last thoughts: sugar burning out of control with a deep scary black musk. almost masculine in the musk. and having read other people's reviews, I have to concur - CELERY! a bit of a haunted celery, but celery nonetheless.

In the bottle: artificial cherry, of the big wet lollipop variety, combined with the rich almost-minty star anise and some sort of heavy wood. that candy sweetness is overwhelming what would've been a lovely woody sort of anise. though the wood smells like maybe it has mildewed a bit - it's a wet wood, like the wood used for shipbuilding perhaps? On my skin: GAG CHERRY COUGH SYRUP NASTINESS! that horrid cherry drowns out everything else once it's on my skin, resulting in me smelling like a pharmacy exploded somewhere nearby. oh god, I just can't do it. *washes off* it's oversweet and powdery and sticky and icky and gooey candy that's combined with otherwise good-smelling things. Last thoughts: artificial cherry in sticky wet lollipops beating wet wood and anise into submission. ICK! stupid cherry notes...

In the bottle: I was recommended to this scent after searching for similar scents to Tempest (so sad it's discontinued!). then this was a sample Beth included in my last order - seems she knows about my undying love of marine notes! this is very ocean-like, although it reminds me more of tropical seas and the lightness of snorkeling. there's something very sweet (the ambergris? the bergamot? certainly not the eucalyptus), which is probably what makes me identify it as tropical. it's like coconut, but not as fruity, and almost sweeter. keeps it from being too heavily marine I expect. On my skin: deeper and more mysterious on my skin, though still quite sweet. the eucalyptus adds a minty-ness to the whole thing, balancing out the tropics. it almost reminds me of musk, if sea creatures had a musky scent to their skins. it's very rich and very deep, and the sweetness thankfully tones down over time. marine, but with a little something extra. Last thoughts: strange & unfamiliar sweetly tropical seas with a slightly chilly mint-eucalyptus undercurrent. I love the mystery and depth, and the shivers that accompany its' creepiness. the tendency to fade very quickly is the only thing that keeps me from giving it five stars. (and fade it does - probably within an hour!)

In the bottle: lavender and jasmine, intimately twined. this scent is actually a bit frostier than I expected, given the (supposed) honeysuckle, which usually makes everything brighter and more like summer honey. the lavender really tones the jasmine down from its' usual summery vibe as well, which is primarily what makes it so somber. On my skin: the lavender continues to dominate, though at least now I can catch whiffs of the honeysuckle. it gets sweeter as it wears on, moving more to focus on the jasmine-honeysuckle combo. there's something old fashioned about this (though lavender can make me think that about almost anything) and very very floral. turns more towards soapy as it wears on. Last thoughts: sweetly blue, summer twilight but without the mosquitos. lavender and jasmine twined together, with drops of honeysuckle here and there. sweet and pleasantly calming, almost victorian, but not unique enough for me to wear regularly.

In the bottle: light and a little candylike in the apricot vein of things. the plum and apricot make it heavily fruity, so much so that I can't catch any of the flowers except maybe honeysuckle. the term "luminescent" is very apt though. the more I huff it (oh yeah, I do that), the more I can pick out more individual notes and can finally pick up things like the peony in it. and it's lovely. I just hope the florals take over on my skin as opposed to that candyish fruit. On my skin: ohhhh, it more than lives up to its' promise of a mix of bouquets and fruits! peonies and anemones and honeysuckle, a bit of hydrangea, those mysterious but lovely "glowing lunar oils", plus a bit of plum and apricot. yum! it smells very spring-like, and puts me in mind of the Japanese cherry blossom festivals (possibly also inspired by the label). I really love this one (and I've had some bad luck with limited editions in the past, so this is a nice surprise!). Last thoughts: lightly femme-y, an equal balance of fruits and flowers, with peony and plum-apricot being the primary notes. honeysuckle sweetens without overwhelming.

In the bottle: aquatic hyacinths and something that's almost fruity (maybe it's the jasmine?), while the fir in the background adds a bit of depth and danger. I adore good aquatic blends (my obsessions with Lightning and Tempest as case in point), so I'd been dying to try this one! thus far, I'm impressed by how seamlessly the florals and aquatics blend together, neither overpowering the other, and all with that scent of fir too! On my skin: on me, it turns more salty, with the fir and jasmine becoming the primary notes. I don't mind though, b/c it's interestly a mix of feminine (florals) and masculine (fir). refreshing, and becomes more green as it wears on, the floral notes almost entirely succumbing to the strength of the fir and the ocean. really interesting blend. if it had a little more of a dangerous edge to it, I think it would be very similar to Lightning or Tempest. Last thoughts: if Lightning and Tempest had a baby and smothered her with jasmine. salty firs and jasmine, with a bit of dangerous ocean.

In the bottle: OH GOD ROTTING MILK THAT IS WEEKS OLD AND HAS BEEN LEFT IN 90 DEGREE HEAT!!! my gag reflex is to this in the bottle is just so strong I'm deathly afraid to put it on at all. but I will...tentatively. On my skin: lucky for me, the aquatic notes mostly take over when it's on my skin. unfortunately, the aquatics are too strong and so smell like so much cleaning fluid, mixed with that rotting oversweetened milk. Last thoughts: milky notes in scents are _definitely_ not for me! nothing can convey how disgusting this smells to me.

In the bottle: not sharp like sandalwood or screaming lemon, more sharp like immediate lilies in a graveyard garden. it's rather lovely, though still has an edge to it. the lily is definitely there, but there's also something green and slightly less than fresh (if that makes sense). also something a bit spicy, like cinnamon, that comes out later (and probably contributes to the dangerous image). On my skin: much spicier on my skin than in the bottle. the lily is still there, but much spicier as opposed to the citrus/orange vibe that took precedence when it was in the bottle. I like the spicy lily of it; reminds me of what I had hoped Voodoo Lily would be. turns musky the more it dries, finally settling to a spicy musk with only hints of the original lily (which are in turn slightly more powdery than they were at first application). Last thoughts: a biting lily that decorates herself with orange slices dipped in cinnamon in order to lure prey. beautiful but never forget what she is - deadly dangerous.

In the bottle: well, that's definitely white tea and ginger! it smells exactly like the Bath & Body Works white tea and ginger scents, although this is of course better (b/c it's not from some huge corporation - but I could go on......). it's not as sharp as I was dreading; the two balance each other very well. On my skin: turns a little more white tea and almost floral on my skin. the bite of the ginger lingers in the background, despite the first impression being very tea-like. it's not a complex one, but it's definitely pleasant. Last thoughts: it's femme but with an edge, and isn't your traditional femme-y floral, so maybe it'll make a nice alternative for people who want femme but not floral. nice blend, to be sure, but not what I'd wear on a regular basis. just a bit too predictable (although props to BPAL for _making_ it exactly what I imagined it'd smell like, based on the description!).

In the bottle: oh goodness, I adore the mints and anise! those are the first identifiable notes that jump out at me from the bottle. it smells so cool and light. the more I sniff, the more I notice the lemon, which adds to the summery feel. there's a bit of bitterness in the background, which keeps it from being too icy cool, and I assume that's the wormwood. On my skin: oh phooey! it turns into a nasty lemon cleaning fluid on me. the anise is an afterthought, and I still adore that cool lightness, but lemon is definitely overwhelming everything else. and in a decidedly sour-lemon way (instead of a sugary lemonade). perhaps that's the combination of the wormwood and the lemon. why why WHY couldn't it stay anise-and-mint?! it does change more into the anise-and-mint variety as it dries, but for me that bit before the drydown just isn't worth it. Last thoughts: little lemon in the bottle, lotta lemon on the skin (or at least on _my_ skin). unbearably reminiscent of sour cleaning fluid.

A woody, musky-weird base glooping over with blackberry preserves, a twist of mandarin, strawberry juice, pulverized watermelon, and a handful of smushed gardenia petals. In the bottle: thick blackberry jam and strawberries with a twist of mandarin (as promised). even some watermelon coming in later, but almost an artificial watermelon (not that I mind). it's gooey and sweet, but not overpoweringly sweet nor girly; that "woody musky-weird base" keeps it from being so. I actually don't find it particularly musky - it's more woodsy IMO, but not deep woods. more like a handful of trees on a sunny gentle hill. think picnics! On my skin: on me, it's almost all strawberries and watermelon, though mandarin comes in more the longer I wear it. the gardenia petals are hiding, but it's still not "death by fruit!". it does also turn more woodsy on me, which is nice b/c it deepens the scent a great deal. it's playful but with an edge to it. still has that picnic vibe, maybe in late sticky summer. it reminds me of popsicles and running through the sprinklers. Last thoughts: deeply fruity, a bit of artificial sweetness. late summer picnics in sticky heat. charmingly unique and juicy.

In the bottle: a strong mint-patchouli blend. it's very smoky and slightly musty/musky. vanilla-lime comes through at the very end; that plus the whiff of pine makes it a bit sweeter than patchouli is normally. but it's still _very_ patchouli. I'm digging the strange combination of pine, vanilla, and lime, but I fear the more dominant notes will overwhelm. On my skin: definitely turns to patchouli-myrrh on me, but retains a bit of minty freshness (perhaps this mint some of us are catching is from the pine notes in it?). as it starts to dry, it shifts to more of the vanilla-lime-clove on me. maybe a bit of almond, but it's not bitter like some of the other oils with almond notes I've tried. the patchouli and myrrh keep me from liking it entirely/enough to wear often, but I do enjoy the strange combination of other notes on me. Last thoughts: it's an unusual combination, to be sure, but it grows on you. and I am NOT a patchouli person (ever). quite mysterious and a little dangerous, like cavorting naked in the deep woods dangerous. but fun nonetheless.

In the bottle: the alcohol scents from the Atomic Luau Lounge and I have not been friends...hoping this one's different! and it is - kind of. it's definitely pomegranate, but a powdered candy-like one. there's also something that reminds me of cigarette smoke, which only adds to the lounge vibe. this is not fresh split-open pomegranates that stain your lips, but artificial cold ones that are plainly tart. On my skin: it stays firmly in sweet-tart territory, even when it's on my skin, which is disappointing. I <3 pomegranates, but fresh ones not the artificial kind. that said, the tartness and sweetness of this are pretty well balanced. it smells almost minty as it wears on, which is probably the alcohol, and continues to grow more tart. almost like cranberries by the end. Last thoughts: artificial pomegranates and a splash of alcohol. sharpness in it is reminiscent of the dry burnt grass and alcohol with cigarettes found in Roadhouse, though this is less sweet than that blend by far.