porcelain_doll

I thought I had reviewed this one once before, but I guess not. Hmmmmm. . . So here goes: The first time I had this, I got it as a swap, I think maybe from gothiccastle? But I reordered the imp (loves me some sweet impage) because I was curious about something. . . This is definitely, for me, a cool-weather scent. Every time I wear it, I think of Type O Negative's "Haunted", which I'm totally down with! Amber, amber, and more amber. Slightly musky as well. This isn't a bad scent, but it is one that takes wearing a time or two or--well, another imp's worth. I think this one also does well in wet weather. This would have been perfect for last year at Halloween--cold, rainy, all the leaves down, with a slight sense of forboding and chaos about to break bad on the neighborhood kinda vibe. Yeah. I likes me some o' that! I'm curious as to how this one ages. . . I read somewhere on here that the longer you keep it around, the better it gets. So we'll try that. For now, though, I'll try and try and try again. Hmmmmm. . . Curiouser and curiouser, but I guess I'd need Alice for that, ha-ha. I may have to edit this one later. Long story short--this one's a bit of a puzzler, but in a nice way. Reminds me of Halloweens from my childhood, and dredges up strange memories, but more with elderly neighbors with cookies and popcorn balls and my grandmother's house than anything traumatic. If you like mysteries and like stuff that changes as it ages (much like people) give Haunted a whirl!

In the Vial: Mostly apple On application: 1st hour--Straight-up apple, all soft and juicy and luscious! I'm all about apples! Donna Karan, eat your heart out! 2 hours--something soft and powdery and slightly smoky. I think this must be the oleander, as it's similar to my other all-time fave, Hell's Belle. Finally: Soft and powdery, with the apple bobbing up every now and again to mingle with the smoky softness. I like this one. My husband likes this one, too. May need to wear it some more to make sure it isn't a fluke. Bet this is killer in cooler weather! Quite nice!

MMMMMmmmmmm! Apples! Apples and nothin's but apples! I've been looking for a good fall scent, something that smells the way the season makes me feel. Punkie Night is the ultimate autumnal comfort scent. Because I can't get my pathetic self together for the Lunacy stuff, the only comparison I can make to this one is Harvest Moon 2004. I got that one as a gift from Annie in Scotland. This one smells a lot like that, only sweeter, juicier. It's basically fall in a bottle. I may have to order a couple more bottles. Beth, please make this another annual fall formula, like Samhain and All Saints et. al.

This one is really, really wonderful! If this is what most aquatics smell like, then I'm definitely a fan! I wore this one on St. Pat's this year and got a TON of compliments. Someone on the board in an earlier review said it reminded her of emeralds, and I simply must agree. Green glass--clear, green glass, like they used to use for soda and beer bottles--Rolling Rock Green, perhaps? But I don't mean to cheapen it by comparing it to a beer bottle--it's more about color. A scent that's all about God's light and love. This is truly glorious! Beth, again, you've outdone yourself! Adding this one to the Want Big Bottle SOON pile! MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM. . .

I'm rather fond of Berenice--she's a mighty nice gal! In the bottle, it's shockingly clean--not at all what I expected. Upon initial app, it's very much indeed a "white" scent--and then the musk and aloe come out and play, all up and down and all around, chasing and laughing and giggling, and then they get their friend linen to come out, too! This is quite a nice scent. Got compliments galore at work, and am now eagerly awaiting next pay day so that I may order my bad self a couple more bottles! Just an aside--Beth, this un h'yar's a keeper. Please-please-please make it "permanent"! I probably could live without it--I just don't WANT TO! Oh, sweet addicition! Thy name is Berenice!

I was so hoping this one would work out! It started out all perfect and violet and sweetly ambered and wooded, but then the vetiver came sneaking it's bullish way into things, and that was the only bit that stuck around. I bet this one would smell quite lovely on a man, though, and usually I'm all about smelling rather guy-like, as some florals make me want to beat up a cheerleader somewhere, but alas, Fallen was simply not to be. So sad.

I can only review for the '05 version, as I ordered too late in '04 to get the previous version, but I'll tell ya--if the '05 version is any indication of previous versions, this one could become a Hoarder. The bottle art is simply amazing! I absolutely love it! Now--on to the scent itself! Autumn in a bottle--yup-yup! In the bottle itself, I mostly got clove and patchouli. On, however, I got apples--lots and lots of apples! Right now, it has settled into a spicy, nutmeg-y, mulled-up mixture, still with the apples underneath. I hope we have a nice, cool fall next year. It would have been too warm to wear it this year, anyway, and now I know--when this one comes up again next year (hint-hint) I'll know to get TWO bottles, and I'll know to get them the moment they go live! Hoard, hoard, hoard! Mine, mine, mine! Love it, love it, love it!

Y'know, I didn't think I'd be fond of this one. Turns out, I was wrong! Got this as an impy freebie from the lab with my last order. Hamlet is not my favorite of Mr. Shakespeare's works, as I really do prefer MacBeth, and may be adding Lady MacBeth to my next order. But here's what I think of Ophelia, girliest of girls: In Imp: Roses, roses, and more roses. On wrist: Roses and lilies. Not a bad smell a'tall. Reminds me of roses in sunlight. The water lilies with the stargazer lily is a nice touch. Overall impression: This would be perfect for so many occasions--a first date with a man who you know likes feminie scents, a meeting in which you may be the lone female, tea, lunch with the girls, meeting your SO's parents, graduation, first day of school. . . so many options! More of a spring/summer than a winter scent, though, although today it's been quite lovely on me. Mayhaps a 5ml is in my future? Bravo, Beth!

Quite lovely! Very juicy, with the aquatics and peach and pomegranite notes standing out most when first applied. On the dry-down, though, it's a very "perfume-y" perfume. Might be nice for spring, though, and it's a lovely poem!

I had to re-read the notes on this one, just to make sure I hadn't goofed. And for once, I think my nose finally "got" what all was supposed to be in it. A big THANKYATHANKYATHANKYA to Sarah J., my Switch-Witch, who sent me this one. Wet/in Imp: Heavy on the sandalwood and patchouli, which isn't a bad thing a'tall. quick swipe-across wrists/collarbone: Still heavy on the sandalwood and patchouli, but the amber sneaks in and out. I'm wondering if this is an older form of amber, if there is such a thing as maybe black or red amber, because anything with golden amber in it smells like oranges on me. This doesn't smell like oranges, or the least bit fruity. All-day sucker: Love it, love it, love it! The sandalwood and patchouli seem to buoy up the amber, so to speak, drying down into a soft, powdery, almost musky dry-down that lasts well into the wee morning light. More earthy than smoky, and more temptress/seductress than outright siren or slut. Quite nice, actually, and it may be time for yet another order, preferrably for a rather large bottle of Sin.

Got this one in a swap from the lovely Becky. And boy howdy, am I ever thankful! In the imp, it was green and flowery, but not in a girly-girl kind of way. Once on, it stayed softly floral, mostly gardenia with tinges of lilac. But then the iris and sandalwood started to come through, and something akin to violets on an unusually warm spring afternoon. If medium shades of purple had a scent, this would be it. It's very soft and feminine, and my husband likes it. His reaction? "Oo! OOOOO! Oh, that's really pretty!" Might get extra 5mls of this to give as gifts to Mom and Sister-in-law. They like soft florals, and I must say, Elizabeth has made one of the best ones going! Bravo, Beth!

As an American of Hungarian and Polish/general Slavic descent, I'm hard-core all over anything dealing with what my grandparents and dad refer to as "The Motherland". Szepasszony is a taboo word in Hungarian, and it is rumored that if you say it, it's like calling to her. Y'all, I am so loving this, and usually, I'm not into aquatic florals. But it's like VelvetSky/et.al have stated previously--this one's "cold". In fact, it's downright chilly. It's sporty and clean, but not at all what I'd call masculine. I've smelled something similar to this before, last year, when I placed an order through reflect.com (which, by the way, they got ALL WRONG). This is strangely modern, almost what I'd call urban. It makes me want to don a sharp suit and spiky stiletto heels and go busting in on a business meeting. Good for sweltering summer heat. Clean and unobtrusive, but not without a hint of sexiness. I don't think musk is listed in the ingerdients, but on me, it's there. It doesn't turn up until the very end, but it's there. Need to keep reapplying this one, though. Don't know about a big bottle, but I'll definitely use the imp! Thanks, Lab!

Jack. Ah, Jack! Quite possibly one of the most beautiful, warm autumnal scents I've ever smelled, ever. I got this as a decant from the fabulously fun gothiccastle, and was completely blown away! In the imp, it's spicy, warm, and very pumpkin-y. On my skin, it smells like warmed nutmeg, pumpkin, and--one of those wee, scentless votive candles you stick down in your jack-o-lantern for Halloween. There's something musky down in there, too, in the dry-down. I'm gonna wear this one from September through to Thanksgiving, because it smells just plain dee-lish! Welcome, Fall, leaves and all! SQUEEEEE!

This one smelled dee-lish in the imp, all warm cherries and buttercream, but on me, it just plain did not go. There was something rather--musty--in the dry-down. Really icky on my chemistry. My high hopes were dashed, utterly dashed! So sad. Love the name, though!

Possession stats: Freebie Imp from the Lab. In the Imp: Dark, murky, full of myrrh and something slightly smoky. On the skin: Wet, we liked okay. Dry-down--a dark, MASCULINE floral? Can this be? Final impressions: Again, I may have to give it another go-round in the fall, but I think this would smell divine on the right male. Masculine floral. . . hmmmmm. . .

Received: As an imp in first official shipment, for which am most thankful (bows graciously toward Lady Elizabeth) In Imp: At first, got nothing but floral and fruit. Initial thoughts? Uh-oh. . . Initial impression on skin: Slightly sweet and spicy, not necessarily as floral, just a touch of--cherry blossom? Orange blossom? With slightly peachy dry-down in there, somewhere. After about an hour: Now am getting cinnamon/ginger, possibly some white musk or white sandalwood, but there's definitely something white down there. Saffron, but only fleeting. Something powdery, too, like a soft carnation or well-aged amber or ambergris. Final thoughts: I think this one's going to be like Snake Oil--gets better with time. I rather like this, and this one will be another Big Bottle order-er. If I could dare to compare it to something commercial--and I will--I'd say it's similar to Guerlain's Mitsouko, except it actually WORKS. I could never wear that one, but have often been fascinated by it, as it's what I call a Bombshell original (Jean Harlowe wore it, it's rumored her husband doused himself in it just before he committed suicide). I am so digging on this one! Yup-yup, big bottle time! So feminine, slightly dainty, but ALL WOMAN! Oh, Beth, darling, THANK YOU!

Hmmmmm--Snake Oil-- This one came as an Imp with my first order, and in the imp, I was a wee bit worried. Smelled spicy but just. . . too. . . SWEET. . . but then I calmed down, and wrote a friend, and decided to mellow it out until after my anniversary, when ONLY Hell's Belle would do--this is my second day wearing it. Something's powdery, spicy, and sweet in there, and as it warms on my skin, the vanilla comes through. Then the spice comes through, and I'm wondering if there's some carnation in here, somewhere? It's also my understanding that as this one ages, it turns itself into a kind of fine wine--better with age, better with time, better with patience. Going to try this one in the fall, too, as well as winter, to see what it turns into. On me, it keeps turning and turning and turning. But this isn't a bad thing. In fact, it's quite mysterious and intriguing, and rather sexy, I think. But yeah--try before ya buy. . .

Mmmmmmm. . . Blood Kiss. . . if a scent could become a creature, this one would definitely be my late-night vampire lover! It's like being enveloped from behind in strong arms, having someone deeply inhale the scent of your hair, gingerly lick your earlobes, and then not-so-gently graze your cartoid and jugular with the tips of their teeth. At first sniff in the imp, all I got was cherry, cherry, and more cherry. On me--warms up to a clove-y, boozy, vanilla swirl of a scent that makes me long for someone I don't even know, but am probably dying to meet. BIG ol' bottle of Blood Kiss! Eagerly awaiting autumn and a major cool-down, because if it smells this good in mid-July heat (90+ degrees) then I can only imagine what it will be like once the weather becomes normal again! Bravo, Elizabeth, bravo!

Hell's Belle. . . what can I say that ain't already been said? Hmmmm. . . how 'bout that I liked it so much out of my collective imps (kudos to Galen and a friend from a completely different board) that I'm ordering myself a big ol' bottle. Sweet, smoky, creamy, floral. It starts with a heavy magnolia and musky underlay, then the mandarin comes in, then all the notes come out to play/wreak havoc on any man present. Wonderful, sexy, and DEFINITELY worth it!

Mmmmmmmm--nothing new to tell that hasn't already been said, but I'm putting my two cents in anyway! Initial sniff--roses, roses, roses. And dirt. Freshly dug dirt. I remember, when I was just getting ready to turn 13, I took some small, pink tea roses from the bush in our front yard and took the petals and placed them in a small dish. A sudden summer storm kicked up, and I went back inside. Forgot about the roses for the rest of the day, and when I went back out to "see" how they were, some of them had disintigrated. That's what Zombi smells like. If you sniff really hard, beneath it all, there's the slightest, just slightest hint of what could be ozone. I know it's not in the notes, but that's what I'm getting. Call me crazy--not like it hasn't been done before. porcelain_doll

Hmmmmm. . . tried this one once. It was sent to me by someone on another perfume board, and the first thing I smelled was bananas. Bananas, mangos, and something overly sweet. I smelled like overripe fruit once I applied it. Didn't much care for this one, but that's just me. . . porcelain_doll