puck_nc

Origin: decant from a circle by eviltemptressdq Initial Thoughts: Hyacinth! Honeysuckle! Carnation! Three of my favorite flowers in one perfume! This was the no-brainer scent of my Lupercalia order, in spite of the presence of amber, which can be an amper on me. In the Bottle: Mostly beeswax and amber, with some floral back notes. Uh oh... Wet: Damn. Almost pure amber and beeswax. The florals are reduced to hovering around the edges, tormenting me... Drydown: Thankfully, the amber sweetens up and calms down, letting the florals come out to play a bit. But there remains a strong undertone of the green-stem stank among the florals...I think the rose is being mean to my skin. Verdict: Definitely maybe. I need to contrast it with some of the other florals I already have.

Origin: decant from the circle by eviltemptressdq Initial Thoughts: Rose can be wayward on me, but I love carnation. However, what made me want to try this was the combination of heather and clover, like an olfactory tour of the British Isles. In the Bottle: Bright grassy green with just a hint of the florals in the background. Very clean, very much a scent of the outdoors on a cool dewy morning. Wet: Lots of the clover, some of the heather, and quite a bit of the carnation. I can smell the rose lurking in the background, trying to go green-stem skank on me, but so far the other notes hold it in check nicely. Drydown: Ha! The rose goes down. The grassy greens hold out, with the spice of the carnation giving it a lovely spring-like dimension. Verdict: I think it's very nice. I just have to see how often I reach for in in the next couple of weeks to decide whether I should get a bottle.

Origin: decant from a decant circle by eviltemptressdq Initial Thoughts: Several of the notes hearken back to my cherished Bearded Lady (lily, jasmine, vanilla, rose...), so I wanted to give this a try. In the Bottle: Heady florals shot through with the pine. A very spring scent, beautiful. Wet: I'm getting a crush of the florals; the pine has receded quite a bit. I think I'm getting lots of juniper among the florals now. Drydown: No one note seems to dominate, it's a lovely swirl of floral, cooled and tempered by the pine and juniper with just a few touches of the bergamot and kept sweet with a hint of the vanilla. It's a very outdoorsy scent, very refreshing. Verdict: I may be getting a bottle of this one. I need to do a few side-by-side comparisons with my other floral blends to make sure I need it.

Origin: decant from a circle by eviltemptressdq Initial Thoughts: Since the one thing that kept me from wearing MB: Underpants unlayered was the boozy rum note, I was definitely eager to try this. In the Bottle: Very vanilla-sweet. It's almost buttercream-frosting level, except for something spicy-herby that I think is the saffron. Wet: The saffron comes out strong on me, beating the vanilla into a quivering lump of submission. It's still a sweet scent, but now it's a sweet herby scent instead of strongly vanilla. Drydown: The saffron/spice element heats up a bit and I finally get a hint of the cream. It reminds me strongly of something, I want to say something medicinal, but I just can't pin it down. Verdict: I could see myself using up the decant in a scent locket, but I'm not sure it's something I'll wear.

Origin: sniffie as part of a decant circle Initial Thoughts: I never expected to enjoy "snow" scents, but since I do, I like to try as many of them that I can. I was really curious about the eucalyptus in this one. In the Bottle: Lovely. I can tell there's pine/evergreen in there. I can tell there's eucalyptus. I can tell there's floral. But they all blend together so well that nothing stands out. Wet: It is everything it was in the bottle, but is also somehow colder to my nose. Drydown: After a while, I also get the unpleasant note. It's not quite bathroom-cleaner pine, but it's knocking on the door. Verdict: Alas, this one is not for me.

I will chime in for Bathsheba. I avoided it because the note list includes Arabian musk, and normally musk and I don't get along. But a friend frimped me, and it is a beautiful scent...very strongly carnation with a bit of plum and a background of spices. I'll definitely be getting more of this.

Origin: sweet and generous gift of an imp from an LJ friend Initial Thoughts: I love carnation. I have learned to love plum. But my lessons in the unsuitability of musk on me stayed my hand. But my friend pointed out that she smelled almost no musk in the mix. So, we shall see. In the Bottle: Lotsa plum, some carnation, a backdrop of spicy musk. Perhaps this will work... Wet: I get a blast of plum, then for a second something really musty and sour shows up. Luckily it fades almost immediately as the carnation asserts itself. But alas, no sooner that I really start to enjoy huffing on my wrist, the musk charges in. Drydown: Well, there's plenty of musk, but there's also plenty of carnation with the plum as a pleasant zing in the background. It's not MUSK! killing the other notes the way so many blends with musk behave on me. Verdict: I think I like it!

Origin: Straight from the Lab Initial Thoughts: I cling to my partial imp of Skadi and am always ready to try another snowy evergreen scent in hopes of finding one that is comparable. In the Bottle: Very cold and green and fresh. I'm getting mostly the snow scent and the evergreens with maybe just a tinge of the berries. Wet: A strong blast of cedar and chill, along with the juniper and some of the berries. Just like being in a winter forest on the coldest night of the year. Drydown: The sharpness in the scent mellows down very nicely, leaving a soft evergreen in its wake, sweetened slightly by the berries. Verdict: I like this very much, although I'll probably do a side-by-side comparison with Skadi, Mistletoe, and The Snow Storm in case I don't need them all.

Origin: decant from eviltemptressdq's circle Initial Thoughts: I love honeysuckle with a passion. I like how stargazer lily often plays on my skin. I love vanilla musk. Had to try this. Caveat: I'm doing this with a decant that had a frimp of Bastet leak a bit on it and with a badly stuffed nose. Because I just can't wait. In the Bottle: I'm getting clobbered with the vanilla musk at first, then I can pick out others. I can definitely notice the rice flower. Wet: I'm getting heavy carnation and something that I think is the rice flower...I hope it's not the stargazer lily doing that strange airy almost ozone-y thing. Drydown: I get a bit more of the honeysuckle now, but there's still that persistent waft of ozone every once in a while. Verdict: Again, I need to try this again when I'm not dealing with a handicapped nose.

Origin: decant from eviltemptressdq's circle Initial Thoughts: This was the only one of the 2007 Phoenixes that grabbed me. A perfume that lists magnolia will always get my attention. I'm hoping for a wonderful floral with tinges of the musk and sandalwood. This may be tricky, as something--possibly the frimp of Bastet-- leaked a little in the baggie. AND I've been dealing with a stuffed-up nose all day. But forward into the breach... In the Bottle: Definitively floral. Light and sweet and heady, like when spring starts heating up a little and promising summer in humid whispers. Wet: Wow, the sweet is coming off my skin in waves! I'm getting mental flashes of a fresh magnolia blossom and other flowers floating in a bowl of sugar syrup. Drydown: Eventually the floral fades somewhat and the musk and sandalwood come into play. It also takes a turn into herbs, with the lavender peeking out. Verdict: I'll try this once more when my nose is not AWOL to be sure, but I think I love the bottle and wet stages but not the dry. I might use up the decant in a scent locket, but I don't think I need a bottle.

Origin: Frimp of the Lab Initial Thoughts: Well, I adore stargazer lily, moonflower is iffy on me, and the bone dust would have kept me from ordering it. In the Bottle: Herbal and dusty. Wet: Whoever mentioned purple and pale green was right. This is high, sharp, thin floral with a strong earthy component. Drydown: Something starts turning sour on me. I think it's the moonflower. Verdict: Not for me.

Origin: Frimp from the Lab Initial Thoughts: This was one of the new GC scents that I was curious about, but hadn't gotten around to ordering a new imp pack yet. In the Bottle: Honey and molasses, smacking me in the nose. Wet: The honey and molasses are in a cage match for dominance, then a sweet, almost floral note rises. Drydown: Yeah, there's definitely an odd note that is at times floral and at times citrusy-lime, all very sweet and sun-warmed. I can't get any woodsy element at all. And my husband is complaining from across the room that it's too strong. Verdict: Guess not.

Origin: Frimp from the Lab Initial Thoughts: I've never encountered this one before. The fierce red which might be dragon's blood has me leery. On the other hand, this might be a helpful blend right now. In the Bottle: Floral with spicy undertones. Wet: Rather sharp herby florals. I think I can smell jasmine in there. Drydown: This stays very close to the skin on me, a quiet floral with just a touch of heat in it from spices. Verdict: It's something I can wear, so I may try and use it for its intended purposes.

Origin: Frimp in my latest Lab order Initial Thoughts: I've never been much into aquatics or booze scents, but I'm wondering if this one would be good on my husband. In the Bottle: Old Spice! Heh, just kidding I get the rum and a lot of wood and a hint of ocean spray, just like the description says. But it definitely makes me think "manly". Wet: A blast of spice that reinforces the "manly cologne" impression. I don't think I'm getting much rum...just the spice and woods and the tinge of salty sea. Drydown: Something that I think is the rum is coming out, sweetening up the scent. It's more like a BPAL blend now rather than a cologne scent. Verdict: I will try this on hubby's skin and see what he thinks.

Origin: decant from eviltemptressdq's circle Initial Thoughts: I so wanted to try one of the Hispanic-themed Yules and this looked like the best of them. But I'm wary of the incense, which can chew up the other notes and leave devastation behind. In the Bottle: Quite fruity--dark, rich red fruits--and somewhat floral, with the incense in the background. Wet: I'm getting several of the florals at first...the chrysanthemum and plumeria, I think. Drydown: Oh, damn. The incense is starting in. I can almost smell as the florals disappear one by one into the creeping mass of the incense. There's only the barest hint of the floral after a while. Verdict: *pouts* It started out so beautifully, too. *adds to the sale/swap pile*

Origin: decant from eviltemptressdq's circle Initial Thoughts: Like most others, I have had little to no experience with hellebore. But I enjoy many florals. In the Bottle: A light zingy floral, cool and almost citrus-y. Wet: A creamy floral with a strong hint of orange to it. Drydown: The citrus-orange backs down, leaving the floral to bloom. There's the slightest tinge of snow-scent and evergreen in the background. The floral isn't something I can put my finger on; it's got that creamy quality and the impression is of a sweetish white flower. Verdict: This one has possibilities; I'll see how much I reach for the decant before the Yules come down.

Origin: decant from eviltemptressdq's circle Initial Thoughts: Honey is usually not a good note on me. But vanilla is. I decided to take the plunge and see. In the Bottle: Sweet, honeyed, spicy and herby. The honey is the strongest note to my nose. Wet: I'm getting pretty much solid honey right now. Drydown: Something green develops underneath; perhaps it's the blackberry leaf, since I don't recognize it for tea. And then I get a sense of pizza-spice, which usually means that there's sage or a similar spice behaving badly with my chemistry. Verdict: Not for me, apparently, which is too bad since it's so promising in the bottle. But for those who love honey or have it work well on their skin, it's something to try.

Origin: sniffie in leftover bottle from eviltemptressdq's circle Initial Thoughts: This was one of the scents I was eager to try, but thanks to poor paycheck timing, I couldn't get a full decant before ETDQ's circle filled. I love evergreen scents and thought mint would be a terrific addition. In the Bottle: Very strongly evergreen, with just a touch of something citrusy in the background that makes it almost but not quite Pine-Sol. Smelled side-by-side with my precious partial decant of Skadi, The Snow Storm is definitely much chillier, snow-covered forest to Skadi's light sheen of frost. Wet: I can't get a lot on my skin, so there's very little throw. But what I can detect is the strong fir-woodsy green element, with the rather sweet mint undertone enhancing the idea of snow. Drydown: I don't think there's much morph to this one one me. Verdict: I think I'm going to have to buy my own full bottle or track down some decants to fill this one. Since it doesn't look like Skadi will return for a long time, if ever, this is a rather good substitution.

Origin: sniffie from eviltemptressdq's circle Initial thoughts: This was a freebie bonus, I guess. It didn't occur to me to try it since sage and I don't get along very well and I haven't been ordering the astrologicals in general. In the Bottle: Very grassy-herby, with the fig in the background. Wet: Well hi there, dandelion! I'm not sure we've met before. Light grassy floral. Drydown: Well, wonder of wonders, the sage is behaving itself. The fig has come up sort of under the other notes, adding a fruity dimension to the grass and herbs. Verdict: Hm. I might have to track down a decant or two of this.

Origin: leftover sniffie from eviltemptressdq's circle Initial Thoughts: I wasn't sure about this one. I've developed a fondness for Indian cuisine, so the raisin and coconut and almond intrigued me. But red sandalwood hasn't worked on me in the past. In the Bottle: Rich and creamy food elements, sandalwood, a hint of incense. Even though the notes aren't familiar as Christmas ones, I get a holiday sensation from it. Wet: For a second I get an intense blend of sandalwood and coconut, then the other notes start to play. It's a virtual swirl of notes, so blended that I can only catch a whiff of the incense, a dash of clove, a brush of cedar. The foody notes aren't showing up much. Drydown: Eventually the almond milk and coconut get stronger, and I think the lotus as well. The one factor that remains hidden on me is the fruit - I can't catch even a hint of raisin or mango. Verdict: An interesting blend and I think a rather pretty one, but I'm not in love with it.

Origin: decant from eviltemptressdq's circle Initial Thoughts: The original Lick It is one of my all-time BPAL favorites, one that I have a stash of. I was disappointed that Beth reworked it for 2006 and that version went plasticky on me. I just had to try this one and see which way it goes. In the Bottle: The mint is strong in this one. Stronger, I think, than the original when I try smelling one after the other. I can pick out the sweet more easily in this one as well. Wet: Whoo! Sinus-clearing MINT! I accidentally got my lips too close to my skin taking a whiff and it's stinging as if I'd put mint-flavored Blistex on it. Drydown: The sugar and vanilla eventually creep out and make it more of a candy-cane scent, but this one is still nostril-blasting mint compared to the 2005 edition, which is softer and sweeter to my nose. Verdict: Nope. I will continue to cling to my tiny stash of the original.

Origin: Bottle bought on the forums Initial Thoughts: Blue musk proved to be a winner on me in some blends, and there's honeysuckle, one of my favorite notes. Had to try it as soon as I could afford it. In the Bottle: The mint is strong, and something floral that might be the moonflower or phlox. Definitely a chilly floral. Wet: Um...ew. Something is totally not agreeing with my skin. It's almost litterbox-bad, very sour and hinting of ammonia. Drydown: The sharp tang fades somewhat, but those unpleasant notes are still there. I get more honeysuckle and the musk, but they can't overcome whatever it is that's clashing with my skin chemistry. Verdict: Off to the sale pile for someone else to love.

Origin: Straight from the Lab[/b] Initial Thoughts: I'm a floral fan. Magnolia is a favorite, as is jonquil. It must be tried. In the Bottle: Chilly, ethereal florals. Very gentle. Wet: Oh, this is beautiful! Cool, haunting florals that blend beautifully. I can pick out some gardenia, lily and orchid as well as my favorite magnolia. Drydown: This fades into a very soft light floral, full of the chill of the end of winter and growing warmth of early spring. It's definitely a perfume one wears for oneself, rather than to be noticed. Verdict: I can wear and love this. The question is whether I will reach for it often given my box full of floral blends. I must wait and see.

Origin: Straight from the Lab Initial Thoughts: Honeysuckle and wisteria are two of my all-time favorite floral notes, and to have both in one blend meant I had to try it. But then I read some will-call reviews and it sounded like grapefruit is the star here. I don't care for grapefruit. So, forward with trepidation... In the Bottle: Nose-stinging citrus and ginger. Very bright and crystalline. Wet: A very intense floral blast. The grapefruit isn't front and center yet, but seems to be making the florals much stronger, much whiter. I feel like I'm smelling a cold, liquid light. Drydown: The ginger and tea come out to play. The grapefruit is a bit more clearly grapefruit, but it's still very nicely blended with the florals and other notes. But the fact remains that on me this is not a soft and sweetly feminine floral. This is a floral that demands to be noticed. Verdict: I think I need to hang onto this for a while and see if I use it. I don't see myself wearing it to teach, but perhaps there will be other opportunities.

Origin: Totally unexpected frimp from the Lab Initial Thoughts: I chose Vampire Tears over this one because of all the red-flag notes in Midnight Kiss that usually don't work well on me: red musk, aged patchouli, amber. But since the Lab saw fit to share an imp with me, I will try it. In the Bottle: Cocoa and sandalwood and the musk or patchouli are prominent, with a trace of something floral that may be the nicotiana. Wet: Hello, musk and patchouli, my old nemeses. Are you gonna let any of the other notes play? Drydown: No, apparently you're not. I get touches of cocoa and sandalwood and a hint of the berry others have mentioned, but the ampers are holding the line against all comers. Verdict: A nice, thoughful surprise from the Lab, but this one will be passed one.