Kittyflop

First on, it's pine and warm spices. Very different than I expected, nothing berry-like about it. This is about the most 'Christmassy' smelling scent yet - greens, firesides, candles, and baking smells all rolled up. The throw is strong, and duration quite long. This is very seasonal, and I doubt I'd wear it much outside of holiday-type events, but I'll definitely keep the imp, and perhaps order a bottle next year if it comes around again.

A delicious vanilla peppermint without too much sweetness. This was light and airy and very holiday-ish on me. Sadly, it didn't last very long. And, ultimately, I think mint is just not my thing, sadly. However it is absolutely lovely for those of you that do get along with mint. Throw was short, duration about two hours.

In the bottle, I could barely smell a thing - quite surprising, as I was sort of expecting that cold musty blast you'd expect when dragging open the door to a crypt in the dead of night. Nope. On the skin, though, it really took off - strong, and lasting. Pure, wet, earthy soil. This is really amazing stuff. I'm looking forward to layering with scents that I like but are too... fresh or fruity, hoping it will bring them down to a wearable gravity. Of course, I expect I'll be wearing it straight up a lot too!

Mm, if that’s what orchid smells like, I like it. I’m still learning my florals so I don’t think I can pick out the individual notes. This has an ‘out of focus’ feel to it. That’s a terrible choice of words, but I can’t find another way to describe it – ‘soft’ isn’t quite it. As opposed to a sharp clear note, that some others describe. Maybe that’s the musk muddling things up. Anyway, it’s a lovely softish musky floral, but with an attitude – dark and exotic, yet comforting. And a touch of something that smells like vanilla? That can’t be right…. Something in this reminds me of Beatrice, just a little, but less innocent, more devious. It has good throw and staying power – 5+ hours.

Morgause is a fruity floral on my skin. I think I'm getting jasmine pretty strongly, sweet. It definitely does invoke the aura of 'purple'. Not getting any of the incense, though, which I'd hoped for to bring this to earth. My skin is just eating it up, though. It may be the extremely dry weather, I'll try again when I'm feeling more balanced.

First on my skins, it's a sharp hit of cinnamon - tingling in the nose cinnamon. After a few minutes the rose starts to step forward. This is a sweet, cheerful rose with cinnamon. I never would have thought those two notes would go together so well. Another pleasant surprise! It stays close to the skin and fades pretty quickly, within two hours. I'll try slathering and see if I can get it to stick around, it's quite pretty.

Yum! It goes on buttery-spicy. The sandalwood is a wonderful match to the pumpkin. Dry, it is warm, spicy, cheer mixed with firelogs. Wonderful for a bright cold winter day.

Gifted to me by a Fantastic Forumite. Thanks again! Until now I have studiously avoided anything with patchouli in it. However, I’m a staunch and stereotypical Virgo, and if the Lab has decreed that Virgos are represented by patchouli, then who am I to argue? When I first got it I dabbed just a bit on. Earthy, musty, more so than I would expect given the notes. I put it away for a later try. All week I’ve been feeling disconnected. Not quite confident in my decisions, a little discombobulated. Last night I was looking for something to ground me, bring me back to myself. I reached for the Virgo. Something about the earthiness of this resonated with me. I could smell the apple if I tried, and the patchouli if I thought about it, but overall it was a well blended scent – all the notes came together. It was grounding, focusing – just what I was looking for. I woke up today confident. I probably wouldn’t wear this out in public, but it will be a perfect meditation scent. I’ll use it ritually to center myself when I drift. If this ever becomes available again I’ll definitely get as much as I can.

Sugary berries. Sweet sweet sweet. I can see how others have gotten bubblegum from it - it's definitely berries, but with a strong dose of sugar added. It's a fun scent, but not something I'd reach for often. This might be good on a cold winter's day when I'm missing summertime. It's pretty strong and lasts several hours.

First on: Floral, dark and warm floral. After a bit: Spicy dark warm floral – the floral being jasmine. It’s got a kick to it. The waft is strong – it’s hovering all around me. I can’t quite pick out the notes, not the coffee anyway, although that may be lending to the overall ‘warm’ quality I’m getting. That and the vanilla. Later – still VERY spicy, very jasmine, very lovely. She's sticking around for the late show, too - I think she'll be up all night! This is an apt tribute to our courtesan and spy – exotic and dangerous, and very womanly.

Hiya, Agreed, Snake Charmer is wonderful vanilla-musk. Other notes there too, but these two are strong on my skin. I haven't tried most of the others mentioned here but Antique Lace is definitely on my to-buy list. Not sure if this thread is restricted to bpal (please delete if it is) but if you like room scents/tarts, I've just discovered Alternative Breedings' 'Dirty Vanilla' tart - vanilla, balsam peru, patchouli and dark musk. Hoo boy it makes the house smell divine. I didn't even know there was patchouli in it at first, because if I did I never would have tried it, but what a surprise!. There's a thread here in 'retail therapy' I think about Tod's tarts.

First Sniff: Fruit ‘n flowers! Drydown: That fruity note morphs quickly into something citrusy. Then boozy. It keeps changing! This is one boisterous, partying funeral. No graveyard dirt yet though. After a few minutes, the sweetness from the first sniff has receded. And now – strong booze! And now the soil comes through. This is very earthy, but there are still florals standing up and saying yeah! That was the life! There is still a citrus tang to it all, too. This is fascinating, complex and continuously morphing. Very apt. Love it.

On drydown, this smells like… Haunted? I wonder if this has black musk. I’m getting Haunted, plus something sweet . I’m sure this doesn’t make any sense. Checking the notes… er.. Bourbon, sugar and mint?? I guess I’m getting the sugar, but no mint at all. The bourbon might be fooling me into sensing musk. It’s warm and sweet and somewhat comforting, but not what I’d expected. Throw is fairly wide, but it’s fading pretty quickly.

In the imp – wood? Something bitter, like a dark closet. Bitter wood dust. On wet - Definitely grandmother-y. (But I don’t mean old-lady-scent. Not at all.) I can’t put my finger on it – dark wood furniture, with liquor spilled on it. Oh my this smells is so familiar and yet I can’t… quite…. Dry – it’s becoming a dark floral as it settles down, the woodsy smell recedes a bit. Still familiar. Damn. I can’t pin it down. OK I’m caving and looking at the notes in the description… Laurel and splintered woods, maybe, is that what’s in the forefront? If so the peony and mandarin are finally peeking their noses out. Whatever it is it’s gorgeous. I love this madly. The throw is quite strong (says my coworker). 3 hours later – still going strong! This mellows, sweetens and blends as it ages on my skin. It's fabulous.

Pretty much what the description says – honey and lilies! It’s very fun. The lilies are a bit stronger on me and the honey takes a back seat, but it’s definitely there. I think I really like lily. Definitely a good one for me. Throw is medium, and it lasts 5-6 hours.

This is a solemn and dry rose. What must be the frankincense lends a very earthy feel to this scent. It’s beautiful for when I want rose without the sweetness. Makes me feel… what’s a good word – contemplative? Reverent? The throw is medium, and the staying power tremendous – I put this on around 11:00 am, and could still smell it the next morning!

The cucumber comes out very strong on my skin. This is very true to it’s inspiration – innocent and wistful! It’s cooling, green, and sweet. I’m not very familiar with the other notes but they blend together wonderfully! Medium staying power – 3-4 hours.

This is just a fabulous honey scent. The white flowers blend with the honey for a not-too-sweet but cheerful scent. In fact it’s much less sweet than I expected, given the name, but it’s just gorgeous. It stays close to the skin, and doesn’t stick around quite as long as I’d hoped, but longer than some – probably about 4 hours to re-apply.

In the bottle – oh wow, this has got to be the weirdest thing I’ve smelled yet! Not sure what I was expecting, but this was a total surprise. Applied wet - a strong butter note hits my nose – almost butterscotch, maybe. As it dries down it turns into a strong woodsy smell, I can’t quite place what kind of wood, but it’s very comforting. Random wafts float over my nose for the next two hours and all smell different – they alternate between woods, butter, and something else I can’t quite name. Gawds I love this! I’m so glad I have a whole bottle coming.

At first sniff I disliked this as much as a lot of folks. It did smell cold, but in a defrosting-the-freezer-after-three-years chemically cold. I just tried it again, on a whim, and it has definitely improved. Or my expectation was lowered. Hmm, it's not so bad after all. The 'waft' is much nicer when it catches me unawares than what I smell when I stick my nose right to my wrist. Clean, cool, definitely powdery. Odd, but it is growing on me. I'm glad I kept it.

DDLM 2005 I've never tried the '04 version, so cannot compare the two. What I get strongly from this is sweet pipe tobacco and honey, with florals weaving around in the background. It has terrific staying power. I don't get much chocolate; I've read a few comparisons to Kali (which is one of my two all-time favorites) and agree that the chocolate is stronger in her than in this. But I adore it! This will definitely compete as one of my top autumn scents.

Oh sugar-coated naughtiness! Crimson and pink, satin and strawberry wine. Bordello isn't candy-sweet, but rather boozy sweet. I love the fruitiness of it, and it's got a sassy-tangy edge. Delightful.

Received a sample as a gift from sixthsentinel - thank you again! I've tried this a couple of times before setting down a review and am still not sure what to say. This is absolutely lovely. I don't get any of the sweetness that others have had. It's very earthy, eerily quiet, subdued. Like walking through a dark, damp, labyrinthian library by candlelight. A 5ml will be on my next order.

Funny - many of you have said this, but I've gotten almost exactly the opposite! O is very sweet, both vanilla and powdery, whereas Haunted is all amber and musk - very little sweetness to it. Then again, I think I'm the only forumite in history that didn't smell chocolate in Centzon Totochtin, so if I were you I wouldn't trust my nose.

Hmm.. I absolutely adore Haunted (sexy and comforting, at the same time! ??? ), but don't know O well yet. I recently received a gift imp of it - I think I'll try it tonight and see how they compare! Reporting back tomorrow....