Hawke

Butterscotch! So much butterscotch in the imp with just a hint of apple peeking out beneath it. Wet on skin, the apple's a little more pronounced but the sticky sweet of the butterscotch just explodes and it has a *lot* of throw. Not a bad thing, since it smells fantastic. There's also a hint of rum's warm-but-sharp edge as an afterthought. So gorgeous at this stage. Definitely brown-sugary, caramel-appley goodness. The apple quiets down pretty quickly and this becomes a gooey, butterscotch caramel scent with just the slightest occasional apple whisper, which is fantastic for a foodie like me. I got this bottle for a decant circle when Creepy came out. I was only able to keep an imp. I wish I had more.

Honey in the imp. Not surprising--it's Mead Moon, after all. Wet on the skin, the honey blooms but there's also an almost anise note in there, that makes it sort of like a honey-flavored cough drop. I don't know if that's an effect of all the extra spice/herb stuff going on, but I'm reminded of Ricola. The longer it's on, the stronger it gets, but only if I get close to my skin. Not much throw at this point. It doesn't really change as it dries. I get a *hint* of something floral, but nothing overpowering which, if sweet-briar is actually a rose, is really impressive with my chemistry. However, the cough syrup aspect of this means it's not appealing. Off to swaps.

Fruity woods. The mahogany is quiet but present in the imp. Wet on the skin, there's an initial blast of fruit and I think it's the black cherry, as currant strikes me as brighter and louder and more sour than this note. The mahogany tones down, or rather, doesn't pop out to say hello, but there's definitely a mellow, woody note that's in play too. It throws a little spice into the mix. As it dries down the cherry sort ...disappears, and this just turns into a sweet cedar kind of scent. Pleasant, but not a standout, no need to keep it for me.

Pretty, if watery. Wet on the skin, it continues to be pretty, though it doesn't have much throw at all. It's a very faint floral scent, mostly white, maybe a very very pale green. And it's pretty much the same as it dries and fades. Present, but not overwhelming, offensive, or amazing. It's pretty, but not really for me.

Mild almond in the imp, maybe a little rum. Smells pretty good. I tried this once before and didn't like it. Not sure why, but this has aged a bit, so that might make the difference. Wet on the skin, this does get buttery and smooth and a little more foody. It actually smells sort of like an autumn scent here. I can tell there's clove tucked underneath the rest of the scent, spicing it up, but it's not a primary note. I don't know that I smell sassafrass, but it might be adding to that spice a little. You know, honestly? It smells like sweet potato pie. How weird is that? And that's where it stays until it fades away. I can't wait until Thanksgiving.

Honey is the topnote with a hint of mint beneath, in the imp. On the skin, wet, the mint gets a serious boost and invades my sinuses (and eyes, holy wow) with its strength. This is bright and eye-watering, but not quite crisp. I think the honey is keeping the true sharpness of a very powerful mint at bay. Of course, something is also lending it a floralesque edge. I don't know if that's the seaweed or the ambergris or some combination, but it's very strong as well. Once the mint settles down, it's a pleasant sort of honeyed mint--I once had a candycane that was made with honey instead of sugar and it smelled distinctly "different". I get the same sort of scent from Fisherman's Wife at this stage. It's missing only a clear tea note to make me think of a glass of something iced. And that's where it settles. No longer attacking my sinuses or being otherwise offensive. I'll keep the decant I have because I am a sucker for mint and near-tea scents. I don't need a bottle of this, fortunately, but I like what I've got.

Sort of soapy in the imp, also sharp. This may be the cognac. I'm not a cognac drinker so I'm not exactly sure what it smells like. Wet on my skin, it's still a little soapy, but there are the beginnings of a boozy vanilla wrapped in something soft. This must be the cotton/"fabric-y" note, as it really does smell like there's a layer of something light lain over the scent, muffling it a bit and keeping me from getting a really good noseful of the stuff. As it dries down, the fabric scent covers up most of the vanilla and lets the tobacco sneak out a little. Still has a soapy undernote. Not terrible, but not something I really need to keep. I have other vanillas I like better.

I realized that I'm doing a lot of working through my collection to see what I want to keep and what I can purge. And while I'm doing so, I'm not doing reviews. Bad me. So, here I go, fixing that oversight. Morocco! I tried this once before because it is a favorite of a friend of mine. At the time, I got a weird metallic note out of the stuff. Don't know where that came from, but I'm hoping it doesn't happen again. Also, carnation and I are not usually friends, so I'm a little wary. In the imp, there's a sharp "perfume" note which might be the carnation. Not sure. I don't really smell anything else. But as soon as it touches my skin, I get a soft, spiced musk scent. I'd almost call it a vanilla, except it's not warm or round enough for that. It doesn't have much throw from the imp, either, but it's certainly speaking up on my skin. Fortunately--and a little weirdly--the carnation is playing nicely. Now and then I think I get a whiff of it, but it's not attempting to club me over the head as it usually does. All in all, a pretty, soft scent and I can understand why it's so popular. I don't think I need a big bottle of this because it's not bowling me over, but I think I'll keep the imp.

I was hoping for spicy cherries. I got musk and a slightly cherry-tinged floral. Pity. It's really very sharp in the bottle, which sort of warned me that it wouldn't be exactly what I was expecting, but I've given it a shot all the same. I get absolutely no cinnamon or cardamom at all, sadly enough. The musk is the front note, and while it's not overpowering, it's not quite my thing. Combined with the semi-fruity floral beneath it, it's almost commercial-perfume smelling to my nose, and that's *really* not my thing. The label's cute! The oil inside is less so. Ah well, can't win them all.

I'm going to cry. I'm a huge Shakespeare geek, so I had to try this. I *love* Richard III, so even more incentive. Yes, I saw the rosewood in the notes, but I was hoping that I'd get more 'wood' than 'rose'. I should have known better. If there is rose in something, I will almost always amp it beyond belief. There are very few scents from *any* company where the rose plays nicely. Othello and Lyonesse come closest for me. I'm always thrilled when I find one. Alas, it didn't happen here. I get rose and all I get is rose. Powdery rose that just gets stronger as it dries. Sorry, Richard. We're not meant to be.

She doesn't, actually, include freebies with every package. I've gotten one from her with no freebies at all. They're free, I didn't complain. But, she does not throw something in for every order. Just FYI.

I've ordered from H&EE. Some of her scents work for me, some don't. Happens with every company, and Michele's is no different in that regard. I weigh in now and then when I have something to say. Sometimes I just watch and shake my head. I, personally, could continue to believe the Punani/Underpants thing was coincidence without the addition of Thirteen. If she had a blend from 1991, as she claims, that was called Thirteen, why didn't she market it earlier? I'm sure that her business has been around since at least January, when the Friday the 13th before this one occured, hasn't it? The fact that she gives out "upgrades" bugs me too. I haven't done any study of those who've received them vs. those who've complained about the company. I have a feeling it would be interesting if I did, but I don't know that for a fact, so I can only surmise. But I really take issue with the sneaking around and trying to lie about whether she had a duplicate account or not. I shouldn't be surprised that people think the mods would make that up around here, but I am. All of this came to light right about the same time that I made arrangements for a final bottle from H&EE. Had it happened before, I wouldn't have bothered. As it is, I won't be supporting her company with my money any longer. Thanks for putting this post together, f_s.

In the vial: Whoa, strong. This has patchouli in it, if I'm remembering correctly. I'm sure that's what I'm smelling. Maybe musk. It's also got quite the bite, almost like an aftershave. I fear this may be too masculine for me. Wet: Oddly, in the first 30 seconds or so, it's pencil shavings. That's a first, for me, and I always wondered what that was supposed to smell like. Now I know. That's not usually a good sign, though, getting weird scents immediately after skin contact. Dry: Wafting. Sniffing. OMG what is that smell? Oh wow, oh that's so good, and it's *me*! I am in love. Pencil shavings? What pencil shavings. This is glorious, spicy, somewhat ozoney and sweet and bold and of *course* I shied away from it when it was up, but this is pure, unadulterated love. And LE. Ain't that always the way?

In the vial: Edible, to sum up in a word. Honey and almond and spices and it's gorgeous and love at first sniff. Wet: And on the skin, it warms up and it wafts so prettily and it loves me. We've got a mutual admiration thing going on. We're so happy we're talking about houses and what we'll name our kids. Dry: And then, after much negotiation, she gives me the musty, dusty shoulder. Apparently I didn't kiss her slippers enough, didn't rub her shoulders in just the right spot. It's sad, but we part on good terms. We're just not meant to be.

In the vial: This is a very florally honey scent. The honey is obvious, but man are the flowers strong. Wet: And even stronger on skin. I never have been able to pinpoint exactly what jasmine smells like, but if this is it, I don't think I like it. I've probably said that before, but this is a floral/sour/sickly sweetness that I can't be sure I can pin down to a specific scent name. Dry: It disappears pretty quickly on me, but I think that I will save this for swapping rather than wearing.

In the vial: This smells a lot like Snake Oil to me, dark and musky and, because of the association, promising good things. Wet: I know that Beth said that it was a little rough in the beginning, and I agree. I got the vitamin scent that a lot of people did at first, but over the course of about half an hour, it disappears. And it only wafts that grainy, gritty smell sometimes. I also put quite a bit on, so in smaller doses it might not be as bad. Dry: Worth the wait. Thick, dark, sticky musky sugar and booze. It really is good. Makes me happy.

In the vial: It's hard to identify exactly what this smells like. Tobacco, maybe. And an unspecific alcohol. Skipped the wet phase because it was nearly impossible to describe. Dry: This is an odd one. I think there's wood in here, maybe an oak. Maybe cedar. Sweet booze, that I thought was rum. Some kind of spice. It's not bad but not a favorite. Definitely a try again scent. Or not. I'd swear there's amber in here too, or something that makes it go powdery on me. Powder = not for me. Pity, I was looking forward to this, but I'm far from out of scents to try. ADDED 9/13/08: That is a blast of pure (drinking) alcohol in the imp. Wet on the skin, it sweetens up some and the mint comes out to play, but I'm not sure I'd call it a sweet scent overall. Not much throw, but then I didn't put much on, so maybe that'd make the difference. To be honest, it's almost powdery. Like powdered sugar on a mint julep or something. As it gets drier, it turns into more of an after-bath powder. You know, the perfumed talc stuff that you slap on with a giant fluffy poof? There's no alcohol anymore and only a teeny tiny amount of mint. Definitely not something I want to smell like, but it's not disgusting. Just not me.

In the vial: That's chocolate all right. Not quite smooth milk chocolate, more of a powdered scent, but definitely chocolate. Wet: Dammit. I should have known better. None of the chocolate scents (well, Velvet, but that's not pure) work on me. This went immediately dusty on my skin. Dry: Yep. Chocolate scented sawdust. I cry.

The eldest of the Muses, she is Eloquence, and thus, governs heroic and epic poetry, and her eloquence has served to calm quarrels even amongst the surliest of Gods. She is crowned in gold, and holds a roll of parchment or stylus and tablet. Hers is the scent of creative inspiration, and it is a boon to writers, poets and arbitrators: lavender and bright mint with bergamot, verbena, thyme and a touch of sweet orange and warm almond. In the vial: Crisp fruitiness, like a combination of lemon or grapefruit and a sharp wood or mint. It's cheerful and peppy and gave me a real energy boost, just sniffing it. Wet: Vanilla and lemon. So much so that it becomes a sort of citrus-and-creme scent. It's beautiful, even with the fir or sage or whatever herby note that is underneath. I fear it's not going to last long though. Dry: Nope, didn't last long. Typical citrus scent. I love it for the boost of energy, though. I will, at the very least, keep the imp.

In the vial: Spice muted by earth. This is literally "gritty", like the taste of sand on my tongue. Minerals. Wet: Wow. This is really stone/mineral/earth and grit and sand. There's a hint of an afterbreath of mint. Sticky, almost, like past. And then peanuts and rubber. Weird. Drydown: I did get a hint of smoke, and yes, this is a very destroyed/blasted sort of scent. It's not at all comforting to me, and with all those weird notes... no. Not going to work. I'm glad I tried it, though.

In the vial: There's a very crisp note here, almost ammonia but it's not that sharp. Maybe something in the menthol family. I get a hint of lotus, too. Wet: Cedary soap? Does that mean there's lily here? I'm just getting the weirdest scent out of this. Objecting strenuously to none of it, but weird. Dry: I never got the cherry-almond note that other people mentioned. The sharpness faded as it dried down, but I couldn't tell you what it was, for certain, that was really in here. Not a terrible scent, but not one I'm likely to wear often. Keeping the imp to satisfy my packrat tendencies.

In the vial: Very green! Faintly soapy, which I know is the lavender. I'm not so much a lavender fan but we'll see how it goes. Wet: You know, I forgot there was cinnamon in this. Certainly didn't smell it in th vial. But on my skin, it pops out, blending (odly enough) rather than fighting with the lavender. Drydown: Oh. My. Gosh. ... this is so good. I seriously wasn't expecting this to work but it's SO GOOD. I haven't tried it for ritual or anything, but the scent is just ... wow.

In the vial: A sharp herb (must be the laurel), something fruity beneath it and something faintly sour. We'll see how this goes. Wet: Er. Hrm. Initially, this smells of cat urine. Such a bad sign. It's not the main note, but it is there in the after sniff. Drydown: Once it warms up, it turns into an almost-pretty fruit/floral. Grapes and flowers, tangy. I mean, I think I could really like it ... if it weren't for the salty, lingering pee smell that wafts around after the flowers. No thank you.

In the vial: What a shock, it's not at all dirty! It smells of a pleasant sort of laundry detergent. Wet and beyond: It remains a floral laundry detergent. The notes say clean linen and it *is* fresh. Personally, though, this is something I want my clothing to smell like, not my skin. Also, pretty as it is, even if I didn't get laundry detergent connotations from it, it's far too floral for my tastes.

In the vial: This has something in it that *really* appeals but I don't know what. There's an almost-citrus note too. Wet: On application, it disappears entirely for a moment, then reappears with a quiet musk. I think. Tempered by a floral, maybe. Soft but growing. Dry: Where are all of you people who didn't want this? Can I have it? Yes, it's sweet, but it reminds me of being in a forest after a rain, with the dappled sunlight and the sounds of dripping water and muffled footfalls. A slight chill, despite the fact that you know the sun is shining. Yes, the sense of predators in the shadows, but just to watch, not hunt. It's gorgeous!