mistressfizz

Sniff: BAM, CEDAR! Like sticking my nose into a box of fresh cedar chips Wet: Cedar still dominates, with a whiff of citrus that borders on chemical. Overall it smells like sharp cedar sawdust, green and raw from the tree Dry: Now it gets interesting – this really warms up when dry. It becomes almost like amber and has a glow, like someone glazed a pile of cedar wood chips with a thin coat of liquid gold. I think that’s the dragon’s blood resin. It’s intriguing at this stage, but not something I would want to wear frequently.

Sniff: Light and fruity, undercurrent of sweet musk Wet: Becomes increasingly floral as it heats up on my skin. It's a spring-like floral, bright and uplifting, mixed with sweet pear candy. Honey usually doesn't work on me, but this blend doesn't seem to have the heavy sourness I often get from honey. Instead, this smells like a softer, more floral version of the Perilous Parlor. Dry: Shimmery musky pear and powdery white flowers. Very pretty and feminine - I like it!

Fresh pine, not fake like cleaning products sometimes are. It has a very refreshing herbal sharpness. In the bath, this melts into a beautiful soft fir scent, with tart juniper and a touch of herbs and frost. This is one of the best fir scents I've encountered, it's peaceful and woodsy and green. There's a heaviness to it, which lends a sense of comfort and serenity. Very relaxing.

Sniffing this in the bottle, I got scared because it comes off super powerful florals, with a syrupy cloying sweetness that made me back my nose the heck away. But when it hit my bath - wow, what a transformation! It blooms into lush creamy vanilla and fruits glazed by a layer of glowing rich honey. The stinky florals dissolve away and the sweetness is tempered by an astringency, which might be the "icy" note. Overall it doesn't feel cold (although it's hard to feel cold soaking in a tub of hot water...) It reminds me of a ripe fruit orchard, with light snowflakes swirling around the branches. The yummy fruit notes didn't last too long after the bath, but my skin did have a lingering trace of soft honey for a few hours. I definitely enjoyed this one and was glad I gave it a shot in the bath, despite my initial doubts.

Sniff: Sharp heady rose, with something scratchy and thorny underneath. Wet: The vetiver adds an ozone element, making this like a rose cologne. It's spikey and rich. Dry: This lightens over time, the rose becomes sweeter but still retains a grassy sharpness. Reminds me of an herbal, less sophisticated London. A tad soapy and generally pleasant blend.

Sniff: Juicy and sweet fruit with sharp woods Wet: Chewy gummy candy mixed with dark burnt woods and smoke. It smells like smoking clove cigarettes in a lounge filled with wilting flowers and leftover desserts. My opinion of this keeps flipping; at moments the peach and currants mixed with woods is mysterious and beautiful, but then at other moments the tobacco and clove get too harsh. The red musk isn't strong, but it's definitely there, a dense layer under the other notes. Dry: When dry, the sweetness is similar to fig, spiked with woodsy clove and a hint of powder. An interesting scent, but probably not something I'd wear.

Sniff: Delicate rose, pale and sweet Wet: Rose and sugar over a vanilla base. The rose is very sweet and light, almost like violets. The scent floats in the air, it has a definite soft and wispy feel. Dry: This gets sweeter as it dries and the vanilla becomes more musky. Overall, it smells like sugar cubes dissolved into a pool of chilled rosewater.

Sniff: Citrus blast! Lemon/lime flavors, very bright. Wet: Strong citrus notes, the tartness of grapefruit and yuzu really stand out. There's something slightly musky too, just a tad sour. I also get a cold chilly undertone, similar to the pine note others have mentioned, with a whiff of mint as well. Mostly it's tart and sharp. Dry: Wow, this really morphs on me. I was feeling iffy about the sharp wet phase, but as this dries, it mellows and takes on a creamy texture. After an hour or so, it smells like a delicious citrus mint gelato, smooth and sweet and soft. Quite lovely and not crass at all!

Sniff: Woods and smoke, hints of sweet, like pipe tobacco Wet: Dark but not heavy, with mossy undertones and a furry pelt-like note, which I think is the leather. It's not overtly leathery and has none of the chemical sharpness found in some leather blends. There's a subtle sweetness from the florals. Over time, a bit of ozone and spice emerge, soft and elegant and just short of becoming cologne. This is such a complex and well blended scent. I picture a hunting lodge in winter, surrounded by stuffed animal heads, the gleaming polished wood of guns, a faint trace of aftershave and sweat, dirt and straw caked boots and a cold draft pressing against the window. Very rich yet also comforting and content. Dry: After a few hours, this settles to a beautiful musky patchouli, woodsy and warm. It smells like a well worn fur coat, very old world and sophisticated. I'm quite impressed, this is interesting and unique. I'm so glad I have a bottle to slather!

Sniff: Soft flowers with a spike of herbs and something almost minty Wet: A warm floral scent that strongly evokes certain colors: lavender, ivory, celadon, light and wispy and dreamy. There's a touch of sweetness, which along with the astringency of tea and sage, balance out the flowers nicely. Dry: My skin smells like I just washed with expensive herbal soap! Very feminine and fresh.

Sniff: This smells like...grass? Weird, not what I was expecting at all. Dewy grass, with hints of light wood, very outdoorsy. Wet: OK, I don't know where the grass smell is coming from, but it's still there. Now I'm getting the flowers too, wafting over the grass. The jasmine is strongest, sweet and light, followed by hints of rose and honeysuckle. I get impressions of ochre and tan, with dusty woodsy undertones. Overall this is very soft and gentle, fragrant without being heady. Dry: This settles into a beautiful light floral musk, very quiet and peaceful. It's fresh without being powdery or sharp, and has a calm grace. Simply lovely and fits the embodiment perfectly.

Sniff: Sugary and pink. Not so much fizzy to me, but crisp and bright. Wet: This is a dead ringer for lemon scented sticky bat. It smells like a lemon drop hard candy, dusted with a layer of powdery sugar. It's tart and sweet at the same time. There's a strong citrus note and some sourness which I think is the wine grape. Dry: Still very sugary on me, but now I detect a faint, almost soapy trace of carnation and rose. The best way I can describe this is a sweet and sour lemon musk. Pretty but a little too bright for me.

Sniff: Citrus! Sharp, almost like ginger, with amber lurking underneath. Wet: The sharpness fades and amber grows stronger. I get hints of spice within a lush golden warmth. The florals start to peek out, mixing with the fruit notes and preventing them from becoming too sweet. There is a comforting heat and glow to this scent; the image I get is a cat resting on the sun-warmed tiles of a veranda overlooking a Mediterranean garden. Dry: An amber that doesn't turn to powder! This remains warm and golden, with the florals becoming more prominent. Rather than blazing, this is more of a gentle persistent heat, very pleasant and invigorating.

Sniff: Sharp ginger and tea, with a musk undertone. Wet: Becomes more floral and subdued. The sharpness fades and now this smells like a wreath of preserved flowers. There are grassy notes and hints of citrus and herbs. Earthy without being "dirty" and has a very autumnal feel, crisp and golden. Dry: This is more musky, red and almost feral. Very interesting, this is the only blend I've tried that actually gets headier over time! The flowers grow warmer and stronger, it's a bouquet of dried stems over a bed of musk and old leaves. Pretty and soft, but also hinting at something deeper.

This is the res, non-apple version. Sniff: Dark and warm, a mixture of amber and tobacco. The tobacco is quite sooty and smokey. Wet: The tobacco is not as strong now, the blend as a whole seems to lighten on my skin. There's a hint of vanilla, not too sugary or girly, but a nice offset to an otherwise dark scent. In the background, I detect a sharpness, I think that must be from the cognac. I get a very hazy, blurry impression from this phase. Dry: As it dries, this gets progressively lighter and sweeter. The tobacco has turned dusty, almost like incense. There's a tiny hint of citrus or some other fruit that emerges, mixed with the vanilla. A very interesting blend, I think I like the wet phase best, but overall it's a terrific embodiment of the "black lace" concept. Dark and moody, spiked with sweet!

Thank you for posting the Anniversay Phoenix bottles! I ordered all five and I can't wait for them to arrive!

Sniff: Fresh and grassy, just a tad sharp Wet: This really warms up! Lovely and golden, with a soft sweetness. Not sugary or foodie, but a floral sweet, similar to freshly cut petals or tree sap. Light and breezy, I feel like I'm standing outdoors in a field, amid waving wildflowers. It embodies clean and natural, earthy without any "dirt" notes. Dry: Warm with an almost amber quality. Just a bit powdery, with dry grasses lingering. A gentle blend, pleasant and perfect for the spring season.

Sniff: I was expecting strong rose, but this is very astringent. If there's rose here, it's faint and overpowered by spices. The spices are along the flavor of clove or bay leaves or anise, sharp and almost bitter. Wet: The spices start to mellow and now I can detect rose, fresh and dewy, like white and yellow roses climbing up a trestle with hints of smoke in the background. Dry: Softens to a pleasant rose over a backdrop of spices. To my surprise, the rose is not powdery or heady. Overall, this is a pretty, everyday kind of scent, classic and feminine.

My decant of Pumpkin Latte 2011 arrived just a day before a swap which happened to include Pumpkin Latte 2010! So I got to compare the two side-by-side, which was really fun. 2010 Version: Opens nutty and milky, with a soft base of vanilla pumpkin. It has a smoke flavor and dries to a dark spicy coffee. It's very warm and deep. 2011 Version: Whoa, expresso! This starts off bitter with just a whiff of sweetness. But the coffee burns off quickly and this dries to a rich spicy mixture of sweet vanilla and creamy pumpkin. This is lighter than the 2010 version and the spices are stronger, especially the cinnamon. It smells more like the syrup and foam part of the latte. Of the two, I prefer the older one. While I think both are comforting delicious scents, the stronger coffee note suits me, while the newer blend is still a bit too sweet. I'm very curious whether the 2011 will age similarly. I guess only time will tell!

Sniff: Vanilla frosting and cake, sweet and floral with hints of smoke and booze. Wet: So many layers to this blend! The sweetness of frosting mixed with tobacco, light florals, and a sharp alcoholic bite. There's also dry, earthy incense which tempers the sweet nicely. I was afraid this would be all foodie, but it's actually quite evocative and complex - no single note dominates. Dry: The sweetness and booze burn off. Now there's a pleasant hint of vanilla, and this blooms into a desert scent; dusty and warm, with dried spices and smoke and flowers hazy in the distance. The wet phase is pretty, but I think the drydown is even more gorgeous.

Sniff: Tart and sharp, sticky sweet and sugary Wet: This is like fruit juice on me. Not freshly squeezed fruit juice, but the super sweet thick syrupy kind that you would buy to mix from concentrate. The pom is quite strong and the florals are absent, which is surprising since I usually amp rose. Dry: Interesting, this dries to a sweet musk which borders on powder. It's pretty but has too much of a "candy" vibe for me.

Sniff: Woodsy resins. Not much apple, but there's a definite crispy note in the background Wet: This is very much a resin blend, but softened by warm amber and herbs. I still don't get apple exactly, but combined with the ginger and spices, there's something tart which prevents the resin from becoming too harsh or dark. The champaca lends an earthy vibe. Overall, it's a soft spicey incense, muted and warm. Dry: Earthy and powdery, with a slight herbal tint. It's pleasant but given the notes, I was hoping for something more. It's a tad too generic for me.

Sniff: Very light, smells like fresh cut apple slices! Wet: Florals arrive! I can still detect the apple, ripe and juicy, but it's mixed with white flowers. While it doesn't seem "glittering" to me, the bergamot brings a brightness that is refreshing and elevates the tart flavor of the apples. Ylang ylang has a strong presence and works very nicely with the musks to create a gentle wispy blend. It's very pretty and not too sweet. Dry: This dries to a beautiful light musk with lovely hints of flowers and vanilla. It feels a bit tropical at this stage. It's quite faint when dry, but the musks are gorgeous, very warm and soft. This reminds me of Moonshine and Mist (one of my favorite white musks ever!) only with a touch more sweetness and clarity.

Sniff: Faint and light, a dusting of sugar Wet: The pumpkin is more of a supporting note, providing an earthy base and warmth. I'm getting lots of tiare mixed with a light fruity sweetness, charming and bright. This is a pumpkin blend which isn't too foodie - it's decidedly more floral in nature. Dry: Settles to a warm honey musk, soft and sweet and pretty. Not my usual style, but still fun to test. Would definitely recommend for people who like light florals and want their pumpkin without spice.

Sniff: Pomegranate cologne! Refreshing and tart with a musky undertone. Wet: Earthiness comes out a bit more, but it isn’t overwhelming. This is the first pomegranate blend I’ve tried that isn’t too sweet or plastic. This is really well balanced, a clean, light, playfully rugged cologne with hints of flowers and fruit. It reminds me of a sharp wind rushing through a harvest field. Dry: Interesting, this has a tobacco-like flavor when dry, and I can detect a spicy note as well. It’s definitely more dusty when dry, though it still retains some sharpness mixed with a pleasant earthy base. Though this leans on the masculine side for me, it’s a mellow inviting scent that I wouldn’t mind wearing on a regular basis!