mistressfizz

Sniff: Tobacco and opium! Very smoky, I can't really smell anything else. Wet: The smokiness is settling down. I'm getting a slightly sweet astringency which must be the green tea and plum. The batch I got is well blended - no individual note is dominanting. Dry: Wow, not expecting this! It dries into an earthy amber that is musky and a bit floral, with hints of smoke and tar. Very interesting, for an "evil" scent, it's ultimately rather light! If you're looking for an opium/tobacco scent, the beginning blast is here, but it doesn't seem to last. This is actually fine by me, and I'm pleasantly surprised by how nice this Evil is!

Sniff: A metallic tang, wet stone mixed with barley. Wet: More of the same. I get a tiny whiff of leather, but mostly this is metal and wet stone. There's also a sharpness developing which I can't quite place. It's almost herbal - perhaps this is the hops? This definitely reminds me of being underground, surrounded by rock and minerals. Dry: After several hours, the bite of the metal is gone, leaving a pleasant mix of leather, stone, and herbal notes. Overall this is very nice on its own, but I imagine it will layer wonderfully as well!

Sniff: Refreshing and spicy, hints of floral/grass. Wet: Blooms into smoky opium and amber. She could be cousin to my beloved Red Lantern, less creamy, and carrying undertones of wood and leather. There's also an herbal, cologne sharpness which I attribute to the ginger and sandalwood. Very heady and exotic, with a shadowy side, the champaca and tobacco certainly give it a darker tinge. I'm liking this very much! Dry: The smokiness fades and I'm glad to say the sharpness is gone as well. I'm left with a rich, musky vanilla. Not sweet or bakery vanilla, but more like a fresh bean flavor. There's hints of spice and flowers, and just a smidge of darkness lurking underneath. I'm finding that vanilla is such a complex note. Sometimes it's just too sugary for me, but then in blends like this, it plays extremely well on my skin.

Sniff: Very light, faintly sweet. Wet: Oh, she is nice! Soft woods, not at all like the pencil shavings you sometimes get with cedar. No pinesol, no dirt, no orangey furniture polish (as you can tell, I've been disappointed by some other wood blends). Instead, a rich ambient smell, like walking into an antique furniture store and sticking your head into an ancient mahogany warddrobe. There's a tartness which I attribute to the apple, though it doesn't really smell like apple. I am truly enjoying huffing my wrist. Dry: The drydown is gorgeous! Gentle woodsy glow that borders on resinous, but without the heaviness or smoke of resin, tempered with a trace of rose and apple blossom. A wonderful blend!

French vanilla, tot house orchids, strawberries, white sandalwood, bergamot, and honey. Sniff: Sweet vanilla cake! Wet: Sweet vanilla cake...with strawberry frosting! Dry: Now I'm getting a more floral, slightly spicy sweet with creamy vanilla undertones. I was afraid this would have that "plastic" red fruit smell, as some others are getting, but Kitty seems to be behaving herself on my skin. I feel Kitty and Celeste are vanilla sisters; Kitty is the bright, sugary, energetic one who walks up to her man and kisses him teasingly in front of his friends, while Celeste bats her lashes from the corner and lures her man into an empty room.

Sniff: Unlike other experiences here, Ninon is very, very faint to me. I can barely smell a hint of smoky musk in the decant. Wet: Now we're talking! Honey musk and tobacco. A little amber, and slightly boozy. Can't pick out any rose or lavendar at all. It's just a little off - I'm not sure how to describe it, but it makes my nose wrinkle. Dry: Musky, a little grassy (I guess that's the orris and hay). Honey usually turns sour on me, but not so here! This becomes surprisingly balanced and warm. Vanilla also makes a quiet appearance. This doesn't last long on me, which is too bad, because I like the musky drydown.

Sniff: Flower petals, light, bordering on aquatic Wet: Ah, there's just a touch of pomegranate sweetness. I can pick out a very floral ylang ylang and something a lot like lilies. There's definitely a "dewy fresh picked bouquet" feel to this one. Dry: There's a little amber, but mostly classic floral soap. Very faint and fades away in a few hours, hardly any throw at all. While it's pleasant, I think there are more complex and interesting floral scents out there.

Sniff: Vanilla bean! It isn't as foodie as I expected. It's musky and almost golden. Less like bakery vanilla and more like the crisp flavor of fresh vanilla ice cream. I totally second the "waffle cone" description. Wet: Still vanilla. Just the right amount of sweet - not quite cotton candy for me, but a gentle sweetness, with a hint of spice and butter. Dry: Definitely musky, soft vanilla and touch of florals. Very pretty!

Sniff: Apple!? There's no apple listed, but I get crisp apple, freshly cut and juicy. It must be the pomegranate and plum. Wet: There's still a strong apple scent. Very sweet and fruity. I can't pick out individual flowers, but there's definitely an overall garden haze Dry: After a few hours, the apple fades away. I'm left with a pleasantly musky powder, just a hint of wet earth and herbs. I was afraid this would turn plastic and overtly sweet, the way the lab's pomegranate note often does on me. But the other elements have tamed the pom and aside from that opening blast, this is a very lovely scent, understated and soft.

Since honey is epic sour fail on my skin, I've been approaching the Courtesans with caution. The notes listed for Virginia seem the safest for me, so I decided to give her a go. Like filigree_shadow, the oil in my decant looks normal. It's a deep caramel brownish/gold, and while it's on the dark side, it isn't opaque. Sniff: Surprisingly earthy! Maybe that's the tonka and sandalwood? There's a sharp herbal bite from the juniper and sage. There's also a bit of smokiness, I think from the tobacco and frankincense. I can't smell the orchid or muguet at all. Wet: The smoke is forming a rich spicy cloud. The earthiness is tempered into warm wood. It's getting a little sweeter now. Slight hint of florals, with a juniper berry pop. Dry: This dries into a mildly sweet musk. The juniper and sage fade into the background. Not much throw, but the soft musk stays all day and I'm rather liking it. She's unlike anything else I've smelled. Definitely complex and odd, in a good way. On the edge of bottle worthy - I think I need to test again before making a final decision.

The bottle I have is a 10 mL cobalt, aged about 2 years. I first smelled this via an empty imp, and though I couldn’t do a skin test, I had to grab a bottle when it was offered for cheap! This review is for the bottle, not the empty imp. Sniff: Wood and earth notes, and whoa, spicy! Wet: Sandalwood is prominent. Just a hint of rose. The initial spicy spike has calmed down. Dry: Soft, warm sandalwood and a rose whisper. There’s just enough spice to smell exotic, in a tasteful, subtle way. The patchouli has matured wonderfully, grounding the scent so it doesn’t become too soapy. Long lasting and medium throw, definitely a keeper!

Sniff: Golden, orange, amber swirls, filtering through flower petals. There's definitely citrus and vanilla, along with yellow blooms and a hint of sweetness. Wet: Citrus and vanilla going strong! I also detect something almost resinous, probably the amber. It's definitely a warm and fuzzy blend, uplifting and substantive. Dry: Dusky, soft vanilla, and the florals have arrived! The citrus is just a hint now. The amber and honey hold up what otherwise would be soapiness. I can't detect particular flowers, but my arm smells like a summer garden luxuriating in sunbeams. It also lasted the whole work day, with just the right amount of throw, where people catch a faint whiff as they talk to you. Liquid sunshine in a bottle, indeed! Definitely one of my favorites.

Sniff: Earthy, mild. Not a very strong tea note. Wet: Much softer than expected! I can't pick out individual elements, only a dry, earthy overtone with faint flowers. Dry: Late night sitting in a wicker chair outside, clouds from the spring rain rolling above, snow capped mountains behind, and a valley of wildflowers below. Yup. This one has a real sense of place, and of darkness settling over earth and flora.

After rolling the imp around for several minutes, finally got the dark globs to disperse! Now for the test... Sniff: chocolate and orange, yum! Wet: chocolate definitely dominates, with a citrus honey bite. Dry: unfortunately, the honey and pomegranate turn this around and i'm left with a dusty, sickly sour aftersmell. alas, the foodie note didn't last.

Sniff: a light citrus, very, very faint. almost not there! Wet: still faint, but now I can smell violets and a tangy note, which I'm guessing are currant and/or mandarin. it has a light feel, not as bright or crisp as Embalming Fluid or Shanghai, but a similar freshness, stained with earthy tea. Dry: this doesn't last long on my skin. it leaves a trace of floral tea, pleasant but quickly fading

Pink rose, red musk, red sandalwood, oakmoss, vetiver, nectarine, black tea, ambrette, jasmine, and blackcurrant bud. Waiting for my 2011 Lupers to arrive...figured I'd visit some old ones. Sniff: Can't really pick out specific notes, just a woodsy, heavy musk Wet: Ah, hello, vetiver! With a sharp floral undertone. Dry: I agree with the "atmospheric" description. As time passes, the vetiver steps down and now I'm getting a murky, charcoal kind of floral. It's a litte disarming, like remembering a far away time and place, covered in shadows. An interesting blend, but not really something I'd wear.

Still waiting for my Lupers 2011 to arrive, so I'm pulling out some older ones to review... Sniff: very faint floral, a hint of green Wet: mostly lilac, slightly sharp (maybe that's the ginger?). very pretty and bright, though I can't really detect the tea note. Dry: the lilac mellows out, now I'm getting more musk and tea, blended with soft florals. Luckily, this hasn't become too soapy. a light, fresh scent.

Sniff: green tea and lemon! very light. Wet: jasmine is fighting green tea for dominance. I keep getting alternating whiffs of each, along with an underlying sweetness. Dry: the lemon is totally gone and now I'm getting mostly jasmine. It's slightly soapy, but in a pleasant refreshing way, like a spring afternoon. also, the throw is just right, not too strong, but enough for my co-workers to comment on how pretty it smells around me. I will definitely be wearing more of this!

Sniff: fruity, slightly boozy Wet: the booze isn't as apparent now, this is mostly refreshing pear and plumeria. light and sparkling. Dry: so pretty! it's a bright, classy perfume, non-foodie sweet and delicate.

Sniff: warm teak Wet: teak dominates, followed by patchouli, and something burnt in the background Dry: teak and patchouli, a combination I didn't think would work, but actually does! I can't detect any plant notes, but I believe their subtle presence is what gives this scent a dry smoky warmth. This reminds me of indian summer in the Appalachian mountains. A beautiful blend and I agree that it should age wonderfully.

Sniff: red musk and a bit tangy (guessing that's the saffron) Wet: I get the aquatic note, but the earthy galangal holds it down. I normally don't like ozone scents, but combined with the other components in this blend, it's quite pleasant Dry: I can't stop sniffing this. It really mellows out when dry and becomes a fascinating mix of warm and cool notes: like a rain shower cutting through humidity, or sweat cooling off skin. I have to agree with VioletChaos, there's a sexy side to this too. A surprise hit for me!

Sniff: fresh grass! Wet: damp green florals, wet dirt Dry: The "wet" goes away, and now I get hints of cherry blossom mixed with an earthy, green floral. Even though it's snowing outside, my arm smells like a field just awakened by a spring breeze. Lovely!

The seasonal phoenixes have all been good to me, and this one is no exception! Sniff: light, minty, very faint Wet: icy and cool, with a hint of tart berries Dry: maintains a wonderful light feel, a trace of mint, the barest hint of sweetness - it captures the dry, astringent cold of winter perfectly! Reminds me of the nearby woods where I walk my dog, just after a deep snow has finished falling and the sun is starting to set. Simply beautiful.

Sniff: Yup, definitely tea rose! Very strong floral, it kind of smacks your nose Wet: Bright tea rose. Quite a lot of throw too. Dry: Borders on soapy for me, but manages to avoid becoming powdery. After an hour, it mellows to a pleasant, soft, dry rose and lasts a long time. Classy, mature, and feminine, without being too prim. This is a lovely scent and definitely a staple for me!

Sniff: strong foodie vanilla, bakery fresh Wet: the vanilla melts into mint and fir Dry: I keep waiting for the vanilla to come back, but it's hidden beneath minty evergreen. My skin must be soaking the vanilla up. While the woodsy lightness is pleasant and festive, it needs more warm notes to work on me.