Khaman

I need to wear this again when I'm not stressed and borking up my chemistry, but there's some note in it that's reminding me of Blood Moon. It's a grainy note that causes me to think of sweet macaroni - weird description, I know. After a while it turns to dry paper and amber and I love that, but when it's doing its wet Blood Moon thing I'm kind of eh on it. Smells feckin' lovely in the bottle and it's probable it just needs to warm on me to enrichen itself. Or age a tich. I still like it, though.

Like Macha, I got tea at first. I can't get as specific, but sure as hell a rich, herbal tea out of the bottle and at very first dab. At the first drying it smelled a hell of a lot like fresh grass. So I got very, very nervous. I didn't like that first kickoff at all. After a while, though, all that softens and some much better smells come out. The much-spoken aquatic tang, maybe a touch of almost incensy musk. I need to give it a bit to grow. Maybe even the perfume is too new in the bottle and needs to 'set' a bit. But I think, just maybe, it's gonna grow on me as I try it out more. Just gotta get over that initial WHAM of tea.

...This is a disgusting review and I'm very sorry. This was the DARKEST perfume imp I've ever seen. When I dabbed a tiny bit onto my finger - and a tiny dab of this goes a very long way - all I could think of was menstrual blood on a heavy flow day. Oddly, the smell, from wet through to drydown, remained rather evocative of that to me. That heavy, wet, primal musk smell you get. To put it on a brighter note, such blood is sometimes used in voodoo ritual and for a love potion manly musk, I suppose that would quite possibly be beneficial for it to look/smell this way in this case. If you can wear a OH MY GOD, WHO LEFT THE BARN DOOR OPEN musk, go for it.

First time I tested a little hint of this, daaaaayum did I ever get the grain scent. I got the grain scent so much I started to get worried. Then it started to grow on me and I got hints of vanilla and musk. I kinda liked it. After a few minutes, I started to jones for it. So I put on some more, now actually wearing it instead of just hinting with it. Oh gods, I like this blend. I like it a lot. The cinnamon is hot, but not overpowering, the musk is earthy and warm and cozy, the vanilla just adds a bit of smooth, and then there's that grain note, truckin' along and making it feel like fall. Warm and snuggly, like looking up at the moon underneath a cotton afghan that smells like a naked cowboy, I dunno. But damn, I like it.

Wore my latest Ren Faire dress to work (major cleavage - always effective) and Samhain 2005. Sadly, I missed the local fetish/costume party as it was a few days ago. Wah.

Well, this turned out nicely. I ordered a bottle on description alone and when I first opened it to take a sniff... I got a little concerned. I suspect it was the vetiver that I got a sniff of. Something dark and oily. At first application, there was something... I don't know, off about it. Dark floral that didn't go to soap but still touched me oddly. Then the miracle happened within minutes. A total transformation. It blossomed into gentle, wafting lemon, a hint of smoke, and the warm caress of musk. It's an oddly gentle smell on me. Not exactly 'light,' it earns its descriptor as a dark smell, but nor is it heavy. It's almost a purely feminine Whitechapel, something lonely and brooding but elegant. Yep. It's a keeper.

2005 Holy freaking lord, I don't know if I got an enchanted bottle or what. I sniffed the bottle and smelled apple cider. I put some on and smelled apple cider. Rich, tasty, I HUNGER, apple cider. Plus a tang of warm spice. Every once in a while it wafts away on me and I can get a hint of the pumpkin. The first time, I sort of sat there like 'wha, where'd the apples go?', and then I found the pumpkin scent. Wooooooo. I need more of this. It's gotta have to last at least a year. Oh lord, let it come back next year, too.

As far as actual scent goes, this was... interesting. Very clean. Herby water, with a hint of something else. Possibly the grape scent others have noted. It's not a scent I would constantly wear with genuine pleasure, however, I am presently gaining a lot of faith in its hoodoo potentials. I used it in a ritual last Friday, the outcome of which is still in debate. From here it's really more of the person I meant the ritual for riding the energy. However, he HAS been a lot more motivated about the situation, which pleases me. Today, though, I dabbed on a bit because I needed to go shopping for new glasses, have no insurance, and suck at dealing with people face to face. I felt confident, cheery, had very few moments of vocal stumbling, and ended up with a pretty fair deal on my new glasses. I could have gone cheaper yet, but I may have been less happy with them than I am. If you've got the desire to use scents for power or guidance or help, I DEFINITELY recommend this one. Even if it's not a big-time wearer for me, I will be ordering a bottle sometime not far down the road. --UPDATE FROM NOVEMBER: During the ritual I referenced above, I made a pair of tiny sealed pouches filled with some stones empowered for luck, some herbs, other sundries, and, of course, some serious High John dabbage. My boyfriend, once I worked up the nerve to give him his pouch, kept it next to his laptop while searching for a job, then took it with him on his last interview. These were his only two direct interactions with the pouch, and this was very recent. He got the job. Also, I took my pouch with me when buying my first lottery ticket ever. I had a hunch. I won ten bucks. Hee. It'll help pay for a video game I desperately want. So I definitely dig this blend.

Berries! Lots of berries! When I first put this one, there seemed to be an absolute explosion of cherries around me. Awesome. Then that started to calm down a bit... went a bit soapy for a moment which was probably the floral components saying hi. After maybe twenty minutes it started to stabilize into a spicy, delicate powder on me. Lovely stuff. I would not mind having a bottle around. It's not a #1 MUST HAVE for me yet, it's a bit feminine for what I prefer to wear, but it's damn nice and I could really warm up to it.

Just smelling this bad boy in the imp made me think of Johnny Depp, sprawled out naked, dripping with dark, rich, oily scent. I see I wasn't the only one who thought that or something similar. Lovely rich coconut in the imp, plus something darker. Once I'd put it on, it definitely kicked up a sweet toasted coconut smell. There was always something a bit darker and heavier in the background, but even during the whole drydown, that coconut note made damn sure to keep kicking. This is one of the longest lasting scents I've worn, too, and the throw was like a major league pitcher during the playoffs. I really, really like this one. I may have to do a bottle down the road.

In the imp - sharp, rich wood. I rather liked the scent of the imp itself. I put it on my boyfriend and we started to sniff. Through every stage save for a little while towards the end... wet cedar chips. He continually remarked that he smelled like a lumber yard. As it started to finally fade away - great staying power, if you dig the wood chip thing - it got much softer and there was a bit more hint of real scent to it. Unfortunately, his body chemistry just amped the whole WET WOOD OMG thing to no end. If it'd picked up a bit more lemon scent it would have worked on him. Oh well. I still like the in-imp whiff. Maybe I'll give it a shot and see how my body treats it.

In the bottle, all I smelled was fresh, deep musk. Smelled rather inviting, I love me some musks. When I first put it on, yeppers, lots of musk. Plus a bit of the familar smelling dragon's blood resin. As it blended together, for a little while it smelled oddly like this blend of Egyptian Musk that I have from a local new age shop. Then things started to settle down. As it dried, I could start to pick out different musk notes. As I got close to my wrist to sniff, there was lovely musk, dark musk, indescribable musks... I got closer... and one that smelled.. like.. cat poo? WUGH. I backed my head away. Everything smelled okay again. No waft of cat poo. Just when I get up close to really try and whiff what that particular note is. I'm going to try the blend again and see if it's a continual event or even if letting the imp sit around a while might help. I actually really like the blend until I get right up next to my wrist, so... hopefully I can work around that one little whiff in there. --Yeah, when I let it do its thing, it's really quite nice and musky on me. May have a bit to do with my biological cycle as well. Overall, I really like this one.

Berries, incense, and smoke. If there's cinnamon, it was barely there on me. Bengal goes crazy cinnamon on me, this didn't. In the bottle, I smelled a bit of floral and something sweet. Putting it on, there's almost no floral. Which is good, because rose is about the only thing floral that I can guarantee works on me - anything else is a Who Knows? until I put it on. But usually goes to soap. This? My gods. Pure, dark, rich berries, then slowly drying down through stages of berry and possibly the rose, then rich incense, then a bit of smoke. I love this, I'm happy I ordered a bottle, and I wish I'd ordered more than one.

The Seventh Daughter, Daughter of the Oath. She was King David’s lover, and the mother of King Solomon. Her scent is breathtakingly lovely, exotic and powerfully sensual in its innocence: carnation, sensual plum, and Arabian musk. This was a giftie imp when I was sent a sample of Bengal from another forumite, and I wore it today as a what the hell. I've read the reviews and descriptions and as a floral I said "Oh, hell. Soap." Because that's what happens to florals on me. I sniffed the imp. Yep, soapy to me nose. I put it on. Got my nose down there to give it a whiff while wet and I say to m'self "Yep soa-- wait." I gave it a few. Sniffed again. Sure enough, while there was still a bit of soapiness to this blend on my skin, I have to say, it was a damn nice soap and I got many whiffs of actual floral smell on me. The most successful floral on me so far. And I definitely got a whiff of the plum, which was surprisingly delightful. It smells clean and almost sweet. I think that's definitely the carnation coming out on me. But something, perhaps the musk, stabilizes it and keeps it from going pure soap on me. Drydown was more musky/powdery than anything else, much to my surprise. I don't know about a bottle, I have to give it some more wear, but it definitely had more success on me than anything else of this nature. Very nicely blended. If you like florals and they work for you, definitely give this a shot.

I've tried enough oils now to at least be able to start describing things better... but I can't with this one. I know that in the imp and on first dab, it's very rich and sweet, and I concur with the others that there has got to be some ghost of honey in here. It made me think of Athens for a split second, but then never again. I know that as it warmed and dried it became richly clean and comforting, that the musks began to soothe me, and I just felt clearer and better for wearing it. It is wonderful, and Egyptian, and there may even be a hint of juiciness to the oil itself that just gives it that much more oomph. I ordered a bottle within days of testing it. For ritual work and for wearing. I love this scent and I will cry if it goes away.

In the imp - wet, green, and dark. Doesn't quite smell like my thing, but okay, we'll give it a go. On wet - I was hoping it'd be green and rich, but I think the carnation scent mixed with anything else (the vetiver, maybe?) warped my usual soapy floral effect and went for something far worse... ...ironically... bug spray. I was due for a shower anyway. I gave it a bit to dry. Bit more rich green, but still that hint of, um, spray. It's the floral. I can't do light florals, damn my body. It's a lovely scent for those that can make deep green and floral work for them, it really is a well-blended oil. I definitely thought of caterpillars. Unfortunately for me, they were not happy ones, hopped up on opium.

This blend needs more love. Today I received an imp of Bengal in my mail, thanks to another forumite's fantastic kindness. I was hoping for a sweet chai smell. It is exactly what I got. I love this imp and I've only just put it on once. Love it. Thank gods I'm not a slatherer, because I have to get this thing to last until I get a bottle order in. (Come to me, next lunar update...) In the bottle - almost overwhelmingly sweet with an odd dark tinge to it. I felt some brief misgiving about that, wondering if Bengal wasn't going to work out after all. On wet - Honey on me. Absolute buttloads of honey for a couple of minutes until a hint of peppery spice starts to ring out. Over the next several hours, the honey, while still prominent, becomes more of a velvety soft background for the pepper and a waft of rich musk and what I believe is the clove starts to really pop out. I never quite got a definable cinnamon note, but I'm still training my nose and probably just missed it between the pepper and musk. Fantastically rich smell. I adore it already. --One small caveat if you wear it as a neck scent and have sensitive skin - you may experience a light spice-induced 'hickey' for about an hour. No other problems in my case, but you could definitely see where the scent was put on.

Warm in the bottle, very much lavender and musk. When I put it on, it was an oddly crisp scent of lavendar. Entirely different from the imp of Somnus I'd asked for in the same order, yet I know that they shared some ingredients. Very light and cool, and again the heavy dose of musk and the richness of the lavender kept the florals from going to soap on me. (I have that problem with light florals) Had a titch of trouble getting to sleep, as I always do - I blame an overly extensive sugar intake as it was my father's birthday yesterday - but once I got there, the dreams felt surprisingly vivid and real. I woke up convinced that there really had been a book I'd read with these characters and situations, but quick realization in the morning shows me that this story doesn't exist. So now I suppose I'd better write it. Interesting. Very detailed, and no sense of nightmare at all. And to echo another just a few posts ago, you do wake up several hours later with the gentle lingering touch of lavender still dancing around like a scarf of scent.

I learned from The Ghost that light floral blends do not appear to work on me. I need richness and depth or it just goes to soap on me. I got Nuit as a frimp in my first imp batch from the Lab and I am pleasantly surprised. I read the description and felt it could go light floral, which would be a shame. I am in love with Baghdad, and feel definite warmth toward Cairo, and I like the idea of continuing the trend of success I'm having with the Egyptian theme. Nuit soothed my worries rather quickly. Scent in the bottle was like a spray of rich, yet light, flowers atop a fresh chest of dark wood. Not a cedar, but not as rich as many sandalwood-type scents. The musk was light, yet firm. I put it on and again smelled the floral, getting nervous. It quickly dried on me, the richness of the musk keeping the florals from going to soap. It hovered closer to powdery after several hours, but never once tilted towards the dreaded soap. Seven hours later, there's still the faintest hint of musk. This is definitely a like after a first wearing. Time will tell if it goes to love or not.

*whimpers and desires her Gypsy Queen that probably won't arrive until early Oct* I will persevere!

Wow, did this ever remind me of a herbal-scented sleeper's eye-pillow I used to have. Very crisp, very cool, very soothing. I definitely got a whiff of something rather citrusy at some point, and other scents on first application seemed to hover around the notes of lavendar and eucalyptus. I have no idea if eucalyptus is in this blend, but that's what the scent recalled for me. It also genuinely helped me relax and rest better. I wore it last night in bed, with an opening shift at work today as I write this, and traditionally, I sleep AWFULLY on nights before an opener. While I would not claim to have slept perfectly on this scent, it was a marked improvement, and that's the best I can ask from anything. Not really a scent for casual daywear, but damn is it nice at night. I think I'll try it on further nights (after I give Oneiroi a shot) and see if the relaxing effect of this scent is cumulative and I learn how to sleep like a normal person again. (also posted this review on LJ, in the comments of another user.) In nutshell: ADORED this one. May end up with a bottle someday, if my instinct is correct about continuing its use.

I haven't worn this one yet, but I made my boyfriend slather a little bit on and I started nibbling on his neck pretty much immediately afterward. The citrus scent remained very strong on him for several hours, but not overwhelmingly so. The musk balanced it out nicely. Lovely. I have to get some Antony to try on him, first, but this could possibly be a bottle for him someday.

OMFG, out of all the imps I've tried so far, for simple pleasure of wearing, this is by far my favorite one. I may very well have to get a bottle of it. The 10ml one. It was very rich and musky in the bottle, but nothing I could really get a handle on. When I put it on, it started off still very musky, but I got the hints of some beautifully deep rose. Within ten minutes or so, I began to smell like rich cedar, with the musk almost like incense in the background. Love it. Love it. Love it.

Initially very musky out of the bottle, began to dry into some serious (but lovely) evergreen/resin on me. Eventually went powdery after several hours, but a very pleasant powder. I liked this one. Dunno if I'd get a bottle, I'll give it a few more wears and see what more I think of it.

Went on soapy. Stayed soapy. Occasionally got a brief whiff of floral and then, I swear to Gods, I smelled olive oil on me on a couple of whiffs. No fault to the perfume, but it definitely isn't working on me. Probably going to be part of my first swap someday down the road. Oddly, four hours later, I got a few whiffs of a fairly nice floral again, but it all but vanished after that. On the bright side, this plus the other scents I tested over the last couple of days have firmed my belief that I need to stay near rich, dark scents, or robust florals. Roses work well on me, but this, sadly, didn't.