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I lament that I didn't get one of the Phoenixes.... and the labels make it even worse! Gorgeous. I can't wait to see what Great Sword's label looks like...

Decanted for me by the lovely astrozombiegirl over on the alchemlab LJ. So much loff! (Caveat lector: I put some Dublin on to help me sleep last night, and the white musk in that lasts absolutely ages on me. I can still smell it on my wrists; I don't think it's strong enough to affect The Haunted Palace, but your mileage may vary, and all that.) In the Imp: Mmmmmm, light and yummy orange, with an extra sweetness in the background that's making a bit like orange candy. The heliotrope? There's a depth to the scent, a velvety feeling.... I was going to say, "It almost smells like there's musk in here!" And then I realised. There is. The fabled red musk. I think it's the combination of the amber and the musk that's giving it that rich, heady undertone. No vanilla, gardenia, or rose just yet. Wet: The wetness of the orange dried out as soon as it hit my skin, and it becomes much more an orange rind than the fleshy fruit. I'm getting a tickle of soapy rose, but oddly enough it works. There's a subliminally clean and warm sensation to this: the musk, no doubt. As it starts to settle down, lovely touches of vanilla come out, and a slight spiciness that must be the gardenia. I can't pick out the amber specifically, but I know it's there somewhere, making things glow. Something about this is very festive, almost Christmasy. It's a soft, but bright, jumble of notes: oranges and reds and golds. Dry: If I bury my nose in my wrist, it's predominately amber, red musk, vanilla with a hint of orange.... but the throw is all warm, round vanilla and a touch of rose. This is sparkling, translucent, beautiful and almost fragile. It hugs close to the skin, and is present without being overwhelming. I expected decadence and grandiosity, but instead The Haunted Palace is truly lovely: both gorgeous and sincere, and that makes its fall, not justified, but melancholy. This is not the scent of licentiousness, not of Sodom and Gomorrah, but an encapsulation of the phrase, "All good things must come to an end." It's uplifting, but delicate as well. Beth put it perfectly: "The moment before the ruin, frozen. The scent of captured glory, of glowing pearls and rubies, of golden sunlit joy and regal grandeur...." The image that lingers in my mind is early morning sunlight, shining through the high, solitary window of a castle: illuminating the rich reds of the wine still on the table; the glint of gold thread woven in the tapestries; the grand clothes of the courtiers, who lie peacefully on the floor, their eyes fluttered shut-- not dead, but asleep, as the thickets of thorny rose bushes climb the walls outside, shutting in the perfect tableau until someone should come to rescue them, and restore them once more to their former majesty. I'm not sure I'd wear this enough for a 5mL; it could never be an everyday scent for me, but I'll treasure my Imp. This is a masterpiece.

I got this one as a present for my mum, but I had to test it, didn't I? To make sure it wasn't.... defective. Yes. Defective. Vitally important, this testing business. Not at all because it smelled so good even with the cap still on. Oh no. In the bottle: Holy Jeebus. It's gingerbread dough. I can smell molasses, cinnamon and other assorted spices, brown sugar... it smells round and squishy-damp and absolutely delicious. Oh man. I really want some gingerbread dough to nibble. I've never smelled anything quite so delicious in perfume form. Wet: A burst of the spices comes forward initially, with the molasses and sugar fading into the background. Mmmmmmm..... this is baking gingerbread now, in the not-quite-ready-to-eat-but-not-dough-either stage. You know. When you're pulling the oven open every two minutes to see if you can maul it yet, and you're drooling so much you need a canoe just to-- oh Gods, oh Gods, what's that way back there, please tell me it isn't plastic, oh Gods... *prays as never woman has prayed before* Oh. Whew. No. It's just a very smooth, round sweetness that reminded me of plastic for a minute, but that's gone now. Hmm. It's not as strong as before, either. But still. Yummmmmm. Dry: It smells "done" now, like the biggest, most tempting slice of moist gingerbread drizzled with molasses. You know, for a gingerbread perfume, this is surprisingly subtle on me-- it screamed at first, but it's calmed down to a nice conversational tone of delicious sugar and spice. I'm surprised, actually: all the other reviews seem to be saying, "Whoo baby, this stuff is powerful!" Maybe my nose is a little dead today, and I know my skin's extra dry (damn winter!)... but whatever it is, I put this in the "Perfect amount of throw!" category. It really is a dead ringer for gingerbread, too. May the cinnamon-sensitive beware, though: I had to be careful not to bury my nose directly into my arm while sniffing this (which was difficult, let me tell you)... the ole schnoz is a little chapped from the cold walk I took earlier, and the cinnamon oil, even after drying on my wrists, was making it sting. Rather a lot. Verdict: You know what I have a strange urge to do? Slather my stuffed animals in this. Imagine if my Grateful Dead bear smelled like gingerbread... I'd use it on me, too, particularly in winter. In fact, I kinda hope Mum hates this one!

I'm late to the Samhain party, I know, but hey, at least I'm here....! For those of you who haven't seen it, Samhain has the cutest label..... it's a pin-up style witch, with a crescent moon and a bat behind her. In the bottle: People are getting fir out of this? Seriously? Man. All I can smell is honeyed pumpkin, and apples, and a little spice and maaaaybe a hint of patchouli. It's smoky and sweet, but it feels a little thin. It might round out when it hits my skin, but at the moment, Samhain, to me at least, is screaming, "Age me! Age me!" Not that it isn't fantastic now, but this just begs to be shoved in a dark cupboard for a few months[1]. Er-- in a good way, though. Oh, wait. There are the woods. Waaaay in the back. Mmmm. I can't stop sniffing. Wet: The spice pops out, and the smokiness, and the foresty components, but there's still plenty of sweet pumpkin, and just a touch of apple. This has a slightly tobacco-like quality to it that I'm really digging-- I just went and got the pouch of Drum loose-leaf we keep for rituals, and it's quite similar. Yummy-- this is really delicious! I have no idea how Beth managed the smell of honeyed pumpkin... just like the pumpkin puddings I make every fall.... but it works perfectly over the smoke and woods. I do wish I was getting a little more apple, or maybe a touch more spice. (Hmmm, I bet this would layer beautifully with Three Witches. I might have to snag an Imp of TW just for that!) If the spices and woodsmoke come out to play a little more when it dries, this will be perfect. Dry: The fir and leaves and patchouli have popped up to say hello, but it's still mostly delicious pumpkin. Stewed apples seem to be encroaching as well, with all their accompanying spices. I haven't seen anyone mention the mullein yet, but that could be what's causing the tobacco-esque aroma.... my father used to smoke mullein, and I'm almost sure I'm picking up a little bit of that here: not the fresh plant, it doesn't really smell like anything, but more like mullein ash. This is outdoorsy, and sweet in a very organic way; not like sugar, but like fruits and vegetables, with some underlying smoke and wood notes, and the barest touch of patchouli. Verdict: Love. Love love love. This one deserves the reputation it has, and every mention of aged Samhain seems to say it just gets richer and deeper and better with time. The trick will be not using up the entire bottle before it has a chance to mellow! This one deserves the reputation it has, without a doubt. :bowdown: [edit] Dammit! This one did the same thing Misk U did to me-- it was beautiful the first time, and the second time, I lost all the smoke and woods and spices and it was pure dirty honey. I tried it a few more times and couldn't get the pretty back. Swaps. [1]Hmm... the "Aging BPAL" thread says others have had the same thought, and that Samhain does age beautifully. Hooray!

The Boy ordered an Imp of this, and kindly let me have a go-- although that may have been his sense of self-preservation, now that I come to think of it. I was desperate to try this. In the Imp: Incense, something green and woodsy, and that very distinct blown-out-candles smell. I'm not smelling any leather, but the BPAL leather seems to generally be right in my scent blind spot, and I can only rarely find it. I like it so far. Not what I was expecting, but I like it. Wet: Rosewood, I think, is what's causing that green note. This is smoky rosewood, incense, and wood. No leather or parchment or tonka, yet. Just wood and spice. It's nice but not that impressive-- yet. I'll see what it does on the drydown before I judge. I hope it sweetens up a bit, I think I'd really like it if it did. Hmm, I just sniffed my sweater, where I accidentally got a drop or two, and it's much better there! Much sweeter and more incensey. Drydown: Something in here is going faintly powdery on me, but not in a bad way. This is parchment and incense, still with no leather, and much less rosewood. It is sweeter now, but I'm really just not getting the library vibe from this. On my sweater it smells fantastic, rich and deep and drily delicious, but it's just not cooperating on me. To top it all off, it's starting to fade. It seems like the ones I get most excited about simply never work on me. Ah well. The search for the librarian scent continues. This is quite masculine, and will work very well on the Boy, but it doesn't seem to be for me-- although I'll enjoy burying my nose in my sweater from time to time, and catching whiffs of incensey tonka and wood. *sigh* Godsdammit. And I was really looking forward to this one. [edit] Later that same day, I starting doing that classic, "What is that smell? Oh God, something smells so good-- like a spicy, sweet, really fantastic cologne! Is that you, (insert name of family member here)?" I'd forgotten entire about the Dee on my sweater-- it wasn't until the next morning when I pulled it on to go out into the cold, and my entire head was enveloped in masculine deliciousness, that I worked it out. This is going to be fan-freakin'-tastic on the Boy. I can't wait! [edit] I'm pleased to report that, post college-applications stress, this does work on me! It's a melange of spicy woods and blown-out candle wax and delicious manliness, and I'm very, very fond of it.

Unrestrained revelry, unchained licentiousness! Violet deepened with vetiver. Caveat lector: I'm not keen on straight violets, usually. Vetiver is pretty iffy with me, particularly as the main component of a blend. But it was a frimp, so I am obliged-- nay, compelled-- to try it. Even if I am doing so just before a shower so I can wash it off if need be. In the bottle: The colour's neat: it's a pleasant orangey brown, in a shade that's exactly between Highwayman and Hurricane (two other blends that contain vetiver.) Man, I don't really want to uncap this, I just know I'm going to get a snootful of pure vetiver.... oh well. Onward and upward. *sniffs* Yep. That rotting-weed smell that I associate with vetiver, definitely. Not even a hint of violet... but Hurricane was all vetiver in the vial, too, and I ended up liking that, so I should try it, right? Right? *resolution wavers* I should hurry up and put some on before I chicken out. Wet: Mmm, smell those weeds dusted with powder! Hmmm, now it's sweetening a bit to give a smell that isn't quite violets and isn't quite vetiver, either. It's almost fruity, in a weird kind of way. Maybe this won't be too bad after all! Dry: Very much a second-skin smell. Could it be that some vetiver works on me, while others don't? The vetiver in Highwayman ate everything else in the blend and then turned into wet charred plants, but this.... there's a roundness to it, a slightly grassy, fuzzy quality, that I really like. I'm catching more violet now, to go along with it-- violet still reminds me of cosmetics, but the vetiver helps a lot. This is almost like Numb's Satan-worshipping older sister, or something. Verdict: I'll have to think on it. This is actually quite nice, but I'm not sure it's something I'd wear very much-- and it's so similar to Hurricane that I probably don't need both. Typical! I go to try something I'm sure I won't like, right before a shower, and I end up not wanting to wash it off!

All right, I admit it. I'm already wearing Burial on my wrists. After washing off Black Phoenix (not that I really needed to, since it smelled like soap anyway. ) But I really want to do another review tonight! And I have Voltaire and Rasputina on the playlist, and if that isn't bloody appropriate music for reviewing Laudanum, then I don't know what is. Here we go! In the Imp: Spicy, dry root beer. Almost like root wine. Intoxicating. I can't stop sniffing. If I inhale for long enough, I catch an undertone that's almost papery. Black poppy? Myrrh? We'll find out. I like it so far, but of course, that doesn't mean anything until I get it on my skin.... (I applied this just below my elbows, which is a new place for me, so it might have an effect on the scent. I didn't want to put it in the crooks of my arms, because that always makes things smell unnaturally sweet, and I don't usually wear much oil there anyway, but my wrists were already taken, so this was sort of a compromise.) Wet: Yummy sassafras and a stronger paper note. Definitely getting the myrrh as well... my skin is actually a little tingly from this. This is quite dry, and not as sweet as it was in the bottle. I'm sure the black poppy is in there, but it's sure as heck not showing up as a floral to my nose. Hrrrm..... where's the nutmeg? Ah, yes. I had to go and sniff the ground version in the spice cabinet first, but I can tell it's there now. It's what's adding that almost salty spice note. This one's a bit odd. It doesn't seem to have any throw at all, but the second-skin quality lures you in for another sniff. It's not at all a "perfume" smell, and I'd be hard-put to classify it: it's not floral, or oriental, or gourmand, or foody, or woodsy, or herbal, or even medicinal. I don't associate it with any particular time of the year. I can see why this one is named after a drug! It's developing a smokiness that I like very much. It doesn't remind me clove cigarettes, which is kind of what I was hoping for, but hey, one can't have everything, right? Dry: All the notes have mellowed and blended more, and some waft has made an appearance-- it's a good deal sweeter than what I get when I jam my face into my forearm, but still excellent. Spicy, pleasant, unique... incensey myrrh and spicy nutmeg, with an overlay of heavy, dry poppy and a drop of sweet sassafras. If brown velvet frock coats had a scent, this would be it. This one is a true testament to Beth's genius... a most unusual smell indeed, put in perfume form and bottled, and, holy of holies, it's very wearable! I'll enjoy my Imp to no end.

Lagniappe from the Lab. I've had bad luck with dirt notes in the past-- Zombi, anyone?-- but for some reason, I have very high hopes for this. I feel like an earth scent tonight.... (I'm also using this to console myself, since Black Phoenix just turned into rose soap on me. *wail*) In the Imp: Juniper, patchouli... sharply green-and-brown. I'm definitely catching some evergreen, here, too-- cypress, perhaps?-- in addition to the juniper. Myrrh, too, maybe? Very smoky and woodsy... I can see the comparisons to bug spray. It doesn't smell bad to me, but it does have the slightly pungent edge a lot of insect repellants do. I'm not catching much dirt or florals or moss, to speak of. Wet: Juniper/cypress, and surprisingly light! Not in terms of mood-- in mood this is a dark wood-- but as in, not too strong, which is good. I'm still not catching any dirt or floral or even patchouli. Hrrrm, I think this is almost too light... I'm having trouble finding it. I do have really dry skin in winter, that's probably part of it. I just put some lotion on my wrists and slathered a bit more on.... Dry: Juniper and cypress and a teensy hint of what might be patchouli, and, on the far drydown, a hint of spicy dirt and a very natural, almost slightly sweet floral. This is so deeply foresty in a blue-green kind of way, it's almost aquatic. I love this! I'm definitely keeping my Imp, it will be absolutely superb for the sticky summer months, and while I might not buy a 5mL right away, Burial has definitely inspired me to try some more dark, forest blends. The image this brings to mind is of walking through a wild wood on a grey, winter's day, the last of the snow still under the trees, and entering a stand of tall cypress. In the middle of the glade there is a clear, almost round, mirror-still pool of water, reflecting the gunmetal grey of the sky. Low juniper bushes grow around the edges of the pond and back into the forest; their rough branches have almost obscured the crumbling statues placed throughout the cluster of trees. A few hardy, tiny white flowers have risen through the frozen loam in patches.... the last reminder that where the wilderness now grows was once a garden.

Lagniappe from the Lab-- hooray! I've always wanted to try it.... In the bottle: Almonds. By all that is holy, are those almonds. Unmistakable. But I really like almonds, so.... *sniffs* Mmmmm, so good. Maybe some spice underneath-- cinnamon? Smells like delicious marzipan or a cookie. There's something velvety in the background that makes me think there might be musk in this, but it's a very faint impression indeed. I like the golden-orange-red-purple colour of this, though, it looks like wine. Wet: Almond, then a burst of something fruity-spicy with a slightly soapy edge. It's really familiar, yet I can't place it. Oooh, this is making my wrists tingle-- hope I'm not allergic! Wait, is that rose? Is there rose in this? Is that what's going bad on me? I'm catching a little incense in there too, but mostly it seems to be rose. Godsdammit! I'm getting beautiful hints of sweets and resins and musks behind it, but mostly it's just soap. Oh, how I hope it fades on the drydown.... it's awesome soap, really nice and softly floral, but... soap. Wait, wait, is that the throw? Is it? Now I'm finding whiffs of something delicious, but it's very, very faint... blast. Sniffed from a few inches away, it's extremely light spicy rosey floral, with almost no direct "presence". It's a peripheral smell, almost more of an impression, of musky-sweet floral goodness. Hmm. There may be hope for this yet. Dry: A little less soap, a little more spice. Roses and maybe myrrh or frankincense, now. Still no amber or musk or almond when I stick my nose right in it. Wah. I wanted this to be pure amaretto sex on me, not classy business woman. I'm hanging on to this, just to make sure it doesn't change at that time of the month and become what I was hoping for, and I'll try it on my hair and clothes and different spots on my body to see if that helps, but as it is.... I'll use it, but only for times when I want to smell clean, rather than sexy. [edit] Bee and Flower. Bee and Flower rose soap. That's precisely what this smells like on me. And, adding insult to injury, on my mother? Ambery, musky, spicy, incensey, amaretto goodness. Damn my chemistry. Damn it to pus-spewing Hell. [edit] I have to edit this because the second time I tried this (when I was less stressed out), it worked! It hit me with a burst of almond and dried to a sweetly powdery almond-liqeuer, layered with amber, a light musk and something incensey that might be frankincense. A rich, expensive second-skin smell. Very, very nice-- my mum loves it too, and it's irrevocably "her" scent now, but that won't stop me snitching from her bottle occasionally!

I bought an Imp of this from OriginalWacky () for my mum as part of her Christmas present.... but I had to test it, didn't I? Shhh! In the vial: Fruity, bubbly, tangy almost alcoholic-- I'm smelling citrus and coconut, mint, pineapple, and something smooth and rich and a little dark underneath.... almost like a tropical Peppermint patty. Oh Gods, this is gorgeous, I hope it stays this pretty on my skin! Wet: A burst of that dark, sweet, slinky, distant smell I can't pin down, quickly followed by rich coconut and beautifully round lime-- or possibly lemon. This is making my nose tingle in the most delicious way possible. The throw is good and seems to be all coconut and citrus. Dry: More coconut, laced with citrus and that mysterious background note-- not amber, not any musk I'm familiar with... ambergris, perhaps? I smell like.... well, exactly like I imagine a star would smell. I'm not terribly familiar with Beth's conceptual blends, but as far as representing the card goes... this is an absolute masterpiece. What's more, it will be ideal for my mother: serene and cool, sweet yet not homey or maternal. She's a Reiki therapist and a reverend and very, very powerful, in her own way, but I've never seen her intimidate anyone. She's friendly and beautiful and yet there's something ethereal, almost queenly, about her, and this is perfect for her. She loves tropical things as well, so I think she'll like this-- and I'd love to smell it on her! This is incredible. It's so rich and complex; starlight-bright but also very untouchable, and just a touch chilling. I adore this... if my mum doesn't like this, I may get a bottle anyway. [edit] I realise now that I didn't really give a very good description of the scent... so, this might be a little more helpful: The Star is warm, full coconut topped by round lime and pineapple, with a golden, rich smell underneath. Like a smooth, creamy, milky chocolate-liqueur filled candy, blended with a slinky ambery-musky concoction. Completely unique and unbelievably delicious.

Aaah, Delphinine, the eternal questions.... for those, this is the forum section for you. It has all the answers if you just poke around a little bit. (Here's the one about parfum sprays and dilution... if you can't find the answers you're looking for, feel free to ask over there, too.)

Wow. That label for Snow White is gooooorgeous. *drools* I'm glad I have a bottle on the way, even if it is technically for my sister. *looks shifty*

This is going to be a hard review to write. Out of all of the BPALs I've tested (a pretty small number, considering some of the devotees' counts on this board.... say...... 55, 60?) three have given me the most wonderful, visceral reactions. Dorian is, to me, the scent of being in love. It makes me utterly content just to wear it. O is, not terribly surprisingly, the smell of sex to me... do I even need to tell you what reaction that triggers? And then there's this. When I originally bought a bottle of Dublin (unsniffed), I wanted something very, very specific. Well over a year ago, I met a man on the friends-of-friends network who lives in Dublin... turns out we share a lot of the same extremely dorky interests. We started swapping emails nearly daily, chatting-- that moved on to phone calls-- and then, this past August, he happened to be in the States for an anime convention not too terribly far away, and came to visit me. Since I didn't know him in "real life", he started off in a hotel, intending to stay there for a weekend... by the end of the weekend, he'd left the hotel and was sleeping on the couch instead. Even my parents adored his sweet, gentle nature and his intelligent wit. What I was looking for in Dublin was the scent of that weekend, sitting on the porch and just talking for an eternity. The smell of August rain showers, height-of-summer blooms, and the lush trees that surround the area. What I got instead is even better. Don't get me wrong, Dublin is very much an outdoors sort-of smell, but it's not the landscape I was thinking of. No, this is the scent of the man himself, almost exactly-- one of the first things I noticed about him as he stepped out of the cab and I hugged him was how good he smells. His natural skin-scent is a dead-ringer for the Lab's white musk: that sweet, vanillic, just a tad sharp, delicious creation Beth bottles so beautifully. Dublin is sitting by the lake late at night, kissing him goodbye, smelling the breeze off the water and the pine forest nearby and his smell, clean and animal and a touch spicy all at once. Laying all that aside, Dublin starts off as white musk on me, edged with pine and a hint of what might be cinnamon. The rose rises up on the dry-down and softens and sweetens the whole thing considerably... this is rich and green-blue-gold, water and sunlight and forest all at once, perfectly blended. If this scent were a place, it would be Rivendell. If this scent were a person.... well, you know. Did I mention I'm getting a 10mL? Thank you, thank you, thank you, Beth, for bottling one of my favourite people in the entire world and making him accessible whenever I want him. I don't see the Boy as often as I'd like, considering the 3000 miles, and seven and-a-half-years, that separate us, but you've somehow captured his presence, and it calms me and uplifts me in a way no other blend has. For the times his absence hits me hard, there is Dorian during the day, to tell me that being in love is a joyful thing, and Dublin at night, to remind me he's never that far away.

I think we decided it was just an odd batch, Puddin'... it doesn't smell like that usually. (Wait, we did decide that, didn't we? Am I hallucinating?) Frankly I'd like to snag an Imp of this pseudo-Dorian... it sounds quite nice, in a totally un-Dorian-esque kind of way.

Received in a swap.... A preface: dragon's blood resin is iffy on me-- sometimes it's fine (Blood, Dragon's Bone), sometimes I can't get it off fast enough (Dragon's Blood). But cinnamon and amber? In the vial: That weird transparent-sweet-spicy, almost watery, floral I get with dragon's blood, with a healthy sprinkling of cinnamon. It's got a perfumey-edge from the DB I'm not too thrilled about, but so far, it's not bad. I can't really smell the amber, but then, I've found I can't really smell amber in any blend, unless it's on my skin. There could be something else, a little high-pitched, above it... like a citrus. Then again, that may just be the brightness of the DB. The oil itself is certainly a very pretty orange-red. Wet: That delicious, dust-dry cinnamon the Lab uses. This time, though, it's definitely tempered by the sweet, fruit-powdery floral of the dragon's blood. I only applied a small amount, but I'm still having to stick my nose right into my wrist to get any scent at all from this. Definitely a second-skin. There's a smidgen of amber in the background, making it extremely reminiscent of a much lighter, softer Sin. With no throw. *pout* Dry: Less cinnamon, more dragon's blood and amber... a good deal sweeter now, too. It's very nice (what I can smell of it, anyway), but a little too "expensive"-smelling for my tastes. I like the heat, the spices, the amber.... but it's the dragon's blood that just doesn't quite gel with my personal style. Too high-pitched, and tangy, and watery-- not in an aquatic way, but weak, like it's been diluted. I'm on a kick with warm, red-smelling blends lately, and I'll probably hang on to this Imp... but I can guarantee I won't reach for it terribly often. It's a gorgeous, rich, sophisticated blend-- but it's really just not me.

Is it time for a squee? I think it is. *looks both ways* SQUEEEEEE!

Does anyone know if anything fun and funky is being done for the new GC scents? (The Muses / Come and See?) I mean, when the name of the thing is Death on a Pale Horse, surely there can be only one outcome....?

Lagniappe from the Lab (and, as usual, amusingly appropriate-- there have been a huge number of "jailbait" jokes about me the last few months, for various reasons. ) In the vial: If I stick the wand up near my nose, it's all cherry cough syrup with a hint of orange. Farther away, it's perfect pink bubblegum with a tinge of orange and cherry. There's something slightly spicy, and almost a little dry behind it-- cinnamon? Some kind of floral? I don't think it'll be my favourite thing to wear as a scent, but it does bring a smile to my face. What a fun concept. Wet: Cinnamon bubble gum and cherry lollipops! Candy-sweet and delicious. And... my goodness, is there mint in here? I'm getting just an edge of cool, watery spearmint, I think. Very pleasant, while still quite sugary. Dry: The cherry, orange, mint and cinnamon all but vanish, as it happens, and I'm left with a very light, bland, almost-plasticky, oddly sweet, second-skin floral that I'm not terribly keen on. It does smell "womanly" in an overly-sophisticated kind of way, but I'm just not that into such things. I'll hang on to this one, just to taunt certain people (hee.... ), but I probably won't wear it very often, unless I'm trying to get a point across. The late dry-down almost, almost turns my stomach, for some weird reason. Nonetheless, I can see how this would bloom gorgeously on the right chemistry, especially if everything balanced out.

Thanks Colére, those look amazing. I didn't think I wanted anything from the DiMV line, but now I have to get something. *grin* Snake Oil's new label is faboo! [eta] Darnit, I used HTML again!

That's brilliant!

I had a review for this all written out, and then my computer was stupid, and ate it. So, take two, the short version. In the vial this smells like pure vetiver to me, which I'm not keen on. On, however, it morphs into cucumber-mint-aquatic-soapiness with a healthy dose of rotting vegetation (*shakes her fist at all vetiver everywhere*). It's... okay, I suppose, it doesn't make me sick or anything, but it's not particularly something I'd like to smell like, either.... too thick and tangy and stagnant for me; I like my water as clean as possible! I'll end up swapping this one for sure. I think it'd be lovely on the right person, but that person is definitely not me. [edit] The second time I wore this, it was less vetiver and more cucumber-mint-aquatic-soapiness, and I actually liked it. If it keeps behaving, I may keep it to cool me down in the summer!

Frimp from the Lab about a week ago... it was just in time for a major test. In the vial: Hello floral! I don't smell jasmine or ylang ylang or rose at all-- that's muguet and maybe a touch of honeysuckle to me, no mistaking it. Sweet and watery and oh-so-pretty. There's something else behind it, but mostly it's nearly identical to the pure-muguet perfume oil I have in my cosmetics cabinet. Wet: Pretty flowery soap (cucumber?) with a touch of cooking-spice smell. A little aquatic, very femme, very sunny-- whether it's the effects of the blend or just the power of suggestion is up for debate, but it does make me smile! This is happy and sort of delicious-smelling... the florals are cleanly lush and almost wet. Dry: The same. Cool water, clean soap, bright flowers, and something spicy waaay in the back, tickling my peripheral nose-vision. Similar to the Lady of Shallot, but less complex. As far as voodoo properties go... my dad and brother are discussing the "inevitable" apocalyptic-style economic crash in the kitchen, which usually annoys/scares me... and I feel peaceful and content, and am noticing the sunlight and the colours of things more than usual. Florals still aren't really my thing, but I'm definitely going to try to keep an Imp around for days when I need a boost.

In the decant Imp I picked up, this is gorgeous, all buttery sweet caramel-sugar-coffee-Bailey's-chocolate love, with a teensy hint of wood. The first time I put it on, it stayed true and I was utterly enamoured. The second time, and all the times after that? Playdoh and stale popcorn. I am heartbroken. The universe does not want me to have my perfect-delicious-librarian scent, apparently. Hopefully the Boy's skin will treat this one more kindly, and I can enjoy it vicariously. But still.... waaaaah!

A frimp from the Lab in my last order! In the vial: Hello patchouli and sandalwood! Smells a good deal like Snake Oil without the vanilla to me-- that same weird incensey baby-powder scent. But I liked Snake Oil on, so... *crosses fingers* Can't smell the amber or the cinnamon, but I hope they come out to play. I do love them. Wet: Wet definitely isn't the right word for this. This smells bone-dry to me, but delicious as well. I can smell the cinnamon very strongly, the sandalwood makes it dry, the amber smells almost honeyish in the background, the patchouli is definitely in there somewhere... man, I am loving this. It's so warm and dry and sexy. This could very well become my favoured incensey-blend. A word of caution, though-- I went to swipe a fuzzy off my face with my hand, and my wrist touched my cheek... and now it's a bit... tingly. The cinnamon-sensitive should beware. Dry: Mmm, this is lovely. Predominately cinnamon with just a touch of patchouli, a backing of amber and an overlay of sandalwood. Since this is my first really grown-up, dry, incense/hippy-ish blend from BPAL, I may do a little more exploring before I settle on a bottle, but the Imp will see a lot of use, particularly in winter! If I wanted something not quite so dusty, I think this would layer beautifully with Wanda. [edit] I was listening to Tori Amos's Raspberry Swirl when I wrote this, and after some contemplation I realized that's exactly what Sin is like-- dark, heavy, a little harsh and discordant, even, but still incredibly sexy... mysterious voices layered over a grinding beat. I think I need a 5mL of this.

Snagged an Imp of this off a co-habitant of the LJ alchemylab. My first Lunar oil, yay! I'm a fruit fiend, too, so I've got high hopes. In the vial: Whoa. The fruitiest fruit that ever fruited... almost bubble-gum or candy-like, it's so strong and sweet. Not artificial smelling, excatly, just.... concentrated! I can smell apple and lemon and orange and pear and kiwi and peach and lots of tropicals I can't pick out individually. I'm loving this. Wet: I want to slather this, but since I only have an Imp I'll be sparing. But what a fabulous berry-and-melon explosion. There's definitely something non-fruity underneath, too, giving it a little base.... must be the "lunar oils", whatever those are. It's very heady while still being cooling and fresh-- almost like one of those drinks with the umbrellas in it. Dry: It's starting to fade already, but that's okay. I think all the fruits have evened out at this point, because I can't pick out anything individually any more. Just fruit. This is absolutely gorgeous-- I may need to hunt down a bottle for next summer.