a_llb

I'd say The Phoenix in Summer fits the bill! THE PHOENIX IN SUMMER The Phoenix soars through a summer thunderstorm: Nepalese amber, galangal, red musk, saffron, ozone, and the scent of hot rain striking pavement.

In bottle: Leafy and musky. Wet: Spicy, dusky and dark. Hints of leaves and incense. Dry: It takes on a very dry, planty quality. Dusty leaves indeed! Laudanum is prominent now, slightly medicinal and cloying with the addition of tobacco. Verdict: I think this is ultimately too dark and heady for me to wear often. A small dab goes a long way!

In vial: PINEY. Antiseptic and sharp. Wet: Fades to a lovely smoky wood. This is the scent of distant bonfires you can detect on the cold breeze as you pick out the perfect tree. Dry: Same as wet - lightly smoky, powdery pine wood. Verdict: Not one I'd reach for, but it is certainly atmospheric! It would be better as a room spray I think.

In bottle: Musky honey. Dark and deep. Wet: A touch of leather and rose begin to emerge, but the musks are still in charge. Dry: Everything fades to a slightly rosy black musk. Verdict: Not for me. It's nice, but... black musk just isn't my thing I guess.

In bottle: Almond, sharp and dry. A touch of herbal thyme. Wet: On skin it is much creamier - the almond thankfully fades rapidly. It leaves just a hint of warm nuttiness under the sweet lavender. I like this stage very much! Herbal vanilla caramel is what I think of. Dry: It smells 'homemade'. Not necessarily foody, nor like handmade soap... just creamy and all-around delicious. Verdict: I enjoy this blend which I can rarely say about anything featuring almond, but unfortunately my skin reacted unfavorably to something in it - leaving temporary welts. If I but had a scent locket this would be a keeper!

In vial: Sparkly vanilla. Wet: A splash of honey, velvety and soft. A serenading bouquet, I don't know which flowers but they are pretty. Dry: It's like a dusting of barely floral powdered sugar. Verdict: At some moments it's like a more floral version of CC Female. Those who enjoy blends such as Lyonesse, Womb Furie, and Mouse's Long and Sad Tale will probably adore this.

In vial: Glimmering spices. I agree that it is probably Indian Musk. It reminds me of what I like about Galvanic Goggles - this being much slinkier and 'lighter', but not insubstantial. Wet: Waxy, warm rosin. I get the impression of candlelight, shadows, and soft footsteps. Dry: It's settled into a slightly metallic, cinnamon-tinged wood scent - like a polished, aged wooden chest of spices and gold coins. I don't know if there is really cinnamon in the blend or not. My skin reacts to large amounts of it, and it looks fine even though I slathered. Verdict: It's basically the scent of a pilfered treasure chest. My nose is glued to my wrists. What more can I say!

In bottle: Hazelnut, caramel tones and sticky globs of honey. Seems way foody! Wet: Nutty, warm and softly musky. Not detecting any berries or pine, but I like it more than expected on my skin, so far. Dry: Soft fur! It smells like cuddling with a clean, fluffy bear. The nuts have toned down a bit, thankfully, but the honey is keeping the humectant, gooey vibe there in the background. Verdict: I only tried it because you can never tell - even though most nuts, berries and pine are usually unpleasant on me. To my great surprise, I actually like this! The honey and whatever equals moonlight + fur redeems this blend for me. I'll admit that the nutty sweetness is a bit much for the first little while, but it eventually calms down into a fuzzy, cuddly glow. I keep thinking - it's Winnie the Pooh in a bottle.

In bottle: Bitingly sharp woods and greenery. Wet: It begins with prominent foliage, viney and prickly. Moss drapes overhead, dusty and light. This phase settles down soon enough not to be too off-putting. The berries emerge, subtly tart. Dry: A wild raspberry patch! Not quite ripe, mouth-puckering fruits scattered among a neglected garden, with a few bleached boards laying about. Intriguing and pretty. Verdict: The notes appealed to me, but I don't think this is a scent I'd really wear. It seems like a deep, shady summer kind of blend, too 'cool' for my taste.

There’s magic afoot: fiery red musk, luminous elemi, East Indian patchouli, champaca flower, cedar incense, ho wood, and hemlock accord sweetened with a peculiar sweet honey. In vial: Musky, incensed, dirty. Wet: The woods are much more prominent than expected. Old, splintery woods. Champaca is very present as well. Dry: Honey and patchouli, dry and dusty. A hint of soap creeps in. Verdict: It's nice, but I don't love it. I find Witch Dance's incense & candied leaves to be much more up my alley.

In vial: Fluffy maple pumpkin. Wet: A thick ooze of currant maple syrup. Dark, not too sweet. Dry: A puff of marshmallow sugar & tarry licorice. Verdict: I am unsure how much I like the maple on my skin. I think this is something I'd much rather eat than wear.

In vial: A stream of soporific nectar, languorous and cool. Wet: Blue lotus (which is surprisingly not straight-up bubble gum, as lotus usually becomes on me), lunar and glowing - pairing well with the lighter sweetness of passionflower. A layer of pale musk and opium floats above. Dry: There is an inoffensive, almost innocent fruity feel to the drydown. Verdict: It's nice to see a 'still, nighttime, quiet' type blend that isn't overpowered with lavender.

In vial: Foamy plum and kelp. Clean, aquatic. If you missed out on 'Kiyohime Changes From A Serpent' from the Salon line, definitely try this! They are very similar.

In vial: Musky, velvety orchid, dewed with drops of honey. Seems very classic, feminine. Wet: A shadowed blot of inky blood musk seeps in, taking the feminine side and giving her a gritty edge. Dry: The amber coats everything in a resinous haze, and the fig leaf brushes by with a spine-tingling touch. Verdict: Perfectly evocative of the painting it represents: Creepily romantic and slightly terrifying. I feel like something is watching me when I have this on.

A tangle of lush greenery and thick, rooty vines with a hint of pumpkin rind, crumbled leaves, and rich soil. In vial: Lush, supple and green. It's the smell of a just snapped stem, that soft milkiness. A hint of cool black soil. Wet: Waxy pumpkin rind - sweet, natural, sun-ripened. Not buttery or spiced at all. It seems more like a white pumpkin than an orange one. The soil is fading into a clean, almost ivy-like scent. Dry: There is a light freshness on drydown, not floral exactly, not ozone or aquatic either... Maybe it's the leaves? Like autumn leaves still vibrantly yellow and on the tree, with a cool breeze rustling through them. Verdict: Absolutely beautiful! Perfect for people like me who can't wear spiced pumpkin. It becomes the kind of close-wearing scent where people won't necessarily know you're wearing perfume - it just clings to your skin like you have been out wandering on a chilly autumn day.