habuchan

I had such high hopes for this one. I'm a massive fan of anything peppermint and adding the jolt of sugar to it could only make it better. Right? In the Bottle: Oh dear. This is ALL pepperminty sugar. *laughs* It's a very straightforward scent. Peppermint. And Sugar. Unmistakeable. On Me: As soon as it hits my skin and it's all sticky warm peppermint candycane. Seriously yummy. As it warms to my flesh, the peppermint chills out a little, letting the sugary goodness rise to the forefront and take over. So now, it's more like peppermint hinted warm vanilla sugar. Dry Down: It mellows out again and the peppermint dies down to an almost whiff of mint. It's a very delicate oil, I'll give it that. But it's going to be one reserved for those moments when I just need a jolt of candy-cane yum. Overall, I like it. It's about what I expected it to be. A tad more subtle than I thought, but it works in a very bizarre way. I like it. 3/5

There are no words to acurately describe the wonderland my sense of smell is frolicking through right now. This is pure decadence in a bottle. Even sniffing the bottle made me moan in a way normally only reserved for more *intimate* encounters. In the Bottle: This is all wet, thick rich caramel and coconut. These two smells are literally embracing each other and are nearly indistinguishable. I wanted to drink the bottle. It's very very strong though. On Me: Initially, the coconut and caramel continued their vertical tango across my skin. Let me note that I'm very happy I'm at home right now. *laughs* I don't know if I could trust myself in public with this on. Dry Down: The tobacco note has shouldered its way to the front, joining the coconut and caramel in a menage a trois that seems to be a truly "shifting" pattern. The throw on this is very heady, and I feel like I should, in fact, be lounging in an opium den, chasing the dragon...and feeling everything. The currant shows up here and there, just a light hint underneath the rest of it all. Adding a smoky berry undertone that is quite pleasant and not overpowering at all. There's a touch of the spice wafting through...just enough to tie it all together without fighting for attention, and the amber is adding the dusty-powdery-ness to it, I think. Overall a truly fabulous scent. One that I will be wearing quite often because it's so...yummy! And yet, somehow manages to be sophisticated sexy goodness in a bottle. 5/5

I love orange. Ye gods how I love orange! I could bathe in it and be a happy woman. *ahem* In the Bottle: Oh my heaven. It's like someone took an orange blossom, dipped it in cream and rolled that puppy in sugar. There's a peppery bite there that gets my eyes watering at first sniff...I'm sneakingly suspicious that it's the carnation. On Me: Woo! Orange creamsicle goodness personified. A very creamy soft orange with, shall I add, a very naughty throw It's slightly floral too, which I expected, but mostly orange blossom and carnation and vanilla. A girlish scent, but with an edge of sinister intent. Like the little girl who watches you from across the road with eyes as big as saucers before pointing, giggling creepily, and pulling the head off her Barbie. Yeah. Like that. Dry Down: God this has a gorgeous throw. I kept getting whiffs of it throughout the day. And as it dries, it loses the foody sweetness as it mellows into a delicate floral, ever so spicy from the carnation (which, have I mentioned, I adore carnations?) It's delicate, light, and makes me want to lick my arm. Overall, it's so very perfect for me. It lasts a very long time (several hours) without needing to reapply, and it mellows into a sweet musky orange carnation cream scent. 4/5

This one was specifically requested by my Hubby. His intention is to base a character in his game off of it, but I loved the idea of red musk, vanilla, and pomegranate. So...into the cart it went. Coincidentally, it's one of the first Carnivale fragrances I ordered (along with Zarita, Habu, and Candy Butcher) so I was quite excited to try it out. In the Bottle: Hmm. Stroooong patchouli. So strong my nose wrinkled, hoping to pick up some of the fruitiness. It's a very thick, viscous kind of smell. I could taste it at the back of my throat (which is normally a bad thing). On Me: Wow. This is quite the interesting blend because I've never encountered a patchouli that I like. It is as thick as I thought it would be, and its scent just envelopes your senses until you feel like you're actually IN the tent with Moriarty as she reads your fortune in the cards. Slathered on, it's a dark scent...seriously dark and malevolent but not....gross smelling. It promises things that you shouldn't want to know, but deep down inside your heart lusts after these truths dangled in front of you. Insane. Dry Down: The patchouli dies down, thank the gods, and it becomes this fruity, dark smoke tinged incense smell. Pure incense and smoke with pomegranate sweetness as a sharp afterthought. In fact, I'd label this one as spicy decaying fruit smothered in resined darkness. Not much throw on this one, it sticks pretty close to the skin and makes you really get close to it in order to smell it. Overall, it's a mysterious scent, most definitely one of the darker ones I've had on. I liked it, but I don't think it's going to be one of my favorites. Perhaps I need to revisit this one to make sure my first impression isn't awry for whatever reason. 3/5

When I saw this scent pop up in The Carousel, I knew I had to have it. Having read American Gods and knowing that two of my favorite characters were about to be given their own oils, I was squeeishly happy. In the bottle: Oh melty squee! This is such a sweet, soft scent that I can hardly believe it's real. So luscious and wet smelling, I can actually SEE the reeds along the banks of the Nile as I lazily drift by. On Me: A burst of cool aquatic. Just like in the bottle. Oh this makes me so happy right now. It's all refreshing, cleansing Nile, sparkling in the sunlight and dry sand teased by the wind...*purr* Dry Down: Cool linen and light vanilla. But an unsual vanilla for me...not foody at all, more perfumey. This is a very scholarly yet comforting scent. It morphs and gets very creamy light and...brighter. It's a very floaty scent and yet somehow grounded. A gorgous scent that is calming and reassuring and enlightening. Almost how I can imagine it was to be walking amidst the Papyri and scrolls in the Great Library of Alexandria. Overall, I adore this one! I hope this stays general catalog for a long time, because I absolutely will be buying more. It has a darned good throw, Jack could smell it as soon as he walked in HOURS after putting it on. And it's such a peaceful scent! I felt absolutely...loved. 5/5

So this one wasn't on my "must have" list by any stretch of the imagination (although...I can't quite say why as it's got mint in it...which I adore). Anyway. Got this as a frimp in my package and it demanded to be worn. In the bottle: Mint. Green, fresh, wet mint. Like mint picked from the front lawn and crushed beneath my fingers. That kind of mint. On: Still minty goodness. There's something there that just begs to be noticed...something green and earthy. The note keeps flitting in and out for the first 10 minutes. The mint is still b*tchslapping it into place, though. Later: The mint mellows out, letting the other two mosses mingle with the ambergris and have the forefront. It's a very earthy, green scent, tinged with electric mint. I'm loving the scent, if only for the clean, zingy, electric feeling I get everytime I inhale. I thought it would be super strong, but it's mellowed out into a soft ozone type smell that makes me wonder where I've smelled this before. Now I get it. Laying in the grass in my grandparents' backyard, watching the dark clouds gather overhead as a major rainstorm moved in...and feeling those first few drops on my face before getting up to run inside. That's what Cathode reminds me of.