Gateau

I ordered this because I'm so in love with the Belle Epoque period in art history, and because the description of the fragrance sounded so complex and sophisticated, while utterly feminine. Imp -- Whoa, it smells exactly like Jean Nate After Bath Splash! Which isn't a bad thing, as I have lovely associations with it from childhood. But not what I expected. Wet -- Still strongly Jean Nate, with added jasmine (uh oh) and neroli. Dry -- That perfumey scent stays in control. At one point my husband says "you smell like an old lady who was actually around during the Belle Epoque." Eesh. It gets a little softer and smokier, at some point smells reminiscent of Chanel No. 5, and later even like Chanel Coco. But if I want to smell like either of those, I have some of the real stuff. Sadly this just doesn't work on me.

Imp -- Sweet-dry, resinous. Is there a note of wood? Wet -- The cologne scent that i think means patchouli on me, something sweet and spicy and a little cinnamony, maybe cedary. Perhaps the myrrh. Dry -- This doesn't smell anything like lust to me, I'm having no overwhelming passionate or desirous feelings. It smells woody and warm. If anything, it reminds me of doing summer stock theater in old barns (OK, to be fair, a lustful time in my youth). I am getting a tiny hint of a pixy-stix sweet note in the background, maybe the ylang ylang poking through. So far it's very pleasant and not cloying, but hardly inspiring uncontrollable desire. Later -- It's getting spicier and drier, but something is turning to Play-Doh on me -- cinnamon-cedar-scented Play-Doh. I think there is something in the musk-resin blend world that doesn't play nicely with my chemistry. Boo.

Imp--sweet and citrusy with a hayish sort of note. Wet--Froot Loops! Citrus candy with something vegetal or cereal underneath. Drydown--brighter citrus comes out, could be yuzu, could be grapefruit. Plus some sweet flowers with a clean whiteness, perhaps the ginger. Dry--becomes a lovely blend of flowers, tangy fruits, and a warm base of soft woods, vanilla, and light musk. It's ethereal yet grounded and very lovely to wear in warm weather when I don't want heady sweet flowers. There is a lot going on in there, but it's so well blended that it's not really about individual notes. Note: it even stayed on through a shower.

In the imp -- lemon tea Wet -- more specifically, lemony green tea with a soft wood note Dry down -- lemony with a sharper wood note, almost cedar. That must be the herbal quality of the verbena Dry -- the wood recedes and it's nicely blended and green. I don't get much honeysuckle or sweetness, but it's probably there making this all blend nicely. Nice light dry lemony tea scent. Worth the imp, though I don't know how much I'll wear it. It's refreshing and unobtrusive, and like so many of these lighter scents doesn't last long on me.

First of all, super pretty label! In the imp -- It's a very very light mixed floral. Wet -- Wet sweet blooms with a touch of lily/tulip dryness. Dry -- Just a lovely bunch of spring flowers, fresh and light with a touch of whites and greens. The sugar and honey aren't pronounced, but give it that very slightly foodie note that grounds the light florals to me and makes ti absolutely yummy. It reminds me a little of my favorite department store-type perfume, Quelques Fleurs. Will definitely be on the prowl for more of this, since it's just what I want to smell like in a certain springy mood.

This was a Lab frimp. There is no way I would ever have selected it myself because it contains banana, the Devil's Own Fruit. However, I am brave and intrepid, so I gave it a try. Also, I love apple and tropical things. In the imp -- smells like a tropical fruit Now 'n' Later. Wet -- it's bubble-gummy, tutti-frutti, but I can make out the apple. Specifically, a Red Delicious apple. Very crisp and juicy. Fortunately, I'm not getting anything specifically banana. There is something that smells a little like burnt sugar or vanilla adding some depth to the fruit. Dry -- the burnt sugar smell (is that the chili? I don't get anything particularly chili) becomes more apparent and tempers the crazy fruitiness of it all. It all blends together into a general impression of warm, slightly off tropical fruit. Maybe it's the banana twisting it in the direction of something not quite right for me. It's not an unpleasant scent, but I can't see myself wearing it.

In the imp -- sweet wet blooms, sort of lilac-y Wet -- smells like lilac. Oh, there isn't any. Maybe it's how they all blend together, gives me that wet spring flower sense. Drydown -- aquatic, lilac, sweet and flowery. Frankly not that distinctive from other wet springy floral blends. Dry -- staying very nice as a full floral with some whiteness and wetness. I see a lot of lavender and lilac colors, not so much of the aquatics. It's pretty and springlike. It reminds me of my favorite department store-type perfume, Quelques Fleurs, as well as Poisson d'Avril. Not sure I'll rush out and buy a bottle, but it's a very nice scent and will enjoy using up the imp.

Received a partial imp as a gift with purchase. Wet and in the drydown it's a warm and spicy amber, with lots of dry cinnamon, maybe cinnamon bark. More a feeling of warmth than a definable scent. Not sweet. Dry this gets a little playdoh-y on me. I don't pick up any of the animal scents or savannah grass in other reviews. Nice, but not something I'll reach for.

In the imp -- lily, some wood, some citrus, mostly blended. Wet -- lily, a touch of jasmine, touch of lemon, sandalwood. Promising. I like that touch of lemon peel. Dry -- uh oh, here we go again, the jasmine/lily/sandalwood soapy suntan lotion notes of death. Slightly mitigated by the presence of lemon peel but it's not enough to salvage this. And I had high hopes. Sigh. Swap.

Imp--Cut flowers and the expensive European shampoo scent I'm starting to recognize as the lab's grass note. Wet--Tulips! And grass, a tiny hint of that distinctive peony soapiness. Wow, had no idea tulips were that recognizable. Something watery, sort of lily-like taking over. Dry--Getting dominated by that wet scent, with tulips in second. The grass is in the background, but comes forward as it dries. That tulip/peony scent is really nice and fresh. This is a fresh outdoor floral scent, not anything you'd find in a vase or heavy perfume. Like so many fresh scents it fades out really fast. Will need at least a bottle for slathering.

In the imp: melon shampoo. A little worrisome. Wet: there's a light wood note, something fruity, all with a musky undernote that adds depth but keeps it all sprightly. Dry: a fruity floral with bracing slightly bitter notes from the grapefruit and lime, but sweetened with the nectarine and rose. It's a very clean, shampoo-like fresh scent, but in the best way. I like how the sage, bergamot and musk ground the rose, nectarine, and citrus and keep them clear and light without drowning them out. I'm enjoying wearing this on a warm summer Sunday where I want to feel clean and fresh. Definitely want a bottle for slathering.

Imp--sweet and sort of nutty Wet--honey-nut sweetness, with an undercurrent of something dusky Dry--this rounds out into a wonderfully warm honey-sweet but grounded, spicy, and earthy fragrance. It's very well blended and doesn't really smell like any one note in particular, which is great for me because I don't like smelling like I just applied honey directly to my skin. The first night I wore it I wasn't sure if I liked the overall impression, but vowed to try it again on a day I wanted to feel summer lushness, maybe if I was going to an evening outdoor party where candles would be lit and there would be lots of wine. I ended up slathering it on today for my son's pirate birthday party in the backyard and it was perfect. It's very sensual but not too sexy or sophisticated. It is a great close to the skin scent that has spectactular lasting power--I could still smell it in the morning after I tried it for the first time. My kids love the smell too. I love this as something to wear through the warm weather. It's not the kind of summer fragrance that makes you feel cooler, but one that embraces the warmth and the stickiness and makes you feel part of it.

Luminescent, glowing, and otherworldly: green mandarin, neroli, honeydew, white amber, guava, freesia, white and green musks hovering over desert scrub, smashed wood, and the dry, biting scent of night air over the Groom Lake salt flats. Imp--sweet and fruity Wet--sweet and melony, then fruity floral Dry--with the melon and floral (very lovely and fresh) I also get the desert warmth from the musks and smashed wood, but not any of the dryness. As it dries it smells more perfumey on me and I lose the freshness I liked in the earlier phases. I do get a more neon green impression than natural green, which is fun. I'll give it another shot, but I suspect that the cologney dry down is going to keep me from going beyond the imp and into a bottle. UPDATE: tried again yesterday when I was in more of an indoor/stay cool mood, and really loved it, so I suspect having worn it the first time when I was wandering around a country crafts fair in the broiling sun wasn't the right mindset for it. Seriously considering a bottle.

In the imp -- Lemon and white floral note, that jasmine soapiness. Smells a little like lemon cleaner. Wet -- Smells lemony on me, but with the soapy jasmine note bothering me. Drydown -- Stays lemony when dry but I don't like the jasmine with it, which makes it smell like a cleaning product. Dry -- Now it's clean and lemony. If I can get to this stage, it's worth keeping the imp.

In the imp -- Mostly warm and musky Wet -- Not very lemony, getting mostly the muskiness from notes like the sandalwood, vanilla, musk. Not much floral either. Drydown -- Not getting any of the citrus notes or individual flowers, just a general sense of whiteness and the vanilla warmth. Dry -- Ultimately turned into generic vanilla candle. One for the swap pile.

In the imp and wet: lavender soap with a little soapy jasmine. Very unpleasant to me, and I'm a little fearful that all of my experiences with lavender and jasmine fragrances are going to go badly. Dry: soap, nothing but unpleasant soap with a hint of something floral. It goes from bad lavender soap to bad rose soap. The throw is a little nicer than up close. But what's this? I'm suddenly smelling a lot of very lovely rose in the room, and people who come in are remarking on how nice it smells. I sniff my wrist, but it still smells like soap. If I wave my arm around, though, I get wafts of rose. And then, about an hour later, it's suntan lotion, somewhat reminiscent of philosopy's Amazing Grace. The morph on this one was just wacky. There were a couple of nice moments, but overall it's just not good on me. Swap.

In the imp -- jasmine Wet -- nothing but jasmine, the soapy kind with a bitter edge. The frangipani may be contributing soapiness there too. Not a hint of rose or tuberose yet. Dry -- stayed soapy and heavy on the jasmine. I was looking for heady rose and tuberose, thinking of the flower petals on my bed on my honeymoon in Bali and got none. Fortunately, I guess, it faded fast. At the tail end I got the faintest hint of tuberose. Swap

In the imp: lemon and something softly woody Wet: lemon Pledge furniture polish Drydown: the lemon is dominating with white florals and wood underneath. Reminds me at this stage of Phantasm, and I don't love either. Maybe I'n not that into lemon fragrances on my skin. Better for room spray. Dry: I am amping the hell out of the lemongrass and getting practically nothing else. Three people have come into my office and said they love the smell, and they are getting patchouli and sandalwood plus flowers, but i get pure lemongreass with maybe a touch of wood. Even drier: The lemongrass/sandalwood combination is giving me a strong sense of a room in Southeast Asia with the tropical woods. Very evocative and distinctive, but again, it's a room, not something for my skin. Lasted a really long time with a lot of throw. By the very end I was amping the heck out of the sandalwood and cedar. Swap, but I'd consider a room spray.

In the imp -- pineapple, citrus, tropical punch Wet -- lots of fruit, predominantly pineapple. It's warm and tropical with a touch of someting dry, maybe the seltzer Dry -- suddenly there's the tobacco! I'm a little afraid for a second it's going to be nothing but, but it blends so nicely with the pineapple. These stay dominant, with a amber warmth and the lightness of the flowers somewhere in there. Overall it's warm and leafy and sort of caramel coffee-scented. A bright golden scent that makes me feel very happy and a little hungry. So glad I tried it -- I think this will be wonderful to wear in the summer, but also a way to capture that warmth on cold winter days.

In the imp -- just smells perfumey Wet -- definitely getting an aquatic, wet smell, and picking up leathery spices. Very pleasant. Dry -- not getting anything that screams pirate; it smells like a pretty standard men's cologne, sort of like something Ralph Lauren would make. But it's a very nice men's cologne. Getting wet aquatic notes, something spicy and a touch of leather. Though my mom and husband don't care much for it, my dad really likes it, and it smells right on him. Gave dad the imp and may have recruited a new convert!

In the imp -- soft pine and dark berries Wet -- gentle pine, mellow dark berries Drydown -- soft pine and cedar, some cranberry sweetness. Not getting any leaf notes, either blackberry or tomato, and I was particularly interested in this for the tomato leaf, one of my favorite smells. Dry -- It's mostly pine and cedar with notes of cranberry. The throw is fairly Christmas potpourri-like, but up close it's pleasantly piney. I think I amp the hell out of pine and cedar. Still missing the tomato leaf. I like OK, but don't think it's all that wearable, verging on the potpourri side of the scale. If it had a touch of leather it would be great. Sad about the lack of tomato leaf.

In the bottle -- strong whiff of peony in all its clean rosiness. This is the first Lab peony I've really been able to smell at all. Wet -- the peony is really there as a sort of wafting overlay, but up close wet it smells just like Weeping Branches Moon. Dry -- with my nose to my wrist I think I wouldn't be able to tell it from Weeping Branches Moon, with that plum blossom note and the undercurrent of woods, but I keep getting wafts of true peony in the throw. Yum. Very dry -- the soft woods come out and the plum blossom recedes. This is more of a summer day than Weeping Branches Moon, which gives me spring evening, and was just perfect to wear on the first day of summer. It's many shades of pink, just like peonies. A keeper, and I see myself snatching up bottles wherever I can find them.

In the imp: getting mostly vanilla-scented musk and a berry note Wet: smells like orange baby aspirin, which I always hated. I was expecting grapefruit but got a sort of acrid citrus. Dry: getting a fruity berry syrup or pie backed by lots of dryness, but nothing I can pick out as currant. It's not a cloying sweetness, but there is that aspirin note, I think from the lavender. Doesn't smell grapefruity or particularly like lavender. I had such hopes for this, so I tried it again. On the second testing I could pick up the grapefruit rind a little more directly, but still got that impression of baby aspirin. It's not very juicy, fruity, or even particularly herbal. Some of the throw had lavender notes, but mostly it just blends into this scent I don't care for. Swap pile.

In the imp -- lemony iced tea Wet -- juicy wet iced tea with lemon and sugar. It warms up and rounds out quickly with the amber. Dry -- the amber keeps mellowing out the lovely lemony citrus notes, including the cedar. A nice clean warm smell. It fades out, but leaves me with a scent that for some reason reminds me of having a drink before dinner after a day at the beach and a nice cleansing shower in the Caribbean -- probably the mixture of light citrus and warm woods of the deck furniture. I liked this a lot more than I'd expected to, very wearable. Citrus plus amber is a winner.

In the imp -- sweet lily of the valley and roses Wet -- lots of whiteness, and a big whiff of lily of the valley. Not really picking up the pear, but it's probably providing some of that white sweetness. Dry -- as it wore, I amped a lot of rose, with that gentle base of white musk. It got slightly incensey at the end, but stayed primarily rose. It's very pretty, but not terribly memorable. I don't think I'll reach for it all that often, but it's nice to have the imp for the occasional wearing.