furygrrl

In the bottle: Mmm...fresh, floral, and lovely - like rain-spattered lilacs and lilies. I can smell the sharp green sweetness of the white sandalwood, too. On wet: Bright, sweet florals - still primarily lilacs and lilies. The sandalwood remains sharp and almost bitter against the softness of the flowers. Drydown: Floral jumble! The scent I'm getting now is sweet, perfume-y, and expensive-smelling - a showy mix of elegant blooms, underscored by a watery green freshness that I continue to attribute to the sandalwood and now the musk. The musk is light and bright and sparkly. Overall: This is an extremely pretty blend for a floral fan, and definitely feels reminiscent of both Urania and Stardust. As I tend to favour warmer, spicier, less "fresh" fragrances, I don't think WM will get much wear from me. Even still, a very nice composition. 3/5

In the bottle: Mmm...fresh, floral, and lovely - like rain-spattered lilacs and lilies. I can smell the sharp green sweetness of the white sandalwood, too. On wet: Bright, sweet florals - still primarily lilacs and lilies. The sandalwood remains sharp and almost bitter against the softness of the flowers. Drydown: Floral jumble! The scent I'm getting now is sweet, perfume-y, and expensive-smelling - a showy mix of elegant blooms, underscored by a watery green freshness that I continue to attribute to the sandalwood and now the musk. The musk is light and bright and sparkly. Overall: This is an extremely pretty blend for a floral fan, and definitely feels reminiscent of both Urania and Stardust. As I tend to favour warmer, spicier, less "fresh" fragrances, I don't think WM will get much wear from me. Even still, a very nice composition. 3/5

In the bottle: Why am I smelling...butter? On wet: I'm getting whiffs of buttered corn mixed with a high-pitched floral of some kind. So far this is not at all what I was expecting - it's actually kind of scary. Drydown: Oh...oh yes...*this* is more like it - the good Doctor's finally decided to leave his popcorn-shilling ways behind him! The scent rising from my wrist is now deep and smooth and wonderful. The darkly sweet, almost fruity mix of tonka, sandalwood, and champaca flower dominates, followed by hints of smoke-laced ginger and the occasional whisper of a dry, almost woody peppery-ness. Delicious! Overall: Even though I was put off by the buttery popcorn + bathroom-florals-from-hell stage, and wish this was a *tad* smokier, DJS is still an incredibly beautiful blend. The drydown alone rates an easy 4/5.

In the bottle: Why am I smelling...butter? On wet: I'm getting whiffs of buttered corn mixed with a high-pitched floral of some kind. So far this is not at all what I was expecting - it's actually kind of scary. Drydown: Oh...oh yes...*this* is more like it - the good Doctor's finally decided to leave his popcorn-shilling ways behind him! The scent rising from my wrist is now deep and smooth and wonderful. The darkly sweet, almost fruity mix of tonka, sandalwood, and champaca flower dominates, followed by hints of smoke-laced ginger and the occasional whisper of a dry, almost woody peppery-ness. Delicious! Overall: Even though I was put off by the buttery popcorn + bathroom-florals-from-hell stage, and wish this was a *tad* smokier, DJS is still an incredibly beautiful blend. The drydown alone rates an easy 4/5.

I definitely agree with the above poster - on both accounts, actually. My youngest furbaby (*and* one of my DH's older family cats) had a problem with puking after every meal. The vet reassured us that it's a common problem - from hairballs to eating too fast. One of the best indicators as to whether it might be a more serious problem is what the vomit looks like: solid to semi-solid kibbles is likely eating too fast. Worms can also make a cat vomit excessively, as I learned with one of my other kitties. An obstruction in the stomach/bowel could also be at fault - if the vet rules out all of the lesser problems, you should ask about an xray. With regards to the odd kitty behaviour? Some cats need years to adjust (yes, I said years) to new situations, whether it's moving or gaining a new sibling or parent - and sometimes they never return to their old behaviour, sometimes the adjustment period brings out a whole new personality! As long as there's no excessive fighting (we're talking violent, dangerous, bloody stuff, here), obvious signs of extreme stress (ie. licking/gnawing off their own fur), and both critters are eating/drinking/using the litterbox/occasionally checking in with you or the hubby, there shouldn't be anything to worry about. Perfect example: my mom's weirdo cat, Luna. She was adopted from another family five years ago. Upon arriving at my parent's home, she took up residence under my little brother's bed for months, not even coming out to eat - we had to serve her under there. When she finally *did* emerge, it was only to rush into the basement where my younger sister lives, and she's been there ever since. On the rare occasion, she'll join my parents for some late night television, but she prefers spending her days sleeping in my sister's armoire. And like I said, it's been five years. Luna's original mom (moved abroad) was flabbergasted at hearing about this bizarre behaviour - and my mom had never witnessed any strangeness when she first visited the home to inquire about adoption. It was just Luna's way of adjusting. The vet says she's totally healthy, and she *seems* happy (she plays with my sister and sleeps with her); she just doesn't want to leave the security of the basement - she obviously finds comfort in it. Whew - sorry for the long-winded post. My heart just breaks (for pets *and* their parents) whenever the issue of re-homing is brought up - especially for behavioural issues. If you *are* still concerned (and what good guardian wouldn't be?), definitely ask around for more advice - your vet, your local shelter (they often deal with "problem" pets, poor things), other cat-lovers in your area, even an online cat forum/message board. I hope things work out for the best.

In the bottle: Sweet n' perfumey. Kinda reminds me of a really high-end shampoo. On wet: Wow, forget shampoo - we're talking upscale perfume here. It's so intense I'm having a hard time picking out familiar notes. It's not foody or watery, amberish or incensey, roses or citrus or tea or ozone... Drydown: After a few minutes, this totally calms down. It's still *very* perfumey and hard to dissect component-wise, but I'm REALLY enjoying it! It's kind of like a spicy, creamy floral with a shot of fruity sweetness added for good measure. I can only guess at what might be in it: carnation and/or spices, jasmine and/or ylang ylang, possibly bergamot... *is stumped* Overall: This, my fourth and final bottle of CT, is just lovely. In fact, ALL of my CTs have been wonderful! It *is* a touch heavier than I usually like, but as an evening out/cold weather scent, I think it'll be perfect. What a great experience CT has been! I hope the Lab continues this tradition, 'cause I'm already excited for the next round!

MLXXIX - 1079 In the bottle: Sweet n' perfumey. Kinda reminds me of a really high-end shampoo. On wet: Wow, forget shampoo - we're talking upscale perfume here. It's so intense I'm having a hard time picking out familiar notes. It's not foody or watery, amberish or incensey, roses or citrus or tea or ozone... Drydown: After a few minutes, this totally calms down. It's still *very* perfumey and hard to dissect component-wise, but I'm REALLY enjoying it! It's kind of like a spicy, creamy floral with a shot of fruity sweetness added for good measure. I can only guess at what might be in it: carnation and/or spices, jasmine and/or ylang ylang, possibly bergamot... *is stumped* Overall: This, my fourth and final bottle of CT, is just lovely. In fact, ALL of my CTs have been wonderful! It *is* a touch heavier than I usually like, but as an evening out/cold weather scent, I think it'll be perfect. What a great experience CT has been! I hope the Lab continues this tradition, 'cause I'm already excited for the next round!

In the bottle: Mmm...smells like powdery, peppery cherries! I'm instantly reminded of Black Phoenix. On wet: CHERRIES on STEROIDS! And then...*poof*...they're gone. All I'm smelling now is this gorgeous underbite of black peppery-ness. Drydown: Still getting that amazing peppery scent (ginger? peppercorn?) with just a hint of sweetness playing underneath. It's an absolutely incredible smell. Overall: ::swoons:: Mmmm...this blend is like spicy sex in a bottle. I'm thrilled to have something so deliciously unique, and *beyond* delighted by my very first "perfect for me" CT. Thanks to Beth for creating such an exciting fragrance, and for the agents of Chaos that sent it my way!

CMLV - 955 In the bottle: Mmm...smells like powdery, peppery cherries! I'm instantly reminded of Black Phoenix. On wet: CHERRIES on STEROIDS! And then...*poof*...they're gone. All I'm smelling now is this gorgeous underbite of black peppery-ness. Drydown: Still getting that amazing peppery scent (ginger? peppercorn?) with just a hint of sweetness playing underneath. It's an absolutely incredible smell. Overall: ::swoons:: Mmmm...this blend is like spicy sex in a bottle. I'm thrilled to have something so deliciously unique, and *beyond* delighted by my very first "perfect for me" CT. Thanks to Beth for creating such an exciting fragrance, and for the agents of Chaos that sent it my way!

In the imp: A soft, vaguely sweet smell - for some reason, Dove soap immediately springs to mind. On wet: This has got to be, without doubt, one of the faintest BPAL blends I've ever tried. I can barely smell *anything* after immediate application, and I all but slathered it. The barely-there whiffs I *am* getting are still soft, lightly sweet, and soapy. Drydown: Still incredibly faint - to the point where I actually had to sniff around my wrist to find where I'd applied it. Still primarily soap, too (though I'm pretty sure I caught a ghostly whisper of something that *could* have been ginger at one point) and not much else. Overall: This was one of the first frimps I ever received. I tried it as soon as I got it, discovered how weak it was with my skin chemistry, and promptly put it in the 'Try Again' pile. Since then - almost a year ago - I've broken it out a few more times, hoping that it would have aged into something more intense, or that my nose, being fed a steady diet of BPAL, would've somehow become more aware of it. Alas, this fantasy I've so desperately clung to has not come to pass. Sudha's just as Dove soap for me now as it was that first time I sniffed it...and that makes me a sad panda. A (very reluctant!) 2/5.

In the imp: A soft, vaguely sweet smell - for some reason, Dove soap immediately springs to mind. On wet: This has got to be, without doubt, one of the faintest BPAL blends I've ever tried. I can barely smell *anything* after immediate application, and I all but slathered it. The barely-there whiffs I *am* getting are still soft, lightly sweet, and soapy. Drydown: Still incredibly faint - to the point where I actually had to sniff around my wrist to find where I'd applied it. Still primarily soap, too (though I'm pretty sure I caught a ghostly whisper of something that *could* have been ginger at one point) and not much else. Overall: This was one of the first frimps I ever received. I tried it as soon as I got it, discovered how weak it was with my skin chemistry, and promptly put it in the 'Try Again' pile. Since then - almost a year ago - I've broken it out a few more times, hoping that it would have aged into something more intense, or that my nose, being fed a steady diet of BPAL, would've somehow become more aware of it. Alas, this fantasy I've so desperately clung to has not come to pass. Sudha's just as Dove soap for me now as it was that first time I sniffed it...and that makes me a sad panda. A (very reluctant!) 2/5.

In the imp: Mint...coconut...and an almost bitter lime scent. On wet: The mint and lime are doing a funky tango on a dance floor made of coconut! Drydown: Those initial three notes are still what I'm smelling, though the coconut's become a bolder presence, working with the equally smooth mint to tame that brash splurt of limey goodness. Overall: The combination of notes works incredibly well in this blend - especially once the drydown mellows them out a bit. And you wanna talk about morphing ability? When the coconut and mint take center stage, it's as if I've dipped my arm into a vat of some deliciously creamy confection - a minute later, it's the fresh green zing of minty limes assaulting my nostrils, forcing eyes gone dreamy to open, focus, and remain alert - a minute after that, I've been transported to a sugar-white beach, where coconut-lime cocktails are delivered to my chaise by sun-browned, half-nekkid serving men who regard me with warm eyes and eager-to-please smiles... ::pauses to daydream about such a place for a few moments...:: ::reluctantly returns to reality to complete her review:: In a nutshell, I absolutely *adore* each of the three main notes on their own, so it's no surprise that I'm loving 'em mixed all together. A delighted 4.5/5.

In the imp: Mint...coconut...and an almost bitter lime scent. On wet: The mint and lime are doing a funky tango on a dance floor made of coconut! Drydown: Those initial three notes are still what I'm smelling, though the coconut's become a bolder presence, working with the equally smooth mint to tame that brash splurt of limey goodness. Overall: The combination of notes works incredibly well in this blend - especially once the drydown mellows them out a bit. And you wanna talk about morphing ability? When the coconut and mint take center stage, it's as if I've dipped my arm into a vat of some deliciously creamy confection - a minute later, it's the fresh green zing of minty limes assaulting my nostrils, forcing eyes gone dreamy to open, focus, and remain alert - a minute after that, I've been transported to a sugar-white beach, where coconut-lime cocktails are delivered to my chaise by sun-browned, half-nekkid serving men who regard me with warm eyes and eager-to-please smiles... ::pauses to daydream about such a place for a few moments...:: ::reluctantly returns to reality to complete her review:: In a nutshell, I absolutely *adore* each of the three main notes on their own, so it's no surprise that I'm loving 'em mixed all together. A delighted 4.5/5.

In the imp: Cherry and lavender. On wet: Cherry, lavender, and I'm pretty sure that the smoothness underneath the two of 'em is the white musk. Drydown: The cherry faded almost immediately, leaving the barest hint of lavender wafting up from my skin. If I mash my nose against my wrist, I can smell the soft sweetness of the white musk. Overall: I failed to detect any trace of rosewood, red musk, or red rose in KoH - and to be completely honest, I rather liked it that way! The white musk's powdery softness proved the perfect grounding for the sharpness of the lavender, pinning both notes firmly in place against my skin, where they lingered quite happily for several hours. A lovely blend! 4/5

In the imp: Cherry and lavender. On wet: Cherry, lavender, and I'm pretty sure that the smoothness underneath the two of 'em is the white musk. Drydown: The cherry faded almost immediately, leaving the barest hint of lavender wafting up from my skin. If I mash my nose against my wrist, I can smell the soft sweetness of the white musk. Overall: I failed to detect any trace of rosewood, red musk, or red rose in KoH - and to be completely honest, I rather liked it that way! The white musk's powdery softness proved the perfect grounding for the sharpness of the lavender, pinning both notes firmly in place against my skin, where they lingered quite happily for several hours. A lovely blend! 4/5

In the imp: SWEET! Like, scary sweet, with a dash of something fruity. On wet: Pure roses - of the cheap bathroom spray variety - and nothing else. Drydown: Still nothing but super sweet, bubblegum pink, granny bathroom ROSES. There isn't even a *hint* of that initial whiff of fruit I got from the imp - the fruit that I was counting on for balance. Overall: I can only wear a select handful of rose blends, and sadly, this is not one of them.

In the imp: SWEET! Like, scary sweet, with a dash of something fruity. On wet: Pure roses - of the cheap bathroom spray variety - and nothing else. Drydown: Still nothing but super sweet, bubblegum pink, granny bathroom ROSES. There isn't even a *hint* of that initial whiff of fruit I got from the imp - the fruit that I was counting on for balance. Overall: I can only wear a select handful of rose blends, and sadly, this is not one of them.

In the imp: Sugared violets. On wet: Violets gone wild - candy sweet and incredibly bright. There's the faintest hint of earthiness peeping out from beneath that swirly floral haze, but it's too soft to tell if it's the incense or the cloves. Drydown: Mmm...something smooth and warm has risen up and bitch-slapped those wee purple flowers into submission - I'm guessing the tonka. This new, lightly spiced, almost creamy undertone is what transforms this blend into something totally wearable. Overall: Not a huge fan of violets - or florals in general, but the spicy edge that eventually emerges takes this fragrance to a whole other level. Don't know if I'll be wearing it very often, but I'll definitely be hanging on to my imp. A comfortable 3/5.

In the imp: Sugared violets. On wet: Violets gone wild - candy sweet and incredibly bright. There's the faintest hint of earthiness peeping out from beneath that swirly floral haze, but it's too soft to tell if it's the incense or the cloves. Drydown: Mmm...something smooth and warm has risen up and bitch-slapped those wee purple flowers into submission - I'm guessing the tonka. This new, lightly spiced, almost creamy undertone is what transforms this blend into something totally wearable. Overall: Not a huge fan of violets - or florals in general, but the spicy edge that eventually emerges takes this fragrance to a whole other level. Don't know if I'll be wearing it very often, but I'll definitely be hanging on to my imp. A comfortable 3/5.

In the bottle: Like herbal...paint? On wet: A sharp yet decidedly warm scent combination - I'm getting leather, spice, and something burning. Definitely keeping true to the description! Drydown: Pretty much the same as above - woodsmoke (which has morphed into the dominant note), leather, and I want to attribute that soft, spicy undertone to a liberal dash of either clove or nutmeg, though I'm probably way off. Could I somehow be misinterpreting the tobacco? As a former - though longtime smoker, how lame would that be? Overall: A slightly smokier, drier, less sweet version of Dee, like some of the past reviewers have mentioned. A good fragrance for when it's cold n' snowy outside, you're inside, bundled into a squishy sweater or blanket, curled up on the couch with a good book, drinking something cidery, chocolatey, or otherwise winterlicious. Very evocative of the season it was created for. 3.5/5

In the bottle: Like herbal...paint? On wet: A sharp yet decidedly warm scent combination - I'm getting leather, spice, and something burning. Definitely keeping true to the description! Drydown: Pretty much the same as above - woodsmoke (which has morphed into the dominant note), leather, and I want to attribute that soft, spicy undertone to a liberal dash of either clove or nutmeg, though I'm probably way off. Could I somehow be misinterpreting the tobacco? As a former - though longtime smoker, how lame would that be? Overall: A slightly smokier, drier, less sweet version of Dee, like some of the past reviewers have mentioned. A good fragrance for when it's cold n' snowy outside, you're inside, bundled into a squishy sweater or blanket, curled up on the couch with a good book, drinking something cidery, chocolatey, or otherwise winterlicious. Very evocative of the season it was created for. 3.5/5

Originally reviewed: Aug 08 06 In the bottle: Apples! Gorgeous, golden apples! On wet: Mmm...more apples! Drydown: The apples are still there, providing this positively *gorgeous* yellow sweetness - a perfect counterpoint to the dry, slightly spicy undertone that's starting to emerge. It's almost a clean, woody/peppery scent that I'm starting to get now, if that makes any sense. Overall: Pure Autumn-in-a-Bottle, y'all. I've got a touch of early October smeared on my wrists! This is like a daylight version of my beloved midnight-esque Samhain - THIS is what I'd hoped last year's HM would smell like on me, like I'm sitting in a hay field on the edge of a sun-warmed apple orchard, clear blue skies stretching out above my head, a clean, cool breeze stirring the rust-gold-scarlet leaves... Serious love and a hugely deserved 5/5. Well done, Beth!

Originally reviewed: Aug 12 06 In the bottle: Wow, it's an olfactory cacophony - talk about a mish-mash of notes! I think I'm getting...tea? Definitely something sweet or fruity, maybe a touch of ginger? On wet: Pretty much the same impression as above - like a bunch of crazy notes are battling it out on my skin. Kinda smells...strange. That initial hint of tea is gone (maybe it never existed), and now I'm mostly getting what I think is ginger and something sweet. Drydown: Spicy sweetness, now underscored by a drier, peppery smokiness similar to something that I smelled in Laudanum - maybe the nutmeg? I think the tea might be back, too, though it's so soft I could be imagining it...again. Overall: Started out as something appropriately chaotic, and dried down into this spicy, somewhat smoky, strangely sweet scent that I would definitely classify as an upscale Oriental blend. It's a wonderfully warm skin scent for the colder months, and a beautiful and unique addition to my collection.

Originally reviewed: July 28 06 In the bottle: I smell something...sweet, woodsy, maybe a dark floral or two, with just a hint of dryer sheet. On wet: Wow, what a jumble of notes - everything that was mentioned above, only much more intense. No dominant scent to go by, either. I have no idea what I'm smelling. Drydown: I *still* can't tell what's in this blend. The possibilities that spring to mind are jasmine, myrrh, and/or ylang ylang, and maybe a touch of something resinous? It's a darkly golden, sweet, perfume-y, and somewhat dry kind of scent. Overall: An elegant, expensive-smelling blend - not quite my taste, but lovely nonetheless.

Originally reviewed: July 23 06 In the imp: Dry, herbal, vaguely sweet and woody. On wet: If there's cinnamon in this blend - like so many before me have mentioned smelling - then it's very well hidden. All I'm getting is something sweet and resinous. Drydown: Still a very sweet, yet somewhat dusty and subdued wood-sap type of scent. I think I'm picking up on cedar and myrrh...and if frankincense is what's driving that incensey undernote, then I may have to reconsider my completely random anti-frank policy (he kinda scares me...). Overall: This blend has totally surprised me - it's not like anything I'd normally wear, but I can't stop sniffing myself! It's warm and sweet and spicy (though if it's cinnamon, it's still too well-blended for me to distinguish it), and definitely lovely. Reminds me of La Petite Mort, Eclipse and, to a lesser degree, Black Phoenix. Maybe if they were layered together... Either way, a very yummy, skin-licious scent, and an easy 4/5.