Meg

In the bottle: Hard to tell... sweet woods, perhaps a hint of lemon. Wet: Still sweet woods and a hint of lemon, and vetiver quietly creeping in. Drydown: Hmm, it smells green, from vetiver, with wood in the background. It's a very sweet, soft wood that I can't really pinpoint. I'm not used to sandalwood either, but I suppose it's part of what I can smell. There's a smell a bit like hay and dry grass warmed by the sun, here. Overall: I'm not a huge fan of this. I've smelled a man's perfume that's pretty much the same as this, and while it's true that it's soft and sensual, it's really not something that I would want to wear myself, it's much too sickly on me.

In the bottle: Grassy green ozone with a foggy atmosphere. Wet: Ooh so pretty! Water and grass, not really ozony anymore, just wet and misty. Drydown: Fresh flowing water over grass - this is Amsterdam without the florals. Again the scent reminds me incredibly of the smell of Lake Geneva where I live, when it's the summer and the hot humid air just wafts up. Except that here, the smell is cool and breezy instead, light and soft. It becomes extremely subtle on drydown, and I have the impression that I can smell something a bit bitter and watery, like bamboo. Overall: A very beautiful summer blend, cool, watery, grassy and just pleasant to refresh you in days of sweltering heat. Unfortunately it doesn't last all that long on me before fading down to quasi-nothingness (it's still there, but very faint). It's a terrible pity, because it was a contest between this one and Amsterdam in the big-bottle category. Still a favourite, it's a pity it doesn't have more throw.

In the bottle: Orange blossom, a bit of lemon and rose, all rather powdery and vaguely medicinal. Wet: Very tart orange blossom, with clear lemon peel and herbs. Drydown: Ooh, mint, very clearly, while the orange blossom disappears and the lemon lingers around. I get what I think is grape spirit, and it gets pretty powdery and stays pretty sour. Finally, the rose starts making an appearance, discreetly in the background, and that's when everything develops: the grape spirit becomes sweeter and fuller, this time I can smell fruit along with the rose. Rosmary has come out too, whereas the mint and orange blossom have completely disappeared. Also, it stops being powdery, a big bonus. Overall: It goes through some strange stages, but the final drydown of this blend is very pleasant. It's a warm, old-fashioned scent, which smells refined and a little bit heady, but also just a touch medicinal. It won't make my top favourites list, but I can see it being a very pleasant autumn/winter scent, when you need to be warmed up by a drop of grape spirit.

In the bottle: Very green orchid. Wet: A lovely sweet orchid and rose, with a rather heavy honeyish note from the labdanum, lovely. Drydown: Green rose, deep honey and soft orchid. This isn't the heavy heady orchid and labdanum of Medea, but subdued and sweeter versions. It's ends up being dominated by the rose mixed with subtle orchid and resin. Overall: A very beautiful, gentle scent, sophisticated and deep whilst being simple. It's the rose sister of Medea or Premature Burial, and something that I'd easily wear in the summer, as it's fresher than the other orchid blends. Very beautiful.

In the bottle: Cool, green patchouli. Wet: White musk, patchouli and geranium, it feels like there are many other things brooding in the background, waiting to come out. Yuzu starts to seep out, as well as a very green a little buttery mint. Drydown: Lime and yuzu finally dominate the blend, with geranium insistently sticking around, and mint adding an icy touch. I can smell the bony white sandalwood and dark patchouli in the background. Lavender hovers in the background, somberly. Overall: I get the scythe of yuzu, lime and mint the most, with very persistent geranium and a woody base. It's a weird little blend, I completely understand the imagery of the dark/white/sharp scents that really remind you of a grim reaper. It's also a very sophisticated blend from its patchouli/sandalwood base. But it's too masculine for me, ultimately, with the soapy white musk.

In the bottle: Very perfumy from the black narcissus. Wet: It disappears, before coming back with many flowers, soft lilies, a hint of poppy, and a bit of smoke. Drydown: It becomes very dry and smoky, and rather discreet, which is surprising for something containing narcissus. It still smells quite perfumy, and a bit tart, possibly from the tuberose. As it dries down, the heady narcissus appears through smoky bitter opium. Overall: It's a bit of a lazy blend, with very tart touches, but finally it becomes quite discreet, quietly following you around with it's smoke. I'm not a fan of the lily/narcissus family, and this one comes out surprisingly acidic as wellas bitter and even a bit plasticky from the poppy. Pretty, but not my style.

In the bottle: Orange blossom and a hint of rose. Wet: Orange blossom shining through amber, with oakmoss coming in, as well as leather. Rose seeps through, too. Drydown: A warm blend, but with an aftershavey breath, perhaps from the incense and oakmoss. I get mostly amber with hints of rose coming through. The orange blossom has died down, probably a good thing because I tend to make that scent turn. The leather is there, but rather discreet. Rose and leather end up by actually dominating the blend, finally. Overall: This reminds me a bit of Whip, leather and rose, with added aftershave and smoke. It smells fresh and a bit decadent at the same time, and it's quite an enjoyable blend. I still prefer Whip, which doesn't have the cool side to it, but this one is a more unisex blend, less rose. Nice, but not something I'd wear.

In the bottle: A rich patchouli, copal and oakmoss mix, rather perfumy and deep. Wet: Much the same as in the bottle, developing a plasticky scent. I mostly get oakmoss, I think. Drydown: It stays mostly oakmoss with a bit of a resinous hint from the copal. Very deep woody and spicy patchouli becomes the dominant note, very sensual. Heliotrope attempts to glitter a bit, but it's drowned out by the others - just a faint whisper in the background. Oakmoss comes back to the front from time to time, rather unpleasant and plasticky as it often goes on me. Overall: This is a very pleasant earthy and woody blend. I get mostly patchouli and oakmoss out of it, with a bit of copal for the depth. I can see how it ties in with greed, being a rather earthy and rich blend. It's not my kind of scent, and the oakmoss note always goes wrong on my skin, but it's still a beautiful rich blend.

In the bottle: Pretty!! Very fresh florals, sweet honeyuckle. Wet: Vetiver coming out alongside the honeysuckle, and a rather dusty, perfumy scent that could be the opium. It keeps on smelling green and fresh, though. Drydown: Honeysuckle mingles with the unfamiliar scent of a sweet, slightly dusty poppy seed smell that must be opium. Vetiver has drifted to the background, but still gives off bright green and slightly salty flashes from time to time. Overall: A langorous blend, very warm and sensual and at the same time green and fresh. Vetiver really is at its best in this blend, quietly playing in the background, making it heavier and thick with foreboding, while the honeysuckle and opium play in the foreground in a truly sinful way. A very evocative blend, and a delicious one too!

In the bottle: Very clean, polished black leather, with a breath of fresh aftershave. Wet: Same as in the bottle, but deepening. Drydown: Whoa, raw leather indeed! This is a nearly painful scent, very pure, shiny, sharp and bitter. This isn't soft, worn down leather from a chair, this is spanking new, hard leather. There's a touch of something fresh in the background, like a man's aftershave, which just contributes more to the strength of the blend. Overall: I'm in love with this guy. Yes, it's a completely masculine blend, no, I don't think I could pull off wearing it. Actually, De Sade is the male counterpart of Loviatar - same leather, but fresh rather than hot. And oh, the layering that I can imagine with De Sade! It's unbelievably sexy, really pure leather, black, dark, and very domineering. The scent of a Dom, for sure, it just makes you want to be ravished and dominated.

In the bottle: Very green, fresh, nearly aftershavey. Wet: Pine, mostly, and a hint of eucalyptus. Drydown: As it dries down, it becomes gentler, still quite strong in the pine/eucalyptus department, but with a bitter bright green tinge to it, now. There may be hints of ozone in here, too. It's fresh, mentholated, even a bit icy at times. In extreme drydown I get the classical ozone "dryer sheets" scent. Overall: An evergreen scent, mixing pine and something like ivy. A very green, fresh scent, but I feel it as too masculine for me, and it reminds me more of a cheap aftershave, Vicks Vaporub or a toilet deodoriser. Nice, but not something I'd wear, or even want a room scent.

In the bottle: A thick, golden brown scent, a bit ambery and woody. Wet: The scent becomes fainter, convincing me there's amber in there. Then a very clear fig note starts emerging from the golden resin scent, very green. Dusty spices hover around, too. Drydown: A green, very natural fig and herbs scent - nearly like figs in the grass. There's a lovely spice in there that I can't name, and the resins have disappeared into he background. As it develops, the spices become stronger, I wonder if it's ylang-ylang, or perhaps simply pepper. I also get hints of honey, which is just wonderful! Overall: A beautiful fig, spice and wood blend, with lots of green, fruitiness and sweetness to it. It's a mellow, summery scent, sensual and lazy, with a hint of danger to it. A delicious blend that'll make fig fans very happy. It does remind me a bit of "Hetairae", but it's less fiery and more golden.

In the bottle: A deep green, ozony scent mixed to rose. Oooh! Wet: A very ozony-green, dark, a bit rooty scent. Smells like a man's cologne, deep and sensual. Drydown: I mostly get a dark, rooty scent, with some rose mixed into it somewhere, and possibly a very discreet peony. As it develops, it becomes smoother and softer, though still dark. There's a bit of a salt note in there, somehwhere. As time goes by it becomes sweeter and more floral, with rose and peony really blossoming out over the darkness. Overall: It's a dark perfumy floral, with a lot of depth and some aquatic notes. It ends up being a very sophisticated rose/peony floral after going through a very rooty and green stage. It's deep and very womanly, rather heady, even a little boozy in the end. It has little staying power, and I don't know if I'd wear it because it seems a little too mature for me. But a beautiful blend, nevertheless.

In the bottle: Very pale rose with something green and watery in it. Wet: Oof, aquatics! Ouch, my nose! I get a bit of moonflower, through the prickling. Drydown: Fortunately the aquatics become more subdued after a while. Creamy white moonflower is the dominant note, with rose rising slowly behind it. It smells very crisp and clean, and reminds me a bit of "Dirty". It has a rather waxy quality to it, though, probably from the moonflower. After a while, the rose is finally more obvious - it's a very pale tea rose, a bit tart, even. Overall: This seemed very promising, but to me this is 90% moonflower, a waxy peculiar scent that I don't like so much. The dew dissipates fast, good thing because it hurts my sinuses, but the rose in this blend really doesn't come out strong enough. It's a bit too acidic for me, and reminds me more of some kind of detergent than of a flower. Pity.

In the bottle: Ugh, ick ick ick. Cherry and red musk. Wet: Mostly a strong, almondish cherry, with some spice thrown in. Drydown: Ooh, anise, now it becomes more and more obvious, very green over the cherry. The red musk is rather quiet in the background, with its strange rubbery sweet scent, and mingles with the anise in a harmonious way. The cherry disappears mostly after a while, leaving a subtle trace behind it. Overall: A rather discreet blend, I'd expected the red musk to get really loud, but it stays close to the skin, dry and a bit rubbery, and doesn't become too invasive. It smells a little spicy, a little green, and musky. Not my kind of blend, but it's quite pretty.

In the bottle: lime and florals, indistinct for now. Wet: lovely lime, followed by the dreaded lotus' bubblegum and a bit of jasmine. Drydown: It dries down to fresh lime, jasmine and lotus hovering in the background. I think I also recognise the rather acidic smell of tuberose. Everything blends together very well and some notes come to the front more than others. Finally the lotus seems to dominate through slightly dusty jasmine. Overall: It's a rather fresh, bright blend, it makes me think of tones of bright green, yellow and white. It's quite an acidic blend at first, which is better than getting pure bubblegum lotus. Good if you like florals, better if you can take both jasmine and lotus. It's not something I would wear again, but it's a pretty blend.

In the bottle: Neroli! Oooh, lovely!! Wet: Spicy neroli, sweetening with something else, a bit perfumy. Drydown: I think this is neroli and lavender, they smell fresh and aquatic without having the actual aquatic notes that make me want to sneeze. There may be a little bit of heliotrope in there, it smells a little bit plasticky. It becomes rather warm and spicy after a while, I think from ylang-ylang. After a while, the blend becomes too complex for me to be able to pick out any notes in particular. All I know is that it's a pretty floral. Overall: I was expecting lotus, and there is none that I can smell, which is a huge bonus for me, as I loathe it. It's a beguiling scent, it makes me think of the "mirage" side of Neptune, the one that wraps you up in sweet beautiful dreams and confuses you in its mists. Of course if you see Neptune as a planet of art and poetry, it also works well with this scent. There's a cool heart to the blend, lavender I think (or possibly mint), that reminds you that Neptune can be a cold-hearted enchantress that will trap you in a web of your own dreams and delusions. It certainly has me in deep thought about Neptune, because I have issues with it in my chart, and somehow this blend helps me reflect about the planet. Although I don't adore the scent itself, it smells familiar, a bit like going home, back into my element - which makes sense, as it's my ruling planet. Wow. A wonderful blend, kudos to Beth for grasping this very slippery planet.

In the bottle: Grapefruit and floralsm very deep and a bit perfumy. It makes me think of purple - possibly because of the lavender. Wet: Grapefruit, ooh, pretty! There's something sharp behind it, possibly the lavender. Drydown: A citrusy, nearly lemony scent, rather tart over something deeper, certainly the musk. When most of the citrus lets up, I get to a hint of grapefruit, musk and florals - it's very smoothly blended though, hard to tell what's in this if you don't have the ingredient list. Ooh, chamomile comes up, soft and a bit bitter, a very nice touch! Overall: A gorgeous blend! I'm so happy it was resurrected! It smells deep and soft, a bit thoughtful, a bit playful, and with a lovely deep musk. There's a depth in here (as in Baobhan Sith) that seems to make the blend more complex and perfumy than usual, in a very good way. This is going right with my favourites, it's beautiful!

In the bottle: Slightly boozy currants and vanilla, with a bit of a cake note. Wet: Buttery, boozy and floury vanilla cake. Drydown: Ooh currants! Black and red currants in a very light vanilla cake mix. It's soft and creamy and fruity, simple and delicious. The vanilla grows stronger as it develops and it's made a bit sharp by the fruit. Overall: A lovely foody blend that'll delight all foody lovers. Though I'm not a foodie, I enjoy this blend for its lightness and its lovely currant scent. It's a bit like a buttery cake with "Montresor" thrown in, with a lovely vanilla note. And it has quite some staying power, which is unusual for foody blends on me. A great blend, wonderful that it's GC!

In the bottle: A slightly medicinal, sweet and perfumy scent, with florals and... something I can't quite put my finger on. Wet: Same as in the bottle, it has a strange plasticky quality and a touch of citrus - bergamot, maybe? Drydown: It smells like saltwater and plasticky baby powder, with herbs and florals intermingling. There's a hint of spice, very subdued... I wonder if there's carnation in there. Overall: A very perfumy and "clean" blend, but not one I would ever wear. It makes me think of putting talcum powder on my Barbie doll's rubber legs, powder and rubber at the same time. It has a rather sharp bergamot note and vague florals over loads of liquid, it smells both faint and invasively perfumy - you know, that quiet kind of old lay scent that niggle at your nose all day? That's it.

In the bottle: Ugh, butter note! And spice. And... pumpkin? Wet: It melts away, before reemerging with a buttery chestnut note, salty rather than sweet. Drydown: Chestnuts! Warm chestnuts fried in butter, a really yummy scent. There's a faint hint of what I pick up as pumpkin - maybe the pine, in fact? - and nutmeg. This reminds me of the chestnut and pumpkin soup we make in winter, yum! Overall: A very warm and homey scent, ideal for a cold winter. It's foody in a savoury way rather than sweet, on me - actually the sweetness comes out in extreme drydown, a bit. The spice is soft and warm, and the blend sticks close to the skin. By the end, it goes a bit sharp and aquatic, like most floury foody smells (Sugar Cookie does this too). I wouldn't wear it, but I'd use it as a room scent.

In the bottle: Apple blossom with a little bit of an edge. Wet: Ooh, a rush of all four ingredients, apple blossom, with a bite of ginger and tea, then grapefruit coming over it all. Drydown: It settles into a beautiful tea/graprefruit/apple blossom scent, with just a bit of spice from the ginger. After a while, the ginger starts amping on me, over a background of grapefruit and apple blossom. Then the ginger lifts a bit, leaving a lovely fruity floral in its wake. Overall: Spice, florals and fruit, mixing and actually working perfectly well together. The four reach a lovely balance that smells fresh, feminine and complex. It's really divine, once the ginger has gone I'm left with something that smells a little bit like Embalming Fluid in its wet stage, my favourite stage! Yes, this is mesmerising beauty, with the vampire kiss of ginger! Beautiful, absolutely beautiful. This from someone who dislikes apple blossom *and* ginger!

In the bottle: Fresh herbs and sweet frankincense, yum! Wet: All sweet airy incense, grass, sage, and maybe some ambergris. It's masculine and fresh. Drydown: Sage, sweet herbs and incense, everything is very soft and subdued, gently spicy. There's a tiny hint of leather, and a general feeling of herbs and incense being burnt at an altar. It has a smooth feel to it, like well-oiled leather armour. I finally get the basil too, for some reason it reminds me a bit of a fragrant tea. After a while, the herbs lift to give way to the leather and ambergris I think, which give it a definite warrior feel. Overall: A deliciously fresh, incensy blend. I don't get the much expected leather very strongly before extreme drydown, but the herbs and incense work very well together to create a misty, solemn atmosphere. I like how the herbs work out on me - at last a sage blend I can wear! It's soft, it's sweet and it's deep. Love it!

In the bottle: Lemon verbena like whoa! Very aggressive. Wet: Lemon verbena and... ooh, surprise, here comes the grapefruit! and lemongrass! Drydown: Mostly lemongrass now, which isn't really an improvement over the lemon verbena. There's a touch of something sweet in the background, the grapefruit, I'd venture. As it warms up, it's certain that there's some grapefruit in there, but it's hidden between all that lemon verbena and lemongrass. I get hints of bitter grapefruit peel from time to time, to remind me that it's still there. Overall: There's a richness here that's very pleasant deep under the lemongrass and verbena, which I think must be the grapefruit. I don't smell the musk, which is a good thing as I don't like white musk very much - it goes well with citrus, though. This certainly isn't the smell of fear, though, unless we're speaking the fear of mosquitoes. It's a pleasant blend, but it does remind me too much of anti-mosquito oils. The end is also quite disappointing, once everything has lifted, I'm left with a perfumy, ambery scent. Ick.

In the bottle: Lots of bittersweet, salty tear notes. Hmm! Wet: Still the tear note, on a woody, soapy base of dragon's blood. Drydown: A clean, nearly medicinal scent - the tear note often makes me think of saline solution. Over the soapy dragon's blood, it gives an even stronger impression of something antiseptic. There's a very vague fruity note in the dragon's blood, as usual, otherwise it's just smooth wood. Overall: An interesting scent, warm, despite the wetness. It really confirms that dragon's blood doesn't really work on me at all, but the tear note is still really pretty. It smells like sweet baby powder on me in the end, which is nice, but not really a scent I want to smell of.