Meg

In the bottle: Spicy butter. Very overpowering, eugh. Wet: Buttery, spicy, nutty... and something vegetal and sharp which gives a general result of pumpkin pie smell, I'm guessing (we don't have it over here). Drydown: I can smell the peaches now, the scent is mostly spicy peaches and pumpkin pie. It's quite a complex mix, both sweet and slightly green. There's something very warm and spicy about it, very homey. Actually there's even a waxy scent to it that's reminiscent of candles. Overall: This is my second try of Jack, the first went really badly - it made me feel sick and smelled nearly exclusively of butter. The second try was better, it developed various rather interesting scents, spices, peaches and something that vaguely resembles pumpkin. But still, I'm not in love with Jack. It would probably smell good as a candle, but I don't recognise pumpkin here.

In the bottle: Overripe plum, berry and lilac. Hmm... smells sinister yet seductive. Wet: Lilac and plum, really realistic... there's also a white flower in there, I'm guessing gardenia, but mostly I'm smelling the plum. And it's delicious. Drydown: This dries down to an absolutely fascinating scent. The plum is dark, rich and juicy, you can nearly taste it. It gives a really dark, extremely sensual base, over which comes the very light, elusive smell of lilac and white flowers. It keeps a greenness from the plum and berry which stops it from going overly sweet. It's light and smells wet even on drydown. Overall: A sumptuous fruity floral, that gives the impression of smelling an unknown tropical fruit, one that you just want to bite down in, even if it's poisonous. I have no doubt that Elizabeth Bathory would have wanted to smell just like this, it's a very vain, womanly and powerful perfume indeed. I bought this one for a friend, but I am going to have to buy some of my own. Absolutely beautiful.

In the bottle: Ooh, how very red it is! A slightly bitter, woody and heady scent which seems familiar but that I can't name (I have no idea what amber or dragon's blood smell like) Wet: The same as in the bottle, but warming up and sweetening. The bitterness seems to be going to the background. There's a slightly lemony and herbal hint to it. It's very smooth and subtle. Drydown: A very smooth scent, with hints of cherry and flowers, but nothing very discernible. There's a slightly sharp and spicy base to it and hints of vanilla. Very warm and soft. There's something a bit dark in the background, like wood. Overall though it smells clean and quite comforting. Overall: It's quite pretty, clean and spicy, but it's definitely not me - reminds me of a softer "Blood Pearl", which also didn't work on me. Doesn't attract me as a scent, although I love the red colour of the blend, it's just not "me".

In the bottle: Jasmine and roses and something even more powerful, which reminds me of cola and lemon. It reminds me of "Wicked", one of my favourites, with a twist. Wet: Very much like in the bottle, with a sort of citrusy sharpness to it. Drydown: The rose and jasmine provide a background to this very sharp smell that I can't identify, the frangipani, I think. It's tart and sweet, like a very unripe fruit. There's also a spicy scent going on in the background, and something that makes me think of creamy vanilla - I'm guessing it's the tuberose. Overall: This reminds me of something very oriental, like a street market with spices and flowers. As much as I adore "Wicked", I this one doesn't work with me. The added spicy tang takes away a lot of the rose/jasmine sensuality, and it smells quite perfumey and invasive. Weirdly, other people like how it smells on me, and at times I find it rather pleasant, but my nose gets attacked by the frangipani, I'm guessing. *onto the swap pile*

In the bottle: a very sweet, wet, voluptuous red rose. I love this rose! Wet: there's a greenness and a dryness that come up right away with the rose. And salt, and leather. For a moment, the rose is pushed to the background. Drydown: the rose is back and she's sumptuous. Wet, and lush, and deep red, with some green. This mixed with the slightly bitter and dry scent of cool leather. And they fight, and fight, and fight, neither ever winning, but it's such a fascinating fight to sniff. Sometimes the rose is lusciously red and inviting, sometimes it's bitter green, sometimes the leather wins out. Overall: I understand why I had so much trouble finding an imp of this - nobody wants to give it up! This is extremely sexy. I forget that I love rose, and then when I try it on, it fits like a glove. A black leather glove. Oh my god - big bottle, now!

In the bottle: The very fresh scent of nature - perhaps mint and fir mixed, possibly also the balsam of peru - with hints of orange blossom. Wet: Tobacco, mint, fir and orange blossom, with musk in the background. It smells bitter and fresh at the same time, and quite masculine. Drydown: This dries down to a woody scent, mostly of tobacco with a hint of mint which makes it smell very fresh. The flowers seem to have faded into the background, leaving a scent of orange peel rather than blossoms. It's not biting, though, the musk balances out any sharpness that could come from those usually very strong notes. The bitter clove is clearly there too, spicy and a bit broody. I get the fir in waves, springing out when you least expect it. And when you least expect it, the musk jumps out at you and seduces you completely. Whoo. Overall: A rather masculine and complex scent, both civilised and rather dark. It smells like a man's room, with the strong scent of tobacco, the freshness of Cologne, a bowl of oranges giving off a tangy scent... and a bitter twist of darkness, musk, and the wilderness of a fir forest outside. It gives Dracul the image of a perfect gentleman who is only one step away from being *wild*. I wouldn't wear it myself, too much musk and too masculine, but it would work wonderfully on someone else.

In the bottle: Very black cherries... covered in chocolate and booze? Smells tasty, like "Mon Chéri" chocolates (these are cherries encased in black chocolate with a kirsch filling). Wet: Cherries and musk, still with a chocolatey and boozy scent. The vetiver in the background gives the scent a green tinge, which is slightly weird. There's also a very soft vanilla and musk scent in the background. Drydown: Hmm... honey and wine and cherries and vanilla, with a hint of black chocolate (yep, still getting it) or perhaps tobacco. It's dark and delicious, and very creamy - this is the first time I have a cherry perfume that doesn't make me nauseous. The vetiver seems to be all gone, replaced by a very pleasant but soft scent of cloves. Overall: It's like Dracul's sensual vanilla-and-cherry sister (fitting, also a vampire scent). I have no idea how this chocolatey scent comes through, because I know it's not in the ingredients list, but that's how my brain registers one of the notes (or a combination of them). It's rich and creamy, and you just want to get lost in it. Not a favourite (I'm really not a fan of musk), but definitely enjoyable. It has a lot of throw, too.

In the bottle: a greenish-white rose with something slightly musty in the background Wet: Very much the same as in the bottle, but the rose is amped up now. It smells really quite green and very fresh, slightly bitter - to the point where I have the impression of smelling chlorine, strangely. Drydown: Hmm, the spices seem to tone the greenness down a bit, it makes the rose slightly powdery. This is one of the most "vegetal" roses I've smelled, it's playful and young and light. I get a whiff of undefinable spices in the mix. It's strange, because although there are spicy notes, I still feel it as a slightly cool scent... and then, just for an instant, I get a whiff of something much more sensual, spicy and sensual. But it disappears quickly into the background. The wet freshness and the dry mustiness seem to be playing hide-and-seek and creating a very dual perfume. Overall: An interesting ambiguous rose. It's very green, young, innocent and playful, but there's a hint of something more sensual developing in the background... threatening, corrupting. I think it defines Lucy Westrena's story very well. It's an interesting and enjoyable scent, but you need to like roses and very green scents to appreciate it. The powdery drydown does give it a slightly old fashioned feel. Personally I prefer red roses, this one smells too white.

In the bottle: light and aquatic flowers and fruits... I can catch the grape, rose and peach best. Makes you think of an enchanted banquet, and I'm already under its spell. Wet: it becomes a little sharper as I put it on, and the sweet pea and pear peek out from under the rose and peach. It still smells wonderfully aquatic, very dewy and juicy. Drydown: at a certain point, the aquatic note changes - it becomes very sharp and airy, the best way I can describe it is the extremely sharp smell the air gets just before it snows. So there are the fruits, peach, grape and pear, covered in ice, frozen in a wonderfully sparkly arrangement. Overall: Beautiful. I had high hopes for Titania because my second name is affiliated to her name, and I've always been into fairy queens in general. This is a lovely fruit/floral blend that doesn't smell foody or fake - it's ethereal, both aquatic and airy. It's a pity that the drydown stays so sharp on me, because it nearly gives me an "ice-cream headache" at times. It also has quite a staying power - the peach grips on me for at least 12 hours.

In the bottle: a very light apricot smell with a slightly boozy undertone. Wet: the warm boozy smell becomes slightly stronger, making a nice balance with the apricot. Drydown: the smell is really quite subtle - like a dewy apricot. There's a clean-linen scent to this as well, which I find very comforting, because of a slight greenness (my Mum sniffed it and went "eww, grass?!"). And somewhere at the back there's some spice, most probably cinnamon, which warms things up considerably. Overall: Not what I expected, and certainly not boozy, but it is warming. It's an apricot smell, which is both spicy and slightly green. Not really a complex perfume, but very comforting on a cold day. It would make a great room scent, and it's just perfect if you happen to be an apricot fan. It has quite a throw, too.

In the bottle: sweet pea and sage, with dominating, slightly aggressive herbal notes. Wet: it disappears for a second as I apply it - then the sweetpea and sage come out again, and I have to say it's a weird mix of herbs and flowers. There's something woody or gritty in there, probably the tonka (which I don't know very well). Not sure I like it, it's rather sickly. Drydown: well, the sweet pea is fine, it's actually quite realistic... but I smell plastic. It's probably the general mix, or perhaps the tonka that doesn't like me, but it's a shame because I love sweet pea. It's very creamy, with a vanilla kind of background. I can hardly smell the sage, it comes through in sharp little notes from time to time, but that's about it. Overall: This perfume reminds me of an antiseptic ointment I used to have. Dang. It's a shame, something went wrong and I don't know what it is. I wanted to like this one, but it's really not working out. I'll have to find some sweet pea elsewhere...

In the bottle: the rich scent of sweet plum liquor, mixed with something leathery. Makes me giddy to sniff it. Wet: Luscious, sensual liquor and dry leather, with a musky, slightly sweaty undertone. Oh my god, this is so sexy. Drydown: As it dries down, the leather fades to a background note with the herbs, while the crushed dark red roses come the forefront now, still warmed up by the plummy alcohol scent. There must be some violet here, but it's extremely subtle (fortunately, as I don't like violet), it just gives it a darker, deeper tone. There's an ambient scent of booze and a slight whiff of smoke. Overall: All the elements of sensuality... booze, leather and smoke with roses and musk. It's slightly harsh and dry, and at the same time it's very sensual - probably like a good wine, right? (I wouldn't know, as I don't drink) It's also very spicy and definitely hot! Absolutely stunning, very sexy in a powerful way. On the big bottle list - I sense that my mother is going to try and steal this from me, I'll have to make it a 10ml. This perfume really makes me feel strong and womanly - and makes me want to reach for my corset collection.

In the bottle: trees, yellow flowers and berries. I'm slightly worried about the berries, as I have a bad BPAL berry track record. Wet: a very sharp sap scent, slightly citrusy as well as woody. It smells of wind on green berries and irises. Drydown: Loganberry. Hurray, this berry smells good on me! It's wild, tart and very juicy. The lemony scent still hangs around, but it's softened a lot by the very delicate scent of iris. There's a distinctive birch smell to it, which I think is what I'm picking up as woody lemon. As this develops I sometimes smell the wild rose, and the loganberry comes to the forefront, but it's not particularly sweet. Overall: A pioneer, energetic scent. Birch forests are known to be the first to colonise barren land, and the Vikings landed in Newfoundland searching for more places to colonise. I can quite imagine them smelling this when they arrived, and thinking "this is a wild, slightly hostile, but beautiful place". It's always sharp, no matter how pretty it is, and for once it doesn't become sweet on me - it just smells of the outdoors, and changes as if different winds carry different scents to me.

In the bottle: Sweet herbs and moss. It reminds me of "The Unicorn". Wet: This is weird - it nearly disappeared the minute I put it on. When the scent comes back, it's very deep and dry, reminiscent of Zombi, it smells of earth and mosses with a subtle sweetness, perhaps anise. Drydown: Jasmine! My favourite floral is in here, and it's really toned down by the loamy scent so that it's really hard to determine that it's there to sweeten things up. I can also smell the incense and the herbs are still there, muted. Sometimes the loam comes back with a vengeance - quite an earthy/smoky bite. But generally (as usual with me) the Jasmine dominates. Overall: Wow. It's jasmine/herbs/earth and it's wonderful. I thought I loved Zombi, but not as much as I do Crossroads. There's a sparkle to the flowery scent of jasmine that gets dimmed by the sharp scent of earth and moss. It makes me think of an earth track in the middle of grassy hills at the crack of dawn, with stars still sparkling overhead. Beautiful, and I'm getting a big bottle of it.

In the bottle: bitingly bitter and spicy musk with coconut, a very woodsy scent. Wet: the musk softens instantly and keeps its spice while losing its bite, phew. There's still a bitter afterscent though. The coconut is still very shy, lingering in the background. Drydown: There's a huge amount of musk here, with a bit of coconut to soften it down. It still smells bitter even when my skin has sweetened it. I can hardly smell the orris, which is weird, because flowers tend to come out first on me. There's a slightly aquatic note to this, reminiscent of a beach on a tropical island, which is probably due to the orris. Overall: A very woody scent. It doesn't sweeten very much, which is very rare on my skin, and it's quite overpowering. It's mostly musk and coconut shells rather than coconut flesh, and on me it smells much too strong. Not me, interesting to try it though.

In the bottle: Jasmine and tangerine, with other flowers in the background. This was love at first sniff, as soon as I smelled it, I knew it would work on me. Wet: The tangerine goes slightly bitter - probably the bergamot coming out - while jasmine still sparkles around in the background with the other flowers. Drydown: At first the jasmine dominates, but then the very creamy carnation comes out with the lily of the valley, and they form a wonderfully refreshing and lush bouquet - strangely I don't get any rose. By now the mandarin have completely faded to the background, making this mostly a floral scent. There is a musky background that adds sensuality to the scent. Overall: A very bright, sweet and sensual floral, with a sharp edge to it, possibly from the lily of the valley or the citrus, which tones down the sweetness very well. It smells clean and white, like flowery snow, and can work as a spring bouquet just as much as a winter pick-me-up. Besides the lily note stays forever! I love it.

In the bottle: I'm dreading this - a cherry bubblegum, with a musky note somewhere. I like its dark colour, but the smell puts me off. Wet: the cherry is mixed with strawberry now, and it's fighting with musk - I'm hoping the musk wins! This really smells... well, cheap and childish right now. Drydown: The strawberry scent does settle into something more realistic than just bubblegum, and the cherry seems to have moved to the background. I can smell the musk, too, and something slightly bitter from time to time (it smells floral - possibly the heliotrope). It's actually a complex, adult and rather dark scent by now, a bit powdery. The musky/amber notes are extremely persistent, they absolutely won't quit whatever I use to wash it off. Overall: This smells of strawberry and plastic and musk and decay. I think it actually works very well with its name, there is a dark/decaying hint in the background - it's Hollywood with its glitz and its drama. However, this confirms that red berries really don't work on me. Lady Macbeth was a disaster, and while this really isn't as bad, it's not me at all - even the musky drydown just isn't my cup of tea.

In the bottle: my first impression was "huh? synthetic banana scent in medicine?!" For some reason the mix, when wet, it smells like that. It's very bitter with some background sweetness in there, and a distinctly smoky and herbal scent. Wet: it smells smoky and herby, with a musky undertone coming out. There's something reminiscent of tobacco there. Drydown: Sticky sweet honey fom the magnolias, that smell more like old magnolias than fresh ones, with an ashy, dusty overtone. There's still a hint of herbs in there, and at times the sharpness of the mandarin comes out, and yes, a nutty undertone that reminds me of coconut. Overall: Heady and really not me at all - I can't stand the sweetness of the magnolia and the nutty smell. I like the idea of it being smoky and herbal, but it just doesn't work with me. Weirdly, I think this might work really well on a man, and it does have a certain sensuality to it. I don't find it particularly wicked, though, some people mentioned it smelling like granny/grandpa and I have to say that I agree with that.

Deep, luscious green and berry scents that evoke images of woodland witchcraft and the raw power of nature: blackberry, sage, green tea, wild berries and dark musk. In the bottle: A powerful green scent, bitter and grassy, clearly the sage. There's also a hint of berry in there already, unripe berries. It smells dark and mysterious, very much like a forest in springtime. Wet: Very similar to the scent in the bottle, with an extra citrusy bite. This bite dies down rather quickly and sweetens as the berries come to the front. It's as if tart green blackberries are slowly ripening as the perfume dries. Drydown: The blackberry and sage fight for dominance in a bittersweet battle, making for a really interesting combination - neither too sweet or too sour. This is truly blackberry with herbs, not sickly (which I hate), just right. It's a sensual, wild scent, with a slightly musky scent in the background. Overall: This is everything I was expecting "Bewitched" to be. It smells beautiful but not foodsy, there's always a herby tartness to keep the sweet berry in check. It's rather complex and a complete metamorph, and really represents the woods perfectly. It actually reminds me a lot of a Kookai perfume of the 90ies that I used to wear. Edited to add description

In the bottle: A very powerful and dark herbal scent, slightly resiny, like fir trees. A few lighter florals wisp out from time to time. Wet: There's something spicy, slightly like tobacco, eucalyptus and pepper that gets added to the mix, making it pretty sharp. As it dries, it becomes sweeter and mellower though. Drydown: This slowly becomes a very green scent. I was really expecting flowers, but no, it smells of menthol or perhaps eucalyptus. There's also something very dry in it, I think it's black tea. And smoke, now I get whiffs of smoke. There's a creamy flower note in there somewhere to sweeten things up, but I can't tell what it is. Overall: This is intriguing. As time goes by, this gets sweeter and sweeter on me (my skin does this with everything), but the smoky and green background makes it much more than a sweet floral. It makes me think of a house that has been abandoned, where plants have taken over, lots of green weeds and white flowers; and then, ghosts of the past come back, smoking cigars and drinking tea, before disappearing into the background again. Fascinating.

In the bottle: Chocolate cookies, with some orange and currants. Extremely foody. Wet: *White* chocolate cookies, then the mandarin becomes more obvious, yummy! Then at some point it does a 180 on me and turns floral - the iris rears its fresh nose and dominates for a while with a very green note. Drydown: The chocolate stays as a buttery undertone now. Slight orangey scents waft through slightly dark and bitter tea and currants. It also seems to be both powdery and creamy, which is really unusual. The iris has mellowed to a sweeter version, no greenness left. Overall: I wouldn't wear it, but it's very nice to sniff, if that makes any sense. It's certainly incredibly interesting that all these ingredients can actually work together, and it's one hell of a complex and morphing scent, but the end result is still too foody for me to wear. It would probably make a very interesting candle though. I'm very happy to have an imp of this.

In the bottle: Extremely sweet and synthetic red berry, very sharp. I don't like where this is going. Wet: Very much like in the bottle, with a vaguely interesting moment where the wine comes out and disappears again. Drydown: Yuck! This smells like bubblegum in the worst possible way. Very artificial red berry, with a vaguely boozy note to it. The thyme does nothing to cover it - in fact, the sweet/herby scent reminds me of cow manure. Overall: Berry bubblegum in cowpat. This really doesn't agree with me, it smells exactly like candy and there's nothing elegant or frightening about it. The most frightening part, in fact, is its staying power. It just won't quit! Out, damned spot! *goes to scrub it out some more*

In the bottle: a fiery, sharp scent of cinnamon, mixed with bitter resinous smell a bit like almond, probably the copal. It's a very warm scent. Wet: very much the same thing as in the bottle, with the almondy smell coming out much stronger, and a certain sweetness coming out. Drydown: still fiery and rather bitter cinnamon and almond, very hot. As it dries, it develops a certain sweetness, that smells rather like vanilla. The smell of copal enhances the bitterness, so that it overpowers the sweetness most of the time. I was hoping that the cinammon would mellow out a bit, but it goes extremely strong. Overall: This isn't at all what I was expecting - it's red hot cinnamon, the kind you get in ultra strong bubblegums. I was hoping for a subtler cinnamon smell and stronger honeysuckle. Besides, it seems simplistic for a Chimera to reduce it to only one very fiery note, when it's supposed to be a mythological creature made of parts of serveral other animals. On me, this is practically masculine, and very overpowering, really doesn't work. On the swap pile, hoping to find something with a subtler cinnamon in it instead.

In the bottle: jasmine mixed with something like wine or some other fruity alcohol. Wet: all violets, with hints of incense and the slightest fruity scent sometimes peaking through. Drydown: the fruity scent develops as the violet fades slightly into the background (I'm glad - I dislike violet in perfumes). Another flowery scent comes through, much subtler, must be jasmine. It's strongly mixed with a smell of plums and perhaps wine, to counterbalance the sweetness of the flowers. You can't smell the incense directly, but it remains in the form of a slightly smoky undertone. Overall: This is truly a purple perfume, it's very sophisticated and well-balanced. Various scents slip to the forefront at different times, all of them evoking pictures of royalty and femininity. Clearly a perfume for special occasions, and I can see Morgause wearing it and just feeling queenly (she's always been more about power than witchcraft to me - Mists of Avalon talking, here). It's not really "me", but it's a perfect addition to a collection of medieval scents.

A sinfully playful lust blend. Inspires sexual spontaneity, a little bit of kinkiness, and new and inventive ways to get dirty. In the bottle: A very strong cinnamon and almond scent. Wet: The smell of orange pierces through the almond scent. Drydown: The scent becomes powdery and is very subtle. The smell of almond stays, slightly spicy and rather sweet, with hints of orange coming up now and then. The scent fades very fast, hardly after an hour or two, you can only smell it subtly. Overall: It's nothing spectacular, I found it smelled very much like Johnson's Baby Soap. It's soft and rather comforting, but it doesn't evoke much else to me. It certainly didn't have any sexual connotation for me, the Voodoo thing doesn't seem to be working for me.