Meg

In the bottle: Ozone and fruit toilet deodorizer. Wet: Yup, still toilet deodorizer, now with dirty socks and something like cough-syrup cherry in the background. Drydown: Astringent metallic lemon, with this typical feel from ozone as if a storm is brewing and it's all misty. I think that there's a hint of something minty or like eucaplyptus in here, rather strong herbal. Aha, I can smell woods and roots in the background, but I really need to sniff them out. They smell like the woods in Penny Dreadful, musty and sweet. There's also something smoky and bitter, possibly tobacco. Overall: It's an interesting, mysterious and outdoorsy scent, a bit of a "calm before the storm" scent, with hints of wood and very faint traces of fruit in it. It's thick and lazy, somehow, and bitter too. I wasn't really expecting that, and though it's quite interesting, the beginning stages are just not pleasant for me.

In the bottle: Lavender and pennyroyal. I'd never sniffed pennyroyal before, but the violent sharp mint note must be it. Oof! Wet: Pennyroyal and a strangely sweet black musk. Very jarring blend. Drydown: Lavender attempts a brief appearance, but under that pennyroyal it's struggling. It becomes weirdly rubbery all of a sudden, I don't know what this is but I usually attribute it to oakmoss, though it's not in the ingredients. Once pennyroyal finally gives up and leaves, I'm left with very powerful rubbery oakmoss, which I guess is a component of the cologne. Overall: A crazy blend! The pennyroyal is really obnoxious and smells obssessive, and the rubbery musks and oakmoss are completely unhinged, indeed. It makes me sneeze, it irritates me and it's completely psychotic. It also reminds me a lot of Black Annis, it's somber like this. Not me, but I totally appreciate Beth's effort to portray the Mad Hatter.

In the bottle: A very gentle honeyed floral. Wet: Honey, lovely honey, hmm! Lily starts coming through, though, a bit waxy. Drydown: Lily that varies from powdery to creamy, with hints of honey still hanging around. This reminds me of a lily-of-the-valley candle I used to have. It becomes very gentle and a bit plasticky after a while, like lily often does. Overall: Wow, I didn't expect to like this at all, I don't like lily in blends, but apparently I like it fine straight up. This is a soft, discreet lily blend, with a good dose of sensual honey in it and very pretty florals. I think I may even wear it, it's so soothing.

In the bottle: Powdery but very green mint. Wet: Coconutty freshness. There's mint, but a lot of fresh greenery, like newly cut stems, too. The coconut is quickly subdued by the greenness, it smells like coconut milk rather than coconut meat. Drydown: It's mostly mint and greenery after drydown, with a gentle white warmth from the coconut. It's also become rather powdery, but not in an unpleasant way, really. I suspect that there's the same powdery violet-citrus note in here as there was in Numb, but combined with the mint and greenness it's perfect. Overall: The ideal snow scent, minty, green, a little aquatic and somewhat powdery. It's complex and constantly shifts from coconut to mint to powder and back again, which really reminds me of the way snowflakes glitter and shift in the wind. I'm not sure it's a scent that I would wear everyday, but on a snow day, it's ideal! And this is wonderful because I tried Snow White, and while I can see the resemblance, this one definitely does not smell like rancid coconut on me. It's more like Numb meets Obatala, with mint. Yay!

In the bottle: Violet and wisteria, as well as sandalwood and musk. Wet: Moonflower and very realistic lilac. I love this stage. It tends towards wisteria and violet as it dries. Drydown: Still moonflower, and the lilac has taken a bit of a shrill edge. There's something very deep and soothing here, violet and wisteria, on a quiet base of sandalwood. Soon, violet dominates the blend completely. It's dusty from the moonflower that always gets powdery on me. Overall: A quiet floral blend, certainly apt for the soothing release of grief. It's melancholic but subdued, somehow modest and very graceful. It makes me think of discreet nocturnal flowers, dark purple and white. I think it's a must to enjoy florals, particularly violet and moonflower, to enjoy this blend. This is a very calm and soothing blend, but not one that I would wear myself. I bought it for my mother, as she adores violet, and it was a huge success.

In the bottle: Mostly bamboo, with hints of florals from the cherry blossom Wet: Bamboo and some tea, I think Drydown: Bamboo still dominates the blend a lot, I think that I can make out a little bit of tea and cherry blossom underneath it. It takes a while until the bamboo lifts and gives way to something softer, a little bit of sweet dragon's blood, warm gentle tea leaves and cherry blossom. Overall: It goes from very sharp citrusy bamboo to a gentle, barely there drydown of cherry blossom and slightly powdery dragon's blood, with bamboo that makes sporadic returns. It's an energetic blend, citrusy and shiny. It's a pretty spring blend, but really not my cup of tea.

In the bottle: A very strong, perfumy, slightly honeylike floral. Wet: Same as in the bottle, it's a strange mixture of warm honey and fresh cold florals from the Chrysanthemum. Drydown: I get chysanthemum and spicy ginger, a generally incensy scent. There's something aftershavey in here that I can't place, a freshness of cologne, somehow. There's still this honey-like scent that's everywhere, it reminds me of the honey note in Delphi. Overall: I have huge trouble describing this blend with its components. It's dry, spicy deep honey, but also warm braziers over which incense is burning. There's a floral freshness to it, which stays in the background and wafts back occasionally. It's a haunting scent, subtle but always present - unfortunately it's one of those distracting scents that doesn't quit bothering you. I'm not a fan of the hot/cold effect between the musk and the chrysanthemum, either.

In the bottle: Very thick, woody pear. Wet: Fresh pear and some light florals I can't quite place. There's something nearly minty, too. Drydown: I get a scent like dill, which is the cucumber note, I think. It's a bit vinegary, too. I still get the pear very strongly, it's a thick scent, pretty invasive. I don't really get beyond that very tart pear scent. There's something floral and very perfumy in there too, I think it's the motia attar because it reminds me a lot of sandalwood, and it adds to this tartness. Overall: A very sharp, acidic blend, with strong fruity pear and probably sandalwood that completely dominate the blend. It's very perfumey, something that I've smelled on older women, a bit heavy and invasive. Really not my type, and to me it evokes brightness rather than night.

In the bottle: lavender, blackberry and sage Wet: Same as in the bottle, strong lavender, nearly rooty, powerful fresh sage and hints of berry. Drydown: It dries down into a lovely, nearly spicy blend, with some vetiver and I think it's poppy that brings the spice. Hibiscus has a tea-like smell to me, and is really beautiful in this blend. The dominant note is fruity, still the blackberry, I presume, and sage is also hanging around. I think I get the tonka, and for the first time ever I find that it works with the blend, giving it a cool, clean smoothness. Overall: A delicious, beautiful blend that reminds me of a walk in a wild place where herbs, berries and flowers give off a delicious scent under the sun. It's definitely bitter, but bittersweet, a sweet torture for the nose, too. I adore the lavender note used in here, in particular. A truly beautiful blend.

In the bottle: Herby, green, sweet... like a mix between lilac and something cologney. Wet: Same as in the bottle, it really smells like cut, slightly aquatic grass when it's wet. As it dries, it gets spicier and more powdery. There's something peppery in here. Drydown: As it dries down, it becomes very sweet, quite cologney and spicy, and very deep, somehow. There's even something a bit salty and sea-like, here. Lots of different herbs, it's a very organic blend, and some of these herbs smell like diapers to me... oops. It really reminds me of some kind of herbal balm, but for the life of me I can't remember what. There's a nearly floral quality to it, too. Overall: It's my first single note, and I really didn't expect it to be this complex, but it is! Wow! This is definitely a prairie type of smell, starting out like fresh grass and ending up like dry, powdery grass. On my skin, it goes very powdery and cologney (sweet-citrusy?), which is sad because I love it when it's wet. I this this turns up frequently in voodoo blends, Coyote and Scarecrow.

In the bottle: Lavender, pretty powerful, deep and nearly minty. Wet: Sharp, sweet lavender, very purple in my mind. There's an edge here that's nearly citrusy, and something nearly woody, like lavender stems. Drydown: As most lavenders, it fades very fast when it dries down. I'm guessing it's because lavender is very volatile, or perhaps my skin eats it up. At any rate, very little is left of it after it dries down, on me. All it leaves is a rather deep sweetness, which works well as a grounding note in various blends, but doesn't have any throw alone. Overall: I adore lavender, so I was really excited about this one. Unfortunately, it's much too short lived on me, even if I slather, my skin seems to just eat it up. It's a very pretty, soft lavender with a proper bite at the beginning and a lovely soft herbiness afterwards. I just wish I could have a magnifying glass for my nose so that I could smell it after drydown.

This is the 2006 version In the bottle: Sandalwood and rather sour green florals. Wet: Perfumy (ambery?) sandalwood, a bit sour. There's a floral here but I can't identify which. Drydown: Very strong sandalwood, that has a bit of a pencil-shaving quality. I think that the sour yet slightly creamy floral is tuberose, I had the same effect with Delight. Aha, and now at last the champaca starts blossoming, a very beautiful scent. After a while, there's a vanilla softness in there, and a hint of honey. It becomes more creamy, but still very much based on sandalwood. There's something nearly foody and thick, but I can't put my finger on it - probably the vanilla, still. Overall: This is not at all as sweet and soft as I'd hoped or anticipated. The sandalwood is very cool and harsh, the tuberose is tart, and the end result is a woody, floral blend that smells like a classical perfume. I don't think that I can wear sandalwood in these proportions, unfortunately, and I wish that it was more floral and less woody.

In the bottle: Honeyed mint and tea. Yum! Wet: Very herby, in a good way. I smell something lemony, mint, lush orange blossom (which I know will promptly turn foul on my skin *sigh*) all sweetened and brought together by honey. Finally the green tea gets untangled from the rest of the notes and dominates. Drydown: A complex blend of various herbs and flowers and sweetness. I get a brown sugar scent that I'd never had before, because sugar tends to go burnt caramel on me. Mint has evaporated mostly, it still hangs around but quite discreetly. Orange blossom has disappeared into the background, and I'm thankful because when it turns, it smells horrid on me. The blend is mostly fresh soothing tea with hints of mint and sugar. Overall: This is my favourite of the first two Acts, a very refreshing and comforting scent, which would be perfect for summer. It has three components that I usually can't wear, lemongrass because I don't like it, orange blossom and sugar cane that generally go very wrong on me at drydown. Yet this is beautiful. Unfortunately it doesn't have all that much staying power, 30 minutes then it's gone. *cries*

This is the 2005 version. In the bottle: Rose and myrrh, and something that smells a little bit like grape. Wet: dusty frankincense and rose. Drydown: Incense and florals, a very nice soft rose and probably a bit of lily of the valley and gardenia. It smells rather dusty, possibly in an "autumn leaves" way, but maybe it's just the frankincense/myrrh mix that smells like this. Overall: A very well blended creation, which really does smell like an incense with flowers. It's pretty hard to work out which scent is which, except for the incense which is pretty clear. It smells very elegant and feminine, like an expensive perfume. It's pretty, but nothing I'd wear.

In the bottle: Oh yeah, definitely sea air, with perfume and spice carried on it. Wet: Same as in the bottle, salty sea air and perfume. It smells just like the seaside! Drydown: The sea air dies down, which is a pity as it was my favourite part. The perfume takes the forefront, it's a spicy, slightly boozy and there's a lot of wood in it, as well as something a bit fruity and musky. Overall: This is a very interesting blend, very evocative of how you imagine the Caribbean from fiction, booze, spices, the woods of your ship, sea breeze and the slightly gaudy scent of cheap perfume. I don't think I would wear it, because the perfume part just isn't me, but it's a very nice blend.

In the bottle: Spicy butter. Very powerful, with a hint of walnut. Wet: Wine, honey and cakes, and specially, lots of spices. Drydown: A strong walnut and spice scent over honey. I also get the milk, more in the texture of the blend than in the scent, if that makes any sense at all. I can't tell which spices it is, but to me they're not the traditional clove/cinnamon. Maybe nutmeg and pepper, or something. Overall: This really smells nutty to me, like walnut, with a huge amount of spices. It doesn't even really smell sweet, just very foody. I'm absolutely not a foodie, and this nearly smells savoury to me. Possibly, I make the sugar note smell like burnt sugar, which makes it smell bitter on me. At any rate, nothing I'd like to smell of.

In the bottle: Cool ozoney aquatics Wet: Same as in the bottle, salty ozone aquatics, like sea spray. There's something herby in there, too. It's pretty aftershavey. Drydown: It doesn't morph very much, I get cold sea-like aquatics, salty, I do think I get a hint of clay or stone, actually. It's also rather herbal and wild-smelling, like a moor by the seaside. I think that there's sweetish pine in the ice notes of the blend, too. After a long while, a cool, nearly floral sweet note emerges, really adding to this iciness. Overall: It's reminiscent of wilderness, ice, the ocean, and forests. A rather evocative blend, that makes you think of a nature in which you really wouldn't like to be lost. But the pine/aquatics together end up smelling pretty masculine and aftershavey for me.

In the bottle: Pure almond. Ick. Wet: Still almond, with spices coming in. Drydown: I think this is almond and jasmine, with quite a lot of thick saffron. And the lilies are quite strong in the background. It's surprisingly light, for a floral, and there's a strange banana-like smell in there, too. As it develops, the lily comes to the forefront, mixed with spices and possibly some incense. Overall: It's a comparatively light lily blend, considering that I tend to amp that note like mad. I think that it's light because. It's a rather smooth blend, and it's more complex than a lily single note, but I can't for the life of me manage to discern any of the other notes individually. It does have a bit of an oriental feel, and the lily tends to smell like honey, which is pretty good. I can't wear it (still don't like lily), but it's a good, complex blend.

In the bottle: Sandalwood, vanilla and amber, very slightly oceanic from ambergris. Wet: A blend of sandalwood, vanilla and something fresh and sea-like, possibly the sea moss Drydown: Very woody with sandalwood, the dominant note, with vanilla over it. It has a bit of a dusty feel to it, possibly from the musk. The vanilla gets stronger and creamier. There's a very sharp sour note, I think from the sandalwood, which takes a long while to die down. The lily doesn't turn up, which is unusual as my skin normally amps it. Overall: It's strongly sandalwoody, and which is only nice once the very sharp note has died down. After that, it's creamy sandalwood-vanilla, clearly, and reminds me... of clean elegance. It has a certain sleek smoothness to it that makes it pretty. It's probably one of the most regal woods I've worn. Something about this reminds me of Monsterbait: Underpants, without the saffron.

In the bottle: Very sweet aftershavey pine. Wet: Same as in the bottle, powdery sweet pine. Ick. Drydown: It doesn't morph much: very sweet pine, powdery, a bit aftershavey, with a hint of citrus. I think that there's the sweet aquatic that smells like slushy snow and mint, too. Overall: definitely not my cup of tea. I'm not into girlie scents or snow scents, and this one really doesn't do anything for me.

In the bottle: Herbs... and toilet deodoriser. Hm. Wet: It sweetens pleasantly with what I recognise as the shea note from Obatala, yum. Drydown: Shea and herbs, it smells very much like tropical flowers, I can smell nectar, and very pleasant herbs from a forest. It smells fresh and breezy, and yes now I get the woods in the base, that remind me a bit of pencil shavings (this is a good thing, in this blend). Overall: A generally very balanced blend, sweet with shea, and earthy with herbs and woods. It's a very feminine woody blend because of the shea, that I seem to amp like crazy. The herbs are a bit sour at times, refreshing. It generally conveys a good sense of a hunter-god who's vey close to the forest.

In the bottle: Urgh, ew. Herbal booze, with almonds. Wet: It becomes more boozy, and now smells of burnt sugar. Drydown: Smoky, burnt play-doh. After a while, that scent lifts, and I get something a bit like sea air and herbs. The almond seems to come back, a bit, adding some sweetness. Overall: This started out very bad and although it improved on the way, it's nothing I'd ever wear. I'm sure a man could pull it off, or someone that doesn't make rum smell like burnt sugar. On me, it's mostly plastic and play-doh.

In the bottle: Hypersweet red musk and roses. I admit, it scares me a lot. Wet: Slightly woody, rubbery red musk, with a rich tone that comes from the amber, I think. Drydown: Rose comes out... it's a red rose smell, very strongly sweetened by the red musk and made heavy with amber. Overall: This is a very strong scent that seems to manage to get everywhere, very strong, I definitely had to put on as little as possible and still find it too strong. The sickly sweet rose has very unfortunate mental connections for me, so I really don't want to smell like this, ever. It's a little bit like Smut with roses, in fact.

In the bottle: Very bright mandarin indeed. Wet: Mandarin, still, tart and sparkly Drydown: Still very mandarin but there's also the thick and sticky sweet scent of fig adding to it. The two combine into a juicy sweet fruit scent. Overall: It would make a good wash, but it's not a scent that I would like to wear as a perfume. It's maybe too bright and happy for me. A simple blend, but very pleasant.

The amber necklace of Freyja, Norse Goddess of Love, Sex, Attraction and Fruitfulness. Her magnificent necklace was bough from four Dwarves [Alfrik, Berling, Dvalin and Grer] at the price of four nights of her passion. When Brisingamen graces your throat, no man can resist your charms. A glittering mantle of rich golden notes: five ambers, soft myrtle and apple blossom, myrtle, and carnation. In the bottle: Myrtle, slightly fruity, and something that smells a bit spicy, possibly the carnation. Wet: Amber, very thick. Then slightly tart myrtle appears. I'd swear there's myrrh in here, too (is there a typo in the description?). Drydown: Ooh, this gets creamy from carnation, with some apple blossom balanced out by myrtle, it's a little bit fruity and slightly bitter and herby at the same time. It's quite sweet, but also mysterious and a bit incensy. I don't really get the amber that much, it's probably what gives the blend its roundness. Overall: A very beautiful blend, which reminds me of Sardinia (myrtle is their favourite plant for flavouring things), and has a very outdoorsy feel as well as a sensual warmth, and mystery from the resins. It does tend to get more and more bitter on me, though...