edenssixthday

Khandita - I got a decant of this and loved it so much I went back and bought a full bottle. This starts out with a really strong kick of sweet saffron and heavy black musk. The neroli and rose give it depth, and it’s got a bit of an earthy touch that’s lent by the sharp, herbal rosemary. This scent is definitely "fiery" and while it’s bold and strong, it’s also sweet and feminine. Wow, I really, really love this one!

Vasakasajja - This scent is predominantly orchid and champaca flower initially and the champaca is so strong it actually reminds me of a tropical version of Stardust. However, as it dries down, the creamy warmth of the tonka comes through and the sweet, warm scent of vanilla begins to swirl about me. While the amaranth is not a very strong note, I can definitely smell its earthy graininess enough that the first time I wore this blend, I had such an incredible craving for amaranth that I cooked some up for dinner the same day. This is a really pretty scent, but I don't feel the same way about it that most reviewers seem to. I'm just not completely nuts about it. I like it and I will wear it, but at this point in time, my one little decant is enough for me.

Really ridiculous, insanely inappropriate, and staggeringly silly! Cranky groundhog musk sweetened up by chocolate-covered black cherries, cardamom, French vanilla, and caramel. Enraged Groundhog Musk - What a really strange scent! It’s definitely foody from the get-go, but it takes my nose a few minutes to get past the muskiness of this scent to smell the other notes. The cardamom is the first note I detect followed almost immediately by a mix of French vanilla and caramel, and then I smell the chocolate behind all of that. I'm not usually a fan of foody blends on my skin because they tend to smell artificial and plastic. However, while this one doesn’t smell artificial or plastic on me, I don't like the strength of the spicy cardamom (way too pepper-hot and spicy) and the French vanilla doesn't blend with the other notes as well as plain vanilla bean would (I think). It's a very strange scent on me – not bad, but certainly not good. Ultimately, despite the weirdness of the French vanilla, I could wear this if the cardamom weren't so incredibly spicy. It overpowers the rest of the blend and makes it quite unpalatable. I hope people who like spicy and/or gourmand blends love this one. Sadly, it doesn't do it for me.

Y'Ha-Nthlei - The bergamot and eucalyptus notes in this blend frightened me a bit, but I adore ambergris and I’m discovering that aquatics work really, really well on me, so I was very curious to see how this scent would smell to me. When I first opened the vial, I was blown away by the most gorgeous, bright, aquatic scent. It smells like deep, salty ocean that’s been infused with the brightness bergamot and the warm, sweet, muskiness of ambergris. I only smell the eucalyptus as a sort of “after scent” that’s hinted at, but not really there. This is a really phenomenal aquatic blend that I’m going to absolutely adore wearing. I imagine that on the right man, this would smell incredibly gorgeous, as well. The throw is absolutely perfect and the staying power is above-average.

The Ecstasy of Infatuation - This scent didn't intrigue me at all due to my general dislike of verbena notes and because I was positive that the verbena combined with all the citrus notes was going to destroy this scent for me. I was incredibly surprised when I tried it and I was blown away by how beautiful it is. My first reaction to this was how it seems incredibly Asian-inspired, and the second was that I thought for sure there was cherry blossom in it (I was wrong!) Somehow, the gorgeous citrus, ginger, black cherry, and Pacific florals work together to create the most glorious fusion that's slightly Japanese and slightly Hawaiian in nature. The scent is one of the very prettiest I've encountered. It's just so fresh and clean and doesn't overwhelm me with the citrus notes in the least, and I can't distinguish the dreaded verbena at all. Sadly, my skin eats this blend up and it doesn't last on my skin for more than 30 minutes, and during that 30 minutes, I can only smell it when I sniff my skin up close.

The Agony of Heartache – This is a deep, rich, and heavy scent that reminds me a lot of Trick #2 in it’s berry-patchouliness. The red patchouli and blackberry blend together to create a heavy, dark scent that is slightly sweet, yet rife with desolation and sorrow. This is the perfect scent to describe the feeling of heartache, as it really does give one a feeling of melancholy and distress. The lime rind adds the slightest zip of tartness to the blend and the sage provides a touch of herbal dryness that keeps the patchouli from being too dark and brooding. This is a very powerful scent and a tiny bit goes a very, very long way. This isn’t the kind of s cent I would comfortably wear to the office, as it’s a bit too heavy, but perfect for a night out. The staying power is very long, but it definitely softens up the longer it’s on my skin.

The Agony of Longing – This is one of the Inquisition scents I was the most excited about, as I adore violet, rose, and freesia. Turns out, I am not disappointed in the least. I love this blend. I mean, I love love love it! It is so pretty! The violet and rose are the most dominant notes on me initially, and the pear is not juicy or fruity at all, but seems to give the florals an almost sugared appeal, much like the result of layering Faith and Hope. However, there’s a dry, rooty type scent underneath the florals, that complicates the overall blend – but in a very good way! Upon drydown, the rose is most definitely the strongest note, and I’m struggling to determine what type of rose it is. At times, I catch a whiff of strong, florist’s rose like Rose Red and other times, it seems very dry and brittle, like tea rose. The rose scent lasts for hours and hours on my skin. When I first put this on, I met up with someone for dinner about 30 minutes later, and they told me I smelled really, really good. I really love this one and am just delighted that I was granted a bottle of Longing by the Lab imps.

Western Diamondback - Both leather and red sandalwood can go really bad on me really fast, so I put off trying this until all my other Snakes & Freaks had been tested. Was I ever blown away when I first sniffed this blend. It's got a strong Snake Oil scent combined with rich, creamy tonka, and just the perfect soft touch of leather. I don't smell the red sandalwood on me at all. It really sweetens up on drydown and becomes almost sugary. The lightest, most ethereal wisp of sage comes out at this point, adding to the overall desert beauty of this blend. This definitely reminds me the southwest, specifically the high desert of northern New Mexico around Taos and Santa Fe. This is sooo beautiful, creamy, gender-neutral, and multiple bottle-worthy. It's definitely gender-neutral. I can't recommend it enough. Hats off to Beth for another kick-ass Snake Oil!

The Wild Men of Jezirat al Tennyn - This is SEXY! It's slightly cologne-like, but not overwhelmingly so. The Spanish moss, ambergris and red pepper are the most dominant notes, with a hint of vanilla flower in the background. I'm amazed that the clove doesn't amp on me -- it just lends to the spicy sexiness of this blend. I bet this would layer gorgeously with Snake Oil. It's a gorgeous, resinous, spicy, masculine, warm scent. It surprised me by how much I dig the scent. Sadly, 30 minutes after I apply it, I can't find a trace of it anywhere. Still, it's a really fabulous scent. Love it!

Isaac, The Living Skeleton - Another reviewer noted this is a "thin" scent. That is a perfect description. It's very thin and oddly grounded and ethereal at the same time (a paradox, yes -- but it's true!) This smells like dust and sweet booze. The dust isn't bad, as I had anticipated. It's dry and herbal-like. Still, this isn't a blend I'll wear again, but I'm glad to have discovered that my preconceived notions about this scent were blown completely out the window. I think for someone who likes dusty, dry, yet sweet scents, this will be perfect.

Aries - This opens up on me as a peppery frankincense that is oddly faint (since frankincense is usually very loud on my skin), and it sticks very close to my skin with no wafting whatsoever. As it warms up on my skin, I begin to smell other notes in this blend -- possibly incense, sandalwood, and a gritty, earthy scent of fire and smoke. This blend is very interesting and so perfect for most Aries-born people that I know. I'm not an Aries, and this scent is definitely not for me!

Aquarius - This is all lavender on me. There's nothing pretty about it. It's strong, herbal, medicinal, and astringent. There may be the slightest hint of lemon beneath the lavender, but the lavender is so strong that it's impossible to discern any other notes. It's definitely not for me.

Dark Delicacies - I opened this right away upon receiving it and didn't smell much at all. I figured that was because it was so cold when I brought it in. I let it warm up in my home for several hours, then opened it again. I smelled a bit more, but it was still fairly light and ethereal, reminding me of some of the lunar blends -- Black Moon, in particular. Once it touched my skin, however, it was a whole different story. It started off as a very green and almost bitter floral, almost like flower stems instead of flowers and I'm guessing this is the myrtle note really coming out strong on me. The longer it stayed on, though, the warmer and less bitter it became. Upon full drydown, this has turned into a gorgeous scent. It's dark and deep, yet has a tropical touch to it. The coconut isn't the creamy, sweet coconut I'm used it. It definitely smells meatier, like the inside of a coconut rather than the sweet scent of pina colada coconut. The orchid is evident and I really, really like it. It's nothing like the BPAL of the same name, "Black Orchid." Even though this scent is deepened and darkened by the patchouli, it definitely doesn't amp up in this blend and is very soft. Overall, it's a dark blend, yet fresh and pretty. I really like it. It's very, very pretty. The throw is really strong initially, but upon full drydown, it softens. It lasts about two hours on me before I feel the need to reapply, but for me, that's not a-typical. I'm very glad I opted to pick this one up.

Doc Constantine - The only note in this blend that ever works on me is leather, and that’s hit-and-miss. Still, I was hoping perhaps this would be one of the magical blends that makes no sense as to why it’s so amazing on me. Rather, it comes across as a fairly generic men’s cologne scent on me. The musk give it a strange, almost-tangy, feral quality and the smoke and fir blend into the background behind the musk. The amber is deep and woody, and the leather deepens, darkens, and thickens the entire scent. It’s highly masculine and not something I’d ever wear again. I think it would take a special kind of guy to pull this off, too. It’s just too … I don’t know. It’s too something. It reminds me of a “Seattle grunge” type guy meets Wyoming cowboy. It’s a strange one.

Raspberry - This opens up as a really bright, über-sweet, candy-like raspberry on me. It reminds me of the old "Sun-Ripened Raspberry" scent that B&BW used to make. I eat raspberries quite often in the mornings, and this reminds me nothing of a real raspberry. It's more like the artifical, sugar-sweetened raspberry you'll find in things like blue raspberry Icees, raspberry-flavored chewing gum, or raspberry car freshener. It's just not real. That's not to say it's not nice or pretty. I kind of like this artifical raspberry scent. I was just hoping for something a bit more authentic. It fades on me rather quickly, but that's typical of fruit notes without a base to hold them to my skin.

Wolf Moon 2006 - This opens up on me very strongly as a pine scent, but that's followed quickly by the sweet, warm scent of the juniper berries, which reminds me a lot of the holly berry used in Yule and Yuletide. There's a cool note that reminds of ... hmm... was it Talvikuu, Nuclear Winter, or Snow Moon (or all three)? As this warms up on my skin, the amber and creamy tonka notes begin to come out more, tempering the sharp twang of the "winter air" and the bite of the pine. Typical of pine blends, this doesn't last long on my skin, but it's very strong while it lasts. When it starts to fade, it completely disappears almost instantaneously. I'm not normally a fan of pine/evergree/fir/etc. scents, but this is yet another (like The Darkling Thrush) that I really like. I think it's that bright berry scent and the creamy tonka and warm, woody amber that save the pine in this. It's lovely.

Oakmoss - I tend to really like blends that have this note in it, although they never really smell mossy to me. I was really excited when I get a sniffie of this single note. It was tough to test because there was barely any oil left in the vial. I put a drop of fractionated coconut oil in the vial and let it roll around in a padded pocket in my purse for a week or two. Once I felt that I’d be able to pick up enough scent from the tiny bit of oil in the vial, I tested it on my skin, and sure enough, I was able to smell the note on my skin, albeit softly. And sure enough, just like I'd always thought, I don't get a wet, damp, mossy scent at all from this. Rather, it reminds me more of the scent of tree bark, like the smell of my hands when I was a kid after trying to climb the ages-old oak tree in our front yard. There's an earthy sweetness about the scent that I really like, and which is one of my favorite notes in blends like Perversion. I love this single note as much as I enjoy the blends that incorporate it.

Damnation - The adjectives that come to mind are dry, dark, raw, earthy, gritty, husky, smoky, dirty, earthy. You get the idea. This blend contains the perfect amount of vetiver to make me a very happy girl. The frankincense backs up the vetiver quite nicely. I even like the cedar in this blend, which is a first, but it compliments the husky frankincense and the gritty vetiver quite nicely. While I can't smell the sandalwood distinctly, I have a feeling that is what is lending the bone-dry, arid feeling to this blend. This is just gorgeous and I'm thrilled I got to try it out. Lovely scent with a perfect amount of throw and fantastic staying power.

Pineapple - Wow, this is really gorgeous. This is one of the prettiest single notes I've encountered. I wish I could find more! This smells like fresh pineapple and reminds me of my most recent visit to Hawaii, when I ate fresh pineapple every morning. As it warms up on my skin, it gets really sugary-sweet, and the scent reminds me of the way dried pineapple tastes. I really really wish Beth would use this note in more of her blends. It's really fantastic.

Arabian Nights - Purr purr purr purr purr!!! Oooh, wait.. I mean: Myrrh, myrrh, myrrh, myrrh, myrrh! This is very much a myrrh scent on me. Very much a dark myrrh scent. It's strong, resinous, sweet, and powdery. There may be a touch of amber and/or rose, but really, this is all about the myrrh. It's strikingly similar to TAL Arabian Nights, but that one is stronger, has better throw, and lasts much, much longer. Still, I like the fact that this one is just perfume and isn't ritually charged, but I'll bet it'll garner many people who wear it the same amorous response as TAL Arabian Nights. It's quite lovely and I'm thrilled to have an imp.

Arkham - It's 90% verbena with 10% lavender and a whole lot of nothing else on my skin. I couldn't agree more with the reviewer before me who said "furniture polish". I love the smell of furniture polish when I'm polishing furniture, but I don't like it on my skin as a fragrance. My skin positively eats this up. It disappears almost completely upon drydown, and what faint traces it leaves behind are unpleasant since I don't care for verbena or lavender.

Gemini - This is a perfect example of Beth weaving her magic: this blend consists mostly of notes I dislike, yet it is absolutely amazing on my skin. I have never been able to wear sweet pea in a BPAL blend, as they always turn to soap on me. Lemon smells like Pledge on me. Mint is my nemesis. Lavender is hit-or-miss on me (usually miss). I do like lemongrass and orange, but two out of six isn't great odds. Still, when I put this on, I'm blown away by how pretty it is. It opens up with a big blast of herbal mint, and oddly enough, as much as I generally dislike mint, I really like this one! It reminds me a lot of the sweet mint used in Lick It/Again. The mint dissipates fairly quickly and while it doesn't completely go away, it fades enough that the lemon, lavender, and lemongrass notes become evident, and the combination of those with the now-soft mint remind me a warm cup of rel axing, herbal tea. It's really pretty. The scent morphs again after 30-45 minutes, and all of the notes begin to fade with the exception of the lemongrass, which is really strong now. It's not lemony, however, as lemongrass often can be. I think perhaps due to the fact that this oil is now two years old, the herbal qualities of the lemongrass are stronger than the lemony aspects of it, and it smell dry and herbal-woody, almost like a really nice, aged sandalwood. This is the note that remains dominant on my skin for the next several hours and it's just gorgeous. The sillage in this scent is just perfect -- I get the feeling that when I walk in a room, people don't notice my aroma as much as just notice a shift in the air that's light, herbal, and pleasant. I would be thrilled if I could smell this fresh and pretty every single day. This really is a top-notch blend. If Beth ever releases the Astrological blends again, I'm definitely buying a bottle of Gemini and putting it away for a couple of years until it ages to perfection. I love this and am very sad it's so hard to come by.

Sekhmet - I got a testable "sniffie" with just enough oil to test on the back of my hands. I am thrilled that I got the opportunity to try such a rare and coveted scent! Despite being an earthy, herbal, and spicy scent, it's soft and not overbearing in the least. The scent opens with the crisp, clear scent of spearmint, which is not my favorite note and which kind of makes me worry that I won't care for this blend. But after just a few minutes on my skin, the scent of cinnamon starts to creep forth. It's warm and spicy, but not overpowering at all. On the tail of the cinnamon is a lovely herbal note that smells a lot like lemongrass. Once the oil dries down, the spearmint disappears and the cinnamon is very subtle and blends gorgeously with the lemongrass to create an herbal and softly spicy scent. And then, after about an hour on my skin, it changes completely and the dominant note is none of those t hat I'd smelled before; rather, at this point, I smell vetiver! And it's an absolutely gorgeous scent! I just love how vetiver smells after it's been sitting on my skin for a while, and this has that dark, herbal, grittiness about it that I love so much. What a fabulous finish to a fascinating morpher of a blend. I'm just so delighted I had the chance to try. ETA: This review is for the "original" unreleased Sekhmet, not the Sekhmet prototype sold at Clearing Out the Cobwebs III.

Intergalactic - This smells almost *exactly* like one of the CT3's I got! WOW! It smells like candied fruit. My first reaction to the sweet aspect of this blend is that it reminded me a lot of maple syrup, but as it warmed up on my skin, it started to smell less maple-y and gained a hint of booziness to the sweetness, but very faint. I think SueDonym is dead-on with her description of this as "fruitcake" smelling. I definitely smell the sweet, glazed, candied fruits, although I don't think it's the scent of melon or grapefruit. It smells like glazed, dried, peaches and ... dates?! Behind the fruit notes is a hint of brandy-soaked nutty cake, and I realize that's where the sweet booze scent comes from. Yep, this is fruitcake in a bottle! I thought I was picking up on the gardenia that other reviewers noted, but I think that was merely the power of suggestion because gardenia amps on my skin, and this isn't even close to amping anything except for the scent of brandied fruitcake. The throw is really strong initially, but the scent fades within about 20 minutes, and after a total of 30 minutes on my skin, I can't smell it for the life of me.

Arachnina, The Spider Girl - This is an incredibly unique and fascinating scent. It's dark and masculine, yet pretty. It's very well-blended and I have a lot of trouble distinguishing which notes are which, but occasionally, one of the notes will rise to the top for a few seconds, usually the black current, the poppy, the red musk. It's very perfumey and really, really strong. I think I'd actually prefer this on a man than on a woman. A little of this blend goes a long way, so I'd recommend not over-applying. All in all, it's very unique and masculine, and not for me.