merebrillante

N.B. - I jot down my first impressions without looking at the official description. In the vial: Mmm, sweet white florals. Wet: White florals, maybe some violets, and an aquatic note. Drydown: More exotic florals rising up now, maybe jasmine or gardenia. And there's a powdery note I associate with violets, or it could be amber or sandalwood. The aquatic twines in and out of the other notes. Dry: Now it's mostly aquatic, with that powdery base. An odd but very pretty combination. It has faded quite a bit in the past two hours though. I like this one, but I suspect it will have to go into a lotion to have any throw on me. Kim

In the vial: Sweet, fruity and floral. Wet: Oh, nice. Fruity, but not syrupy. I can't pick out any individual notes, except perhaps some vanilla or cocoa? Drydown: Oh, man. This warms up and spreads out very nicely. Warm spices rising up through the -- apples, is it? Yes, I think there's definitely vanilla in there. Let's hope it doesn't turn on my skin. Gosh, this is nice. Dry: Now that I look at the description, I can see I was way off. I did catch the fruit of the orange, and it must be the benzoin that brings what I thought was the vanilla scent. I don't get black pepper at all, except maybe in the heat under the orange. This is very pretty. An hour later, though, and it's faded way down, to the point I have to put my wrist right up to my nose and inhale deeply to find it.

In the vial: Candy corn. Wet: Chocolate, sugar and caramel. Drydown: Is that musk underneath all those sweets? This is bizarre. Dry: This is definitely musk. Jovan Musk. That '70s Scent. Ultrasuede gaucho pants, brown leather boots, satin shirts. The Bee Gees. Saturday Night Fever. "How Deep Is Your Love." Roller rinks. Glitter balls. Wow, what a trip, man. ETA: I didn't read the official description when I tried it on last night. The above are just my impressions. But I swear, it smelled exactly like Jovan Musk on me last night, and brought back all those associations. It was gone, though, by the time I woke up this morning.

In the vial: Fruit with some incense. Wet: More incense now, less fruit. Drydown: Sandalwood, patchouli, maybe rosemary? I still don't smell any rose, which is a good thing. Dry: I smell the neroli now. After five minutes, the incense smoke smell is gone and all I get is sweet-sweet-sweet in a powdery way. Later: Powder.

In the vial: Green, like Wolfsbane, with something spicy underneath. Wet: The green and spice notes are more balanced. Drydown: Smoke! Like from a mesquite barbeque. That's bizarre. Dry: Ah, there's the rosewood and ginger, making it nice and warm. This is an incredibly byzantine scent, like Blood Moon in its complexity. I'm holding my wrist up to my nose and inhaling deeply. Gawd, this is gorgeous. Definitely a keeper. ETA: Later: After five hours, this takes on a vaguely "hairspray" smell, similar to what I've seen ascribed to Stardust. It's not offensive, just not exactly pretty either. Of course, it could be my hormones talking through the oil. I'll wait a week and try it again.

In the vial: Fruit. Wet: Fruit and sugar, with some chocolate on the side. Drydown: There's the vanilla. I also catch the bergamot at this stage too. Dry: Ooh, the fruitiness is calming down some and something more sophisticated is rising up -- it must be the honey musk. My skin loves musk. The lemon is coming out for a peek now too. It may be too early to tell, but I suspect this one is a keeper. Later: It must be vanilla that turns scents into synthetic rubber Barbie doll on me. That's where this one has gone, although the musk held it back as long as it could.

In the vial: Gah! Grape cough syrup! (Edit change: I originally thought grapes, but then once it was on my skin, I smelled chocolate too, and I thought, Why would they combine chocolate with grapes?, so I changed it to cherry. But it's not cherry, it's grape.) Wet: Chocolate-covered grapes. Drydown: Oh, there's the spice. I'm not familiar with Kyphi, but it's definitely spicy. Warm and strong, not as thick or wet as patchouli generally is, but sharper than sandalwood or dragon's blood. Dry: I never get any of the lemon notes that others do, just that resin. I think they stuffed kyphi into mummies' corpses in the embalming process. I don't really want to smell like a dead Egyptian, even a dead Egyptian princess. Not for me.

In the vial: Gardenia? Something white and exotic. Wet: Rose and white flowers -- must be the wisteria, which I'm not familiar with. Drydown: There's the lilac. Humid early summer nights in an overgrown garden. The rose reaches back up to remind you of its presence, but doesn't overpower the other florals. The breeze wafts the scents even as it blows the rose branch, with its thorns, closer to your bare skin. Dry: That rose is getting pushier now. Rose always seems to do that with me. Alas, I fear for the safety of my wrist. Later: Gone in six hours.

In the vial: Floral sweetness, but also a faint astringency. Wet: Aquatic! Drydown: The sweet flowers rise up again and spread out. This is difficult to pin down. The notes here are either completely foreign to me, or really well-blended. I honestly don't smell orange, which is the only note of those listed that I'm familiar with. Intriguing. Dry: This reminds me vaguely of one of my dad's old colognes. It's gone all soft now, and powdery, and I suspect it will fade away rather quickly. It just came to me -- this is one of the Soap-on-a-Ropes I got my dad for some Father's Day when I was a kid. Alas! And I had such hopes for this one.

In the vial: Fruit! Wet: Apples, pear. Drydown: Peach, a hint of berries, and there's something else, something vaguely floral. Very pretty so far. Sort of a "cheer me up" scent. Dry: Now I smell more of the tropical fruit. This is a very happy fragrance, much nicer than I expected it to be. I usually don't like fruit-y perfumes. Later: This perfume loves my chemistry. The next morning, it was still there. Gorgeous! Fruit Moon is Happiness in a Bottle.

In the vial: Evergreen and something sweet underneath Wet: Evergreen! Sharp and tangy. Drydown: The sweetness re-emerges, clove and orange blossom, almost overpowering the evergreen. Dry: I'd swear there's dragon's blood in here. It's got that spicy/powdery sweetness I've come to associate with that essential oil. I don't smell any tobacco, cumin or mint in here. It's pretty, but in a bland way, and much more suitable for a guy than for me.

In the vial: Mmm, everything I love. Wet: Sandalwood, patchouli, cinnamon, clove, orange. Sweet and spicy, in other words. I don't know what dragon's blood smells like, but that must be what I'm smelling. Drydown: Ooh. Something sharper coming to the surface now, with a definite tang. Yes, amber, but I sense the tang of orange peel in here. Dry: Sex-ay! But it fades down into something soft and powdery that, strangely, smells a little too "guy" for me. Which is really odd considering that two of my favorite scents are Casanova and Dee.

In the vial: Soft and powdery. Wet: Sweet and white, but not floral really. Drydown: This really does feel like white light. There's something ozone-y about it, even though the powder scent remains. There's a hint of some spice underneath -- maybe sandalwood? But soft, soft, soft. Really lovely. Dry: What a feeling of peace and serenity. I was in a really dark place before. Now at least I can hold my head up and even smile.

A very sweet and generous person gifted me with an imp of White Light, and its restorative effects have been astounding. However, it's a TAL oil, and I have no access to any store where it's sold. Can anyone recommend an equivalent, perhaps in the Panacea line?

In the vial: Lily of the valley. Wet: Lily of the valley. Drydown: Ooh. An aquatic note in there now - is it lotus? Much more sophisticated than the innocent topnote. Reminds me vaguely of Oberon. Dry: I always look at the official description after I note my initial impressions. I now know that "lily of the valley" is my name for "sweet pea," 'cause that's what I smelled. But as this dries, I smell more of the cucumber and sea lilies. It has an oceanic tang to it that gives it more sophistication than the drydocks sweet pea.

In the vial: Cherries, and a little musk. Wet: The fruit smell is being pushed to the side by the musk, or some spice. Drydown: Rose! BAM! And a throw-y rose at that. Dry: Rose, rose, rose, and then some more rose. Not for me.

In the vial: Syrupy. Wet: Gah! Leather and tobacco smell. It must be the sassafras. Drydown: Formaldehyde. Dry: If I hold my wrist far from my nose, I can get hints of the vanilla. But up close, it's starting to give me a headache. ETA: By bedtime, all I could smell was vanilla, and it lingered through the next morning. I like vanilla, but not that much.

Vial: Lily and rose, very pretty. Wet: Ew, something stanky. Drydown: The ylang-ylang is not playing well with the other children. Very strong. Pew. Dry: Okay, it's settling down now, getting back more to the apple blossom and rose scent. I picked this one to try today because I find I'm really liking BPAL's florals. I used to think I hated floral perfumes, but I realize now that's because I was getting inferior product. The Lab's florals run the gamut from sweet and innocent to seductive and heady, and they always make me feel feminine and pretty. Later: I wore this out to dinner and got lots of second glances from guys. It has good staying power, and the rose never gets old-ladyish. On the whole, though, I don't like it as well as some of the other florals I've tried. ETA: At the end of the day, after twelve hours, the only note left was the honey. Thank goodness I was ready for bed by then, 'cause I just don't like honey scents!

In the vial: Aquatic. Wet: A guy smell, like Polo; green and aquatic. Drydown: Something metallic is coming up, but there's a hint of spice underneath that. It just made me sneeze. Dry: Still smells metallic. I think that's the lemon, lime and mandarin. I don't pick up any of the smoky notes that others mention. The notes are blending more now, settling down into something a little more powdery as the clove, frankincense and musk mix in. Later: Fades down into a bland, powdery sweetness.

In the vial: Vanilla and liquor. Wet: Vanilla, coconut and liquor. Drydown: Liquor is getting much stronger, turning almost to a formaldehyde smell. Dry: That's definitely bourbon I smell. I've always hated bourbon. And I think it's making my nose run. Later: Synthetic rubber Barbie doll. With lots of staying power.

In the vial: Cedarwood? It smells like my dad's old workshop, sawdusty. Wet: Cedarwood and cloves? Drydown: Something lighter and sweeter comes through, faintly alcoholic, like wine and flowers. Dry: I can pick out the cinnamon that others note, but I still smell alcohol. This is a very Otherworldly scent, intoxicating and intimidating at once. Later: Wow, this is a complex scent. The cinnamon is fading into the alcohol, and something incredibly sophisticated has been born. If you promise not to tell, I read Laurell K. Hamilton's Merry Gentry series, and this is the perfect scent for Queen Andais. Edited to add: The next morning, when I got in the tub, the hot water activated the scent and I had the most lovely aroma wafting up all around me. I adore this scent!

In the vial: Brown sugar. On the wrist: Brown sugar, with the tiniest hint of something green behind it. Must be the tobacco. But yeah, mostly brown sugar. Later: Eau de Tropicana Cocoa Butter. Not for me.

Hail unto Thee who art Ra in Thy rising, even unto Thee who art Ra in Thy strength, who travellest over the Heavens in Thy bark at the Uprising of the Sun. Tahuti standeth in His splendour at the prow, and Ra-Hoor abideth at the helm. Hail unto Thee from the Abodes of Night! In the vial: Green! Woody! On the wrist: Still green and resiny, but with a hint of a flower way down deep there, something sweet hiding in the bulrushes. Me likey! A few minutes later and I'm smelling the cinnamon that others have mentioned. This is a gorgeous scent. I can't stop sniffing my wrist. Later: Now it's all powdery warmth. It doesn't have a lot of throw, but I do love this scent, and it's perfect for the Yuletide. Perhaps I'll mix it with some lotion.

In the vial: Grape bubblegum. Feh. On the wrist: Oh, there's the patchouli and nag champa. I don't know what cereus and muscadine smell like, but one of them must smell like grape bubblegum 'cause that note is still there. Yuck. This is the first perfume I've tried that I've wanted to scrub off. I've been going around with my face screwed up ever since I put it on. This one's going in the trade pile, after I put it in hazmat bag.

In the vial: I smelled fruit, like cherries and plums. On the wrist: Ah, now I smell the lotus, and then the rose a few minutes later. This is a very feminine scent, with a hint of something just a little spicy underneath the flowers, giving it a bit more heft and maturity than the innocent floral blends. Later: It's probably too early to make a final verdict -- I've only had it on about four hours now -- but this is a very pretty scent. Usually roses don't work on me, but the mix with the lotus blossoms gives it just the right note on my skin. Lovely and feminine.