arsenic

This is the version with the GC label. In bottle: Citrus and buttercream frosting. Wet: A whole lot of gardenia, some grapefruit and a little of the frosting. Dry: Grapefruit and minimal frosting. It has something else to it, but no sweetness. Scent almost has too much grapefuit. On me it overpowers the vanilla and gardenia and there are zero hints of jasmine. It's a pleasant smell but not "wow!"

In imp: Not sure what's in here. Smells like incense. Wet: Incense! And not that high-brow overpriced stuff people buy at the mall. Dry: Still smells like incense. In fact, it smells exactly like the incense everyone in my neighbourhood has burning by their front door. It's not unpleasant but definitely not to my taste. I keep thinking this scent is a bit lowbrow, but that's because incense started driving me crazy years ago.

In imp: Magnolia and jasmine. Wet: Orchid! Very strong and no other notes. Dry: The throw on this scent is crazy; people passing within 5 feet are wondering who the smell is coming from. A whole load of orchid with a little rose and amber. I was hoping for some jasmine but I never seem to get any when wearing lab scents. I already have an orchid oil so I won't be hanging on to this one.

In imp: ?! Smartfood White Cheddar Popcorn? Something milky? Wet: It doesn't really smell like chocolate, but it is sweet. Dry: Vaguely chocolate-y in the way that those old scratch-and-sniff stickers resembled chocolate. It's not very strong, but extremely long-lived. I feel a strange urge to go make rice pudding. The scent is causing cravings for many things and strangely none of them are chocolate.

In imp: Sandalwood! Mint! Manly cologne! Wet: Citrus and sandalwood. Dry: Citrus, with a bit of musk. I got some floral, but it wasn't discernable as rose or jasmine. This smells just like something my brother wears (Hugo Boss In Motion). I don't want to smell like the stuff my brother sprays on when he thinks he's Mr. Pimp. o_o

In imp: Cinna-gingerbread! Wet: Smells like cinnamon bark, and a bit sweet. Not getting any ginger. Dry: Too much cinnamon and pepper. Hours later throw is still pretty strong. I'm not sure if I got any other notes out of it because my sense of smell took a beating. Scent definitely not for me. I don't think I'll be able to even look at a cinnabun for weeks.

In bottle: Smells of myrtle and benzoin. Tickles the nose a bit. Wet: Myrtle, with minimal hints of vanilla and lime. It has no throw at all, otherwise I'd worry about smelling like upscale Vicks. I'm not getting any floral out of it. Dry: The lilac musk comes out once the camphor scent dissipates, but it's still a bit spicy. There's some vanilla and something woody. After some hours it got sweet, as if I was a toasted coconut candy decorated with sprigs of lilac. This scent makes me want to dress up and go play the ponies. (I have no idea why it reminds me of horse racing.) I think the oil might change as it ages, so I'll store it for now.

In bottle: Orchid and something else sweet that reminds me of chamomile. Wet: Orchid and more orchid with something with green. Dry: After five hours I can still smell orchid. Other people can still smell orchid. It's orchid with violet and it gave me a bit of a headache. (Shouldn't have tested when going out.) In hair: Scent has far more subtlety and dissipates more quickly. Was relaxing rather than headache inducing. Smells like a combination of orchid, violet and chamomile (but might just be something that reminds me of chamomile). I like using it to scent my hair, and apparently people on the subway like it as well. It's a good floral, different than any store bought perfume. Good for warm weather use, when I can put it on parts far enough away from my nose.

In bottle: Smells of soft musk, with a slice of lemon. Wet: Less of the musk, more of tea. Something smoky starts to emerge and still a hint of citrus. Reminiscent of Dorian, but definitely a less floral fellow. Dry: After a few hours on, it becomes a smoky musk. Slightly vanilla, slightly masculine, very sexual. It makes me feel languid, of all things, and I love that. I'm reserving this scent for nights out in dark and cozy places.