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London smells like yellow roses to me.

Dee - such a warm, sexy masculine scent. And it smells gorgeous on me (although I really have an undying love for the fragrances that others review as 'would smell great on my boyfriend/husband/partner' so your mileage may vary). The rose is a supporting note on me but most definitely present. Pulcinella and Teresina is another good non-girly rose scent. That said, it really isn't masculine either and could be worn by either gender. Certainly worth a look if you like rose with wood notes.

A Bachelor's Dog is the softest musk, the gentlest tobacco and the smoothest suede on me. It is the subtlest of blends on me, and I can only really smell it when I have my wrist pressed to my nose. Even in a scent locket this one doesn't share much of its gorgeousness. But believe me it IS gorgeous, up close, it is one of my favourite blends of all time. Musk, tobacco and leather are three of my truest loves, and here they are all pretty smoothness. A beautiful 'creamy' fragrance for foody-haters like me. Sometimes I think I'm almost catching an almond note, or perhaps tonka, or for the briefest moment I thought I actually smelled a soft coconut waft. For me, this smells like a swatch of camel-coloured suede looks and feels.

Riding the Goat is a very different wood blend to any others I own (and I own a lot, I love Teh Woods ). It is a dark, rich wood. Smooth and somehow glossy, almost like it has been lovingly polished for generations with a soft cloth. This smells 'antique' - perhaps the heavy ebony carving you might find in the finest smoking room. A really rich and elegant blend.

I took a real gamble with this one and I worried I'd end up with something too citrussy for me to wear. But I love it. I want to say it's citrus but there is 'soft spices' aspect. I want to call it clean but there is a very sexy undercurrent. I can see why others are calling it masculine but it just works so well on me. In the bottle Spider seemed simple, on my skin it is anything but.

Duuuh, that's the one I was trying to remember! Thanks Quinara, it may have driven me nuts. My review for Iambe started thus - "Freaky. I could have sworn this had melon in it. In the imp and wet Iambe is an overwhelming melon scent to me."

Melon is one of my most feared notes - but if you love it you might want to try Eris and Ogun. Ogun is the King of Melons.

Chickens! And bunnies! I seem to recommend Garden Path with Chickens but I love it and I think it is the springiest spring. And its not overly floral. Perfect. And for a more floral spring - Enraged Bunny Musk.

This is predominantly herbal sage and violetty orris on me. The civet in Morella makes me want to use words like rounded, or deep, rather than musky or animalistic. It is a lovely fragrance but every now and again I get the tiniest whiff of something bitter that almost reminds me of citronella but not quite. Despite liking the fragrance overall, I'm not sure I'll wear it often. That little whiff is just disconcerting enough to tell me Morella and my skin chemistry aren't going to be best friends.

When I opened this imp I was surprised to find Luna was an almondy-floral scent. Not exactly what I expected and I hadn't read any reviews at that stage. On my skin it doesn't hold the almond scent for long before Jasmine, Honeysuckle and maybe even Ylang Ylang go strutting through with high heels and perfect nails. This is what I imagine Trophy Wives smell like. Ridiculously overactive imagination aside - fans of heady white florals will love this.

Perfectly translucent, this really is tears collected in a bottle. It is incredibly light on me, the gentlest salt water, maybe the tiniest droplet of ozoney-citrus and the faintest memory of the florals in Water of Notre Dame. This scent reminds me that there is beauty in sadness. These don't seem to be melancholy tears, I think they are the cathartic, cleansing, renewing kind.

First on, this is floral like WHOA . On drydown, this is floral like whooooaaaaa Miracle of miracles, I've found another floral I love. The Holy Floral Trinity - Chickens, Batwoman and now Mama-Ji. This is making me crazy because it reminds me of something I can't quite place. Although I may just be using that as an excuse to keep sniffing it! The big florals settle into a beautifully crafted bouquet of loveliness. The spices, cardamom and nutmeg are so soft and smooth that spice almost seems like the wrong word. I could almost faint with joy that this doesn't seem to be going away anytime soon, and that I can justify purchasing many bottles - because after all, it's for charity isn't it??

I bought this in a flurry of excitement - then sat back to await its arrival, read the reviews and got more and more frightened by words like 'irish spring', 'dryer sheets' and 'soap'. I needn't have worried, Oborot is gorgeous. Reminds me of what it might smell like clinging to an ancient tree in a storm ( why yes, I would be the one to get struck by lightning). But I can smell wet bark and mosses and warm sap. I love that it is wet trees without being icy pine. I love that it reminds me of a storm without being ozone-y. Nothing sharp about this one, just that big ol' reassuring treetrunk covered in soft mosses. It's not a big scent, more the kind that you could bury your nose in. Add me to the list of Lovers of Oborot.

Gah, the bit I've been dreading. I'd love to ramble on and on about how I never take a good picture, how this is the only recent one I have and I don't normally look this deathly. But the truth is I do normally look this deathly and rambling isn't a very effective diversionary tactic in a blog. The camera doesn't lie, especially when held by a six year old . Being photographed talking to my eight year old and standing in front of a dark cupboard probably wasn't the most flattering setup. Oh bugger it, you get the idea....

Here are a few of the questionnaires I've struggled through lately..... Layers of You "Inside the Actor's Studio" Because I know you like answering questions... What's in your purse?

Right, I've had a couple of hours sleep... 51. I wear makeup every single day. 52. I believe in karma. 53. I am a fountain of useless knowledge. Comes in handy on trivia nights. 54. I hate prankster/hidden camera shows with a passion. No matter how things might work out in the end, I don't think it is ever worth making a person feel the way they do until the 'reveal'. 55. I fall asleep in movies and usually only see the credits. 56. I am afraid of grasshoppers. They have disgusting little spiky legs and fly directly at you. 57. I love mushrooms and would include them with every meal if I thought I could. Raw, grilled, fried - whatever. 58. I'm not a gardener, but I have a few David Austen roses I just love. 59. I love charms and tiny ornaments. Just love them, and have done since I was a small child. The littler, the better. 60. I know beyond a shadow of doubt that the TAL oils work. I just wish I knew better how to use them to get the best effect. 61. I dream of owning my own business. 62. I hate driving. My father was in a very serious accident before I was born that left him with brain damage and I guess that I have always been afraid the same could happen to me or my loved ones. 63. I'm a nightowl, I like the quiet when the world is asleep and I can stare at the stars. 64. I am really driven in my work life but a terrible procrastinator at home. 65. I will not eat any meat off the bone, or things on sticks. 66. In real life, I use very passionate and dramatic language. 67. Musicians rock my socks. First time I saw my husband he was playing lead guitar and singing in a band. 68. I believe wholeheartedly in love at first sight. 69. I talk with my hands, even when I am on the phone. 70. Religious fanatics freak me out. And downright piss me off when they try to stuff their beliefs down my throat. 71. I love flat shoes and haven't worn heels for more than ten years. 72. I really love sushi, and often make elaborate family occasions around the preparation and eating of it. 73. I am a hopeless romantic and tell people I love them all the time. 74. I believe crying is cathartic. 75. I love live music, particularly folk and indie festivals. 76. I never write in cursive. 77. I wish I had a rainforest in my backyard and I could just escape into the deep green. 78. I am far more self-conscious than I ever let on. 79. I believe that people have a 'time' and die when they are meant to. 80. First thing I look at when I meet a man are his hands. They give away so much. And big manly hands make me swoony. 81. I like people who have kind eyes. 82. I really appreciate red wine and I would like to be able to describe myself as a 'buff' one day. 83. My ipod has lots of versions of Over the Rainbow. My favourites are Eva Cassidy, Israel Kamakawiwo'ole and Ella Fitzgerald. 84. I hate housework. 85. I would like to live and work overseas for at least a year but am never quite brave or knowledgeable enough to know how to go about it. 86. Grunge music was my music in its day. Hearing Nirvana still brings a rush of endorphins. 87. I wish I could sleep more. 88. I am overly trusting but not naive. 89. I can become fixated on polished stones and polished wood. Pretty tumbled stones, crystals and semi-precious gems will call to me from across a store. 90. This probably also explains my love of beaded necklaces. I like them long enough that I can look down and see them or run my fingers over them. 91. Annoying ringtones really peeve me. I hate that there is a thriving industry for them. 92. I am openminded and I love to talk to people who might broaden my horizons. 93. I love art, particularly beautiful paintings, whether they are famous or not. 94. I can't sew to save my life, but I am a great cook. 95. I shudder when people describe themselves as 'whacky' or 'zany'. Experience has taught me that this usually translates to 'annoying'. 96. My best friend once told me there are two people to avoid in life - serial killers and women who spell 'thanks' with an 'x'. So far his advice has stood me in good stead. 97. I have a copy of Rudyard Kipling's 'If' on display in my home and in my office. 98. I love to meditate and am trying to learn to take it to the next level. 99. I think a really good indicator of character is how a person speaks about their partner. 100. I would much rather talk about you than me!

1. I don't really know the first thing about blogs. 2. I believe that will become self-evident fairly quickly. 3. Apart from snoring like a train, my husband is pretty wonderful. 4. My two little boys are best friends and wish they were twins. 5. I am hopeless at computer games. 6. I am fiercely competitive at board games. 7. I own thousands of dollars worth of board games. 8. I would like to learn more card games. So far I know poker, 500 and euchre. 9. I desperately want to be able to do one really good magic trick. 10. My fingernails and toenails are always painted. 11. Nailpolish and books are my favourite things to shop for. 12. I got two tattoos when I was 18, a rose and an arum lily. 13. I will probably get at least one more. 14. I am so pale I almost radiate. 15. I hate the sensation of sunlight on my skin. 16. I have contact lenses but most of the time I'm so lazy I just wear my glasses. 17. I wear the same gold rings, gold bracelets and gold earrings everyday. 18. I wear a different necklace, mostly long beads, everyday. 19. I love ginger. 20. I read voraciously. 21. My favourite book is 'To Kill a Mockingbird'. 22. I watch Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends with my kids and it makes me laugh out loud. 23. I have a 30gb video ipod that goes everywhere with me. 24. I don't like meat. 25. But I can eat my own bodyweight in seafood. 26. I like all vegetables except celery and sweet potato. 27. I love all things piratey. 28. One of the greatest gifts I have ever received was a tiara which I wear more often than I care to admit and boss everyone around. 29. I had two bridesmen at my wedding. 30. I am learning more about tarot. 31. I have worked fulltime since I left university but I have no career goal. 32. I would like to travel more. 33. I need a creative outlet but I am not crafty at all. 34. I paint, but unfinished artworks make me crazy. 35. I am an INTP. 36. I cannot stand to have my stomach touched. By anyone. 37. This probably because it closely resembles porridge. Childbearing was not kind to me. 38. I have no desire to be a domestic goddess but I love Nigella. 39. Nothing riles me quite like deliberate ignorance. 40. I saw an owl somewhere every single day I was pregnant with my first son. 41. I have two chickenpox scars on the bridge of my nose. 42. I think the number 42 is lucky and I'm not sure why. 43. I sing when I am stressed. Which seems to be a lot lately. 44. I have no desire to go to the beach (hate the sun) but I would like to live near one. 45. I spend my life perpetually tired. 46. I love photography. 47. I hate having my photo taken. 48. I have some very odd handbags and purses. 49. I own lots of coffee mugs and tea cups and get weird about finding just the right one for the occasion. 50. I secretly wish I was a ninja. Or at the very least had a ninja at my beck and call.

Meskhenet is a shy, sweet, brown-skinned beauty. The artwork encapsulates the gentle loveliness of this scent perfectly. It is more delicate than I expected and certainly sweeter and prettier. Softly resinous frankincense and olibanum, the gentle floral of the hibiscus and orris root and a touch of sweet green from the hyssop and palm frond. I don't find it dry or bitter at all. This is the sort of scent that might be carried to you on a breeze. And one that you might walk across miles of desert, and through crowds of people to find the source of such understated beauty......

Mmmm, this is hot red skin. No flames, or burning, but you know if you caught a Wild Man in your wet hands you'd hear a loud 'kkkssshhhh' and the cackling demon would be off in a spiral of steam. This is mostly cloves, peppers and amber on me. The grounding complexity of the moss, patchouli and ambergris take this blend to a whole new level. This is the kind of scent where you just know people will sit next to you and go crazy trying to work out why you smell so hot. It is fabulously wearable though, and although unique, it isn't gimmicky in the slightest. And despite my trepidation over the vanilla flower, I'm not amping it (miracle!) and it isn't until long drydown that I would even pick it out of the blend. I love the Wild Men. They're hot. ( Did this just make me channel Paris??) This is persistently spicy with a little 's'..... .....but Sexy with a big one.

I'm going to sing Teh Chickens song too!! It is melting, sweltering, revolting hot here at the moment but I am inside in my airconditioning and I smell like Spring.

Honey is one of the few sweet notes I like - I'd recommend Hetairae and Gennivre. Very different but both honey.

I heartily second this one. I love Teh Chickens. So fresh, so pretty and such a natural floral. The grass note is heavenly.

Bathed and Infused do a scent called Sesame in their asian inspired line. Maybe this is what you smelled? And I'm adding my vote for a bpal sesame blend. Not sure I would have thought of this unprompted by couscous, but I am now fixated on the idea!

Just goes to show how different skin chemistries and perceptions are - there are lots of scents on this list I would never have thought of as 'dark', and some I might even have called 'pretty' . For me the darkest scents I've tried are - Malediction Umbra Typhon Tarot: Death The Great He-Goat The Isle of the Dead (in a weird way, very evocative of the painting)

This is frickin' gorgeous!! Which is really fortunate actually - with such an overwhelmingly floral line-up of notes it could have been a disaster and I would have been crushed. I love Klimt dearly and Garden Path with Chickens has always been a favourite. The moment this touches my skin I am transported to a garden. I'm not 32 with a mortgage, a fulltime job and a stress ulcer. I'm 6 with a rush of joy and keen sense of adventure. This is a garden the way only a child can experience a garden. Running. Squeezing through plants. Stomping on others. Picking a fistful of the most beautiful flowers you've ever seen and pretending you are a princess. Slashing your way through the shrubbery with a big stick looking for dragons. Lying on the ground with flowers tucked behind your ears and just soaking it all in, baby. This fragrance is good for my heart.