shirasade

This came as a frimp with my last order. Imp: Very, very floral, with a fresh, almost lemon-y undertone. Wet: Reminds me a bit of incense (probably the frangipani), as it gets spicier as soon as it hits my skin. Dry: I can detect a hint of rose, but mostly powdery frangipani and jasmine. Overall: This is probably the most flowery scent I've tried to date. On me, it smells a bit like potpourri. Not my thing at all, I'm afraid. Also, it disappears very quickly.

My body chemistry seemed off because of medication I was taking, but now I think I can finally continue to test smell the imps still waiting to be evaluated... Imp: Very sweet. Strong anise, which doesn't suit me at all. Wet: I start to smell cherries. The anise gives it an underlying spiciness that's not unpleasant. Dry: Finally I begin to get a sense of the sandalwood, which tones down the cherry sweetness and makes it more woodsy. The anise is still present underneath, but not licorice-y, and it actually stays the longest. Overall: Very strong change in my sense of this. Once the sandalwood starts to emerge, it actually does remind me of Kyoto, of a temple garden. Turns out I like this quite a lot, despite the negative first impression. Sadly, it fades very quickly.

I got this one for one reason only: My online nick has been a varation of this most famous of storytellers since the beginning. Imp: Musk and spices, a hint of smoke. Wet: I start to smell the saffron. Quite an unusual musk scent, warm and definitely Middle Eastern. Dry: The strong musk recedes a bit, turns into a scent of Bedouin tents and Arabian Nights. Overall: Normally I'd never have tried this scent, because I'm not a fan of musk, but this is really lovely - definitely keeping it, although it's still very unusual for me.

The crisp, clean scent of green tea touched with lemon verbena and honeysuckle. Ordered because I like tea and need a summer scent. Imp: Tea and lemon. Hm. Wet: Strong lemon, without smelling like cleaner. Then the tea comes out again. I begin to smell a touch of sweet flowers. Dry: Remains a fresh tea scent, although the lemon recedes, making it less crisp, more sweet. Overall: Lovely, all I'd hoped for! Just a pity that lemon doesn't stick on my skin. Still - a keeper!

I ordered this looking for a fresh summer scent. Imp: Strong citrus - lemon and oranges with a hint of spice. Wet: Lavendar comes out, but the lemon remains strong. A hint of herbs in the background. Dry: Blend of jasmine and lemon, strong and fresh. But it disappears fast - 15 minutes and it's almost gone. Overall: My first reaction was rather negative, as it reminded me of cleaner. But then I surprised myself by how much I liked it - very refreshing and energizing. If only it lasted longer - like this, it's not really worth keeping.

This one was a frimp in my last order - since I love Venice (one of the most beautiful cities I've ever been to), I was curious. Imp: Lemon with a spicy tang. Like cleaner. Wet: Still lemon, but also something floral and a hint of spices. Fresh and lovely. Dry: Lemon retreats further but is still present as a base to jasmine and rose (mostly the latter). Overall: Doesn't remind me of Venice at all - starts out interesting, but ends pretty non-descript on my skin. Might be nice for clothes.

This was a frimp, and one that made me happy because it was on my wishlist (although the incense made me hesitate to order it). Imp: Oh dear, there's the incense. Not my kind of scent at all, it's too dark. There's also a hint of moss, however. Wet: The incense retreats, making the wet moss come out stronger. I can also begin to smell flowers. A forest at midnight, or maybe a graveyard at dusk, mist over headstones and flowers. Dry: Herbs almost replace the moss, the flowers turn sweeter. Still a cool, dark scent, exactly like the description (actually, it's never been this accurate for me before). Quite a staying power, too, but on me it turns into an old lady's potpurri after a while. Overall: Beautiful mysterious scent, but definitely not me, I'm afraid. It doesn't feel right on my skin (probably the incense). Pity!

I love food scents, so I had to try this. Imp: Buttery berry cake. Quite sweet. Wet: Vanilla comes out stronger. I smell a big fluffy white cake with lots of frosting. Dry: The currant gets stronger, the scent becomes drier but still very yummy. For some reason for a while I have this mental image of a fall fair full of twinkling lights and cotton candy. Overall: Definitely a very yummy scent. I kept wanting to lick me to see if it tastes how it smells. At first, however, it didn't sit quite right with me, maybe because I don't like frosting all that much. But as it dried, I was transported into a lovely country kitchen, with bowls of currants and stems of vanilla on the table. Also, it lasts quite a long time on me, which is nice. I think this'll be a fall scent for me.

This combination was just too interesting to resist. Imp: Strange first impression - very strong grapefruit, but then there's musk and lavendar at the same time. Wet: A more general fruitiness appears, but it's still very citrusy. Also, the flowers come out more. Dry: Dries into something more mellow. It's more difficult to distinguish single notes. Overall: Definitely a crazy scent - fruit and flowers and spicy musk. There even seems to be a minty undertone. To me it smells like dusk, seeing the sun set over dancing water near an orchard. A pick-me-up scent - I like it much more than I first expected.

I'd had my eye on this one from the start, and finally I got the chance to try it... Imp: Black tea, most definitely, but also spices and honey. Very strong. Wet: The tea recedes, the honey gets stronger, with something almost biting underneath (the pepper?). Dry: Still a mix of strong scents, but they merge together into a kind of creamy honey as it dries. The tea has pretty much disappeared. Overall: I'd expected something like Chai tea (something I love), but the tea just seemed to disappear on me, which has never happened with a tea scent before. It reminds me of an English kitchen, warm and spicy. Can't quite decide whether I truly like it.

It's cooled down a bit here, so I can finally start sniffing my latest huge BPAL order... Yay! Imp: Fresh roses, but they're underlying something wet - maybe moss? Wet: The grass starts to peek out, the roses turn sweeter. Dry: The grassy scent becomes stronger, the scent turns drier. There are lots and lots of roses all over my skin, but not too overpowering, sweet but clean. It's even a bit soapy for a while. Overall: I love roses, and this is just lovely. As with most flowery scents, it smells a bit like soap on my skin at first - but those sweet, many-colored roses growing in an English spring garden win out in the end. Love it!

This was on my wishlist and I got it in a swap. Having been to Scandinavia before, I was really curious about this one. Imp: Very sweet and flowery. Not what I expected from the reviews. Wet: Still very sweet but I seem to detect pine as well. Gets fresher as it dries. Dry: Sweet berries and moss. Comforting without being cloying, because of the foresty undertone. Reminds me of drinking mulled wine on a cold winter's night. Overall impression: Hm. A part of me really likes this, but something about the sweetness doesn't sit quite right with me. I've never cared much for mulled wine, I guess...

Got this in a swap (my very first one). Imp: Hard to describe. Something very sharp, biting, with an underlying spiciness. Wet: Applied carefully, but it's still very strong. I'm still unable to pick out ingredients, but on me it smells like a spicy bathroom cleaner. Dry: Dries a bit less pungent, more herbal, but still spicy. Finally I can smell the rose peeking out. Quite a throwing power. Overall impression: Definitely not for me, although it's an intriguing scent.

Swapped this with a friend who didn't like it at all - but for me, the promise of the description definitely came through! Imp: Lovely wild berry scent. Very fresh. Wet: Sweeter but still fresh. Berries and heather and moist grass. Dry: There's a lemony twist for a bit, but still berries and grass. After a while it gets sweeter again. Overall impression: Lovely fresh spring scent. Really makes me see Scotland's highlands on a sunny day with a cool breeze. Beautiful!

In the imp: Oh, lovely, although I miss the berries. Grass and sweet flowers, like a spring bouquet. Wet: Same as in the imp, a very fresh, clean scent. Slowly the berries peek out a bit. As other reviewers before me I picture a little girl in a pretty dress, running down a hill carrying flowers. Dry: Settles into a somewhat powdery flowery scent with a tang of herb grass mixed in. Every now and then I catch a whiff of berry. At first it had quite a throw, but it fades quite fast. Overall impression: I really wanted this to be a keeper, because it's so lovely at first. But it fades too fast and has too much flower and not enough berry for my taste. Reminds me of a potpurri.

In the imp: Very, very sweet, like cherry bubblegum. Wet: Still very sugary cherry, but with a sharp undertone. Reminds me of children's toothpaste. Very girly and pink. Dry: The sugary cherry sweetness recedes, it becomes more spicy, less frothy pink. Finally I can smell the milk and honey, combined with nice spicy floral. Nice staying power, too. Overall impression: My first impression was not very positive, much too little girl pink. But then the scent becomes much more interesting, almost subversive. I can imagine wearing both with girly clothes and business wear, as a playful accessoire. Perfect for cool, understated winter days.

Strangely enough my description lacks all of the ingredients actually in the scent, probably because I don't really know which note is which. In the imp: Initial reaction: wow, fruit! Fresh, vibrant fruit, almost overpowering at first, but then nice and crips, not too sweet, with hint of berries. Wet: Straight on my skin it's even crisper, a bit like green apples. Very clean, almost soap, but with the berries coming out more. Dry: The cleanness recedes somewhat, the fruit is more prominent again. For some reason it puts to mind vibrant flowers growing on the bank of a running water. Lovely! Overall impression: A wonderful pick-me-up on a grey day or the perfect compliment for a larger-than-life May morning. Quite a staying power, too. Another keeper, although I'm not sure whether it's 100% me.

In the imp: My first impression was very much pine. After more consideration it feels like a green forest after a rain shower with soft, white rose peeking through. Wet: The pine softens, which improves the scent. It gets even fresher, like moss glistening in the after-rain sun. There's still a sweetness mixed in, and maybe a hint of menthol. Dry: It stays forest-y fresh and sweet in a clean, not-cloying way for about an hour. Then it turns a bit soap-y, like pine laundry detergent. Overall impression: I wasn't sure whether a pine smell like this would suit me - but once applied I couldn't stop sniffing at myself, it is so refreshing. Definitely a keeper! A pity that it doesn't last longer, though.

I expected to like this a lot - and I was absolutely right. In the imp: Fresh tea, green grass. Lovely, refreshing combination. Wet: A fresh breath of air, with a hint of sweet floral (probably the peony) that grows stronger as it dries. A lush meadow in spring. Dry: It gets sweeter, like hay and apples in the sun. A lovely summery scent that's quite light. Overall impression: Such a lovely, lovely scent. When I close my eyes I'm in my childhood summer home. Sun warm on the meadow next to the house, fresh flowers in a vase, sweet apples. I just wish the tea had lasted longer.

My very first review... uh oh, I hope I'm doing this right! In the imp: Fresh floral with lovely dark undertones. Like wild flowers growing over ancient ruins. I like it a lot! Wet: Very sharp, with the lavender coming out in full force. I keep catching whiffs of jasmine. When I ask my brother (the 'nose' in the family) what he smells, his answer is "soap". Not very nice at all. Dry: Darker, warmer, with soft jasmine and after a while an interesting lemony undertone. Interesting change with time, but sadly it becomes very weak as soon as the sharp tang is gone. After about one hour all that seems left is a vaguely grandmotherly smell of lavender soap. Overall impression: I really expected to love this, because it was so beautiful when I first smelled it from the imp. But the 'nice' stage of the smell is much too short and overpowered first by the sharp tang and then by the powdery soap. Pity! It did give me nice, warm dreams, though.