doomsday_disco

In the imp: When this arrived, it was really strong on the red musk and strawberry. After a day of settling, it is mostly amber, vanilla, strawberry, and black cherry, with some red musk in the background. I'm not typically fond of red musk or strawberry, but I wanted to try this because of the amber and vanilla. Wet: Amber, vanilla, and black cherry. The cherry note is stronger on me than it was in the imp. Then the strawberry note emerges. The red musk is present, but it is not stomping all over the other notes... yet. Dry: The vanilla note is more prominent than it was during the wet phase, but so is the strawberry and red musk. They are now the dominant notes. I still get some of the amber, and a bit of the cherry, but neither are as stronger as they were before. Even though I've tried many scents with heliotrope listed as a note, I'm no good at singling it out, which is why it wasn't mentioned so far in this review, but I think it could be lingering behind the vanilla, amber, red musk, and strawberry notes. Verdict: This one was more pleasant than I thought it would be, given that I'm not fond of red musk and most non-citrus fruit notes. Even though I do get a fair amount of vanilla from this, it's still too strong on the strawberry and musk for my liking. I'm glad I was able to try it, though!

In the imp: Pretty intense lime, and I think I am getting some lemongrass, too. Wet: As soon as I applied it, I could smell lime and lemongrass, but then the lime asserted itself. The lime is a sweet one. Then, I get some mint: not a lot, but enough to give the scent a refreshing, minty quality. Dry: The lime is still going strong, but the lemongrass note has returned and is a lot stronger than before. After a while, I smell some herbs in the background. Verdict: I am so glad that I was able get my hands on an imp of this one! I ordered an imp pack of all of the Panaceas back in 2013, before they were taken off of the website, but for some reason, I couldn't find an imp of this one in my stash. I enjoy citrus scents, and as this one features a lovely lime note, I will be cherishing my imp.

In the decant: The minty, ozonic ice followed by the crushed juniper. Wet: I get a blast of juniper, but the minty, ozonic is note is quite strong as well. For a moment, I thought the coniferous vibe was going to take over, but the eucalyptus and spearmint-y ice won out. Beneath the ice, I smell the Lab's rock note. Dry: The ozonic part of the ice note and the stone are the strongest notes on my skin, with just a bit of juniper and mint in the background. Verdict: I'm glad I got to try it, but this one ended up being a bit too masculine on me in the end.

In the bottle: This is a spiced cider, but the spices don't seem to be as intense as they were in last year's Autumn Cider. I'm hoping that this will cooperate on my skin, unlike the aforementioned scent, which burned. Wet: This is really juicy, and the spices are increasing in strength the longer they sit on my skin. I find this one to be reminiscent of the Trading Post's Harvest Festival atmosphere spray, in that it reminds me of fruit punch. Dry: This becomes less punch-like after sitting on the skin for a while, but I still think it leans towards punch more than cider on me. There is a big red area on my skin where I applied it, so I guess the spices in this one don't like me. Verdict: I keep buying cider scents because I'm always a slut for apples, and I love apple cider. Alas, my skin seems to be too sensitive for these scents. I'm going to retest this after it has had more time to settle, because I feel like my skin is just really dry right now, so I'll see how that goes. However, I have a feeling this one will be passed onto a friend that adores spicy scents. As far as the scent goes, this doesn't come close to my favorite apple-y Weenie, which happens to be Lambs-Wool. I hope that one returns next year, as I'm about to break into my back-up bottle.

In the bottle: Ooh, I definitely get the Tombstone comparisons! I can smell all of the notes listed, and the brown musk, cardamom aspect of the vanilla, and the cedar smell warm and comforting! Wet: All of the notes combine to create a lovely, warm, cuddly scent. The warm musk, cardamom, and cedar really complement each other. I was worried about how much cedar I'd get from this – and if you're averse to cedar, it may still be too much for you – but fortunately, it hasn't been problematic or stomped all over the other notes. Dry: The fuzzy, cuddly quality of this scent is even more apparent than before. The bourbon vanilla is more noticeable on my wrists during this stage, and the cedar has calmed down somewhat, although it remains a main player. That said, in the crooks of my elbows, it continues to be quite prominent. My wrists smell mostly of the warm brown musk and vanilla cedar, but the crooks of my elbows smell mostly of musky cedar and cardamom. This perfectly represents warm cat cuddles. Verdict: I am glad I bought a bottle, and I look forward to seeing how this ages (and how it pairs with Bast)! I'm sure it will age magnificently. But for those who already have Tombstone and aren't sure they can justify having both, I have to say that I prefer Tombstone.

In the imp: Mostly oleander and ylang ylang, darkened by the black patchouli, with a bit of bitter neroli. Wet: The oleander and ylang ylang are the dominant notes, but I'm getting more of the neroli on my skin than I did in the imp. The black patchouli started off in the background, but it's becoming more prominent over time. Dry: This is a dark floral scent. The floral notes are still pretty strong, with the oleander being the stronger of the two. The black patchouli has cozied up to the florals now, giving the scent a bit of a smoky vibe, and the neroli is also stronger than it had been before. Neroli is sometimes a problem note for me, but it hasn't caused a headache or turned weird on my skin in this scent. Verdict: This isn't a scent that I would reach for (being a fan of sugary florals), but it's better than I thought it would be (given that there is black patchouli and neroli in the scent description).

In the imp: Lots of ylang ylang, honey, and grape-y musk. Wet: Same. The ylang ylang, honey, and grape-y musk are really strong. Dry: The grape musk has taken over. I still get a lot of honey and some ylang ylang when I sniff up close, but the throw on this is all about the grape musk. Verdict: I can't stand artificial grape, and that's what the musk in this reminds me of. I was looking forward to trying this one because NORSE MYTHOLOGY, but alas, Skuld is not for me.

CCCXCIV This one was frimped to me in a swap, but I couldn't find a review for it in this thread. In the decant: Fruity hard candy with an herbal undertone and possibly a floral component. That was my first impression. Subsequent sniffing has made me think of banana Laffy Taffy! Wet: Okay, this reminds me of hard apple candy (like a Jolly Rancher) that was dropped in a pile of herbs, with some banana Laffy Taffy in the background. As the scent begins to dry, the banana aspect disappears, but the herb-covered apple candy continues to reign. Dry: Apple candy, herbs, and a floral I am not able to identify. Verdict: Curiouser and curiouser! Not my jam, but I'm glad I got a chance to try it.

CCXIII It looks like this one has been reviewed by sunshinedaisybliss here. In the decant: Aged, vanilla-prominent Snake Oil accompanied by warm peach. Wet: Yep! That's peachy Snake Oil, all right! More Snake Oil than peach, though. I agree that it's a warm, fuzzy peach. It goes really well with the Snake Oil! Dry: It remains a lovely peach-infused Snake Oil! Verdict: I am not usually a huge fan of peach, but peach + Snake Oil is absolutely wonderful! If it were ever to become an official Snake Oil plus scent, I would have to leap for a bottle.

In the imp: Lots of gin! Wet: So much juniper-y gin! It's like an effervescent evergreen! Dry: It becomes a little less effervescent over time. It's more citrusy now. But it's still all about the gin note. Verdict: This one is nice, and I think it would be really refreshing in the summer. I just don't think I'd ever end up deciding I want to smell like gin.

This is one I know I've tried before, but apparently I never reviewed it. In the imp: Mostly champagne with a bit of strawberry. On my skin: The champagne note is definitely the star here, followed by the strawberry. The strawberry note is stronger on me than it was in the imp, but it has nothing on the strength of the champagne. It's like a flute of champagne with some slices of strawberry thrown in. Verdict: I'm not a big fan of strawberry, but fans of the Lab's fizzy champagne note and strawberry should enjoy this. I'll stick with Shade, with its wonderful pink grapefruit and champagne.

Yaaaaas! I'm so thrilled to have gotten an imp of this in my recent Lab order. Thank you, Labbies! In the imp: Cinnamon, resins, patchouli, musk. Wet: I'm hit with a blast of cinnamon, pepper, and resins, and I think I'm getting some red patchouli and possibly some green musk behind those notes. The spices are pretty strong on me, but the cinnamon is not burning my skin, fortunately. I think there may be some cardamom in this, too. I'd put it in the same family as Plunder, but the spices in this are stronger on me than those in Plunder. It makes me think of chai spices, accompanied by some resins, patchouli, and musk. Dry: It takes a really long time for the spices to calm down on me, but when they do, I get some ozone. The (what I believe to be green) musk gets to play a greater role, backed by the spices, resins, and red patchouli. I also get a bit of smokiness from this. Verdict: This one is a mischievous morpher! It really fits its name. It's actually not bad on me, but it's also not a scent that I could see myself wearing.

In the imp: Copal, incense, sweet orange, accompanied by the sweet plumeria. Wet: The copal, incense, and sweet orange are the strongest notes on my skin, but I do get the plumeria as well. The sweet plumeria note is becoming stronger the longer this sits on my skin. Dry: This is primarily an incense scent on me, sweetened by the orange and plumeria notes, but I am also getting the tropical blooms listed during this stage. Verdict: This one is really nice, sweet incense scent. I think I'll hold on to the imp (since it is fresh from the Lab) to see how much I reach for it and to see how it ages.

I tried this one at Denver Comic Con a few years ago, but I didn't write down my impression of it. So I decided to buy an imp with a recent Lab order to see how much honeysuckle I get from it. In the imp: I'm hit with a blast of jasmine, but I do get some of the lemon, honeysuckle, and a bit of spice. Wet: The jasmine is the most prominent note, but I am getting more of the honeysuckle on my skin than I did in the imp. The lemon adds some additional brightness but doesn't make it outright lemon-y. There really is just a touch of spice. Dry: The sweet jasmine is still the strongest note, followed by the honeysuckle (although it's less noticeable on me now). I am still getting the bit of spice and just a hint of lemon. Verdict: Jasmine can be problematic on me, but I don't mind it here. But I was really hoping for more honeysuckle! I don't think this is a scent I need to obtain more of, but I think I'll keep the imp (even though my boyfriend really dislikes it because of the indolic qualities of the jasmine, which I don't even notice in this one).

In the imp: Bright and yet somewhat earthy. There's definitely mint or something reminiscent of mint in here, possibly some apple blossom, and maybe a smidge of dirt. Wet: This is intensely minty. I don't think it's peppermint, spearmint, or eucalyptus. Or, if they're here, it's not just one of those mint notes. I'm thinking it's probably pennyroyal. I'm also getting some bergamot. Dry: Not as intense on the mint as it was before. The scent stays close to the skin now. I think I may be getting some apple blossom and lilac, but I'm not quite sure. It's a light, clean, herbal, floral scent. Verdict: The scent is fitting for its inspiration, but it is not something I could see myself reaching for.

A small amount of this oil was decanted from an imp and has aged for 4+ years. In the decant: Strong musk, honey, and a resin (I'm thinking myrrh or benzoin), and some herbs. It's rather powdery. Wet: Musky (maybe a brown musk – definitely not white, red, or black), resinous, and really powdery. It smells as if I've fallen into a pool of baby powder. Dry: Musk and a dark resin that is still somewhat dry and sharp. The scent is still powdery on me, but not nearly as powdery as it was before. There's also a lemon-y quality to the scent. Verdict: I cannot attest to its purpose, but as far as the scent is concerned, this one is too powdery and sharply resinous on me.

A small amount of this oil was decanted from an imp and has aged for 4+ years. In the decant: Grape and a floral note. Wet: Blargh. I am not a fan of artificial grape, and this is what that reminds me of... like grape candy or Dimetapp. Then I start to get that artificial grape with a white floral note. Dry: The fake grape smell is still present, but not as strong as it was during the wet stage of the scent, and I think I'm also getting some lilac and possibly some lotus. Verdict: I'm reviewing this for the scent alone, and not the oil's purpose. And as far as the scent goes, I can only say: NOPE. This one is not for me. That grape-y Dimetapp note means this is not something I'd use again even if it were just for its intended purpose and not the scent itself.

In the imp: A light, soft, pink rose, a bit of sweetness, and a smattering of herbs. I'm somewhat reminded of Pink Fuzzy Handcuffs, but with the addition of a few herbs. Wet: Yep, this is definitely pink rose and some herbs (I think I'm getting a bit of lemongrass and rosemary). While I think this features the same rose as in Pink Fuzzy Handcuffs, this scent is not as sweet as that one. Dry: The pink rose is still the star of the show, but the herbs are lighter now, and there's a bit of sweetness (but it's not due to vanilla or honey – maybe there's some gardenia here). Verdict: I'm only testing this one for its scent, and thus, I cannot attest to whether it is effective for its purpose. The scent is pleasant, but as I already have Pink Fuzzy Handcuffs and too many rose scents as it is, I doubt I'd end up reaching for this one.

A very tricky kitty, indeed. Used most often as a key to bringing back the joy one needs to have in life in order for living to feel worthwhile. Brings back a sense of delight in simple pleasures, and creates a surge of childlike curiosity and a youthful sense of fun. This blend can also be used to reverse troublesome lesser crossings, create a playful air of catlike sexuality, and, because cats will be cats, it can also be used to throw minor, irritating or bothersome hexes, causing small amounts of chaos and disruption to your foes. A small amount of this oil was decanted from an imp and has aged for 4+ years. In the decant: This one is strongly resinous! I think I am getting a sharp, dark myrrh. Wet: Yep, this one is pretty heavy on the dark myrrh. I think there may be some benzoin in this as well, and there's a smattering of herbs in the background. There's also some rose (perhaps dried rose) mingling with the myrrh and herbs (one of which I believe is lemongrass, but it's not as strong as it usually is). Dry: This is still a predominantly resin scent on me, although the myrrh is softer now, but I am getting more of the rose and herbs (there's definitely a bit of lemongrass in here, and something minty) during this phase. Verdict: I cannot attest to the oil's purpose as I only tried it for its scent. It's okay, but resins and rose aren't a combination I really enjoy, so I don't think I'll continue holding on to it. I am glad I got to try it, though!

I bought an imp of this one a few years ago but neglected to review it! In the imp: Apples, cinnamon, and cloves. It's like a super spiced apple cider! Wet: Roasted, mashed apples, pear, and cinnamon. Dry: This smells like lots of (rather dry) cinnamon has been heaped upon some mashed apples. And I think there may be a bit of cherry as well. Now I want some pie. Verdict: Forever keeping! I can't attest to its purpose (although that's why I bought the imp in the first place...), but the scent itself is a lovely, spiced apple scent that would be great to wear in the autumn. I may end up getting a bottle of this one when I run out of Lambs' Wool.

In the imp: Mist, lilies, and rose. Wet: The mist and lily notes are the first to leap out at me, followed by rose. The lily and rose seem content to sort of meld together and share the stage instead of fighting with one another for dominance. Dry: The mist note is not as prominent as it was before, and the rose has also calmed down a lot. I'm mostly getting a sweet lily scent now, backed by a bit of mist and rose. Fortunately, it never turned soapy on me at all! Verdict: This one is nice for a straight-up floral scent, but since there are other lily scents I would reach for over this one and this is discontinued, I won't hold on to my imp.

In the imp: I get all of the notes in the order they're listed, but the lemon verbena is the strongest of them all. Wet: Lemon verbena, green tea, and jasmine, accompanied by some bitter neroli, which, at the moment, resides in the background. Dry: This ends up being a lemon verbena, green tea, and jasmine scent on me. The neroli remains in the background, and the jasmine isn't the heady type that overtakes everything because the lemon verbena is pretty strong and seems to be keeping it in check. Verdict: This one is okay, but it's too strong on the lemon verbena for me. I prefer Shanghai and Embalming Fluid as far as green tea and citrus scents go (especially Shanghai, which also has green tea and lemon verbena in it, but features a lovely honeysuckle as opposed to jasmine and neroli).

In the decant: I tried this at DCC a few years ago, but I wanted to do a proper test of this one, since having so many scents on your arm at a con and trying to write short notes about them all can be overwhelming. The first notes to stand out to me are the osmanthus, honey, lavender, and peppermint, and behind that, I get the bergamot and thyme, and sometimes, some of the honeysuckle. There's a lot going on in this one! Wet: The honey, peppermint, lavender, and chamomile are all pretty strong on me. I'm also getting some of the bergamot, and then the osmanthus. In the background, I get some of the thyme and just a bit of honeysuckle. But the thyme seems to be getting stronger over time. After a bit, I am able to detect the raspberry note, but it is not a main player. I would describe this as mostly herbal with some florals and bergamot. Dry: The honey, peppermint, lavender, chamomile, and bergamot stayed strong for a while, and fortunately, the thyme did not end up becoming a main player. This is still a honeyed herbal and floral scent on me, with the floral notes (save for the honeysuckle, of which there is only a touch of) being more prominent during this phase, and honey and chamomile being the stars of the show after a few hours of wear. It's got a bit of a 'soapy' quality on me without having veered into complete soap territory. Verdict: In my DCC notes, I wrote that this could be a nice spa scent, and I still get that vibe from it. Fairy Bites is pleasant, but it's not a scent that really grabs me.

In the imp: Freshly washed linen drying in the warm breeze, a fresh, bright floral note (possibly peony), a bit of green apple, and a bit of tart, waxy berry. Wet: This still makes me think of peony and clean linens. I keep thinking peony because the floral has this fresh, lemon-y quality to it that reminds me of the peony in The Dormouse. Then, the tart, waxy berry (or possibly a root of some kind – things often described as rooty tend to have a waxy quality to them on me) note emerges, but it isn't a main player. It's lingering in the background. After that, I get a bit of spice and some effervescence. Dry: The scent is a lot warmer now. The fresh, citrus-y floral aspect of the scent is gone now, and so is the effervescence. It makes me think of the sun-warmed flowers note in All in the Golden Afternoon, which I believe is sunflowers. There's still some waxiness present in the scent, but no berries (fortunately). There's still a hint of spice. Verdict: This one is pleasant, but probably not something I'd reach for again due to the waxy quality I get in the background. I'm glad I was able to try it, though!

In the decant: I get a blast of the blue spruce and sleet, followed by the cypress smoke and the yew berry. Wet: The lovely sleet-covered blue spruce note, which I recognize from Blue Spruce and Snow-Capped Pine is the star of the show, backed by the cypress smoke and the yew berry. The lavender in this is really light, and the smoke part of the cypress smoke isn't too smoky. Dry: The yew berry is more prominent during this stage, making this primarily a blue spruce, sleet, and yew berry scent with some cypress smoke wafting through the wintry forest. Verdict: This is a lovely winter scent! I preferred the wet phase, when the yew berry played a lesser role (I'm not a big fan of berry scents, and I think the berry in this is stronger than in Skadi), so I don't need to hunt down more of this. But if you're looking for a wintry forest and berry scent, this should be right up your alley.