doomsday_disco

In the imp: Super sweet! It reminds me of those hard butter rum flavored candies. Wet: Yeah, this is definitely the scent of butter rum flavored candies. Dry: Now spice notes have emerged, making this a sweet, spiced rum scent. It has a creamy, vanilla-like aspect to it now, that makes me think of something like rum-infused frosting... like the rum cupcakes in Captain Lilith and Her First Mate. I prefer this phase of the scent. Verdict: The dry phase of Grog was nice, but the wet stage of the scent was way too cloying for me. I'll stick with Captain Lilith!

In the imp: Mostly Florentine iris, with some coconut and warm hazelnut. Florentine iris is a note that likes to turn into Dr. Pepper on me, so I do not have high hopes for this. Wet: The iris note reigns, with the white musk behind it making this a musky floral scent. Then, the Florentine iris note starts doing the Dr. Pepper thing on me, so I get that aspect of it, along with a baby product floral vibe. Dry: Super sweet, musky Dr. Pepper-y floral. Verdict: Florentine iris and I just cannot get along.

In the imp: A sweet, soft floral. This doesn't appear to be the bubblegum-y variety of lotus, but testing may show otherwise. Wet: Yep. This still reads as a sweet floral, and it doesn't remind me of bubblegum at all. Alas, it quickly veered into soap territory. Maybe that will change once it dries? Dry: The floral is now sweeter, thanks to the emergence of the honey. This unfortunately still smells somewhat soapy on me, although it's not as soapy as before. I do not get any actual 'tree' aspect to this scent (no wood or leaves)... just lotus tinged with honey. Verdict: Lotus and I aren't generally friends, and while this one didn't end up being too sweet on me, it sadly ventured into The Soap Kingdom. I'm glad to have gotten to try this scent inspired by Tennyson's poem, though!

This is one that I've tried before, but neglected to review. Time to retest and review! In the imp: The floral notes are the most prominent in the imp, with the wisteria being the star of the show. I'm also getting a lot of white musk, and I can smell the white sandalwood in the background. Wet: The high-pitched wisteria reigns, and the white musk is really strong as well. After a minute, the lavender emerges, followed by the white sandalwood. The pale rose in this shows up after a few minutes of wear, which is a bit sour on my skin. Dry: The high-pitched wisteria has calmed down and has lost its high-pitched quality. It's still the note I get the most from this. The pale rose is no longer sour, and the herbal lavender is present, but soft. The tear-streaked white musk is still playing a major role, and I think it is serving it's purpose, but alas, it takes the scent into dryer sheet territory on me. I'm not getting any of the white sandalwood from this anymore. Verdict: I love Keats' poem, so I wanted to love this. Alas, this one just doesn't jive with my skin chemistry. After holding on to this imp for a few years, I suppose it is time to pass it on. I'm glad I got to try it, though!

In the imp: Laurel and mandarin, with some florals, musk, and woods. Wet: The laurel note is the first to emerge, along with some pepper, followed by the stargazer lily, and a little bit of the woods. Dry: This dried down to a musky mandarin and lily scent on me, but after a while, the splintered woods started playing more of a role (and I think a dry sandalwood may be one of the woods). There's a slight kick to it due to the pepper (which I think is white pepper). The mandarin and pepper combo kind of reminds me of Tweedledee. Verdict: This one is okay, but not really me. Still, it was nice to be able to try it.

In the imp: I can smell the loganberry the most, but I'm not able to pick out which flowers I'm smelling. I do not get any of the tree notes in the imp. Wet: This is the scent of loganberry and wildflowers on a sunny, alpine meadow next to a forest (probably the yellow birch bark). The loganberries dominate, followed by the flowers. Dry: This dries down to a predominantly loganberry scent with some florals in the background (I can smell the rose, but I'm not able to pick out the others). I am no longer getting any of the forest. Verdict: Berry scents aren't generally my thing, but I wanted to try this because VIKINGS. I really enjoyed the wet phase of the scent, especially when it was freshly applied and I got the impression of a nearby forest. But the dry phase was mostly just loganberry on me. I am not sure if I would reach for this one – I like Elf more as a scent with forest, floral, and berry notes – but I'm really happy I got a chance to try it. Because VIKINGS.

In the imp: I am not familiar enough with delphinium. I do have a few scents with that note listed, but they also contain a lot of other notes, so I haven't been able to pick it out. This one reads to me as a soft musk scent with soft florals and a breath of warm spice. Wet: I'm still getting soft musk and florals backed by some gentle, warmed spices. The lavender variety in this is a soft lavender, and it's certainly not the star of the show on me. I wonder if that is an aspect of aging, since so many reviews mentioned strong lavender. Dry: I keep using soft to describe this scent, but I'm afraid I can't articulate myself better than that. It's soft and warm. I'm getting the musks, florals, and some gentle spice. The star jasmine is one that cooperates with my skin chemistry: not dirty or heady at all, and it is a main player during this stage. Verdict: This one is nice. I had hoped for lots of lavender, but even though that didn't end up being the case on me, the scent still ended up being a pleasant surprise, especially because of the spice. Not sure if I would reach for it, but I'm really glad I got to try it!

In the imp: The lavender and thyme notes jump out at me first, followed by the mint and bergamot. Wet: The lavender and thyme are the strongest notes on my skin at first, with the thyme being even stronger than it was in the imp. Then, the mint emerges, and then the bergamot, making it a sharp, but cool herbal scent, with the lavender, thyme, and mint being the most prominent notes, and the thyme being the strongest of them all. Dry: Thyme like whoa, with some verbena and maybe just a hint of orange. Verdict: This ended up smelling like I took some thyme sprigs and rubbed them all over my arm. Not my jam, but I'm really glad I got a chance to try it!

In the imp: I can smell the spring flowers and dew-covered berries, with the green grass lingering in the background. The grass in this is actually soft compared to other blends I've tried with grass notes listed. Wet: I am getting more grass on my skin than I did in the imp, but it's still not strong (probably because it's not freshly cut grass). The dew-covered berries dominate on my skin, followed by the spring flowers. It reminds me of a warm, sunny day in spring, after some rain. After a few minutes, the flowers overtake the berries, making it a floral-dominant scent with some green grass in the background, with the scent of berries being carried by the wind. They are gentle, spring blossoms. I'm not able to discern which kinds of florals I am getting, but they aren't heady by any means. Dry: There is a bit of citrus to this, which I think can be attributed to a floral note – maybe peony? The flowers and dew-covered berries are the most prominent notes as the green grass remains content with its background role. Verdict: Really nice! Scents with berries in them are generally not my cup of tea. However, the berries in this scent aren't overpowering, and although I'm not sure if I would actually wear this, I think it's a lovely scent that evokes springtime.

In the imp: A soft, aquatic floral. The lotus here is sweet and light. The lily is very present, but not overpowering, and the white rose is also quite prominent. I'm not familiar with water blossom ivy, but I'm guessing that's adding to the aquatic vibe of this floral scent. Wet: I'm getting the soft, sweet lotus accompanied by some strong white rose. Then, the lily note emerges, overtaking the lotus. The white rose note seems to be getting stronger over time. Although I am not familiar with water blossom ivy, I do think it is giving this a soft, green, aquatic feel. Dry: The stargazer lily dominates, followed by the white rose. After a few hours, the white rose calms down. Verdict: The white rose in this is too strong for me, but otherwise, the scent is a lovely, floral aquatic that doesn't veer into soap territory. I'm glad I got to try it!

In the imp: Really herbal, with some dark musk in the background. Wet: The herbal notes dominate. I can smell the moss part of the moss-covered wood, and the sage, but I'm not familiar with ragwort and heather, so I'm not able to properly pick them out. After a few minutes, I do get the wood note, and the scent is warmer than it was before. Dry: During this stage, the scent is really soft and stays close to the skin. It's herbal and floral. I think it's the heather note that I'm smelling the most, backed by some soft, dark musk, like the kind in Cheshire Cat. It's somewhat powdery on me, but not in a bad way. Verdict: This one is actually rather pleasant, but it's not something that really grabs me.

In the imp: Musky black leather and smoky vetiver. I am not looking forward to this at all, given that I prefer lighter musks, only enjoy some leathers, and never get along with vetiver. Well, here goes. Wet: Still musky black leather and vetiver. The black musk and black leather are the strongest notes, but the vetiver is pretty strong, too, adding some smokiness to the leather. Dry: Damn, this is strong. It's actually starting to make me feel sick, it's so strong. The black musk reigns, with the black leather right beside it. The vetiver has calmed down now, but continues to add some smoke to the leather. Verdict: Definitely not for me, because the black musk and leather are just way too strong. I have various scents over different parts of my arm, and this one is by far the one with the most throw. I'm going to have to go wash it off.

In the imp: I'm getting dirt, that doesn't seem to be as moist as some of the other grave soil notes I've smelled, with something soft and powdery in the background – I'm not sure if it is the angel's trumpet, or if orris root plays a role in the bone note. Wet: This is dirt dominant, but the angel's trumpet is right behind the dirt note. The dirt note does smell like freshly turned soil on my skin, even though I thought it smelled a little drier in the imp. Dry: Soft soil, with angel's trumpet peeking through. There is a warm spice to the dirt in this scent, so it's warm, spicy dirt and a bit of floral on me. Verdict: Well, the spice was unexpected! I enjoy dirt scents, and I found this one to be pleasant, but it's not one that I could see myself reaching for over other dirt scents (like Deep in Earth, Zombi, Burial, and All Hallows' Apple).

In the imp: Lots of tea leaf, moss, grass, and herbs! Wet: The tea leaf and moss are the most prominent notes, followed by the green grass. After a few minutes, the ginger note emerges, so that it's tea leaf dominant, backed by the moss, grass, and ginger. Dry: The tea leaf, ginger, and moss are now the dominant notes, with a smattering of herbs in the background and some fig in the background. Verdict: This one is nice tea/herbal scent, but I am not sure I would ever reach for it.

In the imp: Mostly lilac musk and violet. Wet: The lilac musk reigns, followed by the wood violet. Then, the benzoin note pops up, and I think the tonka is now helping add a bit of sweetness in the background. The lime rind is present, but barely there. Then, the wood violet ends up becoming the dominant note. As the scent begins to dry, the tonka note becomes a lot stronger, so the scent is much sweeter than before. The combination of the lilac musk and tonka remind me a bit of Ashlultum, but with more tonka, and the addition of wood violet. I prefer this phase of the scent. Dry: The wood violet has reasserted itself, so the tonka isn't quite as strong now. The blackberry leaf has also emerged. I'm now getting wood violet, blackberry leaf, lilac musk, and tonka, with some benzoin lurking in the background. Verdict: This one was more pleasant than I thought it would be, thanks to the tonka note playing a big role. There is still too much violet for me, but it's not an overwhelming violet by any means. It's not something I think I'd reach for, but if you like lilac or violet, but don't want a scent that is strictly floral, this might be up your alley.

In the imp: I can smell all of the notes, but it is hard to say which one is the most prominent. Sometimes, I smell more blue sage, and sometimes, I smell more of the bay leaf over the white cedarwood. Wet: The blue sage is the first note to jump out at me, followed by the white cedar, and then the bay leaf. After a few minutes, the herbal notes get stronger. It's a cool, almost medicinal scent, thanks to the blue sage, warmed by the bay leaf and the cedar base. But as it begins to dry, the cedar becomes stronger. Dry: This is now cedar dominant, although the bay leaf and blue sage are still quite prominent. I am now getting more of the bay leaf than the blue sage. Verdict: This one isn't bad, but it is far too masculine for me to wear.

In the decant: There are so many notes in this that I don't think I could pick all of them out, but I do get a lot of oakmoss and bergamot from the decant. Wet: The oakmoss and bergamot are the first notes to jump out to me, along with the ti leaf. As the scent begins to dry, the ti leaf note dominates. Dry: The ti leaf reigns, but I can still smell a lot of oakmoss and bergamot behind it. After a while, I do get some of the blackberry, orange, and florals, and a bit of the black amber, black musk, and vanilla, but the scent is very faint by that point. Verdict: I didn't know what to expect from this one. I thought it might be dark and heavy with the resins and jasmine, or possibly really fruity due to all of the fruit notes, but the ti leaf and oakmoss made this much greener (and cleaner!) than I had anticipated. It's not bad, but not something I could see myself reaching for.

In the decant: I can smell all of the listed notes, but the amber, cream, apple blossom, and caramel stand out to me the most. Wet: Resins and cream, accompanied by caramel and apple blossom. The teak note is far stronger on my skin than it was in the decant. The caramel in this is stronger than it is in Red Lantern, making this a sweet, smoky resin scent. Dry: This dries down to a smoky resin scent, with some caramel and skin musk. Verdict: I liked the sound of the amber, cream, apple blossom, and honey notes. Unfortunately, the teak and caramel in this are too strong for my liking, but I'm glad I got a chance to try it!

In the decant: Green, with a fruity edge from the nectarine. I think I'm mostly getting the oakmoss, green musk, and nectarine from this. Wet: On my skin, the nectarine is much more prominent, backed by the oakmoss and green musk. After a few minutes, the sandalwood note emerges, as well as what I believe could be the sea buckthorn berry, but I'm not familiar with that note. Dry: I'm still getting a lot of oakmoss, green musk, and nectarine, accompanied by the sandalwood and what I believe is the sea buckthorn berry. I think the honey may be adding a bit of sweetness in the background, but it's certainly not a main player on my skin. It's clean and aquatic without being soapy, and I imagine it would be a nice scent to wear during warm weather. Verdict: This one was a pleasant surprise. I did not expect to like this as much as I do based on the notes. I don't think I need a bottle of it, but I think I'll hold onto the decant to wear during the warmer months.

In the decant: I'm mostly getting the Bulgarian rose with some nectarine and clove. Wet: Fruity and floral. I'm getting the Bulgarian rose, nectarine, and clove still, but the nectarine isn't as prominent as it is in Alcie. Then, the jasmine note emerges. I was hoping to get honeysuckle from this, as I adore that note, but it seems to be hiding at the moment. I hope it decides to make an appearance later! The clove note is light in this, just adding a bit of spice. Dry: Okay, I do get the honeysuckle now, but it doesn't really get to shine on its own because of the other florals in the scent. The clove note has increased in strength now, and I'm still getting the nectarine. It remains a fruity floral and clove scent with the rose being the strongest of the floral notes. Verdict: This one is pleasant. It is not something that I feel the need to obtain more of, but I am glad that I was able to try it.

In the decant: Lots of dark chocolate, spiced with clove, black pepper, and pink pepper. Wet: The dark chocolate reigns, followed by the clove and pink pepper. After a bit, the bourbon vanilla tar emerges, adding some sweetness to the spicy, dark chocolate. Dry: The dark chocolate note has calmed down somewhat, and the spices are more prominent, with the clove and pink pepper still being the strongest of the spices on me. The amber seems to be content with its background role. Verdict: I really enjoy how strong the clove is in this one! I almost ordered a blind bottle of this back in 2015, but decided against it because I have too many chocolate scents in my collection. And I would have been happy if I had done so! I don't think I need to hunt down more of it, even though it's really nice, because I have too many chocolate scents as it is, but I'll certainly hold onto this to pair it with El Dia de los Reyes HG or Black Clove, Tobacco Flower, and Grave Soil HG. I'm so glad I got to try it!

In the decant: Spiced oranges! I am mostly getting the ginger, carnation, and orange peel. Wet: This still smells like spiced orange to me. Dry: This is very carnation-dominant on me now, but I am still getting a bit of the orange peel, as well as some honey. After a while, the spicy carnation becomes even stronger, with just a bit of the orange peel, ginger, and honey lingering in the background. Verdict: I really liked this when the orange peel played more of a role in the wet phase, but once dry, it's mostly just carnation on me. I don't think I need more of it, but I'm glad I got to try it!

In the imp: I'm mostly getting the jasmine and rose, followed by the coffee bean, fig, and a touch of mahogany if I inhale really deeply. Wet: The rose and jasmine are the most prominent notes, followed by the coffee bean and fig. I am getting more coffee bean from this on my skin than I did in the imp, but this is by no means a coffee scent. Dry: This is jasmine-dominant on me, followed by the rose, and then the fig. My boyfriend thinks this smells like “a relatively clean butt has been wiped with a flower petal”. Well, I guess this is not a jasmine-variety that works on me. After a few hours, the rose, which was somewhat sour on me, fades away, and what is left is a much calmer jasmine note and a bit of vanilla and coffee bean. Verdict: I was hoping to get coffee bean, tonka bean, and vanilla out of this, but this was a floral party on my skin (with the jasmine in particular being pretty strong). This one just doesn't work with my skin chemistry.

In the decant: Sweet coffee and buttercream! It has been a while since I smelled Misk U, but it makes me think of that, only not as intense, and without the dust note. Wet: Sweet, creamy coffee, warmed by the brown sugar. It's not overly boozy or sweet. Dry: The buttercream note seems to be getting stronger over time, making the scent creamier and sweeter. Verdict: Some coffee scents are too strong for me, but this one isn't one of them! This would be a nice, cozy scent to wear on a cold day. I may end up getting a bottle of this before it goes away.

In the decant: A blast of juicy kumquat! I can smell the lemon and lime in the background, but the kumquat is the strongest note. In my hair, I get a ton of fizzy citrus! It smells like candied lemon and lime rind in my hair, but I also get the juicy kumquat. As the scent sits in my hair, the juicy kumquat becomes the dominant note, with a kick of effervescence from the lemon and lime. The scent is delightfully citrusy! It sticks around for a few hours when applied to wet hair and lasts throughout the day when applied to dry hair (although it is rather faint by the end of the day, being a citrus scent). I'm definitely going to keep my decant, and I may end up upgrading to a full bottle before the Yules come down to fill the citrus void in my hair gloss collection (because my beloved Lightning Storm HG is almost gone, and I am now rationing what is left of its yuzu/grapefruit/lime glory).