doomsday_disco
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Everything posted by doomsday_disco
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I like this a lot more than I thought I would. I'm not typically big on berry scents, but the blackberry in this has a pleasant tartness to it, as well as a sweetness that does not verge on candy-like, and isn't overly juicy. The tea note has a tannic, yet herbal quality to it, but fortunately, does not have anything reminiscent of anise about it (which I sometimes I get from some of the Lab's scents containing a black tea note). I'm not sure exactly what that is behind the blackberry note, but I do think it pairs perfectly with it, and that it is what makes the scent alluring. I'm going to have to spend more time with this and see if I need more than my decant before this goes away, but the decant is a keeper for sure!
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I think I enjoyed this more the first time I tried it, soon after the decant had arrived, a few weeks ago. Then, it was more fruity-foodie. Now, I'm getting more of the rosewater than I did after a few weeks of this getting to settle. Full disclosure: I have no idea what gooseberry smells like. But I do get lots of red currant and rosewater from this, topped with icing, and just a hint of the gingerbread crumble. There isn't much spice to this, and it doesn't really smell like cake to me, as there's not enough crumb here for that, so the icing (I do feel it is more like a drizzle of icing than just a dusting of powdered sugar) is the foodiest element to me about this. The rosewater is not nearly as strong as the currant and does not overpower the scent on my skin, but it does read as more fruity-floral than fruity-gourmand to me. I like this, but I don't think I need a bottle of it. I wanted more gingerbread, and more cake! Maybe it's just me amping currant, though, because it seems other reviewers got more gingerbread from this.
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This is mostly about the vodka on me, which isn't really boozy, and has some fizziness to it. It's infused with a bit of cranberry, but the pumpkin spice is not particularly noticeable on me (I've tried it twice to see if I'd get more of it after a few weeks of settling). It adds a warmth to the scent, but fortunately, does not smell like a spice rack was poured into the booze. So this isn't nearly as weird as it sounds, but it's also not something I could see myself wearing. The decant may still be a keeper, though, as my partner really likes cranberry notes and enjoyed the fizziness of the vodka in this.
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Pumpkin Gas Can goes on as a blast of petrol, backed by a sweet, syrup-y pumpkin note that is not heavily spiced. The pumpkin becomes more prominent over time, until eventually, it dominates the scents after a few hours of wear. I actually enjoyed the petrol note in this, but I'm not really a fan of the syrupy sweet pumpkin that was paired with it. But at least it didn't smell scorched?
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Tomie is a cousin to Ava. Who knew? Seriously, I'm getting strong Ava vibes from this, although this features different floral notes, Ava is brighter with its mandarin, and the only notes they have in common are vanilla and almond. Tomie has the same perfume-y, mainstream quality to it. I'd also compare it to Lady Death, Savage, but I think the jasmine in this is smoother than the jasmine is in that one. The rose is not a main player here; I agree that this is just rose-tinted, and the jasmine in this is not an indolic variety. But overall, it is pretty hard to parse out the notes. I wasn't expecting something with a horror-theme to be so accessible! While I don't feel the need to upgrade to a bottle, because I already have plenty of Ava and prefer that scent, I will absolutely be telling my mom about this, because she has bought and gone through so many bottles of Ava, it's ridiculous. I'm sure she would love this.
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This is strongest on the sugared incense on me. It's backed by a bit of leather at first, but it's definitely not double the leather of Snooty Bat, whose leather was way too intense on me. No, this leather is actually much softer. While the sugared incense remains the dominant aspect of this scent throughout wear, I get more musk along with it than leather by the end of the day. There's a phase where the musk and the incense threaten to veer into soap territory, but fortunately, it never goes completely there. I enjoy this more than Snooty Bat, but I'm basic and would prefer just the sugared incense without any of the leather or the musk, so no bottle for me. ?
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This one is really unique! It goes on with the foodie notes taking the lead; I get lots of the apple pulp, which has a Lambs-Wool-esque apple vibe, paired with the cornmeal, which is oddly alluring! And I think the honey stout might be contributing to those Lambs-Wool vibes as well. There is only a little bit of soil, so I wouldn't let that put you off trying this one. Over time, it gets less foodie and veers more into cologne territory: I still get the cornmeal, but you can tell it is part of a fougere, and I also get the patchouli, clove, and the hay with it, along with that tiny bit of soil. I enjoy it less during this phase, but that's mostly because I was enjoying the apple and cornmeal combo so much. I'm not sure I need a bottle of this, but the decant is a keeper because this is so unique! I really hope Beth uses that cornmeal note again in the future.
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Lavender Lemon Bar goes on as a blast of lavender, backed by some tart lemon. It stays that way for the first few hours of wear, before the lemon gets sweeter, as if this lavender lemon bar were dusted with powdered sugar. On me, the lavender dominates throughout wear, although the lemon does gain strength over time. I have now tried five of the Lavender Kitchen scents (Lavender Brownie, Lavender Coconut Cream Pie, Lavender Earl Grey Cookies, Lavender Honey Cake, and now this one), and I believe they all feature the same, dreamy, almost floofy lavender. (I also have two decants of the other two lavender scents in this collection on their way to me, so I'll be reviewing the whole collection.) Right now, I'm wearing Boozy Lemon Bars, and I would say that overall, the lemon in Boozy Lemon Bars is sweeter than the lemon in Lavender Lemon Bar. And the lavender in Lavender Lemon Bar really makes it different than that scent, so yes, you can justify owning both lemon bar scents. If you're wondering how Lavender Lemon Bar compares to Happy Baby in a Long Dress, I'd say that you'd probably be happy with this one if you enjoyed that one, but the lavender in this is stronger, and the lemon part of this lemon bar definitely has that lemon curd-like quality that makes it quite different from Happy Baby in a Long Dress' lemon sugar. I'm happy to have a bottle of this one and can see myself reaching for it a lot during the summer months.
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This starts off with a dreamy lavender and then morphs more into a creamy coconut scent with just a hint of lavender over time. It is not the same lavender as Daybreak, and it is more coconut-heavy than that one, but if you're a fan of the lavender Lilith scents, and you enjoy coconut, you will be happy with this one. I could totally see this being a Lilith and pooch scent, like what I had thought True Love would be from the description, before Beth disclosed it also contained jasmine (to differentiate it from Daybreak). Even though this ends up being coconut-heavy on me, it never ends up being super foodie, and I don't smell any pie crust whatsoever. So if you're hoping for PIE, you might be disappointed. But I enjoy this, despite not being a coconut lover, and will probably end up grabbing a bottle before it goes away to use as a bedtime scent, just for that initial, dreamy, floofy lavender and coconut cream cloud.
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This features a jammy red rose, coated in sugar, and backed by a tiny amount of oatmeal, which becomes more noticeable later on in wear, but never overtakes the other notes. The rose is sweetest during the wet phase and becomes less sugary over time on me. Oatmeal is not a note that is ever a main player on me in perfumes (with the exception of Halfling), but I like the hint of it I get in this one. I have a lot of rose scents, and I'm not sure I need a whole bottle of this one, but I do think it is nice, and I'd recommend it to those looking for a sugary rose scent more than someone looking for a scent with a focus on oatmeal.
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I usually don't wear a scent as a scent of the day without testing it for at least four hours before showering that day. But today, I decided I was slathering this on before work, consequences be damned. Fortunately, this did not go wonky on me, because I can still smell the results of that slather seven hours later. I even put some of the new Dorian on one hand and this on the other to compare the two while working in the office... but right after I did that, something fell out of a cabinet, and I promptly forgot which one was which. I don't get much pastry from this. If anything, it is a possibly more sugary and lemony version of the new Dorian (I agree with Little Bird that the reformulated Dorian doesn't smell like the OG)? I smell a sugary musky lemoniness swirled with vanilla. I'm not that surprised by the pastry being MIA on me since that has happened to me with a lot of the sufs. The lemony tea, vanilla, and sugar give it a lemon glaze type of feel, but of course, it is not strictly gourmand due to the musk. I'm keeping this for sure, but I'm curious if I'll get any more pastry from this as it ages.
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On me, this is mostly about the spruce throughout wear, although it is strongest during the first few hours of wear, before the amber and plastic notes join it, but then are beaten back by a frost note, which ends up being the dominant note by the end of the day, overlaying the spruce. I think the amber in this may be a sparkling variety, and the plastic, while present, is not as strong as the plastic in Vintage Dracula Blow Mold. The frosted part of the blue spruce seems to be something like the snow note from NYC/Snow Bunny/Marshmallow Snow, which is to say that it is a sugared, sparkling, evergreen-infused snow, that's chilly, but not minty, yet it's different because the evergreen component is already a part of the scent. This does go through a phase when the amber and plastic try to gain strength and battle with the spruce, which makes it veer into a somewhat sour evergreen scent on me, but fortunately, the spruce wins out, and the frost smooths things over so that it's pleasant again. Although I'm not very fond of that wonky phase of the scent, I really enjoy the spruce in this, so I'll keep it around for a while and see how it ages. I agree with HerbGirl that this would be even better as an atmosphere spray.
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This is a very sweet lollipop, made dirty with incense and some petrichor. I get more incense with it during the first few hours of wear, and I do believe it is a classic nag champa-esque incense. After about 2.5 hours, it becomes less about the candy and incense and more about the petrichor, which in this case smells like the Lab's rain note (and there's no aquatic salt here) mixed with a little bit of candy. At this point, it is very faint and stays close to the skin, though. I am not getting a dirt note from the petrichor. I'm going to have to retest this in a few weeks and see how I feel about it. I'm kind of sad that it became really faint by the time the petrichor played more of a role on me. But I do enjoy it more than last year's Pink and Blue Candy Canes.
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This is more lavender on me than brownie, but the brownie is there throughout wear, just never overtaking the lavender on my skin. The brownie does smell brownie-like instead of like cocoa powder (which can happen with some chocolate scents), and it is strongest during the wet phase of the scent. The lavender keeps this from smelling strictly foodie, but as someone who enjoys lavender baked goods, I don't know why I've never thought to make lavender brownies? Now I'm going to have to make them sometime. (Not any time soon, though... I just got done making 16 different cookies/treats during the week of Christmas and I'm sick of baking now. ) During the late drydown of the scent, several hours later, I smell something that's not lavender or brownie. It reminded me of a slightly tannic iced tea note, actually. I don't know where that is coming from. I'll have to slather it next time I wear it and see if it happens again. I'm happy to have this and may have to grab a back-up bottle before it goes away. This could be a day or nighttime lavender, but I can see myself slathering it before bedtime.
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Take Carry Me from several Lilith updates ago (Vanilla cookies and a splash of lavender fougere) and swirl it with Earl Grey, and you have Lavender Earl Grey Cookies. I get the vanilla cookies strewn with lavender buds and some really wonderful smelling Earl Grey that doesn't end up being too perfume-y (like it was on me in Dad! Let Me Do Your Makeup!) or too bergamot-heavy on me (like it is in Gingerbread London Fog). The cookies themselves are the type that have a vanilla frosting, but it doesn't smell like buttercream, so it doesn't smell like a lavender and Earl Grey version of a Lofthouse cookie, but it also doesn't smell like the cookie was just rolled in sugar. I made the Earl Grey Cookie recipe from NYT Cooking while testing this perfume, which actually contains ground up Earl Grey tea leaves infused into the butter, and it smelled so amazing. Then I rolled the balls of dough in lavender sugar and thought that smelled amazing. But the end result was not a cookie that smelled like this scent. It didn't end up tasting like lavender or Earl Grey, because the Earl Grey's bergamot and the orange zest in the dough made the cookies taste like Fruit Loops. But I like Fruit Loops, so I'm not mad. I applied this at 1 PM on Saturday and could still smell it by 1 AM, but by then it was lavender vanilla floof with no more Earl Grey. If you're looking for something similar to Carry Me, or you can't resist a lavender vanilla scent like me, you won't be disappointed. This one is back-up worthy.
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The ratio of the two components in this perfume is LONDON FOG with the tiniest whiff of gingerbread. You know that scene in The Grinch where the mouse is about to take the crumb by the fireplace, and The Grinch comes back and scoops it up before the mouse can eat it? That's how fleeting the gingerbread is in this scent. I tested it after it got to settle for a day, so I'm hoping that I'll get more gingerbread from this in a few weeks. During the wet phase, the bergamot in this scent is so strong that it verges on neroli-like and goes through a medicinal phase on me that is off-putting. Then there's the gingerbread crumb next to the milky Earl Grey latte once the scent is dry, but that hint of gingerbread is barely there and you have to get close to the skin to smell it. I feel like you can smell that this latte is made with a vanilla syrup, and there might be a little honey in this sweetening it up, too? Although I don't dislike the end result, the wet phase is so harsh on me that I'm setting it aside and hoping that it improves as it has had more time to settle. And maybe the gingerbread will be stronger by then! Comparing this to Lavender and Earl Grey Cookies, this is much stronger on the Earl Grey, but of course, I think Lavender and Earl Grey Cookies is >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Gingerbread London Fog because I'm a lavender ho, and that one is more balanced, as there's way more Earl Grey in that one than there is gingerbread in this scent.
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This starts off peach forward, with some bay rum and patchouli peeking through. The bay rum and patch increase with strength over time, although the peach is still there, just playing a lesser role. It's not something I could see myself reaching for, but I did enjoy this more than straight up Daddy by Effy.
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Lemon Peel, White Peach and White Musk
doomsday_disco replied to zankoku_zen's topic in Event Exclusive Oils
This starts off with a burst of lemon peel that is like lemon candy, but not as sweet, but the white musk and peach are quick to join in. While the lemon is strongest during the wet phase, the white peach and white musk are strongest while dry, and sadly, the peach goes waxy in a chapstick-like way on me. The lemon isn't missing once dry... it's just not as strong as it was initially. I liked this best during the wet phase when it was more about the lemon. Alas, this peach doesn't seem to agree with my skin chemistry. -
I've tested this twice and slathered it on my partner a few times, too. I think Vintage Dracula Blow Mold may contain ozone. It would explain that 'soap' smell I got from the bottle when it first arrived, and the bright, clean scent that emerges with the cherry upon application. Specifically, it made me think of the ozone in Lavender Lightning, but I did not try them side by side to know for sure. The cherry in this is not a loud cherry -- it's strongest during the wet phase, and hangs around throughout wear, but not obtrusively -- I agree with Failmingo's description of this fading from red to a pale pink. I get the plastic aspect from this blow mold scent more than from the other one I've tried (the witch one -- I am waiting on decants of the first two, but when my brain saw a cherry blow mold scent, my brain said "what the hell!?" and it fell into my cart), but I still wouldn't let that scare you away from trying this. It's not offensive and overwhelming like some of the industrial scents containing plastic from the American Gods line. The plastic, with what I think is ozone or maybe a slightly effervescent note (but NOT champagne), just perfectly fits the idea of an illuminated blow mold being transformed into scent. As for the amber in this... I do not believe it is the same amber featured in Vintage Witch Blow Mold (which is a white amber, from scents like Schönperchten or Hohensalzburg Fortress). It's a darker, but much quieter amber (only because less of it was probably used), that lurks in the background, never overtaking the bright notes, but I, too, swear there may be some frankincense and/or myrrh in it? Although I was hoping to be bludgeoned over the head with cherry, I do think this is nice. It's weird how alluring it is with its plastic note.
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Sleepy Bat lands with a burst of lavender and hops, along with a huge blast of leather. The leather in this is not well-worn and is a really loud black leather, and sadly, it's not a variety I love. It eventually overwhelms the soporific lavender and hops and is the dominant note for a long time, until the chamomile and hay-infused musky ambrette fur emerges and eventually takes over, leaving behind only a hint of leather. I'm not sure if there's brown musk here along with the ambrette, but it does settle into a warm, brown scent by the end of the day. I'm going to let this settle for a few weeks and come back to it. I really enjoy the lavender and hops in the opening, but that leather is a little too much for me -- and while the musky final drydown of the scent is comforting, I really wish the lavender had decided to stick around.
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I am mostly getting the re-released Antique Lace (that doesn't have the floral qualities of the original, and that my basic ass self likes more than the original -- heresy, I know) with some caramel-infused musk hovering around the edges. I don't love caramel in perfumes, but bought this because it's a bat-themed Lace, and fortunately, the caramel musk in this isn't overwhelming whatsoever. It has good throw, too. However, I didn't detect any leather.... I wonder if it will peek out with age? I like this, but at this point, I have so many perfumes featuring this vanilla that I feel like I may have to let at least one of them go in order to let this one stay in my collection. I'll have to spend more time with this one to know for sure, but I'm thinking that it's probably a keeper, and that wouldn't even be a question if I didn't have so many scents featuring this vanilla.
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This goes on as white chocolate and white amber, and I believe it is the same white amber from Schönperchten from some Yules ago. The white amber ends up being the star on me, with the green tea being much more subdued than usual, but lending a brightness to the scent. (I can smell it more 3 hours after the initial application than I did originally, but it never overtakes the other notes.) It's not the same as White Chocolate, Mysore Sandalwood, and Lemon Peel from this year's Luper update, but I'd say it's a cousin to it, with a soft blanket of white amber instead of the Mysore sandalwood, and with green tea lifting it up instead of lemon peel. I'd also recommend trying this if you liked Hohensalzburg Fortress from the Winter Travelogue update, as this has that white amber, but with white chocolate instead of milk chocolate. There's nothing super plasticy about this, so I wouldn't let that bit of the description scare you away. I get a light hint of it when I sniff up close, but maybe it's just the power of suggestion from the name. I was kind of hoping for more green tea from this, but I'm not mad. This actually smells really comforting, and I could see myself using it as a sleep scent.
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This got to settle for a day before I tested it. If you're looking for a 13 that is more about the other notes than the cacao, this is for you. It's the least chocolate-y 13 that I've tried (keep in mind that I've tried lots of 13s since 2013, but not any of the ones prior to that). In the bottle, the cacao, sandalwood, and tobacco stood out to me the most. On my skin, it's immediately a sandalwood party, and even though it's red sandalwood and the sandalwood in Kit's description says Mysore, it is giving me Kit (OLLA) vibes. (I also get Morocco vibes, which makes sense since it features a red sandalwood note.) I smell some cardamom and pumpkin along with it, and then some cedar and a bit of pine, all swirled with a light cacao, but when the tobacco and fig emerge, they are a force to be reckoned with.... and then the blend becomes sharper on me as the cognac and oakmoss join those two notes. The sandalwood is still there, but it's behind those notes. And this particular tobacco is too sharp for me. I'm going to let this settle for a few weeks and come back to it, but I think it won't be for me because I wanted more CACAO with woods and pine. The sandalwood in this is really nice, though. I just hope the tobacco calms down!
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This is definitely one for licorice fans. It is strong on the licorice root, which has an effervescent quality to it. So slightly fizzy licorice. It's so strong on me that the resins can't even compete with it and are confined to a background role throughout wear. I think it being the root is what is lending the sparkling quality to this scent. I am not a licorice fan, so this is not for me, but if that is your jam, you should give this a whirl.
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Swiftfoot is very much about the grass notes at first, but then the stone emerges and becomes more prominent over time, and it's a resinous sort of stone note. The floral note in this remains in a background role throughout wear. This was the scent I was most curious about from this Spiritus Arcanum release, and I'm glad I got to try it! But I know I wouldn't reach for it over other grass or stone scents. Unexpectedly, Cinderpaw is my favorite scent from this Walpurgisnacht drop!