doomsday_disco

The lemon peel stands out the most once this is freshly applied, followed by the mandarin. It has a lemon drop quality to it. After a few minutes, I can smell the amber in the background, but it is not nearly as strong as the citrus components. I get more amber on the paper towel I sprayed this on than in my hair, and it is there that I can tell that it's the same sparkling amber from Sweet Amber and Cherry Liqueur Hair Gloss and Alleviate the Frenzy. Once the lemon calms down, the mandarin reigns, but the lemon remains behind it. I applied this around 8 AM, and it's still going strong at 4 PM. I get more of the sparkling amber by this point, but it is still not stronger than the citrus notes. I'm glad I got a chance to try Teppo, but there are several other citrus hair glosses that I'd reach for over this one. I prefer The Geisha and the Samurai because blood orange is sweeter than mandarin, and the amber in that one is creamier and more to my liking. I also prefer Fancy Free and Cabbage White Caterpillar in the lemon (and lemon sugar, in the case of Cabbage White Caterpillar) department. But if you don't already own several citrus-y hair glosses, this one is worth a try.

Barmbrack smells like a bread made with yeast studded with raisins. It starts off super bready and yeast-y, but it becomes sweeter and spicier over time, although the spices never take over. This would be wonderful to spray around in autumn and winter. You could convince someone you just made some fresh bread by spraying this.

Tin Foil Hat is a metallic aquatic. Metallic notes tend to be sharp and cologne-like on me, but the one here manages to refrain from becoming too sharp and headache-y. Aquatic notes are also not something my skin pulls off very well, but the one in this doesn't turn to soap at all and does have a watery feel to it. I'm glad I got a chance to try this one. While it's not something I could see myself wearing, it's a nice aquatic cologne. I think it would be great to smell this one on a guy, so I am going to have mine try this one on later.

Note: I tested this by spraying it on a paper towel and on my arm, instead of testing it in my hair, since I wasn't sure I'd want my hair to smell like this for two days in a row when it is above 100 degrees. Kabuki Actor and Their Lover runs out of the gate screaming CHAMPACA. Then it is like, no wait, LILAC. Then the cherry blossom is like, MY TURN. It smells like a champaca incense and floral scent, sometimes with the lilac being more noticeable, and sometimes, the cherry blossom. The champaca is stronger on the paper towel than it is on me, fortunately. The spot on my arm where I applied this ends up smelling like cherry blossom incense after several hours of wear. Verdict: I'm glad I got a chance to try this one because of the cherry blossom and lilac, but I wish the champaca weren't a main player. It's not something I could really see myself wearing, but if you're looking for an incense-y floral hair gloss, give this one a whirl.

Note: I tested this on a paper towel and on the back of my hand, and not in my hair. This starts off strong on the maraschino cherry, but once that calms down, it becomes a soft cherry-swirled buttercream. The buttercream isn't super distinct as such, but more like a jar of frosting you would buy at a grocery store. Unfortunately, this one becomes very light rather quickly, on me as well as the paper towel, which makes me think it is the scent itself not wanting to stick around, and not my skin eating it. I'm glad I got to try this, but Dragon Bouffant reigns supreme as far as cherry hair glosses go.

In the decant: I am getting orris, grapefruit, and lotus. On me: Grapefruit and lotus root are the first notes that jump out at me, amazingly, not orris. I also get some driftwood in the mix. But the orris does pop up after a few minutes. It becomes one of the main players along with the grapefruit musk and lotus root, and surprisingly, it doesn't make me smell as if I fell into a vat of baby powder (which is my typical experience with orris). While some lotus notes smell bubblegum-like, that is not the case here. These remain the dominant notes on me throughout several hours of wear, with the driftwood just adding a bit of salt. I can smell some amber in the background (I think starbow may be right about the Pink Amber and Peony vibes -- maybe there's pink amber at play here), especially much later in the day, but I am not getting much cream from this one. Verdict: I get why people are describing this one as mermaid musk. I'm pleasantly surprised how this one went on me, as orris is usually my nemesis. I don't think I need to upgrade to a bottle, as I don't think I'd reach for it often enough, or over Blossoming Vulva, but I do think it's pretty, and I am glad I got to try it.

In the decant: Clove, backed by a bit of thyme. On me: This is a clove-dominant blend throughout wear, although I do get a lot of lavender joining it during the first few hours of wear, and then it ends up being backed by thyme and some pecan after several hours. The clove is a bold clove and not a cinnamon-y variety like in the Indonesian Clove SN. This is a warm, fuzzy scent with some herbal elements. Verdict: I was wary about the pecan, but love lavender and clove, and I was pleasantly surprised by this one. I wish the lavender and clove had remained the dominant notes throughout wear, but I am glad that I got to experience this scent.

In the decant: I'm getting vanilla cream and apple. On me: I smell a red apple dipped in some vanilla cream with a few lavender buds. The lavender gains strength as the scent dries and joins the apple and vanilla cream as one of the dominant notes. It is now more like a pile of dried lavender buds. I kept thinking it was familiar, and then I realized that it is the same lavender from Lilith's Hair Gloss and Daybreak. It ends up being a really lovely lavender and vanilla cream scent accompanied by a soft apple. I skipped the Lupercalia release in 2017, but this is one of the scents I was most curious to try. I am so happy I got to try it! I will definitely be keeping this decant, and I may end up trying to find more of this in the future. Thank you to the lovely BPALista that gifted this to me.

Mariposita shares the same honey musk in Capax Infiniti mingling with some lavender, baby powder, and lots of strawberry. The honey musk, lavender, and baby powder start off strong, but the strawberry ends up gaining strength over time, and unfortunately, it is one of those strawberries that takes on a plastic-y quality on my skin. I'm really glad I got to try this, even though it didn't work out on me. I think it could be really lovely on someone that can wear strawberry well, though.

[No additional description provided. Scent description for Snake Oil is here.] In the bottle: Lightly chilled Snake Oil. Wet: The fresh Snake Oil is far stronger than the frostbite component at first, which I believe is the chilled sweet snow note from Snow White. After a few minutes, the sweet snow note ends up becoming stronger. It really feels as if it is draped over the top of the Snake Oil, like Snake Oil curled up in a Snow White blanket. Dry: Like Snake Oil and Snow White had a baby. It's a snowdrift of the chilly sweetness of Go to Sleep, Darlings and Snow White over fresh Snake Oil. Verdict: My bottle leaked in a little transit, but was still full, and as soon as I smelled the scent on the bubble wrap, I was like, SNAKE OIL SNOW WHITE. HYPE! I tried to calm myself down before applying it in case I was mistaken. But that's what I ended up getting on my skin. This is really lovely. I'm really surprised how much the sweet snow note comes through, and I can't wait to see how this ages!

F5 is a sibling of Embalming Fluid: it shares the green tea, lemon, aloe, and white musk notes, but also features lime peel and salty seaspray. The lime peel is strongest when freshly applied, but then it mostly becomes a somewhat salty Embalming Fluid on me. I only get a touch of mint if I go looking for it. It's clean, refreshing, and great for summer, and it would pair well with Informal Tea Hair Gloss. Thank you to the lovely BPALista that gifted this to me.

I agree with Soupy's description of this apple being like an apple jolly rancher plus some gin. And indeed, the gin note is not as strong as it is in Twenty-One. Then the apple takes on a sweet, waxy quality. It's an artificial apple note that I don't normally get from the Lab, but I guess it would make sense here since this is the scent of an apple-infused alcoholic beverage, not that of a fresh apple. The gin remains confined to a background role behind the apple, but it is more noticeable after a few hours of wear. I'm glad I got to try this, but I have many apple scents from the Lab that I enjoy more than this one, so I will be passing the decant on so someone else will have a chance to try it.

In the decant: I am mostly getting the apple pulp and lemon verbena, backed by some ginger and a bit of champagne. I am surprised, as champagne is usually a really strong note. On me: Lemon verbena and apple pulp are the first notes to jump out at me, with a twist of ginger. The champagne note ends up peeking out and gains strength after a few minutes, but it is not nearly as effervescent as it is in other blends. The lemon verbena and apple pulp continue to dominate the scent. It ends up being a predominantly lemon verbena blend with a touch of flat champagne that stays close to the skin. Verdict: It was nice to be able to try this, but there are other champagne scents from the Lab that I enjoy more. I am really surprised at how tame the champagne in this one is, as it usually packs a punch.

Hedylogos starts off with a strong, sharp, tea rose sort of rose. The resins linger in the background, and it takes a few hours before the honey shows up on me. By that point, it is sweeter, but now the scent smells powdery. Even though it has gone powdery on me, I much prefer this phase of the scent, even though it has an odd, unexpected twist of cumin, which I see Teamama also got in her review. I'm not really a fan of rose plus resins, and there are roses that I prefer over the variety in this blend, but I am glad that I got a chance to try this one in my quest to try the GC.

Orange blossom is not a great note on me, and Catherine starts off being predominantly an orange blossom scent, before the rose emerges and joins it on the center stage. I enjoy rosemary, but sadly, I am not getting any of it on my skin. This one is all about the floral notes. I'm glad I got to try this in my quest to try the GC, but Catherine is not for me.

They're similar in that they smell like coniferous forests warmed by sunbeams. Epidote does seem more pine-forward though, which he may like, since he loved Jabberwocky so much. But Theoi Nomioi is more readily available, so if he likes it, it will be easier to get more. It's also a scent whose proceeds go to charities that benefit our national parks, and there are three label variants (one with Yosemite, one with Old Faithful from Yellowstone, and then the one with the rams shown on the website). ...I realize I haven't been much help.

Note: I am testing this on my skin, and not in the bath. The decant is of unknown age. The base oil is strong, but it hasn't gone off, so I am guessing it is at least a few years old. On me, sandalwood and sage are the standout notes. But then it ends up going powdery. I think that may be due to the sandalwood combining with the benzoin? Sadly, I never got any cardamom from this, and the scent is very light on my skin. Verdict: I am glad I got to try this, but it is not an upgrade for me. I was so hoping for sandalwood and cardamom!

In the decant, I am getting some of the papaya pulp, a bit of mint, and a hint of the grey amber. On me, the green musk, sage, and grey amber are the notes that stand out. It definitely smells green. The papaya pulp joins in a few minutes later, adding some sweetness to the scent. It becomes more fresh smelling over time, thanks to the green tea, cool, white mint, and a hint of lime. After a while, it becomes a perfume-y sort of scent, and I think part of that is due to the green musk and amber, which are reminding me of 51. Only this has a different fruit note and no freesia. I can smell the cucumber in this phase of the scent, although it is hard to pick out individual notes by this point. Verdict: I'm glad I got to try this, but like 51, it's not something I would decide to wear. Fans of 51 should definitely give this a try, though!

It has been interesting to read about the batch variations on this one. My imp is light in color and looks like a fresh imp. Gnome started off with an extremely effervescent ginger note with a dash of root beer, but it quickly gave way to fizzy ginger ale. I could detect a hint of the black pepper, but it was fleeting, and I never could pick out the other notes. And that's fine with me! I would much rather this stay on the soda side of things. While I was hoping that the sarsaparilla would stick around longer, I do think this is a nice ginger ale scent. I'll be keeping my imp for RPG layering purposes.

I'm not a big fan of spearmint, but I wanted to try this anyway because it was a Frankenstein scent, and I knew that I could pass it on to a friend that loves all things mint if it weren't for me. The spearmint actually did end up being the stronger of the two mint notes on me, but the white musk and bright elemi ended up gaining strength on me with wear, creating a cool, clean scent. The mint notes in this were not as intense or long-lasting as many other minty BPALs, and that surprised me, given the name. However, that could just be due to age. I'm glad I got to try this, but I will be passing it on to my friend so that she can try it.

Exhibit Hall Fatigue starts off with a strong blast of menthol, but then it ends up shifting to Lick It's bracing peppermint. The peppermint is super strong and reigns for a long time, but after it burns off, I am left with a nice citrus combo with just a breath of mint. I agree that this is more of a utility scent than a perfume oil. It would be perfect to wear on sick days, or days when you are feeling a little groggy or hot and need a nice pick-me-up. I am happy to have a bottle.

I AM BURIED UNDER A SEA OF SALT. Or at least, I felt like I was throughout the first few hours of wear. In the bottle, I get lavender with a touch of salt. On my skin, it is a SALT PARTY. So. Much. SALT. The lavender is behind it, but it is nowhere near as strong as the intense salt. The salt note wasn't nearly this strong in the bottle, so I think my skin chemistry is to blame here. It took 3 hours for the rain note to emerge. It is lovely: the same raindrop note found in Waiting, only here, there's a ton of salt instead of the Lab's lovely asphalt note. Verdict: I am not sure how I feel about this. I like the scent in the bottle, and I like the salty lavender rain scent after it has been on the skin for a few hours. But I do not like the intensity of the salt before it got to the point where the rain note appeared. I'll probably retest this in a few weeks to see if it has changed any, but at the moment, I do not love it like I love Waiting, and I could not see myself using this as a sleep scent, since it is so salty on me.

Note: I tested this on my arm and on a paper towel, as I wasn't sure I wanted something with a strawberry note in my hair for two days. I'll update in the future if I have a different scent experience in my hair. I swapped for this on a whim. I initially passed over this due to the strawberry note, but I have been really enjoying some Lupers this year that weren't originally on my radar, so I thought I'd give this a go. This starts off smelling like strawberry Starburst. Which is fine by me! The pink amber and chypre emerge after a little bit and add a touch of sophistication to the scent. I get far more amber and chypre (especially the moss in the chypre, since I amp moss) on my skin than I do on the paper towel. I believe the dried red fruits note may be dried currants. They linger behind these notes, and again, are more noticeable on my skin than on the paper towel I sprayed with the hair gloss. After a while, the rice milk joins in and makes the scent creamier. The sugar is also noticeable, but it is stronger on the paper towel than it is on my arm. Although this smells different on my arm and on the paper towel, I like both ways the scent turned out. Verdict: I am actually pleasantly surprised by this one. I wouldn't have expected to enjoy something with strawberry juice listed as the first note, but this is really pretty. I plan on keeping my decant to pair with scents like Pink Moon, Pink Amber and Peony, and Vasilissa. I may even end up grabbing more of this depending on how it fares in my hair!

Dove's Heart is a melancholy floral scent. It starts off very sharp, and I think that is due to a combination of wisteria and lavender (wisteria always shrieks on me). It gives me Les Fleurs du Mal vibes. Over time, it becomes a much softer, powdery scent, but I do not think it is violet or orris causing the powderiness. It's a comforting sort of powderiness, not a get-it-off-me sort of powderiness. The end result is comforting, but I wouldn't want to go through the sharp phase of the scent to get to it. I am really glad I got to try it, though.

In the decant: Ferns and florals. On me: I'm getting the ferns, rose, lilac, and lavender. It starts off being pretty sharp, but it starts to smooth over after a few minutes, as the lilac overtakes the rose, and there's a bit of the sugar in the background. After a while I get lightly-sugared ferns, lilac, and lavender, with a touch of blackcurrant. The licorice-y absinthe is nowhere to be found on me, surprisingly. The sugar becomes even more noticeable after several hours of wear. Verdict: This is a nice herbal, sugar-touched lilac scent. I thought that the absinthe would rule this out for me, but I think this is lovely. I'll be hanging on to my imp. ETA: I bought a BNNU bottle of this, but it is not aged like the scent I got from the imp. While I appreciated the lack of absinthe from the imp I tried, it is very noticeable on me when I tested it from the bottle. I may end up destashing the bottle and keeping the imp if the anise takes too long to age out of the bottle. ETA #2: Retested both the imp and the bottle a year later. The absinthe has significantly calmed down in the bottle after a year of aging, but both are primarily fern and lilac scents once the rose calms down. I like it, but I don't love it, so I think I should force myself to part with the bottle and just keep the imp.