doomsday_disco

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.

Note: I tested this on my arm and on a... Chipotle napkin, because I was not sure I'd want this in my hair for two days in a row. It starts off with a black cherry note that is reminiscent of the cherry layer of a cherry tootsie pop, but then it quickly morphs into CHERRY LIQUEUR and sparkling amber. I think it may be the same amber featured in Alleviate the Frenzy. It's not one of those sweet, golden ambers that I love. I get more cherry from the napkin than I do on me -- the napkin is stronger on the cherry liqueur, while my skin is bringing out more of that sparkling amber. I will stick with Dragon Bouffant HG for my cherry fix, but I am glad I got to try this.

In the decant: I smell red rose petals, moss, and some ink. On me: Mossy rose in a puddle of spilled ink. The rose is the strongest note, but the moss is doing its best to catch up. The ink is kind of sharp and adds to the sharpness of the rose. The moss, as usual, increases with strength over time, so that it becomes a very mossy rose scent swirled with black ink after a few hours of wear. Verdict: This is definitely a unique rose scent, but not something I'd choose to wear. But I am really glad I got to try it to experience that ink note!

2019 version. The note-list is different: Be good, or Krampus will toss you in a river! Sinister red musk, black and rust-brown leathers, dusty rags, and wooden switches. In the decant: I swear I am getting some sassafras mingling with some red musk!? Something in here is reminding me of Tombstone... On me: Yep, I am getting sassafras! Well, this was totally unexpected. But I am here for it! I wonder if there is some sassafras-soaked cedar in here, or if it is accompanying the brown leather? In any case, I definitely smell some root beer with some cedar and leather. As it sits on my skin, the red musk emerges and overtakes these notes, but they can still be smelled behind it (for now). After a while, the red musk does end up taking over, as it is wont to do on me. It is a red musk party on my skin, with some black leather and dusty, soft cedar behind the musk. Verdict: Well, I was enjoying this until the red musk took over. I'd recommend this to someone that enjoys red musk but also happens to love Tombstone and leather.

Here are two simple blends that feature the note: Current LE: Cherry Blossoms in a Waterfall. Simple and clean, as long as floral notes are okay. The white musk does become more noticeable over time. "Wet cherry blossoms, muguet, and crystalline white musk." GC: If she is okay with citrus, Embalming Fluid might be a good bet for a clean, citrus scent: "A light, pure scent: white musk, green tea, aloe and lemon." Lurid has lots of white musk and ozone, too: "Black currant, Bulgarian lavender and white musk with a dollop of thick resin and a voltaic charge of ozone notes." Here's a list of Lab scents featuring the note. I remember Death on a Pale Horse being strong on the white musk, but that one is more complex than the blends listed above.

In the decant: Sugary red currant backed by some vanilla cream and patchouli. On me: Red currant and molasses with some patchouli and moss lurking behind those notes. The molasses is getting stronger as this sits on my skin. It ends up being a sugared, mossy currant scent on me after a few hours of wear. My skin chemistry tends to bring those two notes out, so I am not surprised that they ended up being the main players on me, although I would have liked more vanilla cream. Verdict: This one is pleasant, but not something I am likely to reach for. I am digging that molasses, though. If you are looking for a currant-centric scent, you won't be disappointed.

I applied some Good Luck before Ordo_ad_Chao's epic destash went live in BPAL Sales Madness. I think it was effective, because despite the frenzy, I managed to luck out and get every item that I asked for. So if you're looking to try this for its purpose, I'd say give it a whirl! As far as the scent is concerned, this is primarily a sweet cinnamon scent. I have sensitive skin, but it didn't give me any grief. I believe there is some vanilla (perhaps bourbon vanilla?) here as well, which is more noticeable after the cinnamon calms down. It isn't necessarily foodie... like, it doesn't smell like a cinnamon roll. But smelling it does make me hungry. Or maybe that's just a Taurus problem? I'll be hanging on to my decant.

In the decant: The tonic note kind of smells off. It smells like a somewhat fruity chapstick in the decant. On me: Tangerine backed by some fizzy tonic. I get some of the passionfruit and guava, but the tangerine is the strongest of the fruits on me. The tonic ends up gaining strength with wear. Verdict: I was hoping to get more guava from this, but it was mostly tangerine and tonic on me. It was nice to be able to try it, though!

Boozy coconut. SO MUCH COCONUT. This is a coconut macaroon infused with amaretto (more coconut than amaretto, though). Unfortunately, the coconut is going kind of plastic-y on me. Good thing it has low throw? This one is definitely for coconut lovers.

If you enjoy the Lab's brown leather note, you need to try Hunter. Hunter starts off a little wobbly, as the clary sage, brown leather, and clove work things out, but once it gets its footing, it ends up being this comforting, sweet, well-worn brown leather scent touched with clary sage. I am usually a clove amper, and I do not get a ton of it here, just in case you are worried about that possibly taking over. I think this is the same brown leather note that I love from Outlaw. It's so good. It's almost like... a syrup-y leather. I wonder if the amber is adding that sweetness, or if there is a secret ingredient like tonka in here? I'm not sure what it is, but I am loving this sweetened leather. I have been curious about this ever since I sniffed it at Drag Con 2018, and I'm thrilled I got to properly test this one. I am not sure I need a bottle just yet, but I may once I start to get low on Outlaw... Thank you to the lovely BPALista that frimped this to me.

99% super strong, sharp, black leather, not well-worn whatsoever, backed by some smoke and made even more dry by the touches of chapparal and sage. The leather in this is like... a leather store (cowboy variety) crawled right up into your nostrils. IT IS STRONG. The smoke and desert-y plant notes grow stronger over time, but neither can hold a candle to that leather. I am glad I got to experience this Lilith scent, but this is not the kind of leather that I enjoy wearing.