doomsday_disco

Hmm. I've only tested this once so far, the day after this decant arrived, so I may update my review if I have a different experience after this has settled some more. I get a coolness from this, and I don't think that there's stealth peppermint in this, but maybe another type of mint or something, and I believe that the black velvet note, along with containing musk, also contains a black tea note, and maybe a hint of tobacco. The blackcurrant plays a supporting role here. It's most noticeable when the scent is freshly applied, and I do smell it more in the throw than I do up close, but it is not as strong as these other notes that I think may comprise the black velvet accord. I'm also not getting a ton of rose from this... I swear I get way more musky, cool tea than anything else. I do not believe this contains the same black velvet accord as Vain Sorceress. I'll retest it after this has had more time to settle, mainly to see if I still have the same experience, or if I get more rose or blackcurrant after the oil has been sitting for a few weeks, but at the moment, I don't feel the need to grab more of this one.

This one starts off somewhat vegetal on me, and I believe that's due to the musk. I also get the cherry, patchouli, jasmine, and amber, but this settles into pretty much a red musk only blend on me by the end of the day. I tried this twice, and although it started off vegetal on me twice, it smelled better on the back of my hand (with the cherry and amber briefly giving Moon When the Cherries Turn Black vibes) than it did on my upper arm (where the musk was much stronger and I got less cherry). I'm always chasing cherry scents, but I don't feel the need to add this one to my collection. Of the two Carmilla cherry blends I grabbed decants of, I prefer Die, Sweetly Die over this one. But someone who does better with red musk might have better luck with this blend.

This smells like hot cocoa in the vial, but as soon as it goes on, it's cut through with a blast of dragon's blood. It ends up being more dragon's blood than cocoa on me, although the cocoa is definitely present throughout wear. I don't feel the need to upgrade this to a bottle, but it was fun to get to try this. I'd recommend it to someone who is looking for a chocolate scent with a spooky, non-gourmand twist.

Scorched oud, bitter resins, black musk, a torn shred of gossamer vanilla, and a clang of metal. “I concealed myself in the dark dressing room, that opened upon the poor patient’s room, in which a candle was burning, and watched there till she was fast asleep. I stood at the door, peeping through the small crevice, my sword laid on the table beside me, as my directions prescribed, until, a little after one, I saw a large black object, very ill-defined, crawl, as it seemed to me, over the foot of the bed, and swiftly spread itself up to the poor girl’s throat, where it swelled, in a moment, into a great, palpitating mass. “For a few moments I had stood petrified. I now sprang forward, with my sword in my hand. The black creature suddenly contracted towards the foot of the bed, glided over it, and, standing on the floor about a yard below the foot of the bed, with a glare of skulking ferocity and horror fixed on me, I saw Millarca. Speculating I know not what, I struck at her instantly with my sword; but I saw her standing near the door, unscathed. Horrified, I pursued, and struck again. She was gone; and my sword flew to shivers against the door.”

Does the carcass match the drapes? Cascades of banana Leaf, bamboo fiber, mango, papaya, and hibiscus, streaked with ectoplasm and sticky tears of strelitzia sap.

A dark and dreary fragrance, honeyed yet ominous, hovering in sweet shadows: overripe strawberries and bloody smears of red currant hovering in a gloom of indigo musk, black tea, plum incense tears, champaca, cacao, and hazy laudanum accord.

A sparkling absinthe martini swirled with a glow stick and overflowing with cascades of dry ice fog.

Inspired by beeswax poppets, votary effigies, and wax cast funerary masks. Beeswax, ashes, and blood.

A one-two punch from mother Malus pumila: a steaming dipperful of expertly-spiced cider that’s been slapped with a generous splash of aged apple brandy. Remember, if it’s boiled, it’s spoiled!

Minotaur Landscaper starts off as a blast of soil and grass on me, with more dirt than grass, and some pepperiness from what is probably the copaiba balsam. Over time, the dirt and grass decrease in strength and it becomes more of a peppery musky amber scent. While this isn't something I can see myself wearing, it was fun to get to try it.

Golden hay, vanilla bean, toasted amber, hazelnuts, white carnation petals, and cream. Artist - Shibata Zeshin

I blind bottled this because it was a cake scent for a good cause, but sadly, I'm just not jiving with it. It's too cloying on me, and I think that's due to the frosting mixing with the powdery sprinkles. There's cake there, too, of course, with its olive oil to boot, but it's only slightly lemon-y (I was hoping it would be more lemony, but the description does say faintly, so...). This ended up being too sweet and powdery for me. Sprinklecake and I didn't get along either. Maybe one day I'll find a sprinkle-adorned cake scent that works on me.

Globs of bubbling tar and rivulets of motor oil oozing through the grooves of rusted scavenged steel.

A symphony of rust and fire: dust-blasted leather and the jagged concrete and steel teeth of time-blasted ruins, spattered with blood, choked with smoke, and thrumming with the distant drone of engines.

The scent of a forsaken land: cracked earth, gasoline seeping into sun-scorched sand. The scent of balsam and leather drifts across desolate dunes the glimmer dully with shards of frankincense.

The haunted stillness of a long-decayed cemetery plot choked by ivy and wild blackberry thorns. In this solitude, having just listened to so strange a story, connected, as it was, with the great and titled dead, whose monuments were moldering among the dust and ivy round us, and every incident of which bore so awfully upon my own mysterious case—in this haunted spot, darkened by the towering foliage that rose on every side, dense and high above its noiseless walls—a horror began to steal over me, and my heart sank as I thought that my friends were, after all, not about to enter and disturb this triste and ominous scene.

Sometimes we find it purely impossible to function without the kind of hot drink that leaves an oil slick in the cup. Here’s a crisp apple cider scent for those who can relate, complete with melted buttery swirl. Please note: this oil is vegan.

Black velvet steeped in tea leaves, infernal cologne, and crimson resins, Vinegar Tom exudes shadowy seduction. The scent evokes honeyed flatteries, secret pacts, and whispered promises slipping from the lips of a finely dressed lothario. Please note: this oil contains honey absolute.

“You think you just fell out of a coconut tree? You exist in the context of all in which you live and what came before you.” Everything is in context, including this scent: coconut meat, coconut milk, coconut frond, and coconut husk. Proceeds from this perfume will be contributed to Emily’s List, an organization dedicated to helping pro-choice women win elections. Learn more here!

Green Tea and Green Strawberries.

Fleurs D’Oranger (orange blossom).

Inspired by a strawberry-tinted albino corn snake that I met many, many years ago – strawberry-infused Snake Oil with a froth of marshmallow fluff and a hint of vanilla sugar.

Belladonna Berries and Sugared Black Tea.

9/5/2024 Anything in Paintbox Soap Works Halloween release that you'd like? I added some to my Universal Wishlist last week! Fairytale and Putney Road are my favorite fall offerings of hers, in wax melts, glycerin soap, or mini sorbetto. I also am interested in a few others as wax melts that I added to my wishlist. Anything hand knit or embroidered you might like? Perhaps a cute ghost or bat? 👀 I make shower steamers, salves, candles, soaps and other such. Are you interested in any such homemade goodies? I'd be happy to try any of these! 9/7/2024 Would you like a small watercolor painting? I'm talking 3×5". If so, would you like it based on your preferred Halloween motifs or something else? I would love that! Especially if it featured a cute bat or a cute ghost. Or a black cat! I make light-weight hair falls ( I can do single or double, if you have a preference for pony tail or pig tails)- I make them out of things like soft yarns, up-cycled silk and bits of lace. Is this something you'd like? If so, tell me up to three colors and a length in inches you'd like. I was already fortunate enough to receive these from you in a Krampusnacht swap. Anything from the Haus of Gloi Fall update? My favorite Haus of Gloi item is actually their unscented pumpkin butter, but I wouldn't say no to Blood Orange Marshmallow pumpkin butter. How about the Nocturne Alchemy Halloween update? I ordered decants of all of the new scents I was interested in, but I'd love to try Haunted Portrait: Helena Hackley from the Resurgence. 9/8/2024 Milk, Dark, and or white Chocolate? Milk or dark, but I generally prefer milk chocolate. No straight-up Hershey's chocolate bars, please. Would you like a gently-used tarot or Lenormand deck? My partner is getting into Tarot and I've been dabbling with her Rider-Waite deck. I also have a fantasy deck from a past 13 Nights swap, and I own The Nightmare Before Christmas Tarot deck. I wouldn't mind a gently used deck, or a shirt or some sort of art featuring the Queen of Wands design with the black cat for Halloween. I'm going to Disney World all next week!!! Can I get you something? (Maybe you have a favorite Disney / Star Wars / etc character or fandom? Maybe you're a Pin Trader? Maybe you like cute kitchen-wares / tea pots / nice English tea / pot holders tea towels?) My favorite Disney movies are Alice in Wonderland, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, and The Sword in the Stone. And, of course, The Nightmare Before Christmas. I would love anything Archimedes the Owl, anything Alice in Wonderland, some cute fall Winnie the Pooh (I have a fall-themed Winnie the Pooh lanyard and some ankle socks), or an Everybody Wants To Be a Cat shirt from The Aristocats. I'm also always down for cute kitchenwares because I cook and bake a lot and I love getting things that are practical and can be used. This is has been alluded to in other questions, but feelings about candles/wax tarts/incense and scent profiles? Candles - I enjoy candles. I'm on a self-imposed candle ban, so you do not have to worry about me buying them myself. I prefer soy candles with wood or double wicks, but am down for almost any candle that is indie and isn't from Sihaya (I have too many of her candles, and they tunnel). Wax melts - I melt wax every single day and have five warmers throughout my apartment. I'm currently on a self-imposed wax ban because I have so much of it, but I don't mind if my bat gets some for me. I'd especially love Willow Waxcraft's Harvest Hayride wax melts, or the Fairytale and Putney Road wax melts from Paintbox Soapworks. Incense - I usually don't burn incense, but I bought this coffin-shaped incense burner from Voltaire at a show just to support him in some way (because what I had wanted to buy was already sold out). So now I wouldn't mind dabbling in Japanese incense, but I'm not interested in my abode smelling like nag champa. Scent profile: My scent profile for home scents is pretty much the same as perfumes, but I'm more lenient about notes that wouldn't work on me, except for anise and violet, and I don't want any straight-up fruity wax (some fruit notes are okay). are you interested in skincare, such as trying travel sizes of various types? (would be cruelty-free, cleaner options coming from over here, if that matters to you!) I just bought a bunch of skincare for redness/very dry skin from Paula's Choice. I wouldn't mind trying travel sized skin-care that is cruelty and fragrance-free if it helps with redness or dryness. 9/9/2024 Let's talk earrings. Pierced? Stud, dangly, hoop? Any ear wire preferences? Large or small? Other preferences? My ears are not pierced. If there is something extravagant on your wish list, would you like one large gift and the rest of your gifts quite modest, or would you rather forego the lavish item in favor of more of a mix among your other gifts? I'm leaning more towards a mix, but I would be happy either way! The Trader Joe's Fearless Flyer is out with all of their autumn offerings. Is there anything you would like? I just went there yesterday! My only regret is that I didn't smell the candles (I already have two of the honeycrisp ones from last year). 9/11/2024 I have in my possession a selection of real Bakelite bangle bracelets! Definitely from the 1940s-1960s era. Would this be an exciting gist for you to receive? No, thank you! Would you like anything from sock dreams? I added the Lotions and Potions purple socks to my wishlist yesterday after looking at the website. I also like their striped armwarmers. 9/13/2024 Would you be interested in a spooky mini waffle maker or spooky playing cards? No, thank you! I was already gifted a mini pumpkin waffle maker, and we recently got some playing cards from a tea room. Does anything from SnagTights strike your fancy? No, thank you... they have cute offerings, but I have noticed that I am very bad at picking the right size for tights. What about from Michaels or JoAnnes? From Michaels - I'm still waffling on that cat shelf. From Joanne's - They had a lot of cute sock offerings this year, and I liked the cat on the pumpkin that lights up. This is what I did buy: bat mirror, moon mirror, ghost, pumpkin, and black cat plates, the socks specified in my questionnaire, and the moon phase tapestry. Their selection this year is pretty awesome. Oh, if my vampire bat is crafty and would like to make me a Halloween wreath, I would love that! do you like Ren fairest? Might there be a fun little thing I should find for you there? If there's something small a cute! 9/14/2024 Weather permitting I'll be going to a witchy Florida themed night market next week! Is there anything you may want from it? I'm not sure! Maybe something orange-y? 9/17/2024 Do you desire any Samhain ritual-type items, if so, what? No, thank you! Tell me, my ghoul-friend, would you love to see things from these places (and what?) as you unwrap your gifts? I will be going to the Pacific coast soon, and there are witchy stores (one with serious occult supplies, many handmade including inks, quills, books, etc), a HUGE gem & mineral store, a huge yarn shop, shells and way too much sasquatch stuff, also an amazingly diverse mercantile in Yachats, OR, and the Green Salmon, where unique PNW teas, coffees are sold. Tea would be nice! 9/18/2024 Would you like spooky-themed stationary supplies? What kinds if so? Yes. I like using cute notepads, washi tape, and stickers for swap packages. What about unanointed spell candles? No, thank you! Could you use any clever storage boxes like these? Normally I would be down for these, but I bought a bunch at Home Goods last year when they had a ton of Halloween ones, and now I have too many that are empty and taking up space. 9/23/2024 If I were to place an order from Cellar Door, what strikes your fancy - they're having a fast 20% off sale through Monday so I'd need an answer fast. Autumn Apple Fest, Basic Witch, and Spooky Season sound interesting, especially the latter. Soap or candle. 10/2/2024 Would you be down for baked goods as a day zero gift? If so, are there any you particularly enjoy that travel well? I am down for baked goods and am not picky! But I think cookies probably travel the best. Is your perfume wishlist up to date? 'Tis! 10/4/2024 Last minute question. Do you need herbs? Rosemary, thyme, winter savory, oregano, sage or such? Mugwort for tea/burning? I grow lots of herbs and I'm happy to share! I would be happy with any of those (although I'm not sure what winter savory is!). I also enjoy mugwort for tea. I cook and bake a lot, so yes to any and all herbs that aren't licorice-adjacent!

Tombstone is one of my favorites, so I took a chance on this despite not knowing how heavily spiced, pumpkin-y, or leather-y it would be. I am pleased to report that this is not weird. The pumpkin in this is not spiced... it is syrupy! So it actually just makes Tombstone be even more like Stimulating Sassafras Strengthener because it goes on like you've been hit in the face with a bunch of root beer barrel candies. The scent stays that way for a really long time, and eventually I think I'm smelling a bit of leather, but if I didn't know there was leather in it, I wouldn't have gone looking for it. Actually, I wasn't sure if this would actually contain leather or if it would be like... dried pumpkin rind or something. Anyways, what little leather I do think I'm getting reminds me of a leather in one of the GC ____ Rider scents, but I no longer have any imps of it around to know for sure. And again, it's so light that I wouldn't know it existed if I hadn't seen the scent description. Eventually, this settles into a syrupy scent. It's not vegetal, buttery, or spiced. My brother thought I was wearing maple, but I didn't think it was like that, but more like if the syrup you'd put in a pumpkin coffee drink got mixed with some soda machine syrup. I don't think this is as swoonworthy as the original Tombstone, but as a root beer ho, I'm still happy to have it in my collection... especially since it has still been over 100 degrees here in OCTOBER FFS, and it's nice to be able to actually wear a Weenie scent that isn't too heavy.