doomsday_disco

2018 release. In the decant: I’m getting lots of champaca and some cognac. The cognac is indeed reminiscent of Lush’s Snowshowers, only this scent is far more incense-y thanks to the champaca. Wet: The white champaca and cognac notes are the notes that jump out to me the most. It really is like Lush’s Snowshowers infused with champaca, at least at first, but then the champaca note becomes stronger and the white musk asserts itself, so that association goes away.This reads as a clean, incense-y scent to my nose. Dry: The champaca and white musk reign, with some floral notes in the background, and some very light cognac behind them. It’s more floral and less clean than before. It does have a glittering quality to it. Verdict: I was really looking forward to this one, and it was really promising when first applied, but the champaca note, while nice, ends up taking over and making this a little too one-dimensional on me. I am glad that I got to try it, though!

2018 release. In the decant: The Lab’s lovely ambergris accord accompanied by warm resins and some immortelle (which I recognize from Black Silk). Wet: The warm resins reign on my skin, backed by the musky ambergris. I can smell the immortelle as well, but it’s not as strong as the resins or the ambergris. The scent is very warm, like being wrapped up in a fuzzy blanket. Dry: The ambergris reigns, accompanied by the warm resins. I am getting more of the sweet benzoin now, and myrrh is also more prominent. After a while, the myrrh becomes the dominant note. Verdict: This is a lovely scent, but it is also rather light, until the myrrh becomes more prominent after a few hours of wear. I like it a lot more than I thought I would! I’m not sure that I need a bottle of it, but I’ll definitely hang on to my decant.

In the decant: Lilac (but it’s sweeter than normal, perhaps honeyed?) and white musk with frankincense, tobacco leaf, and some tea. Wet: The lilac and white musk are the first notes to jump out at me, followed by the tobacco leaf, frankincense, and black tea. The lilac note does smell like it is honeyed. Sometimes, the Lab’s black tea note has an anise quality to it on my skin, but that is not the case here. The frankincense in this isn’t heavy, and the tobacco leaf isn’t really smoky. Dry: The black tea, tobacco leaf, and frankincense are more prominent during this phase of the scent, but the honeyed lilac is still present, and so is the white musk. There’s a tinge of smokiness now from the tobacco leaf, and the scent is not as sweet as it was before, since the frankincense and tobacco leaf are playing greater roles. It’s a warm scent, slightly sweetened by the honeyed lilac, with a wisp of smoke from the tobacco leaf. Verdict: I did not expect Famine to smell so nice! I do not think I need more of this one (I preferred the wet phase of the scent), but I do enjoy it. I think I’ll hold on to my decant.

2018 release. In the decant: Well-worn leather, beeswax, smoke, yellowed pages, and a bit of the salt. Wet: The leather and beeswax are the strongest notes on me, followed by the yellowed pages. Far in the background, I can smell some of the salty tears and the metallic knife. It becomes smokier and less sweet as it sits on my skin. Dry: The smoke has calmed down. The well-worn brown leather of the books continues to dominate the scent, followed by the beeswax, and then a bit of smoke. The dusty, yellowed pages are not as prominent as before, and while I can still smell a bit of the salty tears, I’m no longer getting the metallic note in the background. Verdict: This is a nice leather and beeswax scent. I don’t feel the need to obtain more of this, as there are other leather scents and beeswax scents that I’d reach for before this one, but I am glad that I was able to try it. I may end up hanging on to my decant for a while to see how it ages and try it again before deciding to swap it away.

This scent wasn’t originally on my radar, but after seeing the glowing reviews, I just had to buy a leftover decant! In the decant: Sweet vanilla musk intertwined with sweet resins. This also makes me think of a lighter Antikythera Mechanism, without any of the sharpness that that scent has on me, mixed with Banshee Beat. Wet: Sweet resins and vanilla musk. Something in this reminds me of Banshee Beat. Oak can be sharp and cologne-y on me, but that’s not the case here. It’s also not a heavy scent. As the scent sits on my skin, it becomes brighter. There’s an effervescent quality to this, like the wand is surrounded by its own magical aura. Dry: The sparkling, glowing quality still remains. It’s vanilla musk and sweet, light resins, but it’s more than that. It’s a wand that leaves a trail of magic in its wake. Verdict: I am so thankful for all of the wonderful reviews of this scent that led me to track down a decant before this collection goes down. I need more of this in my life!

In the decant: Exactly what it says in the description! Fresh cotton and soap. Wet: I am getting a lot of the linen and the soap. It really does smell like well-scrubbed soapy skin and cotton. I am testing this against Boober, and Boober is much softer and more floral with less linen. This is a bright scent. Dry: I can still smell a lot of fresh cotton note and soapy skin. It’s interesting to smell the variations between these clean scents. While Boober features very realistic soap suds, Wensleydale features a bar of soap. Verdict: The scent description is spot on! It’s not something I could see myself wearing, as clean scents aren’t generally something I reach for (and I do prefer Boober over this one), but I am glad that I got to try it.

In the decant: This Lick It is stronger on the mint than the sugar! Wet: There’s a blast of mint accompanied by some sugar. But the mint is a cool peppermint, not the kind that leaves a cold burn on your skin. Dry: The cool peppermint is still going strong. It’s actually tingling my skin now. There’s still some sugar present, but it is not nearly as sugary as I’d like, and I’m not picking up on any vanilla. After a few hours, I get a soft, sugared mint backed by a base of vanilla. Yaaaas! Verdict: I am really glad I got to try this variation of Lick It! It is very strong on the mint, but fortunately, the sugar and vanilla ended up becoming more prominent after a while, after the mint calmed down. I’m going to hang on to my decant and wear it on hot summer days or when I need a sinus-clearing scent.

In the decant: Definitely smells like a candy cane! Wet: This Lick It does not contain a bracing mint. It’s a soft one, and sugary, and it does seem as if this candy cane has been licked. But there’s a dusty quality to this one, like it has been dropped on the ground. I wonder if that bit of oddness is meant to be a metallic note or just my skin doing weird things. Dry: This smells like a mixture of peppermint leaves to me and cough drops with menthol in them. It definitely smells less candy-like on my skin now. I’m not picking up on any vanilla. After a while, it just smells like dusty cough drop to me. Even the boy says he can smell a dustiness to the scent on me. Verdict: I am glad that I got to try this, as I am curious about the different variations of Lick It, but this is the Lick It scent I’ve tried that I like the least so far, as there was not enough sugar for me, and I did not get any vanilla. And then there was the odd dusty quality to it on my skin. Not for me.

In the decant: Dusty blonde woods and musk. I think one of the woods is a yellow or golden sandalwood note. Wet: A light musk accompanied by the dust and blonde woods, which I think may contain two sandalwood notes now (white and golden). It is evocative of a shop filled with bookshelves of dusty tomes with yellowed pages… which fits Aziraphale perfectly. As the scent sits on my skin, a cedar note emerges, but it is not the kind of cedar that stomps all over everything else. Dry: The scent is less dusty now, as the ethereal musk has asserted itself and is now the dominant note, backed by the warm woods. It smells bright. After a while, the ethereal musk has an aquatic vibe to it. Verdict: Aziraphale’s scent matches his character, and it’s a lot more pleasant than I thought it would be! I am not sure that I need a bottle, but I’ll certainly cherish my decant. It’s a wonderful book scent!

Source: This is a fresh decant from Ajevie. In the decant: I’m getting lots of red musk, patchouli, some lemon rind, and lilac cologne. Wet: I get lots of musk, lilac cologne, and lemon rind at first, and then the patchouli and leather notes emerge. The red musk was super strong in the decant, which made me worried, as it tends to declare dominion over everything on my skin, but the lilac cologne and lemon rind are helping to tame it on my skin. The red patchouli note is getting stronger over time, and the leather seems to be a well-worn variety as opposed to a fresh, sharp, chemically kind. As the scent begins to dry, the oakmoss note appears. I’m not getting any of the vanilla husk at this point. Dry: It’s darker now, as the lilac cologne and lemon rind are no longer playing prominent roles. I’m getting a lot of red musk, red patchouli, leather, and oakmoss. After a while, the red musk and patchouli are still going really strong (and have huge throw, too), followed by the leather and oakmoss, but the scent is a little sweeter, as the vanilla husk finally decided to peek out. Much later, I get the mahogany in the background, adding more warmth to the scent. This is the scent of a sexy guy in a leather jacket. Verdict: I am not a fan of red musk, and sadly, Crowley’s infernal musk is too much for me. But I love the character, so while it is not a scent I would wear myself, I’m going to try it on the boy and see what he thinks, as this would be wonderful on a guy.

Roll-ups, mildewed raincoat, sweet tea, and condensed milk. In the decant: I’m getting the roll ups, mossy raincoat, lots of tobacco and sweet tea, and some condensed milk. Wet: The roll ups and sweet black tea are the first notes to emerge, along with an unlisted tobacco note. Then I get a strong aquatic vibe from the scent, which I’m guessing has to do with the raincoat. As it begins to dry, it is mostly strong sweet tea with the aquatic note and some tobacco. Dry: The scent is a lot sweeter now. I smell coconut. The sweet tea and roll ups are very prominent, and I’m getting more of the condensed milk now, adding a creaminess to the scent. I no longer smell tobacco, the aquatic vibe is still present, but has calmed down significantly, and there’s no sign of mildew to be found, although I think there is some moss at play here. Verdict: I like this a lot more than I thought I would! It’s a curious combination of notes, but somehow, it works. I may need to obtain more of it at some point.

In the decant: The tea rose, violet, and ume blossom stand out to me the most. Wet: The sweet ume blossom and violet are pretty strong on me, and then the tea rose quickly decides to join them. I get the geranium and the lily in the background. Dry: The violet is the dominant note on me, sweetened further by the ume blossom. I can smell the tea rose in the background, but it is not as strong as it was before. It’s somewhat reminiscent of Marie, only that one had more of a balance between the rose and the violet. This one is far stronger on the violet. Verdict: I’m not particularly fond of violet, so Madame Tracy is not for me, but I do think that the scent matches her character. There’s the type of florals you’d see in the Victorian Spiritualism blends accompanied by the sweet violet and ume blossom that show that she’s not who she seems to be.

2018 release. In the decant: A bouquet of soft white flowers. Wet: This is definitely a bouquet of soft, white flowers. I am not able to pick out individual notes, but I will say that none of the flowers are sharp, sour, or competing with one another. At the moment, I’m not getting any of the tobacco, bourbon vanilla, or tonka, but perhaps they’ll emerge after some time? Dry: This stays true all the way through: it’s a bouquet of soft white florals that never vie with one another for attention or veer into soap territory. The scent is softer now, and I’m still not picking up on the bourbon vanilla, tobacco, or tonka notes. Verdict: I think this is a lovely white floral scent, but as I do not really reach for straight-up floral scents, I don’t think I’d end up reaching for this one. That said, if that is your thing, you should definitely get this one!

2018 release. In the decant: Upon opening the decant, I am hit with a blast of jasmine, accompanied by some of the saffron-infused bourbon vanilla and honey. But mostly, JASMINE. Wet: The jasmine note is the most prominent note on my skin, followed by the honey. I can also smell the saffron aspect of the bourbon vanilla and the musky ambrette seed. Oddly enough, I’m not able to pick out either of the wood notes, but I suspect they’re adding some more warmth to the scent. Dry: The jasmine continues to reign, but it is softer now, and so is the honey (which is also a main player). I get more of the saffron-infused bourbon vanilla than before (especially the saffron), and I can still smell the musky ambrette. I’m still not able to pick out the woods or hay, but the scent is even warmer than before, and I am sure they likely have something to do with it. I really like this phase of the scent. Verdict: While I enjoyed the dry phase of this scent, I’m not sure if I’d want to endure the blast of jasmine and honey that I get when I apply it and wait for it to settle down. This isn’t something I feel the need to obtain more of, but I’m glad that I got a chance to try it!

Eerie billows of spun sugar, fluttering white cotton, and sheets of cream. 2012 version. In the decant: I have not tried the previous versions of Boo. I only have the hair gloss, and I once had the bath oil (but I used it up long ago). I get waaaay more white cotton from this decant than I do from my hair gloss, but I can still smell the spun sugar and cream. I am also getting a lot of lemon, and I wonder if that is from the sugar or the linen? Wet: Creamy, sugary, clean linen. The lemon-y aspect that I got in the decant is also present on my skin. Although it is sweet and creamy, it is definitely stronger on the white cotton note than my hair gloss is, so it has more of a clean, breezy quality to it. Dry: This makes me think of clean, vanilla-scented linen drying outside on a summer breeze. It’s like musky vanilla cream and clean linen. However, the boy think it smells like sunscreen on me. Sad! Verdict: I’m going to hold on to my decant and retest it on a day I’m actually wearing the hair gloss. I like it, but not nearly as much as the hair gloss (which I love).

In the decant: I can smell the fog, the sugar-crusted vanilla, and the cherry and lemon notes. I’m not getting anything sinister from the decant. Wet: The fog note unravels on my skin, with a bit of cherry, lemon, and vanilla behind it. The fog in this does not remind me of Fog Machine Juice whatsoever, which makes me happy, as my skin chemistry did not get along with that one. It smells like a light vanilla fog from a fog machine doing its best to obscure everything else in the room, but it’s simply not able to hide everything. The cherry and lemon in the background smell candy-like to me. Dry: This took a sharp turn on me. I’m still getting a lot of fog with a light vanilla, and I don’t know if it is the sour lemon combining with another note or something else entirely, like a hint of men’s cologne? It’s not as sweet as it was before. After a few hours, it’s a really light vanilla-tinged fog with a hint of lemon. Verdict: Alternative Facts is an interesting scent journey that perfectly matches its description! I think it’s nice. I preferred the wet stage of the scent, and if it had remained that way, I would have considered a bottle. But the dry stage is a little too sharp on me. I’m super glad that I got to try it, though! (Thanks for the tester, VetchVesper!)

Blackened patchouli, clove bud, honey oudh, pomegranate pulp, and a splash of whiskey. This was my original impression at Drag Con: “I was not expecting to like this one, but I ended up buying a bottle. It's mostly clove and blackened patchouli to me, and I adore clove. I think it's the black clove note I love in the grave soil HG." Now, I'm testing it on a paper towel to try to review it properly: I am hit with a blast of whiskey and blackened patchouli, and then the wonderful black clove note emerges, which quickly becomes the most prominent note. I do get some pomegranate pulp, but it is not nearly as strong as the other notes. I'd say it's mostly black clove, followed by the blackened patchouli, whiskey, and oudh, with just a little pomegranate pulp. It's boozier than it was when I sprayed it at Drag Con, but my nose was probably just overwhelmed by scent by that point. I don't have any wigs to use this on, but I think I'll spray it on my clothes when I wear scents like Wednesday's Child is Full of Woe or the Black Clove, Tobacco Flower, and Grave Soil HG. I'm glad I grabbed a bottle! I love the clove in this one.

In the decant: I am not familiar with the scent of the actual flower, but it does smell sweet and purple in the decant! Wet: Definitely a sweet, purple, springtime flower. And it’s a strong one, too. Dry: It’s softer now, but still going strong. The lush carpet of flowers in the description is spot on! And it really does smell purple and white. Verdict: I’m glad that I got to try this. This is a lovely, sweet, purple springtime floral, and I look forward to pairing it with other floral single notes I have and experimenting with it! I don’t think it’s a single note I’d wear on its own, though.

In the decant: Smoke, leather, and floral perfume. I tested this at Drag Con and mostly got a lot of smoke and leather from it at first with the floral perfume coming out more later, but I didn’t really get any vanilla. I’m excited to do a proper test! Wet: Smoke and leather, with the floral perfume note not far behind. I wonder if the floral perfume note features sandalwood or benzoin, as something in this reminds me of Kit (or maybe it’s the marjoram or a dry vanilla?). They both have the same dry quality about them. Dry: The same dry quality that is present in Kit is the main thing I am getting from Liz. That accompanied by some smoke. Verdict: I like this, and I’m really glad that I got to test it without tons of other scents on my arms! It’s not something I need a bottle of, given that I already own Kit, and this is very reminiscent of that on me -- but if you want something similar to that, or are looking for a really dry scent, give this one a whirl.

In the decant: This is floral, herbal, and fruity. I can smell the freesia, jasmine tea, red currant, and mint. Wet: The florals and jasmine tea stand out to me the most, but I’m also getting the mint, red currant, and some thyme. Dry: Now it smells like the scent of flowers and red currant being carried on a cool breeze. I am getting soft florals, red currant, and mint. This scent is light and stays close to the skin. After a few hours of wear, I mostly smell the thyme and mint with some very soft flowers in the background. Verdict: I enjoyed the wet stage of this scent the most. I wish the thyme didn’t end up becoming as prominent as it did on me. I’m beginning to think I amp that note. Overall, I think The East is nice and that the scent is fitting for what it represents, but I don’t think I need to obtain more of it.

In the decant: A cascade of florals! But these are soft florals. The jasmine doesn’t appear to be a heady variety. Wet: I am getting the bright orange blossom and freesia, and what I think might be the wisteria, that are going somewhat sharp on my skin, backed by the soft jasmine and the other flowers. Fortunately, the sharper notes quickly calmed down for the most part, although the orange blossom’s bitter quality remains present, and now the thyme note has added a green aspect to the scent. The jasmine, orange blossom, and thyme are the only notes I am able to pick out for sure, but I think I’m also getting the camellia note from the Trading Post’s Fallen Woman hair gloss. Dry: Alas, I am getting even more thyme than before. Lots of thyme and soft, somewhat soapy florals. Verdict: Jasmine Cottage does smell evocative of what it represents, but it is not a scent for me. I am glad I got to try it, though!

In the bottle: Lots of crushed grass, white musk and ozone, and a bit of lavender. I think there are some flowers in this crushed grass. Wet: I’m getting the white musk, ozone, and crushed grass, which I still think is dotted with flowers, and a little lavender. It smells very clean. Dry: The ozone and white musk have calmed down somewhat, and I’m getting more of the crushed grass (and its flowers). The lavender in this is soft, and the scent is warmer now. Verdict: I took a chance on this one because I originally wanted a bottle when it was available, but I ended up passing on it because I knew I’d need multiple bottles of Lilith’s HG and The Serpentine. I don’t dislike the scent, but it’s not one that I could see myself wearing. I wish I had gotten more of the lavender from it. I think it would be a nice room scent, though, so I think I will try it in an oil burner and see how that goes.

I haven't tried the original version. In the decant: The orris note stands out to me the most. Orris and I are not friends, so of course it would be the most prominent note to my nose. I also get some of the resins and the musk of the Snake Oil. Wet: I am getting lots of orris, some white frankincense, and the smoky black copal backed by a Snake Oil base (with the musk being the most prominent part of the Snake Oil to me here, and then the spices). It smells like I dived into a pool of baby powder, because orris hates me. Dry: Alas, it is still an orris party on my skin, with the resins lingering behind the powdery orris The Snake Oil is light, lurking in the background. I mostly smell its vanilla with just a hint of its spices. Verdict: I’m really glad I got to try this one, but King Cobra is one snake that just does not mesh with my skin chemistry (thanks, orris).

2016 version. In the decant: Vetiver and coconut-infused Snake Oil with some opoponax in the background. Vetiver and I are not friends, but I am on a quest to try all of the Snake Pit scents, so here goes! Wet: The Snake Oil in this is strong. In some of the Snake Pit blends, the Snake Oil is just a light base, but that is not the case with this one. I get lots of coconut with the Snake Oil, the smoky vetiver, and some cola-like opoponax and some extra vanilla. Dry: There’s lots of coconut, some vetiver (I think it’s the bourbon vetiver of Wulric the Wolfman -- the only kind that has worked for me thus far), and some vanilla and opoponax on a soft bed of Snake Oil. Verdict: I did not expect this one to work on me, but it was a pleasant surprise! I’m going to have to give this one a full-day test to see whether or not I need a bottle, but I’ll definitely enjoy using up this decant!

In the decant: Radishes, soft soil, and herbs. The radish and soil notes in this are softer than in Doozers. Wet: Super herb-y! I am getting lots of herbs with a soft soil note and a hint of radishes. I am getting a soft floral note as well, which makes sense since it is a garden, and there’s a sweetness to it that I think could be beets. But maybe it’s just the sweet herbs and floral with the soft earth and the peppery radish (which isn’t nearly as strong as it is in Doozers). There’s an episode of Fraggle Rock in which the mother Gorg mentions the radishes being used in a beauty cream. I can’t help but wondering if these herbs, mixed with the radishes, is what that cream would smell like. Dry: It’s sweeter than it was before. The herbs and soft floral still dominate, backed by the soft soil note (which is not as moist or as strong as the Lab’s graveyard dirt note). The radish note lingers far in the background, as if these radishes haven’t been harvested yet (or maybe the Fraggles ran off with them). There’s no sign of the Trash Heap that lives in the Gorgs’ garden in this scent, although I know if Beth were to create a scent just for her, it would be spot on! Verdict: The Gorg’s Garden is a lot more pleasant than I thought it would be. I don’t think I need a bottle of it, but I’m really glad I got to try it!