doomsday_disco

Pumpkin spice that funeral home! In the decant: I have bottles of Pumpkin Spice Snake Oil and Pumpkin Spice Perversion, and in both of those, it's mainly the GC scent with only a bit of pumpkin spice. While I can smell more of the pumpkin spices in Pumpkin Spice Embalming Fluid (since it is a much lighter scent), it's still predominantly the green tea and lemon of Embalming Fluid with just a little bit of spice in the background. Wet: Warm pumpkin spices bursting through the green tea, lemon, and aloe of Embalming Fluid. The pumpkin spice in this doesn't actually make this smell like spices to me – it just makes the scent smell really warm. After a minute, the white musk note emerges. Dry: This is still predominantly Embalming Fluid with just a bit of added warmth from the pumpkin spice, but the spices are stronger during this stage. Verdict: I was really curious about how Embalming Fluid would play with the pumpkin spices. The answer is mostly just like regular Embalming Fluid with some added warmth.

I tested this at DragCon and posted my impression of in the Con thread, but since I only really got to pay attention to it when it was freshly applied to one of my boyfriend’s fingers, I decided to get a decant of it to do a proper test. In the decant: When I tested this at the convention, I thought this one was rather cologne-y, and now I see why. I am only getting the aftershave from the decant. Wet: The aftershave is the most prominent aspect of the scent, but now I can smell the leather behind it. It’s not a sharp chemically black leather, and it is not nearly as strong as the aftershave note. I totally get TTP’s description of cute boy that’s used Irish Spring soap in a leather jacket. I’m not getting any of the greasepaint. Dry: The aftershave note still dominates, but it’s softer than it was before, and I’m getting more of the leather now. There’s something in the background now that I think may be the greasepaint note, or perhaps the oiled part of the leather. I’m not sure. Verdict: I think this one is nice. I don’t think it’s something I’d reach for myself, but it’s something that I would appreciate on a guy. I’ll have to try it on mine and see if he likes it. It’s too bad that I’ve never encountered a metalhead that actually smells like this!

In the decant: This is a lot sweeter than I was expecting! I can smell the sweet balsam and the lavender the most in the decant. Wet: The sweet balsam note is the dominant note on me, but I can also smell the leather now, what must be the thieves’ rosin, the white sandalwood, and the lavender. The balsam, rosin, and lavender stand out the most to me, followed by the leather, with the sandalwood in the background. The leather in this is either a softer, worn variety, or being tamed by the other notes. I am really enjoying this so far. As it begins to dry, I start to get more of the thieves’ rosin, and I wonder if it contains amber. I think the white sandalwood is contributing a slight dusty quality, but it is not a super dry white sandalwood. I think it’s the same one used in Mouse’s Long and Sad Tale. Dry: The sweet balsam and thieves' rosin reign, and I think this is the balsam from Tombstone, which is one of my favorite scents. It’s backed by the soft leather note, which I think may be the leather from Outlaw, and then the lavender. Verdict: I bought this one on a whim because it has lavender listed as a note and I was curious about the thieves’ rosin (as I haven’t tried the RPG scent). It ended up being a big win on me! Now I’m not sure if my decant will be enough. I may need a bottle of this one before it goes away! *edit* I have amended my review after trying the GC Thieves' Rosin, as I noticed that it creates the fluffy, sweet resinous vibe I get from this scent and is actually a main player here. I also want to say that this is my favorite scent from The Fool's Journey: The Magician.

In the bottle: Chocolate (I think one is milk chocolate, and there may be some cocoa in here as well, but there's no cocoa absolute floating in this) with vanilla buttercream (made with vanilla extract). Now I want some cake. Wet: Chocolate with thick vanilla buttercream. Even though the description mentions three chocolates being present in this blend, I am getting a lot of the vanilla buttercream. It quickly becomes the strongest note on me. So it's not as chocolate-y as one might expect (certainly not as chocolate-y as Bliss). Dry: The vanilla cream is still the dominant note on me, with some chocolate lingering in the background. So I guess on my skin, it's more Pickle than chocolate? I tried it on the boy, and it was heavy on the vanilla buttercream on him, too. Verdict: I told myself that I was not allowed to buy any more chocolate scents, and then I caved and got this because this is a Lilith creation. Well, it ended up working out because it's more vanilla buttercream than chocolate on me anyway. I am happy that I have a bottle, not only because I smell like vanilla buttercream and chocolate, but also because it features some of the most adorable Lilith artwork yet. (It's a bar of chocolate and a pickle holding what appears to be an ice cream cone, sundae (there's a cherry on top), or snowcone on a boat with a heart on the sail.) Thanks to my wonderful fairy for picking this one up for me!

Thanks to my lovely fairy for picking this up for me! In the bottle: On initial sniff, I smelled Dorian. So I got out some Dorian to compare (an aged bottle of Dorian and a fresh bottle of Dorian hair gloss). This is definitely softer and cleaner. It does not smell super sugary, either, so this cotton candy is either light (like in Pink Fuzzy Handcuffs) or flavored. Wet: This is much, much softer than straight-up Dorian. I'm currently getting the pale musk and a bit of the lemon-y white tea and fougere of Dorian, but I have to say that normal Dorian is sweeter than this is on me. Alas, I am not getting any cotton candy from this. Dry: This still reads as musky and clean to my nose... which makes sense if it is supposed to represent slime, but not cotton candy plus Dorian. Much later, it becomes really masculine on me (and I see Dorian as a unisex scent). It reminds me of another scent, although I'm having trouble identifying which one. I keep thinking Odin or Mister Wednesday, but I don't have an imp of Odin anymore to compare to this. So maybe there's some herbs or wood at play here? Verdict: I am going to let this one age a bit and revisit it. I typically love Dorian and its variations, so I am surprised that this was not love at first sniff. If I am not able to get some cotton candy out of this with some age, or even the usual sugared vanilla tea of Dorian, I will have to send it somewhere where it will be more appreciated. *edit* I originally reviewed this the day after it arrived. I am retesting Slime Queen after it has had over a week to settle. I have Slime Queen on one hand and Dorian on the other. Slime Queen is definitely sweeter than when I originally tested it and does possess a sugared quality to it, but it's like Pink Fuzzy Handcuffs in that the cotton candy component isn't as strong as you would expect (in other words, not like Midway). Slime Queen now smells a sugared pale musk and fougere scent. I am so glad that I am getting more sweetness from it than I did before, and I highly recommend letting it settle for a little longer and retesting it if it doesn't work for you the first time.

Mokey is not a scent that is likely to work on me, given that it contains violet and orris, but I wanted to try it anyway because I want to test all of the Fraggle Rock scents. In the decant: I can smell the sweet violet sugar, followed by the lilac, and then the orris. I'm not very good at picking out osmanthus, and I'm not familiar enough with stephanotis (though I've tried a few scents with that note listed). Wet: This is a light purple and green floral scent. I can smell the lilac and orris, with the sweetness of the violet, with some white floral note and some greenery. It's becoming more powdery as it sits on my skin (thanks, orris). Dry: I am getting more of the violet sugar now. It has become the dominant note, followed by the powdery orris and soft florals. It's a sweet, soft, and clean floral scent. Verdict: Mokey is, as I suspected, not for me. But I do think the fragrance fits her character!

In the decant: Sugared, spicy carnation backed by phlox. Wet: The sugared, spicy carnation is the most prominent note on me, which is what I expected since I amp the note. I do get some of the phlox behind it, which I recognize from the Trading Post's Phlox bath oil from a few years ago. It definitely smells pink. Dry: I'm surprised the spicy carnation didn't stomp all over the phlox! The sugared carnation continues to reign, but I can still smell the gentle phlox, and I am getting more of it than I did before. Verdict: As a fan of sugary florals, I'm glad I got to try this one! It's not something I need more of, but I think I'll hold onto the decant and pair it with Alice HG.

In the decant: Sprinkles (some of which may be chocolate, because I do get a bit of chocolate from this), vanilla, almond, and creamy frosting. Wet: Sprinkle-adorned frosting, with some of the sprinkles being fruity and some being of the chocolate variety. I think there is some vanilla extract and almond extract in this concoction. SO MUCH SUGAR. Dry: For the first time I have gotten the dreaded Play-Doh! Why ya gotta be like that, Sprinklecake? Verdict: Alas, Sprinklecake is one cake that is not for me, which is too bad, as I am a slut for super sprinkle-y things. (Sprinkle doughnuts? My favorite. Sprinkle cupcakes? The sprinklier, the better. Sprinkle sandwiches? Yes, I make those with De Ruijter sprinkles from the Netherlands, which are far superior to the sprinkles we have in the US. I also use them in scones and pour a them over vanilla ice cream.) Maybe I'll try it in the oil burner to see if I get a better sprinkle experience.

In the decant: Sponge cake, spicy red carnation, strawberry cream, accompanied by some bright grapefruit. Wet: The sponge cake and carnation are the first notes that jump out at me, and the carnation overtakes the cake, because I tend to amp it. I get some of the strawberry cream in the background, but I'm not getting super strong strawberry cream from this (probably because the carnation has taken over). Dry: The carnation still dominates, and I'm getting the zing of the white grapefruit now. I can still smell the sponge cake, but it's not nearly as strong as it was when first applied. The strawberry cream remains in its background role, but I smell a bit more of it than I did before. After a few hours, the carnation calms down somewhat, and I get more of the strawberry cream, with the sponge cake and zing of grapefruit in the background. It's now mostly a warm, creamy scent with a bit of effervescence from the grapefruit. Verdict: I'm really glad I got to try this one! I was afraid of the strawberry, but of course, it was the carnation that was the main player on me. I don't feel the need to hunt down more of it, since it was more carnation than cake and grapefruit on me, but it is nice. I think I'll hang on to the decant and pair it with Alice HG.

In the decant: The Lab's banana note (which reminds me of banana Laffy Taffy), cake (which I think may be yellow cake), and vanilla ice cream. Wet: I'm getting the banana and the cake, followed by the vanilla ice cream. The cake note is stronger on me than it was in the decant, and I'm still thinking it may be yellow cake. Then, the vanilla ice cream note becomes stronger, so that it's mostly cake and vanilla ice cream with a bit of banana. Dry: The vanilla ice cream note is even stronger than it was before (it's now the dominant note), and it reminds me of the vanilla ice cream of Detestable Putrescence when I first got a bottle. I am still getting a lot of cake, while the banana note remains faint before disappearing completely. I can see the banana pudding/Nilla wafer association while it lasts, though! Verdict: I had originally intended to get a bottle of this back in 2016, but there were so many lavender scents that called to me that year (some of which I needed multiple bottles of), as well as Outlaw, with its sassafras, so this one didn't end up making the cut. I am thrilled that I was frimped a decant of this (thanks, Aveya! ), as it is a lovely vanilla ice cream and cake scent. I will cherish my decant.

Wulric, I am sorry I did not try you sooner. (I have not tried the original.) When you were rereleased, I did not know that bourbon vetiver was not the mean BBQ variety, and I was not sure what your wild musk would be like, but now I see that you're the cuddly creature that everyone has claimed you to be. In the decant: I get lots of cocoa (which has separated from the other oils, so I rolled it around a lot) accompanied by an herbal lavender and other herbal notes. The cocoa absolute is the strongest note on my skin, but I also get a fair amount of herbal lavender and what I think may be the birch tar. It's cozy and comforting. When I saw people listing this as a wonderful bedtime scent, I was iffy about wearing a scent with cocoa in it to bed, but this herbal lavender and cocoa scent is so relaxing that I'm not sure I'd want to wear it as a daytime scent. As the scent sits on my skin, the cocoa becomes less prominent, and the lavender and herbal notes (I'm thinking the herbal bourbon vetiver and the clary sage, but I am not sure) gain strength. I can tell that there's vanilla present, but it is not a main player on me. After a while, I start getting more of the musk and clary sage with the lavender, but this isn't a scent that I feel like I can review properly just by picking out the notes. The scent becomes sweeter, thanks to the musk (which isn't the grape-y variety, fortunately!), the cocoa, the vanilla, and the herbal notes calming down. Verdict: Wulric is going to come live with me in my next order, and I think that will just be the first of many bottles.

In the decant: Chocolate cupcakes splattered onto wet pavement. Wet: I'm getting more dirty, wet pavement than cupcake, although there's definitely some chocolate present. As it sits on my skin, the ruined cupcakes (made cocoa powder) become stronger, but they're not able to overtake the other note, which now smells more soapy and clean on me than dirty. Dry: Okay, not wet pavement, but cologne-y wood. I think there may be a splash of whiskey here, or maybe that's just the cologne-y wood that makes me think of Mister Wednesday. The wood note seems to be getting dustier over time. And it still has an aquatic vibe on me, like a watery musk is present. There's only a hint of chocolate cupcake in the background... like the memory of cupcakes. Verdict: I'm glad I got a chance to try this one, but I'm relieved that it's not for me.

In the imp: Floral dragon's blood and jasmine with a bit of spice. Wet: Floral dragon's blood and jasmine, accompanied by some bright lemon. As it sits on my skin, the jasmine note becomes stronger and sweeter. I think this is one of the kind varieties of jasmine, or else it's another white floral (I did think gardenia at one point) that I'm mistaking for it. Dry: This is mostly a sweet floral (still thinking jasmine) backed by floral dragon's blood. Verdict: Although dragon's blood can be iffy on me, it wasn't a problem here. I don't think I'd reach for this over Kwamie Cotton (another comforting scent with dragon's blood in it), but I am really glad I got a chance to try it.

I ordered imps of all of the Panaceas a few months before they ended up being discontinued, but I neglected to review them. In the imp: Whoa, this oil is viscous. Herbal lemon. This makes me think of cough drops. Wet: Yep, still getting the lemon cough drop vibe. I am pretty sure one of the herbs in this is sage. There's also a light mint note in this. Dry: Same. It remains a lemony, herbal cough drop scent. Verdict: I do not really want to smell like lemon and honey Ricola cough drops, so I would not reach for this one for its scent, but I will continue to keep it around for its purpose, as it does seem to have a somewhat uplifting, soothing quality to it.

In the imp: Lots of musk, black clove, black pepper, and some opoponax. Wet: The Siberian musk and cola-like opoponax are the first notes to jump out at me, followed by the clove and a bit of pepper. I'm not really getting any of the neroli at the moment, which is fine by me, as it can be a problematic note on my skin. Dry: The musk and cola-like opoponax continue to reign. I am getting some neroli from this now, and the clove and black pepper are softer than they were during the wet stage. Verdict: I like the prominence of the opoponax in this one, and I'm glad the neroli didn't ruin it for me. There's a sufficient amount of clove, but I wish it were a little stronger. I think I'll hold on to my imp for now, but I don't think I need more of this one.

In the imp: Frankincense, cypress, and oakmoss are the notes that leap out at me. Wet: The frankincense and cypress are the dominant notes on me, with the cypress being stronger on my skin than it was in the imp. Then, the oakmoss note emerges. Dry: This is cypress dominant, backed by the oakmoss and resins. I can smell the sliver of hazelnut now, but it really is just a sliver. After a while, the oakmoss overtakes the cypress. Verdict: I like this! It's a nice forest scent, which is what I was hoping for! But I'm glad that I don't love it, as it has been out of stock for a long time and may be discontinued. I'm definitely hanging onto my imp!

In the imp: Somewhat dusty and earthy. I'm getting the copal and oakmoss the most, followed by the patchouli. Wet: The patchouli note is the first to leap out on my skin, with the copal and oakmoss behind it. Then, I think what must be the floral heliotrope peeks out (but I'm not good at picking out that note). The patchouli and copal end up being the dominant notes, but the oakmoss isn't far behind them. Dry: The patchouli is still the star of this scent, and the oakmoss and copal continue to linger close behind. This is a golden, resinous, earthy scent. Verdict: I like this one more than I thought I would, based on the notes. I'm not sure if I would end up reaching for this one, as I generally like scents with an element of sweetness to them, but this is nice.

In the (very aged) imp: Grape-y incense. Wet: Super grape-y wine with some incense in the background. The wine note is so grape-y that it actually has a grape jelly vibe to it, but there's still the tartness of the wine accompanying it. Dry: Much grape, rose, and incense. The grape is not as strong as it was during the wet phase, but it is still too strong for my liking. Verdict: Well, I was not expecting this to be a grape party, but alas, that's the case on me. I do not like grape, so Cairo is not for me.

In the (carded) imp: Lots of orange blossom and red musk, followed by the plum and jasmine, with some juniper berries and incense far behind those notes. Orange blossom and jasmine are problematic on me, and I'm not very fond of red musk, plum, or vetiver, so I do not think this will go well... but I want to try all of the Zoryas. Wet: The red musk, orange blossom, and plum are the dominant notes, followed by the jasmine and incense, the latter of which I get far more of on my skin than I did in the imp. I can smell the vetiver-laced sandalwood as well. Overall, it's really musky and fruity, but there's a darkness lingering beneath it. Dry: The red musk, orange blossom, and plum remain the strongest notes. The jasmine is still present, but even it is not able to compete with the power of those three notes (they're super strong on me!). The incense and vetiver-laced sandalwood continue to reside in the background. Verdict: This Zorya isn't for me, but those that enjoy strong red musk, orange blossom, and plum should give this one a try.

In the (carded) imp: Sweet black coffee, but it hasn't been freshly made. It doesn't smell warm. Wet: Sweet, but cold, black coffee, with just a bit of ambrette seed in the background. The coffee seems to be getting sweeter as it sits on my skin, and the ambrette seed is becoming more prominent as well. Dry: Super sugary black coffee and musky ambrette seed. After a while, the ambrette seed ends up playing a greater role, adding a powdery, perfume-y quality to the sweet coffee (which is still the main player on me). Verdict: I like this. Some coffee scents can be too strong on the coffee for me, but this isn't one of them. I don't think I need a bottle of this, as I can't see myself reaching for it often enough to warrant one, but I am really glad I was able to try it. I think I'll hold onto the imp.

In the (carded) imp: A bright, musky, citrus cologne accompanied by some whiskey. Wet: Pale musk and bright citrus cologne, backed by some wood and whiskey. Then, the herbs emerge. Dry: The sleek cologne continues to reign, but the herbs are more prominent than before. The wood still lingers in the background, and so does the whiskey, but I get a little more of the whiskey than the wood. The cologne has a green (possibly the herbs) and watery vibe to it, but it's also really sharp on me. I would not be surprised if this were meant to resemble a generic drugstore cologne, as if the wearer were attempting to blend in with a crowd. Verdict: Although I enjoy several of the Lab's cologne scents, this particular one just isn't for me. It just... doesn't really grab me. It was nice to be able to try it, though!

I gave my boyfriend a birthday wishlist of GC scents and Unimpables that I've either tried before or thought I'd like based off of the description, and this was one of the scents he chose for me. In the bottle: There's a lot going on in this one! I can smell the rose, gardenia, blood orange, ginger, pine resin, and pink pepper. The pink pepper and ginger notes are quite prominent. This is a floral with a kick to it. Wet: I'm greeted with a blast of rose, blood orange, pink pepper, and ginger. After a moment, I'm able to smell the gardenia, too, and what I think might be the crushed berries. The spice notes end up becoming more prominent as they sit on my skin, which is normal for me (I tend to amp spice). The area I applied it to feels really warm, but it hasn't caused any welts (yet). As it begins to dry, I am also able to pick out the geranium, but this is mostly ginger, pink pepper, rose, and blood orange on me. Dry: The ginger and pink pepper continue to reign, with the rose and blood orange not far behind. The combination of the spices and the orange make me think this would be a great scent to wear around the holidays. After a few hours, the spices, orange, and rose are still going strong, but the vanilla and honey notes have finally emerged. Huzzah! Verdict: I am really happy to have a bottle of this. I'll have to avoid applying it in anywhere aside from my wrist area, as I can tell my skin would be too sensitive to the spices in this one if applied elsewhere. This is a lovely floriental, and I bet it will age wonderfully.

In the imp: Cedar, sandalwood, menthol, lotus, and spices. Wet: Bubblegum-y lotus, menthol, and some spices are what I get at first. Then, the wood notes emerge, and I get more cedar than sandalwood, but the menthol and spices are the dominant notes. Dry: The lotus has reasserted itself, and the menthol has calmed down significantly. Eventually, I get mostly lotus, cedar, sandalwood, saffron, and spices. Verdict: Well, the menthol was unexpected! I am not a fan of the lotus and cedar combo on me, so this is not an imp I plan on keeping, but I am glad that I was able to try it.

In the imp: This smells like smoke, ash, spice (probably the crackling flames) and eucalyptus to my nose. Wet: I get the same on my skin. There's lots of smoke (probably vetiver), ash, spice (maybe cassia or red ginger), and eucalyptus. Sometimes I get more smoke and ash from this (I'm thinking tobacco may be contributing to this feel as well), sometimes more spice, and sometimes, more eucalyptus (or is that menthol?). It's smoky, spicy, and minty on me, all at once. Dry: Ginger, menthol, maybe some pine, and possibly opoponax? Definitely getting a cola-like, resinous vibe. After a while, it smells even more like cola than it did before (and there's a clean vibe to the scent). Verdict: This one is a pleasant surprise (and an interesting scent experience)! I actually thought this would be one of those BBQ vetiver scents on me, but it wasn't. I think I'll hang on to this one.

I gave my boyfriend a birthday wishlist of GC scents and Unimpables that I've either tried or thought I might like based off of the description, and this was one of the scents he chose for me. In the bottle: Snow, apple, and pine. I'm getting a lot more pine from this than I did at Drag Con. Wet: The red apple and snow are the strongest notes on my skin, with the pine lingering in the background. I can tell that the lemon peel and rosewood are playing their part, but I'm not getting a lot of either note (and I'm not particularly good at picking out osmanthus). Dry: The snow and the apple remain the dominant notes. I've never tried Snow Glass Apples, but I do think it is reminiscent of Snow Glass Apples v4, although that scent has a green apple note instead of red. Hours later, the snow and apple continue to reign. I do get more of the rosewood beneath the apple, snow, and pine (and more pine than before as well), but the rosewood is still not a main player. Verdict: I like this! I probably would not have asked for a bottle if I had known it would remind me of SGA v4 so much, but I do enjoy apple scents and snow scents, and this will be nice to wear in the summer and winter months.