doomsday_disco

In the bottle: Yep, this is the sugared lavender of TKO. UNF. In my hair, it's all about TKO's sweet lavender. If I hold my hair up to my nose and inhale really deeply, I can smell a bit of sandalwood and pear beneath it, but mostly, it's SUGARED LAVENDER MALLOW PARTY. The first day I applied it to my wet hair and felt really sleepy for about an hour as a result! (TKO is my most-used sleep scent, but sometimes I get too used to it, and so I can't wear it on a nightly basis anymore.) But the second day, when I applied it to my dry hair, it didn't make me feel sleepy at all (maybe because I paired it with the zingy grapefruit and sugared lavender of Sugar Phoenix). As a slut for sugared lavender ALL THE THINGS, I am really happy to have a bottle of this. I'm currently debating whether or not I need a back-up (since I do have Lilith's hair gloss and so many bottles of hair gloss already, and I don't think I'd reach for this one as often as Lilith's hair gloss). I haven't decided whether or not I should listen to the voice of reason (so many hair glosses already!) or the voice that tells me to hoard all of the sugary lavender things. But if you are on the fence about this one, grab it before it goes away. You will not regret it.

In the decant: I'm mostly getting the tobacco-threaded incense smoke. Behind that, I can smell some resins and a bit of the blackened vanilla. Wet: The tobacco-threaded incense is the star of the show, and the tobacco in this is a sweet variety. I think it's the tobacco from Orgy With Nine Women. The labdanum and benzoin are lingering behind the tobacco incense, and the blackened vanilla just serves to add a bit of sweetness to the scent. Dry: Same, but lighter and sweeter. The tobacco incense is still the star of the show, but it's not as strong as it was before, and the resins and blackened vanilla are a little stronger during this stage. Verdict: This is a lovely tobacco incense scent! I'm definitely keeping my decant. I may end up grabbing a bottle at some point in the future, but I feel like I don't reach for my tobacco-heavy scents enough as it is (Orgy With Nine Women, Red Lantern, Eastern Comma...). I'll have to see how much I reach for this one.

In the decant: I immediately get hit with the black musk, the inky part of the myrrh, and the clove bud, and then the sweetness of the black coconut and champaca follows. Wet: Okay, this is weird. I'm getting the strong black musk, the smoky clove bud, the odd, inky myrrh, and then the coconut and champaca. I feel like the dark notes are clashing with the sweet coconut and champaca. I think the black musk and black coconut are at odds with each other. Dry: The black musk eventually calms down, and the sweet coconut stops fighting with it, so that it's mostly musky, sharp myrrh and clove on me, with the black coconut and champaca in the background. Verdict: I like the clove. But the wet stage was a little strange on me, and the myrrh ended up being a type I don't really care for (I prefer the soft kind), so I don't think I'd reach for this again. I am glad that I got a chance to try it, though.

In the decant: The sweet pine-y snow note of Snow Bunny, The First Soft Snow, and NYC Snowball Fight with some blossoms (the wisteria being the most noticeable to me). Wet: The sweet, pine-filled snow note reigns. The snow note is pretty strong. Beneath it, I can smell some of the cherry blossom and wisteria, but they're buried pretty heavily under the snow. Dry: Eventually, the pine-y snowdrift begins to melt. It becomes more floral during this stage, although the cherry part of the cherry blossom isn't as strong anymore. I get more of the wisteria during this stage (but not a lot of it – it is not a main player in this one) and what I think must be the ume petals. The sugary, pine-y snow is still the most prominent part of the scent, though. Verdict: This is nice, but I already have a few scents featuring this snow note, so I don't need more of this one.

In the decant: Mostly musky peach blossom with a bit of bitter almond and amber. Wet: Musky peach blossom and bitter almond. The peach blossom isn't as sweet and peach-y as it is in Tamora. The bitter almond is a little jarring. I thought it would be a sweet one. There's this element to the scent that it is like the Lab's dead leaf note (not the crumbling dead leaf one, but yellow and red leaves, some with spots of green that still remain, that have recently fallen from a tree) a bit pepper-y and cologne-y. Dry: Eventually, it does veer out of that funky phase, and I'm left with a very light, almond-tinged creamy floral accompanied by some sweet musk, with a bit of amber in the background. Verdict: I almost leapt for a bottle of this one, but I'm glad I opted for a decant instead. On a positive note, the peach blossom isn't nearly as strong or peach-y as it is in Tamora. But the funky wet phase is not something I'd want to endure again.

2018 version. In the decant: Sweeter than I was anticipating! I'm getting lots of champaca flower, sugar cane, and coconut. Wet: The champaca and sugar cane are the strongest notes on me, with the sugar cane being the strongest note. Then, the coconut joins in. The ambergris is present, but I feel like it's role is to tie the notes together instead of being a main player itself. Dry: This is still sweet sugar cane, champaca, and black coconut on a bed of ambergris, although I do get a bit of the ambrette seed in the background adding some more warmth to the scent during this stage. Verdict: This is too tropical and almost candy-like for me, but I'm glad that I was able to try it.

In the decant: The white amber, orris butter, and narcissus stand out the most to me, followed by the bergamot. I'm not getting much vanilla. Wet: I get the white amber, orris butter, and narcissus, as well as a bit of light vanilla. The white amber and orris butter are the strongest notes on me. I only get a bit of the bergamot. Dry: The orris butter reigns, backed by the white amber, sweet narcissus, and the sheer vanilla. The bergamot note is fainter than it was before. I only get it if I press my nose to my wrist and inhale really deeply. Verdict: I wanted to try this because VULVA, but I was wary of the scent because of the orris. Alas, the orris decided to have a powdery party on my skin, so this Vulva is not for me (even though I enjoy the other notes).

In the decant: The smoky terebinth pine note leaps out at me the most. It smells like musky pine and resins. Wet: The pine is still a main player, but it isn't nearly as intense on my skin. I'm getting a lot more of the blue musk and resins, with the amber being the most prominent of them. It's mainly blue musk, terebinth, and amber on me at the moment. Dry: This remains a musky pine, amber, and myrrh scent on me, with the amber note being even stronger than before. I'm also getting some of the tobacco now, which adds a gentle smokiness to the musk, pine, and resins. After a while, the amber becomes the star of the show, and the pine note becomes a lot softer. Verdict: This is a nice amber scent! Not something I need to hunt down more of, but I'm glad to have my decant.

In the decant: Sweet blueberry vanilla bubblegum! Wet: Blueberry candy to the extreme! I am getting more of the vanilla on my skin, but this does smell mostly like blueberry candy to me that's somewhat reminiscent of Blue Lollipops. After a bit, the bubblegum emerges, so that it's more like blueberry and vanilla swirled bubblegum as opposed to lollipops. Dry: The bubblegum component has become softer during this phase. The blueberry continues to reign, and I get more of the vanilla now. Verdict: This one is true to its description! I had to try it because it was Lilith's creation, but the scent itself is too strong on the blueberry for me.

In the decant: The floral notes jump out at me first (with the honeysuckle being the strongest of the three), but I do get the wet green leaves in the background. Wet: The sweet honeysuckle is the strongest note on me (huzzah!). I'm surprised the tuberose and gardenia aren't trying to overtake it. The green leaves reside in the background, but it really does seem as if they've been dew-kissed. Dry: The honeysuckle is no longer the star of the show. The heady tuberose and sweet gardenia have joined it. Now, it's like some honeysuckle drifting over the strong tuberose and gardenia. The wet, green leaves in the background are slightly more prominent during this stage and have a bit of a peppery bite to them. Verdict: I enjoyed this during the wet stage, when the honeysuckle was the strongest, but the dry stage is a bit too strong on the tuberose and gardenia for me. This isn't a scent I will be needing more of, but I'm glad I got to try it.

In the decant: Black tea, lavender, and bergamot. Wet: The black tea is the most prominent note, followed by the lavender and bergamot. The black tea note does have a bit of an anise-y vibe (which sometimes happens with the Lab's black tea note on me). The lavender in this reads as dry lavender buds to my nose. I'm not getting any of the benzoin yet, but the bergamot note seems to be getting stronger over time. Dry: The black tea note ends up calming down after a while (and no longer has a licorice-y quality to it), and the soft, somewhat powdery benzoin has joined it. The lavender is a lot fainter now, but the bergamot is still going strong. It's mostly black tea, benzoin, and bergamot on me, with a smattering of dry lavender buds. Verdict: This is like the leaves of an unsteeped Earl Grey. The black tea note was a little too strong for me during the wet stage, and I wish the lavender ended up playing more of a role on me, so it's not something I need more of. I'm glad I got to try it, though.

annemathematics' review is spot on! In the decant: The lilac and yellowing parchment are the first notes to jump out at me, and then I get the white musk and lampblack. The combination of the lilac and yellowing parchment remind me of a flower pressed into an old book. Wet: The yellowing parchment note is so realistic! I love that it's not accompanied by a leather note for once. I still get the lilac, but it is not as strong as it was in the decant. The labdanum is present now, and I can also smell more of the soot-y lampblack and white musk. I'd say it's a relative of Jareth. After a bit, the lilac ends up becoming more prominent, which makes me think of a fresh lilac pressed into an old book again. Dry: Now I am getting more of the labdanum, but the lilac and parchment have become sweeter. I keep wondering if tonka is playing a role in the parchment note. I am really enjoying this! Verdict: I mostly got this one out of curiosity (with lampblack listed as a note), and because I've been wanting a book scent without any leather. I am so glad I decided to try it. It's really lovely and not like anything else I have. I haven't decided whether or not I'll leap for a bottle (right now, I'm seriously considering it), because I'm not sure how often I will reach for it, but if I don't end up upgrading to a bottle, I'll certainly keep my decant.

In the decant: The French lavender and bergamot are the most prominent notes, followed by the clove. It is reminiscent of Nanshe, but with more lavender. Yaaaaas. Wet: The lavender is the strongest note, followed by the bergamot and citrus-y chypre. Then the clove emerges and adds some warmth in the background. This one is very strong on the citrus and lavender. Dry: The citrus chypre reigns. The lavender is not as prominent as it was before, but it is right behind the chypre. The clove seems to be content with remaining in the background. It is weaker than it was during the wet stage of the scent. Verdict: I was hopeful about this one when I smelled it in the decant, but this is too strong on the citrus chypre for me. I wish the lavender and clove were stronger on my skin.

In the imp: Spicy, cherry floral dragon's blood with a bit of amber. Wet: The cherry-floral dragon's blood note reigns. This is more blood than amber. The strong dragon's blood seems to be forcing the amber to remain in the background. Dry: The dragon's blood note is still the star of the show. I have to put my nose really close to my skin in order to be able to smell any of the golden amber, but I am getting more of it during this phase of the scent. Verdict: This is too heavy on the dragon's blood for me, but I'm glad I got a chance to try it!

In the imp: Patchouli like whoa, backed by what I believe is amber. Wet: Red patchouli and incense (I'm thinking cedar, myrrh, and amber). Dry: The red patchouli note continues to reign, with the resins right behind it. Verdict: This one is too strong on the patchouli for me, but fans of patchouli and resins should appreciate this one.

Snake Charmer Resurrected (Official Belated Review/Retest) I bought this from someone on eBay back in 2013, apparently forgot to review it, and haven't really reached for it since that year. (Heresy, I know!) In the bottle: Spiced Egyptian amber, musk and plum. Wet: The spices and Egyptian amber notes are the first notes to emerge, followed by more resins, and then the plum. I remember thinking that this was a relative to Morocco when I first tried it in my early BPAL days, because of the musk, spice, and resins, but it's definitely more like a relative to Snake Oil, with some wonderful amber and some plum. The vanilla note floats over the amber and spices and makes the scent even more enticing. Dry: The vanilla note is even more prominent than it had been, and so is the plum, but it's being kept in check by the resins and spices. The vanilla, Egyptian amber, and spices are a terrific combination. Verdict: Why don't I ever reach for this one!? I'm normally not a fan of plum, and this is the only scent I really enjoy with it in the notes. I think I'd enjoy it even more if it were plum-less, though. I'm going to continue holding on to this bottle. Now that I'm reminded how wonderful it is, maybe I'll reach for it more often!

In the imp: Musky rose geranium, benzoin, jasmine, and patchouli. Wet: The musk, benzoin, rose geranium, and jasmine take the center stage at first. Then, the jasmine and rose geranium decide that they ought to be playing bigger roles, and the patchouli rushes in to join them. They're not able to overtake the resin, though. Dry: Mostly benzoin and indigo musk, some plum, and rose geranium, with some jasmine and patchouli behind those notes. The benzoin is really strong. Verdict: The benzoin in this isn't a sweet variety. This a dry, musky resin and floral scent. Not for me.

In the imp: Something in this smells familiar! I think it's milk and honey that I'm getting (and maybe some almond?), with some spice and plum in the background. Wet: I do think there's milk and honey in this, and I think possibly a floral component. There are spices in this, but they are mild. Dry: Milk and honey, spices, and a soft, white floral? The plum is present, but it is not a main player on my skin. At least, it wasn't early in the dry stage. Now I'm getting a lot of honeyed plum, what I'm thinking could be lily, wood, and patchouli. It's really strong. Verdict: I didn't mind Oya at first, but it ended up becoming far too plum-y for me.

In the imp: I'm getting powdery orris, and then a blast of bergamot, grapefruit, and plum. Wet: Grapefruit and orris are the first notes to emerge, and then the bergamot comes out to play. The plum is present, but the citrus notes are keeping it in check. The black amber note is lingering in the background. Dry: The orris, unfortunately, is the dominant note. The citrus has calmed down significantly, but I do get some of the bergamot in the background. The black amber is more prominent now, and so is the plum. It's primarily orris and plum with a bit of bergamot and black amber residing in the background. Verdict: I was here for the black amber, bergamot, and grapefruit. Alas, the orris note had to ruin the party (and like LizziesLuck, I feel like the plum makes it worse). The orris in this is just too strong for me.

In the imp: The plum and opium notes stand out to me the most, followed by the rose and wild berry. I can also smell some of the lilac behind those notes. Wet: It's actually the lilac and gardenia notes that first emerge on my skin, followed by the opium, and then, the plum. Then, the rose note appears, and after that, the wild berry. The scent is a smoky, fruity floral, with the opium, plum, rose, lilac, and berry being main players on my skin. But then the opium calms down, and it is the fruits and the floral notes that reign. The opium seems to be wafting through the other notes, sometimes rising to the front of the blend, and sometimes lingering in the background. Dry: Sweet gardenia and plum notes are the most prominent, followed by the rose and wild berry, and a wisp of opium in the background. This is the proud, regal scent of a woman that always gets what she wants. Verdict: Let it be known that I generally dislike plum in perfumes, but this scent is one with a prominent plum note that I actually don't dislike. Since this is discontinued and not a scent I've fallen completely in love with, I'll probably let go of my imp. I do think it is nice, though, and I'm glad to have gotten to try it!

In the imp: The floral notes are the most prominent notes in the imp, with the daffodil being the one that stands out the most to me. Then I get the musk. I'm only getting a bit of the plum in the background. Wet: The white and yellow floral notes are the first to leap out at me, but then the plum rushes in. I'm getting more of it on my skin than I did in the imp. It is quite sweet and threatens to overtake the floral notes. Dry: The sweet plum note wafts over the scent of the musky florals. I'm surprised that the daffodil and orchid are discernible, given that jasmine generally likes to flaunt its presence and stomp all over other notes. Verdict: I was looking forward to the daffodil note, and I'm glad it is a main player here, but alas, there's just too much plum in this one for me to enjoy it.

In the imp: Ozone and smoke. Wet: Really strong ozone, possibly some musk (maybe grey), smoke, and what I think might be the same bourbon vetiver note used in Bram Stoker (which isn't a really gnarly type). It's a lot cleaner smelling than I had anticipated. I'm also getting tobacco from this. Dry: Unexpectedly sweet! Maybe from sweet tobacco and opoponax. And there's some spice. I'm thinking cardamom. I do get a bit of a root beer vibe, which I see other reviewers have mentioned, but if there's sassafras in this, I can say it isn't full-on root beer. But it's definitely dark and sweet. Maybe molasses? After a while, I start to think there may also be something leather-like in here as well, but it's not straight-up leather. Verdict: This isn't nearly as menacing as I had anticipated. It's still too strong on the ozone for me during the wet phase, but I enjoyed the dry phase. I'm not sure I'd reach for this one, because of the strong ozone in the beginning, but I'm glad that I was able to try it.

In the imp: Is this a cinnamon-y BBQ-y vetiver? It's spicy and smoky. Wet: Yes, that's what it is. I get a blast of cinnamon and smoky BBQ sauce. It smells like I spent the day in a craft store and then proceeded to rub BBQ sauce on my arm. Whaaaat. But then... it takes a turn. There's this earthy, wetness to it, like freshly turned earth, like it just rained and the rain extinguished a fire. Dry: The wet, earthy phase lasts for a while, but in the end, what I end up getting is a strong patchouli and BBQ-like vetiver. Verdict: NOPE. I appreciated the wet dirt phase, but there are a ton of other scents I enjoy more with wet dirt, because they are not accompanied by BBQ OF DOOM. But I have a friend who loves cinnamon and vetiver (and smoky scents in general), so I'll pass this imp on to her.

In the imp: This is strong on the musk and leather, but I do get some of the steel and blood behind those notes. Wet: As soon as this is applied, I get the musky, black leather and cologne-y steel. This is familiar to me, but I'm not sure if it's the leather that makes me think of another BPAL scent I'm not able to pinpoint, or if it is the musk note. Probably both. Dry: This is still really strong on the black leather, backed by the musk. The steel isn't as prominent after a few hours of wear, and I'm getting something odd in the background that I think could be representing the blood note (which I don't think is dragon's blood in this case). Verdict: This one is far too strong on the leather for me. I'm not even sure I would try layering it with other RPG scents, but I'll see if my boyfriend enjoys it before putting it up for swaps.

In the imp: In the imp, I'm mostly getting the resins (rose amber, frankincense, and myrrh). Wet: This is incense-y and herb-y on me. The rose amber and frankincense are the most prominent notes on my skin, but after a few minutes, they calm down a little. It's soft resins intertwined with some flowers, with the rose part of the amber and the narcissus being the most prominent of the flora notes. Dry: It stays like that for a while, but after a few hours of wear, the sweet narcissus, golden amber, and frankincense are the stars of the show. Verdict: I'm not generally a fan of floral and resin combos, but this was a lot nicer than I was expecting. I don't think I'd wear this one on its own, but I'll probably hold onto the imp for a bit longer to try layering it with some other RPG scents.