Mollywogger

Upon application, the nutmeg hits first, followed in fast succession by the myrrh. For the first half hour or so, I smelled like spicy, sweet smoke. It's settled down now (three hours later) and just smells warm, dark, and spicy. And warm, dark, and spicy pretty much describes everything that I love, so I'm looking forward to wearing this as much as I can.

This oil is pure tea rose -- I don't know what exactly is in it that the Lab claims makes it twisted and emboldened, because it smells like pure tea rose to me. I find it lovely -- and I'm generally not a fan of the BPAL rose scents. This one's just so clean and sweet. Since I usually wear spicier, richer scents, I'm starting to think about what this one would smell like with a touch of Snake Oil or Malice. Now THAT would be twisted! Also, it lasts for hours and hours.

It's so strange how tastes and body chemistries change our perceptions of scents. For example, Malice has quickly become one of my favorite BPAL scents -- I love the rich, warm spiciness with the sensual ylang ylang, and it lasts all day. I adore this scent. Can't wait to get a 5 mL.

I wore Incantation for the second time today, and I was reminded of how much I loved it first time around. I adore vetiver - have ever since I bought my first bottle of Clinique Aromatics Elixir in high school, which has a vetiver base note. Bath and Body Works did a vetiver scent a few years back as well. This scent hits me as almost entirely vetiver, beginning to end. I did catch some of what smelled like frankincense in the beginning, and I'm getting some sandlewood now that it's been many hours, but I'd have a hard time recommending this to someone who did not like vetiver. Perhaps my skin really amps it, however. In all, it's gorgeous and I love it. Green yet wistful -- and very sacred.

Dublin did some wacky things on me. Not bad, just not expected. It was lovely and spicy floral-green when I put it on. Then, after about five minutes, I was utterly overwhelmed with CINNAMON. A sweet, Christmas candle cinnamon, with a bit of pine tree behind it. I truly smelled like the holidays when you walk through the home scent section of a department store. Then I started smelling a bit of apple, and smelled like mulled cider for a bit. Mmmm. The cinnamon faded after a while, and now (three hours later), the scent is a warm, spicy green floral. I like it, but it wasn't at all what I was expecting from Dublin.

I got plenty of time to experiment this scent, as I spilled it last night. On myself. And my bed. This scent smells like perfume. I don't know a better way to describe it. If someone said to you, "Think of how perfume smells," you'd think of this. After the spilling episode, my husband walked into the bedroom and said, "It smells really good in here." It did smell good, but not different or special, really. I'm sure it's lovely on the right people, but I'm looking for a scent that is spicier and more distinctive.

I was sent about 30 imps from a friend (I know -- what a friend!) and I've been trying to wear them, one by one, to get an idea of them. Arcana is the first one that I actually felt like reviewing because I love it. The first 10 minutes of arcana are lemon lemon lemon -- this is fine with me, because I adore lemon. It's great to put on in the morning for a jump start. After about 10 minutes, the frankincense started creeping in. I remember thinking, are lemon and frankincense going to work together? For a while I was unsure, but then other herbs started coming forward to round the scent out. I never really got the lavendar that other people are getting. Two hours later, the lemon has faded and I have a sweet, smoky herbal scent. It's lovely.