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  1. forspecial_plate

    Halloween update - breakdown!

    I've already made a purchase but this is to help me decide which others I need, or if I want to try for decants, etc.. I'm going back to my good ol' rating system where I put my interest level on a 1-5 scale. Abelard Coconut husk and pearwood with frankincense and carnation petals. This might be nice, I'd certainly try it if it were put in front of me. Kind of sounds like a Luper. 3/5 Apple Macchiato This is a homage to the upstart little sister of Caffeinated Autumn Beverages: apple spice, cinnamon, brown sugar, oatmilk, and caramel apple drizzle over espresso. Not much looking for gourmand scents this time around, but still might try this somewhere down the road. 3/5 Autumn 1990 This is the scent of a disaffected deathrock kid skulking around Hollywood with her ne’er-do-well friends: pre-climate catastrophe autumn winds billowing through a cloud of decaying leaves, exhaust fumes, maximum-hold hairspray, and clove cigarettes, but minus the Boones Farm. At first I wasn't interested but now I'm thinking this could be kind of an evolved cousin of Devil's Night, and I'm a little more interested. I love atmospheric scents. This went from a 3 to 4/5 Every Day is Halloween Skin-warmed sandalwood and toasted pumpkin settle into a gentle blend suitable for all 365 days of Halloween. I have a previous bottle, like it but definitely don't need more. 1/5 Fleece Skeleton Onesie The scent of freshly-washed fleece skeleton onesie and a little bit of smeared eyeliner. I just got skeleton onesies for myself and my partner, so I was cracking up when I saw this! I do like "clean laundry" type scents, enough to have multiple of them, and this sounds like a spooky variation of that. I will say 4/5 Heloise Polished limewood, myrrh smoke, and blackened spices. Could be good, but not making a huge impression on me.. something like a darker Mr. Nancy? I'd try a decant, maybe.. 3/5 L.A. River Pumpkin An offering of sun-warmed pumpkin flesh anointed with slithering green musks, sun-dried grasses, pineapple juice, and squished prickly pear fruit. Not sure about this one. I haven't tried any of the Lab's pineapple scents, I'm kind of scared of it. I'd try it, but not seeking it out. (And I could be totally wrong, it's been known to happen, lol!) 2/5 October 32nd The scent of Eternal October: leaves fluttering against a thick wool sweater, the cool amber glow of an autumn sunset, dollops of thick cream swirling in black tea. I do love tea scents, never tried this one but all the notes sound okay, so why isn't it grabbing my attention (and didn't last year)? 3/5 Oil and Blood There are no saints here: thick blackened rivulets of blood soak through linen winding sheets and cold clay. This could be good, but it could go a little too "perfumey" on me? I'd certainly like to try it. 4/5 Pomegranate Tiramisu Lady Fingers soaked in pomegranate syrup and tipped with fingernails of sliced almond, entombed in layers of mascarpone and crème fraîche and then topped with a sprinkle of fresh pomegranate seeds. Not calling out to me, but I would try it on if it crossed my path. 2/5 Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffin Pumpkiny, chocolatey, muffiny. Doesn't sound like my kind of thing. 1/5 Pumpkin Spice Latte Getting back to basics. I already have Pinched w/Four Pumpkins, don't think I need this. 2/5 Samhain Truly the scent of autumn itself — damp woods, fir needle, and black patchouli with the gentlest touches of warm pumpkin, clove, nutmeg, allspice, sweet red apple and mullein. I love Samhain but I already have lots of it, various decants and a few bottles. Don't need more right now but I would try it in the interest of comparing to other years. 2/5 Sugar Skull Vibrant with the joy and sweetness of life in death! A blend of five sugars, lightly dusted with candied fruits. I love the older Sugar Skull, but last year's (or was it the year before?) was a very different variation that I didn't like as much. I do have a couple older bottles now and a few different decants, so I don't really need more, but I'd be really interested to know if it's the newer variant again, or if it's back to the older formula (but I think even the older formula went through some slight variation from year to year..but this is another topic). 2/5 The Shadowed Veil A strangely sensual, darkly fae All Hallow’s Eve cologne, a perfume of the Otherworld: black pumpkin, leather, pomegranate incense, agarwood, and bourbon patchouli. I have an older decant, like it, don't need more. But again I do like comparing different years of the same scent. 2/5 The Unreturning When far-gone dead return upon the world: wisps of spectral white musk and ambergris, blackened leather, yew needles, cypress boughs, gnarled patchouli root, and the memory of frankincense smoke. White musk can be borderline soapy or too perfumey, and ambergris can take over everything on my skin. Not willing to risk this one but I'd try it. 2/5 The Wind Strike Chill and Cold The frost of undeath: an icy and lustrous white mint with ti leaf, white amber, and bruised lilac. I already have Icy Fingers from previous Halloween (is that what it was called?), and this isn't really calling out to me. I'm not a huge lilac fan. 1-2/5 Torta Setteveli A classic Sicilian recipe alternating layers of chocolate sponge cake, hazelnut Bavarian cream, chocolate mousse, and hazelnut praline crunch, all enrobed in a dark chocolate mirror glaze. I don't really like chocolate or nut notes in perfume, usually. 1/5 X-Rayed Candy Bag The sugary contents of last night’s Trick-or-Treat bucket blasted with atomic particles at your local hospital, producing a stark image of ghostly treats cast in a greeny-white radioactive glow. This isn't really calling out to me. I'd try it, though. 2/5 Halloween 2022 - Bobbing for Apples 2022 Not really into apple scents for the most part, although I still try them out from time to time. So.... Bobbing for Ball Gags Black leather, honeyed amber, and a bite of apple. 2/5 Bobbing for Blood Kisses Gleaming red apples sloshing through lush, creamy vanilla and the honey of the sweetest kiss smeared with the vital throb of husky clove, swollen red cherries, but darkened with the vampiric sensuality of vetiver, soporific poppy and blood red wine, and a skin-light pulse of feral musk. 2/5 Bobbing for Daddy The following contest is scheduled for one fall. Get it? Fall! Our ongoing collaboration with the pro-wrestler EFFY has taken a decidedly seasonal turn, conjuring fantasies of apple picking, polishing, nibbling, and even a bit of juicing if the mood is right. Blended together with DADDY’s signature notes of diabolical incense, bay rum and a hiss of infernal fougere, this is one hayride you won’t want to miss. 1/5 Bobbing for Dodos Pink lady apples with pink and red musks, lemon peel, sugar cane, cassia, white sandalwood, mango, and agarwood. 2/5 Bobbing for Jack O’Lanterns Spiced baked apples with nutmeg and cinnamon mushed into pumpkin pulp, glowing peach, and murky clove. 2/5 Bobbing for Oblivion Arkansas black apples with inky musk, wood spice, labdanum, patchouli, dark African woods, and saffron. Maybe? Sounds interesting. 3/5 Bobbing for Smut Three booze soaked apples soaked in smutty musks and sugar. Might be interesting.. 3/5 Bobbing for Snake Oil Our best-selling fragrance gets dunked: apples crushed into vintage patchouli, dark, rich, aged vanilla absolute, vegetal musk, and spices. I'll try just about any Snake Oil variant. 3/5 Bobbing for Zombies Dried rose petals and leathery dried apples soiled with Spanish moss, oakmoss and deep brown earth. 2/5 Halloween 2022 - Dead Leaves 2022 I have roughly 1 million dead leaves scents already so it will have to be something really interesting to catch my eye... Dead Leaves And Horchata DL+ sweet and/or spicy is usually good but sometimes can go wrong on me. Pass for now. 2/5 Dead Leaves, and Ginger Spice And here it is, the one I bought! I'm really hopeful for this one to be great. 4/5 Dead Leaves, Boot Leather, and Sweet Grass Not really my thing right now.. 2/5 Dead Leaves, Praline, and Sheer Vanilla See DL& Horchata.. 2/5 Dead Leaves, Scorched Pumpkin, and Marshmallows This was close but DL& Ginger Spice won out. This has marshmallow so I fully expect it to sell out. I'll watch for reviews! 3/5 Dead Leaves, Vanilla Bean, Pink Fig, and Brandied Dates Dates + vanilla bean does catch my eye but fig is historically a note I don't care about either way. Brandied dates makes it sound even better, though.. will have to see what happens.. 3-4/5 Halloween 2022 - Ginormous Yard Skeleton Angst Charred sandalwood and cardamom soured by bitter caraway seed. I tend to avoid caraway (in perfumes). 1/5 Anticipation Red sandalwood and white pumpkin prickling with black pepper, orange blossom, and bergamot. Nothing here sounds bad, but it's not really grabbing me. 2/5 Despondency A sorrowful Halloween blend of pumpkin puree, lavender bud, night-blooming violets, purple sandalwood, and tears. Hmm, this does sound interesting. Violet is one of those notes I don't love but do crave occasionally. It kind of amps on my skin but I bet pumpkin and lavender would be good balancing notes. This is a possibility. 4?/5 Victory A joyous fusion of pumpkin cheesecake and champagne. I have Pumpkin Cheesecake, I love it but probably don't need this.. we'll see. 3/5 Halloween 2022 - Lightning Strikes Lightning Strikes Cinema The scent of sitting in a darkened theater in a rainstorm circa 1935, marveling at the alchemy that transforms scribbled words into specters of light, shadow, and sound: dripping umbrellas, a nicotine haze clinging to musty velvet curtains, camphorous vapors rising from strips of hot celluloid. It's a kind of scent I usually am drawn to, but there's a lot of competition in this update. Undecided. 3/5 Lightning Strikes Literature The incendiary moment when a human hand snatches fire from the gods of creativity and channels it onto the page: a lightning storm stirred with beeswax candle smoke, yellowing notebooks, and pools of India ink. I'm not crazy about beeswax- related scents. 2/5 Lightning Strikes the Future The ultimate lab experiment: streaks of feral red musk twining in a double-helix around a pulsing, electrified core of fossilized amber, erupting from a glimmering pool of reactor coolant. Not sure.. these notes aren't calling out to me for some reason. 2/5 Halloween 2022 - Persephone’s Bounty I'm just not a big pomegranate fan (in perfumes). I did just get Pomegranate Morocco, and that's about all I need right now. Pomegranate Oud 2/5 Pomegranate Turkish Delight 2/5 Pomegranate, Brown Sugar, and Tobacco 2/5 Pomegranate, Freesia, White Tea, and White Amber 2/5 Pomegranate, Patchouli, Moss, and Fir Needle 2/5 Pomegranate, Pink Pepper, and Black Apple 2/5 Halloween 2022 - Witches, Sorceresses, and Sorceries in Art History A Breton Sorceress Tonka bean, yellow bergamot, ambrette seed, patchouli root, oak bark and leaf, bitter almond, smoked cedar, allspice, and vanilla absolute. Sounds very cozy and warm. I ordered a bottle. 4/5 A Sorceress Black silk, golden thread, skin musk, white sandalwood, vanilla dust, red lotus absolute, tonka absolute, serpent scale accord, and black amber. A few of these notes are kind of just not really my thing, like silk, skin musk, black amber (sometimes works). I see the word "red" and worry about that too. This could go either way, but I'm not risking it right now. 2/5 An Enchanted Cellar with Animals A cacophony of feathers and fur, cracked clay and moist stone, scattered rushes, upturned herbs, red sage, and frankincense smoke. Sounds good but I don't know what red sage smells like. Again sometimes "red" notes clash with my skin & nose. Pass for now. 3/5 Dulle Griet Black oud, bay leaf, olibanum, rose smoke, cassis, green cardamom, clove bud, and black sandalwood. I would try this if it crossed my path. 2 "black" notes kind of put me off, but it has potential. 3/5 Gooped Familiar Sweet black musk, golden amber, cedarwood, catnip, and hay absolute with a shock of carnation, clove, and cinnamon bark. Probably smells good but isn't rising above the competition in this update. I'll keep my eye on it. 3/5 Heksenbijeenkomst Black oud and wild plum, tobacco leaf, black amber, opium smoke, and myrrh tar. I have a decant of Dead Leaves, oud, plum etc and I like it fine, but this doesn't call out to me. Will watch. 3/5 La Danse de la Sorciere Auburn amber, polished wood, dribbles of golden honey, a cascade of budding herbs, red sandalwood, and sugared white amber. Something about this combination doesn't sound like 'me'. 2/5 Lightning Struck a Flock of Witches A crack of ozone slicing through blue benzoin, indigo musk, tobacco, and opoponax. Same as above.. 1/5 Nocturnal Witches Scene Hungarian pine needles, oak wood, black mosses, smoldering pitch, and bonfire smoke. This sounds very interesting to me, it's kind of a risk but I went for a bottle. 4/5 Peasants Fleeing (Witchcraft) Yellow balsam, well-worn leather, dark musk, and mud-spattered wool. This is a combination that does call out to me, for whatever reason, I went for a bottle. Might be too strong, hope not. 4/5 Scene with Witches Smoked ambergris accord, gray silk, incense-stained cotton, and crushed herbs. I don't usually like ambergris, it's one of the few notes I usually avoid. Add in "gray silk" and I'm out. The other 2 notes do sound good. 2/5 The Dance of the Farfadets Gray sandalwood, packed earth, hinoki, patchouli root, myrrh resin, and balsam. There's that "gray" again, but this time... Look at that artwork! I had to get a bottle. I like a lot of earthy scents, so maybe it will work. 4/5 The Love Potion Golden neroli, blackcurrant, candied pomegranate, gilded rosewood, smoldering incense resin, and rose musk. Not sure. This has a lot of potential, but I passed for now. It could turn soapy on me, or too perfumey. Will keep it in mind.. 3/5 The Necromancer Dusty tomes, russet cashmere, green velvet, and leather, frankincense and cinnamon bark, galangal root and fig, rosewater and lilac cologne. This sounds good, and I had it in my cart. When I see a long list of notes, I know from experience it has potential to go wrong somewhere. Will keep it in mind. 3/5 Three People Plucking a Mandrake A tangle of mandrake root and patchouli root bound by champaca resin. Champaca resin is one of my favorite notes, and I love patchouli. Bottled. 5/5 Tovenares Pale woods and dried rose petals, white sandalwood, bone dust, sweet amber, and incense smoke. "Pale", "dried", "white" and "dust" all sounds very dry and/or perfumey to me. Pass for now, although I do like woods, some rose, some amber, and some incense smoke. 3/5 Witchecraft: Consulting a Book of Spells, Performing Various Rites Candlewax, clove leaf, yellowed parchment, a cluster of mosses, incense resin, black pepper, cardamom, black amber, and ylang ylang. Combination not calling to me.. 2/5 Witches at Their Incantations Red olibanum, scorched opoponax, 13-year aged myrrh oil, and champaca absolute. Red olibanum is very worrisome to me, and myrrh might push this over the edge into "too perfumey", but it definitely has potential. 3/5 Witches Taking off for the Sabbath Broomcorn and tallow, waxed pine wood, pumpkin seeds, orris root, oakmoss, dried fig, frankincense, ambrette seed, dragon’s blood ink, and a drop of cacao. Kind of neutral on this - but not really calling me. 2/5 Witches’ Kitchen Bourbon tobacco absolute, nagarmotha, vetiver, tomato leaf, gunpowder, yarrow stalks, brimstone, vervain, seared leather, and castoreum accord. Right now this doesn't sound like my thing, but that could change.. pass for now.. 3/5 Young Witches at Play in the Night Sky Cloudstruck white musk, orris root, white bergamot, magnolia petals, fir needle, and juniper mist. Again, sounds perfumey, but I'm interested because of the magnolia petals. I think that might be like champaca. Pass for now, will watch. 3/5
  2. Making a list here so I can keep track of them Thurs Sept 1 - Dr. John Seward Fri Sept 2 - Marshmallow & Black Plum Sat Sept 3 - Oak Moon Sun Sept 4 - Autumn Mon Sept 5 - Nyarlathotep Tues Sept 6 - All the Meaner Things Weds Sept 7 - Meditation In Autumn Thurs Sept 8 - Mummies of Mexico City Fri Sept 9 - Mr. Jacquel Sat Sept 10 - Blood Moon '05 Sun Sept 11 - Charcoal, Champaca Resin, and Tobacco Absolute Mon Sept 12 - Kisses For Us All Tues Sept 13 - Flesh of My Flesh Weds Sept 14 - Mr. Nancy Thurs Sept 15 - Vanilla Bean, Marshmallow & Benzoin Fri Sept 16 - Apple Sugar Sat Sept 17 - Ded Moroz Sun Sept 18 - Ra, and Djinn beard oil prototype Mon Sept 19 - The Anti-Salloon League Tues Sept 20 - All Hallows Chaos: Samhain, #46 Weds Sept 21 - Rose Petals & Palo Santo Thurs Sept 22 - Mme. Moriarty, Misfortune Teller Fri Sept 23 - A Pale and Glimmering Light Appeared Before Him Sat Sept 24 - Devil's Night, 2006 bottle Sun Sept 25 - Labdanum, Red Musk & Scorched Vanilla Mon Sept 26 - Every Day Is Halloween Tues Sept 27 - October (2007 I think) Weds Sept 28 - Doc Constantine (orig. release bottle with small amt left) Thurs Sept 29 - Julia Stone, and Pomegranate Morocco Fri Sept 30 - Autumn Coolness
  3. forspecial_plate

    Ghoulish

    Decant from 2010, guess I never wrote a review... I can tell this is faded just slightly, but it smells mostly the same and is more than strong enough on me. For about 15-30 minutes it smells like a crumbly almond cookie with a hint of cherry and very slight coconut. I don't like the crumbly aspect. But after a while, it smooths out a lot, and it's more of a syrupy cherry+coconut with some almond. I've never learned to pick out saffron so I can't comment on that. This is a nice, cute Halloween scent that I enjoy (guess I haven't worn it that much, since my decant is over 10 yrs old now!). I do like it and I revisit it every year. I'm just a really light applier, lol!
  4. forspecial_plate

    Chaos Theory V: Recursive Self Similarity v4

    Looks like CCDI but it's hard to make out. This is light and clean, and I finally figured out, I think there's a light black tea note in it. I can smell the vanilla part of Snake Oil but not the earthy/musky part, plus black tea. The reason I think there is black tea is because it reminds me a little bit of anise but not exactly anise. So - to me this is stripped down Snake Oil plus light black tea, there may be more but that's what I smell. Good thing I like it because this is the fullest 5ml bottle I've ever received from the lab, it's literally almost up to the top!
  5. forspecial_plate

    Autumn Roses Candle

    Well, I lit this a couple hours ago so I'll go ahead and give my impressions... It's really light and ethereal. It's a very light ambery scent, maybe a hint of something spicy, but I wouldn't have guessed there was any rose in it. After a while I kind of forget it's there, then I'm reminded if I leave the room and come back in. I'm reminded somewhat of Western Small Foot Bat hair gloss. But I got that out and sniffed the bottle and this candle is lighter, and a little sweeter. Whatever different notes are in this, I can't differentiate anything, it's just completely blended together. Ethereal, sweet, ambery. Very pretty. I love it! My 1st Bpal candle and I'm very happy with it. EDIT: I have to say I detect something a little bit fizzy here, I doubt there is a champagne note but maybe there's a hint of ginger? Hard to say..
  6. forspecial_plate

    Labdanum, Red Musk, Scorched Vanilla

    Really beautiful, I'm getting all the notes pretty much equally. I agree with others that the "scorched" part is really subtle. Overall it's a really light scent on me but in a good way, just about the throw level that I like best. I think the combination of notes is creating this illusion of a lightly spiced scent. Another one I'm considering a backup of...
  7. forspecial_plate

    Snake Milk

    When I read the description, I thought of Anaconda, so I was sold, not that I needed much persuasion anyway! : ) So, it doesn't smell like Anaconda except maybe marginally. But it smells really good. Like, I could almost get a backup bottle. Milk notes are a risk for me because they could go a little plasticky, but this doesn't, it's just milky caramelized snakey goodness. Smells pretty much how it is described. Maybe slightly powdery, but the snakey goodness always tempers that for me (not that I'm against powdery scents). Not overwhelming but stronger than, say, Snake's Kiss, in my experience. It's just right and one of the stand-out S.O. variants I've smelled, right up there with my other favorites.
  8. forspecial_plate

    Gingerbread Limoncello

    Pretty simple, the lab's familiar gingerbread note, and a slightly bitter lemony note. The lemon part reminds me of Penis Bound With Gold Ribbon, a little. I love this, I'm all about lemon lately and I'm happy we've had a few different lemon variations lately (this, Penis Bound, Amor...etc). This one is cozy and fresh at the same time, I think I could wear it any time of year.
  9. forspecial_plate

    Forever With Unopened Eye

    When I saw "lavender incense" I really perked up. Serge Lutens had a lavender incense scent and I'm always on the lookout for something similar. (Encens et Lavende or something like that) This starts out with a camphorous blast and I thought I wasn't going to like it. I thought "is there eucalyptus in this?", but I think it's the cypress. Soil peeks out a little bit. After a long time, the camphor aspect backs off and I can tell the lavender incense is trying to come out. I think the soil note comes out a little more and I think the hemlock is there in the mix. I thought I didn't like this but I keep putting on more. It's kind of addictive and I'm hoping the lavender incense comes out more with age. Overall I've grown to like this and I'm happy I took a chance on it. Edit: couple weeks later, the grave soil is a lot stronger now. I'm still liking it! Hasn't changed other than the soil coming out stronger.
  10. forspecial_plate

    White Sage and Lime

    Someone else said the word "sparkling" and that's what I always think when I first put this on. As it dries, it's cool and herbal with lime, clean and soothing. It's a peaceful, relaxing scent. I love it.
  11. forspecial_plate

    Midwarkust

    I love this, but I'm not sure how to describe it. Dark and incense-y with luscious apple component, and maybe some of the sweeter gourmand notes in the background. Apple is a risky note for me, I don't always like it, I've tried og Midway and didn't expect a lot of apple here, but I'm happy to report it works really well for me in this scent. Dark and swirling incense + gourmand. It comes off as sultry but also cozy on me. When I first got this, I didn't like it much at all, whether from travel shock or whatever, it was just really funky up close. Not sure what that was about but I did sense potential and it has definitely smoothed out a lot after some aging.
  12. forspecial_plate

    Apostrophe of Time

    I agree this has a very oakmossy vibe - maybe it's something happening with the neroli and sage? I thought it was a pretty safe bet for me based on the notes, but it's doing the "70's/80's hairy chest aftershave" thing on me, which sometimes happens with oakmoss and that's why I started avoiding that note. Not sure what happened here but this isn't working for me. (It's ok though, I have lots of other citrus/neroli scents I like)
  13. forspecial_plate

    Still Life With Dooting Skull

    Spice-dominant, backed by the slightly creamy coconut milk, I can agree with the root-beer comparisons, but to me it's a little more spicy. I love the Lab's sassafras scents, especially Anti-Salloon League, this is more spicy and I think I'm amping the nutmeg. I don't really smell anise or honey here. Wouldn't really have guessed vanilla either, for that matter. But I think over time the background notes do come out more, they're just all blended together. I do like this and will wear it again, especially when fall rolls around again and there's a chilly breeze with falling leaves outside. Very cozy scent. And it has a nice lower level of sillage for me, not too strong, just right actually.
  14. forspecial_plate

    Languishing for Love

    I get mainly strong bitter almond at first, for a few minutes. Then over the next couple hours, something really weird happens with the combination of notes and I smell labdanum. I would have sworn this has labdanum but it's not in the description. It's some combination of the musk with something else going on. Much later the musk comes out stronger but overall there's not a lot of morphing here. It's very smoothly blended and in the end it's mostly about the almond, it kind of holds on through the subtle changes. I don't think I ever smelled mint OR anise. I love almond scents, so this works for me! Fancy dark almond. My bottle is a few weeks old.
  15. forspecial_plate

    Recommendation for a Masculine Patchouli scent

    Hi! I never tried Black Light Reactive Poster, but I do like nag champa and patchouli. I think these are worth a try: Paramatman - Orange blossom, East Indian sandalwood, and champaca Urd - Muscadine, black and red patchouli, cereus and nag champa Gaueko - Blackened sandalwood and misty lavender, with curling wisps of smoky tobacco, nag champa, and labdanum Oblivion - Dark musk, wood spice, labdanum, patchouli, dark African woods, and saffron. [This one in my opinion is very accessible and might make a great intro scent for someone new to bpal] Goblin - Black coconut, gnarly patchouli, and sweet benzoin. [A lot of people name this as their favorite patchouli scent] I really like Snake Oil and also the Snake Pit scents in the Carnaval Diabolique section of the Lab's site. Snake Oil might possibly have patchouli but there's no official list of notes. Unfortunately it's out of stock right now but some of the Snake Pit are in stock. These stand out for me: Death Adder - Snake Oil with vetiver, black coconut, vanilla, and opoponax Western Diamondback - Snake Oil with leather, tonka bean, red sandalwood, and sage Boomslang - Snake Oil with cocoa, teakwood, and rice milk Temple Viper (out of stock but this one is my favorite so I had to mention it) - Snake Oil with sugar cane, frankincense, champaca, opoponax, labdanum, and hyssop ......these are just my first thoughts but I'm sure there will be more recs!
  16. forspecial_plate

    Ivy Twining Around Discarded Skull

    Dark ivy incense. It reminded me of Hallow-e'en 1914 except less leafy. I swear when I first tried this there was a really pretty incense coming through loud and clear, but every time since then it has been all about the ivy. This is close to being soapy in a way, so I get where others are coming from when they say it's fresh. I got this because I thought it sounded like maybe a new updated take on Meditation In Autumn, and it kind of is that. I'm pretty happy with it. PS, If you wanted more sandalwood from this you could try layering with Pyramid of Skulls, I would imagine that could work
  17. forspecial_plate

    Adventuresome Encounters

    This smells like sweet potato pie. The cinnamon and oakmoss are very soft.
  18. forspecial_plate

    Just as the Clock Struck Twelve

    I've tried this 3 days in a row after just getting it Monday. As you know it could still change over time but I feel like I have a pretty good idea of what it smells like and that is white musk. The lab's white musk note is showcased here above all else, although the rose and cacao are very much present. I don't really smell the other 2 notes. (Maybe the ambrette seed is there a little when I sniff up close, it's hard to tell). I was drawn to the word "wistful" and that is an appropriate description of this. It's perfumey and somewhat floral from the rose but I think the other notes help round it out. If you love white musk this might be your dream scent, if it behaves like it does on me. PS: I got headaches yesterday and today after putting this on, not sure if the perfumey floral aspect gave me a headache, or if it's justy my usual allergies.
  19. forspecial_plate

    Mother Ginger

    I really haven't reviewed this?? Ok, I've worn it for the last 2 days and it's lovely. I remember not liking it as much when it was new. I guess it needed a bit of aging. It's airy poofy ginger vanilla marshmallows, with the softest spice. I think it has really settled and aged nicely. It lasts a good 5 hours or more. I'd like to layer this with a rose scent. I don't really get anything lemony like some other people did.
  20. forspecial_plate

    Enthusiastic Afternoon Liaison

    Pretty champaca dominant soft incense scent. I don't get any floral. I have a little shorty decant that ended up on my work desk and stayed there. I recognize the champaca from Wynter Wakeneth, and in fact this scent is similar to that one IMO. Love it.
  21. forspecial_plate

    Sugar Skull

    Sugar Skull 2021 This year's Sugar Skull smells very different to me, it smells darker, and I am really undecided on whether there has been a complete reformulation this year. I have several decants of Sugar Skull from years past and this ain't it. It still smells sugary with fruit, and I'm going to take a guess that I could be smelling blackcurrant? I got out my decant of Blackcurrant Pie to compare them side-by-side and I think I could be onto something. "Darker" is really the only word I can think of. It's like something brighter is missing this year. I've been putting off getting a 5ml of Sugar Skull for quite a few years, so I have to admit I was disappointed in this. It's not actually a bad scent, it's just really not what I was expecting. Luckily I found a 2015 bottle in a forum sale and it is the Sugar Skull I know and love (they seem to have slight variations over the years but in my opinion have always been basically the same scent - until this year). I believe that some people will really like this year's version and I'm curious to read more reviews! I wonder if it's a skin chemistry thing? Edit: 2 yrs of aging has done a lot of good for this scent, it's a lot closer to what I thought of as Sugar Skull and I no longer feel like I could have got a mislabeled bottle. It's lighter than what I'm used to from SS but I do like it more than I did when it was new.
  22. forspecial_plate

    Gebirgsschlucht Im Winter

    Blackberry candy in the forest. More piney in the first few minutes, then musk and a little oakmoss come out stronger, but the berry stays constant, just sweet enough to remind me of candy. The oakmoss is behaving and not taking over everything else. The berry note is a little medicinal and....kind of sickly for some reason, but there is a time and place for this. I just have to apply very lightly. Cool forest with a berry cough drop.
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    The Mysterious Rappings Polka

    This smells kind of sweet and savory at the same time, it's just totally well-blended and nothing really stands out, although I can pick out aspects of rose musk and toffee. It kind of reminds me of a Yule cousin of Bad Luck Woman Blues, without any dirt note. For such an odd mix of notes, it's really smooth and well-behaved. It also reminds me a little of one of the Halloweenies scents from the last few years - I can't remember the name but it's some kind of rose scent. I'm glad to have this! Looks like not many people went for it. : )
  24. forspecial_plate

    Buck Moon 2021

    I get the popcorn note too - but there is definitely more to this, I am picking up on the crystalline notes as well, and that part reminds me of the old school Lunacy scents I've had the good fortune to smell. I actually was able to compare this with all of the other Buck Moons (a good friend has the first one, and I have the rest), and I think they are cousins, different scents but you can tell they're related. It also reminds me of Wolf Moon from '04 or '05, that one has a crystalline feeling too. I love this! It's cozy and comforting.
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    Wild Rose & Dandelion Sap

    This smells just like the name says. To me the rose is stronger than the dandelion sap, but there is definitely a balance going on. Very pretty rose scent. Basically if these notes sound good to you, I don't think you'll be disappointed (haven't read the previous reviews yet, though).
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