Sara

A hazy, soft, veiled scent: mist floating through twilit skies, curling gently towards the heavens. Hmm... this is sweet in the sniffing. Sweet and difficult to place. Swiping brought out all the notes and then some..it almost reminds me of sweet flowers and fruit dabbled with honey. After a little while this began to really remind me strongly of something I smelled as a child. Like some sweet fragance that came with a toy or a doll or something..I dunno, it's just right in the back of my head and never really comes forward. Overall I like this a lot, possibly more than I thought I would. Me thinks a bigger bottle is in my future.

Initial imp sniff: Mmm..some kinda fruity twang, yeah, this is nice. Dab: Still that strong fruit twang, damn I loves me some fruit in the summer. But wait, what is that soapiness tinging around the corners? Drydown: This funny soapness just completely ass-raped the yummy, yummy fruit and left it lying in the gutter. Overall: If only that soap note wasn't there!! I was sooo in love until it molestered my poor fruit!! Damn it all!!

Imp sniff: Woah there cowboy..this sucker is wicked sharp. I think it's the wood notes..damn those wood notes, always sounding so lovely, yet screwing me over in person. Swipe: Hmmm....the sharpness must've jumped straight off the ride, cuz that bitch ain't no where to be found now, how awesome is that?? There are notes coming out from all over the place now, I can say with much confidence I can't recognize a damn one and this feels like a whole new BPAL to me. Generally most of the oils have a common feel to them.. but this is new and surprisingly delicious. Drydown: So far so good. Seriously, I will kill someone if this fucks up on my skin later. I'm completely and utterly in love!!! It's like sweet, yet not in a tangy sugar way, it's soft, yet not in a poopy way, it's multi-faceted, yet not a busy jumble...I mean I can't pick out a damn thing, but it's wonderful. Surprisingly it almost reminds me of country apple spice, not a cheapie kind, but a genuine one from a genuine country store/artsy fartsy fair. Overall: You know..just when I become frustrated with my lack of wearable scentage, the Labbie folks toss me a freebie that is so far down on my list to try, that it'll take forever for me to get to it normally - then it ends up working!! My bottle order is due anytime soon, and the bf is pilfering me alcohol and pipettes from work, this might have to become an honorary spray..just to hold me over until I have the monies to place a larger order. I LOVE FREEBIE IMPS!! THE LABBIES ARE TOTALLY TITS!! Edited to add: Oooh, I just went back and read the description, I can't wait to tell our Bulgarian and Polish friends what I'm wearing.

Imp Sniff: There be a plastic note here. Swipe: Yep, plastic note is soooo taking over. It reminds me of Tintagel in that the note is like barbies and/or plastic..and it takes over everything else. Drydown: Stupid plastic note. I wish I knew what it was. At first I thought it was dragon's blood, but that works fine on me, maybe it's the clove? Although I've got some whole cloves in the kitchen that don't smell a damn bit like plastic...so maybe it's a mystery note to be solved later. Overall: Noperino, not for me.

First off: Blllleeeeeecccccchhhhhh!!! I swiped a teeny, tiny amount on my arm and it's choking me...almost literally. My impression is of sharp woods and smoke, but not in the romantic "campfire" sense I thought it would be. Instead it's nauseating and I need to go wash it off now. Soooooooooo not for me.

Initial Imp Sniff: Woody, slightly bitey, and with a clean sort of quality. Swipe: Something soft comes out with the initial sniff to calm down the slight bite...definitely not what I was expecting thus far. Drydown: Totally weird. I'd say this has really morphed from my initial impression. The only thing that's still the same is the slight woody bite, and it's mellowed and softened to the point where there is no bite. It's so soft and lightly spiced with a lovely sweetness. Overall: This is pretty, not really me, but pretty nonetheless. It almost conjures the image of crystals...pure white, rough at the bottom, crystals. Dunno why, but it doesn't make me think of dancing skeletons like the name did. The only downside is that my skin seems to have swallowed all but a tiny whiff of it up. Poo.

Imp sniff: Ye gads this is some sharpness here!!!! I really need to find out what that note is, it's sooo not me. It's like a sharp wood note. Swipe: That sharp thing is overpowering everything else...I think I can get some of the grapefruit on the very outskirts. Drydown: The sharp woody note is there along with some light powder (blech, hate powder) and a dash of grapefruit and a couple of notes I can't quite figure out...hmm.... Overall: Well, I don't know what I was expecting, but I don't think it was this. It's just really not me and I can't imagine this on my guy, so into the swap pile it goes.

Hmm...my initial sniff made me think this wasn't going to work out. I can't actually identify any of the specific notes (I really suck at that anyway), but it seems a bit sharp-ish. Everything kind of explodes after swiping, so I gave it a few minutes before trying to figure it all out. The notes soften a bit into a sort of man's cologne or aftershave. It's actually quite yummy. I could totally picture this on a dark, brooding, and powerful sort of man....and that man is in dire need of ravaging! On the drydown this mellowed out completely into one blended note. Which is pure aftershave to my nose...it's not unpleasant, but at the fringes there is a soft "under-scent" which isn't agreeing with my "tall, dark, powerful, and mysterious" guy image. *le sigh* On the hour later drydown this is making me wickedly nauseous. None of the previous yumminess exists anymore, it's pure old lady stink. I'm dead serious when I say my stomach is rebelling like mad..blech. Overall this would be utterly fantastic on a guy (normally I can carry masculine scents well, but this one is out of my league) if only that middle stage held up longer (it lasted around 30min. on me) before falling into the soft mash and later into something my stomach can't handle.

Hmm... a soft, powdery and slightly incensey-ness is my initial sniff. After swiping it I'm attacked by florals! Ahh! When my arm is away from my face I just smell flowers (god I hate florals, not just any florals, but these kind - whatever the hell they are! ). But when my arm is next to my nose it isn't so bad...although it does smell just like flower soap. I mean, it's not a bad soap smell, but I think it's a little odd to smell like flower soap. Overall this is sooo not me. On name alone I thought this would be a soft incense similar to Tushnamatay, in reality it couldn't be farther. I get no incense on my skin, strictly flower soap.

Wow, I didn't realize this was discontinued, as it was a frimp in my last order. Initial sniff: Soft watery florals, can't detect the rose yet (yay). This scent has a sort of pale green quality to it Swipe: I already know I'm not going to care for this one much, but at least it hugs the skin. The florals are more wet and slightly stronger now. Drydown: The rose is a very soft note in this, rounding out the others and lending itself lightly. Usually it overpowers everything...blech. But not this time. Overall: This is a very soft fragrance that I can see on a little girl. I actually got a strong impression of a little girl in the late summer sun prancing around the yard in her mother's clothes. Thankfully I don't get the "innocence lost among Hollywood cushions" at all. I just get a little girl on the cusp of "growing up." Very pretty and sweet, just not me, sadly I associate roses with my own childhood and of old ladies - I just don't like their scent.

Initial Sniff: Hrm....I was superly excited when everyone was describing theirs as "fruity as all hell", but to me, I just smell flowers. There's also this slightly "off" thing hanging in the background, can't really identify it, but it reminds me of civet. It's not stinky like poop or anything, but it's got that animal feel to it. This is also a little harsher than I'd planned on. After having my boyfriend sniff it as well, he says "gahh! It's cough syrup!! I hope it's something else on you." Swipe: Well, it's staying pretty true to the bottle. Pretty damn true. The bright, stinging quality of the flowers (I'm not a floral chick) is overwhelming any fruit that might be in here. That odd animal note is still hanging in the background, more like an "aftertaste." Drydown: With my nose away from my wrist (where I dabbed just the teeniest, tiniest bit, it wasnn't really even a swipe) this smells just like it did in the bottle. I still a shit-ton of flowers, it actually hurts my sinuses and the back of my throat. With my nose on my skin, I catch some spice n' stuff...but still no fruit. Overall: Jeebus Criminany, this is some wickedly strong stuff. I flipped the bottled over and back, then screwed off the lid, and dabbed it on my skin. There was nary a wetspot before rubbing my wrists together. And this is just overpowering my poor nose. I'm sure it's got a lot to do with my skin amplifying florals (sadly), but still...daaammnnn. Unfortunately, this isn't really what I was expecting. It's very pretty, but it's not what I'd worked up in my mind. I'd imagined fruit...I'm sure it's in there somewhere, but all I get is floral, strong, painfully stingy floral. The fruit is being beaten into submission and if it doesn't surface sometime before this burns off into sickening carrier/base oil (which is will eventually, I can smell it on the outskirts now...stupid skin), I just may trade away. *le sigh* This is what I get for building a scent up in my mind before sniffing... Edited to add: Dude, that sticky brain-toy thingy I got with mine is soo cool. It's squishy and icky and totally fun and I love the cute touch of adding it to the orders. Edited again: Ok, it's been like two hours, I'm not sure when the Brains disappeared on me, but they did. Probably an hour ago or something...and you know what I'm left with? Lol, the same thing I knew I would be. The base/carrier oil of doom. It's become apparent in nearly every blend I've ever tried, BPAL and others alike. One day I'll be a good girl and create sprays.. Edited a bunch of days later. Ok, I mixed up a spray for this one, in the hopes that it would last longer, and it didn't quite turn out like I'd hoped. You know how when you squirt sprays that the alcohol is present for like 2 seconds before vanishing? That's the fruit of this blend for me. I smell it when I open the bottle, and when I spritze..but the second the cloud hits my skin - BAM - all stinky flowers. I fall in love with Mi-Go over and over again when sniffing straight from the bottle, yet hate its guts everytime it touches my skin and those animal flowers come out.... grrrrr!!! Oh yeah, and the spray gets Mi-Go to last about an hour extra on my skin, no more. Although, it does last on my shirt in its original fruity state. And I really didn't dilute it with alcohol very much. Normally I've been doing about a 1:6, but with Mi-Go I did about a 1:4-ish with 95%-ish alcohol....growl!!!!

Initial Imp Sniff: Ok, this has 3 notes listed that I like: mandarin, vanilla, and sandalwood...but I don't actually smell any of them now. It's just fresh and semi-floral. Swipe: This scent is a jumble of feminine notes so well-blended I can't pick out the individual ones yet. Drydown: Hmm.... it's still so difficult to pick out notes, damn! Mostly I'm getting the feeling of "super-feminine" and womanly touched with a slight bit of powder. Completely abhoring powder this scent probably won't be for me (also I'm not into "womanly" scents )...but it truly is beautiful. Overall thoughts: My stomach has become more and more sensitive in the time I've been on birth control (this is the fourth month) and I just brushed my teeth (on an empty stomach this makes me severely nauseous), so I'm feeling a touch queasy. Unfortunately, that means my stomach is affecting how I perceive this scent.

Envy Envy Envy...I really haven't tried a more deserving "spring/summer scent." It's all sharp green, mint, and tiny, tiny bit of floral (it's not like a stinky flower like rose or gardenia, more like something which grows out in the woods or fields, can't think of what it reminds me of). It totally conjures up my childhood of running around in the woods during the warmer months. Machu Picchu is a sweet, semi-spiced fruit blend, not bad for the warm months...umm..Katharina was horrible in the drydown on me, but before that it was a beautiful apricot. Whitechapel is like lightly powdered lemon candy. Neo-Tokyo reminds me of "guest soap" (don't ask) in a fresh way. Akuma is like gummi fruits to me.... Dunno how helpful my suggestions are...I prefer greenery and fruits for summertime, Envy fills that capacity for me, but I still haven't found the *perfect* fruit scent. Edited to add: Envy doesn't go wonky on me in the least (unlike the vast majority of the other blends tried).....*but*, I did forget to mention I have to re-apply often. Damn stuff completely disappears on me within a couple of hours.

Indeed! I really enjoy apricots and the initial sniff of this imp gave hope that maybe, just maybe, I'd found a lovely fruit scent for spring. But there was this "sharp wood stink" (as I've come to term it..sure wish I knew what that note really is) kind of stomping on my hopes. Fortunately it dulled over time and faded to something that rounded the apricot out instead of fighting with it. However, this one is all "old lady stink" drydown hours later....is it a carrier oil or a particular note that does this to me?! Nearly every scent I fall in love with initially is ruined by a craptacular drydown.

I can totally smell the myrrh right away before swiping, not bad, not bad, I like myrrh. Unfortunately, this blend bursts into florals immediately upon hitting my skin and all myrrh is lost. Florals are ok sometimes, you know, when they add to stuff; but my skin just magnifies them beyond my toleration. poop. Overall this has a clean, sweet quality to it that's nice...just not for me, damnit. When will my search for the perfect "me" scent end??

The initial sniff is of something deep and not exactly what I'm looking for in the springtime. In the wet swipe this scent comes alive with an almost "dark, fizzing cola" quality - totally weird. It's not like, unpleasant or anything, again "just not what I'm looking for." Unfortunately, what ever nice feelings I began having towards this blend were squashed on the drydown. Holy playdoh horror Batman. Sometimes, I really hate what my skin does to oils and certain notes. Perhaps it's time to try out using alcohol.

Initial Imp Sniff: Hmm...pretty and womanly. Floral like n' stuff..I can't actually pick out individual notes though (never can with florals). Swipe: Easy there cowboy, someone might mistake me for a girl! It's totally perked up to like "woman." Why do I detest woman so much? The rose is beginning to surface and the other floral notes (that I still can't recognize) are fading to the background..there's also a powder edge evolving. Drydown: Poopydoop. It's rose alright. Rose is soooo "grown up woman", I really can't stand it and I don't know why I try so hard to like it (oh yeah..cuz the bf likes it. ). I swear this is something I can envision on my mom or some other woman of equal "woman" or "maternal" standards. The rose sharpened the powder smell and whipped everything else in line behind it. Overall: So....is rose just overpowering when it's used in blends, even if it's a smaller amount? Or is it my skin amplifying it? Either way - poopydoopy!! I can't associate rose with anything other than "grown woman perfume" which I have never loved and will probably never appreciate. *le sigh* Still, it's a beautiful blend...just not for me.

Initial Imp Sniff: Clear water..definitely Swipe: Soap, but not in a bad way...like clean soapy water, fresh and clear. Drydown: Hmm...this smells softer, more feminine than before...strongly reminds me of an Aunt's perfume, wish I could remember the name. It's still got the clear, fresh tone to it, just softened with something...just..womanly. Overall: I can sooo picture this on a guy fresh out of the shower, wearing a clean white t-shirt, and still has wet hair..just delicious. This is the ultimate "clean guy" scent. Hell, I even like it on me.

Initial Imp Sniff: Bright, rich, and purple..me thinks fruits, mostly juicy grape fruits. Swipe: Bursting with rich, juicy purple goodness now..very feminine, very candy, almost bubblegummy, grape. Hours later: Hmm...faded enough that I can only catch whiffs here and there, or I have to stick my nose into my wrist. I suppose it's satisfactory lasting power (about 5.5 hours at this point from initial swipe). I can still kind of get the fruity note, but it's now muted and side by side with a feminine, sort of floral note (or combination of). Overall: Not bad..the initial fruit is what sealed my decision to try this one out today. The rest of my "to try" imps all seemd a little too harsh or stinky. The bright color association also makes this one stand out in my mind...I dunno how "me" it is, but it'll stay with me for a little while to decide.

Initial Imp Sniff: Flowers. Lots of crushed flower juices. Swipe: Ooooh god, I'm drowning in florals now. It's severely cloying. I ordered single notes (when they were still available) of Gardenia and Honeysuckle a few months back...um..to my untrained (then) nose, they smelled super similar; in fact, I couldn't really tell them apart. This blend smells just like those single notes. Drydown (couple hours later): The cinnamon finally made an appearance and it ever so slightly nudging the gardenia out - thank goodness! Honestly, the gardenia is kind of turning my stomach a little. It's just too much, too rich, too..just too. When I think of Gardenia, I think of the white pillars from Illuminations (candle place), which is sweet, light, and very much flowery pleasantness. This gardenia however is syrupy, thick, and cloying (can't stop using that word, it's too accurate). If it's possible to drown in a scent, then this one is definitely drowning me.

The Dark Side of Air: a high pitched, tangy, clear scent -- light China rain deepened by murky vetivert. Initial Imp Sniff: Strong sharp note that reminds me of wood..but not good wood, sharp, almost acrid wood. Swipe: eeeeeee... the strong acrid wood is stinging me (not literally, just feels like it's attacking my nose). It's got a clear tang to it, along with some yellow citrus..but..I dunno man..this is kinda strong in all the wrong places. Drydown: Well..the drydown was a softer version of the swipe, with the citrus and sharp wood coming to an agreement of equalness. Much More Drydown: Hours and hours later this has mellowed to something bearable. It's softened the sharp wood to something not so "nose-wrinkling." Overall: Well, this isn't something I'll reach for time and time again, but it's not overly bad. I thought being an Air person myself would mean I could enjoy this scent more. I'm really developing an aversion to this stingingly sharp "wood" notes. It's time to find out what they are so I can add them to my "avoid" list.

Initial Imp Sniff - Mmm...bright, clear, freshness...must be the aquatics. Swipe - The dragon's blood is coming out now, but it's in the background to the aquatics, which smell so lovely when wet on my skin. Drydown - Damn..I really think it's the dragon's blood making this 'perfumey' to me. Which really sucks, cuz I like it in the imp, and I like it wet on my skin, but I don't like it dry on my skin. Overall - It's either the Dragon's Blood or the Aquatic Florals, or heck, even the combination, that make this very "mature woman perfume" to me. I can envision it on many of my family's matriarchs..but umm...it's not something I care to smell like. Damn!

Initial Imp Sniff - Very sweet, and thick - yet still kind of light feeling - scent...can't really pick out any notes (I sort of suck a little unless they beat me in the face). Swipe - I reckon that's the dragon's blood bursting out now. It's not bad, it's kind of pleasant, but I'm not sure how I feel about it yet. It's got a warm tinge to the blood, must be the other notes. Drydown - It's very sweet and perfumey now. Too perfumey for me I thinks. Also, I think I can pick out the honey now....honey isn't really my thing. I love honey in my tea, but I don't know how I feel about wearing it. Overall - Lovely scent, truly. Could be masculine or feminine I suppose, but in the end it's too perfumey (slightly shaded with powder) for me (could be the dragon's blood) and honey just isn't a good note on my skin.

Imp sniff: Bright, clear (albeit slightly yellow-tinged) citrusy type scent...shaded with soap on the outskirts. Swipe - Everything bursts from this one upon fresh application...it's almost mouthwatering (not in a foody kind of way) how potent it is. Everything is brighter, the citrus, the "ozone" (?), and sadly, the soap. Drydown - Hmm..I'm not entirely certain exactly what th ozone note is, but I'm pretty sure it's the one reminding me of poop right now. Not like poop poop, but like unclean restroom "someone pooped in here a little while ago and the freshners have been working overtime to clear it out but it's still kinda on the back of your throat" kinda poop. Aside from that, it's a pretty scent. And it's not like the poop is really screaming at me or anything..it's like in the far back and almost a ghostly presence...lol, ghost poop. Overall - At the end of the day (6 hours after application) this has a very skinhugging feel to it. Very fresh and slightly lemony. I really like this stage...it's rare, usually blends either disappear on me by now or morph into playdoh. I like this one...not sure how much, but I like it.

I haven't tried the others recommended here (save Fenris Wolf, which I had an aversion to...just this one note I find in blends here and there that I completely abhor. ), but I can say that Black Forest is a hefty forest scent for sure. Unfortunately, it didn't last on me very long, but your body chemistry might work it better. For just *green*, Envy is freaking fantastic. Its very fresh, green, minty, and totally reminds me of a childhood spent in the woods.