Magycmyste

Tested on the inside of my elbow since I tested Ossa Arida on my wrists earlier. Ok, there's a lot of woody notes here, so I'm a little nervous about this one, but here goes: In the imp: Woods and rose, but mostly wood Wet on skin: Rose and....... lemon? That might be the green tea or one of the woods, but I'm not sure which. It makes it a very dark green scent. Dried down: Yeah, I'm still getting a sense of lemon cleaning product Throw: None, really. I have to sniff my elbow to get any scent, and when I do, it's lemon cleaner. Verdict: ** 1/* Yeah, this isn't for me, at all, I think.

Testing this on the inside of my elbow since I tested Ossa Arida on my wrists earlier today. In the imp: Very sharp. I think I'm smelling the celery seed most of all, which makes me a little nervous. But then, things do sometimes smell different on my skin that they do in the bottle or imp. Wet on skin: Well, this doesn't. It's still very astringent, with a bitter celery note being all I can really pick out. I can't even smell the frankincense, I think I usually amp that. Dried down: Still the same. It's not morphing at all, and I wish it would. Throw: Almost none, which I thik may be a good thing. Verdict: * 1/* Yeah, this REALLY didn't work for me. I'm giving tit the extra half star mostly because I don't think I would turn my nose away from this scent - I don't hate it that much - but it's a bit too medicinal for me. And this is coming from someone who likes the scents of a lot of medicines.

In the imp: Rose and sweet incense mixed into amber. Wet on skin: Rose and sandalwood, more than anything else. I'm starting to wonder if gurjum balsam is related to sandalwood. This actually remind me of The Little Wooden Doll at this point. Dried down: I see people comparing this to Hope and Fear Set Free, but I think this is what I was hoping Hope and Fear would smell like on me, and it didn't. Dried down, this is rose and fragrant wood sweetened by vanilla and frankincense. Throw: Basically, the drydown - the vanilla is slightly stronger in the throw (but not overpowering), and a wrist sniff brings out more of the rose and wood. Verdict: ***** At first, in the wet stage, I was thinking this didn't feel quite special enough, but that changed once the vanilla started softening it up. This is beautiful. And...I think I need to place another bottle order quickly, before these come down.

Well, I love champaca and incense, but vetiver tends to not do as well on me, so this will be interesting. In the imp: Sweet and sharp. I think I'm getting the red tea, but it sort of blends into everything. Wet on skin: This is sending off an almost cherry bubblegum throw on my skin. Cheap cherry bubblegum. Sniffing my wrists brings out some woodiness from the vetiver and oudh. Dried down: Same as before, with the red tea in the background. Throw: Faint cheap cherry bubblegum. The longer it sits on my skin, the more I get the champaca, though Verdict: *** Yeah, this one isn't for me. For once, champaca has not reigned triumphant, and the vetiver has kicked it into submission. I do like the throw, but not as much as Little Pythia or Touched Twice. To the swaps!

In the imp: a sweet scent, mostly the plum and pomegranate, which go together better than I would have expected. I think the saffron's in there, too. Wet on skin: Interesting - I think it's the frankincense coming out on my skin, but I'm getting sandalwood more than anything else. Probably a mixture of the frankincense and amber - I'm not sure what limonite accord is. Dried down: Heavy on the amber, but sweetened by the plum and pomegranate. Throw: This has a decent throw but light and pleasant, the kind that makes me want to breathe it in more. Verdict: **** 1/* This is beautiful. I don't know how often I'll reach for it, but I think I want a bottle.

In the imp: Sweet and sharp. I'm not entirely sure, but I think I'm getting the labdanum more than anything. It's a little like sweet patchouli. Wet on skin: The oudh definitely comes out on my skin. The amber is, too, though I can't really "smell" it - it's blending into the labdanum. Dried down: Mostly oudh and amber, with a touch of labdanaum. Throw: Not a whole lot. Verdict: **** This is very pretty, but I think I'll see if a bottle comes up on the secondhand market. It's not quite making me rave enough to splurge on one now. I am definitely keeping the decant, though.

In the imp: Sweet vanilla....... something. Sugar cookie? It's actually almost a little boozy. I wonder if it's the raw coffee bean. I'm not really familiar with Himalayan spices, so I'm not sure where they're going to play into this. Wet on skin: The patchouli comes out on my skin, but it's soft and sweet, not hard-hitting. I think I rather like this version of patchouli. With the vanilla, it reminds me a little of Snake Oil with an added patchouli note. Dried down: Same as before. I'm fairly sure I can smell the coffee now, though it blends in beautifully with the other notes. Throw: Not a whole lot, but enough. I only had a half-decant, so I didn't get much on me. The throw is sweet and soft. Verdict: ***** Yeah. I want a bottle.

In the imp: A sweet scent - mostly the anise, with a hint of the cherry blossom shining through. The anise mingled with the cherry blossom reminds me of the fakey cherry flavor you get in some candy - or maraschino cherries. I'm igoring that thought as best I can, but that association doesn't really bode well for this scent for me. Wet on skin: The sandalwood is coming out now, along with a strong edge of anise, and a hint of the cherry blossom again. The combination seems to be producing a sharp astringency. It reminds me of the fennel candy you'll see near the front at some Indian restaurants (It's the equivalent of the mints you find at other places to freshen your breath as you leave). Dried down: Mostly the sandalwood, overtaking everything else. There's still a hint of anise and cherry blossom if I sniff hard enough, but mostly sandalwood. Throw: Faint throw on me, completely sandalwood. Getting the other notes requires me to sniff my wrists. Verdict: ** 1/* I had such high hopes for this, since I love sandalwood and cherry blossom, but..... I don't think this one is going to work for me. The sandalwood is too dry, and when it overtakes everything else, it seems as though there's little special about this scent. And, while I say I wish there was something else to make it special, I mean the cherry blossom. I'm glad the anise has faded to barely there, since it was a little too strong for me in the beginning. I rally wish the cherry blossom had balanced more with the sandalwood and dominated this. I may save this to try again, since I really wanted this one to work, but so far, I think it will be headed to the swaps.

In the imp: A sweet floral, like a light gardenia Wet on skin: A drier floral now. I definitely get the rose, but it smells like there's sandalwood in there Dried down: Interesting, sniffing my wrists gives me a sandalwood rose, but the throw is a lighter, sort of sweeter scent. Throw: Light, but it's there. The longer it's on me, the more it seems to go between the lighter, sweeter, scent and the darker, drier rose/sandalwood. Verdict: **** 1/* I really like this, and I'm surprised, because it does seem a little like the kind of dark scent I'd avoid, and a little close to those traditional perfumes, whereas I tend to like BPAL because it isn't traditional. I'm also surprised that I seeem to be picking up notes that aren't there, though that's probably because they're similar to certain notes that are in there, but I'm not as familiar with. I think I may have to grab a bottle of this next time I see one, and hope it doesn't break the bank. Definitely keeping the imp. ETA: I just realized - Victoriana.Goth is the way I wanted Seance to smell and keep smelling.

wispy linden blossoms, white flowers, and a touch of sweet herbs. I'm not sure yet what i'm expecting from this one, and considering it's discontinued, I'm a little on the fence on whether I hope I like it or not. In the imp: My nose is a little stuffed, but I'm getting little to no scent out of the imp - which I'm assuming means that this is a very light scent. Or that the tiny bit of lemongrass-heavy Namaste that spilled on my finger when I was showing it to my mom is overpowering it. But I can't really smell that, either unless I hold my finger up to my nose. And the imp was a lot closer when I sniffed it. What I am getting is both aquatic and floral. Wet on skin: herbal, floral and aquatic. This is the same as before, except for an almost lemony edge to it. It's soft, like white musk, though. Dried down: Well, this just about disappeared into my skin. There's a faint scent of flowers and that aquatic note, but I'm barely getting it, even if I sniff my wrists. Throw: Just about none. Verdict: *** I think I may need to give this one a second try. After my mom noticed my imp box, I got a little distracted by showing her some of the scents, and I think they might have overpowered what was seeming like a very lovely scent. But for the time being, it almost smells like there's nothing on my wrists, even when I sniff them. I don't like my perfume to be very strong, but this is a little too faint for me.

In the imp: honey wine and something dark and woody - I'm guessing the laurel branches Wet on skin: mostly honey and incense. Not bad, but there's something a bit unsettling about this mix of scents right now. Dried down: it took awhile for this one to soak into my skin, but I'm glad I waited. This smells beautiful now, with the honey wine being tempered by an herbal green scent. I'm really not getting incense out of this anymore, which I think is a good thing - it really wasn't working with the honey wine on me. Throw: now that it's dried down, it has a decent throw - herbal touched with te sweetness of the honey wine. Sniffing my wrists brings a stronger concentration of the honey wine. Verdict: *** 1/* I do like this now! but I think I need to do another test before deciding whether to keep the imp or not. That wet stage was really unsettling, and out of the imp, I wasn't sure I was going to like it. If it results in this beautiful dry down again, I'll probably keep it, and maybe spring for a bottle in the future. But it depends on how much I'm willing to sit through the wet stage.

2013 version In the imp: Angel food cake or muffins and incense Wet on skin: almost pure incense Dried down: i sometimes wonder if the reason most of these oils soak into my skin quickly is because my skin is so dry. I have a bunch of lotions, but tend to forget to apply them on a regular basis. But this one is taking its time drying down. As it dries, a hint of the sweetness comes out again, like baby oil, or even a milder version of Snake Oil. I'll update later if it's different fully dried down, as I don't have time right now to wait indefinitely. Throw: not a whole lot, but it's there, subtle and spicy and sweet. It's very pretty Verdict: ****1/* as of now! I rather love this. I'll see how it plays throughout the day, though it might get lost in the Thanksgiving preparation smells. I think I may wait on getting a bottle, though.

In the imp: Sugar shock and lemon. More accurately, this makes me think of lemon bars. Or sweet lemon breadThis... may be a bit much sugar for me. O_o Wet on skin: Same as before, although if I sniff my wrists closely enough, I can pick out the marzipan. I have to admit, that note is how I wish more almond scents turned out on me. Dried down: The lemon and marzipan are still there, but they've faded to the background, while cinnamon rises to the forefront. I do still get a fair amount of that buttercream, though. Throw: cinnamon pumpkin spice and buttercream. The lemon and almond are staying close to my skin now. I completely get the craft store and potpourri thoughts. Verdict: **** On scent alone, I'd give this a three and a half to a four. On whether I want it on me...... I'm undecided. I don't mind the smell - it's pleasant. But I think there are other things I'd rather smell like than potpourri. On the one hand, the cinnamon keeps this scent from overwhelming me like I thought it might (out of the imp, my first thought was that if I weren't in the right state, this scent could easily make me nauseous or sick). On the other, I wish the cinnamon balanced the other notes better, rather than taking over the scent. I think I might keep my eye out for a bottle in the future, but I'd be happy just keeping my decant right now, and wearing it when the mood strikes. I may have to see if I have something else with me that might darken the scent just a teeny bit.

In the imp: Rather sharp scent in the imp - I'm getting mostly lavender and honey and sugar there Wet on skin: Same as before. I'm not sure where the sharpness is coming from, except maybe the lavender (I don't think skin musk does that on me) Dried down: Ok, the sharpness has died down, and I'm left with snuggly lavender and vanilla. Snuggly is the perfect word for this Throw: Decent throw, but not strong - lavender and vanilla. If I sniff my wrists, I still get that sharpness. Verdict: ***** Honestly, I was thinking, because of the sharpness of the lavender at first, that I'd probably prefer to wear a few other scents where lavender is the top note (this would have been a 4 for me), but on drydown, I can't resist this. It just makes me happy. ::sigh:: I really need to get my order under control.

In the imp: Soapy lavender with a hint of mint On skin: (This soaked into my skin too quickly to really do a separate wet and dry stage.) I have to admit, this is the strangest mix of notes I've smelled in awhile. It's a bit of a cacophony, with all the different notes - there's several that I love, but they don't seem to work together very well. It's not unpleasant, just......weird. Throw: It has a decent throw - mostly the chocolate peppermint, but there's another note I can't quite figure out. The aloe ginger and herbs stay slower to my skin. Verdict: ** 1/* I loved the concept of this. And almost all of the notes are notes I look for and love in other perfumes. But they just didn't work together in this one. It's not horrible, and something I'd be willing to wear if it did have medicinal uses (honestly - it basically smells like herbal medicine), but I think I'm going to have to pass on a bottle. I may grab an extra backup of Little Pythia instead.

In the imp: Very complex. Sweetness and benzoin - possibly a bit of sandalwood and myrrh and olibanum(frankincense). Honestly, I have a hard time differentiating between myrrh and frankincense. There is also a bit of a floral note in there, but it's hidden beneath the rest of the notes. (Also, in looking up life everlasting, it seems there's two flowers it could be: I think it's this, but it could also be what's known as edelweiss? There's at least a mention of the term in that entry.) This kind of reminds me of thirtham water at the temple (sacred water) - it's a little like water and chai spices (but without the tea leaves). Wet on skin: Myrrh, almost purely (or olibanum, or both). Basically, incense or camphor. I can kind of pick out the sandalwood if I really try. Dried down: Dust, wood and incense. I'm a little surprised I'm not getting the rose at ALL. I think I've figured out I amp myrrh, which I like, but it's hiding everything else. Throw: Every once in awhile, I catch a whiff of sweetness in the throw - probably the gummy bears peeking their head out. It's almost like beeswax. But every time I try to sniff harder, and get more, it disappears into myrrh and frankincense. The elusiveness is intriguing. Verdict: **** I like this. I really do. I am totally undecided on whether or not I want a bottle, though. I have incense and myrrh scents, and that's mostly what this is on me. Unless some of the other notes come out to play a little more, I don't see this standing out in my collection. But it is pretty. I may hold out for seeing if I can find a partial bottle online later.

In the imp: Bubblegum! Like the stuff you really wanted to chew in class as a kid but weern't allowed to because somebody popped it in somebody else's hair and it had to be cut out, ruining it for everybody else! (Ok, that didn't happen to me, but it probably happened somewhere! ). There is a hint of something elser, too - the roses, probably, making it just the teeniest bit sharper than plain bubblegum. I'm not sure I'd have identified it as rose without the note though. Wet on skin: Bubble, bubble, bubblegum! The sharpness is still there, but only if I sniff directly Dried down: Hmmm....... it kind of seems like the rose is fading into the bubblegum, even though the bubblegunm isn't as strong as it was before. Throw: Bubbly-bubblegum, and yes, there's a decent throw. I still can't really get the rose much unless I sniff my wrists Verdict: *** 1/* I'll definitely keep the decant (it's such a fun scent), but I think I'll wait and see if someone has a partial bottle to sell. I don't think I'll need much of this one, and not urgently. (Watch me find someone who I need a gift for who adores it.)

My imp did not leak, but it did separate. I had a half-decant, and there's a ring of gorgeous dark brown oil (the cocoa, I assume), sitting at the bottom (when I first got it, it was a stripe across the vial, but I think that's because it had been lying on its side. The rest of the oil is a light yellow, sort of like canola oil. I rolled it between my palms as someone above ssuggested, warming the oil before testing it. The brow n ring looks a little smaller than before, so hopefully enough of it mixed properly to test. In the imp: Mmmm.......... soft, sweet cocoa powder. Definitely "fuzzy" chocolate. Wet on skin: The hazelnut and sandalwood are coming through now, but softly. Dried down: This soaked really quickly into my skin,, so same as above Throw: Cocoa, hazelnut and sandalwood, though when I sniff my wrists, I get the plum. Verdict: **** 1/* This is really beautiful. I think I want a bottle of this, too, but my order is starting to get out of hand, and I don't love it quite as much as some other Lilith scents this year. I think I'll be ok with hhoping that one turns up at a later date, and enjoy the decant in the meantime.

In the imp: something sharp, something sweet, and something floral. Which I think covers all the notes. Wet on skin: Honestly, I think I'm getting the licorice more than anything else. Which, while I'm not that fond of licorice, I do like the smell. Especially of red, strawberry licorice (I really don't like the black) Dried down: The incense and the rose is a lot stronger now. But it softens down into this beautiful scent where I get everything - the vanilla frankincense, the rose champaca, and even the red licorice. It's beautifully blended, and actually, reminds me of my beloved Touched Twice. Throw: Soft and powdery and sweet. This is divine. Verdict: ***** Yeah. I need a bottle of this. Like, yesterday.

I'm not the biggest fan of blueberry flavors, honestly - I prefer them fresh. But I am very curious to see how this will turn out on me, since my foodie perfume tastes don't always seem to match my eating tastes. In the imp: Sharp blueberry scent Wet on skin: Blueberry lollipops. Yup. Dried down: This reminds me of the gourmet lollipops that people used to sell in fundraisers, and that I now see at the grocery store in their own stand (cause they can't mix with the normal candy in the candy aisle or at the front, right?). Throw: Blueberry softened by sugar. Verdict: **** This is a very pretty scent, but it's not one I see myself reaching for very often, so I don't think I'll be getting a bottle. I'm just not a blueberry kind of girl. I do think I'll keep the decant, though, for now.

In the imp: Soft, sweet and floral. It kind of reminds me of baby powder, but... more floral. Wet on skin: The floral went slightly strawberry on me in the throw, but it's a little sharper when I sniff my wrists - I get a bit more of the patchouli and roses. Dried down: I may have put on a bit too much of this, as it's getting a little strong for me, but my skin is soaking it up, and I wanted it to stay "wet" long enough to do the wet stage review properly. The flowers are still a bit sharp, but the scent has a very delicate, sweet edge to it that reminds me of strawberries and flowers. Throw: At the moment, the throw is a little overwhelming, but I think I put on too much. I'm getting a teeny it of rubbing alcohol in it. Verdict: **** 1/* Actually, this is probably a 5, except for the sharpness and strength of the throw. Note to self - buy a bottle, and make it really last. I don't think I need much of this at a time. Update: This is definitely a 5. I just need to remember not to slather it on.

A little scared of this one, since I don't generally do that great with dark scents, but the description captured me. In the imp: A pretty floral - it reminds me of jasmine and rose and something else, but I'm not sure what. It's definitely not a sweet scent. Wet on skin: Oh my. There's a bit of incense or myrrh peeking out now. This is beautiful! Dried down: Hmmm..... The myrrh note disappeared, and the floral has gone a bit sour on me. Not unpleasantly so, but it's what makes me seem to prefer the sweeter scents to the darker ones. Throw: There's a bit of throw here, but not a lot. Verdict: **** I thought this was going to be a 5 until it dried down. Maybe I'll change my mind as I let it sit today, but the drydown doesn't feel as special anymore, especially after that incense note popped out during the wet stage. ::sigh:: I was kind of hoping to find a dark scent to really love, as I haven't found one yet that fits those moods for me.

This is another one I haven't had the chance to try the GC version of, and I think I need to, after looking at the description In the imp: pumpkin spice with floral....and to me, a hint of Indian lemon pickle. I have no idea why I'm getting that. I think it's the citrus-y note off the bergamot. Wet on skin: ok, there we go - flowers and pumpkin spice. I'm still getting a hint of lemon pickle in the throw, but when I sniff my wrists, i get lovely flowers and spice. Dried down: this one is actually taking some time to dry down into my skin. It doesn't seem to be morphing, though. Which is good, because I like the scent it's got now. Throw: this definitely has some throw. It's mostly the pumpkin spice, though, and that hint of bergamot/lemon I keep getting off to the edge. Verdict: ****1/* this is definitely one of my top contenders for a bottle. We'll see how it lasts through the day. I have a party in a few hours, so depending how it goes, I might layer some Snake Oil with it.

In the imp: Pumpkin and spice, with a hint of the fougere in the background. Wet on skin: Still mostly the pumpkin on me, though the spice is fading back a bit. Dried down: Dorian is definitely in tehe air now - the tea is distinctly there, but the fougere lingers somewhere behind the pumpkin spices. Throw: This has a pumpkin spice throw, with a bit of the tea. Verdict: **** 1/* I do like this a lot. I think I might like Dorian by itself better, but this is beautiful. I may end up springing for a bottle of this.

So this is another of the pumpkin blends I haven't tried the original of yet (though I did look up the notes, so I'd have a chance of recognizing them in this version) In the imp: Yep. That's pumpkin. This is the first one that I've smelled it so clearly in... and again, I don't mind. If it works out in the rest of the stages, I think I can officially stop avoiing pumpkin now. Wet on skin: Pumpkin, cinnamon and patchouli. The patchouli just seems to add an incensey afterthought to the pumpkin, rather than screaming "INCENSE!!!!" on it's own. Dried down: Pretty much the same as before. I didn't really get the sandalwood at all, except possibly as blended into the patchouli. Throw: A bit of pumpkin and sugar and spice. Verdict: **** I'm finding myself really enjoying the pumpkin patch series, but so far, they all smell pretty similar to me. This one had the patchouli note standing out, but blending beautifully into the pumpkin and spices, and I was able to pick out the cinnamon, which makes it a little different. I haven't tried Alice or Dorian yet, though, and I haven't decided whether I want bottles of these or not yet.