aiobhan

Peach caramel with blackened vanilla, patchouli, and teakwood. In the bottle: It's pretty patchouli/teakwood-forward. Spicy and woody. A little sweet. On skin: The peach is not a top note here, really. It very much smells like caramel with peach juice added as opposed to caramelized or roasted peaches. The blackened vanilla darkens the peachy caramel so it doesn't read as buttery or foody at all, and lends a lovely dark, sweet warmth. Patch and teakwood make this woody and spicy (but not as strong as the wood or patch in some other blends). Overall, this is a beautifully balanced blend. It's warm and sweet, not foody, not particularly "fresh peachy" - but the peach is still a solid foundation for the scent. The vanilla makes it a darker scent, the patch is very subtle (just lending a little earthiness and spiciness), and the teakwood is woody and dry in the background, but not too strong. It reminds me a lot of a blend between Aradia and Imp.

I was supposed to be representing Death for our June Gloom Victorian Mourning event, but the Little Grim Reaper kept stealing my scythe. Lilith says this perfume should smell like pretty meat bones, and her translation of that is a musky vanilla sandalwood. In the bottle: MUSK. Sandalwood, maybe. Warm on skin: There's the vanilla! It's still white, musky sandalwood, but the vanilla is stronger. After a while: Cool, dry sandalwood with light musk and white, not-sweet, not-warm vanilla. This is probably the least sweet vanilla I've ever smelled from the lab.

Lilith expressing herself at the V&A: cardamom-dusted cupcakes. In the bottle: It's the lab's yellow cake note. That's aaaaaaaaaaaalllllllll I can smell. Warm on skin: Yellow cake and the tiniest bit of cardamom. After a while: Foody, buttery yellow cake and dry, sweet-ish cardamom.

An armor of gleaming, burnished amber, gold-flecked, brushed with a whisper of wild plum and blackcurrant. First! I've never been first before... --- In the bottle the blackcurrant and plum is very bright, and the amber very amber-y. It's pretty on point. Wet on skin the amber immediate warms and sweetens up, and the blackcurrant and plum start to darken a little and lose some of their tartness. After a while, the amber is lovely and golden and warm and cozy - as it always is for BPAL ambers for me! - and the blackcurrant and plum have mellowed into a dark, sweet frutiness. They smell like they've been simmered slowly for hours together, getting caramelized and mellow. I might need a backup of this!

Freshly applied, I get toasty cardamom with a little sweet fig and a nice waft of the carmelly, non-sweet whisky. I really like this. It’s not fig heavy, which I can sometimes find to be cloying, and it has none of the medicinal notes that cardamom can sometimes have. It’s very subtly gourmand. Will update again after a few hours of wear!

My bottle smells nothing like cardamom or cake. Not in the bottle, not on the skin, not after all day wear. It smells like fresh apples for a while and then becomes super astringent and cleaner-y.

On me, this is black must and sugar, period. I get no coffee. It's not a creamy or foody sugar - just sweet. I do like it, but I'm hoping after the bottle settles for a few weeks, the coffee will become more prominent. Overall, it has a medium throw and is pretty strong, but not in an off-putting way.

On me: Lemon peel and gin. On my husband: Delicate orange cream fluff with a little spicyness from the pepper and carnation. I THINK IT IS CLEAR WHO GETS TO KEEP THIS ONE.

In the bottle, this is all goat's milk. Drying, it starts to sweeten up. The honey carnation and sugar start to really take the forefront. Still no coconut after warming, though. After it dries down and rests a little, I get more sweetness - this time, probably rice milk - and a little coconut. It's less coconut than Ivory Vulva on me, and significantly less buttery and "dark". If Ivory Vulva is a coconut custard pie - all golden crust, toasted coconut flakes, and custard - this is more like some warm, sweetened goat's milk with coconut steeped in it. The goat's milk base is very reminiscent of Giljagaur.

It is very coconutty when wet and in the bottle - very similar to Ivory Vulva - but dries down into a warm, sweet, creamy scent with a little cinnamon. It's delicious. I want to live in a house that smells like this all the time.

This scent is BEAUTIFUL. Sweet, gentle, soft, and just a tiny bit floral - but a pink, sugary floral. I hate floral scents and I love love love this!

Updated: 7/26/2016 Scent Name (Year) # of Bottles / Imps Preference - Highest, High, Medium, Low Lab Description Thoughts --- BOTTLES: Aradia #: 1 Preference: Medium Lab Description: "A veil of smoked patchouli, sweet oak, and opoponax sweetened by bourbon vanilla." Thoughts: Sweet woodiness, just slightly smoky/dry, very deep vanilla darkened by opoponax. Sits close to the skin, very sensuous, but excellent throw. Aristocratic Couple #: 2.5 Preference: High Lab Description: "Bourbon vanilla, preserved apricot, and cardamom" Thoughts: Beautiful vanilla and apricot, with just a little dry spiciness from the cardamom. Very warm and comforting scent. Not overly foody. Boomslang - (2016) #: 1 Preference: Medium Lab Description: "Snake Oil with cocoa, teakwood, and rice milk." Thoughts: Warm, creamy vanilla-heavy Snake Oil is prominent. Teakwood and just a breath of deep, dark, dry cocoa ground the scent and keep it from going too powdery or sweet. It's a very dark, warm, gentle scent. Chaos Theory: Gourmand #8 #: 1 Preference: Medium Lab Description: None given Thoughts: Melted milk chocolate and cream, macadamia nut, vanilla. Very warm, gently sweet, buttery macadamia, extremely creamy. Subtle foody scent with low throw that sticks close to skin. Dorian #: 2 Preference: High Lab Description: "A Victorian fougere with three pale musks and dark, sugared vanilla tea." Thoughts: Black tea, sugar, a little musk. Beautiful, dark, delicate, sweet, not at all foody. Very calming. This is my go-to "chill out" scent. Eat Me #: 1 Preference: Medium Lab Description: "Three white cakes, vanilla, and red and black currants." Thoughts: Buttery, sweet cakes and just a ribbon of juicy redness. Extremely foody. Edith (Crimson Peak 2015) #: 4 Preference: Highest Lab Description: "Pearlescent vanilla musk with white sandalwood, grey amber, white patchouli, ambrette seed, and oudh." Thoughts: This is my ideal vanilla scent. I could wear this all the time. It's a very delicate, white vanilla. Just a little touch of airiness from the ambrette seed and white sandalwood, and a little warmth from the grey amber and oudh - reminiscent of the scent of sleep-warmed skin. Ultimately, it's a white, delicate, almost fragile vanilla. Giljagaur #: 1 Preference: Medium Lab Description: "Coconut cream, sheep’s milk accord, and a drop of Ceylon cinnamon." Thoughts: Creamy, warm, just a little sweet, and just a little touch of cinnamon to really enhance the coziness. This is what the "a hug from your mom wearing a warm sweater on a cold day"-feeling smells like. Gingerbread Snake #: 1 Preference: UNTESTED Lab Description: "Gingerbread and exotic Indonesian oils sugared with vanilla." Thoughts: UNTESTED Gingerbread Sin #: 1 Preference: High (during Christmas!) Lab Description: "Gingerbread with amber, sandalwood, black patchouli and cinnamon." Thoughts: Gingerbread, brought dark and sensual with amber, sandalwood, and patchouli. This is somehow both very sexy and very festive at the same time. Gypsy #: 3.5 (plus one almost empty bottle) Preference: Highest Lab Description: "Bourbon vanilla, Egyptian musk, tonka, white sugar, and cardamom." Thoughts: Sugar, vanilla, and cardamom are the notes most obvious on me. I can smell the delicate sugar crystals infused with vanilla bean, and the cardamom keeps it a little spicy and a little dry. Harp of Cnoc I'Choisgar #: 2 Preference: High Lab Description: "Gilded amber, tiare, golden sandalwood, vanilla, cardamom, and tagetes." Thoughts: Amber heavy, spicy-sweet tagetes, dry and hot cardamom, warm and creamy vanilla, golden warm sandalwood. Beautiful scent, long lasting, excellent close to the skin. Harvesters, The #: 2 Preference: High Lab Description: "Pear trees, boiled oats, and wine beside a ripe field of wheat." Thoughts: Smells exactly like a warm, carmelized pear crumble with oatmeal streusel. Hesiod's Phoenix #: 1 Preference: High Lab Description: "Golden amber, bourbon vanilla, and sweet oudh." Thoughts: The three notes blend seamlessly and change very little, just warming up and encompassing me in a cozy cocoon of amber, dark vanilla, and oudh. Hymn to Proserpine #: 1 Preference: Medium Lab Description: "The darkening amber of faith’s sunset, deepened by the dark fruits of Proserpine." Thoughts: Deep, dark, smoldering amber that's sweet and warm. Fruits that bring to mind midnight purple and black juciness without being tart. Imp #: 1 Preference: Medium Lab Description: "White peach, amber, golden musk and patchouli." Thoughts: Juicy warm peach (not fresh peach so much as roasted/warmed peach), darkened a little by spicy woodiness, gilded with the musk and amber. Ivory Vulva #: 1 Preference: Medium Lab Description: "Marshmallow root, coconut, macadamia milk, cream accord, and a drop of golden amber." Thoughts: Buttery cream and coconut with just a little sweetness from the marshmallow and warmth from the amber. Just pushing the line of gourmand. Mouse's Long and Sad Tale #: 1 Preference: Medium Lab Description: "Vanilla, two ambers, sweet pea and white sandalwood." Thoughts: Woody, warm, sweet - amber and vanilla heavy, sweet pea for a little softness and gentleness. Peach V (2016 Dragon*Con) #:1 Preference: High Lab Description: "Peach caramel with blackened vanilla, patchouli, and teakwood." Thoughts: Overall, this is a beautifully balanced blend. It's warm and sweet, not foody, not particularly "fresh peachy" - but the peach is still a solid foundation for the scent. The vanilla makes it a darker scent, the patch is very subtle (just lending a little earthiness and spiciness), and the teakwood is woody and dry in the background, but not too strong. It reminds me a lot of a blend between Aradia and Imp. Phantom Queen #: 3 + 1 10ml Preference: Highest (SIGNATURE SCENT) Lab Description: "Black orchid, apple blossom, meadowsweet, and rue over Irish moss, hawthorn and red clover." Thoughts: Wet, hot, warm, sweet, sensual, sexy. This DEFIES description. This is the smell of my wedding, of the beginning of my career, of meeting my best friend, of moving into my own home. This is the scent of my Irish heritage, and of Ireland, which can bring me to tears even from just listening to the music or seeing photos of the magical greens and purples and greys and blues. This is the way my soul - my life - would smell. This is MY scent. Pleasant Embrace #: 1.5 Preference: Medium Lab Description: "Lemon-silvered musk and white pear." Thoughts: Crispy, sweet, juicy pear with no greenness. Perfectly ripe. Just a little bit of crystalline lemon-musk to add some shimmer. Very gentle scent, low throw. Pumpkin Latte #: 2 Preference: High Lab Description: "Espresso, pumpkin syrup, smoky vanilla bean, milk, raw sugar, and a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg." Thoughts: Warm milk, caramelized pumpkin, dark and smoky vanilla bean, sweet dark sugar, spices - and holding it all up, DEAD RINGER for espresso oil. This fades so beautifully into a perfect representation of espresso oil. I love this. Reapers Gonna Reap #: 1 Preference: High Lab Description: "Musky vanilla sandalwood." Thoughts: Cool, dry sandalwood with light musk and white, not-sweet, not-warm vanilla. This is probably the least sweet vanilla I've ever smelled from the lab. Serving Fish #: 2 Preference: Highest Lab Description: "Gilded sweet pea, pink musk, and vanilla sugar." Thoughts: LOVE this. Sweet, not too floral, sugary, pink, girly. Smut (2015) #: 2 Preference: High Lab Description: "Three swarthy, smutty musks sweetened with sugar and woozy with dark booze notes." Thoughts: Dark sugar (think raw sugar), smooth deep musks, and sweet, sexy booze with none of the acrid or sharp alcohol notes - like if rum and vanilla and sugar was all cooked down into a syrup with the alcohol burned off. Snake Oil (2009) #: 2 Preference: Highest Lab Description: "A blend of exotic Indonesian oils sugared with vanilla." Thoughts: Spicy, warm, deep, dark vanilla! Some Strangeness in the Proportion #: 2 Preference: Highest Lab Description: "Rich vanilla sandalwood elegantly distorted by oudh, labdanum, scarlet saffron, and pink pepper." Thoughts: Deep, dark, sweet vanilla. Pink pepper and oudh give the scent a top note that is heady and intriguing. The perfect dark and sensual vanilla, in contrast to my perfect crystalline vanilla (Edith). Stekkjarstaur #: 1 Preference: High Lab Description: "Woolly sugared marshmallow root." Thoughts: Marshmallow and sugar - but somehow, not foody. It's very organic. Very soft and cozy and delicate.

BOTTLE: Cinnamon!!! ON SKIN: Cinnamon!!! But also some ginger. AFTER A FEW HOURS: Now it's warmed into smelling more like the actual description: Snake Oil with cinnamon, cassia, and red ginger. it's a touch sweet, very spicy, but not overwhelming.

Dark, dry vetiver keeps the sweetness of the vanilla and Snake Oil from being overwhelming. The coconut is subtle and adds a warm and buttery top note. This isn't a foody scent at all, but it's definitely gorgeous, dry, dark, and a little sweet.

In the bottle: It's basically all fruit pulp, but in a good way. Apple, orange, and lemon. The flowers are floating just behind the fruit, but the Snake Oil is basically nonexistent to my nose. Wet on skin: Still all fruit! Juicy orange and apple, but the florals are definitely more present. They're gentle, bright, and not soapy at all. After a few hours: This didn't even last two hours on my skin.

In the bottle: Damn this smells like soap. Fancy soap, but soap nonetheless. The jasmine, blackberry, gardenia, green sandalwood, orange, and honey are immediately obvious. They kind of drown out everything else. There is a little tiny bit of spice waaaaaaay behind all that tangy/sweet/super floral, though. Wet on skin: SOAP D: NOOO! So much soap! But, the florals faded pretty immediately upon warming to my skin, and were more of a whisper than a can-o-whoopass like they were in the bottle. The berries/orange/bergamot are taking precedence, but the amber, vanilla/vanilla husk, musk, ti leaf, and cardamom are starting to become apparent. They're like a dark, warm, spicy foundation. After a few hours: The florals are basically gone, but the oakmoss has warmed nicely without being too "green" or woody. I can still smell a hint of jasmine - which sucks, because I hate jasmine - but it's morphed into something a little sweet, very dark, and very warm with just a flash of citrus. I'd wear this a lot if only I couldn't smell any of the jasmine. If you like jasmine, though, give Faiza a shot! I really liked her more than I thought I would!

The dry down reminds me a TON of Mouse's Long and Sad Tale. Between the very very subtle floral notes to the warm, sweet wood and the amber/vanilla taking precedence, it's like Mouse's gentler, sweeter cousin. I LOVE it.

Snake Oil with cocoa, teakwood, and rice milk. 2016 version! In the bottle: I'm scared of this because it really does smell just like a spicy, dry, dark cocoa. Chocolate notes NEVER work on me. Wet on skin: The cocoa is definitely present, but isn't turning sour like it usually does on me. The Snake Oil is very very obvious, but the teakwood and rice milk definitely warm things up and keep the cocoa and Snake Oil much smoother. Dry, after a while: Warm, creamy vanilla-heavy Snake Oil is prominent. Teakwood and just a breath of deep, dark, dry cocoa ground the scent and keep it from going too powdery or sweet. It's a very dark, warm, gentle scent. I really like it!

In the bottle: Super acai berry! Some sandalwood is also present. On skin: The acai mellows a little and the vanilla, amber, and neroli show up to give the whole scent a sunny, deep warmth. The Snake Oil and cardamom are barely-there spice. The sandalwood rounds off the scent with a little woody dryness. Dry, after a while: The acai and neroli remain bright, while the amber and vanilla amp up underneath to keep everything smooth and warm. (I amp both notes pretty strongly, so your results may vary!). The Snake Oil and cardamom are still just a breath of spice, and the sandalwood gives the scent just a touch of dry woodiness, but it's definitely waaaay in the background.

In the bottle: Yep. Key lime pie. Not fresh lime - more like sweet lime juice and lime zest, with a heavy dose of buttery graham cracker and maybe even something creamy, without a noticeable cream accord. On skin, wet: The graham comes out more, and the lime gets a little jucier. I could eat myself right now - I'm serious guys. Warm, dry, after a while: Yeah okay so I smell exactly, 100% on-point, like a slice of key lime pie with a buttery graham cracker crust and a dollop of whipped cream (still no cream note, but the sweetness and lightness is there). Like what is happening - this is incredible. If you like smelling like delicious baked goods, this is for you.

I love the pink pepper in this - so bright and just a little sweet. He's a great accent to the sharp fresh grapefruit. It's not sweet, but smells exactly like a fresh grapefruit. There's some initial Surat sweetness as well, but it fades pretty quickly. As it warms on my skin it gets much more grapefruit-y. My skin tends to appreciate citrus, so this isn't surprising. I could see this being a lovely delicate scent for summer.

It is exactly what it is supposed to be! Chocolate and cream. Sadly, my skin just sucks it up.

In the bottle - Cream, sweet, warm, like a very milky latte and less like a coffee with cream. Wet on skin - THERE'S THE COFFEE OIL. Oh god. It smells exactly like I would smell when I used to barista - the rich, warm, nutty coffee oils against a creamy milkiness and just a touch of pure sweet. Not honey, not vanilla, just... sweet. After a while - It's like Bah! but without any of the bitterness from the Turkish Coffee, and no hint of chocolate or booze. Just coffee with sweet cream. Oh god. I could eat my arm. This. Is. The. Best.

In bottle - Sweet, fresh peach and sandalwood, with a tiny hint of dark leather. Wet on skin - Still fresh peach, but the amber and sandalwood are warming it nicely and keeping it from being to juicy/sugary/saccharine. The leather is a secondary but still obvious note, and it's very much warm, well-worn leather like a good leather jacket at the end of a day of wear. the oudh and basalm are lending a dark "brown" quality behind the sweet peach and warm amber/spicy sandalwood. After a while - A lot of the sweetness has mellowed out of the peach and now it's more reminiscent of baked peaches. The sandalwood and amber are still pretty strong along side it, keeping things woodsy and warm. The leather, surprisingly, has almost disappeared - it's just a little bit of darkness rounding out the edges of the peach. The basalm and oudh don't feature at all as notes, but instead contribute to the overall caramel-quality of the scent.

In the bottle: Sandalwood, florals (the tagetes and tiare, probably), maybe some cardamom, with a soft base of amber. Warm on skin: Vanilla and amber heavy, which is common for my skin. The floral is gentle and warm, which is surprising. Usually I don't like florals, but I like this. The sandalwood is barely noticeable, and I'm getting no cardamom. After a while: The same as warm, but the florals have quieted down to a whisper, and the cardamom is a touch of something dry behind the sweet vanilla and amber and the warm sandalwood. LOVE. THIS.