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Allumina

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Everything posted by Allumina

  1. Allumina

    Doozers

    The scent of industrious cooperation: glittering crystals, soft soil, and radish dust. I like this a lot! Wet, the topnote is sparkly radish underlaid with a soft version of bpal's dirt note. As it dries down, the radish gradually disappears, and the dirt note becomes stronger, slightly cologne-y and slightly powdery, but neither in a bad way- it's actually kind of elegant? I love the idea of dirt notes, but all of bpal's dirt-heavy blends don't really work on me, so I was glad to find this. The radish and dirt notes make it pretty unique, but the cologne-y underbelly keeps it from being too much of a novelty only scent. This had medium throw and good lasting power- I could still smell it on my wrists 10 hours after applying. I suspect my decant is a bit old, so I'm wondering if the lovely radish note hangs around longer when fresh.
  2. Allumina

    A Grievous Swarm

    YUM. This is delicious! I agree with everyone about the dark and chewiness of this scent. The main note on me is dark tobacco, sweetened by vanilla. There is a hint of black pepper, especially at the beginning, and the veviter hides in the background warming everything up. This is dark and sweet and cozy and very slightly smoky. This would be lovely as a Atmo, I'd want my house to smell like this in the winter!
  3. Allumina

    All the Dust of the Land

    This certainly fits the description. On me, this is a very dry, woody blend. It's dusty, but more in feel rather than an actual dust note (like, say OLLA Adam) The cinnamon starts everything up, but the main note ends up being the patch, with the frankincense (which usually goes off on me, but playing nicely here) adding some background support. It's similar to Mandrake, except more smooth wood and less pencil. I tend to amp sweet notes, so it's always nice to find blends that resist that. I don't get much almond or tonka. It's odd, because it ended up being pretty simple, and yet somehow it's giving off a vibe of being... elegant? I guess? I felt like I was wearing classy men's cologne despite it being gender neutral and not cologne-y at all. Maybe the hidden notes are contributing. Very nice. This would probably layer well with Grievous Swarm.
  4. Allumina

    Smite All Thy Borders with Frogges

    Boo. I'm not getting any of the loveliness or notes everyone else is getting, though I suspected that a bit because Laughter of Loki was extremely flat on me yet smelled amazing on a friend. I guess green musk doesn't like me? This starts off as a fresh aquatic then melds into a blend of fresh, soapy aquatic melded with men's cologne. Low throw. It doesn't smell bad, it's just not very exciting. Oh well.
  5. Allumina

    Cathode

    This is weird and delightful, and has a lot of throw. At first I get the mints and something citrussy, but then the ambergris and moss come out, and come out big. (I probably didn't need to put on as much as I did) The mints fade away within the hour, and the ambergris goes a bit powdery, but in a nice, herbal way. The moss-ambergris blast phase lasted a good 12 hours before I showered it off. I'll put on less next time, but this is a keeper.
  6. Allumina

    Darkness

    I had to psych myself up to put this on being it had myrrh in it and from the review threads it wasn't kind to those with a myrrh-adverse chemistry. I guess I was hoping for a miracle, but alas it was not to be- if your chemistry destroys myrrh, this probably won't be an exception. I got a strong blast of a sharp floral wet (which I can see reading as hairspray), that proceeded to expand hugely in throw before warming up and getting slightly spicy. It could theoretically be pretty if I liked that kind of darker floral, but unfortunately for me, myrrh is along for the ride casting the scent of powdery dirty baby wipes over everything and giving me a headache, which I guess is slightly better than the whiff of diaper it had on application.
  7. Allumina

    The Red Rider

    This is alllll leather on me. I guess I should be happy, because I picked this wanting a leather heavy scent, but it's actually *too* much leather, specifically, a suede/rawhide/back of a unlined piece of leather note. It is a nice, warm, slightly spicy leather (which may be the moss and balsam, but I can't really pick them out?), but on me it's nothing else. I don't get any red musk at all, or woods. I would probably like this a lot more if there were a few other things in here, but on me it really is just too one note. If leather is what you're looking for though, this is definitely the right alley.
  8. Allumina

    Spanked Atmosphere Spray

    I picked this up on Etsy and I'm glad I did because this is sooooo delicious. Primarily lovely black leather and cardamom, with bourbon supporting with a bit of booze and sweet. I don't notice the patch very much, if it's there. I've even sprayed my clothes down with this (like many the reviews above) because it's so great. I just wish my bottle wasn't so faint- it's far fainter than any of the other atmos I have. It takes a good 5 sprays, even directly on a pillow, to get this to take, and even then it vanishes within the hour. I might try storing it in the fridge to see if that makes a difference.
  9. Allumina

    Midnight at Midwinter Atmosphere Spray

    I like this one a lot, and my mom thought my house smelled so good she had me buy one for her. My bottle is mostly warm, slightly smoky/musky veviter with a bit of pine and a hint of berries. It lingers a good long while and is warm and cozy.
  10. Allumina

    Miss Fanny Phippany

    Aging has really smoothed this out and made it delicious. On me this is mostly equally cloves, leather and tobacco, with a bit of cinnamon and a hint of sweetness that must be the rum. It's dark and assertive, but not overpowering- sexy, but in an understated way. Also fairly unisex. Yum.
  11. Allumina

    Concentration

    Loveeeee this. It's definitely got a strong lemongrass note as well as something minty and maybe some herbals, so if you don't like those notes you probably won't be down for this. I think this one is a mix of aromatherapy and intent, but it works very well for me to clear my brain fog and actually get things done. The only downside is that I sometimes keep on putting off putting it on (because procrastination) and then end up a little overly stimulated because I'm trying to get too much done in a short amount of time. It's not the longest lasting scent (about 1-2 hours, for me, until it's totally gone) but considering how I use it, that's fine. I think, like, 7 hours of intense concentration would be a bit much for me, and I just reapply when necessary. It grounds me when I start a task, and when I start losing focus I huff my hands and then get back to work. (I've also only been using it on my palms, per the instructions, so I don't know if it would last longer on pulse points.) It works especially well for the stuff I've been dragging my feet on, like responding to emails, and keeps me from wandering off too much. Definitely getting a bottle when I run out. <3
  12. Allumina

    Leather

    Hmmm. I'm going to put Wanda on my list! I just picked up a half-imp of the Marquis, and I'm crossing my fingers because the notes sound great.
  13. Allumina

    Leather

    I haven't tried Adam, but Prosperous Flowers of the Elegant Twelve Seasons from the Lupers is amazing. Very well-blended leather amid a bunch of sexy honey, vanilla and incense. One of the best "even-handed" leathers I've smelled, ever. Rogue smelled very perfume-y and generic to me, even though it had the leather in it. Maybe it will read differently on your skin, though. Oh man, reading the reviews of "Prosperous Flowers" is making we want to blind bottle it since Lupers are coming down on Monday! Is it more of a brown or black leather? From the other notes I'm guessing brown...
  14. Allumina

    A Countenance Forboding Evil

    This is super yummy! I am retesting all of my ancient keeper imps, and I was surprised I never reviewed this one. This is a woody patch with a bit of a vetiver backbone adding depth, overlaid with the sweet, smooth blood orange which takes it from being a straight up woody scent to something a bit more playful. The ylang-ylang is mostly support, mostly noticeable in the late drydown as a bit of floral that blends nicely. It's very warm and comforting and cheery (I was having a bad day and the whiffs of it on my collar totally were helping make me feel better) but I can also see how it could be a dark & strong thing in the evening with the right attitude. Clearly, though, as evidenced by some of the above reviews, if patch and/or veviter aren't your thing than this scent is most definitely not your thing either and isn't gonna change your mind. This is very similar to the Ira bath oil (which I love) but slightly more complex because of the ylang-ylang in the drydown.
  15. Allumina

    Leather

    Aww, that was exactly I was hoping you wouldn't say about Whip. I don't hate rose, but florals are not really my favorite at the best of time. I have a feeling I tried Perversion a very long time ago, but I don't remember it at all so I will try again since the notes sound great. Jolly Roger sounds awesome, as does Haute Macabre, and I haven't tried either. (Though apparently The Marquis de Carabas is similar, so maybe I will see if that's easier to find). I have to dig out my Spanked imp and retest because I have a feeling I liked the leather note but the rest was a bit too much Christmas spices for me, but I will PM you if it works on me!
  16. Allumina

    Leather

    Oh, I'm glad it isn't just me that Black Rider failed on, (Or that has trouble with amber or myrrh) since everyone keeps on recommending it but I got nothing from it. Boo about Rogue, though, it sounds so promising with the leather and pine...
  17. Allumina

    Leather

    Anyone have any recs for anything similar to the beautiful leather note in Adam? I really love how it's a strong leather note, but melds well with the other notes to create a complex, gorgeous scent! Neither Black Rider or Kroenen really worked on me or smelled leathery (amber and myrrh are death notes though for my chemistry, so it's not a surprise) and although they weren't bad I didn't get any leather at all from Crowley or Funnel of Love. I recently tried Red Rider, but it was a bit too much leather- it was like a single note of flat, strong suede, like I was dressed head to toe in rawhide. Spanked and Hans Trapp are both great, but they're hard to find in more than imp form. I also love Le Pere Fouttard, but I don't actually get much leather from it. Is Rogue maybe a good bet? Is Whip super floral?
  18. Allumina

    Ira Bath Oil

    I got this as a decant from the team bath oil circle too, and I am loving it. I haven't used it in the bath yet, only as an after shower moisturizer. The main note is a lovely, woody (but not pencil-y) patchouli, sweetened by a bit of orange and darkened a bit by the veviter. The patch and veviter keep it from being too foody and the orange gives it a bit of complexity. It lasted a good long time on me. I think I'll be getting a bottle. <3
  19. A Countenance Foreboding Evil- Patchouli, ylang ylang, blood orange, and vetiver. woody patch backed by veviter, overlaid with orange, and then a bit of ylang ylang in drydown. Warm, comforting, cheery. Very similar to Ira BO. I Adam- black leather, pale sandalwood, ambergris accord, and the memory of a long-lost Victorian fougère. The scent of the wood of his guitars, the rosin from his violin bow, the musty wool of neglected Oriental carpets, the plastic, metal, and magnetic tape of his reel-to-reel, the dust that permeates everything. Delicious, dusty black leather with hints of a fougere. Dark and soft. Powerfully nostalgic, but I don't know for what. B Autumn Cider- Fermented apple juice, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, clove, lemon zest, butterscotch liquor, and orange slices Bezoar- Copaiba balsam, Tolu balsam, hay absolute, cardamom, and hiba wood. Blacker than the Raven Wings of the Midnight- black tea leaf fougere with black sandalwood, opalescent vanilla, osmanthus, 18-year aged Indonesian patchouli, and the suggestion of ancient incense smoke. Blood Popsicle- The scent of frozen Type O negative.t 9/15 This one is so weird it's impossible to describe. Sort of hospital at the beginning, sort of evil floral without being overpowering flowery, a bunch of musk but not any of the placeable ones, slightly sweet but not really. Intriguingly strange, sort of darkly feminine and sophisticated without smelling like anything specific. Different every time. B Bonfire Night- Beer, woodsmoke, tar, and treacle. Woodsmoky candy deliciousness. B Brusque Violet- Violet petal, violet leaf, osmanthus, orris, mint, and opoponax. But Men Loved Darkness Rather than Light- cistus labdanum, ginger, East Indian patchouli, pimento berry, oakmoss, saffron, smoky vanilla, sage, myrrh, and bitter clove. Butter Rum Cookie- Rum-soaked brown butter cookies, crusted with sugar, soaked in almond and garnished with orange rind and pummeled pecans. Butterscotch Balls & Black Beetles- Butterscotch candies flecked with dirt, encased in a shiny black shell of myrrh, patchouli, and anise seed. Calico Jack- Sea air, driftwood, waterlogged kelp, and the memory of plundered spices sprayed over worn leathers, rough musk, and the salty wooden floorboards of the Revenge. 3/15 salty, delicious, cheerful aquatic men's cologne. I Casanova- A rakish blend of leather, anise, lavender, bergamot and amber with tonka, lemon peel and lusty patchouli. Chimera- The fiery, volatile scent of cinnamon, thickened by myrrh, honeysuckle, and copal. 3/15 sweet (but not too sweet) syrupy cinnamon desert. I Christougenniatiko Dentrophobia- pine pitch, bone-white dried fir, and spruce tar with opoponax and blackened tobacco. Cthulhu- A creeping, wet, slithering scent, dripping with seaweed, oceanic plants and dark, unfathomable waters. Destroying Angel- Papery white notes evoke the grace of this fungi, grounded by thin, crisp soil. Dracul- Black musk, tobacco, fir, balsam of peru, cumin, bitter clove, crushed mint, and orange blossom. Fettered in the Shackles of the Drug- Sweet opium smoke, neroli, yellow bergamot, and piquant, strange star anise. 9/15 Bright but girly and adult citrus with a slight floral tinge, that dries down to smoky opium. Nice "normal" scent. B Fledgling Raptor Moon- Warm, soft tufts of down and gleaming tawny feathers: clove, toasted sandalwood, aged patchouli, bourbon vanilla, carnation, massoia bark, hinoki wood, and West Indian Bay. Galvanic Goggles- Metallic notes with Indian musk, tobacco flower, and African balsam. 3/15 Smooth, fancy, bright, clean men's cologne, Very James Bond. I Gingerbread Satyr Goblin- Black coconut, gnarly patchouli, and sweet benzoin. Haitian Veviter SN Hans Trapp- Tattered leather, dry straw, matted hair, sharpened sticks, and a bundle of switches. Hatta- Copaiba balsam, battered brown leather, and Ceylon cinnamon. Highwayman- Vetiver with gardenia, blood red rose, night-blooming jasmine, a dash of cinnamon and a faint hint of leather. 3/15 Veviter overlaid with some flowers. Gentlemanly. Good, but not finding the leather sadly. I Ian- shaggy leather, sweet rum absolute, and patchouli. Jazz Funeral- Bittersweet bay rum, bourbon, and a host of funeral flowers with a touch of graveyard dirt, magnolia and Spanish Moss. Kit- Mysore sandalwood, a tattered and patched 16th century waistcoat, inkstained, still scented with the marjoram and benzoin dry perfumes of his youth. Krampus 2014- Sinister red musk, black leather, dusty rags, and wooden switches. Krampus' Shadow- Birch tar, patchouli, and blackish-red musk. Le Père Fouettard- Whip leather, coal dust, gaufrette, and black licorice. Lemon Scented Sticky Bat- Sticky-sweet iced lemon sugar 9/15 Bright, cheerful sweet lemon (may chang) underlaid with a slightly powdery sugar. Same wet and drydown. B Loup Garou- juniper, cypress and galangal with the barest touch of eucalyptus. 7/29 Still the only scent that is really foresty on me. Fresh, bracing, clean trees. I Lust- red musk, patchouli, ylang ylang and myrrh. Madame Moriarty- Red musk, vanilla bean, pomegranate, patchouli leaf and wild plum. Mandrake Miss Fanny Phippany- tobacco absolute, birch tar, blackened clove, whip leather, and spiced rum. 3/15 Equally cloves (& a bit of cinnamon), leather and tobacco, with a hint of sweetness that must be the rum. Dark, assertive and unisex. Understated sexy. B Poisoned Apple- A perfect, lovely, gleaming red apple whose sweetness masks a swirl of narcotic opium, oleander, and hemlock. 9/15 Girly and grown up. Apple backed with darker florals. Pumpkin II (2014)- Blackened pumpkin with clove, tobacco absolute, aged patchouli, and oakmoss. R'lyeh- A hellishly dark aquatic scent, evocative of fathomless oceanic deeps, the mysteries of madness buried under crushing black waters, and the brooding eternal evil that lies beneath the waves. 2/15 sunny, cheerful grapefuit and aquatics, with a hint of something darker. Fades fast, but oh-so-lovely. A good everyday scent. I,B Red Lantern- Golden amber, blonde tobacco, Sudanese black coconut, rich caramel, black currant, white opium and delphinium laced with a sensual blend of Asian spice. Sampaguita- jasmine sambac with a hint of tea leaf. Satyr Shrunken Heads- Leather tanned with the pulp of Amazon ferns and rainforest herbs. Sin- amber, sandalwood, black patchouli and cinnamon. Spanked- whip leather, cardamom, patchouli and bourbon 9/15 Primarily cardamon and warm spices (the patch?) with a faint tinge of bourbon underneath. The leather is MIA, but it's still nice for a foody, spicy scent. I Sylvia- Snuggly brown musk, spicy carnation, leather balsam, bourbon vanilla, terebinth pine, yew berry, and a touch of clove. Startled Toad- Golden amber and coconut with frankincense, frothy vanilla, carnation, sweet aged patchouli, and lemongrass. Steam.goth- Oil-spattered brass, engine grease, and a warm splash of Victorian aftershave. Tattie Bogle- Hay, gunpowder, patchouli, autumn herbs, and sun-baked wood. The Battle of Vigridr- salt and sinew, venom and flame, and bone shards scattered across the gore-soaked soil of Óskópnir. Whitechapel- White musk, lime, lilac and citron. Wulric the Wolf Man- cocoa absolute, French vanilla, birch tar, lavender, bourbon vetiver, wild musk, clary sage, and cistus. Yellow Snowballs- Slushy white mint, vanilla cream, lemon drops, grapefruit, and yuzu! Yule Buddies- Frosted gingerbread, leather, pipe tobacco, and fruitcake crumbs. Fence Sitting: Crowley- Infernal musk, red patchouli, lilac cologne, mahogany, lemon rind, oakmoss, leather, and vanilla husk. Funnel of Love- 17-year aged black patchouli, champaca flower, cardamom bud, green coriander, Haitian vetiver, red vegetal musk, black pepper, night-blooming jasmine, and leather. Jareth- Ethereal lilac fougere and gleaming leather with ti leaf, tonka absolute, white musk, and oudh. Psychodynamic Discharge- black leather and red musk with aged black patchouli, Chinese rose, black pepper, coconut meat, Haitian vetiver, and igneous red ginger.
  20. Allumina

    If your top 5 scents are... Then try these!

    The current Yule Hans Trapp is basically Tattie Boggle plus leather to me, so you might want to check it out. It's not that lovely black leather from Adam, but it's still pretty great.
  21. Allumina

    Krampus' Shadow

    Nom nom. <3 At first this is all dark red musk, which is fine for me. Then it dries down to a nice mix of rough patchouli with a strong woody note under, which I'm guessing is the birch tar. I'm sad that the red musk has disappeared, but then after a bit I start getting some red musk wafting up...from my cleavage, which is apparently more red musk friendly than my wrists. Ok then! (I'm still not exactly sure what black musk smells like, so if it's present, it's melding with the other notes for me.) This is dark, sexy, and unisex, and still lingering on me the next day. Lovely.
  22. Allumina

    Hans Trapp

    UNF THIS IS GORGEOUS. It's that gorgeous hay? sunlight? *something* note from Tattie Bogle, but mixed heavily with warm leather, and, on the drydown, wood. It's fairly masculine, a bit cologne-y, and very sexy. I already have a bottle of Tattie, but I'm seriously considering picking up a bottle of this because the leather just makes it that much better. Whenever I get decant batches there's always the one or two I throw in there because they sound interesting, but I don't expect much from them. This was one of them, and of course it turned out to be my surprise winner. <3 (This is also delightful layered with Butter Rum Cookie)
  23. Allumina

    Coquelicot Snow

    This is pretty. It starts out wet with a burst of tangerine and orange, but quickly settles into mostly what I'm assuming is mimosa, with a helping of fluffy musk. It's light and floral and elegant and feminine- a bit too feminine for me, but a friend who likes lady perfumes sniffed it on me and really liked it.
  24. Allumina

    Krampus' Chains

    KRAMPUS' CHAINS WHY DON'T YOU LOVE ME. My chemistry destroyed this one. All the notes in this were so incredibly exciting, except myrrh, which is a death note on me, and which I someone ignored in my lust for licorice. Unfortunately, the minute this hits my skin the myrrh takes over and turns straight to baby powder, with a strength and intensity that's impressive. I catch the faint note of some delicious, fancy tobacco underneath it, but barely. I briefly wondered if maybe I just smell myrrh differently, so I dabbed a bit on a handkerchief. ...it's definitely my chemistry. The handkerchief smelled of lovely tobacco and musk, with a hint of powdery myrrh in the background. Super sad because I adore licorice scents. Stupid chemistry. If your skin doesn't destroy things, it's probably gorgeous though.
  25. Allumina

    Yule Buddies

    Lovely and festive! Gingerbread is usually a fail on me, but here it plays nicely- maybe it's the frosting? Wet, the gingerbread with a hint of fruit is the main note, but on the drydown it's pretty much 50/50 gingerbread & leather. I think the fruitcake and tobacco are there, but they're supporting the other two notes. The gingerbread threatens to make this too sweet (I amp sweet), but the leather mostly holds it in check, thank goodness. If you like your leather mixed with unexpected notes, you will like this.
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