Lunasariel

In the imp: A sexy-foody scent, like caramel body butter warmed to just the right temperature. Not getting much coconut (which I was afraid of, as coconut always smells like disappointing birthday cake to me), but also no amber (which I miss, as it's my One True Scent Love). I don't want to eat this QUITE as badly as El Dia De Los Reyes, but it's still making my mouth water more than a little bit. Wet: WOW, talk about your morphers! This one goes from straight-up sexy caramel to an immensely complex smoky-sweet-sexy-spicy thing that I think I'm in love with, but don't quite know what to do with, if you know what I mean. I'm having difficulty wrapping my head around everything that's going on here, but I believe that the "sensual blend of Asian spice" is making itself known, as are the tobacco and opium. The amber is probably hanging around at the base somewhere, but TBH there's so much going on that I'm hard-pressed to discern it among all the other notes. If I had to sum it up in a sentence, this would be the scent of the kind of girl your mother warned you about. Dry: It settles down into something not quite as complex as the wet stage, but still sweetly warm, with some notable spices. Thankfully, that smoky note from the tobacco and/or opium turns out to be in for the long haul, turning this from a gourmand to a slinkier, sexier sort of scent. (Sorry-not-sorry for the alliteration.)

In the bottle: A cleansing, herbal-citrus scent. There's definitely a touch of sweetness, but the sharp herbs are so distracting I can't tell whether it's foody, floral, or both. (Based on the notes, I would say floral, but my nose can't tell.) Wet: Citrus is definitely the main player here - both the herbs and the sweetness take a huge step back. However, this isn't just citrus. It's complicated by something way deep down at the base, something lovely that I can't quite put my finger on. (Violets, perhaps? Something that cuts the sharpness of the citrus, anyway.) Both here and ITI, it reminds me definitely of some sort of candy I used to have as a child. (EDIT: Thanks to the boyfriend, I finally put my finger on it: it smells like Otter Pops!!) Dry: The sugary sweetness has dried down, and the herbal notes have moved up to about equal to the citrus. Now, it has a slightly odd, astringent, even medical aspect to it that isn't entirely unpleasant.

In the imp: Like Dwarf itself, this is some POWERFUL stuff - it actually made me jerk my head back a bit when I first popped the cap. There's definitely something fermenting in there, but also something sweet and butterscotch-y that has quite the throw to it, while the fermentation stays pretty close to the oil itself. Wet: Holy foodiness, Batman! After an initial blast of sweet honey/butterscotch, it dries down to something completely unexpected - dry, woodsy, and just a bit spicy. I would call this closer to the cask dwarven ale is aged in than the ale itself. I'm still getting the sweet foodiness from afar, but close up, its very woody. Dry: Develops a resinous, incensey edge from god knows where. Otherwise, still getting the same woodsy-spicy scent with some foody-sweet accents all the way down.

In the imp: Surprisingly jasmine-domiant. WTF? Like, I can smell a subtle hint of dragon's blood (and dragon's blood has never been a subtle or hinting scent to me), and maaaaaaybe some salty aqueous-ness, but mostly, that's some jasmine right there. Wet: Quickly settles down into a heavy, wet floral, with the saltiness emerging more and more over time. From afar, I'm still getting mainly jasmine, but up close, the saltiness is more apparent. Dry: Soap, as aquatics tend to go on my skin. Nice floral soap, but soap nonetheless. There's a hint of warmer, sweeter dragon's blood towards the very end.

In the imp: A creamy and, yes, voluptuous floral. Jasmine is dominant, but definitely not the only floral in town. Interestingly, it has a hard-to-pin down "fresh" quality, which must be the lemon, although my nose isn't picking up any lemon per se. Wet: Woooo, there's a lot going on here! The lemon is actually recognizable as itself, for one. For another, what I think is the violet leaf is coming on strong, giving everything a fresh, green, and slightly wet vibe. The other florals are coming out - rose and wisteria definitely, with the waterlily possibly lending to the above-mentioned wet vibe. Jasmine is usually a little too heavy to be worn in summer, but this smells so fresh and cool that it might go in my summer scents pile. Dry: It's pretty much jasmine-dominant florals all the way down. There's a brief flash of something that may be sandalwood, but it's a sweeter and fainter sandalwood than I'm used to.

In the imp: A spicy-woodsy scent. It's dark and mysterious, but not in the sexy way a lot of my "dark and mysterious" BPALs are - this one is more than a touch menacing. But not necessarily in a bad way, if that makes sense? Wet: A masculine, don't-mess-with-me smell - sort of a male equivalent of my usual "power bitch" scents. The vanilla is making an appearance to sweeten up the base, but this is still primarily a dark, *very* complex, spicy-woodsy-almost-incensey blend. Dry: It's settled down to primarily patchouli, but still unusually complex. I'm getting definite hints of clove and probably myrrh, and there's still something subtly sweet (vanilla or almond) hanging around. EDIT: ...So apparently I'm allergic/sensitive to clove oil. I noticed a bit of itching around my collarbones when I first applied it, but that could have easily been the chain of my necklace, my shirt, etc. But when I got out of the shower the next morning, there were patches of angry red bumps, sort of poison oak-looking (but, thankfully, without the FIREY ITCH OF DEATH I was so familiar with as a kid), where I had applied it on my wrists. Interesting that these didn't appear when I applied the perfume itself... Maybe some combination of the hot water, scrubbing, and body wash brought out the worst in it? This is such a lovely scent that I'll hang onto it and see if I can layer it over lotion or something - the rash looks pretty nasty, but doesn't really hurt. I guess I'm just mostly annoyed that I'll have to be extra-careful instead of just slathering it on any old way, especially since my skin doesn't react to cinnamon-based scents at all.

In the imp: Ooh, a DC'ed frimp! Serendipitous. So far, it's a fresh citrus-honey scent. Honey and I generally don't play well together, but right now it does indeed smell fresh and lovely and golden. Wet: ...Yup, there it goes. The freshness is now mostly gone, so now it's hovering between "woooo heady florals!" and overwhelming/headache-inducing. I'm even getting hints of something like a too-long-uncleaned bathroom into which someone has sprayed nice air freshener. Thankfully, the eau de bathroom doesn't last long, and settles down into honey-heavy, heady florals within 20 minutes or so. Dry: Faint florals, but now just the slightest bit warm/ambery/musky. Finally, oddly enough, it regains the wet, fresh tone it had ITI.

In the imp: A light, fresh scent in the best way possible. Right off the bat, I'm detecting the citrus (the grapefruit perhaps even moreso than the lemon), mint, and light (green?) tea. But like all lighter summer scents that I love (and right now I do agree that this would make an exceptional summer scent), it's anchored in something with a bit more weight. The kush? Amber? Leather? Can't tell right now, but I like it all the same. Wet: Complex, yet not heavy. It's now a more generalized citrus-and-tea scent, but backed up by what I can now identify as the subtlest leather. There could also be a touch of amber, which I love with a slightly unhealthy passion, giving me such a positive reaction to everything, but it's not apparent at first sniff. Dry: Amber and soft, sweet leather. Now warmer and cuddlier, but still not heavy. Yup, this one is going in the regular rotation, especially in summer. It's funny - I've been organizing my BPALs lately, which has gotten me wondering what I'm going to do when warmer weather comes, because I'm so married to my deep, warm spices, resins, and ambers. But I think I'm going to be wearing this preeeeeetty regularly. Like, I could EASILY see this becoming my signature summer scent, and this is from someone who doesn't do signature scents. It just smells like someone who's got her life together, y'know?

In the imp: Odd, even a bit off-putting. For once, the spiciness of the gingerbread and the sugary-sweet fruits seem to be working at cross-purposes, instead of together, creating an odd jarring effect. I feel like there's two different levels here that should be melding, but aren't. Wet: This started out with a big ol' blast of wtf - I was honestly unsure what to do with this scent for a good 5-10 mintues after application. There's still that element of conflict, of two things that aren't quite coming together as they should. It could be the sandalwood and oudh conflicting with the foodier scents, maybe? IDK. Luckily, however, it settles into a MUCH more manageable lemony gingerbread before too long, like someone grated a bunch of lemon zest into a batch of gingerbread dough. From afar, I still get a whiff of something that my brain interprets as nutty, but I'm fairly sure is the woods in what is otherwise a very foody blend. Dry: Warm, sweet, red musk. The foodiness still lingers in the remnants of gingerbread that have proven unexpectedly tenacious, but this is now primarily a musk blend, which is much more my usual speed than a straight-up foody scent.

In the imp: A beautiful musky smoky patch - commanding and mysterious, yet still feminine and seductive. Mmmmmm... Wet: A murkier, less feminine scent, with the tobacco starting to show its dark side upon first application. But luckily it settles down pretty quickly into something very close to ITI, albeit without the sweet, tart honeyed currant there. Which, at least in my case, is a bit of a blessing in disguise - I tend to amp fruit like whoa, so while I'm sorry to lose that interesting note, I'm glad it's at least allowing the others to shine. Dry: Primarily patchouli, but still notably dark and smoky. As the weather gets warmer I may not reach for this one as much, but for now? Yesplz.

In the imp: Woodsy, but a sweet, slightly soft woodsiness. My nose is still relatively untrained, but I think I can pick out the myrrh and bay. Wet: Something spicy-woodsy and powerful. A slightly medicinal, camphor-like smell emerges fairly quickly and lends a sort of dustiness to the overall scent - like a wooden chest or an old building (perhaps a church?) that's been shut up for years and has just been re-opened. Dry: More directly incense-y. Specifically, in the last few hours, pretty much every incense blend I've tried goes sour on my skin. Not an entirely unpleasant sourness (this in particular has a sweet, creamy edge that I rather like), but sour nonetheless.

In the imp: Someone above called this a "rose-forward" scent, and I have to agree! I'm not great at distinguishing red musk, but I think that's in there, too. Overall, this is a soft, feminine scent, but with a bit of a bite to it. Wet: Interesting. Rose and I usually get along just fine, but here, the geranium takes a smart step forward and becomes pretty much the only game in town. Still floral in a rose-adjacent way, but now in a more powdery (dare I even say musty?) and citronella-y way. Dry: It fades very gracefully into a positively gorgeous red musk and vanilla combo, which on me works out to "oh, this? I'm not wearing perfume, I just naturally smell amazing." So while the first stage was pretty but didn't blow me away, I'm really loving the drydown.

In the imp: A lavender-citrus blend, just like it says. Citrus-dominant (alas - I love lavender!), but the lavender is going a strong second. I don't have much experience with fougeres, so I hope this one doesn't go straight soapy on me like Venustas did. Wet: ...Woop, there it is. I've done a bit of research, and a couple of places say that fougeres are supposed to have a soapy edge thanks to the coumarin. In that case, apparently that's what I'm amping to hell and back - barely a hint of floral sweetness; just soap all the way down. *grumble* Dry: The soapiness gradually morphs into a general baby powder note, gently scented with lavender. It's a very soft scent, and not unpleasant, but has too little grip for cold January mornings. I'll re-test this one in the summer to see if a gentle, fresh, clean scent works better then.

(Usual disclaimer: I'm the World's Worst Drinker, so I don't have a scent profile of a real martini to compare this to.) In the imp: Erm, not appealing. Sharp and kind of soapy. At least the piney/herbaceous note that is probably juniper is interesting? Wet: Much less soapy. Still sharp and juniper-y, but now in an interesting way. I agree with above posters that there's a fizzy note, but not the way Bon Vivant (can you tell I've been working my way through the Imp Pack: Booze? ) was fizzy, if that makes sense. Dry: A fairly linear drydown, but the fizziness departs and leaves a sort of soapy note in its place. Can't say I'm overly enamored with this one.

(Usual disclaimer: I'm the World's Worst Drinker, so I'm afraid I don't have any real rum scent profile to compare this to.) In the imp: Very, very rich, but in a more buttery-sugary-sweet way than anything, with some slight spice to it - I almost want to call this a gourmand. Wet: The first thing I get is, of all things, burnt sugar??? Still pretty darn rich, in a foody way, overall. I'm going to have to add my voice to the legions describing it as butterscotch(y booze). Not quite the intense, heady, badass scent I had imagined, but just as enjoyable, albeit in a very different way. Dry: A soft, spicy amber-vanilla - think The Lion meets slightly aged Snake Oil. Delicious!

In the imp: Fruity sweetness, but a heady, wet kind of fruity scent. I've never smelled apricot brandy IRL, but I imagine this is what it would smell like. It vaguely reminds me of the dried apricots that were my go-to snacks as a kid, but the heady, wet elements mentioned stop me from going straight back to after-school snacks from 1st grade. Wet: The first thing that comes to mind here is a rich, slightly scandalous, middle-aged-to-older woman. This is still a very "wet" scent, but now it's sweet-spicy (in that order), and very grown-up. My notes have "fancy lady grown-up smell" for this stage. Basically, if I were the editor-in-chief of a big magazine, Phryne Fisher at age 40, or my great-aunt who used to live in a brownstone full of potted orchids and knickknacks from India and New York, this is what I would smell like. Dry: A faint fruity sweetness with a hint of something warm - the lingering spices, perhaps? Or maybe something in the sugar/vanilla/amber family? Anyway, something softer, but still very pleasant.

In the imp: The first word that comes to mind is "effervescent", or, if I want to be less fancy "MY NOSE IS FULL OF BUBBLES!" Srsly, this is a BIG hit of bubbly. To me, it smells more like Sprite, but I can't tell if that's because there's genuinely a citrus note in there somewhere, or whether I'm just more familiar with Sprite then champagne (sad, I know). I honestly can't tell if there are any strawberries hiding under all the bubbles - could very well be. Wet: The OH GOD EFFERVESCENCE that made me jerk my head back from the imp settles down into a more recognizable champagne note. The strawberries also start to come forward, but I agree what others are saying here - it's a very little-girl, synthetic strawberry. Dry: Flat Sprite with overtones of synthetic strawberry. Meh. I got this as part of Imp Pack: Booze after a frimp of Juke Joint was an unexpected and resounding success, but so far, boozy scents aren't working too well on me.

In the imp: (Disclaimer: I'm the world's worst drinker, so I've never smelled absinthe in situ.) Primarily sharp anise, but a bit of the edge is taken off by a subtle hint of mint (or possibly lemon? The anise is pretty darn strong, and obscures everything else). My first thought was "ugh licorice", but I've found myself going back to re-sniff it several times - surprisingly intriguing! Wet: The mint comes forward, making it just about equal with the anise. Okay, *now* it smells like something disaffected writers would drink! Especially because I'd swear there's some sugar in there, too. I can't tell if it's actually leaning a little plasticky/soapy, or that's just the way anise works, but there's also an element of that. Dry: The anise fades to a general herbal-sweet scent, and then to nothing, relatively quickly - maybe four hours from beginning to end?

In the imp: A soft, sweet, gentle scent. Floral and fruity, in that order, which is actually a bit concerning - I amp fruit like nobody's business, and while I do like the smell of pears, I hope this allows for the other scents to shine, too. Wet: Ah, hello, rose! The other florals are in there too, but rose is the most easily distinguishable right off the bat. Which suits me just fine - my IRL name is Rose, Sleeping Beauty is one of my favorite Disney Princesses, and I've always loved the idea of wild roses growing up around her tower. This isn't an old-ladyish rose, though. The dew (HOW do they recreate the smell of *dew*?) keeps it fresh and young, without veering into immaturity. The more I think about it, this is exactly what a princess would smell like: subtle, elegant, and having just come in from picking flowers. Dry: It was such a soft scent to begin with, it didn't take the florals long to fade entirely. My opinion may be a bit skewed, though, since I spent today working with some pretty strong-smelling hair chemicals that could easily overwhelm such a subtle perfume.

In the imp: Ooh, this one is interesting! Predominantly musky amber, but with an interestingly spicy note that brings incense to mind, but isn't incense itself. The labdanum, I want to say? Wet: I appear to be amping the musk (sorry, my nose isn't yet skilled enough to distinguish which kind), but my beloved amber is still going strong. There's also a new, sharp edge - hemlock, perhaps? Nutmeg? Tobacco? It's hard to pin down. Anyway, the sharp note isn't there for long, and it settles down into a lovely spicy-sweet musk blend after a few minutes. Dry: Labdanum and amber, with just a hint of smoke. At once a comforting and powerful scent - I like!

In the imp: Yup, that's bubblegum-y lotus right there. There may be hints of amber and/or sandalwood down there somewhere, but the lotus tends to override everything. Lotus traditionally doesn't play well on my skin, but hopefully the presence of my beloved amber will change things for the better. Wet: The lotus backs down, leaving the myrrh and sandalwood more prominent. Upon immediate application, I would call this a spicy-sweet scent, in that order. It enters an odd metallic phase for a little while, but luckily this doesn't last long. Dry: A foody-fruity-sweet amber, with the amber and/or sandalwood making themselves more definitively known at the very end. i can tell it's aiming for dark and sultry, but the fruity sweetness of the lotus keeps it much younger and lighter.

If anybody is watching Marvel's Agent Carter, Hayley Atwell has gone on record saying that her character wears a perfume very like Bésame's Decades of Fragrance: 1940, which is described thus: After prohibition, NYC jazz club, 1940s Aromatic, Floral, Ambery Top notes: bergamot, cognac, davana Heart notes: rose, clove, labdanum Base notes: sandal wood, amber, benzoin I would love to smell like Peggy Carter! Does anyone have any suggestions?

Porridge, kukui nuts, and pastry crumbs. In the imp: Yup, that's a foody scent right there! There's even something a bit berry-like, which I didn't expect. I'm a bit worried about the butter, though - it smells rather overwhelming here, and I don't know how butter-like scents react with my skin yet... Wet: As someone above notes, definitely in the family of Eat Me. However, instead of cupcakes, here I'm getting flaky pastries that have been on the cooling rack for a few minutes. Over time, the berry note expands and fights with the pastry for dominant note. Dry: A pleasant vanilla note emerges right at the very end, but otherwise, it just sort of slowly goes stale and fades away.

In the imp: Industrial-strength bathroom cleaner, like you would smell in recently-cleaned rest stop bathrooms on the I-5. Uh-oh, this does not bode well. Wet: ...Wow, even worse. Now it's industrial strength bathroom cleaner sprayed around an I-5 rest stop bathroom in a futile attempt to cover up the underlying funk. Not quite sure yet, but I think I may have finally found the very first scent I have to scrub off... EDIT: Glad I didn't scrub it off after all! After enduring trucker-poop stink for about 15 minutes, it metamorphoses into the promised earthy-floral blend, albeit heavier on the former than the latter. I still wouldn't call this 100% a winner, but any improvement is still improvement, right? Dry: A faint medicinal-chemical smell. Still on the lower end of "meh." I'm tempted to age this for a good long while and see if it goes anywhere, but, eh, my aging box is getting pretty full, while my swaps box still needs some love, so to the swaps it goes!

In the imp: Yup, that's a straight-up mix of mint and lavender. Earthy, energizing, and perhaps a bit odd (the zing of the mint plus the soothing lavender creates an interesting experience), but I definitely wouldn't call this wicked or vicious. Wet: The minty pennyroyal becomes dominant, but the lavender is still there, lurking in the background. Now it's an herbaceous, energizing, slightly sweet smell. In fact, it smells almost exactly like the hippie/New Age shops that abound in my hometown. Dry: Within an hour or so, it dries down to something far less pleasant - a sort of minty-sour, very faint skin-smell.