RoseThornAndOak

A bit powder puff at first, rosey. It's not smoky on me, I forgot smoke was a note, actually. The sandalwood behaves and adds slight, soft woods. I'm not getting any weirdness from it. It dries down to a pretty floral sandalwood combo, velvet is a great term for it, clean and soft. Coincidentally wore a velvet skirt with a ditsy floral top today and it fits the mood. A bit timeless, although I could see this pairing well with a Sweet Lolita wardrobe. It's youthful and springy but I wouldn't say childish, any age group could pull it off really. Reminds me of Vasilissa a little bit. Elegant, classy, work appropriate. The final drydown has me considering a bottle. Edit* Decided on a bottle. Gorgeous.

Suuuuuper glad I went for a decant first, this poster's Dank. Dank MCDankerson. It pretty much stays that way, softens up hours later on me. It does come across as hempy and reminds me of making hemp necklaces back in the day. Wish I got more nag champa from this as it's a favorite note. Glad I got to try it, if you love the weed note and it goes soft on you, you'll really love this blend as it's front and center here.

This is very atmospheric too, not quite what I would wear, but an atmos spray would be great. It does kinda have a fjord vibe, than more floral/powdery in the late drydown. I love the concept, but have other blends for mountains I love more. I'm keeping the decant though, it's nice!

Welp I thought this would do the hot mess thing on me too, but I'm pleasantly surprised. At first it goes on metal, a tiny bit acrid, strange, atmospheric, I don't even know, but it does have an old laboratory vibe. After a while it softens up and the slight acrid streak goes away. I'm left with a soft, slightly powdered, gentlemanly blend of hard to pin down notes. Maybe slightly (ever so) metallic incense powder, maybe in the way tobacco is slightly metallic? Yes that's it, I think tobacco might be in this, lighter leaf color, not deep, chewy, or syrupy, but dried. It makes me think of something Professor Moriarty would wear. Steampunk vibes for sure, too. A decant'll do me I reckon, yet it keeps getting better and better as it wears, so it's a tough call. I do have Lycan Lace and Antikythera that I enjoy more for this vibe (only slightly similar in scent, but very similar in vibe). I feel like many might miss a good tweeded, waist-coated, masculine blend with this one, it's worth checking out.

Yeah I'm surprised there's not more reviews on this, too @Diesis as this is really pretty! Out the gate I get a gorgeous red apple, fresh and lush almost like fresh pressed fall festival cider. Yes please, another round! The rose and mahogany lend a fresh, clean, classic, sophisticated vibe to the apple, not earthy but slightly grounding, branchy, and floral. This is kinda like if an apple tree was blossoming and giving fruit at the same time, but more about the blossoms and fruit than the branches and trunk. The rose skews sharp and soapy right after application but I don't find it to be a dealbreaker, it has a vintage vibe to it, like something you would wear to a reenactment. There's a brief moment where the apple rose combo together is indolic and pissy, my least favorite stage overall. Uhohh..ok that didn't last long. Drydown is pretty nice, the apple turns more green and tart. There was another apple blend that went plastic bag on me (YMMV, I haven't met many people that this happens to) and unfortunately that happens here. It does fade fast, I reapplied after about 2-3 hours after a light test, so I think this will require a bit more of a dip than usual. That's fine. I have other apples I need to spend more time with, but I recommend giving this a shot before it comes down. I might actually get a bottle for a locket because that apple opening is so gorgeous.

This one's different. Cacao, tobacco, and bubbly. Sounds like a fun night! Dries down mostly bubbly on me, yet like much of the rest of this series, it has a Western feel to it. Magic. I probably don't need more, but I really like it for the mood. I would've never expected these notes to work together, but they do. Almost reminds me of those chocolate sodas Grandaddy used to find for us when we went up the country to visit. Dang yeah, almost like a chocolate float, too! Not rootbeer or anything, more like if someone made chocolate ice cream floats with a clear bubbly. I used to order coke floats and request chocolate ice cream, and this reminds me of that too, although much more clear and less syrup. I will revisit to see if a bottle is needed but so far this is a pleasant surprise hit!

I really don't know what the Hell I'm smelling. Ok yeah, verbena makes sense. Verbena + a random mix match of stuff I can't seem to catch, like a herd of chipmunks. A scurry, sorry. A scurry of chipmunks. I really don't need to smell like a scurry + some herb that wants to be lemon but never will be. I kinda wish I knew what it was like to enjoy verbena. If you like verbena, definitely pick this up!

Well this is different, I dig it! Someone called this 51 on steroids, and it's apt. Bright green and unisex, kinda sharp yet bright is a better term for it. The eucalyptus blossom doesn't read as medicinal, it's more softened from say an EO or bugspray. That lime reminds me of Lilith's First Concert, that lime Dorian blend. Odic Force is working far better, though. I can't really find anything I don't like, so I'll at least keep the decant for something zingy and uplifting. All the notes really work together to create the Bright Green Mood Thing. Don't reckon I need a bottle, but Strange is Thy Pallor, Strange is Thy Dress from the Poe series is looking wayyyy more tempting than it did.

The opening is a gorgeous take on boiled old school sweets, like the ones you find in the Williamsburg candy shop. Very evocative, lemon puffy mint marshmallow. Maybe Toot-Sweets smell like this with a bit of powdered sugar on top. I really dig this phase. Something goes wonky for a bit, but gratefully dries down to closer to what it was in the beginning, just softer. It kinda reminds me of Lemon Scented Sticky Bat, but that mint throws it for a complete time loop to the late 19h century. Crazy dude, I can see a man in suspenders and a beard selling sweets at the every-busy corner store bringing smiles to the neighborhood children. It reminds me of that scene in the comedy-western The Apple Dumpling Gang when Magnolia takes the kids to the general store for a couple sweets. So sit down with ur speckled ceramic cup of cowboy coffee and break out your Little House books and get ready to be transported to a time when boiled sweets made you the popular girl at school for the day. Intruiging and unique. I recommend at least trying this before it goes away. I'm at least keeping this damned decant. Cute, cute, cute.

Ok this was pretty gorgeous in the beginning. That cacao and rose combo with a bit of woody bits was a bit swoonworthy and very similar to other cacao or chocolate rose options from the Lab. Ambrette lends a slight maple vibe. Doing good doing good. Unfortunately this will have to be a locket scent as there's just enough patchouli in this to go sharp and acrid with my skin chemistry. Wallet's happy. On this right skin this will be a stunner.

OK wow, this is hekkin good. The lavender comes out in force in the beginning, then mellows out with the amber softening. I don't get a straight up aquatic vibe from the ambergris, but it does lend to the softness and warmth. Actually @sunshinedaisyblissyou are right on the money, almost like a musky vanilla together. It does fade kind of fast on me, my only gripe. Seriously considering a bottle though because I'm not sure the decant will be enough. If soft warm vanillic lavender sounds appealing maybe give this a shot. Reminds me of On Wednesday I Will Promise You a Phantom but they are unique enough to warrant testing both. Grateful for the lavender blessings from the past year!

My experience is almost identical to @zipegs. Fresh out, it's a very nice atmospheric green grassy blend with some earthy bits. I really liked this stage. However as it dries down, a hidden note that has been going wonky and sharp on me recently too is acting up. Sandalwood is a good guess, could also be a hidden patchouli or a type of oud or other wood floating around. Hekkin hekk. Wallet breathes a sigh of relief. I'll use as a room spray or something.

Alright, hear me out. I was humming The Wellerman while wearing this yesterday, and the weather was balmy with some high clouds and Chesapeake heat rolling in. It was a pleasant moment, I reckon as pleasant as a commute home can be. Now, I can't get 'pirate gardenia" out of my head. This is unmistakable gardenia, lush and tropical, yet heady and Southern, with labdanum lending, yes, a medicinal element, yet it's syrupy. It is described as a "sticky brown resin", and 'light tobacco and raw resin with terpenic notes". I get mostly gummy, sticky resin/light tobacco vibe, not so high on the terpenes. It has an Old World aura that I'm quite fond of, It's very evocative and nostalgic, although I'm not sure others around me would like it as much and some might find offputting and just too unusual but come on, we're all strange and usual here, so skip it. The overall effect is languid pirate or New Orleans vampire chicky babe wearing gardenia and her special tonic thing she uses for whatever ailment I don't really want to know about but maybe I secretly do. Or maybe she just thinks they smell that good together, and knows the other chicky babes won't smell like her. It also makes me think of the 1940s in a way, like how a gardenia perfume may have actually smelled back then (not how they smell now after turning). ---the long evocation you probably don't need to read but may find amusing--- Ok you know what this really pictures for me: there's like these pirate smut chicks rovin around, they're dingy and dirty and probably get way too crunked on the ...weekend, weekday, whenever-there's-a-day, but there's that one babe that rolled up to Port Royal, somehow couldn't seem to leave, but has maintained her dignity and self respect. She probably has less fun, but way less problems. She has a pretty, yet understated cream floral calico dress on, keeps her back straight, reads the room, and knows exactly how to carry herself. Slightly intimidating because she sees right through your shit. You secretly wish you had your shit together just like she does. That being said, she knows how to relax and be breezy, she's dignified yet too down to earth for stuffy, gentile society, not really fitting in anywhere, but confident all the same. All the pirate dudes secretly want her but feel too far gone to approach her, so she's lonely most of the time. Secretly wishes that guy will show up. I told you it was evocative, dude. You might start having flashbacks or write a damn book. I'm torn between cherishing my decant or getting a bottle, but knowing I'm not going to reach for it as often as other gardenias and feel bad for wasting it. Great blend.

I agree this has a similar vibe to some of the Liliths! This reminds me of one in particular, Sentence First, Verdict Afterwards. I wager they share the same red rose note. The black pepper doesn't come across as cooking spice at all, more like a carnation, like if rose was a carnation. The black musk in this doesn't smell sharp, which was a pleasant surprise. Black musk can go absolutely, unbearably astringent and chemical. Well none of that here. If anything, it lends a soft, sweet powdery musk vibe, more Egyptian Musk than anything. Sentence First, Verdict Afterwards reminds me a hella lot of Alchemic Muse's Phantasm, which I absolutely love. The overall effect is basically, I dunno...floral goth tomb powder musk? This is very much like that, too. Althought it shares similarities to Akima Botanicals Pepperose, this reads way softer especially as it dries down. I'm tempted to pick this up, but I already have a full of SFVA and Phantasm as well as a whipped soap. Up close, RRBPBVM smells a tad wonky, just slightly so, but I have to dig my nose in to find it. The waft/sillage is where the bread and butter is, though. Although I wish this wasn't as similar to things I already own, I'm glad it absolutely exceeded my expectations and fears. At the very least a keeper, I may cave and get a bottle anyway before these come down!

There are pretty, soft notes in this that I love, like a soft blanket. The lilac isn't too sharp or green, just soft and light purple hued. The beeswax gives it a nice candlelit glow. Champaca and smoke don't stick out to me too much, but add to the overall haze. That damned agarwood though, had to be a punk and ruin my parade. Had to be that punk who screws things up just enough where a lot of people wouldn't notice at the party, but you definitely did. Threw a sharp-ass knife clear 'cross the kitchen when I was putting the cute little ritual flower candle shit together, knocked the candles over and made a big mess making me look bad. Punk.

Well I don't think this one's gonna work on me, yet. It might be the coconut or the blend of the notes, but something is making this go plastic on me, which is a shame. Toasty coconut plastic. I was hoping for something akin to The Last Unicorn or Lavanila Coconut, but there is a toasted bit in this that isn't going right sadly. I'll hold on to it and let it age, maybe I'll get more of what others are getting. Could be my nose is still not up to snuff. Dangit, dude.

Well it's alright. The cinnamon gave me a reaction but I was a dummy and tried it on my inner elbow. I think this is the same gingerbread as Gingerbread and Leather, so that's a plus. The sticky buns do smell like sticky buns. Thankfully, the reaction goes away and the cinnamon doesn't go into wet cigarette wrapper territory on my skin (a miracle). It is a bit more papery than I would like. I'll keep the decant for the holidays, but will reach for G&L more. On the right skin this would be glorious.

Oo this is nice! Reminiscent of sixteen92, Pulp Fragrances, or Strange South atmospheric blends, this evokes an image in your head. it makes me think of Gettysburg or Yorktown during a reenactment. There's those summer drought, toasted dry grass smells, with smoke and metal in the air. Probably don't need more than a decant, but this would make a great room or car spray or a great layering squad for floral or graveyard blends. A bit of woods come out later. Very nice, glad I went for it!

It's ok. It creeps a little too close to jasmine honeysuckle toilet cake thing which although smells pleasant, I can't shake the roadside rest area association. It could be the iris having that effect as well. The best part is way later in the day, when everything softens and glows up in a summer symphony of good breeze smells, but takes too long to get there for me sadly, which is a shame because this stage is gorgeous!. I'll hold on to the decant and gravitate towards the Louisiana duets for honeysuckle. However, I have had decent luck getting to the later stages of a blend by gently washing off the top notes with a little bit of soap and water about 15-20 minutes after application, so I may try that!

A mighty fine aquatic ozone softened around the edges by amber. It's pleasant enough, if I had bought a full size I would've kept it, but the decant will suffice.

Might be too early to tell, I've had this on for about 2 hours, but my experience so far is pretty close to @VetchVesper. I totally can see the apple blossom connection! At first this smells like how a box of imps smells to me: that mix of resins, florals, and other bits and bobz. I took about an hour nap, and woke up wondering what smelled so nice and clean. Yep, it's One Girl! She's kinda got a sweet, sophisticated, powdery floral thing going on. I reckon I can tag incense, that might actually be where some of that lovely clean vibe is coming from. Reminds me of Midnight on The Midway, slightly aquatic. I do get a teeny bit of fruit in the back, but it doesn't read apple to me, just vagually fruit, but mostly floral. Couldn't tell you which floral dominates, but wisteria and I usually gel, and we party here, too! Not quite what I was hoping it would be, but not at all what I feared could happen. I actually really like this a lot and glad I picked it up this year!

What the fuck. This is that brown and cream, textured, hooded sweater cloak thing you would've never in a million years picked up at the thrift store but your friend slaps it on you and managed to dress you better than you have yourself the past 20 years. Then you finally feel like the Middle Earth badass that you know you are. Rogue Lace, alright. I'll probably get it.

I think it's time to admit the pumpkin note is not my absolute best as I have had little luck. The pumpkin offerings this year were no different. Here, it goes chemical, then vegetal pumpkin + wet cigarette paper + AM. The good news is, AM is prominent, and aging + wear time help it gather it's strength. It fairs far better than Pumpkin Spice AM, which went indolic, so I will hold on to the decant just in case, because as Elysian above says, AM only gets richer. If you love Lab pumpkin and love AM more, this may be your jam. I'll be sticking with regular old AM and keeping an eye out for other iterations.

No Man Is an Island!

Let me help you outta the chair g g grandmaaa Oh wow this is nice! Although Grandma would've smelled great if she wore this, I don't really get Grandma vibes. This makes me think of unicorns. It's a light, powdery orris floral, not as soapy as Moonflower and Orris, yet clean, fresh, and soft. This is more like what I wanted out of M&O and it delivers. I can get behind the ethereal ghost description too, totally apt. It's like a sleepy ghost unicorn. Glad I didn't snooze on a decant, considering a full bottle.