RoseThornAndOak

Another win! Earthy soil then stone + cool cold water on me mostly. I think this Dwarf would like people to know that they are not unkempt dirty dudes. This Dwarf likes to be well kempt and clean before a high adventure but he still can't take the Middle Earth out of his gear, no matter how well kept. I really like this one and look forward to trying more RPG blends!

Well unfortunately I'm gonna have to be the odd one out on this one (2010 aged decant). Blends with foodie notes can go one of three ways on my skin 1. delicious and realistic (Caramel Apple Cookie, Lyonesse) 2. Nice at first then sour and gross (Eden) 3. smells like the inside of a plastic bag that a peanut butter and jelly sammich was in . Gingerbread Poppet goes into category 3. I don't know what it is, but a promising blend in the bottle, spicy sweet gingerbread hit my skin and turned plastic bag + vanilla extract + spices. Thanks skin chemistry, thanks. I'll have to try some other blends with the gingerbread note and see if I can isolate it out, but this will have to be a scent locket blend for me.

Well Halfling didn't quite work out on me, but that's to be expected with most foody blends on my skin. Just kinda weird, cloying sweet. In scent locket I think it will be a nice nutty oatmeal blend. Glad I got to try it!

Well hello! Here is another great RPG frimp from the Lab, awesome. I have Bard's Song stuck in my head since last night, so let's do this! Wow, slightly fruity warm honeylike sweetness, but what's this? It's not cloying and powdery Eau de 'DOOM? -looks again at notes- A ridiculously charismatic blend of bay rum, honey, and white musk mingling with the scent of harp wood and lute strings and the twang of horn brass. Uhhhh, I guess all that makes sense? Bay rum doesn't come across as boozy to me, it is more of a creamy allllmost cognac like vibe. So think smooth, warmth, slightly sweet, with warm wood grounding it slightly. If I fetch for it there might be a slightly metallic note in there. Ohh! You know what this reminds me of wafting next to Vial of Holy Water? LIZ! A warmer, cuddlier Liz. Slightly traditional perfume/cologne, yet sweet and slightly metallic. Sherlock Holmes would probably enjoy this, or maybe The Woman? It's similar to Light of Mens Lives, also, but not smoky in any way, Dang I wasn't expecting to like this, but it's gorgeous.

I get kind of a rosy vibe, too. I agree there is a sweetness to it, hard to pin down, but it does have a sparkly (not champagne-like, more like clear water) floral thing going on. Another winner frimp from the Lab! I get that traditional cologne vibe too, maybe kind of more like Florida Water than a traditional masculine aquatic. *You know what, this is like Liz without the leather! Dark cold floral. Try layering with Bard!

I never reviewed this, what the heck. I didn't like it at first, it was a blast of pine then way too much cloying honey, then weird. Retrying to today, the scent itself is not only a gorgeous, sweet, slightly forest berry evergreen soft light elven thing, but it's...still. You know that feeling when you walk into That Part of The Woods, Where The Evergreens Are, and no matter how windy, hot, cold, clammy or whatever is going on with the weather, there is that stillness, that constant feeling that evergreens give off. It's just quiet, calm, restful. This totally has that feeling to me, like the stillness and inner calm an elf emanates. Beautiful, I like this so much better now. Give it some time to rest if you are unsure, this one does well with aging. Highly recommend Es Lacht der Mai if you like this one!

Dude another RPG frimp! I will have the whole collection by the end of 2021 at this rate, woo! I didn't expect to like this line as much as I do. Druid was very similar to Zombi to my nose initially, without the rose. More the loamy loam bits. Drydown I get pale grasses and loam and this absolutely will layer well with other players. Yeah I could see Fangorn smelling like this, but maybe less stuffy. Another win!

Another RPG frimp! Thanks Lab. Rogue is a nice worn leather, warm, I don't get a barnyard vibe, either. It makes me thing of Strider. Slightly spicy, sexy in a way, woodsy, but not as woodsy/earthy as Druid or Half Elf. This is more about the soft leather. I get the similarity to Little Wooden Doll, not as woodsy but has the same warmth, if that makes sense. There's actually something in here that makes me think of stone, like the grey stones in Gondor. I already have many Middle Earth blends from other sellers, but after that I STILL might pick this one up. It's that good. It reminds me most of Deep Midnight Perfumes Grey Pilgrim. 2/11 Yep, bottled.

2009 Decant: smells like a mulled juice of dark fruits plus a buiscuity thing going on, almost popcorn-like. Warm and comforting, like Jul! I want to say I've smelled a candle like this before, but this makes me think of that one time I spent Christmas with Civil War reenactors in a historic home we used to hang out at. There was a general cheerfulness, warmth, with wafts of delicious holiday foods in the air, plus a lot of feisty people getting drunk on punch. It also reminds me of a nonalcoholic dark fruit/herbal beverage a friend brought backpacking once, with evergreen notes and spices, warmed up on the campfire. This doesn't come across as boozy/heady to me, it's more about the fruit/baked goods. So nice!

Frimp from the Lab, I get a nice spicy woods smell, clean yet dusty in a way. I really like this. I don't get cigarettes or stinkeh p'oud. The sandalwood seems dominant. Very nice! I will keep the sample for sure, may get a bottle eventually. It is hard to describe how nice this is!

Oh my gosh this is nice! I was afraid of the khus/vetiver note, but it's not the Lab's usual peanutty vetiver. This goes on bitter wood + pink rose, then quickly smooths out with rose being creamier than expected. I would almost swear there is a vanilla kinda thing going on back there. Layers gorgeously with a Garden Dirt SN oil I have. Wow wow wow, this worked out way better than anticipated, possibly even backup worthy. I should pay more attention to these retail exclusives. RoseThornAndOak votes yae. ❤️ Couple years later and still going strong. I think the ambrette is what is giving that vanilla like sweetness with a touch of maple. This is stunning and fits the theme perfectly. It's like a sweet, woodland, autumn rose.

Oh my God dude. Gorgeous soft, powdery, vanillic amber rose. Pink Snowballs cousin definitely, but yes classy, feminine. Like PS grown up. It's not soapy really, but kinda more like how you wish soap would be but isn't often enough. Just creamy, dreamy, vanilla amber rose. For fans of Pink Snowballs, Katrina van Tassel, Lucy Westenra, lace blends, and yes I think Alice fans might like this, too. *Revisiting today and the white amber is quite stronger than I remember. It's bright, powdery white amber with just a touch of rose. I like creamy rose blends better.

Very similar experience as Little Bird. Wet, weird musty herbs + grass , yet reminiscent of German Expressionist Horror oddly, that almost musty pine box smell. Drydown: glorious herbal honey. Honey rarely works so well as it does here on me. It's slightly powdery and pollinous, yet sweet and not sneeze inducing. I'll be keeping this, may even upgrade to a full. Gorgeous! A valkyrie would wear this.

Fresh from the Lab in bottle and wet on skin this smells just like Phantasm by Alchemic Muse, which I love: Aged roses and white lilies shrouded in an ethereal mist of cool earth, wet stone, and faint incense with a lingering base of soft, smoky musk. It has a powdery, refined, ghostly quality to it, white and ethereal, haunting, yet there's that tiny bit of clove lurking in the background, making me think more of the clove gum instead of clove cigarette or foody spice. Drydown a tiny bit of the clove gum is coming out more, but this is still mostly about them roses. I didn't really need a backup of Phantasm or something so similar since I already have Sarawen's Vampire Bride in this scent profile as well, but I'm glad to have it and look forward to seeing how the clove note ages. tl/dr: ghostly sweet powdery rose + soft clove gum. For fans of Lycan Lace, Sarawen Vampire Bride, AM Phantasm.

Fresh from the Lab. In the bottle and wet on skin: apple, spices, syrupy sexiness. Makes me think of the filling of those $.79 mini pies you get in the wax paper at the store. Something creamy in there, too. Hot damn, we're off to a great start. Drydown cinnamon spice broom with creamy Smut warming it up. Autumn blend FTW, I'm looking forward to seeing how it ages.

If you missed Tattered Lace or Black Opal, try this. This is an amazing creamy cognac vanilla lace. No smoke or heavy herbal chamomile notes, slight powdery florals brightening it up. Ghost Lace all the way. I totally agree this feels fancy, like maybe we are going to visit Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. I don't get the linen/fresh laundry vibe from Black Lace, this is far creamier. Also for fans of Antique Lace, Zorya P, and A Spirit, Katie. Later the pretty florals emerge more. It's more white and ghostly now. Gorgeous gorgeous. This is going to be highly sought after. Well done, Lab!

Ooo this is nice! Fresh from the Lab I get conifers with a candy-like sweet citrus, with amber adding softness (not powdery), bringing to mind pomanders or punch near the Yule tree. Hours later, the amber warms with the pine and citrus softening considerably. I don't get ozone or the snow note in Snow White, but I feel like SW would layer gloriously with this. Highly recommend if you enjoy the Lab's pine snow note or if Elf didn't work on you. I like this better than A Lady Tall and White and Cloister Graveyard in The Snow. Glad I took a chance on this!

A soft almost feral rose with a mineral-like brightness. Not effervescent like champagne, but gritty like stardust. I agree there's a coolness to it, like looking at the stars at night. The oud isn't stinkehpoo, just adds a sort of living quality. I hate oud usually but this isn't oudy at all. There's something lofty, remote, and gorgeous about this. Similar to La Befana with that floral charcoal, chimney dust vibe, but rosey and ancient, with Liz's cold metallic quality. *layered with Snow White: The Little Princess and Becky when locked in the frosty, sooty attic and the sweet neighbor dudes sneak them some warm clothes, blankets, and hot muffins because they know what a cruel wench the headmaster is. It also reminds of that scene where she dumps the ashes on the school snob, no f*cks given. TLDR: cold stardust rose water.❤️

Yes yes yes, a thousand times yes to feeling metal. 2009 straight out the gate we get boozy cinnamon, drying to picture perfect cinnamon spice in your witch's cupboard. Final drydown the sweetness of the cinnamon dies off and I'm left with not much more than a patchouli like frag, wet paper, and dry cinnamon. My skin doesn't like this sadly. 2016 straight out the cemetery gates (feeling metal already, if you know what I mean) is cedar casket with a bit of cream. Drydown is like a bit of dry tobacco more than anything. Similar to Antikythera oddly enough. A bit linear but okay.

Yep, very Dorian! It turns play-do on my skin for a long while, then dries down nicely. However on a cloth it is very Dorian but sweeter, and lifted? Like how Theodosius is testosterone oomphed, this is sweet oomphed? It's very unisex and gorgeous. I'll have to use it in a scent locket also, but definitely keeping the bottle.

Yep, I will echo what has already been said about this one. It's a gorgeous sweetened woods blend, but not foody. Certainly for fans of Antikythera, No Man Is an Island, Cocoa and Oak Bark, and also tobacco fans will probably love this. All of those rank high in my collection and this is no different. I agree, wears close to the skin, and also agree, backup probably a good idea. ❤️

Oh man this one is nice! The Lab's pumpkin with a sweetened but not cloying sugar, it doesn't go too fruity sugar as the note sometimes can, then the red musk emerges. There is something almost metallic in this for a while, but settles down into a pleasant, sweetened red musk with the pumpkin sugar sweetening it, but I wouldn't say this is pumpkin spice or vegetal really, it is more just a pleasant sweetened depth. No brimstone, although that could've been the fleeting metallic bit for a short while there. Overall this is a very nice red musk I am so happy to have in my collection. It is unique enough to keep around. It doesn't beat Scherezade or La Femme De Satan, but it certainly rivals Flesh of My Flesh, Lust, La Lethe, and Spellbound. I think I like this better than Tombeur and Mircalla and certainly better than a small selection of NAVA red musk blends I own. I'm sure it will age nicely and I feel like this will be highly sought after for red musk fans!

in bottle and wet on skin: wet paint and playdough. Uh ohh. The p'dough stays for about an hour or two, then this turns into a gorgeous, soft, slightly sweet, vintage, floral musk, not sharp or soapy in the slightest. I really wish the p'dough stage was shorter, but I'm glad that and the wet paint go away entirely. Glad I waited around for the grand finale. ❤️

wet on skin red musk w/ powdery elements. Dry it kind of almost duds out, I think it is just lighter than other red musk blends. Light, somewhat floral red musk. Not my favorite but still vampish and wearable. If you find red musk to be too much give this a shot, it is less in your face.

Wet on skin I get autumn leaves of all things. This makes me think of Sonnet d'automne, one of the only leaf blends I can do. Nice so far. Leaves, floral, slightly soapy playdough but not overtly so. Dry, well the p'dough goes away thank goodness, and I'm left with slightly soapy leaves. I like Sonnet better, but will keep this around as a sort of backup. 3.5 out of 5 in my book.