RoseThornAndOak
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Everything posted by RoseThornAndOak
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2012 version with Poe on the label. A tad musty with intriguing dark things at first. Madness and sadness. I would say dark spices, it is nutmeg, but comes across darker like clove, a smooth dark patchouli but not rank or dank (just that slightly musty vibe), and I would have guessed murky vetiver. A clean streak comes out with some wear. It's not soapy really, more musk with a touch aquatic fougere, as well as a touch of the must from the patchouli and spice. A good musty though, it is kind of coming together like a comforting vintage waistcoat vibe. Well, comforting, but also disconcerting? Like you just want to hug the poor fellow. If you visit the Poe Museum in Richmond, they have one of his white silk waistcoats, with a bit of stains from wear, but in remarkable condition, and this blend makes me think of it. Refined, yet disturbed is the aura this blend gives off. A hot, genteel musk (black maybe? This is cleaner, though) with some spice and smooth vanilla/benzoin wins in the end. The patchouli isn't stomping on anything at all and has mostly receded. I'm glad I took a chance on this. It feels like Poe is taking me through a story, of dark thoughts and murky gloom, a dark night of the soul he endured. The morning after this particularly dark night was also grim, despondent, but one must wash off the gloom, and face the day. There is warmth and hope in the end. The sun shines. The night was survived. Great blend.
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Rose Jam ditto ditto In the beginning, I get a somewhat sharp rose, with red fruits, and the fruity type of sugar floss note. The sharpness goes away, the rose smooths out, and this smells more like a soft yet old fashioned rose, with the jam turning boozy. I agree there's a bit of Hope in here as well. Alisz fans might want to take a gander as well. So rose jam, turned to sugar rose wine. It is nice, but I know I won't reach for it over other rose blends since the sugar notes are doing the Wonky Weirdo Dance on my skin that goes something like this:
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Sing it with me. It's yar yar fiddily dee, but Oud oud, oudily oud oudily oudily oudily oud! and hellbent, hellbent for leatharr! for 45 minutes or so. Then, it goes very hellbent for smooth white leather, creamy sandalwood, with a bit of oud, and maybe a hint of vanilla. I don't get much nuance past that. No fruit, incense, boozy cognac (just the creaminess mentioned), or even particulary smoky or pipe-ish notes. I love a good opium or tobacco blend, and I wouldn't have guessed either as notes sniffing this blind. It's nice past the initial blast, but I'm more of a White Rider girlie, and there are other leather scents I enjoy more as well. I will say that Concert is fairly similar, I would wager they share a similar oud-like note. Next day: lacey vanilla cognac shows up.
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Quite stoney, green, lush atmospheric in the bottle. On the skin, fresh, clean aquatics emerge in force. There's something sharp that is not agreeing with my skin, I believe it's the amber that smells beautiful, commercial and high end, but rarely works on my skin. This would make a great atmo. I feel like I have entered the painting when sniffing the bottle. I suspect on the right skin, this would be a nice, green, clean amber fit for a dryad or nymph.
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I'm getting a sweet, more floral version of an Opiate Vapor. There's a little green, but not much. This reads very blood red, gothic rose. Not dewy, not decayed, but deep, lush, and velvety. The poppies smell like incense a bit, but in a soft way, about 75% floral, 25% incense. I really like this and I'm surprised there aren't more reviews.
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Holy jasmine, Batman. We're flying south from Gotham. New Orleans calls for aid! Sharp jasmine/honeysuckle combo with very little smoke. Green and snappy, fresh, not indolic, I'm digging it. I have yet to find a hyper realistic honeysuckle, it is so hard to replicate in perfume. However, this is nice. Hot humid day vibes. It's stronk, I would apply less than I did. It is similar to Trumpet Honeysuckle and Lemon Bee Balm from the Louisiana duets. Mid-Dec 2024 tryon: yeah about the same. Stronk honeysuckle jasmine and no smoke or opium. It is in a high register like orange blossom is, sniffing blind forgetting the notes that's what I thought it was. But whereas orange blossom often tames down and softens after a while, this stays full bore floral and high pitched. I like it, but something is a bit plasticky and artificial about it, and a bit like a bathroom scent, and I don't see myself reaching for it over Who Would Not Tremble, Too? I will try to layer with vanilla or tobacco or something else, it has potential to be more sultry and sweet.
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Holy good night. What did I stumble upon? I wasn't going to get this, but after being shocked by how good Lupine Musk and Ambrette Seed HG was, this seemed like a safe bet. It's not as feral as I thought it would be. On the waft, it's a beautiful sweet, clean but rich musk, with snowy sweet Snow White vibes. There is a green/woodsy bite from the grass, balsam, sandalwood, and juniper. It's kinda like a more beeswax, musky green forest version of Snow White without the florals but also not like a Christmas tree/conifer. Not grassy though, either. Everything together creates a different green altogether. Juniper and balsam don't usually work on my skin but they're quite subdued here. It goes a little sharp on me at times up close, so it's not perfect. But I otherwise love the F outta this.
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I'm getting sweet, tropical, almost verging on Red Lantern coconut + floral with a hint of spice. This is a warm coconut plus extra sexy floral cousin, less gooey rich than RL, more spicey/dry, floral rich. I picture a beach at night, with a night market warmed with candlelight, tall ships in the distance, with humid tropical, night blooming florals gracing the air. There are spices, tea, tobacco, fresh coconut, and green sugar cane wands for purchase. Heaven, I'm in Heaven Mid-Dec 2024 tryon: I liked this better when it was fresh, and I like it better in the bottle. Heady tropical blooms, coconut reading slightly like banana, with some spicy musk. Final drydown is kinda blergh spicy floral musk, but powdery and just mehh. It's ok, I miss the opening stages, so this might have to be a locket blend.
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Worm Moon: Bourbon Vanilla and Teakwood
RoseThornAndOak replied to doomsday_disco's topic in Duets & Menage A Trois
Oof, this is good. I agree with the above. Your skin but better, green but dry vanilla with woods. Soft, not much throw but holds it's own. It's not super bourbony on drydown. Another old world vibe kind of blend. Stands alone well, and I think this would layer gorgeously with The Storm, Raptures and Roses of Vice, Antikythera, No Man Is An Island, Inez, maybe even Diptyque's Eau Duelle, and maybe some tea blends. Fades kinda quick. -
A frottle from the Lab! I'm getting a melange of fruits and smooth metal. Kind of like if Liz had fruits replacing leather. Very nice if fruits work on your skin.
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I haven't tried the original, but the 24 version is interesting. This is one of the only fragrances where the patchouli hits hardly at all upon first sniff, but wait a few seconds, there it is. I'm getting something musty, not bad per se, but definitely in a vintage things kind of way, like I just visited an old record shop. No lavender. Sexy blood musk (kinda metallic, kinda red musk) and incensey opium on the waft. Okay, more vampire vibes. So a record store run by vampires. Some aging, Mid Dec 2024: the lavender's come out! It's a bit more spicy than usual, I almost mistook it for clove as it buddied up with the patchouli. It doesn't read to patchouli-ish, it is light yet present with some musk, floral, and the opium is slightly hazy, but not my favorite use of it, although it fits. An Opiate Vapor was better on my skin, but I might still keep this. It's just not wowing me.
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A new frimp from the Lab! Holy heckedy heck violet. Sweet, floral, a lot like those violet candies you can get. I'm not getting much gardenia or vanilla, which is unfortunate, but I am enjoying this. The vanilla emerges a tad on drydown. Considering a bottle.
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Berry notes tend to go wonksville on me, but this is a pleasant surprise. I'm getting a softly grassy, softly aqautic vibe, but not oceanic, more puddle and reeds, with a drop of dark fruit. The florals initially blend so well it is hard to distinguish them, but I do find violet now that I know it's there. Maybe lily. Ok yes, there's lily of the valley. I don't know why it's making me think of the Ren Faire, like maybe there was a floral fragrance available there. Actually, it might be because this reminds me of some Deep Midnight Perfumes blends, particularly the Grail series, but this still retains a BPAL aura, if you will. The florals do start to amp up and dominate as this wears, mostly lily of the valley with a bit of green pollen dusting them. I like it!
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I was expecting this to be more aquatic, however Treasure is far more sweet, rich, balsalmic, and I agree, caramelized. This doesn't read as most honeys do on me: powdery and cloying. This is sweet and nice! I'm sure comparisons to Lyonesse will be made, it's much different. This is much more like if there was a salted caramel swirled with honey dust taffy, with some toasted notes, and there's shells and old driftwood decorating the taffy stand. This taffy stand only sells the rich, caramely kinds, and it's seeped into the boards along with the seaspray. It's threatening to go weird on me, probably the amber again. Otherwise, lovely! Dec 10 retest: Even better. Not weird at all! Now, it's caramelized, a little smoky, not much honey, a nice balsalmic amber slightly aquatic but not much so. So glad I went for this!
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Banana! Banana nana nanna! Some interesting spicy BPAL notes emerge, but yeah. Nana.
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In the bottle: dark, heavy amber, with shadowy velvet curtains, with a black bite of something sinister lurking, clove maybe. Evil little cloves. 😎 Heavily indolic fresh on, very similar to Smoke and Lace, with some powder from the champaca and rose. A fresh linen type note appears, which makes this much more pleasant, with indoles still present, but getting buried. Dries down kind of powdery and ambery on me with some greenery from the florals and something sharp some ambers do on my skin, like in News From Afar. It's almost glorious on me. I think on the right skin, this would be a lovely, gothic, dark velvet floral with conventional, high end amber. I might have to stick to a locket. It reminds me of an old gothic manor draped in mystery, like the soft things you would see here and about, so it's a keeper for now. "You've done terrible things, Lawrence."
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Tonka Bean, Black Tea, and Leather
RoseThornAndOak replied to Jenjin's topic in Duets & Menage A Trois
Wet on skin and drying down, smooth yet sturdy leather, a spot of non-astringent black tea, and a fair amount of sweetness from the tonka, which is not overtaking but rounding out the edges. Growing up we frequented airshows and military vehicle meetups, and this takes me back to watching dudes in vintage military uniforms, leather boots, leather jackets, helmets, and flight gear hanging out driving their Jeeps and flying their old radials in. However, this is clean and snappy, and agreed, sleek, when all the leather gear was fresh and had yet to see action or a hint of dry rot. This gentlemen keeps his appearance on business. This isn't overtly masculine, per se, it's much more neutral, the tonka softening it considerably, adding a sweet yet sophisticated glow. It's more probably-works-in-a-back-office or an officer's whole vibe as opposed to a vintage cologne. The tonka strengthens as the day goes, so this gets even nicer and wearable as a gal. I kinda love this. 🕰📻🪖☕️ -
I get all of the good sides and none of the bad sides from the listed notes, which is a miracle. The rose sap is less powdery rose soap and more green and lush. The ivy is fresh and green, not plastic. The orris root only softens and sweetens without going baby powder. The oakmoss is present but not stomping over everything. Pine needle adds an enchanted forest vibe instead of Christmas tree or musty pine box vibe. It doesn't go super pine at all actually, far less than Blauer Mond, if that helps. The lime does not smell like pee or super strong. The juniper also doesn't go bonkers (to me juniper smells like dirty socks usually and I don't know why but not here). So that describes more or less what this is not. What *does* this smell like? This reminds me a bit of Rose Red, but less rose, more stem, with a hint of evergreen creating a darkened, nocturnal aspect. A forest, sparkled and glittered in fantasy, yet darkened with danger and intrigue. All the green notes come together to create an entirely different forest blend than usualy encountered. I think it is better in the bottle than final drydown, which is a nice, softened green blend. I've encountered other fantasy forest blends I also love, but so happy to have this!
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At the First Touch of Winter, Summer Fades Away
RoseThornAndOak replied to Jenjin's topic in Limited Editions
I really like this. Ellocentipede's description of the ice note is perfect: clean, fresh, slightly minty, I would add in a fresh way and not like toothpaste at all. There's a nice sweet hay like grassy note underneath, plus some florals sniffing blind I would never be able to tell you what they were. I don't get an overtly pollenous or dusty herbal vibe from the marigolds or dahlias. No stompy rose, and I don't know what ranunculus is (is that a dinosaur? ). I kind of just get a whiff of wildflowers on the breeze. It's not overtly cold. More like a sweet wildflower bouquet with a touch of wild mint throughout. I get Sense and Sensibility, "these are not from the hothouse" vibes. Very lovely! -
Hey guess what? It's leafy! It's green! Super green, juicy, fresh, bright leaves in the opening. A bit of pretty rose, doesn't amp, and not too powdery. The chypre is nice, a bit of that citrus bite bergamot can have, (but not the Fruit Loops type of bergamot), with a classic moss throughout. Some chypres have patchouli listed as a component, but there's none here. When I sniff close there is an almost tea like note. I really like this. I think fans of vintage everything will adore this. It makes me think of what a vintage chypre would have smelled like when brand new. Clean, nostalgic, soft, and romantic. A bit linear on drydown, I think it would layer well as well as hold its own all by itself.
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This is hard to describe. I'm getting a slightly spicy almost gourmand, not really bready, but brownish and a bit more like cinnamon than earthy mushroom, maybe a super light patchouli, but it is not like Death Cap to me, more smooth and less atmospheric. There is a note reminiscent of brown leaves on a forest floor, but not green pepper type leaves. This description probably makes this blend sound sharp and earthy, but it somehow is not. This blend is soft, warm, and smoothed out by a sweetness throughout. I do get some rosebud, similar to the one used in one the Labyrinth blends, but it is not too fruity. The moss is a bit like oakmoss, but not overtly dominant. Overall very nice and like nothing else. Smells natural, mossy, sweet, cuddly, slightly spicy on drydown. Overall color palette impression is green and brown. I do agree there is a fairy vibe. Total Keeper!
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This is mostly a super strong green plasticky blend on me. Very sharp and only softens a bit. The bottle art is lovely, though.
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White bright floral a tad soapy with snappy green in the bottle. Waxy floral on the skin. There's a plastic stage that reminds me of Easter basket grass. Dries down pretty white floral with the green receding. It is a different lily than say Karl Lagerfeld's Sun, Moon, and Stars, which brings early 90s nostalgia for me. This is a solid like but not a swoonworthy love on my skin, so I will pass this along to a better home, but it was a lovely experience to try this.
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I'll wager my wig on this being the same rose in Two Women on Veranda Overlooking The Sea. It has that crisp, brisk, fresh, snappy aquatic zingy dewy rose, and in the bottle especially a very green sap. It does go a tad soapy in a nice fresh and clean, beautiful way, the way I like aquatics to go. This is so nice. Perfect for these warm spring days when the flowers are blooming yet an epic thunderstorm might roll in and bless us with negative ions after.
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Red musk, spice, red fruit, and fizzy aldehydes predominently. The combo is not really fetching on me, but there are some notes in here that are quite nice in the bottle I wouldn't mind exploring more.