RoseThornAndOak
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Everything posted by RoseThornAndOak
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Absolutely gorgeous Snow White, not sure how it varies from the orginal, but I found it to be strong and long lasting.
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Rosemary water in the bottle. On the skin all I'm getting is cedar and motor oil. Drydown more cedar chips. It's fine. This is fine.
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I'm not a big fan of the opening, too astringent, green, herbal, cypressey and atmospheric to be wearable. That drydown though, is a heady, herbal floral spooky thing that brings to mind old Virginia graveyards without the dirt, more the wafts of trees, wild herbs, and florals in the breeze. Unique and different offering from the Lab, I like the florals especially.
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This Sleeper instantly became a sleeper hit, possibly my favorite of 2022. The opium I think is the same as Night Figure on The Bridge, heady, resinous, rich, I agree moody, too. I do get an almost effervescence as well, like if floral incense could have an uplifting effect, especially in the beginning. I don't get much violet, its well blended into everything else. I was afraid it would ruin this blend for me but it doesn't, maybe just adding a wearable softness. I have a French opium oil from the local renn faire and this is very similar. The epic drydown is mostly dark and mysterious opium with soft champaca petals. Monster Goth vibes, this is one I wouldn't hesitate to reach for heading to the club or a concert. Strong and lasting too, a dab will do you. Its not smoky, but feels hazy. Unisex, this would be sexy on anyone. Possible backup in my future.
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Heady AF in the beginning man, Jesus. It's power rose, it's power, animalic gardenia, it's power powder. I do get a pinch of greenness, too. The final drydown: Dang, this is a reminder to always, always skin test. It is a much softer blend of the three notes and boy is it gorgeous. I agree it has a vintage vanity setup vibe, maybe a 1930s feel. I feel like this is what many vintage perfumes were supposed to smell like before they went off, a light powdery floral with a hint of green. I've definitely encountered much more blinding white powdery blends, and find this highly wearable in the current era. You know what, I love it. I was kind of expecting Sweet Honesty vibes with the powder, but the gardenia and rose lift this enough out of that territory and make it more fresh, elegant, and mysterious. I feel like this would match prettily with cold cream (random tangent: I know it's not known as a hand cream, excema treatment, or sun balm but I've been using it on my hands and elbows and holy smokes they are sooo soft now). No note dominates, it's a perfect match of the notes, yet each note is detectable. Femme and pretty.
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Oh wow this is nice! In the bottle and on skin I get a big tuberose-like floral, lush and white. It is very reminiscent of one of my favorite vintage 80s florals, Sand and Sable (gardenia, tuberose, jasmine, peach, green notes, rose). Yo don't judge me, I read somewhere that some rocker babes wore it back in the day and I also wanted those Sunset Strip vibes. No regrets and neither should you! Spring goes less beachy, more fresh with maybe carnation or another spicy/peppery floral. There is a base that I wouldn't have guessed was incense on first sniff. We're off to a good start. There is a point where this turns playdoh/candle/beeswax. Well Sh!t Lestat right now??@! Final drydown, I took a nap and woke up to a beautiful soft tuberose/carnation floral grounded by something indistinct but soft in the background. Hekk yeah now we're talkin. Sunset Strip meets Downton Abbey. Heh Downtown Abbey. Very nice!
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In the bottle and on application: this is all about the lilac, high pitched and bright. The amber, vanilla, and muguet are doing little to tame it down. This is most similar to Lucy's Eyes at this stage. Nice, I like. Drydown Muguet comes out beautifully, tempering the high pitched powdery lilac with a fresh, dewy, lifelike, lily floral. I can't detect the vanilla or the amber proper, they are adding an overall softness, high end/elevated aura without being overtly perfumey. The amber is far less detectable than in Lucy's Eyes but I wouldn't be surprised if it is the same amber. This stage skews more Grief, Pele, and Lady of Shalott. Another timeless floral that could fit into any decade and be appropriate, although this does give me somewhat 1940s vibes. You know I can't think of any time or place where this would be inappropriate. Funeral: I'm ready. Interview: let's gooo. Some historical thing: it's flowers I'm gonna smell so good. Date night? Sup, I'm confident.
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Not much to add, it's champagne, it's ginger ale, it's sweet gingerbread underneath (slightly). White sugar not cloying or plastic, lemon not cleaner or verbena/lemon balm. It's bright and festive. A favorite champagne Lab blend, will use up my decant!
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Oh derp that's right, daemondrops=Dragons Blood! No wonder this smells so good. But hol'up y'all, it seems diff than the usual Lab DB, plus it's not too sweet, not too Spencers, not too temple. Just light, yet adds dark, soft, but adds depth. A pretty, soft, white and red floral with dragons blood supporting, and white musk keeping this clean and classy. Powdery, but not too soapy. The mugwort makes an appearance, but it's rare, and not a problem. Balanced and well blended. I really enjoy this! Does fade pretty quick. Skin scent for sure. Definitely similar to Lucy Westenra, but with no play-doh! ❤️
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Ooo Hell yeah, now we're talkin'. This is about what you'd reckon it'd smell like: dry, spooky-ass rose with bones (orris adjacent but I don't think it's orris. It's truly bone-like) and light dry woods. Amber sweetens, incense sexies. Is that a word? Overall it is sort of limestone-esque, if you catch my drift, w/ dry rose. I was hoping for something similar to Cicuta or Lycan Lace in feel, pale, spoopy, desiccated, rosey, and fit for a vampire bride and this delivers in spades. few days later edit: Retested Cicuta today, very different from Tovenares, w that Rose Cross frankincense, but stays in the same rosey, haunted, vampire headspace, if that makes sense. Tovenares leads more feminine, soft, and eerie, much less harsh. I don't know if people in public will like it, it's uniqure and different. About to pick up the Rob Zombie Munsters movie so I guess we'll see what People of Walmart think. I guess Lily would wear something like this, cuz why not. This might be too dusting powder for some, but it's the kind I like, like a vampire's dusting powder on cold shoulders, but far more complex than all that. It is creepy AF though, so it is not a shy, 'ok try to be normalz' crowd pleaser, but I love that about it. It is unsettling in the best way, like Cicuta, Dracul, and Zombi are disconcerting in their own way. Beautiful. Get this vamp bish in your closet, you spoopy spoopers. 4 hrs later edited some stuff, scent about the same, just lighter. I love this.
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Odic Force, is that you? Out the gate and for quite some time, this has the same, bracing, chilly white mint, with sharp white bar soap if I sniff close. I think the ti leaf + lilac is creating the soap association. After a while, creamy white soap, bright mint, with a bit of white amber. Not the worst thing, but dang it's sharp still. After a while while, much calmer, smoother, edging closer to Last Unicorn territory, but still more Odic Force minty. I reckon some time will smooth things out. Reads like a Yule blend and fitting the name. I didn't realize the author was Rosetti's muse, but learned a lot about her because of this scent. I'll hold on to it. Fans also of Ghosts of Aldershot might like this, too. There is a bit of sweetness to it.
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Coconut, Ti Leaf, and Pineapple
RoseThornAndOak replied to Silvertree's topic in Duets & Menage A Trois
On the right skin (probably most of y'all) this would be a great replacement for Upa Upa (which I stupidly gave away): creamy, non-toasty, non-plasticky, sweet coconut, juicy, realistic pineapple, and switching out rum for planty ti leaf with a glamourous edge. My chemistry turns it lemon balmy (wtf) with nice coconut pineapple, then modern commercial, high end pineapple coconut perfume, but not nicely. Alright, fine. You know what? Be that way. Sand and Sable and I are going to the beach alone! -
Oh wow this is pretty! This has a conventional high end perfume vibe the same way Ava and Awake do. The amber is prominent but complex, not too floral, and not too creamy/milky really. I love the opening and the drydown throw on this especially, however when I get in close I get a tiny bit of the acridity I get from many conventional blends (unfortunate covid thing, YMMV, my nose does this with some of the highest rated perfumes out there, so don't let this sway you ). I'll probably stick with Ava and Awake personally, but will try this in a locket and layer with lotion and still recommend this highly! ❤️
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In the beginning the apple, mandarin, a bit of lavender, then the glittering musk shine. This is my favorite part, in the bottle, and on the skin the first 30-45 minutes or so. Almost if Glittering Apple and Gobo had a baby. Some citris blends give me a Halloween vibe and this is one of them! If you like Hexennacht's Tiger Tale or Thorn and Moon's Black Cat, this has a similar vibe initially. The later phase on my skin goes nondescript powdery resin/benzoin with a hint of dry mandarin and apple. It's not bad, but I wish the glittery Halloween bits stuck around. I don't mind reapplying though. This is fresh from the lab, so some aging will help marvelously I think. 5/5 first phase, 3.5 second phase. also forgot there was sugar in this, I don't always gel with the note and had no issues here!
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Slap some genteel on your Rogue/Mountebank and you have John Locke. Lavender over leather leads in the beginning. There is a smol bit of soft spices that come thru the mids, I wouldn't have thought lemon balm would be in this, if it is it is not detectable. I could see the coriander, cassia, nutmeg, clove being contenders, but no note stands out. Not Xmasy or Fall, although this would do well in cooler weather. Not harsh, just adding an old world appeal. The Rogue leather is the main part of the drydown. Maybe a bit sweeter. Thieves Rosin is a strong suspecc in this blend, too. I really enjoy this and debating whether I need a full as I already have Rogue and The Mountebank. But, if you missed The Mountebank, John Locke is closer to that than Rogue, and worth picking up. ❤️
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Fir Needle, Ivy Leaves, and Moss
RoseThornAndOak replied to Seajewel's topic in Duets & Menage A Trois
This blend is gorgeous. I might not have picked it up if it wasn't for Little Bird's review. Glittery, Faerie/Elven Pine-Sol for 15 minutes. I actually love this stage, its so random and fun like the banana note in Noisy Goose Moon is random and fun. Then, a green, ethereal, diaphanous, softness that is hard to describe. Maybe musk or floral along with the green notes? It is very similar to one of my top 5s, Forest Daughter by Deep Midnight Perfumes which doesn't list any green notes at all but has florals, sandalwood, vetiver, patchouli, and cocoa, yet manages to smell like a faerie forest or Elven maiden in Middle Earth. It's very similar to dandelion, like if dandelion was green, sheer, and sparkly. Since the patchouli in Forest Daughter smelled acrid to me post covid due I'm so happy to have a substitute as there's no patchouli in this at all! No weirdness here, just gorgeous, glittery notes. No oakmoss stomping over everything, no Christmas tree stomping (Black Metal song when), nothing earthy/skanky, just clean and green, like what elves would clean themselves up with. Basically glittery green forest in Middle Earth. It works better on my skin than Elf. I'm considering a backup too even though I'm broke. Hands down one of my absolute favorite BPALs. -
Vanilla Husk, Nutmeg, & Hay Absolute
RoseThornAndOak replied to Seajewel's topic in Duets & Menage A Trois
Yep very Antique Lacey, the hay note is a bit more outdoor and warm. I already have a dupe for Antique Lace that I love but I'll keep the decant. -
At first, I was on the fence with this one. The beeswax, although nice, was strong and cloying when this first arrived. The lilac takes a backseat but is present for the ride. There is a brief moment where this goes candle wax on me (not sure why I'm surprised), but more like a cheap snuffed out white candle, which changed much for the better with aging (see below). This dries down nice though, into a soft lilac beeswax candle skin scent. I think it would layer well with nag champa or other incense, I think that would gel just right. Edit* this aged beautifully! There is a warmth and sweetness to it, like the edges rounded out. It's Fall but in a very different way than most Fall blends. Went for a bottle!
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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.
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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.
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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!
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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.
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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.
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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!
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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!