Miggins

This was a gift from xochitl. She's so lovely - how could I dislike a scent that she gave me? First on, The Raven is pure violet. I fully expected the blend to warp into a very masculine scent as Le Serpent Qui Danse did, but thankfullly, no. The violet smelled like a violet perfume I used to buy in Cornwall as a child and something else - oh heavenly! Cosmetics-To-Go's Violet Nights range (so sadly missed). Beautiful. After a few hours, the musk was much more prominent and changed the whole blend from something quite wistful, to something much more joyous. I'm not overly good on picking out notes, but I know that I like The Raven. Just for fun, the mental image I got after it had dried down was the same colours as Darkswan's Blackberry Apple soap (thank you, AlectoNox!) - rich purple and cream all swirled together with gold. It's not a lasting blend on me (around 4 hours), but I kept getting whiffs of it and thinking, what is that lovely smell? Gorgeous.

There is a lovely sweetness to Hell’s Belle, but there is also something quite dark and earthy in there - my nose wants to say myrrh (if it could speak!), but I think it might be the dark musk, which doesn’t sit well with me. It’s a very naughty scent, makes me think of utter wickedness and debauchery with an angelic face to distract you. In the drydown, I get the sweet creaminess but that underlying earthiness keeps seeping through. Not a keeper for me.

I got Yerevan for the plum note which I adore in Bordello. Sadly, it only lasted a few minutes but whilst it did, it was heavely. Vaguely sweet, slightly juicy, and almost salty. Sadly, my skin latched onto the apricot and rode it roughshod over everything else so it was the only thing I could smell. Very bright and fruity, but on me skin, just a little bit *too* fruity.

Maiden is definitely one of my favourites. My nose doesn't pick up the tea so much, but the strong carnation delicately backed by the rose is blissful. And although there isn't much throw to it, I can smell it all day which makes me happy. And it lasts a good 12 hours on my skin. Strangely, I didn't really think a lot of Maiden when I got it in September (which was sticky and humid), but now it's a bit colder, I love it. Definitely a bigger bottle for spring.

Really wanted to love Lampades, but it didn't love me. Wet, it smelled divine - tart cranberries with a hint of spicy ginger. However, my skin decided to take the cranberry and warp it into the most fake smelling cranberry in the world, coupling it with a definite metallic tang (possibly the lilies). And then my skin sucked it up and it disappeared within an hour.

Jack for a big, warm buttery hug. Cairo because kyphi is supposed to be uplifting and relaxing. Wearing it certainly made me feel a lot better when I couldn't shake off the blues a few months ago (it might have been psychosomatic but it worked). BTW, if you do want to have a wallow, try Moon Rose. It's quite melancholy, but still quite sweet and just a wee bit chilly.

For me, it's not a case of not doing sweet blends, they just don't do me. Just thinking of my tiny collecction, you might like: Djinn - smells very much like old-fashioned ginger beer (which isn't at all sweet). My inadequate nose thinks vetiver, sassafras, ginger and possibly lemon. Aizen-Myoo - Japanese citrus fruits, tempered with black tea Morocco - spicy carnation, sandalwood, musk Harlot - roses (but not at all sweet) with a hint of cinnamon Maiden - rose (but not too much), spicy carnation (again!), tempered with white tea Belladonna - floral in a green way (which probably makes no sense!) You might also like to try Malediction which is red patchouli and vetiver. It was like a less "fizzy" and lemony version of Djinn for me. BTW, I wouldn't say any of these are particularly "perfumey".

As Harlot is my perfect rose scent, I was quite prepared not to like Moon Rose. But thank you Astarte for putting this in as an extra for a swap, because it is beautiful. The gentleness of the moonflower mingles with the frilliness of the rose. To me, it's a perfect still, cold winter's day scent. I imagine myself as a Snow Queen (not as innocent as Snow White, but nowhere near as mean as the Ice Queen) - looking beautifully ethereal, festooned with ice diamonds, gliding through forest thickly covered with snow. Not a cold scent by any means, with just the palest of pinks peeking through, but definitely a scent that's been chilled. Harlot is my spicy summer rose; Moon Rose is my luminous winter rose.

Cairo - smells like honey coated figs and raisins, all soaked in incensey red wine.

How about Jester? It's quite fruity and sweet, but not *too* sweet.

The scent of warm, glowing jack o’lanterns on a warm autumn night: true Halloween pumpkin, spiced with nutmeg, glowing peach and murky clove. Jack - what a guy! First on my skin, I smell hot buttered popcorn with just an edge of something green and -yes- raw, maybe. After about 20 minutes, the whole concoction settle and smooths into a creamy yet buttery, spicy but not overwhelmingly so wonderful mixture. It's warming and comforting, but not too foody on me, for which I am grateful. I'm at the 6-7 hour stage and I can still smell him on me - and he was behind my first ever off-the-cuff compliment. Lovely.

March Hare, on my skin, was overwhelmingly apricots. My skin wouldn’t give the clove a chance to come through so it was very one-dimensional on me. Nice, but not one that I could see myself wearing.

I was in two minds about actually posting a review of Czernobog because it was gift from the Lab. I’m really sorry but it smelt amazingly dreadful on me. I kept thinking of the Jelly Belly Bean Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans in pepper and earwax and vomit and sardine and also the smell of mould and rubbish bins. I am so sorry. I couldn’t get it off my wrist fast enough. Mind you, it made me giggle to find a blend that my skin made so appalling!

A scent pulsing with vitality, warmth and insurmountable strength: dragon's blood resin, red and black musks, a throb of fig and a sliver of black currant. Dragon’s Heart has taught me to stay right away from dragon’s blood blends. With so many lovely notes, I hoped I could get away with it, but no, that strong almost soapy note established itself and wouldn’t leave. Ah well.

I really hoped I would love Le Serpent Qui Danse. In the bottle, it smelt like beautifully warm Parma violets, yummy and inviting. However, on my skin, Le Serpent became very masculine which I think was the violet. The more I left it, the more masculine it became. Such a shame, but I loved the gardenia and vanilla notes which were just peeking through.

I liked Malediction, but not enough to keep. Wet, I got the worst musty patchouli smell which threw me slightly but quickly receded. Malediction then dried down into a not-so-sweet Djinn. I’ve found Malediction awesomely helpful in that I now know that vetiver smells wonderful on my skin - all warm and comforting, and not the smoky harshness that other people get.

Blood Rose should have been wonderful, although I’ve come to the conclusion that my skin must smell very similar, as I could barely smell Blood Rose at all. There was the barest hint of rose and a tiny whiff of dragon’s blood, which is almost soapy on my skin. It’s helpful that I can now say “my skin smells virtually the same as Blood Rose”, but I want to wear something that enhances my natural smell. Off to the swap pile with you!

Black Phoenix has just reinforced how hugely disappointed I can be with my skin. First on, there was a definite hit of almonds, which dried into a lovely Cherry Coke type smell. However, my skin just took it and warped it and it ended up smelling just like my Auntie Trudy. Now I love my Auntie Trudy very much, but I’m 33 and she’s over 70 - old lady perfume is not a smell I was aiming for. to my skin and into the swap pile with Black Phoenix.

Old Cairo - I find it a sweeter version of Old Morocco, if that's any help.

I was going through my imp box and I wondered whether it was Sacred Whore of Babylon? It is more brown and less red than Dragon's Milk and smells vaguely like Lush in the imp. Did you ever work out what it was?

Hmmm... cyanide. That's *exactly* what Eclipse smelt like on me. Bordello has amaretto in it and is quite almondy on me - another one to add to your list! Edited because I can't make smilies on my own...

Jack II, if I like it and if not, probably Djinn. And also my completely *fabulous* purple and orange socks with glittery spiders on!!! babykitty - I love them all but the purple and orange ones were my absolute favourite. Many thanks *mwah, mwah* /hijack over

On my skin, lotus is quite sweet, but I'd say Old Paris because it's one of my favourites.

I'm going to agree with all of the above suggestions, and add in Djinn, which is just yummy and not floral at all.

Oh, Kabuki. How I adore thee! Nobody comments on the colour usually, but Kabuki is beautiful yellowy-green colour, and awesomely thick. When I first smelt the vial, I seriously thought I had Dana O’Shee by mistake because it smelt so similar. However, on my skin, it’s a different story. The star anise comes out very strongly initially which kind of threw me and I wasn’t sure I liked it. However, I’ve worn it again today and I love it. It settles to become the yummiest red fruit, but not sharp - just a very rounded cherry with a beautiful edge. Kabuki is a vibrant scent, but not overpowering, and it’s very long-lasting (still going strong 6 hours after I put it on).