VetchVesper

Dark and plush right up front. Definitely getting that velvet. It's not heavy though. There's a coolness from the anise and it blends with the musk seamlessly. I do get a bit of the mandarin, but it's kind of odd in the mix at first. i don't think it's playing well on my skin. There's enough going on though, that I can wait for it to calm down, and eventually it does, blending with the woody backing of the other notes. I can smell the vanilla late in the dry down, but it's subtle, and very much the dry, not foody smelling kind. This is very nice. I think it would smell fantastic on a man, but would go great with a slinky black dress as well. Happy i snagged a bottle.

Cool, dusky, and ethereal, like soft shadows in a room with fluttering curtains and an open window. This is definitely floral, but there's so much going on with my nose that I'm not sure exactly what I'm smelling. There's a gentle sweetness to it and it evokes muted shades of lavander and blue. I haven't looked at the notes in a while, but under the florals I think I might detect the faaaaintest whiff of cedar. I remember it having lilac in it, but this doesn't scream lilac to me, even though it's floral. Ok. Looking at the notes - I think the sweetness I'm getting is from the lily and the oak moss and amber givesit the depth and soft, dusty plushness that i'm detecting. It's really beautiful, elegant, and very different from what I was expecting. This kinda makes me want to go crazy and buy all the CP room spray. For a room that needs a splash of subdued, feminine elegance this is perfect.

Well shit. My first impression is I kind of love this, and it was no where on my radar. It smells green, tropical, and lush at first. Vaguely aquatic, without turning to soap. There's some sort of floral in here, but I'm not sure what. Then brimstone and coal notes starts working their way in, overlaying everything with a raspy, acrid texture. It's a surprisingly different fragrance now. Sort of Machu Pichu to Brimstone. The smoky scent gradually over takes the sweet, green lushness. 5 stars for the scent journey. I went from an exotic jungle garden to the edge of that volcano in less than 5 minutes. I think I'm going to have to investigate this one more thoroughly!

The strong apple in this makes me think immediately of more generic apple cinnamon sprays, but this smells high end. There's something brown and crunchy mixed with the apples and something a bit creamy and woody. I'm not actually getting cinnamon, but I think the dead leave note gives this a spicy feel. It's very autumnal, a bit craft store, but again, in a high end way, and mostly b/c it's sooooo representative of fall. I was honestly hoping for a bit more herbal greenness, but this is still very nice, and will be perfect for late summer and early fall next year. If you are an apple lover, this is sort of an upgraded spin on a classic combo.

Odd and herbal. Mugwort is the note I get initially, though there's probably some lavender at play as well and possibly some bay. It smells very green and medicinal. After a bit, something oddly foody creeps in, not sweet, but almost like an undertone of cooking grease? Perhaps the CO2 Butter? There's a powdery depth to that emerges and grows stronger with time. I'm guessing it's coming from the frankincense or the orris. Further along the dry down, the fragrance becomes less green and more softly woody. I get more of a forest quality from this than water. It's a very odd blend of notes. It's pleasant, but not really something I'd wear as a perfume. I'm glad I got to try a sample of it though.

Is it odd that I actually rather like this one? I have in one hand some handy, dandy, oh so trendy, charcoal cleansing face scrub, and on the other hand's wrist, I have a drop of this lovely single note. They are very much the same smell, though the perfume is grittier, more industrial. It's really interesting, and I think I shall enjoy layering it with different things for intriguing effects. This might be especially nice layered with men's fragrances for a sort of "rugged" vibe.

This is one of those lusty, sexy scents that verges on dirty. I dig it. The primary notes I get are the tobacco and red musk, but there's definitely a sticky sweetness to the tobacco from the honey and an undertone of funkiness from the oudh. It reads more as sex to me though than poo, if that makes sense. Overall, it's a nice balance of notes. I ordered a full bottle and will wear it when feeling naughty. This one lasts a while on me as well, and I have a feeling it will age really well.

So.... a big bottle of this is on it's way to my house. Generally, I get a dark, woody plum. It reminds me a bit of Black Moths, though it's not quite THAT dark, but a similar vibe for me. I tend to have a love - hate relationship with oudh. It's behaving here, as it has in all the Red Death blends I've tried so far, and lends a deep, woody, incensey base to the fragrance of perfumey plum tempered by a hint of violet. This one also sticks around for more than 24 hours on me, which I love, but be aware, it has some oomph. If you like dark scents and plum, this one gets a big, fat thumbs up.

Suuuper bright tangerine/orange. It doesn't smell like a cleaner or anything, but I'm a little saddened by the lack of complexity. I thought the other notes might come out in the dry down, but they don't really. At least, not on me. This pretty much stays a slightly sweetened citrus orange on me till it fades. To the swapmobile!

I think age has mellowed and mingled this one to its benefit. Soceraphobia is still very acrid at first. The vetiver is dark and smoky, and the coffee is bitter and black. It's sharp and unpleasant at first, but then the vanilla starts to work it's way in, warm things up, and calm things down a bit, and the blend sort of works. It's like that one family member that's the peacemaker who manages to keep everyone else from screaming at each other at the family gatherings, b/c they're just so nice to everyone, and they brought really good pie. I dunno, it's an odd blend, but definitely interesting. A lovely take on the smell of dysfunction.

This one's actually rather nice for an aquatic. It reminds me a lot of The Night Bridge in the Neverwhere scents, but it's more in your face and, I think, leans more masculine. If The Night Bridge is stone in nighttime coolness, this is stone in a blustery, frigid winter storm. I get anise, a slightly sweet mint, cologne, and stone. I don't have a problem with it going soapy on me, which is unusual, and why I've kept this imp around for a couple years. Icy, energizing, bracing stone.

This is feminine and posh. Very floral to my nose, and leaning a bit into the girly, froofy, fancy floral I'm usually not too into. This one is unique and interesting enough that I will use it though when I'm in the right mood. My mom absolutely adored it. I get a fruity orchid scent with a sort of effervescent/ozoney note underlying it that's intriguing. Dark Alice mentioned mint, and I get that, but I think it's the geranium. It gives the fragrance a bright and airy quality and a coolness that would fit well in an upscale, modern boutique or salon. Not something I need a big bottle of, but I'll keep it around for when I want to feel froofy.

This reminds me a lot of BPAL's "Cabbage White" perfume. I'm guessing it's the mix of lily of the valley with vanilla over a bed of dusty softness, though in Cabbage White it's from the orris, and here it's from the sandalwood. It's nice, vaguely sweet, and a bit powdery and feminine. It's not overpoweringly floral or prim, and I think the wood notes keep from going too fussy. A gentle cedar comes out on my blankies that I squirted down. It actually makes me think more of the color lavender than white, sort of soft and muted.

This is a gentle, warm, dark, wood blend. There's a mellow patchouli up front, and something sort of sweet like berries in the dry down. I have no idea what's giving me that vibe. It still smells masculine to me, just... with dark berries or something. Mahogany can be acrid with my chemistry, but this is behaving itself. This lasts a while on me, leaving a soft dusting of sandalwood. I think this would be really lovely on a man. Sort of understated but refined. I think a woman could easily pull it off too, but it's not really the kind of scent I wear. Glad I got to dry it though.

Bright, crisp, dry champagne with a fruity citrus feel. The ginger has a bite and reminds me of grapefruit. I keep swinging back and forth on this one b/c sometimes it just seems harsh on me, and sometimes it's sparkling and fun. This is in the wheel house of Bon Vivant, so if you like your champagne note front and center, give it a go. If you don't - skip this one.

Hmmm.... it would seem that The Duke has a taste for.... gummy candies?? O_o My friends specified "sour gummy candies." This smells bright, sweet, and citrusy on me at first, with the mandarin front and center backed by an odd melange of I'm not sure what. I don't really get laudanum, opium, leather, or absinthe from this, which is what I bought this one for. I might get a hint of coolness from the star anise in the dry down backed by a tinge of dustiness. This one doesn't last very long on me. Two hours tops. For me this is a miss, but given how many notes it has, and how those are likely to play with different chemistries, I'm curious to see other reviews. It might be more to my liking with a bit of age. We shall see....

Sweeter than I was expecting. I guess it's the rum that's dominant on me. On initial sniffage, I get something acrid mixing with black currant and a brown, sticky sweetness. I get an undercurrent of black musk on my skin as kind of a dusty, lurking backdrop for the black currant, and the bitterness fades. The bourbon vetiver comes out more in the dry down and it gets more boozy, though never foody. This one is interesting. It makes me think of treacle for some reason. Like... someone wearing a wool coat and eating treacle. (There's my weird sensory imagery for the day O_O ) Anyways, I think I'd like it better on a man than I like it on myself, but it's probably pretty unisex. I'd put it in the same family as the Marquis de Carabas. - Not that they smell the same. Just that they'd hang out in some of the same places and like each other's coats. Musty, sweet, boozy, and unisex.

Very nice. This lavender and licorice combo reminds me quite a bit of Baku, but the resins darken this up and give it a hint of sophistication. It's not very long lasting on my skin though. 😕 ETA - This has settled a bit, and it feels much darker than it did originally. Still a bit of Baku, but definitely a heavier, dark feel from those resins. Very moody.

This smells of sweet ozone and cologne to me at first. Not what I was expecting, but pleasant. Once it warms up on my skin, the fragrance deepens. I smell hints of vanilla and ambergris, though I'm not sure if that's in the perfume. It has a fresh, citrus, sweetness akin to white tea, but different, and though the cologne edge of the scent gives it a coolness, there is an underlying warmth, like shafts of sunlight on a chilly autumn day. It's a light scent, but it seems to be wearing well, as I've had it on for several hours. The ozone I smelled in the beginning isn't making this go soapy. It's very pleasant. Not something I'd wear enough to warrant a bottle, but I'll enjoy my imp. If you like white tea or airy wild flower scents, check this one out.

So I was up late last night, huffing the crook of my arm in bed instead of sleeping, because this little beauty is just delicious. Pumpkin blends tend to be too foody and cinnamon heavy for me, but in this one, the pumpkin seems a lot more squash and a lot less pie. The tobacco is chewy and has a caramel quality, and there's a butteriness in the dry down that I suspect is coming from the bourbon that makes this fragrance delicious, but not quite food. The three notes balance each other well, and the dry down is a glorious blend of chewy, caramelly, buttery, spicey, woody, gourdy pumpkin on me, but I think it would be just as glorious on a man. I will be slathering my imp liberally until my bottle gets here, and I think this one will age marvelously. This is the only BPAL pumpkin blend, besides Hoggle, that I could see myself wearing regularly.

Sure thing! Here’s some ideas of various sorts: GC/Currently Available: Midnight- Whip (black leather and damp red rose) Nuff said, though something from the Somnium category could also be good, if a little on the nose. Kyoka- Little Sister is Watching You (electric, aldehydic cherry blossom) It’s mostly stuff like the “voice in the air” description that made me think of her for this. Haven’t tried it, so I don’t know how it differs from other cherry blossom stuff. Froppy- Plague of Frogs (rubbery, wet, and warty) This one’s mostly a joke, especially since I have no idea what it would smell like. Bakugou- Streets of Detroit (black musk accord, Ethiopian myrrh, and motor oil) Haven’t tried it, but people love it and it sounds a tad edgy. Deku- Druid (a woolen robe infused with the scent of a vast, primordial forest: ancient trees, fertile soil, wild herbs, spring grasses, and burgundy pitch incense) I guess it’s the green hair, but I think of something cozy and forest-y. Kaminari- Lightning (lightning slashing the midnight skies over the endless reaches of the ocean. The electric tang of ozone, marine notes, and a drop of sharp rain) Another one I’m mostly suggesting out of theme, especially since it’s another I haven’t tried. Charity (also still available, I think): Todoroki- Fuck this Heat (slivers of ice to cool things down, lavender and hops flower to soothe the nerves) Partially a joke, but he’d probably like a cool and refreshing scent anyway. All Might- Spiced Rum Buttercream Coffee (coffee and rum laced with allspice, nutmeg, clove, star anise, cardamom, and cinnamon gently whipped into buttercream) I don’t know why I think he’d like it, but it smells great. Plus, hey, the proceeds go to good stuff. Shunga Lupercalias: Momo- Courtesan with Secret Lover (green tea, plum blossom, white musk, jasmine blossom honey, and lemon peel) It smells very proper to me. Uravity- A View of Cascading Cherry Blossoms (cherry blossoms, white musk, and crushed strawberries) Another sweet and relatively simple one. It matches well with the Kamisuki hair gloss (cherry blossoms, white tea, vanilla orchid, and a drop of strawberry). Iida- Hoîru (bourbon vanilla and suede leather, tonka and patchouli, pale amber and blackened tea leaf, coconut husk and cashmere) It sounds proper and kind of fancy. I have a bottle, but I’m still getting used to it so it’s tough for me to pin it down. Couldn’t think of as many actually unavailable ones that I think suit different characters but, unless I’ve said otherwise, I’ve at least tried all of these. Kezzie, I love your suggestions! I'm going to add Djinn for Endeavor and The Chapel for Tomura b/c it just seems so dark, brooding, and unsettling. I suppose something cool and clammy smelling could work too, but The Chapel just has a blood smell that seems character appropriate.

I haven’t tried this one, but Bayou sounds like a good thematic match for Froppy. Sadly, most of the stuff I have so far are limited editions or seasonal, so I feel like a lot of my suggestions based on stuff I’ve tried will lead to disappointment. Even so, I could imagine Uravity going for something simple, sweet, and summery, so I might lean Single Note: Wild Honeysuckle for her. Purely for time killing, entertainment purposes. Pile on your LE and seasonal suggestions. And yes, I could see Bayou working for Froppy, especially if she was trying to be fancy. :_

I picked this one up b/c, a few years ago, the lab did a Dead Leaves and Tobacco perfume, and I quite liked it, so I was curious what the addition of the tea would do for the fragrance. This is somewhat reminiscent of Dead Leaves & Tobacco, but the sweet, black tea tempers the sharpness of the dry leaves, and makes this a gentler and less masculine perfume. The black tea is the variety that smells licoricey, which I love, and is the dominant smell on my skin. This reminds me of NAVA's Egyptian Licorice Tea, but is a little darker. Something in the background comes across to me as a light vanilla. Very pleasant. Sort of fresh, but with a titch of darkness appropriate for winter. Comfortable and work appropriate.

I can already tell this one's going to be a crowd-pleaser. Dead Leaves? Check. Vanilla? Dry, light, and musky. Check. Incense? Check, but with a gentle touch that non hippies can enjoy. If this one sounds lovely to you, get some. This one is exactly what it says it is and executed well. It's a bit generic for my tastes, but in the way that it's hard not to like it. It's pretty unisex too.

Mmmmmm.... this is nice. The lab's coffee note always smells a bit sweetened to me, like sugared coffee, with a touch of cream. This is no exception. It's not quite as dark and earthy as I was expecting, but it's not super sweet either. The coffee works surprisingly well with the dead leaves note, which I am loving this year. If you like their coffee notes, this is a nice departure from the typical foodie mix-ins. I don't need a bottle, but I'll be hanging on to my imp!