isisonearth

Imp: It smells like outside. Pine and earth. Wet: It is darker on. Dense pine forest. Rich earth. Just a hint of decay. Dry: It becomes more mellow as it dries but still...ancient growth pines. I'm amazed at how well behaved the patchouli is. There is such a sense of stillness to this blend. I would have expected to pass this one on to my husband but I think I will keep it for myself. I think there will be perfect winter days for Burial.

DCCLXXVI (776) Bottle: An aquatic floral. Bubble-gummy lotus and mint. Wet: Fresh linen, a touch of creamy sandalwood (maybe) and mint. Dry: The wood seems darker. I think it may be rosewood not sandalwood. The mint is catmint like what grows in my yard. The lotus whispers through at this stage. I'm going to guess the notes as: Rosewood, catmint and lotus. This is a fun, cooling scent. I think it will be great for summer and winter. It makes a nice pair with my other CT (CCLXVII). I have a warm lotus and a cool one:) Update - I'm sitting here in my office realizing that the same scent that is rising from my skin is wafting in through my windows. 776 now to be named August Ending dries down to the exact scent of my somewhat weedy over grown gardens which this year are dominated by and explosion of crane's bill. Truly one of those psychic lab pics...like they knew it was the smell of my home.

Samhain 2007 Bottle: Apples and cloves. Wet: Damp woods and the dirt scent of black patchouli. A touch of fir in the back ground. Where are my beautiful apples? Dry: The fir becomes more pronounced and the damp and dirt recede into the background. The warm spices begin to appear and a lingering sweetness from the apples. There is a buttery depth from the pumpkin as well. That fir scent it really gorgeous. I don't remember it from when the bottle was fresh. This is making me long for cooler days.

Bottle: Ginger, pine and the earthy smell of decaying leaves. Wet: The khus and galangal are sharp and in your face. There is a bit of a background of golden saffron and dry leaves. Dry: The sharpness goes away and what is left is an earth scent of glorious decay. Dead leaves, the woody smell of fallen trees, a whisper of pines among the woods and damp earth. After a long time I can begin to smell a touch of the last blooming flowers of autumn.This is more of the scent of a particular place and time than one that displays its notes separately.

Imp: Citrusy with a dash of boozy vanilla and whisper of pumpkin. Wet: Gorgeous mingling of the citrus notes and sharp ginger. Dry: The pumpkin begins to emerge but the lemon and orange notes remain. The vanilla seems to have been swallowed by the pumpkin.

Bottle: Caramel and cream. Wet: Creamy caramel and tart juicy pomegranate that gives way to baked pumpkin topped with fresh homemade whipped cream. Dry: Sweet and foody. The best pumpkin pastry ever made. There is a bit of a buttery crust note in the drydown. The other notes are still there but the chocolate never really makes an appearance other than adding to the sweetness.

Imp: Buttery pumpkin with a floral edge. Wet: The tobacco is very much in the foreground. It blends with the tonka for a rich creamy smell. The warm pumpkin is in the back ground with just a hint of the spicy florals. Dry: A very mellow baked pumpkin. Instead of the usual pie spices this is flavored with the incenses of far off lands. Gorgeous and unexpected.

Bottle: Yummy green apple that reminds me of a shampoo I used many years ago. Wet: This phase is truly a story in a bottle. Apple, mint and ozone are joined by a harsh metallic smell and something thick and salty/sweet like blood. Very off putting. Being near someone that smelled like this would make me uneasy. At this point I'm thinking can I wear this? Dry: All of a sudden this just morphs into a cold, beautiful princess of a scent. Apples and mint, cold like falling snow, with a faint background of dark wood for the color of her hair. What a roller coaster this scent is. Just the experience of it blows me away. The fact that it dries down to something lovely is just icing on the cake. I tried it in my locket and it stayed in the wet phase and had a crazy strong throw. Half way though the day I had to take it off. No locket for this one.

A warm woody scent. The mix of amber and rosewood is gorgeous. (I'd love that combo in more feminine company) The red musk and red sandalwood add a haze of menace. Fenris is a golden furred wolf with glowing red eyes. This one is going off to Mr. Isis' imp box. He will love it

In the imp: Green and melonish. Applied: Very fresh like green stems and linen drying in the sun with a fruity hint of cantaloupe. Drydown: As it dries it gets softer and more melded together. I think there is a hint of lime that starts to come out. Light and pretty. Not quite my thing but I'll enjoy the imp.

In the imp: Vetiver, a bit of a burned note and a hint of lemon Applied: Woodsy with a mellow sandalwood. There is something there that was burned a long, long time ago. Drydown: Mostly the burned sandalwood with just a touch of vetiver to darken it. The vetiver really stays in check and doesn't take over which is great. When it amps up too much it makes a blend feel to manly for me. This is very interesting...wispy is a good word to describe it. It smells ancient. I'm not sure it will be a favorite but I'm interested in getting to know it better.

In the imp: Wow...apple sweetened with honey. Applied: The rose blossoms on my skin but the apple is still cool and crisp. There is just a touch of honey around the edges. Drydown: The ylang ylang comes out at this stage and makes it sexier. Its warmth is a great contrast with the cool apple. The rose is the middle ground blending them together. After a while they all blend together so completely the notes become hard to distinguish. It sort of defies description not really floral, not really fruity, not really sweet. All in all I'd say it morphs into a sort of skin scent on me.

A gorgeous blooming meadow, green and fragrant with meadowsweet and rue. Hawthorn and apple trees bloom in the distance and a gentle breeze carries their scent. Then sultry black orchid swoops in like a battle crow...it draws the senses...makes you a bit giddy with its presence. In the drydown I also get a phantom blackberry note. It isn't listed but it seems so pronounced. I can't believe that I've never reviewed this. It was my first bottle purchase and I still love it. There is something just perfect about it...fresh and exotic at the same time.

In the bottle: Thick, sweet dragon's blood and a zip of orange Applied: The dragon's blood is still strong but Red Moon is also blazing with amber and red musk. After a few breaths I begin to smell something floral tucked underneath. The floral is almost a bit bubbly in feel...I'm assuming that is heliotrope. Drydown: It morphs into a drier scent. The musk is still lingering as a back drop to partially dried herbs including a nice spicy marigold. Overall: Complex...there is a lot here. It is a haze of rosy orange scents like that reddish veil over the moon. It makes me want to just stop, breathe and imagine.

A deceptively simple scent. Lavender with its blanket of sleep and heady feminine magnolia giving it the close feeling of a warm summer night. Somehow that lavender never becomes sharp or herbal...it seems remote like a distant glittering star. This would be the scent of a star's hair if she were an lovely, angry girl...cool and warm at the same time. Beautiful representation.

This is the ultimate faerie scent I have found so far. The notes are all bright, precious and exotic. Rather than mingling they ring out randomly like tiny silver bells. The incense is so light that it must be a golden pollen...the lavender is peaceful and dreamy rather than sharp....the sugared candies remind me of my beloved Pink Moon 07...there is a misty airy smell that is nothing like ozone...lovely fresh green grass...and a myriad of other dew kissed flowers. Truly a treasure!

In the bottle: Surprisingly herbal and fresh...I was expecting more resinous. Applied: Still a very green scent. Basil mingling with sweet dragon's blood. The worm wood and resins give it a darker back ground. Dry down: Even as it dries that lovely basil stands out. What a fabulous note. Definitely something I will have to look for again. Overall it has a manly feel to me...perfect for my Scorpio husband. Much later: OMG...golden, resinous glory... ...I'm in lust with my arm.

In the bottle: A soft woody scent with that touch o' lime. On my skin: The notes are all so well blended it is amazing. It smells like fresh sea air with a hint of salt a back drop of sea and sun drenched wood and a bit of tropical fruit. Dry down: Continues on very much the same. Nice throw and it lasts too. Like strolling on the deck of a pirate ship with a cargo hold full of riches. But no smelly pirates

In the imp: Honey dreanched chocolate. Sweet but decadent. On my skin: The scent becomes more complex. The balsam is there and a mix of flowers. None of the floral notes really dominate. The tobacco is rich and dark. The honey sweetness is still present. Drydown: Amazingly the wine, one of my notes of doom, never amps up. I love the deep, dark velvety richeness of this. The honey is swoon worthy against the backdrop of the othe notes. A surprise hit! I was sure this wouldn't work on me but it does.

It starts out a complex scent picture...wine and wood, ozone sharp metal and trampled fields. Very evocative but not in an entirely pleasant way. But wine does not play well with my chemistry. As it dries I'm left with mostly stinky red wine with a touch of herbs. This one will need a new home.

At first sniff I thought I smelled carnation. After a few minutes that changed to cinnamon and jasmine with and ocassional waft of lotus. In the drydown it seems like jasmine, musk and pepper. It kinda burns on my skin too. I think I'm going to was this one off.

In the imp I get the strong lotus note that can sometimes remind me of juicyfruit gum. Once applied their is a sharp pine scent (the juniper) that along with the mint makes for the impression of cold, deep waters. The lotus now seems like a watery floral,teh gum scent is gone. After wearing a while the lotus is very soft and gentle and every so often I turn my head and catch a fresh sniff of mint. It isn't quite me though.

CT CCLXVII (267): This is my first journey of Chaos Theory exploration and I was not disappointed. When I first opened the bottle I was greeted with the scent of bitter chocolate (reminds me of the last 13)with a hint of coffee. Once it hit my skin they were joined by a creamy undertone of sandalwood along with clover honey, burnt caramel, tobacco flower (similar to that in last years Pumpkin II). The final note was a watery floral contrast to the other notes. After several days of pondering and comparison sniffing I've decided that it is close to Sundew. Had to be something without listed notes, hey? After a few more comparison sniffs verified by my lovely assistant, Mr. Isis, I believe it is the lotus note that is in Forbidden Fruit. Overall it is a complex not quite foodie blend. It still seems very freshly mixed. I have a feeling with a few weeks aging it will be down right spectacular.

In the imp: Fresh and clean with something lemony about it. Applied: Some sort of soft spring floral, agree with other reviewers that it could be daffodil. There is also something wet and green and still the touch of lemon. Dry down: The lemon fades and it becomes just a soft, sunny scent. Not too sweet or perfumey. Lovely fresh scent for summer.

In the bottle: Cucumber, agave and sweet water. Applied: The more sour notes of lichen and algae come out nicely balanced against the sweet water, cyclamen and poppy. Drydown: A light powdery plant like smell is floating in the breeze.This is just such a breath of freshness. It really does remind me of Lake Superior...the day is warm but the water is cold and bracing...everything is green. It makes me think of happy times. The other aquatics I've had have all been oceanic so this has such a unique feel to it. I'm glad I didn't pass it up.