achildoftime

Black rose, to me, smells a lot like a whole rosebush. It's leafy and woody, but it's also very dry. The petals are dry and cracking, but the stem and such are a bit more supple. I get some amber and some general resins, but it mostly just reminds me of high-end rosy potpourri. If I didn't have preconceived associations with rose, I think I'd like this more.

I was really, really hoping that the citrus notes would take the lead here, but I wasn't that lucky. Vetiver really just took over and turned it into a smoky mess on me. I amp vetiver, so I shouldn't have been that surprised. Sometimes it behaves, but when it doesn't it's tragic. Oh well, off to the swaps.

I had hopes for this one, but cranberry just isn't for me. It always goes to holiday candle territory on me. Even when it's dry, it just smells like sweet and waxy like a cranberry candle and it really doesn't appeal to me. I'm kind of bummed because I was mostly hoping for all the other notes to stand out. Can't win them all.

It is indeed a very strong burning meat type scent. It's very smoky and really reminds me of the burnt crispy bits of pork after cooking it for a holiday meal. When it dries it does smell distinctly of vetiver and patchouli, but I'm still not a fan. Vetiver almost always overpowers on me and this is no exception. I'll pass on this one.

This is very much an inky black musk with a bit of amber. It feels very heavy and solemn as I usually get from black musk. It's pretty much a single note on me, and while I actually really like black musk I'm not crazy about it being the only thing I can smell. I can see keeping this for layering to add some depth to other things, but as a stand-alone scent it isn't for me.

It's a whole heap of cinnamon and almonds just flaring up from all sides. It really is like Big Red gum, but slightly more intense. It's really not my thing and it kind of bothers my nose. Though for the curious, I will say that for the 15 or so minutes I gave it a chance for before it became too much, it didn't scorch my finnicky skin.

It really does just smell like the infamous drink. Green licorice booze is pretty much what I get with this, as advertised. This might be perfect for some, and there might even be complex notes in it, but I'll never know because my brain keeps screaming at me "Why did you spill your self with booze? Go clean up right away!" Gonna say that's a pass for me.

Fae is really bright peach rings right out of the gate. Seriously, it smells just like the peach ring gummy candies when it's wet. As it dries, I get some of the bergamot with the peaches. I also get a slight anise scent to it as well. The overwhelming sweetness quiets down once it's dry, which is nice. I didn't really want to walk around smelling like a peach ring. I still don't get any florals. I'm not sure how I feel about this one. I want to like it, but there's something holding me back that I just can't put a pin in.

I'm one of the people that are in the fruity/flower camp with this one. It kind of reminds me of sweet, fruity cereal mixed with some kind of floral note. Maybe a waterlily or something that grows near a marsh. It's a little watery, but doesn't go full-on aquatic for me. When it's dry, there is a slightly charred air it gives off. It's not heavy, but it is there. The fruitiness goes away and all that's left is the slightly burned floral. It's interesting to say the least, but I think someone else will enjoy this more than me.

I thought I'd look at this one with it appearing once again to see if I need more than my imp. It opens with a fairly potent whiff of rose geranium and apples. It's kind of interesting because it smells like a demure scent that isn't actually shy. It's outspoken, but ladylike, until it dries anyway. After it fully dries, I still get the sweetness of the fruit and the geranium, but I also get an undercurrent of something bitter. These notes all historically play nice, so I'm not sure what it is. It makes the whole thing smell off. Not bad, just slightly dubious which I suppose is fitting. I'm kind of on the fence because it is quite pretty, and is an interesting take on rosy apples. I don't think it'd get much wear, though, if the 2017 one is like the older version.

Roses and lilies are trying to duke it out in this one. It's almost a battle of the granny soaps. Which will emerge victorious? It doesn't matter because they really do just smell like different grans having a polite disagreement of the most ladylike soaps to put out for guests, and forcing each other to just sniff and see that they are right. My brain may be slightly questionable, but that's what ran through my mind. Pretty sure it's a pass for me.

True to its name, this one is very green and wispy like an enveloping mist. It is incredibly subtle and stays very close to the skin. In fact my skin ate it almost immediately, which is a little sad because it was so promising. It does just settle for a second on me and then wisp away. I did get some florals while they were briefly there that kind of reminded me of daisies. Oh well. They can't all be winners for everyone.

All the corruptions of the earth: mandrake, dark myrrh, seaweed, swampy moss, black pepper, pimento, opoponax, tobacco absolute, and tarry clove. This one is spicier than I was expecting. The pepper is the first note I can distinguish. I mostly get a spicy, earthy feeling from this one. When it's dry, I get a lot of clove out of it. It blends nicely with the pepper. The spices are the strongest notes for sure. The softly earthy spices make for a really nice winter scent. It's warm and comforting like a kitchen after seasonal baking had been going on. I'll happily break it out from time to time when a little extra warmth could be used.

I'm really happy I stumbled upon an imp of this. I wasn't looking for it, but after wearing it I really do have a fondness for it. It starts very chilly and minty. It smells very, very cold for the first ten or so minutes. And once it dries, it's almost like walking inside a warm, cozy home after enduring the cold outdoors. I get a lot of sandalwood, but it's hard to distinguish anything else. I know it's there, but my nose isn't tuned enough to tell anything apart. I won't need to hunt more down, because it doesn't have great throw for me. I'll still really enjoy the imp I have.

I don't get much pear from this, which is kind of okay. I'm not crazy about it to be honest. I get a tug of war between the rose and lily, though. It's overtly floral and it seems like it can't make up it's mind on me. I think it's not particularly unique on me and even though it's a perfectly serviceable floral, I'd rather put something on with more personality. I'm sure I just don't do this one service.

If you've ever wondered what it smells like to pick berries in an evergreen forest, this is it. I get moderate levels of pine trees and moss and general forest berries, but there is a lot going on in the background. Because I can't really pick out anything else specific, the best way I can describe it is walking through a moderately populated evergreen forest in the middle of spring when things are starting to bud and bloom and the first berries of the season are starting to ripen. I'm very happy wearing this.

Unfortunately, I mostly just get a strong whiff of apple and rose bath powder. Specifically a bath powder that had been forgotten about and just kind of existed in our bathroom closet since the 80s. I'm not big on roses, and that is the strongest note, so I'm not crazy about this one. The supporting notes aren't doing me any favors. It clearly doesn't agree with my chemistry.

This one was down-right effervescent for me. It's more like a sweet honey bubbly than straight wine. It's really bright and fun! As it dries, it's like having a tea chaser. I don't get any lilac, which is kind of disappointing. On the flip side, though, the myrrh isn't turning to soap so I think I'll call it a draw. I really wasn't expecting to enjoy this as much as I do. I just might need a bottle.

It's really tropical lime. Very strong citrusy lime and some really pretty hibiscus. This is a perfect summer scent because everything balances so perfectly and feels incredibly fun. The musk is there and it keeps everything stitched together, but the real star is the lime. I am absolutely a fan and I may need to hunt down some more.

I wasn't expecting this one to be so sweet. It's almost like jasmine and the sea was made into a candy. I get a little bit of the fir, but it's mostly sitting back and just letting the jasmine stand out. As it dries, I think it's the hyacinth giving the jasmine that extra sweet boost. For me, the watery aspect of this one isn't too overwhelming and it's the florals front and center. It's kind of a shame though, because it isn't a very long-lived scent. It lasts for maybe an hour on me.

Well, this is certainly very foodie. Not that I'm too surprised, but I thought maybe the tobacco might temper it a little. I was wrong. It's like a over-sugared baked good, like a doughnut. A coconut sugar doughnut. I'm not a foodie person at all so this is not for me whatsoever.

This one really is violet-heavy. I was hoping for a more even balance after reading the notes, but it's a strong violet with an undercurrent of chamomile. When it dries I get a bit of tanginess from the dead leaves. It's not unpleasant, just a bit of a departure from the sweetness of the flowers. I wish the lily was punched up. It's a fine, fresh scent that's kind of middle-of-the-road for me.

Wearing this is like having a glass of iced green tea with a twist of lemon nearby all day. This is unbelievably fresh and lively. It has about a medium throw and gives me the feeling of a nice summer day. I love it lots!

I absolutely adore this. It's a very close to real lilac and lily of the valley. It's very sweet, spring florals. I don't get much dragon's blood, but I'm kind of okay with that. It's really strong and lasts a good long while. I can see where it would go to soap on some, but it's just pure spring gardens for me. I'm so happy to have this and I think I'll need to hunt down some more.

I really with this one was a little more potent. It is a very clean, fresh scent. It smells like laundry right out of the washing machine. It really smells like very clean cotton, but it also smells a little watery. It stays very close to the skin and I have to get quite close to detect it. I was really excited to try this one as I love the smell of laundry right out of the dryer when you can smell the warmth, but this didn't scratch that particular itch. It is still a nice, gentle scent that I'll enjoy getting some wear out of anyway.