artisjok
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Everything posted by artisjok
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I’ve been on a mission to collect all the Alice variants, so I was pleased to find this one. Unfortunately, the pomegranate seems to skew this one into a weird territory. The tartness with the carnation just doesn’t want to play well on my skin & I almost get a musty incense experience….. I do sense the honey in the drydown a bit, and I think I smelled rose when I first applied. As much as I want all the outfits of Alice, does it make sense to keep one that doesn’t fit? Not sure. I might try it on a different day and see if vibes better.
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Recently had a bunch of purple hyacinths in my kitchen vase, so I’m pleased to be able to identify them in this blend! My first time smelling them in person, so I wouldn’t have had a reference before. Not my favorite floral, but I’m appreciating them at the moment. The roses are definitely there, and the beeswax gives a waxy sweetness to the blend. Later in the wear, I get more lilac and it feels fresher and more my style. I am surprise to be lacking the leaves & cypress, though I feel like they somehow give atmosphere to the scent without being obvious…. I can see there being marble present in the same way. It works well for the imagery of kneeling before a grave, lighting a candle, and offering flowers and prayers on a cool, yet sunny Autumn day. This isn’t something I would have been interested in even a year ago, but I’ve evolved into a multi-floral devotee very quickly. As the weather drops and the wind howls outside, I’m making soup and lighting candles, answering the children’s questions and whispering to my ancestors. This scent is a perfect accompaniment.
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Sinister Restlessness brings a vision of a darkened room, with only the last glimmers of sunlight filtering through the windows, reflected off of nearby buildings. On the center table a wooden bowl with a clove-studded orange catches the burnished gold light. An incense stick burns somewhere near, smoke sensually writhing about the darkening space. In the shadows lurks a presence, circling around the edges of the room, impatiently. Darkness slowly closes its fist about the room, savoringly. The last moments of peace whittle away, and Night is unleashed.
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Keep an eye on the Shunga collection when they release soon (within the Lupers, the lab’s Valentine collection) There might be a good one or so in there! And there will be decanters, if you don’t want to blind bottle.
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Starting off as a Snow White-heavy scent with a touch of leather peeking from her skirts, the dry down is a delightfully balanced combination of the SW, leather, and sandalwood. It’s somewhat dry from the White Rider contribution, but sweetened perfectly by Snow White’s coconut-y almond-touched florals. It’s, dare I say, demure and something I could see a snow queen wearing out on a ride through the winter countryside. Very pleased with this iteration!
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Okay, it’s so interesting seeing the variations in experiences with Cats & Sparrows. On me, it’s basically is a cooked apple (no spices) was drizzled in caramel and then interpreted as amber…. I don’t know how to feel about it yet. In the drydown, the cedarwood shows up, reminding me of the blonde woods in Aziraphale.
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Happy October 1st! While it’s not really “Fall” in Texas (ever), I can’t help but want to dive into my seasonally appropriate October scents. Today, Rite of Passage seemed perfect to start off the month. Definitely pumpkin spicy on me! Not really pumpkin, but maybe there is some of it in the sugared sludge that’s just begging to be added to a tasty coffee. The powdered vanilla concoction that is actually paired with this pumpkin spice is quite decadent in its crowd-pleasing way. No bitter coffee here, or even a touch of roasty aroma on me. Just a sweet tooth’s dream! This scent has great heft! Rare on me, and I’m thoroughly enjoying the experience. Will have to try with a coffee heavy scent, now that my hormones are actually letting me enjoy the note.
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The dead love decadence. This is a lush brocade of resinous libations: milk and honey, ribbons of wine twining through with its tangy berry tones. Or maybe that tang the glint of gold that is sparkling within, giving an extra source of light in the dark of the underworld. The myrrh smoke that blesses the offering keeps the mood level and smooths edges. The fatty goat milk has a particularly central role. It’s honeyed cream satisfying far beyond the initial act and into the night.
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Coffee Cream Pie is worth a try, even though it’s got the chocolate you’re trying to avoid. It’s the strongest coffee note that I’ve found on my skin, which most often drinks the coffee in a matter of minutes. Plus, it’s currently available, so easier to find. Otherwise, send out a search team for Black Coffee mentioned above, or maybe Black Coffee & Old Books, if leather is okay with you.
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So glad I decided to follow my curiosity & blind bottle this one! It’s simultaneously dirty, clean, sweet, spicy, musky and just overall throbbing. Despite being so much, it’s not complicated. It’s just genius. Plus, if you’re a Tom Robbins fan, this scent scratches an itch that has been longing… “The beet is the murderer returned to the scene of the crime. The beet is what happens when the cherry finishes with the carrot. The beet is the ancient ancestor of the autumn moon, bearded, buried, all but fossilized; the dark green sails of the grounded moon-boat stitched with veins of primordial plasma; the kite string that once connected the moon to the Earth now a muddy whisker drilling desperately for rubies.”
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Loving this Wayfaring Stranger! I’m getting strong parallel to Quintessence of Dust, yet that one was a bit nauseating on me. This is just as strong, but somehow the coconut is making it oh so delectable. I’m not usually a coconut fan. It’s giving coconut incense vibes, like I adore in Death Cap, plus ancient chapel-turned grungy dive bar, local beeswax candle-making devotee still a constant attendee. A mash up of experiences finding refuge in each other.
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Summertime Rogue vibes! Skin musk usually bullies all other notes on my skin, but leather has set some strong boundaries on it, harnessed and leashed it. Still, the fruits aren’t too strong on me with these two powerhouse notes~ more like the smell of fruity lip gloss on whispering lips, or a fruit’s juice remnants on warm skin, fruit long devoured. I am a longtime lover of the Lab’s leather, and this one feels especially apt for the warmer months and bright-colored clothing.
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Civet scents? If it smells like cat pee to you please tell me!
artisjok replied to Lit Chick's topic in Recommendations
Yule Cat is a good one! Not sure how much of the civet vs. other musk comes through. I enjoyed it. Malevolent musk, a drop of infernal civet, vetiver, club moss, birch, goosefoot, and rowan. Edit: Oh no! I just saw your vetiver aversion. -
Unfortunately, this Gossip, Slang & Cuss-words is more akin to TKO than I like. TKO has some stealth champaca-based incense note that dominates on my skin (such a shame because I love lavender & marshmallow…). It’s happening to me here, too. ? The main difference is that the osmanthus is lending a floral tartness to the experience, which works even less without the vanilla-sweetness I usually enjoy it combined with. Silly skin. It’s true that sticks and stones may break bones, but words can damage just as much, and my sweet lavender scent-loving soul is officially crushed.
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Aziraphale has been on my need-to-try back burner list for ages, so when I saw the chance to snag a bottle for a super deal (), I snagged hard! Not disappointed. The blond woods are dry and definitely conjure the image of bright gleaming wood, freshly split. Supporting them is the iconic book note of BPAL, so sweetly papery and comforting. A oh-so-gentle poof of musk hovers about the two, yes, like an angelic halo. I’ve been wanting a scent that encapsulates my childhood memories of lumber store visits, and this does the honor of including the book note. Reading is another connection I have to childhood memories with my father. Super pleased Azi works for me and gives me some cherished nostalgia, to boot. Doesn’t hurt that I like his character, too!
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I’m getting rootbeer Snake Oil, oddly enough…. Take a root beer, remove the fizz and replace with musk, maybe an extra shot of vanilla, sure. Not sure what to think, what to do, so I’m going to stash this bottle for while. May time heal all wonkiness, and transform this soda into gingerbread.
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This Thirteen has been one I’ve reached for many nights since I’ve gotten it, both because it’s such a comfort vibe, aaand it’s tantalizing trying to parse apart which notes I’m smelling. Here’s what I’m smelling this night~ You walk from a brisk forest scene straight into a dimly lit reading room. Removing your boots, a waft of pine resin lingers on the soles and makes its farewell. The reading room is full of heavy wooden furniture, gleaming in muted lamplight from years of polishing. Someone has left half of a pumpkin empanada on a desk, and pop it into your mouth. Can’t let a delectable treat like that go unappreciated. The rich pumpkin filling captures your full attention for a moment, and you miss the soft sound of footsteps come up behind you.. Warm callused hands cup around your eyes, smelling faintly of sandalwood oil and rolling tobacco. You smile and turn and fall into the warmth of an embrace, allowing yourself to be pulled into the next room. A mug of chai awaits, and more.
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A Girl Knitting starts with a floral/fruity-tinged fabric, a clean fabric. Almost grape-y. It’s definitely conjuring laundry in the sunny breeze sensations. The clean fabric claims dominance over the tinges of colored sweetness. It’s not my favorite iteration of the note… I really love the more Autumn-esque combos like October 32 and A Cozy Sweater & An Apple Cider. I’ll probably use up my decant for a bedtime scent. Need to try a lavender version…
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Meigetsu Ya is brilliant streaks of orange, sparkling with freshness, & smoothed by a surprise vanillic tone, humming serenely beneath its vibrant melody. It’s genius for layering, and perfect for lifting the mood of the day.
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I’m getting mostly sugary spices and cream from this PSL, and I’m okay with it! Coffee doesn’t show up well on me, though. It is a warm, comforting experience, and I can imagine that there’s pumpkin adding some of that seasonal element. This latte is replacing Kobold Barista in my collection, because I’ve started to dislike black pepper in my scents recently. Glad I chose to swap for a bottle! ????☕️
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Drow Yoga Instructor is Morocco, stripped of spices and floating in plummy lavender plumes. They must share the same sandalwood incense. For me, it’s a warm and snuggly, musky-type scent. The lavender & plum aspects disappear into the soft cushions of incense faster than I would like, yet it’s still an appealing experience. There is a linear simplicity about it that would make it easy to layer, as the RPGs are meant to do, and also it’s pretty nice on without adding anything. A meditative scent doesn’t need much. After sitting with the global tension and grief as I catch up on news, this has been a supportive scent cloud to be enveloped in. I’ll be over here reapplying hourly (for the purple notes!) til I sleep.
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This is definitely a creepy creeper. A band-aid-type note is strrrrong right off the bat, and has me cringing to put my nose close to my arm. *shudder* Underneath lurks a juicy red blood note, emerging from beneath to give the scent some intrigue, some oozy softening, yet retains its spooky power. If you want to be a f***ed-up doctor/nurse killer for Halloween, I definitely recommend this duet!
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Raminou is the embodiment of a red musk blanket, with a few stray leaves and twigs stuck to the fringe that were blown in from an opened door. It gives a very Autumn vibe, with a window view of some rugged terrain. Not immersed in it, just able to gaze out upon it from the comfort of a warm, cozy chair. All the notes are blended so well it’s hard to say what else is present besides the red musk, yet it’s a complex red musk, with many fireside stories to tell. A lovely representation for an orange tabby, truly.
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Copulating Couple Mimicking a Pose in a Shunga Book
artisjok replied to Seajewel's topic in Lupercalia
I grabbed a decant of Copulating Couple secondhand once I realized the scent could be very close to the Two Pairs of Lovers atmo (Green tea, oakmoss, frankincense, mint absolute, and raw green patchouli.), and it is! I agree with doomsday that the washi has a cucumber-type smell, and it makes this feel more water elemental than the atmo, and I’m enjoying it! There’s a slight… juiciness to it, like eating candy that makes your mouth water, yet it’s also dry & papery green. Yum! I saw a partial bottle I hope to snag next time I have funds. Wearing this scent is really making my morning feel relaxed and easy~ -
Inspection really tickled my brain when I read the notes, and I considered blind-bottling it. I’m glad I found a decant, because it did not play out as I hoped…. An almost soapy clean scent in its wet phase, a cleanliness that carries into the dry phase, yet entwines with a smoky note and some dry cedar. I’m guessing it’s the incense that’s not working for me, though not sure. There is a tiny hint of jasmine in there, but I only notice it because I’m looking for it. Not getting tea, and maybe just a scrape of sage. Hmmm… glad this Inspection works on other skins. In theory, it’s gorgeous, in practice, it fails for me.