pkwench

Silk Road Sniff: This is hard to describe. The most singular thing I can say on first whiff is that it smells like fabric (silk, one could say) that's absorbed the smell of so many different things that it's almost overwhelming. There's a strange, almost moldy quality at first sniff too. Wet: Wow. There's this sudden fluttering of spices emerging, saffron among them. It's like being hit on in a way. After 10: Elegant, in a word. Exotic, in another word. The smell is a yellow, warm spice . Impressions: I wasn't sure about this for a minute or two-which could have constituted a mini-tragedy since I bought this straight-up as a 5ml. But, the unease lasted only during the initial drydown. Now, I'm just absolutely in love with it. As I said, it's exotic, but it's also comforting. There's something familiar, perhaps it's the warmth or the faint ginger tinge to it. Something about it reminds me of the sort of shops that are half used books, half curio shop. It also makes me want to swish my hips and swing my ass a little. (Or that could be the Vas playing, you never know. LOL)

Sniff: Very floral with a dark heart and something faintly powdery. On: It's darkened even more so that it's a musky, powdery floral. There is something ... not really spicy about it, more like the impression of spice-if that makes sense. After 10: Okay, it's a fey scent, this one. I can't quite pin anything down now. It's soft, it's floral, it's a bit murky and musky. And, yes, now there's a wisp of spice. Impressions: Like I said, I have trouble isolating anything in this blend, but there's a weird, murky note riding on top. I don't know if it's the spice combined with the musk or one of the florals. I can't really tell what it is. It's not all together unpleasing, but I smell it and seem to go "wha?"

Cathode Sniff: Very minty! But something of a wet mint and with a bit of ... something underneath. Maybe something darker. On: The mossy note comes out instantly. The mint is still very large and in charge, but this murky, mossy green note is riding along with it. It's intruiging! After 10: Soft, whispery mint and green moss. Impressions: You know, I expected Cathode to be dark. Dark and wicked and probably way too much for little ol' wussy me. Wrongo, wench. It's soft, pleasing, and all together comforting. It smells green. Green mint, green moss, green water, green herbs, and because it enhances the smell of clean skin? Green skin. The Green Knight would approve of this, I think. Gosh, I just didn't expect to like this so much. It fades out a bit quickly, but I didn't apply very liberally either.

Sniff: Light, light sandalwood. Which instantly produces the "ahhhh" sound from me. On: Yep. Amber, sandalwood, and a faint, teasing hint of something peachy. So far? I love. After 10: Not so much vanilla bean so far, and still only a hint of peach, but WHAM on the amber, heliotrope, and sandalwood. Impressions: Tamora seems to me like Aureus-light. For everyone that thought Aureus was too woody or with too much oomph, you might give Tamora a try. It's very, very golden in that same way that Aureus is, but much softer. I find it to be a very sunny, but mature blend. Definately a smell for the sophisticate. And very much one that's going on the bottle list. After about 20 more minutes, I should add that a sexy as hell creamy note does begin to emerge - it just increases my love for this one.

Lady MacBeth Sniff: Sweet, red currant. A bit of a twinge of something like cough medecine, but overall, the first scent is encouraging On: Still currant, but sweetened up a bit. I think I smell some random berry note. After 10: Sweet, berry YUM. The thyme has come out now and it seems to be a perfect combination of berries, currant, and sweetness-which I'm assuming is the sweet Bordeaux wine. Impressions: It does remind me a tad of the B&BW red currant and thyme, but much like The Star and a certain B&BW scent that it resembles, Lady MacBeth is what Bath and Bodyworks WISHES that it could create. It's amazing the depth that this blend has. I think it's the thyme. It just comes out perfectly to create such a lovely and perfect balance. It's not too much berry, it's not too sweet. It's just perfect. For those looking for a nice, spring blend-I suggest this one!

Glitter Sniff: Super, bubble-gummy sweet. On: Still very bubble-gummy sweet. It's lotus + me. Let's see if it'll let anyone else have a shot at coming out in the blend. After 10: After about 10 minutes, it softens down and quiets down a bit. It's not quite so bubble-gummy. I can detect something like white wine now and a hint of pear. Impressions: It's certainly an aptly named blend. It could also work if it was called Bling Bling, I think. LOL It's very bright, uber sweet, but there's still something grown up, albeit a bit trashy about it. I think this is sort of what I was hoping Jailbait would smell like. Sweet, but trashy. I like it, but damn, again it reminds me of something. What? Who knows! All in all-it's on the happy list.

Nyarlathotep was one that intruiged me from the descriptions, the reviews, and just the general coolness of its origins. How happy to find it as a freebie imp from the lab, then. There is, definately, something citrus happening, but it's more citrusesque than straight up lemon or related fruits to me. Predominate, for me, is the ozone and incense-which is the combination that intruiged me so and caused me to want to try this. It's a strangely fresh scent with this niggling and dark incense undertone. I love it. It's another imp sampled that I'll add to my bottle list. Thanks, Lab!

Urd is proof that I think I should try more things that I think I won't like. I hadn't wanted to try Urd because I was sure that it wasn't going to be me at all. I don't seem to do well with black patchouli-even though I find that I quite like the red. But, still, I figured it would be one of those uber!patchouli blends that make me think of spider legs or nose hair. (Don't ask, it just does. LOL) Then, those clever labbies sent 2 imps of Urd with my last order as freebies. I was feeling game and tried it out. I LOVE it. It's very incensey and headshoppy in the absolute best way ever. It's the kind of scent that evokes memories of macromae (spelling? LOL), hanging chairs, green plants, and the long light of late afternoon. The 70s, in short, but the 70s as I remember them from childhood. Big mustaches! Wide leg pants! And, oh yes, those hippy headshop used book stores that Mother used to let me go wild in. It's somewhat woody on me, very red, and just all together bitchready, incensey glory.

I'm very glad that I'm swapped for this. It's initially incensey in all of the best of ways. Then out comes creamy vanilla, drenched in apricot and a sharp, gingery floral. I LOVE it. I wasn't sure at first, but after having it on all day, it's a definate winner. It seems to stay spicy on me, compared to what a few others have said, but I find that I really, really like that incense and spice note lately. And the sweetness of the fruit adds to it. I could go for more of this!

Pekeana kindly decanted me an imp of the blend she got from Diabolique. This is fabulous. It's like aged Snake Oil and maybe that light citrus that you get from a chypre. It's very dark and thick, this oil and the smell is so damned rich. There's a bit of resiny powder in there too and I'm thinking maybe there's some amber in the blend. It's really a rich and sexy scent. This imp won't last me long - the temptation to cover myself in it is too strong!

Spooky Ah, Spooky. You are such silly, sweet glory. Yesterday was not one of my best days. The better half and I had been snipping a bit back and forth for a couple of days and yesterday just had me drained, mopey, and depressed from it. Spooky was my happy spot for the day. When I first get into it, it reminds me a lot of the peppermint schnapps cake that I make. Peppermint schnapps into white cake with fudge Smuckers topping over the top and with peppermint schnappy layered into whip cream on top. In short-boozy, minty, and happy! Though, the mint is something more like butter rum and mint combined. If that makes sense. LOL The coconut comes skating on out after application and the mint fades down to a sort of loose, vague thing-like you think you smell something lightly minty, but you're just not sure. It's all very lovely and just the perfect little dose of happiness that I needed yesterday.

Storm Moon BAM! OZONE! And I say that in all of the best ways. I wondered if this was going to be similar to lightening and it is -- a bit. But it's much, much stronger ozone and the florals are different. it really does smell wet - slashing rains, flowers driven flat by the downpour, and lightening positively streaking across the sky. It's so fresh, so sharp, and so damned clean. I LOVE it. The dry down is quite a bit softer, but the ozone is still prominent. I love this blend and am so pleased that I bought it.

Ah, light and sweet Dormouse, how symbolic of Spring are you! *hugs it* Light and sweet is probably the strongest and most apt descriptions that I can give. But, it's a wet sweetness and a light tea/light green/light dewey scent. The peony is a faint, round and sweet twist and isn't as strong as it is in other blends. This doesn't have a lot of staying power on my skin (I wonder if I could kick the pop how that would change things, hmm), but it's lovely in a scent locket and easy enough to reapply.

Thunderbird I am in love with Thunderbird. It's such a wonderful, wet ozone scent. I've found that I love ozone and was very pleased to recieve a freebie imp of it to try in one of my last 3 orders. Good job on the imp because I am DEFINATELY going to buy a bottle of this baby. When I first get into it, there's an almost berry sweetness swimming in ozone. On my skin it smoothes out, leaving me very happy and relaxed. It's like carrying my own little thunderstorm with me wherever I go.

Nanshe Sniff: Wow. I think it just opened up my sinuses. This is a crazy thing to say, but it almost reminds me of linseed oil-which is something I would call a very happy smell. Wet: Linseed and witch hazel. It’s a very WOW! sort of astringent scent. But there’s something underneath it. Let’s see what it morphs into. After 10: Lemon, linseed, and witch hazel. LOL It’s still very astringent and what I would have initially said was a wake-up blend seems to be calming down a little. There’s even a faint tea note, I think. I can see sleeping with this on. I don’t know if it’ll produce any dream clarity, but it’s a very, very bright and clean scent as far as perfumes go.

Sniff: soft, perfume-y florals Wet: Something woody comes out immediately. And then something creamy follows it. After 10: It’s sweetening up and the berries are emerging to play. It’s held down to the arena of sophistication and elegance with the amber and the spice. Keeps it from being just a silly berry scent, I suppose. Elegant is the word that keeps coming to mind here. I very much approve!

Whip (I just can’t help but think of this as the Kushiel blend. God help me, but the thought won’t go away. LOL) (I’m also kind of excited. I’ve been pouty and sad since the discovery that Rose Red was too much for my whimpy self. So I’ve put myself on a mission to find other rose blends to love in its stead.) Sniff: Yep, rose. A dewy rose at that. Wet: Still predominately rose, but it deepens almost instantly the moment I put it on. After 10: It’s amazing how the leather isn’t coming out at all for me. LOL There’s something about my skin and rose. It amplifies it. I’m going to wait a while longer and see if the leather smacks me. Nope, still no leather. How odd. It’s a nice enough rose, though.

Cheshire Cat Sniff: Sweet teasing citrus. Grapefruit? Tangerine? I can’t look at the notes right now because the cable’s out. But, it’s an eye opener! Wet: Definitely something citrus riding in a musk. It’s very happy and perky! After 10: It’s getting darker now, the current is coming up, but something in my skin is mixing oddly with this. I can smell all of the lovely things that I was smelling before, but there’s something lurking beneath it that’s almost just wrong. It’s weird because I smell it one moment and then don’t the next.

Le Serpent Qui Danse Sniff: There’s a hyper-sweet bit of something naughty first off. Something like a floral note and karo syrup, maybe. Wet: Even sweeter. And definitely an open ended floral note over that sweetness. Now I’m thinking that it’s something like a sweet pea? After 10: Something closer to carnation now. The sweetness is giving way a tiny bit. There’s a definate creamy blitz going on too. It’s very pleasing and pretty. Feminine and sweet, but with a little swish in the hips. I think it’s a positive determination now - I like! And, lo, now that the cable is back up-VIOLET! Creamy violet, that’s what it is. It’s brilliant!

Hellcat Sniff: Bitter almond and a bitchready dark scent. Wet: It gets ever more almond-y. So bitter that it’s like a pissed of marashino cherry. After 10: You know, my initial reaction was uncertainty. But after it’s on for a bit, it just warms up to a very sexy, creamy spice. It’s dark, something like an unexpected embrace in a dark room, but it’s really very pleasant. Definitely unisex and definitely sex! Thanks so much to IndigoWhatever for the swap on this one! I've been wearing this all day and I had to edit my post to say how much I love it. It's just so creamy, sensual, and naughty. I also think it'd be deadly if worn after using MMU's You Give Me Fever magic lotion ride. *drool*

Ice Queen I'm not sure how I've gone this long and not said anything about Ice Queen. It is to me, the chilliest, most elegant of the piney LE bunch. Mind you, I LOVE Skadi & Mistletoe, but Ice Queen is the one with her hair up at this ball. The florals in this are so pristinely beautiful. They're set off wondefully by the aquatic chillyness that dominates this scent. And then there's the pine, sitting there smiling and saying "you know you love me, dahling". And I do. I've had Ice Queen in my scent locket all day and have found it to be both wickedly divine and decidedly brilliant. Incidentially, Ice Queen over Enchanted Forest cream from Skindazzles = uber happy wench.

Wolf Moon Wolf Moon is a very peaceful and soothing scent to me. It's wet and green in a mossy stone in a dark brook sort of way. There's a hint of spice behind it, lurking like darkness and very, very faint something golden and light-almost as if this scent remembers daylight, pays it homage, but doesn't mourn it so much. It dries down to a very soft, delicate floral with that threading twine of what I identify as "lunar oil smell". I love it. I also think it smells like a bewitching sort of blend that you'd stick under someone's nose and they'd drop into a deep sleep with a smile on their face.

No, I wasn't slamming-a bit confused in some regards, but not slamming. I do think it's the responsability of the person with the problem to find out what's going on with a certain blend. If I didn't say it, I completely agree that emailing the lab when things are calm is the best way to go. In regards to the why risk it comment, it was in regard to the general sense that I was getting that some people were suggesting reading the reviews before ordering to see if it contained an item that Marty could be allergic too. That's just too dangerous if the allergies are that severe. Like the peanut butter in the chili, you may not taste/smell it, but it could still be there. Why risk it? I'd go with absolute knowledge first. Emailing the lab. It's just the smart way to go. That and you can do that without suggesting that the lab stop putting up their descriptions in the manner that they do. That, admittedly, ruffled my few feathers a touch. I know the spirit in which it was meant, it just came off badly to me. Anyway, cheers to all-I wasn't pissing, I was just a little "what the heck?" there for a bit. Edited to add: I'm sorry if I came off bitchy earlier. I'm having a pisser of a month and apparently my tongue is sharper than I realize. I hope no one was unduly offended. (And, of course, everyone has a right to perfume. I would certainly never suggest otherwise.) Edited again because I used the "c" word in regards to myself and I tend to forget that people get really wound about that one. Sowwy!

To have a severe reaction that could cause death as you suggest would put me off perfumes. Honestly, death or smells? It's not that much of a choice. In regards to the other things mentioned regarding deathly allergies, you know, you just HAVE to be proactive. If you have an allergy to nuts that could cause your throat to swell, your lungs to close, and other fun things that lead to death, you MUST be tooling around at all times with the appropriate medication should you suffer reaction. Honestly, you're just playing games with your life if you don't. Again, the only way to deal with any of this is to be proactive. Email and explain the situation if you absolutely must have a perfume. Asking them to change the presentation of their site might be a tad much, in my opinion. I know how serious it is to everyone with allergies, both skin and otherwise. But, I think the general opinion is that people with deathly allergies probably aren't going to risk it and/or would just go to the source at the very beginning.

Yerevan IN the vial Yerevan was a happy, super sweet combination of fruits, florals, and something slightly creamy. Wet the pomegrante, musk, and apricot really defined themselves and I was just all over in love with it. But, as it started on the dry down, my body chemistry poked around with all of the goodness and a sort of waxy scent began to emerge. In the end, it smells like lip balm. Darn good lip balm, but still like a scent smelled through smoodgy wax. Weird.