Alisha_SBC

Upon first sniff, I get cool, moist dirt with a breath of fresh sweetness. This makes me think of the Crimson Peak collection in a way, but without the clay or decaying wood. It just somehow gives me that vibe. Wear test: Ohhhh, this is lovely. The sweetness blooms on the skin and the soil is present but gentle. I definitely can see snow-covered soil. The fenugreek, I think, is the sweetness in the background. I almost get that maple syrup note fenugreek can have, but this is in NO WAY a pancake breakfast type scent. The amber is soft, not powdery, and the whole blend is just a wonderful mix. While pretty, I definitely wouldn't wear much of this. I'll hang onto my decant (but wouldn't mind a second!) for those days I want to evoke this wintry, desolate-but-not-hopeless feeling.

I received my bottle in a swap and I am sooooooo happy with this scent. Blackberry has been sadly missing from my collection and I've been struggling to find one that works for me and isn't overwhelmed with florals or ruined by milk (I'm looking at you Candle's Moon.) This still isn't the juicy blackberry I hope to find someday, but it is utterly gorgeous and mature, yet perfect for a casual outing. I thought I was getting plum, but that must be the currant melding with the blackberry and myrrh. I'm not super familiar with opponax, but it must be working for me. This is resinous enough to be sensual, without going heavy or too dark. Thankfully I am not getting the bubblegum others seem to have experienced.

How did they perfectly capture that feeling of sitting beneath an oak tree? Because this brings to mind childhood days of running around in the forest playing swords with my friends. It's a wearable, autumnal scent if you want to smell like a woodland explorer. I may need a bottle.

This is beautiful. My first thought was a more "traditional perfume" in that it felt classy and like something I'd sniff and forget at the beauty counter. But a few seconds later, a second sniff, and I am quite enraptured. There's soft plum and gentle florals that don't make me want to sneeze. It's a watercolor washed night, streets damp from a recent rainfall. This is so very pretty.

I think I finally understand what a "bookish" scent is. This evokes cracking open a paperback as I sit on the couch bundled by blankets with a cup of tea near at hand. The lavender is subtle and soft, not astringent, and super calming. I find this one cozy. My friend compared it to Two Sheep and Two Goats, but with lavender instead of vetiver and a little less vanilla, and I have to agree. This feels like it's in the same family.

Honey almond. This is how I wish Dana O Shee smelled on me, but in that blend the milk just goes wonky and powdery. With Peanut, I get the honey and the whiffs of almond, backed by the sweetness of what I assume is the fig. It's not fruit, but creamy. I think this will be even lovelier on a cold day, it's such a snuggly scent. I don't think I need a full bottle, but I'll definitely look for a half bottle, or at least a few other decants.

Raspberry! When this first goes on its sweet, fresh raspberries. I think I detect a smidge of vanilla, but that may just be the sugar, which is sweet indeed. At points it does seem to lean into that artificial, strawberry shortcake doll sort of feeling, but I actually don't mind it. The scent is soft and I fear it may fade off fast, so I'll have to report back on its longevity. I do like this, but whether it's bottle worthy or not is still up for debate.

This evokes exactly what the name states. The apple here is mulled, but the spices aren't in my face and taking over. And the sweater note is something that I have no idea how Beth captures, but I totally get it. It feels close to my skin, but that's fine by me. To my nose, this is a splash of apple cider on a sweater, both room temperature, a soft reminder of the drink I had the evening before. I wish the apple was a little more present, as that's lacking in my collection. however I do find this very enjoyable and perfect for the season.

On me, this is more crust than fruit, with a soft cinnamon swirling in the background. A blackcurrant tart. Sad that the fruit isn't more forward on my skin, as that is what I was looking for.

I've never tried original Smut before, so I had to take a chance on what I thought I might enjoy. This doesn't disappoint. This almost has a buttery quality to it that instantly brings to mind salt-water taffy I used to get in California when visiting my grandmother and hitting up the boardwalk. Behind it is the sweetened, boozy musk. I enjoy this but my decant is more than enough.

Oh dear, first again. I feel so unprepared, but I have to sing to the rooftops about how much I love this one. Can we say YUM? This is mint chip all right, but in a very flattering, wearable way. The chocolate in this doesn't turn me off like many do (Bliss being an exception) and the mint is creamy but not doing that weird sour-spoil thing on my skin that seems to happen whenever a milk or cream is involved. The mochi aspect is subtle and more a sweetness to the blend. Thankfully it's not awful and perfumey on me the way basmati goes. The green tea is the grounding base that's keeping this all together and preventing it from being toothachingly, syrupy sweet. I don't get tea up front, but I know it's there, if that makes sense. I love it. I need it. I haven't even sprayed it on my hair yet, but I wanna smell like this all the time.

Of the four Ars Inspirio scents I've tried so far (waiting on Strega still) this is the heaviest and probably my least favorite. That isn't to say it's not pretty. It is. This just isn't something I'd see myself reaching for. The candies fruits are there, but buried amidst the incense and musk. It brings to mind some of the markets I walked through in Dubai, actually. It's earthy and even a touch sensual, not something I'd pick for a casual day of wear. As it dries the fruits recede even further and I'm left with a smokiness thats somewhat peppery. Nice, but not for me.

Immediately upon touching my skin this bloomed into a bright citrus that made me want to stop and breathe in deep. I smiled. Where Choirs is a subtle, delicate brightness, this is a bold beam of golden light. In the background I get hints of the moss and some gentle florals. A faint whiff of plum. The mandarin is the star here, though. I don't really get the incense mentioned, but I do get why someone else mentioned polish. I can picture a glossy wood altar with citrus candles burning bright. As it dries it gets a little more grounded and I detect a touch of the resins. I liked the initial application best, but this is still a pretty scent. I'd consider this unisex and should try it on my husband.

This is a mood. A feeling. It's incredibly light, both in terms of scent and the feeling it invokes. The notes are blended beautifully and so completely that I cannot detect anything individually really, just this sweetness with something thats not quite citrus yet evokes that idea. The neroli, perhaps? The white bergamot? It's a faint floral/sweet lemon and it's utterly gorgeous.