torischroeder9

In the decant: Super dark, bittersweet chocolate, smoke, clove bud, and black pepper. On my skin: Wet, it's much the same as in the decant. As it dries down, the scent starts to make some sense of itself, positing the dark chocolate as the backdrop for the clove bud, black pepper, and wisp of smoke. The more I let it sit, the more the clove bud takes over, supported and darkened by the bittersweet spice of the other notes. I received this as a frimp (frecant?) in a recent swap from Lucchesa, along with a note saying she thought I'd like it. The dark chocolate on the list of notes gave me pause, but ultimately, she was right. The lovely clove bud takes center stage, with other notes working to ensure that the overall profile is deep and sweet and spicy. I think I'm going to put this away for several months, as this strikes me as more of a cold weather clove scent, but I'll definitely be hanging onto it!

In the decant: Mimosa and Snake Oil. On my skin: Wet, it's Snake Oil and mimosa -- with the mimosa rather more prominent in the decant and the Snake Oil rather more prominent wet on my skin. There's something happening that's bringing a lot of the vanilla out, which is something I rarely get from Snake Oil. As it dries, both the neroli and star jasmine become more prominent; I can detect a faint and muddled herbal smell as well. On me, however, the floral-dominant phase is temporary as Snake Oil reasserts itself as the main player. I can still detect the other notes, but they don't overpower the Snake Oil. Ultimately, this is a floral Snake Oil variant on me. Of all the Snake Oil variants I've tried, this is probably most similar to Cottonmouth in that both of them have noticeable floral notes. That said, where Cottonmouth's florals are front and center on me, in this blend, the floral and other notes play a supporting role to the Snake Oil, softening it and adding some lighter notes of complexity. It's a very wearable Snake Oil variant on me. I'll definitely be keeping this decant, and I'll probably keep my eyes peeled for a partial or full bottle for sale or swap.

In the decant: I just sniffed this, like, eight times. The first time was agarwood with something that made my eyes start to water -- possibly the combination of petitgrain and white musk. In subsequent sniffs, however, both of those notes became less prominent while the amber makes itself known. There is something mesmerizing about this blend -- maybe not in an elegant, sophisticated kind of way, but I'm entranced nonetheless. On my skin: Wet, it's back to sharp oudh and a smell that immediately translates to "lemon" in my head (probably the petitgrain). The eye-watering quality is back as well. I need to sniff this like I need to ride rollercoasters that almost make me pee my pants. After that initial phase, however, the agarwood scales back considerably, revealing the petitgrain and the white musk. Soon, it's the white musk and petitgrain that announce the scent's throw, with the oudh a smaller piece of grounding power close to the skin. Even then, it doesn't take the oudh too long even to recede from that. This scent ends up being mostly airy white musk on me, tinged with the not-sweet citrus of petitgrain. The oudh is only faintly present at skin level. I can't pick out the amber as a distinct note, but it's very likely trying to bridge these two worlds. It's actually very pretty. Not sure if it's quite good enough on me to justify keeping, but I'm definitely glad to have tried it and pleasantly surprised by the result.

In the decant: There's a lot going on here. Honey, sandalwood, red musk, cedar, ginger, vanilla. On my skin: Wet, there's something that almost smells like almond on skin. As it dries, the balsam and cedar really amp up on me. There's enough sweetness, from the honey or the vanilla, to keep the notes from going sharp or acrid, but this is definitely woods-dominant right now. Yeah... no. There's something weird about this blend on me. It smells like artificial sweetness and wood having a war. Like, instead of all the notes forming this complex layering of scent experience... on me, each VILF note chooses a side and has an all-out war with its enemies. Probably needs a home where VILF can be a lover and not a fighter.

In the decant: Very honeyed ale and sweet cake. Or honeyed cake and sweet ale. YMMV. On my skin: Right away, it's honey, cake, and soft, sweet baking spices. As it dries, the roasted nuts emerge, a dry, toasty scent that provides a level of complexity and contrast to the sweet notes. Once it has time to develop, I notice mostly that this scent is very strong. It's the sweetness of Kill-Devil and the nuts of Horse Chestnut Honey -- so at least it's balanced on me, but it's very, very strong right now. Ultimately, I think I'm going to have to pass on this one, just for the sake of its strength. Even a little bit is overwhelming. I'd have to dilute the decant in a carrier oil just to make it wearable. This might be better off seeking a different home. It's a nice balance of sweet and savory, though.

In the imp: Smooth woods and patchouli. Sandalwood doesn't surprise me, but I'm not picking up the cedar, which can often show up gunky on me. On my skin: Wet, it's much the same as in the bottle. It's quiet on my skin. As it dries, I can pick out the faintest tingle of incense smoke, along with some myrrh, making more complex than just sandalwood-patchouli. Given time to develop, the olibanum and myrrh become more prominent. Though the sandalwood and patchouli are still strong base notes, the resins are more balanced with them now. This is probably a little too wood-heavy for me to love, but it's a very nicely done blend.

In the imp: Sharp, smoky vetiver. It's mixed with some floral -- I can pick out the jasmine -- but the floral notes aren't very evident at this stage. On my skin: Wet, it's much the same as in the imp. Even after the initial drydown, about 20 minutes after applying, vetiver remains the only really detectable scent on my skin. Okay, and thirty minutes after that - almost an hour after application -- this is staunchly and aggressively sharp vetiver on me.

In the decant: Um. Sexy marshmallow. Seriously. Marshmallow, amber, teak, lotus, and honey. Sexy. Damn. Marshmallow. On my skin: Wet, the marshmallow note is at the forefront, though the amber is a strong supporter. I can also detect the honey. As it dries, the honey surpasses marshmallow as the starring scent, though marshmallow only dips down a notch. Amber and teak are content to provide a base to this fabulous showcase going on. Given time to develop, the amber and teak do begin to assert themselves just a bit, providing a little sturdier base to what is now an amazing honey blend. It reminds me most of the Snakes Basking... blend released this spring. Must be the wildflower honey note, which is apparently eyeroll-swoonworthy on me. Not gonna lie. I just bought a bottle of this in another tab while I was testing and reviewing. Currently searching the site for all other blends containing wildflower honey. But, as final thoughts -- This is a very nicely structured honey scent. The amber and teak ground it. The marshmallow root and lotus blossom (I never do get cherry blossom, but that is a Thing with my skin chemistry) add greater complexity at the higher end of the note spectrum. Both of these actions allow the honey to shine on me but keep it from becoming too sweet or cloying. A+++. Would vulva again.

In the decant: Plummy apricot, with just a hint of vetiver -- the grassy kind, not the smoky kind -- running through the scent. On my skin: Wet, it's bawdy Bordello plum. As it dries, the apricot starts to assert itself, and I can also make out just a hint of rose -- but it is buried quite deep in the scent, at least at this point. Given time to settle and develop, however, the fruit notes fade to an undercurrent behind now-dominant rose. Vetiver is barely detectable, just enough, as the description says, to provide a bit of grounding and structure to the scent. It's the kind of rich, deep rose that I like when I wear rose, but it's not my favorite blend of this type. Probably this one will find a new home.

In the decant: Incensey chrysanthemum and carnation, yup. On my skin: Wet, it's mum and carnation. As it dries, the creamy carnation becomes the main note, accented by the spice of the chrysanthemum incense. This doesn't morph much on me but remains a delicate, incensey floral. It's a beautifully balanced scent that's both warm and elegant -- not too much incense or too much floral. It's a close skin scent on me, and that has me wondering about how often I'll find myself reaching for it. (I often want scents with more throw than this has on me.) That said, the style of this scent is right up my alley, so I think I'm going to hang onto this for a bit and see how it goes.

In the decant: Oudh, with some tinkly notes (olibanum probably one of them) around the edges of the scent. On my skin: Wet, it's champion oudhstink. There is just no way to say that nicely. It's like a nice, happy stick rolled around in rank foot odor. Within a few minutes of application, the agarwood does start to fade, and I can detect something vaguely salty, which might be the oakmoss manifesting on me. Given more time to settle and develop, there's something almost peppery in here as well... maybe that's a resin playing out? Eventually, I get wafts of sweetness and smoke as well, but it's still all a veneer over very prominent oudh.

In the decant: Predominantly mimosa with a touch of grapefruit. On my skin: Wet, it's mimosa and grapefruit with just a hint of amber. As it dries, grapefruit comes to the forefront, softened a bit by the complementary mimosa. Every so often I get a whiff of light powdery resin along the scent's edge. Given time to develop, the amber strengthens, and the grapefruit recedes a bit. The cedar also becomes detectable, though just barely, adding a soft grounding element to the blend. Each note in this blend is exquisite. Additionally, the mimosa-grapefruit combination and the amber-cedar combination are each stunning in their own right. Ultimately, however, the total experience never quite comes together on my skin. I'm very glad I got to try this, but it's a BPAL that will be remarkable... on someone else.

In the decant: Amber and orange blossom glory. On my skin: Wet, I get orange blossom right away, followed by some emerging labdanum and then honey. As it settles, orange blossom reasserts itself as a dominant note, possibly mingling with some golden musk and maybe just a hint of patchouli root. The honey, amber, and labdanum have all disappeared, at least temporarily. The scent is airy on me, but not faint -- and not a bit sweet. Given time to really get into my skin, Queen Butterfly is very evocative of Chordae Tenindeae from this year's Luper's. The butterfly's musk is golden and not blood, resulting in a little bit lighter of a scent overall, but this is still orange blossom riding amber and musk on me. I am not complaining, not one bit. Not too long after that, the scent undergoes a morphing that's a little unusual for me. The orange blossom disappears, and for a bit, I'm left with the much drier scent of predominantly amber and golden musk. (I cannot rule out patchouli root contributing, but it's not a main player.) Then, a few minutes later, orange blossom honey emerges, this time as a coherent, fused note. Amber and lightly spicy musk are still present, but Queen Butterfly has gained a bit of a rounded sweetness that hasn't really been present until now. The scent does lose a bit of throw, but it's still lovely, rich and sweet and golden and just a bit spicy. Definitely hanging onto this decant. Glad I had the opportunity to try it!

Serendipity. This is possibly the same imp Lucchesa reviewed, as I received it in a swap from her. In the imp: Initially, it's all about the orange blossom, though sniffing for a couple of seconds, I can easily make out the patchouli as well. On my skin: First, though I realize oil color doesn't necessarily have a bearing on scent quality, this oil is the most delicious copper brown of aged Snake Oil -- perhaps a touch redder. Second, yes, on my skin too, this oil is at first, literally nothing. The orange blossom and patchouli scents from the vial have vanished on my skin. Perhaps my skin is also ravenous for Ravenous? After a few minutes, I start to get a gentle tease of patchouli. It's a lighter and softer version of that note than is present in some other blends, but it's definitely present. Roughly a half hour after application, I get a tinkling of orange blossom, just on the edges of the patchouli note. Yup. This remains a barely floral light and smooth patchouli. It's quite nice for what it is, though the fact that I don't get more orange blossom probably means I do not require a bottle. Still glad to have had the opportunity to try this imp!

2017 version. In the decant: Myrtle, hyssop, and lemon verbena, with a separate tartness that might be either hibiscus or pomegranate. On my skin: Wet, it's lemon verbena and almond I smell first, which is no big surprise, considering these are notes I often amp. As it dries, the patchouli comes out strongly, though there's a definite myrtle, hyssop, and lemon sheen across the top of it. The almond has the good graces to bow out of this conglomeration, at least for now. Given more time to develop, the almond does remain hidden on me, and the patchouli still dominates, well courted by the herbal myrtle and hyssop. I can also pick out a bit of hibiscus, poppy, and lemon verbena, along with the faintest hint of light powdery resin -- frankincense would be my best guess. It's got a lot of little bits going on, but on me right now, it's basically an herbal, slightly astringent patchouli. I like very much the idea and story of this scent. It is not, however, something I can see myself wearing for the sake of the manifested scent itself.

In the imp: Mostly labdanum, though I can detect ylang ylang and musk as well. On my skin: Wet, it's mostly labdanum and honey. As it dries, labdanum fades from the forefront, though it doesn't disappear completely, allowing the honey and ylang ylang more prominence. Once it settles, the musk also comes out, softening the scent overall -- especially the verging-on-cloying that is the combination of labdanum, honey, and ylang ylang on me. That said, in doing so, the scent itself also becomes much quieter and closer in toward my skin. Huh. Once this completely settles on me, the musks and the ylang ylang all but disappear on me, and I'm left with a scent that's very, very close to this year's Luper Honey and Sweet Labdanum. I do like that one quite a lot, but with a bottle of it already in my collection, I kind of wonder if that niche in my scent needs is already filled. Still I'm likely to wear it whenever it comes into rotation (and my swap box is already pretty full!), so I think I'll use up this imp.

First, let me say that this decant vial is top notch. I was accidentally storing it upside down for the past 30 minutes, and not a whiff of an issue. In the decant: Caramel tinged with rose. On my skin: Wet, it shifts from caramel to salted caramel back to caramel. I can just barely pick out the rose absolute peeking at the edges of the scent, trying to make an appearance. As the oil dries, the rose succeeds, pushing back the caramel to be the dominant note. I also get some of the deepness of red berries and some of the pink pepper spice. Given time to develop, the rose goes slightly soapy, and I get a hint of something almost smoky that I can't quite identify. There is a lot going on here, although once the initial caramel jolt subsides, it's always rose absolute upfront on me. I'm very interested in how this might manifest differently on different people, but as for me, I do not need another Mostly Rose.

In the imp: Jasmine, lavender, and other herbs. On my skin: Wet, it's mostly jasmine and lavender. On the immediate drydown, I get a whiff of citrus. After that, the lavender dominates. I also get an undercurrent of what I can only describe as stale, slight body odor. Um. Half hour later, and the stale BO becomes the main note. I think this one is just not going to play nicely with my skin chemistry.

In the decant: Dandelions and other floral notes in the background. On my skin: Immediately upon application, it's dandelion plus additional sweetness, which I peg as light and floral but could well involve the honey note. As it dries, the honey does amp up some, especially in the scent's throw, but dandelion remains detectable in the throw and the strongest note at skin level. The other wildflowers add some complexity, making this more rounded and full than a two-note blend would be. Given time to develop, the dandelion softens a little more so that it's more like the strongest of many floral notes rather than a main player several orders of magnitude stronger than the other floral notes. This is a remarkably well balanced honey and floral blend. The honey and dandelion keep the scent grounded. The other florals and the honey take the edge of dandelion's bitterness. The dandelion keeps the honey and other florals from becoming too sweet or cloying. This reminds me a lot of Hony Mone, except without the weird jasmine tang I get from that blend. Throw and wear length are both medium on me. I'm super glad to have been able to try this tester. I'm probably going to keep my eyes out for additional quantities for sale or swap.

In the decant: Honey musk, a light fresh tea note, and vanilla. On my skin: Wet, a light, fresh honey dominates, which I'm guessing is the honey musk combined with green tea leaf. As it dries, the green tea leaf, blackberry leaf, and vanilla all become a little more noticeable. There is a light spice tempering the sweetness of the honey musk and vanilla. Given time to develop, I get a faint powdery quality that I sometimes associate with musk and certain spices like cardamom. The blackberry leaf also increases in prominence, giving the scent a lovely berry-smooth undertone. (If you've had the chance to try Redoul Honey, I'd say the effect is similar, though Lady Una has additional notes coming into play.) This is a scent that manages to be warm and creamy while also being soft and delicate. I'm finishing up a tester decant, so I can't say for sure what the throw would be like, but I have a feeling it would be low to moderate on me.

2008 version In the bottle: Amber, honey, currant, and Arabian musk. On my skin: Wet, it's honey, currant, and the gentle spiciness of Arabian musk. As it dries, the currant settles down a bit, and the amber comes out more. I'd probably characterize this scent as a lovely, fruity, spicy honey. The amber keeps the honey, which works as the central note on me, from being overwhelming or cloying. It's a low throw scent on me.

In the decant: Rose and something that reads as sharp and soapy. The sharpness might be the pepper. The soap might be powder which might be the amber. On my skin: Wet, it's rose soap. As it dries, the soap aspect dies down, but the rose remains the dominant note. I think I can get whiffs of leather, with possibly amber or sandalwood, in the background. Um. But. Yes. Remains almost entirely rose.

In the imp: Narcissus, lily, and tuberose. On my skin: Wet, lily dominates, but the other floral notes are still present. As it dries, there's a tang of something sharper and drier, which I peg as mostly narcissus. There's an almost dusty quality to it. The scent overall is a nice dry floral, not too overwhelming on me. I wouldn't necessarily say that it evokes languor on me, but neither is it bright and cheery. If I liked having a variety of floral perfumes, I'd definitely think about keeping this. As I don't often wear them, however, I'm not sure I can justify it -- though I do think it's a lovely scent.

Conveniently enough, this is the bottle I just received in a swap with the donkehpoo of the above review. In the bottle: On top, it's lots of acai graced with neroli (the neroli is providing an accent to the acai rather than being a main player itself). Underneath, I can catch the tingle of Snake Oil spices. On my skin: Wet, acai and neroli are at the forefront, but Snake Oil spice and what I'm guessing is the "smoked vanilla" come out as well. It definitely smells like vanilla, but it has the feel of other notes described as "toasted," like toasted sandalwood or toasted coconut, smooth and aromatic without necessarily being sweet. As it dries, the smoked vanilla really comes out on me, which is fairly unusual as my skin tends to eat vanilla right up (hence me perceiving regular Snake Oil as "patchouli and spice"). I'm wondering if the smoked vanilla has attached itself to the amber (amber on me tends to help amp up other notes, though I can never really predict which note) for a signal boost. If it is, this is fine by me since the smoked vanilla is a spectacular note. The acai and neroli are still detectable if I stick my nose near my skin, and they're quite pretty, but they're no longer the notes in charge of the scent. Finally, about an hour after applying, it settles down, and the Snake Oil starts to come out though the smoked vanilla remains a strong player. The acai and neroli are present only in slight whiffs and memories, but the smoked vanilla is so fabulous that I don't mind at all. Australian Copperhead's throw on me is a fair bit lower than I get from other Snake Oil blends, but that's probably to be expected since it's full of what are for me close-skin notes. The lower throw also makes it a very wearable snake for me, suitable for indoor locations like work.

In the imp: Cantaloupe and red grape -- fresh, real red grape, not grape candy. On my skin: Wet, it's continued melon and grape, though since it's not overly sweet, I wouldn't be surprised if there was something cutting the sugary fruit smell. As it dries, I can pick out some kind of floral in the skin scent; it's sort of a tinkly feeling over the fruity base. Right now, the fruit still dominates the scent's throw. Given time, I begin to detect something I perceive as ever-so-slightly dusty that might well be the moss note. On me, this is well in the background, only detectable close to my skin, and is probably what's keeping the fruits from going cloying. On me, this is a skin-close scent with fairly low throw. And while it's a perfectly nice scent that seems to behave well with my skin chemistry, it's probably just not my personal preference.