Dancing Raven

Anyone who has seen my reviews knows that I am not a fan of foodie scents. Based on the description, I had to get it. Wet: Maple syrup and fried dough. Drydown: Cinnamon comes out (I have sensitive skin, and there is a very mild burning sensation that appears about 30 minutes after being on). The dough is dry rather than doughy, if that makes sense. 45 minutes in I still haven't gotten anything resembling ozone, and if it's going to go detergent, my skin will throw it like crazy. If you're afraid of ozonic scents, fear no more. I get funnel cake, maple syrup, and cinnamon. Throw is excellent - at least an arm's length. It's definitely sweet. If you enjoy foodie scents you will want to grab this one for sure! It would be an excellent autumn/winter scent. Since I don't particularly like them, I probably won't wear this one often except to layer with some of my more earthy leaf scents that go a bit masculine on me. This one didn't do a lot of morphing. It went from fried dough to funnel cake dough (softer and sweeter), but otherwise stayed like cinnamon french toast for hours. I never got anything that resembled fresh air. The mild burning from the cinnamon went away for me about an hour and a half after wear (or I got used to it). 4.5 stars out of 5. It's a little too sweet/foodie for me, but it's fantastic for what it is.

Wet: I get neroli bordering on orange peel and something almost fir like initially. The first five minutes remind me of Könnt Ihr So Verwegen Handeln from the LEs minus the salty note. Then the labdanum pushes through. There is a slightly soapy note, which I think may be orange blossom. Drydown: It stays citrus/soapy and labdanum. It is surprisingly light and close to the skin for something called Dragon Belch. I just noticed that zankoku_zen described an aquatic note. The soapiness makes sense now. It's a rare aquatic that doesn't become a cleaning product on my skin. About 20 minutes in oakmoss shows up and blends with the labdanum. The soapiness mellows out, and this is much more tolerable now. Labdanum is definitely the dominant note in this blend, followed by oakmoss. It's sweet and slightly effervescent in the way that labdanum goes on my skin. I'm not sure if the leathery oakmoss is supposed to represent the villager, but I don't get anything else that would. I am getting just a touch of smokiness. About 40 minutes in this has gotten so much better. Labdanum is still the strongest note, then oakmoss. However, now I am getting some spices. Nutmeg, maybe? It's softly spiced and just a bit salty - the villager? I wonder if the smoke is opium which can also be soapy on me. It ends up being a spiced, smoky labdanum and just a bit earthy/leathery. I am actually really enjoying it despite the slight soapiness. I'm surprised there aren't more reviews on this one. Beth did the impossible and created a soapy scent that I will actually happily wear. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

If it smells like old books, dust, or paper I am all for it, so I had to try this one. Wet: The Day Burned White. I actually own and enjoy that one, but it is very faint on me. This is a win and a loss because now I have a stronger version of something I already own. Hmmm. Definite cucumber for the ink (or plaster/paint since my brain interprets what it smelled this scent in first). I will need to test to see if there are any differences, but right now I'm not smelling any. Drydown: Still TDBW (I only discovered BPAL a few years ago, so I don't know which scent came first, so maybe that one smells like The Manuscript instead). About 20 minutes in, some vanilla starts to come out to soften and differentiate this from the other one, but the cucumber/ink is still the strongest note. Further drydown: The sweet vanilla finally takes equal billing. Now it's The Day Burned The Manuscript, and I am actually enjoying how it is developing. Then, as quick as flipping a switch (or a page in this case), I get a soft floral. It's faint, but sweet. It reminds me of violet for a brief moment. Heliotrope? It's vanilla/almond, so I am thinking yes. So far no leather and no chill or ghostly note. I am hoping to get some in the final drydown. It has become so light that I have to be practically nose to arm to smell it. I think I will let this one sit for a while and retry it. I like where it was heading before it disappeared on my skin. 5 out of 5 stars.

I applied this a fews hours after getting it in the mail on a hot summer day. I just couldn't resist - I had to try it ASAP. Wet: It starts out camphorous, herbal, and woody. Cade and sage? It's pleasant and warm. As it starts to develop I get frankincense along with a slightly gritty herbal note. I smell cypress rather than cedar. Then the sharp woods wane. Drydown: For a time, I only get sweet and slightly woody frankincense. I adore frank, so it is fine by me. About an hour later, a beautiful powdery amber joins the frankincense. I think I detect a small amount of cedar in the background. About 20 minutes after the amber comes out, mahogany shows up. It's sweet & slightly powdery, and frankincense and mahogany add a dark woody/resinous base. Throw is good. It's gender neutral on my skin. Anyone who likes amber, Midnight Mass, or The Bloody Banister (this is way less masculine) should check this out. I like this one a lot. I think once it's had a chance to settle, this will be something special. 5 out of 5 stars.

Wet: Pine and vetiver. It starts out smoky, but not bbq. There is a hint of spice under the smokiness. Drydown: The vetiver remains, but the smokiness dies down. It's a bit masculine at this point, but it's a vetiver I can handle, so I am overjoyed. Amber comes out lending some sweetness. Dry: I finally get the spices that everyone is talking about. Clove definitely. I think there might be some cardamom and pepper in here. Pine or sandalwood (both?) is in the background along with a little bit of non powdery amber. It's spicey, slightly smoky, and balsamic. It definitely runs more on the masculine side, but not overly so. It's like opening up a wooden box filled with spices and inhaling deeply. It's a little too masculine for me to wear by itself often, but I think it would layer beautifully. 4.5 out of 5 stars. ETA: I spoke too soon. Hours later, the amber takes over. It's slightly powdery, and I think there is benzoin in here so that the end result is a sweet vanilla and amber with just a tiny bit of clove remaining. It retains just a bit of smokiness.

I have never smelled the released version, so I have nothing to compare it to. Wet: Immediately I get the bubblegum sweetness of lotus. This lasts for about 10 minutes. Drydown: Bright, juicy plum and spices. I get cinnamon for sure, and I think I might also smell some nutmeg (just a touch) and cardamom. On further drydown the plum becomes darker and sweeter, but retains its freshness. The spices come out more. It goes back and forth as to which is the stronger note - sometimes plum is at the forefront, and sometimes spice. They meld together to create the perfect spiced sugarplum. This would be a fantastic autumn/winter scent. It sits very close to the skin - throw is maybe an inch from my wrist. If you like Bathsheba or Snooty Rose, you will like this. 5 out of 5 stars.

I really like this! Wet: Immediately it's a powdery floral on my skin (I adore powdery florals!), along with some sweetness. Rose for sure, but I am getting some ylang ylang vibes, too. Drydown: Same as wet, but LOTV comes out more and creates a freshness that is almost aquatic on me. Not soapy, dryer sheets, or salty - just dewy and fresh. There's something citrusy now, too. Rose and frankincense can have a lemony quality, but this is more like a lime. The citrus is far in the background, but it's definitely there. Dried: The myrrh and cassis must be combining to create an impression of golden amber. The scent is no longer powdery. It's just a lovely sweet, resinous amber. Soft and comforting. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

I forgot the notes when I tried this one, so I was surprised by how green it was. This is definitely not my usual scent! Wet: It starts out all clover and ivy. It's very realistic and green, but more so than simply standing in a field of greenery. It's like when you actually get the leaves smeared on your skin, and the chlorophyll sticks to you. I applied a liberal amount, and it is strong - note to self: just a tiny dab will do next time. Luckily, I like these notes. Drydown: The bright green dies down as moss joins in to make it more dark green, and a little salty. It becomes just a touch peppery at this point (the green kind as opposed to black). It reminds me a bit of tomato leaf. Dried: Tea rose and carnation usually work beautifully on me, however, I don't really smell either of those. What I end up getting is a generic "perfume" scent that is a bit screechy. The opening stage was nice, so I will set this aside for a while to see if I can get the florals I know and love to come out. 3 out of 5 stars.

Wet: Faint chai spice and a herbal, minty lavender. This doesn't bode well. Lavender, with rare exception, turns into a men's cologne on my skin. It's a really light scent with very little throw. Of all of the listed notes that sound so wonderful, I am getting none. Instead, I am amping an unlisted note that I avoid. Drydown: Yep, that's lavender. My 18 1/2 yr old kitty isn't doing well, and I bought this in hopes I would get a scent reminiscent of a cat by the fire in a library. I retain some hope because there is a sweetish, vanilla type note that is clawing it's way out (no pun intended), but so far the lavender is dominant. Dry: I am so disappointed. No other notes showed up for me. This is all LAVENDER all of the time. I think I will give this to my son, so it isn't a complete loss. I hate to say this, but... 0 out of 5 stars on my skin. It's the one and only time I have ever given this rating, but nothing could save this one. 😭 P.S. I bought this off of Ebay, so I didn't receive a book.

Wet: It started out quite harshly on me, which I think may have been a combination of the fruits and cognac. It took on a vinegar like smell, and I was worried. Everything except opium tends to do well on my skin, but it wasn't soapy, so I know opium wasn't the culprit. Dry: The tobacco, incense, and vanilla are merging to create the smell of Papier D'armenie. Absolutely gorgeous. I get the smoky scent of burning papers and a hint of cognac backing it up. I can smell something sweet which is likely the plum. I have a Guerlain fragrance called Bois D'armenie that I thought was a good likeness, and while I still adore it, I think this scent is more of a realistic representation. Later on, the cognac comes back stronger and makes it a bit more perfumey, probably with the assistance of the fruits and plum. I haven't gotten any leather, nor any clove (which I amp). I will probably set it aside for a little while to let it settle and see if the other notes come out more. Even though it's an obviously aged bottle, it is fresh from the mailbox during the summer. I would have liked to smell all of the notes, but it's beautiful as is. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Wow! So many mentions of strong sandalwood, and yet I get absolutely none. Wet, I am struck by just how candy sweet this is. This is a golden amber, not powdery at all, and it is mixing with rosewater to create a strong cotton candy note. This is as far away from my usual scents as possible. It's not bad, just not me. Once dry, the rosewater comes to the forefront with the amber just underneath. It remains this way for quite a few hours, but with good throw. After about 4 hours it becomes a skin scent, and the amber overtakes the rose again. I adore both of those notes, but without the sandalwood to ground it, it's just too sweet for me. It's an official lab imp, and it was left to settle (not fresh out of the mailbox), so I know this is how it will probably always smell on. Sandalwood goes either really right or really wrong on me, so I can usually sniff it out. If it would have been there, this would have been perfect. 3 out of 5 stars.

Upon initial application I get cinnamon, musk, and fir trees. It's a dry, subtle cinnamon, not the red hots type. I have sensitive skin, and this isn't burning at all. On drydown the cinnamon is just a mild backing note to the black musk. I still get occasional whiffs of fir trees. I think there may be some sandalwood in this as well. On full drydown I get black leather, what I think is sandalwood, and black musk. The cinnamon is but a faint memory. The musk is becoming powdery on me like it always does. I like powdery scents, but it's just a light dusting, so don't fear if powder notes worry you. The cinnamon is still barely there. It is sitting very close to the skin now with a throw of about an inch. I have to hold my arm close to my nose to smell anything. Given the strength, I think if placed on the pulse points of the neck, it would still be sniffable to the wearer. I was worried for a while that this would be too masculine on me, but I love the opening and the drydown. For about an hour between those two stages, it is definitely reminiscent of men's cologne. I am more than willing to tolerate that stage because it's mostly a nice, dry, comforting scent. P.S. I am almost 100% sure there is sandalwood here contributing to the woody/powdery drydown. It never goes full powder, and maintains a mainly woody musk at the end. 4 out of 5 stars.

Initially this is very faint, as others have noted. Wet, I get a touch of the bourbon vanilla and a smoky, grassy scent which I thought was vetiver, but must be the woodmoss. As it dries, it blooms and becomes stronger. I can smell it from arm's length - although I did place a rather large swipe of it on my wrist. It's gorgeous on the drydown - I get the vanilla (which is sweet, but not foody), cognac, and woodmoss lending just the right amount of smokiness to it. Everything is perfectly balanced. There is a bit of natural smelling coconut adding to the sweetness. The coconut is the note I was most worried about, but it is unobtrusive. After a while the frankincense shows up to create an even more beautiful resinous smoke. I'm not sure if it's the woodmoss, or a combination of it, along with the frank and opium tar, but I get a slight saltiness which reminds me of ambergris. There is a definite creaminess that lies beneath the smoky resins. I don't get any tea, linen, or silk from this, but what I do smell more than makes up for the missing notes. I'm not really a fan of linen notes in general anyway. This lasts for hours on my dry skin, so staying power is impressive. Throw is also good for quite a few hours. This is a gorgeous scent. I think it could be unisex, though it reads more feminine to me because of the sweetness. I think this would be a perfect autumn or winter scent. If this oil were a man, I would want to snuggle with it on a rainy day and read poetry. 5 out of 5 stars.

Wet: Beetroot! To the point that I am hungry. On early drydown, I am detecting the vinegar smell of crumbling stone that was in The Chilling Cellar, only it's a bit stronger here. There is a hint of dry, dusty moss just beneath it that's taking the sour edge away. The lab's dirt note is there, but so far it's fairly light. I get an impression of something aquatic, but it's very slight, and it's not going detergent on me, so that's a big positive. It stays pretty linear with the tangy moss and slightly orris root-y dirt for hours. I wonder if there is yew in this, as sometimes it goes a bit sharp and piercing on me. At some point the moss takes on an almost white leatherish scent. I wish there were a little bit more of the dirt note to ground (no pun intended) the more high pitched vinegar - like stone and moss. I still can very faintly smell what I think is orris, and I think this would have been perfect if that came out stronger on my skin. I really like the lab's dirt/earthy/graveyard scents, but this one is a little too sharp for me. I think it would layer nicely with some of my oils that didn't have enough of a musty dungeon or graveyard note, so it isn't a total loss. This one is outlasting my bedtime, so I will update if it changes significantly, but I have a feeling that it isn't a morpher. I think this is more along the lines of Grove Street Cemetery and The Chilling Cellar, rather than Zombi or Yorick. It's much more moss forward than dirt on my skin. Definitely worth getting if you amp (and enjoy) dirt scents. 3 out of 5 stars on my skin.

This was a frimp from the lab. It's something I probably wouldn't have tried on my own because I fear aquatics, and I would have missed out on this. I don't get anything green at any stage. I get white florals initially. I think there may be some ylang ylang sweetening things up. About 20 minutes into the drydown, I get lotus in all of its bubble gum glory. That's not a bad thing, but lotus isn't my favourite. It dies down after about 30 minutes. Once it does, I get a beautiful smoky sweet floral. I think there is some moss in this creating that smokiness, so I guess that could be the "green" in the description. At this point it reminds me a lot of The Snipe's Beak Trapped In A Clam Shell. It's lovely. After a while, the musk joins in, and I am getting a smoky, sweet, and slightly powdery floral (lotus, ylang ylang, and perhaps gardenia and/or heliotrope?). It's not overly heady or floral. It's nice and soft, so this would be a good blend for those who aren't big fans of smelling like a flower. It becomes close to the skin after about an hour of wear. I do wish the throw remained stronger. Despite being a skin scent, it's very nice, and I am planning on getting a big bottle. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

I wasn't expecting this to be so pretty! I was expecting weird and chemical. Wet, I get what smells like lemon verbena. It blends with white musk, and is a bit reminiscent of hairspray. I was a teen at the height (no hair pun intended) of the AquaNet craze. I am definitely not getting the distinct chemical smell of that. It's just lemony, sweet and pleasant. Upon drydown, styrax joins in, and I am getting a sweet, slightly floral scent. Unlisted white musk is keeping up the slight hairspray tone (I think), while benzoin is giving it a vanillic undertone. An hour after applying I can detect a faint chemical scent reminiscent of hair dye. It's totally unobtrusive, and it just blends in with everything else. I am really liking this. No smoke or tobacco yet. 6 hours after applying, I still don't get a smoke note (I did go to bed, so it may have appeared while sleeping, then went away). I really wanted it! I like smoke notes when they aren't bbq. I think I will retest at a later date. This is a lot nicer than I thought it would be, and I'm happy thar this blind buy is a win for me. 4.5 out of 5 stars due to the lack of smoke.

Wet, this is very challenging. I get the sour labdanum and a gritty patchouli. I think I smell vetiver or sage as well. Something is causing an odor of sour milk. Perhaps the cherry? Once it dries, it is a dark and dirty patchouli/sandalwood, but there is a smokey note that I am almost positive is vetiver. It reminds me of Djinn and Brimstone, but nowhere near the potency of those two scents. Labdanum remains in the background. If you don't like patchouli, this oil is definitely one to stay away from. It's a nice, unisex (leaning masculine) dry, almost leathery scent. There might be an unlisted oakmoss in here as well. Dry, earthy, gritty, and smokey would be the best way to describe it. Other than maybe in the beginning, I get no cherry. I am not usually a fan of patchouli that is this dirty and dark, but I'm actually enjoying this one. I think the resinous, woody base is keeping this from being overwhelming. I try not to wax poetic when describing perfumes, but I imagine this is the smell of an altar in the middle of the woods. I don't know where I would wear it, other than at home. It would make a good Halloween fragrance. 4 out of 5 stars.

Wet: Orange Pekoe tea! Mmmm. I am sure it's the combination of whiskey, rum, and clovey carnation, but it's blending together to create a warm, delicious scent. I am definitely getting orange and a tea note along with the spice. I think there may be some cinnamon in addition to the carnation. About five minutes later it's cinnamony clove, and the spice is now taking over, although I can still smell the orange. It's less tea and more if Big Red chewing gum made an orange flavour. Still pleasant, but I miss my tea. This one is taking a while to dry. Drydown: It's pretty much the same as wet. Spicy orange, but it doesn't smell like potpourri or a candle. It's nice, but I have a lot of carnation/clove forward scents. Three hours in everything settles, and I think that there may be amber in the base. It's basically a skin scent at this point. No hearth wood so far. It's very nice, but I wish the other notes wouldn't have been overtaken by the spice. I loved the depth and complexity of it when wet, and the final stage is nice but incredibly faint. I will keep the bottle because even though I own many like it, it's still pretty. Try this if you like Wan Wan, There Is No Bliss Like This, or if you love spicy carnations or amber. 4 out of 5 stars.

Initially this is fresh pumpkin with just a hint of spice. I'm happy because I am not one who likes the baked goods types of scents. On drydown the opoponax and tonka show up, and I am getting a bit of a maple syrup smell in addition to creamy, spicy pumpkin. Bath and Body Works/Slatkin Co has an old room spray named Creamy Pumpkin. It is 100% reminding me of that. I mean that in a good way. I love the smell of it so much, that I limit how much I spray so I never run out. Now I can smell just like it any time. I am only getting a touch of leather, and I have to really sniff hard to get teak. Those are two scents I adore, so I was hoping for just a bit more. Musk is in the background lending some sweetness, and a little powder. Minimally foody on me, and I am just fine with that. 🙂 4.5 out of 5 stars. Throw could be a bit stronger.

I didn't get any aquatic notes (thankfully). I also didn't get any apple from this, although partway into drydown I am getting sourness from the labdanum which may smell like apple to some. Wet, this was oakmoss, patchouli, and a smokiness that disappeared once the oil dried. On me, the drydown is very oakmoss heavy - to the point that I am getting a leather vibe. It's not at all masculine or unpleasant. In fact, despite not usually getting along with oakmoss, I like it. It's definitely the smell of true leaves instead of the "cologne impression" of leaves that usually happens on my skin. Further drying brings out the patchouli and myrrh so it isn't quite so oakmoss SN on me. It's earthy, spicy leaves with just a touch of powder. Very evocative of autumn. Oudh comes out about an hour after applying, but it seems to be behaving. It's the one note that gave me pause, but it seems to be just the woody aspects without the fecal odor. Throw is low to moderate for me. Unisex, but if you amp powder and don't like it, be aware that it exists in this blend. I amp powder like crazy, and on me it is barely there, fwiw. I'm glad that I got a full bottle. 4.5 out of 5 stars. I wish the throw were just a bit stronger.

Wet, this is a lovely frankincense with its woody and lemony apects shining. It dries very quickly, and as it does, the heliotrope begins to sweeten the frank. Just a touch of peppery angelica comes out, but it is very faint. For about five minutes this is a sweet frankincense. Then creamy, spicy carnation joins in. The spice takes over as the main note, but I am still getting the beautiful frankincense beneath it to add depth. doomsday_disco mentioned Mare Foecunditatis. I can see (smell?) the comparison. Both have the same clove/spice forward scent profile. However, Veritas has the frank, and MF was heavier/darker due to the acorn. If you like MF, you will like this, but it is in no way a dupe. Not that d_d claimed it was, just pointing out that you can happily own both. The carnation and frankincense are blending together in a way that reminds me of labdanum. It's giving off a slight fizzy cola note. Perhaps the sweetness of the heliotrope is lending to that impression? I'm not getting any chamomile. About an hour after applying, the spiciness of the carnation dials back, and it's now carnation and frank in equal parts. Heliotrope remains in the background keeping it sweet, but not cloying. I am having a hard time keeping my nose away from my wrist. This is outstanding! I need a full bottle of this ASAP. 5 out of 5 stars.

What I get both wet and dried is Trident wine flavoured bubblegum (no, that doesn't exist, but it's what I'm smelling) and gardenia. I don't think gardenia is a listed note, but it is definitely gardenia I am getting. I adore frankincense, but I don't get any of that . It's fresh from the mail, so I think I will retest once it has a chance to settle. I really, really like how it smells regardless. This one is a winner for me. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

This starts out as a dry, grassy vetiver(without an actual "dust" note). There may be some sage in here as well, but this is mainly vetiver on me at the beginning. Thankfully, it isn't the kind that smells like bbq on me. It stays this way for about two hours. At about the two hour mark, balsamic and slightly spicy acacia joins in. The acacia in this smells almost like a carnation to my nose. Shortly after the acacia appears, so does the dragon's blood. For about 30 minutes the dragon's blood mixes with the vetiver to create a slightly rubbery odor. It's a little off putting, but not so bad that I need to wash it off. Olive wood mixes in at about the time that the rubber scent disappears, and it is sweetly woody with a tiny bit of a lemon undertone. About three hours after application, this becomes a much more complex scent. Dragon's blood smells like sweet lilacs on my skin, and it is doing it here, but faintly. Piney juniper comes out at this time as well, but it isn't a screeching pine forest or gin. It's just lending a bit of a sharp note to contrast with the sweetly balsamic ones. The vetiver becomes smokier, but never turns into a bbq. I don't smell clay or dust (disappointing), and I don't get any of the ozone that others seem to be getting, and I amp dryer sheets with ozonic scents. I also don't get any stone, which makes me sad. I bought this because I wanted to smell like dusty clay and stone. I'm not terribly upset, though. Even though it's not what I was expecting, it's still very nice. Ultimately, it is a dry, non dusty grass, wood, and slightly smoky scent with faint floral notes. It has some sweetness to it after drydown, but it isn't cloying. It's perfectly unisex. I like it. I think it would layer beautifully with other oils that need a bit more grounding. 4 out of 5 stars because I miss my stone and clay. P.S. I think some people may consider the dry grassiness of vetiver dusty, but when I think of dust, I think of orris. If this has orris in it, I don't smell it.

Black pepper as a note scares me, but I kept going back to the reviews, and decided to finally blind buy a bottle. This is definitely worthy of the praise it gets. Wet, it starts out spicy, and for the first 5 to 10 minutes I get a camphorous note, which is probably from the clove. I actually like the smell of camphor, so it worked out nicely. Then it blooms. Fair warning - this oil is potent, and stays potent for many hours. Don't over apply! The first hour after the camphor smell disappears smells almost identical to vintage Opium. Obviously there isn't civet in here, and some of the things in Opium aren't allowed to be used in perfumes anymore, but this is incredibly similar to the opening of Opium. I placed some from my vintage bottle on my other arm to compare, so I say this with great confidence. Such a complex scent from a little bottle of oil! Upon further drydown, it becomes chai spice. I don't get a tea scent, just the spiciness of chai. Patchouli doesn't come out for me until many, many hours later as the scent fades and becomes closer to the skin. It's simply a grounding basenote. Throw is excellent, and wear time is phenomenal. I read in the reviews that shriekingviolet is the cover girl for this, and that is definitely something to be proud of! I absolutely adore this. 5 out of 5 stars.

I didn't have high hopes for this one. Aquatics and ozone tend to go dryer sheets/detergent and men's cologne on me. Still, I have been on the hunt for the perfect non sun cream/ suntan lotion beach scent, so I finally got the courage to try it. Wet: sasaparilla and aquatic saltiness, but very well blended so no note stands out above the other. It very quickly begins to dry. Drydown: salty sea air. It's definitely aquatic, rather than ozonic. No dryer sheets or cologne here! An aquatic scent I can wear? I am over the moon! I detect something creamy and slightly woody under the salt air, but it's faint. Anne Bonney was almost 100% red sandalwood on me. Mary Read isn't doing that, in fact, the woody scent pretty much disappeared. About 15 minutes into the drydown, I get jasmine. This is added into a lot of sun care products, so now I am getting the perfect beach scent. Mainly sea air with just a bit of a beachy floral. There is a touch of cucumber lending to the aquatic aspect. About 30 minutes in I begin to get a very light leather. It's dancing with the salty breeze, taking turns at being in the forefront. However, for me this is first and foremost about the ocean air. The leather isn't strong at all. I never get the gunpowder, and the sasaparilla is so faint that I can only smell it if I put my nose to my arm, although it does show up more at the end. No patchouli on me, sadly. Overall, I wish that I had gotten some of the darker notes to come out, but this is such a beautiful, true salt air scent that works on me, that I am willing to overlook it. I think I will try layering it with AB. Full bottle worthy for sure, even though it becomes very much a skin scent within 30 minutes of applying. Perfect for hot summer days. Unisex, but leans feminine on my skin. 4.5 out of 5 stars. ETA: this stuff is tenacious despite sitting close to the skin. It survived a shower smelling just as good as when I had put it on hours before.