rhonorv

Anyone know of scents or combos similar to Paper Phoenix? I got a bottle from a forum sale, and have had my nose deeply buried in my arm all day. But given that it's discontinued I think I am setting myself up for eventual heartbreak! It's described as a combo of Dorian + Antique Lace + Formula 54, but I only have Antique Lace, and the other two are also kinda hard to come by What I love about Paper Phoenix on me is the pink-lemonadeyness and the perfect vanilla it dries down to... I might see what White Rabbit + Antique Lace do if I layer them tomorrow, but if anyone has suggestions, let me know!

I'm a sucker for tonka, and this might be my new favorite tonka-based scent! I'm using a 2018 bottle. In the bottle Woo, liqueur for sure! Smells like wood soaked in alcohol, with a teensy bit of sugar on top. Not bad, but sharp. Wet I totally get the antiseptic/alcohol swab scent that ramblingrambler notes makes this smell like a medical office! It does, but for me that only lasted for ~10 minutes. And I really liked it! 🤷‍♀️ I think it's the liqueur part of the cassis liqueur coming in strong over the sandalwood. Dry This becomes just so beautiful and sweet after about 30 minutes. It's akin to Eat Me (also a blackcurrant scent!) once it's really dried down, but without some of the tartness and just a little more muted. Gah, I love it!

Wet/in the bottle: Seconded to the marzipan! Straightforward cherries and almonds. After a few minutes of wear: If there was a temple to summer, this is what it would smell like: sunscreen on hot skin, cherry ices, sunshine, and a wisp of incense. After hours of wear: This eventually wears down to a warm lotusy floral scent that lasts for a looong time (I put it on in the morning and it was there when I went to bed). Nighttime at the temple, and all the incense has sunk into the stone, but the flowers are still doing their thing. I love it so much, and what a beautiful way to represent Bastet: it's such a warm, happy, complex scent. I got an imp to test it and just ordered a full bottle! I knew the goddess of cats wouldn't let me down 😊

In the imp this is oaky-mossy-clean: more a newly cut plank of oak than a forest. Wet I still get a core of wood with a bit of chamomile coming in. And then when dry, it's this beautiful... candied chamomile? Is that a thing? I'm supposing that's the rhubarb, though I'm not sure what rhubarb smells like, to be perfectly honest 😛 This is right on the edge of a candy-sweet sent, but it stops well short of being cloying. Very little throw, too -- I have to put my nose right on my skin to really get it. I tried layering this with Psionicist, and together they are absolutely gorgeous. I think I'll try it with Druid next...

In the bottle this was sharp-sharp white musk with a little bit of eucalyptus. When wet on the skin I got wisps of ozone, which was fascinating -- truly the smell of air during a thunder-and-lightning storm. On me that faded quickly into eucalyptus and mint. On its own, this was a little too masculine for me. However: I tried layering it with Lawful (which I really enjoy on its own) and WHEW are the two together ever beautiful!! Lawful has got a clean sweetness to it when dry, and together they are crisp sweet watery goodness. A lovely combo for hot, humid days.

In the bottle and wet I get heavy, warm patchouli with little wisps of cinnamon and jasmine. During the drydown the dragon's blood and vetiver come up strong and sharp. About 30 minutes after putting it on it sinks into a still warm and enveloping musky powdery patchouli. I'm didn't think I was really a fan of vetiver or of powdery scents, so I'm surprised to enjoy this one so much. I agree with spookyumbrella -- there is something soothing about it. After 8 hours, all that's left on my arm is the slight scent of Barbasol shaving cream. It reminds me of Halloween, when kids used to run around and shaving cream each other. Odd, but I enjoy the nostalgia!