Gwydion

In bottle: Wow! I think I really don’t like pennyroyal. It’s like dentist mint toothpolish on steroids with a lavender undercurrent. It is well named and the sharp and cruel moniker works for this. Given my intense reaction in the bottle, I’m thinking skin testing would be unsafe.

In bottle: This is rich and sharp, very floral and herbs. It almost smells like dragon’s blood, but the oil is the wrong colour and it’s not listed, so it can’t be.the patchouli is not dominant, but creates a heady effect with the iron. The moss is making the sharpness, I think. It’s quite interesting, but I think it may be a bit much for me. Wet: The moss and patchouli blend better with the twigs and the florals soften. It’s a lot better on my skin that I was expecting, though it’s now maybe too soft. Dry: This reminds me of popourri, mixed with patchouli and something sharper and brighter. It’s interesting, but not really right for me, I think.

I love TOT too...it's one of my Top 10, AAMOF, and I don't think I've ever found its equivalent. I hope someone else can help us both, LOL! Hey stellans! It might be a bit of wishful thinking on my part, but I just got a frimp of The Black Tower today and it's the closest thing in the GC I've found to Twisted Oak tree. I believe it's the same prominent english ivy note with similar-ish dark/woodsy companion notes. I'm curious if anyone else smells a similarity here or if it's just me unfortunately for me, the red wine note in Black Tower amps to such a pitch it messes up the whole blend for me. I have the same problem.

In bottle: They are not kidding about the brown sugar and clove. The sassafras is understated, the plum gentle, but pervasive. It smells slightly burnt. Wet: Whoa, that’s a lot of plum. Brown sugar comes in second, maintaining the burnt effect. The sassafras is there, but no stronger. The clove is almost lost in the sea of plums. My skin chemistry is just not handling this well. I am thinking I should avoid the plum note as this is not the first time it’s gone wrong on my skin. Dry: Te cklove reasserts a little, but the sugared plum stays dominant. The sassafras also gains a little ground. The overall effect is fairly pleasing, though my skin is still a touch weird with the plum. I could almost wear this. It’s rich and a touch decadent in a November sort of way.

In bottle: This is fascinating. The lime gives a picancy to the pear/tea/carnation combination. The whole thing is beautifully blended, each element contributing to a lovely whole. Wet: Possibly a touch too sweet on my skin, and a little bit bubble gum. I think the tea is getting subsumed somewhat. The lime sugar and pear are dominant. Dry: It softens into something sweet and delicate. I’m really liking how the lime sugar and green musk interact with each other and the tea. It is gentle and pleasant and very june, if that makes sense.

In bottle: Strong super sweet berries dominant, rather like berry chewing gum. Wet: more complex on the skin with the neroli doing lovely things with the berries and currents. It’s quite lovely. Dry: Maybe a touch too much neroli now, but still quite fine.

In bottle: Rather unfortuneate. The wine makes the currents and berries smell a touch spoiled. Wet: Way to sweet like smarties, the floral magnifying the sweetness and the wine adding a sour note. Dry: The wine is stronger now and more distinct from the berries. It’s still not my thing as the wine works badly on my skin, but it might be pleasant on someone else.

In bottle: Orange smarties. Wet: The orange goes a bit more floral. Rather powdery with a hint of spice. Dry: musky orange pez.

In bottle: Yep, those are yew trees and tart berries. Wet: The wood really comes out on the skin. The berries are not entirely ideal. There is something a little odd underneath and not entirely pleasant, like the strong soap my grandfather used to combat poison ivy oil. I thought I would love this from the bottle scent, but I really, really don’t. Dry: The nasty edge is like a cat scratch. It’s the icky thing and powdry blandness left. It’s painfully disappointing.

In bottle: Wow, I wasn’t sure what angelica smelled like, but now that I do, I’m not sure I like it. It is the dominant note with pepper and coconut tied for second. Angelica smells vaguely unhealthy in a way that I can’t quite put into words, however, it sure is interesting with the sweetened coconut. Wet: The angelica is still a little weird, but nicer on the skin as the sugar does it’s work. The effect is still a little cocoanut shoe polish, but it’s growing on me a bit. Dry: it’s much nicer now. The angelica has been tamed by the sugar and coconut, to make an interesting edge with the other elements. It will clearly need another test round, but I’m likely going to keep it.

In bottle: The cardamom is the strongest note. The whole effect is pleasing and a dry sort of spicey, with the other elements doing an excellent job of supporting the cardamom. Wet: mush the same only stronger with the tonka being a touch more assertive. This is delicate and unusual and makes me think of the dust on moth’s wings. It beautifully captures the concept. Dry: Cardamom and sugar.

In bottle: Yum! It does indeed smell like durian fruit meat and honey with brandy. It’s richly sweet and decadent. Wet: The brandy is a lot stronger on the skin, but continues to blend well with the honey and fruit. Dry: Sweet, sweet Durian. Delicious.

158: In bottle: This is rather confusing. Vanilla icing on top with a hint of something tart I’m failing to put a name to. Wet: It’s still making me think of vanilla butter cream icing. I think there’s a hint of floral in there and maybe a touch of citrus, but really it’s icing. Dry: The vanilla is really lovely here. It’s a knowing sort of vanilla, hard to explain or classify, but it works.

15: In bottle: It’s sort of shampooish. I’m guessing maybe balsam. It also gives the impression of paper and cool tile. It is faintly powdery. It may contain musk, but if so, likely white musk in small amounts. There is something vaguely orange blossomy. It’s soft and cool and clean smelling. Wet: Amber and the thing I think is orange blossom, but may be some other citrus on top. It’s very gentle and delicate and mildly sweet. Dry: mostly gum and balsam, I think, with that touch of orange.

In bottle: This is quite lovely. The tea, melon, mint, lime combination is striking and intensely appealing it it’s sweet tartness. The grape is unusually subtle, and the other elements mostly give it an herbal edge. This has several notes that my skin does nasty things too, so I shan’t skin test, but this is heartbreakingly lovely and I’m sorry there’s no chance of it working.

In bottle: The fruit note is complex, rich and definitely tropical. It blends well with the rich dark florals and the lighter amber and breeze elements. This rich and delicate at the same time, very appealing and womanly. Wet: This turns on my skin. I think it’s one of the fruit that doesn’t agree with my skin chemistry. Suddenly it’s a touch over ripe and the bits separate instead of blending properly. Dry: Mostly amber with a touch of the other elements.

The wild, untamed essence of lycanthropy. Primeval in its raw power and insatiable hunger: juniper, cypress and galangal with the barest touch of eucalyptus. In bottle: This has three notes of death in it, so no skin testing. This is as strong and sharp as turpentine. The effect manages to be clean and alarming at the same time. The juniper and cypress are strongest. This needs a strong personality to carry, but it could be interesting with the right chemistry.

In bottle: The pine and juniper are sharp and refreshing together. The effect is softened by the gentler vanilla, amber, and rosewood. The effect is rather the scent equivalent of a rose and a torn. I will not skin test due to the known effect of juniper on my skin.

In bottle: The heliotrope, bergamot and peach seem a bit over ripe and too sweet when taken together. Wet; The effect on my skin is unfortuneate, too intense, too sweet, and a little rotten. The musk added to my natural musk creates a not recently washed effect. This is all wrong with my skin chemistry. Dry: Unwashed body.

In bottle: A pleasant sharpness over a floral haze. The elements are well balanced, and the lilies are lovely. I will not skin test as there is no point with the rose.

In bottle: Very ozone aftershave, sort of pale green and clean smelling. I’m liking the tin note. I am suspecting lavender fugere. Wet: As in the bottle, but richer, a touch aquatic, and muskier, but that could just be my skin. I wonder if there’s a touch of linen in this, but it’s faint enough I could be wrong. Dry: I like the ozone/metallic/aquatic mix this is sporting. It keeps most of it’s proportions, though the centrql tin note fades faster than the ozone.

In bottle: Smells like mixed grasses, corn, and grain, all freshly trampled. I love this, but I’m not skin testing due to potential allergen issues. It’s heartbreaking as it’s pure summer fields and it’s glorious.

In bottle: Wow! Pretty much as described and utterly delicious. I can easily pick out black tea, bergamot, cake, and the cucumber note from squirting Cucumber. It’s an odd combo, but completely yummy. Wet: Now I can pick out the bread too. The items balance well, while staying distinct. Dry: Fast fading, alas, but the cucumber does some interesting things with what’s left of the cake and bergamot.

In bottle: Deliciously sweet and weirdly chemical. The effect is rather like vanilla/violet candies and anticeptic. The orris is strong, though not overwhelming. I’m bad with orris so I’m not skin testing.

In bottle: Chemical tainted lemonade. I do like the sugar note in this, but given the in bottle strength of the citrus, it will do ugly, ugly things on my skin, so no skin test.