LavenderCoffee

Got a tester of this and it works better for me than the perfume oil. My skin amps the tobacco flower in the oil and I'm not tracking hardly any in the hair gloss. And the lavender seems a touch sweeter to me, but it's possible that's a function of the lighter tobacco flower.

I could swear I had tested this at some point, and maybe had a bad time with the wine note. But I got a fresh frimp from the lab this week and I feel like I'm smelling it for the first time! The wine has much more of a berry component to it than I recall, or perhaps my skin chemistry has changed, but either way I'm into it! A darkly delicious romantic interpretation of rose.

FYI: This oil needs to be rolled/gently shaken, there is about a 2/3 majority of murk that separates from the other components, at least in my bottle. Once it is blended, the oil is quite dark, a reddish chocolate sort of color that may stain clothing/leave an evident tint on skin. The grave soil and coffin wood are quite prominent in the early phase of wear. I'm reminded of the dusty, dry patchouli of Die Pest auf der Treppe, but this note is decidedly darker and woodier. The grave soil is vivid, damp, unmistakable. As it wears a bit of softness emerges, even a slight sweetness. The coffin wood becomes more comfortable lined with this satin, a well kept grave with nary a splinter in sight! It really treads the line neatly between something that could be wholly unpleasant and something that fails to capture the undead vibes. The moderate throw is dominated by earthy wood through the first hour or so, at which point more of a musky base and a bit of the faded cologne seem to emerge. It's subtly magnetic in an uneasy way: I really enjoy wearing it and it is also perfectly creepy. For all the murk that was in the bottle, there is no overpowering red or blood musk to my nose. This three days rested specimen is already nicely balanced, so I am looking forward to how it will mature. A delightful addition to any goth/vampire collection, and recommended for admirers of the lab's grave soil note.

Starts out a bit more froggy green and dries down a bit more color of money green. This is a silly way to say that ultimately it feels rather posh and expensive! A stunning, dark oud blend spangled with bay and amber and clove.

The Veil Falls like Leaves lives up to the poetry of its name: it's impossibly delicate, turning on the air weightlessly. Easily among the gentlest dead leaves scents you will ever sniff from this alchemical laboratory. I agree there does almost seem to be a hint of forgotten spice to it, and dusty clove is an apt descriptor. It's also really light on the leather - how does one make a veil out of leather? The two materials seem incongruous, and yet I find the leather more in the wispy sillage than on the skin. I am guessing the vanilla husk note that's been popping up over the past couple years might be in the mix, because the scent has no sweetness and is persistently dry. Elsewhere I suggested this as a solid Fall base layer - it's appropriate for any season, but if you want to layer oils to invoke something autumnal, this is a great place to start. It works great with Bonfire SN (eta: and Guttering Candle!), and I'm eager to test out other combinations.

hoo boy I am undone by this. just want to paint it on with a brush. I have the Cacao, Black Amber, and Black Copal trio from 2020 which I ALSO adore, and the amber/copal pairing here is reminding me strongly of that one. of course here we get yummy pitchy smoke instead of cacao and it's just smashing. bottle in cart.

this goes on with such an incredible sparkling effervescence I find myself wondering: what if sunshine was a soda flavor? the fizz settles down as it wears, and as I breathe in the bay laurel and fossilized amber, I am reminded of the Laurel Wreath from the Kotinos release over the Summer. of course this is the roar and not the diadem, yet it begs another question: what if we took that gorgeous but humble wreath and seriously glammed it up? every golden facet of every note seems to reflect sunshine back to me, a glowing halo of scent. I assume the frank was providing the fizz and I think it's also lending a light lemony tint alongside the bergamot. in case you are concerned about it, I don't find the clove especially spicy here - it provides more of an ambient warmth. everything about this from a perfume perspective is stunning, and I can see it lending a needed boost of confidence to those wanting one. I certainly needed a roar today.

My sample vial is positively murky with cacao, but a vibrant peach is the first note that jumps out at me on application. I smell a warm, inviting earthy cacao-clay base with a distinct top note of spicy chili, and so much fruit richness in between. Sorry to be boring but it really just smells exactly like the painting looks! The honey comes forward more as the oil dries. It's gorgeous. I'm not sure how much I would actually wear this/aka whether I should snag a bottle, but I do want to keep my decant.

This has a positively *dreamy* powdery vintage thing going on! It might need to be added to my sleep scent rotation.

I think the previous reviewers have really articulated this scent well. I was hesitant to go for it because the description makes it sound a bit too foreboding, but I was tempted anyway because this collection has been so consistently great for me! which resins are usually described as bitter smelling, I wonder? I do get a bit of the effervescence fey mentions, so perhaps a bit of labdanum or something similar? I don't get much bitterness from this, the only edgy bit for me is the metallic aspect, which is what I was most concerned about. it's most apparent on application but actually plays nice for me through the rest of the wear. I'm most impressed by the vanilla powering through here, up against all the scary notes, and I think the musk is giving it a nice boost. a lovely haunted scent.

Paysage 2024 is an intoxicatingly mercurial shot of moon juice for a snowy night. The bright beckoning core of vanilla/tuberose/musk somehow recalls Le Serpent Qui Danse in its strangely simple complexity, and shimmers across hypnotic plum tinted opium datura depths. Tobacco isn't coming across as strongly as I thought it might, but I think it's taming the murky mugwort and binding everything together. Overall this has a certain dramatic flair to it that I really enjoy, but I rarely find myself reaching for opium-forward blends. Maybe when the moon is bright!

This begins with the most exquisite lavender, but after a few minutes it takes a sinister turn. Discomfiting indeed! Agree with both murky and sepulchral. Disagree with how this is playing out with my skin chemistry.

2024 release This is so pretty! Reminiscent of Druids Cutting Mistletoe on the Sixth Day of the Moon, but sweetened by bayberry and pleasantly resinous. A soft, gorgeous scent for the season.

Ohhh boy. Yeah. That's the stuff. If you suspect this one is for you, you are correct. The blackberry is dark and rich, providing the perfect amount of tart sweet fruit to go with the tobacco. Both notes have tremendous staying power. Yep. ?

Smoky oud comes on strong at first, but do not fear! It plays nice. Hazy and red is spot on, courtesy of said oud and the persistent top note of red peppercorn. This is absolutely a dimly lit, velvet upholstered back room with a crystal ball - it's wild. Gotta wait around a bit for the plum and beeswax to manifest, but I am here for it. Paid my 5s, after all. Suuuper curious how this one will settle in over time.