katharina

I definitely get cucumber or some other melon adjacent scent right off the bat. It then turns into a very chemical laden scent, that makes me wonder how many brain cells are dying with each sniff. It smells like a photography studio or an art studio of a collage artist who uses a lot of rubber cement. There's a faded scent memory from when my mom was an art director at an ad agency and I would go to work with her. She'd have me collage with scraps of paper leftover from projects. This was back in the 80's when designs were done by hand, images carefully glued down and type was rubbed on, using this cool rub-on material. Lots of acrid glue, industrial papers, ink, and chemicals. I don't think I would choose to wear this scent, but my mom is coming to live with me and her memory is starting to fade. I wonder if this oil will bring her back to her glory days in the art world? Back when she was young, not too far away from her art school years, living in Phoenix and starting to raise a family while working...I'll probably keep this around for her.

When I saw this on Etsy and read the notes I had to jump on it, even though I was super disappointed in the last Velvet I had tried (Dogs Playing Poker). I am so fucking glad I took a chancce on this beauty! In the bottle: Smells like spicy perfume. Intriguing, but not what I had imagined. However, it wasn't off-putting either. Wet: The spicy clove comes on strong, and I am not mad about it. Within a couple of minutes the dust and tobacco come out to play. They soften and ground the spice. There is something a tad medicinal at this stage--either the cedar or the tumbleweeds? Though I am from the AZ desert I have never sniffed a tumbleweed. The dust makes the spiciness a dry one, and the tobacco adds a masculine edge. I think this could be the perfect spicy unisex scent. Dry: Beautifully soft clove--the dust lays over the clove/spice in a fine layer, making the scent far more atmospheric than foody. This is a beautiful blend.

Bottle: This all butter, all day in the bottle. I am a little nervous, because I think the buttery popcorn can be an excellent supporting note, it could also be overwhelming. Wet: It's butter, popcorn, vanilla, and polished wood. I really want to smell the spun sugar, which is what I bought this for, but it's still in the background, barely detectable. Dry: During the dry down the spun sugar becomes more prominent, as the buttery popcorn recedes. Whew! I have to admit that I was worried for a minute, because the butter starts out so strong! It's still there, but not as overwhelming. The polished wood and vanilla blend together nicely to support the spun sugar goodness. If you want spun sugar straight from the beginning, this isn't the scent for you--IF you have similar chemistry to me. If you want a subtle cotton candy supported by vanilla, polished woods, and buttery popcorn--and are willing to give that buttery popcorn it's 15 min of prominence, you just might like this.

Yea, that wasn't directed at you, at all. I was just quoting your recommendations.

You didn't notice because unlike me, you haven't been stalking it on the website for ages!

I have finally found this beauty, thank you swaps forum! I am a born and raised Arizonan, now living amongst the mossy redwoods. While the heat of the desert is unbearable, I long to be reunited with it's smells, as they have been imprinted on my soul. (Cheezeball Alert!) Bottle: Herbaceous, sandy and reminiscent of D'jed. Wet: Wow. This is a sweeter, "perfumier" version of D'jed. While not exactly the same, they must share many similar notes. Although funnily enough, no shared notes are listed.😕 Dry: Once fully dry the only thing that distinguishes from D'jed is that it's a much fainter scent. I know this because I tested one on each wrist. Very scientific! 👩‍🔬

I just got Coyote (SQUEE!) and have to agree. It's been out of stock for quite sometime (I got it through a swap), but I'd be willing to decant some for you the next time we swap! FYI, I believe Ivanushka is for sale by batsy, if you want to try.

Is it possible to fall in love with s scent? No, I'm being serious. Like you find a scent and it's your soul mate and now you are wondering how to write Paper Phoenix on your marriage license application without the registrar looking at you funny? Ahem. I like this scent a lot. Someone gave me a tester and before I even tried it on I managed to score a bottle through a trade, so I decided to skin test it. HOLY FUCK. I have never smelled Dorian, Antique lace, or Formula 54, but goddamn, they made a beautiful baby! In the bottle: First whiff was straight up cologne, which is why it took me so long to skin test it. It wasn't bad, but I was like "What's the fuss about?" Wet: Cologne is still there, but has been pushed far to the back with lemon tea coming in stronger. There's a hint of vanilla supporting it all. Dry: Creamy, luscious, comforting, magical goodness. I can't even really pick out a note, but this is what lying on a cloud with a snuggly blanket, and your your mom baking *something* sweet must smell like. If heaven exists, it smells like this.

In the Bottle: Straight up goat butter. It's a bite of creamy tang with a light sweetness in the background. Wet: The tang softens pretty immediately on my skin and becomes much more subtle. It's still there, but in the background allowing the cream to shine. I am not getting musk, but there's soft fur in this, I swear. There's a lightly sweet floral hanging back--like a shy preschooler--she's not scared, just a little shy and observing before she comes out to play. Dry: Honestly, this is just delicious. Soft, musky, creamy, very light floral with a smidge of a bite-just a faint memory of a prick, really. A friend is having an her farm warming party this weekend, with vaccinated family and a couple of friends who are family, and I think I need to wear this, so the goats recognize me. 😊

I am guessing that this one required aging before being able to really enjoy all of the notes. If you didn't like this new, try it aged--it may surprise you! Bottle: Sweet butter--guessing this is partially cookie and partially white chocolate. I am a little worried that it's going to stay like this as it's a tad overwhelming. Wet: Mmmm, ok! Sweetness is still there, with a cool tingle too--possibly the tinsel note? MUCH less butter. Can get a whiff of the cotton candy and cookie-ness of it. I can see why others mention a plastic hint--it's not overwhelming and recedes fairly quickly as the tinsel and spun sugar become more prominent. Not getting cinnamon at all. Dry: I am really liking how the cotton candy and tinsel are playing together. @brwnpaperhag describes it well.

Not sure how easy this will be to find, but Unicorn and Ram (Wooly musk, soft leather, cashmere, cardamom, and leather oudh) is so snuggly!

For me, one of the strongest notes is the balsam. I live in Humboldt County, CA and we are very well known for one of our, um, crops that the balsam bears a strong resemblance to, scent wise. 😁 Bottle: Not much smell at all--dry and dusty, and sorta not there. Wet: Holy Cannabis, I mean Balsam, Batman! It smells like I walked into a cannabis grower's home where lot's of vanilla incense is burned. The haze could be overwhelming, but it's not. You can get a faint whiff of the dust that's in the air and surrounding the old philosophy books on the shelf. It's a cozy vibe. No leather. Dry: The scent that evoked cannabis has softened down, making this an herbaceous vanilla. Still no leather.

I bought my fella Tezcatlipoca because it's such a great and sexy scent! I wonder how you would feel about Mummies of México City? It's a Haute Macabre scent that is restocked periodically. It does have a bit of the Lace feel, but also incense-y with a sliver of gold.

In the bottle: Straight up litterbox. Am I actually smelling shit? Wet: A little less shit, some sweetness underneath it. Dry: HOLY WOW. It's now incredibly delicious, resinous, spun-sugar goodness. It took a good 15 min for the shit-stench of the oud to calm enough for the other scents to emerge, but once it does, it is heavenly! The trade off is smelling like literal shit for 15 minutes. Is it worth it? time will tell. ETA 9/9/2021: My roommate and good friend fell IN LOVE with this scent. Since she has a birthday coming up, I went ahead and gave it to her. I still have borrowing power though!

Honestly, I am in love with this scent. I bought it blind (off the forum? off FB?) because it sounded intriguing, although not necessarily something I would love. This is one that I appreciate in all of its stages, from the first whiff in the bottle to last bit of haze as it dies off. The only thing wrong with this scent is that it was a limited edition and I don't see it for sale much. I am hoping I com across another bottle when this one is gone. To me, it is the scent of early, early spring. Just thawing soil, the beginnings of the first signs of life from the earth, ice, musk and a vision of warms fires with some nookie going down. The ice note is present, but is warmed by the hearth wood and heather which ground it. HIGHLY recommend.

I just picked up a bottle of You're a Daisy if You Have (2019 Lilith) in my quest for the perfect desert scent. Very strong, dry leather in this one, which I enjoy, but may not be for everyone.

In the Bottle: There is something citrusy about this, but I can't quite put my finger on it. Wet: It smells the way tea leaves frequently smell to me--soapy. It's not bad, but not my favorite either. Dry: There is a very distinct scent memory that I am getting with the dry down. Picture it: Phoenix, AZ 1984, hanging with my bestie and her Aunt Mo. Aunt Mo is letting us go through her purse which smells like 80s cosmetics, 80s drugstore perfume, and a pack of cigarettes. It's oddly comforting.

Hi @erinface! I am new too, but a bit obsessive, so I have blind bought several bottles to figure out what I like. Here are some that you may like: Gingerbread Mummy. This is a current Limited Edition (LE) so, not sure how long it will be avialble. The Antikythera Mechanism Hellfire Anathema Pink Champagne (also an LE) Everyday You Play with the Light of the Universe (LE) Bastet (has cardamom instead of clove, but it's very warm and approachable) People who have been around much longer than I can probably help more, but I love all of the ones above. Welcome!

Haunted maybe?

I wonder if the Amber & Cardamom duet would work for you? Or Bastet? Or Nasty Woman? All of these are currently available. Also thinking about Mandeville's Phoenix, & Some Strangeness in the Proportion, but these are LEs, however, I didn't have to search super hard to find them.

In the bottle: The hickory smoke note of the bacon overwhelms. I can detect a bit of chocolate under it, but I have to look for it. Wet: Oh! That's surprising! The bacon scent moves to background, becoming a smoky container for the chocolate and cassia. Dry: Jesus Harry Christ! Why does my skin burn?! Oh, shit and red welts too??? I guess cassia and I don't get along. She smells lovely though, supporting the chocolate and being supported by the smoke. This is a surprisingly beautiful scent. I actually wasn't expecting to like it, so now I am disappointed that it's left me with a rash. For those of you wary of the bacon, there's really no need to be. Yes, you can smell it, but no, it doesn't overwhelm (of course skin chemistry being what it is, YMMV). If you have sensitive skin this may not be for you. Other cinnamon blends have not bothered me, but this one with cassia does. *shrug*

I was super excited for this one, because I like the thought of scents with color. In the bottle: Ugh, it has the same pukey-sour, unsettling smell as Gold and Tears does, another one I was disappointed by. Is there carrot seed in this? Wet on the skin: The puke note has settled pretty quickly, and I definitely smell fizz. Beth is a goddamn genius, with her ability to create a smell as fleeting and enigmatic as 'fizz'. I am not sure what is creating the sense of 'pink', but it is there. It's subtle and is sensed on the exhale. Interesting. Dry: this is light and effervescent, and it smells like it's name. While I don't hate this scent, in fact there is something rather sweet about it, the initial puke note (that seems to be just me?) is enough to keep me from wearing it, I fear. I will let this settle a few more weeks and try again. If you see it for sale by me you'll know it wasn't a match.

I am straight up in love. Gingerbread Mummy, will you marry me? I promise to wear you weekly and treasure always your glorious scent: In the bottle: Goddamn, that's some spicy gingerbread! Wet: The marshmallow comes out to play very quickly. Imagine warm gingerbread slathered with ooey, gooey marshmallow fluff. Drydown: Ahhh! There you are sandalwood! You blend so sweetly and only make your presence known at the end. Even then, you are enveloped in warmth and softness. Regrets: That your scent only last 3 hours or so on my skin, and that I only have 1 bottle.

Initially, it's all rose to me. But as the scent dries down there is a spicy element that reads as saffron and not the other noted spices, odd. I do like it, but it's not what I expected. i will need to wear it in different circumstances to test it further.

This is everything cozy and safe to my nose. The clove husk and green cumin are anchored by the black pepper. The sandalwood, patchouli, and oudh provide sexy sophistication to the blend, but don't overwhelm it at all. The dust and ash are subtle players to my nose, adding a hint of mystery. I really don't know what nagarmotha smells like. I wear this whenever I need a pick me up, or I am feeling to scattered. It's incredibly grounding--the essence of earth, despite having wings.