vthesiren

I finally discovered bpal.org's search function last week and did a search for "clove" after falling in love with Port-au-Prince. This was one of the ones that sounded the most intriguing. Then I was online at the time of the Etsy boom and had to snatch one of these up. Now that I'm wearing it? It's gorgeous. I'm so glad I took a chance on it. It doesn't seem very impressive in the bottle, but on my skin, it blooms into the most wonderful deep, spicy scent. At first it's CLOVE CLOVE CLOVE, but then it settles down into this rich, dark vanilla scent with hints of red pepper and a tiny bit of an earthy undertone. I don't normally like vanilla, but this is making me reconsider. There's also something really familiar about this scent - it evokes memories of my extended family's place up in Maine. The Wild Men and I, we were meant to be. I only regret not buying more than one bottle.

Holy cow, this is strong. I only applied a dab, and that's enough to make my eyes water. Smoky, burning green things. Vetiver and... sage? This really reminds me of the smudge sticks I saw people use when I went to ritual. Nostalgia! I'm not sure when I'd get a chance to use this, because again - strong. But there's something about it that makes me feel like a total badass. Looking at the other scents mentioned in this thread, I'm going to have to check out Djinn.

When Mom showed this to me, she said, "It smells like a doctor's office." I sniffed it, agreed, and we both left it alone for a while. But I think that was necessary, because it wound up settling into something really, really nice. - In bottle: Leather and booze. - Wet: The leather becomes more prominent, and the opium lends a sort of spicy-smokiness to it. - Dry: Leather, smoke, and spice, and I think I'm getting that coconutty note that other people mentioned with the massoia. I can't believe I was iffy about this before, this is warm and comforting and aaahhhhh. If this were a coat, I'd snuggle into it FOREVER.

I was so excited to try this, but when I put it on the honeysuckle PUNCHED ME IN THE FACE while my beloved opium peeked around the corner, not knowing quite what to do. I can't find the vetiver at all, unless it's lurking behind the honeysuckle somewhere. This is thick, cloying, and sweet to the point where it irritates my throat and gives me a sinus headache. I'm not getting sexy from this, I'm getting decay. Alas, we are not meant to be. /makes note to avoid honeysuckle in the future Edit: After attacking my wrists with soap and water, the vetiver's came out - a sort of burning grassy smell. I sort of dug it in Saturnalia, but it was too hidden/clashing with other notes here.

Received an imp from the lovely zewtsuit! Mmmm. Cloves, rum, and sassafras, with something musky and pleasant underneath. I think I might amp clove, but I like how this smells so much that I'm not bothered. I just want to nom on my wrist! Looking like a big bottle in my future. I am in LOVE.

Starts off as a really bright, citrusy scent, then calms down to a somewhat smokey incense note right next to my skin. Wonderful.

Bottle: Incredibly buttery, sweet, caramel-y coffee, with a rather sharp dry woodsy note. Wet: Oh, blergh, this is not working for me. The woodsy note is just getting stronger, and the blend is turning into something terrifying. I'm making horrified faces at my wrist. Drydown: Yeah. I think I'm in the "stale corn chip" camp. I'm barely getting any coffee at all now, and the books have yet to make an appearance. Oh, wait, is that the dust? It's... not helping. Gonna go wash this off... the description is SO ME but the oil and my skin do not agree.

I'm a n00b who's been trying to absorb everything in the past week, but I would love a newbie guide. In particular, I'd like clarification of the following terms: Amp - this is short for "amplify", right? As in "my skin amps this certain note, so it overpowers everything else"? "Death note" - does this mean a note that dies immediately on the skin, a note that smells horrible upon application, or does it vary depending on the person using it? Oh, and why is it that when I look in some sales threads, there are posts with periods spaced throughout the names li.ke t.h.is? Thanks in advance!