Fancyfetus
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Everything posted by Fancyfetus
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Skull With Shell, Books, and a Crumple of Blush-Pink and Night-Blue Silk
Fancyfetus replied to Seajewel's topic in Halloweenie
I love this scent, though I can't say the notes align with my impression of it. On me I smell the yellowed paper, like the brittle pages of old paperbacks. Next there's some kind of muddled spring floral, backed by a shell or pearl note. I'm always surprised not to see s in the notes because that's what I get distinctly. If I breathe this in deeply I do get something fresh and mentholated, which must be the eucalyptus/cypress combo. I normally shy away from eucalyptus as a scent because it can be so overwhelming, but here it behaves quite nicely and just serves to add a bit of coolness. I like to reach for this when I'm feeling overwhelmed as I find it calms my nerves. Very pretty and wearable, average wear length on me. -
I blind bottled this one because I knew it had to be a winner. In the bottle this is very sweet. If you're familiar with the lab's cherry note this comes as no surprise. It's that candied cherry in thick syrup smell. As always, once on the skin it calms considerably. Next I get those spiced rose petals and red leather mingling with what is now a much less sweet cherry. The frankincense here is really holding this all together into something sophisticated and alluring. I get a bit of blackberry wine but only around the edges. All in all this actually feels like a perfect Yule scent. I've been wearing it a lot for holiday get-togethers and it's become a contender with Krampus as a dark, sexy holiday scent. It's the perfume you wear to lounge fireside in a velvet dress and lace stockings, blood red lipstick a bit smeared from feasting and drunken mistletoe kisses. It imparts an aura of power and confidence as well, to me. Juicy, luscious, and just a bit brooding, all wrapped up tight in red leather. Gorgeous.
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I used to keep mine in the same wooden chest as my perfume collection. I'd sit the bottles down right on top of their old caps. The result was a delightfully fragrant wooden box! But alas, my collection has now outgrown the chest. My next plan is to put them all into a cloth bag and store that with my linens, to lightly scent them with the mélange of beloved fragrances.
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Finally getting around to reviewing this after receiving it secondhand a little while back. In the bottle this frightens me. It is sharp, soapy, and powdery, with an aggressive rose note. On the skin, the soap thankfully melts into cosmetic cream. I agree with previous reviews that this cream is clearly expensive, thick, and luxurious. The rose here could be pink, and it is strong! I only start to get a touch of iris after the dry down. This does very much have a vintage feel, though it doesn't say "Grandma" to me unless your grandmother was Joan Crawford. This is a high-drama, vintage, diva's perfume. Fun and pretty, but just short of camp.
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My decant really benefited from a rest out of the mail. The sharp medicinal quality I got from my initial test calmed down considerably after about a week. This is a lovely fluttering blend of ambers, moving from honeyed and warm to, yes, almost pine. It has just the barest a hint of rich caramel. This smells like drifting in and out of sleep during a daytime nap with your lover, the bed sheets and your skin warmed by the afternoon sun pouring through your window. Dreamy, comforting, peaceful, and sensual. Put simply, this is radiant and glorious. Perfect on its own, but I'm sure it will layer beautifully with just about anything. I think this will be gorgeous with age.
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I had to snag a bottle of this, despite not knowing what datura actually smells like. As such, I can't comment on how true it is to the flower itself. When first applied, this smells like highly concentrated baby powder. This made me nervous, but the scent began to morph pretty quickly after application. Within a minute or two, it shifts completely to rose. It's very wet, like you've taken the entire head of a red rose at the height of bloom and crushed it tightly in your fist. A few minutes later, the fragrance morphs again, seeming to blend the initial powderiness with the rose. The entire effect reminds me a bit of a headier vanilla orchid. There's a hint of something green that starts to emerge around the edges, like a bit of cut stem. This adds a little sharpness that I really like. By the 20 minute mark, it settles into a gently powdered white floral that is quite lush, with a tiny bit of bite. It's got almost a sedative quality to it. I'm lazing around in a silk robe today, and this is a great scent for that activity. Datura Blossom will be a lot of fun to layer with other scents. I'm particularly curious about how it will mingle with Philopannyx, as well as Rosebuds, Mushrooms, and Moss. Something with violet in it might be fantastic with this. If you like white florals, then this could be for you. If not, I'd try out a decant before committing to a bottle.
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For once, I'm delighted to be first! This was my most desired Weenie scent this year, and one of only two that I blind bottled. I haven't seen much chatter about this one, despite my own excitement. ...Am I so out of touch? 🤔 No. It's the community that is wrong! 😜 Fresh on the skin, Insulation Board Tombstone is camphorous and a little unexpectedly smokey. It gives the impression of something off-gassing fumes, with an edge of sweetness that is halfway between pine needles and chemical sealant. Up next, I get a bit of plastic undercurrent and I believe a whiff of machine oil. This may have a grease note in common with Artificier. I think the off-gassing camphorous smell must be the foam itself. The blend of notes makes this too hard to place as being any one specific thing, though each be picked out individually if you're looking. It's a perfect gothy industrial blend. It puts me in mind of Tetsuo: The Iron Man. Simultaneously, to me there's something sweetly nostalgic about it. I think it gives off kind of an ambient garage vibe, which feels like a family project in preparation for Halloween. As it wears, the smokiness becomes more prominent and the off-gassing foam settles down significantly. Overall, Insulation Board Tombstone is totally bizarre and shockingly wearable. If you're a fan of industrial fragrances, this one is definitely worth a try.
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I blind bottled this on the recommendation of a true Slug devotee. Based on notes alone, it's not the kind of fragrance I normally reach for - but this is quite lovely! Slug is a whipped honeyed amber that's almost cuddly. The honey is very tame here - just sweet, light, and golden. There's something nostalgic about this scent. It smells like warm hugs and cozy evenings at home, and that's exactly when I reach for Slug - when I'm hoping to make an evening at home a bit cozier and warmer. This has low throw on me but hangs about close to the skin. It doesn't change much throughout wear and lasts about 5 hours. I can't see myself reaching for this before going out. For me this is very much a home scent, and occasionally a sleep scent when I'm not in the mood for anything herbal.
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This was my only Dragon Con indulgence. I was inspired to buy this primarily because I very recently moved into a new apartment with huge windows that let in tons of light. I was hoping to bring a new fragrance into this new space that reflected the bright, open feeling that I love so much about it. The peach in this is fresh and fragrant but not overly juicy. I am tempted to call it a white peach, as the acidity of a ripe yellow peach just isn't there. However, it's possible that the lemon blossom and honeysuckle have just sweetened the peach enough to neutralize any tanginess. I would describe it overall as a lightly sweet fruit scent with clean mystery florals. I'm not very familiar with lemon blossom so maybe it's spot on, but I couldn't say. It's a very bright, energizing scent to me. My husband described it as clean without smelling like cleaning products, which I have to agree with. It's what you want your home to smell like while tidying up or when your neighbors/in-laws/landlord drop by. I wish it were just a bit stronger of a fragrance, but I always want to drown absolutely everything in perfume so that's likely a personal issue. Used in moderation, this lingers beautifully about the room and gives the space an airy quality. I think this would be incredible in spring, but I'll keep using it until my Hearse samples get here.
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I waited as long as I could before purchasing, in the hopes of reading some other reviews. Finally, I had to give into the Equestrienne's siren song. Hopefully my experience will be of some help to another undecided soul. This review is from a skin test, as my hair currently smells of Marshmallows and Candyfloss. The leather here is slick and new, it smells crisp to me. I'm guessing black leather, as I recognize it from Black Rider. I have to bring my nose close to identify the floral note as rose specifically, maybe because it isn't a fresh rose. Overall, the rosewater is understated, just softening the bite of leather and alcohol. The real star of this show is the brandy. It's rich, warm, and just barely sweet. There's something sultry about it, and I think it could be mingling with the velvet to create a slight undercurrent of smokiness. This blend feels true to the label art. It's something you wear when you want to command authority and break hearts. It's a very classically sexy scent, with a bit of levity to it. The brandy is very realistic, and it's simply gorgeous combined with leather & rose. I know I'll be reaching for this quite often, especially on nights that I want to smell like a woman who owns a whip and knows how to use it.
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Having time to settle can definitely change the smell of your perfume. Some are pretty true to their character fresh from the mail, but I've had one bottle that took about 3 weeks of rest before it smelled "right". Everything else I've tried seems to vary within that range. I like to test mine fresh, then again after 3 days, and so on. Some perfumes are ready to wear immediately, others just need a bit of time.
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"Mad Scientist" inspired or adjacent scents?
Fancyfetus replied to KaelKitty's topic in Recommendations
What leaps to mind for me is the fragrance inspired by Dr. Caligari herself! 💉 Minty on My Lips - Even the brainiest femme fatale schemes are bound to collapse under the weight of a monstrous ego. The scent of defeat snatched from the jaws of success: a soft, satiny pink grapefruit punctured by a shiny metal drill bit. -
I received an imp of Burial secondhand. Unfortunately, I have no clue of its age. Burial is the soil scent I've been looking for. To me, this brings perfectly to mind the rich earth and decomposing wood and leaves that make up a forest floor. It smells damp, like it rained several days ago but this section of the woods is so thoroughly shaded by tree canopy that it has retained substantial moisture just below the very upper layer of leaf litter. What this doesn't smell like is a graveyard, or a "proper" burial. Cemetery grounds are all freshly mowed grass and sparse tree cover. All the fallen leaves are ushered away with a leaf blower, not allowed to rest and rot among the dead. Burial smells more like the place you find your untimely end. Rushing through a forested shortcut, you trip on a protruding tree root and break your neck in the fall. This is the scent of the earth ready to claim you and incorporate you in with all the countless dead things that have come before. It's truly a phenomenal fragrance. I don't get much floral in this, but it could just be mingled in with the other detritus. I think this would be gorgeous layered with a floral perfume. My heart says either lilies or violets, though white rose may be lovely as well.
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It's a shame that I'm first to review because I am struggling to pick out many of the listed notes. Maybe I'm getting some lilac, and after a bit of research I'm confident that I'm picking up the elemi, which must be what I keep mistaking for citrus. After about an hour, the plum and blackcurrant come through, ripe and fragrant but not too sweet. Despite being totally befuddled by the notes, I was immediately captivated by this scent. It somehow manages to be both fresh and dreamy all at once. This smells like a special occasion perfume. Like a magical night that stretches on forever and yet still ends too soon. It's the kind of scent that I hope to be wearing when a lover nuzzles into my neck. It's enchanting, exquisite, and romantic. This is a real winner for me, and I will absolutely be needing backups.
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Flower Moon: Belladonna Berries and Sugared Black Tea Hair Gloss
Fancyfetus replied to doomsday_disco's topic in Hair
This combination was such an obvious winner for me that I picked up the smallest decant size, knowing that unless something went horribly wrong I would need to upgrade I love the Lab's belladonna berry note, and love black tea. This smells exactly how I hoped. Luscious, waxy berries and sugared black tea. The tea in this smells just like the pitchers of sweet iced tea I keep in my fridge all summer. I only spritzed this on my arm, but I would be delighted to have my hair smell like this every day. For a duet, it's deceptively complex and sophisticated. I think this would be very sexy on someone masculine leaning as well. I may need 2 or 3 bottles of this. -
I haven't tried any of the others from this collection, so can't make any direct comparisons. On first whiff, I get coconut, lavender, and something acidic. I think this must be the blueberry, though it's difficult to say. As it dries down, the blueberry becomes more distinct. I trust that the rose is in there somewhere, but I can't quite distinguish it. The blue musk is fresh and bright, which balances the fattiness of the coconut beautifully. While this never goes fully tropical, it is a really lovely choice for a hot summer day.
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Warm, cooked grain, with a hint of spice and sweetness. To me this smells almost exactly like a fresh bowl of oatmeal. There is something wheatier about it. Maybe it's somewhere between the smell of oatmeal and the smell of cream of wheat. Very wholesome. Clearly a foodie smell but not in a mouthwatering way, more of a comforting kind of fragrance. This is what a kindly hobbit's house smells like. Food scents aren't usually my thing, but this one seems like it would be nice for rainy days indoors or times that you're feeling under the weather. A nice, warm hug in scent form.
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This is one of my husband's favorite scents on me, so I'll be looking into grabbing a HG if not a full size bottle of the perfume. Honey, carnation, bergamot, and a tablespoon of milk. I don't get much rose specifically, but it might be adding to a sense of powderiness of the fragrance overall. I'd be curious to layer this with Peacock Queen to infuse more fresh rose into it. This smells like wide eyes and soft skin. There's a wholesome quality to it, but it could also bring to mind a pin-up or a vintage Playmate. Maribou, fluttering lashes, pink cheeks, and plush curves. You're either wearing this on a visit to your grandmother, or slathering it on before a lazy afternoon romp with a favorite lover. I can a why this is a beloved classic, and the layering possibilities seem endless.
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So glad I got my hands on a sample of this one! This fragrance is downright bizarre - but only if you're paying attention. In passing it's a pleasant, gently citrusy perfume with a bit of sweetness. Very wearable day to day. Inoffensive. But on close inspection, it's slightly unnerving. I can smell the starless void? A liminal, flat nothing. It isn't inky black like the night sky, but matte like black paint. It smells echoey, in a way that's reminiscent of an indoor pool but without the chlorine. There is the definite hint of cigarette smoke, but it really is just a hint. The comparison to a Vegas casino is dead on - a whisper of cigarette beneath fragrance. Something in this is just bright enough to keep you from hurtling off into the void without a tether. Maybe the petitgrain and eucalyptus help to keep you [just barely] grounded. There is dirt in this. Not soil or earth but dry, dead dirt. I'll keep testing this to decide if I need the full size. I adore this as an art piece, but I'm not sure how much I'll really wear it.
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Samurai on a Bridge Battling a Ghost While Making Love to a Woman
Fancyfetus replied to Jenjin's topic in Lupercalia
I've been avoiding this review for long enough. I'll try to do it justice. This is primarily a chypre perfume; sophisticated, green, and mossy. I pick out the bright steel note immediately. I think it's the same gorgeous metallic that's used in Chrome Peaches - bright, sharp and almost sweet. A perfectly forged blade. On a deep inhale, the cinnamon appears. I think the cinnamon likes to hide amongst the moss. With careful attention you can pick out a flash of it, like the ripple and flutter of the samurai's red robes. I can imagine someone else's skin really amping the cinnamon here. The leather in this is quite polite. It's soft, worn leather - maybe brown. I can't quite pick out pomegranate, but there's the hint of incense. The oud helps to make the entire scent nice and round and whole, giving it some heft. I haven't been able to put my finger on what about this chypre is so particularly intoxicating, and I think it might be the saffron. It's just enough to add the lightest touch of gold, honeyed sweetness to the moss. Over time, this just gets warmer and softer but never loses its charm. This is a truly gorgeous blend and I'm glad I took a chance on it. There's a complexity and depth here that keeps me coming back for one more whiff. I can see this becoming a classic. If you're a fan of chypre perfumes, give this one a shot. -
I love this one. I'm not sure why I skipped over it the first time, but I was able to snag a decant and I'm so glad that I did. The lilac and plum here were thrown in a blender and now neither can be singled out from the fragrant slurry for long. Together, the tea and steel sing; as clear and silvery as moonlight. I don't get smoke at all until after a few hours of wear, and at this stage the lilac comes through strongly on its own as well. This is lovely start to finish. The overall effect is much more refined than the actions depicted on the bottle. I've learned that steel, plum, and lilac are all winners for me so full sizing this is an easy choice.
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I picked up a decant of this after seeing reviews indicating that it's heavy on juicy, wet vine. I want to smell like fresh, oozing plant matter. Fresh on the skin, that is exactly what you get. Viscous slime from a freshly cut vine. I'm in love! The florals are hanging out in this state too, but on me it's all about the vine. Gallons of green goo. A jungle hag sweating plant secretions, dancing with her tree frog familiar. Bathe me in this. Sadly this morphs considerably after a couple of hours. The vine slips away and the lilac + morning glory takes over. This stage only lasts a short time before becoming muddled into a vague, soft floral scent. Not unpleasant in any way, but no notes stand out and my glorious vines are a distant memory. You wake up in a stupor back in your own home, smelling vaguely of flowers. Perhaps the dancing jungle hag was just a dream. I haven't decided yet if I'll skip the full-size entirely or buy 2 bottles and absolutely drench myself in it to achieve maximum viney goodness.
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I received this as a frimp. To me this is musty, dusty, and sickly sweet. My overall impression is that of being in an attic that's unfortunately not been kept totally dry over the years. Not quite mildew, just a bit of damp in with the unfinished wood and dust. Wholly bizarre and unpleasant. However, I am no fan of patchouli or oranges, and I might recall disliking ylang ylang as well. This isn't the kind of evil I can get into. Off to the destash pile it goes.
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This reads as resinous to me more than creamy, it's a warm rounded scent. Nothing sharp or disharmonious about it at all. The florals are soft here and don't demand too much attention. The oak moss is grounding. My overall impression on wearing is that I think this makes me smell like a boy that's just been taken out of a perfumed wooden chest. It's a beautiful chest with intricate carving on it and a soft lining for storing treasures. The wood has been lovingly polished with fine smelling oils and waxes over years of careful stewardship. Maybe there's a sachet of dried flowers inside to keep the contents smelling lovely. Out I emerge from the chest, a boy smelling gently of resinous, perfumed wood. A pleasant and soft scent. Unfortunately I don't often want to smell like a boy, and when I do it's not this type. I'm more interested in smelling like a boy haunted doll or some kind of headless fiend in leather. I'll try this one out on my husband and see if it's a better match.
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A Winter’s Walk in the Cemetery
Fancyfetus replied to Seajewel's topic in Black Phoenix Trading Post
I don't get dried florals in this at all. On me, Winter's Walk is freshly cut and dewy. It's extremely wet, living flowers + grass. The rose in this is quite prominent on me, but I do tend to amp rose generally. Just beneath the rose is the grass. This grass is more crushed than cut. You've knelt down on a thick bed of grass, leaving the blades squished and bruised. The lily is playing quite nicely with the rose without going soapy, but it's in a supporting role. I get the tiniest hint of tea and maybe cypress, almost imperceptible under all the showy, herbaceous plant matter. I have to take it on faith that there is lavender somewhere in this, but I haven't been able to pick it out at all. I don't usually gravitate towards scents best described as "bright" or "fresh", but I really enjoy this. It smells like I've stuffed fistfuls of fresh flowers into each of my pockets, stems and all. This feels like a real all-occasion scent, and I can see myself returning to it often.