Penance

Origin: I got a 5mL of this from Astrobabe, who kindly picked it up for me from the Lab. First sniff: Oh, boy...is that civet I smell? If not, it's a darker musk of some sort. It's very similar to Satyr to my nose which is, admittedly, not the best at deciphering animalistic notes. It certainly smells a lot like civet to me, though, and not much else. I don't know if I'll be able to wear this or not. Wet on skin: Well, it's not cat pee on my skin, which is good. It's definitely a musk of some sort, but maybe it's not civet after all. This is definitely more wearable than I'd anticipated it being from the way it smelled in the bottle. I don't normally go for strong musky scents, but there's something sexy about this, strangely enough. I think it might be working on me. Dry down: Musk of some sort and definitely not the scent of skin but sexy and sensual smelling, somehow. There's a bit of cognitive dissonance going on here, too...my nose is saying "This is dangerously close to smelling like cat pee" (my normal reaction to dark musks and civet in particular) but my body's got another, more favorable, opinion of Flame of Desire. I think I may just have to learn to live with smelling a little bit like I've been peed on by a tomcat because I feel good wearing this. The bottom line: More evidence that the Voodoo Blends (and BB Exclusives) aren't really about smelling good...this one's a keeper in spite of the fact that I don't like the way it smells.

Origin: Lagniappe from the Lab. First sniff: Hmm, interesting...Goneril seems to be equal parts of cedar and flowers and I'm not sure how I feel about that. I love cedar to the point of obsession but flowers and I don't generally get along, so I'm up in the air about this one right at the moment. Wet on skin: Pretty much the same as in the imp. The only floral I recognize is the geranium because we used to have pots of them all over our front porch when I was growing up and I would pluck the petals to use to draw on the steps with. It's not an overpoweringly floral blend, but I'm not sure if the flowers are really subtle enough for me to be able to really wear this. Dry down: I wanted to like this because of my love for cedar, but Goneril and I just aren't getting along. Somehow the geranium just isn't appealing to my nose. At all. I don't know what it is about it but I just can't quite make myself like it, unfortunately. The bottom line: Another potentially great blend ruined by flowers. Goneril is going to be finding a new home.

Origin: I got an imp of this from kmasden. Preconceived notions: Let me start off by saying that I have no idea what possessed me to try this. Florals are (as anyone who knows my taste in perfume knows) not my thing and I don't normally wear fruit, but I wanted to try this (for whatever reason) and try it I shall. First sniff: Huh, I'm not quite sure what to make of this. The musk and spice and mandarin are htere, no doubt, but there's an almost syrupy sweet, vaguely floral note in the background that I'm not so sure about. Somehow this smells very southern to me, like cornbread and molasses, as strange as that sounds. Wet on skin: So far, Hell's Belle is holding steady. If anything, it's a tiny bit more floral now than before, but I still get that initial impression I got before. I have no idea where it came from, but it's unshakeable. If I had to pick out notes in this I'd be hard pressed to do it. All I can say is that I smell syrupy sweet florals and musk of some sort and a hint of spice. This really is much nicer than I'd imagined, but I'm not sure it's me. Dry down: Nothing new to report. Hell's Belle is a very steady scent, not a quick change artist like some BPAL scents I've tried. I'm still standing on my previous impressions on this one, as odd as they may be. The bottom line: I'm going to have this give this one some thought before I decide if I want to keep my imp or not.

Origin: Lagniappe from the Lab. First sniff: Pear is the first thing I smell, but it's a floral pear, somehow...it's not pears and florals, it's a floral pear, like one note, which is kind of odd but rather pretty. If I had to say which floral note this is, I'd say lily of the valley, but it's so well blended with the pear that it's somewhat difficult to tell for sure. Wet on skin: This is almost identical to the most recent Chaos blend I've tried (XXXII). It's soft and unoffensively fruity/floral and realistic to the point that I can almost taste it. This really isn't bad at all at this point, in spite of my floral aversion. Dry down: The rose is coming out now, which is unfortunate because I realy don't care for rose. Something about this is just too...aggressively girly, I guess, even though it's namesake is male. I'm not a rose kind of girl, unfortunately, so Endymion's going to be finding a new home. The bottom line: Endymion as actually alright right up until the point where the roses staged their coup d'etat, but it was downhill from there.

Origin: Lagniappe from the Lab. Fist sniff: I'll be damned...is that spicy note I smell what people are talking about when they say "spicy carnation"? I've never encountered spicy carnation in anything before, so that's a surprise. I'm not particularly optimistic about this one, though, since I really don't care for rose and carnation has a nasty habit of making me sick if I'm around it for any length of time. In this I smell the tea and the spiciness that has to be the carnation (and which is quite nice provided it doesn't make me nauseous). Wet on skin: Spice, spice and more spice...this smells like cloves, actually, and if I didn't know better I'd swear that was what I was smelling. I think that the spicy variety of carnation may be alright since I don't feel sick yet. The only thing I don't like about this is the rose underneath it all. I don't like rose and especially not powdery rose, which is what's in Maiden. Dry down: I still smell cloves (they're related to carnations, aren't they?) and baby powder. If it weren't for the rose, there's a good chance I would really like this, I think, but unfortunately the rose ruins it. The bottom line: Maiden was actually a rather nice surprise, even if the rose keeps me from really liking it.

Origin: Lagniappe from the Lab. First sniff: I didn't expect to like this since I'm not a rose fan, but this is nice. I smell the wine most prominently right now, then the dragon's blood and finally the rose. It's a very dark red kind of scent, both in feel and in color and I actually like it. Wet on skin: Dammit. As usual my skin has decided that Blood Rose is nothing but rose. For some reason, my skin really amplifies florals, especially rose, which is unfortunate because I really don't particularly care for the smell of roses. Dry down: Slightly sour smelling roses, which must be the roses wreaking havoc with the red wine note. I wnated to like this in spite of my rose aversion, but nothing doing, apparently. The bottom line: Another good scent ruined by roses. I'm sure someone else will love this, but it's definitely not for me.

Origin: Lagniappe from the Lab. Preconceived notions: This one sounds a bit confusing to me. I think dark and maybe dusty when I think of this one's namesake, but the description sounds very light and almost springtime-like. First sniff: Yep, definitely light and flowery. I smell powdery violets and a bit of sandalwood and iris. I don't get any of the musk or neroli yet and if I'm lucky the neroli won't make an appearance at all since it hates me and I hate it. Right now I don't see this being me. I can't smell violets without thinking of violet mints and I don't want to smell like them, to be honest. Wet on skin: Aha, The Raven has pulled a quick change on me. The musk has come out somewhat and (unfortunately) the neroli is putting in an appearance, too. It's much darker and less flowery than before, but it's still not a dark scent by any stretch of the imagination. Dry down: Neroli and baby powder, which is most likely the violets which tend to go quite overzealously powdery on me. This is definitely not me. At all. The bottom line: I really didn't think this would be for me, so it's not really a disappointment that I don't like it. I'm glad I got to give it a shot, though.

Origin: Lagniappe from the Lab. Preconceived notions: This was on my wishlist at one point, but since then I've learned that vetiver is hit or miss and I don't particularly like gardenias, roses or jasmine, so I'm not really sure this will work for me. First sniff: No florals, thankfully, just lots of vetiver and some cinnamon and leather. This smells fairly masculine to my nose, but I tend to prefer gender neutral or masculine scents, so that's not a bad thing in my book. Wet on skin: Much less intense in the vetiver department, which is good since it can be overpowering. There's some vague florals here, too, mainly jasmine, but mainly it's vetiver, cinnamon and leather. This is really sexy smelling and I'm sure it would smell fantastic on a guy. I may test that theory on the boy if I decide I don't mind sharing. Dry down: Mmm, this smells good. I smell a little bit of everything now and even the flowers are sexy. The leather's quickly becoming more and more prominent and dragging the cinnamon along for the ride and I really like this. It's not too masculine for most women, I wouldn't think, it's just aggressive smelling and not for the sugar and spice kind of girls. The bottom line: Much sexier than I'd imagined. I was worried about this one, but I really, genuinely like this. Kudos to the Lab for throwing this in with my order!

Origin: Lagniappe from the Lab. Preconceived notions: I already know I don't like Glitter (it was one of the first BPAL scents I tried, mainly out of curiosity), but since I haven't reviewed it and I've got another imp on hand, I figure I may as well give it a shot and report what I think of it. First sniff: Lotus, that's why I don't like Glitter, I remember now. To me, lotus smells like bubblegum and I can't tolerate the smell of bubblegum. That's really all I'm getting from Glitter right out of the imp. It actually smells quite similar to Aunt Caroline's Joy Mojo to me right at the moment. Wet on skin: Bubblegum and white wine. This is what Lolita should have been like - grown up but innocent and childish all at once. Unfortunately, this really isn't my kind of scent, the same way Jailbait wasn't. This is way too bubblegum sweet for me. Dry down: Bubblegum and a tiny hint of pear. I might like this if it weren't for the lotus/bubblegum note. I'm really starting to learn that I should avoid any blend with lotus in it, including Kathmandu which I used to love and now can't wear because the bubblegum note is more prominent to my nose now. The bottom line: Glitter is sadly not for me, but maybe on someone else it would be gorgeous. It's going to have to find a new home.

No reducers on my most recently received orders, either. I just tip the bottle up against my wrist and then rub my wrists together and run them down my neck. Screw contamination, it's the easiest way to get it on heavy enough.

Here you go... UNSEELIE - Diabolus CHYPRE - Bewitching Brews SILENTIUM AMORIS - Funereal OIls BANSHEE - Diabolus ENTROPY - Diabolus CALLIOPE - Bewitching Brews SPECTRE - Diabolus MELPOMENE - Bewitching Brews GOONA GOONA - Voodoo Blends DAMNATION - Sin & Salvation HAKKOTSU - Diabolus PANDORA - Bewitching Brews ERATO - Bewitching Brews

Origin: I got an imp of this from the wonderful Sarada. Preconceived notions: I've been dying to try this one. It sounds perfect for me and I'm really looking forward to it. I expect something like Zombi without the rose, so I'm hoping I'm not too far off. First sniff: Mmm, this smells like Demeter's Earthworm only a million times better. This is wet, loamy soil at its finest. This is gorgeously earthy and just what I'd imagined. Wet on skin: Dirt, pure loamy dirt. I just love the smell of wet soil, so this is making me very happy. I already figured I'd be needing a bottle of this and now I know for absolute certain. I need as bottle of this! Dry down: I'm a country girl through and through and this is the smell of working in a garden or in the fields after a summer rain, with the wet soil coating your hands and knees. This isn't dry, dusty dirt...it's rich soil, the kind you need if you plan on growing anything. I don't think of a graveyard when I smell this, I think of a plowed field after a summer downpour. The bottom line: I love, love, love this. I might very well sell my soul for a bottle of this one.

Origin: Lagniappe from the Lab. Preconceived notions: I'm quickly learning that neroli isn't my friend and I'm not a big berry fan (although I do really like the smell of huckleberries because they're so tart) so I don't expect Jester to work for me, but I'll give it a shot. First sniff: Berries. Lots and lots of sweet berries (this must be the red currant because it's not huckleberries I'm smelling). It somehow reminds me of gummy bears, too, which is just something that happens with me and certain fruit (and specifically berry) scents. I don't smell the neroli yet, but I do smell a whole lot of currants, which, unfortunately, really isn't my thing. Wet on skin: Whoa, there's the neroli. I knew it would crop up sooner or later. It always does and, as always, it's making me a little sick to my stomach. The berries are still there, too, with the huckleberry portion making a valiant effort at coming through, but the neroli is overpowering it which is a pretty big letdown since I actually love huckleberies. Dry down: All I'm getting is neroli and a faint hint of huckleberry now. If I didn't despise neroli and could get past the intense red currant initial stage, I'm sure this would be a fun scent, but, as it stands, this one's a no-go for me. The bottom line: I know my tastes and aversions well enough to have known from the start that this wouldn't work for me, but it's still a bit of a let down to know that I was right.

Origin: Lagniappe from the Lab. Preconceived notions: I already know I'm among the few who don't love Alice. In fact I'm among the very few who truly hate it. Milk-type scents in general make me a little queasy fairly often but add carnation to that and it's a definite nauseator. But, in the interests of reviewing, I'll give her one more chance. First sniff: Oh, yeah, now I remember the main reason why I despise Alice: it smells like almonds. That's not to say there's actually any almond oil in here, just that it smells like there is. Normally I'd assume my instant nausea when I open the imp was almond-induced, but since it's not listed in the notes I'm going to assume it's most likely the milk or the carnation (or a combination of the two since I can wear White Rabbit just fine), although the reaction I'm having is a bit extreme for that. But yeah...it smells like almond milk to be exact. Wet on skin: Okay, having dabbed it on as lightly as possible I smell...almond. I don't know if I'm imagining it or if it's just a combination of things that just smell like almond or what, but that's what it smells like to me. No milk, no honey, no flowers, just almonds. There's maybe a vague similarity between this and the milk note in White Rabbit, but it's barely there for me. Dry down: At least the almond note (or whatever it was) has disappeared. Now I get rose and a hint of milk. I still don't like Alice, but it's better than it was before. This scent just isn't for me by any stretch of the imagination, unfortunately. The bottom line: "Queasier and queasier...." Alice hates me in much the same way blends with almond in them do, unfortunately, so it's off to a new home with her.

Origin: Lagniappe from the Lab. Preconceived notions: I'm really curious about this one (and Oneiroi). I like Somnus because it works but I couldn't stand to try Baku (I hate anise/fennel), so I'm curious to see whether I'll like Temple of Dreams and whether or not it works. I'm expecting lavender since it seems to be a main component in all the Dream oils but, other than that, I don't know what to expect. First sniff: Very herbal. It almost smells like Baku at first but then I realize it's not anise I'm smelling, but some sort of herb instead. I don't know why I initially thought anise because it's not really that similar. It's vaguely sweet and very herbal and smells clean and comforting. Wet on skin: Rosemary, maybe? Or basil? I don't know what this is, but I like it! The lavender is coming out now, too, balancing the other herbal notes and making me think of lavender water linen spray in the best possible way. I actually really like the way this smells, unlike Somnus which is actually somewhat unpleasant to me. I could actually see myself wearing this as a real perfume. Dry down: That same herbal note from before (I think it's basil) is dominating again and I really like it. I didn't expect to actually like the way this smelled, so that's a definite plus. Now off to bed to see if it works... The bottom line: Temple of Dreams smells gorgeous and seems to work, too. I don't normally remember my dreams, but I had some crazy ones last night (and I mean crazy in a good way, not my normal nightmares) and I remembered them enough in the morning to have a good laugh over all the things my brain came up with during the night. This is a definite big bottle candidate.

Preconceived notions: I am not a foody scent kind of girl. At all. I love rum and other boozy scents, but I don't generally do the true foody scents. That being said, I'm really looking forward to trying Spooky because I have to admit that it sounds wonderful. First sniff: Oh, God...I think it might be love already. I smell all the notes in here right out of the bottle, but not all at the same time. First comes coconut and vanilla, then rum and coconut, then cocoa and peppermint, all in the space of a matter of seconds. I get the feeling Spooky is too complex to smell all at once if that makes sense. This smells good enough to eat and I don't even like Grasshoppers! Wet on skin: Spooky goes on very light on me (much lighter than I expected, I might add) and smells exactly like Grasshoppers or Thin Mints or any other chocolate mint cookie of your choosing! There's also a tiny hint of coconut hiding out in the background. I love this. Spooky may very well be the scent that makes me reconsider my dislike of foody scents (and specifically chocolate ones). Dry down: Strangely, this smells different on one wrist than the other. On my right wrist it's heavy on the coconut and vanilla and almost smells like a pina colada, but on the left it's pure cocoa and peppermint with a little bit of coconut in the background. It smells delicious on either wrist, it's just interesting to see how different it smells on different parts of my body. The bottom line: I love this. I don't normally do foody scents, but this is pure heaven. I ended up snagging the two bottles the boy bought to add to the two I ordered because two just wasn't going to be enough and it smelled so damn good on me.

I concur. Gluttony was a disaster for me. It made me horribly nauseous the second I opened the imp and I could smell it from across the room even with the cap on. Sugar Skull on the other hand was lovely. Tooth-rottingly sweet, mind you, but lovely. To me it smelled exactly like the rum rolls my mom makes...rum flavoring, brown sugar and butter for the topping = Sugar Skull doppelganger.

Preconceived notions: I've been on pins and needles since the reviews started cropping up, wondering if I would like it, but I adore ozone scents, so I'm hoping this one loves me back. The only thing I'm really worried about are the florals some people have mentioned. I don't like florals. At all. First sniff: Oh my God...this is perfect! When I say I love ozone I'm not kidding. I mean love. Nothing makes me happier than to stand outside after a thunderstorm and sniff the air and Storm Moon is that scent in a bottle. I do get the fabric softener connection Macha mentioned, but that's okay, too, since I love the way fabric softener smells, too. Wet on skin: Even stronger ozone. This definitely isn't for people who don't like the smell of thunderstorms. It's strong and I do mean strong. I feel like I should have lightning crackling on my fingertips it's so strong, but that's a good thing in my book. I think the only thunderstorm scent I like more than this is Thunderbird because it's more wearable. I wouldn't be surprised if I offended a few people wearing Storm Moon since it is so strong and so potent and not everyone adores ozone the way I do. Dry down: Ozone with a tiny hint of incense in the background, but mainly ozone. This is very fresh smelling, like walking outside after a rainstorm and smelling that tang in the air, like the way a penny tastes when you put it in your mouth (I'm serious, that's what ozone smells like to me). This is very nice and I can see it lasting a long time for me since a little goes a very long way. The bottom line: Apparently I didn't need to worry. Storm Moon loves me and I love it back. The boy liked it when I held the bottle under his nose, too, so I'm going to try it on him next!

Origin: I got an imp of this from Spark a very long time ago. First sniff: This isn't really my first first sniff (I've had this for quite awhile, but haven't worn it yet), but it is my first sniff before wearing it, so it still counts. Let me preface this by saying that I don't like smelling like flowers. It's important, believe me. That being said, Havisham is actually a beautiful floral blend. it's very soft and unassuming smelling and feminine without being in-your-face floral. I'm terrible at picking out floral notes but, hazarding a guess, I'd say...lilac, white rose and maybe gardenia. Of course, I could be entirely wrong. It wouldn't surprise me. Wet on skin: This is so pretty and feminine (and so different from my normal scent choices). It reminds me of a scented talcum powder my mom used to use when I was very small, but I can't remember what scent it was, only that it was a very similar soft, sweet floral. There's definitely rose in here; there's no question in my mind because I know very well how rose behaves on my skin. The other notes I'm not so sure about. I wouldn't be surprised if there was lilac hiding in here somewhere, although that may just be wishful thinking on my part. Dry down: As Havisham dries, the rose note (and I'm positive it's rose) becomes more and more prominent. It's a cross between an unopened bud and a full-blown bloom in scent and it's definitely a white smelling rose, if that makes sense. The bottom line: In spite of my floral (and specifically rose) aversion, I like Havisham. I'm tempted to wear it for my wedding, but I'm not so sure I want to chance fate, given the inspiration for this particular blend.

Origin: I was gifted with an imp of this by Fallow Deer. Preconceived notions: I don't normally do florals, but I can't pass up the chance to try a new scent as long as I'm not allergic to anything in it, so I'll give Eos a whirl. First sniff: As far as florals go, honeysuckle is one of my favorites (and one of the few I can not only tolerate, but actually like) and that's what I'm getting from Eos straight out of the imp: honeysuckle and not much else. I get a tiny bit of jasmine in the background and I'm not sure what buttercup smells like, but the main note here is definitely honeysuckle. Wet on skin: Damn, there goes the honeysuckle the second it hits my skin. Now I'm getting what I suppose must be the buttercup...it's a light, almost creamy floral and, unfortunately, creamy scents are generally a no-no for me because they make me queasy. Dry down: Creamy florals and jasmine. Something about creamy scents (with a few exceptions) makes them not set well with me and Eos is no exception to that rule, unfortunately. I like it alright in the imp, but it's just not working on me. The bottom line: This one's going to have to find a new home. Eos just doesn't like me.

Origin: I got an imp of this from Roguefeenix. First sniff: Mmm, sweet spicy dragon's blood. I love the smell of dragon's blood and I'm not surprised that BPAL's take on it doesn't disappoint. This is just right; not too overpowering, not too sweet and not too powdery like some dragon's blood oils I've tried have been. Wet on skin: This blends in beautifully with my skin's natural scent. It's subtle but very present at the same time if that makes sense. It's spicy and resinous and slightly sweet without veering into cherry territory. I'm very impressed by this, as a matter of fact. Dry down: I'm assuming this really is a single note like I thought it was because all I get is dragon's blood and the perfect dragon's blood at that. It's very quietly powerful smelling...the kind of powerful that comes from cunning and strategy, not from sheer brute strength. It's subtle, but it still somehow commands attention. Very well done! The bottom line: Probably the best dragon's blood oil I've had the pleasure of trying. It's not overpowering or heavy and it has just the right balance of sweet resin and spice.

Origin: I was gifted with an imp of this by oceandessa. Preconceived notions: I vaguely remember someone saying this smelled like melon, so I guess that's what I'm expecting. I'm curious what this is supposed to do, though, if anything. First sniff: Wow, that does smell like melon. Honeydew to be exact, although it could have a bit of cantaloupe in there, too. This smells very sweet and summery and reminds me of the honeydew flavored snowcones my brother and I used to eat when we were little. I don't normally do fruity or sweet scents, but this is surprisingly nice! Wet on skin: Melon is still the dominant note but there's something else here, too, that I can't quite put my finger on. Maybe some sort of resin? I honestly can't tell apart from saying that Yemaya isn't strictly melon. Dry down: The melon is fading now and being replaced by...that other scent. Even now I can't place it and can't even really describe it. It's maybe a little herbal and sort of resiny and just...there. I have no clue how to describe it because it doesn't really smell familiar. At all. I actually really like it, though, whatever it is. The bottom line: I don't know what this is supposed to do, but it certainly smells nice. I'm not sure it's me, but I like it all the same.

Origin: I got an imp of this from allamanda a long, long time ago (at least it seems that way). First sniff: Almost sweet, soapy florals are all I'm getting and it's making my nose burn, but I don't really care as long as it works. Wet on skin: This smells so familiar to me. I swear I know this scent. It's almost like...that's it: laundry detergent! The powdered kind, like Tide, not the liquid kind. Luckily I actually really like the smell of powdered laundry deteregent, so that's not a bad thing at all. Seriously, though, it's like Tide or something similar. That's actually a rather pleasant surprise. As for whether it works, I do feel more confident wearing this. I have a job interview (kind of - it's more like they'll hire me or they won't without a formal interview) and I need all the confidence I can get. I'm also wearing Has No Hanna, though, so if I get the job I won't be able to say for sure that High John was responsible for it. Dry down: Still smells like laundry detergent, but much fainter. It may be making my head hurt, but I can't tell because I already had a headache when I put this on - it's either aggravating my headache and making it worse or my headache is just getting worse on its own. I can't tell. The bottom line: So, does it work? The answer is yes, apparently. I got the job in spite of their not really needing anyone new and I don't think I've ever felt so confident about something so nerve-wracking before.

Origin: The Oblation Caravan. Preconceived notions: This was the main reason I wanted to be a part of the Caravan. I love donkeys and Corazon sounds absolutely gorgeous, but amber is finicky on my skin and (more often than not) turns into sour milk on me, so I'm really happy to get a chance to try this without having to buy a bottle unsniffed. First sniff: Mmm, this smells so good. I smell the musk, lavender and sage right off the bat with just a hint of mango in the background. It's perfectly balanced between herbal, musky and fruity. Wet on skin: Corazon is one of those scents that I literally can't smell on myself initially, which usually happens with musk blends. I can barely pick up a tiny, tiny hint of mango and sage and maybe lavender if I really strain my nose, but for all intents and purposes, Corazon is damn near impossible to smell when it's wet on my skin. Now that's my skin chemistry, mind you. It happens fairly often and then goes away just as suddenly. Dry down: There, Corazon has made a reappearance. Amber is definitely one of the more prominent notes in this, but so far it's behaving itself (I'm wondering if my skin is finally over its amber rebellion since it's been good about several amber blends lately), but the musk and sage are fairly prominent, too. The bottom line: I really like this a lot and I'm glad I got to try this because otherwise I never would have bought a bottle and now I'm seriously considering it.

Preconceived notions: I remember sniffing this when I first got it and thinking it smelled unpleasantly like bubblegum, but the Voodoo Blends aren't really about smelling good, so as long as Aunt Caroline does her job, she's okay by me. First sniff: Yep, that's bubblegum alright. There's something else here, too...florals, maybe? I can't tell, to be honest, but it's not all bubblegum. I really don't like the way this smells at all, but like I said before, that's not what matters. Wet on skin: Aunt Caroline's isn't so sickeningly sweet now, at least. Now it's less like Bazooka Joe and more like Carefree, if that makes sense to anyone. Anyway, it's actually settling down fairly nicely to be honest, and even the fact that my brand new imp from the Lab is only half full isn't putting a damper on my good mood (Aunt Caroline is working, apparently). I do feel happier wearing this, although I'm not sure if it's the oil or just the placebo effect of expecting to feel happier. Either way, I'm happy and that's what matters. Dry down: No more bubblegum! Now Aunt Caroline's smells like nothing really...I mean it's not gone (it's definitely there), but it smells like my skin now. It's strange but really rather nice because it blends in so seamlessly. I get maybe a tiny hint of something cotton candyish, but mainly it's just a slightly sweeter version of the natural smell of my skin. And is it working? Something must be because I feel wonderful. The bottom line: I could do without the wet stage, but Aunt Caroline's is a keeper! I'm going to have to get another imp of this since mine is half gone already.