Penance

Origin: Tester from a generous seller. Preconceived notions: I'm not sure how I feel about PX117 going into this, although I want to try it for some inexplicable reason. I really don't like citrus scents (I do like orange in small doses in combination with black tea, resins and/or cinnamon, but that's about the limit of my tolerance for it) and I despise anise. But there's something about this that kind of makes me want to try it. This could be one of those scents that my subconscious seems to know will work in spite of the notes being made of fail. I've learned to trust those instincts, so I'm cautiously optimistic here. First sniff: Orange. Orange cake to be precise. Sort of like poundcake and sort of like the orange cake that my mom used to make all the time. There's a sugary sweetness to it, too, like vanilla frosting. It's very sweet and foody in the bottle and makes me think of an orange version of P013 (which I really like in spite of the citrus aversion I mentioned before). Like P013, it smells like it would be right at home with the original Monster Bait series. Wet on skin: Hmm, this isn't heading in a good direction. The sweetness turns cloying when it hits my skin. It's got a strong scent, too. I only dabbed a little bit on and it smells like I put on a good-sized smear. The scent is very similar to the one in the bottle. It's just that it's gone significantly sweeter and more intense. Dry down: That's better. PX117 calms down quite a bit as it dries. Some of the sweetness from the vanilla frosting (or whatever it is that smells like it) disappears, and the final scent is like a moist orange poundcake with a tiny touch of orange creamsicle. It's sweet and summery and still quite foody. This still makes me think of both P013 (with orange instead of lemon) and the original Monster Bait scents. Thankfully, I don't get any of the anise that some people have mentioned. Just moist orange cake with a touch of sweet icing. The bottom line: Just like P013, this isn't the sort of scent that I normally wear, but I actually like it. It's not something I would wear every day, but it's definitely staying in my collection.

Origin: 5mL bought on Etsy and testers from a few generous sellers. Preconceived notions: I like clove quite a bit and I'm a fan of spicy scents, although they're not the sort of thing I wear every day. I also like amber and most of the other notes being mentioned in the other reviews. To be honest, though, SAQQARA v2 isn't one of those scents that screams "TRY ME!". It sounds nice, but not spectacular, in spite of it's popularity. But I am looking forward to trying it. First sniff: Spicy for sure. I'd have a hard time saying what all is in this, but I'm going to say clove (definitely) and maybe some amber, cardamom and bay. It's not a foody spice. It's exotic and somehow antique smelling. It's pretty but it doesn't wow me right out of the bottle. Wet on skin: Ooh, this is starting to remind me of Lamia v3, which in turn reminds me of a clove cigarettes-inspired perfume from another company (which has listed notes of clove, cinnamon, cardamom, tobacco, amber, sandalwood and incense). It's still predominately spice (clove and cardamom), but there's a soft sweetness that makes me think of amber. I don't think there's tobacco in here, though. Dry down: Definitely similar to Lamia v3 on me! Which is awesome because I really like Lamia v3, but can't bring myself to pay the going price for it. This is a sexy scent to my nose. Spicy and enticing. Dry and not at all foody. It's got quite a bit of throw, too, which is great for a strong scent lover like me. The bottom line: I didn't think I was going to need two bottles of this, but now I'm regretting only buying the one when I had the chance. This is a real beauty and a good replacement for Lamia v3 since they smell so similar on me.

Origin: 5mL from the Lab. Preconceived notions: I've been working my way through the Snake Pit and Australian Copperhead has always been towards the bottom of the list (above Asp Viper, which has almond and is automatically guaranteed to be a scent I don't like, and Cottonmouth, which just doesn't sound that appealing since I hate florals), so I'm not sure how well it's going to work for me. The Snake Oil, amber, cardamom and smoked vanilla sound good, but I despise neroli with a fiery passion and I've never smelled acai berry before (I'm not much of a berry fan in general, so it's probably not going to be one of my favorite notes). Fingers crossed that Australian Copperhead likes me. I've been pleasantly surprised before by the Snake Pit blends. First sniff: Sweet but tart berry. I can see where people are getting candy out of this. It has an almost Sweet Tart sort of scent, but Sweet Tarts if they were made in an exotic berry flavor. I get a tiny bit of Snake Oil and smoked vanilla, but mainly this is berry, and a rather unique berry at that. It's not looking all that promising at this point, but I never give up hope on a blend I buy (and most that I get as frimps) without at least testing it, so I'm forging ahead. Wet on skin: Okay, we're getting somewhere now. The berry is still the dominant note (it's smells deep red/purple and tart but sweet at the same time), but I'm starting to find some of the other notes peeking out. The Snake Oil is putting in a barely there appearance and I get a tiny bit of smoked vanilla and what could be the faintest touch of amber. It's less candy-like now, but still sweet. Dry down: Ooh, I like this once it's dried completely. The end scent is soft, sweet, and feminine. Smoked vanilla with a touch of Snake Oil and amber and an overlay of slightly stronger, sweet/tart berry. The dreaded neroli never puts in an appearance, which is fine by me. It's not something I'd wear every day, but it's much more wearable for me than I expected it to be. The bottom line: Australian Copperhead definitely isn't my favorite Snake Pit blend (that honor goes to Western Diamondback), or even a runner up, but I really do like it. It's oddly innocent smelling for a scent named after a venomous snake.

^ This. I have imps of Mouse's LAST that vary from very pale gold to a medium-deep amber. Currently, I have two deep amber and one pale gold. I couldn't tell you what color the oil in my bottles is, but I just checked the imps.

Not exactly an LE, but I find Magic, Do as You Will to be a poor man's version of Voodoo Queen, minus the spice. It's slightly drier, but the dark fruit and incense/resins are along the same lines. Add a little Arachne of Lydia and you'd have a fairly reasonable replacement for Voodoo Queen. At least the way Voodoo Queen smells on me, anyway. Everyone's skin chemistry is different and I may not get notes that other people do and vice versa. But I thought I'd throw it out there since we all know how pricy Voodoo Queen is (especially me since I just dropped some big money on a bottle from the Lab's eBay auctions). And on the same note (and I'm sure this has been mentioned before in reviews, if not in here), Devil's Night is like a poor man's Storyville. I have a bottle of Devil's Night 2006 and that's what I'm basing this on. I tried 2005's version when it came out, but can't remember how similar it was, and I haven't tried the other years, so they may or may not be equally good replacements. I sometimes wear Devil's Night instead of Storyville on less than special occasions where I want a similar sort of scent without dipping into The Precious. Neither one is a perfect replacement, of course, and they may not smell fairly similar on you, but it's worth a shot if you can't afford or don't want to pay the price for a bottle of Storyville or Voodoo Queen.

Origin: 5mL bought on Etsy. Preconceived notions: I've been on the fence about trying this one and passed it up when I made my ginormous Etsy order, but grabbed it after all when I saw that there was only one bottle left. I love incense, amber and wood, but I'm iffy on the Lab's beeswax note and I don't like florals (especially rose) or baby powder. So this one is a real gamble. First sniff: Beeswax. The Lab's beeswax note always smells strangely creamy to me, with a touch of something that makes me just a tiny bit queasy and this is no exception. It has a scent that's similar to The Light of Men's Lives, but there's something else lurking in the background. I just can't figure out what it is yet. Wet on skin: Uh-oh. I smell rose. Granted, it's the scent of an unopened rosebud, complete with a touch of green stem (very much like Rose Red, which is about as close to being wearable as a rose scent can get for me), but it's still rose. I hate rose. It's second only to almond on my list of most hated scent notes. This isn't looking good. Honestly, it's a pretty scent. It really is. I can recognize a scent that other people would find beautiful and this is one of them. It's just not something that I enjoy and want to smell like. Dry down: It takes quite a while (a few hours, probably; I lost track of time, but I'm guessing it's been about 2-3 hours), but finally Tetramorph v2 dries down into something that's pretty and appealing to me. Somewhere along the line, a pretty, golden resinous note comes out. Amber, with maybe a touch of something else...myrrh, maybe? And there's still a hint of sweetness here. There might be some vanilla in addition to the beeswax. It reminds me a bit of Jacob's Ladder at this point. The bottom line: I'm not entirely sure how I feel about Tetramorph just yet. I think it's probably going to end up being one of those scents that I rarely (if ever) wear because I don't like the wet stage and don't have the patience to wait it out. The late drydown is nice, but it's not unique enough on me to make it worth waiting hours for. I may see if my mom likes it before I decide to move it on to a new home. It seems like it might be more her style since she's a rose lover and enjoys soft, non-foody sweet scents.

Origin: 5mL from the Lab. Preconceived notions: I've been curious about Pickled Imp for quite a while, but never got around to ordering it because I've already got a spice heavy blend (Three Witches) in my collection and I wasn't sure how pine and cinnamon, clove and vanilla would work together. But with the Carnaval disappearing for a while, I figured now was the right time to grab it. I am finding that the Lab's pine sap/tar note disappears on me in no time flat. My skin just seems to absorb it and it goes completely AWOL within minutes, so I guess that it's going to be more or less irrelevant here. First sniff: Cinnamon rolls! Cinnamon rolls over a very faint layer of pine needles to be exact. It's sweet and spicy and very foody. It makes me think of Cinnabon, but Cinnabon at Christmas with a live pine tree by the counter where they're making the cinnamon rolls. Wet on skin: The same as in the bottle. This is definitely different than Three Witches. It's sweeter for one, but also more foody since it doesn't have the pepper that Three Witches has. I'd swear there was cream cheese frosting in here rather than vanilla. That's hot sweet it is. It's bordering on being cloying but still manages to smell delicious. Dry down: As predicted, the pine is AWOL. Even the faint hint of it I got before is gone without a trace. All I get is cinnamon rolls. It does make me think of Christmas, even without the pine sap. Why I would associate cinnamon rolls with Christmas, I don't know. It's probably the inviting warmth of the scent. It just smells cozy and makes me think of roaring fireplaces and warm sweaters. The bottom line: Who knew that a pickled imp would smell like fresh-baked cinnamon rolls? This is too sweet to be an everyday scent for me, but I do really like it. I don't normally wear scents seasonally (if I like or love something, I wear it whenever I damn well please), but somehow Pickled Imp just feels all wrong for summer. I have a feeling this will be one of the incredibly rare scents that I only wear during certain times of the year (autumn and winter in this case).

Origin: 5mL from the Lab. Preconceived notions: I originally didn't buy a bottle of Pussy because the notes make me think of Spicebush Swallowtail, which was just too sweet for me. But, since the Pussy moth is quite possibly the most adorable bug on the planet (the caterpillars look like they're wearing Tina Turner wigs, tell me that isn't awesome) and the reviews sounded promising, I caved and got a bottle. I hate orange blossom, although I don't know how I feel about orange blossom honey, and I'm not a big fan of brown sugar in perfume. Saffron is generally okay and I like tonka and love tobacco. So this one could go either way. First sniff: I was anticipating something much sweeter and foodier than this. It has a sweetness to it, don't get me wrong, but it's not intensely sugary the way Spicebush was. I'm getting tobacco and honey with just a touch of tonka. It's surprisingly gender neutral. Wet on skin: This is nice. It smells vintage, or even antique, somehow. The scent just somehow makes me think of the 1920's and 30's. Why, I have no idea. It's honey and tobacco with just a touch of dusty sweetness from the tonka. It's fairly light and not cloying. Dry down: This definitely isn't like Spicebush Swallowtail. Not even close. The honey is still the main player, but it's not a sticky, cloying sweetness. It's sweet but sophisticated smelling. The brown sugar and tonka add just a bit more sweetness, while the tobacco and saffron add a nice richness and depth to the scent and keep it in the gender neutral range. The longer it sets on my skin, the more integrated the notes become until it turns into a very nice tobacco scent with hints of spice and honey. It's like walking into an expensive cigar shop, which wasn't anything like what I expected going into testing this. It's a little bit sweet, a little bit spicy (not in a cookie spice sort of way), a little bit smoky and very rich smelling The bottom line: I'm glad I gave Pussy a shot. Not only do I get to laugh like an idiot when I think about the name (everyone's got an inner 5th grader inside them somewhere, whether they want to admit it or not), but it smells quite nice, too. I love tobacco scents and this is much less intense and less masculine than my other tobacco favorites (Herr Drosselmeyer, Hellfire and Famine). Plus the label is adorable! A hairy moth! It looks so snuggly!

You're very welcome!

Original - white label October 2006 - orange label April 2007 - purple label July 2007 - pink label June 2008 - green label February 2009 - black label March 2009 - deep red label November 2009 - tentacles label August 2010 - dancing skeleton label May 2011 - black with red/black swirled 13

Origin: Tester from a generous seller. Preconceived notions: I've wanted to try Voodoo Queen for a long time. Since it was released, really, although I've never been sure how well it would work on me. I've seen references to it being slightly floral and generic smelling, as well as references to it being spicy and incensey with dark fruit. The spicy, fruity incense sounds wonderful, but I don't generally do florals except in rare cases. I never expected to get a chance to try this, so it was a very pleasant surprise to find a tester in my package. First sniff: Spicy, incensey and fruity. I'm mainly getting spice and soft, but dark fruit with a backing of slightly powdery incense. It has some similarities to both Arachne of Lydia and Magic, Do as You Will, although it's definitely not a dupe of either. It's lovely, although it doesn't wow me as much as Storyville does. Wet on skin: The spiciness amps, which is unusual for me. I get cinnamon, maybe some clove, incense and black plum or some other sort of dark purple fruit. It's not really identifiable to my nose other than as a soft, deep purple fruitiness. Dry down: I really, really like this. It's not too spicy, not so incensey that it smells like a headshop (not that that would be a bad thing for me) and not blatantly fruity. Everything just whirls together into something that's strangely comforting. I was envisioning a sort of mysterious sexiness, but that's not what I get from Voodoo Queen at all. The bottom line: Voodoo Queen is really lovely. It's somewhat similar to other scents I own or have owned (Arachne of Lydia and Magic, Do as You Will are still topping the list), but that's never stopped me before when it came to adding new scents to my collection. It's definitely my second favorite of the Convergence XII scents (after Storyville and before Doc Buzzard and Pumpkin King).

Origin: 5mL bought on Etsy. Preconceived notions: I really like the released version of Grand Guignol but don't wear it very often because it's so intensely fruity. Everything about this prototype version sounds fantastic, though. I love red musk, patchouli and booze (except gin, absinthe, beer and wine) and I like plum. I've been lusting after this one for ages, so I was thrilled that the Lab put it up on Etsy when I requested it. First sniff: Love! This smells fairly similar to Lust v7 (which I absolutely love) in the bottle, but less smooth and rounded. This is intense red musk, with just a touch of patchouli. Wet on skin: Uh-oh...the red musk is doing the weird thing that it does in Krampus and CBBOB1 where it goes sharp rather than smooth and sexy. I'm not sure if it's a particular type of red musk that's the culprit or if it's just my skin chemistry doing weird things to red musk when it's in certain scents/combinations. Grand Guignol v4 is all red musk at this point. Drydown: Just when I was thinking that this was going to have to be one of those "smells amazing in the bottle, but not on me" scents that I have to wear in a locket, it calms down quite a bit. It's still sharper than I'd ideally like (and not as nice smelling as in the bottle), but it's quite nice. It's still mainly red musk (it reminds me more of the musk in Scherezade than Lust v7), but I'm getting the patchouli again and a hint of something vaguely boozy and fruity (which smells more like the apricot brandy in the released version than it does plum; to my nose, anyway). The bottom line: I wish that Grand Guignol v4 smelled as good on me as it does in the bottle, but I still really like the scent of it on me. I do think that I'm probably going to be wearing it in a locket more often than on my skin, though, if only because the wet stage is fairly harsh.

The scent of the wild, hauntingly beautiful Pine Barrens of New Jersey! Pitch pine with blackberry leaf, cranberry, cedar wood and tomato leaf. Origin: 5mL from the Lab. Preconceived notions: I had to get this one eventually. I'm fascinated by cryptozoology and while the Jersey devil may not be my favorite of the bunch, any scent named after a cryptid is off to a good start with me. As far as notes go, pine and I have a love/hate relationship. I love some kinds of pine (and other evergreens), but not others. It all hinges on how astringent or juniper-like it is. I have learned that I love the Lab's pine pitch note, though, so I've got high hopes here. The only thing that really has me concerned is the cranberry. I love to eat cranberries and I love the smell of them as food, but I'm not a big fan of berry perfumes. All the other notes are good ones for me (although, as much as I may like the scent of tomato leaf, I'm having trouble picturing it with berries, cedar and pine). First sniff: Strong pine pitch. It's the same pine note from The Illustrated Woman and Troll, at least to my nose. It's rich and slightly sappy smelling. I can see why someone could read this as a winter/Christmas scent. It definitely has a wintery vibe to it with the pine, wood and berry. Wet on skin: Just like in The Illustrated Woman and Troll, the pine pitch tones down pretty quickly. Within a few minutes, there's a noticeable decrease in the intensity. After a few minutes had passed and The Jersey Devil had toned down into a softer pine scent with hints of berries and wood (no blackberry or tomato leaf yet and the cedar just smells woody, not particularly cedar-like), I kept thinking that it was reminding me of something, but couldn't place it. I knew it smelled like something else I already owned and liked, but what was it? Dry down: Elf! It smells like a stronger, slightly more masculine version of Elf! That's good news, because I love Elf, but it disappears on me in no time flat. The Jersey Devil isn't identical to Elf, but it's damn close on me. The end result is a warm, cozy scent with rich, slightly tart red berry, soft pine, a little bit of wood and something almost amber-like (I have no clue where that's coming from; it has to be a combination of notes doing it, but I've got no idea which ones). The bottom line: I'm really happy I bought a bottle of this unsniffed. It may replace Elf in my second-string favorites box or they might cohabitate since I feel terrible kicking Elf out of the box even though they're so similar. Either way, this is a real beauty. It's definitely a bit on the wintery side, but I've never been one to worry about whether my perfume is seasonally appropriate, so I'll wear it all year.

Origin: 5mL from the Lab. That 5mL was bought when Mouse's LAST was released, so it's extremely aged by this point (over 5 years old and counting). Apparently I never wrote a review one, which I find hard to believe. Preconceived notions: I'm going on memory here, since I've owned and worn Mouse's LAST for years now, but based on the notes (and the fact that I love mice almost as much as I love rats), it was an immediate bottle purchase (like most scents that I expect to like), although I was worried about the sweet pea. I love sandalwood and I like amber and vanilla, but florals are almost never appealing to my nose. First sniff: This smells so pretty. It's a soft, sweet, cozy smelling amber and vanilla scent in the bottle. I don't get any sweet pea from Mouse at this point in its life, although there is a very faint lightness to the scent that just skirts around the edges. I like this in the bottle, but it doesn't bowl me over. It's a nice, sweet amber blend but not amazing. I do have some fresher bottles which have a more noticeable floral note (it's not obnoxiously floral, but there are definitely flowers lurking inside), although the sweet pea still takes a back stage to the amber and vanilla. I don't remember whether I found Mouse's LAST overly floral when I got my first bottle, but I must not have since I kept it and actually wore it. The fresher bottles are also much lighter than my aged bottle. I would review the skin wear of the fresh bottles, but I'm trying to leave them untouched so that they can age with as little disturbance as possible. Wet on skin: I like this in the bottle (especially my super aged bottle), but it doesn't appeal to me as much as my heavier amber/resin blends like, say, Sin. But on my skin, it's more appealing. The lightness from the bottle starts to fade away and the sweetness of the amber and vanilla start to really bloom. Dry down: This is one of those scents that gets better as it settles down and makes itself comfortable on my skin. It's sweet without being foody and resinous without smelling like a church or a headshop. It's the olfactory equivalent of a lightweight but warm blanket. All snuggly and cozy. I never really get the sandalwood from Mouse, which isn't as disappointing as I would have expected when I originally bought it. Instead, I really love the sweet vanilla/amber goodness. I almost think the dryness of the Lab's white sandalwood note might have felt a little out of place, as beautiful as it is in other blends and on its own. The bottom line: If you're a floral hater like me, but think Mouse's LAST sounds good otherwise and don't mind being patient, it's definitely worth keeping around for aging purposes. I promise it's worth the wait. I don't know when the turning point for my bottle was, unfortunately, but I can say that my aged bottle (soon to be bottles since I have a 10mL coming) is significantly more awesome than my fresh(ish) bottles. Fresh Mouse's LAST would stay in my collection and get worn now and then, but aged Mouse's LAST has a snug little home inside my favorites box.

Origin: A very aged old school "inkwell" 5mL bought on eBay. Preconceived notions: Honestly, I would never have bought this for the intended purpose of the oil, because I'm not a vengeful sort of person. But, I love the name and I love the old inkwell bottles. Plus, the reviews of the scent as perfume sound somewhat promising (I love dragon's blood and I like lilac, but the other florals have me worried), so maybe it'll be nice to look at and nice to smell. First sniff: Definitely dragon's blood. It has the rich, slightly lilac-like floral-resin vibe of dragon's blood. But there's also something almost musky here in a vaguely animalistic way. And maybe a touch of some sort of floral. Wet on skin: Dragon's blood and some sort of very faint herbs, maybe. I am getting a little bit of a floral scent (it's a bit like lilac and a bit like jasmine), but that could just be the dragon's blood. Dry down: In the end, it dries down into a decidedly feminine dragon's blood and lilac scent with some spice (cinnamon or clove, I think) and muskiness backing it up. There could be some myrrh in here, too, but it's faint. This like a less floral version of Dragon's Eye with faint spice, resins and musk added. I also get patchouli on the very late drydown (probably around 8 hours after application). I don't smell it at all until that point, but it comes out at full force on me then, which is great for a patchouli lover like me. The bottom line: I have to admit, Bat's Blood is a surprise winner. I mainly bought this bottle for aesthetic reasons (and it wouldn't have upset me in the slightest if it had smelled horrible), but the scent is actually very pretty! I know these weren't intended to be worn as perfume, but I don't know that I'm going to be able to resist wearing this one. ETA: I read through the other reviews again and noticed that Beth mentioned that this could be worn as perfume and that the effect would be akin to that of High John the Conqueror. I'm okay with that. I can always use something that'll help me feel more confident and if Bat's Blood helps people think more highly of me, then that's fine by me.

Origin: 5mL from the Lab. Preconceived notions: Most of the notes here sound awesome. The opium poppy is a little worrisome since I don't like florals (although I love opium tar and smoke) and the castoreum gives me a bit of pause because I'm worried it was what made Minamoto No Yorimitsu go super cologney. The lime is my biggest worry, though. I hate lime (and citrus in general). I bought this hoping and praying that the lime would be very subtle. First sniff: Lime over "traditional" perfume. This isn't a good sign. I hate all things perfumey. But I'm hoping that this is one of those blends that will blossom on my skin. It's happened before and I don't give up hope on a scent until it's dry on my skin and still smells bad. Wet on skin: A little better. It's not perfumey anymore (which is very good news), but the lime is still stronger than I'd like. I'm getting the plum, amber, resins and clove underneath the lime and they smell great. But the lime is giving it an almost fizzy citrusy vibe that I don't care for. Dry down: Perseverance pays off! Hurray! It takes a while, but the lime fades until I can't smell it at all. In the end, I'm left with a scent that has a similar feel to Queen of Spades (they don't really smell alike, aside from some superficial similarities in the notes). Plum, amber, clove, muskiness from the castoreum and a very faint floral air from the poppy. This is really pretty now! The bottom line: I'm glad I gave Purple Spotted Swallowtail a chance. It's not my style at all in the bottle, just "meh" when it's wet, but turns into something genuinely beautiful when its dry. And the time it takes to get there is short enough that I don't mind the wait.

You're welcome, lilium!

Got my Metamorphosis scents in today. Mourning Cloak is labeled Mourning Shroud.

You're welcome! I'm so in love with the female Rogue label.

For those who have asked for the RPG scents that aren't pictured on the site, here's a handful. Female Fighter, female Half-Elf, male Halfling and female Paladin: And male Ranger (I forgot to put it in the first picture): ETA: And the female Rogue label. I had a hard time getting a shot of this one. It's a little more vibrant than this picture shows.

Origin: 5mL from the Lab. Preconceived notions: I know I tried Bloodlust years ago when I was first getting into BPAL and that I thought it was okay at the time (although I don't remember exactly what about it didn't quite work), but I can't imagine how I wouldn't have loved it, based on the notes. I think I was pretty "meh" about it because I wasn't a big musk fan at the time and was so-so about dragon's blood. But both of those are notes I love now (plus I love patchouli and I like cinnamon and vetiver), so I figured it was time for a second chance and I may as well just get a bottle because I never use my imps. First sniff: Hello, vetiver! My nose is apparently pretty sensitive to vetiver because it smells super strong in most anything it's in, no matter how much or how little is actually in the blend. Once I get past the smokiness of the vetiver, I smell dragon's blood, cinnamon and a particularly dark red musk. This is a no-nonsense blend. Not for the faint of heart or lovers of light scents. I can tell you that right now. Wet on skin: At first, Bloodlust is very heavy on the vetiver, but the cinnamon comes rushing out almost immediately (which is unusual since I don't typically amp cinnamon) and I'm left with a sort of charred cinnamon sticks scent. I'm sure that doesn't sound good, but it's actually strangely appealing. I already love Umbra which also has cinnamon and vetiver, so I'm not really surprised that I like this. Dry down: Bloodlust goes through several stages on the drydown. At first, it's OMGCINNAMON with a touch of vetiver and dragon's blood. Then it's a spicy, cinnamony dragon's blood scent with hints of musk and vetiver in the background. And then comes my favorite part. On the late drydown, it turns into a gorgeous patchouli scent with just a touch of spicy sweetness from the cinnamon and dragon's blood. For a while I couldn't figure out why I was smelling patchouli, since I'm wearing Elf as my main scent today and it doesn't have any patchouli at all and, as far as I knew, the patchouli in Bloodlust wasn't putting in an appearance at all. Then I happened to sniff the spot where I put my tester dab of Bloodlust and there it was. Patchouli heaven. The bottom line: I'm so glad I gave Bloodlust another try (and that I went for a bottle rather than an imp). I love this. I'm a huge fan of resin blends and patchouli and I like the cinnamon and vetiver, so every stage of this morpher is appealing to me.

I might be allergic to something (or multiple things, I suppose, since I've never tried most of the listed notes) in Elf. I put some on a couple of days ago and today I've got a rash (a more or less circular patch of pimple-like red spots) on my arm where I was testing it. I'm hoping that it was a fluke, or that the skin there is just extra sensitive...or that it was something else entirely that caused the reaction. Because I need to know if Elf is the culprit, I'm wearing it again today and I'm making extra sure this time of whether it's Elf that I'm allergic to by slathering on more than usual. If I am allergic to it, I want to be sure that I know it. I'll have to deal with a worse rash if it is the culprit, but there won't be any doubt about what caused it. Fingers crossed that it was just a fluke or a combination of things and not just Elf causing it. I guess I should know within a couple of days whether it's going to happen again. I'm really, really hoping it's not Elf because I really like the way it smells on me. In fact, I like it enough that I bought a second bottle today after seeing the rash on my arm and realizing that I might not be able to wear it on my skin. I'll keep my bottles no matter what, but I'll have to wear it in a scent locket if it happens again and that makes me sad. As much as I love the aesthetics of the scent lockets, I much prefer to wear my perfume on my skin. I seem to be having skin reactions to surprising things lately, but this is the first time I've had it happen with perfume. I'm allergic to something in the rubberized grip on my toothbrush and the steering wheel in my mom's car and have to wear gloves when I brush my teeth or drive her car (I'm guessing it might be latex that I'm allergic to in a mild way, because I get the same thing to a lesser degree from some bandaids). I get a nasty, blistered contact dermatitis every time I touch either one bare-handed. ETA: Good news, everyone! I'm apparently not allergic to Elf. Or I'm only allergic to it when it combines with something else (what, I have no idea, but not any other perfume, since I was only wearing Elf that day). At any rate, no rash this time in spite of slathering. But the rash was in exactly the same spot and the same shape as the area where I'd applied Elf and it went away with a couple of applications of strong hydrocortisone cream, so it was clearly an allergic reaction and it was linked somehow to Elf. I'm guessing it must have been a bad combination between Elf and something else I touched with that part of my arm during the course of the day when I wore it the first time. It'll probably end up being one of those mysteries of life unless it happens again and I can pin it down. Now the sad part is that my skin eats Elf alive. It has a really short lifespan on me, which is breaking my heart. But it's gorgeous, so I'll slather and reapply if need be.

Elf + Rogue - Rogue is the dominant scent here. This is predominately a leather and hemp scent, but with a touch of leaves and berries. It's like a woodsier version of Rogue alone. The verdict - Next time I'm going to try this at a 2:1 or 3:1 ratio instead of a 1:1. Elf is a soft scent on me and it's getting overpowered by the intensity of Rogue, but it's still a really nice combination anyway. I can definitely see myself wearing these two together. Elf + Ranger - Once again Elf is getting shoved aside even though I applied this in about a 2:1 ratio. Elf is there, lending a softer, more feminine woodsiness to the scent, but this is mainly the pine woods of Ranger. The verdict - I'm going to have to go a little lighter still on Ranger next time, but this smells really good. Elf tones Ranger down a bit and makes it less aggressive smelling. This is my favorite RPG combo yet, even though I need to work on the balance. ETA: I think I've figured out the issue with Elf being overpowered. My skin swallows Elf up in no time flat, but leaves the other RPG's to live out long, happy lives. So Elf disappears almost as soon as the drydown is complete and leaves just a tiny hint of itself to mix with whatever other scent I've layered with it. So slathering more Elf on won't help in the long run, but at least I'll smell really good for a little while.

Origin: 5mL from Dark Delicacies. Preconceived notions: I'm not much of a fan of the Lace scents. Antique Lace is pretty and I'm glad I've got a bottle, but it's not something I would wear every day or even most days. Black Lace and Red Lace just weren't all that appealing to me. But I had to get Tattered Lace because it sounds so promising. I like vanilla and I love tea, cognac, moss, frankincense and opium tar. The silk has me curious (linen isn't a very good note for me, but silk somehow sounds like it would smell good) and the coconut bark could go either way. First sniff: I had to double check the label because this smells identical to White Rabbit in the bottle (although it was sitting in a hot mailbox for an hour or so, so I'll update my review if that change). Even after I double checked it, I wasn't sure that this hadn't been mislabeled. I'm not getting the dry vanilla scent other people are getting. Instead I'm getting strong lemon or ginger and faint tea and linen (which is exactly what I get from White Rabbit). Wet on skin: White Rabbit Tattered Lace is still all lemon or ginger (where that's coming from, I've got no idea) and sharp, clean linen (maybe silk smells like linen, otherwise I've got no idea where it's coming from, either). Some of the sharpness could be coming from the cognac, but I doubt it since I've never gotten that from a cognac scent before. So far this isn't going well. Dry down: Just when I was about to start asking around to make sure that I really didn't get a mislabeled bottle, the scent started to change and once it started, it went quickly. Now that Tattered Lace is dry, I'm not getting anything even remotely similar to the bottle/wet stage. Instead, it's turned into something very pretty and much closer to what I was envisioning. Dry, this is slightly powdery (in the way that Antique Lace and Elf v4 are a bit powdery; not in a baby powder sense) bourbon vanilla with a touch of black tea, the faintest touch of frankincense and a soft, velvety darkness from the opium lurking in the background. No cognac that I can smell (which is a little disappointing), no woodmoss (which I'm neutral about) and no coconut bark (which is fine by me). If there's silk here, it smells nothing like linen (no sharp cleanness) and that's all I can say. I'm thinking that this might be one of those scents that improves with age. The bottom line: This is definitely a very Victorian smelling perfume. In some ways, it could be the feminine counterpart of Silas Ruthyn (which I love and find gender neutral to slightly feminine in a dark, mysterious sort of way). They're not similar scents exactly, but they have the same sort of evocativeness that makes me think of decrepit Victorian mansions falling into ruin. I like Tattered Lace, but I'm not in love with it. I'll be keeping my bottle, but (at this point, anyway) I don't think a backup is necessary.

Origin: Lagniappe from the Lab. Many times over. Preconceived notions: The Lab apparently really wants me to try Defututa. They've sent me 6 frimps of it within the last couple of months. It's not the sort of scent I'd choose for myself (because of the olive blossom and jasmine), but I always make an effort to try all the frimps that come my way, unless I know I'm allergic to something in them. First sniff: If I didn't have the notes in front of me, I'd have a hard time explaining what this smells like or picking out notes. It reminds me of a very distant relative of Jezebel for some reason. I'm mainly getting honey and a clean, almost soapy floral (which must be the olive blossom) with a hint of smoky vanilla in the background. It doesn't smell bad, but it doesn't smell like something I'm going to really enjoy, either. Wet on skin: Sweeter than in the imp, but still mainly a mix of honey and clean, soapyish florals. There's an almost tangy sweetness to it, which I'm sure is the honey, because I get a somewhat similar vibe from Half Elf v5's honey. Dry down: This isn't really my style of scent, but it's not bad at this point. The soapiness of the olive blossom goes away as it dries and I'm left with a sweet, slightly spicy scent with hints of florals in the background. It's feminine and somewhat mature smelling for some reason. It's not an old lady scent, but it's not a youthful, girlish scent, either. The bottom line: Not my style, but Defututa is pretty. There's not much point in keeping my frimps since it's not a scent I'd wear, but I hate to get rid of them when I've got enough to make almost an entire bottle if they were combined. Maybe I'll offer them to my mom and see if the scent's more her style.