fairnymph

In the bottle: Golden oil. Sweet, foody, fruity. Also a little spicy and bitter. Nutty, too - walnuts? Wet: Honeyed walnuts. This reminds me GREATLY of baklava. There's also a sweet floral or two. Something sort of citrusy...ahhh! Starfruit! It's quite juicy, tart-sweet. Dry: Definitely some lily, with a very slightly powdery-soapy edge. Stargazer lily, maybe? There's another floral note too, as well as a culinary spice, clove I believe. Later: Going quite musky, in that high-pitched way that makes me think white musk. It's a VERY strong musk note. Also, some sort of strong white floral, not lily, is amping. Ahhh, magnolia. Summary: Okay, I'm getting a sort of caramel 'n dry wood note. Ah! It's that caramel and teak combo from Agrat-Bat-Mahlat. That sort of burnt-sugar edge. It's also gotten more tart/citrusy - lemon-something. Caramel, teak, starfruit, lemon (verbena?), magnolia, clove, some type of lily, strong musk and possibly walnut. Bizarre! And too foody for me, though I LOVE the starfruit/magnolia combo.

Stress Relief Elixir is what inspired this post. :DEphemera sounds promising if it's mostly geranium and violet, thanks! I never tried it because geranium and musk are the only two notes in there that I like...:\Is the cinnamon detectable? And how dry does the rosewood go?Whatever makes cinnamon 'Ceylon' I think also makes it significantly less harsh, less hot, less foody, and more golden somehow. When your post brought Longing to mind, it wasn't until I tracked down the notes that I even recalled it had cinnamon in it.And I wouldn't describe it as dry at all. It's a big scent, lots of throw and there is no mistaking the rose geranium. It's the star of the show.This is exactly what I needed to know...that does sound very promising indeed. Thank you.

So, I realise how much I miss geranium - such an underused note in BPAL - while wearing Stress Relief Elixir today. I've tested or know of several blends with geranium (I would especially prefer rose geranium), but many of them have notes that I dislike. Deep in Earth - can't do soil Garden Path with Chickens - I *loved* this but it went to soap Goneril - can't do cedar Kostnice - dry soap Ligeia - JASMINE attack Madame Tracy - this should have been wonderful, but it was cloying sweet POWDER Melpomeme - it wasn't bad, but too masculine for me Margeurite - a lot of stuff in this scares me (myrrh, tuberose, ylang ylang, eek);I'm thinking heady, soapy floral Pepper - I have an imp of this and I like it, but it does go a bit soapy on me Rage - can't do black amber or dragon's blood Sed Non Satiata - soapy tuberose and I am not a fan of red patchouli Vicomte De Valmont - I like this, but it's too manly for personal wear I don't like smoky things, dark resins (light ones are good though!) or incense notes generally, and I don't like spices (except ginger), dry/warm scents (cedar, rosewood, most sandalwood, etc). The only amber I like is white amber. I don't like really sweet or foody stuff. So...thoughts on the few officially geranium-inclusive scents I haven't tried? And are there any stealth geranium scents I should check out?

In the bottle: Extremely pale yellow oil. Fresh, green, grassy, herbal. Almost a little sharp. A hint of dark wild berries. Wildflowers, definitely daisy, and others that are a little clean-soapy and a little spicy - phlox? Slightly mentholic, possibly a booze note, like vermouth. Wet: A little sweeter and more fruity. Spicier, in a floral way. Nasturtium. I'm getting a strong Garden Path with Chickens vibe, but with a few berries thrown in, similar to those ones from Baneberry. Also, citrusy verbena. Dry: Increasingly lemony in that Pledge-verbena way, and going a bit more soapy, so I'm getting that 'lemon dish detergent' thing. Still, very herbal and green. Grass, thyme and dandelion. The berry note doesn't really meld with the rest of the blend. Later: Increasingly spicy, the nasturtium note is SO strong. The berry note has sadly faded, and this has lost a lot of its sweetness. The dandelion is also amping like crazy. I'm also getting some very light, well-behaved vetiver. Summary: I think the berry is cloudberry, as from The Host of Air, though it's a bit overpowered here. Combined with strong dandelion and nasturtium, lemon verbena, phlox, grass, thyme, daisy, and possibly another soapy floral. Great throw. Final word: Garden Path With Chickens crossed with The Host of the Air It's just a tad too lemony, soapy and mentholic for me, and a little heavy on the nasturtium, or this is something I would definitely enjoy.

In the bottle: Sweet and buttery. Vanilla and cake and rich, tangy cream cheese. Wet: Sweeter and spicier. I get an almost fruity note that must be the carrot - it's very nice. Cinnamon, now, and an edge of brown sugar. Dry: Fading in sweetness, and less tangy. Uhh...apple? That's how the carrot is turning on me. Also, this has become more buttery (pumpkin-y?). Later: This actually smells like pumpkin! The first time ever that I've gotten that and not just BUTTER. This is also not cloying sweet or intensely foody. Summary: Softly cinnamon-spiced slightly buttery pumpkin, sweet carrot and creamy vanilla frosting on drydown. Suprisingly nice. Decent throw.

In the bottle: Cloudy, almost milky oil. I'm a bit concerned. There are also strange globules on the rim of the bottle. It smells exactly like the description. It's that old leather smell, the same one from Western Diamondback. Wet: Softer on my skin, but otherwise the same. I don't find it that dusty, but it sort of velvety. It's a light, comforting, evocative smell. Masculine, but it's working on my skin, too. Dry: The oiliness has an almost metallic tang - I'm reminded of the motor oil notes from Mechanical Phoenix, Toad, and Galvanic Googles. It's sort of smooth but sharp at the same time. Later: De Sade is (sharp, chemically) leather, but this is suede. A rawer, sharper note comes out over time to mingle with the buttery soft suede and metallic oil, all in good balance. Decent throw. Summary: I wish this had stronger throw, but I really like this. It's so spot-on evocative and more than a little sexy. I like it by itself, and I think it would also be great for layering. Very little morphing.

In the bottle: Light yellow oil. Sweet, creamy, and golden. It reminds me of saffron ice cream I've had at Persian restaurants, shot through with vanilla syrup. Exotic and a little foody. Wet: Vanilla galore, almost boozily - it reminds me a lot of vanilla extract, or vanilla syrup (like Monin or such for coffee drinks). It has an almost floral quality, too. Cream and saffron fainter. Dry: Oh, this has a sparkling edge...and reminds me so much of vanilla cream soda at this point, with that almost root-beerish edge. Like, SPOT ON. Saffron, I miss you. Later: Vanilla is doing that fake, plasticky amping thing, becoming more and more cloyingly sweet. The cream has come back a bit more, but the saffron is long gone. Summary: Heady, artificial, vanillin-y, vanilla syrup spiked cream soda. A friend smells 'wintergreen' - and this is almost like that, it has a mentholic, sharp quality. Moderate throw.

CDIX - 409 In the (half) bottle: Sweet, light fruit. Orange fruits, and maybe a hint of something buttery. Tonka? Fresh and tropical. Reminds me of Lover's Parodies of Sumo Holds. Wet: Still that citrus note (mandarin?), some cantaloupe melon, and yes, some tonka - though it's light. And ginger! Red ginger, zesty and fizzy. And a tropical floral - pikaki? Dry: Increasingly spicy. The tonka-ginger combo reminds me greatly of Gingerbread Poppet (or Shub-Niggurath) except this isn't quite as foody, and has that light fruity-tropical-floral twist. Cherry blossom, too. Later: There's almost a salty tang, like an oceanic blend? But it's very light and not at all soapy. I'm reminded of Tissue's drydown after several hours, so I think it's the salty gardenia. Either the ginger has gone woody, or there's golden/red sandalwood in this. Summary: Creamy (either vanilla or tonka), spicy, sparkling, fruity, lightly sweet and floral. Asiatic-Tropical in feel. Mandarin, cantaloupe, red ginger, tonka, pikaki, very well behaved gardenia, cherry blossom, and some warm, dry wood. It's just a tad too warm and spicy for my tastes. It's definitely a morpher, becoming more floral over time.

In the bottle: Deep reddish-orange, viscous oil. Red musk (medicinal, almost mentholic), spice (cassia?), sugar cane. Maybe a little bit of fresh sandalwood. Wet: Softer in all ways. Still strangely medicinal. Lightly sweet. Warmer and dryer in feel. Mildly cinnamony. Dry: Very slow to dry. Oh hey, mango! Aren't you fun and juicy but not too sweet? I get a bit of the zesty lemon peel, too. Later: Medicinal red musk, spicy-warm cinnamon, and fruity mango, in order of dominance. Moderate throw, good lasting power. Summary: It's nicer than I expected with so many notes I dislike. I don't feel the urge to run to the sink. Gentler than it would appear, but still not my sort of thing.

In the bottle: Bright yellow oil. Lemon, chamomile, and a tiny bit of rose. Quite sour/astringent. There's a dry, powdery edge. Still, it feels pretty Cancerian in vibe. Wet: Gentler, less sour. Lemon is still the main note, followed by chamomile, but the rose is stronger - it's white rose. I'm getting lilac, clean, slightly heady and slightly soapy. Dry: More chamomile, which sweetens the blend...and more of that white rose. The lemon has worn off a bit, and the lilac remains faint. A touch powdery. Summary: Very soft, lemony powdered rose and chamomile with a hint of soapy lilac. Extremely simplistic blend. Low throw and fades a fair bit.

Trouble - Yay! Maybe if we all chime in, we'll get a Geranium Moon. I never tried it because geranium and musk are the only two notes in there that I like...:\ Is the cinnamon detectable? And how dry does the rosewood go?

I swear to god there is grape hyacinth in High John the Conqueror. Along with some other light florals and honey...

In the bottle: Colourless oil. Mandarin and fig, yup. Sweet, fruity, and a bit rich. But mostly playful, candyish almost. Wet: This reminds me of Christmas candles for some reason? In a good way. The mandarin is more juicy and tart, and the fig is almost creamy. I feel like there is something spicy here, clove or carnation... Dry: Deeper and spicier, and the fruit is more concentrated, sweeter - like dried fruit, or jam. Intense. Still has that waxy candle note. Pretty simplistic. Summary: Sweet, extracted fruit - a bit cloying and candyish, with a spicy edge. More fig than mandarin after a while. It actually ends up smelling like strawberry jam on me, with a hint of mandarin peel. Low throw, fades rapidly.

Let me know if you think I'm right about the black musk in Black Lily. Also, Mad Hatter and Iago were both horrible on me. Especially Mad Hatter - I hate pennyroyal. And, I don't get any musk from Bewitched and I amp musk. So we may have similar skin chemistry. I agree that Robin Goodfellow is very musky - and delicious, if a bit masculine for me personally - however I don't get black musk specifically from it. I don't get it in the Black Tower either, which is sharp, smoky VETIVER on me. The Two-Headed Goat does have a delicious musk note, but I didn't note the type in my spreadsheet.

In the bottle: Very pale yellow oil. Herbal and mentholic, fresh but not biting, Rose geranium! Mint, lavender, eucalyptus, and some bergamot. Refreshing and yet soothing. Wet: Woefully light on my skin, no longer really mentholic - most of the eucalyptus is gone. Feels more blue to me than green in 'vibe'. The mint strikes me as spearmint. Dry: Rose geranium is one of my absolute favourite notes, and it takes the lead here. This is so clean and bright yet indeed relaxing. I wish it had stronger throw! Later: This goes a bit sweet on my skin (the mint-bergamot combo), and the eucalyptus amps up a little. Summary: Very low throw and fades rapidly. Definitely a slatherer. Soothing green, herbal scent.

In the bottle: Golden oil. Sweet, rich, heady, complex. A little sour. Jasmine, hay and opium smoke jump out. It has a slightly powdery edge, and it's a little bitter and smoky. Exotic, unisex. Wet: HAY, a bit of sweet mandarin, loads of vanilla and piney-smooth tea. The sugared lily, too, emerges. And tobacco, astringent and a little biting. The leather is the bold, highly polished sort. Dry: Much, much darker and more bitter. Also, more dry and woody. Getting a bit of piney balsam. Mandarin long gone, as are the lily and vanilla. There was a brief glimmer of ginger, but it's gone. Summary: Bitter, smoky opium and tobacco with sour hay and warm sandalwood, touched with heady jasmine. More masculine on final drydown. Low throw.

Sniffed in imp: Extremely pale yellow oil. Nauseating pennyroyal and rotten things and very mentholic, harsh, brutal eucalyptus. I had to close the imp cap immediately.

Sniffed in imp: Extremely pale yellow oil. Salty aquatic with loads of dry, dry warm wood. Sandalwood and CEDAR. A little astringently (bay rum?) herbal. Not getting much leather, though what little I get is the slick, polished kind. Wet: I get an aloe sort of note from this, and loads and loads of cedar and sandalwood. Not actually very salty on my skin, more of juicy aloe-cucumber aquatic. Dry: Definitely cucumber as well as aloe - this really make the blend refreshing. The leather - though it's the whip kind of De Sade - is fairly light. Later: This reminds me of some of the lunacies - it has that 'lunar herbal oils' smell, which is light and lovely. This is also not even remotely soapy despite being 'aquatic'. Ahh it's Bony Moon! Summary: CEDAR and luminous aloe, with a bit of sandalwood, cucumber, and chemically leather. A very smooth, dry scent - not really aquatic, and unisex to masculine. Morphs so much on my skin. Low throw.

Sniffed in imp: Light yellow oil. Violet and iris, classically floral, feminine, and velvety. There's a bit of clean, bright, citrusy neroli and fresh sandalwood. Overall very light, but there's a slightly rotten edge, and a hint of powder.

Sniffed in imp: Light yellow oil. Sweet-tart, green and herbal. Peppermint and something lemony, possibly verbena, and something more mentholic, like tea tree oil. A little medicinal, or like aromatherapy. Wet: More of the tea tree oil, more medicinal/antiseptic, although the sweetness of the also-amped peppermint keeps that aspect in check. I do think there is verbena here, but a well-behaved one - not LEMON PLEDGE OF DOOM. Dry: Rose came out of nowhere & is dominating majorly, and a very soapy rose, too. Tea tree oil is completely gone, and this is much fainter, and no longer very herbal or green. Summary: Rose soap over faint peppermint and lemon verbena. Surprisingly insane throw; it faded a lot initially, but then ramped back up sickeningly when the rose emerged. Eek.

In the bottle: Light yellow oil. Mandarin, vanilla, and warm sandalwood. Light and creamy. Reminds me vaguely of creamsicles, though not as sweet. Very light lily of the valley. Wet: More floral, sweeter, with a powdery edge. Much more vanilla. There is a dustiness that I always get from opium. Also vaguely mentholic. Dry: Lily of the valley rapidly amping, and this is going increasingly powdery-soapy. Mandarin fading. Summary: Warm, dry, dusty, sweet, creamy, floral and soapy vanilla-powder. Rather mild and inoffensive, but not my thing. Lower throw.

Evocative of the sea's unplumbed mysteries. Gentle and lovely, but menacing and profound. Coconut, Florentine iris, hazelnut and opalescent white musk. In the bottle: Colourless oil. Nutty, floral, glimmering and feminine. The iris is very clean and classically 'white floral' but not in an overbearing way. Sweet, creamy coconut and a little hint of toasty hazelnut. Intense white musk. It's much more floral and traditional in feel than I expected. Wet: More iris, and...violet? Really smooth, velvety violet. Much less hazelnut on my skin, almost none, and this has lost almost all sweetness. The coconut isn't really foody anymore, just creamy and rich. Loads of white musk coming out. Dry: Languid, summery, tropical - definitely. The violet is the violet from Faith, before the vanilla in that blend goes crazy. Also reminds me a bit of Melisande, and even more so of Shoggoth, with that floral/iris-coconut combo. Later: This smells like so many other things...getting some Brown Jenkins and Dia deja-senti. With the white musk coming out so much in drydown, especially Dia. An older, sort of sophisticated scent. Summary: Velvety violet-iris Dia. White, shining, creamy, soft, feminine. No hazelnut on drydown. Just a tad too powdery and nutty from the coconut for me, but quite lovely.

Sniffed in imp: Dark orangey-red oil. Jasmine, magnolia, amber, musk. Heady, floral, rich. Slightly sweet. I can tell this is the sort of jasmine that goes to soap on me.

In the bottle: Colourless oil. Fresh, clean slightly sharp cologne. Manly. The lemon and sandalwood come out, and some evergreen woods. Not nearly as dark as I anticipated, nor is it smoky or bitter. Wet: Crisp. Drier on my skin, with lots of sandalwood. The vetiver here just adds depth, a sort of intense woodiness, and is very pleasant. More citrusy and zesty. The woods are well blended, smooth not piney. Dry: Some gorgeous musk is emerging, and gosh this is becoming so sexy. There's something spicy in this, in a very refined and subtle way. It has gone a bit darker and slightly smoky. Later: It reminds me of some high-end cologne I've smelled. It is a bit scorched after a few hours. Loads of woods now too. It's become very deep, too deep on my skin for me, as a girly girl. Summary: Vetiver at its finest. If you think you don't like vetiver...try this. Deep, smooth, woody, rich, sexy, and yet shower-clean, light, fresh and indeed wispy. So well balanced! Good throw & great lasting power. An expensive, luxurious masculine scent. I need a man so I can smell this as it should be smelled.

In the bottle: Light, bright lemon-yellow oil. Herbs and honey with sweet florals. Green, gentle, spring-like. Clean and fresh. Wet: More floral, slightly mentholic. Thyme, honeysuckle, grape hyacinth. Even more honeyed, in a gorgeous way. Slightly soapy edge, but not unpleasantly so - just clean. A bit lineny. Dry: Very, very slow to dry. Someone mentions olive oil, and I do get that or something similar - a sort of smooth, slightly oily and fruity note. Definitely some type of lily in here. Later: This reminds me of Juliet a lot, but a bit greener and more aquatic. There's a glowing golden sense that makes me think heliotrope, and definitely some musk. A bit more soapy, but deliciously. Summary: Honey and clean, delicate spring florals over thyme and olive oil. It's beautifully blended and balanced, and though it's very gentle in feel, it has great throw. I find it *very* soothing.