fairnymph

In the bottle: Golden yellow oil. Lilac and grapefruit. Light, floral, airy. Wet: Almost chemically harsh in how brightly floral LILAC it is. The grapefruit is quite juicy and sweet, and there might be another citrusy note here too. Lemon? Dry: I love lilac in theory, but it just never seems as good in perfume as it does in real life. It's going soapy. The citruses are holding well, at least, to cut the floral. Later: Well, this is the most well-behaved lilac scent I've tried. It never goes beyond that hint of soap, and it doesn't turn to powder. It's not overwhelming, either. Summary: This is a pretty simple scent. White grapefruit zest and a whole fuckton of (bearably) heady LILAC. It's definitely the truest lilac BPAL scent, and it's very clean, airy, and doesn't morph. Decent throw & longevity. I like the final drydown, but the early stage isn't so great, and I'm just not a fan of lilac in perfume it seems, despite it being my favourite actual flower. *sigh*

In the bottle: Deep yellow, almost brownish oil. Air, woods, and soil. It's sort of like a misty forest - very evocative. Something green-fresh and a little sharp, too. Definitely some oakmoss here which provides the earthy note without being *dirty*. Wet: A little sweeter. The green note is almost citrusy...maybe geranium? And I think there's a bit of blue lavender, like the note from Yvaine. I don't know what the airy scent is, but I really like it; reminds me of the air note in Nowhere in Particular. Dry: Very slow to dry, and very viscous. Not volatile at all which is probably why it's so low-throw right now. This reminds me a bit of a more ethereal The Piper at the Gates of dawn; some light patchouli and glowing, slightly sweet heliotrope. Later: As I suspected in the earlier stages, there is some serious musk here when this finally (after 30 min?) dries. Reminds me a lot of the musk in Buck Moon & Robin Goodfellow; a really dark, intense, more masculine musk. Extremely sexy. Summary: Oakmoss, patchouli, dark musk & heliotrope dominate, with lighter touches of geranium, oak, blue lavender and rushing air. It's a woodsy, natural, primal scent that's also very alive, wild and sexy, but still grounded. Good throw & great longevity. I'd say this is really a masculine scent, but it works well on my skin even though I favour feminine scents. It's an incredible wrist-sniffer, and I can only imagine how amazing it would be on a man. A 2-bottle scent for sure.

In the bottle: Light, fruity, green-white floral. Gardenia? Maybe some ozone? Also something citrusy. Wet: Fresh, clean, airy, and almost aquatic - this reminds me a great deal of rain. White grapefruit or maybe geranium, and slightly soapy florals. A touch cologney. Dry: The florals are a bit heady. Magnolia, slightly powdery lily, possibly sweet pea. The fruit here is very light, but sort of exotic and juicy - in addition to the grapefruit. Very complex and difficult to pinpoint on the whole. Later: Galbanum gives this green, almost resiny force. The fruit sweetens...maybe red currant? And something darker, like wild plum. I don't get anything spicy, other than maybe a floral sharpness from lily. Musk. Reminds me a bit of Kitsune Tsuki. There's a dryness here though that makes me think rosewood. Summary: Final drydown is a very musky, slightly sweet-fruity, bright floral scent, though it's more complex than that. Very feminine, sexy, and sophisticated. I don't get a red feel from this, at all. Good throw and excellent lasting power. I'm not sure I need to seek out a bottle of this, but I'll use the little bit I have for sure.

In the bottle: Pale yellow oil. Sweet, warm. Honey/beeswax. Incense, amber,something woody, musk. Something floral, soft but strong. Wet: Very light. A bit more powdery, less sweet. More incense, in a light, airy sort of way. Red sandalwood, warm and smooth. Carnation, more creamy than spicy. Dry: Quite possibly a milk or cream note, as this is very creamy. The carnation amps, I suspect a more traditional floral too. More spicy., Amber very potent, but not overly powdery - more incensey. Golden amber, a la Inez. Later: There's definitely really rich, sexy, heavy musk of some sort - Arabian? And now there's some clove coming out, as it does in the dry stage on me - I think it's providing more spice than the carnation. Carnation and amber totally dominate. Summary: Golden amber, red sandalwood, floral carnation, milk, honey, sweet, woody clove, and Arabian musk. Warm, creamy, dry, powdery, spicy, sexy, woody, lightly sweet. Good throw & great longevity. Not my thing, but I see why this is so coveted. A lot of very popular notes. The amber & clove (though very light) make this unworkable for me, though. I also get the 'air freshener' thing but can't pin down the source.

Sniffed in imp: Light amber coloured oil. Sweet, spicy, incensey. Amber is strong, as are vanilla and musk. Very much a spicy carnation. Warm, woody, a bit dry. Rich and luxurious.

In the bottle: Golden oil. Sweet and fruity with a hint of lurking darkness. Grape, PLUM, and a bit of myrrh. Suggestion of velvety florals. Wet: Still very grape/plum candy-fruit, but a dark, bitter edge from the myrrh, and the flowers have more force. I can foresee the powder of doom...the violet note is lovely though, and the fig is the sexy/earthy/deep kind. Dry: Greatly faded, especially in the fruit department. Less sweet; tart grape is now the most distinctive fruit. Soft powder from the florals makes me think of grape pez. Summary: Soft, lightly sweet-fruity, feminine. The florals are very well behaved and velvety, the fruit is candyish but not overly, and there's a dark myrrh/fig edge to keep this grounded. Good throw, poor longevity. One of the few times I don't have to wash off wisteria, and it does feel purple indeed, but it's not really my thing, and I'm not crazy about the grape Pez effect.

In the bottle: Floral, fruity, and tart - almost exotic or tropical, like lychee or pineapple - but with fresh, green, leafy notes and white, pure florals. Wet: Stronger, but much the same. Very bright and still quite fruity, in a tangy way that reminds me almost of rosehip -oh! and tart apple, most definitely. Crisp & juicy - like pink lady apples. Dry: Dries quickly, and begins to fade even more quickly.The crisp edge and disctinct apple note is pretty much gone. It's still green and a juicy, though. Floral note reminds me of crocus. Later: Juicy apple, exotic lychee, tart rosehip - these fruits sort of merge into a guava-like scent balanced perfectly by the green-floral elemets. A very complex yet coherent conception of freesia that I can barely believe is a SN. Summary: Hyacinth, crocus, cyclamen, & rose create a slightly heady, shining green/white/fresh floral, along with aforementioned fruit. This is how I can describe this scent, even if they're not actual components. Low throw & dismal lasting power. Oh, how I wish I had enough to slather as this requires! And an actual proper bottle.

In the bottle: Pale golden oil. Sweet, fruity, floral...and a little heady. The honey-wheat combo is almost cloying, but the nectarine is very juicy, and the roses strong. Wet: Okay...cherry! Maraschino cherry to be precise. That's what the cloying sweet fruity note is. There's also a soapy edge. I'd swear there's jasmine in this, actually; the roses stand apart. Dry: Much more wheat has come out, as well as some delightfully sour-bright rosehip, but the cloying fake sweetness and soapy edge are so unpleasant. Later: Roses really amping; these are the first to hit from a distance. Sweetness fading, thankfully. Much nicer now. Reminds me a bit of Vasakasajja. Summary: The terrible cherry note fades, leaving mostly juicy-tart nectarine & rosehip for fruit, rich honeyed, almost nutty wheat, and intense rose with a soapy edge. Strong throw. Initial maraschino and soapy tinge make this unwearable for me, alas - otherwise it would have been a winner. I'm also not crazy about nutty/grain notes. I will say that myrrh, which I dread, never made an appearance.

In the bottle: Pale golden yellow oil. Buttery, sweet, cake. Tonka, vanilla, and a little splash of orange zest. Wet: Similar, but more orange, and less sweet. A little bit of spicy-herbal anise coming out. A suggestion of white florals. Still mostly foody. Dry: Way more anise; it's now the dominating now. Tonka still going very strong, but the other foody notes have dropped off significantly. Still a nice note of orange- more like orange blossom now. Summary: I love the orange, floral, and mild vanilla notes, and how this ceases to be foody when drying, but the powerful anise-tonka combo became too much. STRONG throw.

2008 version Sniffed in imp: Pale peachy/beige oil. Woodsy, spicy, and a little sweet. Deep, complex woods and fir underscored by earthy patchouli. Light ripe, juicy apple and mulling spices galore. Almost smoky. Unisex to masculine.

In the bottle: Sweet, herbal, woodsy. PINE, alas. And that slushy snow note. A bit resiny too, and something a vaguely fruity. Wet: More herbal, and spicy; still very piney/junipery. I get some floral notes too; this sort of reminds me of L'Inverno, with cologney, almost sharp white florals. Dry: A bit more fruit coming out, and copal amping, going a bit smoky. An edge of soap. Some of the lighter green notes (clover, grass, sorrel) are detectable, but definitely buried. Later: I can pick up the elderberry now - it sort of reminds me blackberry or huckleberry, sort of juicy and herbal. A bit of tangy rosehip. No cedar, and a bit of soft sage. Summary: More fruity and smoky over time, and the grass and clover are lovely, but that hairspray snow/pine/floral thing just won't die. Strong throw & lasting power.

In the bottle: Light yellow oil. Sweet, SPICY, and a little foody. Reminds me of Pepper. Pink pepper and balsam jump out especially. Wet: Rose! Very full-bodied and velvety, too. Berries, but not to sweet or artificial. The caramel is very smooth and not cloying. Dry: The pink pepper is more aromatic, less spicy. Loads of piney-resiny balsam - it's almost smoky. Later: The benzoin emerges majorly, as is typical with my skin. Lovely though, and not overpowering. Summary: Smoky, sweet, deep. Lush but not too strong rose, exotic pink pepper, light caramel/burnt sugar, BALSAM, and rich, honeyish benzoin. My favourite of the Odes, but still not me.

In the bottle: Light yellow oil. Jasmine! Floral as hell. Soapy, a little sharp. Heady. Hints of labdanum (green/stemmy), honey, white ginger. Wet: More white ginger - really fresh, bright, zesty note. Still JASMINE. Vaguely cologney, almost citrusy (tangy rosehip), and aquatic. Dry: There is a smoothness/oilinesss, presumably provided by the ambrette seed, that tempers the intensity of the jasmine to an extent. Summary: Soapy/sharp/heady floral jasmine with much fainter zingy white ginger and rosehip. Too much jasmine.

In the bottle: Colourless oil. Whoa! - potent. Medicinal lavender, other mentholic things. Wet: Same. Strong, sharp, almost harsh. Very GREEN. Sinus-clearing. Hint of bergamot. Dry: A bit more bergamot emerges with time, but the lavender overpowers it greatly, 90:10 or so. Summary: It does take on a very slight edge of sweetness, but in the end smells far too medicinal for my tastes. Virtually lavender SN.

In the bottle: Amber-coloured oil. Sweet, dark, boozy. Syrupy plum, somewhat acidic and also grapey wine, and dry-sharp sandalwood. Wet: More (concord) grape and plum, very much sweet, dark fruit, almost candyish. Still a bit boozy. Sandalwood is softer. Light touch of heady, feminine champaca. Dry: Slow to dry. More woody, and much drier, as the deep sandalwood amps. Much less sweet and cloying, and now heavily floral, with a soapy/powdery edge. Summary: Boozy note gone, with slightly tart grape and sticky plum holding below the dry, almost dusty, but still warm, deep sandalwood with bright, heavy champaca. Decent throw, fades a lot initially but then holds.

Considering the state of the economy and other worldwide woes, I think we all need a little extra dose of good luck. A sweet, comforting base of dark chocolate and brown sugar with thirteen herbs of good fortune, including nutmeg, Tonka, allspice, star anise, Jamaican and African gingers, devil’s shoestring, lucky hand root, and thyme. In the bottle: Sweet, dark, and foody - but not cloying. Dark chocolate and brown sugar reign. Suggestion of herbs and spices, especially ginger, but nothing jumps out. Complex. Wet: Much spicier - whoa, nutmeg, all spice, and especially star anise- and now it's like a spice cake with brown sugar frosting. The dark chocolate note is quite light. Lots of star anise and ginger give this a sort of root-beer smell. Dry: Very spicy! Ginger beer with lighter cakey spices. Chocolate note virtually gone. This has gained a sort of 'rooty' depth, and I'm getting the lovely bright thyme. This feels very festive.

In the bottle: Sweet and herbal...and somehow remind me of tuna salad, but not in a gross way. Just a wtf sort of way. Celery, maybe? And then some medicinal lavender. Wet: More mentholic-medicinal. Eucalyptus or TTO. The sweetness is like white can sugar, almost granular. This is definitely somewhat foody, if untraditionally. Dry: That tuna association won't go away, but I can't pinpoint the cause - celery does seem the best guess. And then definitely something medicinal-mentholic. The sugar has become vanillic.

Sniffed in imp: Bright yellow oil. Heady, soapy flowers. Orris and lily of the valley jump out. Rose is faint, and ambergris is the soapy sort. Those strong floral notes really dislike me and I know this would be even more of a soapy, overpowering mess on my skin, so no desire to try it out. Ethereal and fruity? I wish.

In the bottle: Extremely pale yellow oil. Sweet and cologney, light and fresh, with a good bit of coconut. This reminds me greatly of Torture Queen + coconut, or maybe TQ crossed with Snow White. Sort of a cold, snowy note. Wet: Lighter, less coconutty. A bit soapy. A hint of earthy oakmoss, but mostly this is white amber and tobacco flower and white musk and a creamy cold note. Dry: Oakmoss and musk making a major showing, while the tobacco flower has faded a bit. Coconut holding. Creamy, white, a little piercing. Summary: Coconut, musk and amber predominate in long run. Moderate throw, excellent lasting power.

CCCLXIV - 364 In the bottle: Very pale yellow oil. Flowers and greenery, quite soapy. Grass, wildflowers, and a hint of something sweet and woody. Wet: Softer, sweeter, less green and grassy - though there is still a sort of floral spiciness to this, like nasturtium or carnation. The sweetness is like honey or wine. Still very soapy clean. Dry: Heather, clover. Maybe some orchid - this reminds me of The Phantom Queen. The wood is coming out now more, it's a little dusty. I'm getting a citrusy note - verbena, though it's light. Later: Going more sweet, almost caramel...I think it's beeswax. I'm also getting some daisy, and I think one of the soapy florals is moonflower. More sweet and woody, less floral/green with time. Summary: Caramel-sweet beeswax, heather, clover, light verbena and other sweet green herbs, spicy, clean wildflowers and oak wood on the final drydown. Some (white?) musk, too. Great throw and lasting power. Fairly unisex. CDV - 405 In the bottle: Light yellow, Chardonnay coloured. Buttery-foody. Sparkly, too. Alcohol note, maybe. Tonka, citrus. Sweet-tart. Wet: Something spicy. A little powdery. Juicy lemon. A cake note, pound cake/buttery. Almost a little nutty. Dry: Some white floral (gardenia, I think), and the powder has a warmth - amber. The spice note is clove. The lemon holds. Summary: Baked lemon-glazed spice cake with creamy amber and gardenia. CDXXVIII - 428 In the bottle: Warm, beigey-yellow colour. Sweet, fruity, dark. Grapes or wine, incense. Bubblegum ( = lotus). Wet: Less sweet, more floral. Definitely lotus, but something soapy too - jasmine? This HEADY. Also, a honey or honey-like note (benzoin? styrax?). Champagne/white grapes. Still vaguely incensey. Dry: Even sweeter. Benzoin, lotus, jasmine. Maybe a touch of smoky myrrh. Grapey-note is fainter. CDXXIX - 429 In the bottle: Honey coloured oil. Sweet, dark, fruity wine and/or grapes. Bubblegum, candy. A hint of cola-ish snake oil. Resins. Wet: Softer, sweeter, and a bit foody. Still sort of winey-liquery, in a syrupy way. Berries of some sort. Something richly, languidly floral. Dry: Sweet, faintly berried incense. Raspberry, oak or mahogany, resin. Doesn't morph after initial drying. MCCXXIV - 1224 In the bottle: Bright amber-coloured oil. Citrus - lemon or verbena, possibly grapefruit, it's very zesty - and sweet, deep woods. Something incensey. Wet: Lemon verbena, and what smells like bourbon vanilla - sweet, a little boozy, rich, slightly foody. The wood is something deep and smooth, like teak - quite yummy. And I get a hint of something like copal, resiny-smoky. Dry: This is making me nauseated (the verbena/vanilla combo is VERY strong and this is not a vanilla that likes me). Must wash off. MCCXXVI - 1226 In the bottle: Extremely pale, nearly colourless yellow. Slightly sweet and herbal; woodsy, mildly soapy. Masculine and somewhat medicinal. Wet: My friend says 'Smells like Pert'. Thyme, basil, something citrusy. Sweeter, soapier, and quite strong. Verbena. Something grassy/stemmy. Cologney. And herbal sweetness that's maybe fennel or anise. Dry: Frankincense adds sweetness. and makes this darker, almost incensey. Seems to amp over time. The woody note is birch or oak. Reminds me loads of Odin. Summary: Woody, sweet, slightly smoky, soapy cologne on final drydown. Oak, frankincense, and something slightly spicy. MCCXXVII - 1227 In the bottle: Light yellow coloured oil. Sweet and herbal, woody. Slightly smoky. Honey, vanilla, copal. Reminds me of some Beltane 08. Wet: Still mostly sweet, more smoky, incense, a hint of spice. Less green-fresh. Powdery hint of amber. Dry: Smokier and warmer; still very sweet. Summary: Final dry down is copal, honey, vanilla, and amber. A smoky version of O. MCCLXVI - 1266 In the bottle: Bright yellow coloured oil. Sweet, citrusy, tropical, creamy. Coconut, bubblegum. 'Pink' smelling. Wet: Very suddenly intense lemon and flowers. Creamy white coconut still there. Maybe a berry that's giving the sweet bubblegum scent, and/or lotus. Dry: Ahh, that lemon note is lemongrass! And definitely there is lotus of some type. Coconut still, and some davana. Later: Some sort of warm, delicious wood is coming out, teak or mahogany. There's a powdery edge of amber, and some pineapple fruit, too. Summary: Creamy coconut, tropical fruits, lemongrass, davana, lotus, amber, and rich warm woods. Sweet-tart and feminine. Note: Despite 'in the bottle' I do not actually have any bottles of these scents. I was sent sniffies to evaluate.

In the bottle: Bright yellow oil. Sweet and foody. Vanilla galore! Like sweet vanilla frosting, with a hint of spicy fresh ginger. Wet: Almost boozy, more fruity (the date, maybe?), but still mostly vanilla frosting. The red ginger is delicious and stronger. Dry: Going plastic quickly, and the oude is emerging, making this drier, more masculine. Spicier and spicier ginger. Later: Sparkling? Yeah, the red ginger went sparkling. And I'm not getting any oakmoss. The date is very much like date - heavy, sweet. Summary: Fake, plasticky, cloying vanilla frosting with sparkling, zesty ginger and rich, almost chewy date. Dry, masculine oude beneath it all. Very strong throw. Sadly, the sickening vanilla of the sort I most despise sent me running for the sink. Won't wash off...though now I AM getting the oakmoss.

In the bottle: Light lemon yellow. Lightly sweet, fresh feminine flowers. A little soapy. Honeysuckle and something vaguely piney. Wet: Less sweet, more sour, more soapy and going powdery, too, very rapidly. Dry: Powerful throw. I can smell it from feet away. Full on soap and powder. Summary: Powdery, soapy mixed florals. Crazy throw but fades quite quickly, thankfully. I never got any frankincense, vanilla or orchid.

In the bottle: Light golden oil. Soft and warm; faintly floral (definitely some 'mum), very rounded and almost creamy, delicately sweet. Wet: Faintly spicy, almost like carnation. Very golden and light in feel as well as appearance. Hint of soft vanilla, and a good wallop of creamy amber. Dry: The marigold adds a lovely fresh green note that mingles with the 'mum wonderfully. The amber has a hint of powder, but is mostly just warm, creamy, and comforting along with the sandalwood which is very light. A bit of smoky incense. Later: Spicier, smokier, greener, sharper - with more throw and force. Some intense musk has come out - it's pretty sexy - and the vanilla has amped, becoming sweeter and more foody. Summary: The golden creamy delicate sweetness reminds me a lot of L'Estate, but this has more depth, the darker elements of light spice and smoky incense and sexy musk. The amber-vanilla combo is beautiful and creamy without being powdery or cloying, and the flowers are rounded and velvety. The sandalwood is very faint. Good throw & lasting power. The most complex and well-crafted of the new Shungas, for sure. It's not my style but it's gorgeous. I barely get any cinnamon and I also agree that it's similar in feel to Morocco.

In the bottle: Nearly colourless oil. Sweet and fruity, but with depth; the slightly tangy berries and cognac jump out. Something a little spicy like tobacco, the leather and bag maybe? The leather's a little sharp. Wet: Smoother, with the leather softening and the cream emerging, but also spicier, too. Carnation, I think - it's yummy. Much less sweet and fruity; berries faded, fig coming out. Dry: More and more spicy and masculine as it dries. Leather amping, and now I'm getting some clove, definitely. It wasn't carnation, alas. It's deep, woody - and sort of does make me think of paper bags. Later: Some of the berry has come back, the leather holds, and most of the booziness of the cognac has worn off. The intense clove pretty much erases the cream note. The fig is the dried sort. Summary: Spicy, woody clove dominates over smooth aged leather, with hints of dark berry (blackberry), dusty fig, and rich cognac. Masculine in the final drydown, and quite a morpher. Strong throw, decent longevity. Note that I amp clove like crazy, so my reaction may not be typical.

In the bottle: Light yellow oil. Sweet, smoky, musky, a little woody. It has a deep, warm feel, but is clean, too. Unisex. Wet: Sweeter, with honey and tonka and that fruity-floral dragon's blood peeking out, with some soapy ambergris, tangy currant, and a bit more smoke. Dry: Ambergris and dragon's blood amping; this is saltier, soapier, and more floral, almost powdery. Smoke has faded, as has much of the sweetness. Later: Goes dusty/powdery (the sandalwood, maybe?), and a little more sour from the currant as the sweetness backs off, though I still get a lovely honey note. Summary: Warm, dusty sandalwood, soapy ambergris, powdery-floral dragon's blood, light honey, and a touch of sour currant. Decent throw and lasting power. Not my thing at all.