fairnymph

In the bottle: Deep peachy-amber colour. Slightly soapy orange blossom, bubblegum fruit, woody spice, and a hint of mint. Wet: Sweeter, less minty though still a touch cool/mentholic, though that meshes oddly with the warmth of the sandalwood. Spice is cinnamon, I think. Dry: The fruit is clearly blackberry now, though it still has that fake tinge, maybe from the orange (which registers as fruit not blossom, now). More warmth from cinnamon and sandalwood. Summary: Bubblegum-tinged blackberry, light cinnamon spice and soft warm sandalwood with hints of cool minty soap. Really...bizarre. Good throw & lasting power.

In the bottle: Nearly colourless extremely pale yellow oil. Sweet, fruity (plum!), warm and a bit creamy, with hints of spice and wood. Wet: Sweeter, but also richer, darker - dark fruit added to the plum blossom. Vanilla and the nutty wild rice come out too, providing that creamy feel. Nutmeg light. Dry: Vanilla has amped up greatly, sweetening the blend further, and the nutmeg has more bite now, too. The sandalwood is very light - maybe red sandalwood? - more warm than dry. Later: This reminds me of Morocco - a very similar feel, though this has more distinct notes, and obviously the rich and fruity plum. So maybe throw in a dash of Kitsune-Tsuki, bc I detect musk too. Summary: Deep, juicy plum with lighter blossom notes, softly spicy nutmeg, warm red sandalwood, nutty wild rice, rich, sweetly creamy vanilla, and some sexy musk. Sophisticated, feminine. Decent throw, but fades quickly. Not my thing, but surprisingly yummy. This is my pick for most popular Shunga.

In the bottle: Colourless oil. Dry, slightly sharp wood (much like sandalwood) dominates, with alcoholic, bracing sake, and distant apricot. Wet: Sweeter, less harsh. More apricot, and the sake has lost much of its bite, instead now it's refreshingly tangy. The wood is still very dry and sharp. Dry: Apricot is foremost now, sweet and juicy, yet it doesn't come off as cloying as it usually does. The wood has died further, and the sake remains a lovely, almost sparkling note of clean acidity that cuts the apricot. Summary: Juicy apricot and refreshing, clean sake with a whisper of dry, light wood. It settles very nicely after a while, but fades rapidly. Good throw, dismal lasting power.

In the bottle: Very pale yellow oil. Soft, sweet, and floral. The vanilla, musk, and cherry blossom come through clearly. Definitely feminine. Wet: Fresher/earthier, with the moss showing through - it reminds me a bit of the mosses in The Apothecary. Less sweet and less floral, more unisex, almost cologney. Dry: The musk has come back, and though it's light in feel, it's strong. This is still cleanly mossy but balanced with the cherry blossom. It's smooth and sort of hazy. Summary: Unisex, clean, oddly neutral scent. It's a balanced blend of musk, freshly herbal moss, and soft cherry blossom. It makes me think of the air in Spring just after it rains. Good throw, decent lasting power. I like it quite a bit, but I'm not blown away and it's not quite feminine enough for me.

In the bottle: Light yellow-coloured oil. Citrus, clean white flowers, butter tonka, and slick black tea. Zesty, fresh, cologney but unisex. Wet: Very strong on the citrus, both zest and juice - very nice. Kept sweet by the mandarin and tonka. Touch of soapiness. A bit acquatic. Despite it all, very smooth and melded. Dry: Tonka, tea, ambergris, labdanum have amped up majorly, and lot of the citrus has faded, though the lime is still going strong. This is heavier and richer now, as well as slightly incensey. Later: Tea and labdanum REALLY amping, and the flowers have come out a bit more. It's very complex and multi-layered at this point. There's also a dry, woody note, a bit like oak? Summary: Smooth, sweet, and rich, yet light and airy as well. Unisex. Piney tea and labdanum dominate, with lime peel and tonka sweetening things, ambergris provides depth, and neroli and tuberose keep this clean and freshly floral. Great throw, good longevity. A bit too rich for me, and the tonka's too prominent, but impressive.

In the bottle: Very pale yellow oil. Fruity and floral, with tartness keeping it from being too sweet. Peach, citrus, osmanthus and slightly soapy tuberose - with peach being foremost. Wet: Slightly bitter from the lemon peel which cuts the sweetness, though this is still VERY fruity. There's a bubblegum note that screams pink, I think maybe the blood orange? Berryish, for sure. Dry: More floral as it dries, with powdery notes from the tuberose and violet. The carnation has a slightly spicy edge. This still has a not-quite-pleasant bitterness. Later: There's some serious musk in this and it's dominating now. As I suspected it might based on the notes, this reminds me of La Primavera. Less sweet than before. Summary: Sweet peach and musk, with slightly bitter lemon peel, rapsberry-ish blood orange, and bright, slightly powdery florals. Very strong throw and longevity. It's nice, but too sweet/candyish for me. Sort of reminds me of a candied cross between La Primavera and Fae.

In the bottle: Pale golden-amber coloured oil. Sweet, smoky, and delicate yet rich. Honey, sugar cane, vanilla, copal all distinct. Definitely floral and feminine, too. Wet: Stronger and sweeter, verging on cloying. The honey emerges a bit more. Coapl is both resiny and smoky and gives this blend a very warm feel. Dry: Sugar cane and floral notes (orchid) coming out more now, and relieving the heaviness a bit. The floral note is very fresh and almost citrusy, reminding me of linden. Later: The copal has settled very nicely on me and the vanilla and beeswax notes have faded a bit so that this isn't so sweet. Those orchid and linden floral notes have amped, and soft musk has emerged. Summary: Heady, bright florals (orchid, linden), sweetened primarily by honey and refreshing sugar cane, with lighter notes of vanilla, beeswax, and slightly smoky, resiny copal. Strong throw & longevity. It's a bit too sweetly heavy for me, but very nice.

In the bottle: Colourless oil. Light, sweet, delicate, feminine, floral. Gardenia, honey, and a wispy, almost aquatic note that must be the rice paper. Wet: More floral, and much stronger overall. The honey has an almost vanillic note. This feels very grown up, sophisticated, and expensive. Dry: As usual, I'm amping the hell out of the very pure, bright gardenia, but it's not overwhelming. Definitely a faint salty aquatic undertone, too, which keeps the gardenia in check. Summary: Strong, almost piercing, luxurious gardenia over light vanilla'ed honey and cool ocean breezes. Nocturnal & classically feminine in feel. Incredible throw and longevity. It's the best gardenia scent I've tried, and a bottle will go a LONG way, so I'm in for one. Very evocative and rich despite its relative simplicity.

In the bottle: Sweet, a bit foody, fruity, creamy. Brown sugar, vanilla, cream, tonka, apple, guava and passionfruit jump out. This reminds me of pavlova! Wet: Tarter, more fruity and less foody. Not so overwhelmingly sweet. I can smell each fruit distinctly - gorgeous! Also, getting some carnation and slightly powdery sweet pea. Dry: Wow, the passionfruit and guava have amped - this is tart, tropical deliciousness! The sweet pea is making my nose itch a bit, but is bearable. The cream note is woefully light, but then, I'm glad the the tonka and vanilla are as well. Later: That guava is amazing. Sadly this is going a teensy bit plasticky on me, and that sweet pea is annoying me more and more. Vanilla and cream have amped up a bit, or other stuff has faded, and carnation (not the spicy sort) has emerged. Summary: Final dry down is very light, slightly sweet pea-powdery vanilla cream & carnation with hints of tart, exotic guava and passionfruit. Great throw but fades to almost nothing within a few hours. Delicate and feminine. It's the closest thing I have to the Horn of Amalthea, so I'll be keeping my bottle.

In the bottle: Extremely pale yellow, nearly colourless oil. Jasmine, orange blossom, herbs, powdery feminine florals. Slightly sweet. Wet: Powdery angelica and wisteria merge with the soapy jasmine. The orange blossom, freesia and osmanthus are light and sweet. Thyme and heather are cool, green and fresh. Smooth, slightly piney tea. Dry: Much more herbal, with the thyme and heather coming out majorly - I'm reminded of The Phantom Queen. The tea note is the slick one from Manhattan. Still, this is pretty strongly floral soap. Later: The angelica (which is sort of fennel-like) is quite strong in this, and it has definitely amped. Unfortunately, so has the wisteria powder of doom. Summary: Evilly strong powdery wisteria, sweet powdery angelica, & soapy jasmine dominate. Thyme and heather below add fresh herbal notes, but lightly. The osmanthus, orange blossom, and freesia are woefully light. Powdery floral-herbal soap, on the whole. Strong throw & longevity.

Energy, vigor, verve, strength, courage, balls. In the bottle: Fresh and citrusy! Tangerine or mandarin, lemon, and grapefruit. Something else fresh...ginger? Wet: Juicy and slightly sweet, but also a bit powdery, like PEZ candy. Something woody or herbal, too. This is really warm, bright, and fun. Dry: The grapefruit is amping, a first for me with BPAL! Oh my goodness, it's gorgeous and pink and edible! But a spice is coming out, ugh. Summary: Orange fruit, pink grapefruit and powdery, woody ginger. Bright and unisex, though definitely more aromatherapy than perfume. Great throw, but fades fast.

In the bottle: Light brownish amber coloured oil. Sweet, spicy, earthy but also light and fresh. Black cherry and cardamom jump out. Wet: Not really sweet, despite the strong black cherry note. The cardamom has amped, and reminds me greatly of chai. A bit of soft patchouli coming through. The verbena is faint and more green than citrusy. Dry: I'm pretty sure there's also cinnamon in this, something with more of a bite, more heat than cardamom. It's a light touch, though. Still not getting any cassis. Later: The patchouli has emerged a bit more. It's still light, not dirty or rooty. Overall this is a very unisex scent. The cardamom has taken on a dry, almost cedar-like edge. Summary: Black cherry, bright, woody-dry cardamom, and lighter hints of spicy cinnamon and softly earthy patchouli. Great throw & good lasting power.

Seaweed, kelp, salty ocean spray, bitter almond, night-blooming jasmine, frankincense, and benzoin. In the bottle: Light, sunshine coloured oil. Sweet and salty. Ocean, seaweed, incense, resins, and rich florals. Wet: Deliciously salty aquatic, with strong honeyed benzoin. The bitter almond is a lovely deep note. Light frankincense and soapy jasmine. Dry: The almond has come out a bit more, but it's not nutty or benzaldehydey - it's more sophisticated, almost floral, and feels luxurious. Still very salty and the benzoin has amped. Later: It's a bit cologney, floral in a traditional perfumey way - but that works here, adding to the elegance without being too overwhelming. Unisex to feminine. Summary: A gorgeous, grown-up aquatic. It's one of the saltiest oceanic scents I've smelled, but there's a hint of cologne, some rich jasmine and creamy almond, sweetened by the resiny benzoin and frankincense. Great throw & lasting power.

In the bottle: Extremely pale yellow oil. Sweetly floral, aquatic, and woodsy. Hyacinth, ocean and fir stand out. Clean and fresh yet feminine. Wet: Saltier, and a little soapy-heady as the jasmine emerges. Not as sweet or light, as the hyacinth immediately begins to fade. The fir is a touch mentholic, a bit piney. Dry: Okay, this is settling. The jasmine is there, and a bit heavy and soapy, but bearably. The fir is strong but not pinesol. The ocean is light but delicious, as is the moderately present sweet hyacinth. Later: The jasmine still lends a soapy edge, but it's not as heady. The fir is just nicely woodsy, and that hyacinth is so sweet and delicious and fresh. The wonderful salty aquatic note melds everything nicely. Summary: Sweet, almost fruity hyacinth and deep, cool fir with salty ocean waves and slightly soapy jasmine. Clean, a little wild, and only just barely feminine. Low throw and lasting power. It's pretty lovely when the jasmine calms down (and would be amazing without it), and it'd be even better in a scent locket. Quite possibly a bottle buy.

In the bottle: Colourless clear oil. Sweet, herbal, slightly medicinal and citrusy. Lavender, melissa, eucalyptus or tea tree oil. Wet: Even more herbal-medicinal-mentholic. It's strong tea tree. The lavender is lovely, the same as in Yvaine, though it's overwhelmed. Thyme, too. Dry: The TT is backing off a bit, and the melissa amping. Something else sort of fresh and aquatic, too - lettuce or cucumber? - emerging. Lavender holding. Later: Uhh...where are you? Massively faded. Melissa and lavender primarily And that fresh, soothing note is chamomile, I think. Summary: Blue lavender, chamomile and melissa with faint wisps of thyme. Clean, soothing and herbal. Decent throw but fades to virtually nothing within an hour. I like how it morphs, but the staying power is just pathetic. Maybe useful for headaches, as a short-term remedy?

In the bottle: Nearly colourless extremely pale yellow. Soft, light, delicate. Aquatic, with the wild lettuce really coming through, and some vaguely powdery, clean florals. Wet: Similar, but stronger. The lettuce note is lovely, almost cucumbery, cool. But the orris starts to amp almost immediately and go a little old lady powdery soap on me. Dry: Orris amping and other soap florals, presumably the angel's trumpet. I'm getting a sort of lilac-scent. Heady. The dryness of the rosewood emerges, making this seem even more powdery. Later: The angel's trumpet does have a nice freshness to it that reminds me of daisy, and this blend is a bit less overwhelmingly ORRIS now. That gorgeous wild lettuce note is holding, and the rosewood is light. Summary:Cool, aquatic, green-fresh wild lettuce, light, clean angel's trumpet, soapy-powdery-heady orris, and faint dry, warm rosewood. The orris sadly ruins this for me, as it does many blends. Strong throw but fades fast.

In the bottle: Very bright and fruity, with a strong melon topnote. It reminds me greatly of a cantelope version of Earth Rat (which is honeydew, on me). Lychee is strong too, and then there's this earthiness I've not smelled in either of the former two years - the hint of oakmoss, and darker, slightly astringent tobacco. Wet: Tarter/less-sweet, the citrus and that quince coming through strongly. Also, this is the first time I've been able to pick up pine resin in a NY's blend; much more piney than usual. The lychee is still strong, but melon much fainter. Florals distant, other than some sharp/fresh narcissus. Dry: Florals, a little soapy and quite strong, start amping up very quickly as this dries equally rapidly. I'm not getting the blossoms distinctly, but the narcissus and peony are prominent. The citrus is fading fast, but that's revealing more of that melon note, and a little plum, which adds a dark feel to the blend. Later: Definitely a bit soapy, but not unbearably. The oakmoss has majorly come out, but the tobaccco is still light. The florals have settled more, so everything's pretty much showing evenly. Pine has settled to resin. Bamboo has emerged. Summary: Oakmoss, musk, dark tobacco and earthy pine resin dominate over the long haul. This is MUCH earthier/woodier than the previous two years. The plum is the only fruit I can still pick out of the general fruitiness, and the florals are a distant hazy bouquet. Very strong throw but fades a fair bit. Very happy with my bottle but this is not in my top 10 like Earth Rat.

In the bottle: Light yellow oil. Sweet, fruity, spicy. It smells more like mulled cider to me than mulled wine. The citrus (esp orange) and cinnamon stand out most strongly, though most notes are present. Wet: Less intensely sweet and spicy, warmer and more mellow. Honey, grapey wine and bay emerge clearly. This smells delicious - I want to drink my hand. Dry: Slow to dry, but becomes less foody-sweet and more spicy-room scent as time goes on. The cinnamon is truly nose-tingling, and the now-stronger woody clove only adds to that. Later: The citrus has gone, and I have yet to pick out any vanilla or cardamom, and really most of the fruitiness is gone. Summary: About 90% very powerful cinnamon, 5% clove, and the rest is much fainter bay, honey, and wine. Barely sweet; intensely spicy. Incredible throw & longevity.

Sniffed in imp: Extremely pale yellow oil. Sweet, piney, spicey. The sharp evergreen note of the mistletoe is strongest, and the berries smell more like wine. Definite spice - clove, allspice and pepper give this a real kick.

Sniffed in imp: Root beer coloured. Sour and sharp, quite green and a little smoky. Earthy patchouli. I can smell each note.The sage is a bit medicinal, the tea light. Masculine. (A bit got on my hand and it's much nicer dry on my skin.)

Sniffed in imp: Light beigey-golden amber. Dark, earthy, smoky. A bit of soil, perhaps (the mandrake - rooty), also a little sweet and sour. Heavy. I think it's appropriate, but can't imagine it as a perfume.

Sniffed in imp: Extremely pale yellow. Sweet, flavoured coffee; reminds me of walking into a Dunkin Donuts. Mocha is distinct but light, and if I strain I get a wisp of whiskey. Creamy. Wet: Super strong flavoured coffee, with a bitter edge. Still very creamy but less sickeningly sweet. The whiskey is definitely minor, though I do thing it adds a certain 'tang'. A bit more mocha-chocolatey, and I get a faint hint of spice. Dry: The coffee goes stale as coffee does usually on my skin, so that this reminds me a lot of Egg Nog Latte, although this has way more throw. All the boozey whiskey is completely gone. Still mild spice and mocha notes. Later: Final dry down is butter & stale coffee. Great throw & longevity, unlike ENL. I don't like foody stuff and I hate flavoured coffee. :\

Sniffed in imp: Extremely pale yellow oil. Vanilla and licorice, yup. Rich, creamy, artificial, sickly sweet vanilla. The licorice is sweet, true and natural but overwhelmed by the vanilla. Wet: Wayyyy more intensely LICORICE, with vanilla (softer and creamier, more natural now) far off in the distance. Less sweet, though definitely still candyish/foody. It actually is pretty nice now, and evokes black licorice perfectly. Dry: The vanilla amps up a bit, but remains lovely and I have to say it melds beautifully with the licorice, not a favourite note of mine. This is both very edible and very wearable, and could possibly work on a man. Summary: Final drydown is a perfect balance of creamy, rich vanilla and deep black licorice. It's oddly sexy and pretty delicious, though I don't love licorice quite enough. More feminine after time. Decent throw & great longevity.

Revisited/Resurrected Version: Sniffed in imp: Light yellow oil. Super sweet, foody, artificial french vanilla with a hint of peppermint. The two scents clash awfully.

Snow Angel Resurrected In the bottle: Extremely pale, nearly colourless yellow oil. Sweet, piney, cold. No lemon, and the peach just comes across as extra sweetness. Wet: Some tea now, less piney and cold. Still extremely sugary. Dry: Horrible sweet pine, amping like crazy on my skin, possibly with vanilla. SINK! Later: Does not wash off. Has amped incredibly, STILL. Summary: Super sweet, fake vanilla tea and sickly pine. Overwhelming throw and longevity.