fairnymph

Sniffed in imp: Dark honey coloured. Sharply woodsy and herbal. Cypress, labdanum, myrrh and myrtle hit first. Heady orchid and cereus, somewhat sour currant, spicy and potent poppy. A bit too floral to be unisex. Certainly dark and nocturnal. A well blended and evocative scent, but not to my liking.

In the bottle: Honey coloured oil. Sweet, rich, languid with hidden, swarthier depths. Honey is in dominance, further sweetened by boozy cognac. A bit of soapy tuberose and dark spicy myrrh, with a bite of red patchouli. Something nutty. Wet: Still very sweet, but fresher and more herbal from the geranium, and spicier and earthier from the myrrh and patchouli. Cognac is boozy but in a pleasant way that does merge nicely with the honey. Tuberose soapy, but bearably. Dry: Reminds me a bit of Les Bijoux; that honeyed sweetness with a dark bite beneath, the cognac even has a fruity tone. The musk is emerging, same as in LB, and that myrrh has a bitterness likewise. Geranium brightens the mix. Nuttiness fades; tuberose holds. Summary: Heavily sweet, somewhat fruity honey-cognac, picy-dark, bitter myrhh, and sexy deep musk, with a snap of harsh patchouli and soapy tuberose, and a faint breath of herbal geranium. Strong throw and probably lasting power. I washed it off, as the combo of sweet and dark made me rather queasy. Not bad, but not my thing.

Sniffed in imp: Golden-honey coloured oil. Very sweet and spicy, almost foody. Cinnamon then clove, dripping peach and sweet orange. A hint of rooty patchouli, but I don't get any incense. I get the red hots candied cinnamon thing. I don't like spices on my skin and the type of patchouli is not one I care for, and this is too sweet for me as well.

In the bottle: Colourless oil. Herbal lavender, but not sharp and medicinal - green and fresh and bright. Hints of citrus and musk, but rather simple. Wet: Still almost lavender single note. A bit soapy, and a bit minty too. Almost medicinal, but still mostly just very herbal. I pick up a bit of that sort of sweet lime. Reminds me a bit of Wilde. Dry: Definitely something minty in here, the sort of mint that I do NOT like - pennyroyal, I believe. It's amped considerably, as has the soapy note. The lavender has faded a fair deal and lime holds faintly in the distance. Later: The musk here has grown over time, and is a bright, almost sharp white musk. I think, sadly, the soapy note is lilac, and that soap is has some powdery and floral nuances now. It and the musk vie with the mint and lavender for dominance. Summary: Herbal lavender, bright white musk, faintly lilac-floral soap, somewhat softened, medicinal pennyroyal and a wisp of sweet lime. Masculine, soapy-clean, cologney. Decent throw, good lasting power. I loved the smell in the bottle, but the pennyroyal, though it became more tolerable with time, killed this for me. It's also a bit too soapy, at least on my skin.

In the bottle: Nearly colourless pale yellow oil. Sweet, light, spicy. A bit floral and fairly foody. Carnations, cinnamon, apple-cider, sugar. Wet: Despite the spice, this has a soft, warm, creamy feel to it - the amber, perhaps, and maybe some vanilla. The carnations add both spice and floral notes; the posies smell a bit like violets to me, light and a touch powdery. Less sweet and foody, spicer. Dry: This morphs quite quickly. A hint of that apple scent is more like dried fruit, now, and there's clove here too in addition to the cinnamon. And something's gone soapy - the posies or the amber. There's a strong plastic note, too. Summary: Spicy cinnamon and carnation and sweet-hot clove, a plasticky, foody, sugary dried apple note, over faint floral posies and increasingly soapy amber. Feminine, and bizarrely jumbled on the whole. Fair throw and good lasting power. Not my style at all.

Peachy-orange-amber oil. Dry, slightly sharp sandalwood, dusty/powdery slightly soapy orris, loads of sweet-soapy dragon's blood fake cherry-lilac air freshener, and a light, bright and indeed crisp, somewhat citrusy note that reminds me quite a bit of cypress minus the green and evergreen/woodsy tones. Dragon's blood amping, and orris too. Especially the orris. It's quite powdery and yes, dusty, but also oddly smooth, opaque in feel - like a thick layer of snow - not cold, but that same type of blanketing feel. The sandalwood is instantly softer, less dry and sharp, more musky, creamy and almost a little sweet. The blondewood has gone a tad plastic the way that white tea does on me, and indeed it reminds me a bit of tea - other than the slight plastic aspect it's gorgeous. The dragon's blood is still foul, but these other notes are standing up to it surprisingly well. ORRIS ORRIS ORRIS, totally amped even more, totally dominating. It's actually quite violety, almost creamy, very smooth and not nearly as unpleasantly dusty/powdery as it so often is. It reminds me a lot of the Violet Ray's drydown. The blondewood is holding up below it pretty well, remaining crisp, and likewise for the lovely sandalwood. The dragon's blood is actually the faintest note at this point, and the orris is so much more pleasant than usual that I could almost wear this. The plastic aspect has completely vanished, too, thankfully! This oil is one that never really dries, but it doesn't morph much. It's very violety, quite strong and quite lovely, white, smoothly powdery, almost creamy and quite thick orris - it makes me think these are polished bones, almost gleaming. Reminds me a bit of Silver Phoenix sans the sweetness in that gleaming opaque regard. The sandalwood which amps too and becomes smoother, muskier and also creamier with an increasing almost vanillic sweetness adds to this effect. The blondewood fades slightly and gradually over time, making the scent older and less 'fresh', and unfortunately that results in more apparent soapy dragon's blood, which is more towards lilac than cherry in the end. Good throw and decent longevity.

Sniffed in imp: Honey coloured oil. Sweet, dark, woody. Rooty-earthy myrrh and milk chocolate, sweet foody vanilla, and a hint of dry, almost-cedar like sandalwood. Potent. Far too dark and sweet and rooty for me to test further.

Sniffed in imp: Medium golden brown oil. Sweet and spicy, with the brash bite of red musk. A bit of spicy floral (opium/poppy). The saffron is soft and merges with the warm amber. I suspect a bit of star anise, providing spicy and medicinal notes. Incensey, earthy and woody too. Feminine. There is nothing at all I like about this blend, and I have no desire to test it on my skin. It is not my style at all.

In the bottle: Light amber/dark honey color. Quite sweet, very rich and velvety, heavily floral. Labdanum, sort of honeyed resin, rose-like florals, sweet golden heliotrope, light lily, heady iris. Wet: Iris amps, as does that rosy note, but generally all the florals amp and remain quite distinct. The labdanum still reigns though. Tonka emerges, vanilla'ed but not overly sweet, and there's a very distant smoky copal note. Dry: Slow to dry, but the copal note strengthens in the process. The labdanum is still the strongest note, though, and gosh it smells a lot like rose, but much sweeter and deeper, as if rose were a sweet resin, or this were some cousin of amber. Later: The iris lends slight headiness only a hint of powder; the lily is very soft and delicate. The heliotrope seems merged with the labdanum and gladiola. I think much of what I'm registering is actually gladiola - it's sweet and deep, sort of like a rose-scented fresher iris, with the powderiness of a lily. Summary: A well-balanced, sweet floral blend heavy on the gladiola, touched with iris, and more faintly with heliotrope and lily, over a strong foundation of sweet, resiny labdanum and less potent, incensey copal that doesn't overwhelm. It's a sophisticated, womanly scent. Good throw, but fades quite rapidly. Not my style, but I enjoyed experiencing the gladiola, and it was nice to see that copal doesn't always amp out of control on my skin as it has on other blends.

In the bottle: Very pale gold oil. Dark, dusty, smoky woody, like burnt sandalwood and oak over the sharp mentholic and rotten type of cypress . Definitely dried leaves, the rotting, damp sort. And other mentholic notes - eucaluptus and spearmint. Slightly sickly sweet. I get no lilies, or anything remotely aquatic beyond the general dank feel of this blend. Wet: Dabbed on my skin, it's exactly the same, but made me feel so ill I ran to the sink. And egads, the stuff WON'T wash off! Extreme throw and lasting power.

In the bottle: Light honey colour. Holy patchouli! Very earthy, this is the dirty hippy sort of patchouli. Smoky, resiny copal right behind, and only a light hint of oakmoss. Wet: Still very soil-like, but a bit less overwhelmingly so. The copal amps up to vie with the patchouli. Oakmoss a wee bit more present; still no heliotrope. A strong, grounded, masculine scent. Dry: Copal takes over, almost. It's smoky, resiny incense over rooty-soily pathcouli. I have lost all hope that heliotrope will emerge. The oakmoss holds in the distance as a mossy, brighter note. Later: Oakmoss emerges more, and a tiny whisp of sweet heliotrope too, finally! Copal still dominates, but has now settled into a truce with the less rooty, soilike, more sexy-earthy patchouli. Summary: Very smoky, somewhat resiny and dark, dirty patchouli with soft, sexy oakmoss and a glimmer of sweet heliotrope. A very grounded and incensey blend on the whole, definitely masculine. Great throw and good lasting power. Not my style, but I'd probably like it on a man, or as incense.

In the bottle: Medium golden brown oil, rather thick. Sweet, in a sort of heavy, languid manner, harshly herbal bay and lighter laurel, and SMOKE over spicy incense. Wet: Sweeter, more richly honeyed, with a fermented alcoholic tang that cuts nicely through some of the smoke and herbs. No longer overwhelmingly smoky and spicy, though the notes are still strong. The bay holds, but is slightly softer, though undeniably masculine. The laurel has gained a crisp, almost citrusy edge. Dry: This had gone remarkably dry and woody, almost oaky I'd say; definitely branches of laurel, not leaves, and a dry, stern bay leaf. Incense and smoke and sweet-heady mead vie for second place behind. Only a hint of lighter notes from the laurel and honey remain. Later: Smoky incense, dry woods and dusty, deep bay leaf. Sweetness from the boozy, honeyed mead; it's definitely one of the strongest honey scents I've tried. All fresher and crisper notes GONE. Summary: In the final drydown, this becomes a soft, sweet, smoky blend of incensey woods and rich, honeyed mead with the faintest twhisp of herbal bay. Unisex. It's sweet enough to be feminine, but the smoky woods and hint of herbs could work on well on a man. Moderate throw and great lasting power. I really liked how this morphed; it did so considerably but the end product I found quite pleasant. Too much smoke and incense for my tests, but a gorgeous tribute to Delphi and a must-try for all honey lovers.

In the bottle: Reddish root beer coloured oil, quite thick. Sweet, musky, almost a little boozy. Fruity, in a bubblegummy way. Reminds me of Smut and Mme. Moriarty. Wet: Sweet; bubblegum strawberry, the fruit, NOT the leaf. Less musky and boozy. The grapefruit is indeed quite sharp, zesty and white and tart, but it cuts through the candy of the strawberry pleasantly. Dry: Actually, these two fruits work really well together; at first they were a distinct and bit too jarring and individually unpleasant, but now they merge into a more natural fruity blend. The red musk is more apparent, in that sort of harsh manner it has on me; the white musk is quite light but bright. Later: This must be the first time ever that grapefruit has lasted on my skin, and that's quite thrilling for me - it's clean and fresh, even if a bit faint. The strawberry's still a bit artificial-bubblegum for me, though. The red musk has a hint of a bite, but barely; it's mostly earthy and rich, almost like patchouli. The white musk almost merges with the grapefruit, lightening the blend. Summary: From afar, this smells like strawberry Smut, and then when my nose is right near my skin, I can pick up very faint, beautifully tart grapefruit and a white musk that's blossomed into sexy smoothness. The red musk is deep and sexy, too, not harsh at all in the drydown. It's slightly sweet and boozy and quite musky. Feminine, sexy. Fabulous through, fair lasting power. I would absolutely get a bottle of this if the grapefruit and the white musk threw more strongly, but the strawberry/smut combo is just a bit too sweet and artificial for me and it's definitely in command. Alas.

Strong black tea and milk with white pepper, ginger, honey and vanilla, spilled over the crisp scent of clean linen. In the bottle: Colourless oil. First thought - Manhattan! Tea and leather, slick and smooth. Sniffed more intently, the tea has that piney note underneath, and there are some bright, fresh notes of ginger and citrus (I think I read linen as citrus). Lightly sweet and creamy, too - very intriguing! Wet: Still very Manhattany, but a bit less artificial-plastic, and a bit more smooth pine. Quite citrusy, refreshingly, especially combined with the invigorating ginger. Honey emerges a bit, and is pale and a bit floral, not strongly nuanced or sticky sweet. The milk and vanilla notes are light and provide a comforting base. Dry: The milk note has amped alot, and it's a bit sour. The tea still has a bit of plastic to it. And there is something nutty here, sort of like rancid almond - not extract, but the actual nut, and it may be the vanilla, or else melding with that now sort of fake vanilla note that has amped Only the delicate and lovely honey redeems this, and it's very faint. Citrus and ginger gone Later: It's morphed and faded dramatically; now very faint on the whole, the strongest notes are that rancid nut (like shea gone bad) and fake vanilla duo and plasticky-piney tea. Sour milk and pale honey linger ghostly in the distance. Summary: A cloying, sickly medley of rancid, nutty shea and fake, sweet vanilla, over a bed of artificial, leathery-tea with only a hint of its evergreen origins, and the barest soft whisper of pure, golden, floral honey. Low throw, and while it fluctuates oddly in strength and fades quite a bit, is has great lasting power once it settles. This really, really did not work on my skin.

The scent of the winds beyond the wall: bluebonnet, passion flower, freesia, jasmine tea, mint, thyme, and redcurrant. In the bottle: Honey coloured oil. Sweet, floral, lightly herbal, a touch foody. Smooth jasmine tea, sweet passion flower and redcurrant (not tangy), fresh mint, bright freesia, soft bluebonnet. Light, herbal time. Evokes late-afternoon sunlit fields of wildflowers and herbs. Wet: A bit more herbal, and sweeter as well as tangier - redcurrant more apparent. The mint is STRONG, cool and woodsy, as is the tea, which has a smooth, earthy feel and the jasmine is very light, faintly floral, clean and a touch soapy. Freesia and other florals amped, thyme too but it's a background herbal note. Dry: A bit more jasminey, and thus on me, soapier and headier, but still bearably. It feels oddly both warmer and cleaner. The mint is still quite strong and cool, but not quite as cool as before. The redcurrant is less sweet, and more tart, deliciously so - no foodiness here! Flowers a bit softer, less bright and distinct, more melded. Later: Even softer, lighter; soothing, more golden. Less fresh,the mint is more like mint tea, not like just-crushed mint. Less tangy and fainter, the redcurrant has reached a balance between tart and sweet. The tea has sweetened, the jasmine is a touchy soapy. The flowers have faded. The thyme, herbal-woodsy, mixed with the smooth tea, are more distinct. Summary: Soft mint and woodsy herbal thyme, with tart-sweet redcurrant and golden, hazy wildflowers. Kept clean by a touch of soapy jasmine, and grounded by the piney-smooth depth of a strong tea note. It's floral, herbal, and a touch woody and mildly sweet. It recalls Litha, Itaso, Fairy Market and Fairy Wine (I have bottles of the last 3!) , and is gentle and feminine. Low throw, good lasting power. I will certainly be getting a bottle of this one. So far, Stardust sure seems to be a wundercategory for me!

In the bottle: Light honey coloured. Sweet, spicy, smoky, and herbal. Quite complex and strong. Verging on masculine. Wet: Smoky, gritty, dirty, dusty. Somewhat bitter, dirty. SPICY, quickly, and a bit sharp. Also slightly sweet and floral from the chamomile and apple blossom, and herbal from the chervil and sage and nettle. Dry: That sharp-spicy note appears to be the mugwort, and I don't like it. The nettle has amped, adding an almost grassy, fresh-green note that is rather pleasant. The chervil is more distinct, and rather foody-herbal, recalling parsley, and also cilantro (?) - it's sort of vegetal. Something anisey has emerged, it's sweet and bitter. Later: This has never ceased to be ashy, dusty and smoky, but the amping of the planty/herbal notes has made them less harshly overwhelming. Apparently the anise-note is horehound, and it's quite strong and sweet and a touch bitter; reminds me a bit of wormwood. Apple blossom totally gone, but some very faint chamomile remains. Summary: Softens over time, into a smoky ashes and incense, dusty wood over anisey-sweet horehound, herbal chervil-parsley and bright nettle, medicinal sage, and softly sweet chamomile. Far too generally dry, dirty, as well as biting in the early stages for my tastes. Masculine. Moderate throw and lasting power.

Sniffed in imp: Thick (even in high 80 degree weather!) amber oil. Woody, earthy, incensey; those incense notes dominate by far. Slightly sweet, slightly smoky. Dark, headshoppy. Some sharper herbal notes (olive, spikenard, cypress), and faint kick of fresh ginger. Masculine. I don't care to try this one on my skin, but it fits the description quite aptly!

In the bottle: Light-medium, bright canary yellow oil. Sharply green, headily floral, a little soapy and a little sweet. Ylang ylang? Wet: Soapier, but a bit less sharp. Citrusy, in a zesty unripe manner. A little powdery. Mostly very floral. Violet, rose (either white /andor the type from Rose Red), muguet (heady), narcissus (sharp). Dry: Ahhh I think there is a lily, one of the sharp kinds that goes soapy-powdery on me. The one that's in Hairy Toad Lily. It's no longer sweet or citrusy at all, but all sharp, heady, flowers, powder and soap. Later: Yeah, definitely some narcissus, which has a sharp, plasticky scent on me, and also can be soapy. The ylang ylang was clearly adding that initial, ephemeral sweetness, but it's all gone now. Summary: I disliked this at every single point. It is all the flowers I dislike, and none of the ones I like, without any mitigating notes. It's a (insert 'very' in front of each) heady, sharp, soapy, powdery overwhelming bouquet of flowers. Narcissus, lily, and muguet dominate. Moderate throw and lasting power. It reminds me of a bastard cross between Pride, Privilege, and Hairy Toad Lily. I had to wash it off.

In the bottle: Light cherry-red coloured oil. Fruity, floral, salty-aquatic. Jasmine gives it a bit of soapiness. Sort of an artificial cherry note. Wet: Softer, spicier, less artificially sweet, but still soapy-jasmine. Dry/Summary: Soapy LILAC and jasmine and cloying sweet resin. I love lilac, but this was far too a strongly soapy blend - had to wash off. Sigh, jasmine and salty aquatics are frequently so cruel to me. And lilac, I want you. But in a blend that works on me.

Sniffed in (dry) imp: Rich rose, piney-fresh but not overly sharp juniper berry, powdery-heady orris, the fruity, slightly smoky incense of dragon's blood and deep woods. Sweet, slightly spicy, woodsy-floral. I only have a dry sniffie of this, but I would definitely like to try a testable amount and have added it to my wishlist as such. I love most rose, and this definitely seems like one of the types I love (white can be iffy on me, which this is most certainly not, as can dried, which are too dusty). Juniper is hit or miss, and I generally like woods, provided they aren't too piney or too dry, which these didn't seem to be. I like dragon's blood in moderation. So for me the real question would be the orris, which can really amp on my skin horribly, and goes either heady or powdery or both to an overwhelming extent. But, I've been able to handle orris in some blends, and it was light in the imp, so this would just have to get tested on my skin. ADDED March 19: In the bottle: Pale, peachy pink oil. Green, woodsy juniper, rihe yet light rose, and hints of powdery florals (db/orris). A touch smoky/incensey, in a pleasant bonfire way. Wet: A little more rose, but otherwise similar. Surprisingly light in feel and throw, considering the bold notes. It *is* fae. Slightly soapy, more powdery from the orris. Slightly smoky resin, juniper, and rose dominate. Dry: Slow to dry, with juniper, resin, and rose holding. But there's also something vaguely citrusy here, green and bright - geranium? The orris is amping, and in combo with D'sB increasing the powdery effect. Later: The rose is going that dried-rose, slightly powdery way - not the unpleasant soap-powdery way, but that slightly crumbly dried petal way. Summary: Rich, soft, crumbling dried rose petals and powdery orris & floral dragon's blood, over light, smoky resin and faint green juniper. Complex and well balanced. Decent throw, great longevity. Not my thing, but I understand why it's so coveted.

Deep herbs and apple with black amber. In the bottle: Light-medium yellow oil. Crisp, ripe red apples, a bit of dark, warm powder, woodsy-foresty herbs. Sweet and heavy despite the freshness from the apples and herbs. Wet: Yummy crisp apple. Again, that apple from Snow/Glass/Apples and Shango. The amber is more distinct; it's richer and more languid, but still has a powdery edge. The herbs take third place, and are a touch mentholic or piney (juniper? sage?) - astringent/sharp. Dry: Still very fruity and sweet, but the apples have lost most of their crispness. They're more like dried apples, almost, now, and I think the emergence of some sort of spice and/or nut strengthens that impression. The amber is still dark and heavy but has not gone more powdery as it often does on me. Some earthy moss seems to have joined the medicinal green notes. Later: I detect a weird artificial, plasticky note beneath everything if I sniff closely; it's not something I've ever smelled in a BPAL before. It's maybe a bit rubbery too? There's something a bit smoky and musty here too, in addition to that nutty/spicy note, and I think it's vetiver. The apple has pretty much vanished. Summary: Incensey, slightly spicy and musty amber that's also a bit sweet and musky (never true powder), light bitter-smoky vetiver, something artificial-nutty-waxy, sharp herbs, and faint partly dried apples. It becomes a much warmer, drier scent over time. Low throw, fades rapidly. The fake smelling note makes me feel a bit queasy and the overall drydown is just not my style, but I am impressed with how the apple note persists (even if it loses most of its crispness and fades somewhat). That's a first for me with apple which is typically completely evanescent with my chemistry, and likewise I'm pleased that the amber never turns powdery. I'm glad I tried this even though I won't be hanging onto it.

In the bottle: Very pale yellow oil. Fresh, floral, herbal, slightly sweet. Clean, almost soapy. Girly. Vanilla, honey, ginger, pepper, blood orange, bergamot, and geranium all distinct. Wet: Very light. Instantly much sweeter and spicier, the ginger and pink pepper really coming out, and combined with the vanilla first and honey right behind, this is quite foody, like a ginger beer mixed with cream soda. Herbs faint, flowers even fainter, but I can still smell the blood orange, for once! Dry: Still pretty foody, but a bit less sweet. Ginger and piquant pepper reign, the gardenia has amped, but for once is playing nice and not being a bully - it's just a pure white floral, without being heady or overwhelming. The geranium is quite strong, fresh and citrusy-herbal. Bergamot not far behind. Blood orange gone, wild roses very faint, and tuberose going soapy. Still no berries, and I don't think they will emerge. Later: Faint to begin with, and fades quickly despite slathering. The tuberose becomes utterly soapy on me, almost unbearably. The ginger and pepper notes are still the strongest though, merging in a way that's both invigorating and spicy-hot. Vanilla and honey still around; lightly, naturally sweet. Bergamot and geranium holding. Flowers other than evil tuberose have faded. Some sexy, earthy musk and the pine resin (as in the Chinese NY scents) have emerged to counter this. Summary: Hours later this has morphed again. It's very slightly soapy, but sort of more powdery - either way, very faint tuberose. The pepper has softened and lost its bite; the ginger has become soothing like the ginger blossom in Harikata. Geranium, honey, vanilla, musk and earthy pine resin have stuck around; the wild roses have returned. Faint gardenia and bergamot. It's a softly sweet, lightly floral, herbal scent now. Girlish and rustic. Pathetically low throw, poor lasting power though it fluctuates oddly. This reminds me most strongly of Honey Moon; though it lacks the 'cool' and 'lunar' feel, ultimately the drydowns are very similar. It also reminds me tremendously of The Haunted Palace, especially in earlier stages. Lastly, it has quite a bit in common with Mad Kate. With these latter two, Pepper shares a fundamental sweet creaminess that verges on being foody. I'm amazed that neither tuberose nor gardenia, nearly always awful on me, didn't ever overwhelm, and seem to become entirely lovely in the drydown. This is definitely something I will have to retest.

In the bottle: Extremely pale yellow oil. Artificial, maraschino, candyish sweet cherries over very woody mahogany. Deep, strong, slick. Wet: Woodier; there is some wood that is very dry here - ahh, cedar - and I think there is some sandalwood too. The mahogany is the lightest of the three. Much less sweet; cherry almost completely gone. Very light currant. Dry: CEDAR and sandalwood over very faint currant. It morphs extremely rapidly, within seconds from application. Summary: Pretty much cedar single note. At very close range, extremely faint sandalwood and currant can be detected. But overall this is dry, hot powerful cedar. Strong throw. Blech! I am not a fan of cedar, and I especially hate when it takes over.

In the bottle: Dark cola coloured oil. Sweet, heavily fruity, darkly syrupy - really ripe fruits, not fresh or zesty. Apple (quite bright, actually) and then banana hit first, followed by the almost molasses-like sugar cane. Can't make out other fruits. Wet: Fresher, less heavy. The apple note is lovely - the same note from Snow/Glass/Apples, very crisp and fresh, and definitely red not green even though it's not a super sweet note. The banana is surprisingly natural, and stays behind the apple. Pineapple has emerged, it's quite sweet, very ripe and juicy. The sugar cane has brightened and lost the dark note. Coconut adds creaminess without standing out. No chili or pomegranate. Dry: The dark sweetness of me reminds me of rum, I realized! Boozy, dark, sweet rum, and I'd say that's the strongest note, too. The apple has faded a lot but still gives some freshness, the banana and pineapple hold and are now the strongest fruit notes, with coconut and pale sugar cane behind. Later: Ha, more mind-changing - that sweet boozy note? Is totally SMUT. There is definitely a strong musk note here that has amped majorly, and is super dark and sexy. So yeah, this is smut with fruit, pretty much. Still no chili or pomegranate. Summary: Sweet, dark, Smut-like boozy extreme MUSK with light, ripe pineapple and hints of crisp apple (these fruity notes lie close to the skin) and creamy coconut. Deep, lush, and tropical. Very sexy and womanly. Decent throw, great lasting power. I was totally surprised by this one! It's just a touch too sweet and boozy for me to keep, but otherwise I love the fruit and musk in this, and even the coconut (which is not really coconut, it just adds creaminess) is lovely, and it's not a note I usually like. I'm glad I got to try it and it just goes to show I should never presume with Beth's blends.

In the bottle: Virtually colourless oil. Light, fresh. A little soapy, and a bit herbal and citrusy - bergamot and carnation. Almost astringent. Wet: Still quite faint. Mostly herbal, over slightly salty soap. The carnation is a bit more distinct and nose tingling - the spicy sort. The bergamot is barely citrusy, but rather sharp medicinal green. Dry: It's a little saltier and more aquatic now, though far from strongly so. Soapier. The bergamot has faded a lot, and the carnation too though not as much. The rose has emerged, which to me smells like white rose, is a bit powdery and extremely faint. Later: Honey or milk - not getting the tiniest bit of either at any point, and this has no sweetness on me. The rose and soap have amped, and the bergamot has vanished; carnation and salt hold. Summary: Very faint, powdery floral soap; mostly rose but a little carnation, and the slight hint of salt. Fades very rapidly. Low throw and poor lasting power. I'm not sure if I'm more disappointed this didn't work on me or that Alice didn't, either.