fairnymph

In the bottle: Sweet, juicy fruit (but the not heavy, dark, overripe sort) and a very faint hint of bright, creamy daffodil. Wet: Plum still by far the strongest, but the daffodil starts blooming immediately, and jasmine more faintly in the distance. A touch of sharp white musk. No orchid yet. Dry: Dries very rapidly, becoming increasingly floral. The plum remains command still, and is truly delicious. I've never smelled a plum like it before, though it is definitely a natural scent. Actually I do think I may have had Asian candy like this, but it's not like any plum I've eaten - it's sort of peachy, and almost floral-rosy. Later: Ahh! I finally realized what that fruit note smells like to me - pear, peach and plumeria! In fact, quite like the discontinued B&BW scent. Sweet/fruity/floral - a very complex fruitiness. It IS very sweet, verging on candy. The daffodil, as well as some now-distinct peony, provide a fresh yet creamy base and take the edge off the aforementioned sweetness. I think my nose groups the orchid - which is light, not heady - with the 'plumeria' type scent. The jasmine, meanwhile, remains very distant and amazingly TRUE. It does not turn to powdery soapy, but is lovely and floral and inviting, as it is in nature. Lastly, the white musk, which has long lost that sharp edge, provides a light sexiness. Summary: Juicy, dripping fruit over seamlessly blended feminine florals and woodsy, musky resin; this is light and inviting, youthful yet sexy, bouyant but deep. This has the same fruity-floral, exotic feel and complexity of Fire Pig and Earth Rat; a peachy-pear version. Great throw and lasting power. Excitingly, this is the FIRST Diabolus scent that works on me! Definitely getting a bottle.

Note by note translation for some of those unusual florals: wild banana (leaf or blossom or fruit, who knows), white ginger, wild raspberry type berry, hawaiian gardenia, hawaiian moonflower, hibisucs type flower, damascus rose, orchids. In the bottle: Fresh, clean, cool green floral. Slightly sharp, maybe a little soapy. I think I can smell that moonflower, which to me in the bottle always smells cool and clean. And orchids, which are rather heady and feminine. I'm getting a 'bright' colour from this, vivid florals, tropical colours. Pink. Wet: Gentler, less fresh, but still that sharp note, and a wee bit soapier. The orchids immediately begin amping. Hints of exotic fruits. Gardenia whitens and strengthens the blend. No ginger or rose. Dry: Gahhhh powerful gardenia bullies the blend as it so often does with me, the orchids too are very heady, thick, rich. The moonflower is staying clean and cool without going to soap; it has an edge but it's holding there. A teensy bit of rose hides in some distant recess. The fruity note is sort of sharp and artificial. Right now, only the moonflower (in its rare pleasant incarnation) and a touch of bright, citrusy hibiscus make this bearable. Later: This sort of reminds me of a tropical version of Blue Moon in terms of florals, with the heavy orchid and cool moonflower. The gardenia settles down - amazingly - it's still a big, white showy flower but it's not ALL GARDENIA. The blend as a whole has come together, florally, and even that lovely fresh hibiscus has establised itself. The faint exotic fruit is no longer artificial, but just lightly sweet and wild. I really wish I'd gotten some ginger or rose, but nothing on either front. Summary: A nocturnal scent (a sort of lunar feel, but without herbal notes), very heavily floral, very feminine - in an expensive, showy way. Still pink but a darker, pink, maybe magenta. It's cool but tropical and summery. Something to wear on vacation in some warm destination, to a swanky restaurant with a hot date. I'm glad I tried this, but it's too heavy and flashy for me. No ginger or rose on me

In the bottle: Crisp, yet ripe and fruity apple, faint gentle rose, light refreshing lemon. Delicately joyous, maidenly. Wet: The same delicious apple note from Snow/Glass/Apples, it's tarter on my skin, even crisper, like just-picked macintosh apples. The rose behind it smells like white rose to me, not tea rose - it's a daintier, softer rose. Lemon, sadly, is a distant afterthought - delicious and fresh but woefully light and close to the skin. Dry: The rose has, as I expected, amped majorly, but that lovely apple note remains, and somehow, the stronger rose enhances the apple, illuminating it when for a brief while it seemed to be fading. The lemon confuses me; it's either mingling so closely with the crisp apple that I can't separate it, or it's gone entirely. I suppose the latter is more likely as my skin tends to devour many citrus notes. Summary: Rose has dominated that glimmering apple note which I so prayed would stay in force. I do love rose - though I'm nearing a ridiculously vast amount of rose scents as a result - and this is such a lovely apple, that I think I can just barely justify the rose ruling this blend. I get a white rose - that rose from Parlement of Foules, for example - but it doesn't go powdery on me; it's girlie, not bold. Lemon has completely departed. Great throw, moderate lasting powder. So far, my favourite apple scent. I'd love one without a dominating floral note (Snow/Glass/Apples minus that medicinal eucalyptus note, perhaps?), but this will do for now. Btw, I don't see how this scent fits the name in the least!

In the bottle: Slightly sweet, gentle florals - maybe honeysuckle and rose - with a strong current of spicy cinnamon. A golden oil. Wet: Goes powdery almost instantly, which makes me suspect jasmine, thought it's hard to detect under the intense spicy heat of the cinnamon. Rose usually amps on me, but not with my bullying nemeses jasmine and cinnamon! Dry: Red hot, candied cinnamon, powdery jasmine, faint rose and some honeysuckle, perhaps actual honey, too. The cinnamon in this forced me to the sink immediately. Summary: Sweet, very spicy-hot, powdery floral.

In the bottle: Fresh, green, delightful rose. Wet: Same, but even brighter. Maybe some citrus somewhere? Okay, definitely some citrus, though it's light. There may even be some mint, because there's a slight coolness to this oil. Dry: This one stays true, and has a pretty good throw. There's some white floral in here too but it's light, and the rose takes foreground. Summary: Fresh, delicate rosy deliciousness. My favourite rose oil ever. This was before I tried Peacock Queen, which to me is the ultimate rose blend, but Havisham is still one of my absolute favourites - top 3, for sure. I would die for a bottle!

In the bottle: Fresh, clean, floral. The lily is lovely. Wet: Lily, musk, and aloe dominate. Amber and linen linger behind. A clean pure scent that is only the wee slightest bit feminine. Dry: Similar, but the amber and linen are amping, providing dry warmth. It's also going a tiny bit soapy, but bearably so far. There's also gentle floral sweetness here, reminiscent of Victoria - the lily I suspect. Summary: Clean, delicate floral. The amber provides only slight dry warmth. The lily, musk, and aloe are both soothing and oddly refreshing. I feel like I've taken a long bath and I'm clean and renewed, but relaxed. Great throw, moderate lasting power. So far, I'm hanging on to my decant...

I did not use this for any purpose as I was not able to tolerate the scent on its own. Thus the following is purely a scent review. In the bottle: Sweet, spicy, and a little green. Wet: Spicier, some floral, still quite green. Almost a wee bit soapy. Dry: Sweet, incensey powder.

In the bottle: Delicious fruity rose. Wet: Crazy strong rose. The fruit is really lush and ripe in this. Dry: This stays very true. It's fruity but not very sweet on me, and it's somehow lush and fresh at the same time. The rose dominates, the fruit provides depth, and the carnation lingers spicily in the background. Summary: Roses in full bloom, ripe purple fruits, and a hint of spice. I have a couple of bottles of this - it's really lovely on me! Must be those three planets in Libra...

In the bottle: Sweet and chocolatey. It's a reddish oil. Wet: The same, but maybe a bit incensey - ah yes dragon's blood. Dry: The dragon's blood and something musky are taking over. There's a hint of spice (the pepper most prominently) too, and if I strain, a faint smokiness, but it's bearable. Summary: Dusty, musky, slightly smoky incense with hints of chocolate and spice. Totally not my thing.

In the bottle: Slightly sweet, fresh minty green rose. Almost citrusy in its freshness. Wet: Mintier, more herbal-green - definitely thyme, and slightly soapy. There's something spicy-peppery too, maybe poppy? I can smell the rose, violet, and apple blossom all clearly, and some other florals I don't recognize, but that smell like wildflowers. It's really well balanced, in terms of the florals - no one note is dominating. And nicely, this is barely sweet on me. Dry: My rosacea is unhappy. The florals have faded somewhat but the mint and thyme are still going strong. The spicy note has emerged further, and that powdery soapiness is a bit stronger. Summary: Soft, powdery, spicy-floral thyme with lingering mint. In retrospect, I think the poppy ruined this for me, and the violet was the powdery sort (violet can be powdery or it can be pleasant, totally depends on me).

In the bottle: Sharply planty-green. Fresh, but oh it's sharp. Wet: Yay, milder. Still very green, planty, and fresh. The honeysuckle is there but it's hiding. I can detect the myrtle. Overall it's quite astringent, like plant medicine. I suppose that's astrologically accurate. Dry: Suddenly it seems to have softened alot into a primarily honeysuckle-myrtle blend, and it's going a bit powdery. Strange! Summary: Soft green honeysuckle in the end. I dislike the sharp early stages, though, and it doesn't ever hook me. Up for swap. Alas, cries my virgo moon. I so wish I could find the original virgo blend.

Sniffed in imp: Hot, dry, and resiny. Amber and cedar.

A chilly, bright perfume: flurries of virgin snow, crisp winter wind and the faintest breath of night-blooming flowers. 2005 version In the bottle: Sweet, pine, mint, fruit-foody. Wet: Indeed a very cold scent. Dry: Almond comes out after a while. Never any flowers. I don't get the berries, and while the pine in this is very mild, I'm just not a fan of pine on myself, and I don't like 'creamy' scents, which is how I would describe the way the almond in this is. I also find this scent very mild on the whole.

In the bottle: Clean and fresh - GRASS, lemony verbena, bright ginger, herbal sage - and quite aquatic in feel. Wet: Invigorating - a bit less grassy, but stronger on the citrus and ginger. I love this because it is fresh and green but without being sharp or sour. It really does smell cool and rainy; there's a purity to it. Dry: The amber has emerged, and it is indeed warm, also rather sweet and almost musky. The green notes are much much lighter, but the ginger and verbena keep this fairly fresh. Summary: The amber takes over, doing that soft, warm, powdery thing I dislike. I can still smell a bit of ginger - making this a bit like Sudha Segara - and a whisp of sage. Aquatic, grass, and citrus notes entirely gone. Good throw, fades fast.

In the bottle: Rose, acidic red wine, and sweetly smoky myrrh. Wet: Rose (the sharp, fruity kind from Rose Red) and sour grapey wine. The myrhh is sort of earthy, gritty. A hint of sweet musk. Dry: That rose is amping! It's very strong and rich and fresh. The wine has opened up a bit, losing some of the sourness, becoming deeper and fruitier. The musk now too adds sexy depth and warmth. While the myrrh is faint, it's a bitter earthiness I don't much like. Summary: Rich, powerful rose, deep, dry wine (the grapes lose most of their fruity sweetness), earthy, smoking myrrh, and swet sexy musk. It's a fitting scent, but the myrrh and wine notes in this are the not the type I like, and this lacks unity on my skin. Great throw and lasting power.

In the bottle: Fresh, citrusy, herbal. Lemon, sage, lavender and woody sandalwood. Wet: Masculine cologne, but as always with Lab blends, more than that. Very similar to in the bottle, but sweeter, with distinct frankincense. Dry: Increasingly sweet, warm, woody, and musky, I'd guess that's the labdanum emerging, and the frankincense and sandalwood amping. The lemon and herbs are fainter. Summary: Musky, definitely some darker musk of some type, dry, woody sandalwood, with a pleasant hint of smoky, earthy vetiver, and a fair deal of sweet, incensey frankincense. Dark and masculine. Only at close range can I detect the lemon and sage, though the lavender has more throw and adds a lovely freshness. Good throw.

In the bottle: Light honey coloured oil. Sharp, green, and sweet. A little nutty - either nuts or grains of some sort. Wet: Gentler, less astringent, nuttier. The green note is still rather bitter. This is sweeter, almost foody. I'm getting an anise type note, and maybe some bitter almond. A little smoky. Dry: This oddly separates into components more clearly as it dries: tobacco, vanilla, bitter almond, maybe some vetiver and frankincense too. So far, the vanilla is not taking over. Summary: Sweet, smoky, bitter, and herbal. That bitter tobacco takes the fore, with heavy, foody vanilla right behind it, and lastly the bitter almond. Other smoky, sweet, and cloying incense notes mingle behind. Revolting on me, like stale cigarettes dipped in fake vanilla syrup. Strong throw - impossible to wash off.

Sniffed in imp: Piney woods, with a hint of mint and ozone.

In the bottle: Sweet, green, and sharp. Wet: VERY sweet, cloying. Maybe clove? Oh god I can't handle this. It makes me feel ill. *off to sink* Ah well. Sickly sweet and sharp. Overwhelming.

In the bottle: Butterscotch and grapey-fruit. Wet: Same, a bit fruitier - grapey-pomegranate. Dry: Butterscotch fading fast. Primarily apple and spice now - much like mulled cider spiked with a wee bit of tart pomegranate. Definitely cinnamon and allspice, maybe other spices as well as well. Summary: Warm, gentle spice and a hint of appley-fruit in the final drydown. Maybe I got PP#1? Regardless, I don't do spices.

2006 Version Sniffed in imp: Sweet buttery spice and apples.

In the bottle: Strongly sharp and green. Wet: Sweeter, more floral, but still green and fresh. A little soapy, ahh the dreaded tuberose, but it's bearable. I'm getting both the rose and linden, and some other pale green-white feeling flowers. There is a bit of creaminess coming out underneath too, the vanilla I believe. Dry: Strong, sharp, slightly sweet and citrusy floral. The tuberose mostly behaves itself. I actually quite like this, except for the sharpness - I think due to the armoise. Even though the sharpness mellows, it is a note that puts me off this blend.

In the bottle: Sharp, green, fresh and heady all at once. Wet: Less sharp, fresher, much more floral. Airy. Davana LOVES my skin; it's sweet and light and heady all at the same time. Really unique. It's like how gardenia would be on me if it didn't amp like crazy, with some honeysuckle thrown in. Dry: The amber is coming out pretty strongly, but it's not too overwhelming. The green musk is weirdly sharp. It's far from my favourite type of musk, but it's still musk, and it's still pretty yummy. Summary: Very like 51 in the drydown, but much headier. Smoggier, even. I like 51 more, so I have no need for this, which lacks the fresh, floral and fruity complexity of 51.

2007 version In the bottle: This smells pretty perfumey, but in a good way. Very green/herbal, a bit sharp. Strong floral component, can't identify what. A hint of sweetness, maybe some fruit but it's light. Something citrusy - must be the citron; it's very faint though. Wet: Still pretty green but no longer sharp. Sweeter. The floral is a bit heady now - strong jasmine. Can't smell any citrus anymore. Wow, over just minutes the jasmine is really taking over - I can barely smell anything else. Dry: Mostly jasmine (it has calmed down a bit, or else I've become desensitized to it) with the faintest hint of soap (not in a bad way), and maybe a bit of the fruit. Can't smell musk. I think there may be some of the warmer notes lingering, maybe the sandalwood and myrrh? They're nice but very faint. Summary: I like this but wish some of the greener, fresher notes had remained. Decent holding power overall. It's a nice womanly smell without being overpowering. Much nicer than I would have thought, but not a keeper.

In the bottle: Fresh, clean white floral. Wet: Slightly sweet, quite light. A tad soapy. Headier. The frangipani, sugar cane, davana and lotus root come to the fore. Dry: Dries very quickly. The magnolia, musk and sandalwood have emerged, but none are overwhelming; I like that this is such a well-blended floral on me. I think it's the cotton flower that's going soapy on me. Summary: It's quite a feminine, traditional perfume-y white floral, and it has great throw and wearlength once it dries a bit. Nice, but not my thing.