fairnymph

This is a soft, creamy vanilla with a very velvety carnation note, and it's substantially different from either the original or resurrected versions, with much more creamy vanilla, some sandalwood, much more creaminess. It's more sweet, and most significantly, has a very different, gentler type of carnation note - more like a white soft pink carnation; of all the blends I've test, this reminds me most of Morocco (released version) but with barely any spice, and a little of the Jingo-Kogo & Ameratsu vibe, due to the shared (same or similar) sandalwood note that's creamy and musky. Blush-tinged ivory feel, overall, and one I may like for myself!

Sniffed: Lemon yellow oil. Fizzy ginger ale, sprite, and a bit of dishwashing detergent. Reminds me of a cross between ginger ale and Independent (or Independent's drydown on me). Very fizzy! The ginger note is light, though, and this is not a very sugary/foody scent. Wet: Instantly soapy on my skin. Dishwashing liquid, almost like the bubbles or foam - frothy. Still faint ginger and lemon-lime soda, and still fizzy - but all of that's overwhelmed by the soapiness. It's a nicer soapiness that most - I sort of like Dishwashing Liquid soapy - but it's not what I want in perfume. :\ Dry: The soap has faded, hallelujah! It's still soapy, but less dominatingly so - I can smell the other notes more than I could before, and the lemon-lime is HOLDING on my skin which citrus almost never does. The ginger has faded a teensy bit, and I have to search for it - this is more Sprite than Ginger Ale now. I love the scent in the bottle; I'll need to retest it more thoroughly.

Another one I really wanted to love based on name alone - I adore metal both in perfume and as tactile sustance and abstract concept. I did skin test this one, and got barely ripe, slightly green, sweet-tart NECTARINE with some chrome (maybe - honestly, it could be my imagine as this is on my skin a very smooth scent with that edge I get from metallic notes), maybe the soft leather from U (or it could be that same raw vanilla note as well as a little grassy balsam that reminds me of U) and some sort of creamy, very likely vanilla musk emerged strongly on the dry down, some skin musk, too; reminds me of cross between Ebisu, U, and Fae. This needs a bit of slathering, and doesn't have much throw, but it does hold quite well. I really loved this and wanted a lot of it AND was asked by many to pick it up - so, OF COURSE, this was one of the most popular scents of the night and sold out very quickly. Wahhhh! I need more!

Ambergris accord, water lily, freesia, sea spray, molluscan seashell accord, and driftwood. Very light and fresh - almost foamy sea water, a fresh blue-green-white floral note that I assume is the water lily (it's almost aquatic, very clean and cool), and a little bit of fruity-fresh freesia. This has a much lighter and greener feel than I expected. It's cool, gentle, tranquil. I don't get wood, but this has a faint cologne aspect. Still extremely light on my skin - it's just a very demure sort of scent - and what must be water lily really shines. It's a bit brighter and headier, 'whiter' in feel, but still cool and aquatic with an almost cucumbery, grassy aspect. This scent on the whole reminds me a bit of Anais Anais (which I love), but more delicate and innocent. It's only very barely oceanic - it's definitely aquatic, but it's only lightly salty - this isn't ocean water, it's ocean MIST. A bit of ambergris comes out on my skin, adding some musky depth, and a little more freesia, which is very lightly soapy-clean (in a good way) - still no driftwood. Slow to dry, but becoming more floral and definitively feminine as it does so. I *know* this water lily note from somewhere...I think the Black Swan? The grassy note has amped; this is greener, stemmier, and almost a little spicy, while still being cucumbery-fresh. The freesia has gone a bit more soapy, but still within tolerable limits. While I'm not sure what seashell accord is meant to smell like, there IS a sort of chalky, crushed-stone note that reminds me of the note in Julia Stone, or in Sarah (both scents I love), a sort of smooth stony whiteness. And this still smells a little cologney. This remains subdued, and while for a brief period there's a bit of turbulence as notes emerge and submerge, everything settles down quickly into a beautiful harmonious blend. The almost-troublesome soapiness dissipates as does the nearly-sharp greenness of the water lily, while the smooth white stony note amps, and the ambergris softens into a gentle but rather sexy musk. This is not a scary BAM ambergris note - it's a backup player, not a diva as it was in say, Lilith vs the Giant Crab. If there's wood here, it never emerges on my skin distinctly. My only qualm with this scent - which is more beautiful than I'd hoped, so it's a very minor qualm - is that it's only so very faintly salty. I'd love a really BRISKLY salty scent without a lot of overpowering notes, and I've yet to find such a scent in BPAL. As I said earlier, this is sea mist, not ocean water. It's not a strongly aquatic scent by any means. I'd describe it more as clean, soft, green-white feminine floral and smooth polished stone with a bit of salty musk. Sutble and lovely, but with good throw and excellent longevity. Another winner!

Colourless oil. Fresh, bright, sour-sweet, tart and juicy green apple - with a hint of a slightly soapy, airy sort of blossom floral note behind it, possibly apple blossom. Springlike and youthful in feel. Instantly much more floral - and there is a strong floral here I know, beyond the apple blossom of which I'm pretty sure. Something white? I'm not sure why my brain is broken. Possibilities that come to mind: narcissus, gardenia, neroli - there is sharpness to this blend.The apple is much fainter on my skin, instantly, than it was in the imp, and it has gone a bit artificial and fake, like the aftertaste of cheap sour apple candy. Still soapy in a slightly cleanerish way, like Comet - it makes me want to sneeze a bit. This is going quite strongly to artificial plastic chemical YUCK on me which make me bet on narcissus strongly as one of the f florals (but there are a few here). If the oil weren't colourless, I'd almost suspect some dragon's blood too because this has that odd sweet floral cheap generic air freshener soapiness that makes my face itch. I do think there is some 'strong traditional most likely white floral' bc this has just turned so INTENSELY floral on my skin. Oh, I'm an idiot - I know what the obvious classic floral is - ROSE! - and it's the exact same one from Rose Red 07 & 09. At this point about an hour in, the apple is 99% gone, leaving only a sticky artificial residue. But most of the plastic here is due to this rose note, which is the only one that goes plastic on me but in a very distinctive chemically way. I do still think there is some narcissus here because this is sharper and whiter feeling than Red Rose, and overall this blend reminds me a bit of Pride, which is a n/r blend. Yep, this is all the sharp, chemical, plastic rose of the later Red Rose blends with some also sharp and a little plastic narcissus and definitely at least one other floral, since this has been going soapy on me from the other start - apple blossom can explain some of the soap, but not all. A faint trace of artificially flavoured sour apple candy, but really the apple was gone within minutes on my skin as usual and then it turned. Initially low throw, this amps up to have powerful throw then fades quite a bit. A major disappointment, but I'm very glad I finally got to try it thanks to the always fabulously generous bookandbroom. *hugs*

Dark roasted meat; savoury, like CHKX27 - these two together are like BTOD1 and 2 from the previous trunk show.

Vanilla, star anise, cherry blossom, peony, violet leaf, and neroli. Interesting! The first wave is vanilla-licorice (the star anise is almost exactly like black licorice), followed closely by fluffly pink florals, the cherry blossom and peony, really tactile. Then it finishes sharply with the neroli, and a bit of an herbal edge which I'd guess is the violet leaf. It has a pink floral-licorice candy feel. My skin absorbs this instantly despite repeated re-slathering, so there's no wet stage. The star anise is still front and centre, but it's more complex, a little more spicy-woody instead of straight black licorice, though it's still much more like regular anise - I wouldn't peg this as star anise blind. The vanilla's creamy and sweet but not too heavy or cloying, but it's overwhelmed by the anise, as are the flowers. Cherry blossom manages to sort-of assert itself, but the peony is struggling. I also get a distinct black tea note, even though none is listed. Definitely an asiatic feel. And sadly, the neroli is still sharp, and on my skin, as usual, a little plastic. ANISE ANISE ANISE! I do not believe this is star anise. I am getting pure ANISE/LICORICE, which is not a note I find wearable in perfume. Especially not when it beats all the other beautiful notes in the blend into a bloody pulp. I can't find a trace of the peony, and the cherry blossom is faint. The vanilla still sweetens the blend, but doesn't really stand out individually. But tea, I get intensely brewed black tea strongly, and the almost leathery sharpness of the neroli, though it's lighter than it was earlier. Maybe I'm confusing violet leaf with tea...otherwise, I'm not getting violet leaf, either. This reminds me a lot of Humbug, somewhat of l'Heure Verte, and a little of Manhattan. But it does still have a pink feel unlike any of those. Unfortunately it's developing the 'rotting floral' note that I associate with a particular iris, though it could be jasmine. The floral vibe is not dissimilar from Jingu, and this also reminds me of Hua Mulan - oh damn, I don't know which, but it reminds me of one of those. With huge walloping dose of LICORICE. Mostly sweet, anise-y LICORICE over rotting pink-white florals with a little sharp neroli and strong black tea. The anise was too strong even in the bottle, but this scent just gets worse and worse over time on my skin. I really think it has the same jasmine note as Jingu which took a similarly distressing turn on my skin. This is not at all what I expected, and I've never had star anise behave this way on my skin, so I maintain some other true anise is in here amping to high heaven. Where are my lovely pink blossoms? Good throw and longevity.

Light yellow oil. CARROTS! Cooked carrots, lavender, and clary sage. Reminds me of horses and farms. Definitely the most carroty scent ever. The roommate says this smells like 'wild ginger' (which means sadly nothing to me). Further testing required!

Sniffed: Light amber coloured oil. Crisp, juicy apple (not green, but red and ripe) and slightly earthy, murky vetiver. Wet: Still appley, but the vetiver is a bit stronger, and I get some distinct myrrh now as well - giving this a slightly bitter dustiness, as well as that oddly both vaguely earthy and clean/cologney/slightly soapy vetiver. An odd mix. Dry: The apple as usual is virtually completely gone after 10 minutes, and the myrrh has taken over and gone very dusty with that hint of smoky bitterness. There's another spice here too - I think white pepper, though it could be black pepper, or both - it's very peppery in an almost savoury way, and provides heat. Later: The vetiver has settled a bit, and I don't mind it here. But this is totally a masculine scent now, to my nose, and reminds me sort of of Lot & His Daughters. The apple that does remain is a more 'cooked' sort of fruit note - it has lost its fresh, juicy crispness but still provides light fruity sweetness. Summary: Dusty, myrrh-infused fruit. Lower throw and fades a lot on my skin.

Light golden-brown oil. LAVENDER with much lighter lemon verbena, sage, and maybe rosemary? Roommate says 'reminds me of Whole Foods bath and body section'. It reminds ME of a cross between Temple of Dreams and TKO, though not creamy or sweet. Definitely an herbal blend that could be a Panacea scent and has a strong (but pleasant) lavender base.

Sniffed: Light and airy, almost aquatic, along with a feel of dry sand or dusty winds. Definitely a sandy/crushed rock sort of note. But very light and wispy and quite nice. Faint sweetness below. Wet: Darker, spicier, heavier. Now I get a lot of the same resins & incense that I get from N v2., but more faintly. There is a slightly sour vaguely citrusy note here that N v2 lacks. Still lots of balsam. I think here, it's elemi that gives the sour citrusy note, but I also get a hint of sweet orange. This is a tiny bit soapy-cologney in that vetiver masculine way, but lightly and pleasantly - it's clean, not overwhelming. Still that dry, warm sand note - really amazing. Dry: Now it's softened again so that it's much more like it was in the bottle - that dark spicy phase was just a phasee. The sweet orange note has amped a tiny bit (!), but the sour elemi has almost completely faded. Light balsam and tobacco hold as does that vetiver which gives this an airy aquatic note and I think some of that sandy feel. I do still get the whisper of incense and resins, but it's more like incense that was blown out and only faint swirls remain in the airy. Summary: Airy sweet orange, dry sand, and a faint whisper of incense. Unisex, good throw and longevity.

Deep golden oil. Dusty De Sade-style leather, cedar, a dry sandalwood note, musk and that dusty tumbleweeds note from Sacrifice. Reminds me a LOT of Sacrifice, actually, but with a more sour musk note and a sharper, stronger leather note. If this were a proto for Sacrifice or any sort of cowboy-ish scent, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised. Masculine, for sure! This is another one I need to skin test to analyse further.

Sniffed: Extremely pale, nearly colourless yellow oil. Creamy vanilla licorice with a hint of woody-herbal and boozy wormwood on the finish. Wet: Sharper, more wormwoody, more herbal, and oddly floral-soapy - um, jasmine? Still that vanilla-licorice base that's foody and rich, but that sour jasmine note is not working for me. Also, a hint of spice - this is not licorice, it's anise, but I get something sharper, maybe a peppercorn of some sort. There's also a powdery note now, which makes me suspect another floral and/or amber. Dry: Wow, this goes almost instantly sort of dusty on me - definitiely a very powdery sort of amber. I get a strong sense of warmth. Then again, the amber is also quite creamy - I get a bit of a L'Estate feel. The jasmine and wormwood remain light, while the vanilla and anise are holding well. I'm still not sure what that slightly soapy note is - maybe a rose of some sort? Yeah, I think so. That peppery note has faded, so I think it's white pepper, or else just an aspect of the anise, or maybe there's some star anise in here, too? Summary: I do think that soapy nose is definitely a type of rose - it reminds me of dried roses, old bouquets. The jasmine is faint, not at all dominating - it reminds me a lot of the jasmine note in Peach Moon - it's there, and I can't *not* smell it so it sort of nags away in the background, but it's almost the last note to hit my nose. This is really about the warm, powdery amber, vanilla, and wormwood/anise - the wormwood has amped up a bit, gone a little drily woody in a slightly masculine way. Great throw & longevity.

Based on reviews elsewhere (WC threads, I believe), I was expecting something light, bright and full of bulb florals (daffodil and such) - and I was so very much looking forward to it! But when I tested this at WCWC....DIRT SN. I am not a fan of smelling like soil or dirt. I hope and pray that it was contaminated and when I get the decant I swapped for recently I'll compare.

This is, obviously, a review of the prototype. I have no note information, so the following is simply my blind impression. Pale yellow oil. Fresh, bright, ozoney, a little metallic, and little cologney - definitely some sweet-tart citrus peel (grapefruit or bergamot?), delicate florals of some sort, and maybe some other fruit, something tropical/exotic and zesty? Lovely! More floral (though still fresh, light, and Spring-like - bulb flowers or blossoms) on my skin, and the ozone is even stronger, too - very zingy and fresh and white in feel. This reminds me a fair deal of Szessapony, but it's more interesting, less generic. This definitely has citrus peel and maybe some pith (it's slightly, pleasantly bitter) - I think it's white grapefruit, but it's much nicer than the note in Baobhan Sith which I find quite sharp - this is softer and sweeter. I think maybe there's a little mandarin in here, too. This is wonderfully clean and fresh, and the 'feel' reminds me a lot of Amsterdam, though this is more fruity and zesty. Daffodils and tulips wouldn't surprise me at all, and I definitely get some peony. Also maybe some cherry blossom? As it dries it starts to remind me very strongly of something else but I can't place it...oh, oh wait, no, really, could it be - *goes to check* - it's Neo-Tokyo! YES!!!!!!!!!!!! A shockingly similar blend of ozone, delicate feminine florals, and juicy, bright fruits with a superbly sexy yet subtle musky base. Now I think I am getting some mint - it's extremely light, which must be why I missed it before - and I'm nearly 100% positive it's white mint. It mingles beautifully here and makes the blend cool and even more bright and refreshing. As for some other scents that I love that this evokes - add the Dormouse to the list (peony, and maybe there is tea here, too?). Wow, I'm absolutely in love with this! This is reminding me a bit now of the Spell of Amorous Love, and earlier I suspected a tea note, so I think this has that blend's green tea note (it reminds me a bit of Matcha) which could also be one of the tea notes in the Dormouse, and the other fruit is definitely red currant, the same deliciously tart and juicy note from tSoAL. And...I'm pretty damn sure about the cherry blossom now, too, especially once I realised the N-T similarity. The cherry blossom has amped up quite a bit along with the peony, so this is Asiatic, Springy, pink blossom bliss! I get a very slightly soapy edge...but it's extremely slight, and mostly just adds to this blend's amazing feeling of CLEAN. This has so many refreshing notes, and I think I found yet another - ginger, the juicy bright sort, white Hawaiian I think - that would explain the Baobhin Sith association I got earlier! The smooth, slightly grassy green tea and zingy-fresh ginger notes really amp in the late drydown, making this scent much stronger and less ephemeral but no less beautiful - but the cherry blossom has amped up even more, as has loads of musk to round things out. This has turned quite musky indeed, in an almost creamy sort of way - earlier I thought it might be vanilla musk, and there could be some of that too, but there's definitely white musk, a rounded sort that isn't too sweet or sharp. I find cherry blossom has an almost musky tone, as well, that could be adding to the MUSK. The musk(s) and cherry blossom only dominate the peony, tea, and ginger by a little bit, and the daffodil has amped up to be on par with these. The sweet-tart, juicy red currant is still here, but faintly - it's faded the most of all the notes, while the grapefruit peel has held really well and is almost candied - there's a sweetness here that I don't get with the typical BPAL white grapefruit note. Cherry blossom dominates in the end - but not in an overbearing way - it's well balanced by the other beautiful notes, which it doesn't overwhelm, and yet it's definitely still intently cherry blossom focused. It's the ultimate cherry blossom scent - it actually reminds me a lot of the CB perfume that Bath&Body Works released several years ago for their Spring LE line, but of course this is MUCH lovelier and more complex. Totally stunning and absolutely my sort of scent, this has instantly become a top-10 favourite. Fortunately my skin amps it to have great throw after a few hours, and it lasts ages. Another one I will hoard, and that I would sell my soul, my 9 remaining fingers, all my useful orifices, future unborn children, etc for more than the precious small quantity I have now.

Sniffed: Spicy, slightly woody, resiny. Smoky, a little astringent - tobacco? Frankincense for sure, and some sort of sweeter resin, maybe some benzoin. Very much INCENSE. Wet: Even smokier, heavier and darker incense. A little earthy/dirty - maybe a patchouli note? Strong frankinsence and a sweet, rich delicious tobacco note. There is also something a little citrusy-piney which I'm almost positive is balsam - very strong and lovely. This reminds me of a cross between No. 93 Engine & Minotaur. Definitely some black musk, and I do think there are some other citrusy notes like elemi or litsea cubea. This is both bright/fresh and dark/intense. Dry: Increasingly peppery - a black pepper note, I'm pretty sure, and there's the dark, bitter dustiness of myrrh (though it's light), and definitely a strong honeyed benzoin based. I'm pretty sure the citrus is litsea, and not elemi. The benzoin is really amping and it blends with the litsea beautifully. This is also getting more smoky - I think there's something beyond the noted resins and tobacco, and actual smoke note of some sort. It's almost waxy, like the candle smoke note in Gypsy Queen. Summary: Smoky resins, black pepper and BALSAM over a lightly citrusy, earth incense base. The first three notes really dominates here, making it a very masculine scent IMO. More like Minotaur than No. 93 Engine in the final drydown, though it's definitely a mix of both. Great throw and good longevity.

VETIVER VETIVER VETIVER! The dark overwhelming in-your-face, stompity sort.

Extremely pale yellow, nearly colourless oil. Dry spices and dusty wood. Cedar, black pepper, white pepper, dried ginger - and som sweeter, darker, dry wood - maybe mahogany or teak?

Rich amber-orange coloured oil. VIOLETS! Soft, clean, and only faintly powdery. Slightly sweet. Delicate, girlish, Victorian. A faint of whisper of white (I think) rose in the distance. It reminds me of the Violet Ray's drydown (though not at all the earlier stages), minus the mint. I also get light touches of white sandalwood and a soft musk (maybe vanilla musk) from this. I am alas, not a fan of violets, but this seem to be one of the nicer ones I've come across. RE-REVIEW, with skin test: Softly sweet violets and a little orris with maybe some other florals and an herbal edge? A soft, slightly candied and powdery scent. Delicate, feminine. Sharper, sour, and much stronger and different on my skin. Some narcissus or mimosa - a sharp, plasticky floral, violet leaf as well as petal and root (orris), a slightly rotten floral note that I suspect is iris, and something spicy - some type of carnation note, I think, maybe the 'red' carnation note from Ysabel? Increasingly powdery, definitely the sort of orris I can't handle. But I think there is something else here giving powder - could be the evil wisteria. And I'm getting a weird sort of minty/mentholic note. Also, I think there is some cinnamon (possibly the source of sweetness) in here, and I'm pretty sure about the red carnation note. There's a bit of soapiness...hmm! I think there is dragon's blood in this! Yes, definitely, that's the weird sweetness and plastic, since DB is fake cherry & lilac cheap air freshener. Eeek. This has gone to dragon's blood scented nappies (diapers) with loads of orris-heavy floral powder, iris or possibly a jasmine, a sharply clove-ish spicy-plasticky red carnation note, and possibly a dash of cinnamon - this becomes more and more revolting and jumbled over time; all the notes clash in the worst way. It smelled fine in the bottle, but egads, it hates my skin! The throw is pretty strong, too - and it WON'T WASH OFF. :ack: NOTE: I mistakenly typed out the name of this scent. It's btmeN not btmeM as I originally thought. Apologies for any confusion - there is no BTMEM in existence, so any imps I've sent out with BTMEM are in fact this scent, BTMEN.

Sniffed: Colourless oil. Almost candied, vaguely foody, sweet-tart and bright citrus! Orange and lemon candies come to mind, but much brighter, quite a bit fresher. Something slightly creamy below, possibly a vanilla - reminds me of the creamy note in Absinthe v5. Wet: More lemony, but in a slightly Pledgey way, alas. Lemon verbena, though it's not taking over (yet). Virtually no trace of the orange in the bottle - oh why oh why does my skin eat (true) citrus? Now I get a licorice note, but it's different from the one in Absinthe v5 - lighter and smoother. I don't really get the wormwood here. This is lemon verbena, vanilla, and something licoricey. Dry: The lemon verbena isn't exactly amping, but unless I get close it's definitely dominating - the other notes have faded, perhaps, but if I sniff closely the extremely creamy vanilla-licorice base remains. It's not going powdery, either. This reminds greatly of Humbug's drydown, with a hefty lemon verbena note on top, of course. It doesn't go powdery like A v5 - no florals here, and while there is a similar warmth that could mean amber, it's a light and well-behaved type if it's there at all. Later: Surprisingly, the verbena fades so that after not even an hour, it ceases to dominate. The super-creamy (much creamier than Humbug!) vanilla-licorice base remains, and it truly reminds me of a less sugary/sweet/foody, verbena-tinged Humbug - with maybe a faint touch of booziness. The amazing creamy vanilla I now recognise as the vanilla from Antique Lace - oh yes, that's what I couldn't place! Summary: Humbug and Antique Lace's lovechild misted with verbena. It's surprisingly nice, though sadly I just don't like licorice in perfume - though I wish I did for the AL part. I expect this one to be quite popular! Lower throw and fades a bit, but longevity is decent after initial fading.

Deep golden oil. Very similar to NVP1 but spicier, drier, and with an additional sharp/medicinal/mentholic note. Also some coriander - so it's a little brighter, slightly citrusy. Maybe some clove, too? Quite complex.

Golden oil. Heavy florals, herbs, soil, and maybe some Spanish moss? Reminds me of Jazz Funeral.

Golden oil. Wild grape candy! Smells a lot like the released version, but not boozy. No wine. Just straight up wild grape CANDY. Sweet & syrupy.

Significantly different from released version, but very similar in feel; very foody, a richer cakeyness, more liked aged Eat Me, not as brightly fruity as released version. Primarily simple, rich cake without much if any buttery tone.

Leather (De Sade/Spanked style, but softer and less overwhelming, at least in the bottle) and other stuff, but this was an overall light scent, as many at this trunk show were, and my nose was rather scent-exhaushted, so thorough skin test is definitely needed.