Caitfish

Like everyone else has said, this is a VERY tart apple in the bottle, almost verging on a kind of acrid scent, but not quite. It smells like a very tart apple juice with a shot of herbs. Stays pretty true on. Not terribly long lasting - somewhere in the middle. A couple of hours strong with no reapply. It's definately warmed by the amber after a while - a tart, but still warm scent.

In the bottle, I get a big pile of vanilla with a slight, sharp green undertone. No lemon at all yet, thank goodness. On, this is still very very vanilla. I get a touch of lemon, but only for an instant, and only in the very background. There is a bitterness here of the tea - it's very beautiful, but unfortunately it doesn't really stand up against the vanilla. As it fades, the vanilla and tea mingle and eventually decide to give each other some room. It's very lovely, very comforting and definately gender neutral. Unfortunately, it's not very me. Lovely though!

Oddly, Mandarin dominates this scent for me - it is very tart, and I never get the warmth of the amber. It's a pretty scent, but ultimately very light and with very little staying power. Off to swap with ye!

The base of this blend is definately vanilla, and in the bottle I do get a bit of cherry - but once it's on my skin it's all clove and vetiver. Not a good combination for me at all, unfortunately. I could see this as a dark, sexy, sweet scent - for someone else.

In the bottle: Dominant Notes: Fresh, green (but weedy, not piney), "stemmy" scent that others have described. Plus the yellow, musky, unmistakeable scent of dandilions. This is so pretty in the bottle, a bit sharp, but beautiful and dare I say... fresh? Yeah, wow. Initial on: Dominant notes: Dandilions persist, the green stemminess fades to the background. I *might* get a whiff of something like hops or tobacco here or there, but only just maybe. At moments it seems foamy, remeniscent of a freshly poured beer. Sometimes I catch a whiff of something dry and smokey. Mostly, this is the scent of dandilions on a balmy, lazy summer afternoon. After a While: Persistent notes: Dandilion! Beautiful, perfect dandilion! Staying power: Not exceptional... in fact, pretty disappointing considering how much I adore this scent! After only a couple of hours, it's detectable only at a direct arm sniff, and I put it all over. But you know what? That won't sway me! This is BEAUTIFUL! Overall Impressions: Childhood, summer, warmth - tons of nostalgia. I adore this. I MUST have more!

In the bottle: Very sharp. Rose and something with a lot of bite, it smells very like a sharp alcohol. I guess this must be the "twisted" that the description refers to. This might be a loamy scent, as it IS reminiscent of Zombi, which I really didn't like. On: The sharp note does fade out a little bit - but I wish that this were just the tea rose note, as that element is very beautiful. It's very light and fresh. An indoorsy rose versus Rose Red's outdoor rose. A quiet rose versus Kurukulla's boisterous rose bouqet. But on a very deep inhale, that sharp note remains and unfortunately corrupts this blend for me. Come on, come on, let me get used to that scent. I am SO conflicted. I LOVE the tea rose scent in this. It's gorgeous. But I really hate that other note... I think my initial repulsion may have set me against this from the beginning and may be exaggerating my impressions now. I guess that the problem is... if I can't decide and I'm afraid that I will despise it or not wear it... I won't get a bigger bottle. I'm looking for the perfect Rose scent for my sister, who smelled Rose Red and adored it, but won't accept my bottle because she knows that it is an LE and doesn't want to take mine. I don't think that this is it for me, but I may get a bottle for her, because I don't think this note would detract from the rose for her as it does me.

Yup, buttery almonds. I didn't ever get any of the myrrh. I have a lot of almondy scents, Snow White, Queen of Sheba and Eclipse - and unfortunately Hecate isn't a big standout for me, though it is lovely.

In the bottle and on initially, this smells just like violet pastiches! A very dead-on violet. It's a scent that I actually like. On, this develops from mostly violet into a softer scent, rounded out by the musk. Luckily, the sandalwood remains fairly tame (which is a blessing for me) and I never get any Iris, unfortunately. Overall, I adore this blend. It's soft, feminine and nice. You have to *love* the scent of voilets to like this blend, but if you do - you will!

Fae (fresh, lovely, juicy peaches and glittering heliotrope) - a light, playful, springtime blend. Dragon's Tears - fresh, aquatic and fruity. Eos - the perfect bouquet of innocent, nostalgic spring flowers. I can't wait for the weather to warm up.

What can I add to this? Not much. It's crisp and effervescent in the bottle, plus the fruity, juicy tang of the pomegranate. On me, the crisp scent fades, and this becomes almost exclusively the delicious, juicy scent of ripe pomegranates. It doesn't last very long, but it's exquisite. I MUST have a big bottle of this scent - it would be excellent layered with MMU's body butters in Pomegranite. Yeah, I need this one.

This was generous gimpage from the lab, not something that I would have tried myself and in this case, I think I was right. A woody, mossy scent overall. Cederwood right in the center throughout the bottle-drydown process. It doesn't smell like cedar chips or a hamster cage, thank goodness! The cedar is tempered with the appropriate and mature vetiver, grounding it with a mossy darkness (though it's not a note that I am fond of, I can appreciate its function here). And yes, the raspberry leaf is apparent, too. Raspberry leaf tea is the absolute best for PMS, so I suspect that this blend might also be a good bit of aromatherapy for that particular ailment. It doesn't morph much, but stays herby and woodsy - all of the notes are very consistent. Staying power is decent, though the cedar is definately the winner in that category. It's an interesting blend. I think it would be very good on a boy, but as a perfume I'm afraid it's not for me. I am happy that I had a chance to try it, though. ETA: It struck me what this reminds me of! It smells just like a woodfire, with mosses from the forest thrown on top for fragrance. I think that this would be very good as a room scent if you wanted to make it feel comfortable and homey.

In the bottle, Scarecrow smells pretty acerbic, I'm not getting a particularly "dry" vibe, but it doesn't really smell like any of the other perfumes that I have tried. On, the acerbic harshness fades pretty quickly. It's replaced with something earthy and smoky, but not like vetiver or any kind of moss, and definately not green. I grew up in the Llano Estacado, the part of the panhandle of Texas. It's a flat, brown place that used to be covered with a sea of buffalo grass (tall, thin, yellow grass with soft wheaty tufts at the tips). Apparently a hundred years ago, some fields of buffalo grass would grow so high as to obscure the vision of anyone less than 6-7 feet tall. It doesn't grow like that anymore, but it's still pretty pervasive. I remember walking through a buffalo grass field as a child, the scratchy, dry grass and an intense smell unlike anything else. This is that. A sea of seemingly dead, tall grass, scorching in the 100+ heat. As a perfume, it's interesting. Pretty nostalgic for me but i'm still not certain that I like smelling like it. I think that it would smell very good on a man. Yes, definately. I'm such a girly girl that the dryness of this doesn't appeal to me. I'll see if I can sneak it onto my boyfriend.

Woah, out of the bottle initially, the honey wine takes on a scent very much like that of fresh blood. Yeah. Blood, like WOAH BLOOD. Weird. I can recognize it as honey wine, I don't know why it gives me that impression, but it's a strong one. I think that the sharpness in the bottle may actually be coming from the bay. Once on, it immediately softens and becomes pretty powdery. Still smells mostly of sweet, fermented honey but the bloody tang has almost completely disappeared. This is surprisingly soft compared to the intensity in the bottle. Good staying power on me. Overall, it's a very unique scent - not like anything else, really. I can't decide wether I am fond of it or scared of it, though.

In the bottle, dragon's blood (I can distinguish this one easily because I just received the single-note), a bit of spice and a funny diaperlike scent that is common to some of the voodoo blends (follow me boy) and Sacred Whore of Babylon. Usually that note repels me so much that I can't even wear the blend, but this one smells kind of nice. On, it's spicy and lush and resinous. It's interesting. In the bottle I thought that I would like this more, but it becomes rather unremarkable upon wearing. I don't put much stock in voodoo, but I'll try this one more to see if it does the thing it purports to. If not, I'll swap er. ETA: I was trying four different scents last night, and this one outlasted them all. It really is a pretty spice, still uncertain on a big bottle, though.

In the Bottle: Dominant notes: Uh-oh. Those spices they talk about? A bunch of them. That may not mean anything for you, but to my skin, that can spell ruin for a scent. I can also smell sweet amber and perhaps a bit of Iris, but it isn't overpowering. No berries. Impressions: A bit concerned about those spices, but the underlying notes are beautiful. On: Mmm, yummy. The spices are definately present, but they aren't overpowering as I expected. I really had hoped for some berries, but I can't detect any. The iris has softened even more, it's barely apparent, in fact. Lots of amber. Spicy amber is basically what I'm getting, and it's lovely. Overall Impressions: Great strength, and a very attractive scent. Spicy, but unique. I really do like this one.

I adore this blend. I also like fae, which is a glittering, playful peach. The marquise is a mature (no really), grounded peach. The mossy vetiver grounds this blend, and I hate vetiver - but it works really well here. The amber makes it sweet and warm. It lasts and throws and struts. It's incredible. *Gasp* So many blends this order that I adore. My bank account weeps.

In the bottle I detect something green, slightly bananaish, but not overwhelming. There is also a bit of an ascetic bite in the bottle, but I believe that this will fade when applied. Yeah, anyone who is put off by the banana-y scent in the bottle should have heart, suck it up, and try it on. Banana is by no means where this scent begins and ends. The banana is definately more banana leaf, slightly banana scented, more green. When applied, the sweet Sampaguita blossoms bloom and create a dreamy tropical haze. This is an incredibly evocative tropical scent, and I'm completely in love. *sigh*

Saffron, spice and musk? I NEVER would have ordered this had I not been able to read the rave reviews on this forum. I love you guys! Everyone recommended this as the "guys love it" scent, and I can see why. It's so sexy and beautiful. I really can't draw out any notes, it's just the softest, warmest, sexiest thing ever. I must have a vat of it. It's exotic, but completely sophisticated. I'm in heaven.

The description of this scent is absolutely dead-on. This is exactly what I imagined this scent would smell like. The part about protecting children, this is a scent that would have absolutely enchanted me when I was a little girl, and I find it enchanting now! In the Bottle: Dominant notes: fresh, succulent honeysuckle, delicate jasmine. There is also a soft, creamy yellow floral note here which could only be the buttercup. Gorgeous. Impressions: Fresh, radiant and sweet. The honeysuckle in this blend is the one that I hoped and failed to find in Old New Orleans. This one definately nostalgic, a soft bundle of childhood memories. Gentle yellow florals. Initial On: Thankfully, this remains very true to the scent in the bottle. The only appreciable change when wearing is that it warms a bit, and the buttercup becomes more prominent. It's a very unique floral, not white, but yellow. Unique. After a While: Persistent notes: All of the florals are consistently present. Staying power: Very good! I expected this one to fade very quickly given the distribution of notes, but it did not. I believe I will have to reapply, but not constantly. Overall Impressions: Nostalgic, sweet (but never even approaches overbearing), warm and yellow and lovely. I must have a big bottle. It's a triumph.

I guess I'm a weirdo, everyone I know HATES almonds, but I adore them. Love love love. Queen of Sheba is my favorite almond scent, and I have a big bottle. I've also smelled Hecate and now Eclipse. If almond is present in a scent, it tends to dominate it. Hecate wasn't different enought to warrant a big bottle purchase, and I am waffling on Eclipse. It's primarily almonds, sweetened and softened by vanilla. This is kind of what I hoped O would be. I smell cinnamon in the bottle. On, it's extremely warm. Warm almonds, warm creamy vanilla, and a splash of spicy cinnamon. The cinnamon doesn't dominate this scent as most spices do on my skin. It's so exactly what I envisioned this would smell like... it's the sun! It's beautiful. Still waffling on a big bottle, though. It doesn't have the staying power or throw of my beloved Queen of Sheba.

Perversion is a delicious, wonderful blend. It's one of my "OMGBPALs", my jaw just dropped when I smelled it in the bottle. Also, it was a giftie and something that I never would have tried on my own, so I totally appreciate the opportunity to test this. In the Bottle: A splash of beautiful, juicy, effervescent chardonnay. God, that's pretty. I wonder if there was ever such a thing as a chardonnay single note (bouquet)... I would swim in it. There is something creamy and sweet in here, probably the tonka. On: This morphs into a lot of coconut pretty quickly. The chardonnay really doesn't last, it's a bit too light to compete with the other notes. The alcoholic scent really lasts, though - it simply morphs into rum. The blend has strong throw, and is dominated by coconut for a while. After it dries, however, the leather comes out to play. It's so lovely and warm - I never would have imagined enjoying the scent of leather, but it's beautiful. The creamy tonka and coconut blend... mmmmm. Overall Impressions: While I do wish that the chardonnay stuck around a bit longer, I truly do love this blend and will be buying a big bottle. It's orgasmic. *scentgasm*

In the Bottle: Dominant notes: I think that I can detect all three fruits, woven into a strange, lush and squishy blend. Something smells a bit acrid in the bottle... I can detect some florals but no musk, though I'm certain that it will appear with the coaxing of my skin. Impressions: A very intense and fruity blend in the vail, as is to be expected, but it smells like a bit of a mishmash as well. I hope that the notes diversify a bit on my skin. Initial On: Dominant notes: I would say that the apricot is the real winner here initially. I can smell a bit of pomegranite and the plum has a bit more of an "effect" (think juicy) than a definate plummy scent. Impressions: Very lovely, very me. Fruity, soft, a bit floral. After a While: Persistent notes: As predicted, the musk came out quite strongly after a while. That's alright though, as all of the fruits created a rather tart, acrid affair that wasn't entirely nice. The musk really softened it nicely. I also detect some very delicate florals here, but mostly it's fruity. Staying power: Decent for a fruity blend. Can't compete with the patchouliambe on my left wrist in this department... probably a good six hours. Overall Impressions: This is kind of an overbearing blend in the bottle, but once applied it mellows quite a bit and the notes come to a beautiful accord. I really love this blend.

In the Bottle: Dominant notes: Amber with tea! And perhaps a tiny smidge of white floral. Impressions: This one made me drop my jaw, circle, highlight and underline it on my list. I love the amber in this. It's sweet, resiny and somehow almost lush (gladiola?). I was like, damn, Iambe - hook it up. Or something, yeah. It's hot. Which makes the next part sooo difficult... Initial On: Dominant notes: Oh no... what's that? Patchouli? Of course, it's in here - but I don't like what you're doing to my precious Iambe, patchouli! STOP IT! Impressions: I felt my heart drop to the floor. After a While: Persistent notes: Patchouli patchouli patchouli. Oh wait, could that be amber or tea or pretty flower? NO! IT'S PATCHOULI! NO NOTES FOR YOUUUU! Impressions: Okay, perhaps I am not being fair. There is something to this, something other than patchouli. Something warm and sweet trying to coax patchouli off its throne. Unfortunately, no tea or pretty gladiolas. Staying power: Well, at least we can say that for Patchouliambe. Stuck around for a good twelve hours, begging for me to love her. I'm a cold, heartless woman in the face of patchouli. Overall Impressions: You know what, I still kind of love this... it's growing on me. My mind just shuts off when it smells patchouli, so maybe I'm not open to everything that's really on my skin, but I am trying so hard and not getting much. The fact is that this is not the Iambe that I loved in the bottle, and she's probably not meant to be. We're gonna have a good long talk, see if we can give it another go. If not, I'm sure that someone else will adore her.

An amazing scent. It stays very true on my skin, though I know that this is not the case with others who have tried it. It really does smell... metallic somehow. I suppose that must be ozone. It smells like sharp, shiny, cold metal. If that were all, it would be a fairly uninspiring scent - but there is more. If a floating garden could grow in the middle of all of that metal, that would be Neo-Tokyo. Fresh, light - spring green scents - the reedy bamboo. Little, sweet, unintrusively beautiful cherry blossoms lend just a tiny bit of softness around the edges. And finally, something lush and wet - that must be the "fruits". My *only* complaint about this scent is that I wish it lasted a little bittle longer. It sticks around upon very close inspection for about an hour, then it's gone. I can't decide if I should order a huuuuge bottle of this and slather it on or just let it be what it is and move on to things that stick to me with a little more vigor. I think it's worth a huge bottle.

Belle Epoque In the Bottle: Dominant notes: Sandalwood, opium and lily. Can't detect any mandarin yet. Impressions: Hmm... this smells very fresh. Almost soapy. Initial On: Dominant notes: The sandalwood begins to dominate unfortunately, and it stays that way. Usually, I would continue in the review, but there is no need to. This settles into sandalwood land and stays there. How sad. I really, really wanted to get some vanilla and mandarin out of this, but nothing. For someone else to love, I guess!