Caitfish

I don't know why I thought that Tintagel would be green and light... do I even read the descriptions? Anyway, WOW. This is a spicyspicyspicy scent. It's fantastic, but so very strong. I can't stop thinking about Christmas when I wear this, I think that's because the spiced (mulled?) wine is so strong. This scent lasts *forever*. Put it on at 8 am, and it's still STRONG 12 hours later. It doesn't wimp out at all, though the woodsy notes fall to the spices pretty early on. I think that this is a *Fantastic* men's cologne. If my boyfriend believed in any scent other than British Sterling with gun solvent mixed in (intentionally, NOT KIDDING - this is all he wears and he LOVES it), I would buy him a huuuge bottle of this wonderful, spicy, masculine scent.

Kali is such a complex scent, it's so deliciously difficult to define. How could anyone predict what this scent would really smell like? Given that this scent has mostly florals as the first listed (though perhaps not primary) ingredients, I should have thought that this would be flowery. Somehow, though - I was surprised by it. I guess I just focused on the wine, honey and chocolate. This is, honestly a heavenly blend. But such a blend! I'm still not certain that I've detected any notes except honey after wearing Kali several times! This is not to say that it's not a heavenly scent, it is - it's just a difficult one to pin down. I suppose, ultimately, Kali is a strangely gourmand floral. When I wear Kali, I feel like the scent itself - strong, mysterious, sweet, and difficult to define.

In the bottle, Mata Hari smelles exactly like (clean) diapers. I can detect the coffee and jasmine if I try... hard. The blend just smelled like diapers. So I tried it on, tried to love it, convinced myself that I was smelling something else... but in bed, my boyfriend turned to me and said, "whatever perfume you're wearing smells like diapers." I AM SO SORRY! I'm sure my imp is just funky, perhaps I left it in the heat, but I just can't get past the diapers. *sigh* I really wanted to love this one, to - but there are so many that I already do, it's okay that this one doesn't work for me.

I've never smelled anything like this. I didn't know that anything could embody "dry" so well. I think that the notes are really well blended here, and the sandalwood doesn't overpower for me. I live in a desert, and if I ever became homesick, this is probably what I would wear. It's so strange. I honestly don't really detect the Dragon's Blood either, just the scent of dry dry dry, like an aquatic that perfectly embodies the spirit of water as well as the smell of a large body of water. I will use up this generous freebie, I am sure - but I don't think there will be a big bottle for me... unless... I wonder how this would smell on a boy?

How very unique! An aquatic, salty scent with a *floral* note. Oh, I like this very much. This is salty, like Jolly Roger, but not too salty. It's got more of a traditional aquatic note, more watery, less oceany - if that makes any sense. I really like wearing this, though I think it's definately a summer scent. It's fresh, but pretty mature, unlike a lot of summer-themed scents. I think that the staying power is pretty good, at least 4 or 5 hours before a reapplication, which is great for an aquatic scent on me. As to those who say it smells very familiar - my boyfriend says that it smells like Tommy Girl, though he doesn't know a damn thing about perfume and the girl who told him she was wearing it could have been insane, or lying. I've never smelled Tommy Girl. This one's in a three way tie for my next big bottle with Kali and Fae, so we'll see. I think Kali will win out because this, like Fae is a much better scent for the warmer weather.

LOVE This scent. It's exactly what it sounds like, very gourmand. In the bottle, chocolate chocolate chocolate. When I put it on, the chocolate becomes less sweet, a bit more sandalwood and vanilla-y. The orange blossom is the perfect floral compliment - Phoenix smells like this scent in the summer. It's an absolutely unique floral note. Very sweet, but... how to describe it... not foody, but creamy. That's it. And the cherry adds just the right drizzle of sumptuous sweetness to this. Big bottle, oh yes!

Pele - I really wanted to love this. Like, REALLY. In the bottle. I can't smell a damn thing. Maybe sensual overload, but I can practically stick the little sampler unit into my nose, and I can't detect much. On a second try, after many coffee beans and sinus clearing green chiles, I can smell the Hawiaan Ginger and some florals - maybe. I put a *ton* on, and I can definately smell the ginger now. I smell clean, and ocassionally my nose detects a soapy scent. Alas, after 15 minutes this is utterly gone. I'm so sad. That being said, Hawiaan Ginger is one of my all time favorite scents, that's why I wanted to love this so. Maybe all that green chile has destroyed my nose.

I only had the pleasure of wearing Jolly Roger for the littlest bit of time, so my impressions may not be entirely accurate, but I think it's a pretty straightforward smell, so here goes. This isn't a "classic" aquatic scent. As has been said before, this is more the smell of actually being on a boat for a while, out at sea, or on the beach, drying down after a while in the salty waves. I went to the Bahamas last January, and this scent encapsulates my afternoons. Swimming in the salty but perfectly clear water, then drying off on the hot beach with an uncorked bottle of duty-free bahamian rum and my knitting. Mostly the salt - and it smells like the wood that you might find on the beach more than the beach itself. As it wears, this becomes very salty - and I'm not certain that I ever detected the rum note at all, which is kind of disappointing - but I *was* smelling a lot of different stuff when I tried it. Overall, this is a very interesting scent, extremely accurate - but not something that I can see myself wearing.

Fae, pretty pretty fae. This scent is warm and sparkling at the same time! Brilliant! The Heliotrope definately gives the peach a glistening quality, and the musk, I believe, makes this a very wearable scent - as it merges with my skin very nicely. I wish that I knew what oakmoss smells like. Doesn't sound very nice, but it's in a lot of scents that I like, though I can't detect it. This is a scent that I would wear to the same effect as Bon Vivant, minus the booze - it's bright, it cheers me up. Good staying power - though the peach definately becomes the dominant note as this wears. Not that there is anything wrong with that, no no. I would like to have more fae, but she's in a three way tie with Kali and Dragon's tears for my next big bottle order. Hmmm... I definately think that I would be more inclined to buy this in the warmish months, I think it would be much more appropriate.

Wooo Booze! - Caitlin, who is not yet 21. Alright, Bon Vivant sounded absolutely joyous to me - and I don't mind smelling young. I am young. I still have some My Little Ponies, so there! Champagne and Strawberries are the traditional after - hot air ballon ride toast treat. I had the pleasure when I went on an early morning balloon ride over the beautiful painted desert of Arizona. I hoped that this scent would remind me of that feeling of elation, wealth and breathlessness, and she did! In the bottle, all I can smell is champagne. On me, the two notes are equally prevalent. It's an effervescent, giddy smell. I've worn it several times since when it's gloomy out or I need a boost before an exam or a presentation, and it's so effective. It's a simple smell, just the two notes - but they are both expressed very clearly and are so effective. BV has surprising staying power, it *definately* wafts, and I wouldn't wear this one if you're the designated driver or your license plates have expired. Big bottle for me!!!

LUSH - the word must have been invented to describe Ms. Black. In the bottle, she's a nicely blended floral, jasmine, definately - but the magnolia's also present. Not a lot else is discernable at this stage. I literally doused myself in this because I was on my way to the gym and I HATE smelling sweaty men beside me on the ellipticals. I know that strong perfume is annoying at the gym, too - but I hate all of the yuppies that I run with, so I don't mind forcing a bit of BPAL on them. It's certainly much better than I would otherwise smell. Oh - the perfume, right... Okay, on - I don't know why everyone else is "jasminified" because on me, this is MAGNOLIA all the way. Have y'all ever smelled magnolias? Very distinctive, very lush, and more fresh where jasmine is sultry. I guess magnolia is sultry, too - but in her own way. Dominating magnolias wafting on a mist of jasmine, the faintest hint of amber. As this wears, I want to say that I smell something... fruity? In the distance-wafts, though when I smell directly at my wrist, that fruit (something like strawberries) morphs back into fat, lush floral. The effect is a delicious one. Turned quite a few middle aged male yuppie heads, she did. Yeah, I'll need a big bottle of this. This is the uncompromising southern belle all the way - the one that sweats and blooms in the heat, rather than wilting away. A very, very ladylike smell.

Alice was my first 10ml purchase, and I bought her without having ever smelled an imp because she sounded so much like me. Milk and honey = <3 My favorite lotion is Burt's Bees milk and honey - which doesn't actually contain either... Anyway, my Alice appears to have leaked a little, so when I opened the box (actually, even before - the whole thing was saturated) I smelled this dizzyingly sweet, floral scent. I was very intimidated by it at first, but of course that was due to the amount that had leaked into the box. In the bottle, Alice smells very sickly sweet. Sweeeeeet. The milk undertone makes it smell even more foody, and I couldn't detect any floral. Initially, I smell honey and a bit of rose - no carnation yet, and the milk goes away almost immediately. As she dries and wears, the carnation springs up and struggles with the rose a bit for floral supremacy. They come to some kind of peaceful accord under the international governing body of honey, and it is GOOD. I LOVE ALICE, it's a very bright, feminine scent - but one that the boys love because of the foody notes. I am very pleased that I jumped right into a 10ml of this!

Hemlock in the bottle smells like a dizzying forest of pine, with a bit more zing. Not exactly what I would expect from a "dark" scent. Initial on me: The WOW PINESOL! Smell dies down a lot, lemon comes out a bit. Now I smell like lemon pinesol. Dry: Okay, this is getting a bit better - but still it's just lemon pinesol. Well, the boy asked me to wash this off, so I'm going to aquiesce. However, I'll try to update this one day when he's not around, to see if it gets any better after a little time.

Definately sounds like Jailbait to me.

In the bottle, Snake Oil is extremely sweet vanilla - warm too. On me initially, I get lots of vanilla and something fresh - almost like baby powder underneath. After a while, though - this turns almost to straight patchouli on me. I smell like a hippy, and the boi doesn't like hippies. It's a pretty scent, but I hate it to fade to almost straight patchouli on me later. That, and I'm not a huge fan of strong vanilla scents.

I agree with the after shower sentiments, especially with Snake Oil. It doesn't bother me anywhere but on my neck, or any time other than after the shower. I think that the pores there must be especially sensitive. If I wait a while, and don't put a ton on my neck, I'm totally okay. I really love to put Snake Oil in my hair before I blow dry it. It doesn't touch my skin, or change the smell, and the scent gets all over my hair. It's great.

In the bottle: almost pure cherries and almonds. I don't know where the cherries are coming from, but they are definately there. Initial on-me: more almond, less cherry - and I can smell some spices rising. Dry: Woah, so much more spicy, and warm. I can smell the sweetness of the honey and it's making me a bit dizzy, but I think that I just put a bit too much on. Or it could be that I just ran 5 miles. Yeah. I'll report on how this one stays after sushi dinners. After Dinner: Oh man, so many compliments at dinner. This made me feel so confident. I smelled sweet, but not young. *Much later* that night, and in bed with my darling, Queen of Sheba really showed her stuff. I think I fell in love with myself I smelled so good. It made me feel passionate and powerful. Good stuff. In the morning: Still loving it. I hate to hop in the shower. So far, I love it. I would get a big bottle, but I haven't smelled enough of the lab's stuff to prioritize yet.