The Fox Spirit’s Jest

[Jenjin]

Russet musk, red silk, rose chypre, wildflower honey, and patchouli root.

[Little Bird]

Ashy vetiver and sour, slightly soapy herbs?  I was looking forward to patchouli and wildflower honey, but the earthiness smells like fireplace ash that's damp and moldy with a little menthol.  It really smells more like vetiver than patchouli.  I think the rose chypre is what is smelling sour and maybe the silk is the starchy, dry quality that it has.  Ashy, scratchy, and sour with smoke and nowhere near enough honey or sweetness for me.  This one was a scrubber because it was actually upsetting my stomach after a half hour.

[Leopard403]

I’m in my red musk era, but I find that other musks are quite tricky. I was hoping that “russet” meant more red-leaning here but I definitely get more of a brown musk that is likely heightened by the patchouli. Not a lot of red here despite the other notes. I don’t get anything that’s honey-like either, nothing sweet or even unctuous as is typical from lab honey notes. This lasts a very long time on my skin, but it’s essentially a commercial perfume musk.

[gentle-twig]

 

The Fox Spirit’s Jest opens with a beautiful gnarl of patchouli, sweetened in wildflower honey given a slightly frosted effect by the silk, similar to the patchouli and aldehydes in Frosty Silkybat HG (which my lovely decanter included a sample of as a freebie). This isn’t a cold scent though, the frost is miraculously body-warm from the gorgeous honey and a subtle application of musk.

 

I have several FBs of blends w strong red silk notes, and here it really melds with the other notes, and doesn’t give a fruity impression as it does in Vision and In Ictu Oculi. I don’t think this should read as soapy on anybody. On the other hand, I don’t usually enjoy patchouli, but here it is really lovely. Honey, too, can be hit or miss, but this is a strong and gorgeous honey reminiscent of wild woodlands but also providing just enough sweetness. So everything is on its best behavior. 

 

As it dries down, a tweedy, somewhat dusty, and spicy chypre character emerges. I’m surprised there’s no listed carnation note, because this is definitely a SPICY floral chypre, and there is a family resemblance to other spicy Lupers like The Serpent in the Carnations and The Crimson. I don’t get the rose distinctly yet, but there is a floral airiness to what could be an impenetrable thicket of earthy notes. I still get that vague warmth, as well. I think the musk is just kind of humming along rounding everything out and keeping it a little more approachable.

 

After an hour or two the rose is more distinct, and continues to gain strength as it melds w the musk, and gradually this becomes primarily a rosy musk scent.  

 

Overall, this is a really enjoyable complex blend, showcasing the best sides of its most divisive elements. You do need to enjoy a dusty, spicy, even ragged chypre profile, but if that’s you then don’t fear anything else going on here.  

 

Edit: Ok based on the other reviews I am experiencing a tremendous skin chemistry win here, so maybe you should fear some stuff going on here. Sitting my butt down and learning.

[bheansidhe]

Russet musk and earthy patchouli root, with a slight rustle of rose silk. Slightly sweet, slightly spicy, very much in line with the "shaggy" or "furry" musks of other animal-themed blends like The Bear Prince, but with a Valentine spin. As another reviewer noted, this doesn't read like the notes usually labeled as red musk by the Lab. It's not my usual type of perfume, but since I had a sample on hand and the reviews were so conflicting, I thought I'd weigh in. It's warm, furry, subdued, mildly spicy, and perfectly pleasant.  

Edited Monday at 10:40 PM by bheansidhe

[Lavada]

Anteros, but make it slightly femme.