Chaos Theory II : The Butterfly Effect

[gaai]

Each bottle of Chaos Theory is truly unique, a fragrant fractal, an exercise in the joy of chance and uncertainty! Each is a one-of-a-kind, utterly random combination of scents, the composition of which is based on whim, mood and gut instinct.

CT II : DXLIX

Thought I'd review this one just before my CT3's arrive

This is a red fruit/red musk blend......I can't pick out any of the fruits, it's like a well blended cocktail of red fruits.
Underneath the fruits I can smell a nice warm musky scent and I think it's red musk, because well.....it has the same smell as the ones I *know* have red musk in them.
A sexy grown-up-but-still-girly type of blend, with average throw and lots of staying power!

[edenssixthday]

Chaos Theory 2: XIV (14) - YOW! This is sharp, biting CIVET. It's the first BPAL blend with civet that I've encountered which I really don't like. I also think there's a bit of powdery orange blossom in this blend, and maybe a touch of ozone. It's a really strange, musky-sweet and floral-sweet with the unpleasant scent of civet. It has too much throw and makes me self-conscious around others. This is one for the swap pile.

 

Last reviewed by slave1.

Edited September 9, 2006 by Shollin

[edenssixthday]

Chaos Theory 2: CLXXXVI (186) - When I received this imp, it was labeled with the notes "amber myrrh, jasmine." I'm pretty sure I agree with this, but I would also add "tobacco flower" to the mix. This is a scent that upon first application, strongly reminded me of Formula 54 so much so that I had to apply a bit of F54 to compare the two. They are strikingly similar, and I believe tobacco flower is the reason why. This scent also reminds me in many aspects of the GC blend Wicked, which is one of my all-time favorite blends (currently). I believe that is due to the myrrh and jasmine notes in this blend. It is an incredibly husky blend where the jasmine works in perfect harmony with the other notes so as not to overwhelm the whole lot. I did a 1/4 imp Chaos Theory swap, and I'm sad that I only have a few drops of this, but it's similar enough to Wicked, which I have a 10 ml of, so I'm not too angsty about not bein g able to get more. It has truly spectacular throw and a little goes a very long way for a very long time.

[Lady Ravenglass]

CDXLIX

 

Chaos indeed. The minute I opened it (a year ago...*cough*) I realised it was the exact scent of my old housemate's bedroom. The exact scent. She wore Anna Sui and expensive make-up and kept two soot-black kittens, whose litterbox/deodoriser added to the general fragrance of the room.

 

I think there might be roses in there, but it's sweet, and pink, and slightly vanilla-spice. It's freakishly interesting.

[LittleGreyKitten]

CDLXII, aka 462, also reviewed by hadaverde here.

 

I found this to be absolutely swoonily delish on me (thanks for parting with it, hadaverde!). Wet, I get a whiff of the creamiest, sweetest, sugariest lavender ever. I usually hate lavender, but in this blend it's orgasmic. There's the barest hint of mint which disappears immediately. As it dries the lavender sort of goes away, leaving just the sweet creamy loveliness. It actually lasts pretty well- around 4 hours, which for a lighter blend is not bad on my skin. It reminds me just a wee bit of Spooky, but mostly it's just it's own amazing thing. It's soft and sweet and creamy, but I can't nail any notes except lavender and I'm not even sure of that.

 

EDITED TO ADD: Marshmallow! I finally have decided that's one of the components of the sweetcreamy thing. And definitely a light, light, light lavender... a truly awesomely yummy blend. I believe TKO is the closest thing to this blend in the regular catalogue. I have only tested TKO once but it did strike me as similar... I'll have to get an imp and compare for real.

Edited May 4, 2007 by LittleGreyKitten

[supremegoddessofall]

CT2: CDLXXXIX (489)

 

Interesting. There's some mint in here somewhere, and also some juniper, but there are florals in here, too - maybe lilac or wisteria?

[sofiaviolet]

CCCXXVII

 

Coconut, oh joy. I hate this note. It's less offensive on my skin than in the imp, but I don't want to smell like suntan lotion. Gah.

 

Last reviewed by gangstaknitta.

[Shollin]

Butterfly Effect D: The oil is pale blue, a color I haven’t seen very often.

 

First sniff: It’s lavender, pure herbal lavender.

 

Wearing: And on me it’s not even remotely lavender. Yay for weird chemistry! It’s more of a sweet soft floral… and it dries to a faint something-fruity that might be peach? It sounds gorgeous, and it was, but for a sadly brief period of time.

 

Last reviewed by cranberry.

[supremegoddessofall]

CT2: xxii

 

On me: Furniture polish. Totally furniture polish. Lee says it smells like cough syrup.

 

Last reviewed by chopchica.

 

CT2: CVI

 

On me: Sweet - lots of honey. Maybe some amber and some sugar? A little fruity, too.

 

Last reviewed by Sofia Blackthorne.

[roesmoker]

Chaos Theory II: CLXXII (172)

 

I'm getting a lovely combination of suntan-oil coconut and plastic. I can see why inkstone was reminded of Snow White - these are the notes in SW that eventually came to disagree with me so much I could no longer wear her anymore. I'm sure this would be beautiful on someone who can wear it.

 

previously reviewed by inkstone

[Shollin]

Butterfly Effect CDXXXIII (from Elri)

 

First sniff: Soft watery-blue with a jolt of… something. Licorice? Spice? Something unexpected.

 

Wearing: I’m guessing there’s lotus in here, but I don’t know what else. It’s definitely aquatic. And as it dries, it blossoms into the figgiest fig that ever figged. It vanishes completely before the evening’s out, but the dry stage is exquisite, and I’m so keeping it.

 

 

Butterfly Effect XI (from zenvodunista)

 

First sniff: The afterscent is lime, but the primary note seems to be something fairly funky. I know Beth left civet out of the Chaos because so many of us react badly to it (possibly the understatement of the year), but I’m guessing this might be a black musk, ’cause I sometimes get a similar funk from that.

 

Sniffing again a few days later… Where was my brain? This is leather. It’s leather and lime. And now I’m laughing because it reminds me of the Ray Stevens song about the pansy pirate who doesn’t like rum and asks for Perrier with a lime in it.

 

Wearing: Ooh, there’s some vanilla in here too. Vanilla, lime and leather. How entirely bizarre.

 

Last reviewed by cybra111.

[supremegoddessofall]

CT2: CLXXII - Ooh! Honey, milk, a bit of almonds. Delicious!! Score = 5.

Last reviewed by roesmoker.

 

CT2: CCCXIX - Incense, smoke, patchouli, some light florals. Score = 4

Last reviewed by Nachtwulf.

 

CT2: CIII - Almond and pine and something chemically. Also maybe a bit of leather? This is an odd scent. Score = 3

Previously reviewed by Nachtwulf.

 

CT2: CCLXXX - Mint, something dusty, something floral but not rose. Not sure how I feel about this one. Score = 3

Last reviewed by yeahbutnobut.

 

CT2: XXXVI - Chocolate plus something dusty or earthy. Not foody, really, but an undertone of foodiness. Score = 4

Last reviewed by cuervosueno.

[supremegoddessofall]

CT2: CCVI

 

In bottle: Fruits and wine and perhaps a touch of chocolate.

 

On me: Very fruity with a touch of bubblegum. Still get some wine, maybe a touch less than in the bottle, and it's a sweet wine.

 

Previously reviewed by Scarlett.

[Ina Garten Davita]

Chaos Theory II: CDLXI (461)

 

This decant was a gift from the lovely Odette Odile and I am supremely excited to have a vial of this beauty in my possession.

 

You know that mouthwatering sweetness in legendary scents like Pink Phoenix and Snow Angel? This is the "single note" of it, as it were. This is the bouquet of cotton candy, pure spun sugar, fluffy and sweet. Not the pink, strawberry flavored carnival cotton candy but a cotton candy, spun pure white with a barest vanilla character. This sugar positively sparkles, with lots of depth and throw.

 

This vial will remain in my "treasured Imps" collection forever!

[supremegoddessofall]

CT2: CDXLVI

 

In bottle: Smells like a hair salon, but in a good way.

 

On me: Floral, but a bit soapy. Can't decide if I like it or not. It's alternating between being likeable and not so pretty. It does smell clean.

[asciident]

CTII: CCLXVIII (268 I believe)

 

Wet: Strong green mint. Just what mint, I'm not sure.

 

First on: Oh, it's spearmint! And something creamy. Actually it's a bit like sharp chewing gum, which isn't as unpleasant as it sounds.

 

Dry: Hmm, vanilla? With spearmint? But there's some spice going on here too. Vanilla cream and spice are fading into the background, though.

 

I'm going to have to give this a second round. I'm intrigued, but not convinced I want spearmint on my wrists.

 

CCLXVIII was previously reviewed by cuervosueno, elphaba and OriginalWacky

[edenssixthday]

Chaos Theory 2: CCXCVI (296) – This blend is really fascinating. The top note is that of a rich, bold cognac and reminds me of Formula 54. Beneath that is the distinctively sweet scent of white cake. There also seems to be some sort of sweet floral (I don’t know what it is, but I know it’s not jasmine, magnolia, gardenia, honeysuckle, lilac or wisteria!) This is a lovely scent and I’m so glad I swapped for this imp. It fades quickly, but until then, the scent is divine.

 

Last reviewed by Reedsong.

[wikkidraven]

CT DCLI, decanted by melanna aug 05

 

this was VERY BERRY at first, but the drydown is quite resiny. i think there may even be some vanilla dashed in there, it's hard to tell. the morphing power from the chaos theories will never cease to amaze me. not sure if i'll hang onto this one, but it was definitely worth trying

 

Last reviewed by cranberry.

[Em-]

Chaos Theory CLXXIII: Clearly this bottle has done some traveling. But it is home now.

 

I get a sweet, light musk from this, blended with a rich mint and a hint of citrus. This is a light fresh blend, just perfect as we move into spring.

[bookandbroom]

Chaos Theory II: CDLXXVIII (478).

 

Oh, this is hard. I'm still a newbie, but I bought 478 on a whim from a fellow LiveJournaler who described it as "lemon-mint-tonka weirdness." I couldn't resist.

 

At first, I get citrus and mint, but then things mellow. I think there's more lime than lemon; in a way, this smells like my favorite drink, a gimlet with mint, which implies juniper to a certain degree. But the more it wears the more it melds, the tonka/vanilla richness dissolving into the citrus and mint and a base note of richness that I can't describe. Except to say that it's perfect.

 

If I figure it out better as I wear this - because the bottle is definitely home! - then I'll edit with more detail.

 

Last reviewed by xie.

[bulletslc]

CCCLXXIV--previously reviewed by yeahboutnobut and filigree_shadow

 

I received this decant from filigree_shadow...

 

In the imp--floral/linen soap

On Wet--Still very soapy but in a clean, refreshing way. The floral aspect is a nice midrange floral...not too light, not too heady. Can't pick out quite what the flower is though.

Dry down--15-20 minutes...this does have a titch of a citrus/creamy tone, but the linen/floral are the strong notes. This reminds me of laundry fresh out of the dryer. And it seems to be lasting well with average throw.

 

Verdict--This is not a scent I would normally wear, but I DO like it and can see wearing it on those occassions I want a crisp, clean feeling. I'll be keeping this imp...thanks filigree_shadow!!! (she gave it for free!! )

[PersephonesChild]

Ok, I have Chaos Theory CXXVII (127)

 

In the bottle, I was struck by citrus, and then by my color-association for the scent-- definitely green, a dark, wet green, like a wet tropical forest. I think there's a hint of mint, and something else cool and green.

 

On me, I think the citrus is definitely lemon, and I'm sensing some eucalyptus, as well as something a little bit spicy. I'm thinking sage, it reminds me of western sage brush. And a very light and delicate scent at the bottom...

 

Mm. I love citrus, I love sage, this is lovely. It's such an interesting scent, and a very strong one! It makes my mouth water, but I'm not sure what for. I'm very new to BPAL, so I don't have a lot to compare it to. Of the other scents I've tried, it's most like Tenochtitlan, but much lusher, much damper. I think the common thread is the sage. It reminds me of a few places I know in Utah where the sage brush mixes in with wild mint, an interesting and evocative scent combination, but usually those two scents smell very disparate. I think the citrus kind of fills in the gaps, and the eucalyptus is part of the sense of wetness it has.

 

I consider this a good gamble. I'll be happy to have this scent, although I'm not sure if it's the perfect one for me.

 

 

ETA: What was I thinking? I smell this now, and all I can think of is aloe! Aloe, and maybe some lily... When I wear it, I get the sense of a light, waxy flower blooming on me. It starts out green and sappy, and becomes warmer as the flower opens, with a slightly spicy hint of pollen. It continues to bloom until it becomes something very unappealing on me after about two hours. I still smell the aloe, but it begins to have a very medicinal tone to it, which I don't like. But Citrus? Sage? I don't know what I was thinking.

Edited June 27, 2007 by PersephonesChild

[500ml]

I received a generous frimp of CDXLCIII (448) from a very nice lady who helped me figure out (99 percent sure!) that it belonged to II. It smells overly strong of lemon in the vial and wet, just like toilet cleaner. Just when I thought I'd immediately have to give it away a beautiful strong spicy note showed up which I managed to identify as pepper. It transformed the lemon into something quite unique and I'm still enjoying it two hours later. It has mellowed down a bit (the edge of the pepper has worn off), but it's truly an interesting blend.

[PurpleHeather]

I got Chaos Theory CCLII (252) as a frimp from Lushlovely, and I'm grateful!

 

In the bottle: High, berry like sweetness. Not quite strawberry.

 

Wet: Really berrylike, with a peachy background. Nice so far. Foody as anything. A minute later, it's gone peach. Yum. Nice throw too.

 

Later: All peach - I can't sense anything else in this, but that doesn't detract from it at all. Very nice, I don't know if it is bottle nice even if I were able to get hold of more, but I like it and will keep the imp - 8/10.

 

Edited to add that later still it has dried down to a faint background spiciness. Sort of like eating through a spiced peach crumble from bottom up!

Edited June 26, 2007 by PurpleHeather

[steelxrose]

CT2: CCCIX (aka 309)

 

This was another random E-bay "Hey.. this sounds interesting, I think I'll get it" purchase. And, once again, I'm glad I did.

 

In the bottle it is a light mint with just a slight whiff of florals.

 

Wet on skin the mint is just amplified, much to my delight. (I'm a mint-a-holic.)

 

Dry on skin the florals just take over. Not as much appreciated as mint overload, but still a really lovely scent all-around.

 

I wish it had some staying power though.

 

Previously reviewed by Digital_Hypoxia.