Chaos Theory III: Strange Attractors

[Deanalouise]

Each bottle of Chaos Theory is truly unique, a fragrant fractal, and 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.

DCCCLXXII #872 - Pine, woody cedar

DCCCXI #811

This is a very soft scent not sharp at all.
Faint Citrus with powdery violet.

[thesibylqueen]

XXXVII

 

How to describe? This is going to sound so odd, but it almost smells the way you do after you leave a swimming pool -- vaguely chlorine, but not in an unpleasant way. There must be some kind of floral as well -- a water flower, lotus maybe? There is something very familiar about this scent -- here in Boston, for a week, something flowers, and the city smells just like this. But I don't know what the flower/tree is!

 

I got this as a decant so I would be curious to see what the others who rec'd decants think!

 

XXVIII (28)

 

Like the other reviewers, I smelled something fruity, like a mixed drink. To me, it was all pineapple, though -- pineapples from a can! There is a vaguely soap note to it as well -- really, I'm reminded of being in college, and pregaming with girlfriends -- damp from showers as we all dress up, doing silly shots or fun cocktails before going out. It is a sweet, silly scent.

 

Last reviewed by edenssixthday.

 

XCIV

 

Not even sure where to begin with this one! My initial thoughts were that it was foodie, vaguely citron -- lemon, sugar, sweet...but not cloying. Pulling it out now, I smell a faint floral note -- someone else suggestion sweetpea, which it could be. It is a gentle, soft scent -- soap, for sure. Maybe so violet? Something powdery in it. Very nice, just not me.

 

Last reviewed by supremegoddessofall.

[storme]

Chaos Theory 3: DCXXXI

 

In the imp: strong sticky fruit over something dark and resinous.

 

On me, wet: strong sweet fruit (including some sharp bright citrus) over something a bit tarry and something sort of celery-ish.

 

On me, dry: lots of celery and resin over sticky sweet fruits. This is jarring to my nose.

 

Verdict: I have no idea what is in this. Fruits and muguet, maybe? Not to my taste.

 

Last reviewed by zenvodunista.

[mrsveteran]

Chaos Theory 3: MCLXXXV (1185?)

 

I got a frimp of this from the fabulous Jheya, and wow, am I grateful!

 

In the imp: This is what I'd imagine Shill would smell like: pure buttered popcorn with a hint of sweetness -- almost like a popcorn-flavored Jelly Belly bean. I'm drooling already!

 

Wet on skin: Still the sweet, buttered popcorn, but with a tangy note coming out like nothing so much as caramel apples!

 

Drydown: Now the buttered popcorn has given up the ghost in favor of the apples, and I do love me some apples. This just gets better and better!

 

An hour later: It's turned into a spicy, almost incensey smell. I seem to smell cardamom, nutmeg, perhaps a teensy bit of clove, all overlaying a faint hint of apple.

 

Verdict: I absolutely adore this, and I'm devastated that this imp is all I'll ever have of this blend. It's another absolutely fabulous oil, almost like a cross between Shill, Verdandi, and ... Mama-Ji? I don't know for sure, but I know I love it!

[Naamah_Darling]

DCCXCVI, bottle 796, for those of you not into the MCMOMGWTF system of numbering, and it smells very cedary/junipery in the bottle. Pretty! But very masculine. There's a hint of smoke, something burning, way back in there. This smells like the woodfires I used to build on the lakeshore with green pine boughs when I'd go camping as a kid. Smells great! Dies down to a cedar finish, mild and not that lingering.

 

Also reviewed by Dymphna, here. We obviously got really, really different impressions from it.

Edited June 3, 2007 by Naamah_Darling

[edenssixthday]

CT3: CCXI (211) - I just got enough to lightly test a couple of times, and that's all I needed! This is several soapy scents all combined to make one really, really soapy scent! Ha! Actually, when I first apply it, it smells fresh and clean and lightly floral -- like maybe lily of the valley? But the soapiness overtakes it on a matter of seconds and while it certainly smells "clean" in the "soapy tub of laundry" sense, it's not what I'm interested fragrance-wise.

 

Previously reviewed by LdyKnight.

 

CT3: DCCCIC (901) - Ooh, this is amber love! It starts of smelling soapy and ambery, but the soapy scent soon dies down and what's left behind is a musky amber. The musk is most likely either a white musk or skin musk, and is somewhat feral, yet pretty. The amber is warm, golden, a touch powdery, and just perfect. Lovely scent. I'm glad I got to try it.

Edited June 26, 2007 by Shollin

[edenssixthday]

CT3: DCXXXIII (633) - This goes on super sweet and artificially sweet, like flavored hard candy. Within five minutes, the juicy, flavored part is gone and all that's left is the scent of lighty flavored, sweet sugar. My skin eats up all of the fruity, juicy scent.

 

Previously reviewed by Sofia Blackthorne.

Edited June 26, 2007 by Shollin

[edenssixthday]

Chaos Theory 3: DVII (507) - This starts out with a massive burst of bright pomegranate, but quickly, the scent of smoke and patchouli come to the forefront and take over the blend. It's a strange combination and at times I don't like it, but it's not entirely unpleasant, either. The smoke gives it a touch of almost-spiciness and the pomegranate blends surprisingly well with the patchouli. Very interesting. But I'm still going to give it a pass.

[alianthe]

My bottle is CCCLX (360)

The woman who sold it to me said it was light and herbal for her.

 

To me, in the bottle: Pale and herbal, green, with a chasing hint of heady floral

 

On me: a ylang-ylang jasmine cocktail. My skin amps up the aphrodesiac florals, to overwhelm everything else. This one reminds me of a massage oil I thought was wonderful when I was a teenager, but it's just too heady and cloying for me now.

 

Keep in mind that I have extremely unusual chemistry, so if you get this bottle in a trade, it probably won't smell anything like this on you.

 

ETA: bottle #

Edited July 24, 2007 by alianthe

[jewelbug]

MCXLII

Bottle: A light floral citrus. The citrus is most akin to a grapefruit, I'd say. And there's a mimosa like scent too. Perhaps a wee bit of oakmoss?

 

Wet: Green floral (sweet, not sharp), light grapefruit-like citrus, and maybe a hint of aquatic?

 

Dry: less green now, still a very pretty light grapefruit scent with a hint of floral. There may be some pale musk in this--white musk or vanilla musk--the longer i sniff it the more i think vanilla musk...At different points during the dry down i swear I smell champagne notes, and later in an apple/chamomile like scent comes out and the citrus diminishes. There's a slight powdery-ness to this. Maybe amber?

 

Overall: A fresh, light citrus blend, a bit creamy that gives way to sweet light florals and a hint of other fruits. Its not really in my usual realm of scents, but its very pretty and feminine. I can't quite decide whether to keep it or not.

_______________________

 

DCCXXVII

 

Bottle: green tea and bamboo? This smells akin to some of the Asian moons--Holiday, especially, though not as lemony (IIRC). It has a green tea sort of vibe.

 

Wet: Very juicy green, sort of like cut grass. So incredibly fresh, and one of the sweetest, greenest bpals I've tried. I smell freshly cut, wet, bamboo, grasses, maybe a hint of cucumber, and crushed stems? Very spring-time.

 

Dry: Less wet green scent now, its definitely drier. Still green, but not nearly like in the wet stages. There is a bit of something in here that reminds me of Night's Pavilion. Osmanthus maybe? Though it could actually be frankincense. I dunno what it is, but I'm not liking the dry stage of this nearly as much as the wet. The drydown reminds me a wee bit of what selkie did on me, though I swapped my selkie so i can't confirm...

 

Overall: This one isn't for me really. The Asian moons weren't my thing, and this green fresh type of scent, while lovely, just isn't my preferred scent genre.

Edited July 26, 2007 by jewelbug

[funkmoppet]

Frimps from a wonderful LJ seller.

 

CTIII DXCII

 

Sweet. Too sweet. Fruity sweet. There's rose in here, and *sniffs* yep, lotus. My nose isn't well-trained enough to pick out much beyond those two. This is a little powdery, and smell exactly like candy Musk Sticks*. The dry down relieves the sugary overload briefly as a woody note tries its best (and possibly carnation), but it's soon over-run again. Nope, not for me, at all.

 

CTIII DXXX

 

Moonflower, I think. One of the florals I love. Possibly a little gardenia, but it's faint. Possibly something mossy coming through on the dry down - this definitely has an earthy base, and is rather lovely! The floral sweetness is pulled back and something almost peppery is there. I like this one. It can stay. : )

 

Last reviewed by supremegoddessofall.

 

*Anyone not familiar with Musk Sticks: They're a bright pink vaguely rose-water, perfumey flavoured lolly, kinda powdery and super-sweet. Actually ascribing them any accurate "flavour" would be futile. We simply know it as "musk" flavoured, and happily distinguish it from actual musk, which is something else entirely.

[Shollin]

CDLXII: I got this in a swap with Forspecial Plate approximately twelve million years ago, and I'm very much yay that I got to try it, because it's delicious.

 

First sniff: Boozey berry cupcakes. Dude.

 

Wearing: It's definitely that buttery-sweet cake base, and fruit, and a little mint? and something that makes me think of alcohol. Like trifle or fool, one of those fruity-cakey-creamy desserts with a little splash of liquor. YUM.

 

Last reviewed by Midnight Aeval.

[SueDonym]

To begin putting up the great massive reviews of the great masses of CT's I've accumulated.

 

MISNUMBERED REVIEW (ARGH! I must find this! It *may* be MCXI) Light musk and mild fresh herbs/grass, some slight spiciness thereafter. Kind of like a very nice masculine aftershave. Less delicate herbs than Oisin but a little bit like that. Great drydown, very well blended here. Damn. It's sexy! Surprising, because I don't usually associate sex with the initial smell but right now I want my arm, or rather a man who smells like my arm does now. Dang olfactory impulses. Further drydown takes this away from the immediate lust impulse, but it's still nice. Wow. That surprised me. If only I could get my love to wear scent. On the other hand, guess I could happily wear this to pick up chicks. It's utterly delicious.

 

MXXXV Sweet and fresh! Light citrus, maybe some sweet fruit, very very slight herbal. Dries quickly on me to a slightly melon-like scent and very mild herbals. Like a slice of honeydew with a little fresh herb (mint, lavender) next to it.

 

Previously reviewed by wichapi.

 

MLXVI Very sweet light fresh (again, yes I seem to have collected those despite the randomness of swapping). Pink. A bit like Pink Moon. Carnation? If it's floral it's a bit of a candy one. Yes, definitely non-heavy sweet floral. Actually perhaps it's lilac. Reminds me a bit of one of the Dogs Playing Poker lilac scents -- NOT in the surrounding areas of scent because this is very sweet light feminine but rather in the note itself. Lilac, carnation, phlox perhaps? Maybe a tiny bit of light rose too? Nice. Great drydown.

 

CDLXXIV Sweet Fruit! A bit like fresh juicy bubblegum. Very fun! Candy-ish. I want to say it fades quickly but it doesn't, it's just light. Sits on my shoulder like I stuck a lifesaver there. What flavour? It feels red, so maybe it's a bit of cherry lifesaver. They always were my favorite.

 

Previously reviewed by euterpe414.

Edited September 6, 2007 by Shollin

[SueDonym]

Just to switch it up, here are some hardcore Chaos Theories.

 

CDXIII I'm thinking this stuff might be almost pure vetiver if that's what I'm smelling. ETA: Aaaand it's probably not, but I'll run it by the MnS. Might be a patchouli, but it's unlike others. At any rate it's screaming EARTH. Okay? EARTH. My nose might be illiterate; it can't spell scents out, so to speak, but it can still smell. At any rate...

It's earthy earthy EARTHY, spicy, STRONG. Azathoth takes one stiff and goes running for cover. Gnome pretends to be a statue in a garden. Samhainophobia hides behind the smoke. King of Spades takes off his crown. Graveyard Dirt tries to play it cool but I can see the sweat. Those last two aren't even really in the running but you get the picture. Gnome's probably the closest. Yeah, that's some serious earthy scent. On it becomes a really delicious sexy musk, melds and gets kind of velvety/dusty and then lightens up a lot. I kind of wish it retained more of the initial scent actually because it's just that different and I like that.

 

Previously reviewed by Dymphna.

 

 

MCCLXXXII I'm a philistine but I loathe this scent in the bottle. It's apparently an almost pure JASMINE. Very *very* VERY STRONG. Did I say strong? Yes I did. On, the flower opens up immediately and scents the whole room practically. I don't usually get a lot of throw but whoah nelly do I here. Again, on my skin this lightens up, like a flower opening up and releases a pleasant scent and I find it...tolerable...whereas in the bottle it's a bunch of flowers smashed up and bleeding scent. Interestingly, after a time the scent seems to be more prominent and pleasant in the air than right at skin level which is an effect I like...if it were some other scent. This is purely a matter of taste, uncommon taste on my part since when I offered it up at a willcall some time back my buddies almost imped me out of it! They loved it, even the floral-haters. It does smell very musky and heady. Subsequently I don't have a lot of this to go around and will likely be selective. Why if it doesn't please me? Because it oddly does. It's like the proverbial trainwreck of BPAL scents for me. I can't look away. Sniff away?

At any rate it is an eeewwww-gross I must smell it again several time just 'cause keeper for me.

 

Previously reviewed by schackjj.

 

 

CI I adore this. Originally I thought this a pure tea rose. Not the velvety wild open ROSE of Rose Red, nor the hard florist imperial rose of Peacock Queen, but the warm wild inviting tea rose of my childhood. However, I've just done a sniff test against Rose Red and I can just barely tell the difference, except that CI smells slightly better, fresher and a little more wild. Better throw too. Amazing opening flower effect. You can try to pry it from my cold dead hands, but my zombie corpse will rise up to eat your brain and still come out smelling like a ROSE.

 

Previously reviewed by Reedsong.

 

 

By the way, the combination of all these scents wafting about after a pre-post re-trial is deee-lish-ious.

Vetiver(???), jasmine and rose. Who knew?

Edited September 6, 2007 by Shollin

[harmonyfb]

LIX

 

In the bottle, wet to dry: Smells like a Lemonhead candy.

[ClareN]

I have roughly half an imp of CT3 XLIII (43), received as a frimp in a swap. It's the same blend that the_cat_goddess originally ordered and reviewed here back in July 2006, although I didn't get it from her directly. It's interesting to imagine how many hands this 0.4 ml of oil has passed through before reaching me in Australia.

 

In the imp, a fresh, greenish floral.

 

On my skin, it's a perfumey fruity floral scent that strikes me as somewhat commercial, like something you could buy at Bath and Body Works. Not bad, if you like that sort of thing. There's some tart fruit note in it, perhaps mango or peach, or even melon, and what I envision as pink flowers. It's very sweet and girly.

 

In the drydown, it turns slightly bitter on me. Fruit notes don't do well on my skin.

 

I don't usually go for BPAL's fruity florals, but this was my first taste of any Chaos Theory and I'm glad I got to try it. I'll be passing it on to someone who'll give it more love.

[cranberry]

both oils here I got through a fantastic CT swap with SueDonym!

 

CT III CDXIII

 

In the imp, this is all vetivert and herbs.

 

On the skin, this is a light vetivert scent. The herbs I sniffed in the imp are there on the skin. There could be a touch of pennyroyal ... it's almost minty but not quite. This scent sticks close and I have to plaster my nose right up to my skin to smell this. There's a woodiness here but it's subtle. This is a cool scent and is a little like cologne. It reminds me of scents that are generally characterized as masculine ... Casanova or Whitechapel, though it is not a ringer for either ... it just reminds me of them. I think there's white musk here too.

 

Now that it's been on a few minutes, it turns to that grassy-type scent so characteristic of vetivert. There's something sweet there too which is really interesting with the vetivert dry-down. The herbs seem to be stronger now. I don't care so much for this phase of the scent as when it was wet. I smell something like fennel seed or some spin on anise. This seems more like a scent you'd randomly encounter than wear as perfume.

 

Last reviewed by SueDonym.

 

 

CT III CCV

 

In the imp ... wow, this is interesting! Watery, herbal, like something I'd encounter when gathering wild herbs or traditional medicines. This reminds me of springtime and what I'd smell when gathering nettle or even picking the occasional watermelon berry in the middle of summer. This is a wonderfully evocative scent. It's like a juicy, succulent stem. I think there may be a touch of cucumber in here but it's not going soapy on me which I fear that cucumber does, so I can't be sure.

 

God, the more I smell this scent the more I like it. It's a pale green of a scent, fresh beyond belief. There's a sweetness there ... maybe a touch of tonka and white musk to sweeten it up. It reminds me of a green stem version of Antique Lace.

 

In a word ... WOW. I just can't get over how amazing this oil is!

[Shollin]

DCXXXVIII (decant from vacpl)

 

First sniff: This smells an awful lot like pumpkin. With something lighter. Maybe pumpkin and… mint? It’s a weird combination. It doesn’t really smell like mint, but it makes the edges of my nose cold the way mint does. Maybe a very light spice.

 

Wearing: On my skin it’s quite pumpkin-spice-y, still with that indefinable chilliness. Really spicy. Not in a burny way, but there’s a heaping helping of spices in here.

 

Previously reviewed by Aredhel.

[steelxrose]

Chaos Theory III: DCCLVIII (758?)

 

In bottle: It smells of something foody (maybe cookies?) and just the slightest hint of a mint. (The mint reminds me of my spearmint soap..)

 

On skin: It turns very creamy, very vanilla-y. Again, with the hint of mint though. It's not strong like Tokyo Stomp's vanilla-mint, but very subtle. There is also something almost floral after it dries down.

 

Previously reviewed by joseybird.

[Shollin]

DCLXXVII

 

First sniff: This seems to have the same buttery cake base as my bottle of Strange Attractors, and there’s a light fruity-creamy overtone.

 

Wearing: Hee! I sneaked a look at the previous reviews, and everyone was squealing about strawberries, and I thought I was missing something… But here they are, the second the oil hits my skin. Strawberries and cream and a wee bit of spice cake.

 

Last reviewed by storme.

[mooncityminx]

CLVIII : I got this at a meet-n-sniff. Some kind person gifted it to me.

 

At first it was all cherry cola. But now that it is drying I am getting a floral that I can't identify and a clean woodsy musk. I think I preffer the wet stage but the drydown is also nice. It's reminding me of something I've smelled before, some perfume from my childhood. I think I'll be enjoying this in a scent locket.

 

Previously reviewed by yeahbutnobut.

[brownbear]

MXII- I got this a while back and never reviewed it. It's about time I did. It is very woody on me. It is woody and fresh and clean at the same time. Very interesting.

 

Last reviewed by storme

[Jenesis]

I wasn't around for the actual lab release, but I got a bottle of MCIII in a swap. MCIII means 1103, doesn't it? (Wow, that's a lotta bottles of CT!)

 

Anyway, this one is... green. Very, very green. I'm useless at picking out plant notes so bear with me! It smells kind of sharp and quite medicinal at first, but there's an interesting sweetness behind it. I think it's dandelion as the main note but don't take my word for it.

 

A little later, this has a strange spiciness about it, and the sharpness has died down (although I think I put a little too much on!).

 

Later still, this has turned into a spicy herbal scent. Very unlike anything else I have, and quite pleasant! I think this could be good layered with something smooth, like pear or peach.

Edited November 9, 2007 by Jenesis

[dreadeddragon]

Got an imp of DCVII

 

In the bottle: Very light aquatic floral, but no lotus. A very summery scent.

 

First on: Lots of ozone and water, the florals have hidden behind the overpowering saltiness for the moment.

 

Drydown: Same as above. It's similar to Pool of Tears, but more salty and less floral.

 

Overall: Nope.

[ravenfeathers]

CXVI (116)

 

i got this on eBay a few months ago and haven't worn it much due to massive updates this fall and new smellies. the bottle is frighteningly full, though!

 

in the bottle strawberry bubblegum. the lotus is strong with this one.

wet on skin it's sweet, but not cloying. no, it's light and fresh and really beautiful.

dry on skin no morphing at all with this from bottle to drydown. it's unfortunately so light that the throw is negligible and the wear length is abysmally short. it's actually one of my favourite bottles, though, in its own way, so i'll save it to wear before bed.

Edited January 8, 2008 by ravenfeathers