Midnight Kiss

[smillaraaq]

Eternal desire, unquenchable passion: red musk, cocoa absolute, Nepalese amber, red sandalwood, aged patchouli, nicotiana, and blood wine.

 

Got this as a frimp, had high hopes based on the listed notes...

 

In the bottle: SWEET sweet sweet almost fruity floral, must be the tobacco flower and maybe a hint of the amber and cocoa amping the sweetness? Wet: more floral sweetness for a second and then the patchouli and sandalwood come blazing up over it, shoving the sweetness to the background. Drydown: the red musk is coming up more to keep the patchouli from dominating quite so much, and the sweet florals are flaring up around it again. I can't really seem to pick the wine out on its own, although it may be contributing to the overall sweetness. The sweetness seems to settle down again as a bit more time passes, leaving the same red musk that's in Fenris Wolf front and center -- really, with the red-musk-and-patchouli blend here mixed with sweeter elements, on my skin this could be Fenris Wolf in slightly overdone, ineffective drag -- glittery hot pink lipstick and a ruffly dress that doesn't really hide the hairy legs, cooing "please dear, call me Fenrietta!" in a thoroughly unconvincing falsetto.

 

It's not bad, decent throw, but not great either; I like Fenris Wolf just fine as it is, I really don't particularly need a girlier version of it in my collection, so this one's going to be swapped away. Oh well!

[303marlena]

Just got a frimp of this from the lab, and I am so glad I ordered a bottle! this was everything I had hoped it would be, and nothing I feared. This is Blood Kiss's precocious, sexy, and slightly bratty, pre teen sister .

 

At first I get mostly cherry flavor, and it evoked memories interestingly of Junior High when we used to trade Vicks cough drops, cherry flavored, in class because you were not allowed to have candy, but you could have medicine. It does not smell like Cola at all to me, more like medicinal cough drops and not too candy-ish either, which was a fear. Its almost like Kyoto without the licorice/anise part.

 

As it develops, I get the nicotania, patchouli, and an undercurrant of cocoa. The chocolate never overpowers, it stays nicely in the background. The former oils lend the blend a medicinal quality, but only slightly. The cherry keeps it light and sweet but never does it become too foody.

 

Drydown is gorgeous. Amber mixed with slightly spicey sweetness with cherry and cocoa. The amber is absolutely sexy, in a losing your virginity sort of way.

 

I loved this . I f I want to kick up the chocolate aspect, I think I will try to layer it with Boomslang or Candy Butcher and I will let you know....

 

If you liked Blood Kiss , this is right up your alley.

[sookster]

straight sniff from imp like cocoa-y smut

 

once applied the patchouli and sandalwood become apparent and

swirl with perfection with the cocoa and red musk....this is

really wonderful and i would imagine it ages into something intensely dynamic

[elphaba]

I just can't decide on Midnight Kiss. It started out as a dark, super-sweet cherry-ish scent on me. From its overwhelming sweetness, I would have actually bet it had dragon's blood in it, but that's nowhere to be seen in the ingredients list.

 

It's funny, though. While I felt I was wearing a strong, overpowering scent in Midnight Kiss, my husband sniffed me and said, "I like it. It's nice... subtle." It does get more subtle as it dries down, I guess. The sandalwood and cocoa come out and some of that sweetness backs off.

 

I think this scent just really isn't me. I'm just on the verge of liking it, but it's not feeling like it belongs on me.

 

Thank you, lab, for the frimp, though!

[FallDaze]

At first, I almost didn't try this one, but I have to say that I'm really glad that I did!

 

Upon first sniff, it was slightly berry-ish to my nose. I'm not too great at picking out individual notes yet though , so I'm not too sure what it was. Then I got a whiff of the cocoa, and it quite frankly just did not agree with my nose.

 

I decided to give it a go anyways, seeing how everything I've tried so far has morphed for good or bad on skin contact, and it turned out wonderful! The sandalwood and patchouli *I'm guessing, but I think that's what they are* came out, and mixed beautifully with the cocoa, which had calmed down a bit.

 

It left me with a really nice almost spicy and slightly incensey cocoa that I thought was a little strong, but is apparently rather subtle. This is not a scent I normally would have picked out to try for myself, but it turned out wonderfully!

[eleventhousand]

Chocolatey-ambery-spicy and awesome.

 

It reminds me a lot of Burlesque from Arcans Soaps that smelled beautiful in the bottle and cheesy (really!) on my skin.

 

[Sushi-n-Sake]

Received as a frimp from the lab while a bottle is on order (thanks Labbies!!)

 

When first applied, this was overwhelmingly sweet and fruity. These are not my types of scents, so I was quite disappointed. However, it quickly morphed into an incensy, musky, gorgeous fragrance. I am a happy camper and so glad I have a bottle coming.

[gwynethr]

I completely didn't expect to like this so much! I dont' seem to get the cocoa or cherry cola a lot of people have had; instead I get a sweet winelike scent with a hint of spice and the softness of a sweet flower (must be the nicotiana, but I forgot what that smells like since I haven't had it in my garden for years). Fortunately, the amber isn't as bad for me as it often is.

 

It kinda reminds me of Lady MacBeth in some ways, with more spice, and a softer version of Montressor.

[purplemoonshoes]

I got a frimp of this with my order. I find it buttery in the imp, with an undercurrent of wine. Cocoa-y amber and sandalwood on my skin, which is a great combo. Nice and spicy, and sticks around with a decent throw.

[The_Merf]

Wow, folks, this one's a quick morpher! When I opened my bottle I was bowled over by the candied cherry scent--it really does smell like bright red Jolly Rancher candy. However, when I put it on, the Lab's chocolate/cocoa note was all I could smell. As the scent dried down, the cocoa note disappeared again, and I was left with a much paler version of the cherry, mixed in with wine and I can juuuust detect everyone's favorite, aged patchouli, in the background. The cocoa really recedes on my skin, which is a shame as I really like the warmth of that note. I don't get any of the grounding and depth of red musk or red sandalwood--this is all slightly faded cherry wine with patchouli in it. Unfortunately, I'm going to have to swap this bottle away.

[filigree_shadow]

Mostly I get a little bit of sweet wine, the patchouli, and some red musk. Maybe a smidge of cocoa. As it happens, this sort of scent is exactly the kind of scent I like. Warm, rich, and sweet.

 

Lovely! Glad I bought a bottle!

[greencat03]

in imp: This is a lot less heavy than I would have thought from the list of notes. I get a warm, light chocolateyness with something very light and almost citrusy, hmm it might be the amber. really complex and hard to pin down, I like.

 

on me: Hmm something sharp is moving to the fore now, now it's more plant-y and less inanimate-y. (I'm doing a crap job of describing, I know). Wish the cocoa absolute had stuck around, but still digging this. I can't stop sniffing my wrist and am getting light-headed

 

after a few mins: Hmm I think the sandalwood is poking out a bit more, yay a sandalwood blend that works with me! Oh how I have longed for one! Hmm now I'm also getting a whiff of the cherry coke/dr. peppar that others have mentioned. Still can't stop smelling my wrist

 

Overall: Oh so much love for this scent, it has bumped 51 off the throne (or maybe they co-reign, whatev). I like this for the same reasons I love 51: dynamic, creative mix of notes that defies description. Also it's oh so sexy.

[desertwaya]

this might sound bad but,there really is no words to describe this oil on me. although my husband did love it and that is a plus for me.

 

in the bottle:strong strange scent

on me wet: ok this isnt so bad,kind of like the how the oils blend together.

on me dry: love this scent,what ever it is! the mix is awesome w/ my chemistry.

 

over all a deff. keeper,but not sure if ill buy a larger bottle. up next is blood kiss!

[Gwydion]

First impression in bottle? Candy isle at a grocery store. First on skin? Candy isle at the drug store if maybe it was close to the perfume display. A few minutes later? This candy isle is likely in Eugene, Oregon as I can smell new ager/hippy. Fades super fast into something sandlewoody and Amberish. Vaguely Eastern and faintly sweet.

[dorothy humbird]

Two frimps from the lab... I was hoping I'd love Midnight Kiss so I could get plenty of use out of them! Alas..

 

In the imp, Midnight Kiss smells super fruity and I definitely smell a dark background of chocolate. As soon as it hits my skin I am surrounded by red fruit (odd, you'd think wine would smell sharper) and chocolate, with hardly any other notes popping out at all. The sandalwood may be adding a powdery feeling to the cocoa, but it isn't as soothing as Velvet's cocoa/sandalwood blend. This is sticky-sweet, like a flirty kiss from a wide-eyed bishoujo.

 

Where I'd expect an incensy feel from the sandalwood and patchouli, there isn't much to speak of. I would also hope the red musk would keep everything a little more sexy and heady, but as it is this is just too sticky-sweet for my tastes. I may hang on to one of my frimps to see how it ages, but the other one will be finding a better home!

[Rheliwen]

This is definitely a red musk blend in the same vein as Scherezade and Hollywood Babylon. It's sweet, but the amber and dusty cocoa/sandalwood ground it somewhat. I think I detect some dragon's blood but sometimes I get that in red musk blends for some reason. I can tell where people mention cherry but it doesn't smell like it to me.

 

Overall, this is a really nice blend but it's not unique enough for me.

Edited October 11, 2007 by Rheliwen

[nappunkitty]

If, as I'm reading this is a "typical" red musk blend, I must try more of them!

 

When I put this on, it smelled something like chocolate cherries--but darker. The chocolate faded a bit as it dried, but it's settled into a sweet, warm scent (reminiscent of cherries, but not overwhelmingly so) that clings to my skin. It's lingering very well. It's a little bit sweet for everyday wear for me (which is sad--I like it a lot), but it would be perfect for something like...Halloween parties. *hmmm*

[tartchef]

Oh hello...

 

I was briefly tempted by a bottle of Midnight Kiss when the update first went live, but decided against it - I had a premonition of cloying sweetness, somehow, between the cocoa & wine... But. The All Wise, All Knowing Lab sent me a frimp.

 

Wet an in the early stages of drying, this is very similar to Tezcatlipoca on me - that same cocoa & incense base, but with a juicy top layer. Someone up thread mentioned Cherry Vanilla Dr Pepper, and that's pretty spot-on. The red musk lends a faint saltiness to the mix that keeps everything grounded, and there's a whiff of what feels like opium.

 

This is muy yummyyummy... I'm still not sold on a whole bottle for myself, but perhaps I'll troll the swaps for an extra imp...

[Eemia]

First thing I smell is a very strong tangy note. It borders on fruity minus the sweetness. It must be the blood wine.....but it is not metallic as most blood notes are on me. It remains the dominant note for hours.

 

Underneath the wine it smells very complex and dark. The red musk is gorgeous and unexpectedly calm. There is a pale wood that stands out and provides a good counterpoint to the overlying tang. It softens it. The patchouli is in there I know but I can't find it for the life of me. It's just rounding everything out I guess. I thought the cocoa would be recognizably sweet and chocolaty but it's very pure and almost bitter. I'm doing my best to single everything out but truthfully it's so difficult because this one is so compact. Overall it's a mysterious, dark, and musky fragrance coated it rich tangy wine.

 

I had so many reservations about this because of the blood and the red musk but this is so sexy and vivacious. I love how the wine stays at the forefront the entire time. That's never happened before. I love this---good thing I ordered a bottle.

[JennyGardener]

The first whiff of the bottle is red wine. I'm a little nervous about pouring wine on my skin, but here goes! Immediately, my chemistry brings out the warmth of the musk, amber, sandalwood, and patchouli. All delicious. I think a vampire would very much like to bite me right now. With this on one wrist and Scorpio on the other, for a moment the scents smell very much alike. Only Midnight Kiss is much less patchouli-esque. Now, after the initial throb of passion, I have a lingering sweetness and the odor of red wine returns, diluted in the softness of floral scented sheets. Very mysterious at the end, like waking from a heated dream and finding oneself alone in the room. I think it is perfect for the romanticized version of a vampire encounter.

[Kimbernunk]

I could see where people would really love this. My skin chemistry HATES it, unfortunately.

 

In the imp, it smelled almost dead on like a really gourmet chocolate covered cherry. I had high hopes for it.

 

Once I put it on, however, it morphed quite quickly into something that smells like grape sode. After about 30 minutes (maybe a bit longer), it had smoothed out... to Welch's grape juice. It smells like concord grape on me. Nauseatingly so. I finally had to wash it off because the throw was huge and it was making me sort of nauseous.

 

This one will be a swap for me, though it sounds like there are going to be some happy takers!

[girlygirl]

This is a very sweet incensey blend.

 

In the imp: cocoa!

Wet: chocolate cherry incense.

Dry: sandalwoody goodness. Reminds me of Lush's discontinued bath ballistic Rainbow Worrier.

 

I can see how some get pipe tobacco from this, but I'm trying not to smell that. LOL

 

I like this best applied sparingly and after it dries down well.

[olympia301]

Got this as an imp and boy is it great! I love that dusty musk that Beth uses and she uses it so well in Midnight Kiss. Can I afford to fall deep in love with this? do I care? Mmmm.

[Rackham's Vanity]

I'm getting juicy berries here...rather like Midwinter's Eve...yummy!

 

I like Midnight Kiss a lot--and more than I thought I would. I wish my skin amped up the cocoa other reviews rave about, but I love having a "red" scent to wear that doesn't involve dragon's blood!

[puck_nc]

Origin: Totally unexpected frimp from the Lab

 

Initial Thoughts: I chose Vampire Tears over this one because of all the red-flag notes in Midnight Kiss that usually don't work well on me: red musk, aged patchouli, amber. But since the Lab saw fit to share an imp with me, I will try it.

 

In the Bottle: Cocoa and sandalwood and the musk or patchouli are prominent, with a trace of something floral that may be the nicotiana.

 

Wet: Hello, musk and patchouli, my old nemeses. Are you gonna let any of the other notes play?

 

Drydown: No, apparently you're not. I get touches of cocoa and sandalwood and a hint of the berry others have mentioned, but the ampers are holding the line against all comers.

 

Verdict: A nice, thoughful surprise from the Lab, but this one will be passed one.

Edited October 12, 2007 by puck_nc