Ivanushka

[cuervosueno]

Soft, velvety fur and warm musk, brushed by forest woods and dusted by dry leaves.

I've been wanting to try this forever, and finally was able to get a decant in a swap!

I don't know why I wanted to try it so badly, as I'm not even remotely a lover of musks. In fact, I mostly don't like musk. But something about this scent kept calling to me, and when I had the opportunity to get it, I did.

And I'm glad I did. It is a lovely scent, and I can see the comparisons to Coyote, though this is softer, warmer, more fey. In the vial, I also got the slightly sour note, but I put it on anyway, and noted that it does not show up on me at all. Instead, this is soft, slightly powdery scent that has a hint of green in it too. I can't pull out any individual notes, but this does have a comforting scent: a bit dry, slightly powdery, and it does remind me of fur. After awhile, a hint of a soft buckskin note comes in, but it is much softer than in other scents.

I can't really explain what this is like--just that it is soft, a close skin scent, but doesn't have the skin musk/white musk note I detest. It reminds me of a deerskin or even another type of tanned animal hide--soft, with a hint of animal musk, and a hint of tanned hide. I like it!

[windbourne]

So, I've tried this twice, at different times of the month, and it's smelled completely different each time. The first time I nearly expired from the beauty of the warm, slightly dusty, furry, leafy, musky gorgeousness wafting gently off my arm. Simply wonderful. Marvelously evocative. Takes me straight to an enchanted forest where streams turn young men into deer.

 

The second time, I got the pickles.

 

Now, to be fair, after I rubbed my wrists together fairly roughly, the pickles went away, to be replaced by a lovely (but not -as- lovely) dry leaves and musky scent, but still. Pickles. O_o

 

Lasts quite a while, though the initial fadeout happens pretty quickly. Maybe an hour to drift into a soft skin scent that I can still smell several hours later. Not much throw to speak of; wearable at any time I feel like wanting to run and be slightly fragile and creature-y.

 

I think I'll have to schedule wearing this one carefully. When it is good, it is very, very good, but when it is bad, it is pickles.

[Alia Kaitan]

I got a partial bottle of this from a wonderful forumite, and oh. my. I have found my signature scent, the one that is just perfect for me day in and day out, the one that I want people to think I just exude from my pores.

 

This scent gives me flutters. In a good way. In a very very good way.

 

In the bottle it smells like clean sheepskin to me. Slightly leathery, very furry and with a hint of something like autumn leaves.

 

On, this just turns to magic. It is sweet and warm without being heavy at all. Deliciously musky, yes, but it doesn't make me think musk. It makes me think warm, living, plush fur. And yes, as it dried down, a breath of forest comes out. A hint of dryness, earthiness on top of the soft and smooth texture of the musks. This one hovers close to my skin but is oh so romantic, oh so comforting. And I love that it smells so natural, not like a perfume at all.

 

If my skin were permanently infused with this, I would be a happy lady. As it stands, as soon as I can secure a stash, I plan to bathe, sleep and live in Ivanushka.

 

Because of some of the reviews about pickles, I made sure to try this at different times of the month. No pickles at all for me, but then I seem to be quite blessed in the way of body chemistry, as very few things go bad on my skin.

 

I do think it could be worn by a man, though because of the softness of it I definitely associate it more with the feminine.

 

5...thousand...stars.

[Ordo_ad_Chao]

Having read the reviews, I got a decant of this and hoped and prayed it would be that stunning, warm, second-skin scent I've been looking for and only found once.

 

And in the imp it smelled promising. On me wet, it did give that warm and furry feeling and I started to get excited and hopeful. But then it dried. It dried down to a powdery violet on me. Violet is a death note for me. I feel kind of squirmy and icky because- death on me. I tried to wash it off with no success.

 

So, you know, kudos for amazing staying power- it's now 13 hours since I applied that one drop of oil. And I've washed my hands easily 20 times, and my entire body twice- and it's still there.

 

if only the soft furry magic had appeared for me!

 

 

(Seriously? violet? where did that come from?)

[Betula]

I got a bottle from the Lab's Etsy page; I'd been wanting one for a while, and I am SO GLAD that I finally went ahead and did, 'cause this turned out to be amazing on me.

 

In the bottle there is a tiny, tiny hint of pickles-- I'd say more of a dill note than a brine note. But that went away quickly for me.

 

On, Ivanushka is... almost impossible to describe, because it's one of those scents that is very much its own thing. It is so well blended. I can't pick out many parts individually.

 

If pressed, I'd say it smells like custard and vanilla, mixed with dry blonde woods, iris, warm, silvery musk, and a dab of baby powder.

 

That must sound weird, but I swear it all works well together! It combines moderate throw with incredible longevity (seriously, this baby lasts and lasts), but it's not one of those scents that gives you a headache from how strong it is. It makes its presence known, but with a certain amount of gentleness. To me, it feels sexy the way your significant other's favorite jumper is sexy-- cuddly and warm and smelling like an attractive person's natural scent.

 

If you like skin cents, musks, and/or powdery scents, give this one a shot.

[Balame]

Baby powder. That's almost all I get, very little complexity on me. Nothing woodsy or furry about it, though I do feel like there's some sort of floral component. I'd guess lily?

 

So baby powder + lily + musk. Definitely not for me. It's a shame it turned out so differently from what the notes would suggest, but I'm glad I got to try it.

 

*edit* It's been about an hour and half now. I experimentally huffed this again and what do you know, it smells almost nothing like it did on application. It's a little gruff but warm, like a pile of bark shavings, with wafts of dried leaves. It's unexpectedly awesome at this stage, but what a wait time!

Edited May 15, 2014 by Balame

[Veronica]

I got this on the hope that it would be similar to Buck Moon on me. While it is definitely in the same family, it's a bit of a no go. I get a skin musk--but very animalistic and dark--layered over a soft, clean powder base. This scent is strangely very sweet and clean but musky. I do like it, but it's not a must-have love for me.

[freyasfae]

After the disappointment that was Werepuppy, I have been eagerly anticipating this one. It still has a soft spice quality to it, but not the sharp cinnamon-y quality of Werepuppy. Ivanushka is softer and downier with the dry leaves quality to it - the throw has a fleeting quality to it that really evokes the idea of the scent. I think I will keep this one for fall.

[Fiam]

Just procured a bottle of this long sought-after scent. It's aged almost 10 years. The label is adorable, meaning...it makes me care about the tale and the thought behind the blend.

In The bottle: Forest herbal and crisp leaves... the ageing makes this stage lovely.

Wet On Skin: Deep warm clean musk. Arms length throw and intense longevity. One touch to this oil and scent is on for the duration of the day.

 

After 2 hours: Still kicking out powdery musk. The throw is "keyboard" length.

 

I like it, it's trippy.The label art is beyond cute.

[bellumed]

(Oh god) 15 years later, Ivanushka is quite nice. The initial impression is soft and fuzzy. A snuggly, comforting scent. The impression of fur fades off on drydown, leaving a light musk with powdery amber as the dominant note. Still cozy, but I do miss that opening fur note!

[Lecter]

This was a duff for me :( smelt just like huffing vinegar! I was hoping for the forestry Woodsy smell but I couldn’t stomach it