J-Horror

[GreenSpine]

Japanese horror films are tense, elliptical, psychologically chilling experiences, most often inspired by Japanese folklore and Kaidan, or supernatural tales, and are woven tightly with themes of retribution and vengeance. Examples: Ringu, Jigoku, Ugetsu, The Ghost Story of Yotsuya.

This scent is spectral, draped in funeral white, and surges with otherworldly, malevolent rage: stargazer lily, white sandalwood, chrysanthemum, and shincha, with white mint, eucalyptus, licorice bark, and blood orange.

J-Horror is a very white scent. In the bottle, it smells fresh and bright. The mint and eucalyptus are very mild, though - brightening but not taking center stage. The orange stands out, and a faint whiff of sandalwood.

As it dries, the lily and sandalwood are dominant at first, but then the orange and tea step up to round it out. The lily is fades to the background and the eucalyptus steps forward during drydown.

Sadly, I'm not getting the chrysanthemum at all. And I'm guessing that licorice bark does not smell like licorice, but is instead blending in with the sandalwood.

The throw is pretty light. This would be a great, clean scent to wear to the office.

[Yoginispirit]

Oohh! What a lovely asian ghostie you are!

 

In the bottle: Yummy blood orange. I'm not sure but I think this is the first blend I've tried with this note. It's certainly unmistakably orange. It really conjures the image from the label but I think her face is smeared with orange jam instead of blood.

Wet: Orange takes the front followed by the lily. I think I can smell the shincha and a hint of pale eucalyptus but it just adds a hint of brightness and never really announces itself dominantly. Something spicy is starting to show up and I'm not quite sure what that is...

Dry: NOOOOOOOO!!!! My beautiful orange-nomming ghost has been re-buried in a sandalwood grave!

 

I'm not sure why sandalwood does this on my skin but it goes waaay powdery. I'm NOT giving up on this though. J- horror is my favorite genre and this is a GORGEOUS scent on me while it lasts and the throw is phenominal until the late dry down. The bf said the whole house smelled of it but he really likes the scent on me (though he tells me I overapply but that's for another post). I'm going to chalk it up to the hot weather and try it on again tonight after my shower and try to conjure her back

 

ETA: Later that night the weather cooled and I could smell the lovely orange, lily, sandlewood sweetness wafting around me for hours. This might take velvet clown's place as my night time oil- LOVE THIS!!!!

Edited May 23, 2009 by Yoginispirit

[bubblefish]

This scent is pure yumminess! The first whiff from the bottle was definitely sweet orange, but it finished on a slightly non-astringent eucalyptus note. On my skin it really opened up and I can smell the mint, but it's gentle, and a light tang of black licorice. This one just flat out rocks.

[midnight_aeval]

I was most worried about this, but in my thorough testing at DD (yeah right, I opened each bottle, took a sniff, and told Del I wanted 5 of the 6 ) I decided to pick this one up.

 

I have an extreme fondness for Japanese horror flicks and often will refuse to watch the American remakes (crap I tell you!!!) so the list of florals made my head spin - I dislike florals, almost an extreme hatred, really. It's sweet and ethereal which fits the whole genre amazingly. The lily is the most noticeable note for me in the drydown phase. I get almost no mint, eucalyptus, or blood orange which is surprising because they are such dominating notes.

 

Not sure if I would stock up on this scent because it's not my usual forte, but I think I will keep this one around for those really hot, summer nights.

[twilighteyes]

This one was very tangy from the citrus and I could smell the white sandalwood. Did not skin test.

[angelicruin]

Sniffing the bottle, it's a sweet herbal-floral blend.

 

Wet on the skin, I can immediately pick up the Lily, Sandalwood, Blood Orange, Mint, & Eucalyptus.

 

This is a very balanced scent on my skin as it dries. I don't smell any one note really dominating the rest. They're all just blended in there together and I can pick each one out as I sniff. With this application, though, I am not really getting any licorice note.

 

I think this scent has the potential to become something amazing as it ages.

[capnlizaveta]

So. I should begin by stating that I am terrified of J-horror ghosts and Sadako in particular. I'm a huge fan of the genre because it appears to have been crafted specifically to pinpoint most of my many complexes and does so extremely effectively. The original Ring is one of my favorite movies (even though it has without a doubt traumatized me for life and scarred my psyche irrevocably) because of the incredibly consistent and amazing symbolism. Pretty much everything in the movie that had any emotional resonance was extremely feminine and vaginal and all wrapped up in dark mother symbolism - volcanoes erupting, descents into and ascents from deep watery circular wells, a woman brushing her hair while looking in an oval mirror, a faceless woman in white with long black hair, endless inky black oceanic depths, etc. I could go on and on.

 

So, that said, I had to get this oil. Even though the art is terrifying, J-horror ghosts have a huge emotional resonance for me.

 

The thing I notice immediately is how salty the scent is, which makes perfect sense. Angry wet girls are the bread and butter of J-horror, and the ocean is generally associated with femininity and the unconscious so the salty undercurrents of this really add to the feeling of being engulfed back into some primordial uterine sludge. It has a definite feel underwater caverns or dark, dank wells. I also really like how cold it is - it's extremely spectral feeling. Instead of a hot explosive rage, this is white, cold, otherworldly rage. And it is BADASS. I'm not sure what's making the smell I'm interpreting as salt - it's a wet beachy smell that isn't exactly salty but has a salt water feel, if that makes sense.

 

So if I had to sum this up in two words, it would be "moist ghosts." Because ghosts are ALWAYS moist, and I actually find myself getting freaked out when I go places that are overly moist because I am thinking in my head "holy shit MOIST we are talking GHOST MAGNET oh my god I gotta get out of here." This is a very moist and salty and cold smell. It would make a room smell really beautifully spooky.

 

But the thing is that I like it, just like I like all these movies, because even though I get scared I know that I'm scared because it's something I'm not dealing with that I ought to. There's a lot of good stuff to be learned by dealing with one's shadow and trying to come to terms with dark mother archetypes. I always feel like I've just missed something really important whenever I have a horrible nightmare about faceless moist lady ghosts and wake up terrified right before they get to me. One of these days I'll rustle up the cash to go see a Jungian therapist and figure all this business out, but in the meantime these sorts of things hold an endless fascination for me. And so then so does this oil. I think it provides a feeling very similar to that made by the visual symbols in the really good J-horror films.

 

Also, to me it kind of smells like Beach, except (of course) spookier and moister. So I had to try layering it with velvet unicorn since Pink Sugar/Beach combo dupes are among my favorite things in the world and it seemed like Lisa Frank unicorns/Spooky moist beach spectre would be similar but even awesomer. Verdict: you know those pictures of horses all running in the surf on the beach and stuff? This is if they were actually MOIST UNICORN SPECTRES OF DEATH. Pretty rad.

[TheOneTheyCallLuna]

This is light and fresh and clean and ethereal smelling. A perfect pick for a hot summer day! In the same scent family as Kumiho, Phantasm, Shattered, Glitter...that sort of fresh wispy ethereal vibe going on. This is definitely a unique twist on that theme, however...not too citrus, nor too minty, just nicely balanced and, I think, really captures the whole energy of the J-Horror theme quite well. I likee!

[fairnymph]

Sniffed: Clean, fresh, fruity and almost aquatic. Definitely some citrusy blood orange, a little mint, very soft eucalyptus, clean sandalwood and lily and the grassy tang of green tea - with maybe a little bit of 'mum.

 

Wet: Sharper, greener. More mint, eucalyptus, and green tea, and the sandalwood has a bit of an edge now. Still, the blood orange which has both citrus and berry tones, keeps this juicy and a little sweet. Less grassiness from the green tea, and still no licorice. A definite soapy edge.

 

Dry: Most of the blood orange has worn off (SIGH!!) and this is semi-masculine, slightly harsh elements - mint, a well-behaved eucalyptus, sandalwood, and a bit of now-astringent green tea. I also get a hint of the licorice, which reminds me oddly of artificial sweetener. Also, soapier.

 

Summary: Herbal, sandalwoody, beachy-salty soap. The licorice has definitely come out on me, and the mint has gone oddly medicinal and sharp. The lily has turned to pure soap, a la dryer sheets. No 'mum or blood orange remains, and the green tea's powdery and slightly bitter. *cries*

 

 

[milo]

Hmm, this is very "green" smelling, kind of like "That Terror Over There", and reminiscent of a commercial CK perfume, (kind of aquaticcy) UGH, and a "green" smelling underarm deodorant. This really isn't what I was expecting this blend to be like. I was hoping for citrussy chrysanthemum, with maybe a bit of mint. What I get, is some mint and strong, green like florals. I'll try once more in a few days, but right now, J-Horror is looking like it's a BIG miss.

[ShadowsDance]

Hmm.. in the vial I seem to be getting white mint, eucalyptus, and licorice..

As it dries down on me.. lime? Strange.. Sadly, the florals really come out and that's not a great thing for me.. they morph into something awful here.. some freakish baby powder, sour milk, licorice mixture. Blah..

[cinnamonster]

In the beginning this is citrus over a lily fabric softener base (maybe Blue Lenor) with a smidge of liquorice, then the citrus burns off to leave a dead ringer for White Phoenix, and I did put some WP on to check and they were exactly the same!

 

I'm sad about this as I have White Phoenix already and it felt like a bit of an anti-climax. I'm 0/2 for the DD summer series so far

[Suu4LC]

This is such an interesting scent-I can't think of anything like it-it's a bright white scent-the lily is quite apparent, so lily haters beware. It's also rather sweet-which I think is in part due to the mix of white mint and blood orange. Very sweet, bordering on too sweet-juuussst walking the line. though it mellows out a lot once it is on my skin versus the bottle scent. Sandalwood can be hit or miss on me, but it is very subtle here-helps ground the blend.

 

It's sort of hard to describe this scent because of the diverse selection of notes-the lily, blood orange, and mint are the forefront though, so avoid if you don't like those notes. Overall, this is a great representation of the concept-a bit sharp and tangy, but at the same time airy and sweet. A little unsettling in the contradiction-lovely!

[Dark Alice]

This smells off. There is something about the picture on the imp and the smell that eerily and creepily go well together. This is the first time that I can imagine what Sarah Michelle Gellar may have been smelling in the Grudge. I do not want to keep this imp around. But it is fascinating.

[TheIceMaiden]

When I first got this bottle fresh in the mail I almost let it go because it smelled funky and sour. I decided to let it settle for a week, and I'm glad I did because its gorgeous! Overall, this is a very light, clean, and well-blended scent. The wet stage is mostly lily and green tea with hints of orange, eucalyptus, and mint. It dries down to a soft tea and floral blend. I think it fits the J-Horror genre well as its spooky and subtle, like the films.

Edited June 11, 2009 by TheIceMaiden

[stellans]

The first time I tried this blend, the mint note jumped out at me and I was positive it wasn't going to work. I even put the decant in my swap box. But a friend convinced me to give it another shot, and I did this morning: what a difference! I think it was my nose which might have been off that first time, but today...today was awesome!

 

Instead of the mint which makes me sick, there was only refreshing eucalyptus, blending nicely with sandalwood, lilies, etc. to make a scent which is perfect in the sticky heat of the Mississippi Delta. As it dries down, the floral notes seem to be more in front, while the eucalyptus goes away and the sandalwood takes a back seat, but a fresh green note is there as well. I never did get any blood orange or mint, and I'm not altogether sure I would recognize shincha (is that the green note?), but I think I would know licorice and I don't smell that either. What I do smell is cool, refreshing florals with a slight incense-y base, and I love it. I wonder why my first sniff was so off? Oh well, I love it now!

Edited July 13, 2011 by stellans

[zankoku_zen]

Out of all the movie blends, this one is the one that nabbed my eye. Unfortunately for me, the lily turns to soap. I get this soapy lily with a hint of sandalwood. It's not unpleasant - but it definitely smells very clean and watery (apropos).

 

Not scary at all. More like Dirty's big sister.

[AlarmAgent]

In Bottle - Orange juice, quite refreshing. I really ought to look back at my reviews and see how many begin with me comparing the oil in the bottle to a drink of some sort. I enjoy beverages, what can I say?

 

Wet on Skin, First Applied - Mm, the blood orange is the strongest note here so far, for me, but with a fair bit of lily wafting gently around.

Dry, on Skin - This is a very clean smelling oil, and I can see where people would smell this and think soapy, or how it could even go on another person, with just one or two other notes dominating on them instead of the orange and lily, and it would smell like 'soap'. Now, do keep in mind that it would be a very nice soap, not really an Irish Spring or anything, more artisan. For me though, the orange and lily are almost purely all I smell. The eucalyptus makes it a bit chillier, and it does share something in common with Flowering Chrysanthemums, that sort of sharpened stinger at the very end of the scent. Must be Chrysanthemum, but these would be the only two oils I've had that had the note--so I am no expert. I wish I got a bit more of the mint out of this one, I think it would've added an interesting dimension further on my skin. An arctic chill, an icy blast--a dimension of the darkest, mintiest depths. J-Horror : The Ghastliest Li'l Freshmaker.

 

As an aside, trying this and B-Horror in the same day was a mistake. These two are not meshing together for me at all (not that I expected them to, but B-Horror is even odder than I thought it'd be), and while B-Horror wins out for me filmwise, scentwise it is the airy J-Horror all the way! Soapiness is a legitimate concern, but I lucked out to have the scent stop short at just clean instead.

Edited June 15, 2009 by AlarmAgent

[tragedy]

Imp: Minty citrus

Wet: Oh.My.God. this is insanely amazing! The blood orange, mint and chrysanthemum are blending in a way that is absolutely wonderful and I would have never thought they would all be so great together. The lily starts to bloom after a bit... divine!

Drydown: after nearly sucking my wrist into my nostrils, I've come to realize I need more of this!

[voodoocatwoman]

BOY can I smell the blood orange in this blend. On drydown it is so sweet that I can taste it.

 

 

[steffanina]

J-Horror:

 

In Bottle: Florals here, florals there...I can't pick them out individually. And I think I smell orange.

 

Wet: Juicy orange fleshed out by a floral background. Kind of nice!

 

Dry: Orange goes away and it stays floral through the dry-down. Strong but not sour florals.

 

Overall: Rich florals.

[Little Bird]

In the bottle, I pretty much just smell orange - a sweet, juicy, gorgeous orange.

 

On my skin, it's still that lovely orange at first, with a bit of a tangy floral smell in the background. It's a really good, refreshing smell, the sort that makes you feel energetic and happy when you smell it. And then as this dries down, the orange disappears and the scent morphs into a cool floral.

 

The drydown doesn't smell minty so much as it just has a cold feel to it. And I get lots of creamy, soft lily. There's also something here that's slightly cloying and not agreeing with me. J-Horror is actually rather pretty, but something about this gives me a headache, unfortunately . I wish that the orange would stick around.

 

ETA: Reviewing the scent now that it has aged. I don't smell any orange with this anymore, not even in the bottle, where it used to be rather strong. J Horror is mostly soapy, creamy lily with a hint of mint. It makes me think of expensive, creamy bar soap and chilly tiled floors. Still gives me a headache.

Edited November 12, 2012 by Little Bird

[TilHelvete]

I actually would not have guessed a single note in this blend if there was not a list. It does smell ethereal and bright and flirtatious. Sniffing the bottle, I smell mostly fruit... a really sugary orange... this orange is not zesty, sharp, orange peel oil. In fact I think I would have mistaken it for mango or guava had I not known. I can't really think of anything to compare it to. Maybe a very feminine Jabberwocky that actually lasts longer than 2 hours with lily instead of pine and a more sugary orange. Hmm... that's not Jabberwocky at all any more is it? =/

 

Definitely a summer scent, I'd say. Refreshing and sexy, and the boyfriend's favorite. He actually got upset when I said I tried to swap my second bottle for Splatter Comedy, haha.

Edited July 14, 2009 by TilHelvete

[Leopard403]

Wet in the bottle: This smells strongly of watermelon, and reminds me of the watermelon-flavored Halls Vitamin C and Zinc drops I suck down during cold season.

 

Wet on the skin: Still watermelon-y, but there are definite floral undertones.

 

Dry on the skin and as it ages: Oh this blooms into a lovely floral! This is mostly stargazer lily and chrysanthemum on me at first, and the sandalwood starts to peek out from behind them, to beautiful effect. Ever so slightly soapy, but not in a scary Irish Spring kind of way, just fresh and nice. The juicy note is still there, though less like watermelon (and not at all identifiable as blood orange to my nose; weird!), but it lurks under the other three notes I've mentioned. I worried about the mint and eucalyptus, and I do not smell either *at all* in this blend. (So far, at least.) I am so glad I took a chance on this one!

[ElinaMakropulos]

Blazingly sharp lilies and a teensy bit of citrus. I don't have more detailed notes than that because I had to wash it off almost immediately - headache city