Protection v45

[zankoku_zen]

A fiery, aggressive protection blend.

Wild-crafted frankincense essential oil, myrrh C02 extract (supercritical fluid extraction w carbon dioxide), ginger root essential oil and dried root, gingergrass essential oil, elder flowers, bay leaves from the TAL garden, Dracaena cinnabari, and blessed kosher salt.

To me, this Protection is a mix of fire and stone. If the original Protection is like a stone armor, this is the upgraded version with flamey rocket launchers. The key word being aggressively protective.

I have found this past week particularly taxing due to being a naturalized citizen (immigrant from South America), and the onslaught of news around the family separation at the border. It's been exhausting from an emotional front.

And yet, we have to get up every day and go to work. And while I'm looking at spreadsheets, it's hard to keep going.

This morning I dabbed myself on Protection v45.

I walked out of the house, and there was a baby bunny in our yard. He/She hopped across the fence, and continued munching on breakfast.

I took it as a sign. That yes, there is some truly shitty things going on, but on the other hand, life is still going on. Going strong. And it's not all bad. Hell, a bunny came by and said hello. And that's why we keep on trucking. It's fucking hard, but we're here to do hard work.

Dunno about the smell, but I'll update this when I have a better idea.

ETA: Btw, using Protection v45 is no guarantee that a bunny will come by and remind you that life is OK. That was my experience, YMMV.

[Ghost of a Rose]

The only specific note I recognize in this is some peppery ginger. It is herbal, with some floral. But most of all, it is super sweet.

 

There's a cloying, extreme sweetness that makes me wonder if there isn't some red musk in it. I have a major problem with red musk. My body chemistry turns it into a nauseating, unbearable sweetness, usually completely overwhelming every other note in a blend. It isn't as strong here as it is in other oils such as Snake Oil and The Starry Crown. So I'm not sure if it is actually red musk (in a very small amount) or just something that smells somewhat similar. In any case, it makes the scent unpleasant to me. Which is a real shame, because I need all the protection I can get. (If it is the red musk effect, most likely that won't happen to you, so don't be discouraged from trying this on yourself.)

 

It is one of the most stable fragrances I've tested, remaining the same in the bottle, wet on the skin, and dried. I don't know about late drydown, because I fell asleep before that.

 

As for the effect, I've only tried it once, but nothing bad happened while I was wearing it. So far, so good.

 

I am reluctant to try it again since I don't care for the scent, but if I do use it again I'll update this review.

 

 

Predominant note(s): This is a complex, blended scent. Nothing in particular stands out.

 

Character: Ultra-sweet, herbal, peppery

 

I'm not going to give this a rating, since I might wear it for the effect even though the fragrance doesn't work for me.