Also according to the General Recommendations Post, here are woodsy scents:
Anne Bonny
Aquarius
Belladonna
Black Forest
Burial
Capricorn
Darkness
Golden Priapus
Hamadryad
Intrigue
Jabberwocky
Kweku Anansi
Loup Garou
Omen
Seance
The Hesperides
Tintagel
Tombstone
Ulalume
Umbra
Val Sans Retour
Wolfsbane
I am most interestedin more hardwoods type forrests, with dirt & leaves, and mosses... the following look most promising based simply on that post:
Burial
Hamadryad
Kweku Anansi
Tintagel
Val Sans Retour
Ok, well Val Sans Retour wasn't in that post, and it isn't even out yet, but I had to read the reviews earlier. After all, it's the Val Sans Retour, in Broceliande, Breizh.
Here's the grouping I expect them to fall into:
Woodsy:
Anne Bonny - A scent several people recommended for Zoe -- woodsy & sexy to boot!
Tintagel - ancient magical forest!
Hamadrayd - I remember fiddledragon especially liking this one - deciduous forest.
Aquatic:
Sea of Glass - it sounds so clean & makes me think of Ys. Also recommended by zankoku_zen.
Neo-Tokyo - Recommended for Serenity & Steam Punk, according to zankoku_zen.
Prague - After all the raves on Danube on the Aquatics post, people said this was the river version of the saltier Danube.
Sexy:
Blood Kiss - debated between this and Blood Rose for all the reviews, went with zankoku_zen's rec.
O - "defiled utterly" sounds more my style than "sugared with vanilla".
Lust - Lust in a bottle & highly recommended in the sexy stuff thread & by zankoku_zen.
- Slinky subset:
Swank - Pommegranate (my favorite fruit) that doesn't sound too sweet like Persephone. Recs in sexy thread.
Sin - Described as slinky in a dark blue dress.
- Exotic subset:
Scherezade - Exotic, highly recommended on the sexy thread & by zankoku_zen.
Imp #27: Whip
"Agony and ecstasy: black leather and damp red rose."
Note: Middle of cycle. Imp from littleone101701's sales.
In the bottle: Rose and more rose.
On me: The leather comes out as a base note and makes it more sophisticated. Still, the leather harmonizes and melds with the rose, making it very hard to distinguish the two notes as separate entities. This is an apple-sized red rose, fully open and heady on the vine.
1 hour+ later: At first I thought it was fading, fast, but then suddenly it wasn't. It has very good throw on me. I wouldn't have thought it possible, but this is a sultry floral.
Imp #23: Tzadikim Nistarim
"Also called the Lamed Vev, two letters in the Hebrew alphabet that translate to the number thirty-six. In this violent, ugly, strife-riddled world of ours there are thirty-six men, the Hidden Just Men or Hidden Saints, who bear on their shoulders the burden of all our pain, sorrows and sins. The Tzadikim Nistarim move in obscurity, and are usually found among the poor, the downtrodden and the meekest among us, and are chosen for this task because of their righteousness, stalwart sense of genuine justice, and the true goodness of their souls. When one of these men dies, God chooses another to take his place. It is for their sake and for love of them that God does not destroy His imperfect creation. As long as the Lamed Vav serves humanity, the world will continue to plod on, but once one of them dies and God cannot find another worthy to take his place, the world will be destroyed. In Qabala, the thirty-six men of the Tzadikim Nistarim together combine to symbolize the seventy-two bridges, corresponding to the seventy-two names of God, that connect the concealed and revealed worlds of our universe. The scent is one of unadulterated spiritual purity, with a taste of the world's eternal pathos, and the joy of suffering with grace: frankincense, olive, spikenard, hyssop and galangal."
Note: Beginning of cycle. Imp from littleone101701's sales.
In the bottle: Sweet, wet, and green, with a spicy finish. I am not really familiar with any of the actual notes, except olive, so I am not surprised that I cannot pick them out. It does not strike me as olive
On me: Barely sweet at all, more spicy, but sunny high notes rather than sultry low notes. I like this stage on me, and I think it would also be good on a man.
1 hour+ later: Stays fairly true to original drydown. Good throw. Sun shining down on softly glittering ancient sandstone buildings.
Unlike the Firefly post, there are few suggestions in the Tolkein post for what actually exists. I am trying to revive the thread & steer it that way, though.
Imp #9: Tintagel
"Spicy mulled wine flowing through the musky heat, warm leather and bright clash of armor, the damp branches of Cornish hawthorn, blackthorn, juniper, English elm and bayberry, and the magical tingle of dragon's blood resin."
Note: Late in cycle. Imp straight from the Lab, but about three months old.
In the bottle: Dragon's blood, bayberry, & juniper jump out at me. I don't get the leather, though there is a brightness. It is rather potpourri like at this stage.
On me: I think that the leather & hawthorn are coming out. I have no good way of identifying the blackthorn. I'm getting a slightly forresty mulled cider effect. The metal has gotten sharper.
1 hour+ later: It had decent throw for a little while, but now most of it is gone. Now it is mostly dragon's blood again, I think, with a little leather and metal. Not terribly exciting, but nice and clean in a woodsy sort of way, like a wood maintained by a forrester, not a rolling around in the dirt sort of way.
Imp #12: The Bow and Crown of Conquest
"And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.
Nobility and haughtiness befitting the Antichrist: sage, carnation and cedar with lavender, vanilla, white musk and leather."
Note: End of cycle. Imp straight from the Lab, but about eleven months old.
In the bottle: I get vanilla and somewhat peppery carnation, maybe sage.
On me: This pretty much disappeared on me/became a second skin with no distinguishable notes. I can tell that it's there, but it's only a tiny bit more vanilla and maybe musk on the right hand and carnation on the left hand than my actual skin.
1 hour+ later: Slightly sweeter & muskier second skin. Still there. For some reason it sticks around longer on my left hand than the right. Go figure.
Imp #16: Temple of Dreams
"For use when working with the many Gods of Sleep, Dreams, and Nightmares."
Note: Mid cycle. Imp from fruitycake's sales.
In the bottle: Lavender & some savory spice that gives it an herbal tinge. Unlike others, I don't really think it smells like rosemary.
On me: The lavender receeds and the blend becomes less sharp and astringent. It smells cool. On drydown, as my body warms it up, the smell warms. I smell like sitting in a dry cedar paneled sauna; the soft smell of dry wood and faint smoke. This is very warm and relaxing.
1 hour+ later: I went to sleep pretty quickly, but upon waking I smelled faintly the same as upon initial drydown.
Impact on sleep and dreaming: I used this the night before election day, hoping for better sleep. Despite sleeping for only 5 hours, I was quite rested and I felt that I remembered more dreams throughout the night. The thing that struck me the most was that when I woke up, the covers were pristine, whereas I normally toss and turn quite a bit.
ETA: The main herb may be sage, given that others have noticed it and I associate it with sweat lodges, etc.
Imp #11: Swank
"Simply cool, the essence of Lounge: the scent of a crisp pomegranate martini."
Note: Late in cycle. Imp straight from the Lab, but about eleven months old.
In the bottle: This smells much sugarier than pomegranate. I should know, it's my favorite fruit. This smells like SweeTarts to me.
On me: I'm getting some more of the booze now. As it dries, the sweetness is falling back. (Thank the Goddess!) It's still sugared, though. Not a lot of throw. And not sultry. Crisp, yes.
1 hour+ later: This doesn't scream "pomegranate" to me, . it's pretty sophisticated for a sweet scent, and it's kind of pomegranaty. It's very light, but it does last a long time.
I have several concerns with scent usage, as follows:
1) I have rather dry skin, and I am afraid that I will need to be a slatherer. I would like to have good unscented lotion that I can use to couteract this, but I don't know what to look for. There was a thread, but I lost track of it. I am alergic to some things, so I have to look for a number of options, just in case. Right now, I am using 100% Cocoa Butter, which -- logically -- makes me smell faintly of chocolate.
On the other hand, I had good staying power in the past with just a few drops of Planitary Perfumes on the pulse points.
2) I would like to find (or make) good unscented moisturizing soap, shampoo & conditioner that would work well, and also not conflict with my BPAL scents. For reference, currently, I use Oil of Olay bar soap with shea butter, Aussie Moist shampoo, Garnier Nutrisse Sleek & Shine conditioner. I also use leave in conditioner. My favorite is Sheer Blonde spray in, but I am now using Garnier Nutrisse, or Sheer Blonde detangler & shine gel. Some of this should become unnessisary after I cut a good two feet off of my hair, but I'm not sure how soon that will happen.
Imp #30: Sin
"Thoroughly corrupted: amber, sandalwood, black patchouli and cinnamon."
Note: Middle of cycle. Imp from direct from the lab, but it's been sitting here a while.
In the bottle: Sandalwood comes out first, but I can detect the other scents as well, in a smooth flow. Warm, round, and a little spicy, this feels like a wintery scent to me.
On me: Amber and cinnamon dominate, while the sandalwood and patchouli fade into background supporting notes. It is somewhat foody, but also sensual. The black patchouli does not give the strong hippy patchouli note I feared. As it dries more, it is becoming more woodsy.
1 hour+ later: The scent has not really changed. It is still a delectable warm, spicy scent, with a woody background.
Imp #26: Seraglio
"In long-ago Arabia, harem girls rubbed an herbal poultice formed from a blend of sensual, luxuriant herbs and oils onto their bodies to prepare themselves for the Sultan's pleasure. This lush, indulgent perfume is based on that ancient formula. Sweet almond and Mysor sandalwood enveloped by a heady veil of Bulgarian Rose, neroli, nutmeg, clove and orange peel."
Note: Middle of cycle. Frimp from the Lab.
In the bottle: The almond and orange really stand out to me. I get a waft of orange Madeleine cake, with a sophisticated bitter edge.
On me: Unfortunately, it gets more sugary on me, and the rose comes out from wherever it was hiding and takes over as the main note.
1 hour+ later: The rose does step back and marry with the other fragrances after a short time. There is not much staying power on me.
Imp #5: Sea of Glass
"Upon the Sea of Glass, glowing with the perfection of spiritual union and the radiance of true wisdom, rests the throne of God. A scent of inimitable purity, crystalline grace, and limitless light."
Note: Mid cycle. Imp fresh from the Lab.
In the bottle: Pleasantly citrus and... lily? Gardenia? Very fresh. Somewhat as I would imagine the edge of the sea in Narnia with Reepicheep sailing away. "Where the waves grow sweet...There is utter east."
On me: Wet, I get a lemony fresh almost cleaning product smell, but that goes away fairly quickly. On drydown, I have a fresh, gentle floral aquatic.
1 hour+ later: Stays fairly true to original drydown. It is rather lovely, not an annoying floral, but it is floral none the less. I don't know how much I will wear it.
Imp #8: Scherezade
"Saffron and Middle Eastern spices swirled through sensual red musk."
Note: End of cycle. Imp fresh from the Lab.
In the bottle: Definitely smells like insense. Do I detect the dreaded patchouli? Musky as well, I think.
On me: I definitely get what I would define as a perfumey feel out of this. Perhaps that is the reaction I have to red musk. I can't seem to pick out individual notes.
1 hour+ later: I am catching the spices & I think I can identify the saffron, though it is not as bitter as the mehndi on my left hand. At this point, a few hours later, I have lost the throw, but I like the scent.
Imp #20: Salomé
"A scent that is both coquettish and sinister. Exotic and lush, brimming with grace and viciousness: almond with star jasmine, oakmoss, red sandalwood and Egyptian musk."
Note: End of cycle. Imp from fruitycake's sales.
In the bottle: The sandalwood and musk are strong, with an undercurrent of almond. It invokes a closed room with curtains drawn but fluttering and sandalwood burning in a brazier.
On me: The almond and jasmine come forward, blended together to create one scent that is both and neither. They do not step far forward, and are anchored by the woodiness of the oakmoss & sandalwood and the musk, like a girl dancing in the flickering light and obscuring smoke of the brazier.
1 hour+ later: I really like this. It is what I was hoping for from Scherezade.
Imp #13: Queen Mab
"Warrior, Trickster and Goddess of Magic and Poets, she is one of the Tuatha De Danaan and the Queen of the Faeries. A very complex scent, both shadowy and fierce: black orchid, sandalwood, night-blooming jasmine, osmanthus, Somalian rose, and Chinese musk."
Note: Beginning of cycle. Imp from littleone101701.
In the bottle: I recognize the jasmine, blended with some other floral notes and deepened by the musk & sandalwood. It is hard to pick out individual scents.
On me: Jasmine like crazy. Gives it a perfumy feel. Not much throw.
1 hour+ later: soft jasmine
Order from littleone101701's for sale.
Bewitching Brews
Aeval
Penny Dreadful
Diabolus
Djinn
Excolo
Pannychis
Queen Mab
Funereal Oils
Dance of Death
Limited Editions
Beltane
Love Potions
Whip
The Muses
Melpomene
Sin & Salvation
Tzadikim Nistarim
Wanderlust
Athens
Delphi
[Edit:] Received today 1/20/07.
I finally realized that there was something in the swaps forum for me, even before I got my first order -- the sales area.
From fruitycake's sales:
Bewitching Brews
Eclipse
Ouija
Séance
Diabolus
Black Phoenix
Phantom
Love Potions
Libertine
Salomé
Somnium
Temple of Dreams
Wanderlust
Florence
[Edit]Received 1/12/07.
Imp #7: Prague
"Crocus with snowdrop and three lilies."
Note: End of cycle. Imp fresh from the Lab.
In the bottle: Very sweet. I think the crocus and perhaps the snowdrop are coming out the most. It smells very much like the taste of honeysuckle nectar.
On me: The sweetness dies back some & I get more of what I would deem an aquatic feel. The crocus is definitely still speaking up, but the rest more smooth & unidentifiable.
1 hour+ later: I think it sweetened back up a little, but crocus stays as the top note. It doesn't have a ton of staying power, but it does get a little more throw than it has initially. Still doesn't have tons of throw, though.
Why the big gap between trying new imps?
It was my perfectionism taking over. I couldn't try a new imp in public -- what if it went putrid on my skin? I couldn't try it when I had put one on earlier -- what if the previous one impacted the scent? I had to not wear a scent all day and then do it at night, when I didn't have plans. As my schedule filled up, that plan failed. Plus, I had to remember to do it, and log all of my reactions. No new scents if I couldn't note it, etc. I'm not going to be so perfectionist about it from here on out, and get more scents tried and used!
Imp #14: Penny Dreadful
"Also called Gallows Literature. A dime novel rife with melodrama, horror, madness and cruelty; a ten cent analogy of vice and virtue in conflict. Soft perfume evocative of noir heroines over rich red grave loam."
Note: Late in cycle. Imp from littleone101701.
In the bottle: Slightly sweet and also woody, like leaf mold. Damp earth in an old cemetery with drifts of decayed leaves and dried crumbling rotten branches.
On me: Sandalwood and cinnamon. Amber? Spicy and autumnal. Hot tea with a stick of cinnamon. Not at all like in the bottle.
1 hour+ later: quality potpourri
Imp #24: Pannychis
"An attendant of the Goddess Venus. She presides over nocturnal pleasure, nighttime festivities, and all the joy and delight that can be found in the darkness. In later ages, it became the name of the all-night festival that closed the Eleusinian Mysteries. Night-blooming jasmine, moonflower, cardamom, sandalwood, black currant, ylang ylang, frankincense and lily."
Note: Middle of cycle. Imp from littleone101701's sales.
In the bottle: Sandalwood takes the front with the jasmine. Not sure if I can distinguish any of the other notes.
On me: The sandalwood moves back and the jasmine and lily dominate with a spicy background from the cardamom and frankincense. I'm not sure if I can identify the moon flower, but in general I get a well blended floral scent from this.
1 hour+ later: The floral moves back some and it becomes more spicy and more balanced. Unfortunately, this doesn't have a lot of staying power on me.
Imp #17: Ouija
"Lush parlor rooms draped in thick velvets and gilded in gold, unearthly whispering in the distance, fleeting flashes of wraith-like figures rushing just outside your vision, the chill of a phantom presence brushing by your cheek, the inscrutable knowledge that disembodied eyes are peering at you from darkened corners… this is the essence of Victorian-era spiritualism: rosewood, oak and teak notes with wispy blue lilac, tea rose, dried white rose and ethereal osmanthus."
Note: Late cycle. Imp from fruitycake's sales.
In the bottle: I definitely get the rose and maybe something woody.
On me: Lilac comes to the front. I get the feel of an old library full of hard bound books with thick rag-paper pages. A home library in some Victorian, where there are built in shelves along the walls, rather than stacks of books piled close. There is a table in the middle of the room with a centerpiece of dried flowers. A velvety chaise sits in the corner with a Tiffany floor lamp to read by.
1 hour+ later: As time passes, the rosewood and teak emerge. This room is definitely paneled and the table in the center has been polished. Now, the velvet curtains are pulled shut, and it is warm and dark in the evening. Later the blend is mainly lilac with the other notes in the background making it more sophisticated than a simple floral. The old book smell is also kind of an incense smell as well.
I decided to try O first. Here goes:
"The scent of sexual obsession, slavery to sensual pleasure, and the undercurrent of innocence defiled utterly. Amber and honey with a touch of vanilla."
Note: Early in the cycle. Imp fresh from the Lab.
In the bottle: This is much sweeter than I expected! Something sharp... but not in a bad way, more bright. I don't know why I didn't expect it to be sweet, looking at the description "Amber and honey with a touch of vanilla." The honey is shouting out here, with a sort of Sweet-Tart-ish tang.
On me: A little mellower, less sweet. The amber is coming out more. The vanilla is just giving it an extra zing. I'm not sure I put enough on to really get a wet stage and a drydown stage. My skin kind of soaked it up before I had a chance to order my thoughts.
1 hour+ later: It still has throw, despite the fact that I only applied a little. I was smelling it a tiny bit as I went about my tasks around the house, without having to sniff at my wrists. It isn't what I expected from other reviews. On me now, it is like warm, aching desire. I'm glad it has morphed into this. Here I go to put a little more on.
Imp #3: Neo-Tokyo
Note: Mid cycle. Imp fresh from the Lab.
"Urban metallics and an ozone-tinged breath of electric light mingled with reedy bamboo, crisp mountain air, cherry blossoms, delicate orchid and a splash of playful, wet fruits."
In the bottle: This smells like French double milled soap! (In a good way.) The cherry is coming out a lot in it. I am getting the metallic, too. Like wet, fruity, finely milled soap on the side of a steel wash tub, in the cold mountain air, where you poar fresh water over your head from a pitcher.
On me: Cherry is moving back on drydown. Yay! (Why does my right wrist smell totally different from my left? It's cherry +5.)
1 hour+ later: Clean, metalic. I think that clean sharpness is the ozone. The fruit is gone, except maybe as the faintest hint of sweetness. This is a very clean scent on me. Not what I was expecting, but I think it will be good for work wear. Also, it's very light.
