In the bottle: Caramelized sugar - almost maple-y.
On wet: Maple sugar and something decidedly RED n' FRUITY! Quite a jarring combination.
Drydown: Sweet, red berry jam. Thick and gloppy. Caramel sugar is glowing underneath. The entire effect is almost...hazy, if that makes sense - like there's this vapour trail of heavy, goo-ified, sugar-berry NOMness wafting up from my skin. It's absolutely *incredible*.
Overall: I all but cried when I heard the preliminary reports on this scent - that one of my all-time favourite concepts was going to be a *gasp* FOODIE blend! - not quite what an anti-foodie like me had been hoping for. With much trepidation and little optimism, I ordered ZA anyway...and I am SO glad I did! YES, it's a foodie scent, and YES, it's super sweet, but holy smokes, does it ever smell GOOD! And it actually works on my skin! I don't forsee slathering it on *every day* or anything, but it's definitely wearable, it's totally fun, and my nose can't seem to get enough of it! DELICIOUS! 4.5/5
Originally reviewed: Dec 27 05
In the Imp: Yup. Just like the reviews previous to mine have mentioned - smells like roses and dirt.
Wet: More roses and dirt, only stronger. I can feel my nose wrinkling - some other scent is swirling into the mix and taking precedence, something...metallic? Mineral-y? It's sharp and kinda yucky smelling - though strangely familiar - whatever it is.
Drydown: Roses. Faint dirt and/or moss. Something else I can't place. Something...stinky.
Overall: I'm too much of a zombie fan to let one test decide whether or not this blend will work on me. I'll give the imp another go in the near future, but will admit that I'm not exactly digging the smell currently wafting up from my wrists.
In the imp: A fresh, sweet scent - there's an almost dry sharpness to it that reminds me of the white sandalwood in Kuang Shi.
On wet: Mmm...a soft, sweet, unassuming citrus cream.
Drydown: Wow, has this ever gone perfumey! It's reminiscent of a scent I used to wear in high school, but I can't recall which one - Volupte? Tresor? I'm still getting whiffs of fresh orange cream underneath that intense headiness, though.
Overall: Quite a nice blend, even though it's completely different from what I expected. Not something I'll wear very often, but I'll definitely be hanging on to my decant. 3.5/5
In the imp: Sweet, sweet apricot - almost fake fruity-sweet, like gum or candy.
On wet: Yummy! Deep, rich apricot - the blindingly ripe, perfectly fuzzy kind - with just a hint of musky perfume underneath.
Drydown: This is such a wonderful mix of musk and fruit. The apricot has melded with the plum (not getting any hint of the pom, but it could be in there, too), and the musk is sweet and heady and feminine. If there are any roses in here, they're well-blended, 'cause I can't smell 'em at all.
Overall: Really lovely scent - and versatile, too. The sweet n' fruity angle covers everyday wear or fun/casual events, while the perfume-y side makes it appropriate for work or an evening out. It's a *titch* too heady for me, personally, but I'll definitely be keeping - and using - my imp. 4/5
In the imp: Intense melon - like a honeydew, cantaloupe, and watermelon salad!
On wet: Sweet, melon-y, something that I *think* is grape, but I can't be sure...
Drydown: Pure fruity candy! The kind that's all innocent sugar on your tongue...just before it gives you that full-mouth-pucker-blast of surprise sourness. There's definitely a swipe of tartness buried under all that bright melon, and a slight floral softness, too. Makes for an interesting mix, if a tad too sweet for me.
Overall: A very youthful, fun scent - perfect for warm, sunny days. I'm not much of a fruit-fan - at least not the uber sweet, somewhat girly variety - so this isn't quite right for me. My sisters, on the other hand - sugary and melony scent devotees - will likely adore it. 3/5
In the bottle: Mmm...fresh, floral, and lovely - like rain-spattered lilacs and lilies. I can smell the sharp green sweetness of the white sandalwood, too.
On wet: Bright, sweet florals - still primarily lilacs and lilies. The sandalwood remains sharp and almost bitter against the softness of the flowers.
Drydown: Floral jumble! The scent I'm getting now is sweet, perfume-y, and expensive-smelling - a showy mix of elegant blooms, underscored by a watery green freshness that I continue to attribute to the sandalwood and now the musk. The musk is light and bright and sparkly.
Overall: This is an extremely pretty blend for a floral fan, and definitely feels reminiscent of both Urania and Stardust. As I tend to favour warmer, spicier, less "fresh" fragrances, I don't think WM will get much wear from me. Even still, a very nice composition. 3/5
In the imp: Uber leathery - that cherry-vanilla leather that I get from Quincey Morris. A touch of Snake Oil underneath.
On wet: Oooh - sweeeet Snake Oil! Extra sweet! Absolutely delicious.
Drydown: Back to mostly leather. It's sweet, though, and both the sandalwood and Snake Oil are apparent - not sure where the sage is, it's usually not very friendly with my chemistry. There's an almost smoky quality to this now, and it's *really* yummy. If the sage stays missing or quiet (whatever it's doing), I'll be extremely happy.
Overall: Lovely. This is dark and sweet and lightly smoked - it's also quite addictive. I can't stop sniffing myself! Totally brings to mind being pinned against the wall of some dark club by a pair of very masculine, leather-clad arms. ::fans self:: Oooh, yeah - I'm thinking I might need a bottle of this one. Freakin' HAWT! 4.5/5
In the imp: Sweet, sugary rose.
On wet: Sweet, sweet, *sweet* rose and an almost dirty patchouli - oh, did I mention that this is SWEET?
Drydown: Absolutely. Gorgeous. The diabetes-inducing sweetness from moments before has deepened under the grounding influence of the sandalwood and patchouli (not certain what the palmarosa smells like, so no clue where it fits into the equation). It's gone from overpowering sugared rose to this sultry, slinky, exotic, lickable SEX CANDY kind of scent. Excuse me while I continue to swoon...
Overall: Aside from the occasional dab of Rose Red, I don't care for rose scents - or at least that's what I thought. Wanton not only changed my mind, it seduced the anti-rose right outta me and made me her bitch. Big bottle purchase - stat. 4.5/5
In the imp: Straight-up cocoa beans - powdery and almost bitter.
On wet: Chocolate. Then the sandalwood tries to peek through - not enough to be distinct, though, so I currently smell like a Reese's PB cup, lol!!
Drydown: Mmm...starting to get a little sweeter (vanilla), a little woodier (sandalwood), a little smokier (myrrh). Hey you - myrrh - yeah, you! I think you need to calm down a bit, buddy - you're getting to be a tad too acrid for your own good. We really don't want to pull another Priala-fiasco, now do we? I want to amp choco-vanilla-sandalwood, darnit - NOT smouldering erasers.
Overall: I still smell...burnt...and somewhat sweet. I am a blackened campfire marshmallow - my charred exterior is hiding all that perfectly edible vanilla goo underneath. Not what I was looking for. I blame this unsatisfying result on wonky-PMS-skin chemistry, and will keep my imp to test again when I am *not* all hormonally unbalanced. At the moment, though, this ranks a majorly disappointing 2/5.
In the imp: Strong and soapy - like good shampoo. Definitely picking up on the jasmine.
On wet: Sweet soap, jasmine, the sharpness of the ozone.
Drydown: Reminds me of a very traditional, department store perfume - though I tend to get that impression from most jasmine-heavy, shampoo-esque scents. The jasmine totally dominates on me, but I think I'm picking up on a higher-pitched sweetness, could be the moonflower. Moss and benzoin don't typically play nice on my skin, and the longer I have this on, it becomes apparent that this trend is going to continue. The benzoin is the more obvious of the two, and it almost *always* smells like burned/sour amber to my nose - not good. My two favourite notes in the blend - the iris and white musk - haven't appeared at all.
Overall: FYI, this imp is over two years old. When I first tried it, it smelled a lot lighter, a lot fresher, and the white musk was very prominent on the drydown - that's the only reason why I kept it, actually - I'm a white musk fiend! With the new round of discontinueds on its way, I figured I'd better give this one another go. With the absence of musk, and the heaviness of the jasmine, I'm glad I did - if only to rediscover that this scent isn't for me. It *is* a very high-end, classy kind of fragrance, though - something I could see wearing to a fancy dinner or the theatre. A 2.5/5 on my skin, though.
In the imp: Minty Mint and sweet violets...
On wet: Oooh...herbalicious! What a lovely blast of minty eucalyptus freshness! It's great, and slightly tempered with an underlying sweetness - not overpowering at all.
Drydown: Mmm...mint - it's almost vanillic, thanks to the violets. This has totally softened, sweetened, and deepened into such a pretty scent - and it's weird, but I'm almost getting a whiff of something...coconutty? Whatever it is, it smells *fantastic*! The eucalyptus is still lingering by way of a slightly dusty herbal edge - it's pleasant, almost tea-like - that I can pick up on if I really sniff around for it. I can't detect any neroli.
Overall: I really like violets, and I quite like mint, too - combined, however, I thought they'd smell quite...icky. This blend - which ends up incredibly soft and delicate - has *totally* surprised me! It started off as cool and bracing, then mellowed into this almost creamy sweetness that is just SO gorgeous - I can't stop sniffing myself. I'm reminded of a lighter, cleaner version of Snow-Flakes - Snow-Flakes falling on pale, pale violets. This is a wonderful scent, and one I'd consider upgrading to a bottle! 4.5/5
In the bottle: Cocoa, vanilla, lavender - yum!
On wet: Mmm...the same as above. The lavender is really singing, too - such an amazing melange of notes.
Drydown: A complex jumble of subdued deliciousness that is SO incredible. It's saved from the 'too foody' category thanks to the fresh zip of lavender and the rounder sweetness I'm attributing to the starfruit. As the day progresses, the scent smooths out like a river of warm, creamy goodness - less lavender, a more pronounced vanilla/sandalwood presence. And YES! This is definitely reminiscent of Underpants.
Overall: I was another who couldn't wear the previous 13, so this reformulation was such a welcome surprise! Not only do I LOVE this new interpretation, there wasn't a single aspect or stage of this scent that I didn't enjoy. A most certainly well-deserved 5/5.
This will likely smell amazing on the right guy, too. Not too sweet, not too feminine, that smidge of lavender that is so often found in cologne = 100% edible manflesh!
In the imp: Sweet, almost soapy clean musk, vanilla - very much like Dorian.
On wet: Dorian, but with a much more aggressive undertone. Maybe the jasmine? The fougere? Hmm...
Drydown: Still registering as a more butch Dorian, and I'm pretty sure it's the jasmine giving it that dark, floral edge. It's more perfumey than Dorian, and, oddly enough, kinda...smoky? Something smells burnt - weird! I have no idea what that is!
Overall: I really liked the opening stages of Theodosius - I love the Dorian-esque feel, and I love scents with white musk and tea - but the drydown was very, very strange! I was expecting creamy, musky, gorgeousness, and I get burnt, somewhat powdery florals instead. Such a shame. 2/5
In the imp: Mmm...really high-end shampoo.
On wet: Clean, clean, clean! Watery, with just a hint of something floral - again, it brings to mind some gorgeously expensive bath product. Niiiiice!
Drydown: This is *so* clean, so cool, so fresh, it's like I'm in taking a bubble bath. In a lake. While it's raining ever so softly. And pale flowers are floating all around. And the breeze is mild and equally fragrant. Very pretty and evocative...though a tad too perfumey for my taste, heh. The peach eventually peeps out from beneath all those blossoms and well-blended notes, but it's majorly overshadowed by the primary players.
Overall: Quite a heady fragrance, though it maintains a lightness that's very appealing. Reminds me quite a bit of 51 - in feeling, rather than scent similarity. Both are glittery, perfumey, floral-fruit-white resin compositions, and I think both could pass for complex commercial scents (in a good way, mind). Not sure if a bottle is in my future, as I already have 51 to see to this particular olfactory niche, but I will absolutely be keeping and using my imp. 3/5
In the imp: Mint...coconut...and an almost bitter lime scent.
On wet: The mint and lime are doing a funky tango on a dance floor made of coconut!
Drydown: Those initial three notes are still what I'm smelling, though the coconut's become a bolder presence, working with the equally smooth mint to tame that brash splurt of limey goodness.
Overall: The combination of notes works incredibly well in this blend - especially once the drydown mellows them out a bit. And you wanna talk about morphing ability? When the coconut and mint take center stage, it's as if I've dipped my arm into a vat of some deliciously creamy confection - a minute later, it's the fresh green zing of minty limes assaulting my nostrils, forcing eyes gone dreamy to open, focus, and remain alert - a minute after that, I've been transported to a sugar-white beach, where coconut-lime cocktails are delivered to my chaise by sun-browned, half-nekkid serving men who regard me with warm eyes and eager-to-please smiles...
::pauses to daydream about such a place for a few moments...::
::reluctantly returns to reality to complete her review::
In a nutshell, I absolutely *adore* each of the three main notes on their own, so it's no surprise that I'm loving 'em mixed all together. A delighted 4.5/5.
In the imp: Green sourness and white rose.
On wet: Herbal powder, something warm, and a twinge of sourness underneath it all.
Drydown: Very soapy powder on me - like a cross between some kind of amber and orchid (ick!). The white rose is especially bad (it *never* works on me, no matter how many chances I give it) - I think it's joined forces with whatever's powdery in an attempt to kill me. Perhaps that's the Reaper aspect of this blend? What's sad is that I can detect the *barest* hint of peppered cream from the carnation (perhaps some cool creaminess from the lily, too?) - if only I could get *that* smell as the primary aspect of this blend...
Overall: Powdered soap. Something sour. Evil white rose. Not enough yummy carnation. Sadness. 1/5
In the bottle: Clean, fresh, grassy...with just a *hint* of something sweet-tart underneath.
On wet: Pale, pale green aquatic, with the vaguest touch of watery fruit around the edges.
Drydown: Mmm...the sharp aquatic-ness has died away. Now it's insanely fresh smelling - like a garden, comprised of nothing but carnation and big, green, leafy plants, all dappled with cool water after a good rain. The heather is sweet, the carnation is lightly spiced cream, the green things stay green - really, really lovely.
Overall: I had to have this scent purely because of the poem - it's been a favourite of mine since childhood. I was incredibly fortunate that none of the notes were dealbreakers (though moss and ivy *can* be troublesome), and doubly lucky that they all decided to play nice on my skin - I would have been heartbroken if this hadn't worked. But here I am, smelling deliciously fresh and spicy and green all at the same time, anxiously waiting for warmer weather to arrive, as this is definitely going to be one of my go-to spring scents. A delightful blend - 4.5/5.
Originally reviewed: April 26 06
In the imp: Fresh n' minty green apple.
On wet: Fresh n' minty green apple - with a sweet, somewhat licorice-y undertone.
Drydown: The apple faded, the minty licorice notes remained, and now I'm (finally!) getting a soft breath of lime swirling into the mix - a fresh and subtle combination of scents. If I really press my nose against my skin, I can also detect something kinda warm and faintly...amberish (the ambrette?). I tend to dislike ambery stuff as a rule, but it seems subdued in this blend - like the other notes are keeping it on a tight leash so that it peeks out *just* enough to ground everything.
Overall: A perfect summer fragrance, but I have to agree with many of the above reviews: After about half an hour, I can barely detect any scent on my wrist at all. This Turtle *should* rate at least a 4/5 for sheer prettiness, but lack of staying power (on me, anyway) drops it down to a 2.5.
In the imp: An almost effervescent - yet resiny - pine!
On wet: Sweet pine at first, but then the scent begins to deepen and grow more complex within seconds. Patchouli and musk come to the forefront next...
Drydown: Sweetness from the skin musk, vanilla, and honey (perhaps the Indian resins, too), smokiness from the tobacco, an earthy swirl from the patchouli, and that almost jarring green sap vibe from the pine pitch. Every note is apparent, but the overall scent I'm getting is sweet, rich, slightly dirty musk with a juniper garnish. Colour impressions: shimmering gold with a bold streak of silvery-sage green through the center.
Overall: This might be a touch overwhelming on me. Maybe if the pine was a smidge less glaring, or the musk not quite so sweet, I could see this being perfection on my skin. As it stands now, I'm willing to let it age, see if it calms down a bit before making any rash decisions. It really is a *lovely* fragrance wafting from me at present, here's hoping it just gets better with a little time! A (temporary?) 3/5.
Originally reviewed: July 23 06
In the imp: Dry, herbal, vaguely sweet and woody.
On wet: If there's cinnamon in this blend - like so many before me have mentioned smelling - then it's very well hidden. All I'm getting is something sweet and resinous.
Drydown: Still a very sweet, yet somewhat dusty and subdued wood-sap type of scent. I think I'm picking up on cedar and myrrh...and if frankincense is what's driving that incensey undernote, then I may have to reconsider my completely random anti-frank policy (he kinda scares me...).
Overall: This blend has totally surprised me - it's not like anything I'd normally wear, but I can't stop sniffing myself! It's warm and sweet and spicy (though if it's cinnamon, it's still too well-blended for me to distinguish it), and definitely lovely. Reminds me of La Petite Mort, Eclipse and, to a lesser degree, Black Phoenix. Maybe if they were layered together... Either way, a very yummy, skin-licious scent, and an easy 4/5.
In the imp: Sweet - almost creamy - wood. How odd!
On wet: Nothing beyond an indistinct, vaguely perfumey sweetness - weirder and weirder...
Drydown: Okay, I'm getting red musk, the richness of the vanilla - perhaps even a bit of the magnolia, which often registers as a creamy, vanillic floral my nose - and a hint (and I mean *hint*) of clove adding a touch of spiced heat to mix. Not sure if it's the mimosa or the iris (which I usually love), but something in here is *incredibly* sweet - like, painfully so. It seems to burn off a bit after a while, but wow, is it ever potent! When my wrist is safe to smell again, I'm left with clove-studded, vanilla-tinged, still-fairly-sweet red musk. It's really quite sexy! (The rose never made an appearance, in case you were wondering.)
Overall: Clove rarely plays nice on my skin, so it was kinda surprising to find it behaving in this blend. I'm thinking that it was the mimosa that went uber saccharine (I had a similar reaction to the mimosa-laced Marianne), so I'll likely be avoiding (or at least wary of) scents that contain it in the future. If it wasn't for the sweetness, I'd likely be going for a bottle of this one with the next update (I don't have anything with clove in it, so it'd be nice to finally get something that does), but as it stands now, I'm going to stick with my decant a bit longer, test it again, and see if it improves or my chemistry is more welcoming over the next couple of weeks. Currently, a 3.5/5.
Originally reviewed: Dec 29 05
In the Imp: Predominantly cocoa with a faintly sweet background.
Wet: Citrus explosion! Mmmm...smells really good, though - like my skin's been dusted with orange sugar.
Drydown: The sweet mandarin backs off a bit, politely mingling with its imp-mates as it mellows. I get distinct whiffs of tobacco...musk...tea... It's like a different note is peeping out every time I inhale. Very, *very* nice.
Overall: Warm, spicy, musky - and a kickass name to boot. What's not to love?
In the bottle: Mmm...sweet n' lightly creamy. The colour "pink" instantly popped into my head while I sniffed this - that, and thought that this would be the *best* bubble bath/bath oil scent evah!
On wet: Sweeet! Powdery! Candy-like! YUM!
Drydown: Still mostly sweet, candy-licious powder, though I'm detecting something almost spicy underneath - peppery carnations finally making an appearance, if I'm not mistaken. Then there's the honey and frankincense adding this insanely edible, golden depth to balance out the sugary, milky florals - SOOOO GOOOOD! Freaking *gorgeous* stuff, seriously.
Overall: Honestly, I wasn't expecting much from this blend - I mean, honeyed milk and baby powder? For reals? - but I figured I'd give it a try since I love carnations and creamy florals like Alice. Am I ever glad I did! This is absolutely WONDERFUL - easily my favourite baby blend of the bunch. Well done, Beth!! 5/5
In the bottle: Sweetness, a touch of something clean and herbal.
On wet: Still clean, sweet, and herbal. Definitely picking up on the tobacco flower (which used to be my favourite home fragrance from The Body Shop some years back). Very nice so far!
Drydown: Lightly perfumey. The bright, citrussy bergamot (which I love), the smooth, sweet, candy-like angelica, and the tobacco flower are dominating this blend. Underneath, I can detect a smidge of woody sage - possibly a teeny shot of the frankincense. No ginger yet, or anything that's yelling "fig" or "olive blossom" - though I'm sure the latter two are mixed up with all that sweet, floral goodness. The benzoin is also, thankfully, absent at the moment (it doesn't like me, sadly).
Overall: A very pleasant floral-herbal scent. It's heady but light, complex but not over the top, sweet and fresh with just a little herbal darkness to ground everything perfectly. Wearable and lovely. 3/5
In the imp: Sugared violets.
On wet: Violets gone wild - candy sweet and incredibly bright. There's the faintest hint of earthiness peeping out from beneath that swirly floral haze, but it's too soft to tell if it's the incense or the cloves.
Drydown: Mmm...something smooth and warm has risen up and bitch-slapped those wee purple flowers into submission - I'm guessing the tonka. This new, lightly spiced, almost creamy undertone is what transforms this blend into something totally wearable.
Overall: Not a huge fan of violets - or florals in general, but the spicy edge that eventually emerges takes this fragrance to a whole other level. Don't know if I'll be wearing it very often, but I'll definitely be hanging on to my imp.
A comfortable 3/5.
