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Argentwolf

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Blog Entries posted by Argentwolf

  1. Argentwolf

    Crossroads

    By Argentwolf,

    Category: Wanderlust
     
    It's a strong, pungeant, incensey scent on me...sort of like frankinsence, maybe. Something very woody and cedar-y. Unfortunately, incense just does not seem to love my skin. There's also a sweet note, or pack of them, lurking underneath the smokey, dust-covered surface of it all; and though sometimes the sweetness comes out to assert itself, it never quite reveals just what the heck it is. Could be florals, could be herbs, I really can't tell.
     
    While redolant and persistant, it's just not doing anything for me. Off to a home that will appreciate you, little imp.
  2. Argentwolf
    Category: Limited Editions: Yule 2007
     
    I didn't really get any tartness from this; sweetness, yes, but never shrill or sickly...it had a nice, full body to it. I think my only complaint about it would be that it doesn't throw quite as far or last as long as I would like. But it's quite a lovely scent, and sensual in its own way (which I suppose is appropriate...)
  3. Argentwolf

    Cobra Lily

    By Argentwolf,

    Category: Rappacini's Garden
     
    In the imp, it is a very moist, almost dewy green scent, one one might expect to find in the stem or bulb of a plant, rather than nestled between its petals, although there is also a faint, sugary sort of note as well.
     
    Once on, it gets a bit of tartness and bite to it. As if one has plucked it from its watery nesting place, crushing the stem in the process; it is pungeantly sweet, like oranges, and yet when I place my nose close against my wrist, I can smell the peppery tartness of clove, the serpent's bite amidst its strangely-configured petals.
     
    Oddly enough, the edge to it never gets horribly overwhelming. It is very tantalizing, in fact.
     
    This also had a fairly strong throw, and lasted throughout the day. Very nice. I'm finding I like the Garden scents quite a lot, and this one wants to edge into my favorites.
  4. Argentwolf

    Cheshire Cat

    By Argentwolf,

    Category: Mad Tea Party
     
    Mmmm, yummy, I like the Cheshire Cat. It smells of sugared grapefruit, as others have mentioned, and I believe that there is a plump, moist note from the current, with the herbal notes at the very background of things. It's quite lovely. It has a decent throw and staying power, too...a nice scent for summertime, definitely. I like how the tartness of the grapefruit is mellowed by the other notes to create a very creamy scent.
  5. Argentwolf

    Calliope

    By Argentwolf,

    Category: Discontinued Scents
     
    Initially, there was a very strong lemon smell. Then the thyme and verbena and lavender insinuated themselves into the yellow haze of scent, giving it a peppery kick now and then. Mint and bergamot were faint, but there; they sort of phased in and out throughout the day. Overall, though...it was just...too...lemony! I really wanted to like this, but it just didn't work out completely.
  6. Argentwolf

    Bewitched

    By Argentwolf,

    Category: Bewitching Brews
     
    At first I wasn't sure about this one, because the sweet berry note was throwing me off quite a bit. As much as I like sweet things, the berry notes usually feel too thick and sappy for my liking. For instance, Baneberry was just too in-your-face with the berry, and Akuma was sickeningly candy-sweet. Fortunately, later on Bewitched became more balanced by the herbal elements, and smelled like someone who's been working in their herb garden, with just a hint of otherworldly sweetness thrown in for good measure. It was much more pleasant, then! I would nudge people who don't usually like strong berry scents toward this one, as I feel the herbs and musk really help to ground it well.
  7. Argentwolf

    Bess

    By Argentwolf,

    Category: Bewitching Brews
     
    Definitely mint and lemon...those two scents predominated. Also a very faint hint of orange, and the rosemary gave it a peppery kick. Unfortunately, as strong as these elements sound, it really did not linger long at all. I can't say that this one did much for me. I would recommend it to mint-lovers.
  8. Argentwolf

    Bengal

    By Argentwolf,

    Category: Wanderlust
     
    I could definitely smell the cinnamon in this one. Oddly enough, there was also a strong chocolate smell as well. I constantly had images of a cup of dark hot chocolate spiked with cinnamon...either that, or a cinnamon-colored, chocolate-striped tiger. It's not bad! Must have been the way the clove and honey were mingling together, with perhaps the ginger as well...it fooled me. All in all, I like it.
  9. Argentwolf

    Belle Epoque

    By Argentwolf,

    Category: Bewitching Brews
     
    In the imp, it's vanilla and mandarin; once on me, the florals start coming out, but there is always a continual theme of vanilla to it. In fact, the vanilla amps and throws the most in this one. There is a slight powdery quality to it. If you like vanilla, go ahead and give this one a try.
     
    Probably not bottle-worthy for me, though it is enjoyable. It reminds me a bit of Antique Lace.
  10. Argentwolf

    Belladonna

    By Argentwolf,

    Category: Rappacini's Garden
     
    This one is definitely very 'green', earthy, and has a medicinal snap to it, though it's not overwhelming or obnoxious. More or less, it feels like standing knee-deep in a clump of thin, tiny green vines -- you can smell the tartness of the plants themselves, with a hint of the earth beneath it all, and a tantalizing sweetness throughout, as if from hidden blooms amid all the twining tangle. It's really nice. I'm still not decided as to whether I need a bottle of it, but, for the time being at least, it's a fond favorite. And the green color of the oil itself is pretty cool.
  11. Argentwolf

    Bayou

    By Argentwolf,

    Category: Wanderlust
     
    This blend is very floral and very wet -- like being near a pond laden with blooming water lilies. It strikes me as very feminine. I would recommend it to those who like aquatic notes and/or florals -- it succeeds really nicely on both of those levels.
     
    As much as I enjoyed this blend, I still think that of the lush plant scents, Amsterdam still conquers all.
  12. Argentwolf

    Bathsheba

    By Argentwolf,

    Category: Ars Amatoria
     
    This is a really elegant and sexy blend. On me, it smelled mainly floral, but in a delicate, almost coy sort of way. I think the musk helps push the blend out and impress it on your senses, but it manages to do so in a pretty subtle way. It also has nice staying power. I don't know if it's bottle-worthy, but it's definitely on my list of favorites for the moment.
  13. Argentwolf

    Bastet

    By Argentwolf,

    Category: Excolo
     
    Oh, Bastet, lithe, supple, fierce goddess, I love you.
     
    She is the pungeant, unashamed sweetness of myrrh, sweetened further by almond, warmed by amber, peppered with spice. She is warm and beautiful and wraps herself around you all day. Comparing her to, say, Anubis, which was beautiful in his own right for the mournful, solemn air he had, she is full of sunlight and life, evoking something that is languid but far from thick or sluggish. While he is down deep in the cool semi-darkness of stone preparing the dead, she is out in the sunlight, basking in life.
     
    I really love this scent, can you tell? It's very warm, sweet, sexy and delicious. Purrrr.
     
    She was like a breath of fresh air...for a long time I'd felt like I was seriously in a jaded slump and unable to like *anything*. I love the way the myrrh mixes with the almond. Makes me wonder what other Egyptian-themed blends will be like, as Anubis and Bastet have been the most evocative and interesting that I've experienced, by far.
  14. Argentwolf

    Baron Samedi

    By Argentwolf,

    Category: Excolo
     
    Upon first whiff, it smells very sweet -- deliciously sweet to me, as if I'm smelling a bag of good, pipe-quality tobacco. Then the bay kicks in, giving a strident, not-quite-sour edge to it. Over time, it gives the impression of faint whiffs of booze and tobacco; it combines all the scents you'd expect to find on your long-lost Uncle, the ne'eer-do-well that likes to take long trips to exotic locales and then saunter back into your life to regale you with intriguing yet slightly menacing stories of his travels.
     
    Bay leaf is an interesting thing. Used to flavor a dish, it imparts a very nice, hearty flavor. If you forget to take that leaf out and happen to get a good taste of the thing itself, though -- yowza. Not nearly as pleasant. And, unfortunately, though Baron Samedi has that delicious, evocative air to it, ultimately he is like sucking on a bay leaf -- just too pungeant, too sharp around the edges. Not my thing.
     
    This scent is not for me, yet somehow I think I would like smelling it on someone else. Once you have that degree of seperation, this blend becomes a lot more tolerable; it's a bit like settling into Uncle's chair after he's gone off for more sinister adventures somewhere, revelling in the scent he's left behind, and breathing a sigh of relief that he's gone.
  15. Argentwolf

    Baobhan Sith

    By Argentwolf,

    Category: Diabolus
     
    It's definitely a mix of lemon and ginger, a very tart, sour, strident aroma. I'm still not quite sure how I feel about it. They are both notes that I've enjoyed in other blends, but this particular one just does not knock my socks off. Even so, if you are an afficianado of either lemon or ginger, give it a whirl. On me, the lemon came out and was more prominent, with the ginger punctuating it.
  16. Argentwolf

    Baneberry

    By Argentwolf,

    Category: Rappacini's Garden
     
    This one is pretty straightforward: juicy, plump berry scent. It lasted a moderate amount of time, though it had definitely faded by the end of the day. Those of you who love all things berry should definitely jump on this one. It's not really my personal cup of tea, however.
  17. Argentwolf

    Baghdad

    By Argentwolf,

    Category: Wanderlust
     
    In the imp I could tell that there was some sandlewood there, with maybe a hint of something sweet, like the mandarin.
     
    Once it gets on me, that sandlewood really amps up. At first there is a sharp, woody tone, but it quickly mellows to something that has sweetness around the edges -- bergamot and orange, it seems.
     
    It's a lovely scent, though like all the sandlewood scents before, it doesn't last too long.
  18. Argentwolf

    Antony

    By Argentwolf,

    Category: Illyria
     
    In the imp I can detect incense with a great deal of sweetness to it...the sweet herbs and grasses, perhaps. As it goes on, it gets more of a woodsy tone to it -- the frankencense, perhaps? Over time, as it dries, it turns spicy (and most stereotypically manly) to me.
     
    Overall, it's a nice scent...while it does not scream 'HI I'M A DUDE' to me, that's fine with me, as most of the 'mainstream' male scents have a nasty overspiced air to them, while this is a lot more mellow and subtle...and besides, I like wearing it. I'm half-tempted to smear some on the BF and see what effect it might have.
     
    What I liked: It's nice and mellow.
     
    What I didn't like: Nothing in it really seems to stand out for me. Like the vast majority of these scents, it's nice, but not a must-have. Then again, isn't half the fun having something new to experiment with all the time? So I guess I shouldn't feel so bad about not going OMG MUST HAVE BOTTLE for more of these guys.
  19. Argentwolf

    Anactoria

    By Argentwolf,

    Category: Limited Edition: Lupercalia
     
    In the bottle, this blend is thick and sweet and pungeant. Throughout wearing it, I think that the amber, honey, and currant were predominant, as it was a very thick, sweet scent. When it dries, it gets light and powdery with just the hint of a sweet undertone. It has good throw and staying power -- it's lasted all day on me.
     
    Verdict: This is another bottle that I'm glad I bought! It actually reminds me a lot of Aglaea, only without the slightly cloying air that that other blend had.This is sweet and sexy and mmmm yum.
     
    I like the thick, sweet muskiness of this. To me it actually smells like oranges, but oh well! I like it.
  20. Argentwolf

    Angeronalia

    By Argentwolf,

    Category: Limited Edition: Yule
     
    In the bottle: It's hard to describe...I'm wanting to say it's an 'herbal' smell at first, because the light, fluffy notes that I would normally associate with florals aren't there. It's a very down-to-earth scent, instead, though as I huff deeper and longer, that sweet note does rise to the surface; I'm assuming that's the gardenia.
     
    Wet: This scent has warm tones to it; it speaks to me of a candlelit ritual or gathering, one that centers around radiance and joy, where wreaths of olive leaves and pure white flowers adorn everything. It is verdant without being excessively flowery; all of those thicker, heavier notes blend together and come to me; while I can't pick out olive blossom, honey, lemongrass or patchouli exclusively, I can definitely tell that they're *there*, based on the 'texture' that the scent gives off. I'm afraid this really isn't doing a very good job of saying what it *smells* like, other than that it's warm and earthy and OMG so nice.
     
    Dry: Unfortunately, after a while it wears off and gets very faint, with just a hint of sweet floral remaining. I'm sort of surprised that I couldn't detect the citrus notes at all, but that's okay.
     
    Verdict: This scent is divine! I'm so glad that I got a bottle of it; the very down-to-earth quality of it is what makes it beautiful to me. This is another one that I would recommend for people who do not like traditional 'sweet' florals, who like a bit of solidity to their scent.
     
    What I liked: I'm definitely a fan of scents that have 'body' to them, which this one does. To me, it's a nice mix of sweet flowers and warm, crisp herbs; it completely makes up for the disappointment that was Alecto. I'm also pleased that the patchouli behaved itself; years of being around people who over-apply patchouli has made me wary of it, so I'm absolutely happy that it's worked out in this blend.
     
    What I didn't like: Though it would have been nice to have smelled the nectarines and oranges, it probably would have made it a completely different scent. I'm happy with this as it is, really.
  21. Argentwolf

    Al-Shairan

    By Argentwolf,

    Category: Excolo
     
    In the imp: Cinnamon, patchouli, and orange...very, very warm and spicy.
     
    Wet: It starts out spicy, peppery, a scent with bite; the patchouli attacks your nose with the spiky texture of its scent. Then it seems to dissolve and turn smokey, like a newly-lit stick of incense. There's definitely a strong note of both patchouli and orange, mixed with the darker notes of the other incense. It smells exactly like a little clothing shop that I used to go to...it's a gorgeous scent, and very 'incensey' without becoming obnoxious.
     
    Dry: Unfortunately, it grows faint pretty quickly. The airy quality of it takes on a more woody sort of tone, and reaches a strange juxtaposition in that it's earthy and 'grounded', while the faintness of it makes it ethereal.
     
    Verdict: I really like it, I just wish that it stuck around longer...Come back, dammit, I like youuuuu!!
     
    What I liked: Orange FTW!!!!! Also the cinnamon. I was afraid of the patchouli, but it behaved itself quite nicely.
     
    What I didn't like: Its throw diminished pretty quickly, and its staying power is pretty minimal.
     
    This is interesting to compare with Al Azif; where Azif is sweeter and more candylike to me, Shairan is very much a stereotypical incense scent to me. I'm thinking if I can find a happy medium, that has decent throw and lasts throughout the day, that I'd be really happy.
  22. Argentwolf

    Amsterdam

    By Argentwolf,

    Category: Wanderlust
     
    In the imp: It's like sinking your nose into a bouquet of tulips, literally -- that light scent, with an almost peppery air to it, like pollen, all dappled with drops of water.
     
    Wet: The light tulip scent is predominant, though the scary pollen edge to it is gone. It's very evocative of lush green grass in the morning hours, laden with dew. I don't get a 'crisp' note so much as a 'juicy' one: plump tulip heads, thick blades of grass, fat drops of dew sliding down the sides of them all.
     
    Dry: It's as if the sun has come out and dried the grass; now it has a sort of moist, healthy air to it, the tulip scent almost ethereal, with a more traditional 'perfumey' note to it..perhaps that's the peony.
     
    Verdict: Oh, if only this had more throw, and lasted longer! It's beautiful! Once again I am in awe of the perfumist's art of being able to capture such imagery in a bottle. I would highly recommend this to people who like unadulterated (non-perfumey) florals, nature scents, and possibly to those who like aquatic scents. I hate to discard it anytime soon, so I will probably hang onto the imp for a while at least.
     
    What I liked: The light floral scent, and the fact that it smells like a grassy yard in springtime. Mmmmm.
     
    What I didn't like: That it's so shy! It just sort of pokes its head out to show me that it's pretty, and then evaporates. Wahhh!!
  23. Argentwolf

    Anne Bonney

    By Argentwolf,

    Category: Bewitching Brews
     
    In the imp: Patchouli and incense.
     
    Wet: I'm thinking I detect mostly sandlewood -- it has a much lighter air to it than I thought it would. This scent never gets heavy or thick, like I'd thought that it would. The other notes are there on the edges and the overall fragrance is very nice.
     
    Dry: As it dries, I would swear that it gets a bit of a gritty, smokey tone to it, like gunpowder. It's not bad by any means, though...it rather intrigues me. The scent is never overpowering, but it's pretty tenacious; I could smell it faintly on myself all day.
     
    Verdict: I don't really need a bottle of it, but I'm also quite reluctant to get rid of my imp...so I'll hang onto it for a bit. This is another popular scent that I can admire, but not necessarily claim for my own. I'm intensely thankful that the patchouli behaved itself, as I figured if any blend was going to go all militant, obnoxious patchouli on me, this would be it.
     
    What I liked: That cordite smell. Was kinda cool. Also, I'm slowly building trust for patchouli again.
     
    Nothing that I didn't like, especially.
  24. Argentwolf

    Fae

    By Argentwolf,

    Category: Bewitching Brews
     
    Oddly enough, the main scent I got from this was...licorice. Weird! I'm trying to think what would make that strange combination to my nose...perhaps the bergamot mixed with the heliotrope, or the oakmoss.
     
    All things considered, however, I did enjoy it; it was soft and delicate on me and had a beguiling femininity to it. It evokes an impish fae quite well in that regard.
     
    It helped that I like bergamot, I think.
  25. Argentwolf

    Erato

    By Argentwolf,

    Category: Discontinued Scents
     
    Straight out from the imp, it smelled like soap. So, at least I smelled clean, albeit with a sharp touch of lye. And that's the way it stayed, the first few days that I wore it.
     
    Today, though, it smelled differently...it actually smelled *good*, and of flowers. (Yes, I tend to persist with scents, even if they don't work right away.) I couldn't really detect any myrrh; I think in the imp I'm mostly smelling ylang ylang and sweet pea. As I put it on, the flowery notes gained a bit of strength, but weren't overpowering in soapiness as they had been before.
     
    Dry, I smell sweet pea, and perhaps rose. There *is* a faint bit of soapiness and powder to it, which keeps it from being perfect...but it's definitely an improvement.
     
    So, hm, something's definitely going on with my body chemistry. The only notes I've previously experienced have been sweet pea and myrrh, so I'm not sure who the culprit is for the strange, intriguing acrobatics that I'm noticing here.
     
    In the end, unfortunately, there was just too much soapiness present to make this one a keeper.
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