VioletChaos
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I got this as a frottle directly from the Lab. As a dirt-note enthusiast, I am delighted to have this chance to try this scent that somehow escaped my attention when it was originally released! In the bottle, I get the earth note front and center. But there's a sweetness bringing up the rear that reminds me of some element of Laura (without the chemical-weird aspect). Wet on my skin, the scent starts to unfurl and hints of that grass enter the arena. This is not straight up cut grass like Unexpected Golf Hazard, this is grass in August, uncut, wafting gently on the breeze. Dry down- The weeds are now present, and I think I can detect a bit of the beloved dandelion note from Strawberry Moon 2009 in here, adding a little sweetness to the mix, and I really love it. In all-A low throw earthy fragrance. It's interesting that it was originally released as part of Yule because the scent smells like spring and summer to me. I'm glad the goblins sent this to me now because I'm going to keep this in my summer rotation for sure! ❤️
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Strawberry Moon: Blackberries and Coconut Cream Lotion
VioletChaos replied to doomsday_disco's topic in Lotion
I really like the texture of the Lab's lotions. The two I have are heavy winter-forward scents, so I was excited to snag this to have something more delicately fragranced for the warmer months. The combo is light and balanced. I agree the blackberry is more candy-like, and I think it's also made more so by the coconut, which is a delicately sugared variety- it's not suntan lotion and it's also not the more raw kind in a scent like Obatala. This is like the nice desiccated coconut you top a fluffy cake with. The scent isn't overly foodie, it's exactly what I hoped it would be in terms of saturation. I layered a tiny bit of its Strawberry Moon companion into it, just to see how the scents work together and it's all really lovely- nothing becomes too overpowering: it's an appropriate variety of scent layering, and I could see pairing these two in the future. I have quite a few blackberry-forward scents that I can definitely see pairing with this lotion as well. I don't have as many coconut scents, but I don't know that I would be apt to layer those anyway as they tend me be more of the rich-coconut varieties and I think this lotion's scent would get lost in the shuffle. -
In the bottle, it's super fresh and super tart! I'm getting the ripe fresh strawberries and lots of pucker-worthy lime juice. This is off to a great start! Wet on skin and warming up, the tartness eases slightly- but only slightly. I'm able to discern that black currant and that rich datura. This is getting more complex by the minute and I'm really, really into it. Dry down- Y'all. Y'ALL. This went from a yummy daytime scent to something so heartbreakingly gorgeous that I cannot quite stand it. For reals. The incense comes out, the strawberry gets richer, the datura adds something dreamy and intense. I'm honestly a little speechless. I usually love the various incarnates of Strawberry Moon, but this one is something else entirely -and I mean *entirely*- different from anything I've encountered before. Like...I might have to sell a kidney to get enough backup bottles Okay fine- maybe not that. But really, this is blowing me away. Total. Love.
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In the bottle this is a refreshing cucumber water. (not the Lab's water note- just, like, straight up cucumber water you drink in a fancy hotel lobby.) Wet on the skin and warming up, cuke steps back and the lemon cream steps forward. Drydown- In the end this became a very light, low throw, lemony-cream-cucumber water scent. This is *exactly* the sort of scent I love to wear on exceptionally hot days and I will definitely be wearing this a ton this summer! ☀️
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In the bottle I'm mostly getting the nice guava and maybe a bit of that black plum that is keeping it fruity but not like a one-note-wonder. As it warms, poppy and black tea combine to make strange bedfellows indeed- I'm getting something akin to a Lemon Pledge note? It's not unpleasant but I'm absolutely baffled by this. Upon drydown, the tea and poppies disentangle themselves and Pledge, thankfully, disappears. Apart from the tobacco -which is entirely absent for me- all notes appear to be present. However, this is extremely well blended, and while I get shadows of the various players involved, in the end this isn't one of those scents that one goes, "oh, there's the patch!" or what have you. A somewhat unusual mix, and a nice, lighter, fruit/floral/musk that doesn't get bogged down under its own weight. I anticipate getting a lot of wear out of this as we move toward summer.
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Strawberry Moon: Dried Strawberries and Dragon’s Blood Resin Hair Gloss
VioletChaos replied to doomsday_disco's topic in Hair
Oh my goddess. I already have more hair gloss than any one person has a right to have (I *do* have exceptionally long hair, so I can justify this, I swear!). That said? I may need a backup bottle...or two...of this gloss because holy cats is it just SO good. This is in fact a dried strawberry- don't expect this super fresh / juicy strawberry of this year's Strawberry Moon. This is a dark, dry scent. It reads as definitely strawberry, but it's not 'fruity' or sweet or anything. I'm sure the dragon's blood has something to do with this of course, but though this is a two-note scent, it's really the one element that is obvious here. Again, I have zero objections! I am smitten -
TAL oils aren't about the scent. Of course they're not. And I didn't get it for the scent- I got it for the intent. That said, it's also a really lovely fragrance. The lilac and lemon together especially shine here and honestly, my associations of those plants is in keeping with the overall intent so there's a bit of a nice mobius strip situation going on here where the intent and the scent are interacting and reinforcing one another and I'm delighted by all of it. I dabbed some on my palms (which is where I typically put anointing oils) and there is a lovely calm that came about immediately. I'm not speaking out of turn here when I say we are all of us no doubt aware of the myriad stressors happening everywhere right now, which is why I was interested in getting a bottle of this. And on all fronts, I'm really glad to add this to my special collection of TALs. 🕊️
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This is sooooooo pretty. It's been literally YEARS since I've gotten a nail polish from the Lab but the picture of the color was too good to pass on- and it's just as lovely up close in person! I am typically a dark-nail-polish-wearing Goth but I can say now that this polish can be worn two ways. It's a beautiful color on its own- definitely summer goth vibes for sure. But it's also a great topper! I tried it out directly on top of a dark, bloody, vampy red I'm currently wearing and behold! It works this way too- the pink in the jelly shifts lilac and the micro glitter really pops with it! I will be wearing the poop outta this polish over the next 6 months for sure!
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This is a very sheer, light scent. I figured with notes like tea and straw that it would be on the lighter end of the spectrum, but I also thought the plum and the musk would balance it out- these are powerhouse notes that turn up in some of my all-time favorite heavy winter rotations, like Mme Moriarty and Night. Nope- this is quite delicate. The tea and yuzu really set the tone here, though all notes are present and accounted for. As typically happens for me with tea-forward scents, there's something distinctly "perfume-y" about this fragrance, though don't let my description put you off, as it really is quite lovely. I have a collection of the Lab's hair glosses owing to the fact that I have unruly wavy hair passed my waist and their glosses help tame this beast! I tend to wear more of the glosses in winter to help keep the cold brittleness at bay, but with this scent, I think I found one for spring and summer use as well! I will experiment mixing a bit of this with my beloved Honey HG, because I suspect real magic with that combo!
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In the bottle, I get the tart passionfruit I was hoping for- YUM! Wet application, and also warming up- the brûlée comes out to play but to me it's a kissing cousin of the custard note in my old favorite 'Weenie, Huesos de Santo. I am delighted about this and hope it stays around for a while! Dry down- good lords, this is so yummy! I was also curious about the 'burned sugar'- that it might become caramel or something. But nope, it stays true to its name. In all, a vary tasty confection of a scent (don't lick it!!!)- a delicate custard with an equal parts tart passionfruit and burnt sugar. Low throw, a good anytime scent as the days grow longer and warmer.
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In the bottle, I get a vague fruit that I'm guessing are the cloud berries and also a bit of that lemon. Wet on skin and warming up, the lemon intensifies (nice!) and some of that ambergris enters the equation. I also start to get a little of the amber musk in the mix. The cloudberries have vanished? Dry down- the lemon mellows and sweetens, aided by the amber musk I think. The combination reminds me ever-so-slightly of the Lemon Meringue doll from the Strawberry Shortcake collection, circa 1982. Do NOT misunderstand- I'm not saying this smells like candy, or synthetic-chemical-y at *all*. There just the right level of sweet gentleness to the lemon at this stage that reminds me verrrrry slightly of my old friend L. Meringue. The ambergris and musk then step into the primary roles, though the lemon is still definitely present. The cloudberries, alas, have left the building. Very delicate, low throw scent. Another unusual Luper for me with this year's crop, and I'm digging the unique vibes. It's welcome that after nearly two decades of obsessively following BPAL that they can still surprise me!
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Full disclosure: I got this only for the chrysanthemum. Chrysanthemum Moon is a long-time favorite, so let's see how it all pans out here! In the bottle, I get that nice bright lemon peel straight away! That's the majority of it. Bringing up the real are little tendrils of the vanilla, which is softening the lemon to give it a creamy hint at the end. Wet on skin and warming up, the scent starts to really bloom, and that dear chrysanthemum is now in play- hooray! In fact, all the guests have arrived at the party, but I'd say the balance has definitely shifted and it's the chrysanthemum that is front and center now. Dry down- Wow, this is turned out to be incredibly well-balanced. I can detect all four of the elements here, and they sort of tumble over each other, so first I'll snag a little of that lemon peel, and then the sandalwood comes in and then dips out and the 'mum takes the spot, etc etc etc. It's don't think I've got another scent like it, and that's incredibly exciting to me! In all, a low-medium throw, and a sultry, lightly spicy warm-weather scent. Dead sexy- I will be wearing this for many date nights in the months to come
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In the bottle, I mostly get the tart juice of the lychee, a short sharp crunch of the rock sugar followed by a little sploosh of the nectar (as has already been mentioned, the strawberry nectar is NOT the same as the fresh strawberry note of, say, this year's Strawberry Moon and its Duets. This is softer, sweeter and accurately described as a nectar for those reasons). Wet and then warming up on my skin, I, too, am getting that strange whiff of anise in the mix that doomsday mentioned. It's not overpowering and it's not like "oh hey black licorice!", so don't worry about that. For me it's literally like the rock sugar was flavored with anise seed. I'm totally flummoxed and have no idea what could be reading that way, except perhaps an undertone of the lychee? It's keeping things interesting to say the least! Drydown. Okay, this is downright bizarre. The 2008 version of Huesos de Santo, a beloved old 'Weenie of mine, had both anise seed and sugar glaze as listed notes, and that scent produced an element that is near identical to this...whatever this is in here. It's more what I was saying before, like anise-seed-flavored rock sugar. I guess there's some molecule in the lychee? Anyway, I'm into it! In all- low throw, vaguely sweet but not in an over powering way. I definitely get the 'love bite' intention with this scent. Not a big ol' hickey but a little nibbled stain over by the ear lobe, and I'm all for it
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In the bottle this scent is HEAVY on the ruby chocolate note, which is exactly what I was hoping for, as I've loved it in other Lab confections previously. Wet on skin, it warms and opens up, so that some of that specific tart-fruity quality of the chocolate note really starts to shine, and I'm very excited about it! As we hit drydown, the Snake Oil starts to assert itself, but less than it sometimes does when mixed with other notes. Here it's unmistakable in its presence, but Ruby is still definitely the star. In all, a soft medium throw (but given my personal history of Snake Oil and its variants, I'm betting that will get stronger with some good ol' fashioned aging); a creamy, chocolatey confection that doesn't cross over into legit "foodie" territory because of the SO keeping everything in check. I anticipate this will become quite beloved
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Strawberry Moon: Wild Strawberries and Inky Musk
VioletChaos replied to doomsday_disco's topic in Duets & Menage A Trois
In the bottle, I get the fresh, tangy strawberry note of my very cherished Strawberry Moon 2009 and I couldn't be happier about it. Wet on skin, the scent begins to deepen and some of that Inky Musk introduces itself. The combo of the two is as compelling as I'd hoped for, neither stealing the spotlight from the other. Dry down: Calling this musk "inky" is incredibly accurate- this is NOT a black musk on me, this is literally a 'musk+ink' situation, which is what I was hoping for. It's not like the Lab's India Ink note, either, though- this really is its own special thing, so don't be worried about the metallic or chemical aspects of Ink in this mix, because that's not present here. In All- a low to medium throw and a very well-balanced fruit and musk scent for the warm months. I agree with the above review that this will layer well with the Wild Strawberries and Patchouli Duet and I feel certain I will *also* be layering this with its own 2026 Strawberry Moon counterpart to bring even more tart berry to the party. Total win. 🍓 ❤️