VioletChaos
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Everything posted by VioletChaos
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Myrrh and I are not always friends. I want to state that right off the top in the interest of total transparency. I envy those that can wear her with total abandon and glide through the air smelling of holy places and deep mythologies. On me myrrh usually smells like wet cardboard That said, the rest of the notes in this blend were compelling enough that I threw caution to the wind because sometimes ya gotta. In the bottle and upon initial application I get a powdery myrrh and a sharp stab of the bergamot bringing up the rear. Odd bedfellows to be sure, but there was also a third component I couldn't quite grab in the deep background and I was hoping to find out more, later. That incense note shows up upon drydown and "velvety" is a really accurate description for it. It's soft and plush- I get the above observation of it being almost as if nag champa incense was "really, really classy". It goes even a step beyond that for me because although I adore nag champa incense, I'm not a fan of it in my perfumes. This scent is definitely "incensey" but doesn't cross over into anything hippy-ish or head shop-y. It's rich and darkly intriguing and yes, myrrh and I are getting along like gangbusters, thankyouverymuch
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Echoing @OctoberGwen's sentiment, I, too, get TAL oils for their magickal properties first and foremost. And I agree with all statements above that illustrate this oil is also a lovely scent as a side bonus. I can pick out the allspice, lavender and orange and the combination puts me in mind of a very cherished and hoarded bottle of Florida Water I picked up in NOLA years ago on my honeymoon. I use it very sparingly but I'm always delighted when the occasion calls for it: Hearthglow, like that Florida Water, creates a sense of real well-being and comfort in a physical space and both lend themselves well to delicately fragrancing the atmosphere while working their magicks. I may add a bit of Hearthglow to a water spray and mist some rooms and our altars- I have a feeling it will work beautifully that way. ❤️
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Possibly because I chose a very very warm day to test this fully, I was quite surprised that after an initial burst of those purple-y, "bruised" florals, I mostly just got...clove. It's a nice clove, don't get me wrong. But with such a stunning array of notes, I was definitely anticipating more. I will re-test this on a day that isn't hovering around 90 and hopefully have more interesting results! 🤷♀️
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This is *exactly* what I was hoping for- a light, cool coconut paired with a delicate sweet lime. It's very similar to the combo of main notes in Tarot: The Star, which is one of my ride-or-die beloveds, and I'm super excited to have this hair gloss to pair with that when I want total saturation- or to at least wear on its own for the next four months of summer. Absolute win. ❤️
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This proved to be way more spice-forward than I was expecting, but I'm not mad about it. Something about the blend of the vanilla, cocoa powder and biscuits puts me in mind of Sprinklecake from oh-so-long ago. It's a not-aggressive foodie confection. Only here, with that sharp cardamom, it's like Sprinklecake all grow'd up. Cardamom, which I typically love, also sometimes has a habit of getting unruly on me, so that it becomes way too dominant in the mix. Here, it behaves reasonably, to my pleasant surprise, so that all the elements have a chance to shine, even as they work seamlessly together. Glad I snagged this- it's been a minute since I've had a scent like this in my collection!
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When I heard that this scent was all about the red musk, I was enthusiastically on board, because the Lab's red musk note is a favorite of mine (Smut, I'm looking at you!). Sadly for me, this scent is not that. The berries dominate the blend here, which begins its journey as something I can only describe as a "mystical fruit punch" (side note: Mystical Fruitpunch will be the name of my Grateful Dead cover band )- the berries are very much in the 'melange of fruit juices' genre, and a bit of that red honey plus a tiny splash of the musk, combine to make it more than just "this is a summery fruit drink". As it warms and blossoms, the fruit is magnified, the musk becomes even less of a presence and that candied rose jumps in creating something of a summer sangria. 🤷♀️ Others have mentioned summer vibes, and I am clearly in full agreement with that. Given the notes, it's not at all what I expected but if fruity, summer scent are your vibe, don't pass this one up.
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"Balm" is a perfect descriptive word for Roselight. As with all TAL oils, I procured Roselight not for fragrance, but for intent. That said, the fragrance is *gorgeous*. A soft, soft natural rose and a lush overarching "greenery" behind it (I suspect a combo of the violet, lavender and sampaguita are mostly to blame). As for the intent, yes. It's ever present. From the second I sniff the oil to well after I've anointed my palms, that feeling of wellbeing and being cared for is all around me. It feels like being kissed on the forehead, wrapped up in a snuggly blanket. I am sure to get a lot of use out of this. ❤️
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In the bottle and when initially applied, the Key Lime note is most evident. I'm not super into standard lime notes on their own, but I often like when they are paired with something else (One of my all-time favorite BPALs is Tarot: The Star, which is all lime and coconut on me.) Key lime is less abrasive and a more mellow citrus overall, and that really comes through here. Once it settled into my skin, the classic Beaver Moon cheesecake note popped out, as beloved as ever. The combination of the two delivered as promised in the description. Even hours later, a nice quiet version of the scent remains, and I'm really pleased to add this to my vast Beaver Moon collection! In all: low-medium throw and a nice twist on a popular standard. If you're a fan of the Beaver Moons of yesteryear, definitely grab this one to keep the party going. 💚
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In the bottle and upon application I get all deep roots, all the time. It reminds me a bit of valerian root, actually. As it warms and blends with my skin chemistry, I get those tendrils of orchid in the mix, but this isn't an orchid-forward scent. It's very much "root first, orchid distant 3rd". As I stated elsewhere, my purpose in obtaining oils from this line are for root working purposes, so scent is secondary. I'm an artist and craftsperson, which is why I snagged this, and in that regard, I have full confidence in how well it'll boost those energies. The scent itself is quite subtle, with exceptionally low throw (still, mileage varies, so test before slathering!). I see wearing / anointing / utilizing this really for its magick properties mostly. If I *do* choose to wear it, I will likely layer it with something else that has a little more aromatic presence. But it's unassuming enough that layering options are nearly endless.
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In the bottle and when initially applied, I mostly get something quite soft and round in feeling and scent. Based on the description and above review, I was not expecting this at all, but here we are. Shortly after application, as the scent warms and blooms I have a most peculiar association- that of a house-made Samhain incense that I used to always pick up from a witchy shop in the East Village called Enchantments. I've NO idea what is in their incense, but the resemblance- though fleeting- is truly uncanny. As the spicy-incense-y vibe begins to fade, it is replaced by a fresh resurgence of the "soft, round" scent I experienced initially. I'm generally very good at picking out individual notes but here they are so well blended that I am unable to get much beyond "gently peppered; vaguely floral". Since I anticipated getting the At The Root scents really to boost by own footwork, fragrance is far less important to be than intent. I feel strength and well-being from the small amount I've anointed myself with, so as far as I'm concerned, this bottle is exactly right. ❤️
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Terrible Moon: White Sandalwood and Cacao Lotion
VioletChaos replied to doomsday_disco's topic in Lotion
I get equal parts of sandalwood and cacao but neither are what I was expecting. The scent is, indeed, quite bone dry as already mentioned. So much so that when first applied there's something akin to a cologne undernote that I found a bit jarring the first time I applied this. But that evaporates pretty quickly and the duo settle more into themselves. This scent like some other recent releases with cocoa or vanilla notes is in no way foodie, so if that is your whole jam, you might not be into this without forewarning. That said, I have found this scent to be an absolute delight on its own terms. In fact, I've taken to putting it on just before bed both to moisturize my skin (as with all of the Lab's lotions, this one absorbs and moisturizes with ease, and I only require a small amount, so I forsee this bottle lasting months!) and also to act as my bedtime fragrance. It's present in its scent but not overpowering so that it would keep me awake. I could also see putting this lotion on after, say, a day at the beach, and that it would likely mix beautifully with remnants of SPF cream, saltwater and sun. -
Coyote Moon: Cacao Dust and Ashes
VioletChaos replied to doomsday_disco's topic in Duets & Menage A Trois
In the bottle and when first applied, the cacao reads almost exactly like the creamy confection that is Bliss: all milk chocolate, all the time. But pretty quickly upon warming and merging with my skin, it starts to shift. I honestly had no idea what to expect from an "ash" note, and after reading doomsdays's review it makes sense that it would be related to embers in a fire, but when I ordered it, I was just thinking "I've never experienced an ash note, so I really need to know what that would be like!". As with the other Coyote Moon duet I tried (Vanilla Incense and Tonka Bean), this is a study in contrasts and also in wiping out preconceived expectations. As with that Duet, one of the most immediate things to take note of is this: whatever your experience with gourmands, toss those out entirely, because that will NOT be present here. In the same way that a child will be deeply disappointed by taking a bite of baker's chocolate, so too should you forget everything you know about chocolate scents. all final vestiges of Bliss vanish and are replaced by another bone-dry version of a typically sweet note. The ash swoops in acting very much like the dying embers of a campfire, and the combination of the two feels like sitting in the desert at midnight, tendrils of a remaining smoke from the camp riding a soft breeze of creosote and moonlight. low to medium throw, I will wear this in the ensuing months on breezy summer eves and layered with woodsy scents for hotter summer days. ❤️ -
Coyote Moon: Vanilla Incense and Roasted Tonka Bean
VioletChaos replied to doomsday_disco's topic in Duets & Menage A Trois
I didn't get Coyote Moon itself but the idea of a vanilla and tonka scent was too compelling to pass up, and I'm glad I didn't. The vanilla is definitely a "dry" one- gourmand fans are likely to be disappointed if they're hoping for something skin to frosting or cake. But if you can take this vanilla on its own terms, it can very much appreciated. I agree with the previous review that there's nothing head-shop-y about the incense note here. It really does remind me of exactly what it says it is- a bone-dry vanilla that is neither powdery in its dryness nor sweet in its vanilla. The tonka here is a treat. I love Tonya's ability to smell vanilla-like, resinous and like sweet grass all at the same time, and it accomplishes all three here in the mix. It's got a slight cologne vibe in the bottle and for about an hour after application but then it settles fully into being a nice, understated, slightly sweet but also groundedly earthy scent that lasts all day. Low to medium throw and a good scent for this looking to broaden their vanilla horizons. -
Beaver Moon: Coconut Cream & Guava
VioletChaos replied to doomsday_disco's topic in Duets & Menage A Trois
I think my experience was a bit more balanced than either of the above folks. In the bottle and definitely when first applied the guava comes out in full force. As it warmed up, it got even stronger, almost to the point of it being like a Guava Single Note. After drydown, it settled down a bit, but in a way where it came into balance with, instead of dominating, the coconut cream. The coconut in this scent is delicate and soft- this is not overtly food-y, not does it veer into suntan lotion territory, nor is it the "cool" coconut note of, say, Obatala. Saying it's a coconut *cream* is actually very accurate as it really gets to the vibe of it in the blend. In all: a low throw, close-to-the-skin scent, gently tropical without being "HI I'M FRUIT SALAD", this is a delicate daytime scent perfect for warm weather (or dreaming of the same). I anticipate getting a lot of wear out of this over the summer! 🥥❤️ -
I didn't even know a prototype of Candy Butcher existed until a dear forumite showed me the light, and I am over the moon that she did! At first sniff the proto and the OG Butcher seem more or less the same. But when I compared the two side by side, even in the bottle, I, too, noticed that the prototype has the same notes but is somehow...MORE. This continued to prove true, both upon application, through drydown and a solid ten hours later. In each part of the process, the scent was quite recognizable to the original, but as if it was concentrated or distilled, into a denser version of itself. And I am SMITTEN. I rediscovered the original CB last summer during a heat wave when it melded with my skin to make me a sultry, dry-cocoa'ed poof of myself. This summer, with the help of this here prototype? I can only hypothesize the dead-sexy poof-of-it-all that awaits me. In all: I applied the smallest drop possible and though the scent has a lower-medium throw, this one stays PUT. Everything I adore about the original, concentrated and dispensed to 11.
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This is also for the original unreleased version which I was able to procure with the help of the very lovely @sunshinedaisybliss (a million, billion thanks!!!) In the bottle I get a rich, deep, plummy orchid. It's vaguely reminiscent of the note as it shows up in the recent Black Orchid and Crushed Berries hair gloss release, but this is definitely rich and deeper. (The notes could be cousins, or it literally could be the same note but one has aged for two decades and one has note. Who knows? 🤷♀️ Wet on skin, and for a while after application it gets very strong, almost overwhelming (I put a small drop on, which is worth noting, given how intense it became.) I agree with the assessments that this is floral...but also NOT a floral. That "plummy" aspect stays the course, and it definitely is an element that stops this from being anything that could be read as a single note. I don't get anything approaching a dirt or earth note in here, nor do I get any patchouli that others picked up on. Although I love those notes, I'm not mad about their absence here, because this scent has all it needs, all on its own. Dry down: After coming on like gangbusters, this Orchid finally hunkers down, and settles in for the long haul. It travels in an arc, fading with incredible slowness over the course of many hours, and it stays the course the whole time. A deep, sultry noir-ish (both in a "Femme Fatale" sense and also in that the vibe reminds me of that other precious, long-discontinued Lab creation of the same name) floral that reads initially as an ancient perfume-y sort of scent, only to reveal later the depths of that sultriness. This is -and I say this as a person who is often verrrrrry floral averse- a sexy, dark, floral dream. In All: Medium to high throw (*definitely* test sparingly until you see how this will interact with your personal chemistry). A dark plum-and-deepest-orchid with a dusting of powder at the finish, this is a "white whale" scent for me that took years to obtain and was so. so. SOOOOO worth the wait. I die!
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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!