VioletChaos

I no longer have the 2008 variety but I was able to see my review of it to jog my memory. I knew that I had liked that one enough that when I saw there was a new iteration for 2020 I was very interested in getting to check it out, and I'm really glad I did. As with the original, there's something distinctly effervescent about Mead Moon- she is legitimately a *sparkling mead*, not just some honey slopped in a jar. The spices, both in the bottle and as the scent warms and blooms on the skin, are extremely well blended- apart from the rich honey base, I can't pull apart any of the notes in this perfume. But what's important, what I remembered about the original, was that there was something distinctly High Summer about the fragrance- like playing in the hot sun and then lolling in a half-hidden barn, in big piles of sweet hay. The air is thick with the heat of the day, even in the dark of the interior, and the air is so dense and thick, yet there's something cozy and deeply nostalgic about it that it feels only welcoming. And so, I welcome Mead Moon back into my life, bringing a sweetness of the past into this chaotic present, to smooth the edges, if just a little bit. ❤️

After: George Du Maurier A chaotic, clanging scent – shadowy, sweet, and discordant: black licorice and teakwood. Full disclosure: I got this for my partner, who adores black licorice scents. But while I'm not the 'target audience' in this scenario, why not test it anyway? In The Bottle: All black licorice, all the time. It's not overpowering, though, which surprised me. Wet On Skin: The teak is mellowing the licorice a little- smoothing out the edges, as it were. The black licorice is becoming more 'earthy' as a result. For me, this is a blessing, as BL generally sells like NyQuil to me, and this, blissfully, does not. Dry Down: A rich, smooth, decidedly "masculine" scent, the teak balances the licorice and makes it rich, earthy and even a bit sexy. In All: Possibly a black licorice scent for those of us that despise the note! At the very least, I will enjoy smelling this on my beloved without fear

Ethically harvested. In The Bottle: A sweet balsa type wood scent, with just the slightest edge of forest pine. Wet On Skin: Wow. This is NOT the type of sandalwood I'm used to. The ones I've experienced all have a bit of a sharp edge. This immediately "melted" into my skin and became this soft, sensual wood that it round and sweet and...glorious. Dry Down: This. Is. Hoard-worthy. I got one bottle, because I knew one would be good to have around, but it's sultry and sexy and now that the hot summer has landed, this is certainly something for all the decadent nights that await over the next 4 months. In All: A skin scent but with medium throw, this spicy, sweet sandalwood is beautiful, sultry, intoxicating. Perfect for any seduction. LOVE.

Fifteen goddamn years. Were impossible to kill, and we have kept on fighting the good fight with a panoply of scents benefiting environmental, constitutional rights, and reproductive rights causes, including Lordy, Alternative Facts, Fake News, Nevertheless She Persisted, Theoi Nomioi, and Take A Knee. We released several single notes benefiting those affected by 2017s natural disasters, and introduced Spiced Rum Buttercream Coffee and Irish Coffee Buttercream, which benefit the National Center for Transgender Equality. To celebrate the premiere of Starzs American Gods TV series, we revamped and expanded Neil Gaimans American Gods perfume line with brand new scents, a range of nail lacquers, and brand new artwork by the inimitable Julie Dillon. In June of 2017, Black Phoenix Alchemy Labs Brian Constantine got hitched! The ceremony and reception were held at the Mountain View Mausoleum, and was the most beautiful wedding that I have ever seen. The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice. An earthy scent, with deep, deep roots, bringing stability and security in tumultuous times: 15-year aged patchouli, bourbon vanilla, oakmoss, Himalayan cedar, tobacco leaf, birch tar, tonka bean, and leather accord. In The Bottle: I get the rich, chewy tobacco straight away, followed by the deep, earthy-dirty scent of the patchouli, with an edge of the tonic bringing up the rear, softening the other two and making the scent just slightly sweet. Wet On Skin: The tobacco is CRAZY strong. For those that are interested, this is very similar to the French Tobacco SN that came out about 5 years ago. at this stage, the tobacco is so overpowering that I'm not getting anything else. Dry Down: Upon dry down, the tobacco eases back somewhat, to my relief, and the earthy aspect of the patchouli comes back. There's even a slight smokiness that I attribute to the birch tar. Sadly, I'm not getting anything else right now, but I know that often scent with so many deep rooty notes need some time to age to become truly glorious, so I will tuck this one away and revisit in a month or two

In The Bottle: The very tart (and delicious!) grapefruit is way out front. The yuzu provides a touch of sweetness at the backend. No musk comes through at this stage. Wet On Skin: Much the same, which is fine by me! Dry Down: Whereas in the bottle the grapefruit is more pith-heavy, once it warms and opens fully on my skin, it becomes a bit more juicy, and fruit-focused. I get traces of the musk, more as a way to simply give the grapefruit depth, but the musk, like the yuzu, really only provide supporting roles for the grapefruit, which remains the main star of this show. MUCH later in the wear, a bit more musk rises to the occasion, but the grapefruit remains a focal point, even then. In All: I adore the Lab's citrus-heavy scents, whether they are confections like Kingdom Of Sweets, or fresh, tart masterpieces, like my dearly beloved Happy Baby In A Dress; which is why I picked up a full bottle of this untested and untried. Low throw and lovely on its own for upcoming hot days and nights, I see great potential for layering with this oil, either with sugar-heavy scents like the most recent 13 or Sugar Skull, or else to bring a bright tone to richer, denser woody scents like Tiki King! or even Tombstone.

Zenobia was Queen of the Palmyrene Empire. She assumed leadership of her nomadic tribe after her father’s death, eventually marrying King Septimius Odaenathus. Zenobia seemed a contradiction: chaste, dark-eyed, and lovely, but able to drink, fight, and make war like a man. She fought, on horseback, alongside her husband in many battles, and ruled the Empire with a fair and just hand after her husband’s passing. To her people, she was the Lady of Victory, conquering several Roman provinces, including Egypt, and expelling the prefect, Tenagino Probus, who was beheaded after he led an attempt to seize back control of the territory for Rome. Her conquests enabled her to control many vital trade routes, further earning her the ire of the Romans. Unfortunately, she eventually overextended her reach. She was betrayed, and then captured by Emperor Aurelian, displayed in chains in a triumphal procession through Rome, her Empire dissolved. Rather than capitulate to misfortune, she made a new life for herself, and became a Roman matron, philosopher, and socialite. Orris, clove, costus storax, patchouli, hyssop, frankincense, balsam, and saffron. in the bottle: mostly clove, with a touch of the balsam. wet on skin: still mostly clove, with the balsam a bit stronger and the introduction of the storax making for a heady brew so far. dry down: there's a note of sweetness that has cut through the heavy stuff, making it more complex and reminding me, strangely, of the orange/clove pommanders we used to make at christmastime when i was a little girl. but there's no orange here, so i'm going to assume its the saffron coming into play. it's lovely. in all: sweet, rich and commanding, a scent certainly fit for a warrior woman. i may have to wait until autumn to enjoy her fully, however! ETA: it's sometime later and i've given the Lady another sniff and am re-evaluating my thought that i'd have to wait until Fall to give her a real go. She's not as heavy as, say Mort de Cesar, and she's not as dense as Smiling Spider. i think she may actually be a summer-time Clove scent afterall!

Sun-warmed squashes, peppers, salad greens, snap peas, radishes, green onions, and silphium. In the imp: Very much a late-summer garden: warm, green, earthy without being overtly dirt-y. Reminds me strongly of our backyard gardens when I was a kid Wet On Skin: The green is really starting to take over at this point. It's more dense than, say, cucumber. and it's not foodie. It actually reminds me a lot of aloe vera. not the juice, but the straight up gel from the leaf. It's a strong intense smell, but not overwhelming. Dry Down: Totally green. I get no individual veggies from this, and nothing as sharp as onion or radish. It's just a dense green, like walking through a lush vegetation-laden area. not trees, just big green leaves everywhere. In All: Medium to High throw, pretty long lasting with little morph from wet to dry. For those that have been wanting another scent in the vein of Planting Moon, this is it. not sure I personally want to wear it as a perfume, but I really like it for it's own sake and would totally use it as an atmosphere and linen spray to be sure

BLOODLUST BONBON Smoked cacao with dragon’s blood resin, red musk, red patchouli and vetiver with a drop of cinnamon. In The Bottle: Smoky vetiver and a little cinnamon. YUM. Wet On Skin: The dragon's blood has just shown up. It's mixing nicely with the smoky aspect, adding a little sweetness to it. The cinnamon has faded off, and has become closer to cassia, like in MB Underbed. Dry Down: This hasn't morphed much from bottle to dry down. The smoke remains, with the dragon's blood contributing well. But I get no cacao at all, no red musk and the cinnamon is only a presence in the most remote capacity. In All: Low throw- I think you'd have to wear quite a bit to get this to move off the skin- and the smoke has the nice aspect of being leathery without actually smelling like leather- a find for a person like me that amps leather notes to sickening levels. It reminds me a bit of Time's Infliction Of Eternity. If you loved that one, give this a try- it won't disappoint.

Honey cake with baked-on caramelized almonds, filled with buttercream. In The Bottle: I get the honey cake instantly, with the almonds adding their magic, but subtly, and the buttercream appearing as an afterthought, like I smell it as my nose comes away from the bottle. Wet On Skin: The honey mellows into a kind of honey dust- far more subtle than the honey in, say, "O". it has a presence, but doesn't overwhelm the blend. The alone becomes more of an almond *meal*, also subtle, and adding what reads almost as a coconut note- perhaps because it's caramelized? Dry Down: I. Want. To. Eat. This. The honey and almond finish merging into one gloriously subtle-sweet-skin scent. It's yummy, but sits very close to the skin, the throw is extremely low on this scent. The buttercream is a whisper behind the scenes, adding some depth, interestingly, to the proceedings. In All: a beautiful, delicate foodie scent that will no doubt age well, thanks to the honey in the mix. LOVE!!!

Vanilla silk, patchouli leaf, sweet benzoin, and smoked honey. This was one of the ones I was MOST excited about. Let's see if my premonition holds true! In The Bottle: Sweet without being cloying and, yes, I detect that silk note that was in Black Silk. And it's just as lovely and hard to pin down as before. Wet On Skin: The benzoin is showing up now that it's got a surface to bloom on. The vanilla silk is holding steady. It's *really* hard to describe- something like if you put vanilla musk in a steamer and then steamed your delicate underwear with it. THAT'S what it would smell like. Dry Down: The smoked honey and patch combo has, strangely, made this go a bit powdery on me. I don't mind, because I can tell that when this scent has had a chance to warm up and age a little, that it's all going to meld and blend a LOT more.

The Bay of Love: red sandalwood and velvet-thick vanilla with red pepper, oudh, Ethiopian myrrh, and champaca blossom. In The Bottle: The champaca blossom and myrrh combine and are doing this thing that somehow smells like a flower that emits baby powder. Odd. Very very odd. Wet On Skin: Wow. Many years ago I had this incense that smelled like blue lotus powder, if such a thing existed. This smells like that, and also, the red sandalwood is coming around now, all spicy and rich and smelling like another beloved scent of my youth, Bain de Soliel suntan gelee. Incredible. Dry Down: Wow, again. this scent is a bit of a morphed, and truth be told, I'm glad- myrrh tends to become pure talcum powder on my skin and makes me sad. But the myrrh has faded into the background and this scent has become rich, spicy and sexy, like a well-loved riding crop and the vanilla musk of a person's natural sweat. I think I'm in love.

A pure, clean antiseptic lavender in the bottle and wet on skin. As it dries down, it warms and sweetens a bit, likely because of the musk. It's not like the sugared lavender of TKO, it's not foodie-sweet like that. It's more like the lavender in my beloved Safari- I get the real sense that this is a scent less about just smelling nice, but that I will mostly be wearing this to bed, to help bring on delicious sleep.

In literally every other blend I've ever tried it in, myrrh overpowers everything else and turns to wet, fetid cardboard on my skin, no matter how lovely the other notes are. So when I saw myrrh was on the menu for this scent, I put it out of my mind. But then I visited my dear friend ReallyZeb and we had us a little meet-and-sniff (like we do) and she allowed me the great pleasure of sniffing (and yes, testing) this scent. It. Is. Beautiful. When the chance came round again for me to grab a bottle, I did with great haste, because I literally had not stopped thinking about it since I'd sniffed Zeb's bottle lo those many months ago. Normally I can pick out individual notes, but this scent is that rare thing, so well-blended that it simply is its own substance, not an amalgam of its components, only and forever itself. I know it would be more hopeful to say "oh yes the _____ note is very strong and it mixes well with _____" but this is just not one of those times. This is something else entirely- get some and you will see. ❤️

I just got the brand-new Capricorn locket in the post yesterday. For those that had the original run of the BPAL Brimstone locket, the dimensions and weight of the new zodiac lockets are basically identical. I really love sterling silver and am not much for gold-tone metal, so I wasn't sure how I'd feel about the gold accents on the Cappy locket, but it's really quite beautiful. There's a kind of lustrous, buttery quality to the sheen on the surface and it's catches the light so well! I wore it all day today, just as a beautiful pendant- I didn't use any oils inside yet, but honestly, the fact that the pendant is also a scent locket was secondary to just having a beautiful piece from a company I adore. This is my third locket from the Lab, but might just be my favorite now ❤️

No additional description provided. Scent description for Bliss is here.] In The Bottle: Bliss and Snow White, in equal measure. Wet On Skin: Same. It's what I imagine it would be like to eat a fluffy snowball, if it was dusted with cocoa mix Dry Down: Yes, this is chocolatey Snow White! I was a little worried this would have a water or ozone note to it, since those go horribly wrong on my skin. But this is just a soft, sweet, snowy Bliss. It's a really nice, gentle daytime scent. Glad I got a bottle!

The dark, of night. Teak, frankincense, caramel, oakmoss, red currant, labdanum absolute, bitter clove, patchouli, star anise, tobacco, and black musk. in the bottle: while i totally get hints of caramel, currant and lots of clove, i feel the need to emphasize at this point, this is NOT a foodie scent in any way shape or form. it's spicy and rich, but not food like at all. wet on skin: the black musk is gaining strength now, and the oakmoss is lending an earthy note that reminds me of vetiver, without the smoke. dry down: it's become labdanum, frankincense and tobacco with hints of the musk and clove wafting in and out. in all: as a tribute to a Dark Goddess, this is absolutely brilliant. it's sexy and deep and intense. given time to age, this can only get better.

In The Bottle, I get a light wiff of the coffee beans. After application, the copal comes through. Unfortunately, it's not showing up on my skin as the smoky copal others are describing: I'm getting Lemon Pledge. I've experienced fresh copal essential oil as being very lemony, so it's not a huge surprise, though definitely not the acid-acid experience I was hoping for. I have a bottle of well-aged copal EO, so I know the wonders that aging can do. There's also a promise of better days lying ahead because about an hour in, the scent shifted and became more vanilla-resin with a faint edge of coffee in the background. I'll hold on to it for a while longer and retest later. Hopefully, it'll age well and become more what I was hoping for...

In The Bottle: Buttercream! Yellow box cake!!! Wet On Skin: Cake. Cakecakecakecakecake. I literally want to gnaw on my own arm. THAT'S how good this smells. Dry Down: Yup. Just straight up, warm, fresh-from-the-oven, CAKE. I'm not really even getting frosting. But you know what? I don't care! Because A straight-forward cake-perfume is filling a need in my life, and I will love the poop outta this scent for as long as the bottle lasts! In All: Moist, delicious box cake in a medium-low throw. I will happily wear this alone but will also play around with some layering, because why not? CAAAAAAAKE. ❤️❤️❤️

In the Bottle: Mostly Dorian with a bit of a dapper lavender bringing up the rear. Wet On Skin: The beeswax and oak suddenly become the strongest notes as the oil starts to warm up on my skin. Dry Down: Wow. This IS a serious morpher. The Dorian has all but left the building. In its place is a spicy, sexy concoction of vanilla husk, a dusting of honeyed rosin and oak rounding it out. It's surprisingly light with very low throw considering the decadence of the scent notes. It's a good "skin scent" in that it stays so close to the skin- therefore good for daytime use but also good for sexy time use. I'd for sure wear this on a date.

In The Bottle: Cream and honey. Yum! Wet On Skin: The honey is changing a bit to a kind of honey dust. The cream is still present but less intense. Dry Down: Honey cream. In All: Having been an *enormous* fan of the Trading Post's Pie Series, and finding the Pecan Pie perfume in particular to only get better with age, I had high hopes for this scent. It's a soft, sweet, honey-focused scent that's lovely- but it's NOT pecan pie on me, for which I am certainly disappointed. It's for sure good enough to hold on to, but I'm going to keep hoping that the pecan pie eventually finds its way into the mix.

In The Bottle: Goats milk front and center, with a tart edge that I'm betting is the tea note. Wet On Skin: The tea becomes more prominent as it warms on my skin, and there's a bit more of a lemon under-note to it. Dry Down: It's saying pretty much just goats milk and white tea. I'd really been hoping for the lavender and definitely that marshmallow, but alas, it was not in the stars for me... ?

I am a longtime fan of the Lab's popcorn note, going all the way back to Shill's debut appearance, so I knew that I would simply have to have a bottle of this on principle. It does not disappoint. As with Vampire nigh At The Movies, part of the charm is taking the simple, unadulterated buttery popcorn and combining it with something unexpected- in this case, Snake Oil- to great effect. The popcorn is definitely the dominant note here, which is what I was personally hoping for. But I like the dribble of non-food vanilla and musky spices skulking in the background that only Snake Oil can provide. It almost creates a caramel-corn effect, if there was such a thing as non-foodie caramel corn ...which I guess this is effectively doing? ? In any event, if you're a fan of popcorn scents, definitely get your hands on some of this, you can't go wrong.

In The Bottle: Lots of fresh, buttery pumpkin and a hint of spice. Wet On Skin: The spice is coming out more and warming it all up. I like the effect, that warmth. It's a nice autumnal scent thus far. Dry Down: Finally! The cozy sweater! I was honestly wondering if half the namesake simply wouldn't appear to me, but now I understand what all the hubbub is about! It's got this sexy-clingy-sweater vibe thing that defies explanation except as "One of those moments when Beth does a thing and we have to ask: how. did. she. DO. that???" It's warm, it's cozy, it's slightly spicy and it's dead sexy. I am SO glad I took a chance on this one! ❤️

In The Bottle: There are so many high-level competing notes that its actually really hard to pull apart the scent. However, if I was forced to discern, I'd say some tendrils of the scarlet musk are in the mix, a hint of sugar and a smirk of plum. (that's right, I said smirk and NO ONE CAN STOP ME.) Wet On Skin: The tobacco roars to life the second this oil starts to warm on my skin, which is unfortunate for me, as tobacco quickly envelopes other notes when it dominates with my chemistry. Still, I'm hoping it'll mellow when dry. Dry Down: The plum and benzoin combine to make this a very incense-y blend indeed. Not headshop-style, like backwoods Louisiana magick style. That's the influence of the tobacco (which *has* settled, thankfully) and the oudh as well. In All: medium to high throw- a little goes a long way, so test carefully at first. This scent vacillates between high-end fancy perfume (same realm at B340) and deep incense. If either of those are your cup o tea, check this out. As for me, I'll hold onto it for a little bit longer to see how it ages, but otherwise, I think I'll send it off to someone who'll appreciate it more than I.

So, I am definitely amongst the group for whom Dragon's Milk will always in the top five of all time. I carry imps in my wallet, it's hands-down my go-to signature scent for comfort and adoration, regardless of time of year. So to get a bottle of this hair gloss was a decision that took all of a millisecond to make. As with all of the Lab's hair glosses, this one performs just as we all love- adding shine, reducing frizz (a big plus for me and my mixed-ancestry hair!) and generally making my hair more lovely. So the scent is really what's at stake here and again, it does not disappoint. As the name implies, expect a mix of pumpkin *spice* (not pumpkin) along with the beloved DM. The spice comes on strong at fist but simmers down within a few minutes, making a slightly more gritty and rough-and-tumble sexy older brother to the sweet innocence of pure Dragon's Milk. For me, nothing compares to the original, so while I will cherish this one bottle for all its worth, I won't hoard backups like I've done with the DM HG- but don't let that put you off: it's definitely worth a bottle as we smooth our way from a meandering late summer to a mild autumn. ❤️