VioletChaos

In The Bottle: The slightly spicy touch of saffron and nothing more. Wet On Skin: This is very incense-y. I know there's no incense note listed, but I believe the oudh is acting as an incense in this regard. It's unexpected, but I like it. Dry Down: I get no sandalwood from this. While I'm a tiny bit disappointed, I agree that this is a pretty great saffron. It's rich and red and spicy and is STILL maintaining that incense vibe and there's something in the dry down that's almost like a tiny of a campfire without being smoky. Campfires in the summer take on a sweet earthy density that they don't at other times of the year, and that's what I'm getting from this scent. It's a low to medium throw, but this isn't something to slather. When the weather gets much warmer, I suspect that this will be a "hot sultry night" kind of scent. I can't wait to see how this ages.

In The Bottle: Yummy, rich goat's milk. Wet On Skin: The goat's milk still dominates, though the coconut is peeking in *just* a touch. Dry Down: Goat's milk, coconut and a little rice milk. Unfortunately, I get no honey carnation or sugar. Still, a scent that is nothing but rich cream is pretty great, and I think they'll be plenty of chances to wear it as the weather continues to get warmer. I also think it'll be great for layering with other things, be they foodie or floral, so I'm totally happy to have a bottle

In the Bottle: the strawberry is sharp, fresh and juicy. It reminds me of the Strawberry note from 2012's Strawberry Moon, without the tart green dribble of dandelion sap. The sugar is there, too, but it's definitely light and it's definitely a powder variety. Wet On Skin: The sugar has gained in strength a little, but the strawberry is still the prize. I don't honestly get the Stekk comparison. I love Stekk, don't get me wrong, but I just don't find it here. At least not at this stage. Dry Down: The powdered sugar and the mallow have joined to soften and smooth out the Strawberry. It's still sweet and delicious, though it's lost a little of its juice. but that's okay because it's gained a more well-rounded scent. I think this will be a heavy-rotation oil for Spring!

I think the sweet creamy vanilla in this blend is very similar to the vanilla note in Mrs Valentine- both scents have a very similar vibe to me. they're not identical, but enough alike that a person that missed out on Mrs Valentine should surely get some of this in a flash! I adore both, and for similar reasons, as they are light and very lightly floral but in a way that's not at all obvious. There's a sweetness here, but the vanilla isn't at all food-like. It smells like nostalgia to me, like wandering through the trunks in an attic and finding treasure troves of moth-eaten Victorian clothes. I put it on more than 7 hours ago and it's still here- faintly, but persistently. It's really special and I'm glad to add it to my collection.

In The Bottle: This is equal parts cherry candy and fluffy vanilla cream. Wet On Skin: the cherry starts to calm down almost immediately, and now it's vanilla-scented fog. (Ozone and aqua-fear folks, worry not! The fog aspect isn't related to those notes in the least!) Dry Down: This is...weird. It's vanilla and something sharp that I can't quite name, but that seems sort of men's cologne-y, and then there's that sweet fog note. It's truly bizarre. I keep huffing myself, caught between thinking I really like its quirks and thinking that I have to trade this bottle away immediately. For now, I think I'll keep it and see what happens

Now that Dorian is on an unexpected hiatus, I blind-bought a bottle of this as I've heard rumors as to it's similarities to Dorian. Liker it or not, this review for me is mostly as a comparison to my beloved Dorian, not as an expected twin, but certainly, hopefully, a close relation. In The Bottle: I, too, get a decidedly "lemony" aspect to the black tea here, and the fougere is light, lighter than in Dorian, but still quite lovely. Wet On Skin: This is a LOVELY black tea. The "earl grey" aspect is still coming across more as lemon than bergamot to me at this stage, but I've no complaints, because I adore lemon scents and lemony tea is no great tragedy, to be sure. Dry Down: This is absolutely a cousin of Dorian, in that the sweet black tea and fougere are all accounted for. But this is absolutely its own scent. It's possible that there will be times when I'll happily wear this to conserve my bottle of Dorian, but there will also be times where I'd definitely choose this as it's own thing and there will be times where this scent cannot possibly take Dorian's place. I am delighted to have taken a chance on it and to have a bottle to call my own.

I’ve run away from a little old woman, A little old man, A barn full of threshers, A field full of mowers, And I can run away from you, I can! In The Bottle: A little bit of champa, some orange and the lighter red patchouli. Wet On Skin: This is like a sister to Ravenous, one of my all-time favorite GCs. It's basically becoming Ravenous with some light champa incense burning in the background. I get no gingerbread at this point. Dry Down: Okay, the gingerbread is peeking through juuuuuuuust a teeny, tiny bit. In All: A bright, citrus scent with depth, so that it can hold its own through the cold months, this isn't the sugary orange of Kingdom Of Sweets. This is the flirty Ravenous orange/patch combo with champa and itty bitty ginger tossed in for good measure. I like it! It's a great counter-balance to this year's Gingerbread, Vetiver and Black Clove. (I might try layering them and see what happens!)

Lilith introduced her plush Egyptian kitty, Goldenshine, to the goddess Sekhmet. She figured they’d get along great, both being cats n’all. Blood wine and amber. In The Bottle: HAI, Wine!!! Wet On Skin: Thi is certainly the same wine note that was in Gluwhein and also Ruby Fluid. I am a tremendous fan of both those scents, and so far, this does NOT disappoint! Dry Down: This is very nearly a Wine Single Note. Which I personally have *no* objections to. The Lab's amber note doesn't always stick on my skin- my chemistry somehow gobbles it up, so that might be what's happening. However, I didn't get a strong wifi of amber in the bottle or while it was wet on my skin, either, so this might just be wine-heady with the amber simply acting as a supporting member. In any event, if you love the Lab's wine scents, this is a treasure, to be sure!

[No additional description given.] In The Bottle: There are occasions where I just. don't. know. how they do it. This is one of them, because in the bottle, this scent is a *faded* popcorn- NOT fresh, not buttered, like Shill. This is old popcorn that's been sitting around for a WHILE. AND, in the background, is the faintest hint of pine. Like needles. On a Christmas tree. Wet On Skin: There's a tiny bit of a sugar note that's coming through at this stage, but like burnt sugar (not caramel), so it could also be wood smoke, like from a fireplace, that happens to be next to a tree strung with popcorn garland. This is INSANE. Dry Down: This is weird and yummy and I have never liked a scent with Any hint of pine before but it's so faint and so real that it's not bothering me! In All: low throw, a vaguely sweet holiday scent reminiscent pop trees and popcorn balls and cozy holiday evenings. It's really just amazing for how well it captures what it is. Well done Beth and co.!

I am a Capricorn, so there was no way to avoid getting this scent! In The Bottle: Sweet red poppy and some slightly gritty oudh. Wet On Skin: The green of the ivy starts to come out, as does the smoke of the patchouli. Interestingly, at this point, I'm not getting any of the actual patch, just the smoke. Dry Down: Weird. This scent turned all super "green" and 'leafy' on me. No poppy, no woods, the smoke is gone. This is practically an Ivy Single Note on me. While fresh ivy is an interesting thing to capture in a scent, I'm pretty disappointed that my skin chemistry has made it so that none of the other notes are here in the slightest. I haz sad.

In The Bottle: Clove and light vetiver. Wet On Skin: Whaaaaaa? This scent is really strange. the above notes vanished completely and now it's...cedar? Or...the mastic, maybe? I guess? It's kind of sweet and kind of light and it's got a BPAL vibe, but I seriously can't get a handle on it. Dry Down: Okay. The frankincense and spikenard have emerged. But this scent is NOT heavy in spite of that fact. It's strangely light for a perfume that contains so many heavy, resin-y notes. In fact, if there could be such a thing as a light and airy version of Midnight Mass, this would be it. Again, I say:

In the bottle, the vanilla, as someone else described, is something of a 'sweet cloud'. It reminds me of a light-colored musk I was gifted many years ago that seemed to have certain magical properties. It's hard to pinpoint, except to say that it's not at all foodie- it's really a vanilla musk for me. This continues to wearing wet on the skin. If anything, that aspect only grows stronger as the scent warms up with body heat. Upon dry down, it stays pretty much the same. Because of the tobacco/cognac combo, I thought this scent might be a cousin of Black Lace. but no, this is very much its own thing, a light, dreamy, floaty vanilla musk that I can see wearing well into spring.

I have had mixed luck with 13 blends in the past, but the notes in this one sounded too intriguing to pass up. Here goes! In The Bottle: The black tobacco is STRONG. Definitely the primary note here. the chocolate is there, but it's in the back, and it's kind of a thin chocolate, by which I mean not milky or creamy or like strong dark chocolate either. Like watered-down (without the water note). Wet On Skin: The cedar, high john and ginger have joined forces with the tobacco to create something *very* dark and *very* earthy. I hope this mellows some, because right now it might be too strong for me to wear... Dry Down: Ah, the saffron and patchouli are at least saying hello. The chocolate has left the building and what remains is a very rich, down n dirty scent. Sometimes I can't get tobacco to stay put, and this, unfortunately, seems to be one of those times. I'll give it a chance to settle and age for a bit, but this might have to be re-hommed by someone who is more in love with strong tobacco than I.

In The Bottle: furry, plump, ripe apricot and some blood orange in the background. Wet On Skin: the "musk" aspect of the blood orange makes itself known, lending a bit of weight to this fruity endeavor. I *might* detect a hint of the lavender, but the benzoin, thus far, is nowhere to be found. Dry Down: This is like a very sophisticated fruity creamsicle. It's adult, make no mistake, but the fruit and the musk are combining to make something creamy and immanently wearable. In All: Glad I took a chance on a bottle!

This is a lovely jasmine. It seems to evoke connections for people, and this was true for me as well. It reminds me of a solid perfume my mom used to wear in the 70's. she probably got it from a head shop, but the scent itself was a very light, springtime jasmine. As others have mentioned, it stays true from bottle to dry down. I'm not a huge fan of florals, but I took a chance on this one because I thought it might be less like a jasmine perfume and more just like the real, live jasmine flower. I'm not disappointed. I don't know how much I'll *wear* this, but I can see using it to gently scent a room or bedding. It's really quite lovely.

I am REALLY surprised no one has reviewed this yet- this is a perfect Yule atmo spray! I only did my customary 2-squirt testing, but it's exactly what I'd hoped for- the bright scent of spiced pomanders, all ginger-cinnamon-cloves stuck into the ripe, round skin of a big christmas orange. I had a similar atmosphere spray from the Post years ago and very foolishly traded it away, and I've regretted it ever since, so I'm really happy that a similar scent has finally made its way back to the Trading Post. I will NOT be foolish this time, and will in fact hold onto this bottle and treasure it for as long as it lasts!

Mine came with a well-loved copy of Verne's Journey to the Center of the Earth, which I've never read, so that's pretty exciting! In The Bottle: Smoky, well-worn death, and a little dark chocolate (definitely not milk chocolate, this is NOT Bliss). Wet On Skin: The wax is coming in just a little, and it almost comes across as "watery" but pulls back just shy of becoming so. The chocolate is well-tempered by the smokiness of the leather and the aged paper note is making the whole thing smell like sitting in an old library, sneaking sweets when the cross librarian isn't looking. Dry Down: A sweetish, dry age of a leather-bound book with a sliver of chocolate on the side. In All: I don't know that I'll keep this and wear it, but it's a very compelling scent and sure to be a hit with folks that love the Lab's "book" fragrances.

I am a HUUUUGE fan of carnation. It's my favorite on a *very* short list of florals I'll wear, so I got this based on that one note alone. Hopefully, this won't spell disaster! In The Bottle: Sugar, a floral I'm assuming is freesia, and carnation a bit hidden under the first two. I'm hoping carnation gets more feisty on my skin! Wet On Skin: THERE she is! That's my girl, coming out to play! This is most certainly the carnation that was in the single note that came out in 2012, which I love to pieces. There's the same freshness to this carnation that I feel in love with in that SN back then. Even and I type, it's wafting up to me in sweet little lilting bits. As I bring my hand closer to my face, the freesia is much more of a presence- I've not had this experience before, where one note can be smelled from a foot away but the other note is more present up close and personal. It's interesting, but also unsettling: I keep going to huff the carnation and coming away with freesia, which, TBH, I don't like nearly as much. Dry Down: The free is winning out, alas. I'm not surprised- when I wear carnation SN, I have to reapply, so this makes sense. Though, even on dry-down, the carnation is wafting up at me some, so I *might* keep this bottle around to see what new tricks it develops after its had a chance to age a little, perhaps it'll smooth itself out some

Sour pumpkin candies crusted with pumpkin sugar. In The Bottle: Yup, that's sour, sugary pumpkin candies, alright! Wet On Skin: The pumpkin comes to the front, now. It's not a spiced pumpkin, but it definitely isn't just fresh, raw pumpkin, either. This is pumpkin with personality! Dry Down: It's sour sugary...potpourri? It's like a 'fall spice' mix, that's been turned into hard candy. It's a little bizarre, but is really fun and captures the general autumnal vibe. Much less about Halloween, much more about the season, which is nice, because those scents are a little harder to come by!

Plasticky pinks, yellows, lime greens, and baby blues. In The Bottle: A sweet concoction of tart citrus and lime candies- lime, lemon and sour blue! Wet On Skin: There's a hint of that same yummy-fruity-cereal thing that Cheshire Moon had going on. This is a little less "Froot Loops" than that and a little more "Vintage 1982 Strawberry Shortcake and Friends" kind of vibe. Again, I don't mind! Dry Down: This is way more tart than I would've predicted. There's all the bright, neon fruit-stuff, but with this incredible sour-candy edge to it that makes it really singular (as in 'single note'- see what I did there?) In All: Low to medium throw, I had no idea what to expect. It's not the scent I might've envisioned (layers of sugar and chocolate and grass? I got nothing...) but it's really likable just the same. Glad I took a chance!

I get what Patina was saying about the "old lady cologne" vibe. It definitely, upon initial sniff, reminds me of the heavy, cloying perfumes my grandmother's sisters would wear. Moreno, the smell that emanated from their 50 year old perfume bottles sitting on their vanities. That said, I join the chorus that there's something singularly comforting about this scent. It's timeless for me, even as it's reminiscent of a by-gone era. We had Rose of Sharon bushes growing in my backyard as a kid, and perhaps that has something to do with it. The name is a bit of a misnomer- do not expect anything even remotely "rose" about this scent- it's closer to a medicinal lavender/green scent. I don't know that I'll wear this on it's own, it seems kind of intense. But I could see using it in a more medical manner, like for grounding, or to layer with some cologne-y scents, like Dorian, and having an incredible outcome.

In The Bottle: Gingerbread and pink pepper fight for dominance. I'm not getting the pepper as acrid, but it *is* rather strong and bossy. Wet On Skin: The gingerbread is winning, but the pink pepper is giving it some kick. I'm not getting any of the vanilla sugar at this point. Dry Down: This has settled down into something sweetly spicy and delicious, and there's something here I can't quite put my finger on. For me it's evocative of childhood, but like children's perceptions of adults. Like an assumption that we will grow up to still be our child-selves, but have more control over our own destinies. (That was a little heavy. Sorry about that- this is legit what this scent reminded me of!) In All: I got 3 Gingerbreads this year, and all of them, including this one, have been incredible. A bumper crop of gingerbready goodness!

In The Bottle: Okay, I really want to eat this. This is all buttercream, all the time. Ridiculous! Wet On Skin: Mmmmmmm nomnomnom! The red velvet aspect comes out now, this is cake for sure, and there's that chocolate edge that red velvet in particular has. Now that the red velvet has showed itself, the buttercream has morphed into a cream cheese frosting. I die! Dry Down: I can't even. This is just so damn good! This is a foodie-lover's paradise, this scent is. The mint scents, like Lick Me, always evaporate off my skin immediately. But this one is apparently in the right proportions and it's just making me smell like delicious chocolate cream peppermint cake. In All: I am SO in love.

In The Bottle: This is the raspberry counterpart to last year's Strawberry. That's what I got from sniffing in the bottle. I couldn't be more excited. Wet On Skin: Oh, gurl yassssssss. This is the raspberry donut of my DREAMS. I don't even LIKE jelly donuts in actual life, but this? I would eat this donut if it was a plate before me. Dry Down: This scent stays true from bottle to dry-down. This is all warm raspberry donut, all the time. I am in love. In All: I got two words for y'all: Stock. Up.

I get a lemony whiff that I recognize as the nutmeg as soon as I open the bottle. There's also a definite woodsy finish, which I'm betting is the sandalwood being grounded by cedar (cedar alone is instant pencil shavings for me, and this is not that.) Immediately upon contact with my skin, however, all the above disappears entirely and becomes rosewater. Seriously, this is the light, sweet raise of rosewater or maybe, *maybe* the rose base used in cold cream. I had been hoping that some of the clove would be in the mix, or some sandalwood to ground it, but no, this is All Rose Otto, All The Time on my skin. It's a lovely rose, and I'll keep it around for a little bit, but I might just end up swapping it out :/