VioletChaos

version # CCCXLLL in the bottle: it's all heavy lemon verbena. not just lemon- this is important. this is clearly the plant not the fruit. to my boyfriend, it smelled like Lemon Pledge. but to me, it was yummy and plant-y. wet on skin: it takes on more of a plant note, like a bit of fresh sun-warmed mint has been added into the equation. i cannot over emphasize how much like actual living, growing plants these notes are. dry down: the barest trace of Snake Oil with a beautiful, muted Verbena on top, and a little of that mint to round things off. in all: a perfect scent for a late spring or early summer day, i'm betting it's only going to get better with age.

it's almost rubbed off, but i think the number is CCLXXXVIC...maybe? in the bottle: omg BUTTERSCOTCH! seriously, people. straight up butterscotch. good goddess, what a treat! wet on skin: it's changed slightly, with the butter getting replaced by honey a bit. dry down: this is honey butterscotch, pure and simple. i feel so unbelievably lucky!!! bottle # CCCII well, it's hard to follow an act like that first bottle i just reviewed, and while this one can't be put in the same catagory, this one is rather lovely. it's more of a honeysuckle as opposed to the rich honey of standard O, and there's just a *hint* of something floral, adding to the honey suckle idea. i will totally be wearing this one through all the warm months for sure, and that top butterscotch one whenever i want to make other people swoon

to me, this is almost a dead ringer for Pinched With Four Aces, only a little...richer? is that the word? Whereas Pinched tends to fades sweetly on me, this set of Dogs seems a little more hard, robust. but that same gorgeous combination of tobacco and coffee are there. i was worried about it being too heavy with it being Irish Coffee and all, but unlike Eggnog Latte, this coffee is rich, but perfectly blended with it's other components, from start to finish. definitely need a backup bottle!!! ETA: after giving this a more thorough second wearing, i change my mind a little. this is like the love child of Pinched and Black Lace. it has great elements of both, its definitely an option for all genders and it gives me that same feeling of being comforted by a kindly old alcoholic uncle in a funeral parlor. total win.

this is for bottle # CCCLXXIX in the bottle and wet on the skin, there's a strong vetiver note in here, with the scent of warm/rich Snake Oil as an afterthought. on the skin, this magically transforms into the love child of Mme Moriarty and Snake Charmer. i can't even believe that either of those scents could possibly be improved upon, but here it is! the sweet and the sexy and the rich, all rolled into one astounding scent. this is my third Chaos V Snake Oil series, and not one of them has disappointed, not in the least! :wub2:

this, THIS is the clove scent i've been looking for! i agree with others who said it smells like clove cigarettes, but to me it specifically smells like them in the box, when you get a fresh pack and first unwrap it. there's not much transition from in the bottle, to wet to dry down. the clove stays true and i really don't get much else from this, except as "supporting actors" that make the clove more...clovey. medium to low thow, perfect for all us moody gothy types that like to write poetry on grey days and dance to the Cure when we're alone.

this is my first ever participation in a Chaos experiment, though i've been down with BPAL for a couple few years now, and i gotta say, so far so good! first up: LVVI in the bottle: this is the sweet smokiness of Death In Autumn. not the vetiver that usually amps beyond control on my skin, but just deep, rich smoke, staying put, with a slight edge of her Lady snake Oil under it- but not much. wet on skin: sweet darkest resin, the rich smoke still holding strong. this is a "winter" scent as is. dry down: a little bit of leather is coming into play here, which is normally a deal-breaker for me, but is not leaping out of the fray, it's just mingling beautifully with the other rich dark notes. in all: when walking to my friend's house near the woods in mid fall, there are smoldering piles of foliage everywhere- rich colors and a beautiful evocative scent of sweet burning leaves that instantly set me down in a corn maze in a town i've never been to before. this is that scent, that feeling, bottled. Beth, you are so totally a genius. Next: XCIII in the bottle: fruity, fresh Snake Oil. reminds me of Coral Snake a bit, or SO with a dash of Clemence thrown in: Snake Oil and Acai? wet on skin: same, but the acai/tart fruit note is gaining in strength. dry down: This is a refined mix of tart fruit and Snake Oil- it's as simple as that. in all: as with Snake Oil in general, this clearly needs a bit of aging. but even so, it'll be the perfect summer counterpoint to that dark one listed above can't wait for moooooooorrrrrrreeee!!!!!!

i join the ranks of those who have fallen in love with this scent. it's not buttery, as all the other pumpkins have all turned on me. it's spicy, warm, and sexy. in fact, i dont find this autumnal or foodie at all- it's more like VooDoo Queen, actually. which is pure love on my skin. sigh. well, if anyone decides they suddenly hate their bottle of this coveted scent, y'all know where to find me...

yup. that's buttered popcorn alright! wet, dry, later: all consistently yummy buttered popcorn. i like this WAAAAY more than i thought i would. i hope i can track some down at this late date...

i pretty much figured this one would be a no-go since i don't actually LIKE real chocolate covered cherries. and, well, it is what it is. the cherry in this is incredibly strong, similar in strength to the berry note in Bloody Mary. the chocolate is unfortunately the variety that turns to fake scratch n sniff chocolate on me, so that's no goos either. my boyfriend adores his bottle, and he loves the real edible version too. so maybe that is a big factor...

i agree with those who have said that aging will do this blend some good. the elements are all there- solid, warm notes, a bit of sweetness, though not foodie (i get NO chocolate from this incarnate), and beautiful deep resins. all it needs is some time to blend with itse;f. then it will go from being a great scent to being a to-die-for scent. i can't wait.

thanks to the eternally lovely BookAndBroom i am able to finally review this treat that i have been dying to try... in the bottle: milky coffee- this reminds of of those hard coffee candies that i used to be able to find everywhere but are much harder to track down these days. wet on skin: lordy- more of the same. this is SOOOOO good! dry down: the coffee has settled a bit and that sugar wafer smell that someone mentioned has come to the fore. now instead of a cup of coffee, i smell like a coffee and snack combo! in all: although the throw starts out high, it settles after dry down and becomes average. the scent morphs enough that it's quite different both from Coffee Bean SN as well as other mixed coffee scents like Miskatonic U and Pinched With 4 Aces. the coffee is still a presence, but as i said, it's like having a treat WITH the yummy coffee together. Total. Love.

in the bottle: heavy citrus, but there's something else in here too. something that reminds me of sitting in a library on a summer afternoon- sleek, shiny wood floors and soft leather chairs. it's fabulous. wet on skin: more of the same, with a bit of actual grapefruit and citron showing themselves. dry down: there's a wood note here for sure, but it blends into the citrus notes to just give the sense of-yes- strength. in all: i got this blend because i have many physical limitations that effect my energy. while i'm not sure this blend will help with that, i can tell that i will have even LESS trouble opening my big mouth to get my needs met, for sure!

in the bottle: heavy on the chocolate. this is the chocolate of the white label 13 of years gone by. yup. wet on skin: ahhhh- the violets are starting to emerge. dry down: the violets are subtle in here, though they are *definitely* the sugared violets of Faith, and the chocolate has become cocoa butter- which is essentially white chocolate without all the sweet crap added to it. in all: medium throw, and a great interplay between the two notes. i personally love violet above all other florals, AND i'm a foodie, so this scent will require a back up bottle for me. if you feel the same- stock up!!! :wub:

in the bottle: totally STUNNING vanilla/sandalwood combination. wet on skin: plum rises to dominate at this stage. dry down: a light sandalwood, with notes of vanilla and plum, and sweet ricemilk poured over the whole affair. wonderful. in all: a close to the skin scent without a lot of thrown, this is a really special scent, the kind that will ensure i sniff myself all day long, and also ensure anyone close by will be pulled in for a closer sniff as well

in the bottle: tart passionfruit, sweet base guava, and cream. yum! wet on skin: i'm getting some apple now, but not the green apples of SGA, more the red apples of early fall when you pick them yourself in the orchards. mmmmm. dry down: alas, the cream had all but vanished. however, it's a lovely mix of sweet juicy fruits, and that's lovely. in all: this turned in total Hanami on my partner so i was nervous, because i DON'T like Hanami. but it has stayed a sweet fruity blend that i think 1. will be great for the warmer months and 2. will likely get more interesting as it ages. huzzah!

in the imp: this is really, really well blended. i can't say that i can pick out any individual notes at all here. it's just mildly sweet, but not foody. wet on skin: the leather is poking it's nose out a bit, but mostly this is still VERY blended. dry down: i get more of the leather, but not the overpowering leather of, say, De Sade. like a worn chair kind of leather. and something that's vaguely sweet-maybe the anise?-that's keeping the leather in check. but i get no metal or lube oil notes from this, as i did with Needle In a Haystack or something like that. in all: a mellow leather for daytime wear, should you be so inclined.

in the imp:yup- that's graveyard dirt and green moss, alright! wet on skin: there's an undercurrent of the same note that always shows up as Mr Clean on my skin. i don't know what it is, but it was in Pruno, too, and a few others. i hope this goes away... dry down: nope. it's staying. sigh. in all: like sitting in a graveyard, under a mossy tree, and someone comes along and dumps industrial floor cleaner on the whole placid scene. me? i'll stick to straight up Graveyard Dirt, thanks.

in the imp: sharp frankincense, rich myrrh. wet on skin: same. dry down: both have softened, but are basically the same. in all: a softer daytime version of Jacob's Ladder. so much like it, in fact, that had i know this blend existed as a GC, i might not have gotten the bottle of Ladder when i did.

in the imp: salty aquatic note dominates, with an undercurrent of juniper berry (must be the fir) wet on skin: same, with the juniper coming out a touch more. dry down: the juniper/fir is in the lead now, but the aqua still definitely has presence. in all: not my cup of tea, but if you like the above-mentioned notes, you'll dig this one.

in the imp: strong indian jasmine- the rich, dark kind, not the pale essential oil kind. wet on skin: same. dry down: same. in all: consistent, average throw. a solid, steady jasmine. i get nothing more from this oil. but if jasmine is your favorite, get a few bottles of this- you won't be disappointed.

although i wanted to try Stardust enough to get a bottle from another forumite, I had serious reservations about it working well on me because of the champagne notes amping out of control on me in Bon Vivant and also in all the Yule Champagne scents that came out this past December. All around, though, i've been pleasantly surprised! Finally, a scent with champagne that WORKS on me! this is because that note stays put in the mix, and doesn't start screaming. later, well after dry down, the darker aspect of this scent evaporates and what's left is a beautiful floral musk that is reminiscent of very expensive perfumes as one might wear out to the opera or a gala function or new year's eve. celebratory, extravagant, and high class, this is a floral for those of us who don't like florals!

in the bottle: honey wheat and rosehips (NOT rose, not yet, anyway) wet on skin: same- sweet, heady and delicious dry down: the rose- a sweet pink variety- has taken the lead, though the wheat and honey are still certainly present, given me the feeling of being in a field of wheat, while eating fresh honey of a thorny rose. in all: honeyed rose and ripe august wheat. sound good? you'll LOVE it! interesting post script: *combined* with her partner Silas, is a close approximation of Crypt Queen- though niether alone gives any hint of it. interesting, no?

Based solely on prior reviews, I decided to go ahead and get a bottle of Lupanar. I am NOT disappointed! This stuff is GORGEOUS. The Honey note is the Single Note variety that I got from a Forumite about 18 months ago- sweet, delicious, and warm. This is richer, in my opinion, than either the honey in O or Mead Moon, as both of those seemed to have a slight bitter edge (possibly from other notes with them, but it came off seeming like it was the honey note). In any event, Honey is dominant here, in a big way. I get no ylang ylang from this, but the almond and myrrh-though VERY subtle compared to the honey-add a nice warm roundness to to the scent overall. in all: while Cathouse remains my preferred scent for the boudoir , Lupanar is perfect for cozy evenings (or days!) at home with my beloved, snuggled up and eating delectable foods by candlelight together. :wub2:

in the imp: this is a weird thing to say, but this smells like Candied Brine to me, at least while still bottled. totally weird, but i SWEAR, that's the smell! wet on skin: more of the (strange) same! dry down: it's stayed THE. SAME. in all: the sexy company Kama Sutra used to make this blue bath salt that came with a little shell scoop. i don't know if they still have it, but this oil smells EXACTLY like that- sweet and seawater-y. totally weird, but it works somehow.

in the imp: very musty and herb-y. wet on skin: same, with some sweet iris tossed in. dry down: i'm getting quite a bit of "green" plant smell- i can only assume it's the herbs. and the recurring Iris. that's all, though- no sandalwood, or anything else. in all: a simple scent, light and "clean" without being soapy. good for day use, but nothing fancy.