VioletChaos

... Corrupted black plum, smoky opium and crumbling dead roses covered by a deceptive veil of Hungarian lilac, white gardenia and wild berry. in the bottle: sweet berry, dried roses and that sweet scent of rot and decay wet on skin: berry, dead roses. dry down: a spicy note has entered the fray, making this far more complex than a berry-heavy scent like Bloody Mary. the berry is kept in check by the spice, and the dried/dead roses are really extraordinary. in all: a total keeper, and a supreme goth girl scent for all those winter days spent walking the moors!

in the imp: lots of spicy cinnamon, a little bit of something sweet but undefinable. wet on skin: more of the same, though it seems like cassia is in the mix now too. dry down: the cinnamon has settled, but the cassia has taken over in it's place. i get a tiny bit more of the peach now, but that's it. in all: it's not a bad oil, but with so many fall-on-the-floor scents from the Lab, i don't want to settle for "not bad".

in the imp: very sweet floral- lots of rose, but it's not the only note. wet on skin: same- with a touch of the citrus coming through. dry down: the mandarin is not enough to save this cloying blend on my skin. in all: if heavy, sweet florals are your things, give this a whirl- you'll probably adore it. for me however, it's off to the swaps!

2008 version. in the bottle: cider, clove, nutmeg and general autumnal yumminess. wet on skin: same, but with a hint of smoke coming through. dry down: a delicious Fall mix of sweet, smoky and apples. in all: a must have- glad i've got my bottle for all the crisp days ahead!

saddest news ever: cracked bottle on arrival! postal jackals! that said, i can still test whilst i wait for my replacement to show up... in the bottle: sweet sweet sugary-sweet. not the candy sweetness of JailBait, interestingly. it's like Sugar Skull and maybe a butterrum combined. wet on skin: uh oh. it's getting a Yankee Candle quality to the sweetness. i hope this is just a passing thing! dry down: crystal melon candy mixed with blue rasberry bubblegum, eaten while wearing berry lipgloss, while sitting near a autumn potpourri candle. in all: even with the candle-y bits, this is TOTALLY worth the endeavor. get some!

in the bottle: the sweet smoky teak of both Glowing Vulva and Antikythyra Mechanism. wet on skin: same. dry down: same! in all: not as complex as i'd hoped, but perhaps with a bit of aging it will get better.

in the bottle: the YUMMIEST of apple ciders! wet on skin: same, with a slight touch of autumnal smoke entering the fray. :swoon: dry down: the smoke has become far more dominant, but the cider is hanging in there in all: a fine fall scent- i'll wear this in a month when i go apple and pumpkin picking for sure!

in the bottle: the muguet and the beeswax are combining to make this fascinating combination that smells like melon rinds somehow. but don't be alarmed- this part passes quickly. wet on skin: the wool makes an appearance at this point, strangely enough. this scent is as peculiar as old Ichabod himself! dry down: paydirt: once it has a chance to settle, the milky tea makes itself known, mixes with the spicy pepper and becomes a sweeter version of Chrysanthemum Moon! in all: worth every penny, and the wait, this is a great scent. SO glad i got a bottle!

A deceptively sweet orchid vanille with a faint trace of stephanotis. in the imp: sweet, milky and lightly floral. lovely! wet on skin: reminds me of Eden a bit, but much, much lighter. dry down: it's like a combination of Eden and Dragon's Milk, without the fig or the Dragon's Blood. it's really really yummy. in all: condensed milk!

in the imp: yep- that's civet musk and opium, alright. wet on skin: the opium is becoming the top note, the civet adding a nice smoky quality to it. dry down: the civet has taken over! in all: a deep, smoky resinous blend. i could see some foolish people using this is the Dark Arts- THAT'S how deep this is. for us more...discriminating viewers, this is good oil for power on a dark winter's night.

in the imp: sweet, spicy. reminds me of a Yule incense i get at a magick shop here in nyc. wet on skin: same. i can't pick out any notes, it's very well blended. dry down: spicy, musky, sexy. in all: lives up to it's name! a grand oil for a grand seduction!

in the imp: bright floral, some gardenia, some green notes. wet on skin: same. gardenia seems to be growing in intensity. dry down: same, but with a hint of Lily of the Valley poking through. in all: a heady floral blend. if that's your cup of tea, then get ready to swoon over Suspiro.

in the imp: lemon and lavender. wet on skin: lavender is VERY strong in this. dry down: lemon verbena, with lavender holding it's own. in all: a clean blend, reminds me of soaps i use in the winter to unclog my sinuses. not a bad scent, but with all the really, really amazing things offered by the Lab, i think this one can wait. i hope not to offend!

in the imp: sandalwood. wet on skin: sandalwood and something sweet- i'm thinking the musk? it's REALLY nice. dry down: wow. this is GORgeous. the sandalwood has none of the usual bitterness. the musk adds a warm note, and there's also a sweet resinous element that i can't place but is just fantastic. in all: sexy, mysterious, sultry. makes me proud to be part Arabic!

in the imp: gardenia, straight up. wet on skin: same. dry down: same! in all: a solid gardenia to be sure. it read as a single note on me- i seriously didn't get so much as a trace of anything else. so if gardenia is your holy grail, stock up on this one for sure.

in the imp: citrus! wet on skin: yup. citrus. the pink grapefruit is what i'm getting the most at this stage. dry down: aw nuts! the citrus has become shampoo-like! in all: yep- all body wash, all the time.

in the imp: sweet, musky and a bit spicy. wet on skin: same. the labdanum, as often does on my skin, id emitting a vague grape-kool-aide scent. not unpleasant, but definitely...kool aide. dry down: the musk comes out, but that slight persistent grape-ness has remained. in all: for someone else, this may just be the musk they've been searching for. on me? not so much.

in the imp: interesting. i get lavender and cypress, though i don't recall either note being in the blend. wet on skin: same, with a hint of something very "green" coming through- myrtle? dry down: very green now, in deed. changed completely, as sometimes happens. reminds me of being in a green fern-filled wood after a heavy rain. in all: not so much my particular thing, but this smells lovely and full of nature regardless.

in the imp: like super-cheap penny candy and cough syrup wet on skin: the cough syrup is mostly gone, and is replaced by a rather nice spice note. but the sticky candy part is still the dominant here. dry down: the candy has fled and now what remains is a light, spicy cinnamon-esque perfume. surprisingly gentle, actually. in all: if you like spicy perfumes but generally find them too heavy, give this one a try.

in the imp: the sort of rose i'm not fond of: too sweet, too cloying, too much like perfume. wet on skin: same, but AMPED! dry down: yep- strong perfume-y rose, a hint of musk, but not enough to pull this one through. in all: i'm picky about my florals, so this is a pass. but if you like your rase STRONG, maybe you'll dig this blend. :shrug:

in the imp: whoa. and also, YUM: cool and soft is right! wet on skin: same. the coconut and milk of Eden are here, but somehow, probably because of the absence of fig, it smells quite different. the shea butter gives it a delicious softness that makes it lovely and yummy, without being too foodie. dry down: oh YEAH. i don't get the water note at all- just lots and lots of sweet creamy light yummy goodness. in all: TOTAL keeper! gettin' me a big bottle ASAP, yes i am!

in the imp: rose, of the darker variety. wet on skin: oh yes- THERE'S the musk dry down: strong musk, but the rose still hovers in the back there. sadly, no spices on me to speak of in all: sadder still, it's the "turns to baby powder" variety of musk. oh well- it sounded so good, but is clearly for someone who is not me.

in the bottle: a lemon coconut combination that is out of this world. wet on skin: i'm getting some strong almond notes tossed into the mix, but it doens't take away from the others at all. dry down: like...lime/coconut...cookies? confused! and yet delighted! in all: not necessarily the way i picture The Star smelling, considering it's my favorite card in the Tarot. and yet, it's sweetness, it's playfulness, does not in any way disappoint. thrilled to have this to add to my collection.

in the bottle: sweet musky amber-tinged goodness. wet on skin: the golden-scented heliotrope is coming out, and i'm also getting some of the spiciness of the carnation. dry down: sweet, almost-but not quite-powdery. the 'not quite' is what saves it! :whew!: in all: reminding me more than a little bit of Pink Moon, with a dash of Sportive Sun tossed in for good measure, this is a warm, golden scent that i will likely use in the dea of winter when i feel the chill and the grey all the way to the core of my bones.

in the bottle: lime and bourbon. like a mojito! wet on skin: same, but with a hint of leather snapped in for effect dry down: a lovely citrus based oil. more well-blended than Pirate Moon, more sultry than some i've encountered. a fabulous, underrated scent. in all: i'll let the boyfriend try it, but he'll have to get his own!