VioletChaos
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Everything posted by VioletChaos
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I've had this for a number of years, I can't believe I never wrote a review! In the bottle and on my skin it stays relatively stable. The chamomile and rose are definitely the stars of the show, though the lavender and especially the rosewood really help to ground the scent and keep it from feeling too high-pitched in quality or tone. Sometimes I might pair it with this body preparation I got at a natural foods shop ages ago, called Benediction Oil. The rose in that pairs really nicely with the rose in Despair: I feel like energetically they echo and magnify each other in intent and it's a really comforting combo. I don't wear it often but I'd never dream of letting it go- when I am experiencing a certain kind of grief, works as well as Despair. 💙
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I am writing a separate review because I won a bottle of the original 2007 release maybe a year or two ago, and rereading my evaluation of the 2016 version I feel like these are nearly two different scents, at least on me. This isn't the first time I've encountered this, but it's one of the most extreme. I am *certain* that the years of aging have helped, but there's definitely more to it than just that. All of which is to say, I am absolutely delighted with the 2007 iteration. The champaca and hyssop are largely absent from this version. Or rather, they've embedded themselves so deeply into the music of the scent as to no longer be present in any way that is distinguishable. And that works here, because the threads of the rest- the frankincense, labdanum and sugar cane- all mingle into a final product that I can only describe as a fraternal twin sibling to Snake Charmer. "Fraternal"- not "Identical": that's important here, because one is NOT a dead ringer for the other. But if you, like me, swoon in the presence of Snake Charmer then I assure you that here, too, you will swoon. I dabbed this on today as a lark, because my mood wasn't set on a particular way. And I'm really glad I did- as we edge toward autumn, this Viper will be in much, much heavier rotation for sure. 💚🐍
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Each order placed on Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Filler Whatever Sunday, or Cyber Monday will receive two 1/32 oz. imps of INCOLUMITAS, one to keep and one to share. It’s been a very challenging year for so many, and this little imp is our gesture of bottled kindness. INCOLUMITAS is a scent of safety and security, of peace of mind and freedom from harm: warm honeyed patchouli, bourbon vanilla, sweet sage, and lavender. In The Imp: A good, pure lavender. This isn't a sugared or cologne-y lavender, this is more like clean essential oil lavender. Wet On Skin: The vanilla comes into play, sweetening the lavender quite a bit, and it goes from being that almost-medicinal to a little more of the sugary lavender encountered in True Love or Day Break- two lavender scents I adore, so I'm happy with the direction this is taking! Dry Down: The scent stays mostly true from wet to dry down, with the exception that I'm getting the *slightest* edge of sage in the mix now, giving this scent something that feels bittersweet, somehow, like cherishing joy in the midst of acknowledging the hard time all around us. Which seems perfectly apt for what this scent is all about ❤️
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I was gifted a partial (obviously well-aged) imp of this and I'm finally getting round to giving it a proper test. Part of what took so long for me to try it out is that, unlike I think everyone else on this thread the initial hit I got was leather. Not super strong leather, like leather that is old and very broken in. But leather nonetheless. Leather notes of all kinds typically amp on me, so I put the decant away following that initial sniff ages ago. But today I wanted something from the Lab was both old (in terms of original release date) and new (to me) so this fit the bill. True to its name, once applied, Tetramorph shifted away from the leather I detected almost immediately. It remained in the background, giving some heft to the sweet, incense-y vanilla that stepped up to fill the void. I was walking around running errands and huffing my arm, trying to figure out what else was in the mix, but every time I'd almost catch it, the scent would shift, then shift again. It was warm and slightly spiced and deep, but not so heavy that it felt inappropriate for this summer day. Now it's hours later and that beeswax so many folks mentioned has indeed become the dominant note, though I definitely didn't catch any of that earlier- the scent really had to mellow out for it to show up on my skin. It's staying close and is soft in a way that reminds me vaguely of Hod, where it's both rich and subtle simultaneously. In all, a classic, old-school Lab scent that is complex and lovely. It's got low throw and I could see wearing this in about two months when we start to roll into the first chilly sweater-wearing days of autumn. 🍁🍁🍁
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Apricot and blood orange with dragon's blood absolute, golden vanilla, chamomile, white honey, and oudh. Full disclosure- I adored the apricot-orange mix in 4 Seasons: Winter so much that I blind-bought TWO bottles of this just based on that other scent. Now I get to see if this was a genius move or a terrible idea! In The Bottle: Sweet apricot and tart blood orange, right off the bat. Wet On Skin: The orange starts to mellow as it warms on my skin, bringing the apricot right to the front of the line. The dragon's blood cuts through in the background with a slight edge of acridity, an unusual but perfect touch, considering the sweetness of the two dominant fruit notes. The white honey might be back there, too, but only by a hair. Dry Down: All of the above, but more finely tuned, less as separate entities, more an integrated phenomena. I get no vanilla or oudh, but they're not missed- this sweet, soft fruit scent is lovely as is, and I suspect that as we move further into spring, it will definitely become more and more of a go-to scent for me. In All: Low throw and just lovely, glad I got my bottles all lined up!
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Black plum, 7-year aged patchouli, nutmeg, and tobacco leaf. Proceeds from the sale of both of the Hymn to the Erinyes scents benefit RAINN, the United States largest anti-sexual violence organization. RAINN operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline, and provides programs to help survivors, prevent sexual violence, and ensure that offenders are brought to justice. In The Bottle: the plum is definitely the dominant note here. In fact, I don't think I detect anything else at this point. Wet On Skin: As the oil warms on my skin, I detect a hint of the nutmeg. Without the other notes, the two make some strange bedfellows. Far more floral and light than I'd anticipated. Dry Down: The tobacco leaf steps in, but just a bit, to warm things up and round them out a little. This reminds me very much of a perfume I wore many years ago, Pòemé, from Estee Lauder, I think? This is a "perfumey" kind of scent, elegant, floral, light. I don't know if it's for me, but folks that like more classic perfumes are going to adore this one.
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It's always funny to be testing scents from very long ago because so much history has accumulated since then! For instance, when I first opened this bottle of King of Clubs, the earth, fig and greenery notes have combined to remind me of Laura (American G-ds line), which of course came way later. After application, it doesn't take long for this King to shift and change and bloom in all kinds of interesting ways. The earth note stays present, which I really really appreciate. The dark musk, oakmoss and amber form a stellar trio that are distinct enough that I can pick them out of a lineup, but really work together to form a cohesive whole. I can detect leather in the mix but luckily the note is doing deep background and not amping, which it likes to do on me with annoying frequency. It may well be due to the years upon years of aging, but whatever the cause, I'm definitely not mad about it. This is essentially where the scent settles itself. Even after all these years I am sometimes surprised (and pleased!) with what aging can do for a scent. Given the notes, there's an excellent chance I would not have gone for this scent when it was first released like twenty years ago. But those decades of aging have made this scent a real treasure. I'm so glad I finally get to add him to my OG Tarot collection. Long live the King!
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I got Tiki King! when It was first released but for some reason I cannot fathom, the Queen didn't come up on my radar until this year. I am delighted to have the opportunity to snag a bottle of this now, after so long! Of course I've no idea what this scent was like fresh but certainly, I can echo much of what others in this thread have mentioned: this scent is a gorgeous, heady, indolic floral/tropical mix. It's all sweet, beautiful warm-weather florals for me and I am absolutely delighted with it! I'm quite picky about florals, they frequently don't play nice with my chemistry but Tiki Queen is an absolute dream for me, lush, fragrant and surprisingly close to the skin given the notes involved. This scent is sensual and just SO beautiful. I am absolutely smitten!
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I've waited ages for this and it was worth the long process to secure my own! In in the bottle and for about an hour after application, I most get that nice rich loamy soil note that I am so desperately in love with, in scents like Penny Dreadful amongst others. Even in the bottle, though, the earth note is not alone, and throughout this first period I get the dips and dives of myrrh and currant and incense. Nothing stays steady here except the earth note. Later on, there's some shifts, with the soil retreating to the background (not gone, but definitely well-faded. Myrrh and amber vie for top spot with the fruit notes coming in behind. I can see the parallels some have made to Crypt Queen- both scents share a vibe of ancient-tomb-wisdom. As with all the OG Tarot scents, there's an overall feel of this being more about the sum than the individual parts. Since I collect the Tarots, this one would be permanent in my collection no matter what. That said, I do rather like the crone-complexity of this scent and am delighted to finally welcome Her home.
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Milk Moon: Pumpkin Spice & Condensed Milk
VioletChaos replied to doomsday_disco's topic in Duets & Menage A Trois
I also sometimes have issues with milk notes going wonky, but figured since it was condensed milk there wouldn't be cause for concern and my gamble paid off! In the bottle and after initial application, the condensed milk is of the "sweetened" variety, which was as I hoped. It's more forward of the two notes during these stages, with that lovely Lab pumpkin spice note coming up from the rear. Once it's achieved full drydown, the note prominence reverses, with pumpkin spice out front and the milk note settling more into the background. In all, I found this to be a lovely "Summerween" version of the classic pumpkin spice scent- it's softer, more mellow, and stays closer to the skin. I anticipate wearing this over the next three or four hot months primarily to layer a little extra spice into my favorite warm-weather blends and probably starting in August to help me ramp up to all the autumnal delights that will soon be following. 🧡 -
Snowy Circus Peanut
VioletChaos replied to doomsday_disco's topic in Gifts with Donation or Purchase
Two great tastes that taste great together: the banana-candy quality of a chewy circus peanut is dead-on and I concur with all prior statements that the "snowy" note is all Snow White, all the time. I like both, so I don't dislike anything about this as a duet, but it's not a standout for me in either genre. I'll hold on to my imp for the time being, but there are other versions of each note that do more work in other iterations. I might try layering it with the accompanying 13 but that 13 dries down to coming decidedly not chocolatey or sugary, so I'm not sure if the addition of this scent will be a check in the plus or minus column. Stay tuned! -
From the bottle until about 90 minutes post-application, this version of 13 reminds me very, very closely of the Lilith of long ago, Sprinkle Cake. There's the same melange of sweetness and cake-y-ness but also a nice, dry cocoa powder to balance it out. I wasn't mad about it. At around the 90-minute mark, a lot of the hallmarks of a typical 13 vanished, along with most of the sweet elements, and for the next several hours I had a lovely, low throw, low-key mix of benison, tobacco and smoky bits. It sounds like it could be quite dramatic, something at home amid the Weenies, but it's very soft, which keeps it from being overwrought. 13's tend to be hit or miss for me, but I really like how far afield this one turned out to be. I shall hold on to my bottle for sure.
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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.