VioletChaos
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Everything posted by VioletChaos
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In the bottle, all the listed notes are present and accounted for in a frothy, rich, decadent mess that I am instantly smitten with. I agree with the prior post that all remain accounted for in the final drydown...I just wish it was anywhere near as strong as the warm, gooey WHOOMPH! I get from first sniff upon opening. That said, there's a way where this scent feels like a bit of a BPAL throwback to the ways Beth and Co used to do some of the olde-timey foodie scents. It doesn't remind me of any one in particular, more that sense of "This is a classic BPAL cake-rich scent!". It's very warm and cozy, and it makes me want to pull on a big sweater and cuddle up with a book. I imagine I will do just that whilst wearing this lovely daytime scent over the ensuing cold months, in fact! Medium throw and a nice base scent, I could also see layering this with either resins (to punch up the drama) or a decadent gourmand (to heighten and extend the foodie aspect). It's also a great daytime scent on its own that would be friendly in a host of environments. Yummy! 😋
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I am thirding that this scent is a morpher to be sure! Even so, the vibe remains the same throughout the journey, which is what I was hoping for. I'm not always friends with florals OR with myrrh, but I just had a feeling that this would be an exception, and I was right. At its heart BBM is a dark, juicy, vampish, goth-girl scent. I picture my 19-year-old self, with meticulously applied eyeliner, having a fun night of drama and dancing at a club in L.A. with all my friends...but also the remnants clinging to my skin when I crawl into bed just before dawn, cozying up for sleep and gorgeous, gothy dreams. 🦇 The tuberose and black orchid are definitely the stars throughout, but this isn't a straight floral scent- the myrrh and vanilla provide a grounded-ness to the scent, with the other listed notes coming in for visits, leaving, and coming back, repeatedly. Not only was this a blind-buy, but I was so certain it would be grand that I got a backup to boot- and I'm glad I did, as I know this will get even better with age.
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Ceaselessly By My Side the Demon Stirs
VioletChaos replied to doomsday_disco's topic in Limited Editions
Definitely a morpher, but well worth the wait. In the bottle I guess I was mostly getting tea and maybe a hair of the white patchouli, because the scent seemed so clean, as to be almost acrid. It was startling because of all those deep notes. It needed a solid 15 minutes to settle into itself, but oh my, this scent is dead sexy in the final analysis. It's extremely well-blended, so that I can't really pick out individual notes, though the vibes of the amber, tonka and vetiver are definitely all playing their parts. The patch, tea and vanilla husk are adding an ever-so-slight perfume quality to the scent, but not so much that they're undoing the undernotes. Instead it's creating a very compelling high-low scent, where I'm able to perceive the tippy-top and the lowest bottom simultaneously when I'm directly sniffing it, but the two layers form a soft cloud of scent when I pull my arm further away. Because of that dichotomy, this is both a low AND medium throw scent. I would dab gently, at least to start, because I think that multi-layer aspect is quite unusual and I'd want to keep it, if possible. In any case, this is SO gorgeous and I'm really glad I snagged a bottle -
I tried several Dragons this year that weren't *quite* my thing. But Caput? I'm all in! In the bottle I get something that is fruity and that smells like light black cherries- it's clearly a mix of the fig and black currant. It stays that way for a while but once it's fully dry it becomes a *stellar* melange of spicy clove and rich resins (the patch and red musk, I presume). While I don't get the Mme Moriarty feels that the previous poster got (Moriarty is one of my top-5 ride or die scents, so I have my own associations with her) I can see how there's a similar vibe in terms of being a dark, wintery kind of scent. Clove can amp on me, but luckily it's letting other notes shine through, even as it adds a heavy spice to the proceedings. Given the density of the notes, I anticipate that this is only going to get better with age, and I'm VERY glad I have a whole bottle to add to my personal dragon hoard
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As others have said, very fresh, very bright, very green. In the bottle, I get a lot of the lime, but unfortunately for me, that dissipates almost instantly after application (this is is me-thing: I cannot hold citrus scents, alas. And it always makes me sad ). It's a summery, outdoorsy scent. I was hoping for more of the vegetal musks to be present for me, but largely, I smell like aloe vera and cucumber. 🤷♀️ I gave it to my partner, who is delighted by it, so no loss
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This was a very rapidly-shifting scent for me. I had pretty high hopes based on the description and listed notes, but alas, it went downhill quickly with my skin chemistry. In the bottle, I got the fruity pomegranate and a little of the patchouli, but once applied to my skin, most of that faded off rapidly, and was replaced by an ever-increasing dominance of what I believe must be the vermouth note as it's the only one in the mix I had no prior experience with. Upon total dry-down, I'm left with being in a goth kid's messy room...while they're touching up their roots with a box jet-black hair dye. Atmospheric, to be sure, but alas, not what I want to smell like.
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In the bottle: I get equal portions of red musk and wine. I think they are making each other a bit more fruity by proximity, the wine tossing its edge of booze and the musk losing its sometimes-acridity. Wet on skin: The "grape"-y aspect of the wine asserts itself as more of a thing and I gotta say, I'm a little surprised. But as it warms further, a more dramatic shift occurs, and all at once I'm getting saffron and a soft edge of the linen in the mix. It's becoming prettier by the moment. Dry Down: This is just gorgeous. The frankincense is present at full integration but this isn't the shrill, lemony frank that has often tussled with me in the past. In this blend it transforms the rest into a soft, and softly powdered, deeply beautiful experience. In All, a low-medium throw, this perfume stays fairly close to the skin. However, I would dab gently regardless, as the scent is so rich, deep and expansive, that to put too much on would ruin the impact of it for you as the wearer. I fully anticipate this is going to become extraordinary with age, though it really is sublime right now.
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Crow Moon: Black Currant and Black Violet
VioletChaos replied to doomsday_disco's topic in Duets & Menage A Trois
I am a violet collector (which I'm betting you could guess from my handle) and I made sure to snag this before it vanished forever. I don't know what to expect, but I've got my fingers crossed. In the bottle: A lovely dark violet. Velvety and deep. Mmmmm. So far, so good. Wet on skin: the black currant starts to come through, very fresh, actually, like a not-quite-ripe bit of tart fruit still growing. I'm digging the interplay thus far. Dry down: I didn't get the actual Crow Moon from the update to which this scent is attached, because fig and I frequently don't get along. But I feel like I get to enjoy the spirit of that Lunacy through this accompanying Duet. Now completely dry and melding with my chemistry, this scent is a sweet little gothy addition to my collection for sure. The currant and violet have combined to make something dark but delicate, clearly a thing that can be layered with other scents to bring an air of courtly grace, certainly, but which can be worn on its own as a daytime scent, which I will be doing for sure. When I *do* layer it, I anticipate mixing it with earthy-rich scents like Graveyard Dirt or Penny Dreadful, to add a little more complexity and drama to the proceedings. 🦇 -
In the bottle I get the neroli right away but there's something (based on listed notes) that I cannot name, that reminds me of...red pepper? It's completely bizarre. but then again, there's often aspects in a bottle-sniff that only make sense later, after application. Soooooo... Wet on skin: literally, the same. Orange blossom and red pepper. I. Am. Flummoxed. 🤷♀️ Dry down: Okay, finally at full dry down things have started to shift. I am getting some of that fruitiness mentioned in the previous review. I was expecting the red musk from Smut, but this is more blended with the fig here. And that's another thing- I was anticipating the HAI, FIG! that I have encountered in blends like Eden, but this is ALSO not the same note as I've previously encountered! There's a LOT of wild cards in this blend for sure. In all: What I've come too learn about the Prophet scents in general is that, for whatever reason, they seem to require more aging than many blends. It's possibly because if the richness or the complexity of the notes involved. For whatever reason, there's initial impressions and then there's what happens weeks or months later. For now, I am encountering a nice daytime musk, fruity and red, not intense, but not to be dismissed as simple, either. Given the listed notes, I believe this will definitely deepen and bloom with age, and I'm excited to see where it takes me, later.
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In the bottle: I get tendrils of the chestnut and the honey straight away. Honey in particular is a note that will usually jump out at me. Hopefully some others come out in application, though... Wet on skin: a teeny bit of the bread starts to emerge. I love the Lab's bread note, so if I'm lucky, this is a trend in the right direction! Dry down: the labdanum asserts its attachment to the honey at this point, which is a nice low-note addition to the mix. I'm also getting the bergamot now, but not the "sparkling" component. This is also not of the "earl grey" variety to me- this smells like the actual, fresh citrus fruit that bergamot is, as I encountered it in groves when I lived briefly in Morocco, and that is a very pleasant surprise to encounter here, and also feels thematically appropriate for a Gibran scent. In all: Because of the richness of the notes, I believe this will require aging to reach its full potential. That said, here in the present, this is a lovely, close-to-the-skin scent that reminds me of the BPALs of long ago, in that there's a sweet-hearted nature to this scent, and the chestnut / oakwood combo remind me, just a hair, of the 2005 release of Hearth, which is another sweet memory of the past. ❤️
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I got this specifically to help with what is intended- rest, recuperation, and hopefully some nourishment for my depleted nervous system. I will admit, I was worried upon first sniff- in the bottle I got a hint of what I can only describe as "urinal cake". Luckily that passed very quickly. I got a 30-second HELLO! from the slang-ylang, then that, too, passed by. Now that it's settled, scent-wise I'm mostly getting chamomile, lavender and tangerine. But the important bit is what it's *meant* for, and in that regard, it's giving me what I had hoped for, which is rest down to the cellular level. I opted to put this on at bedtime, and while the scent doesn't make me sleepy (like, say, TKO sometimes does) it IS relaxing me for sure. A *perfect* blend to help those adrenals get some much-needed support!
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In the bottle, I most just get a sweet almond, reminiscent of the crunchy Italian almond cookies I have enjoyed since childhood. This is a good start. Wet on my skin, the scent shifts dramatically, the lemonade roaring out of the shadows, the tart tang very distinct. Dry Down: There is indeed something mineralic about this blend, as mentioned by the poster above. It doesn't strike me as salt-y (like table salt) but rather as the kind of salts that would have been used in preparations obtained from your local chemist 150 years ago, perhaps to help with your fainting spells. But never, ever, to ingest. In all, a delightfully poisonous concoction that I will wear when I'm in specific moods...or perhaps when I rewatch Six Feet Under
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Strangled on Midsummer’s Eve
VioletChaos replied to doomsday_disco's topic in The Edward Gorey House
In the bottle, I cannot separate out a single note. Instead I get an impression of the scene being described above, which in itself is a treat. It's rare for a scent to contain so many elements and I can't identify a one. But here we are. It's an intriguing scent, though, so I'm happy to see where we go together next... Wet on skin: I'm definitely getting the wisteria and some other "purple" notes, which I assume are some combination of the violet ribbon and the bruise-colored velvet, which is delightful! That strong, black tea is bringing up the rear, and "acrid" is definitely the word I'd use to describe the note- but it's not unpleasant, because it's the counter-balance to the sweetness in those purple notes. Dry Down: A bloom of purple flowers, and bruises, alongside a cup of over-steeped tea, all arranged prettily on thread-bare table linens that are still kept meticulously clean and pressed. I get no roses or water/rain notes, which is fine by me, as there's plenty going on here as-is. This scent is not precisely what I expected, but I'm pleased as punch with it just the same. This seems to be a general theme for me with the Gorey scents, and I look forward to the next installment of this collaboration! -
Golden Peach and Butterscotch Soda
VioletChaos replied to doomsday_disco's topic in Event Exclusive Oils
Years ago I was lucky enough to order a Chaos Theory directly from the Lab that wound up being a thick, pure butterscotch on me. It was, and remains a glorious concoction. (I kept it and still wear it sometimes with delight). I'd been hoping that this scent would be that, plus peach. Alas, that has not been the case. That said, it's a perfectly lovely scent that starts with very fresh under-ripe peach and a spicy combo that reminds me a bit of pumpkin spice and a little of chai, without the cardamom. The peach doesn't stay around long on me here, but it settles into a nice, autumnal spice blend that I will wear for daytime use on its own in the coming months and maybe I will try layering it with some Weenies to amp the spice factor there, too. Medium throw, with long staying power- dab sparingly until you know how it's going to take to your skin chemistry -
In the bottle and straight through dry-down I get that aldehyde note front and center, that several others mentioned. I'm quite picky about my florals but these were delicately soft and fleshy enough that I found myself huffing my arm repeatedly to try to get a handle on them. Yes, there is a powdery aspect, no it's not of the baby variety. As the scent settled into my skin reaching full dry-down I was able to SO clearly picture that ballroom scene, the exceptional poof of that white dress, the dream-like quality of the party and its costumed revelers. There's magic here. Low throw but exceptional staying power- even after washing up, the scent lingered for hours. I will be wearing this alone for sure, but I can also see layering it with something vanilla-bean forward or even with a soft sandalwood. Total keeper
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In the bottle: very light, very delicate and fresh lavender- this is NOT like essential oil or lavender cologne. This is literally the experience of being in a garden in early summer when the lavender is first starting to bloom. It's one of those startling experiences where I go "But how did Beth DO that?!?" With a deeper second and third sniff, I also get traces of violet. Again, extremely delicate. The fact that the term "tender" is used in the description is quite apt indeed. Wet on the skin: as it warms, those two main elements hold to their delicacies- there is no big blast of florals that occurs. The musk and spun sugar start to emerge at this point, but they are just as delicate and fine as the florals. Dry down: This is *heartbreakingly* beautiful. A scent that retains its tender delicacy throughout, it is a classic "skin scent" in that it stays verrrrry close indeed: the throw is exceedingly low, as it should be, so I would discourage from slathering even though that might be an impulse. Myrrh and I typically have a fraught relationship wherein it aggressively takes over and unfortunately smells something akin to wet, rotting cardboard. So I am simply delighted to report that no such thing has happened here- the only way I can tell it's even in the mix is that after wearing for a while, the scent has a very slight powdery undernote that becomes part of the mix. But this isn't baby powder of old lady-ish, it's just more of the soft vulnerability that makes this scent so stunningly gorgeous. In all: A floral scent for folks afraid of florals, a scent of longing and nostalgia for those that worship at the altar of the original Antique Lace for similar reasons, a gentle musk for those wary of the genre. I anticipate this scent is going to be wildly adored by many. ❤️
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Black Butterfly Moon: Vanilla-Infused Frankincense and Raspberry
VioletChaos replied to doomsday_disco's topic in Duets & Menage A Trois
In the bottle, the raspberry jumps directly in front of anything else. I think it's the same Raspberry that once was squirted into Sufigyot, and that's what I'd been hoping for, so we're off to a great start. Wet on skin, the frankincense starts to assert itself. Frank and I don't always get along, but the other notes in this blend gave me the courage to give it a try. So far, it's behaving itself admirably, acting more like an oudh than the normally astringent frankincense I'm accustomed to. As it goes to complete drydown, vanilla finally joins the party, but this isn't an overt, assertive vanilla. The fact that it's specifically listed as a frankincense that's been *infused* with vanilla is apt- the van here acts to soften and sweeten the frank, and the frank definitely keeps the vanilla from being foodie or even gourmand at all. with a low-medium throw, this scent is warm and stays close to the skin. I've not layered this yet, but I can see how this would be compelling when paired with some of its Butterfly playmates, but I also like the low-key oudh-y vibes it's giving all on its own. -
Black Butterfly Moon: Tuberose and Sparkling Blackberry Wine
VioletChaos replied to doomsday_disco's topic in Duets & Menage A Trois
In the bottle, I am immediately overcome with a kind of BPAL-induced nostalgia as I instantly recognize the "sparkling" note in this Duet as being the same as the one that lead the charge in all the New Years Champagne scents of Yesteryear. :sniffle: Wet on skin, the hard-candy aspect of the tuberose begins to emerge, but at this stage, that sparkling, boozy bit is still center stage. As it warms up and melds with my skin more thoroughly, hints of blackberry join the party, but it's a bit of a peek-a-boo, where I detect it and then it flits off again, and then returns. There's something I can't seem to quite pin down about this scent, and it's SO confounding, because it's another of these saucy Duets where it SEEMS like it should be a simple lil' thing, but it's NOT. Once we hit complete dry-down, I notice that the sparkling element has shifted into a really beautiful wintery incense note that reminds me of this witchy incense variety pack I was a little obsessed with in late adolescence, and I'm feeling very excited about the possibilities this scent has to offer in the coming months as the days shorten and the world gets ever more crisp with cold. Another winner from the Black Butterfly update! -
Black Butterfly Moon: Black Orchid and Crushed Berries Hair Gloss
VioletChaos replied to doomsday_disco's topic in Hair
Initial reaction: Oh my stars and garters! Of all the goodies that I procured from the Black Butterfly Moon update, this hair gloss was the one I was least sure about, but wanted to take a chance on, given how compelling all the other scents were in the lineup. I am VERY glad I did. For what, at first glance, is a two-note fragrance, I'll tell you right now: don't be fooled- because if you let it, this combination will take you on a very multi-faceted ride. It's a real morpher. When I first sniffed it in my hands, and then applied it to my hair, I got the candy-like quality of the berries right away. The black orchid was right behind, and it was reminding me is something....specific. Then it hit me: this was the combination of scents I encountered in every punky-gothy hybrid shop that existed in the 90s. Some magic combination of musky incense displays, spooooooky roll-on scents with names like "Night Queen" or "Eternally Yours", pancake makeup from the OG indie makeup brands and remnants of hairspray and clove smoke. But then it shifted again! After it had been in my hair about an hour, it settled into a sweetly deep woodsy scent (?!?!) and a few hours later, I found it had pivoted yet again! This time into a balsamic/tonka with hints of oudh echoing throughout. I've not yet paired it with any of its Butterfly partners yet, but I'm excited to see what this dynamic duo can do when it has more playmates to hang around with! -
Tobacco-threaded incense smoke, labdanum, red benzoin, and blackened vanilla. 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 tobacco dominates. It's the same tobacco note from Red Lantern, which I believe is the chewy "French" tobacco variety. Wet On Skin: As it starts to warm on my skin, I'm getting the labdanum, which is lovely and a primary motivator in picking up this scent. The incense element reads as sage smoke to me right now, but that might change with drying. Dry Down: Unfortunately, as sometimes happens with my skin chemistry, the tobacco seems to be all but obliterating any other notes. Tobacco can age well and mellow, so I'll hold onto this bottle for at least a little while, but I was really hoping that the vanilla and benzoin would have a presence in this. In All: really high throw- a tiny bit goes a loooong way, so definitely apply with caution until you know how it'll go on your skin. A must-have for those that adore tobacco notes.
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COMPARISON OF CELEBRATED BEAUTIES Vanilla cream, mimosa, and almond blossom. In The Bottle: Mostly almond. A tiny, tiny hint of cream. Tiny. Wet On Skin: More almond, a bit more cream. Almost as an afterthought, the mimosa. but it's literally as I move my hand away from my nose that I get a small whiff. Noting more. Dry Down: Oh THERE you are, mimosa! Wow, that certainly morphed. The mimosa has gone quite powdery on me, a thing that's happened between me and this note before. It *is* held in check by the appearance of the vanilla cream, giving it some density and toning down the floral so it's not quite so baby powder-y. At this point, the almond has disappeared from my skin entirely. In All: Low to medium throw- go easy, I could see this becoming too much if you slather. A sweet, soft springtime scent. I'm personally on the fence about how much I'll wear it, but the vanilla cream is really making me consider. I will wait to see how I feel once it's warmed up outside- this might be the perfect thing for an evening spring stroll.
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No joke! Greasy petrolatum, lanolin, and titanium dioxide accords smeared with vanilla cream. Please note: this product contains no clowns or clown-derived materia. I HAD to have this. But I can't imagine what this will smell like... In The Bottle: Sort of like vanilla Play Dough Wet On Skin: A soft, white sweet smell. Not even vanilla, exactly. Like marshmallow fluff, or sweet-scented stage fog. Dry Down: It's become almost a sweet light musk. It's incredibly unassuming, very sweet and charming. Not the chemical greasepaint I had feared. But it's honestly rather hard to describe. In All: low to medium throw, sweet and comforting. Much better than clowns!
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A venerable and well-respected bat, Ghost Face Bats can trace their ancestry to the late Pleistocene era. Sugared coconut meat, vanilla pods, condensed milk, white honey, and benzoin. In The Bottle: The soft, cuddly scent of sweet coconut mixed with benzoin and white honey. It's not foodie per se, just warm and snuggly. Wet On Skin: The benzoin comes to the front a bit more, but the vanilla pods are in the mix now too, giving the scent some depth. The fragrance moves further from gourmand at this point, and is reminding me a bit of Hod. Dry Down: The condensed milk finally joins the party and sweetens the mix just a bit. However, the scent retains what it basically had as traits from first sniff: warmth and cuddles. This is a perfect cold-weather scent, and I expect to get lots of wear out of it in the next 6 months!
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Did it turn out to be the batch, mis-labeling, or more aging required? I'm especially curious because I had this happen with the Cathouse Atmo spray years ago. I got a Goblin Squirt and it was SO magical, it literally influenced my dreams when I was sleeping. So of course I purchased a full size- only it didn't smell the same. And it did NOT sell the same as the Squirt until a full *year* later! I wound up buying a second bottle for backup before I was even halfway through the first just because of the exceptionally long age time required to get it how I wanted it to be.
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And truly I was afraid, I was most afraid, But even so, honoured still more That he should seek my hospitality From out the dark door of the secret earth. Snake Oil with sugar, honeycomb, and thick vanilla cream. This was the scent I was hands-down most excited about, so I have very high hopes indeed! In The Bottle: I get the clean, crisp, almost-lemony scent of the Lab's sugar note right out of the gate. This is the same sugar that was in Sugar Moon from...2008, I think? It still stands out, because I like the almost-citrus aspect of the note, which is a delightful surprise. There's also a touch of the honeycomb bringing up the rear. Not a heavy honey like "O", this is lighter- certainly more "comb" than not. Wet On Skin: THERE'S the vanilla cream! Hello there! The Snake Oil is emerging as well, making this scent a true delight. Dry Down: I am *smitten*. I had frankly been hoping for something similar to my beloved Kwamie Cotton, and here it is! If you missed out on Kwamie or adore its sweet comfort, this is for you. An, knowing how well SO ages, I am certain this is going to go from "smitten" to "passionate love affair"- it's merely a matter of time. Hoard-worthy!!!