chai_girl

I am becoming addicted to this oil. I haven't used it in rituals or anything. I've been dabbing it on before work. I'm going through a kind of stressful, rough patch and decided to give this a try. I sometimes mix it with some unscented hair serum and run it through my hair. It is very uplifting and calming. I feel much more balanced when I'm I'm wearing it and it gives me the lift I need in the morning to start another day.

I bought an imp of this and tested it out Friday evening at an SCA (renaissance) event. I had spent the day preparing, setting up my tent, working a shift, etc. and then put a few drops on my wrists, throat and heart. I also let my friend try it out and we headed to the tavern.

 

Now, mind you, I'm not usually the type of girl the guys go for. I'm not naturally bubbly...I'm more likely to discuss the philosophy of how to become involved in a large social organization than to actually chat up a guy at the bar. I don't consider myself to be terribly attractive but not ugly or anything...I'm also overweight but not as bad as I was...but definitely not thin. I had no makeup on, my hair was in a ponytail. I ended up surrounded by a group of men that would make any woman drool. These men are SO out of my league...but they were all over me! It was almost scary. It was so incredible! The same thing with my friend. I looked at her, over the head of an incredibly hot knight who had his head buried in my chest and she was grinning from ear to ear. It was literally a "I'll have you, but not you...you can come closer...nope, not you" type of night. WOW!

 

Okay, so I got next to no sleep Friday night...then worked all day at the event on Saturday. I was very tired by the time we headed to the tavern Saturday night. Now, I'm sort of seeing this guy who is in the local group. He had gone to bed early on Friday night. We typically interact in the group as a couple but refuse to identify as a couple if that makes any sense. He has certain status and a conservative persona and has to be very circumspect. We have traveled outside our local group as a couple but we have never camped "together" locally. It was a cold night and I had my down comforter. He wrestled with things and ended up in my tent sleeping comfortably and warm. It was very nice! That on top of the fact that he kept whispering in my ear that I smelled lovely. Now, that had to be the Charisma because I hadn't had a chance to take a shower Saturday evening and was sweaty and dusty from the day.

 

So...uhmmmm....without too many details...very effective...I couldn't tell you what it actually smelled like but it smelled rather nice to me and not offensive at all.

I bought an imp of this from a forumite to try out. I wore it last night and was impressed with the attention I got. I'm not sure how much of it was the oil but I'm giving it a lot of credit.

 

Setting: A Society for Creative Anachronism (medieval re-creation) camping event. I camped (shared a tent and a bed) with a very good platonic male friend. The relationship has been on the verge of becoming more for a long time but neither of us is ready for that.

 

Reaction: I received a lot of attention from several men...many of whom have always kept a very careful distance between us. One example is a very a happily married man that I flirt with all the time (his wife is cool with it and laughs). I was strolling from campfire to campfire with my married friend and the friend I was camping with. In the middle of the path, my married friend decides to show me just how intimate ballroom dancing can be using the rhumba as an example. I had another old friend hurry past...then come back and give me a big hug. Another guy who I have been lusting after but recently acquired a new girlfriend came over three times to give me a hug. Now, the guy I was camping with kept telling me how "alluring" I smelled. There were several other random things...like men I didn't know coming up and striking random (and sometimes wierd) conversations...I think I was hit on by a guy wearing a monk's habit!

 

So, I will definitely put this in the effective category...and try it out again next weekend! I'll be camping by myself and have the possibility of bringing someone "home" if I wish so it will be a better test.

 

Now, the only reason I hesitate to give all the credit to the oil is because I've lost a significant amount of weight (almost 100lbs) and part of the reaction could have been to that and the fact that I was wearing a dress that actually fit for the first time a decade! But, I've seen most of these men during the time I was losing weight so it wasn't like a big surprise...the random strangers was a bit of a surprise ~grin~

I didn't read the previous reviews because I didn't want them to change the way I felt about this scent.

 

I wasn't sure what to expect and I just dropped it on my wrist...wow! It was very dark and musky to start with and I was a bit unsure. Then it began to dry down and it is very incense in a fresh, green way but hasn't lost the darkness.

 

Visualizing this scent: It is like standing at the mouth of a deep, dry cave that opens high on a mountain with lots of lush vegetation and flowers around the mouth of the cave. In one breath you get the darkness and earthiness of the cave and the fresh flowers and greens from the mouth of the cave. A very unique scent that seems familiar, but not.

I scored an imp of this and fell in love. I didn't buy the bottle because leather scents usually smell really fake to me. Of course, I should have known Beth better than that.

 

To me, this smells like a well-worn leather jacket...not sweaty and stinky...but the gentle musky scent from being worn for years with shiney patches at the elbows and around the pockets. It is a very comforting leather scent.

 

I put a dab of it on a guy friend and I had a really hard time keeping my hands off him...what does that say about me?

 

Now to score a bottle of it.

First impression - warm buttery butterscotch

 

Wet: Vanilla and butter with a touch of sweetness

 

10 minutes: Wow! Where did those flowers come from? There is a note in there that is definitely floral but I can't place it...maybe freesia? It is high and sweet but also a bit tart.

 

30 minutes: A soft powdery (in a good way) floral scent. Clean but with a touch flowers. It is a wonderful spring scent and a keeper for me.

This scent started off in the spring with fresh herbs and a tart green apple scent. I was reminded of walking through the herb section of the farmer's market on a warmish morning sipping a cup of warm granny smith apple cider.

 

Then it moved into summer with the apple scent fading and the herbs drying down. There seems to be a bit of a floral in there and it is all being warmed by the golden scent of amber.

 

About an hour later it has settled into autumn. The herbs have a slightly powdery scent and the amber is still there to provide a golden glow. The apple seems to be in the background but it isn't as prominent and has more of a floral accent than a fruity one.

 

I like this one but not enough for a full bottle...mostly because I already have more bottles than I can possibly use in a lifetime and I'm becoming very picky about the scents I upgrade.

I closed my eyes and reached into my monstrous pile of imps and pulled out Spellbound this morning. I was in a hurry so luckily I didn't slather it on. It is a very strong scent that seems to be lasting.

 

I don't get roses from this. I read the description after getting to work and was really surprised to see not one, but three! roses. I'm getting a soft warm scent. The amber and musk seem to be taking the lead. The roses are way in the background, like they are drifting in on the breeze and mixed with the amber and musk to the point of not being definable.

 

I like this scent but it is definitely not for the faint of heart. It is a stand up and take notice scent...reminds me of the "nobody puts Baby in the corner" line from Dirty Dancing. This would be the scent she would wear to tango her heart out.

I bought this as an xmas present for a friend of mine. He is a native american (sort-of) elder. He is part of the tribal leadership group (I'm not sure of the exact terminology) for his tribe. "The deep bass growl of thunder over mountain trees" is what reminded me of him, so I had to get it for him.

 

It is a wonderful clean fresh scent. I haven't tried it or smelled it on him yet but it smells very fresh and tangy...like right after a nice hard rain in a forest. Another guy friend smelled it and was like "Damn, I might even kiss him if he is wearing this!" (and this guy is very straight). I'm tempted to order more for my other guy friends

I used this last night. I got the lavender at first then then lemon came out stronger. As I drifted off to sleep, it was a lemon, herbally lavender scent. Very soothing but not your normal "sleep" scent.

 

I'm not sure if it was the thunderstorms that rolled in at bedtime, the fact that my daughter crawled into bed with me and kept kicking me all night, or Nanshe, but I kept waking up all night long with really strange dreams that I couldn't remember as soon as I woke up.

I have to agree with Mrs. Black. The key thing will be to find something that will be relaxing to you.

 

Outside of BPAL, you might try someplace around town that sells essential oils or Whole Foods. They usually have essential oil blends that are designed for muscle pain relief.

I turned this into a massage/lotion bar before trying it on as an oil. In the bottle it didn't smell like anything that I'd like...kind of a lemony apple scent. I thought it would make a good experimental oil because I wouldn't be to disappointed if it didn't work out.

 

I tried it on as a lotion and I fell in love. The lemony apple turned into this powdery sexual scent that I love. There is just enough sweet to keep the patchouli and musk from being too too. It is very well blended.

 

I have a youngish friend (he's still in college and makes me feel like Mrs. Robinson even though it is purely platonic) and I sent him off to a party slathered in my Desire butter...and he raved about it. He said the girls (and guys) were all commenting on how wonderful he smelled!

My experience was very similar to SarahJ's:

 

Wet: Lily and sage...a pungent and green...kind of a sharp high note...not too sure about this

 

 

Dry down: A soft light floral with a strong base of sandalwood and a touch of floral. I think this is definitely a gender neutral because I can see this going just as well with silk as with flannel...

I couldn't break out the scents into individual notes. I reapplied this after Mabon had dried down...I'd put one on each arm and Mabon completely overwhelmed the softer Wildfire.

 

The impression I got was standing in a field of golden brown grasses and wildflowers in the late afternoon at the end of summer. The grass and wild flowers are almost burnt from the heat of the sun. The scent is a soft smokey scent...but not like heavy smoke from a flame...and not the bitter burnt smell of smoldering ashes either.

 

I love this scent!

I kind of slipped when I applied this so I had a ~lot~ of Mabon one arm and lil bit of Wildfire on the other.

 

The Mabon overwhelmed the Wildfire in a heartbeat...Strong blackberry wine...almost too strong, with that bit of bitterness that you get in a dark wine. I was worried...

 

As it dried, the blackberry stayed strong but the other scents crept in. I think apple and sage came next...kind of a sweet herbal scent. Then the florals came in and blended everything together.

 

After an hour, I was in love with it. The scents had mingled...and while blackberry kept centerstage, she allowed all the other scents to support her and show her off in all her different aspects.

 

I think this is a keeper!

My experience with the massage bars indicates that it all depends on the imp. Some of the stronger scents handle dilution easily...but diluting a lighter scent like Juliet is a delicate thing. I'd start off adding a little bit of carrier oil at a time until you got it to where you want it.

I received Chaos Theory III today.

 

I love love love it! I'm trying to detect the notes but this scent has a strange dichotomy that works.

 

There are actually two main scents when you sniff. As I inhale, I smell a fruity scent...maybe cherry, might be pomegranate. I'll have to re-sniff Swank to see. As I exhale, I get a more herbal scent. Not quite a mint but it reminds me of a mellow herbal mint. Mint isn't the right word but it has that freshness of mint without being flowery or herbally. I can't describe it.

 

As I was driving and sniffing (I know, don't sniff and drive), I was trying to describe it in my head. When I put the mint and cherry together, I thought...hey, that's like a cherry cough drop! But this scent is soooo far from that. With the cough drop, the scents mingle...this is so bizarre because it is almost like I'm inhaling a different scent through each nostril and it doesn't really blend, but they complement each other.

 

It has mellowed now and whatever the non-fruity scent is has lingered and is nice and soft. I can't wait to try it again!

 

 

ETA: I did a sniff comparison between Red Moon and my Chaos Theory. I think they have several of the same notes, but my Chaos Theory is like Red Moon amplified...the difference between Jazz (Red Moon) and Rock-n-Roll (Chaos Theory). Red moon seems to blend a bit more...while the notes are more distinct in Chaos Theory. I like them both...I think of them now as my equivalent to O and Dana O'shee...one is a kindler gentler version of the other and I love them both!

 

ETA again: okay, today I don't smell mint...it is a cinnamon blend. I don't know what I was thinking. It is a distinct cinnamon. It is blended with a fruity scent that almost overrides except for that tang that is cinnamon.

Beth gave me an imp of this in my last order...I have to tell you, at first I was like...Beth must have been on crack when she made this! It smelled like stale coffee.

I let it sit though, trusting to our wonderful Lab Goddess. It dried down to this nice floral scent and the coffee disappeared into the background. No single note stood out but a nice soft blend...I'll have to try it again because I ended up getting in the shower before I could fully analyze it.

It was tough getting through the dry down stage but very worth it, IMO. Just don't apply right before your date is supposed to get there!

EDITED description to match the official one --Shollin

I have a major deadline this week and my project isn't going well. I've decided hell or high water I'm taking off on Friday.

 

I put on WoND to help me get through the day and so far it is working. Two more things were added to my plate in the last two hours and I'm still amazingly calm.

 

This is definitely a relaxing scent that will help you get through the stressful times. It is clean and fresh...but strong. Most scents like this don't last but this one is still going strong hours later. I brought the imp with me to refresh but I don't need it yet.

 

This is definitely a keeper and I might make a massage bar out of it.

This smelled like iced tea to me...unsweetened with a bit of fruit flavoring tossed in. I kind of reminds me of my favorite summer tea - half regular tea and half of the celestial seasonings black cherry tea...very yummmy

 

On dry down, the tea scent has faded into a soft fruity/floral scent.

 

I like this one so far

 

A couple of hours later: it has a soft musky note to it now. I can't smell the tea at all. Musky isn't the right word...but it is smokey without smelling like smoke but still with a fruit element to it.

 

Wishing I had gotten a 10ml.

This smelled like spiced oranges in the vial. I thought it was going to be too sweet but as soon as I put it on...CLOVES! All I can smell is cloves. Occasionally I get a hint of a floral or sweetness...but the primary overwhelming scent is cloves. I think this will go well with my Chai shower gel from Lush.

 

I'm going to a BBQ joint for lunch, I wonder how the cloves will meld with the mesquite smoke?

You might try diluting it a bit in either a cream or a neutral oil like jojoba or grapeseed.

 

The other option might be to put it on a cotton ball then tuck the cotton ball inside your bra where it won't be noticed.

This is a strange scent on me. I placed a dab on each wrist and between my breasts. The scent on my wrists is decidedly different from the scent that is wafting up from between my breasts. I've never had that happen before.

 

At first the scent was a smokey spice scent with just a touch of floral. I wasn't sure I was going to like it. It began to mellow a but it stayed true to the original scent, just softer. It is kind of like a middle eastern bazaar with spices and smoke from cooking fires wafting through...and a flower market around the corner adding a sweet high note to mix.

 

My wrists smell more like the spice and smoke...the scent from between my breasts is a much stronger floral...I guess it is gardenia since that is what everyone else is saying. It is what I call a high sweet note...as opposed to a duskier, deep note.

 

The jury is still out on this. It might be a special mood or occasion scent. Since it is drying down in two different ways, I'll have to try it again to be sure.

I sent in a mondo order. I decided to go ahead and replace some of my favorite oils that are getting a bit low and order a good supplie of imps that should see me through the fall and hopefully until the holidays except for a couple of limited editions along the way.

 

I also ordered for a couple of girls at work, so it is a huge order and I hope it doesn't send Beth over the edge trying to fill it. This is what we ordered:

 

10ml - Blue Moon

 

5ml - Voodoo

Dragons Milk

Black Dahlia

Snake Oil

Jezebel

Three Witches

Sin

Lughnasadh

 

Imps - The unicorn Blood Lotus

Incantation Mystery

(2)Tushnamatay Midnight

Kostnice Megeara

Aizen-Myoo Queen of Sheba

Wanda Masabakes

Titiana Old Amsterdam

Dana Oshee Phantom

Twilight Cathedral Arcana

come to me van van

water of notre dame wrath

Kabuki Snake Oil

(2) Tushnamatay Wilde

Desire Intrigue

Blood La Bella Donna Della Mia Mente

 

 

 

And I do have to admit ...that at least half the order is mine.

 

How I use Blue Moon will depend on how the scent interacts with my chemitry, but at least I'll use it for ritual/magickal purposes.

I like this scent but it isn't something I'd reach for on a regular basis. It is a fresh, green, clean scent with just a hint of dampness (don't ask me how she does it!). I can definitely smell the rose but it isn't an overwhelming ROSE scent. It would make a great soap, shower gel or room scent.

 

I'm going to give this imp to a friend who I know will wear it.