tinyvulture

First impression - very similar to the "autumn leaves/cologne" note in October. More bitter and masculine than I expected. As it dries down, that sharpness smooths out and the distinctive warmth of ambergris appears. Soft and grey like fuzzy wool. But there's still a bitter note I dislike, and it somehow smells like Mexican food of all things, which I've also gotten with Bella Donna de mia Mente. Who knows!?

Washable acrylic on economy craft paper, 2011 This is my happy day. My happy day is always purple. Plum sugar, blackcurrant bud absolute, pink jasmine, effervescent elemi, purple carnation, honeysuckle nectar, and champagne grape.  Bubbly jasmine. Like, jasmine flavored LaCroix! That bubbly! No carnation, maybe a little blackcurrant or plum, just adding a very light fruity sweetness. It's mostly fizzy jasmine. Makes me smile!

Deep yellow-brown oil. This reminds me at first of my beloved GC Athens, due to the strong myrrh note. And then, not blood, but wine -- fruity and tart! And here's soapy iris, and rose. As it dries...no more wine, just sweet myrrh and florals. So sweet it's almost candy-like. I like it but a decant will suffice.

Hey, it's the creamy almond milk note that I love from Organ Grinder! Here it blends with a pop of fizzy sweet peach blossom. Almost like a peach champagne, fun and flirty. No amber or musk that I can tell. This is a vivacious, bubbly scent. I think I prefer the earthiness of Organ Grinder, as far as almond blends go.

Orchid, blended with a fruity, sweet tea. I'm not getting specifically a honeycomb note, so much as honey-sweetened tea. It's nice but it's one of those floral blends that feels too mature for me.

I will buy anything with star jasmine listed among the notes! Unfortunately, this one didn't work out. The orris is far more noticeable than the jasmine or the honeysuckle. I was hoping for the jasmine to be front and center. Orris is sweet, so dry, so powdery. Not really getting any other notes out of it, so I will swap.

RED MUSK!! As often happens, red musk overpowers eveything else. The mimosa, clove, and florals make an amazing backdrop. It's like a heavily floral version of Smut. I would wear this often...sexy and fun!

Lilac and lily, with a pop of nectarine sweetness. The citrus quickly fades, and it's strictly florals for a bit. The green tea appears next, and the beeswax smooths all the notes together. No ginger or bergamot for me. I'm beginning to think I'm just not a lilac lover. It always feels too mature and staid for me. Off to swaps.

A bouquet of fresh, white and blue flowers, dew still on the petals. I like it, though I'm unable to name any particular flowers at first. After it dries down, the rose note becomes noticeable, and also something really lush -- oleander? This is very pretty and work-appropriate, it will go into the rotation.

Bright, bold honeysuckle, with wildflowers and green grass faintly in the background. This note is strong and long-lasting. I'm still smelling it 8 hours later. I prefer it once it dries down, when it goes all sweet and powdery. Reminds me of the honeysuckle that thrives here in the spring, a very true floral perfume.

Strong patchouli and leather notes. Masculine, sexy, powerful. I'm not getting any cardamom. But I am noticing the blackcurrant, tart and dark. I would love this as a room scent. I love how the tart fruit offsets the earthy patchouli and leather.

Soft, pretty florals -- lotus and champaca -- with dry, paper parchment. A sweet, dry, powdery scent. I think the lotus is a little too candy-sweet, as it can be with my chemistry, for me to wear this regularly. But it's very nice and I'd wear it on occasion.

From my googling, cade = tar. This is an unsettling perfume. Like mildew mixed with tar. Not for me.

At first, this is a sexy combination of dark patchouli and sweet cherry-cola labdanum. But what it dries down to is exactly the same as a 10-year-aged amber SN oil that I have. Warm, incredibly resinous and grainy, so sweet. Of course I love it. 12 hours later it's still there, wow!

The "milky white fluid" must be coconut milk. I'm getting a strong coconut milk crossed with the "sour milk" note of Milk Moon. The iris is lowkey. A creamy floral, emphasis on creamy. It's not TOO sour on me, as Milk Moon was. I think I like it, weird as it is!

A sweet, resinous floral blend. I'd say the narcissus resin is the most prominent note, followed by frankincense. I'm not getting any amber. It's astringent at first, almost like nail polish remover, but nice once it dries down.

Think rich, creamy, sugary, almond pralines. Reminiscent of other BPAL praline blends like Pralines and Powdered Sugar and Gluttony. The nuttiness of King Cake is what sets it apart. I love the roasted almond aspect of this blend. I'm not really getting any brioche, butter or cream cheese notes. Just sweet, crunchy pralines! So strong and long-lasting.

Here we have Snake Oil's spicy, incense-y vanilla, with loads of extra sugar and vanilla added. Not getting much of a honey note -- just overall sweetness. I love its girly,playful sexiness and musky warmth. So glad to have a bottle!

I've long been a fan of the Somnium category, and lavender blends in general, for bedtime. And yet I never laid my hands on a bottle of TKO until now! It's the queen of all the lavenders, isn't it? Just herbaceous, healing lavender, and smooth, not too sweet, vanilla. TKO is more medicinal-smelling than sweet, overall. Just taking a couple sniffs of it really chills me out. Five stars.

Strong foody notes - vanilla and sugar cane mingled with a spike of tart grapefruit. Like a slice of buttery citrus pound cake. Think "Eat Me" + grapefruit!

Oudh and frankincense resins vie for dominance here. The rose is just floating around in the background, and I'm not getting any chamomile. I love resinous blends, so even though at first application there's something sharp, almost like acetone, I wait patiently. I'm rewarded with a scent that dries down beautifully. Lovely resin and floral combination, and finally the barest hint of chamomile...without the frankincense making it too "churchy" or too similar to Rose Cross. Thumbs up.

Gunpowder!

First impression - lavender and a very earthy, almost vetiver-like, tobacco note. Reminds me of The Scales of Deprivation...in that it's a very "masculine" blend yet heavy on lavender which I typically associate with more feminine blends. After a few moments I get hints of more exotic notes...the patchouli, the benzoin, the champaca. I am liking it more now. The lavender has chilled out, it's barely noticeable except as a cooling background note. This is very "chill hippie dude" scent. It's very close to the skin.

Vanilla mint, very similar to the rare Snowblind. Faint hints of rose, marshmallow, and fruity red currant make it a little more vibrant and complex. It's not a particularly strong scent on my skin, and not something I'd wear to work as it's quite foody. It sure is pretty though.

I don't think I've ever seen rose and coconut together before. OMG, it's so lovely! The tonka and orchid add to the lush, romantic floral vibes. The Spanish sage adds just the right touch of clean herbal for contrast. Such a complex, gorgeous, romantic blend! Love love love.