tinyvulture

There’s a whole lotta pumpkin in this, and a good amount of spicy red ginger. I’m not very familiar with red ginger, but it seems less astringent than the white ginger I’m used to. It’s got a deep spiciness that is almost savory. (Note to self – seek out other red ginger scents!) I thought this would be similar to Pumpkin Queen but it’s nowhere near as sweet. The vanilla isn’t adding noticeable sweetness and, although citrus usually amps on my skin, I’m having a hard time detecting the lemon peel or mandarin orange. Honestly, this is like a pumpkin curry or something. Maybe it’s just my weird skin chemistry, but most pumpkin blends end up smelling like pie on me, I think this is extremely cool and different.

as a perfume, Black Cat is a strong blend of mint (or perhaps eucalyptus) and lemon. it’s quite medicinal, and has a “Mr. Clean” aspect to it whenever the lemon amps too strongly at first. i prefer it when the lemon dies down a few minutes later and the mint is in the foreground, because then it’s invigorating and refreshing. i also smell rose petals, but they’re faint and a little soapy. to me, it’s not really a “sexy” scent, but because it’s so cool and astringent, i can see how inhaling this would stimulate your senses and provide a burst of energy.

orange blossom is one of the few citrusy notes that doesn’t amp all crazy on me. it’s really sweet here, reminding me of those jelly orange slices covered in sugar. it’s evenly balanced with the rose. i’m not sure what type of rose this is, but it’s really the perfect rose note, as far as i’m concerned, deeply floral and just a little powdery. and then the honey adds a layer of golden sweetness over everything. i’m not noticing the sandalwood at all. it’s taken me a long time to get around to trying this scent, and i’m glad i finally did. it’s soft and glowing and feminine, not too heavy, perfect for spring or summer.

Three deep, dark myrrhs, smoke, and cinnamon bark. this is so smoky and warm. the myrrh just wraps you up in its powdery sweetness, its dark resins intertwined with the thick smoke. the cinnamon bark is there, but it’s not as strong as straight cinnamon and it lingers faintly in the background, adding a gentle touch of spice. this scent is sexy, but not in an over-the-top way. it’s not a raging inferno; it’s a small fire in the fireplace on a romantic evening that keeps on smoldering all night.

the rich, powdery cocoa is so strong that it takes a minute to pick out any of the other notes. i smell something green and creamy -- i'm guessing it's the massoia. the honey and vanilla add gorgeous sweetness, and the peach provides a hit of juicy, fresh fruit. i can't find the orchid, clove, or ginger. although there are a lot of notes, the resulting drydown is mainly chocolate and peach, a lovely combination.

what a bright, fruity, happy scent! the sweet lotus and syrupy pomegranate wine are the standout notes. in fact, i can’t smell anything else. sometimes lotus is too cloying, but not here. this is my favorite lotus blend i've tried so far. it’s strong, with lots of throw. it's the essence of pomegranate -- red, ripe and juicy.

when i first apply this it’s minty/medicinal and spicy, like cinnamon mouthwash. i’m surprised there’s no cinnamon listed in the description! i guess the white pepper and spicy pimento are what i’m smelling. the herbal chamomile is vaguely noticeable. soon it warms up and i'm inhaling all that lovely blood musk. it’s sweeter now, too – gorgeous incense resins. i’m still not smelling any leather, but there’s so much else going on that i don’t miss it. a mysterious blend, indescribable indeed – like a rare incense you’ve never tried before, yet you still recognize and feel comforted by the scent.

i smell a ton of jasmine, combined with heady tropical flowers. i’m not picking up anything that strikes me as “volcanic gas”. no greenery or smoke, either. it’s a lush, heavy floral scent -- reminds me of new orleans or bayou, only i like this a lot better. i think it’s the black musk that i love. it adds a layer of lovely warmth and sweetness.

krampus is mostly red musk on me. that’s a good thing – i love this warm, heady ingredient. here, it smells almost fruity, like grapes. it combines nicely with the leather. there are similar notes in loviatar, but it didn’t work on me. so i’m quite pleased at how well krampus does work. even with its crisp, clean linen note, this blend is mischievous, dark, and sexy.

Heliotrope, amber, almond flower, frangipani, cedar, and calamus. A warm, glowing mix of resins and soft florals. I smell dry cedar, a touch of tropical frangipani, and layer upon layer of sweet, powdery amber and heliotrope. It’s really pretty, but not quite strong enough to be a favorite.

A sexy, foody combination of chocolate, juicy cherry, and sweet orange. It reminds me of a chocolate covered cherry, but with a playful kick of citrus. The scent stays true over time, too. It’s such a fun, flirty scent, I think I need a bottle.

i don’t notice the roses at first, just rich, buttery pastry. i’m not that familiar with blackcurrant, but on me it smells somewhat like figs or raisins. after a few minutes, i can smell the rose. it makes me think of a fancy dessert strewn with decorative rose petals. extremely foody and comforting, with just a hint of floral -- a lovely combination.

There was a worrisome sourness to this blend when I first applied it, like pickles! But I gave it some time, and the sourness did indeed fade after a couple minutes. At this point, it smelled like soft fur dusted with baby powder. Then the warm musk came out, and it morphed into one of those wonderful “second skin” scents, the kind that works perfectly with your chemistry and smells like your own skin, only better. As I moved around and got my blood circulating, the scent seemed to “warm up” too, and I wanted to bury my nose in the powdery, furry warmth.

The warm red amber and ambergris are amazing combined with the spicy patchouli and clove, and the vanilla flower adds sweetness. The Spanish moss adds earthiness and depth. I was worried about the clove being too strong, but it’s very subtle and there’s nothing “baking spices” about this blend. It’s like a gorgeous, complex, incense. Exotic and sexy, but warm and comforting at the same time.

a bright, festive floral bouquet of chrysanthemum and plumeria. the flowers are so sweet, they’re almost fruity. there’s also a green, grassy note, which i'm guessing is the sage. noche buena is lush and cheery, one of my favorite floral blends.

i love the green, bitter herbal scent of the ferns. it’s almost medicinal, the way it clears your passages when you inhale. it smells so clean. the rose and lavender in the background are a bit soapy, but that doesn’t bother me. they enhance the fern nicely. i’m not sure what absinthe smells like. there’s a light dusting of sugar, but it’s not too sweet or cloying. this seems like a great unisex scent. it’s not too floral or too herbal; it’s just right.

Pink Moon made me realize that I love sugared florals, so I was dying to get my hands on an imp of Faith. It's really lovely. A soft, sweet, creamy vanilla violet. Not at all powdery or old-ladyish. Youthful, bright, flirty. A lovely floral for spring or summer. Now I just need to try Hope!

sweet, creamy vanilla -- a lovely scent for all seasons. the vanilla cream reminds me of the Candy Butcher. but, i wouldn’t call this a foody scent. a light touch of exotic saffron is the perfect spicy complement. it’s long lasting and doesn’t turn into play-doh or banana. simple, feminine, gorgeous.

the cotton (think White Rabbit) is clean and white and pure, in contrast with the rich, dark tobacco and incense (similar to the Lurid Library), all enveloped in a cloud of sweet vanilla. i can’t make out the musk or cognac but i know they are somehow adding to the overall charm of this blend. it’s so victorian -- elegant, refined, wistful, haunting, yet slightly depraved and dangerous thanks to the heady tobacco and the almost menacing incense. so glad i ordered a bottle of this, i LOVE it.

a woodsy, sweetly spicy masculine blend, with a hint of green herbs. very dry, very dark, more complex than a typical men’s cologne. the elm bark is the strongest note on my skin. the warm musk is there, but it’s mainly woods. i would guess there’s cedar in this, as well as the elm. i want to go wake up my husband so i can slather this on him right now!

this is such a fun scent, perfectly reminiscent of halloweens past. ripe, juicy red apple pairs with golden, sugary caramel. it's a more straightforward version of Creepy -- pure caramel apple, without the coconut and boozy notes. i'm testing this on a gloomy february day and it's giving me happy thoughts of autumn. wishing i had a bottle. edited to add that several minutes later, the apple has faded slightly, but the caramel has become even more rich and buttery. it's still going strong!

a warm, outdoorsy, summery scent, without being overly floral. i smell sugared citrus and bold, fruity red musk, combined with medicinal, bitter herbs, especially chamomile. i really thought there was lotus in this because of the fruitiness, like red berries. i’m not picking up the dragon’s blood at all. i like the complex combination of sweet and bitter notes. the downside is that it seems to fade quickly and i need to apply more.

i smell fresh, wet earth reminiscent of springtime in the garden, combined with summery tropical florals, autumnal bonfire smoke, and the slushy, wintry note of Snow Bunny and so many other Yule blends. it’s like a combination of all seasons in one. i love the combination of dirt, smoke and snow notes. this is one of my favorite “dirt” blends because it’s so rich and sweet.

i smell roses, lavender, and frankincense. i’m usually a huge fan of rose and incense blends, such as Rose Cross. but with Psyche, the lavender is quite strong, and i’m not sure i like this lavender. the rose note is like dried roses, not bold fresh-cut flowers. it’s a sweet, floral, feminine perfume, very whispery and understated. pretty, but not quite right for me.

a sweet egg flan with plenty of vanilla. it’s like eggnog without the spices – just creamy, eggy, sugary goodness. unfortunately, it’s extremely light and doesn’t have much throw.