tinyvulture

at first, this is straight up root beer! the spicy nutmeg comes out as it dries. the myrrh adds sweetness and warmth, and the black poppy lends its exotic, powdery goodness. and there is a soft smokiness that really gives it that “opium den” quality. and is there a touch of leather, or am i just imagining it? this is wonderful. sweet, sexy mysterious! i can’t stop inhaling deep breaths of this marvelous scent.

in the bottle it smells sparkly and citrusy, like 7-up. but when it hits my skin it’s mostly deep woods – cedar and pine, i think. the sparkling note is still there in the background, however. as it dries, there’s burnt almond, a touch of sweet myrrh, and finally the vetiver shows up, lending its usual “earthy” note. no traces of patchouli or clove.

i think without the vetiver this would be a cool, clean, outdoorsy scent – one i’d enjoy. but i don’t like the dank, dirty scent that vetiver brings. it overpowers everything else. so i’ll have to swap this one. i have to say, though, that even though it’s not for me, it is quite an evocative scent -- bringing to mind the dark, dangerous, mysterious qualities associated with voodoo.

straight out of the bottle, the buttercream hits my nose first, followed by the scents of gingerbread, cracker jacks, and peanut brittle. it dries to a sweet, foody, burnt caramel/praline scent. i do not smell any chocolate, but there are so many other yummy notes that i don’t even miss it. comforting and indulgent.

an aquatic scent with a touch of something cold and slightly medicinal –- eucalyptus? –- over soft white florals. like thick, foggy, wet air. this will make a cooling, invigorating room scent on a hot day.

at first, the gentle lavender is dominated by the heady jasmine. the musks add sweetness and warmth, and the rose adds a fresh tartness. after awhile it’s mostly rose and spicy musk. the lavender seems to have faded completely. it never really made its presence felt, but this is still a good, complex floral scent. i've never been a big fan of florals, but this scent makes me think i really like musky florals.

very green and herbal at first, with a touch of lemon. sweet tea and ginger come in as it dries. fresh, clean, and springy.

Fruity fig and slightly medicinal hyssop are most noticeable on my skin. The vetiver and oakmoss add their usual earthiness, and the tamarind adds a tangy note. The cardamom fades in and out. I do not smell frankincense, patchouli, lavender, or rosemary at all, but in spite of that, this is a bit too complex for me. Chaotic describes it perfectly.

Dark and masculine. Rosewood dominates, with its unique cedar/rose scent. Combined with the sandalwood, it makes for a very woodsy blend. The musk is strong and animalistic. The amber is soft and sweet, but fades out quickly. I think I’d really enjoy this scent if it had more amber. I like it, but I’ve already got so many favorite woodsy scents I don’t know if I have room for a bottle of this.

I thought this would be way too citrusy because of the bergamot and mandarin, but they just add a nice little touch of sweet sparkle to the soft warmth of the amber and musk. Saffron adds an exotic note and the rose is understated --I can hardly tell it’s there. The sandalwood is a nice woodsy contrast to the sweeter notes. I had no idea I’d love this scent so much.

Smells like barbecue! Very smoky and warm. The pepper is quite sharp, and it’s much stronger than the cinnamon and clove which linger in the background. I thought this would be a gentle “chai” type scent, and it really surprised me with its firey heat. It’s too much for my skin, but I’ll try it as a room scent on a cold night.

Definitely honeysuckle, bright citrus notes, and the sweetness of heliotrope. Girly and cheerful. Usually citrus goes bitter on me, but the orange blossom here is very sweet and adds a youthful, innocent quality. It's not really "me" but it is a nice scent.

So much jasmine! I like jasmine sometimes, but it’s too much for me in this blend. I really can’t smell too much else. A little bit of tart apple, and a touch of musk to soften and warm. But mostly, it’s jasmine. I can’t smell my beloved myrrh and sandalwood at all, so I’m going to sell this and let someone else give it some love.

The exotic tuberose and champaca (to me, smells like jasmine) are the stars here, but I think the davana is what gives it such a sweet, tropical, fruity note. The honey and vanilla add additional sweetness as well. The amber lays its soft veil over everything and the result is like a more floral, sexier version of Manila. This is for hot climates, for days spent lounging by the pool. Luxurious, yet playful.

in the bottle, the rosewood and sandalwood form a solid base, the violets are pretty, and the herbal chamomile is a nice touch. it smells like a real lady’s perfume, if that makes sense. like one you’d buy in an expensive retail store. bright, floral and womanly. however, my skin hates all citrus, bergamot definitely included. on me, it smells like the rosewood has polished with Lemon Pledge. off to swaps!

Bitter almonds – at first, that’s all I smell. Very similar to Port-Au-Prince minus the aquatic note. Don’t be scared -- the bitterness fades quickly! As it dries, the vanilla and heliotrope are noticeable and it morphs into a sweet, warm, foody scent. The frankincense adds complexity and the cinnamon is hardly there at all – very soft and powdery, not too spicy or overpowering on me. Over time it reminds me a lot of a stronger, longer-lasting Bengal. I might have to get a bottle!

This is truly a unique blend. The warm sweet myrrh forms a nice base. Because of the cypress/juniper combo, I thought it would be more woodsy/pine-y, but it's not. It's more "herbal" or "green." There’s a bitter note that I can’t put my finger on.

After about 10 minutes, it reminds me of an Indian restaurant! Hey, that’s a good thing. But what is it?

20 minutes -- now it's very sweet. The myrrh has really come out. The bitterness has gone and it's more floral -- the violets have arrived. I liked it better before. But still, intriguing -- lots of layers.

on first sniff this is quite minty and cool – is there eucalyptus in it? as it mellows, I smell dark, dank wood and some gentle spices, maybe nutmeg? no flowers at all for the first five minutes, then all of a sudden they appear. they're pretty and light, a happy and feminine contrast to the more masculine (in my opinion) herbal/woodsy notes. but there’s no clashing – it all comes together nicely. maybe a little bit too “menthol” for frequent use, however.

This is so lovely (and I’m so glad it doesn’t contain dragon’s blood)! The sweet grains (like in Dana O’Shee) are noticeable, combined with a soft, powdery sort of cinnamon (not sharp or overly spicy at all) and warm, enveloping musk. After it dries, the sandalwood note makes itself felt, adding a further layer of comfort and relaxation. Gorgeous – wish I’d ordered a bottle!

Smells like fallen leaves with undertones of sweet berries, woodsy oak, and the gentlest aquatics. I don’t smell the lilies at all. This scent makes me nostalgic for autumn – there’s a nip in the air and a thunderstorm moving in, leaves to rake and jump in, and comforting potpourri simmering on the stove. A keeper.

At first this is citrusy and I think there's a hint of plum. I say that because it vaguely reminds me of Bordello, except it's sour instead of sweet. As it dries it really reminds me of Black Phoenix, only without the almond. There's a hint of cherries and soap and maybe a touch of rose? A very complex scent to be sure -- it's like applying a bunch of different BPAL scents at once! Pleasant enough, but too sour/citrusy for me to think of it as "sexy."

OK, after about 20 minutes, the citrus goes away and it smells like soapy roses.

This is what I’ve come to recognize as the Lab’s aquatic/ozone note, plus the “dirt” scent of vetiver. It’s like smelling freshly upturned earth after a hard, cleansing rain. I like it better than all the other aquatic/ozone scents (except Lightning, my fave as a room scent), but I think it’s too masculine for me.

this reminds me of Geek with a stronger patchouli note. it’s quite mossy and earthy – the oakmoss and juniper notes are apparent -- and slightly sweet because of the honey. very masculine and i'd say it's a cold weather scent. comforting, spicy, warm and dark.

orchids with a touch of sweet currant and spice. i like it all right, but not enough for a bottle. the orchid is very light – like dried orchids rather than fresh blooms, maybe. when i want an orchid scent i’ll go for kitsune-tsuki or magdalene, where the orchid is more lush and powerful.

white roses with undertones of resinous frankincense. this may be my favorite rose scent so far. the rose note is very similar to the one in ouija – it’s clean and soapy, almost tart. i like it a lot, and the frankincense adds depth and makes it more interesting. a beautiful, calming scent.

Sweet raspberry, mostly, with green herbal undertones and just a touch of cedar. It's fresh and light, I can't believe it has vetiver in it. Fruity yet clean; I’d use a shampoo that smells like this. It will probably also make a nice room scent.