biggnerd

Finally! The TKO I've been looking for. The released version is way too sweet for and overpowering. This version of TKO has a soft, herbal, floral lavender that cuddles with a soft sweetness. The marshmallow and vanilla are subdued and make the scent snuggly instead of "OMG I fell in the vanilla marshmallow vat at the chocolate factory!"

First, oud and I don't get along - it's usually either poopy or overly perfumey on me. Pecan Pie Oud is well-behaved oud. Initially I get a whole lot of nuttiness with a perfumey oud underneath. I get a little buttery pastry dough, then it settles into the sweet chess filling plus gentle, smooth oud.

This is sweetened nutmeg and cinnamon musk.

I have a fresh imp from the Lab that's been settling about a week. I've tried Tombstone before and it smelled like root beer. Usually my skin is going to take any vanilla and run with it, however, that didn't happen with Tombstone. The main note is the balsam, which, when untempered by other notes, is quite manky on me. It eventually settles down and a sweet cedar emerges, but never surpasses the balsam.

Really nice lily and rose soap

Mmmm, this is beautiful. At first it is a strong almond scent. It seamlessly morphs into a soft, powdery iris.

This starts off as a strong dead leaves notes. I don't hate this scent, but it's not one that I particularly like. Eventually that scent fades into a very very soft ambergris with some other muffled scents. This phase is pretty, but too soft for me to get any good wear out of it.

This starts off with the bitter, earthy cacao, smoky bourbon vetiver, and tobacco. All the notes start to swirl and meld together. The main note is the tobacco, but it goes through many different permutations. It's sometimes a slightly floral tobacco (not flowery, just a little white tinge), sometimes it's chewy, sometimes it's smoky, sometimes it's a little green. In the background, the vetiver is sweet and a little smoky, the cacao is offetring some warm, velvety earthiness, and the benzoin adds a kiss of sweetness. They support the tobacco in all its moods. This is a comforting, cozy scent that lasts all day.

I wanted to try this because cashmere amber and orris butter = yes please. Chypres usually work pretty well on me, but patch is hit or miss. This is one of the kinder patchoulis, not overly dirty or heavy. FC starts off with patchouli, but it quickly settles into a spicy, sweet, mossy amber with a little butteriness (and nuttiness? maybe that's woodiness?). It's a scent that's hard to describe but it makes me feel calm and in-charge at the same time. I'm thinking this is what a sexy autumnal druid smells like?

This one is hard for me to describe. The white musk amps more than the other notes, but it doesn't quite take over. There is a soft, sweet rose hanging out with it. At times the rose and white musk almost smell a little like cherry blossom to me. At times the rose steps back and an herbal lavender mixes with the white musk. This reminds me a lot of Right Atrium but with rose, or Pink Snowballs with white musk instead of snow. It's an airy, cool floral that doesn't go soapy or candy. I think this is what rose quartz would smell like.

I never thought I'd find a scent where vanilla didn't amp on me, but I have. This is a very sharply citrus Dorian on me. The white tea and bergamot drown out everything else and I don't get much nuance. This is like Dorian following Kumiho to class.

Starts off as maraschino cherry - you know how they have that sharp tang to their sweetness? it's there. Then it softens and the chypre comes in making it a little herbally and less sharp. Eventually it turns into The Comforter bubble bar from Lush. It's an interesting fruit scent that isn't too sweet, but is nicely comforting and soft.

Eusapia is a very pretty scent. On me it was mostly white musk and lilac, but I bet the beeswax comes out over time. I'm also interested in Endless Corridors but am waiting for reviews. I like vetiver and beeswax and for some reason am getting into smoky scents lately.

V'al Hanissim from last year's Yules is really beautiful. It's a beeswax and amber scent. This scent created my love of beeswax and my perpetual hunt for more beeswax scents.

This is my kind of scent - it is all sweet cedar. It's smooth, warm, and comforting. The tolu balsam is a light, greenish smell tethering the cedar and vanilla. It keeps it from going cloying or too pencil shavings. This is like a smooth, antique cedar chest, warm from the sun that held something sweet and maybe a couple of sprigs of evergreenery.