Sistinas

 

In the bottle: floral and dragon's blood is the initial scent, giving off an incense impression. It is a little heady.

 

Wet on the wrist: I get the same impression as I smelled in the bottle, but I do get a small undertone of green. The florals blend really well together, giving off a light scent, the dragon's blood seems to be disappearing in the blend.

 

Dry: No dragon's blood whatsoever now. Allison is all floral combination that still has it's slight headiness to it.

 

Final thoughts: I cannot pick out anyone particular flower, none seem to stand out on it's own. I would not describe this as a light floral or so heavy it knocks you off your feet. The final scent is a sweet incense. I don't get the astringent, herbal smell that is mentioned in other reviews, but I vaguely recall this having that smell when I first got the bottle when it first came out. I would have to say it has aged quite well.

i have been testing out Gothabilly today. This is soooo not MB:Bloody Mary. The vanilla and cherry blend so well together, it comes across as this creamy vanilla blend and the musk has really given it another layer of smoothness. I do not pick up any boozy note at all. It wears really well, have had it on for over 6 hours and it is still going strong.

In the bottle, it is is very pleasant. The smell of lilies rising to your nose, with a touch of greeness in the background.

Once applied to my skin it is very green, like as if I am smelling the stem of the flower only, but I occasionally do get a waft of the flower as I m typing this review.

The scent has dried and it has morphed into a clean but very lightscent. It has just a light green and floral scent left. I really like the smell Daylilies in the bottle more than I do on my skin, so I think I will wear in my locket or in my hair. On a scale of 1 to 5, I will give it a 3.

eta I have found that as I have given this scent more time for wear, the floral is beating down the green scent. It is still very light, but does come across as clean as it used to. I still stick to my first observation that I would perfer to wear this in my scent locket or in my hair as I prefer the bottle scent better.

When I first smell this it has an aquatic start to it, with a touch of floral, some rosewood, underneath it. Wet on my skin I still get the same scent,

 

As the scent dries on my skin the aquatic scent starts to disappear and the floral takes over. It is a dry scent, it is not strong or overpowering, but it is lasting and does not fade quick.

La Primavera

 

In the bottle- the very first time I smelled this from the bottle I was a bit put off. It smelled like a floral perfume, too strong and pungent for me. Second time I gave it a whiff I was able to discern some of the seperate components. The plum and violet come across the strongest to me, with just a touch of lemon in the background.

 

Wet- On the back of my hand, it smells completely blended, no one component is coming across stronger than another, it is floral (well, duh!!!!), kinda powdery.

 

Drying – As it starts drying on my skin, the violet is coming out more, it is really lovelly.

 

Dry- Now it has settled down, violet stands out the most with plum blossom coming in a close second.

 

 

This scent does stand out as an excellent representation of spring, it takes me back to cooler days (since it is the dead of summer now) and the smell of blooms. While I am not an overt floral fan, I do have to say this one is very nice, I love the violet and plum. On a scale of 1 to 5 -> 5

Clio

 

vial~ warm, slight hint of patchouli and orange. Clio is definitely a thoughtful scent, lavendar is listed as a componenet and I am not picking any up

 

wet~ wood is coming out now, patchouli is still hiding in the background and the orange is not very prominent on my skin either. The components are just blended together very well.

 

drying~ the amber is starting to peek out now, melding in with the wood. Clio really comes across as a natural light fragrance.

 

dry ~ Clio really does give one the idea of parchment scrolls. The fragrance is dry woody, lightly scented with patchouli (not the very stinky kind). The amber is blended in with these scents and I get no orange at all. I think this is a unisex scent and it smells really gorgeous, I am sorry I have not reviewed earlier.Big bottle of this is definitely required. On a scale of 1 to 5, I give it a 5.

Fruitcake:

 

Vial~ OH yeah, spicy, lightly fruity and definitely brandy boozey. I might have to go have a drink when I am done, I am craving alcohol, all of a sudden. Where is the cognac?

 

wet~ I am picking up a slight cakey scent, but alot of brandy still, this is not as spicy as I remember it, but hey I was kind of out it at that will call. The fruit scent is no where to be found.

 

drying~ The cake scent has become more nuttier and the booze is beginning to settle down and the spice is beginning to pick back up. If fruitcake really tasted as good as this smelled I would eat it, but I have yet to have any that I cared for. The more I smell my wrist the more I am picking up the spice, damn this smells so good.

 

dry~ Fruitcake has become spice and booze. This scent has some incredible throw on me. I can smell the dab I put on my wrist as I type. There is a small bit of fruit in the scent but I only detect it in the background and I have to inhale the scent real deep to pick it up.

 

Final thoughts~ I really love Fruitcake. I can remember when I first tried it out, thinking it would not be a scent for me. I was wrong,every now and then Beth puts out a foody scent that really bowls me over. I would like to have a big bottle if it were ever to be available. On a scale of 1 to 5 this one is definitely a 5.

a review of Archangel Winter

 

 

vial ~ wet and glassy is what definitely come to mind when I first smell

this scent. Unfortunately I am not getting anything that would make me

think winter darkness. Hopefully once I try this on my skin, I will get a

little bit more.

 

wet ~ scent has not changed much, glassy and slightly wet, not very much

ozone to me.

 

drying ~ The ozone is starting to come out, but the glassiness of this

scent is still the dominating note.

 

 

dry ~ There might be some floral to this, but I cannot pinpoint any one

floral in particular. Crystalline is an awesome description for this

scent, it is also cool but not the usual cool scent that I am used to.

 

 

final thoughts ~ Archangel Winter is a soft fragrance and rather than

remind me of snow, I think it is more the scent of ice, just not the sharp

ice that one might think of. Beth did a wonderful job of creating this

scent, unfortunately it is not one that I would wear that often. On a scale

1 to 5, I give this a 3.

a review of Angeronalia

 

vial ~ floral, with bright hints of blood orange and Lemongrass.

The olive blossom is becomes more prominent as I smell the vial.

 

wet ~ the olive blossom becomes more prominent as do the floral. I am

trying to smell the patchouli and I think it is there, but it is very

light and subtle. The gardenia and olive blossom are indeed the front

runners of this fragrance.

 

drying ~ the patchouli starts to warm up, but it is soft, I think the

gardenia and the olive blossom are keeping it from taking over. The blood

orange and the lemongrass are in the background lending a subtle hints to

Angeronalia.

 

dry ~ Angeronalia has dried to a soft patchouli, citrus and powdery scent.

It is a comforting and beautiful scent. It does have a floral background,

but it is very subtle.

 

final thoughts ~ This is definitely a big bottle purchase for me and I can

forsee wearing this scent year round. It makes a wonderful out for the day

scent and it is perfect for wearing around the house. On a scale of 1->5,

I would give this a 4.

My pleasure!

 

Oakmoss is my pick for the favorite moss for its green earthiness. When I see oakmoss on trees I stop to smell it. I also rub pine sap on my arm though. My friend tarotbydiana makes these amazing bath tarts with oakmoss in them so I can literally bathe in it when the mood strikes me!

 

 

 

Oooh, you lucky girl. Those sound really nice. I have to say I liked the smell of Lush's Deep Forest Ballistic, but the sticky yellow like tar that came along with it in the tub was another matter altogether, especially when it got in my hair. I now have to give up most of my bathing goodies soon because of my upcoming move

vial~ floral, green herbal. The scent is very remniscient of some voodoo blends I have tried.

 

wet~ On my skin, after initial application, the scent has not changed much yet. I think the mystery for me in this fragrance is trying to figure out the seperate notes. I am not doing a good job determining this. The scent is still floral, very light, with the herbal scent fading it is not as biting as it was earlier in the vial. There is rose and it is starting to bloom more, but it refuses to take dominance of this fragrance.

 

drying~ Twenty minutes later , the scent is still there, still floral with that touch of herbal and it does not seem to have much throw.

 

dry~ The scent does not change much, but on my skin it is long lasting. Unfortunately it is a scent that does not call out to me. On a scale of 1 to 5, I would give it a 2.

First off, I should be shot. I have had this for quite some time and I have put it aside thinking it was some chocolate scent.

 

Initially in the vial I do detect the almonds, but the almond scent does not last long. As the scent dries down on my skin, I am left with this spicy ( a hint of cinnamon) , slightly sweet scent. I would have to say this fragrance is truly decandent and I can only hope that Beth will one day release it one day to bought in bottles. This scent should be shared with everyone, especially those who love spicy scents. On a scale of 1 to 5, I would definitely give it a 5.

a review of Midnight on the Midway

 

Vial ~ Sweet with a slight incense linger to it. For some reason the color purple keeps coming to my mind as I smell it. I occaisionally get color associations with certain scents and this fragrance is calling out purple to me.

 

Wet ~ On my skin, the sweetness is a bit muted, but the smell of incense is still there, but it is not in your face. Overall the fragrance has softened quite a bit and I am still unable to pick out any of the florals.

 

Drying ~ The fragrance is starting to come out a bit more now, sweetened incense indeed. Occaisionally as I smell my wrist I smell grape, or at least that is what I think I am smelling. Midnight is beginning to get a bit too sweet for me, but I will let it go through the final stages before I make a final decision.

 

Dry ~ the scent is still just sweet incense, the scent is still too sweet for me. Midnight does not seem to do any morphing, just stays true to what it was originally.

 

Final thoughts ~ I really did not care for this scent, it is just too sweet for me. I generally love incense smelling perfume, but they usually are spicy and not on the sweet side. I also cannot get the sense of grape smell out of my head either when I smell this on my wrist and it just does not do anything for me, but ick. On a scale of 1 to 5-> 1

a review of Belle Epoque

 

Vial ~ A sweet fragrance comprised with a few notes that I can pick out: Opium, lily of the valley, a touch of vanilla and sandalwood. I am very curious how this will act out on my skin, I am hoping for more opium and less vanilla, fortunately the scent is not cloying to begin with so I am hopeful that this will remain a favorite.

 

Wet ~ On my skin the sweetness has disappeared already, no traces of the vanilla are around. I can maybe pick out mandarin and opium, the fragrance has taken on a tartness, not in a citrus way, that is very appealing.

 

Drying ~ the lily of the valley has come out more and the scent has become a sweet but not as it was originally in the imp. The mandarin and the opium are still present and I can still not pick up any traces of the vanilla or sandalwood.

 

Dry ~ It has been over forty minutes since I put Belle Epoque on my writsts and the scent is still going strong. The sandalwood is coming out and the scent seems to wither from either slightly sweet to somewhat tart on occaision as if it cannot make up it's mind.

 

Fade ~ An hour and half has gone by and Belle Epoque is starting to fade out. I am left with soft sweet traces of the scent. The sandalwood is the most lingering note of all for me, the opium comes in a very close second. This would make for a lovely nighttime evening scent, it is very evocative and sexy to me, I am quite pleased with how it turned out.

 

Final thoughts ~ This is not a heavy scent as I might have thought it might have been. It is actually doing quite well considering it is midsummer in Las Vegas. I would have never have picked this scent for a summer scent but why not? Of course I am inside with air conditioning. I think I mentioned earlier that I think that this scent would work better for evenings, at least for me, I find it alluring and sexy, something to wear on a date. I will definitely need a bigger bottle of this. On a scale of 1 to 5 -> 5

a review of Rose Moon

 

Vial ~ the rose is very soft. Actually all the notes are very soft, I can pick of the Jasmin and the opium poppy and the balsam, but they blend in very well with the rose, which has the center stage.

 

Wet ~ The scent has not changed from what I picked up in the bottle, Still mostly rose but you can slightly pick up smoe of the underlying notes.

 

Drying ~ The rose is mellowing and starting to get lost. But the scent is

very nice.

 

Dry ~ This is a real light scent, I am wondering how well it will hold up with my scent absorbing skin. So far, a soft scent, but the rose has

blended in more with the other components and it is no longer just rose. It is this fragrant blend that is soft and lightly sweet.

 

Fade ~ After 40 minutes, Rose Moon is barely traceable on my skin. I will have to try this out with my scent locket later on.

 

Final thoughts ~ I find Rose Moon to be a very light beautiful scent that is perfect for summer. I will hopefully be picking up another bottle at

will call, because I can see myself wearing alot of it. With the exception of it not lasting long on me, I really do adore this scent. On a scale of 1 to 5 -> 4

a review of Thirteen 2007

 

Vial ~ Dark chocolate with a spicy/herbal undertone to it. At first all you can smell is the chocolate, but after a few sniffs, you pick up on spices and herbs. I think I can pick out the sandalwood, cardamom, catnip and clove.

 

Wet ~ woah, the chocolate is not as strong and I am getting more of the spices. Definitely I am getting more clove and sandalwood. The chocolate is there, but it is not the star anymore, more like part of the ensemble

 

Drying ~ the spices are still strong and the chocolate is blended in with them. The scent has not changed that much from the wet phase. I asked my daughter for her opinion on what Thirteen smelled like on my wrist and she said it smelled like dirt. If I could only be that lucky, I love the smell of dirt.

 

Dry ~ Now the scent is this smoky, spicy scent with just a small touch of chocolate. Up until this moment I would have disagreed with the comparison to Lush's Skinny Dip, but now that it has dried down I can see that it has some similarity, but not a dead on dupe.

 

Fade ~ Thirteen does not seem to stick around that much, but I do have the faint scent of clove on my wrist. The smokiness has faded quite a bit too, what a shame.

 

Final thoughts ~ I am not that huge of a fan of chocolate scents. I always get sucked into buying them, but I tend to never wear them because I don't like the idea of smelling like chocolate. This scent might actually be different. I really liked the way the spice and smokiness took over and the chocolate faded into the background. For me, Thirteen is probably my most favorite of her chocolate scents, I really liked the way it changed on my skin and it was more than just another chcocolate scent to me. On a scale of 1 to 5, I would say this is a 4.

a review of Lady Luck Blues

 

Vial ~ soft rose and peony is what I get at first sniff. As I keep smelling it, I mostly get just an overall light and soft floral scent comprised most of rose and just a tiny hint of plum.

 

Wet ~ hmm, the rose has disappeard on my wrist or my nose has gone kaput. I asked my daughter to smell my wrist and she said she could smell the rose and to her it smelled "perfumey". I tend to have a hard time smelling lighter scents, so after inhaling the coffee beans, I tried my wrist again. I can pick up the rose, it seems to have this watery smell, not aquatic per se. I think it might be the benzoin.

 

Drying ~ The rose is coming out more and I am not picking up any peony or plum. The rose is still light, but as it is drying the rose comes out just a bit more.

 

Dry ~ the rose really jumps out now and I detect a slight bit of sweet and spiciness underneath it. I was afraid that my skin might eat this up as it has with other soft scents, but that is not the case with this one, in fact I cannot quit huffing my wrist.

 

Fade ~ Lady Luck Blues has settled down and the rose is now this gentle scent that is not real faint. It is soft, delicate and very feminine, but also sexy too, I keep imagining wearing in bed to allure my boyfriend.

 

Final thoughts ~ To be honest, I didn't have much hope for this fragrance when I first tried it on. I assumed it fade away too fast and altogether eaten up by skin. But as it dried, the scent came alive and is a very beautiful soft scent. It is not overpowering at all. I do wish some of the plum stuck out better, but it's lack of appearance on drydown does not take away from it at all. On a scale of 1 to 5, I would give it a 4

a review of Bad Luck Woman Blues

 

Vial ~ At first there is a foody scent, mostly the caramel, but as I continue to smell it, I can pick out the pepper, sage and cypress and just a hint of lime.

 

Wet ~ On my skin the scent so far has not changed from what I was able to pick up from the bottle. Personally I pick out the pepper and the sage more than the caramel now.

 

Drying ~ The scent has not changed at all, but as I bring my wrist to my nose I am able to pick of wafts of caramel, but the scent is not very sweet, it maybe has just a slight hint of sweetness, most likely because it is tempered by the pepper and sage.

 

Dry ~ Bad Luck Woman Blues remains the same as when I first smelled it in the bottle. Just a tiny touch of sweetness from the caramel with the pepper, sage holding it in place so it is not an overwhelming caramel scent.

 

Fade ~ The scent is starting to fade softly on my wrist and it seems the caramel is trying to hold on more than any of the other components.

 

Final thoughts ~ Bad Luck Women Blues certainly is a different scent. I do like that the caramel is not the strongest component to this scent, I do wish I could have picked out more of the moss. I am sure it is there and maybe because it so well blended I can't pick it out. I think the balance of this scent is rather good, the pepper and the sage hold the caramel down so that this is not a really sweet or too foody of a scent. On a scale of 1 to 5, I would give this a 4.

a review of Shroud

 

Vial ~ sandalwood with some soft floral in the background. The sandalwood

gives Shroud this musty scent reminding of something hidden away for

along time.

 

Wet ~ the sandalwood is still the most prominent note, but there is this

citrus herbal scent behind it that wants to take over.

 

Drying ~ The sandalwood no longer has that musty scent and it is toning

itself down, while the herbal scent does take over.

 

Dry ~ Shroud has changed a bit, the scent still has the herbal smell but I

think I am picking out the grass now. The sandalwood has blended in

completely and I have a very hard time picking it out on its' own.

 

Fade ~ The scent does linger for some time. I have had it on for over an

hour and I still get wafts of it every now and then.

 

Final thoughts ~ Shroud has a very nice, distinctive scent, but I am not

feeling any real love for it. I don't hate it either, but it just is not

calling out to me. On a scale of 1 to 5 ->3

a review of Whitechapel

 

Vial ~ Lime and citron are in the forefront of this scent. Hopefully they

will continue to be in scent through the drydown phase.

 

Wet ~ I am picking up more of the musk and the lime and citron are not as

potent as they were earlier. The scent is really light on my skin, which

has me wondering if Whitechapel is even going to last. *sigh*

 

Drying ~ The scent is still light and now there are no traces of the lime

or citron. All I am picking up now is musk and a little of the lilac.

 

Dry ~ Hmmm, the scent came back. I don't think this has ever happened. Every

now and then I catch the light throw of the scent. The blend of lilac and

lime and citron. The musk seems to have faded away, but what is left is

really nice.

 

Fade ~ The scent has faded away after a couple of hours, leaving very little

remnants of the dry scent. This fragrance will need to be applied to my

hair and slathered and even reapplied, not that that is much of a big deal

to me.

 

Final thoughts ~ I would have to say I am quite surprised by Whitechapel

and will have to add it to my wishlist. I will definitely be wanting a

bottle of this. I am so surprised by the way the scent seems to disappear

and then reappear after it has dried. I kind of wish the musk had stuck

around a bit longer, but the scent that I was left with was really nice

and refreshing. On a scale of 1 to 5-> 5

a review of Sybaris

 

Vial ~ Self-indulgent indeed! Oh the violet is strong and bright and the

clove adds to the blend beautifully. The scent is sweet and aromatic.

 

Wet ~ the clove is more prominent and I am picking up some of the incense,

the violet has tempered down unfortunately, but I can still smell slight

wafts of it occaisionally.

 

Drying ~ As I smell my wrists, the violet, clove and incense blend so well

together into this fragrance that I just want to inhale the scent and not

bother with trying to disect it's components.

 

Dry ~ Now that the oil has dried on my skin, the scent has remained true

to what I was smelling during the drydown. The fragrance is still an

incredible blend that smells divine.

 

Fade ~ An hour and half later Sybaris is still going strong, with little

fading. Two hours later and there is a small lingering of the scent. The

violet certainly has staying power.

 

Final thoughts ~ Sybaris is very lovely and I am going to have to add this

scent to my wishlist also. This blend is perfect to me, the components

really seem to complement each other. I don't think I could rave enough

about how I really love this blend. On a scale of 1 to 5 -> 5.

a review of Tombstone

 

Vial ~ woody and vanilla are what come to mind when I first smelled this.

 

Wet ~ I can pick out the cedar, it is very subtle and not in your face. The

vanilla is still there and I think I can pick out the sassafras and balsam

too, but I really have to sit and smell the fragrance.

 

Drying ~ The scent is blended real well together, the woody scents and the

vanilla complement each other real well. The cedar has become very hard

to detect on its' own, which I find unusual, cedar always seems to have this

distinct sharp scent.

 

Dry ~ The fragrance has changed a little, the woody scent seems to have

died down, there is still vanilla, but the scent is not straight up vanilla.

The scent is nice, but nothing I really love.

 

Fade ~ Tombstone has some lasting power and the scent from when it has dried

has remained true.

 

Final thoughts ~ Tombstone is a very nice scent, but I don't think it is

something for me. I would like to smell this on a guy I think and see if

it has more appeal. On a scale of 1 to 5 ->3

a review of Tintagel

 

Vial ~ mulled wine blended with spiciness from the tree scents. This scent

comes across as warm and spicy with very little sweetness. The dragon's

blood is in there, but it is not dominating, at least not yet.

 

Wet ~ The scent has changed a little, the mulled wine seems to have

disappeared, but I can easily pick out the smell of the damp branches.

There is a bit of smokiness, but I think that is more of the warm leather.

 

Drying ~ The spiciness of this scent is in foreground, I am picking up

little bits of the dragon's blood. I tend to love most scents that have

dragon's blood and this scent is getting alot of love, even if I am not

getting alot of dragon's blood.

 

Dry ~ The scent is a warm and spicy from the blend of the damp branches and

the dragon's blood. I cannot detect any of the mulled wine. While this

scent has not completely disappeared on my skin, I think slathering will

be needed as I don't think this will be an overpowering blend, but perfect

for a night out.

 

Fade ~ The scent has faded and is barely traceable. Like I had mentioned

earlier this scent will need slathering and most likely reapplying, but

I don't find that to be a negative, because it does have some lasting power.

 

Final thoughts ~ Tintagel is a very lovely warm spicy scent. I really do

love the way it lays on my skin. While it is not a perfect scent as far as

lastability, it still rates pretty good. The warmness and the spiciness of

the scent from beginning to end makes this a wonderful scent. On a scale

1 to 5 -> 4

a review of Tenochtitlan

 

Vial ~ sweet and fruity but not cloying

 

Wet ~ the scent does not change much from what I picked up from the vial,

so far this does not bode well for me as it is too sweet. Hopefully the

amber will show up.

 

Drying ~ The sweet scent is starting to temper and I am starting to pick

up more of the coriander and sage

 

Dry ~ The amber has finally poked out and the scent has changed quite a

bit. Tenochtitlan has morphed from this sweet fruity scent to a warm,

lightly spicy scent, I am so surprised.

 

Fade ~ This is going to be a scent that I might need to slather as the

scent has faded, but at least it has not completely disappeared. I am

still picking up slight traces of the fragrance and I do like it alot.

 

Final thoughts ~ I really did not have much hope for Tenochtitlan when

I first tried it out. As it has dried and changed,it really has become

a fragrance that I could wear year round. On a scale of 1 to 5 -> 4

a review of Yerevan

 

 

Vial ~ sweet and fruity, but not too much

 

Wet ~ the convergence of the fruits and the flowers gives this very fresh

and sweet scent. As I smell it more I can pick out the apricot and plum and

they are very nice.

 

Drying ~ The fruits settle down and now the florals are taking over, the

rose comes out and I think I can pick out the orchid too, the scent is

actually very nice.

 

Dry ~ The scent has become this wonderful blend of fruit and floral, the

original punch of sweetness that it had earlier is gone.

What I thought might be just a scent for the summer has changed my mind

and I can now see using it year round.

 

Fade ~ After an hour and half the scent has faded, but I would not be in

need of a reapplication. The scent has not changed and I would have to say

I am quite impressed with it.

 

Final thoughts ~ I am not an overall fan of fruit scents and I generally

tend to stay away from them. I think I have put off really trying this scent

because of the initial fruity smell from the vial. Once again I am reminded

not to judge a scent without at least trying it first, because this

fragrance goes beyond it's initial smell. On a scale of 1 to 5 -> 5