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Sistinas

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Everything posted by Sistinas

  1. Sistinas

    PEX95

    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.
  2. Sistinas

    Rage

    Black amber erupting with a dark volcanic surge of fiery dragon's blood and a burst of melati, rose geranium, mandarin and black currant. Initially, warm and dark with a hint of sweetness from the dragon's blood. On my skin, I can smell the Black amber meld with the dragon's blood and as it drys the melati (jasmine) peaks out but does not take over. I think Beth has created a blend that is well balanced, the black amber keeps the dragon's blood and the florals from taking over and vice versa. After an hour the scent faded a bit, but is still detectable. Overall I find the scent very sexy, glad I bought a 5ml of this.
  3. Sistinas

    Ahathoor

    Hail unto Thee who art Ahathoor in Thy triumphing, even unto Thee who art Ahathoor in Thy beauty, who travellest over the heavens in thy bark at the Mid-course of the Sun. Tahuti standeth in His splendour at the prow, and Ra-Hoor abideth at the helm. Hail unto Thee from the Abodes of Morning! From the vial, there is the pungent, yet dry and slightly spicy scent. As it dries on my wrist more, i can detect amber, very mild and mellow, mmmm. To me the Amber is sweet, mildly spicy yet light. You have to hunt for the scent, but you are rewarded with it's wonderful scent. It took me a while to figure out what the spicy scent was and it finally hit me. Carnation!!I kept thinking I knew there was something familiar about it and it was driving me crazy. I find this blend to be wonderful scent to wear with Lush's Potion Lotion. This fragrance is light but seems to have a nice staying power, I have had it on for over a few hours and it has lasted nicely.
  4. Sistinas

    Allison Gross

    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.
  5. Sistinas

    Gothabilly

    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.
  6. Varnished oak flooring and flattened daylilies. 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.
  7. Sistinas

    Goona Goona

    A soft, sweet peace and harmony blend. Used to create an atmosphere of compassion, understanding, trust and love. This is particularly useful in mediation, calming tense or volatile situations, and in strengthening relationships. I bought 5 ml of this scent based soley on description and personal use. In the bottle it is very very soft and sweet, almost unnoticeable. On me it does not change much, but it does waft from my hand, it does indeed invoke a sense of peace. The sweetness I am guessing is a soft floral, possibly rose. I wish I was better at detecting seperate notes. In contrast to Tushnamatay, another favorite of mine and suggested meditation oil, Goona Goona has none of Tush's spicy characteristics. I generally use Tushnamatay in my oil burner, but I can see myself using Goona Goona on me while I try to meditate.
  8. Sistinas

    La Primavera

    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
  9. Sistinas

    Books read of 2008

    I am going to keep a list of the books I read this year, in hopes of reaching my goal of reading 100 to 150 books this year. Later I will add a list of books I would like to read and a list of books I have read in the past that I absolutely love. 1. Native Speaker Chang-Rae Lee 2. Day Watch Sergei Lukyanenko 3. Catcher in the Rye J.D. Salinger
  10. Sistinas

    Clio

    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.
  11. Sistinas

    Fruitcake

    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.
  12. Sistinas

    Archangel Winter

    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.
  13. Sistinas

    Angeronalia

    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.
  14. Sistinas

    lovin' the moss!

    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
  15. Sistinas

    La Belle Dame Sans Merci

    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.
  16. Sistinas

    Decadence

    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.
  17. Sistinas

    Midnight on the Midway (2006)

    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
  18. Sistinas

    Belle Époque

    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
  19. Sistinas

    Rose Moon

    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
  20. Sistinas

    Thirteen (13): April 2007

    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.
  21. Sistinas

    Lady Luck Blues

    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
  22. Sistinas

    Bad Luck Woman Blues

    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.
  23. Sistinas

    Shroud

    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
  24. Sistinas

    Whitechapel

    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
  25. Sistinas

    Sybaris

    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.
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