maika

In the imp, freshly turned earth and a hint of juniper and patchouli. This has potential. Wet, the juniper takes over. But not unpleasantly. Very green and foresty. While I would normally have assumed that this wouldn't work for me, it is. Dry, the juniper is still the predominant note, but the loam scent is back. This is amazing. I'm not entirely sure where I would wear this, but I'm definitely hanging on to the imp until I decide. That said, this smells good on me, rather than great...and I do think it might work better on a man. But both those things are quite beside the point, I'm, perhaps more than a little irrationally, drawn to this, and I need to work out why.

In the imp, sweet vanilla. Very nice! Wet on me, vanilla and almond. Very marzipan like. Absolutely innocent, which is a far cry from the description. Dry, the heliotrope is coming out, and things are looking up. I could enjoy this one a lot, I think. Cancel that thought, I do like this a lot! The marzipan is gone, the musk is out, and this is GOOD! Definitely a keeper, and very possibly an addition to my big bottle list! Interestingly though, I can't smell either the strawberry or the cherry, but that's not a bad thing, because those are the notes that are most likely to misbehave for me. Fingers crossed they behave themselves though.

In the imp...coconut, but delicate. This is pretty Wet...Musk, along with something woody, which I must assume is the orris? It creeps up on you though, it's very light and delicate, and then all of a sudden I realise just how amazing this really smells...but that, I guess is the genius of it, because I really think that it it had been a stronger scent, it would have been instantly headache inducing. Dry...it's an amalgam of all the ingredients. I can smell them all, and yet I can't distinguish between them. I like this, but I don't think it's me enough to warrant a bottle. I will enjoy the imp while it lasts though.

In the imp...honey, but a light honey. Delicate and sweet, but with the amber coming up behind it, it doesn't wind up cloying. Wet...the honey and amber are there, but while I'm getting the apple, and it's a boozy apple, one that I can smell off my wrist while I sit here typing. I have a feeling the boozy note is actually the teak. Dry...here's the musk, and it's hot! This? Is amazing! I think I could get addicted to smelling this good! Later on though, the caramel goes all plastic-y and nasty. Sadly, this had huge potential, and then my skin let it down.

In the imp...I can smell the tobacco flower...assuming that tobacco flower smells like tobacco, of course. But there's also a sharper note in it that is making me sneeze uncontrollably, so sadly, I'm going to have to leave this experiment...which is sad, because what I smelled smelled good, it's just a shame it doesn't appear to like me.

In the imp...orchid, rose and amber. Divine! Wet on me...Amber and magnolia. This is beautiful. My fingers are crossed that this doesn't morph weirdly on me, because right now, this is beautiful! Drydown...This is beautiful, it's really a magnolia perfume. While the roses and the jasmine and the amber give it a twist, none of them are overpowering the magnolia - which is wonderful, because my skin generally amps jasmine to the point I can't smell anything else. This is devestatingly sexy...I feel an overwhelming need to go play the vamp with someone...am going to need this one in a big bottle for big events!

In the imp...Mmmmm...milky tea. Yum! Wet on me...I can smell the pepper now, and the linen. This is interesting. The tea is still there though, but I totally get the freshly starched and ironed linen smell...so clean and fresh! Dry down: This is everything promised in the description. It's not totally me, but I am enjoying it enough to want to finish using up the imp. After that? Who knows...

In the imp, and on my first sniff, I thought my nose had broken, because I couldn't smell anything. On second sniff, I found the myrrh, but that was still an interesting first reaction. Wet on me, still the myrrh, but it's mellow, but the opium is here too...this is dark and smoky in the best possible way, even if the narcissus doesn't make an appearance, I'm still going to be loving this. Drydown, about half an hour in, the narcissus arrives, and the whole thing pulls together spectacularly. What was gorgeous, but essentially masculine has now got the narcissus weaving sinuously in and out in a now you smell me, now you don't manner, and it's nothing short of spectacular. This is so far beyond gorgeous there aren't words for it. I think this has just placed itself very firmly at the top of my favourites list! With that said though, I don't think I could wear it every day, but there are times when I want to surround myself in darkness, and I think this will definitely aid that process.

In the imp, at first sniff, it's lemon and waterlily. Very pretty! Wet on me, the lemon is still there, but the jasmine is most apparent...but then, I tend to amp up jasmine, so this is not entirely a surprise...just as well I adore jasmine, right? Dry, the jasmine is there...but the lemon is coming across, but in a chemical, window cleaner kind of way...worst of all, everytime I try and sniff it again, I sneeze. I'm going to have to take that as a sign, which is a massive shame because I really want to love this.

The lust incense of a corrupted Astarte. A blend of ritual herbs and dark resins, shot through with three gingers and aphrodisiacal spices. In the imp, it's all ginger...and I love ginger, so I'm happy! Wet on me...the ginger is still there, along with lemon and herbs - very fresh smelling. I'm enjoying this one. Dry down...gingersnaps!But with some seriously dark notes in there too. Yummy! I'm hungry now. Think this is going to be a big bottle one!

In the imp...berry overload...this is not what I was imagining at all. Wet on me, it's more like cherries, which isn't entirely a bad thing, but not really something I want to be smelling of. Cherries are something I love to eat, but I don't find the idea of smelling of cherries incredibly appealing. Dry - The fruit notes seem to be heading towards banana, and I'm smelling like a fruit salad, which again, while intriguing, isn't entirely what I had in mind. Later on, while the fruit notes are still strong, the banana smell has thankfully totally gone, and a smoky, incense note has arrived...if it continues in this vein, I will be happy to wear the rest of the imp, but the morphing process has freaked me out enough to not be wanting a full bottle.

In the imp, this is very fresh and green, not really what I envisioned from the name. Wet, it keeps it's greenness, but with the addition of an earthy note, which is just beautiful. As it dries, there is a slight undertone of spice that accentuates the green notes, but also allows the floral notes to come out. Ultimately though, a soapy note comes through last, which while not unpleasant, means that I'm going to like this, but not love it.

In the imp, it's all about the apples...and I'm not entirely sure I want to smell like apples, but here goes! Wet on me, still apples, but I can smell the patchouli too...interesting, but still not entirely sure I want to smell like that, either. Dry, we have a winner! The rose and musk are more obvious pulling the whole thing together, and my nose is now VERY happy. Half an hour or so down the track, and I can finally smell the neroli and the teak. And if I loved it before, that's nothing compared to how happy it makes me now...must go order!

By far, our most popular scent! Magnetic, mysterious, and exceedingly sexual in nature. A blend of exotic Indonesian oils sugared with vanilla. In the imp, vanilla...all vanilla (and I love vanilla - to the point that one of my very first perfume oil purchase was a vanilla and something or other else mixture, at the Body Shop, when I was 11 or 12)! Wet, vanilla with a twist of something spicy and incensy...but all good. Dry, the vanilla is taking a back seat to the spices, but I can still smell it, so all is well! I love that the spices are there though, and in the forefront, because it all blends into this deep sweet and almost almondy mixture that makes me want to nibble my own wrist...so I'm looking forward to discovering the reaction it has on other people. Definitely hitting the big bottle list!

In the bottle, floral, but "difficult" (and I know that description makes no sense but bear with me). Wet...springtime! Lots of flowers! Dry, the mixed floral theme continues but an earthy note becomes apparent underneath. Later on, the odd distinct floral note is coming out...I can smell violets, and violet leaves - real ones, not a powdery version..and daffodils? While spring is a long way from springing here, I found my first daffodil of this year in flower in my garden, and I can smell the same thing here. Ultimately though, this is gorgeous! Must get my hands on more!!! After looking at the notes though, I'm wondering where I get violets from? Unless it's a little wishful thinking, because the next sign I get that spring is coming is that the violets in my garden go nuts...and I'm so very sick of winter...

In the bottle, all I could smell was caramel. Wet, the caramel is still there, but there's a hint of something darker, almost dirtier(?) but in a good way - which is, now that I think about it, the cardamom. Dry down, the caramel is retreating a little more, but the overall scent is still sweet, the chocolate has arrived, and the cardamom is making it's presence felt even more, and the vanilla is here as well...but no sign of the cherries, yet...even if they don't show up though, it's okay, because this smells great. Definitely one to pull out when I'm feeling silly...or as an alternative to eating my own weight in chocolate! All in all, very foodie and very sweet (I almost want to lick my wrist) if this is an enraged groundhog, a happy one would probably bring on severe hyperglycaemia...but I have a feeling I'm going to be fighting my 11 year old for it, because she's the major foodie lover in this family.

In the vial, all I can pick out is the palmarosa and the sandalwood...but that's not a bad thing. Wet, mostly just sandalwood, and an incense note. Dry - YES!!! The rose is here, in a really dusky way, which given the attar of roses thing is perfect, and it's earthy (the patchouli?) and woodsy and spicy and just plain to die for!!! Love, love, love... 5 minutes on, it's morphing again...it's switching back to the sandalwood, but I love sandalwood, so that's more than okay...am looking forward to seeing what it does next.

In the imp, it smells basically herbal, with a little vanilla hint poking out. Wet, all I can smell is tobacco. Dry, still heavy on the tobacco, but if I sniff REALLY deeply, I *think* I smell the hyssop again. Sadly, I think this will have to go to the not working on me pile... ADDED Aug. 10: Disregard this...just when I thought it was really not going to work for me, it morphed again, and turned into something stunningly beautiful! Utter gorgeousness!

... Oya's ofrenda is a Nigerian potion of love and war, sweetened by darkest plum. Oya winiwini! In the imp? Cherries, but sweet like cherry candy cherries. Wet on me? Still cherries, but with a hint of almond Less than two minutes later? Incense and still fruity, but no longer cherries. I think the other posters nailed it when they mentioned plums. Man this changes fast, because now, I'm getting a hint of brandy. All up though, I love this. I will probably have to come and add to this if it keeps changing though...

On opening my imp, I was hit by a wave of Dragonsblood...which can only be a fabulous thing. On me though, it smells very woodsy and masculine...and sadly, it just isn't working for me, which is a shame...it's either going to swaps, or possibly going to become a scent locket perfume, because I love it, it just doesn't love me.

Oh my! I got this as a frimp with an eBay order...and it's definitely up on my big bottle list. Very sexy, very rich...the magnolia and musk work together beautifully, and while I'm not normally a citrus fan, the mandarin is beautiful, and according to the reaction I'm getting from the friend I have with me, definitely one that I'm going to have to play with again! And coincidentally, it goes perfectly with the corset laced velvet skirt and crushed chiffon shirt I'm wearing right now...I feel like I've got total licence to go play the vamp now...what fun!