PurringPulsar

Kitty Bath Salts

The salts: I love these! Even though the biggest grains don’t really seem to dissolve well and there’s a slight grittiness because of this, the salts make the water feel very soft. The oil makes the bath incredibly moisturising. The oil does float on the top of the water rather than dispersing like with the bath oils, but even so, it doesn’t feel like an oil slick and my skin feels so soft afterwards!

The scent: glorious! It’s very similar to the perfume, except it lacks the orchid note, and it’s a lot heavier on the strawberry and vanilla, it’s a lot more gourmand. The spicy musk is more prominent in the bath/steam rather than on the skin, this occasionally has a hint of cinnamon that is really lovely. The scent that lingers on my skin is strawberries and vanilla cream, absolutely divine. I wouldn’t mind getting my hands on some more of this.

Are the Steamworks imps getting different labels? I just got one for No 93 Engine which is covered in images of brass cogs-though I wonder if this unique to No 93 Engine because my recently ordered imp of Smokestack doesn't have the brass cogs-just black cogs.

I also love the fact that the Atomic Luau imps have cute images on the labels. Is the same true for bottles of these scents?

Phyllocrania Paradoxa v1

In the imp: yes, it is like Anti Saloon League. Creamy vanilla, sassafras and something musky.

Wet on skin: ooh, this is nice. It’s like ASL, but it’s a tiny bit more cologne-y. Is that petitgrain?

Dry on skin: interesting. I smell something a bit leathery like U, but the leather is sharper, lacking that grass and old books scent from U. The dominant scent I get here is a sharp, piercing men’s perfume, with a tangy cologne note of petitgrain or neroli. Underneath that I smell the slick black musk that’s in Reptoid Dominion and Titus Andronicus. There may be a bit of resin, probably copal, which to me often smells like high-end perfume. The ASL-style creamy vanilla is also there, but it’s pushed to the back of the scent by the strong and rather masculine perfumey scent.

After a while: after a while the strong men’s musk cologne quietens a tiny bit and the vanilla-tonka-root beer scent becomes stronger, and it’s really gorgeous. But there’s something about this scent that gives me a headache, and I don’t get that from ASL. I think that petitgrain/black musk/leather perfumey scent is the culprit. But this sharp scent does fade slowly and the drydown is all about the vanilla cream musk, very much like the ice cream float scent I get in ASL. I’d say this one had a bit of wood to it as well, maybe teak?

Verdict: I’m not sure about this. The first two or three hours of wear give me a headache and it smells too much like one of those black musk based manly scents, maybe with hints of deep dark wood, leather, a resin note, maybe even tobacco or cognac, with a piercing topnote of cologne. But underneath is a sublime vanilla musk with hints of cream, pale warm wood, tonka and subtle sassafras, and this becomes the dominant note after a few hours. I love that scent, it’s soft, cosy, sweet but not cloying or gourmand, and also sophisticated. But I’m not sure about the headache-y stage I have to endure before I get to that beautiful drydown. I’ll stick to Anti Saloon League, which smells similar to me.

Is it a keeper? Maybe I’ll keep my tester, but I won’t need a bottle.

If you like this, try: Anti Saloon League, Antikythera Mechanism, Stimulating Sassafras Strengthener, Morocco, Tombstone, Haloes, Fern Frost, U, Liz

Celeste

In the imp: slightly boozy vanilla with a bitter saffron note. The vanilla is awesome though.

Wet on skin: whoa. The saffron here is strong and almost chemical/alcoholic, but there’s a glorious vanilla underneath.

Dry on skin: nooo, plastic! I am sad. This develops a scent of PVC! It’s like vanilla sugar and PVC and polished shoes. I really hope this scent dies because the vanilla sugar I smell here is so nice. It’s like the vanilla amber sugar in CC Female, I agree, maybe also like XCDL13. But that PVC smell is really annoying. I’m not sure if it’s the floral part of the orchid or if it’s the saffron.

After a while: so the PVC note is receding a little, and turning into saffron. It’s fierce saffron though, with a scent of polished leather to it. It’s not subtle like the one in Underpants, but it isn’t medicinal wintergreen like Love’s Philosophy either. The vanilla on the other hand is magnificent. A little sweeter and fluffier than the one in Elf v4 or Underpants, this is vanilla sugar blended with a very feminine, slightly floral vanilla musk. It’s a very pink vanilla.

Eventually (I think it takes an hour or a little less) the PVC is totally gone! What I’m left with is the most glorious pink vanilla sugar scent. It’s a bit like candyfloss and ice cream but there’s a sophistication to it as well.

Verdict: I wasn’t sure about this in the decant, but the bottle I ordered is so much nicer! Not as PVC-scented and with a lot more vanilla. And I love this vanilla so much! After the biting saffron note fades away, clouds of fluffy vanilla (which if they were visible, would be pink) waft around me. Celeste is fittingly named because this is heavenly vanilla. I love how much throw the vanilla has, and how long it lasts on me. It’s a vanilla note that’s like a cross between vanilla sugar and candyfloss. I tend to find that Madagascar vanilla has a sweeter, more sugary, slightly cake-ish scent to it whereas Bourbon vanilla is deeper, darker and sometimes a little smoky. This vanilla is definitely the sweet fluffy variety that at times has a hint of cake (just cake, no icing/frosting/filling) to it, however at times the orris adds a hint of something almost musky and the orchid gives it a sophisticated floral aspect. This scent is really growing on me and I can’t wait to see how the vanilla develops as it ages. A must for all vanilla-philes.

Is it a keeper? Yes. I may even get a backup in case the vanilla ages amazingly.

If you like this, try: Clockwork Couture Female, Love’s Philosophy, Morocco, Signior Dildo, Staged Moon Landing, Lyonesse, Underpants

Serket v5

In the imp: hay and dates, maybe a bit of fig too.

Wet on skin: dried fruits and dried straw.

Dry on skin: interesting. This smells like dried fruits, burning myrrh, hay and grains, and an arid sandy note. It’s like Gomorrah with less of the darker fruit notes (no currant) and with hay instead of herbs. There’s also a slightly nutty note that my skin seems to turn into peanuts (what the?) as well as the one myrrh note that I don’t like because it smells burnt and weird on me. But the dominant note in here, at least to my nose, is date. This is full of mushy brown dried dates. It’s really nice and very unusual. These are dates on a base of sand and dried grains, and maybe some healing balsams. I think there’s also fig and maybe some dried apricots?

After a while: the scent becomes drier, more arid and gritty. It’s what I’d imagine being in a sandstorm would be like-it’s really abrasive in scent, there’s a harshness to it, not sure if I’m keen on that. It’s very dusty, it almost makes my nostrils itch. There’s also that acrid myrrh note, identical to the Light Myrrh SN, which is the only myrrh note that doesn’t work on me. That particular bitter scent does seem to evoke a hint of venom though. The sweet fig and date scent is still there though, it’s just turned really sandy now. There is a note to it that I’ve just pinpointed-palm. Possibly date palms, but I smell the dried leaves and husk/bark of the tree itself as well as the fruit.

Verdict: this is a very good evocation of the habitat of a scorpion: sun beaten sands, parched grasses, oasis palm trees, desert spices, heat, aridity, dust, but there’s a hint of sweetness that softens it a tiny bit, a sweet scent from dried fruit notes like figs and dates. Hints of offertory incense and healing resins, balms and dried plants can be detected as well. It’s very atmospheric as a scent but my skin does strange things to the myrrh here and the dusty note is a little too authentic, in that it tickles the throat like real dust! But I’m glad I got to try it and would love to see a Serket scent go live one day.

Is it a keeper? Not this time-I may keep a bit for myself, but not a bottle.

If you like this, try: Gomorrah, Black Lotus, Set prototype, Nyarlahotep

Half Elf v5

In the imp: white chocolate Toblerone! Yes, really. It’s honey nougat and a hint of chocolate-ish creaminess.

Wet on skin: this has the most beautiful honey note. Soft and fluffy honey.

Dry on skin: glorious! I don’t smell any floral or Glowing Vulva to this, just a gentle honey nougat scent. The honey is dominant, and it smells like a cross between the honey notes in Valse Finale and Dana O’Shee, a very sweet and comforting honey, no sharpness at all. Though it does seem to have a fruity undertone too, like peach or apricot, maybe it’s a peach blossom honey. There is also a white fluffy scent like nougat or perhaps vanilla cream or marshmallow. The best way I can describe this is ‘spun honey’ or ‘whipped honey’ because it has such an airy feel.

After a while: still creamy honeycomb gorgeousness. It doesn’t change very much but I don’t mind, it’s like honey nougat and a hint of vanilla/white chocolate and I love it. It’s not as fruity now, there’s a chewy honeycomb scent to it. The only problem is that it seems to fade away rather fast.

I’ve also noticed that this scent does smell a little different with each wear, even though it’s still undeniably honey-after testing a second time, it smells a little sharper and more like O, not the nougat from before.

Verdict: this is a really beautiful and uncomplicated honey. I think it’s a blend of different honeys, elegantly mixed together, sweet and sticky honey with honeycomb and slightly sharper pollen-like honey, but there are light and fluffy nougat and gentle vanilla nuances, and a hint of white chocolate. But the main note is honey and it’s delightful. I’d say this scent is to honey what Elf v4 is to vanilla, in other words, a prime example of this note at its finest.

Is it a keeper? Yes!

If you like this, try: O, Valse Finale et Apotheose, Dana O’Shee, Queen of Sheba, Honey Moon/Hony Mone

Victorian Rose Milk v1

In the imp: a creamy yet deep rich rose.

Wet on skin: now there’s a bit of almond in there…

Dry on skin: ohh, this is nice. It’s a traditional Victorian rose, dried blood red petals, though less crisp than the one in London, this one is more like Lucy’s Kiss or the Empress. It’s got a rose otto scent to it as well, with a scent of dried petals but also a rich and almost resinous depth. I don’t smell any more of the initial creamy scent from before, just a hint of almond milk but not as much as before. It’s mainly roses. Very beautiful but it may be a little too heavy and traditional-I was hoping for a little milkiness, a la Alice.

After a while: the milk/cream doesn’t return. This dries down as pure rose. A dusky, deep red and very aged rose, this is haughty and aloof in feel, like the Peacock Queen, but it’s a little sour at drydown (in a wilted rose petal way rather than a sour milk). It’s not bad but I was hoping for the creamy scent to return, and it smells a little too old fashioned for my tastes. I think it’s also not very sweet on me.

Verdict: this smells exactly what it says on the label-a vintage rose otto with a hint of creaminess. Though I do wish it were a little creamier, maybe my skin amps the rose? There’s a promising hint of almond milk but that’s very short lived. I normally love roses and especially roses softened by creamy notes but the rose here seems to turn a little fusty and stuffy, slightly wilted, at drydown. It’s not the fresh tea rose of London or Maiden, nor is it like the milky sweet rose of Alice or Dawn Maiden. I think it's more of a Peacock Queen rose, and I'm not so keen on that sort of rose. I think I’ll pass this on because I have loads of rose scents that I prefer to this.

Is it a keeper? Not really. I’d love to see this get released one day, maybe with a bit more creaminess.

If you like this, try: Peacock Queen, Lucy’s Kiss, Rose Cross, London, Pride, Two Five and Seven, The Empress

Ninon

In the imp: lavender soap and a hint of tobacco and hay.

Wet on skin: huh? The hay note now smells really weird, almost salty, and the lavender takes on a masculine cologne/aftershave scent.

Dry on skin: I have no idea what this is doing, it’s just turned into an incomprehensible mess on me. First up, the tobacco is going crazy and is doing the Evil Ashtray of Evilness thing on me. The lavender has turned aggressive and manly smelling-and I normally like lavender. The hay smells of wet straw and salt. I don’t smell any honey musk, amber, sandalwood, rose or vanilla. All the notes I hoped for are nowhere to be seen-or smelt. All I get is a weird lavender tobacco and salty straw smell.

After a while: maybe now I can smell amber, but only if I really sniff, and the hay has lost its annoying salty smell, but the tobacco is still too strong. It’s too smoky-and I don’t really smell honey musk, just smoke, and the hay now smells like a kind of blonde tobacco cologne. The lavender is still there, which is unusual because usually lavender fades fast. But this is nothing like Emathides or Odd Portents, which have similar notes.

Verdict: this is the only courtesan scent that was a total failure on me. There were notes with so much promise here, like rose, amber, vanilla, honey musk…but all I can smell here is harsh, masculine and aggressive lavender with ashtrays and salty straw. It’s a mess for an hour, and even though it seems to become more coherent at drydown, there’s too much tobacco for my tastes and I still don’t smell the rose, amber and vanilla. It’s a shame because I love scents with similar notes but it’s nothing like those because of the tobacco and hay. I will pass on my decant to someone whose skin doesn’t mess up tobacco notes.

Is it a keeper? Nope.

If you like this, try: Love and Pain, Gaueko, Pyramus, Misericordia, On Darkness, Odd Portents, Emathides

Saqqara v2

In the imp: ohhh, clove and desert spices similar to Mr Jacquel.

Wet on skin: now I smell pepper and amber and also some frankincense.

Dry on skin: this smells like the lovechild of Mr Jacquel and the Lamia prototype. It has a similar exotic spice and amber scent to Lamia v3, with clove and pepper being the strongest notes. They smell dry and piquant, a tiny bit savoury, and remind me of the spices sold at a souk. There’s also a bit of Egyptian amber. There’s a dusty, sandy undertone to it as well, which is what reminds me of Mr Jacquel. Maybe they have the same North African patchouli, which has a desert-like scent to it that’s different to other patchouli notes. There’s a sharper resin here-I see why people say pine but I am sure that it’s frankincense. There’s also a hint of sandalwood, but I don’t smell vanilla, in fact this isn’t very sweet. For those who fear this note, I do not smell any vetiver.

After a while: the scent doesn’t change much but I think the clove gives way to pepper or saffron, the frankincense fades a bit, and the sandalwood note develops a slightly effervescent lemony scent. I still smell lots of amber with an arid undertone and a lot of heavy spice. I do wonder if there’s ginger now.

Verdict: I need to retest this one as unfortunately I first tried it on the night I caught a violent stomach bug and the strong spicy scent was aggravating it. I really hope that doesn’t happen again or bring back horrible memories of that episode because I love the scent itself. It’s a fabulous golden clove resin scent. Very similar to Lamia v3, but I think that one was more of a cardamom-pepper scent with amber, this one seems more like cloves and pepper with maybe some hints of cardamom and saffron, along with amber, frankincense, and a dusty desert patchouli scent remniscent of Mr Jacquel. It evokes images of lost treasure, sandy ancient ruins and faraway bazaars. I look forward to one day hopefully seeing Saqqara released and I hope it has a similar scent to this!

Is it a keeper? yes!

If you like this, try: Mr Jacquel, Bastet, Ozymandias, The Lion, Jacob’s Ladder, Mother Ginger

Weisse Maus v4

In the imp: is that linden? It smells like a sophisticated greenish spring floral.

Wet on skin: ooh, this is pretty, it smells dewy and fresh like reeds and grasses.

Dry on skin: so lovely. This is full of linden-it reminds me of Creeping Mist. Like the Creeping Mist, I think there may be lotus here, or waterlily, as there’s a sweet aquatic floral note here, crisp and dewy and clean but not soapy. I smell something greenish and reedy and then it hits me-it could be the same iris note that’s in Nefertiti! That iris note was a lot wetter and less sweet than the usual iris. There’s something that could be cucumber or melon too, but I think that’s an effect of the iris/waterlily. It smells of fresh water, sunshine and spring.

After a while: the iris note loses its juicy scent and turns to a more classic iris scent, like Nefertiti without the incense notes, and the linden really shines. Now it reminds me of the scent of the trees in bloom that I remember when I went to Berlin (and I also wore Nefertiti when I was there which is why this scent brings back memories…) and there may also be a hint of non-soapy white lily, like the one in Veronica. I also think there’s moss here, and maybe some bergamot, maybe a hint of skin musk too. The scent does seem to fade fast though.

Verdict: springtime in Berlin in a bottle! To me linden (which seems to be dominant here) will always be associated with this city, because of the Unter de Linden, or the linden trees planted on the wide streets scenting the air on sunny days. It’s less like a debauched night in a cabaret (to me that would be more along the lines of Schwarzer Mond with added smoke), to me this scent is more suited to a carefree day strolling by the banks of the Spree. But like a mouse, this scent is quiet and shy and does have the tendency to hide away quite fast. Despite this, it’s really beautiful and perfect for spring. Thanks so much to my trunk show angel for getting me a bottle of this delightful scent!

Is it a keeper? Definitely.

If you like this, try: Creeping Mist, Nefertiti, The Unicorn, Veronica, Enchanted Wood Florist

Virginia

In the imp: WHOA. It’s Panther Moon’s incense-tinged musk! This could be awesome!

Wet on skin: this gets spicier and smokier. This seems to have a similar frankincense-tobacco mix that’s in Red Lace.

Dry on skin: spicy, sensual, exotic musk with sandalwood and incense. The musk is very similar to Panther Moon, with its hint of champa, but maybe not as sweet in here? The sandalwood also has a spicy scent, and it’s dry and warm. The caramel is incredibly subtle, I hardly smell it, in fact it blends with frankincense to make a lovely golden resin scent. I also smell tobacco, and it’s smoky, but it’s not as obnoxious as the one in Ninon. The sage has a spicy and almost savoury herbal scent to it. I don’t smell any of the floral notes here. This is a really unusual scent-sultry and haunting.

After a while: now it hits me what this reminds me of-Sunbird. There’s a similar spicy resin musk thing to it, but this one seems a lot drier, darker and smokier, it lacks the sweet smooth richness I get in Sunbird. The sage makes this smell really savoury at times, like cooking herbs. The musk has become darker and dirtier too. I still don’t smell the flowers, but the tobacco has gone up a notch, and I’m not sure if I like it as much now. It’s also surprisingly quiet.

The tobacco then retreats, thankfully never turning to ashtrays. I’m still not sure about the slightly dirty scent I get here, there’s something funky about the musk and an odd savoury sage note, which is a shame because I get a frankincense and orchid scent at this point that reminds me of Event Horizon meets Interfector.

Verdict: I’m undecided on this. There are some aspects which I love-the heady, exotic nature of the musk with its spicy, feral and incense-like complexities, the smoky resinous notes, the subtle yet well rounded floral notes. But I’m not sure I really dig the slightly dirty, gritty, sticky scent this has, and the hints of cooking herbs I get every now and then. And oddly it’s quite faint despite the notes being quite deep and dark. I like it, but there are other scents along similar lines, like Panther Moon, Sunbird and Interfector, which I prefer.

Is it a keeper: I think not.

If you like this, try: Sunbird, Aperotos Eros, Cat Allingham, Panther Moon, Interfector

Veronica

In the imp: juicy pomegranate-similar to Lola but a bit sweeter.

Wet on skin: crisp red pomegranate and a very subtle hint of floral.

Dry on skin: interesting. The first thing this reminds me of is the Flower Song, the pomegranate is the same crisp, almost wine-scented pom with a hint of floral, the lotus of Flower Song replaced here by lily. I smell moss too, and a hint of iris. The lily is greenish but not soapy or unpleasant like it can be. It’s fresh and dewy. I can’t smell much amber but I do think there’s a bit of currant making this even fruitier. The ylang adds a deeper and headier hint of sweet floral.

After a while: this smells really nice actually once it’s settled-the ylang never turns cloying and the lily is really pretty-a fresh, cool white floral note with an undercurrent of crisp pomegranate, with a hint of ethereal iris that has a watery quality reminiscent of Nefertiti. I like how it smells clean and refined but not soapy.

Verdict: as lily scents go, this is really nice. It’s so rare to find a lily that works and this is one that does. This is mainly a lovely light fruity floral, a balanced blend of lily and pomegranate, dainty and dewy white lily with crisp biting pomegranate, and it’s nicely supported by a very nice iris note and hints of moss. I was hoping for a bit more amber though to add a slight resin-sweet depth. This is really pretty and I’m impressed by the way the lily works here, but I think when it comes to pomegranate courtesan scents, Lola’s spicy fruity flora complexity wins. So I think I may pass this one on.

Is it a keeper? Not sure-this one is nice but I prefer Lola.

If you like this, try: Lola, The Flower Song, Mlle Lilith Fortune Teller, Persephone, Venice

Kitty

In the imp: mmm, strawberry cake. Very reminiscent of Lilith’s Tea Party.

Wet on skin: the strawberry becomes a little less candied, I smell the orchid/bergamot too.

Dry on skin: not bad! It smells mainly of strawberries and sandalwood now with a dash of creamy vanilla, but it’s not as sweet and cakey as it was before. This now has a surprisingly attractive deep green scent from the orchid, which does have a hothouse feel to it, that green and humid exotic plant smell. This makes the sweet strawberry jam and vanilla custard scent even more interesting. The sandalwood is dry and crisp. The bergamot also adds a hint of sharpness, which in here reminds me of champagne. This is a very sophisticated strawberry.

After a while: the green sharpness then fades and what I’m left with is a glorious vanilla sandalwood with fluffy strawberry cream! It’s beautiful! It’s very pink and almost gourmand like a cake covered in creamy strawberry icing and sticky honey, but the dry sandalwood stops it from becoming overwhelming, there’s a hint of orchid to the vanilla as well, so this doesn’t smell like one of those overly rich dessert scents.

Verdict: it’s rare to find a strawberry scent that works, but this is my second favourite strawberry scent after Loli Goth! It’s got strawberry just right: sweet and jammy but not cloying, with a dollop of vanilla cream to make it even more delightful, and a spoonful of honey adding more sweetness. But thankfully there’s sandalwood and orchid to keep the rich sweet notes under control and to make this more unusual and intriguing than your average strawberries and cream scent. This scent is incredibly feminine and endearing, quite cheeky and flirtatious and very pink! I love it and I need more!

Is it a keeper? Yes! I want a bottle now.

If you like this, try: Lilith’s Tea Party, Bon Vivant, Strawberry Moon (any), Sugar Moon (any), Velvet Pink Kitty

Lola

In the imp: HERBAL ESSENCES!!! No, really. This smells like the shampoo. Oh, yes, yes, yes, and all that…but I actually really like the smell of Herbal Essences.

Wet on skin: this sharpens a little as the floral notes come out but I don’t seem to get ‘evil jasmine’ or ‘soapy lily’ yet.

Dry on skin: it’s sharp, but it’s more like the sharpness of plum skin or pomegranate juice than floral notes behaving badly. Actually, this is really nice. The blend of pomegranate, berry and jasmine reminds me primarily of Daiyu, which is a good thing because I do love that scent. The jasmine here is, like in Daiyu, really nice and smells like proper jasmine, not floral poison, I think the tuberose adds oomph to it as well. The pimento here smells less like salty chillies and smells like acai here, sweet and red with a hint of apple, however it does smell a little spicier here. Maybe the carnation contributes to this. The herbs, mosses and garden flowers add a hint of pleasant sun warmed greenery, and the plum smells rich and sweet-not like the plum in Snake Charmer, it’s more like Sugar Moon 2011.

After a while: this gets better-the notes become more balanced with the moss, jasmine, plum and pomegranate merging nicely…and the clove comes out. I love what the clove does to this-it adds a warm, dark, sweet and sensual undertone. It seems to bind all the notes together. After many hours of wear, I’m left with a sexy blend of clove and carnation.

Verdict: whilst this is incredibly different to the Lola Montez bath oil prototype that was out a long time ago, this is so beautiful. This one took me by surprise-I saw all the floral notes and though ‘no way will this work’. How wrong I was. I think Lola may be my favourite courtesan scent. This scent is very multifaceted with fruit, flowers, greens and spices, but also very coherent-the notes are balanced and play well with each other, and the jasmine in here is the nicest I’ve smelt in a while. A complex and fascinating scent that’s fitting for the complex and fascinating woman it is inspired by. Not to mention that now I have the Kinks song in my head. L-O-L-A Lola, la la la la Lola…

Is it a keeper? yes, I need a bottle!

If you like this, try: Veronica, Daiyu, Sugar Moon 2011, Mme Lilith Fortune Teller

Copulating Mice

In the imp: lavender and nuts! This smells really nice actually.

Wet on skin: lavender and thyme now, but with sweet nuts.

Dry on skin: this is so nice! I love the nuts in here. The hazelnut and pecan smell rich and nutty, and with a lovely roasted scent, but not at all caramelised. (I think the lab needs more nut scents!) There is some sweetness from the cloves and tonka, a very sophisticated, almost musky sweetness, with warmth from the spice. The bergamot adds a hint of citrus. After the nuts, the strongest notes are the herbs-the lavender is strongest but it seems to give way to the thyme, which gives the whole scent a fragrance reminiscent of a summer evening in Provence.

After a while: this gets better. Am I the only person who loves the BPAL nut scents, especially hazelnut? I think it smells smooth yet rich, almost creamy without smelling like cream, and it adds a lovely base to this scent, which is now glorious clove incense. Almost like sweet resin speckled with spices and a hint of lavender clinging around. It reminds me of the Hermes Trimegistus v1 prototype, only with a bit more spice? I think it’s the tonka that makes it so appealing.

Verdict: another Shunga surprise! I wasn’t expecting much from this but this is a beautiful mix of sweet lavender with an almost resinous spiciness, a hint of herbs, and a delightful nutty undertone that smells smooth, warm and almost gourmand but not quite. The clove is so good in here, as is the lavender, everything combining to make a very mellow and cosy scent that’s quite unlike anything else. I’d love to see more pecan scents now…

Is it a keeper? yes, I need to order a bottle!

If you like this, try: Mercury, Paris, Sybaris

Champagne and Party Hats

In the imp: the fizzy, almost lemonade-like champagne note, with buttercream and cake.

Wet on skin: a bit more cake at this point.

Dry on skin: champagne and lemonade-maybe even Buck’s Fizz-with an assortment of birthday cakes. I smell vanilla cupcakes with a thick topping of buttercream on top, as well as Victoria sponge sandwiched with strawberry jam. It reminds me a bit of Lilith’s Tea Party, but instead of tea, there’s champagne. Of course, the champagne is the strongest note, intensely effervescent and in here, it smells almost soapy and juniper-ish rather than pure champagne. The cake notes are gorgeous though, especially with that hint of strawberry. Interestingly, I do smell some party hats here, a bit of paper and cardboard.

After a while: in here the champagne lasts a good long time, and then it goes flat, unfortunately leaving a tinny note behind as it does. It’s oddly metallic. Shame really because the strawberry jam filled cake note is very nice, even though now it smells more like fairy cake paper cases with cake crumbs rather than the cakes themselves.

Verdict: this has the familiar Champagne note particular to WC exclusives (which is very different to the usual champagne notes in regular LE and GC scents) combined with birthday cake. Like dipping slices of cake in champagne, or maybe spiking the cake with bubbly. This is not a party for the kiddies. The champagne is strong, almost obnoxiously so, and the cake is quieter but I smell icing, jam and buttercream as well as the cake itself. The drydown, once the champagne fades, is a little papery and lacklustre. It’s one of the nicer Champagne exclusives I’ve tried, but not enough to keep.

Is it a keeper? no.

Fern Frost

In the imp: mint and eucalyptus. It reminds me a bit of Frost Moon mixed with the original Cold Moon.

Wet on skin: lots of eucalyptus here. This smells fresh and nose-clearing.

Dry on skin: this is similar to the original Cold Moon, and also Frost Moon. It has the same fern note as CM05, but instead of the slightly cucumbery ice note there’s a mix of chilly, bracing peppermint and eucalyptus. There’s an almost menthol feel, but it’s not that medicinal, it just evokes chilly air very well. It has the effect of chilling my nose but also clearing it. There’s a hint of sweetness and maybe some citrus (maybe white grapefruit?) and a tiny bit of frozen ozone/air. It’s a lot more straightforwardly cold than the usual ice/snow scent with that strong eucalyptus scent, but the fern note grounds it.

After a while: whoa, this is gorgeous. Once the eucalyptus burns off, I’m left with the most beautiful frozen vanilla cream scent. It’s almost like vanilla ice cream with a scoop of mint sorbet. There’s the gorgeous creamy scent of the vanilla with a fresh, watery mint note on top. The vanilla also has musky tones to it that make it even more alluring. And it smells very much like Anti Saloon League, except with mint instead of sarsaparilla. Something about it also reminds me of Sugar Plum Fairy-maybe the vanilla sugar?

Verdict: why oh why is this only available in imps? This is possibly the best snow/ice scent I’ve tried in a long time. At first it was all mint and eucalyptus with citrus and I was thinking it would burn off fast and maybe would be more of a Panacea type scent for cooling you down on a hot day rather than a perfume…but then the icy notes melted away to reveal the most magnificent vanilla musk underneath! Like a mix of vanilla ice cream, warm musk and a shot of crème de menthe, maybe even hints of white amber, it’s a scent that’s comforting, sophisticated and magical all at once. I can’t really smell fern here other than a hint of fuzzy greenery that seems to be part of the musk. It’s so beautiful and I really wish I could get more! This is perfect for summer too but because of its rarity I’ll need to save it for a very special occasion.

Is it a keeper? I need more! I’ll have to see if I can swap for more imps of this or hope that one day it returns in full bottles…

Burning Vulva

In the imp: vanilla, leather, a bit of floral, smoke and ginger. Reminds me of VILF.

Wet on skin: orange blossom, beeswax and leather with vanilla and ginger.

Dry on skin: lots of ginger here. This is really fiery now and surprisingly floral-the orange blossom and something greener (the cyclamen?) are strong, and the ginger and pepper smell almost savoury, very spicy. I do not smell resins or amber. There’s vanilla but it seems to be of the plastic variety, or maybe that’s the leather or the balsam? It’s the same leather and red ginger mix with a hint of floral that turned VILF really bad on me. I also have a horrible feeling that Peru balsam is turning to plastic on me these days. There’s some beeswax, but I seem to smell a scent like burning plastic here with a ginger note that turns rubbery.

After a while: it’s a total mess. The cyclamen (I think?) has turned to a sharp yet cloying champaca-like scent and there’s some ginger that smells of hot asphalt, and PVC coated leather, as well as an unnerving plastic scent from the balsam. The beeswax, normally golden sweet honey musk on me, has turned to sharp honey. It seems like an incongruous collision of Giant Vulva, Lovers with Rutting Cats, Time Does Not Bring Relief, and VILF.

Verdict: this is my least favourite Vulva (lol) I much prefer the smooth creamy golden scent of Glowing Vulva and even the slightly perfumey honeyed scent of Giant Vulva to this, which is a mess of clashing notes that all turn bad. Even the nice notes seem to misbehave here. Not for me, I’m afraid.

Is it a keeper? nope.

If you like this, try: Young Pine Saplings, Giant Vulva, Glowing Vulva (perfume or bath), VILF, Lovers with Rutting Cats, Time Does Not Bring Relief

Young Pine Saplings

In the imp: an odd mix of popcorn (what the?) and sweet honeyed spices.

Wet on skin: still smells corny but now reminds me of tortilla crisps (ready salted) with honey-roasted nuts.

Dry on skin: this one is weird. I smell some cream and yes, it’s sour cream. Not nice. I also smell honey, and a very savoury ginger note, hot and spicy, I do not smell clove but I smell a lot of black pepper. And underneath it all is a very strange undertone of peanuts and tortilla crisps. It’s like a selection of snacks-salt and black pepper flavoured tortillas dipped in sour cream, and honey roasted nuts with chilli nuts, and a hint of ginger chutney. It’s not something I want to smell like though.

After a while: the scent’s corny/sour scent tones down and I smell a lot of fizzy ginger powder now, and pepper (still no recognisable clove). The ginger is the same one in the Milk Chocolate and Raw Ginger scent or the one in Vampire Kiss, because it’s very dry and fiery but has an effervescent aspect like ginger beer. There’s a scent to it like chilli as well. It’s still too savoury and the creamy scent I was hoping for is not there. It also reminds me of White Rabbit, the spices and honey are similar, but WR had a softer milk note as well as a smooth clean background, which this lacks.

Verdict: this is downright bizarre, and not in a good way. I was hoping for a spicier take on Sudha Segara but instead I get something that smells of spicy tortilla crisps dipped in sour cream. WTF? The spices here smell salty and the ginger is too dry, and the cream has a strange reaction that makes it smell both sour and also like corn snacks-sometimes popcorn, sometimes tortillas. Even the honey doesn’t sweeten this. I’m passing the decant on.

Is it a keeper? no thanks!

If you like this, try: White Rabbit, Sudha Segara, Mother Ginger, Milk Chocolate with Raw Ginger and Butterscotch, Burning Vulva, Playing with a Loaded Gun (if you can find it)

Gods of Intercourse

In the imp: a fresh floral peach.

Wet on skin: peach and flowers-like Peach Moon but more pink.

Dry on skin: very nice. It’s a blushing pink peach blossom scent. it’s very floral, the peach blossom (really just a more flowery, crisper version of peach) coming out more than the peach fruit. This isn’t very sweet. The gardenia and geranium enhance the floral scent but the gardenia here is very subtle. The currant adds a tangy accent but doesn’t smell too sharp. The musk is fresh and has a floral clean scent a bit like cherry blossom crossed with rose. I’d say this was somewhere between Peach Moon and Angeronalia, as peach scents go, there’s a hint of Agalea here too, it’s a very crisp, almost nectarine-like peach, and so springy.

After a while: not so keen on how this ends up…an odd paper-powdery floral. The peach has completely gone by then and I get a really weird gardenia. Not a sharp acrid floral like I sometimes get from this note but a papery scent which smells a bit bland. I don’t even smell currant now-usually red currant is very strong on me. It also fades very fast, leaving a nondescript bland scent behind.

Verdict: this had promise to be a very pretty peachy spring scent but despite smelling agreeable at the beginning, it then turned weird on me and faded quickly. The scent was also a little too light and not sweet enough and I think it may have been the floral notes that turned on me. I passed on my decant.

Is it a keeper? No.

If you like this, try: Ebisu Making Love, Angeronalia, Peach Moon, Aglaea, The Cup of Death

In vial: cocoa butter, chocolate and berries.
On skin: this becomes a lot sweeter-maybe a bit too sweet? I don’t smell much of the peppermint candy cane but I do smell the white chocolate, separate from the dark chocolate. The dark choc is slightly bitter but it’s overall a sweet fruity variety. The white chocolate is very sweet…it’s actually more of an oversweet cocoa butter scent, like in Palmers cocoa butter lotion? I find that a little cloying. It’s not the ‘posh white chocolate’ I remember from the Valentines chocolate scents, despite the presence of a sharp fruit note like cranberry. The cranberry is tangy, but it’s actually much sweeter than expected. The shortbread is very buttery, maybe a little too buttery for my tastes. Overall this smells so much like something I want to eat-cranberry, chocolate and candy cane on shortbread sounds delicious and I feel inspired to make my own-but as a scent, it’s a little too much. Maybe I should try bathing in this...

Red Lace

In the bottle: a caramelised raspberry and pomegranate mix.

Wet on skin: less caramelised, now more smoky, but still red and fruity.

Dry on skin: caramelised, sticky, red and tangy raspberry pie filling. It does smell blackened and clotted, though not in a bad way. It reminds me of berry pie filling that has burst out of the crust and burnt a little. Raspberry is the main note, this makes me happy, as it’s such a rare fruit note. I’m undecided about the fact that this raspberry is quite biting and snappy, but I do smell a mix of tobacco and frankincense smoke swirling around, reminds me of Interfector, which I love. This may turn out to be too rich, or may mellow into something awesome. No red musk yet, but this does also remind me of Blood Phoenix-maybe less sweet.

After a while: eventually this settles into the most amazing, incredible scent of raspberry, frankincense and vanilla musk. This is a feminine version of the Soldier, or Bloody Mary’s grown up, sexy sister. This is less like red lace to me, and more like velvet or silk. It’s so rich and textured and voluptuous. The frankincense reminds me of Lune Noire, but with the flowers replaced by lush red fruit. The raspberry is amazing-sharper and less syrupy than the black raspberry in that white chocolate truffle scent, but just as amazing. The vanilla adds just that little touch of gentle sweetness.

Verdict: after being let down by Black Lace and saddened by Antique Lace’s passing, I am so glad to smell this. I don’t see many raspberry scents and some of the really fruity ones like Akuma or Rangoon Riptide are too sharp, but this is perfection. A little like a feminine version of the Soldier. The raspberry and pomegranate are equal at first as the scent starts as a rich red fruity scent like pie filling, complete with a hint of burnt sugar, but then the raspberry asserts itself and the smoky notes and musk come out in full to make this an utterly sexy scent! The vanilla sweetens it a bit but I don’t really get much of an Antique Lace scent here, but I don’t mind, the smoky musky sexy raspberry scent is wonderful. The scent is strong, with major throw and long wear time. I’m glad I went for a bottle.

Is it a keeper? yes! I do wonder if I need another bottle…

If you like this, try: The Soldier, Crypt Queen, Dionysia, Black Lace, Blood Phoenix, MB Bloody Mary, Interfector

In the imp: ohhh, it smells like mince pies!
Wet on skin: mince pies, apple cider, warm wood fittings…
Dry on skin: I’m surprised at the strong apple scent I get from this, but that’s a good thing-provided the apple doesn’t go wrong. The home made mince pie recipe I used has grated apple in it. And this smells like mince pies! Maybe a tad more apple than the pies I make, but I smell the buttery warm pastry and the spicy, fruity filling. There is a splash of ale, and it’s surprisingly nice! A bit more fizzy and cider-like than the sweet barley scent of the beer in Feeding the Dead. I can’t smell the rosin note (shame, because as an ex-cellist, I love that smell) but I do smell the warm wood scent, it reminds me of the wood panels of a proper British pub-like the ones you find in villages, that have thatched roofs, very low ceilings, walls covered in brewing/ale related paraphernalia, and look like they were built centuries ago and haven’t changed since. This is glorious.
After a while: the apple note gets stronger but it seems nicely balanced with the spices and woods. The ale note is actually really nice-a little lighter than the more barley-centred beer note in Feeding the Dead, but it doesn’t smell like a pub crawl either. The whole scent exudes such an approachable festive warmth that I can’t help but smile when I smell it.
Verdict: mince pies and apple cider served in an English pub on Christmas Eve. I can almost hear delightful music playing, people dancing and singing, happy revelry fuelled by the booze on offer but no outright drunkenness. If there was one criticism is that I wish the mince pies and resin notes were stronger, they do get overwhelmed somewhat by the scent of spicy cider and ale, so at times this reminds me of Fearful Pleasure, which is my favourite apple scent, but with a Yuletide twist of pastry and dark fruit instead of the autumnal smoke in FP. I’m so glad I managed to gather about a half-bottle of this because this to me is one of those quintessentially festive scents that never fails to cheer me up. I’m wondering if half a bottle is enough…
Is it a keeper? I’d give anything to have more, and pray to the perfume gods for a future resurrection/revisit…
If you like this, try: Fearful Pleasure, Jolasveinar, Joloumouri, The Second of Three Spirits, Whoop, A World of Fools

Lilith’s Tea Party

In the imp: mmm, strawberry jam and cream filled cakes!

Wet on skin: somewhere between Eat Me, Huesos de Santo, Teatime in Roswell and Bread and Butterfly.

Dry on skin: this is so pretty! The scent that predominates is strawberry jam and sponge cake. The strawberry jam is very, very sweet, but it’s working better on me than strawberry notes tend to. The trifle smells so realistic-it smells just like the kind my godmother makes, with jam filled Swiss rolls, I can really smell Swiss rolls here! There’s a hint of white wine to the trifle, and the cream/custard is there, adding richness to the whole scent. I can’t smell the imaginary flowers (I can smell rosewater though) or macaroons, and not much actual tea, but I’m impressed by the cake note. This scent reminds me of the Mad Tea Party scents (no surprises there) in that it smells sweet, whimsical and nostalgic.

After a while: I can’t decide whether I like this or not. I think it’s too sweet, but the jam scent reminds me of my favourite type of Swiss Rolls. Maybe the cream is making this too cloying? I love the Swiss roll and Victoria sponge scent here, but maybe it’s a little too much, when compared to other cake scents like Eat Me and Huesos de Santo. I think Eat Me has a musky scent to the vanilla which prevents it from being purely foody, and Huesos has sharp orange and anise detracting from the sweet cake and custard. The rose note in here is too faint to turn the scent into a floral gourmand.

Verdict: I like this, it’s a classic example of a tea party scent, there’s something quintessentially English about it-a scent of Victoria sponge cakes full of the sweetest strawberry jam, served with jammy Swiss rolls, jammy scones, trifles, and just the faintest hint of a cup of tea. I myself was hoping for more of the tea, to temper the intense sweetness of the cake. Because although I love the Victoria sponge scent here, it’s a little too sweet. Too much jam and not enough sponge, maybe? I’m comparing this to Golletes, another scent with a similar theme of strawberry jam and sweet carbs, and I think Golletes wins this round. It’s not as cloyingly sweet as LTP; I think the pastry note in there is less sugary than the cake in here. I eventually sold my bottle but I’m keeping a small amount because there’s something endearing about the scent and concept.

Is it a keeper? Maybe just a decant…

If you like this, try: Golletes, Teatime in Roswell, Eat Me, Huesos de Santo, Bread and Butterfly

In the imp: no aniseed, but I smell caramelised red musk, yummy!
Wet on skin: oh yeah, now I smell the liquorice alright, it’s like those black laces.
Dry on skin: caramelised red musk, black pepper and liquorice bootlaces. Despite the strong aniseed scent I get here, I like this. I do think the pie note is a little too caramelised for me, it’s like a treacle tart blended with a pie full of dark fruit filling. Having said that, I love the red musk here! It’s sweet, raunchy, not dry and crumbly like some red musk notes, this is the thick, deeply sexy, almost vanilla-tinged variety from Infernal Lover. There are hints of patchouli to it too. The pepper adds a piquancy that I like, the vanilla sweetens it more, but I don’t smell any leather. I’m still undecided on the liquorice allsorts scent though.
After a while: once the liquorice smell fades, this becomes totally hubba-hubba, oh yeah! Soldier boy tell ‘em! This smells red musk, fluffy vanilla cream and a hint of darkly fruity caramel, almost like cranberry mince pie filling. Mmmm. There’s even a hint of Snake Oil about the musk here. I still don’t smell leather though until the end-it's so understated here.
Verdict: I love foody red musks, but both Winter Nights Enlarge and Elephantine Colossus disappointed, this one on the other hand is really good. The perfect blend of gourmand and sexy! The gourmand notes are cosy and appealing, fruity pie full of sweet red berries and freshly baked pastry with a fluffy creamy vanilla on top, whilst the subtle leather and awesome red musk (think Smut or the Infernal Lover) stop it from being too foody and make it more of a deep, sensual scent. The initial first hour of wear has an odd liquorice whips scent with a little too much caramel, but once that fades and the musk turns to an almost Snake Oil type note, then it’s a total nose-gasm! This is one soldier I wouldn't mind having in my bed...
Is it a keeper? yes! I have a bottle!
If you like this, try: Red Lace, WILF, Elephantine Colossus, Now Winter Nights Enlarge, Smut