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RedRoseMaze

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Blog Entries posted by RedRoseMaze

  1. RedRoseMaze
    Sins Of The Past
    Category: American Gothic
    Quantity: sample
     
    Description:
    SINS OF THE PAST
    Innocence is lost. The Sins of the Past have yet to be absolved. Weighted and heavy on your heart, they were justified by love and carried out by greed. But, all will be made right. There’s just one more deed to carry out. Simply, one more transgression to erase all the rest. All will be made right again. The Sins of the Past will be put to rest. All fools need to believe. Red apple, aromatic bitters, spearmint, eucalyptus, benzoin.
     
    Review:
     
    In the bottle: Spicy apple and mint, or a minty apple pie.
     
    Wet: It’s cold from the mint. It really smells like apple, with a little bit of warm benzoin and cold eucalyptus. The mix of hot and cold is a bit weird at first, but I got used to it after a minute or two.
     
    Dry: The aromatic bitters appeared, making the apple spicy again. However, it remains foody. I still smell mint, eucalyptus and benzoin, but it's still delicate.
     
    Verdict: Another fruity scent from Good Judy and, as always, an interesting one. In fact, it smells so good, my parents’ dog followed me all-day with her nose up in the air, smelling my trail as if she expected me to get an apple turnover out of my pocket...
  2. RedRoseMaze
    The Pool Of Tears
    Category: Mad Tea Party
    Quantity: sample
     
    Description:
    THE POOL OF TEARS
    `I wish I hadn't cried so much!' said Alice, as she swam about, trying to find her way out. `I shall be punished for it now, I suppose, by being drowned in my own tears! That will be a queer thing, to be sure! However, everything is queer to-day.'
     
    A sea of salty tears drowning out Alice's light floral perfume.
     
    Review:
     
    In the bottle: An aquatic, soft floral blend, with a hint of carnation.
     
    Wet: It's very delicate on my skin, and still very floral, with carnation. It reminds me of Alice, but a bit more salty and aquatic.
     
    Dry: Oops, it just turned bitter during dry-down. It seems temporary, but what remains afterwards smells like deodorant.
     
    Verdict: It started o.k., but turned bad. Not a keeper.
     
    More reviews: Mad Tea Party: The Pool Of Tears
  3. RedRoseMaze

    BPAL: Kumiho

    By RedRoseMaze,

    Kumiho
    Category: Diabolus
    Quantity: sample
     
    Description:
    KUMIHO
    Nine-tailed fox demon of Korean lore who transforms into the visage of an irresistible beauty in order to seduce men and lead them to their doom. A sharp, biting blend of crisp white tea and ginger.
     
    Review:
     
    In the bottle: I can smell the white tea, slightly lemony/herbal.
     
    Wet: It reminds me of Unicorn, very floral, white and sharp.
     
    Dry: Now, I get more of the ginger, spicy and warm, but not overwhelming.
     
    Verdict: It's subtle, delicate, and pretty. I wouldn't have expected that for a "foxy demon", but it's nice.
     
    More reviews: Diabolus: Kumiho
  4. RedRoseMaze

    Good Judy: Cannoli

    By RedRoseMaze,

    Cannoli
    Category: Mary Jo's Bakery
    Quantity: sample
     
    Description:
    CANNOLI
    A cannoli baked up right...Good Judy style! Creamy ricotta, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, chocolate chips, nuts and candied fruit all stuffed into a crispy baked shell. Sinful! Mama would be proud.
     
    Review:
     
    In the bottle: Another foody perfume... Sugar, vanilla, cream, chocolate, and something fruity in the background.
     
    Wet: It really smells like pastry, with raisins, cinnamon, vanilla, ricotta or thick cream... It’s very sweet!
     
    Dry: Now, I get the candied fruits, in a sugar-coated shell... However, the fruits smell like an artificial essence, that’s my only disappointment.
     
    Verdict: Hum, this smells delicious! It might be a little bit too rich and decadent though...
  5. RedRoseMaze

    BPAL: Lust

    By RedRoseMaze,

    Lust
    Category: Sin And Salvation
    Quantity: sample
     
    Description:
    LUST
    Uncontrollable passion and insatiable sexual desire: red musk, patchouli, ylang ylang and myrrh.
     
    Review:
     
    In the bottle: Ew, it smells like old incense... More precisely, like a mix of musk and patchouli.
     
    Wet: Surprisingly, it actually turns sweet and spicy on my skin!
     
    Dry: ...And right back to the musky incense.
     
    Verdict: No, this one is definitively not for me. Too bad, I liked the name.
     
    More reviews: Sin And Salvation: Lust
  6. RedRoseMaze
    Jolly Roger
    Category: Bewitching Brews
    Quantity: sample
     
    Description:
    JOLLY ROGER
    Sea spray with an undercurrent of leather, Bay Rum, and salty, dry woods.
     
    Review:
     
    In the bottle: It does smell like the sea, in a very salty way; yet, it’s woody, with an under-note of sweetness.
     
    Wet: It’s still very aquatic. I get some of the wood, washed by the sea, but it’s still definitively aquatic.
     
    Dry: As it dries, it starts to smell like an old pirate leather hat, with a splash of rhum. (Yarr...)
     
    Verdict: It’s an interesting aquatic after-shave perfume, with an old pirate twist to it.
     
    More reviews: Bewitching Brews: Jolly Roger
  7. RedRoseMaze
    Spirit Bottle: Lhunassi
    Category: Curio Shop
    Quantity: sample
     
    Description:
    SPIRIT BOTTLE: LHUNASSI
    Also known as a Charm Bottle, these elaborately decorated bottles are known for their healing and good fortune…as well as their powerful voodoo charms. Filled with medicinal herbs and spices, these bottled philtres are further enhanced by the captured spirit that resides in the bottle. Once purchased, you, the Keeper, have complete control over the captured spirit, and the spirit will aid you and you alone. Take heed, because while your spirit will listen only to you, you must also listen to your spirit. Servitude is not forever. Your spirit will let you know when their servitude is complete. When the time comes, make sure to properly bury your Spirit Bottle and come visit Good Judy’s Curio Shoppe to acquire another. We have many more arriving any day now.
     
    This Spirit Bottle boasts the spirit of Lhunassi, powerful Moon Goddess and keeper of the stars. She will guide you on your spiritual journey for increased fertility and appease your need for nurturing and love of others.
     
    Herbs, spices, moonflower, white champa, knotted twine (to bind the spirit)
     
    Review:
     
    In the bottle: It’s very feminine, with a mix of floral and herbal scents.
     
    Wet: It’s already getting more precise: I get moonflower and herbs, with champa in the background. There’s something “old lady-ish” about it, though.
     
    Dry: Now, it’s softer, more herbal, with light champa, and subtle moonflower.
     
    Verdict: It’s very feminine and elegant, I won’t deny that, but it’s a bit too old-fashioned for me.
  8. RedRoseMaze

    BPAL: Eat Me

    By RedRoseMaze,

    Eat Me
    Category: Mad Tea Party
    Quantity: sample
     
    Description:
    EAT ME
    Soon her eye fell on a little glass box that was lying under the table: she opened it, and found in it a very small cake, on which the words 'EAT ME' were beautifully marked in currants.
     
    'Well, I'll eat it,' said Alice, 'and if it makes me grow larger, I can reach the key; and if it makes me grow smaller, I can creep under the door; so either way I'll get into the garden, and I don't care which happens!'
     
    She ate a little bit, and said anxiously to herself, 'Which way? Which way?', holding her hand on the top of her head to feel which way it was growing, and she was quite surprised to find that she remained the same size: to be sure, this generally happens when one eats cake, but Alice had got so much into the way of expecting nothing but out-of-the-way things to happen, that it seemed quite dull and stupid for life to go on in the common way.
     
    Three white cakes, vanilla, and red and black currants.
     
    BPAL’s Eat Me is not for eating. Please use common sense, and remember: perfume oils are for external use only.
     
    Review:
     
    In the bottle: Oh my! What a sugary, creamy, decadent cake!
     
    Wet: A soft, moist vanilla cake. I still hesitate between comparing it to a white wedding cake or a pound cake; but either way, it smells yummy.
     
    Dry: Now I get a little bit of currant to balance the rich sweetness of the cake. However, it still smells like something I would eat...
     
    Verdict: Ok, I admit it, I have a weakness for foody scents... I might be biased, but I think this perfume is adorable. In fact, it makes me want to bake a batch of cupcakes.
     
    More reviews: Mad Tea Party: Eat Me
  9. RedRoseMaze
    Follow Me Boy
    Category: Bewitching Brews
    Quantity: sample
     
    Description:
    FOLLOW ME BOY
    A houdoun recipe dating back almost 150 years. This blend is favored by prostitutes, exotic dancers and others in the sex industry for its power to attract, seduce, and enthrall. Ensures financial gain and increased profits.
     
    Review:
     
    In the bottle: Contrarily to my fellow reviewers, I don’t get any jasmine (in my memories, jasmine smells better than that), but something bitter, maybe lemon, and a strong floral smell, either rose or patchouli.
     
    Wet: I still smell citrus, but sweeter, such as orange, mixed with honey, rose, and baby powder.
     
    Dry: It gets better after a while. I now smell honeysuckle, vanilla, powder, and something spicy. It’s still very floral, but it goes through a nice evolution.
     
    Verdict: It’s ok, but honestly, it’s not something I will keep.
     
    More reviews: Bewitching Brews: Follow Me Boy
  10. RedRoseMaze

    BPAL: Rosalind

    By RedRoseMaze,

    Rosalind
    Category: Illyria
    Quantity: sample
     
    Description:
    ROSALIND
    Dew-covered berries and fresh green grasses with a faint breath of spring flowers.
     
    Review:
     
    In the bottle: It smells fresh, indeed! Sweet floral scents mixed with very faint berries.
     
    Wet: Green grass, green grass, and more green grass. As for the flowers, could it be peony? Or something like it? It reminds me of Maiden, but rolling into grass.
     
    Dry: Cut the lawn, roll onto it, that’s what it smells like... Fortunately, it fades away quickly.
     
    Verdict: It’s not so great. I’m almost glad it’s discontinued.
     
    More reviews: Illyria: Rosalind
  11. RedRoseMaze
    Mond-O-Rama
    Category: Starlite Oasis
    Quantity: sample
     
    Description:
    MOND-O-RAMA
    It’s the most…to say the least! The very end! So hot, it’s radioactive! So cool, it’s solid, baby! Citrus fruits, floral blooms, warm resins, bright herbs, and cool spices
     
    Review:
     
    In the bottle: It smells bright and lemony, yet floral, and cool... It may seem confusing, but it fits the description perfectly.
     
    Wet: It’s funny, it reminds me of a perfume spray I had when I was a kid. It’s soft, sweet, floral, and delicate, with a background note of spices. Nothing is strong enough to make the blend fall into a specific category.
     
    Dry: ...And this is when it turns from a child’s perfume to an old lady’s generic floral perfume. Honestly, I don’t know which is worse.
     
    Verdict: Either too young, or too old, or both! I really don’t think this blend is for me.
  12. RedRoseMaze
    Spectral Evidence
    Category: American Gothic
    Quantity: sample
     
    Description:
    SPECTRAL EVIDENCE
    In the Old Manse, life lingers, quiet and unassuming yet screaming to be heard. Whispered in a whiff of perfume, a lingering scent of flowers wafts where nobody stood. A shimmering shape lends a glimpse of something that once was. Remembered as visions from a dream, the pieces fit together and the story unfolds. Are you listening? Someone’s trying to tell you something. Lilac, violet, peony, shimmering air
     
    Review:
     
    In the bottle: How incredibly soft! It’s light and floral, mostly lilac and peony, with a little bit of sweet violet.
     
    Wet: It smells like a spring day, or a garden of fresh, delicate lilac, violet and peony. It’s adorable!
     
    Dry: As soon as it started to dry, it turned soapy; and then, it disappeared... Too bad.
     
    Verdict: I’m disappointed by the limited throw of this perfume; however, it might still be a good idea for my soap-making hobby.
  13. RedRoseMaze

    BPAL: Hurricane

    By RedRoseMaze,

    Hurricane
    Category: Bewitching Brews
    Quantity: sample
     
    Description:
    HURRICANE
    The Dark Side of Air: a high pitched, tangy, clear scent -- light China rain deepened by murky vetivert.
     
    Review:
     
    In the bottle: It smells delightfully fresh and herbal, with a strong note of bright vetivert.
     
    Wet: It’s still very herbal, but it turns almost floral (that might be my skin chemistry acting funny again). It smells like rain falling on fragrant herbs.
     
    Dry: It becomes warmer as it dries, the murky, almost smoky, aspect becomes more obvious.
     
    Verdict: It smells very masculine, fresh and clean. I think this might be a good suggestion for men who don’t like a cologne or perfume that smells “too much”.
     
    More reviews: Bewitching Brews: Hurricane
  14. RedRoseMaze

    BPAL: Kabuki

    By RedRoseMaze,

    Kabuki
    Category: Ars Amatoria
    Quantity: sample
     
    Description:
    KABUKI
    Compelling, complex, and utterly enigmatic: a luxuriant, exotic blend of cherry, red musk, and star anise.
     
    Review:
     
    In the bottle: Eww, it smells like cherry-scented play-dough... However, if I pay attention, I can also smell anise and some musk.
     
    Wet: At first, I get a lot of anise, but I also smell something sweet, like candy, and cherry.
     
    Dry: Cherry and anise candy, literally. I also get a very faint note of musk. It gets better and better as hours go by.
     
    Verdict: At first, I tought it smelled too much like licorice; but now, I really like it. It turned into something feminine and sensual.
     
    More reviews: Ars Amatoria: Kabuki
  15. RedRoseMaze

    BPAL: All Night Long

    By RedRoseMaze,

    All Night Long
    Category: Bewitching Brews
    Quantity: sample
     
    Description:
    ALL NIGHT LONG
    As if the name didn't spell it out for you. This blend relieves all sexual
    inhibitions by simultaneously relaxing and arousing.
     
    Review:
     
    In the bottle: Wow, this blend is thick! It's spicy, with a lot of cinnamon, and something lemony and floral behind. I also smell clove or pepper.
     
    Wet: That definitively smells like clove to me! It's very spicy, in a hot, exotic way. I smell warm vanilla in the background. It's dark, mysterious and sweet.
     
    Dry: Still spicy vanilla and clove. If you give it a few hours to fully blend with your skin, it really feels warm and sensual.
     
    Verdict: Well, I have yet to test its properties at night, but it definitively smells good! Now, I have to get that song out of my head...
     
    More reviews: Bewitching Brews: All Night Long
  16. RedRoseMaze

    BPAL: Persephone

    By RedRoseMaze,

    Persephone
    Category: Excolo
    Quantity: sample
     
    Description:
    PERSEPHONE
    Beautiful, radiant daughter of Demeter... her loveliness was so exquisite that even Hell itself could not resist her. Pomegranate and rose.
     
    Review:
     
    In the bottle: I smell mostly rose... ‘lots of it... I miss the juicy sweetness of the pomegranate.
     
    Wet: I still get a lot of rose, but it’s already much sweeter, and fruity.
     
    Dry: It is better, but... I still get so much rose! I don’t get that decadently juicy pomegranate other reviewers have smelled.
     
    Verdict: Either Persephone loved the smell of roses beyond imagination, or this blend is still too fresh, and scents haven’t blended as much as they needed. Maybe I should let this one “age” for a few months, to see if it improves a little bit, it seems to work sometimes.
     
    More reviews: Excolo: Persephone
  17. RedRoseMaze

    Good Judy: Voodoo Doll

    By RedRoseMaze,

    Voodoo Doll
    Category: Curio Shop
    Quantity: sample
     
    Description:
    VOODOO DOLL
    Well known in the Voodoo world, this particular doll was used as an effigy to gain influence over a specific person…and, in turn, drove its user mad. Wicked little thing, ain't it? Notice where the pins are placed? Curious indeed. What will you do with such a thing? Suggestions, demands, and desires fulfilled? If it pleases our guest, so shall it be. Mugwort, sweet sage, cotton blossom, dove’s feather
     
    Review:
     
    In the bottle: It’s soft, I smell mostly mugwort and sage. It’s very herbal, yet delicate and feminine.
     
    Wet: Is that rosemary? No, wait, it’s supposed to be sage. I still get some mugwort, and some faint cotton blossom.
     
    Dry: Oops, it’s turning bitter and stronger (too bad, I liked it before, but I suppose the voodoo doll comes with a curse). It’s much more aromatic: lemony, floral, with cedar.
     
    Verdict: It’s an interesting neutral blend, neither masculine nor feminine, and it smells clean. However, this is not a perfume I would wear.
  18. RedRoseMaze
    L'École Des Filles
    Category: Ars Amatoria
    Quantity: sample
     
    Description:
    L’ÉCOLE DES FILLES
    We sang till almost night, and drank my good store of wine; and then they parted and I to my chamber, where I did read through L'Ecole des Filles; a lewd book, but what doth me no wrong to read for imagination's sake… and after I had done it, I burned it, that it might not be among my books to my shame.
     
    Published around 1655, this is considered to be the origin of modern pornography in France. It is a discourse between two young ladies, the elder instructing the younger in the ways of passion.
     
    This is a libertine's celebration of decadence, debauchery, and sexual freedom: orange blossom, ambergris, orris root, white rose, lemon balm, jonquil, carrot seed, and benzoin.
     
    Review:
     
    In the bottle: It’s hard to identify exactly what it is... It’s lemony and floral, bitter and sweet.
     
    Wet: I smell orange blossom, lemon, benzoin, and florals (jonquil?). It’s relatively strong and masculine-neutral.
     
    Dry: It gets softer after a while. It becomes floral, sweet and feminine.
     
    Verdict: Honnestly, I wasn’t sure I would like this one at first, but I do! It turns into something so soft and delicate. I still hesitate to buy a bottle, I think it might make an ideal scent for my soap making hobby.
     
    More reviews: Ars Amatoria: L'École Des Filles
  19. RedRoseMaze
    Yules: The Nutcracker Acts 1 & 2: KLARA
    Category: Limited Edition
    Quantity: bottle
     
    Description:
    The Nutcracker Acts 1 & 2: KLARA
    Honey dusting powder, mandarin, iris, ylang ylang, tea rose, and carnation.
     
    Review:
     
    In the bottle: Sweet, powdery and clean. I smell a strong note of honey.
     
    Wet: Honey and mandarine, with a little bit of iris and carnation.
     
    Dry: Tea rose and ylang-ylang come out strong... maybe a little bit too strong.
     
    Verdict: I don’t know, it’s just missing something. It smells like a Lush soap, or baby powder. I would have liked something more unique than that.
     
    More reviews: Limited Edition: Yules: The Nutcracker Acts 1 & 2: Klara
  20. RedRoseMaze
    Yules: Snow White 2010
    Category: Limited Edition
    Quantity: bottle
     
    Description:
    SNOW WHITE 2010
    A chilly, bright perfume: flurries of virgin snow, crisp winter wind and the faintest breath of night-blooming flowers.
     
    Review:
     
    In the bottle: So soft and delicate... I smell a bit of vanilla and sugar, but I’m not quite sure what else.
     
    Wet: It smells sweet and floral, almost foody. It reminds me of Dana O’shee, only colder and crisper.
     
    Dry: It turned into vanilla, coconut, mint, and almond, with a floral background.
     
    Verdict: Overall, it’s lovely; however, I really got into it when I went outside. The cold winter air improves it somehow; it becomes even crisper afterwards.
     
    More reviews: Limited Edition: Yules: Snow White 2010
  21. RedRoseMaze

    Good Judy: Gothic

    By RedRoseMaze,

    Gothic
    Category: Punk
    Quantity: sample
     
    Description:
    GOTHIC
    Dramatic and romantic. Moody, mysterious and morbid. Pale skin. Black and jewel-toned velvets mixed with lace and leather. Influenced by the supernatural and the creative. Black roses planted in graveyard dirt. Blood-red lips inhaling a sweet-clove cigarette. A crushed velvet choker cutting into smooth pale flesh. Beautifully dark and sweet.
     
    Review:
     
    In the bottle: I do smell a rose, and something herbal, mixed with clover. It’s almost lemony.
     
    Wet: Yeah, I definitively smell clove, but it’s sweet and soft, with a background note of cigarette.
     
    Dry: A mix of (black?) rose and clove. It’s dark, bitter, and mysterious.
     
    Verdict: It’s too bad this one is not available anymore; it’s gender-neutral, not too feminine. However, I suppose it competed with the American Gothic collection. Thanks for the remaining sample, Gary!
  22. RedRoseMaze
    Smooth & Neat
    Category: Resinate
    Quantity: sample
     
    Description:
    SMOOTH & NEAT
    The aromatic flavoring of a fine liqueur, extremely sensual and smooth with a wonderful warming finish. Served neat. Patchouli leaves, bright orange citrus, smooth vanilla, and a splash of hazelnut liqueur.
     
    Review:
     
    In the bottle: Patchouli, orange and hazelnut liqueur.
     
    Wet: Warm orange and sweet vanilla, for the most part; everything else is in the background.
     
    Dry: The patchouli and liqueur come back, but it’s still smooth. It’s not the aggressive patchouli some old ladies are so fond of…
     
    Verdict: It’s well balanced, smooth and clean, with a sweet dose of vanilla and orange. However, patchouli smells old on me, so the sample will probably become lovely soap material.
  23. RedRoseMaze
    First Creation
    Category: Unreleased Blends
    Quantity: sample
     
    Description:
    FIRST CREATION
    N/A
     
    Review:
     
    In the bottle: It’s very soft, a little bit floral, with something sweet, such as vanilla or honey.
     
    Wet: It’s already more herbal, lemony, maybe even with a spicy background note, but I can’t find what it is.
     
    Dry: Still soft, creamy, lemony, and floral. It’s a bit old-lady-ish, but it smells clean and soft.
     
    Verdict: Yes, it’s a bit old-fashioned, but it smells good; and the ingredients are very mysterious!
  24. RedRoseMaze
    Key Lime Pie
    Category: Mary Jo's Bakery
    Quantity: sample
     
    Description:
    KEY LIME PIE
    A southern Florida treat loved by all. Fresh, tart key limes blended with sugar, egg yolks and sweetened condensed milk, all poured into a lightly baked graham cracker crust. This one will make your teeth ache!
     
    Review:
     
    In the bottle: An intense smell of sugary graham crust.
     
    Wet: Sugar, cream (or milk), egg, and graham. The lime is very subtle.
     
    Dry: Overall, it doesn’t have much throw, and the lime note quickly fades away.
     
    Verdict: It’s sweet and creamy, but not for me. Another one in the “future soap” box...
  25. RedRoseMaze
    The Corruption of Having Lived
    Category: American Gothic
    Quantity: sample
     
    Description:
    THE CORRUPTION OF HAVING LIVED
    Surviving isn’t necessarily living. You fight for purpose, surrounded by the walls of the Old Manse, its endless rooms, trapped and all alone. Nobody left but the voices in your head. Talking to you. Trying to understand. Rationalizing. How did this happen? Why? You have the rest of your life to ponder. The answer is already yours. You’ve chosen your path. You must live with your choice. Fig, black currant, calla lily, vanilla sandalwood
     
    Review:
     
    In the bottle: It’s a moderately strong smell of fig, currant, and sandalwood.
     
    Wet: It’s much softer on my skin, and much more floral (probably the calla lily), with a touch of vanilla, and something sweet and fruity in the background.
     
    Dry: Not bad, it’s floral, yet fruity as soon as the fig comes back, with a little bit of bitterness and darkness.
     
    Verdict: I love this one too! So far, except Forbidden Desire, the American Gothic collection suits me well, and I think I still have 2 samples to try... I'm impatient to see if they're as good as the ones I have tried so far!
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