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For the first minute or two this was straight up almond, then it morphed very sneakily into cinnamon. After the initial cinnamon WOW punch in the nasal cavities, it settled into an interesting almond/cinnamon combo (I didn't get any neroli, but that might be a time/chemistry issue). After about ten minutes I did get a bit of irritation, and I'm quite glad I only test imps with a little dab on my wrists. This might be one to test in a scent locket (...when I eventually get one!)

Oh my god. I hate to say this. I really, really do, since there are hundreds of other blends out there I have yet to try... but I think this is the most beautiful thing I have ever smelled in my life. Oh frankincense. Oh galangal. Oh whatever it is that is making me crazy for this perfume! I ordered an imp of this purely because the description moved me in a very strange way, and I wasn't sure about the notes. I am so glad I was wrong! Not much of a morpher, but by god if it did morph then I would beat something with a stick.

Something in this hates me with the fire of a thousand burning litter trays, which is disappointing because I wanted to hoard all the King Lear scents. It just wasn't meant to be.

(I was sure I had reviewed this, apparently not!) I really, really wanted to love this. I always want to love rose fragrances, and every time they seem to turn on me. At first the roses in this were beautiful, but after an hour they became too sweet, then soured and vanished into powder. My quest for a rose that doesn't hate me continues!

I don't get any banana from this one, which makes me quite sad. It was a frimp and I was excited about the banana posibility, but most of what I can smell is woody (I think the narra?) and floral. Perhaps it's my chemistry, because there's something very sharp and unpleasant going on, and it has a hell of a throw. My nostrils are being beaten into submission. Wherefore art thou, banana?

Anyone who knows me would be able to tell you about my long-standing, epic hatred of coconut, but since this was a frimp from the Lab I thought I'd give it the benefit of the doubt, like quite a few other scents I've been unsure of. I was wrong. Coconut and I will never, never, see eye to eye. I can't stand it. Off it goes into the away!! tin.

Oh my GOD this is so good that it's making me ravenous. It's all warm nutmeg and pumpkin, all the time, with a tiny bit of clove in the background. Heady, heady stuff; the throw is crazy. It's comforting, but at the same time I think there's something sexy about it. Maybe I'm a weirdo, but I think if I smelled this one someone else I think I'd lose it. Be still my beating heart, until I can afford a bottle!

I gambled on this one (first 5ml and LE I've ever bought!) and I'm glad I did! It's sticky-sweet without being sickly and it starts off a candied cherry, or even a cherry liqueur, before it eventually fades to a strawberry ice-cream kind of scent. Amazing throw and longevity on me. If anyone remembers 'campinos' (those strawberries and cream sweets) then this reminds me of them, but it's not an exact facsimile of the scent they had. I love it! I would eat it if I could.

This does exactly what it says on the tin: tea and ginger! During the first half hour I find it a bit sharp, but then it transforms and softens and I feel like I have a cloud surrounding me, and it's very seductive and insinuating... It has a good throw in the beginning, but when it gets to my favourite part it wears quite close to the skin, but I think that plays to the sensual aspect of it. As they say: it whispers so you have to lean in closer.

The first time I wore this I felt that it just vanished, but as I didn't have a very strong reaction to it I thought I'd try it again, and this time it smells fresh and pretty and green. Sadly, I don't get any tea. It's not something I'd wear on a regular basis, but it is very light and unintrusive, and I think I could wear it to work if that niche wasn't already filled by Ether. There's something lemony in this, for me, but it's very light and not tart, like the lemon is floating in the tea my nose can't detect.

Sigh. I always want to love perfumes with rose, but they never love me. This blend ended up being a strong, confusing garden show; fairly unpleasant and I think it's my chemistry's doing. I had to wash it off and I feel like I didn't give it a fair go, but I really couldn't stand the sharpness of it.

Oh, Ether. I've been having difficulty describing this one, even though I've worn it more than any of the other imps from my first order. At first I get a mercurial citrusy/floral blend, and then it softens, the citrus vanishes and I get an ozoney, strange note that I can't identify. It reminds me of the crisp, stormy smell in the air at home, sometimes, in the morning. Love it so much.

At first this scent was really brash VIOLETS!!!! but after about half an hour it calmed and took on a powdery/floral but clean smell, with the most throw of any oil I've tried so far. I think I get the cajuput and there is a very, very slight hint of myrrh, but only if I sniff hard, and only after about forty minutes. It's very heady and sweet, but I think it's too sweet on me.

I wasn't too sure about this, or the concept of dirt in a scent, but I thought I'd give it a whirl. Oh man, I'm glad I did. At first it was overwhelmingly alcoholic (and bear with me because my nose can't pick out individual notes yet) but now that it's dry it's mellowed to rummy, spicy goodness on me. The funeral flowers are just peeking out through the rum, which is great because strong florals don't really work on me. I keep getting little eddies of different notes through the main body of this. Definately going to buy a bottle... or eight. ETA: most of the rum has died away and I think I've been left with the dirt and some dried, scattered flowers. Gah, I love this. Every stage of it is so, so pretty.