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SophieCedar

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Everything posted by SophieCedar

  1. SophieCedar

    Delight and Consternation

    The bottles I received all have cocoa sludge, FYI.. The best way I can describe this is "mischievously cute". I agree with Tea Otter about how it forms a cloud around the wearer. I would say its a light elusive cloud of sweet floral and a deep cord of resin. Its the kind of perfume that'll drive people nuts saying "Where is that wonderful scent coming from?!"...becaaaauuusse they won't be able to directly pin it on you. On me, the creamy sweet custard accord is most notable. 2nd most: bourbon vanilla, 3rd: a melange of cocoa, oud, and skin musk. The lemon blossom is definitely *very* light and floral, only offering a slight perky brightness to the rest. So, lemon fearers, don't fret. Same with the white rose. It just amps the rest. that's why I love white rose. Its rose without being all the rosey in your face YO I'M ROSE stuff. I'd place this in the Daytime Date category. Its the coffeeshop date, under radar, alluring, only picked up in wafts when you're grabbing a sugar packet turning into that wonderfully feminine subtle smell left on your date's pillow which can only be described as "you" instead of "perfume".
  2. SophieCedar

    The First of the Three Spirits

    I didn't review this? I dug it up out of a pile of Yules from 2010.. This is amazing and I need a bottle. Its the brighter, happier, cleaner version of Blossoms in Springtime.
  3. SophieCedar

    I do love cedar...

    I would like to think I'd have some cred considering my handle is SophieCedar... hahahah just kidding. Really though, Tombstone is an awesome cedar scent. My husband adds it to his homemade pomade every day after shampooing with Lush's Fair Trade Honey. The combo smells fucking divine! (sorry for the sailor mouth but he hit gold on this one and I had to share) Other cedar recs? 1st that pops to mind is Bow & Crown of Conquest. This is basically White Rider but MORE. Nobility and haughtiness befitting the Antichrist: sage, carnation and cedar with lavender, vanilla, white musk and leather. The other I would recommend is Aelopile: Glowing amber and citrus, labdanum, verbena, cedar, and oud. The cedar comes through more than the description lays out... ps: I'm a sandalwood NUT. Have been for almost 20 years. I love anything smelling of sandalwood or that emotes sandalwoody goodness.... While bpal doesn't use real sandalwood (they're environmentally kind/awesome) I do like the following: Tushnamatay: smooth buttery sandalwood blend that really does help me breathe an anxiety reducing exhale of relief. Great for day and evening. Titus Andronicus: Pure AWESOME. Dark musk and black amber with frankincense, red sandalwood, neroli and bergamot. Brown Jenkin: this smells like the color brown..I will try not to quote the Satanic Shoe Salesman from Kids in the Hall every time I hear the word brown... you are welcome. Still awesome and nuzzly: dusty white sandalwood and orris root, dry coconut husk, creeping musk, and the residue of ceremonial incense. Kathmandu: this might fare better on you than it did me... The scent of sacred incense swirling up the steep slopes to Swayambhunath Stupa. Saffron, blessed sandalwood, Himalayan cedar and the miraculous lotus of the Buddha with chiuri bark and Nepalese spices. You want pure woody sex, you say? Why, you should try...Antikythera Mechanism: Bronze gears spin inside a polished wooden case, and an entire universe dances within. Teakwood, oak, black vanilla, and tobacco. its UNGH in a bottle. Hope this helps! Best of luck!
  4. SophieCedar

    Black Lace or Snake Charmer?

    I would say Black Lace then. Its a bit more versatile for daytime and nighttime wear. I honestly get more compliments about BL than SC... Snake Charmer is plummy snake oil..its much more nighttime/going out (or staying in rraaooowww!) sexy.
  5. SophieCedar

    Spicy but not Foody

    I would recommend The Hell of Great Heat (2012 Lupers: Indonesian patchouli, tonka bean, red musk, natural hedoine accord, black opium, cassis, styrax, costus, oakmoss, frankincense, and kief accord.)
  6. SophieCedar

    Silk Road

    I've waited a long time to try this! It got discontinued right as I was about to order it.. Wet: ep.. cinnamon and myrrh and frankincense. My wrist is getting that burny feeling it did from Sacred Whore of Babylon... waiting for the redness. Dry: no redness! yayyy!! I smell olive leaf, predominantly. Olive leaf & olive oil tends to amp on me big-time. I also smell beeswax... warm and glowing. The cinnamon has backed waaaayy down to a tolerable level. Honestly this reminds me of LUSH's Olive Branch. Wondering if there's some citrus too...hmm. It's actually really nice. Calming, joyful, vibrant. I would recommend it for the upcoming holiday season and as a great dead-of-winter pick-me-up.
  7. SophieCedar

    what is ruining these scents for me?

    I second the red musk = culprit. Especially around my period it goes all metallic and sour. red musk is very fickle on me..can depend even on what I ate that day.
  8. SophieCedar

    Le Lèthè

    Why this still only has 1 page of reviews is beyond me. This is GORGEOUS. If you missed out on Senelion, try this one. It's a close 2nd. The red musk is prominent but not peaked or fiery pungent. Just smoky and lightly metallic.. I think the nutmeg, laudanum, and tobacco absolute are twining with it. The golden amber does an amazing job of smoothing out the edges and I can tell there's a good dose of it in here. Which combined with the skin musk.. this glows warmly and deeply. Orchid sweetens and brings a nice top note that's notable from the rest. Brilliant blend.
  9. SophieCedar

    Clarimonde

    Apparently this has aged well... the musk is buttery on me.. I mean really buttery. The white rose is sweet, light, and fresh. The oriental perfume notes add a touch of resinous aquatic. This is.... dreamy. It's a clean, simple scent I can totally deal with. Mellow, buttery smooth, clean.. I can't believe I almost sent this to the sales page!
  10. SophieCedar

    Figs and Fig Scents - alone and in combos

    I haven't really found an SN fig, (...not Strangler Fig at all..) but the strongest figs I've found are: The Grave Pig: Fig, oakmoss, mushroom caps, and patchouli. Hetairae: golden honey, fiery patchouli, sweet fig and clove, and a blushing touch of ylang ylang. To some extent Eden, but it was more almond milk and coconut on me, honestly: fig leaf, fig fruit, honeyed almond milk, toasted coconut and sandalwood and new but LE on my list of very figgy scents: Figgy Puddin: (bptp) Calymyrna figs, dark rum, cognac, raisins, cinnamon, ginger, brown sugar, and clove. Nymphes de Pave: (NYCC excl) White fig, rose otto, honey, and bourbon vanilla.
  11. SophieCedar

    Nymphes de Pave

    Wet: very sweet deep honey, rich resinous vanilla and refined rose otto giving it a balanced perfume-floral note. The fig comes on strong & consistent. Its like a golden syrup instead of the molassesly rich fig from some other blends. White fig for sure. It's almost edible. Reminds me of middle-eastern sweets flavored with rose syrup. Awesome.
  12. SophieCedar

    Badgers

    Holllleeeeshit. Its Ninon and Banshee Beat's lovechild. I see what people are saying about a sharp note at 1st or the honeysuckle being culprit. I'd say wait it out. Its worth it. The patchouli is very sweet and mellow, honeyed leather: whatever that is I need more, sarsaparilla is laying low adding a slight non-foody brown-golden spiciness, the honeysuckle is amping the golden quality and making this decidedly feminine, french vanilla? who doesn't need that? No really it helps make this warm and sweet.
  13. SophieCedar

    Mariposita

    You know, I want to love this so bad. Really bad. In the vial its sweet lavender strawberry honey with cakey notes. When applied its a toxic amount of baby aspirin hidden in vanilla strawberry cake. I will not give up on this one. Retry in 1 month. one week tonight.
  14. SophieCedar

    The Vampire Bride

    My husband says this reminds him of "when aunt Rhonda used to come over and get a perm from my mom". He was really creeped out saying it smells exactly like the perm processing chemicals and hairsprays used by his mom. I say it smells great, but I've been husband blocked. If I get a bottle I'll never hear the end of it. Anyways, onward to the review. This is a wonderful balanced smooth silky floral & musk blend. Seriously, if my house smelled like this when I was getting a perm back in the 80's I'd be less traumatized. Wet: White tea, olibanium, violet leaf, and saffron come out together creating a meditational feel with sweet notes. Its sweeter and smoother than the read notes would elude. Something in this spells pomegranate to me. Same feel on the nose. Drydown: Ahh.. I can see where hubby is getting the perm chills from. The white tea amps a bit and the myrrh and olibanium kick in stronger with crypt dust and wormwood, making this a sharper herbal resin blend. Violet leaf settles down and departs. Red musk has decided its done with me, over the past year. So as a funny trick, goes spikey claws out do not touch me.....its happening here. Sigh.
  15. Holy shit! Eeeeee! I have the perfume and love it. How would you compare the shower gel to the perfume?
  16. Dear John is a near dead ringer for Skinny Dip. Seriously, if you're lamenting the loss of Skinny Dip (like me) try Dear John!
  17. SophieCedar

    Masculine but Sweet?

    I there! Black Rider is strong but smooth dark musky leather. A small dab is recommended. White Rider is not my favorite, but evokes accurately. The white leather is clean, slightly chemically. From what I'm reading about your skin chemistry, you may amp this one in a direction you'll not be pleased with. Honestly I would recommend you give Red Rider a try along with Black Rider. Red Rider has that spicy appeal I think you're looking for, mixed with leather and moss. It's a very warm spicy scent! Going back to your request for spicy/sweet/masculine scents, my perception is that you're looking for slight sweetness that's smoothed out and balanced with masculine notes, but you're prone to amping them crazily, right? I'll try to recommend some that have a medium to low throw, that in smaller amounts may not send you running for the sink: Gomorrah (love this one! It's evil and awesome) Havana Sri Lanka Al-Azif Santo Domingo Brown Jenkin Titus Andronicus Blood Amber Chimera (just a dab! I call this "not-snake-oil" because it's similar but I wear it on the days I don't want to wear SO hahaha) Kill Devil (be careful with the amount on this one but it's lovely!) Casanova Golden Priapus last but not least: Perversion. Best of luck!!
  18. Not sure why but Shadowy & Sublime is grabbing me this summer. The warm Moroccan amber wisteria white rose magnolia and mint is earthy and refreshing. Also Hod is pure awesomeness. I've been veering away from my usual sweet summer scents this year. I do have to say Bones Trombone and Katharina are frikkin great though!
  19. SophieCedar

    Lucy, Kissed

    Humanah humunah humunah! THIS is the scent to wear on your 1st date, if you just want to knock em dead. I would equate it to a red musk version of Luna Negra. So glad I chanced on this during the lab's ebay sale. This is deep, dark, musky, sexy, feminine, but not too pungent/nasal cavity assault-like. Basically what I hoped WILF to be but wasn't. Frikkin sweet.
  20. SophieCedar

    Springtime scents

    Springtime for me is Eden, Joyful Moon, Mantis, Josie, and Lady in Speckled Pink Kimono.
  21. SophieCedar

    Lady in Speckled Pink Kimono

    This is VERY pink and a straight split of peony and vanilla orchid. While this might not have the pow and wow of some other pink scents, I keep gravitating toward it. It lasts forever and just pervades the general area. I can handle this anytime: when I'm cranky, sick, boisterous, or pissed. That's a good scent, in my records.
  22. SophieCedar

    Senelion

    There are a ton of win notes in here: nepalese amber, red musk, black musk, hops, mallow and chamomile. All blended perfectly. The lotus root is really the keystone of this scent, I think. It brings out the resinous, sweet nepalese amber, which on it's own places me on cloud 9. It's bizarre but I keep smelling traces of cinnamon, a la Chimera. It could be the star anise. The lotus addition reminds me of Kali. Even though Himalayan cedar is a death note on me, its perfectly grounding here. The chamomile is winey and soothing, perfectly mixing with the penetrating musks and sweet dry blue grey tinged orris. Mallow is something I wish I could curl up and go to sleep on. Need I say more? I'm in love.. unexpectedly.
  23. SophieCedar

    Leather Phoenix

    Ok, so this actually worked out in the best possible way, considering the range to results I'm seeing here. Wet: Very distinct notes, dancing together. Strange company that somehow manages to balance each other. Matcha tea: sweet, powdered, sweet-grass like. I wasn't sure if this would translate as real matcha, but it does.. Supple black leather: strong and very seductive! Sweet! I'm psyched. Smokey deep oudh, tying together with frankincense.. these 2 are an amazing match. A waft of deep, earthy pink rose. Nice touch. The patchouli is mellow and syrupy. Petitgrain is something I'm not really crazy about, but it works here. It's driving it up from a basic carnal incense-y leather blend to something more balanced. Great gender neutral top note... Even though I usually cringe in it's presence. The himalayan cedar is just melding and muddling with the oudh and frankincense, giving them depth. That's great because I've had some nasty run-ins with it. Drydown: this is where I can clearly smell the champaca and narcissus. Leather Phoenix is funny. It operates kinda like that old saying "hind-sight is 20-20". I can see exactly where these 2 fell into place during the wet phase and how it constructed the overall effect, even though I can't pick out the 2 at that time... the epiphany causes a forehead smacking "of course!" This turns greener as the the leather looses it's hold and the frankincense smooths. It's got this soporific, drugged daze feel, but in the clean nothing can harm me kind way. I'm creeped out and captivated. Wonderful.
  24. SophieCedar

    Scent for Halloween?

    NYE was a cornucopia of awesome. Little dabs of each: Perversion behind the ears, Haunted on my chest, and Ushi in the crooks of my elbows. What fun!
  25. Did you manage to get a bottle of Snowshowers perfume? It was on their Canadian website last week & is a LE fragrance. I was considering getting Twilight as well, but I have a BPAL that smells similar (SDPU1) and the bottle was $50. Eek. I'd love to know what BPAL smells like Snowshowers though, because I tried the perfume and it was gone in 30 minutes. Oh man I had no idea Lush made a snowshowers perfume this year! I still have a tiny bit of the solid version they put out about 4 years ago. Still smells the same. Glad you found something from bpal that's similar. I will keep my eyes peeled for others and post here when found!
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