lahdeedah

Hey, where'd my review go? I know I posted a review here a couple of days ago, but I can't find it, so I'll try again! Based on the concept I was really hoping this one would work for me, and I'm pleased to find that it does! It is definitely unlike anything else in my collection. On my skin the scent is dark, chewy, figgy, incensed with myrrh and opoponax. I don't smell much tea or vetiver for that matter, the latter is surprising because I amp vetiver generally. Perhaps it just helps contribute to the dark, purple feel of this scent. Carnation I'm sure is there, but is one of those notes I sense rather than really smell in a defined way. Really apropos of "deceptive one," this is one for the mysterious woman with a lot of secrets.

Based on the notes it makes no sense, and may be a skin chemistry thing, but I think Morocco and Amour smell very similar. When I first tried Morocco, I had to go dig my sample of Amour out I was so surprised. YMMV.

I don't have too much to add to what's already been said about Clemence, except that I really like her. I first tried this from a near empty vial, and my notes said Clove SN. But something made me want to give this another shot, and so I tried it again from a fresher bottle at Knows Perfume. This time, much more than clove. Clove is still at the forefront, but all the other notes are mingling around, giving it a soft, exotic throw. I can pick out cardamom, and a hint of patchouli. Carnation is a note on me that I sense more than actually smell in a defined way. It's wonderful for wintertime, and I feel will be an interesting one to play with layering. It's definitely giving me that spice market vibe, and I love a scent that can transport me to other places. Keeper.

It was a nice coincidence that as I was thinking to myself that one of the things missing from my collection was a blood orange scent, out come the Lupers. Nikephoros was one of the first I got to try and I placed an order for it right away. The combination of notes grounds the juicy orange and keeps it out of super sweet territory. On my skin, it's pretty much the same wet through drydown. Lots of juicy blood orange, backed by a leafiness that I think is the galbanum, a dirtiness I attribute to patchouli, and a slight sharpness from the oakmoss. Oakmoss is usually a death note for me, and has killed many a blend on my skin, but here it seems to be like a sentinel, just making sure the scent stays grounded. I don't notice the benzoin or mint. Conceptually, what the scent evokes for me is the bright orange sun of sunset, setting over a field of dry grasses. I like it a lot.

I, too, am a confessed red musk lover, so there was no doubt I'd at least give The Arbor a go. It was a plus that I love love love the poem. At first I was a bit put off by the gardenia, which is strong, but as the hours passed I couldn't stop sniffing, trying to catch more of the wafts from my skin. This one seems to be one of those where placement matters a bit. On my arm, it's somewhat faint, mostly red musk and a hint of champaca. On my neck, the gardenia blooms first, then the champaca and patchouli come along to dirty it up, and finally glorious red musk rides in to carry this scent into seriously sexy territory. Lots of throw, and long lasting. It is most definitely passionate and thunderous. I really like it, and can't wait to see how it ages.

Reading the announcement of the Lupers, this was the one that first jumped out and said I AM FULL OF WIN FOR YOU! As if Beth had been inside my head and created a scent from a short list of favorites. But in reality, I'm finding it a little "meh." It's pretty, but it falls short of the perfection I envisioned, especially next to the other Lupers I've tried and been amazed by (see my review for Kypris ). The scent on my skin is a demurely pretty combo of red rose, orange, and an amber that's getting stronger as I type this. I get a bit of myrrh too, which is really nice. As it dries, the orange and rose become much less distinct. There's no throw to speak of. Again, I'll say this is a very pretty scent, I'm just not as blown away by it as I am some of the other Lupers. My decant I will keep, but I might be OK without a full bottle.

I'm having one of those rare days when every scent I try seems to be pretty awesome. I got Kypris today, even though I was thinking it would be really similar to Libra 07, which I have three bottles of. OMG. It's like my beloved Libra on big beautiful steroids. It has that same honeyd cherry opening, then just blooms into a complex gourmand with vanilla and benzoin floating over the top like a fluffy sugar cloud. The rose is there, but more subdued being rosewater. Beth is positively KILLING it with these Lupers and the BPTP Courtesans. I'm going to break the bank buying them up. But I smell really amazing! And I will definitely be needing at least one back-up of this bottle.

I first sniffed A Golden Idol back in November I think, and made a note to give it a second try, as I really wanted it to be the awesomeness that those notes for me could potentially be. After it had aged a bit at Christen's shop (Knows Perfume, Seattle) I went back for a second try and there it was! The scent I was hoping it would be. Vetiver smoked rose, a cousin to Saturnalia. I excitedly snatched up a bottle and went home to slather on the goodness. Ack! At first I thought my nose must have been broken or some other scent was clinging to my skin-- all I got was a sharp smack of vetiver and something piney. No pine, you're not allowed to hang out with vetiver on my skin. Not cool. Heartbreak. But I had faith. Aging would tell the tale. I tried it again after a few weeks. Pine! Will it be three strikes and out? Today, I felt the urge to try again; it's been a couple of months now. Success! No more pine, just smokey rose goodness with perhaps a kiss of lavender and a bare hint of amber. If I had my druthers, I would like the amber to be stronger, but I'll settle for NO DAMN PINE to ruin it for me. UPDATE 5/25 After reading some recent reviews I decided it was time to try again. Yay! The amber is a lot stronger, though it could still be more so. But it really is turning into the glittering thing of beauty I thought it could be when I first read the notes.

I waited a long time before taking the plunge with this one. I'd been eyeing it for months, and when I heard there were a couple of bottles of Madeline up for grabs *squee* I decided it was time to go for it. It's lovely. The opening surprised me greatly as it seemed a ringer for Odd Portents, which I LOVE. It was much sweeter than expected, but as it dries down it keeps moving and morphing. The lavender mellows, the florals become more prominent, as does the tea. I get no leather to speak of, and the amber, which seems quite present in the open, fades quietly into the background after about an hour. At this point it reminds me much of a more floral LV, or Dorian without the white musk. If, as other reviewers have mentioned, it is close to TKO minus vanilla, it might be time to try that one as well.

Yes. Yes, yes, yes! I've been waiting for this scent. It's the perfect incense-y blend, smokey and evocative. A blue-grey scent that makes me want to sit in a velvet armchair and read Dostoevsky with a Russian Blue curled up in my lap. Drink strong tea while staring out at the snow falling over the city and contemplate the inner workings of the minds of men. This scent does not much evoke the joyful and playful dance of its namesake: it is serious and sober, and that is fine by me.

Stupid moss! My nemesis strikes again and turns what might otherwise be an interesting scent into straight up cheap aftershave. ICK. This was a scrubber for me.

I really feel like this one is SO close to smelling like the real deal on my skin, but misses the mark because of that lemon note which comes out shrieking like a banshee and never totally dies down. Halls lemon drop, yes. Green Fairy, no.

I'm really enjoying this one. It's like maybe I was out at the club and spilled a giant Malibu and pineapple on myself, then decided to wander over to a hookah bar for a bit. It's fun and light-hearted. I don't frequently go for booze or tobacco, but my beloved coconut somehow makes it all work. Yummy.

I tried The Soldier a couple of times, one at Will Call, and once yesterday. The first time I thought I detected anise, but figured maybe it had gotten contaminated with traces of another scent, because HOW? Then reviews started mentioning it. Second time, I paid close attention. Wet: Red musk and leather. Amazingly, they seem to be subdued versions of these notes. Sweet. I usually amp leather, and it has ruined many a scent for me. Dry: Getting a hint of something else fruity, and the leather is getting a little stronger. Then, BAM, licorice. I waited to see if it would change again, but really it was just red musk, leather and licorice the end. Ended up reminding me quite a bit of Pom IV, which I have a bottle of and don't require another. Pass.

I smelled this on a BPAL-er at the last Will Call in Seattle and it was really nice. I've been in the mood for a snow and dirt/woods scent and thought I'd give it a try at the next opportunity. I tested it yesterday, and what I'm sure is lovely on many people (and was gorgeously cool woods and snow in the bottle) is unfortunately screaming juniper on my skin. Sometimes juniper and I get along, but generally not so much, and definitely not here. Sigh.

Oh Iago, you pulled a treacherous betrayal on me! Why am I surprised? On wet: Hello vetiver! Good thing I like you, because you are pretty much all that I smell right now. Strong, smoky vetiver. Moments Later: Black musk is creeping around the edges looking shifty. Soon After That: Are those leather breechskins you're wearing? Those are HOT. Sexy, soft supple leather. I'm starting to think this is the scent I will MAKE my DH wear, whether he wants to or not. And then: Noooooooooo. Black musk you've poofed into baby powder. That's not manly, wicked, or hot. Maybe you'll behave better on DH, but I'm having second thoughts for sure. The bright side: Since the components of this blend are few, it's obvious that black musk is a problem for me. I think I already knew this, but I seem to keep conveniently forgetting. Grrrr.

(Near) Instant. Love. When I first smelled this in the bottle, I was pretty sure it wasn't going to be a winner for me. Pine and I have a complicated relationship, and it can turn sour and sharp on me in an instant. To my amazement, that opening note of pine burned off within a few minutes and my nose started picking up on something new...honey? (I had forgotten the notes.) Mmmm honey. Wait, what's that now? Patchouli? Mmmmm. Vanilla you say? Alright! This is one fascinating blend, morphing quickly through all of its notes like a quick change artist. The second time I tried it I paid more attention right off the bat, and I got a couple of plumes of smoke curling through the pine. What's that you say? A tobacco note that doesn't stomp all over the others on my tobacco-amping skin? Inconceivable! After only a few minutes time, The Illustrated Woman settles comfortably into a skin-close sexy honey and patchouli and musk scent. Light, playful, and still mysterious. I really really like it. It's a lot like what I was hoping Judith and Holofernes would be-- that woman with a secret behind her eyes and the knowledge that she can conquer you without even trying.

Grabbed this one as soon as I found out about the DC, as I'd been meaning to give it a go. I love the idea of mint, but haven't had the best luck finding a blend where it really works for me. Wet: Bracing! At first it’s bright and aquatic, reminding me perhaps of Cool Water? Something like that. Dry: I amp florals, so soon the orchid and passionflower are high-stepping it to the fore. It becomes an interesting, perfume-y floral. But it doesn't seem to have much staying power and is gone in a few hours. Conclusion: I like it, I'm glad I have a bottle to play with. I, too, have a Tesla fascination, and this blend definitely taps into that. There is an electric energy about it, particularly in the wet phase.

I am a lucky girl. Upon hearing about the discontinuation of both Violet Ray and The Coil, I was dismayed. I had really wanted to try both of them, but hadn't got around to it yet. (Familiar story) Lucky for me, I knew Knows Perfume in Seattle had both of these blends, and I immediately contacted the shop to ask if a bottle of each could be put on hold. Last night I took Violet Ray for a spin and I'm very pleased with it. Immediately on, I get a strong blast of violet, with a sugary flavor, and a chilly mint undertone. It's really pretty, and if stayed in this phase, it would definitely be topping my violet scent list. However, the lavender moss adds a note that I first thought was ozone, taking the scent a bit into aquatic territory, which I'm not crazy about. I like it enough to be happy to have the bottle, and can see myself reaching for it on occasion, particularly in the warmer months.

I definitely agree with the above poster-- Tezcatlipoca is a soft, skin scent, which surprised me considering the note listing. The cocoa is quiet and powdery, and the leather plays nice. I amp leather, so it tends to go high-pitched and overpower everything else, but here it seems pretty mellow and along with the patchouli, just sort of grounds the scent. The florals are hinted at, but are cloaked in a smoky haze of incense. All in all, a really pretty scent, though it disappears on my skin in only a few hours. It's what I imagine Wulric and Western Diamondback would likely smell like together in one blend.

Nocnitsa was a frimp from the Lab. It started out promising: I like weird, damp earthy smells, and that was well captured in the open of this fragrance. But a rather odd note, something fruity like the above poster mentioned, throws the whole thing off. A hint of fir wafts in after a few minutes, but soon the whole shebang turns into a rather odd and cheap male cologney sort of deal. Not really my thing. This one just misses the mark for me, I'm afraid.

I picked up an imp of this a while back when I was in the midst of a violet-collecting phase. I've found that violet is a nice note with my skin chemistry, but one that I have to be in the right mood for, as it's such a distinct and rather old-fashioned note. I think the combination of notes here in The Raven suits the demure violet very well, and certainly evokes a feathery, melancholy darkness. On my skin I can detect every note except the sandalwood, with the dark musk, iris and violet being the main players. The neroli adds a hint of brightness, evoking iridescent feathers; the musk and iris lend a powdery sweetness that surround the violet and create what I can only call a purple haze. All in all, it's a pretty, evocative, wistful sort of scent. It's honestly a bit too powdery for me to want to wear very much, and it has quite a lot of throw--one little dot of scent on my wrist and it's wafting all around. But I'll hang on to my imp as I have a weakness for all things E.A. Poe, as well as a strong connection with the bird itself.

Wet I had reasonably high hopes for this one. Ylang ylang seemed to be letting herself be subdued by a sinister bit of patchouli and sweet myrrh. Alas, my hopes faded as it dried. Now it's a mish mash of notes that smell like a spicy, Victorian sort of soap. Pretty, but still soap. And not nearly malicious enough for me.

This will be a short review, because this one could practically be single note cassia on my skin. Wet I could smell a hint of red musk, and thought that drying would bring that and some of the other players out from behind. But no. It's all about cassia. The other notes have been stomped to death and are now ghostly vestiges of themselves sadly eating cassia's dust. Luckily I don't get welts from cinnammon or cassia, so no big loss.

In the vial: Pineapple seltzer, interesting! On Wet: Pineapple seltzer mixed with tangerine and apricot. Fruity, which isn't really my thing. This could head into shower gel scent territory. Bit Later: Oh dear. Something's gone wrong. This smells like a cross between Spray and Wash and Irish Spring soap on me now. And it's really STRONG. I think I can mark this one down as all kinds of FAIL for me.