Court Analyst/Strategist

My hard hitters:

Fenris Wolf(The predator/territory/power/confidence all-in-one scent)

Bloodlust (volatile, downright dangerous, and quite possibly unpredictably so)

The Cracked Bell(exudes effortlessly cunning control of the/all situations)

Court

The Cracked Bell(despite its name/description) has a calming effect on me.

Court

My devils advocate/djinn/fire demon (yes, I know that is alot of slashes) costume will have to be accompanied by lots and lots of Bloodlust and perhaps a touch of Fenris Wolf or Sin. There will be scarves and red makeup flames, oh yes. And a copper cane with a cobra on it, god(s) willing.

Yep, I will try my damnest to look and smell good whilst having no real halloween plans.

Court

Fenris Wolf, and saying the name doesn't hurt either.

Court

hi wanted to know if anyone else has had problums  with getting order conformations  from  cc now ,as i  had it happend  twice to me. after buck moon , when i make  an order,  i  dont get an e mail , i  had to call them and have it re sent .has any one else had any problums .

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I've had this problem on a ratio of about one out of three ccnow orders.(Where the confirmation email just doesn't come. It could very likely be due to an anti virus program I use. It eats more than the viruses it supposedly prevents!). What I do to make certain I always recieve the information: I 'edit: select all(or highlight with mouse)' over the entire confirmation page at the end of making an order(the 'Thank You for Your Purchase! your CCNow order number is'...page). Then, I copy the whole ccnow confirmation page and paste it on to a fresh email message and send it to my own email address. This way I can always have the order number if I need to use it in the future to check up on the order itself.

Court

Cool light atmospheric ozone. This is quite a bit different than my usual fare of the other end of the scent family spectrum(fallen, mars), but I actually like it! When first applied this is strong ozone on my arm but as it develops..touches of depth and salt! I recieved this in a cute 2.5 ml bottle off of ebay(looks like a miniaturized 5ml from the lab), and will definately keep this one all for myself!

I don't truly see an ocean in this one, through, but I enjoy the atmosphere it creates. I also find it develops a little of a soapy edge in settling down. For those of you who kind of picture colors with scents, I get the color light gray green with this one myself. A remarkable ozonic breeze, but definately not a nature-intended one! Oh, yes, quite gender neutral, too.

I almost but not quite thought I sensed cucumber in here at one point slightly after drydown-this ones a shifter on me! The ozones alittle heady, but kingsport is a very intriguing blend just the same. This is my favorite bpal aquatic/ozone scent so far Too bad its discontinued, I now regret not ordering a 5ml bottle when it was available!

My level of excitement:7.5/10(this is making me feel calmer whilst wearing, actually)

Favoritism scale:7/10

Throw:8/10(for the tiny dot I put on, this broadcasts rather impressively as well on my aquatic mellowing skin)

Court

Holy.....the drydown made me think, cinnamon candle(not the ones that actual smell like cinnamon) for some reason...unusual but not bad. Those spicy candles lining the table at thanksgiving time. Am I insane?

Oh, damn, and the rose got to me a bit. Yep...dried rose. I am borderline strange and about to begin a war with the note in general. That must be the..seal of the spice candle effect for me

Too bad, as the other notes seemed to hold promise... but dried rose petals have always created a stark 'typical' effect to my nose and on my skin...spiced potpourri candle by the heightened stage. The fig was drowning underneath, only available for a glimpse if I looked for it.

I had thought I could sneak past dried rose with this one, but she caught me. And where the hell did that cypress(or the red patchouli for that matter) go??

Like this: 5/10(dried rose damn you!)

Throw:7/10

Will likely sell or swap this imp.

Court

I purchased this as a 5ml untested from ebay so we will see how this goes

in bottle: scary too sweet coconut

I AM LEERY

two minutes in: I can detect the fig(thank you god or what have you )

The fig increases and vanquishes the coconut(to atleast a draw). The coconut is still bothering me but its becoming increasingly bareable. The fig seems rich and lovely, but the coconut and almond milk are dancing the weirdest dance on me. The blend seems quite heavy on my skin in the first few minutes. No sandalwood, but then I didn't expect him yet or even to join the party later

Dried: Starting to like this one(holds up caution sign), but I did not like the blends wet stage on my arm. The ripe figs have depth, this blend has throw. The toasted coconut is restraining itself, but not enough, and the almond milk is turning a bit..off, like sickly almond liquid soap that somehow brings coconut in there at a public restroom. Almond milk is going where he usually does not tread...and the coconut talked him to it. A shame

Final: This is a heavy languid scent on me, definately a summer scent, and if you can get the almond milk to work with the coconut and the fig, it will be lovely. I do like past the dry down, just not love. The almond-coconut passed some barrier there.

Throw: 8/10

(my)enthusiasm: 6/10

Like it: 6/10 Six because I do like the fig, but the coconut and almond milk(some combination therein) are doing kind of the opposite of wicked-lovely things...and kicking fig's ass to the ground and stealing the stage.

I may swap or sell this bottle, unfortunately.

Court

I would definitely recommend Djinn & Tarot: The Tower.

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Read my mind

Djinn--aftermath of forest fire but this turned too sweet on me with its green notes, perhaps you'll have better luck?

I was going to suggest Tarot: the Tower through it seems many people have had widely varying experiences with this one and its unavailable in imp size. If you do opt for this one, find an imp on ebay or through a swap. Its sharp dark herbs and very hot acrid flame. I have a full size bottle because the name appealed to me and I found the scent worthwhile but not what I was looking for. Too charred and not 'red' enough as it developed. Also, everybody seems to get vetiver in this, if that particular note bothers you.

I believe wildfire(an LE from 2004) would be the exact thing I'm trying to find but so far I've found no opprotunity to buy it at a less than outrageous price.

I too am in search of the perfect fire scent

Court

dragons blood for when the day starts out what I would call not really cranky but crappy Warm and strengthening.

Court

THIRTEEN

When I receive bpals, I wait to try one or two every few days after receiving them, but once I decide to pick up that bottle or imp for good or bad, I apply liberally. Where this is going is 13 happens to be a very rich scent when first applied.

Immediately after application: I am inhaling wet cocoa bean and choking. I did apply more than I'd planned to...and there is a sharp wet green scent like grass edging the cocoa that I find nausating(I did think grass at the time..). I enjoy the scent of freshly cut grass in most instances, but not in my cocoa...

With removal of excess of 13 on my arm w/ tissue, I was still willing to give this one a chance.

Upon drydown 13 turned out a vast improvement to its awkward, generous accident stage. The cocoa seemed to go to powder, and dominated as the top component. Once it was dry, 13 transformed very well into my skin chemistry, and took to softening a hell of a lot.

Final analysis: I like the scent past the drydown stage, and it fits well on me, but I'm not particularly wild on smelling like a cocoa powder packet as a dominant note, no matter how well this works with my chemistry to become lovely and tinged with mainly lighter scents and florals. What could have been white chocolate rounded the cocoa into smoothness and perhaps slight tangerine or a similiar orange was barely there. I detected iris, but it stayed a minor note, as did the orangeness. I still am not sure why I thought grass! when I'd first applied, as any green notes fell to the back of the ranks after about ten minutes, lingering with no sign of the grass remaining. The blend stayed mostly yummy cocoa bean with lighter notes and a bit of orange and what must have been the iris staying underneath and coy to the world . A once in a while scent.

Throw: 6/10(but do not spill it on yourself!!)And this throw was after I washed some of the excess oil off. Thirteen is a very durable scent even after driving cold water over my arm for thirty seconds, and drying with a towel. Applying a moderate amount has much more rich throw, 8/10 on my scale.

Like it: I warmed up to this one after the incident of applying too much and reducing the damage. Dry this was very lovely, and came into several smooth light notes to dance with the cocoa powder on me once I displayed patience. 7/10

Wear-ability Rating: 6 and a half out of ten for limited love with chocolate or cocoa notes

I might sell/swap this, but only for a matter of preference. I'm more of a resin/musk/incense/fruity person. Wide spread in categories I love but foody scents are the only ones I tend to stay away from...and while this is not a traditional foody scent to many it meets my marks of one. Would easily reccomend this to a foody or chocolate scent lover, but I'm not a convert yet.

Court

Djinn

I was expecting a darker color in imp--? Perhaps light grey with tinges of dying wet red embers? So, off orange with darkened edge? (the color of djinn in my imp is pale yellow-gold)...

Immediately after applying: The scent of aftermath, yes. Direct fire and still smoking ash, no. You are in the peace of forestry, of green and pine and young wood. Through the trees there is a empty place to see, a jarring sight of dark burnt branches tracing a whirlwind of destruction, a crumbling silence of the death that fire brings. This is very nearly(but slightly off mark for me, unfortunately) the scent of standing in a wood fire's aftermath, where time has seemingly slowed to all your surroundings as you witness this. You are walking in the damp ash remains of a destruction created by something you know rationally is no longer around but still can't help feeling that your presence is being contemplated. A odd peace here, with the ash sticking underfoot, the scent of the trees lingering in a slightly changed origin-- from both the half crumbly stalk shapes stilled on the ground and the distant trees who were unharmed.

Nice and mildly inspiring, but not something I'll run out(to my computer!) and buy 10 ml of. I was hoping this would be more of a still-burning scent(ie redder, a smokier battlefield of flame with the fire still going on and the djinn still starting 'em all over the place)---maybe the scent of the djinn themselves ? But this is still rather interesting, and I'm liking this blend more and more as a scent.

Some other reviewers mentioned this felt masculine to them, but to me this is truly gender neutral. If the thought of trekking out to stand on a bed of sun warmed ash in the middle of a still living forest of pine and inhaling intrigues you, go for it and order a imp. And while you're choking on all that ash you just inhaled reflect on whether that experience was male or female or simply crazy.

Throw:5 and a half/10. And Djinn lasts at a minimal intensity for about four hours after reaching drydowns highest throw on me. Traces were detectable after four or five hours, but only if I was really looking for them. Lasted longer than it broadcasted...

Djinn gets a 6 and a half/10 here. Not as smoky as I wanted, and not as fiery-encompassing on my skin chemistry as I would have liked. Also, I did not expect green-ish notes that seemed to backpedal everything else to the back of the ranks and turn sweetly pine later, in the final stages of scent development.

Final verdict: I do like woods and greener notes---and this simply turned too sweet(but faintly ashy, charred, too, for the celebration of good points on this). Worth the experiment in any case!

Court

Fallen

In the imp Fallen is the color of fall leaves after they've crisped brown. Dark golden honey.

I was hesitant, thinking this would come off as too floral or light on me, but, thankfully, no problem with that.

Immediately after applying: Deep amber bedding down with warm gold musk, trailed by sandalwood. No signs of those 'imperial florals' or the additive 'violet'(for which I am very very glad of). This is a very majestic, detached sort of scent, the shadow of one who was forced to leave and lead a life of dissonance, a being caused to live an unfathomable existance apart. The sketch of a displaced form that is entirely of another place and time but inexplicably draws the mere mortals in like cattle.

Golden musks were prominent on me, cloaking the amber and feathering the sandalwood. Any vetiver went unfortunately unnoticed, but I'm very thankful this turned out so evoking a scent.

Short impression: Instant angel among humans factor, expecially if you're frequented by those 'off' days where you feel displaced from other earth dwellers . This will strengthen the "There's something inexplicably intriguing about (you)" reaction from strangers on the street...

Throw: 6/10(strength of scent, intensity level that was most prominent throughout wear) --and isn't this odd? Second application of fallen lasted longer than first---faded some around hour 1 but stayed steady past this stage for about 6-8 hours! Strange...

Impresses me to no end(alright, some end):8 and a half/10(not another point because throw is medium warm here).

Urgency in which I must buy this(!!):8/10. (8 because I have some suppression due to lack of funds)

Purchase of 5ml is more than likely in my immediate future

edited for adding of smiley icon where proper.

Court

Mars

Color in bottle: This is candied, syrupy red in imp. Like red hard candy.

In Storage: this scent wafts its way through the imp vial to scent everything in my cabinet drawer.

Origin--I got this from an impulse buy on ebay in may. I think I paid 12.00 to 15.00 dollars for this..Bad, I know. Yes, I really wanted Mars..

Even unopened, this imp packs a punch. Intense cinnamon, the kind you get with popping a cinnamon jolly rancher in your mouth, when it first touches your tongue. Very sharp clove, it makes me want to keep smelling the imp with this slightly peppery spicy element, the warmth. I also notice a sort of soapiness while smelling the imp that I don't pick up when wearing-? Perhaps the dragon's blood interacting with everything? Or that the soapiness blends more in on applying?...maybe I'm just crazy

Applying: immediately, this scent is invading with its insistance when I hold my wrist to my nose. Very faint dragon blood deep in the background. 10 minutes in, the dragons blood is barely, barely detectable unless you're looking for it. The clove and the red hotness of the cinnamon are fighting for dominance...and the red, sinus tingling cinnamon is relaxing to a more refined version, more like the real thing like another reviewer mentioned, cinnamon leaf oil, and the clove is mingling to further balance the cinnamon. Peppery something is in there somewhere, caught up in a tide of all the rest but peeking out and making itself known.

Overall impressions: Chai spices?? I've never tried Lush's Chai which a couple other people were reminded of with MARS, but this brings to my mind chai spice blends teabags soaked for ten minutes in boiling water as well as tempermental fiery cinnamon, clove, alittle spike of a pepper element I find quite interesting. The dragons blood stayed hidden for me, but that note could have been the assistance smoothing out the sharpness of the cinnamon. Also, dragons blood doesn't have much staying power on me despite my love of it so this note could have just faded in somewhere.

I don't get a fire association here, through, or ashy elements of any kind, but the wonderful depth of spicy, peppery cinnamon warmth. This is a very passionate scent, potent, energetic. Confident. If its spicy scents you're looking for, you've found it.

One word descriptive of MARS: Dominant, fierce.Whoops, thats two(laughs maniacally)

Throw on this is 8/10 on me, lasts quite a few hours at strength, which is damn good as I have stubborn skin chemistry that fades alot of scents pretty fast. Would not slather:If not for the discontinued status than for the sheer intensity of the ingredients--alittle dab goes a long way(thank god because I currently only own a single imp of Mars)!

This is not my usual sort of oil blend as I tend to stray from strong cinnamon elements in bpal oils, but love any 'red' sort of scent so I was willing(but leery of the red hots candy syndrome, with the cinnamon turning too sweet and worse) to try this mainly because, well, its called MARS. Luckily I caught a break here, as the cinnamon element does not turn to candy land or too acrid/overpowering. Everything else in the blend balances the cinnamon just right.

Mars rates a definate 8 and a half/10 in my book over all, and a big bottle goes onto my ever growing wishlist.

*Edited because I am a perfectionist*