rinster

The timing of this release was perfect.  My ex and I are trying to sell our house and had several people visit, but response was mostly negative (it's an older house and we've done a ton of work, but it still has quite a bit of "character").  The day I received Abre Camino I used it in a simple candle ritual during a showing scheduled that night.  (I did it from my current home, not the one we are trying to sell!)  I set my intention to a smooth, mutually beneficial transaction.  We had a favorable response, but no bites.  I repeated my process over the next several showings and we had our first offer tonight!  We still have a way to go before closing, but am very happy with the energy and focus it helped instill.  Shipping was insanely fast, btw!  Thank you, TAL.

Long story short, one of my projects is causing me major heartburn and I had to step in to get several groups communicating again after several weeks of "that's not MY job". The team lead responsible (while not adept at solving the root problem) very adroitly spun it to her manager/my sponsor that I was interfering and it had been under control the whole time. At my next meeting with the sponsor and lead I considered using Lionheart, Crucible of Courage, or Power, but my hand was oddly drawn to Peace. The meeting was surprisingly civil despite her recent not so passive aggressiveness. I didn't get the feeling anything was solved permanently, but there was a feeling of detente or at least a "to be continued later". It was a temporary respite, but I'll take it.

Scent wise I thought I detected chamomile and something that reminded me of White Light.

I'm another one who couldn't wear the previous incarnation. The patchouli was very heavy and almost mentholated. This one is is what I had hoped the last would be: succulent dark fruits nicely grounded with rich musk and vanilla. Amazing.

This isn't bellicose at all, just bella! It's gorgeous smooth fruit and musk and if there's wooden shards, they've been sanded down nicely with no rough edges. I'm not getting the Tolkien inspired battle carnage I envisioned from the description, but that's ok. Reminds me a bit of Penumbra or a cousin to Mme Moriarty.

My first thought on sniffing this was "iron distilled patchouli". It also kind or reminds me of the TAL Fortitude, which makes sense because I picture dwarves as extremely grounded and having great endurance. Definitely got the metallic tang, but am also picking up something I interpret as pine for some reason. It's not me, but was elated to get it as a frimp.

Right now this is a very soft skin scent, but it is directly out of the mailbox. I have to snoof the back of my hand from way up close. The first thing I identify is the pretty rose geranium from my TAL bottle F2. This lasts for about 20 minutes, then the orange blossom comes forward. I love both notes, so this is happiness. I'm hoping after it settles it develops a little more sillage.

Bottle 2 of 2:

This one is a head scratcher! Something brings to mind the color grey, like something I've smelled before that has grey musk or grey amber. It also reminds me a tiny bit of Black Silk, without the initial strong fabric note. I like this one, too!

I received two Orientals today--here's the first I tried:

Definitely tobacco right out of the gate! It's very smooth and sweet, so maybe there's some black vanilla, tonka, or labdanum softening and sweetening it up. It's like a gelded version Antikythera Mechanism or Perversion (i.e. rich tobacco but no sharp teak or leather, which tend to go shrill on me.)

Definite win!

 

What a fantastic book! I would love scents based on the Raven King and Childermass. If you haven't checked out The Ladies of Grace Adieu (short stories by Susanna Clarke), I'd recommend that as well.

 

For the gentleman, the scents that popped into my head were:

Marquise de Merteuil - Heartless, cruel, aristocratic.

Godfather Death - Because he brought Lady Pole back from the dead

The Phantom Wooer - He steals Lady Pole away each night for dancing, but no one else knows. Plus, the ingredients reflect his wildness and his mansion's state of decline behind the illusion - dry, decadent, crumbliing decay (stargazer lily, bone dust, tomb mosses, buttonweed, moonflower, and honey myrtle)

Danse Macabre - For the nightly revels he forces Lady to attend that are slowly draining her life force away.

Roadhouse - My mental image of his hair reminds me of dandelions. Plus, it's rowdy and feral like he is.

It's a really fantastic book! It took me completely by surprise! I'm loving it, though pretty sure like most of my favorite characters, that the Gentleman won't be surviving. We'll see, ah well! I do have that book of short stories on my list as well, thank you for reminding me!

 

I also LOVE the Raven King and Childermass! Haha, what do your think would match them?

 

Also, I may or may not be looking into some of the scents you used for the Gentleman- some of them have slipped my notice and sound rather lovely. Huuummm!

 

I picture Childermass with a mousy brown scent, like Brown Jenkin. The Raven King was so ineffable to me, he is harder for me to place. The obvious one that springs to mind is Blacker than the Raven Wings of Midnight, but that's kind of cheating! Riffing on Patina's suggestion of storm clouds, Undertow is the scent that evokes dangerous, stormy water for me.

What a fantastic book! I would love scents based on the Raven King and Childermass. If you haven't checked out The Ladies of Grace Adieu (short stories by Susanna Clarke), I'd recommend that as well.

For the gentleman, the scents that popped into my head were:

Marquise de Merteuil - Heartless, cruel, aristocratic.

Godfather Death - Because he brought Lady Pole back from the dead

The Phantom Wooer - He steals Lady Pole away each night for dancing, but no one else knows. Plus, the ingredients reflect his wildness and his mansion's state of decline behind the illusion - dry, decadent, crumbliing decay (stargazer lily, bone dust, tomb mosses, buttonweed, moonflower, and honey myrtle)

Danse Macabre - For the nightly revels he forces Lady to attend that are slowly draining her life force away.

Roadhouse - My mental image of his hair reminds me of dandelions. Plus, it's rowdy and feral like he is.

I'd second Persephone. If it were a color, it would be a gentle translucent pink. I love Snooty Rose, which has plum, bergamot, and oude. I find it the the most Arabian-style rose scent in the GC and reminds me of Rasasi's Attar al Oude or Swiss Arabian's Noora.

I like sweet, girly, soft and warm notes with a little foody undertone. A little bit of spice is always welcome (pink pepper, cinnamon...). Honey is ok to a certain point but can be very annoying.

 

Lyonesse and Stimulating Sassafras Strengthener come to mind for cuddly vanilla. Nostrum Remedium is creamy with a bit of heat from wasabi. Chimera is sweet with a cinnamon kick

How did the Yacht Rock series slip past my radar?!?! Now I have a term for my husband's [ahem] quaint musical tastes. Love it!

I did a full day test with Sinus and love it. It's got a dreamy incense quality that reminds me a little of Panther Moon, but it's less headshop and more elegant bohemienne. It's got a similar spicy kick to Raven Moon, but it's smoother with a schmexy bombshell vibe. My sinuses love Sinus Amoris.

This was a frimp and although I probably wouldn't order it on my own, I am glad to try it. The most prominent note for me is the lily, followed by the rose. I think if I could have picked up the the frank and sandalwood, I would have liked this a bit more. This reminds me of Easter or funeral flowers, so this is a pass for me.

I've got decants of 2012 and 13 but THIS is my favorite incarnation. It's still swarthy and sexy, but not as bawdy as the grapier vintages.

This is primarily jasmine on me, with a little rose backing it up. I'd love to get the darker elements other folks are reporting (patch and oude), but that's not happening right now. It's very plush and sensual, but a little similar to other scents I have. I'm hoping some age will bring out its dark side.

I got this for the cool TAL-like description, fully being prepared to not be crazy about the scent and I was ok with that. (Chamomile smells like hay to me and anything lemon related usually trumps everything else.) This smells incredible on me. I think I'm picking up the wormwood and if so, I need to find some more wormwood scents! This isn't "herby" in the sense I'm used to (i.e. plant-like or medicinal) but very it's very pretty and little mysterious. I pick up the cacao and citronella a little, but they are supporting actors. I don't get the dirty vetiver patch drydown, which is fine with me. If this comes around on etsy or ebay, I'd like to get a backup.

Bear with me as I go on another trippy synesthetic monologue. When wet, I picked up the notes distinctly one at a time almost like an a cappella choir. It was like each voice joining one after another: Vanilla/tonka, then fruity apricot, then something that reminded me of Antikythera Mechanism. They meld together in a sustained single chord that reminds me a little of Mugler's Angel, but this is much subtler and smoother. It's got a similar woody/sweet/fruitiness, but I don't care for Angel's fruitchouli overload. This is a new fave!

Wet, this definitely has a fabric vibe. It's more grey than black, with a texture of watered silk (at least that's what I think of when I smell it!). As it dries, the ambergris comes out and just a bit aquatic, then in the late stages a wonderful non-foody dry vanilla becomes prominent. I'm curious if someone has tried both this and Black Opal and if the vanillas are similar? Very glad I lucked out and got a bottle. It's like nothing else I have.

FYI - Ugh is currently available as a massage oil from BTPT (TKO as well).

Humpback Whale is my favorite ambergris: Blue peppermint, sea buckthorn berry, white myrrh, ambergris accord, and tobacco leaf.

As a landlocked midwesterner, it's my cool ocean breeze in the summer.

Even though a former Lilith LE, it's not impossible to find in the sales.

I tried this on my husband who was sore from moving stuff up from basement yesterday. I ditto what everyone said about herbal menthol citrus scent. It's comforting, but also smells like it means business. I was afraid he'd complain about the menthol because he's kind of a baby like that, but he said it was fine! It really helped him feel better, so this was definitely a success.

Hooray for frimps I wouldn't have thought to try on my own. This opens with a very dark, woody, almost vetiverish feel. As it dried I swear it almost smelled like a leafy root beer or sasparilla! Very cool but not sure it's me.

This is fresh out of the mailbox, but I couldn't wait! LS is a musky dark rose sweetened with a dab of vanilla. The frank n myrrh lend a bit of darkness and mystery, but are way in the back. This might be a shadowy distant cousin of Nymphes de Pave without the fig.

It brings to mind the image of someone who is very self possessed yet feminine-like a beautiful, young, but worldly queen. I am becoming very addicted to using Post Bath Oils as a post shower moisturizer and in my hair, so I am very happy to add this one to my stable. Simply gorgeous.

This is a beautiful balance between rose and pom. I like "juicy" roses (i.e. Snooty and Blood), but this one is just a little more subtle and very demure, so I would feel comfortable wearing this in any situation. This will get much wear from me!