HerbGirl

The Phoenix in Spring?

I don't know why, but I get Lemongrass and pine out of this! Then dry, it smells like pine and lemon (not pine sol-y though) and I get a hint of musk and juniper berry... I bought this almost exclusively for the name (big Type O fan) and am sad it doesn't like me. Eta: It agrees with me now that I've started to love the slush note. Gorgeous. Nov. 2020

Hollywood Babylon = for me. So, there is a company called Spirit Veil that shut down for a while...and I collected almost all of her sprays because they were so good. This was back in 2005-6. When the company came back, most of the older scents were gone, including one of my favorites called Celestia. I can't find my scent notes on that blend, but I got my sample of HB in the mail yesterday, put it on, and OMG it's almost identical to Celestia!!! I can't tell you how excited I am... This is a delicious, mysterious blend of fruity incense on my skin that sparkles. Not a dark fruity incense like All Souls, but a bright happy fruity incense. I don't get any fake vibe from it. Multiple bottle worthy, and now my tiny bottle of Celestia spray will last a bit longer. 5/5

When will I learn?! In most cases Clove just doesn't play nice on my skin... but I seem to have to try each one just to make sure... I love Patchouli, and this is a nice Patch... I love each and every tea scent, and this one is no exception Cardamom is one of my favorite spices and Carnation is my favorite flower, although here she is VERY understated, less spicy and a bit powdery (to me). Black Pepper isn't always a good friend. And then...CLOVE. I'm so sad - I smelled clove initially, but I kept trying to love this perfume despite the clove...bordering on nausea (clove does this to me) for 3 hours. So, I gave up. Clove - >1, Amy - 0 With clove: 2/5 Without Clove? I'm guessing 7/5... boo hoo for my rotten skin relationship with Clove.

Snake Oil with leather, tonka bean, red sandalwood, and sage. Snake oil, sage and leather - nothing in your face about this blend... very nice, not too much throw... so glad I got to try this one! My only gripe is that I'm missing out on the Sandalwood and Tonka bean individually, but I'm sure they're contributing to the well-blended-ness of this perfume. 3.5/5

Why hello there Acai berry! Wow...this berry knows how to crash a party! I really can't complain because it smells fantastic - with a bit of snake oil peeking around the corner and some amber strolling in... After 2 hours, I'm really enjoying the play between the smoked vanilla, amber, snake oil and Acai berry. Cardamom hasn't shown up yet, (even though I would love to see her!) and I think I decided to uninvite neroli... this perfume is glorious, and I hope to snag another bottle before it leaves town. 4.5/5

Yes - this is a gorgeous blend, and I would also say if you enjoyed Antikythera Mechanism and Samhainophobia, I think you would enjoy this. On my skin I smell mostly Ivy, Teak and Patchouli - with a bit of spicy Hyssop underneath. After about an hour, the coffee bean shows up and the tonka provides a nice bed... this is simply gorgeous. 4/5

Chrysanthemum, cinnamon, vanilla, amber, sandalwood? Wow - sign me up! I don't know how I missed this one, but I was lucky enough to find a bottle and it is pure love! This isn't strong on me, but a perfect blend of some of my favorite notes. It's interesting to smell the cinnamon amber and vanilla taking turns up front while the mum provides a nice backdrop. I love this. The final test? I just shoved my wrist under the boyfriend's nose and he looked up and said "That's GOOD!". YAY! yet another winner...

I love Strawberry Moon '09. This is in my top 10 and I snag a bottle whenever I get the chance. This is the oil that changed my mind about sweet, fruity perfumes... I was always the cinnamon, cedar, vanilla, sandalwood, patchouli girl... and now I'm still that girl, but I can enjoy wearing the girly stuff too! This is amazing: I can smell the grass, dandelion sap, and fresh delicious sugary strawberries. I think the vanilla helps tie everything together and ground the scent a bit - truly a masterpiece. I hope to still have some of this when I'm 60...

I have quite a few Amber perfumes... I love Amber... This is the most amazing Amber perfume oil I have smelled - I think Inez is another perfume that actually wears ME. This is everything an Amber scent should be, and what few are: it's soft, but not powdery and is quite a skin scent on me. I'm surprised I don't smell the carnation in this (I usually amp the heck out of carnation), but I can detect the vanilla musk and sandalwood. This is a keeper...just ordered a few bottles just in case the Carnaval departs anytime soon... 5/5

I have been looking forward to trying this for quite some time, and finally got a decant today! YUM. This is what I wanted Samhain to smell like! They are very similar to my nose, but this is softer and less foody - it's truly evocative of Autumn. What a beautiful perfume oil. http://www.bpal.org/public/style_emoticons/#EMO_DIR#/wub2.gif ETA: I finally found a bottle and am so glad. This is perfect for this time of year when I'm sick of the heat of Summer, am ready for Autumn and not ready for apples or pumpkins yet. Gorgeous.

Creamy cinnamon - OOOHHH this is lovely! It sticks around quite a while too - just about 5 hours, and for me that's a long time! ETA: Egg Moon reminds me a bit of SL Rousse...wearing it this morning and had to edit. Egg Moon is so lovely - still a marvelous, creamy cinnamon.

I finally managed to find a bottle! I am so in love with the Asian themed oils right now... I think it's because it feels like Spring here in the Pac NW and I'm craving them! This is similar to Hungry Ghost Moon, but it's lighter and missing the Grapefruit note that I love HGM for. What a beautiful oil this is - I'm so happy I can finally wear it!

I'm so glad someone else smelled a similarity to Ephemera! I actually love Ephemera, but where Ephemera is more high-end perfume, this is more representative of a Japanese Spring bottled... I'm not sure how they do it, but I am grateful!!!

I keep trying this perfume and I want to love it, but it just doesn't love me. I love the poem and its author. I'm a big fan of Orris, but apparently not a fan of Muguet (Lily of the Valley) which makes this blend go sharp, white, and floral on me - so much that I can't wear this perfume. I have tried different times of the month, different times of day, etc. and have given it at least 2 hours on my skin each time. I give this perfume a 4/5 until the Muguet roars my skin down- then she gets a 2.

Sugar, Cream and a bit of linen - lots of throw (which actually surprised me) and lasts about 3 hours on my skin. I like having the option of smelling like sugar-cream if I want to! Good stuff. ETA: BOO 2010

I was lucky enough to find a half bottle of this on ebay, and I'm kind of sad: it's so good I have to track down more! On me at first this smells slightly soapy (and for the first hour or so there is just a hint of soap), but it's not unpleasant. Must be the flower combo... I smell Ivy and Moonflower for sure, and I love this! What a terrific dark, green perfume! Going strong after 3 hours... 4/5

I am actually grateful for this amazing perfume oil! Each year I wait for Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice Latte, and for the longest time it was one of my favorite things. Pumpkin Latte is just what I needed. I have smelled quite a few oils that try to capture the essence of an espresso drink, and I only ever smell coffee. This is perfect! The espresso note is STRONG... and I love that. So, when I get a craving for a 450+ calorie drink, I just reach for my Pumpkin Latte... Another amazing perfume! 4.5/5

A wonderful Apple Cider perfume...with a bit of cream...and a bit of spice!

This has been one of my favorites since it came in the mail in September... Galangal+Patchouli+wood/leaves= amazing! In the bottle I ALMOST FEEL like I smell lavender...but I don't...'cuz it's not in here... On me I smell a bit of patchouli, some wet-ish wood, a wallop of Galangal, some musk and tobacco. I don't really ever smell the oakmoss (and I am a huge fan): this is one of those perfumes where you don't need to smell every component - it's a perfect blend. The Decrepit House morphs A LOT. Each girl needs a turn on top! The Galangal retreats a bit over the next hour...and then I can't pick anything out...which is awesome! This perfume lasts just over 4 hours on my skin (which is pretty amazing - most tend to disappear after the first 2 hours or so) and I love every stage of its morphing. I always think I smell Lavender when I open the bottle, so one day I decided to wear Under the Harvest Moon right next to The Decrepit House on my wrists. It was absolutely amazing. Fragonia? Er... I looked this up (had never heard of it) and immediately understood this perfume and why it works the way it does on me: "The odour is described as "a pleasant fresh cineolic odour with a hint of a citrus note (which becomes more pronounced after a few minutes)mixed with a slight spicy cinnamon tonality and sweet balsamic undertones. The dry down is very faint being sweet, soapy and woody balsamic." (copyright Tony Burfield 2004)." (from Pap.erba.rkoi.ls .com) The Decrepit House - 5+/5 Absolute Love. Top 3.

I was so excited to receive this in the mail today after reading the reviews and waiting anxiously! I got the female WILF label....so cute!!! In the bottle I smell Snake Oil and a hint of Peppermint... VERY nice! On me I smell a nicer, aged Snake Oil (as someone else has already mentioned) and musk - not sure if I'm smelling red or black or both (I'm assuming they are perfectly blended so probably both) and a vaguely Werepuppy-ish vibe, which is nice and cuddly! After about an hour, the Peppermint comes out on me and the cocoa gives the impression of a bit of Boomslang (which I love)... This is an amazing perfume oil, and I think another bottle is in order...

I love the smell of leaves...all sorts of leaves at any point of the year...and wind? Cold wind? I love Autumn and Winter... What went wrong here? I tried this at Knows Perfume and it was amazing...I thought I was going to have to get 2 bottles. Glad I chose to get 1 bottle - it is VERY difficult to wear, no matter how much I love it in the bottle. Wow. I think it reminds me a bit of October (like other reviews), but it is VERY refined, and cold (which it ought to be!). Like I said, I love this in the bottle, but I can't wear it - makes me so sad!

I can't say anything that hasn't already been said about SF - it's glorious! Reminds me of October but with an aquatic twist. So much for my originality!!!

Odd Portents indeed! In the bottle: I smell Oppoponax, Lavender and a bit of incense. I know there's no Oppoponax... isn't Oppoponax Sweet Myrrh? Must be the amber sweetening up the Myrrh...very nice! On me: Lavender, Olibanum, Myrrh, and a touch of amber. This blend stays sharp on me for about 45 minutes, but it isn't unpleasant. Drydown: After 2 hours, this goes incensey-sweet on me - an earthy-grounded sweet. If I didn't know better, I'd think there was Benzoin in here somewhere... The lavender disappears, the amber-incense becomes more prevalent, and I may be smelling a bit of Black Currant (there are hints of All Souls in this even though they don't smell similar to me). I can't pick out the dark musk (although I'm sure it's doing a super job of rounding everything out) and I never smell the bourbon geranium (which I'm thankful for). This perfume is surely a winner - there have been so many out of the Gothic Lit though... Volume 2 anyone? I'd give this blend a 4.5/5 for it's amazing drydown. The more I sniff my wrists I am noticing a similarity in feel to Mother Ginger... Maybe if All Souls and Mother Ginger had a romp? That might sound off, but that's what I'm smelling!!! isn't our sense of smell amazing? ETA: I don't get any type of Rose at all...

I have been wearing this perfume since September 2010...it's about time I give my review! I am a big fan of Robert Frost's work, so I ordered this straight away. I love most of the perfumes I have tried with leaves (any kind of leaves) in the description and have loved the ones that don't have vetiver. This isn't a dark leaves scent anyway, it's a perfect "dewy green leaves" scent. I don't get the amber at all, I think the slight tang I sniff may be the ginseng and rooibos. If you are a fan of Summer's Last Will and Testament and Flor De Muerto give this one a try. They are similar to my nose, but Nothing Gold Can Stay is a brighter Autumn scent. 4.5/5 on the Herb Girl scale. ETA: I just put something together looking at the description: Moroccan amber, ginseng and rooibos paint colors to me and I'm wondering why I never noticed this before?! Amber - golden Ginseng - yellow/greenish Rooibos - red/coppery Green leaves - Green That's awesome. ETA: I think this may be my signature scent...although that's sad because I highly doubt it will come back...SO GOOD!