MadameGorgon

Oh my! What a fun, playful scent!! Grapefruit isn't always my favorite note. It can go quite astringent and bitter sometimes. But here it just adds a zingy zest. While the lime does jump out and mischeviously tweak your nose, the citrus in this is not sharp and puckery with an almost candied quality. Quite juicy and well grounded by the base notes. As it dries, the bergamot, sage, and musk mingle to create a more earthy scent. A bit soapy in a good way. It isn't something I would wear very often, but I'm so happy I got to try it!

As a personal fragrance, I'm not crazy about this. It has a musty smell to me. Someone mentioned "grandma soap" in another review, and BOOM! That's exactly what I get. Only it was lotion. It smells just like my grandmother's lotion. But really not in a good way. I get some heavy rose from this with hints of Jasmine in the background and something like indolic scent that elderly people sometimes get. Sorry, Has No Hanna. But smell-wise, you just don't work for me. I will have to report back on the voodoo effects. I could certainly use some good luck.

Have you tried Black Annis? Its a GC. I'm not a HUGE fan of anise/licorice scents, though I do enjoy it as a background note. It is the main note in Black Annis (to my nose) with backing from oakmoss, vetiver, and just a hint of civet. I was really a little afraid of this scent, not just because I didn't want to smell like cat pee, but I LOVE it. It definitely doesn't smell like cat pee. Although it is heavy on the oakmoss and vetiver. Lab decription: Black Annis' perfume is a mixture of damp cave lichen and oak leaf with a hint of vetiver, civet and anise.

Never in a bazillion years would I have chosen this scent. I don't like licorice and musty/dirt type scents are usually not my thing. But it smelled quite intriguing in the imp, so on it went. Well... I'll be damned. This is really quite amazing and I think I may love it! It reminds me alot of How Doth the Little Crocodile, which I also enjoyed. It has the same herbal freshness mixed with oakmoss. But where Little Crocodile was playful, this has a kind of sexy, animalic undertone that must be the civet. I most certainly do NOT smell cat pee. Just something lurking underneath that is like a sweet/sour true skin scent. I must say, I am completely shocked by how much I like this scent. I can't stop sniffing it! It doesn't change much from imp to skin. The anise is assertive and fresh and keeps this from feeling "dirty". The oakmoss and vetiver are grounding and reinforce the outdoors feeling, and the civet gives it a little salty umami quality that rounds out the bottom and adds more than a little sexiness. Way way way in the back, I'm finally smelling a bit of mineral, which must be the "cave lichen". In a way, this scent reminds me of the goal of Japanese cuisine, which (as I understand it) is to present a balanced meal touching on all the taste sensations and senses. This scent is balanced in that way by including animal, vegetable, and mineral. While this scent will not be for everyone, it would definitely work for either a man or woman. It's powerful enough to wear with a business suit, fresh enough to wear on a hike, and sexy enough to wear on a date. I will definitely be using up my imp to the last drop, then probably putting this on my list for a bottle purchase! So glad this is GC!

Cacao, black musk, and tobacco absolute. I initially got this when it first came out in 2012, but for some reason, didn't review it. I remembered not being fond of it, but couldn't remember why. But I was just frimped a tester from the sweet Seussala, so giving it another go! OK. I'm a weirdo. I know. I am not really a sweets person and even then, I prefer vanilla to chocolate. But I LOVE to smell like a walking dessert tray, so anything with cocoa or chocolate gets a try. In the Imp: gulp. Chocolate delousing powder? Not at all what I was expecting. On she goes. On the skin: Yup. Chocolate delousing powder, heavy emphasis on the powder, with something off-putting lurking in the background that can only be the black musk. This seems to change quite a bit from wet to dry, starting off lemony as others have mentioned, then damn it puts the POW in powder. The cocoa eventually pokes out its fuzzy brown head and tobacco makes an appearance in the form of a hand-roll blend I used to use when I was way to young to smoke. I think it was Drum, but I swear it was something that came in an orange pouch, but that was a long time ago and I digress. This stage was amazing. Sexy, naughty, utterly lickable. Then that stage was, as another reviewer put it, "smothered by a black musk pillow". Crap. Super-crap. Craptastic. It does eventually dry down to a nice powdery cocoa scent, but I'm not sure I can manage the black musk strangler in order to get there. I will try it again, just to be sure, but it seems that musk and I aren't on very good terms at the moment. ETA: The hand-rolling tobacco I was searching for was Bali Shag Red Pouch. Oh god I want a cigarette.

This was graciously frimped to me by the Lab. It's something I never would have considered for myself, though I do love me some Oudh. In the Imp: This was very faint to me. Evergreen, but not Pine or Cedar, with something soft in the background. Cypress isn't a note I'm familiar with, but I'm assuming it is the evergreen-ish top note. It does kind of come out swinging in this blend. But then, poof... It's gone. And the "something soft" comes to the forefront. I'd almost swear that the imp was mislabeled if it weren't for that evergreen opener. I'm really having trouble describing this scent. I like it... quite a bit actually. Although it is FAR from my usual scent choices. It is softly, very softly, resinous without being powdery. Sweet without being foody, cloying, or floral. And fresh without that artificial quality that so many "fresh" scents have for me. I normally can't handle aquatics or "clean laundry" type scents. They quite literally make me nauseated. But this is just those things in the most lovely way. Like a crisp, freshly washed cotton sheet dried in the sunshine on an evergreen studded beach. This scent, more than anything, brings to my mind images of the Greek seashore, though I've never been there. The picture in my mind: Low craggy hills with windswept gray-blue cypress looking like bent, little old greek ladies, lined with ancient footpaths, dotted with bright blue and crisp white villas, dropping down into a perfectly crystalline turquoise waters. Not at all what the scent was supposed to evoke, but really beautiful nonetheless.

Oh Mama-Ji, you truly are a bitch goddess. I REALLY REALLY REALLY wanted to smell like a black-skinned, blade weilding, skull festooned GODDESS, but all I get is the old lady with the disapproval pinched face. I can see her in my head when I sniff this on my skin and she does NOT like what I am wearing or the way I do my hair. Sadly, this is like a cheap musk and floral powder bomb exploded in my face. I really don't even get the spices. Because American Gods is my most favoritest book EVAR and I want to like this SO VERY MUCH I am going to put it aside and try it again when I haven't been dealing with a sinus related illness, although my hopes are not high.

Mmmm Velvet! Or one of the Storyville scents.

Y. U. M. Warm, sweet sweet sweet woods. Comfort and love and warmth. Sassafras reminds me of my grandmother who would take me out on her property and show me the sassafras seedlings. Then we'd dig it up and collect the roots, take them home and make hot, syrupy sweet Sassafras tea. Cedar is prominent at first, but mellows out considerable. The vanilla is very creamy, not the dark, resinous vanilla of Snake Oil, more the shnuggly vanilla in Velvet. Come to think of it, this reminds me quite a bit of Velvet, but whereas Velvet has Cocoa and Sandalwood, this has Sassafras and Cedar. It smells a bit more outdoors-y. I'm not sure if it is just an association caused by Beth's description, or if it's the combination of sassafras, cedar and balsam, but this makes me thing of Cowboys. Sweet, sexy cowboys. I want to curl up with this scent like a kid snuggling into a lap or a dog on it's owner's bed. On me it would make a great Fall or Winter scent on those days when I just want to sit in front of the fire and not leave the house (or even change out of my PJs, don't judge me!) But I think if my Man wore this, we might have to play a little grown-up Cowboys and Indians.

Hom-in-uh-hom-in-uh-hom-in-uh Abeek bjazzer. So hot. Can't speak. How did these sneak past me? Why didn't I try these? What was I thinking? This is absolutely positively a new favorite. It's so very sexy, but bright and happy, warm and sunny. And very difficult to describe. At first, it is like MB: Underpants, plus a healthy dose of ginger. It's got this lovely, creamy vanilla / saffron base. I keep thinking of a big, shiny copper pot, full of steaming heavy cream with golden threads of saffron and slivers and specks of black vanilla bean, simmering gently on a big stove. But the bright ginger perks it up and gives it a zingy, almost effervescent pop. The dry down allows some of the other notes to come forward. There is a little bit of an herbal / perfume-y / floral in the dry down. Sweet and rich, but not particularly foody. I wish I could describe this better, but words really are failing me. I love it. You should try it if you like MB: Underpants, or creamy vanilla, or saffron, or ginger. For gods sake! Try it!

Oh. My. God. Why in the hell didn't I try these sooner? I am completely in love with this. Totally smitten. On me, this smells like the most beautiful smoked teak. But so much prettier in a darkly aggressive kind of way. In the imp: the smoke hits my nose strong. With maybe a hint of sasparilla underneath. On the skin: the spices warm up and expand. The creamy vanilla keeps things from overheating, but definitely lingers in the background rather than taking over as vanilla sometimes does. The ginger is of the dry, rooty, and seriously hot variety. The brown sugar can be disastrous on my, but this adds a delicious smoky molasses note. The clove is dry, not at all sweet or baked goods-y, almost medicinal in a good way. Somehow, with all these food ingredients, this is NOT foody, really. It doesn't smell like something that I would want to eat alone. It's more the scent of a magical spice cabinet. A dead sexy spice cabinet that will make you weep with longing. Must have MOAR

I got to try this scent through an amazing LE/DC swap (thanks!) Good lord, is it getting hot in here or is it just Underpants? So fricken sexy. Sweet and vanilla-y without being foody. Feminine, but not too girly. It is dirty-minded and a little innocent at the same time. It smells quite a bit different in the bottle than on the skin. In the imp, it smelled overly sweet, but that settled down as the saffron warmed up and made it all musky and grounded. I can feel the sandalwood more than actually smell it. It's probably one of the elements that keeps this from being foody. The butter rum is quiet, but I can sense it just rounding out the sharp edges and adding a hint of buttery saltiness. Mmmmm. So good. So nomnomnomnom. So mmmm. Nomnomnomnom. Gooooood. Please leave us alone now... We would like some privacy.

I had the opportunity to try this scent in an amazing LE/DC swap (thanks!) Love, love, love it. There's something kind of minty/herbal and a bit masculine that gives it the cold vibe. But it's just the barest hint. Otherwise, this is exactly as described. The coconut is light, refreshing, watery, and frothy. Not in the least like suntan lotion. Much more along the lines of a really good Piña Colada. And the island flowers float through the scent as if on a breeze. Now, I REALLY want a bottle (or 4) and I have a new Holy Grail scent. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. Bottom line, if you have the slightest interest in coconut, or even think you might, don't hesitate to buy it.

I was part of an amazing LE/DC swap that included this scent (thanks!) Panther Moon was definitely a sleeper hit for me. I tried it based on the champaca, which is one of the very few florals that works on me and this did NOT disappoint. Normally, the black musk, mandrake, and star anise would have normally made me pass it by, but I was attracted to the champaca benzoin, ambergris idea. On me, this is a heavy-lidded, sleepy, sexy, sultry champaca honey with warm, powdery musky underwear. It has a HUGE throw and is probably one of the stronger champacas I've experienced, but still very wearable, even in hot weather. Just beautiful.. Excellent job, Beth.

I live near the Brown and Haley outlet - makers of Almond Roca and Mountain Bars - would you want anything from the outlet? For nut-haters, they have nutless Roca For the no-sugar folks they have sugar-free as well. - I LOVE Almond Roca! Its probably my favorite candy, bur I wouldn't be heartbroken if I didn't get any. I also have an Oberto jerky outlet local to me - any wants there? No Thanks. Unless you want to send some for the Dude. How do you feel about home-canned goods? Sure! I love that kind of stuff! Just let me know what I should look out for in terms of spoilage. I especially like Chow-Chow if you make that! Do you like BPTP clothing? I don't usually wear t-shirts with writing, but I would make an exception! What size do you wear of: I'm guessing on these sizes Baby-doll T's M Regular T's M yoga pantsNo, thanks Also, what is your favorite lunacy (or non-lunacy) T-shirt that you don't already own? I don't have any, but I would love to have the following if you were so inclined... Thirteen, Alchemists Local (either color), Touche, Triple Dagger, Demon of Vanity, Molly Crabapple, Our Lady of Pain, Solve Et Coagula, Planting Moon, Crow Moon, Cheshire Moon, Raven Moon, Smoky Moon (MUST ADD OIL TO WISHLIST!), or Old Moon Or other clothes from BPTP? I wouldn't mind having the Baron Samedi Hoodie or The Triple Dagger Tank, but those are expensive! What else do you love from the Trading Post site, and need to have? Snake Oil Bath Oil!ANd I would love to try the Hair Glosses. The Amber/Patchouli, Coconut/Vanilla?Tiare, Honey, and Snake Oil all sound good. Is there a particular movie genre that you like (Fantasy? Drama? Romantic Comedy? Musicals? TV-Series, etc), and what format would you prefer: DVD, Blu-Ray, or something in the cloud (like Amazon, iTunes, Flixster, etc)? I don't have a movie wish list or anything and don't get a chance to watch many movies, but I like dark comedies. -Following up on the Adagio question from earlier, what are you top five wishes, for teas and blends? I pretty much drink exclusively Tazo Chai, but I would be open to trying most anything but Cherry. -Do you have anything that you do ritually, every summer? Its not exactly a ritual, but I grow a veggie/herb/edible flower garden, go to our neighborhood pool, and go to the beach (usually Naples, FL) -What are your top five wishes from ThinkGeek? I love that store. Would have to check. -Seen anything lately that makes you go OH HOLY FUCK THAT'S AWESOME!! ? Gradient Nails, Water Marbled Nails, and other crazy nail art. It wouldn't last a day on my fingernails, but some of that stuff looks so cool! Do you like audiobooks? If so, do you have/would you like to try Audible? (I'm an addict, myself.)I would LOVE to have some audiobooks. I have an audible account, but I will probably cancel it at the end of July. Chocolate: Love? Hate? Allergic? If love, what are your faves? I like chocolate, but I don't like live for it. I will eat it if its around, but I don't go out of my way to buy it (or any sweets except Haagen Dazs Vanilla). When I could get it, I loved Choco-love bars with cocoa nibs.

THIS. THIS is the 13 of my dreams! And I am rarely a fan of apple spice blends. The chocolate is quite prominent and as someone else mentioned, syrupy. The apple is much more a dried apple. Not juicy at all. The honeysuckle ups the sweetness and softens some of the harsh edges of the spices. And the spices.... Oh god... The spices. I had all but given up on spices. They never have quite worked on my skin. And sometimes, they just plain burn! But these are warm and yummy and not at all overpowering. The frankincense melds with the spices in the most delightful way. It -just- pulls the blend out of foodie territory, adds a bit of a balsamic high note, and keeps the blend from sliding into Yankee Candle territory. It's what Yankee Candle wants to be when it grows up! I find it hard to believe that this was a June blend. It screams AUTUMN to me because of the apple spice combo. I am so surprised at how much I love this one! And once again, the actual fragrance is so different from what I expected. I thought I might get something like Candy Butcher. Chocolatey, but light with a sweet floral finish. Instead, its dark, syrupy,chewy sticky lusciousness. Thank you, Usagi,for sending all these great new things to try! It made my day!

Thanks to the most awesome Usagi, I get to try this and and several other new scents. First, why isn't this getting more love? I fear that the non-foodies are put off by the list of edible ingredients while the foodies are disappointed at how UN-foody this blend is. From the very first whiff, the word that comes to mind when I smell this is PINK! It's Pink-tastic, Pink-a-riffic, happy, poppy, pink! I'm guessing that its mostly the pink pepper? I'm not familiar with Pimento Berry, so it could be that. This is actually a fairly balanced blend, aside from the pink pepper. The dark chocolate ips far in the background, grounding the blend with an earthy quality. The balsam provides that high-pitched, slightly sour resin. The champaca does not give off the Nag Champa vibe that I recall from past Champaca experiences. In this, it lends a creamy, exotic floral note that's heady without being cloying. Bergamot usually makes me think of Earl Grey tea at best and Fruit Loops at worst. I don't seek it out, but I don't find it offensive. In this blend, It plays very nicely, just adding a whiff of fruitiness. I don't actually smell the paprika, but there is an undertone of spiciness in the wet stage that could be the paprika making its appearance. This blend is NOTHING like I expected. It is quite light, fresh, and femme. I usually prefer my fragrances on the dark, woodsy, resinous side, but I could see wearing this on a gawdawful hot summer day and feeling refreshed and pretty. Would probably be nice for a wedding or innocent first date. Quite innocent and skewing young-ish. I need to add that I keep catching whiffs of something GORGEOUS as this dries. It's dry and resinous and calls to mind the way teak plays with the other ingredients of Boomslang. I've tried a few different scents today, so it could be something else. But if its this blend, then I may have to track down some more of this and some other balsam blends.

The is to the quite amazing Usagi, I got to try the lovely Gennivre. I'm an artist, so this blend appealed to me on that level. The notes in this one are almost pure win. I say "almost" because tea can be iffy on me. First sniff in the imp: Herm. I usually do NOT get a cleaning fluid vibe from lemony scents, but I did with this blend. Not an auspicious start. But, if I've learned anything about BPALs its that they MUST be skin tested. So I dabbed on a bit. Wow! It blooms into a beautiful sweet, minty, citrus tea! Gorgeous. But oh, no! Here comes the tea. It stomps all over the more delicate aromas and leaves me with a not nearly so lovely perfume-y (in a bad way) smell. I wish I could enjoy the tea scents because I'm a dedicated tea drinker, but this just doesn't work on me. Dang. Thought I would love this one from the description.

Thanks to the AMAZING Usagi, I've gotten to try this 13. Thirteens are a bit of an obsession for me, so to find this in a package Sniffing the imp and first blast on skin was a somewhat heavy chocolate. To me, it was the cocoa-infused vanilla from Velvet almost exactly. The mandarin and tangerine give it a zesty zing, but its surprisingly not all that orange-y. The currant lends a rich, deep fruitiness. Not really juicy... But sweet. There is a minty hyssop/ medicinal quality to this blend that I find intriguing and refreshing. There is a similar note in Sleeping Nymph and Satyrs, which I love! The heavy chocolate blast burns off pretty fast and becomes much more a white chocolate. Eventually, the chocolate retreats altogether and leaves a very rich, sweet, fruit with a medicinal high note. This kind of fruity scent isn't usually my cup of tea because they tend to amp like crazy and smell artificial on me, but this stays pretty well behaved. Eventually, the iris comes put to play and dusts its creamy, powdery sweetness over the whole lot. I probably wouldn't wear it all that often because these kinds of rich fruits don't really call my name, but if you like figs and raisins and other luscious sticky fruits, give this a try. However, this is absolutely NOT a foody blend. Either the iris or some of the herbs send this into perfume territory even though all the listed ingredients are quite edible.

Favorite color: blue or green, but I like them all. I prefer bright, clear colors to pastels and muddy colors, but even those are good sometimes. Favorite season: summer. Always. If you could live anywhere: Winter home in Colorado, Vacation Home in Outer Banks, SC. And a "regular" home somewhere like Athens, GA or Austin, TX or someplace in the south, but not so conservative Long trips coming up? Need something to occupy your time? Yes and yes. We are driving for like 15 hours or something to get to FL the 2nd week in July. An audio book we could all listen to would be great. Or anything we could do in the car. I should have access to use an iPhone over the car's stereo system for the trip. Jungle Jim's: I'd love to try new sauces, marinades, rubs, spice blends, etc. or whatever you think is good. 3 things you could use but wouldn't get for yourself: a maid! . But srsly, green cleaning products, a cool door knocker, home decor type stuff TP Etsy update: I updated my Etsy favorites before I saw this question. Watermelon Oreos? No thanks. 3 BPALS you'd like: GC: Tamora, Not-HTF LE: Kajuraho, HTF LE: Boomslang or Banshee Beat Knit or crochet needle size? II don't do either right now, but wouldn't be opposed to learning. Styles of artwork: my favorites are Norther European Renaissance, Art Nouveau, Pre-Raphaelite Handmade Spice Mixes/Rubs? Yes, please! Mexican Vanilla? Oh, Hell yeah. I got married in Mexico and I brought back and used several bottles. Silver rings/necklaces? Sure! Simple ones. Conjure Ouls? Don't have time to look at the moment. Any books just coming out? I don't keep track, but sure, if you know of something. Favorite quote for cross stitch: The cure for anything is saltwater Special symbols or totems? Nothing in particular. I like all kinds of animals. When you are having a rough day, what do you do to brighten it? To to Hobby Lobby for a new project. Regional sodas? I like super-spicy ginger ale, but thats about all. I would try something, though, if you know of something awesome.

Pumpkin: Pumpkin scents do not work on my skin. Home scents would be OK, though. And I love pumpkin based foods. Canned goods: YES PLEASE!! ALL YOUR CANNED GOODS ARE BELONG TO ME!! Dr. Who: Dr. who? Sorry... Bad pun. I don't watch much TV. Lipbalm: yes. No weird flavors like beer or dill pickles, but otherwise I'm pretty open. My favorite brand is a local company, but really, I like them all. Lipgloss: sure! Looking for the perfect, sheer neutral red stain. Not so much the brownish or orange-ish or frosted/pale colors, but I'm all about lip gloss, tinted balms, and lip stains. Like a little obsessed, even. Other than BPALs: I love Sapphire and the vanilla-y ones from Nocturne Alchemy. Arcana's Morphine is big favorite. I also would love to try more from Violette Market and Haunt. I've never tried anything from Alkemia or however its spelled, but those sound pretty interesting, too. Im a fan of Blonde Suede and St. Valentine from DSH. As far as mainstream companies, I do like Poison, but otherwise I like TokyoMilk and I'd like to try maybe Tom Ford Oud and/or vanilla ones. And maybe Jo Malone, but its not like a burning desire or anything. I LOVE Blooddrop's Lyrical Horse and would love to try more of the Carousel Horses. Adagio teas: IDK. I pretty much drink Tazo Chai (preferably the Organic, but def. not the Decaf!) Coffee: I don't usually drink coffee and I don't think I'd like pumpkin coffee, but I do like New Orleans style chicory coffee and I'm fond of the occasional mocha. I've got a drip style coffee maker, but I haven't used it in years. Favorite Female of All Time: uh... Eve? According to the story, she had Paradise, but gave it up for knowledge. I like certain aspects of Marie Antoinette. I'd love to have my own Petite Trianon. Disney Princess: would have to be Merida, because I was really mouthy like that as a kid. Plus, we're kind of hair twins. Current Craft Projects: Jewelry design, natural indigo Shibori dyeing, making simple clothing, wire-wrapping gemstones and fossils, basic leather work, making stuff with feathers including barrettes, jewelry, and quill pens, drawing, painting. Craft supplies always welcome! Especially rough gems, feathers, leather and fur scraps, tiny bottles and tins, cool old jewelry I can canniblize, embroidery floss, vintage lace and fabric trims (or new, actually), natural fibers, dried herbs, beeswax, cocoa butter... If you can make stuff with it, I can probably use it! I have tons more ideas on my questionnaire. One rare BPAL: Banshee Beat Are you kinky? I could be persuaded... What have you got in mind? Hahahahaha. I'm married for 12 years with 2 kids... Is a sex dream kinky? Scented candles: I've had a few that I enjoyed, but can't remember the brand or scent or anything. I prefer mostly natural-ish subtle scents for home. I'm open to trying pretty much anything (except aquatics and leather), but things that are too strong or girly will be bitched about by my super-smeller husband. South Africa: I love handmade, regional specialties of all kinds from pretty much anywhere. I'm not familiar with what might come from South Africa, but I love beads and hand printed cloth, shells, whatever is special about where you live. Sock Dreams: I don't know. I only wear socks when I have to. But I like soft, tall ones. Pretty much any color but purple and preferably without pictures of actual things (like cats and stuff) on them. Patterns are OK and crazy colors are fine, too. Hair accessories: yes to hair accessories. Not into bows or cutesy stuff, but I use everything from barrettes to headbands to elastics to forks to old combs to spin pins. Any metals or natural looking materials like wood or tortoise shell. I got some awesome seashell bobbies that I LOVE and wouldn't mind having more. Colors would probably be OK, but not like kids' stuff. Favorite Shade of Blue: all of them. ok... Maybe not Wedgewood Blue (cool grey blue), but every other kind of blue, I love. Blue and green are my favorite colors. Think peacock colors. Kitchen Gadgets: not really. A good crockpot cookbook? But only if its one you know and love. Learn something new? I really enjoy interesting non-fiction. I'd love to learn a little more about natural dyes, particularly Shibori. I'd also like to learn more about edible gardening and advanced jewelry making. Metaphysical type stuff, too especially gems and tarot. Candy: I don't have a huge sweet tooth, but I do eat some candy occasionally. I like orange chocolates, Reese's Cups, super sour candies, really good butterscotch. Can't think of anything else at the moment. E-reader: I don't have a dedicated e-reader, but I have an iPad and iPhone and wouldn't mind having some books to read. Anything handmade that I wouldn't want: I really can't think of anything I wouldn't want. I do prefer natural fibers for knitted and crochet things that are worn close to the skin. Video Games: I have a Wii, but not that many games. I'd love to have some fun games for that and used ones would be perfectly fine with me! I also have a Big Fish Games account. I like to play adventure and puzzle games that use my brain rather than trigger finger. Personal Daily Ritual: I start every day with a HUGE glass of hot chai. I try to wash my face every night. It's usually just toner or facial wipes. Swipe of lip balm and slathering of BPAL before bed. Nail polish: if you find something really crazy cool, sure... I don't wear much polish and its usually just on my toes. I also think that the polishes get together and have little polish babies in there because I have more than I will ever use. BPALs tried and want more: Tamora, Temple Viper, Underpants, Boomslang, Jabberwocky, Elizabeth of Bohemia, Womb Furie, Samhain, How Doth the Little Crocodile, Oakmoss SN, White Sage SN, I'm sure there are more that I'm forgetting. Do you write real letters: no, but I use tons of little notebooks and sketchbooks. Paintbox Soapworks: Beet it, High in the 70s, April Fool, Hearthside. I'm sure there are more that I'd love, but those are my favorites so far. I especially adore Beet it and Hearthside. Love the sorbettos and soaps. Gardening: Yes. I grow a veggie garden and I try to focus my gardening efforts on edibles and aromatics. I wouldn't mind having something that was just pretty or interesting, but things that need fussing over likely won't survive. Sample size things: YES! Just... Yes. I love to sample all the things! Fortune Cookie Soaps: never tried, but would be open. Solid soap: yes. My favorites are Quinquereme of Nineveh by Lush, High in the 70s and Beet It from PBSW and Mystere Sea Salt by Naples Soap Co. There was also a charcoal one I got that I adored, but I can't remember where it came from. I LOVE sea salt soap and charcoal soap, but I'm open to trying pretty much anything. Again, leather and aquatic scents don't work very well for me. Cocoa Pink: I've seen, but not tried their stuff. I don't take baths (although my kids do), but I wouldn't mind trying their other things as long as they fall within my scent likes and dislikes. Lush: the charcoal based face cleansers look kind of interesting and some of the curly hair stuff. I'm sure that there's tons more I would try. Quinquereme of Nineveh soap is one of my all-time favorite bath products ever, but I've only ever gotten a sample. I've never even seen it for sale. 100 people in a room... What makes me different: I'm going to answer this with as much honesty as I can muster. The obvious differences are that I have very long, curly hair. I also rarely wear make-up, although I like to wear it. I'm really small. Only about 5 feet 1 inch tall and 115 lbs. I look and act much younger than my age. The not so obvious differences. Trying to think of how to say this without sounding like an a-hole... My IQ is too high to measure by most of the quick, basic IQ tests. I don't know my actual IQ score, but its 99th percentile. It would definitely put me in the minority in a random sample of Americans, but in good company here. Most of the time, I try to hide it a little because it tends to piss people off. I also have ADHD and a math learning disability that makes even simple math somewhat difficult for me. I have two children with special needs. I have an incredibly incredibly sick, completely un-PC, absolutely ruthless sense of humor that I rarely share because most people wouldn't understand that I don't necessarily share the same viewpoint as my sense of humor. Do I want questions answered here or in a blog? I've enjoyed reading responses here, but I know it would be handy to have the answers all in one place, especially if you had dietary restrictions or allergies or just things that you don't want or can't have. Shiro Cosmetics: these are awesome! I really don't wear makeup very often, but For eyes, i like rich jewel tones, non-pastel pinks, and those kind of nude-but-better colors. For lips, I like bright-ish, sheer colors in traditional lip colors. Not so into browns, fantasy colors, or pale/frosted colors. I like to experiment, so don't worry about buying something "wrong". Anything you boycott: Hobby Lobby. Otherwise, I try to be somewhat conscientious with my purchases, but I'm not that picky. However, I'm not that big on animal parts that involve killing the animal expressly for me. I don't mind using animal parts that are from meat production, ethically culled, found, or vintage.. Favorite FB pages: I'm Jodi Manis on Facebook. You are welcome to friend me. Do you read literature / etc. blogs: no, I just don't have much time. If I had some suggestions, I might. Do you like picnics: there's no such thing as an intimate, 2-person picnic in my life, but yes, we do enjoy the occasional picnic. Haus of Gloi: it actually all sounds good! I really love lemony scents and there are lots of them. I'd prefer the bath products to the oils, but wouldn't say no to any of it. Just no leather or aquatics. VM: the dirty cotton candy, patchouli vanilla cotton candy, sugared incense cotton candy, heliotrope penny candy, Powdered sweet smoke penny candy, sugared patch penny candy, tahitian vanilla penny candy, vanilla mint penny candy, Butter Cow and Milkmaid all sound good, and I'd love a lemony, creamy, vanilla-y coconut-y something or a chocolatey vanilla-y, rosy, resiny something, or a tomato leaf-y, cucumber-y, minty, rose water-y something. I could go on... Anything you collect from places you visit! Seashells, driftwood, feathers, rocks, crystals, minerals... Stuff like that. Occasionally a t-shirt. Empire Edibles? Looks delicious. The Empress of India fudge looks good. And the hot chocolate sticks. Especially the spicy ones. 3 books you want to read: The Magician King by Lev Grossman. The Psychopath Test by Jon Ronson. When You Are Engulfed In Flames by David Sedaris Is there a literary character you identify with? Not really a literary character, but Hollis Gillespie has always kind of resonated with me. Tabletop Games? My kids are just now getting old enough to play games. Most of the games we have are taken apart and played with and pieces lost. What is your sense of humor? Dry, dumb, sick. I don't necessarily think absurdity is funny and Monty Python style humor doesn't really do "it" for me. Anything from X country? I would LOVE to have anything that is special about wherever you are from. Spice mixes, canned goods, folk art, particular crafts, sweets, whatever you like that is special to where you live. Most recent BPAL update? They all look interesting! But I can't do leather or aquatics. So there are a couple that won't work at all. I'd really like to try to bath oils, though, from BPTP update. Gift cards? Vouchers? Sure. iTunes gift card would be appreciated. Joann, michaels, and starbucks would all be used. Maximum size for a painting? Maybe 7 feet by 7 feet? We have quite a bit of blank wall space. Favorite object owned? Probably my china cabinet. It is beautiful. It's fairly old, I think. And it has the most amazing curved glass pieces in the front. I use it for my cabinet of curiosities since I don't have china! Although I do have very modern cut crystal wine glasses in there. Is there someone on forums who knows you really well? Not really. Lookingglass and a few others have met me in real life, but only a couple of times. Do you like wax melts or tarts? Not really. I don't have a burner or anything. Hot Chocolate? Yes, please! I'm not so into flavored varieties, unless it were completely natural. Especially no mint, please. Bad experience with peppermint schnapps and hot chocolate, yeah... No thanks. Spoon fudge? IDK, never had it! Why not! Moona Lisa? Yes please! Enable me. I got a bare whiff of something chocolate-y from her that was heavenly. Any BPALs that you thought you'd love because of the imagery that didn't work? Perversion! It was like waking up in the back of a hot car with a hangover from girly drinks. And Ventriloquist's Dummy. The notes sounded like Win, I loved the concept. But it was gawdawful on me. Like I almost retched. Smells good on my mom, though. Starbucks? Sure.

Patchouli: check Honey: check Vanilla amber: double check plus So why in the name of all that is holy and sacred does this smell like pine-sol on me? I even love evergreens of all kinds, but this smells like the kind of industrial cleaner that nursing homes use to mop the floor. When I sniff the actual bottle, I get some whiffs of very hippie-ish patchouli, maybe lightly sweetened. When I put it on my skin... Floor cleaner. I have no illusions that I will ever own a bottle of Banshee Beat, so I had really high hopes for this. GERALD!!! WHERE IN THE HELL ARE YOU WITH YOUR MAGIC UNICORN DUST? I have layered this with a single note vanilla with ~some~ success, so I'm going to put his away for a little while and see what happens. But I am seriously wondering if I've gotten an off bottle, since the reviews (aside from Ella LaRose) are SO vastly different from what I smell. Ok, I am going to toddle off to the corner to cry for a little while.

I could simply stop the review right there, but I will add my two scents (haha!) to the mix. First off, this is STRONG (!!!!!). I'm a slatherer usually, but just a dab is enough Eisheth for me. The initial blast is boozy peach. Wet, juicy, just on the verge of being over ripe, and very sticky sweet. But almost immediately, the ambergris and patchouli ramp up to add warmth and depth and temper the sweetness. As it dries, I get the barest hint of a dry dusty cocoa. It mostly just seems to add a bit more warmth and depth, but does also give it a bit of creaminess (?). I do NOT smell chocolate or cocoa outright. Just a bare dusting. The neroli doesn't seem to show up at all, unless it just adds a bit of floral realism to the overall sweetness. The honey does not overwhelm or turn into funky plastic or bad body odor as it can sometimes do on my skin. I get the impression of a very pale clover or orange blossom, or early wildflower honey, more of a light, warm floral sweetness than a rich, waxy HONEY. The patchouli works very well in this. It's just barely there, and really just adds a bit of woody earthiness to the juicy slurp of peach. The ambergris is also just a teensy whiff. It seems to kind of anchor the blend and add its characteristic balsamic salty warmth. I love me some whale vomit, so I wouldn't mind more, but that's just me. It does become more prominent on the drydown as fixatives are wont to do. The Patch also sticks around well enough to outlast the initial juicy blast. Overall- I really like this and over time, it may grow into twoo wub. Fruit based blends don't usually agree with me, but I am finding that I do OK with apricot and peach. Maybe it's because I was born in Atlanta, GA and grew up being called a Georgia Peach! I think I might like it even more if the ambergris and patchouli were more prominent and may do some layering. I can also completely smell the Poison reference. It was my scent of choice in high school, and while I'm not at all nostalgic for those times, I do still enjoy Poison, but find it much much too strong these days. This is lighter, sunnier, juicier, and just plain happier than Poison ever dreamed of being. ETA: at the very late drydown stage, much of the slurpy peach burns off and the cocoa and other bottom notes really move to the foreground. It DOES start to smell like chocolate (yay! Happy dance). The peach doesn't ever take a backseat. It always remains a "peach" fragrance, but the darker notes, especially the cocoa and patchouli, get their moment to shine. The ambergris just holds it all together and keeps it from being too foody, giving it more of a "traditional perfume" feel without the (IMHO) harsh perfume stank.

This was a frimp from the lab in the infinite wisdom. I never would have chosen this on my own because of the stargazer lily. I sometimes find the scent of the actual flowers overwhelming, so the thought of a clingy oil is kinda I find it very interesting that other reviewers get aquatics from this scent, because I get none of that. I cannot do aquatics, even Beth's, so for me that's a good thing. This scent for me is moss and amber. The moss gives it a masculine quality to me, which I'm usually not crazy about, but I like it in this blend. I can detect a hint of vanilla, but it mostly just softens it up a little and blends with the amber to make it feel warm and fuzzy. I'd love for Hubs to wear this, so I could snuggle up with it! I'm not familiar with Elemi, but maybe it adds to the resinous quality of he amber. The stargazer lily is way way way back in the background. I think it just sweetens things up and keeps the moss from being as musty and dirt-ish as usual. It's more like someone walked through the room with a bouquet of lilies, rather than the bouquet sitting under your nose. The other thing about this blend is that it is STRONG. I used just a tiny tiny dab and it was enough. If I slathered this, it would be WAY to much and would probably give me a headache. I will def keep the imp. It will be one I reach for when I want to feel powerful and a little intimidating. It makes me think of kings and queens who actually ruled their kingdoms. The kind who were fair, but firm. The iron fist in the velvet glove.

I ordered an imp of this on a whim, since I like amber and amber tends to like me, too. This is actually NOTHING like I imagined. I was thinking of amber, warm florals, and maybe a touch of apple. What I got is more of a cool, high pitched floral. It has a bit of an effervescent quality, like the tickle in your nose from Ginger Ale or Orange Soda. Bubbly, a little sharp, refreshing, and just a bit tart. But it doesn't actually smell like it has ginger or citrus in it, just the hint of burn. The amber is not at all prominent on me, which is surprising. It generally dominates most any blend I wear, which is fine with me. Here, it kind of holds the bottom of the scent together, adds a gentle roundness and a hint of spice, and adds some weight to keep the whole blend from floating off into the ether. It seems to me that the apple blossom shows up at the tail end of the scent. It seems to add to the cool refreshing quality with a touch of juiciness. This is NOT the type of scent that I normally wear, but that's why I bought it. I used just a dab and I think it would be too much for slathering. But OMG I could see making a really light body splash or watery mist with this to use in the dog days of summer when I'm feeling all sweaty and gritty. It would make me feel all fresh and sparkly like a pretty pretty princess.