clover

Chaos Theory CVII (but the cool thing is that because of the lines on the label, the cvll on the label looks like "evil". Hehe. )

Upon opening the bottle: Huh - it appears that I have a mislabeled bottle of Blue Moon.

On first application: Ok, mix that Blue Moon up with some tropical fruits....coconut, banana, pineapple, cherry. Very interesting...

After a few minutes: Yup, it's a slightly fruitier, warmer version of Blue Moon alright. It's tropical, but with that cool as a cucumber, pale floral base.

A few minutes after that: Ooh, it's rounding out...I think it's a little bit of the beloved musk. Don't you just love how musk really pulls a scent together and softens it up? Oh, and there's something boozy there, too!?!

Conclusion: It's nice. It's definitely not something that I would normally pick out...but I have a feeling that it's one of those scents that others will like on me more than I like it on myself. I'll definitely be looking to trade a couple of imps, though!

Edited for missing letters!

I love Yuletide. Love it. It's my favorite out of all of the Yule2003 scents that I've tried (which is, I guess, all of them except Spooky).

It's pure holly berry, but what a beautiful scent that is. Every year, when I was growing up, my mom would buy my sister and me candles for Advent...I would get holly berry and my sister would get bayberry. And this is exactly what they smelled like. It just brings back wonderful memories of many Christmases.

I wish I could describe it more accurately, but it's one of those scents that, to me, goes on and stays completely true. I will say that it works beautifully as a perfume, on me, not just as a room scent.

Yay for Yuletide!

Wow, I never thought that I would like a rose scent this much....

In the vial: More green than floral. It's got an almost Apothecary-like herby greeness to it.

Upon first application: Definitely green, but the rose is much more prominent. This is so, so pretty.

After a few minutes: A very sweet, innocent, pure rose. This is the rose scent I would give a five year old girl to wear when she is playing dress-up.

Absolutely beautiful.

On first application: Oh my, what is that funky smell?? It's the same funky smell that I get the first couple of minutes of wearing Brimstone...which I guess kind of makes sense.

After a few minutes: Thank goodness, the funkiness went away in the first couple of minutes. Now the overhwelming scent to me is dragon's blood resin. And some sort of spicy floral, too. It almost reminds me of Love Me except redder and smoother.

A few minutes after that: This is much sweeter than I thought it was going to be...I think there may be some sort of wood, like rosewood, and maybe even some anise??

Once I get past the first minute or two I really like it. Maybe even enough to buy a larger bottle. (Especially since those Tarot labels are so freakin' cool.)

It's funny, I've tried a handful of the Celestial oils, and this is by far my favorite. I must be a pretty typical Virgo.

On first application: This reminds me a lot of Ravenous (which is a very, very good thing.) I guess it's because the patchouli is pretty strong at the beginning. But while I think of Ravenous as a very sharp orangey patchouli, this is a very yellow/green patchouli. It's a chartreuse patchouli. And it's just a little bit salty, if a perfume can be called salty. It's funny, even though I think Ravenous and Virgo are so similar, they have completely different effect on me. While Ravenous I find sexy to the point of distraction, Virgo is comforting, and makes me want to go for a walk in the woods.

After a few minutes: It's staying very true. I can't detect the apple or rose at all - and just the tiniest bit of narcissus and oakmoss. I have a feeling it's the white musk that is rounding the whole thing out, blending everything else together so nicely.

Conclusion: Beautiful, and comforting. A must for all Virgos...

I can't make up my mind about Katharina. Sometimes I put it on and it's all apricot, and I can't really deal with that. And then sometimes it's all orange blossom and musk, and then it's just really, really pretty. Which is interesting, because I usually don't like fruity florals at all. But there's something about the sharp bitterness of orange blossom and neroli that appeals to me.

I feel like I can't really post an accurate review of Katharina, because it can manifest in such different ways on my skin. But I will say that there are times when it is absolutely lovely. And I can see where she would be pure happiness and light on the right person...unfortunately, I just can't trust her.

I've already posted once that this one provoked an incredibly strong emotional reaction in me...and I'm not really sure why.

On first application: Wow! Dragon's blood resin!! It must be.... and I'm also picking up something spicier. Maybe cinnamon, but it seems even spicier than that. Like pepper, even. And also a creamy floral...jasmine, probably.

A few minutes later: Much the same, but now with a little bit of a vanilla base sneaking through. It's definitely getting sweeter.

A few minutes after that: I like this a lot. It's a little wrenching, but I think I can deal with it, if I smell this good!

Mmmm....Sin is far and away my favorite cinnamon blend.

Hmmm, this is really, really...interesting.

Upon first opening the bottle I have to admit I'm a bit concerned. It smells like Right Guard.

On first application: Wow there's no way I would have guessed the ingredients in this one. I couldn't have named a single one. This is over-whelmingly clean smelling.

After a few minutes: It's just so clean!

A few minutes after that: It's settled down now, and it's all musk - but a very distinctive musk. Not the musk I'm used to smelling in BPAL oils, but the one I was used to before....

Conclusion: I really like it...and I can imagine it would be fantastic on the right person. Unfortunately, it's just not me.

Wow.

On first application: It's very sweet, but not at all in a foody way. I think I'm going to like this one a lot.

After a few minutes: This is not what I was expecting! I think I was thinking more dryad than hamadryad...concentrating more on the moss in the description than the woods. But this is pure, sweet, freshly cut wood. And it fills up my nose, just like getting up really, really close to freshly cut lumber and inhaling. And I keep thinking it's the tiniest bit spicy, but I don't think it really is...but there's definitely the undercurrant of the softest, sweestest florals imaginable.

Conclusion: I think this has just catapulted into my all-time top five. It's absolutely lovely.

I thought I had tried all of the anise-y blends, but I guess I saved the best for last...

On first application: Cherry, cherry, cherry.

After a few minutes: Oh, yay! The cherry is still there but the anise is starting to take over. How I love the smell of anise. I can definitely detect the musk, too - it's keeping me from smelling like a big old Twizzler.

A few minutes after that: I can still sense the anise floating around me, but up close it's almost all musk. It's a lovely combo.

Conclusion: I'm in love. Again.

(Don't feel bad...I thought Calliope & Penelope rhymed with cantaloupe.)

Ah...this is very good to know! I have countless shirts that have little oil stains on the front from me trying to scent the cleavage with my shirt already on....you'd think I'd learn my lesson one day.

tin-TA-gel. The TA is like tat, and the g is pronounced like a j, as in jello.

(I thought for the longest time that it was TIN-tah-jell...)

Edited to clarify!

Yep, me too...with one of the tarot blends. I think it was The Fool, if that's the one with all of the mint. Mint and lavender do me in....mint becuase it makes me sneeze, and lavender because it gives me an immediate headache. Which is kind of odd, considering it's traditionally supposed to soothe headaches.

The Hesperides reminds me of an appley Seance. They have similar drydowns, to my nose - they both remind me of fallen leaves. (and I love them both)

Also, if you like Seance, you might like Rakshasa, too. They have a sort of similar dry golden woody feeling.

As for Zombi and Voodoo...I like both of those very much, but I don't really see any similarities to Seance. Zombi is practically pure dirt on me, and Voodoo is really hard to describe...I would definitely recommend ordering it though. It's one of my favorites.

First impression: Wait! Where have I smelled this before?? It's so familiar...

After a few minutes: Has turned pretty powdery on me. Call me crazy, but I'm getting little whiffs of nutmeg. And carnation, too. And maybe some sandalwood or rosewood. In fact, this kind of reminds me of Old Morocco.

Conclusion: I like it, but I don't think I want to wear it. It's just too calm for me. It would be lovely as a room scent, though.

P.S. - Oh, and I think what I was reminded of was Jo Malone's Nutmeg Ginger perfume. I think.

First Impression: Carmel appels.

After a few minutes: Thank goodness the sweet carmel scent has worn off! Mostly apple now.

A few minutes after that: Well, now the apple has worn off too. Unfortunately I think that my skin devours apple just like it does lemon, because I couldn't get the single note of green apple that I tried to stick either. The good news is that even though the apple faded this is still delightful.

Conclusion: After about an hour this is lightly golden. Like the fresh scent of a branch of an apple tree that has been stripped of its bark. I ordered a botle of this unsniffed, and am so glad I did.

TINTAGEL

Disclaimer: I have been looking forward to this for ages...I am a King Arthur freak. I collect books on Arhturian legend. My favorite book is Le Morte d'Arthur. There was NO WAY I wasn't going to like this....(Thanks to the super-cool minilux for sending it to me!)

First impression: Wow, she's a swarthy one! Swarthy and sweet though...I can definitely sense the dragon's blood resin.

After a few minutes: I'm afraid the cinnamon is taking over. It's really spicy.

A little while after that: Aha! This is downright lovely. Comforting even. The heat has disappeared, and (what I assume are) the hawthorn, blackthorn, elm and bayberry are all peeking out.

Drydown: I'm in love. All of the notes are balanced perfectly. Like I said before, it's comforting...sweet and smooth and just a little bit sexy.

I have to go to Tintagel....

I'm wearing Seance today, and I keep thinking I'm smelling falling leaves. And then I realize it's me. I think it'll be a lovely autumn fragrance.

Xiuhlecuhtli reminds me A LOT of L'Occitane's Candied Fruit line. Which in turn totally reminds me of this Todd Oldham perfume I used to wear, years ago.

Oh, it's so good...

First impression: Cherry wine!

After a few minutes: Yeah, it still reminds me of cherry wine, but I'm thinking there may be some more fruits there as well, maybe pears and apples.

A few minutes after that: Now that it's drying down a bit I think I'm picking up something floral, too...but not showy flowers, like roses or lilies...but something soft, like dandelions.

I can't decide if I think it's cherry wine and wildflowers, or dandelion wine with fruit! And in addition to that, the overall feeling is very smooth, like it's been dipped in butter. Not in the least bit foody, though.

It's lovely. Hmm...are we going to be getting another chance to order more??

Cabaret is a Love Potion....and the reviews are under Love Potions, too.

However, I did the same thing you did, andra, and searched for it, and nothing came up. Strange!

It's there though.

Alrighty, I will be attempting my first review with this one, so bear with me

On first application, Midwinter's Eve reminded me very much of a hard candy...very sweet.

Within minutes, however, it settled into the lovely scent of mulled wine, with a bit of a cinammon kick.

Even though it's the dead of summer in Chicago...if I close my eyes I can imagine snuggling up under a fur blanket with a glass of glugg, while a winter storm rages.

I just tried Rakshasa for the first time this week, and it reminded me a lot of Amandopondo. Which kind of surprised me, because the only similar ingredient as far as I could tell was roses.

And, for all you Old Morocco fans out there...I've always thought that Old Morocco smells exactly like Sympathy for the Skin!!