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AliBabble

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Everything posted by AliBabble

  1. AliBabble

    The Death of Autumn

    it's dark and bitter, and at first it reminds me of Lex Talionis, which i sold off recently, but enjoyed occasionally when i didn't want to smell real sweet. this one reminds me of medicine show too, another one i got rid of, but had that deep, dark medicinal smell. i get the bonfire thing from this, and dead, dark leaves. something reminds me of tar or rubber tires. the clove is there, thankfully, to lend the tiniest hint of dry sweetness. somehow, this smells like leather to me too. i'm on the fence - it smells good to me, but i think i wanted a little more richness, spiciness, or sweetness from it. it's a bit "blah" on my skin, considering all the lovely things that are in it. ETA: ok. i tested it some more, cause today was a cool fall-like day. it turns sweeter than i initially thought - the amber, perhaps? the color i get from this is "root beer brown". in other words, there's something vaguely sarsparilla-ish. on me, this scent has a lot of lasting power - the few times i tried it, it lingered through-out the entire day or night. unfortunately though, the ultimate dry-down smell is a sort of men's cologne/perfumey smell. but this is indeed a scent that lasts.
  2. AliBabble

    Berenice

    A cerebral scent, dry, and white. This is a perfume of thought, not heart, and of unforeseen pain and sudden obsession, touched with uncertain twilight and ambiguous horror. Stargazer lily, white musk, clear aloe, blonde amber and winding-cloth linen. i'm not sure what i think of this...it's very clean, and feminine - i want to say there's something conservative about it, or formal. a little uptight, or prudish. very proper white flowers, but not quite innocent, they're definitely very present and bold - but this is not a sensual scent to me, though it is very pretty and ladylike. it is crisp, that's for sure - i get mostly the linen, folded tightly. it's a dressy scent, but also one that would be nice to wear to work. a little sharp, i think it'll work best on me if i use only the tiniest amount - there's something almost aggressively feminine about it.
  3. AliBabble

    The Emathides

    this starts out nice, but turns very perfume-y on me. almost too much throw, and of a very sweet, cologne-type smell. i smelled a bit of beautiful, soft lavender in the beginning - but something is amping on me - probably the black amber. the currant shows up, as a dark undercurrent, but eventually dies down, leaving a sort of strong, powdery amber. the cedar, while subtle, does help to balance this a bit, but i'm on the fence about it, thinking it probably doesn't smell that great on me. oh well.
  4. AliBabble

    Urania

    wow, this is a pretty scent. this was a frimp from the lab, and i didn't know what was in it...my first thought was some sort of delicate, fresh, filmy white floral. almost like an apple blossom. but i see now that it is the moonflower i'm smelling. delicate and feminine, if a bit soapy (moonflower does that on me). something a bit fruity - almost apple-y, as i said. the jasmine is pretty tame, but present. this floral might be a little too fresh, plain, and innocent for me, but i do find it pretty and pleasant.
  5. AliBabble

    Kumari Kandam

    wow! this one is quite interesting, unusual and enjoyable! the scent is rather bracing - and both hot and cold at the same time - like ice sparks! as the scent calms down a bit, i am able to detect a definite mint smell, and something almost lemon or lime - something is a little ozone-y or aquatic, which i usually don't like. but in this case, i do like it. the reason is: it's not too sweet or cologne-y. in fact, the more it calms down, it reminds me of the scent "snowflakes", which has a cool mint/melon vibe. yes, that's what i'm sensing, but with something metallic - steely. steely or stony. this was a frimp from the lab, and smells surprisingly good to me, definitely in the snowflakes, or snow moon family, but with sort of a dry, stony, edge. glad i got to try it.
  6. AliBabble

    Hermia

    wow, this is a fun, sparking, happy scent. it reminds me of a fruity soda - grapefruit soda? like "fresca"! remember fresca? anyway - this must be the passionfruit. oh no, wait - that was passion flower - why does it smell so fruity and citrussy? not that i'm complaining. the pink pepper is mixed in so well - it's not particularly "biting" the way pepper can sometimes be - really this scent feels very playful - i get candy and bubblegum from it, though i don't mean to make it sound cheap or childlike. it's lovely, fresh and summery. as it dries down, it doesn't completely fade, but it does soften quite a bit, and feels like a very, very soft amber. this stage is lovely too! and a bit more "womanly". two very distinct stages, and both of them quite feminine and lovely.
  7. AliBabble

    Robin Goodfellow

    Dark musk, moss-covered wood, ragwort, heather, and sage. robin goodfellow starts off pleasantly sweet, dark, and woodsy, in a way that reminds me of patchouli or maybe sandalwood - but i suppose it is the dark musk. there is also a fair amount of greenery - like a greenhouse - planty, like freshly-cut thick, green stems. i suppose this is the moss. it's quite pleasant, but has a bit of that "men's cologne" thing to it - though not at all overwhelming. the dark green mossiness is my favorite aspect of this scent, but that fades first, and then it does feel too close to what i associate w/ "men's cologne" to wear it very much.
  8. AliBabble

    Cleopatra Testing Poisons on Those Condemned to Death

    in the bottle this smells dark, rich and bitter/sweet in a way that really draws me in and intrigues me. it does smell dangerous, which i wasn't expecting. like smelling it might be hazardous, but i can't stop. on my skin, this is hard to describe...almost like dark honey and opium smoke. i get the feeling of a dark, fragrant wood cabinet - this scent has a direct effect on my senses, although notes are hard to name ... woody, dark, bitter and smoky-sweet, and somehow forbidden. i can't say it smells like anything else i've encountered - i'm really not getting almond or peach per se...the closest comparison i can make is dia de los muertos (04) in feeling - as far as the intense atmosphere that it evokes - almost druggy, which is what i had hoped for. this scent is so out of the ordinary, i really love it for the feeling it gives me.
  9. AliBabble

    Red Moon 2007

    red moon smells pretty great on me, i am happy to report. from the bottle, i smell the red musk, which i recognize from many other blends that i enjoy, but the orange peel adds this major "zing" which changes the red musk/dragon's blood sweetness drastically. it's almost "moxie"-ish, which is a strange twist - i always think of red musk as sexy, and sensual, and i think of orange peel as a "zingy" "wake-up" smell, not particularly sexy, so it's an odd combo. but it really works! the amber and heliotrope add this incredible "shining" quality to the whole thing that adds complexity and mystery. very uplifting. this oil is a bit strong and dramatic on me - not really something i'd wear to work, but more of a night time party scent or fancy scent. because it's very sweet and strong on me, and endes up with an almost candied-amber feeling, if that makes any sense. i will definitely enjoy this one tremendously.
  10. AliBabble

    Fairy Market

    my first sniff from the bottle is very positive - this smells sweet and candy-like, but rich. very like a fruity, plummy wine, almost like bordello, which i also love, but less heavy. on my skin, it is much less like bordello, and more sugary - like the sugar in pink moon - but sugared grass, somehow, rather than a sugared flower. almost like a cucumber slice, in its fresh greenness, but dipped in a light coating of sugar. the floral blooms next, but very lightly - i can't say i smell much lavendar, it is probably the bluebell i am sensing - a quiet floral - not soapy or sharp, at all. just springy and graceful. the incense is a bit hard for me to detect, but this is a lovely, fresh, light scent with a surprising depth to it. it is very happy. works well with my chemistry too. it's pretty original, i have to say - the combination of sugar and grassy greenness is what strikes me most, with a sort of graceful sensuality. an instant favorite. i love it!
  11. AliBabble

    Tamamo-no-Mae

    from the first sniff, i love this! and am so glad i got a bottle... i agree that it is fruity, but can't really say that it is peach that i'm smelling - this is a trick of the notes blending into something fruitlike...it's quite unique - sparkling, effervescent - like a sugared ginger dessert - almost syrupy and refeshing, like a flowery, fruity syrup over ice...this one is very difficult to describe. definitely feels asian - reminds me of a malaysian dessert...i don't know why - incense, tea, dessert and flowers. maybe "peachy" *is* the best description, after all. it's a fantastic, happy smell - rather light, and quite unique.
  12. AliBabble

    Blue Moon 2007

    i like blue moon, but i can't say i'm nuts about it...it's a little soapy on me. out of the bottle i get a drop of cucumber (the note i was most excited for..) and on my skin, the cucumber is present, but very lightly. it is cool, blue, and watery - a little old-fashioned and retro - reminds me of something from the '70s, from my childhood - not sure why...with all those notes, i am not sure why i get something so clean, watery, and as i said, slightly soapy - i do enjoy the clean, cucumber-freshness though. i will certainly wear this - it feels innocent, a little dreamy - but also somewhat ordinary: something i can wear to work, in a utilitarian way. eta: looking back, a coupla months later, i think i was a little harsh with this review...i've come to really love this blend, and although i guess it is a bit soapy on me, i really enjoy its cool dreaminess, lightness, and prettiness...it's much more magical than i originally thought...and rather addicting.
  13. AliBabble

    Pumpkin Patch V (2005, 2006)

    i don't know why, in the month of may, i would reach for a pumpkin scent, but there you have it. this is the only pumpkin patch scent i've tried, and i don't wear it all that often, but i do enjoy it - with the ivy and woods, it is very different from pumpkin queen and samhain - much less sweet and "pumpkin pie-ish", and more evocative of dusky forests, and ivy-covered cottages. this oil really does conjure up dark green tones and mysterious woodsy imagery. the ivy is strong, and almost sharp for a bit, but eventually it is the woods that dominate, on my skin. i'm usually not a big "wood scent" fan, but i do love these woods, combined with the pumpkin and ivy - it becomes rather comforting, and has the mysterious feeling of crisp air on an autumn night. i like it a lot.
  14. AliBabble

    Lady Luck Blues

    this is pretty rosy at first, with a bit of plum. as it dries, the other notes come into balance. the tonka especially becomes present, and as it wears, it feels less like a dominating rose scent, and more like a creamy, rose-plum. it's quite nice, although it does smell similar to other rose blends i already have - love in the asylum being one, with the rose/tonka combo. the plum in this one though, really does make it quite lovely. i'm still not sure that rose is a great scent for me - a few have worked here and there, but i think i will always have a love/hate relationship w/ rose. still, i guess what stands out for me in this blend is the balance of all the notes - it's really got a nice harmoneous blend.
  15. AliBabble

    Thirteen (13): April 2007

    i like this version. it reminds me somewhat of wulric in feeling, minus the heavy metallic edge i get from that one. as others have noted, it is a spicy, herbal cocoa scent, somewhat rich and complex, but not particularly strong or heavy. there is also something a bit fruity at first, then something a bit creamy. it is not musky, like the last 13, however, and, to me, less "feminine" than that one. i was hoping for more clove, which i hardly detect at all - i was kinda hoping for more of the skinny dip vibe, others had mentioned. the oil in my bottle is indeed separated - light and dark, so you have to roll/shake it. as the scent dries down, the cocoa becomes much less present, and it is more of a light, herbal scent with a vague cocoa backdrop. at this point, i can also smell more of the clove too, which is nice, but still faint. overall, i find this scent very pleasant and wearable.
  16. AliBabble

    Skuld

    Ylang ylang, honey, Egyptian and Arabian musks and labdanum. this was a frimp from the lab.i like the sound of the notes in skuld, but out of the imp, this does not smell good to me - it's the scent i call "sickly sweet", and i'm beginning to think that some honeys smell that way to me. on my skin it is very odd - the ylang ylang is struggling to come out - i happen to love ylang ylang, it usually works quite well on me. but here, it's mixed with something slightly fruity, and i can't make out exactly what. the effect is a bit chemically. this is one of those scents that seems to have a "personality crisis" on my skin. the notes aren't quite meshing or something. i may want to try this again sometime, for the ylang ylang, but i have a sad feeling this one just may not work on me.
  17. AliBabble

    Urd

    i coulda sworn i'd reviewed this one, i know i've tried it before...this was a frimp from the lab. in the imp, it's mostly patchouli, a little dusty and smoky, with something bright in the background - the grapes. on my skin, i get a smell like the one in cathedral - i call it "wet cement" - like stone, and i like it. maybe the wet cement smell is the champa? this scent is a bit confusing to me...it's actually pretty pleasant - a little dark and church-y. again, it reminds me somewhat of cathedral, with the addition of a slight grape smell. i might try this again, but my guess is, it's not soft or girly enough to be worn very much by me.
  18. AliBabble

    Zombi

    this was a frimp from the lab, and although i've always been curious about this one, one whiff from the vial tells me it probably won't work. i'm just not a "dirt note" fan. on my skin, the rosy smell, while interesting, is not really pleasing to my nose, either. something develops, the moss i guess - this really is an intriguing, image-inducing scent. it's actually creepy - i get an image of moss growing on a stone wall. or did i read that in one of the reviews? i don't remember. it's very dark and gothic smelling, a romanticized version of a zombi. i like it for the imagery, because it really evokes a creepy yet beautiful scene. but i don't know if this scent is appealing enough scent-wise for me to wear it very much. it actually ends up almost too sweet.
  19. AliBabble

    Somnus

    i like this. this was a freebie frimp from the lab, and the second i've received from the somnus category. i'm always so grateful when i get a sleep blend, cause i can always use help sleeping, and i love pretty much all the lab's lavender blends. somnus seems to have something quite sweet and floral, mixed with the lavender. i wanna say it's rose. rose is not always my favorite note, but here, if that's what it is, it's tempered by the lavender and it rather comforting. if a bit grandmotherly. the lab's sleep blends are perhaps my favorite blends - sleepy moon and tko being tops, on my list. i'm not sure i like this one quite as much, because of the rose, or whatever it is, but i will definitely use this, and from the brief time i've been wearing it, i sense that it will work well.
  20. AliBabble

    Monster Bait: Bloody Mary

    i love this! the red fruits smell amazing - like warm cherry compote...cherry liqueur...hot cherry pie...this is a nice warm cherry scent. on my skin it gets a bit more candy-ish, like an old-fashioned tart cherry hard candy, dusted with sugar. i don't get much cream, it just stays a nice, tart, juicy cherry, with a touch of spice. the more it dries, the sugar increases, and i suppose it does get a touch creamy. so nice! i really can't get enough of this one - it's clearly the winner out of my last order. this one will get lots of use.
  21. AliBabble

    Monster Bait: Tokyo Stomp

    Beckons all giant creatures from gargantuan reptiles and humongous moths! These babies are sure to crush everything from dollhouses to shopping malls! Can even be used to summon colossal robots in a pinch! A sweet and crisp vanilla mint! i have to join the crowd and say: girl scout cookie thin mints. i seem to be getting more of the cookie scent, and not so much vanilla. the mint is mellow, not that bright or sharp. there is a faint dustiness or cardboard scent. almost a chocolate graham cracker scent. i like it, but i'm not sure i love it. i wasn't expecting so much of the chocolate cookie scent. it's nice though - a fun, youthful scent, for sure. will be good for warm summer days, with its cooling mintiness. i'm not sure this reminds me of tokyo though, because of the girl scout cookie association...
  22. AliBabble

    Milk Moon 2007

    very fruity in the bottle, not much milk. i see the pina colada comparison, because it really does smell like a big tropical drink - something tart/sweet like pineapple, but not really any coconut - so perhaps this isn't a pina colada after all. in truth, this smells very much like fruit cocktail to me, from a can. or a guava shake. strange. i confess i'm not getting much milky scent at all, although the longer it wears, i get a *touch* of creaminess. it's a pleasant scent, rather happy and summery, and i can see wearing it on a summer morning, to brunch or something. as it's not particularly sensual or delicious on my skin, i cant' really see milk moon becoming a favorite, though it's certainly fruity and fun.
  23. AliBabble

    Oneiroi

    this was a frimp from the lab, and i was so happy to discover that it is a somnium blend. i've come to rely on tko, and what i have left of sleepy moon, so i'm happy to try one from this category. i love the lab's lavender blends - this one starts out strongly of lavender, and other herbs - probably the mugwort. it's a little bitter, in a good way. soon enough though, the jasmine creeps in. i happen to like the lab's jasmine blends as well, so this is all good. jasmine also really helps me sleep. the sandalwood adds a touch of incense, but only a touch. i think i'm definitely going to enjoy this one, and i'll test it out tonight to see what dreams it gives me.
  24. AliBabble

    Nyx

    this was a frimp from the lab, and i quite like it. the truth is, i love jasmine. the combination of jasmine and myrrh here gives a richness to the blend, and reminds me a bit of a less complex perfumed garden. i love perfumed garden more - nyx seems a little one-dimensional in comparison, but it might make a good substitute when i run out of PG. the rose doesn't pop out much, it's subtly blended in there, which is a good thing. nyx is a nice surprise for me.
  25. AliBabble

    Bordello

    i'm shocked that i never reviewed this, as this was in my very first imp pack order, more than two years ago. i just pulled out my two year old bottle, and i have to say: it smells better than ever - sexy, sensual, dark red in tone, and oh-so-fruity. it reminds me of plums and cherries soaked in deep red wine, but somehow bordello doesn't smell boozy to me...also, it is very sweet, but not sickly sweet or artificial. i think i smell blackberry or currant - honestly, i can't remember what the notes are, other than plum...but this is just a rich, rich, womanly, warm scent, with good throw. it always makes me happy when i smell it - i feel enveloped in the scent, and it takes me somewhere dreamy and luxurious...*drool*
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