hangingfire
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Everything posted by hangingfire
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Frimp from the Lab! In the imp: Sweet and fruity, with a slightly floral note underpinning the fruit. On, wet: Strongly fruity pomegranate base note that smells a lot like the pomegranate soda that I get at Central Market. Aquatic top notes, and a slight green-ness reminiscent of Twenty-One. Drydown: Less intensely fruit now; much more of the green and aquatic notes. Not that the fruit goes away; it lingers, and grows more berrylike. Ultimately, when it comes to fruit, it looks like the more tropical and citrus notes work better for me than berries. While Swank doesn't go all Jolly Rancher on me the way that Akuma did, the berry-like aspect of it is just a little too strong for my tastes. It's a lovely scent, though, and if you like the berry-type scents, this will be dead perfect.
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I'm a big Shalimar fan, myself. Belle Epoque, while not exactly similar, has the same kind of "vibe", at least to my nose. Sed non Satiata might be another contender.
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Allergy Questions, Allergies and other reactions to oils
hangingfire replied to friendthegirl's topic in BPAL FAQs
So I think I may be experiencing my first-ever BPAL allergic reaction. I have tiny, red, slightly itchy bumps on the back of my right hand and on the inside of my left wrist, and the best I can figure is that it was the Pink Phoenix. The funny thing is, the reaction appeared about 24 hours after the initial application, although something similar happened to me when I got exposed to poison ivy (no reaction at first, tiny bumps the next day, and red itchy welts of doom after that). So it's not certain, but the specificity of the location and the lack of any other plausible causes points toward the Pink Phoenix. In the spirit of scientific inquiry, I plan to try a dab on a non-rashy area to see if the results can be duplicated, although I'm not looking forward to it. thatonegirl, I would suggest that you avoid coconut oil. I used to have a bad reaction to coconut-containing sunscreens when I was a kid. -
In the bottle: It's like a malevolent version of Gingerbread Poppet -- spices without the sweetness to mellow it out. On, wet: Cinnamon and clove, mostly. The pepper is less obvious, but it's definitely there. Drydown: Warm cinnamon and pepper. I like it! I like it even better than Gingerbread Poppet for spicy scents, mostly because it's not as sweet.
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In the bottle: Vetiver and pepper. On, wet: Dark, dark scent. Mostly the vetiver, patchouli, and pepper. This is strong stuff. The myrrh sweetens it, but doesn't lighten it at all. Drydown: The intensity tapers off, but it's still a dark, moody blend.
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In the bottle: Strawberry and pear -- all sweet fruit and honey. PINK PINK PINK. On wet: All things pink: strawberries, candyfloss. It's very, very girly and PINK. Drydown: After about an hour or so, it's much less PINK, and more honey and vanilla with a hint of fruit. A much more sophisticated scent than the original impression. I wasn't sure about this one at first, but the drydown was really nice. I'll have to see if I can live with the initial blast of PINK to make it to the drydown.
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In the bottle: Blood Moon, is that you? Creamy cinnamon, much like Blood Moon. On, wet: I dabbed Red Phoenix on one hand and Blood Moon on the other, and now I wonder how I could have ever confused the two. Where BM is nutty and sharp, Red Phoenix is sweeter and softer, almost floral -- possibly from the plum and mandarin. Drydown: It smells almost like amber, although it's spicier and sweeter than even Brisingamen or Bastet; the amber is a sort of olfactory illusion from the other notes. Lovely lovely lovely. BPAL spice scents rule my world.
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In the bottle: Vanilla and mint. On, wet: Vanilla with a haze of mint over. Very tasty-smelling. Drydown: Aw, where did the mint go? Mint just doesn't stick on my skin. The remaining vanilla scent is nice -- not as sweet as Black Opal or Antique Lace's vanilla. A little more buttery, too. I'm not sure if I need another vanilla scent, but I like this one.
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In the bottle: Vanilla touched with light floral notes. On, wet: White musk, I think -- if so, then I was definitely smelling white musk in Stardust as well; there's something very retro about that scent. The vanilla is a light hazy layer over the white musk. Drydown: White musk and vanilla, more or less equally balanced. Very feminine, and deceptive in its seeming delicacy. This one has a lot of strength and staying power. Lovely stuff!
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A freebie from a generous forumite! In the imp: WE ARE FLORALS, HEAR US ROAR. On, wet: ...whew. Violets and tuberose. It's a little sharp to my nose, but the more it dries, the less sharp it becomes. Drydown: Soft, sleepy violet and tuberose blend. The sharpness is gone now. Super-feminine, super-floral, while also being a bit dark and moody. I'm not sure if it's really my style or not, but I do like it.
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In the imp: chilly herbals and florals, glossed over by mint. On, wet: Florals and aquatics, like R'lyeh without the grapefruit. As with other mint blends I've tried, the mint is now nowhere to be found. Drydown: Cool florals and aquatics. Don't know that I need a bottle, but I do like it.
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In the imp: Um. Not so sure about this. The vanilla-coconut ends up reading rather like Play-Doh to my nose. On, wet: Less Play-Doh in aspect; creamy coconut. But not as COCONUT as Elegba; it's a softer, candied fragrance. Drydown: It's got a similar vanilla characteristic as Black Opal, only without the vanilla, and blended with coconut as well. It's a very pretty sweet scent, but the coconut just isn't doing it for me. Still, I'm glad I had a chance to try it out.
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In the imp: Green, aquatic, with a hint of rose. On, wet: Strongly aquatic. The rose is still just a hint, and there's something in there that reads rather harshly to my nose. Not so thrilled with that part. I think it's the "dirt" note that sophia_helix describes. Drydown: Ah, that's better. Very sweet, gentle rose now, balanced with the aquatic and dirt notes. Once you get past that early harshness, it's a lovely, light rose, very different from the heady, decadent Peacock Queen. I'm not sure if I need a bottle or not, but I like it. I might spring for 'em both anyway.
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In the imp: Hey, I remember when roses smelled like that. Not the pretty, generic things you get in most flowershops these days; they're like what my grandfather grew. Maybe not picture-perfect, but they smelled so lovely. On, wet: Yep, fully blossomed roses wet with morning dew. Mmm. I like the slight green note; it really sets off the rose nicely. Drydown: Goes a little sweet, which is interesting. It loses some intensity and throw as well, but it's still a very lovely rose scent. I may have to order a bottle of this before the Yule scents go away! Edit: Drying down further still, the rose fades (sadly; but rose scents tend to do that on me), leaving a delicate, white-musk-like scent. I still like it, though. This is something that would be worth carrying around a bottle for touch-ups.
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The search for "Clean" scents - general discussion
hangingfire replied to Vicious Mistress's topic in Recommendations
Shanghai? It's a very fresh, citrus-tea scent. Not exactly spicy, but really clean and summery (at least on me). -
In the imp: Dark and sweet -- herbal and wood? On, wet: A slightly more floral aspect shows up. A slight sweetness that reminds me of amber or sandalwood. Drydown: Yep, sandalwood. And something darker, patchouli perhaps. I like it. It's a lot like The Emperor, actually. Edit, later: Hmm. This definitely shares some note in common with Dragon's Musk, because it's gone all weird and sharp on me the way that DM has done in the past. This I'm not so keen on. Still, it's a well-made scent.
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In the imp: Whoa, how seasonal. Fruity cinnamon of a very Christmastime sort. On, wet: Still fruity cinnamon, although the fruit aspect is stronger. Drydown: Cinnamon again, with a touch of fruit. It is definitely a very clarifying and calming blend. I'll keep working with it in various ways.
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Ah, lavender, my archnemesis. Sigh. In the imp: A pretty, delicate floral. On, wet: Still pretty and delicate, until... The drydown: And that's where lavender goes bad on me. The familiar sour note makes its appearance. Sigh. I love lavender; why can't I wear it?
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In the imp: Musky, earthy, sharp. The strongest note has a very synaesthetic effect on me; it smells like running your hand over a piece of highly polished mahogany. On, wet: Tuberose over that sharp, smooth note. After a while it goes a little sweeter. There's an almost resin-like aspect to it; is that the patchouli, maybe? Drydown: The tuberose balances out nicely with the other elements -- musk, myrrh, patchouli. Never really got much of the honey or cognac, except somewhere in the background, perhaps. This is a very rich and complex scent. I'll be keeping the imp, thanks, and depending on how it might mellow out over the next few months, I might get a bottle for the long term too.
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In the imp: Chocolate? Cherries? And maybe rum? (Looks at description.) Ah, okay, the coconut probably accounts for the chocolate-cherry aspect. On, wet: Ohhh, there's the coconut. Ahem. Lots of it, too. I am reminded of Coppertone suntan oil and Malibu rum. The tobacco seems to take some of the edge off, but mostly it's COCONUT. Drydown: The COCONUT fades to coconut with a touch of rum and tobacco. It's very sweet, with a vegetal edge to it. Boy, it's a damn shame I'm not all that fond of coconut. I can appreciate construction of the blend, which is very effective, but it needs to go to someone who likes the coconut smell a lot more than I do.
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In the bottle: Wood, incense, spices. Maybe a touch of leather? Also a slight smokiness, like burnt-out candles. On, wet: The wood is more clearly rosewood now. I'm getting a little bit of what's probably tonka -- a slight sweetness. Drydown: Rosewood and tonka. A very nice combination. This didn't really smell all that interesting in the imp, but the drydown is very pretty. Definitely keeping the imp.
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In the imp: Strong, sweet citrus fruit and honeysuckle. On, wet: Green tea, with a touch of honeysuckle and a gloss of lemon over all. Drydown: A nice balance of the three main notes. A beautifully light, refreshing scent. It's a slightly more tart version of a grapefruit-honeysuckle perfume I use in the summer. I think I might like Shanghai better, though...
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In the imp: Cold, grassy, green. Very fresh. On, wet: Is it my imagination, or is it having a slight cooling effect on my skin? Feels like it. There's a faint citrusy note to it, in addition to the green grass note. Drydown: Crisp, green, foresty, grassy -- with a faint citrus sweet note. This is lovely. A great springtime scent.
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In the imp: ALMONDS. ALMONDS. ALMONDS. Specifically, the cherry-like almond I noticed in Bastet, only without Bastet's spiciness. On, wet: Almondy still. Something slightly floral as well; reminds me of jasmine. Drydown: Myrrh, a little musk, and the flowery note. Nothing wrong with this fragrance; there are others I like more, though.
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In the imp: Booze and mint. Something about the booze note is a little chocolatey as well. On, wet: The chocolate aspect disappears, leaving a sort of booze-wood smell that reminds me a little of Centzon Totochtin. It's surrounded by a mist of mint. The overall effect is oddly medicinal, though. Drydown: The mint fades off, leaving a slightly soapy, herbal, woody smell, reminiscent of older men's cologne blends. I like wood scents, and this one's fine; it's not overwhelming me, though. Edit: Now that it's dried down further, it's less cologne-y. Is that patchouli I smell? There's a wood-resin note that is very familiar to me. I like it somewhat better now, but on the whole, there are other BPALs and perfumes that I like better.