toku

I'm absolutely terrible at deciphering the notes in this one; I don't know that I can distinguish plum blossom from rice wine from white ginger. Lavender I know. Out of the decant, I get a lot of lavender. A Lot. It does kind of pierce, and while I don't find it an unpleasant smell at all (I love lavender!), it's not something that I think screams to be worn on skin.

 

However, after 10 or so minutes on my wrist, the lavender has toned way down to the point where it's not really noticeable. There isn't a lot of throw (my skin seems to devour every scent I wear, lately) and it's probably not going to be very long-lasting on me considering how quickly it's morphing. I have to get my nose pretty close to my skin to detect it, and when I sniff, my nose prickles - I would guess this is the white ginger. Again, it's not unpleasant. Just different from my norm!

 

But even as I'm typing this over several minutes that nose-tickling pop is fading. At this point I would call it clean and fresh, a little floral. It has some warmth to it (in contrast to Shamisen, which is on my other wrist). Maybe the rice wine is poking through at this point? Maybe the plum blossom?

 

About 30 minutes after application, there is no discernible lavender. It's not 'popping' any more, either. Instead, it's now warm and... smooth? - but alas, very faint on me - and I could go so far as to describe this as a lovely, everyday scent. It's not overly sweet or cloying like some plum-y scents I've worm. In fact it's really quite enjoyable, but I'd have to see how it lasts over several hours to know whether I'll just keep the decant and wear it occasionally (I probably will) or whether I'll get a bottle (I probably won't, sadly).

 

UPDATE 3/25

welp I've worn this a few times since my review and sadly I've come to the conclusion that Geisha won't last more than a few hours on me.

So I didn't like this one the first time I tested it, but after several hours at work today, I really started appreciating it more. To try and recall my first impressions, I've just put on some more. Straight out of the decant and immediately on my skin it's just wetly green with what I'd describe as a 'cool spiciness', which is a little sharp for my tastes. After a few minutes, it still retains that sharp/spicy of the green wood while losing a touch of the coolness, but there's a light floral hint to it as well - it's verging on soapy at this point. None of this is what I'd call typical notes for me; it takes a while for the parts I really like to become apparent. As I remember it from earlier today, over several hours it seems to get warmer, drier, and definitely less sharp. There's that hint of coolness, which I think contrasts nicely and sets it apart from my usual warm, woodsy/spicy/incensy blends. While it took a long time to really get to a point that I was sure that I liked, it lasted quite long yet never seemed overpowering. This won't be a bottle for me, but I'll likely enjoy the decant!

Well, shucks. I really like this blend out of the decant, but sadly, after an hour or so, I get a faint but very persistent bug spray overtone. I seem to remember having this problem with other rose and incense blends, and I'm rather saddened that I might have to avoid them in the future because separately, they're some of my favorite notes.

 

 

UPDATE 3/25:

so about 10 days after first trying it, it's suddenly better! It's still a little bit spicy/sharp, but it's warmer (almost cinnamony) and muuuch less chemical on me. I'm wondering if it was the red sandalwood that was misbehaving. maybe it's settled a bit or my body chemistry has changed just enough? I'm probably not going to spring for a bottle because I'm still a bit doubtful that the issue is fixed; however, I'm glad it's at least wearable for now!

This is just delectable. At first it's sharply tangy-sweet lemon. After several hours it's dried down to a subtle, not overly sweet, slightly foody/slightly resinous blend of awesome. This is probably the most well-rounded amber blend I've tried. I realize that I'm not describing this well AT ALL but it seems to resist being pinned down by me. I'm going to try it again tomorrow to confirm, but I'm pretty sure this will be a bottle for me.

This really is a vital, bright, energetic blend on me. The fizziness of the fruits is really apparent throughout the wet stage and into the first hour after application. I don't think it will last very long (bright blends never seem to do so), but I am certainly enjoying it while it sticks around.

IMO similar blends on me are: Spinning Multicolor Metallic Pinwheel, Harlequin, Schrodinger's Cat, and Copper Phoenix is a teensy bit similar; I'm guessing the grapefruit/white grape and possibly apricot are the notes that stand out on me.

With the way my chemistry works, I won't be surprised if the vanilla, sandalwood, and patchouli show up later. In fact I think the vanilla is starting to make an appearance around the 2-hour mark, smoothing out the fizziness just a bit.


edit: because I can't spell or construct sentences

This one is, alas, very green, bitter, and sharp on me. I want to say it's the neroli and bergamot and possibly the rose - I was hoping for a bit darker and mellow feel due to the musk, patchouli, and vanilla.

I have been trying to wrap my head around this one over the past few days. Initially, the first blast is very 'citrus hard candy' to me, somewhat similar to Spinning Multicolored Metallic Pinwheel. But Harlequin is not as sharp (or 'hard') and starts changing quickly, softening and mellowing, and maybe getting a tad sweeter? Orange blossom has always been an iffy note for me but it seems to be a nonentity so far. It seems to fade relatively quickly. Yesterday I was able to detect it a few hours after application, but very very faintly. It was quite sweet and soft near the end, and I don't recall any citrus at that point.

 

To me, this was a great blend to try for a very summery weekend in early fall. The decant is definitely a keeper, and I'm considering a bottle depending on how it wears in slightly cooler weather.

Argh! I was really hoping this one would be amazing, but I get next to nothing.

 

In the bottle, it's very sharp (yes, almost cleaner/solvent-y), but upon application it fades to nothing almost immediately on my skin. After an hour, I can't even tell that I'm wearing it other than a teeeeny tiny little pinprick of generic, bland "spice". I'm hoping that this one can find a good home with someone else since it just doesn't work for me.

I was unsure of this one as I've been iffy with some honey blends. Upon applying, the honey is a little on the overwhelming side (the same problem I have with O and Jezebel), but happily that fades quickly within 5-10 minutes and I'm left with a beautiful, warm summery scent that's not too much of any one thing. I think the tobacco leaf really helps keep the honey in check, although of course I can't be sure of that. I can't pinpoint the brown sugar, saffron, or the tonka, but nevertheless this is just an amazing blend once that initial burst of honey passes. Usually I have to test something a couple times to be really sure but I already know I am keeping this one

This one is very light on me. I get a sense of fruitiness, but nothing I can pinpoint, except for a bit of pomegranate every so often. I don't get anything specifically herby, and I would guess that the herbs are sitting in the background keeping the fruit from getting cloying as they usually do on me. It's a kind of sweet with the barest hint of tartness. I've only had this on for a couple of hours, but given how light it is and how much it has already faded I'm willing to bet that it doesn't last out the work day. Ah, well. It's still lovely!

 

ETA trying again. It's SO PRETTY. A little thick at first application, but it's just LOVELY later. Sadly it still doesn't last very long - very faint after an hour and a half. I hope the weather is mostly to blame for that, because I've decided I want to hold onto this one.

The first thing that hits me from the bottle is the verbena. It reminds me of this gigantic lemon verbena plant that my parents have had forever, so it's not a bad association at all. I've been kind of iffy on lemony scents and have passed along other lemony LEs, but something about this one is really enveloping and comfortable - almost warm. This is probably the sandalwood or resins, although I can't actually pick them out at this point. The scent balances out once dry (30 min - 1 hour mark) with the other notes rounding it out more and more. I still get the lemon, but the woodsy and resiny notes are definitely more noticeable. Adequate staying power - scents don't usually stick around on me for very long, and when I tried this last night there were still whiffs noticeable around 5-6 hours later (which is good for me). I'm pleased with this one so far, but I'll have to test it again when I'm able to pay more attention to how it develops.

 

07/27: shortly after testing this for the first time, I forgot what I liked about it. Every time I thought about wearing it for a day I'd open the bottle, take a whiff, go "lemon?!?", and put it back, dejected. Yesterday I actually wore it, seriously, all day long. My impressions early yesterday were:

 

 

And really, it just gets better as the day goes on. Originally I estimated about 5-6 hours of wear, yesterday I realized I could still smell it (if I got close to my wrist) after work, so that's about 9 hours. It changes considerably throughout that time for me, but it only improved. So if you are hesitating at the open bottle whiff, I think it's worth trying for at least a couple hours to see if it develops into this amazingly beautiful scent.

At first sniff, I get a very 'tea' like scent, which has a hint of lemon. Very quickly its becoming more lemony and fresh, more herbal, and less 'tea'. But there is just a teeny hint of spiciness, although I'm not terribly good at discerning notes I'll be updating this periodically throughout the day as I make sense of my impressions.

 

ETA: I reapplied (read: slathered again) before leaving for work, and that's probably the reason why it's still sticking around 4+ hours later. I wouldn't necessarily describe the scent right now as lemony, but it's very perky and a bit warm. I have to get right up to my skin to even detect it however. I do feel very energized and creative so far today - but this also could be a result of the two energy drinks I've already had >_>

 

Again, like 13, this is a lovely scent that I wasn't sure about at first. It fades to almost nothing quickly enough that I'm not sure how often I would wear it. Will do another test in a few days before making up my mind whether it's a keeper.

This is the first 13 where I've felt confident enough from the description to buy a bottle, and while it's not what I expected, I'm far from disappointed!

 

I get a strong cocoa scent from the bottle which disappears entirely once it hits my skin. Cocoa is not the best smell on me, so I'm actually ok with this. Wet on my skin it's extremely fresh and lemony, but a lemon that is reminiscent of lemon bars, not cleaning supplies, thankfully. After about 30 minutes it morphs and I don't have a clue how to describe it at this stage - slightly sour, a tiny bit pungent, maybe? - and this is my least favorite part. However, 1 to 2 hours into it the sourness or sharpness is gone and the spices, incensey bits, and honey are now much more prominent and really round it out a bit more. There is very little citrus left at this point. Overall it seems very light, or maybe it's just the weather or my current chemistry; I have to huff my skin to get any whiff of it at all.

 

I like it very much after it's been on an hour or longer, but I'll have to try it in a week or two to get another impression before I decide whether it's a keeper for me.

 

ETA: about 5 hours after applying, this is mostly honey-ish on me. I seem to amp honey. There's a tad bit of spice/incense under that if I concentrate on finding it. Overall at this point it is faint, but considering that most blends I have tend to last around 3-5 hours on me, that's not bad. Still deciding, though!

 

ETA: honey lasted about 4 more hours!

I received Persephone as a frimp in a forum sale and, without having read the description, gave it a try the other day. Um, wow. It's just utterly delicious, noticeable but not overpowering, sweet and juicy but not cloying, delicate but long-lasting (5 hours so far today). In short, I can't imagine why I haven't tried it before now! I guess my past choices of rose blends were not such great picks!