pixievix

Initially, this was melon and incensey spice, a surprising combination. As it settled into my skin, it morphed into berries; a wet floral note almost like rose but not quite--this must be the cereus?--more fruit, like apple; with a smoky hint of dark, woody cypress & resinous myrrh that just dodges spice. The blend almost smells like it has a bit of posh tea in it. Normally I don't do sweet, but this is very nice. I have to say I don't feel it's at all purple, or dark. It's like a deep magenta, maybe tinged with violet to me. I'm waiting for the drier, more incensey side to rise up but after a couple hours on me it's still juicy, floral, and sweet. The wood and resin notes keep it from being too sweet, and the flowers keep it from being flat or simplistic. Overall, I'm liking this a lot. To me, this is the young Medea, a powerful witch already, but heady with love and almost joyfully defying her family for Jason. I picture a smokier scent for the Medea of Euripedes' play: rosemary, black patchouli, clove, black pepper, sandalwood, a little of these berries without so much of the juicy flower notes, and then the same myrrh and cypress underneath, and I think that's something like what I was expecting coming into this one. If I think of that younger Medea, this fits. Regardless, I think it's a keeper, one of very few sweet scents I want in my boudoir. Edit: Another 5 hours later or so and it finally transmuted into the spicy wine, ocean and incense I'd been promised, here and elsewhere. This phase is divine. My boyfriend's gonna love it.

In the bottle, this came across as a slightly spicy, very earthy patchouli-balsam fir blend with floral swirls through it. I was into it from the description, more so from sniffing the imp--unfortunately, like isyche, I had it go all pine on me. And woo was it a strong pine. Either it totally wiped out the incense & floral scents, or my skin sucked them up. If it had worked on me the way it did on other people, it'd be a big bottle; I may wait a week or two and give it another shot to see if my chemistry's any kinder to it. Incidentally, I had Burial on one wrist and Nemesis on the other. Together they were witchily orgasmically glorious. Maybe I'll make a habit of blending them.

Red sandalwood is one of my favorite notes and all the others in this blend are ones I love as well, so I was completely bummed when it went wonky on my skin. In the bottle, it was sassy burgundy rose with woody and incense notes swirling around--but for no reason I can figure, the rose nearly vanished on me behind a woody almost-lemon scent. I could smell a little patchouli, a whiff of sandalwood, and if I tried, the rose was still there but only just barely. I've usually encountered palmarosa in incense, so maybe it just reacts terribly with my skin. I may keep this for candles or an oil burner--the scent in the bottle is, as others have said, a fantastic jangling grown-up rose that I just love.

Rose scents bloom well on my skin and Ophelia was no exception. Grand, lovely, dewy rose with sweet pink lily and the pale, mystical, "wet" lotus scent beneath. All-floral fragrances usually leave me feeling ho-hum, but Ophelia did not at all. It's not sexy; it almost seems above that, or outside it, like a convent's garden during midmorning prayers. Has a huge throw, yet is a quiet, contemplative, slightly sad scent--definitely a keeper, & maybe a bottle.

I wanted to love this and when I sniffed it in the imp I thought I would--green, ferny woods shot through with spice & clear, sweet florals. On my skin, it morphed into a gorgeous juicy spice--fruit, nutmeg, clove, and cinnamon. Kind of in the ballpark of apple pie, but much, much more beautiful & less foody. Unfortunately, I'm not one for fruit in any form unless it's twisted beyond recognition, so lovely little Hamadryad will get to find another home.

My first ever big bottle--I can't get enough of this scent. In the bottle, I get the maraschino cherries thing, but somehow without being sweet or candylike. It's strong, and when I first sniffed it, I was sure it was going to be sickly-sweet and medicinal on. Not at all the case! The cherries hang around for a while, growing more tart and being perked up by a sparkling spiciness as the dragon's blood warms and the fragrance rounds out. Slowly, it morphs into rich, mouth-watering redness--red musk, red blood, red spice, red fruit--with earthy black patchouli, a teeny barb of vetiver, and tingling skin scents. It's gothy, very very slightly resinous, rich and sweet, but not sweet like candy or fruit or even incense. Makes me think of the ancient sexual priestesses at the height of a holy orgy, or of being tied down to a bed with thick burgundy velvet curtains all around. It's at once bodily and unearthly.

In the bottle, this came off to me as a warm, golden floral--I really want to say diasies. I could see it being a blend of chamomile, jasmine, & a teensy bit of lavender. Also spice & baby powder. Wet on my skin, the baby powder rises up along with rose & more girly florals, & resinous something, like myrrh--just for a bit. As it settles down, I get lots of dark evergreen (I guess this is how this one's lavender comes out on me), spice, berries, a little of a dryer herbiness, golden floral, and an undertone of baby powder. It's very Christmasy on me, while still being sweet & feminine. I'm not generally into sweet/feminine fragrances, but at the same time, I'm going to hold onto it for the holidays. It's worth noting that I got this because a friend of mine ordered it & hated how it smelled on her--her skin turns it into a sickly sweet, cloying floral. It's nice on me, though.