Alethia

Thoughts before testing: When the Lab announced that certain Carnaval blends would be going up on Etsy, I was immediately on high alert for Pickled Imp. I didn't discover my love of cinnamon and clove until after CD went dark, and I'm so glad that I had the opportunity to snatch up a bottle! I'm slightly worried about the pine sap in this, but everything else is a forever love note so hopefully the pine behaves itself! Wet: The perfect mixture of cinnamon and clove. My spice-loving self is going bananas over this. Just a hint of vanilla at the end, no pine sap yet. Dry down: Cinnamon and clove and vanilla, but not foodie/sweet and not craft-store spice either. The throw is strong enough that I can smell it wafting up from my arm. Dry: After about an hour, it changes from spices with vanilla to vanilla with spices. This is so fabulous I can't even. Final thoughts: The pine sap never made an appearance and I couldn't be happier. This is my perfect spice blend Verdict: Hoarding

Thirding the rec for Crib Girls! It's definitely my favorite honey blend. Josie from that line (The District) is also a lovely honey, but on me it sometimes gets overpowered by the peach. Dragon's Milk is another good one, and Osun is also beautiful.

Thoughts before testing: This was an impulse add-on to my decant purchase because most "spice" perfumes turn to generic craft store on my skin. But black tea and rosewater sounded too tempting to pass up! Wet: Strong black tea and rose. This is fabulous! Dry down: The tea backs down and the spices start to come to the forefront (but they're not craft store spice thank goodness!) and mingle with the rose in a beautiful way. I love rose, and this is a beautiful spicy one! Dry: After about an hour and a half, it smells exactly like the Middle Eastern market across the street from my apartment: just a mishmash of spices. It's pretty, but not necessarily something I want to smell like. Final thoughts: Pretty, but I can't shake the association of the market and that makes it not for me. Verdict: Off to the sales!

Thoughts before testing: I've recently discovered that I sadly amp tobacco, so I'm slightly nervous about BTBT turning into a tobacco SN. Wet: Skyelyric was right. This is inappropriate Tootsie Rolls when wet Dry down: It mellows out into something much less foody and more sexy. The tobacco is behaving itself and the musk has just a slight citrus tinge to it. Dry: This turns chocolate-powdery after about an hour and a half, but it's still quite nice. Final thoughts: I bet with a little age this is awesome, but I don't think I'll need a bottle. Verdict: Keeping the imp!

Thoughts before testing: I absolutely love both peony and cream, and I'm hoping for a big win with Little Flora! Wet: Very, very green and nutty. It smells like I rubbed fresh cut grass and hazelnuts on my arm Dry down: Thankfully within 15 minutes the weird green/nut smell is gone and a sweet, creamy, soft peony is left. Dry: The peony here isn't as sweet as in Lady in Speckled Pink Kimono and more soapy, but it's quite pretty. It's a very pink and feminine smell. I wish that there was more cream, but the peony is so pretty here that I can't really complain. Final thoughts: Wear time was decent (around 4 hours) and I think this will fill a nice niche in my collection. Verdict: Keeping the decant, possible bottle. Edited for spelling

Thoughts before testing: Honey, pepper, and skin musk are all big time win notes on my skin, but I don't think I've ever smelled balsam of Peru. Wet: Very pine-y (the balsam?) and heavy pepper! This is really nice wet. Dry down: It starts to turn cologney, but the pepper and balsam are still very prominent. This might be too masculine for me. Dry: The balsam overpowers all the other notes, which is a pity. I would have liked a little more skin musk and honey. Final thoughts: This wasn't for me, but it smells FABULOUS on my little brother. The decant is living with him now! Verdict: Not for me, but lovely on the mens

Christmas eve was CC: Female (it's my fanciest scent, and my parents took us out to a fancy dinner last night!) and today was Snow White 2005

Thoughts before testing: I've never been able find more than an imp of Black Lace, so the first few reviews of "Black Lace + leaves" sent me sprinting to order this one My skin sometimes amps tobacco is a very unpleasant way, so I'm cautiously optimistic. Wet: Ooh, leaves and incense and musk! This is very "perfumey" but in the best possible way. Dry down: The linen and sugar/lace are more at the forefront. The tobacco is being held nicely in check and I get just a whiff of cognac. This is truly spectacular on my skin at this point. Dry: Musky sweet vanilla incensey goodness. Good lord this is beautiful and grown up and sexy and I never want to be without it. Final thoughts: This lasts an insanely long time on my skin (well over 10 hours). The throw is strong and all I need is a drop to waft about in a beautifully perfumed cloud. I got my bottle a few days before Thanksgiving and this is one of only two perfumes I've been wearing since then. This is true love Verdict: Hoarding.

Thoughts before testing: Any perfume with sweet clove in the description gets an automatic try from me no matter what else is in the blend. Wet: Apple blossom and orchid. Pretty nonsoapy floral. Nothing to write home about, and I get none of my beloved sweet clove. Dry down: Less than 15 minutes in, it's practically gone from my arm. I can just barely smell it. Dry: And after half an hour, it's vanished completely. Final thoughts: I'm not one for scent lockets, so this one needs to be rehomed. Verdict: Off to the sales!

Thoughts before testing: This will most likely be too masculine on me, but I'm trying it nonetheless Wet: Sweet chewy tobacco and woods. On me, this smells like Antikythera Mechanism without the vanilla. Dry down: This tobacco is lovely and slightly richer than in AM to my nose (maybe because it's pipe *and* cigar?) This isn't for me, but I want all of my lovers to smell like this Dry: At the very last, it turns slightly sharp (woods have a tendency to do that on my skin), and this is too masculine for me but it's lovely. Final thoughts: As I currently have no lover to pass this on to (and won't for the foreseeable future), off to the sales this goes! Verdict: Sales.

Thoughts before testing: I love all of the notes listed here and I'm really hoping that this works! Wet: Ooh pretty! I get nice zingy hits of lime and ginger with just a hint of tea and coconut. Very pretty, very tropical! Dry down: The coconut comes out a little more and isn't sweet or foody at all. The champaca flower is really pretty here too and is working with the coconut to give the lime/ginger combo some nice depth. Dry: Gingery, floral, coconutty goodness! The lime is mostly gone about 2 hours in, and what's left is just beautiful. Final thoughts: This lasted a surprisingly long time on my skin, and is just too pretty for me to resist! It definitely doesn't feel like a fall perfume to me at all but that's ok by me! Verdict: Bottle-worthy!

Thoughts before testing: I've never had a burning desire to smell like pumpkin, but Fizzy Jack O'Lantern was surprisingly awesome. So I figured that my love of vanilla would make Pumpkin V a safe bet! Wet: This is pure spices on my skin. Not a hint of pumpkin or vanilla. Dry down: Thank goodness, the vanilla starts to peek through and tame the spice overload. At this stage, it's a very nice vanilla and spice mix with just a hint of something buttery in the background. Dry: After about an hour, this morphs into pure maple syrup It's a very realistic maple syrup because my roommate wanted to know where I was hiding the waffles Final thoughts: The wet and dry stages are just too much for me no matter how pretty the dry down is. Verdict: Off to the sales!

I absolutely love the way this smells in the bottle and I love the way it smells when wet. But after 10 minutes it's completely gone from my skin. No delicious tonka smell, nothing.

Vampire Bride 2012!

I have no scent recommendations, but thank you for trying to foster him. This is a wonderful thing you're doing.

I've never smelled vetiver before, and I jumped at the chance to educate my nose! Wet, this is very smokey, deep, and slightly astringent/medicinal. But as it dries, the astringency goes away and it's just this lovely smoke scent. I don't know how often I'll be wearing this by itself, but I'm willing to let it age and do some layering experiments!

Thoughts before testing: I read the description for this one and literally squeaked with excitement. Everything here is a win and I'm really hoping that this will be as beautiful as I'm imagining! Wet: Unnf. I'm going to have to find my bottle of Banshee Beat and double check, but the patchouli here reminds me a lot of the patch in Banshee Beat. This is so freaking good. Wet, it's a strong blast of sweet patchouli to the exclusion of the other notes, but that's ok by me! Dry down: I start to get more of the leather and it's amazing with the patchouli. The leather here is soft and sweet and I'm in heaven. I can detect just a tiny hint of vanilla at the very end but no honeysuckle or sarsaparilla at this point. Dry: I die. Seriously, this is wonderful. The patch and leather are delicious, and I can finally detect the sarsaparilla mingling with the vanilla in the background. Final thoughts: Badgers is crazy good and just rocketed into my top 10. This is definitely my favorite leather blend so far. Verdict: Hoarding! ETA a HUGE times a billion thank you to my wonderful pick up fairy!

I couldn't even make it through a regular test for this one This was STRONG jasmine and vanilla on my skin and it made me sick to my stomach. But a big thank you to my pick up fairy for the chance to smell this!

Thoughts before testing: Peony can overwhelm the other notes, and amber has been going funky on me lately. Everything else is a win though so let's see how this turns out! Wet: Candy sweet peony and sweet peach. This is overwhelmingly sweet when wet. Dry down: The peony and peach tone down the sweetness and mellow out. I get just the tiniest hint of carnation in the background. This is pretty. Dry: Still mostly the peony and peach show. Final thoughts: This is pretty and soft, but not me I think. I like the peony in Blossoms in Springtimes and the peach in Josie better, and the overall feel of this isn't right for me. Maybe if I had gotten more of the carnation or woods it'd be different, but thank goodness this is headed to a much more appreciative home! Verdict: Off to a better home! ETA a big HUGE thank you to my lovely pick up fairy!

Thoughts before testing: I want this to work so badly, but amber has become a note of fail lately. I'm not hopeful. Wet: Sweet almond and musk. Very warm and soft. No amber yet! Dry down: Egyptian musk is my favorite, and the cardamom and saffron are to die for here. This is really lovely actually. I don't get a lot of the almond now, which is not a bad thing. Dry: This is a very warm and protective feeling blend. Amber isn't doing it's usual thing, and this is just beautiful. Final thoughts: Verdict: Keeping the imp, getting a bottle!

Thoughts before testing: This was a frimp in my most recent Lab order, and I was excited to try it despite the armor note. Leather is a forever win note and I love vanilla, so let's see what happens! Wet: Sweet soft leather and frankincense. This is ridiculously good. Dry down: Sweet leather and vanilla. The frankincense starts to take a backseat, but this is pure amazingness on my skin. Dry: Sweet vanilla, soft leather. LOVE. Final thoughts: This smells to me like a much less sweet CC: Female. I am head over heels in love with this. The leather note is perfect, the vanilla is perfect, the frankincense is perfect. LOVE. Verdict: Keeping the imp, getting a bottle!

Thoughts before testing: I love violet leaf and white tea and the rest of the notes are pretty good so I'm hoping for a win! Wet: Violet leaf and amazing! This is crisp and lovely. Dry down: Ooh, violet leaf and tea, I love you! This actually smells very similar to The Unsteady Governess on my skin. I’m not getting a lot of, well, anything else. Dry: Still just a beautiful blend of violet leaf and tea. Final thoughts: I'm not disappointed by the lack of other notes in this. I love the way this smells (I've been hunting for a bottle of The Unsteady Governess), and I love that the oil is pink Verdict: Keeping the decant, getting a bottle!

Thoughts before testing: This is for the 2012 version. I loved the previous Perilous Parlor, so let's see how this compares! Wet: Sweet pear vanilla ice cream. This is delicious and identical to the 2007 version. Dry down: Total disappearing act! Seriously I can't smell anything 15 minutes later. Dry: Gone Verdict: Off to the sales!

Thoughts before testing: I love cream and cotton, but I'm afraid that the sugar will turn this too sweet for me. Wet: Sugar and cream oh my! Slightly lemony, maybe the cotton? The lemon note is gone within the first two minutes though, so I'm not sure what that was about. Dry down: This smells almost like sweet suntan lotion to my nose. I have no idea how. Dry: Just a gentle sweet scent is left now. Final thoughts: This is pretty, but very not me. Verdict: Off to the sales!

Thoughts before testing: I just had to try this to see what all the fuss was about, but I'm thinking this will be too sweet for me. Wet: Fruity sugar, no hint of burnt sugar. Dry down: Sweet mellow sugar. Dry: Sweet sugar. Final thoughts: I don't get a lot of fruit, just a lot of sugar. This is a little too one dimensional and too sweet for me. Verdict: Off to the sales!