Alethia

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!

Thoughts before testing: I've never tried a BPAL pumpkin before and I have a feeling that this is going to go terribly bad on my skin. Wet: Wow! Fizzy and bright and lemony! Awesome! Dry down: Still very fizzy and lemony, but I'm definitely detecting the ginger ale. I'm not getting any pumpkin or really anything else, but I'm definitely liking this so far. Dry: The fizz finally calms down and mellows out into this really pretty ginger ale scent. Final thoughts: I am so surprised by how much I like this and how pretty it is! It's not really foody, it's just a light and fun scent. Verdict: Keeping!

There’s magic afoot: fiery red musk, luminous elemi, East Indian patchouli, champaca flower, cedar incense, ho wood, and hemlock accord sweetened with a peculiar sweet honey. Thoughts before testing: Out of all the Weenies I decanted, I was the most excited to try this one. It sounds like it should be made of complete win! Wet: Sweet red musk, patchouli, and just a hint of woods. This is really pretty wet. Dry down: The red musk does a KO on all the other notes, and Third Charm turns into a red musk single note. Dry: Yep, still just red musk. Pretty red musk, but not what I was hoping for. Final thoughts: This might be a hormonal issue, because this week everything I've tried with red musk in it has turned into a red musk SN. More testing is needed! Edited to add: Even after nearly a year of aging, the red musk still overpowers everything else on my skin. Verdict: Off to the sales.

Thoughts before testing: I'm almost afraid to try this, as I'm pretty certain this will be much too heavy for me. Wet: Strong woods and patchouli, but it's gorgeous Dry down: Teak is usually terrible on me, but it's working here. It's not too high pitched and instead is just pretty. The patchouli is smooth and lovely. The tobacco flower is finally making an appearance and turns the whole blend more polished. Dry: This is a beautiful, well blended perfume and I can't believe how good it smells. Final thoughts: This was a surprise stunner, and that'll teach me to judge a BPAL by it's cover Verdict: Keeping!

Thoughts before testing: The strawberry here scares me as it rarely turns out well on my skin, but everything else is a win! Wet: Sweet strawberries and honey, but it's not artificial or candy-like. I smell like I just rolled around in a pile of strawberries. Dry down: The strawberries are doing their thing and turning into Pez candies The lavender shows up about 20 minutes in and mixes with the honey in a really beautiful way that kind of reminds me of Beaver Moon 2011. Dry: And it's all Pez candies, all the time. Final thoughts: I should really learn to stay away from strawberry scents! Verdict: Off to a better home!

Hello Witch dear! It has been an absolutely bananas few days here, so this is the ketchup from the last couple days. If there's anything I haven't answered or that you need a more specific answer to, just let me know and I'll get back to you! I hope you're having a good day! Hey Witchee! I want to send you a delivery. It could be cupcakes from a local bakery, it could be a singing hugging bear-a-gram, it could be a bouquet of flowers. But it will be something that you need to be there to receive. a) Are you OK with "special deliveries"? *waggles eyebrows* Is the address in your questionnaire the best place to reach you for said deliveries? c) If the delivery requires a phone number (as say, some florists do) would you be OK with that information being tracked down by your Witch or asked of you anonymously? Cupcakes are welcomed with open arms, a singing hugging bear-a-gram is like my worst nightmare, and flowers are awesome. The address in my questionnaire is the best address, but I’m gone from around 7 each morning and don’t get home until almost 10 at night. Just something to keep in mind And I’m totally ok with you asking for my phone number! What are some things you are OK with receiving gently used or homemade, and some things you absolutely do not want if they are gently used or homemade? DVDs, CDs, books, most clothes are all ok either gently used or homemade. I live near a Mast General Store. It has lots of vintage-y toys, southern foods (jams, jellies, spices) and vintage candy. Is there anything I can get for you? Please to be sending me all your jams and jellies, and all of the pickled vegetables! Do you have any Fall or Halloween traditions? Not of my own. This is the first holiday season I’ve been on my own, so I’m in the process of making my own. I’m on the look out for Halloween decorations, and there will definitely be a pumpkin (or 5…) in my future! Ninjas or Pirates? Pirates all the way! I have an extra room spray and 2 extra bath oils (one Cephalopod, one Exhibit Hall Fatigue) from Dragon*Con - would anybody like a decant? No thanks, I’m good. Since it's been mentioned several times, and I've also offered to nacho witch some, would you you like to receive wild rice and or maple syrup? I promise to include recipe ideas with the wild rice. Yes! I would love to try Lucyboo’s wild rice and maple syrup. I’ve heard such awesome things about both that I would relish the opportunity! I have 5 bushels of tomatoes sitting in the kitchen right now that are supposed to turn into red sauce tomorrow, so would anyone like a basic red sauce (spaghetti sauce) to make its way to them? No thank you. How would you feel about a taste of (insert witch location here) box? I would love this! Last year, my wonderful witch Alethia adopted a bat for me from batworld.org, a bat rescue and sanctuary. Bat's World Would you be interested in having a bat adopted in your name? No thank you. I really rather to volunteer myself or to donate to places where I actually volunteer because (and this is going to sound so selfish) I feel better about the whole process that way. I’ve heard too many horror stories about charities misusing funds for me to be ok with blind donations. Witchee, would you like it if I made you a "mix tape" of songs that I think you might like? And if so, would you prefer mp3 or CD format? Yes!!! And I’d prefer CD format. I know it is totally the wrong season (for most of us), but do you like/have space to garden? If so, what do you like to grow? I would love to garden, but I live in a high rise apartment with no balcony or green space of any kind in the middle of a huge urban area. So sadly this isn’t an option for me I'm about to be near a Lush store next week, is there anything you might like from there? I just cannot get behind Lush’s products. There’s one in the Mall of America that I’ve been to several times, but they just don’t smell good to me. And if something doesn’t smell good, there’s no way I can make myself use it. Sorry Witch! Songs that you keep meaning to buy but never get round to it? Rusalka Act 1: Mesiku (Song to the Moon), Blue by The First Aid Kit, I Bet You Look Good on the Dance Floor by Artic Monkeys. Movies that you love but forgot to put in your questionnaire? I think I mentioned these but 21 Jump Street (the new one with Channing Tatum; I don’t remember the last time I laughed that hard at a movie!) and Contagion (a movie about a public health system breakdown partially set at my university?! Yes please!). Any favorite Bath & Body Works scents/products? I really, really loved their Magnolia Blossom perfume, but it’s discontinued. Other than that, I really think that BPAL’s quality of perfume has spoiled my nose. Now all I can smell is the alcohol in BB&W’s products. Haus of Gloi is offering custom perfumes - would you like one? What would your ideal blend be? I’m not sure. I want to say clove, tonka bean, leather, and patchouli. But I’ve never smelled any of Haus of Gloi’s oils so I don’t know if their patchouli will be too “dirty” for me to wear or if their leather is too fake smelling or if their clove is sweet or bitter. So maybe this isn’t the best idea unless you have a lot of experience with HoG’s ( ) oils. In which case, feel free to decide for me Witch dear! Are there any if MeiLin's books (e-book or print) you'd be interested in? No thank you Witchee, will you be gone from your normal mailing address at any point during the round? Yes! I’m going to a wedding in California and will be gone from very early on September 27 until very late on October 1. Are you a Disney fan or does even thinking about Disney make your head hurt? If you're into Disney, would you like something from the Happiest Place on Earth? I love Disney (and this was actually my question!) and all things Disney Dear witchee, would you, could you use an electric candle warmer? I’m talking something like this. Yes! I would love that! Do you lust after some new socks/tights? I love tights but sadly my tummy fat doesn’t like them. So I stick to mostly knee highs and thigh highs with fun patterns and that are opaque rather than sheer. I’m in desperate need of new every day boring socks (but am rather picky about these, so don’t worry about that!). Would you be interested in BPTP CANDY? YES. Custom-made pottery? Yea or nay? Coffee mugs, rustic or more elegant? A set of bowls? Soap dish? Bird feeder? Something altogether different? And lastly, good colors for glazes? Yes to the custom made pottery (rustic or elegant, I’ll take it all!), but probably not a bird feeder as I don’t have a yard to put it. Do you have a forum buddy? Someone who knows you and/or your tastes well enough to answer questions on your behalf? Stella Luna is my mom and my forum buddy! Feel free to contact her If you are on Livejournal, would you appreciate LJ stuff like paid time, custom userheads, stuff like that? If you are NOT on LJ but are on other sites that have similar paid-for services (Flickr, for example?) would you, and what are those sites/etc? I have no websites to use this so probably not. A question, witchees: if you are into tarot, what is your favorite card? I want to get into tarot reading desperately! If you have any books or websites to recommend to a newbie, I would love that! And another question: would you like your own set of handmade rune stones or worry stones? So much love for this idea! I love worry stones, and a worry stone from you would be the best! Coffee, tea, hot chocolate, cider, or none of the above? Either hot chocolate or cider. Gum, hard candy, soft candy, or none of the above? Gum by far. It keeps me awake in class and I prefer either cinnamon or spearmint as far as flavorings. Loose tea or tea bags? Do you need anything for your loose tea? (Filters, presses, etc.) Do you do Goodreads or LibraryThing or a site like that? If so, can I see your to-read list, please? I do Goodreads and love it! My Goodreads and Etsy and Amazon lists are all linked in my BPAL wish list (which is itself linked in my signature). Zombies; Yay or Nay? Big nay. Zombies are too scary for me! If you have cats, do they like catnip toys? If you have doggies, would they like a super-reinforced canvas toy with a squeaker in it? No cats, sadly :’( If you have kids, what are they into? No kids, gladly! How do you feel about wearable knitted lace? Shawls, wraps, and the like? This is probably not for me. I feel silly in shawls and wraps. Looking at the warehouse, I notice that our lovely Greenwoodtree is able to do chart readings and/or forecasts at a very reasonable rate. Is this something you would want? Yes!!!!!!!! I would love either or both of these! I live in Japan. Anything you would be interested in from there? I have no idea where to start, so anything? Candy corn? I prefer candy pumpkins. The corn ones freak me out but I love the pumpkin ones. WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH YOUR ASS OFF!!! movies, comedians, black humor, your partner, a comic strip? what? The new version of 21 Jump Street, my mother’s poodles, and clowns on the city bus (which is a common occurrence up here apparently). You are meeting up with someone on a casual lunch/early afternoon thing. This person is someone you want to impress/look good for (for whatever reason, not necessarily romantic, and not necessarily for business either). What would you look like, given the contents of your wardrobe/etc? My best jeans, cute ballet flats, and a nice button up shirt with my usual jewelry (pink sapphire stud earrings, my Greek coin necklace, my watch, and either my big ruby ring or my little yellow diamond ring). You are to be let loose in a clothing store of your choice, to pick a full outfit, down to the shoes, the accessories, etc. and things would be altered to fit you if needed. What store would that be, and what would you look like? Hmm. The store would be Ann Taylor or Banana Republic, something classic and timeless. I’d get a nice sheath dress in a solid color (but not black), either a lightweight jacket or cardigan, a nice pair of pumps, a new watch, and some hoop earrings. Oh and a new briefcase or bag. You open a box from the post office to reveal the 3 things you want most right now. What are they? (caveats: size doesn't matter, but they have to be tangible/buyable). Another comforter from the Company Store for my bed (it’s surprisingly cold here already) in a fun color from their down free line, a MacBook Pro with as much RAM and memory as it can hold, and a desk chair.

Hello Witch dear! I hope you had a marvelous day and that fall is coming to your area! It was chilly for most of the day here and I am loving it! Fall and winter are my favorite seasons, so I say bring it on Here are the questions from today. Some of your favorite artists? Classic and modern? I love Georgia O’Keefe. But other than that I don’t have a lot of art knowledge. I do know that I love paintings, sculptures, and photographs if that helps If you could have an image or certain subject painted for you on any type of "canvas" (on a box, on paper, on a canvas, and so on) - could you point your witch to some of these images? I would prefer something hang-able because I have a crazy amount of wall space in my new apartment. And if I could have any image painted for me, I love moonscapes. Full moons, “honey moons,” crescent moons, I love them all. Moons over the ocean, over a lake, over a city scape, peeking through a tree of forests, etc. Any kind of moonscape, basically. Or images of Athena or Nike (the goddess) or Bastet are awesome too! Is there a GC scent that's been on your list for ages but keeps falling off the bottom of your order because of the LEs? Bastet or Chimera! I always wear the imps I have and go “I really need to order a bottle of that!” and then never do I've been getting into indie nail polish brands recently. What's your favorite indie brand of nail polish? Or what's your favorite mainstream brand of nail polish? Or are you not big on polish? I’m not very big on indie nail polish. I feel that for the most part, it’s just a mix of these huge pieces of glitter and that’s not my bag baby I do love nail polish though, particularly China Glaze, OPI, Deborah Lippman, and Revlon. I’m very partial to pinks, reds, purples, and greys and prefer crème or shimmer to full on glitterbombs. Mix-in-a-jar? How to you feel about cookie or cake or soup mixes that come in jars and you just add, like, an egg or water or what have you? I never wind up using things like this. Stuffed things: yea or nay? Not so much. I have a few stuffed animals, but most of them are the special ones from childhood. So I’m going to say no to this one. Would you be interested in beer, wine, or other specialty beverages from your Witch's area? I’m not a drinker at all, so alcoholic beverages would be wasted on me. However, things like apple cider or hot chocolate mixes would be greatly appreciated! Are there any crafts/skills you've wanted to learn but haven't gotten around to? And if so, would you be interested in supplies and tutorials? I’ve always wanted to learn how to knit, so I would love something like this! Who here would be happy to get a lil' sumthin sumthin from Adagio Teas? I’m not a tea drinker (or coffee drinker for that matter). Do you Ravelry? And if so, what's your handle over there? Would you be interested in gift patterns from your queue? Sadly Witch, I am not a knitter. However, if you are and decide to send me tutorials I would love some of your favorite beginner patterns! I live near this very cool Retro store (you can order online too) - are there things from it that would make you squee if your witch sent them? A fun apron! I don’t have one and could use a cute one. Who likes Pumpkin Spice Hershey Kisses? I would love to try them! What does your kitchen look like? Colors/style? I think I used this answer before, but poor grad student is how my whole apartment is decorated Witchee, what are your favorite quotes? “The virtue of courage is a prerequisite for the practice of all other virtues; otherwise one is virtuous only when virtue has no cost.” – C.S. Lewis “In fearful day, in raging night, with strong hearts full our souls ignite. When all seems lost in the war of light, look to the starts—for hope burns bright!” – Blue Lantern Corps oath “The only way I know to finish is to finish first.” “You can never make true magic by offering up somebody else’s liver. You must offer your own, and not expect to get it back.” – Peter S. Beagle, The Last Unicorn Put your iPod/MP3 player/what-have-you on random and list the first 10 songs it plays! “Diamonds from Sierra Leone” Kanye West feat Jay-Z “You Give Me Something” James Morrison “When You Were Young” The Killers “Silver Lining” Rilo Kiley “Only a Broken Heart” Tom Petty “I’m Looking Through You” The Beatles “If Not for You” Bob Dylan “Pretty Girl” Eric Clapton “January Wedding” The Avett Brothers “Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)” Florence and the Machine What's one random thing you really like and one random thing you really dislike? I love poodles. Seriously. They’re my favorite dog in the whole world. And I loathe reality television. Are there any herbs that you haven't been able to lay hands on that I could send you? There's an herbal shop I really like here in NYC called Flower Power that has quite a wide selection. I will gladly take all your herbs! I don’t have anywhere near enough and so whatever you send me will be gratefully used! If there are no "witchy" shops near you, is there anything I can pick up for you from Enchantments? I do a lot of work with the TALs, and I feel most comfortable sticking with them.

Hello darling Witch! I hope you're doing well today! Like I said in the chatter thread, I'll be answering questions mostly in here so as not to clutter up the thread too much. And instead of doing one huuuuuuge entry with all of the questions, I'll be putting them in different posts. I'm crazy busy right now what with grad school and work, but I have an hour at work each day that's just basically sitting around so I'll be using that time to catch up with the questions! On to the first round of questions! Are home made foods acceptable or does the idea of eating strange mailed food disturb you? Yes to the homemade foods! And if you wanted to slip a recipe in with it, I would love that! I just gave you $20 and sent you into a "has everything" store ala Walmart and told you that you have to come out having spent it all, and none of it on anything you need. What would you buy? Be as specific as possible! Hmm. The first purchase would be a can of tennis balls. I use them work the knots out of my neck and back and I always need more. Then probably a nail polish (I'm partial to pinks and reds and purples). To finish it off, probably some beef jerky and those candy pumpkins (the ones like candy corn but they're pumpkin shaped). What kind of cuisines do you like? (I mentioned this in my ?aire but curious what my witch may like)And, what are your favorite restaurants? Truth be told, I have yet to meet a food that I don't like I belong on Team Eat All the Things for sure! Favorites include Greek, Mexican, Japanese, Chinese, and Indian. As far as restaurants, I don't actually eat out that often. It's harder to eat low carb at a restaurant, and my budget doesn't really have room for eating out unfortunately. I'm from Canada - is there anything specifically a witchee might like that is only available here? I have heard tell of maple sugar candies. This is definitely something I would be interested in trying! What are your "fandoms" and would you like a t-shirt from TeeFury if an appropriate one came up? I love Harry Potter (Ravenclaw represent!), Labyrinth, Wheel of Time, Neil Gaiman's Sandman. And yes to the TeeFury shirt! Do you have an eReader and if so which one? I have a Nook tablet that I loooooooove to a thousand tiny pieces. It drastically increased how many books I read in a week. Do you like s'mores and s'mores-flavored things? Not so much. I always think "Ooh, s'mores!" but then when I actually try them, it's way too sweet for me. What's the neatest freebie you've gotten? It can be cool or thoughtful or just totally unexpected, and not limited to BPALdom. The lovely Glambie gifted me with a testable sniffie of CC: Female and I just about died. I never thought I was going to get to smell that one! Would you enjoy receiving cute but useful items like colorful kitchen utensils/gadgets, or bento supplies? (boxes, chopsticks, accessories, etc?) What about things like spice mixes (homemade, or Penzey's for example) Kitchen towels! My roommate only brought the kind that's 90% polyester and they're useless for actually drying dishes. So cotton kitchen towels are awesome, as are any and all kitchen gadgets! Yes on the bento box and supplies (I'm tired of carting my lunch around in a plastic Target bag lol!), and definitely a yes on the spice mixes! Do you like cute, seasonal or fluffy PJ bottoms? Like they sell at Target, Old Navy (they have had cute Halloween ones!) If so, what size do you wear? I love seasonal and cute PJ bottoms! Not the fluffy kind because I get hot very easily. I think I'm either a L or an XL. What kind of chocolate do you like? Nuts, no nuts, white,dark, etc? I love dark and milk chocolate (no white please!) and any combination of nuts/spices/flavors/etc. Please to be sending me all your chocolates I live near a Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, and Penzeys! What does your little heart desire from any or all of these places? I am currently having a torrid affair with TJ's salted caramels. Any and all of Penzey's spice mixtures makes my heart go pitter patter! Do you like candles, or tart burners, or something? If so, what's your favorite scent to burn? I love candles! I don't have a tart burner (and please no incense), so that's probably out. I love to burn anything except really foody smelling stuff (like vanilla buttercream. It just makes me hungry and that's no good!). Would you be interested in washable/reusable muslin “paper” towels (basically muslin squares hemmed around the edge)? Maybe in some sort of box to put on your kitchen or bathroom counter? Yes!!! Do you drink alcohol and if so, would you be OK with your witch sending you homemade infused vodka? Also, does your state allow alcohol to be shipped through the mail (for example, PA doesn't). I don't drink at all, so this would be wasted on me Marzipan? I've never tried it before but have always wanted to, so yes! If you get me (or a fellow Aussie, if there are any playing this round) as a witch or witch's minion, would you like to try some Australian specialties, such as TimTams (delicious chocolately cookies), Caramello Koalas (koala shaped chocolates filled with gloopy caramel), Australian native spices or anything like that? Yes to all the above! I love trying new to me foods and treats, so I would love anything you send! If your witch is a knitter, crocheter or sewer, is there a particular type of garment you would love to receive (hat, scarf, wrap, cowl, socks, fingerless gloves, arm warmers etc)? I am in desperate need of more hats and scarves. I moved from a pretty mild climate to Minnesota and I don't think I have enough heavy duty winter gear. Scarlet, kelly green, maroon and gold (go Gophers!), and royal blue or purple are all wonderful colors Is there anyone else in your house (kids, pets, partner) that would really appreciate a small gift being included for them in the switchwitchy haul so they don't feel left out? Nope. My roommate is a dental student and we are very rarely in the house together, so you're good on that front Witch!

Thoughts before testing: I'm kind of collecting all of the single notes to educate my nose. That said, two months ago I wouldn't have touched Siberian Musk with a ten foot pole (I was a very floral/spicy girl until Snake Oil showed me the error of my ways!), but I'm excited to try it now! Wet: This smells exactly like Snake Oil to me without the sugar and vanilla to temper the sharpness of the musk. Dry down: Yup, SO. It's getting sharper as it dries, and I'm really missing the calming effect of the sweet in SO. Dry: After about two and a half hours, Siberian Musk is so sharp it stings my nose when I smell it. Final thoughts: I love fresh Snake Oil, but I'm not crazy about fresh Siberian Musk. But I have a feeling that with a little aging, this will be fabulous. And who knows, maybe a single note will be released that I can pair with this to mellow it out and make it more wearable right now Verdict: Keeping the bottle, but on the lookout for something to pair it with and mellow it out.

Thoughts before testing: Dorian is one of my all-time top ten BPALs, and when I heard rumors that Jareth was Dorian + leather, I was sold! Wet: Oh shit. This is Dorian wrapped up in a sexy well worn leather bike jacket. I am in serious trouble. Seriously. It's not as sweet as Dorian on my skin, and the leather is very soft and not harsh at all. Dry down: I'm swooning over here, Jareth is that good. As it dries, it gets a little deeper and more full-bodied if that makes sense at all. It definitely blossoms the more it dries. Dry: The final dry down of this is much, much less sweet than Dorian is on me. And the leather in this is definitely my favorite leather ever in a blend. Final thoughts: This is a terrific unisex blend; I definitely don't think it's too masculine for a woman to wear. I never got any lilac which is good because it would have wrecked this for me I think. It also lasts insanely long on my skin. I'm wearing it even in the dreadful heat and humidity now, but I can't wait for fall/winter so that I can scent all my scarves with Jareth. If you're waffling on this one, just go for it. This is truly a beautiful blend. Verdict: :love!: You'd have to pry the bottle out of my cold dead hands, and I'm seriously considering a backup (to put this into perspective, out of all the oils I own, I only have 2 backups. This is serious business).

Thoughts before testing: I have a terrible track record with the Lunacies, but this one just sounded too perfect to resist! Wet: Sharp pine and sage and a hint of jasmine. Dry down: I'm amping the jasmine in this like nobody's business. All I can smell is the dirty diaper of jasmine. Dry: Yup. Nothing but dirty jasmine for me Final thoughts: Officially, I'm declaring jasmine to be an enemy of my state. I'm sure that this is beautiful, but sadly very much not for me. Verdict: Away with thee!!!

Thoughts before testing: I don't think I've ever smelled violet leaf before, but I do love the Lab's white tea note and I tend to do best with perfumes that only have a few notes. I'm cautiously optimistic! Wet: Sharp tea and green; this is slightly spicy and surprisingly awesome. Very fresh and pretty. Dry down: This is one of the prettiest white tea blends I've ever smelled, and the violet leaf is awesome. It's fresh and clean smelling without being soapy. Dry: It turns slightly citrusy after a few hours, but still stays fresh and clean. Final thoughts: This is beautiful and perfect for the hot sticky weather that's still hanging around. Verdict: The imp is staying, but I probably don't need a bottle.

Thoughts before testing: Amber almost always goes straight to a sharp powder on my skin and obliterates everything else in the blend. My hopes are not high for this one. Wet: This smells like walking into a craft store, which is maybe better than sharp powder? Dry down: Generic craft store spice. Dry: No change. Final thoughts: I'm glad that it wasn't powdery, but I have no desire to smell like Michaels or Hobby Lobby Verdict: Off to the sales!

Thoughts before testing: I absolutely adore the way cinnamon smells, but I've only ever found one perfume (Harlot )that didn't turn to immediate Red Hots or cinnamon buns on my skin. Copal and honeysuckle don't usually work for me, but I'm testing everything that comes my way these days. So here goes! Wet: Beautiful smooth cinnamon, sweet but not foody. It also doesn't burn my skin like a lot of blends with cinnamon do. Dry down: Still mostly a cinnamon single note on me, but it's sweet and has a lot of depth. Dry: Still sweet, deep cinnamon. Final thoughts: I love cinnamon, and so I love the way this smells. I'm glad that everything else managed to stay in the background because this is the cinnamon perfume I've been looking for! Verdict: Immediate bottle purchase.

Thoughts before trying: Woods never work for me and since AM has two listed, I don't have high hopes for this one despite the vanilla and tobacco (which are always win notes for me). Wet: Sharp, sharp woods. Yowza. Dry down: The woods are replaced entirely by the tobacco and vanilla. It smells deep and rich and sweet and chewy (if that makes any sense ). It's beautiful and I can only imagine how much better this would smell on a man Dry: This mellows out into a beatiful slightly sweet vanilla tobacco. This is crazy good. Final thoughts: This is maybe just a tad too masculine for me, but I don't even care. This is stunning and I can't believe I waited this long to try it. Verdict: Keeping the imp, definite bottle purchase.

Thoughts before testing: This was part of an impulse/panic Salon order right before it closed, but I figured with win notes like skin musk, honeycomb, rose, and cream there was a decent chance of this working. Wet: This starts as a beautiful creamy floral that's so well blended I can't pick out any one note. This is stunning wet. Dry down: As it dries, it morphs from a creamy floral into a high pitched and soapy one. The kind of floral that makes you wrinkle your nose and wonder why anyone wears floral perfume. Dry: Yup, high pitched shrieking soap. Damn. Thoughts before testing: I wanted this to work so badly. I'm really hoping that some aging in a dark cool box will smooth things out and change it from sharp floral soap to the beautiful creamy floral of the wet stage. Edited to add: Thirteen months of aging and this is still high pitched soap on my skin. Damnations. Verdict: Off to the sales.

Thoughts before testing: Leather, vanilla orchid, and tonka? The only thing that worries me slightly is the amber because it tends to go powdery on me, but we'll see what happens? Wet: Female opens with a strong blast of amber powder, but it's immediately gone and replaced by the most gorgeous sweet smooth leather backed by a beautiful vanilla. ZOMG. Dry down: No change, just this beautiful vanilla leather. Dry: The leather deepens after about an hour and is to die for. Sweet, smooth leather and vanilla FTW! Final thoughts: I am in so much trouble! This is the best leather blend I've ever smelled. It's feminine and soft and crazy long lasting. Verdict: Hoarding commences!

Thoughts before testing: Vanilla is one of my favorite notes, and I'm really excited to try Celeste! Wet: A floral vanilla with a backing of spice. I really love saffron in perfume, and it's just to die for here. Celeste isn't foody, but still sweet. Dry down: It's a little sweeter and more foody now but still floral. This is really pretty. Dry: A beautiful mix of floral and foody and sweet. The saffron mostly stays in the background after the wet stage, but it grounds the whole blend and turns it into something really spectacular. Final thoughts: I completely understand why Celeste is so sought after. This is a beautiful perfume, and definitely worth the trouble of tracking down. Verdict: Keeping the bottle!

Thoughts before testing: Every note here is a win for me, and I have high expectations for this one. Wet: A lovely blend of osmanthus and hibiscus. It's slightly fruity/floral but lovely. Dry down: The honey and sugar cane are more prominent now and the whole thing is just a lovely sweet floral. Dry: This is a really beautifully blended slightly sweet floral. I love this! Final thoughts: I made a last minute panic order before The Salon came down so Iatso was a gamble. But it's pure win! Verdict: Keeping the bottle!

Thoughts before testing: I'm a huge fan of the single notes. I like when my perfume stays relatively consistent, so the single notes are right up my alley. Lotus can sometimes turn super bubblegum on my skin, so this should be interesting! Wet: Clean and crisp smelling. It's slightly soapy, but definitely not in a bad way. Dry down: The soap smell is gone and is replaced by a watery, clean floral. This is really pretty! Dry: Clean floral without being soapy or high pitched. This is just uncomplicated and beautiful. Final thoughts: This is so lovely. It sticks close to my skin and is just beautiful. Verdict: Keeping the imp, and I might be picking up a bottle before it comes down next week.

A seductive and flowing exaltation of femininity: Turkish rose, stargazer lily, violet, honeysuckle, amber, star jasmine and vanilla. Thoughts before testing: Everything is a win note, except for the jasmine. This should be fun! Wet: Sweet floral; heavy on the lily and vanilla. This is quite pretty and not high pitched at all. Dry down: This goes to pure Dove soap on my skin Dry: Dove soap. Final thoughts: What a disappointment! Verdict: Off to the sales!

Thoughts before testing: I've been looking for the perfect red musk blend and although the pomegranate and raspberry worries me, I just had to try Red Lace. Wet: Sweet, but not foody. This is heavy on the red musk, pom, raspberry, and the tobacco is providing the backbone of the whole show. Dry down: The red musk disappears on my skin, leaving me with nothing but the pom/raspberry combination and hints of vanilla and sugar. The tobacco is non-existant at this point. Dry: Red Lace dries down to a sugared vanilla smell with vague traces of berries. Final thoughts: This was a disappointment, but I figured the fruits would take over. Sad day! Verdict: Off to the sales!

Thoughts before testing: I've been on a red musk kick lately, and Le Lethe seemed like the perfect scent to kick off the red musk testing! Wet: Red musk, amber, tobacco; this is surprisingly awesome. Very sexy smelling, very strong. Dry down: Smoky musky floral. The tobacco comes to the forefront here but it's a sweet tobacco. The red musk is amping I think, and turning this very "perfume-y." Dry: By this stage, it's pretty much all red musk and tobacco on my skin. Final thoughts: I really loved the wet stage of this. I can see myself using this in certain situations, but this is definitely not an every day scent for me. It lasted forever though (going on 6 hours and it's still strong!) Edited to add: I did indeed keep the imp, and after a year Le Lethe smoothed out to a drop dead sexy musky-floral-tobacco. This is my go to date night perfume now. Verdict: Upgrading to a bottle!

Initial thoughts: I am normally stay far far away from patchouli, but when an incredibly amazing forumite ( ) gifted me a partial bottle, I had to try it. Wet: Strong patchouli, but very very smooth. It's not rooty or particularly dirty smelling. Just very smooth and backed by a lovely creamy non-foody vanilla. Wow. Dry down: Equal parts very smooth beautiful patchouli and sweet grownup vanilla. This is crazy good! Dry: It stays this beautiful and smooth patchouli and vanilla for literally hours. Final thoughts: Well, I can no longer say that I hate patchouli because I am in serious love with Banshee Beat. This has rocketed up to my top ten list. And the wear on this is amazing. I've had it on for almost 8 hours now and it's still going strong. The hunt for this one begins now and in earnest. Verdict: Be vewy, vewy quiet; I'm hunting Banshee Beat.

Thoughts before testing: The Lab's honey is one of my forever win notes. Gardenia and I get along very well, and I've recently discovered a love of DBR. Vanilla orchid is also traditionally good on me, but I'm not sure about ginger grass or turmeric, so we'll see how this goes! Wet: This opens with a blast of dragon's blood resin and a very pretty, musky honey (which reminds me a lot of the honey hair gloss. The gardenia is also strong but not high pitched and the vanilla orchid is staying soft in the background. Overall, it's a bright, sweet floral at this stage. Dry down: All of the notes keep getting more well rounded and prettier. This is really lovely. Dry: The sweetness tones down quite a bit after an hour or so and is a beautiful musky floral. Final thoughts: Love this! Verdict: Keeping the bottle!