hexnut

LEAR In Vitro Sweet, earthy, and spicy. Wet There were only three anonymous imps left in my order when I tested this so I knew it was either Lear or one of the two frimps. On my skin I immediately got wood... I mean, I smelled wood, and inhaling deeply brought out a "cool" note that had to be bay. Definite throw, and sweeter after a few minutes. Drying Still no sage, which of course was the smell I wanted most. The cedar and bay started out balanced, but after roughly two hours this was almost pure cedarwood on me. I actually quite like the idea of a cedar skin scent, so Lear is a win for me despite the disappointment of lacking the desired note. I'll keep the imp and who knows, it might age to sage. 25

RUMPELSTILZCHEN Tested blind. In Vitro Neither strong nor distinctive. Wet Sweet resin, maybe some spice, no floral or fruit. I couldn't identify any notes, but at very close range I detected something that was almost bitter. Drying As it dried this developed a sharp, dry, headache-threatening quality reminiscent of L'Examen de Minuit. Thankfully that faded and the overall scent mellowed. Thirty minutes after application it was very faint. One hour on I thought I briefly smelled soap, and for the next three hours an extremely faint sweet musk-type note persisted. I had high hopes for Rumpelstilzchen and all were dashed. No smoke, no spices, no sweet tonka or grassy vetiver. That just leaves Myrrh, once again the prime suspect in wrecking a blend for me. 24

In Vitro Sweet and tangy - citrus? Wet Oh yes, that's my Carnal; no need to see the imp label. Wonderful not-too-sweet orange. Drying The orange dried less tangy and more candy-like, but not cloying. I couldn't identify the fig, but doubtless it was toiling in the background, keeping the mandarin on track. The scent faded quickly but did not morph. Later the same day I put some in my hair and the scent lasted for many hours. This is a cheerful scent! It's so simple but so well done. I just wish it lasted longer on my skin.

In Vitro Sweet, resinous, not very strong. Although in the ten minutes between putting the cap back on and actually applying, I swear I smelled it for a second from across the room. Wet Rich and sweet. No identifiable spice, floral, or fruit. Less sharp after a few minutes. Drying Faded fast. With my nose on my wrist I picked up a note like spice or cocoa. This note became more prominent and the overall scent was sweeter even as it faded. Unusually, this smelled better on my skin than in the vial. Very faint after five hours but persistent. I admit I was disappointed when I unrolled the label because I hoped something else from Death Cap, namely the dirt that I wanted and didn't get from Zombi. But looking at the description I have to agree with "a warm, soft, ruddy scent, earthy and mild", and it's very good on its own terms. I'm still jealous of the users who got soil scents, but there's one or two options (e.g., Yorick) left before I will admit defeat.

"Hmm, which oil to test today... wow, this one's almost colorless. Must be a light floral. I'll just take a deeeep sniff..." In Vitro I keeled over. Seriously, I was sitting on the edge of my bed and when I took the first whiff I exclaimed "Oh!" and toppled onto the sheets. (Kept the imp upright, though.) Wet Sat up, put it on, huffed my wrist, and promptly keeled over again, this time moaning aloud. Bliss on me smelled less of a chocolate bar than of chocolate baked goods, like rich cake or brownies. It immediately began a slow fade and didn't have much throw but exhibited some sillage. Drying Fainter as it dried but otherwise the same. It wasn't dry like cocoa powder or unctuous like a chocolate bar but something in the middle. Straightforward but with a suggestion of 'baking' notes such as vanilla. About four hours after application there was a brief resurgence in strength before it faded out entirely. If my reaction to Vice was embarrassing, Bliss made me look positively indecent. Glorious chocolate for a top note, middle note, and base note. I want to slather Bliss on my skin, comb it through my hair… I want to bathe in it. I want a bottle to wear alone and another to layer with just about everything.

In Vitro Rich, resinous, herby… cola! Yes! The cola scent that some reviewers mentioned! Instant love. Wet And because the "cola" was my favorite note, that vanished immediately, but what remained was very good. A bit sharper, more resinous, a bit less sweet, with herbs underneath. While wet this was rich and almost intoxicating in a way that reminded me of Tombstone. Drying Blended to resinous, slightly sweet, slightly spicy, with moderate throw. It remained reasonably strong for the next hour. Five hours after application the scent was faint, a bit sweeter, and very nice. I was a bit worried about the frankincense but it either played nice or was beaten down by the other components. Nor could I detect any individual notes after application; it was all one harmonious blend.This worked well as a skin scent but it was fantastic in the imp, so I need a scent locket for sure. (Why yes, I have seen the Clockwork pendant. Drool.)

Blind test of a frimp from the Lab. In Vitro Rich, slightly sharp base note(s). Wet Sweet, maybe resinous, no obvious floral. Musk perhaps? It wasn't overpowering on my wrist but I kept smelling wisps of scent at some remove, which I now know is sillage. Drying This became a bit less sweet and still resin-ish, and remained that way throughout a slow fade. For me this was a commercial "sexy woman" perfume, neither offensive nor especially compelling. I could see it being a favorite for someone else but it just wasn't my thing. Looking at the notes I'm kind of annoyed that I didn't catch clove, which I loved in Troll; I'm wary of myrrh, curious about patchouli, and have no opinion about ylang ylang. 19

HIGH-STRUNG DAISIES A freebie in my latest imp pack, tested blind. In Vitro Citrus? Not too sweet. Tantalizing. Wet Sweet and slightly sharp. Fruit or flower or both, smelled edible. No throw on me. Drying The floral/fruit remained but was overtaken by a generic perfume smell. The fruit, if that's what it was, suggested stone fruit, e.g. nectarine or peach. It blended to an undistinguished sweetness and was very faint after four hours. I had to laugh when I unfurled the label and saw the name. High-Strung daisies has been on my list of candidates since day one because I love the smell of carnations, and I sure didn't get that from my skin. Doing these blind tests is humbling; in this case I didn't correctly identify a single note. 18

PLUNDER In Vitro Sweet spice, but also something... wet? Wet Freshly applied, I smelled the spices I wanted, not too sweet, plus something else, probably the sandalwood. And a different note that I thought was pepper or tea. Very nice. But in two minutes it was markedly fainter. Drying Here we go again - blended down to no distinct notes, faint but pleasant. I wasn't getting the pungency and warmth that I expected from the list, and perhaps that was the fault of whatever I identified as "wet" in the imp. The scent faded rapidly and was gone after two hours. I tried Plunder as a hair scent and it lasted much longer, so as usual my thirsty skin is the culprit. I might get a bottle of it at some point if further testing convinces me I want to apply generously. 17

CENTZON TOTOCHTIN In Vitro Very strong sweet booze. Like opening a door and going, "Woah!" strong. Wet I immediately identified the boozy note as rum, which is funny because I've never tasted the stuff. It was a bit sweeter at the end of the inhale. After a minute I smelled something "darker" in addition. Drying The same and still strong, with a throw like a boom box. My brain insisted on labeling the dark note as tobacco, although it was more of a color than an actual tobacco scent. Still sweet and not intrinsically unpleasant, but it began to annoy me through sheer persistence. After an hour I was ready to wash this off but it wasn't actually sickening and that would have violated my test protocols. So I stubbornly stuck it out, like a weary guest retreating to a corner with a book hoping the party would end or at least quite down, but it keep going for hours. Stupid rabbits. I was looking forward to Centzon Totochtin because the description made it sound like fun, and I'm glad I got to try it, but this didn't work for me. UPDATE 11 August 2013: I received a frimp of Centzon Totochtin at Will Call in February and tested the scent without looking at the label first. My impressions were very similar to the original review, although this time I thought I detected almond at one point in the drydown, and I identified it as CT not far along. The overall scent was less off-putting this time - I even wrote, "rather nice if not 'me'" - but I won't be getting a bottle. 16

ROGUE In Vitro Sweet rosin, with leather at the end of the inhale. Wet A bit stronger. The leather was very subtle and I thought I detected hemp. The sharpness of the rosin kept this from being too sweet. Drying Resiny sweetness. If I inhaled very deeply I got a bit of leather, but I also got some acrid bitterness at the back of my throat. Was this the chemical scent that some reviewers complained of in leather scents? Fortunately that didn't last, but neither did the leather. When completely dry this was sweet and just sharp enough to be interesting, but it wasn't what I hoped for. Darn, now I'm bumping two candidates down on my sample list because they're leather plus one note. On the bright side, Rogue lasted a long time on me with a very slight application, so I think I can use it for layering (duh!) especially since few of the traditional base notes seem to work for me. 15

VICE In Vitro Chocolate and sweet fruit, with orange stronger than cherry! I literally exclaimed aloud and put my free hand to my chest, as if I had the vapors. Wet This began as heavenly fruity chocolate with cherry and orange blossom at equal strength. The chocolate diminished a bit but the overall scent remained rich. The fruitiness dominated unless I put my nose right on my wrist, where I got more chocolate. Drying The chocolate wasn't readily identifiable as such but it provided a base. The orange blossom and cherry blended to a floral-fruity sweetness that was neither cloying nor vegetative. It was almost intoxicating. Half an hour after application and I couldn't believe it - it got better! All three notes melded to a rich, almost spicy blend, like a gourmet milk chocolate bar flavored with fruit and and a hint of chai spices. And that's where it remained, fading slowly but still amazing, for at least three hours. At the very end it was more cherry than anything, but no complaints. It's a good thing that I sample BPAL in private, because this oil induced me to behave in embarrassing ways. I couldn't stop smelling my wrist and making rapturous faces. And to think, this could have gone so wrong on me; the cherry could have turned to evil cough syrup but it was real fruit instead. The day I tested Vice I wanted to run around shouting, "I can wear the Lab's chocolate!" ETA: Whoops, got excited and posted prematurely. I meant to add that this goes to the top of the bottle list. 14

TROLL In Vitro Strong and pleasantly spicy. Wet Very strong spices, mainly clove. Not too sweet, with a depth that reminded me of wood. Drying The spice mixture was akin to winter potpourri, but without the insipid cloying character of most potpourri. No doubt I was influenced by the description, but the most apt term for Troll's spice was "aggressive". This also had the strongest presence on my skin of any BPAL oil I've tried since Tombstone, which was great because I loved being enveloped in a sweet spicy cloud. It also lasted a bit longer than most of my trials, almost three hours. In my limited BPAL experience my skin usually amps the sweetest note in any blend, often to the point of obscuring everything else I wanted. The list in Troll looked like one favorite scent (clove) opposed by five fearsome-sounding other notes, so I took a chance although I was apprehensive about the musk in particular. Turns out I needn't have worried because Clove wielded its miniature cudgel and beat the rest into submission to provide a well-behaved backup group for its spicy goodness. tl;dr : Me like Troll. 13

BAOBHAN SITH In Vitro Sweet and light. Citrus plus... something. Wet Grapefruit, yeah! More of a perfumey grapefruit than a foody grapefruit. I also detected some tea. Drying The scent sharpened a bit and blended, becoming even better. I was sorely tempted to ignore my test protocol and slather on more right away. Ten minutes after application the grapefruit was decidedly peel, not flesh. After half an hour the entire scent was fading and it was gone entirely within two hours, but of course I had applied just a little bit for the test. Oh, I love this! Not-too-sweet grapefruit, with enough "extra" to round out the scent. Sure it fades fast on me but that's just an excuse to carry a vial around to refresh with. This is my first official candidate for the bottle wish list. 12

A frimp with my Dragon Moon 2012. All I knew beforehand was the title and that it had violet. In Vitro Sharp sweet floral or spice, can't identify. Wet The same but stronger, with a bit of throw. The initial sharpness dimished quickly. Drying From my notecard: "nothin' but base". It was unmemorable and soon wore off. Violet worked well for me in Ultraviolet and I refuse to believe ill of cinnamon, so I'm blaming the frankincense. Nevertheless there was a promising complexity to it, so I'll put this imp away to age. UPDATE 11 August 2013: I got frimped this again and tested it blind, again. This time I got a sharp and slightly soapy old-fashioned perfume that evoked an impression of dark brown. I wasn't thrilled with it so of course it lasted over two hours on my wrist. Frankincense is still not my friend.

Another "blind test" of a freebie, this one included with my Dragon Moon 2012. L'EXAMEN DE MINUIT In Vitro Sweet but not floral or spice, probably a base note. Some alcohol sharpness. Wet Still sharp and less sweet, with an odd musty note like curry or cumin. I found it unfamiliar and nearly unpleasant. Drying The sweetness contrasted with the mustiness and exacerbated my nascent headache. Later the scent blended and the "curry" vanished leaving a faint sweet smell that slowly faded. Thinking that the headache might have colored my perceptions, I tested this again on a different day using much more oil. Big mistake - I ended up wiping my wrist with rubbing alcohol, scrubbing with soap, and dousing it again with alcohol to finally erase the slightest whiff. This was my first true failure among my imps. When I say I smelled curry, I don't mean the good kind like in Indian food. I mean the ominous yellow powder in a fading aluminum box gathering dust in a spice rack in a suburban house, exhumed for the occasional "exotic" recipie. (Thanks a bunch, Mom.) From the Lab's description, I would tenatively exclude the fruit and flowers from my list of suspects. Myrrh and frankincense, I'm looking at you. 10

EHECATL This was another "blind test" of a freebie, made before seeing the name on the label. In Vitro Sharp and sweet, nothing I could identify. Wet Lemon, plus something else, another citrus. Not strong. I decided it wasn't lemon, or not just lemon, but I couldn't decide exactly what. It faded very quickly but I did detect something "under" the citrus. Drying Half an hour on the scent was very faint and the citrus was joined by... soap? Hard to say, and not offensive in any case. I figured it was gone and went for a thirty minute walk followed by a leisurely breakfast. Almost two and a half hours after application I absently sniffed my wrist and was surprised by a completely different scent, some mild and very faint base note. That too was gone soon thereafter. Looking at the entry for Ehecatl I see I wasn't too far off. I don't know what hibiscus smells like and I assume matcha is green tea which I like very much. The white musk in this blend behaved very differently on me than the musk in Robin Goodfellow, so evidently they're not all the same, thank goodness. In summation I am very pleased with this one even though it fades rapidly; I can use it more as aromatherapy than as a day scent. 9

This was my first "blind test"; that is, done without knowing the components or even the name of the scent. When I unpacked my first order of imps I was able to segregate the two (Two! Yay Lab!) freebies without seeing their full titles. I'm inordinately proud of myself for pulling this off. LILIUM INTER SPINAS In Vitro The first sniff was spicy and perfumey. The second sniff was floral. Wet Less spice, more perfume. The floral part became stronger and I instantly thought, "white floral". Smelling this inspired an image of waxy white flowers, akin to jasmine or gardenia although it didn't smell exactly like either. Drying As it dried the dominant note shifted between spicy and an unidentified but distinct floral. I got the feeling it was a single flower. Plumeria? Jasmine? Two and a half hours along the scent was faint but persistent. I couldn't decide whether it was floral with spice added or an inherently spicy flower. At the eight hour mark it was officially gone, but as I'd applied very little of the oil that's not surprising. Finally I read the imp label and looked up the scent description. Hhmm, Lily of the Valley? I want to jump to conclusions and say that was my white flower, but it could have been the Hibiscus syriacus, which I never heard of, or the apple blossom. The "spice" was surely the white sandalwood, but fig is described elsewhere as "earthy" so that probably contributed. However it came together, I liked it a lot. The word I keep seeing in the reviews is "pretty", and this is indeed pretty without being insipid. What a pleasant surprise from the Lab - I wouldn't have picked this out on my own, but I'm very happy to have this imp. 8

ROBIN GOODFELLOW In Vitro Spicy and... woodsy! Yay! Sort of resin or evergreen. Wet Immediately sharper, less spicy and more conventional. I couldn't name what wood(s) I smelled. Drying Ten minutes in and just slightly sharp sweetness with nothing I could identify. I presented my wrist to Mom and she wrinkled her nose and identified it as musk, adding, "Not my thing." I didn't dislike the smell,which was fortunate because it lasted a long time, but I wasn't enthusiastic about it. A few hours later I put my nose on the spot and smelled the same thing, but this time I was assailed by a memory. I saw a magazine page with a picture of a hapless young woman being macked on by a bearded man, and remembered unfolding a perfume sample to smell - Tabu! Dear gods, Robin Goodfellow turned to Tabu on me! According to the site Yesterday's Perfume, Tabu contains "Base notes: Patchouli, civet, cedar, vetiver, sandalwood, benzoin, amber, musk, oakmoss". Robin Goodfellow lists only musk. More testing is needed, but I'm already leery of musk. 7

BLOODLUST In Vitro Cinnamon, but a "deep" cinnamon rather than sharp. Wet Freshly applied this smelled like sweet spice but not specifically or exclusively cinnamon. After two minutes I also detected a camphor-ish smell and the spice was very mellow. Two minutes later I thought I smelled clove, but it soon went away. Drying The scent continued to blend and mellow to a sweet camphor/spice. Less than an hour after application, all I could smell was a vague and utterly non-exotic sweetness that persisted faintly for about two hours. No blood and no lust. This one gets put away to age. 6

I haven't finished trying my first set of samples. I've no business ordering five mils of anything, let alone a Limited Edition. But... Dragons! And sweetgrass, and sage... oh well. [clicks] In Vitro A sweet and "Clearing" smell like mint, eucalyptus, or camphor. Wet Still sweet and vaguely camphor-ish, but not Tiger Balm, if you were worried. Drying The camphor-like smell continued, but the overall scent mellowed in the next two hours and became "sophisticated". I was tempted to break my reviewing rules and look up the lab description, because this vexed me all evening - I simply couldn't identify the notes! Loved the result, though. I woke briefly six and a half hours after application and I could still smell it on my wrist. Finally a hint of spice. Scent gone entirely after ten hours. Looking back at the lab's list, I wonder if the "camphor" was dragon's blood resin. Aside from the sage, lavender, mint, sweetgrass, and pine, I am unfamiliar with the remaining notes. What ever it was, I liked it and it didn't turn weird on my skin, and I bet it will age nicely, so I'll happily keep this bottle.

KALI In Vitro From my notecard: "Spice? can't describe, but sweet and nice. Maybe chocolate." I should mention that I don't review the lab description before testing. Wet As above, but richer and deeper. Like Tombstone, for the first few minutes this wafted up some distance from my wrist; I presume that's the "throw". I kept thinking I should recognize the notes but I am a total noob regarding perfume. The best I can describe it is as a slightly spicy non-cloying floral-ish smell. Drying Unlike the previous three oils I tested, this didn't change much at all. My skin didn't amp any one note at the expense of the others, so I'd call that a success. It was fading in less than an hour and gone in two, but like the others I had applied only a tiny bit in case it reacted. This definitely works on my skin. Keeper! 4

ZOMBI In Vitro Roses. Wet When freshly applied I smelled roses with something mildly spicy underneath. After two minutes the "spice" was gone leaving roses only. Drying Perfume-type, not-dead roses that lasted for another three hours before fading away. I am of two minds on this oil. My mature self accepts this as a perfectly respectable rose perfume, but the petulant inner child is having none of it. "Where's my dirt? I wanted dirt!" Ah well, i'm keeping the imp regardless as maybe the soil and moss will come out later. 3

ULTRAVIOLET In Vitro Minty eucalyptus, not at all harsh, with underlying sweetness. Wet Stronger eucalyptus, still not harsh, and then floral sweetness. I huffed it again, and again the scent changed between the beginning and the end of an indrawn breath. Neat! Drying Seven minutes in: Violet! Sweet like candy but not cloying. If there's neroli I can't detect it, and the eucalyptus and mint have made an early exit. From here on it was all violet, all the time, and all gone after two hours. I was hoping that the other notes would stick around on my skin, but as a straight-up violet perfume this is marvelous. Another oil to try again as it ages. 2

My first post! TOMBSTONE In Vitro Vanilla, like a good extract but without the alcohol whiff. Wet Vanilla plus an anise-like note. This was my first experience with true perfume oil and I was surprised by the scent cloud surrounding my wrist. When I combed my hair I got another sweet blast every time my arm moved near my face, and I'd only applied a little bit. Drying The "cloud" dispersed and I had to sniff near my wrist. At the twenty minute mark I got cedar pencil shavings, but this soon faded. For the first hour it remained rich vanilla with tantalizing hints of cedar and anise. Two or three hours later I put my nose on my wrist and smelled... rubber? Sweet rubber, like a new squeaky toy. This persisted for a few more hours and finally vanished altogether. Not offensive, but not my choice for perfume. So that was my first BPAL oil. I was hoping for sasafrass or cedar, and I got a little, but on my skin this was just a very rich and pleasant vanilla. The end phase was strange but too faint to be objectionable. I'll certainly keep this imp to see how it ages and I will try Tombstone on my hair in the meantime. 1