tharsei-thanate

Huh, I thought I reviewed this! I bought an imp from a forumite a few weeks ago and I've worn it multiple times since. At first it's tea (a mix of black and green, if I had to pin down a type) steeped with herbs at the forefront followed by lovely peony. The teas were indeed dizzying, and they had a little bite to them (citrus maybe?). The longer this is on my skin, though, the sweeter the tea becomes and it blends together beautifully with the peony. I love how all the tea blends I try have their own character. The Apothecary is a cup of tea on a rainy day, White Rabbit is afternoon tea in a sunny parlor room, and The Dormouse is late morning tea in a springtime garden filled with pink flowers. Simply gorgeous!

God almighty, this is amazing beyond words. I got a sniffie from a decanter and it smells fantastic and rich and almost delicious in the imp. There's enough oil for a small handful of skin tests so I tried a bit on and it's so good. It's rich, sweet, warm tobacco and burnt caramel. Absolutely amazing. Oh, French Tobacco, why did you have to go dark?

Purchased an imp from a forumite! I wasn't expecting that much out of this but when I put it on I was blown away! There's a blast of beeswax and oak that was like getting slapped in the face with nostalgia- though it doesn't bring to mind any particular nostalgic thing, haha. It's like the essence of nostalgia. It then morphs into something very similar to No. 93 Engine, as another reviewer said. I'm not a huge fan of No. 93 Engine but it's bearable. It then smooths out and becomes sweeter, and the warm leather emerges with the sandalwood. Overall, this is pretty good! I'm surprised I didn't get spice- my skin usually amps spice- but I don't mind! I'm not too keen on the Engine stage during drydown but the wet and dry stages are so nice. <3 I might have to hunt down a bottle.

Oh gosh, I'm finally trying Cottonmouth. Snake Oil hasn't worked on me in the past, and when I found out about the Snake Pit this was the blend that called out to me. My three favorite florals are sweet pea, lily, and linden blossom, and whaddya know, Cottonmouth has two of them! Nevertheless, the Snake Oil scared me so I passed up buying a bottle during the etsy rush. Then the bottles sold out and I was hit with regret, haha. Luckily, a search of the forums revealed a seller with a half-decant! So thank you to kawaiiferreto for selling this to me. (: In the imp: Hmmm. Snake Oil and powder? Sourness? And a very faint breath of florals. Not very pretty, but I'm sure once it hits my skin it'll bloom, so to speak. Wet: Goes on sour but then... oh. Oh oh oh. This is nice! It's instantly warmed up and morphed. It's light, but the Snake Oil is behaving and mixing together beautifully with the creamy florals. I'm picturing flower petals steeping in Snake Oil. Dry-Down: Hmmmm. The vanilla in the Snake Oil, the note that makes Snake Oil smell like Play-Doh on me, is emerging. It's standing at the threshold of death, toeing the line. Please don't cross over! Dry: The worst has been avoided! The vanilla steps away from Play-Doh death and morphs into vanilla sugar. The rest of the Snake Oil is delicious smokey incense enveloping fresh, clean linden blossom. There's a vague sourness but if I put my nose right up to my skin the sourness isn't apparent. There isn't really much throw. This is very light. Further on: It's like waves of scent. It goes from sugary incense, to vaguely sour florals, to vague soap, to vaguely sour incense, to incense tinged calla lily... I don't know how I feel about this overall. I think my skin chem is being weird today so I def have to do more tests. I do have to say though, the sugary, smokey incense parts of the scent are what I've wished straight-up Snake Oil would smell like on me. It's really very nice, but then there's that sourness, likely from one of the florals, and the lack of a throw. So yeah, I'll put this away for a bit and then retry it. I still have hope for this little guy, but I'm relieved this wasn't instant love. I feel a bit better about missing out on a bottle now, haha.

This gloss is so amazingly awesome! This is my first BPTP hair gloss, so besides looking forward to how it would smell, I was also looking forward to the effect it would have on my hair. I used it last night right after I got out of the shower and when I dried my hair, my hair was so much more manageable than usual. I have very thick, naturally wavy hair so it can be a pain to style! My hair looked and felt so much smoother once it was dry. Then this morning I added a bit to my dry hair to help tame my bedhead. Worked like a charm! And the smell? So so so soooooo good. The honey is certainly dominant, but it isn't cloying. The musk and ambrette add gorgeous depth. Overall it's just so beautiful and sultry, and the staying power is great- I can still smell it! So glad I have a bottle! [3/21/13 edit] So I've been wearing this consistently since I've gotten it and oh my god, it keeps getting better. When I first tested it the honey was rich, deep gold in color, and thick- very nice, albeit a bit heavy- but with subsequent uses the honey has become whiter and sweeter. I like it better than it was initially! It's going to fantastic when the weather finally warms up!

Bought a decant of the 2012 version from kawaiiferreto! Been interested in this for a while despite the fact that, while I haven't tried many of them, the chocolate blends and tobacco blends I've tried haven't quite worked out on me. But I have to say, this isn't bad! Maybe it's because my decant doesn't seem to have any sludge but the cocoa is being reasonable. In fact, this is sweet, perfumey tobacco smoke wafting over a thin layer of sulty cocoa all wrapped in musk. Very sexy, very sweet, yet not all that foody. I honestly didn't think I'd like it this much. I'll have to do more tests to make sure today isn't a fluke, but if this blend keeps getting along with my skin I may have to go looking for a bottle. (:

I just got a partial imp of this in the mail from a forums purchase and I tried a dab and it's SO AMAZINGLY GOOD. There's no soap, there's no powder, there's no artificiality... it's just gorgeously warm, sugar-sweet incense and the most beautiful flowers. This is literally the best floral perfume I've ever tried. I'm both extremely upset I don't have more and extremely happy I have any of it at all. This is a precious treasure, and I'm glad that I can add it to my collection.

Oh, this is fantastic! Bought a partial on a whim and I'm glad I did! I just took a bath with it and it was just this lovely, pink, soft strawberry sweetness- surprisingly luxurious. In fact, this blend is so luxurious that it put the fact that I was in a shoddy, too-shallow bathtub completely out of my mind. I closed my eyes and sunk down and just breathed it in. Then when I got out I put some oil in my hair and my hair smells amazing, like pink strawberries and fluffs of candy floss. It's certainly girly but it's not at all childish. Mmmm, I need to find more of this.

Received this as a frimp from a forumite! In the imp: Lily and cologne are the two notes I can primarily pick out. The other notes are there but well-blended. Very sophisticated and certainly evocative. Wet: Mmmmm, beautiful lilies and sweet opium. Very nice. Drydown: Lily is still dominating but the opium and tobacco are just behind it, adding depth. The cologne is even further in the background, subtle but still recognizable if I concentrate. Dry: The lily is quieting down and melding with the opium and tobacco. The cologne is creeping up and becoming more pronounced. I always find cologne to be a comforting note so this blend is very relaxing right now, haha. Further on: The cologne has joined the lily/opium/tobacco mix, as well as a small splash of sherry. Also, there's a smokiness surrounding it that's a tiny bit sharp but not in a bad way. It also feels a bit dusty now. Crumbling decadence, indeed! I do like this, but I wish the lily stayed at the forefront in the dry stage. The end result is nice but it's not really me. I'm keeping the imp, but I don't see a bottle in my future.

To this day, that night of foolishness is still celebrated! This is a light-hearted scent: apple orchards, bright cranberries, and a touch of warm cider. Thank you, Gateau, for the frimp! This is the 2012 version. In the imp: Oh! That is pure autumn! Warm cider, crisp apples, and the occasional whiff of bright cranberry. And do I detect leaves? Oh, this is lovely. Skin, be nice! Wet: So warm! So juicy! My mouth is watering! I'm seeing orange and red and gold! I just catapulted into October! Drydown: It's cooling down a bit but in the best way. The same elements are there but they're more defined now. They're so sweet and delicious. And the spice from the cider is amping! I'm so happy right now! Why didn't I test this at NYCC?! Dry: Cider spice is dominating, with the occasional waft of crisp apple or cranberry to keep things interesting. This is just amazing. Even blends that are good on me usually aren't this good. Also, this keeps almost veering into potpourri but the fruits keep saving the day. I could cry. This is a phenomenal blend on me. I need a bottle! Ten bottles! ONE MILLION BOTTLES Edit: Hello there, new page! Added in the scent description. (:

I'm in a foodie mood today, time to test this little half-decant I purchased last month! In the imp: DELICIOUS! The cake, the rum, the butterscotch! I just want to drink it all up! Please, skin, please be kind, don't ruin the delicousness. Wet: Very subdued. And a bit... artificial? Weird, I can hardly smell it so I can't really tell what it's doing. It's not like I used a tiny bit, either. Drydown: Wait, it's developing a throw, and I'm catching the crust now. Mmmmmm. There's also that sweetness- it's a bit buttery, a bit creamy, a bit butterscotchy. Actually, this is really nice. Wish it were louder, though. Skin, I know this is delicious, but you don't have to eat it up like this. Dry: Ah, there's that artificial note from the wet stage. Plastic, but thankfully it's not too overbearing. Also, I can definitely smell ice cream now. Cool and creamy. Further on: The plastic is still there but it's way more subdued. There's still ice cream here but now the butterscotch and crust are back. Trying not to lick my wrists right now. I love thiiiiis. If there was no plastic in this at all I'd scour the forums for more. Well. Hm, no, I might go looking for more when I finish this imp. I just sniffed myself again and caught a light whiff of something fruity mixed with the rum and it's making my mouth water. Luckily, my foodie cravings don't happen that often so hopefully this imp lasts for a while, because it is a precious, delicious treasure.

Play-Doh, nooooo Snagged a frimp at this past NYCC, haven't touched it until tonight, and it's Play-Doh. Vanilla can be weird on me sometimes so it's not entirely surprising, but it is disappointing. Luckily, it isn't 100% Play-Doh. The incense is lovely and and smokey and there's a yummy sweetness lurking close to my skin. This is definitely a sexy blend. But it'd be even sexier if the Play-Doh wasn't sitting there and mocking me. Sigh. I guess the best course of action is to put this away and let it age and see what happens.

Whaaa? I haven't reviewed this? Well, it's super yummy! Brightly herbal, with an invigorating kick of ginger and a surprising, delicious sweetness. This scent makes me so happy! I wish it was more than just a squirt but I'll take what I can get.

I bought a decant from a forumite a little while ago and I don't know why I haven't tested this sooner. This is gorgeous. It's a warm, golden rose, but it's not loud or overly perfumey or powdery like some other rose blends are on me. There are other florals mingling nicely with it. There's also a breath of leaves which brings a hint of autumn. Nothing aquatic is coming out on my skin which is fine with me! The rose becomes more subdued as it dries and the other florals are taking the lead. I'm not entirely sure what these other florals are, but they're lovely. The leaves are somewhere in the background, adding marvelous depth. Wait, I think I detect honeysuckle. Be still, my beating heart! When my wallet heals from this year's luper updates, I must find a bottle of this.

Some backstory before I begin: I bought a bottle of Strawberry Moon unsniffed last year the day it went live- it just looked so appealing! When I got it I did a quick review on my tumblr but I reviewed it straight out of the mail and you know how scents can change after they settle. I also like to think my nose is better trained now. Sooo since I'm in a summertime mood today despite the snow still piled up outside, I'm gonna test this again. In the bottle: Mmm, it's like a warm, languid summer day. The strawberries are ridiculously ripe and juicy. Actually, the image I'm getting is a warm, sunny garden littered with squashed strawberries, haha. I can almost hear the cicadas. Also, there's def something green if I concentrate. Very nice. Wet: It's more subdued and cooler than in the bottle, but it's pretty much the same- sunshine, blue skies, and strawberries. It's amazing how good the strawberries smell. They're not that bright, cheerily artificial sort of strawberry that's present in every other strawberry-scented thing. I mean, they don't quite smell like true strawberries on my skin, there's an artificiality to them now that wasn't there in the bottle, but this is nevertheless the nicest strawberry scent I've ever smelled. Dry-down: The other notes are emerging but they're so well-blended with the strawberry that's it hard to pick them out exactly. There's a light green quality, and a very soft floral quality, and a subtle sweetness. These qualities are making the strawberry less loud overall and they're adding wonderful complexity. Dry: Much of the same, but cooler. It's almost like it's spring now instead of summer. Gosh, I wish I could pick this apart better- I guess my trained nose is no match for Beth's masterful blending! So looking back, this review is fairly similar to my first one. Aging hasn't done much to this blend, it seems. Still, it's very lovely. The honey isn't too prominent or cloying, the green aspects aren't screaming at me, the strawberries seem a little bit candylike but they aren't full-on artifical strawberry candy, which is great. Basically, I'm really glad I have my bottle. (: I'm def gonna wear this more this year when the weather warms up!

This blend right here is hands down the best clean blend ever. I love linen blends but sometimes they're a bit too clean- great to have an imp/decant of for when the proper conditions are met (aka I want to clean my room or I just got out of the shower), but not worthy of a bottle. This, though? I need a bottle of this. It's clean but it doesn't scream "BATHROOM!!!" like other linen blends do. A bathroom did come to mind as a mental image but instead of simply seeing tiles and neatly folded towels I pictured myself stepping out of a shower in an enormous white bathroom and wrapping myself in a big, fluffy white towel, the scent of linden blossom body wash lingering heavily in the air. Then as the oil dried on my skin it was like throwing open the windows and enjoying a light breeze while looking out into a beautiful springtime garden filled with fragrant white and yellow flowers illuminated by bright sunlight. This blend is so lovely, so fresh with the perfect amount of floral. There's even a warmth to it, like a light musk, and just the perfect hint of sweetness from the vanilla (which isn't going wonky on me, yay!). I just love that it isn't straight up bathroom and has complexity to it. This is going to be the absolute perfect blend for when the weather warms up. The second I get my next paycheck I am buying a bottle. Thank you to the forumite who gave me a decant- you're a peach!

Got an imp of this from a forumite! After reading all the other reviews I'm really curious about how this'll turn out on my skin, haha. In the imp: Mint! But not a strong mint, it's more like mint leaves growing all over the yard in summertime. Very lovely. Wet: Mint, but it's... dark? It's also a bit astringent. Cool and shadowy is how I'd put it. Dry-down: There's a green quality coming out now. I believe I'm catching a light, powdery rose. The mint is still there and while it's still cool it's not as astringent. And there's something else in here that I can't quite place- it feels like musk but I'm not sure because it's so subtle. Dry: Green stems, mint, soft floral, a hint of dark musk. It's brighter now and makes me think of what a black cat would smell like after rolling around in the garden on a chilly spring morning and getting mint and flowers in its fur. Further on: It's gotten warmer. Also, my skin hasn't completely devoured this like it's wont to do with other blends. I actually really like this. I like the mental image I'm getting with the dry stage- it's really lifting my spirits! The more I smell my wrists the more I like this. I hope subsequent tests yield the same results; this is definitely a blend for those long days at the office. I might have to get a bottle if this blend keeps being good to me.

Before I begin, I just wanna say that I don't really have nightmares, but I have stress and anxiety dreams occasionally. This weekend I had a series of stressful dreams that had me wake up in the morning feeling like I hadn't slept at all. Last night I tried out Baku, which I had received from a forumite last week, to see if it would help. From what I remember, Baku was all lavender at first and then during the drydown it slowly warmed up and became more herbal. But it was a soft, subdued sort of herbal- I didn't catch any gross anise/fennel licorice. I also didn't catch any eucalyptus. It was just a very comforting herbal lavender. Actually, it was so comforting that I fell asleep before it even completely dried, haha. Then I had a lovely dream in which I visited a friend in Baltimore. I recall at one point we went joy riding around the city but it was completely stress-free, which is surprising considering I managed to have a stress dream about grocery shopping of all things a few nights ago. It was so nice to just have fun in a dream for once. Best of all, I woke up feeling completely refreshed. (: I'll do more tests and if I continue having pleasant, stress-free dreams then I'm definitely going to have to get a bottle!

Received an imp of this from a generous forumite! Wow, the oil is really dark. It's a bit intimidating, to be honest! It's like I'm about to dab some wine on my skin. In the imp: Oh, how lovely! This is a fresh, green forest! I can smell pine and grass and leaves and resins! I adore forest blends, so this is wonderful. I can also smell a subtle yet delightful sweetness. I can't quite figure out what it is (is it the lilies? the grape vine? the opium smoke? all of them seamlessly blended together into one gorgeous note?) but it's amazing. If my skin keeps it like this I'll be so happy! Wet: Ah. That's a change. It's grape vine, but it doesn't smell really pleasant. I mean, it's not awful but it's a bit... overripe? It's certainly dark and heavy but not really in a good/sexy way. Luckily it's not disgusting, just a bit unpleasant. Hm, wait, it's getting a bit better. It smells kind of perfumey now. Unless that's another note interacting with the grape? Not sure. Dry-down: I think I'm catching a whiff of the lilies, and if I concentrate I can almost smell the beautiful forest that was in the imp. Also, the grape is getting less dark. There is something in this blend I just can't put my finger on that's really nice. It could be the smoke, I'm not really all that familiar with opium smoke. Dry: The grape is still there but it's brighter. There's even a little tang to it. Also, it's perfumey in a way that's bugging me. It's nice but it's reminding me of something and I just can't figure out what. Maybe I'd be able to pin it down if my skin wasn't drinking it up so quickly. There's barely any throw left. Further on: I can almost smell pine and that beautiful sweetness from the imp but it's so ridiculously light now that I honestly can't tell if it's actually there or I just think it's there. Man, this was so much better in the imp. It's not too bad on my skin but it's just so different from what I was hoping for. Also, I don't think I got much rose, if any. Actually, hold on, I'm gonna cut off a frayed bit at the bottom of my shirt and dab some oil on that and see how it smells there. This could be a blend for a scent locket. Mmmm, forest. No wait a sec, it smells like... eucalyptus?! Nooooo, I don't want that! Where did that come from??? I can't win. Dammit, it smells so amazing in the imp. Still, I'm keeping this imp. I can just sniff it straight-up if I ever need to be transported to a far away forest. I'll do more skin tests, too. Maybe my skin chem is just being weird today. Maybe the oil just needs to age. I'll get that forest on my skin someday, I'm determined to make it happen!

Got an decant from a lovely forumite! In the imp: Yup, like others have said, this is fancy floral-scented soap (mostly violet with rose, specifically). But I don't mind it at all, I think it's pretty, though it's rather strong. Wet: Hmmmm. It's not as loud or as bright as it is in the imp, but it's the same general scent. It's definitely dark and heavy and warm. I think I'm catching that grey musk along with the floral soap. It's more mysterious to me than creepy. Dry-down: Much like the wet stage but it feels dustier. I'm definitely getting the imagery now, only it's moonbeams rather than sunbeams coming through the window. Dry: It's gotten softer and there's another element now. I think this might be the oaken walls? It's also gotten a bit cooler. I really like it overall, but I think it's a bit too heavy for casual use. I'll keep my imp and maybe snag another imp in the future but I don't think I'll be getting a bottle.

Got an imp of this from a super generous forumite! This'll be my first Phoenix blend. In the imp: Interesting. Smells a bit aquatic and somewhat sharp. No particular note is jumping out. Wet: Goes on sharp but not a moment later it smoothes out into lovely, bright honeysuckle. The other florals are gently wafting but they're too soft to really pick out. Dry-down: The florals are all blending together nicely with the musk. None of the notes are particularly overpowering. This is definitely a nocturnal blend, though. Midnight blue is the color I'm getting. Dry: Soft, almost powdery florals. Quite lovely. But man, my skin just drinks everything I put on it. There's not much throw to this, haha. But if I put my wrist to my nose and close my eyes it's like being in a moon-lit field overflowing with blooming flowers. Overall, this is a beautiful blend. Not sure if I want a bottle because I have plenty of florals already, but I'm super glad I have an imp of this. (:

Purchased a bottle from the wonderful Morgstress! I've been dying to try this blend for ages, so I'm really excited I can finally do so. (: In the bottle: A little sweet, a little grassy, a teeeeny bit astringent, with something rich/deep lurking. Pretty nice but nothing I'm thrilled with. Let's see what it does on my skin. Wet: Oh my, this is a very soft blend. It's sweet and has this... this... organic quality???? It's like. I don't know. I'm a bit stumped as to how to describe it. I mean, simply calling it "grass" or "wheat" won't do because isn't quite grass or wheat. I mean, they're there but there's more to it that I can't ascribe to the other notes. Actually, it could be mallow because I've no idea what it smells like. There's also a quality that's like... oh boy, this is bizarre. It's not aquatic at all but it's like... I'm sniffing a shallow puddle? If that makes sense? It doesn't smell like a puddle, it's more of the sensation I'm getting when I sniff my wrist. Dry-down: Much of the same, though it's getting softer and that bizarre puddle sensation is fading a little (evaporating?). Dry: It's very, very soft. If I stick my nose right on my wrist it's a pleasantly powdery sweetness that's very yellow and a bit grassy, but if I hover over the area it's just this vague sort of perfume. Further on: Oh, hello honey! Nice of you to join us! The throw kicks up just a wee tiny bit to accommodate the honey but otherwise nothing much has changed. It's still super soft. So, uh, that was a crazy test run. I'm certainly baffled by that wet stage. I probably sound insane with that shallow water thing but man, I've never smelled anything like that before. It's like the perfume had this really crazy scent texture. I think I need to do more tests before I pass a verdict. [EDIT] I just noticed that I spilled a drop of oil on my shirt (my white work shirt ) but it smells pretty amazing! Sweet grass and hay and amber, mmmm. This would be perfect for a scent locket. Sorry skin, you and Hay Moon can't be roommates but you can be next door neighbors, ok?

Got an imp from a decant circle! The Shivering Boy is a blend I got precisely because the notes didn't wow me. I've found that the blends that work best on me are frimps that I would have never bought. So let's give this a go. In the imp this is a very aquatic blend, but aquatic in the bathroom and linens sense. On my skin, though, this blend goes in a completely different direction. I was expecting a cold scent, or at least a chilly scent, but this blend is ridiculously warm. Like snug under soft blankets in front of the fire warm. I don't know what this boy is shivering about, he seems pretty toasty to me! This blend has a rich, creamy sweetness to it that is rather fruity. I can picture the shivering boy wrapped in blankets and sitting at the hearth while indulging in a decadent dessert, haha. There's also a warm, woody sort of something, but usually I get a hard association with woods and this is soft. Actually, it could be resins. It's also... musky? Incensey? Sorry, this blend is really hard to describe since I'm not really familiar with ozone, labdanum, or benzoin. The longer it's on, the cooler it gets. It's like the fire is dying down and some of the blankets have been tossed away. Also, the dessert's been finished, though the smell of it is still lingering in the air. Everything else has calmed down quite a bit, too. Well, that was certainly one of the most unexpected scent adventures I've been on. I liked it when it was wet and drying down, but it got less enjoyable as it went. Not like it went bad, it just got really muted and a little bit artificial and I wanted it to continue smelling like an evening of fireside dessert-eating. I'm absolutely keeping the imp, but a bottle? Probably not.

Oh, Redoul Honey, how I completely, absolutely, irrevocably adore you. The first time I tested this blend I didn't have high hopes for it- I had tried Daphne Honey before and, not knowing what redoul was, thought this would be the same, namely a loud, screaming green sort of scent. But within seconds of it being on my skin it shot right into my top 3 BPALs blends. It's deliciously ripe berries dripping with juice and drizzled with honey. It's perfect sweetness with a mouth-watering tang. It's blue skies, white clouds, and afternoon sunshine. It's childhood nostalgia. It's wonderful. I'm so glad I got this as a frimp, because I don't think I would have ever tried it otherwise. I need a bottle of this, and soon! My imp is running out, haha.

Got this as a freebie in a decant circle order! In the imp it's bright and soft with a lovely, light sweetness but on my skin it morphs into something less innocent. At first sniff it's baby powder, which I actually rather love, but then there's something darker just under the surface that's floral, musky, and creamy all at once. Behind all that there's a heavily sweet something (honey? hard candies?? it's reminding me of another blend but I can't remember which- maybe Imp?) on the verge of becoming cloying but isn't quite stepping over the line. It's a very warm scent overall and I'm getting dark orange and red color associations. The longer I wear it, the more it brightens up. It's like those dark color associations were drapes covering a window and now they're finally being drawn open. Also, the maybe-it's-honey smell is a bit more subdued but it's at the forefront now with the powder and it feels like the two are fighting to overtake each other but they're trying to be polite about it and instead of punching or shoving each other they're having a gentle pushing match. If the musky, floral, creamy layer of the scent is still here, it's standing quietly behind the maybe-it's-honey and the powder, probably rolling its eyes at the fight it's witnessing. I have no idea what to make of this blend. I don't know if I actually like it or not overall. At least the notes all have personality! I don't think I'll get a bottle but I'll keep the imp for future tests. I definitely wanna wear this to a nightclub and see if anything happens.