Celenth

It's absolute Snow White on me both wet and dry, I'm getting pure and lovely snow with no sign of Alice. But snow notes, including Snow White, normally are very light on me and then vanish immediately, while this one is staying with a very good staying power and medium throw, so I'm quite happy. I can finally wear snow! I'm hoping that as it ages, some of that Alice honey and carnation will come through more, but I'm pleased enough to have a snow with staying power on me.

Wet: creamy, spicy, a bit of vanilla? It's a bit of a faint scent though. Dry: the scent amps up a bit - it's still not particularly powerful but it's much more present. The spice drops away, and it's become pretty much exactly the same as Antique Lace on me. Which is great! I love Antique Lace and hoard my half-empty bottle. It doesn't have the same slight linen note, and it's not as long-lasting or strong as AL, but other than that, it's eerily the same on me.

In the imp: like being punched in the face with CANDY CANES. Wet: super-strong, super-minty. It's dead-on candy cane, that harsh kind of peppermint. Dry: less overpowering, but still very present and that same mint. I like it and I may actually get a bottle. I tried Lick It Again years ago and while I loved the smell, I was disappointed that it vanished right away on me. So I decided to give this a shot and I am SO PLEASED that I did, I think a bottle may have to come home with me. While its strength and spread dies down quickly, I can still actually smell it 20+ minutes later and this gives me hope. It's definitely a harsher mint and very, very pepperminty but that's what I love about it!

This scent is one big ol' APPLE APPLE APPLE party on me. And I absolutely LOVE IT. It's got great staying power and throw on me, my skin loves it. It reminds me a bit of Les Bijoux, except... spicier. A lot more of the levels come out for me, and this was what made me put away my imps of Les Bijoux. Age has only improved it, adding to the spice and layers of it. The passionfruit and guava are there in a subtle way when it's dry, the carnation doesn't show up much for me. It's definitely a very sweet and happy scent, and it lasts through a pretty iphysically active and sweaty workday for me, when most scents don't. Love it!

So my skin hates foodie scents. HATES THEM. But there was no way that I wouldn't give this a try. Seriously, how can I resist that description? In the imp: Maple syrup with a bit of bread in the background. I am now hungry. Wet: Very sugary, very much getting the butter scent strong and the bread. It seemed to actually be really nice and tasty smelling while wet. Dry: ....And here's where it does that thing all foodie scents do on me. On the good side, it's a strong scent with a decent throw yet not overpowering. The bread and butter is the major factor here, it's got that butter scent that's definitely present in some of my Halloweenie scents. And that tends to go kind of rancid on me because it Totally Hates My Skin. Even later: Aaand it's mellowing more, the tea is finally apparent. And the mapley-sugary scent is definitely more apparent now, taking over the bread and butter. If I could stand myself through the earlier part of the drying, this would actually tempt me. Maybe. I guess foodie scents and me probably just aren't meant to be.

Just got an imp of this -- and when putting it away, realized I'd already had an imp that I totally forgot about right after I received it. In the imp: Wow. It's super citrusy and fun, grapefruit and nectarine and everything else. This just smells... exciting! Wet: There's a blast of something very... green. It's an undercurrent of grass that's actually pretty delightful, even though it's a note that normally isn't my thing. Still citrusy. A little bergamot/patchouliness. Dry: And now I'm bummed. The smell's even more delicious -- turning into something very grapefruity, very citrusy, with just soft hints of rose and a light patchouli dusting at the back of the scent. It's really nice, but it vanished from me so fast. A few minutes, and it's gone to nothing. I'd be getting a bottle of this SO FAST if my skin were more loving. Maybe I'll try a scent locket. Definitely hanging onto this imp to see if time helps either my skin chemistry or the staying power of the scent. It's a clean, fresh, very fun scent.

2008 Bottle: In the Bottle: While not particularly intense, it screams "ROSE!". Very much like walking into a flower shop. Wet: Intense burst of rose -- and not a soft rose. It's very floral, very fresh-cut rose. There's a weird, plasticy note next to it which makes me sad. Maybe my chemistry wasn't destined for it. Dry: The scent is slightly less intense, the plasticy note has gone away. Instead there's the faaaaintest hint of something almost... citrusy? Still a strong burst of rose, though, it's an almost "green" scent. Very much like an newly-bloomed organic rose I'd go find in my garden, except on scent-steroids. Summary: Not really my thing. While it isn't overly strong in terms of being noticeable (people seem to only notice it when pretty close by me), it's an intense punch o' flower when you're next to it. While I do love rose scents, I tend to end up with ones like Moon Rose that have something mellowing it out. If you're into rose, this is a really intense, fresh-cut scent, none-but-the-rose scent. Much more invigorating and lively than a lot of the softer rose scents.

In the bottle: Pure absolute candy cane awesomeness. Wet: Almost identical to the bottle, it's a force of candy cane power and hardcore mint against me, with faint hints of vanilla and sugar. It's strong. Drydown: After about a minute, it turns a LOT more subtle. The mint dies away a bit and the vanilla-sugar becomes a bit more present. For the first twenty minutes, the candy cane seemed almost stale... there was a bitter minty tone that was just kind of odd. But then it smooths out, and it's this perfect light peppermint with sweet vanilla-ishness on the side. Like a minty Antique Lace. Absolutely gorgeous, but its throw DIES on me completely, before even half an hour's up I'm practically shoving my wrist up my nose. I wish it could be stronger, but it's still darn pretty!

In the imp: Hello, lime. There's green tea in there, too. Mmm. It's just tasty. Wet: CITRUS!! This is lime, lime, and more lime -- hints of green tea and mint are definitely in the background, but it reminds me of those lime hard candies from when I was a kid. It's very refreshing and almost tasty. A very 'green' scent with a tiny aquatic note. It's a pretty light scent, though, not the throw I was hoping -- but I do feel absolutely refreshed while wearing it. Drydown: Still a very light throw. The tea and mint are becoming more prominent. 10 minutes later...: Aaaaaaand, out of nowhere, I suddenly smell exactly like a dryer sheet. Seriously. Identical. I pulled one out and checked it against my wrist. Damn. I like smelling clean, but not THAT clean. Hopefully the dryer sheet effect is just a hormone thing, I'll give F5 another shot in a week. It's lovely, I'm not normally a citrus or lime kind of gal, but this is absolutely fabulous before it turns wonky.

In the imp: Cotton candy and a tiiiiny bit of incense, flowers. Wet: Oh my god, it's cotton candy. Pure cotton candy on my skin, absolutely delicious. Drydown: The cotton candy fades after a minute or two, the strong scent of nag champa arises. It's definitely sugared incense, it's very sweet and gentle. Great, strong throw to it, and it lasts several hours. It's a lot more 'feminine' and playful than a lot of the other incense scents, which makes it absolutely wonderful and wearable for me. I don't get any floral out of it, but the mix of sweetness and nag champa is just divine.

In the imp: Musk and tea. Wet: Citrus and tea! Lots of citrus. Reading these reviews made me expect something like Dorian (which I love) but on me this bears absolutely no resemblence. It's very light, powerful, and smooth. It's absolutely gorgeous, though it's certainly very 'cologne'. Drydown: Good throw, but it's vanishing pretty fast. The citrus is still the dominant note on me with the musk really making it a bit sexier and smoother and hints of tea in the background. No vanilla on me. It's really beautiful, but it's also very masculine. I think this is probably the most interesting and gorgeous of the CDs I've tried so far. It's light and sophisticated, very much a 'gentleman' kind of scent. Alas, it IS very manly... I love a lot of masculine and unisex scents but I think this one is just too much man for me to handle. I'll give it another try tomorrow because I would looove for this to fit me. However, I think I may just have to find myself a man and slather him in this. I would definitely pounce my guy if he had this on. Oh, the sacrifices that must be made for BPAL!

In the imp: Lucious chocolate. Rich and creamy -- this is quite tasty. Lots of hazelnut hidden in it, too. Wet: My skin HATES chocolate scents, so I'm gonna pray this works... aaaand, I'm blasted by hazelnut. And brief moments of something like baking chocolate. Drydown: Burn plastic and overpowering hazelnut with faint hints of soap and chocolate. Damn. I know my skin hates every chocolate scent ever, but I had hope that this was different. Ugh. I think I'll go scent locket with this one, it's divine in the imp. Not sure if I'll get a big bottle, I'll use my decant in a locket and keep desperately trying it on my skin to see what happens. Man. On the upside, this is probably pretty darn nice on people with skin that's receptive to chocolate.

In the imp: Sweet, vanilla-y, a touch of amber. The love child of Dorian and Alice. On the skin: While wet, there's a note that I can only guess is the sweet pea, because it ain't vanilla or amber -- this is very cloying and sweet and delicate in a lot of ways. As it dried, the hints of vanilla and sandalwood became apparent just below the sweet pea and amber. It's a very pretty scent, very fresh and feminine. 'Sweet' is really the only adjective I can give it since it's not quite floral, not quite foody on me. The throw is pretty light, alas. It's nice. Not 'OMG WOW' kind of nice, but I'll definitely feel a little prettier today wearing this.

In the imp: Strong, bitter floral with an almost medicinal note. Wet: All floral. The ylang ylang and violet are predominant, it's a very strong and sophisticated floral. Drydown: The floral dies down after a few seconds and it becomes something very interesting and very complicated. The grave loam and hyssop show up -- I was worried about them since 'earthy' scents are normally me, but they're very balancing in this scent. It becomes a not-floral floral, if that makes sense. The violet and ylang ylang are there, certainly, but the grave loam gives it an undertone that takes away the sweetness and leaves it feeling very neutral. It's a tiny bit powdery. It feels sophisticated in some ways, but it also just feels... old. Like, aging and faded victorian lace in a crumbling sitting room from the 18th century, if that makes any sense. I feel like this scent is a bit 'old' for me. I'm not sure I really like it, but I can't stop sniffing my wrist because there IS something complex and really interesting about it. I won't buy a big bottle, but I think there'll be days where I wake up and wear this. There's something about it that seems appropriate for a rainy, dreary sort of day to be spent reading. It's interesting, certainly.

In the imp: Apple with hints of peach. Wet: Lots and lots of fruit! The apple and peach are still goin' strong. Drydown: The apple and peach fade and it becomes much more complicated and balanced. It's a very fresh, fruit scent. I can't pick up the orange blossom or myrrh at all. It's just a delicate balance of apple and peach, with tiny touches of floral. The honey and the musk are definitely there in the background, they give it a slightly sexy undertone. It's just a very pretty scent, it's very crisp... I feel like I'm biting into a sweet, perfect apple. The throw isn't great on this, which kinda bums me out because I'd love the world to smell this on me. I'm gonna give it a few more tries before I decide if I'm gonna get a big bottle (since throw varies a LOT with me due to crazy chemistry) but I am so absolutely using every bit of this imp.

I've been having a rough time lately with anxiety and depression, and I've started getting headaches and nausea from the anxiety. So I decided to get out the White Light -- I've had a decant for months but I've never tried it. Did a brief ritual with it and... wow. Scentwise, my whack skin chemistry means that I don't get much floral. I got a floral-eucalyptus mix when I first put it on, that dried into a gorgeous herbal-incense-resin mix that was very sandalwood-y and frankincense-y. It cheered me up greatly, the scent immediately reminding me of the heady incense of my local pagan group. The effect was amazing. Immediately, annointing myself and the candle, I felt the tension drain out of me. I relaxed a LOT and the headache and nausea vanished quickly. I feel a lot stronger and more comfortable going into today.

Inspired by and created for my beloved Tedwin: my eternal, beautiful, wicked Dorian Gray. Refined, elegant, and lovely, with a noble bearing and seemingly gentle air. This blend is an artful deception: a sweet gilded blossom lying over a twisted and corrupted core. A Victorian fougere with three pale musks and dark, sugared vanilla tea. In the imp: Musk and tea and a touch of vanilla. Wet: MUSK! The second I put it on, it's a very strong wave of musk and vanilla. Drydown: the hardcore musk tones down after 2-3 minutes and the tea becomes apparent. I don't get any of the lemon that others get. It's a perfect balance between a sensual and strong musk, sugary vanilla, and very delicate black tea. It feels very gender-neutral to me, I can't even describe how gorgeous it is. I love it on me, it makes me feel very womanly, yet I also feel like I should be sneaking around and slathering it on unsuspecting men. The throw on this is crazy, it's VERY strong for two hours on me. After that, it tones down and turns into primarily the tea, sweetened with sugar and vanilla. Five hours after application, I still get occasional, delicate whiffs of it. I've gotten plenty of compliments with this, it's fabulous and sophisticated, with a touch of sensuality and something just plain dirty. Definitely the sort of 'librarian with a secret wild-side' kind of thing.

In the imp: orange that's well-balanced with spice. Wet: there's a blast of patchouli, I guess, when I put it on -- spicy, warm, and immediately gone. Suddenly my wrist smells exactly like an orange peel, but with a bit of an edge. Dry: orange blossom is primary, it's all orange-orange-orange with a subtle spice to it that grows as it dries. The patchouli is really interesting underneath the orange, it's kind of sexy and noticeable. It has good throw, but it fades pretty darn fast. It's nice, and while I don't think I'll buy a big bottle, I'll use the imp. It's very summer-y (which is nice) but it just makes me feel a little bit like a slutty orange popsicle.

Wow. I got my hands on a decant of Lionheart awhile back, but I didn't have the need to try it until today. Now? I think I'm gonna have to buy myself a whole dang bottle because there'll certainly be instances where I'll want to use it. Scent-wise, it's absolutely lovely. Very lavender, a sweet and light floral scent that has a strong throw and lasting power. It's incredibly warm and soothing, with a powder-like tinge to it. Its scent had an immediate calming effect on me -- and man, it can be smelled several inches away from the vial! Potent stuff. Between depression and insomnia, I've had a problem with my mind being cluttered up with thoughts. Meditation's been impossible for me, but sitting down and annointing myself with Lionheart immediately made me feel cleansed and focused my thoughts -- I was able to brush aside all the nagging doubts and dark images in my head and focus clearly on the tasks I had ahead. Everything just became CLEARER. I normally do poorly in certain social situations. After my brief ritual with it, however, I was able to deal with people that normally send me into an absolute panic without any hesitation and set a few things in my life on a better track. Heck, I had the bravery to set up an appointment with someone without even batting an eyelash. I felt so much better, this was ABSOLUTELY effective and potent. It let me sort things out and start to deal with them them head-on, rather than letting them continue to fester and focusing on what I cannot change. There's just a strength to using it that is WONDERFUL. Next time, however, I need to remember to use a little less with it... While I know I'm confident, I think everyone in a twenty-foot radius could smell that, too. It DID give my mild skin irritation/freakish burning in a spot or two. Didn't affect me anywhere else I put it, though, but I figured I'd put a word of possible warning.

In the vial, it smells absolutely and perfectly like a rose -- no surprises. Putting it on however... Wow. Wet, it has a very crisp, floral scent. Just rose, nothing more and nothing less. Drying down, it mellows out into a gorgeous rose... visions of white and red roses under moonlight jump into my mind. This is definitely a very 'wet' sort of rose, it just FEELS dewy and soft, like springtime roses. I was very impressed with this scent. When I first put it on, I felt somewhat ambivalent about it because it just seemed like plain rose, nothing more. But as the day went on, I was just so absolutely happy about this scent, my appreciation of it grew with the sweet floral perfection that it maintains. It really IS the rose scent to me, it's far better at capturing it than any other rose scent I've tried. I feel like this is a perfect fit for me. My one surprise was its staying power. I slathered it on, expecting that (like most florals I enjoy) it would die down -- for awhile, it seemed to. Then about an hour in, I suddenly kept SMELLING it. I wore it to work at an outdoor theatre company, where I was ridiculously dirty and sweaty all day, and it worked perfectly there and it really stayed. Most oils (with a few exceptions) die under the sweat and the grime, but I was getting sweet, sweet whiffs of Moon Rose for seven hours or so. It started out really light, almost disappearing on me, before coming out in total force about an hour after application. I will DEFINITELY be getting a big bottle of this in my next order. I think this one will get a lot of use for me.

I decided to give Charisma a shot for my first day at work -- I'm extremely nervous around new people and tend to babble, I figured that the combination of meeting new people plus the presence of a man I'm extremely attracted to would make me absolutely terrified. Charisma's got a strong smell, plenty of throw -- very herbal and incense-y, somewhat sharp. It's got a very warm scent and the moment I dabbed it on my chakras, I felt ready to conquer the world. Unfortunately, the feeling I had didn't match the response of those around me -- the ritual I did with it certainly fizzled well, there was no effect in the people around me. Heck, some people I'm familiar with were suddenly far RUDER to me than normal. I think maybe my uncertainty during the ritual affected it (it's not exactly the type of spellwork I usually do), I think I'll give it another shot and see if I'll have better luck!

In the imp: This is STRONG. Complex, a little soapy or like nice shampoo -- there's definitely a lot of sweet, floral notes to it. Smelling it for more than a few seconds almost makes me sick, though. Wet: Man, this is a sweet floral. The amber's pretty clear in it, but there's almost candy-like sweetness on top of it. It seems like something sharp in it, almost like mint, but a bit more floral and citrus-y. Drydown: There's a grass quality that has really come out of it, the scent has toned down a lot. It's sweetly complex, like there's an almost herbal grass layered with amber and very sweet and sugary flowers. There's the faintest aquatic note and something that seems like... damp, sweet earth? Definitely that. The throw was nice, but it vanished very quickly on me, just like Pele. It just left behind the barest hint of grass and lillies on me. I won't buy a big bottle of this, but I think I'll definitely use the imp every now and then.

In the imp: Spicy, a bit sharp (the carnation, maybe?) with a kind of sickly sugary note to it. It kind of scared me. Wet on skin: Still a spicy, sharp floral note to it, but the honey is starting to become pronounced. It's a very strong scent -- a little nauseating, the floral's a little TOO sharp. Drydown: Wow. Okay, this is now absolutely gorgeous. The sharpness has COMPLETELY vanished, the scent has settled down into a very, very milk-and-honey cloud. The honey is really dominant on me, it took me a moment to really be able to smell beyond it -- but it's beautiful, mellow and sweet. Very innocent, definitely. Gentle. Makes me want to go out and by floaty pastel skirts. The milk is definitely there, it's a nice sugar-sweet note to give depth to the honey, and the floral is just barely there in the background. Very powdery, it's a really clean scent. Six hours later: I still smell like it. Wow. This doesn't have a lot of throw, but it is certainly keeping a lovely, subtle scent to me. The honey was pretty-but-dominant most of the time, but after a few hours it settled down a lot to a really sweet, gorgeous mixture of milk and honey. Just divine. I've never been innocent and dainty, but I love how this makes me feel. The powdery cleanness of it is wonderful. I feel warm and like I want to play in the sunshine. I had a terrible day, but getting a whiff of Alice every now and then raised my spirits immediately. I think I may have to get a 5mL of this, I can't see that imp lasting too long!