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Beth is sooooo good with roses!

Kurukulla is indeed a wet, light rose. It's not cloying in the least, and the liquid tones of the lotus make this fresh and gently sweet. If the description hadn't had lotus listed, I would have pegged this blend as having pear, it has such a juicy, fruity tone.

While it's a clear and fresh scent, I don't think I'd call Kurukulla a spring-time scent, in spite of the roses and lotus. It's elegant and lovely enough to wear any time, and for any occasion.

Since I usually read scent descriptions for notes that do or don't work with my chemistry before making a purchase, I'm delighted the Lab threw this imp into my order. The lack of description usually moves a scent towards the bottom of my to-try list, and that would have been a shame.

I know the notes in Ahathoor, I really do. They just blend together so beautifully that they're very hard to pick out, and I feel like a heel for not being able to better discern them. Since I can't resist trying to figure them out, I'm going to peg the light, almost delicate wood note as balsam. It's hard to tell with the Egyptian Amber, which delights my nose but always confuses it - it has such a sweet, liquid quality to it, and the balsam is dry without being dusty to me. There might even be just a drop of heliotrope in this Ahathoor, because it has that sunny citrus velvety tone that I associate with heliotrope. The idea of Kyphi incense flickers across my nose every now and again, too, but it's also something that I think would have to be one of the minor components, if it's even there at all.

Ahathoor is symbolic of noontime sun, but it feels very much like summer to me, for some reason. It's a very striking and warming scent, but not because it's warm in and of itself.

I haven't decided on a bottle of this, but only because I already have a giant bottle of Tarot: The Sun that I adore. I'm going to go through the imp and see what I decide about this decidedly wonderful scent.

I love lavender and tobacco individually, so I thought I'd be delighted with Gaueko the moment I opened the imp. It took me two tries to warm up to it, though, and I'm still not sure it's a scent I'd purchase.

Maybe it's because the lavender never really smells like lavender to me. Gaueko is a blend from the moment you open it, and I had in my head that the lavender would be loud and clear, as it tends to be in most fragrances. It was definitely interwoven with the sandalwood, though, and seemed a bit "off" because of it.

After about three minutes, Gaueko doesn't smell like lavender at all. It smells like absolutely wonderful incense has been lit and is combined with pipe tobacco wafting through the air. It's not masculine so much as it has a manly sort of strength, with just a sparkle of light and freshness created by the lavender I was looking for earlier. The nag champa really centers and propels this blend through its stages, and it's got a warmth and fullness to it that's surprisingly sexual.

I've been into heavier scents lately, probably to warm my scent receptors in this cold weather, and I'm still considering Gaueko to fill that niche. The scent smells wonderful on my fella, but when I put it on, the lavender takes a faintly feminine twist that doesn't come out on him and appeals to me.

We got an imp of Grog in our last order from the Lab, and I opened it for a sniff before all the others.

Oh, this is fabulous! Edible in it's coconut rum splendour, it's got a distinct "booziness" to it, which I absolutely love. I wouldn't wear it out when I expected heavy traffic monitoring by the highway patrol, because I have no doubt I'd be walking the yellow line having my breath tested - it's very authentic in its alcohol note.

I love butterscotch, but rarely enjoy butterscotch-like scents, as they smell very artificial and overly sweet to me. Grog isn't like that at all - it's creamy, coconutty, and just what I'd want in a shot glass.

I was surprised when Matt turned up his nose at this one, but I've no doubt he'll love it, in time. He'd better, anyhow ... this is a definite purchase for me!

That melange of scent that comes from a bag of assorted hard candies in the fruit flavors? Akuma!

From reviews, I expected this to be sticky-sweet, but it's not. It's more like squeezing fresh fruits, or if you were dropping these three into a blender for a fruit smoothie. Very bright and very clear, without a hint of artificiality.

While I'll probably save it for spring or summer, I'm putting a bottle of Akuma on my "buy a bottle of this when you have some extra money and nothing left on your can't-live-without" list. The softness of sherbert without the cloying sweetness is absolutely wonderful.

Dracul didn't originally sound all that appealing to me, because the description includes cloves, which I usually can't abide.

The imp I got from the Lab was a very pleasant surprise, with fir and balsam - which I love dearly - right on top. Mingled with the warmth of tobacco leaf and what I pegged as red musk because of the fruity touch, it's sexy and much lighter than I expected. Perhaps the orange blossom has more of a citrus note than a floral one this time around, because Dracul has a decidedly citrus quality on me.

While I never detect the mint in this blend, I also don't get the cloves. It seems that they must be just a tiny part of the recipe, and I'm delighted, because it means that I'll be purchasing a bottle. Dracul has wonderful staying power, and it's never overwhelming; it did, however, result in three people who were within a foot of me to ask what wonderful perfume I was wearing. It definitely has an edible, but not foody, quality to it.

I'm surprised at my impression of Harlot, because it wasn't what I'd expected to get out of three roses and a touch of cinnamon.

First applied, Harlot is straight roses. Gorgeous, full-bloomed, overblown roses - complete with leaves and broken stems, like in Tarot: The Empress. In about 15 seconds, though, I get that fabulous indescribable powdery note that I so love in Unseelie. Absolute elegance, let me tell you - Unseelie dribbling off of rose petals!

While the Unseelie note was the big surprise, and a delightful one, at that ... I'd forgotten about the cinnamon. When it started to peek through, I was surprised again at how well it worked with the other components of Harlot, and I was even more surprised that it didn't take off at a gallop and overwhelm the rest of the fragrance. It truly must be just a dribble, because it's such a "just peeking in for a moment" note in this scent.

I like Harlot. In fact, I like Harlot a lot. I think, though, that I like Harlot because of the similarity to Unseelie, and that it might be better suited to my rose-loving mother. If I purchase a bottle it will be for her, and I'll stick to my beloved Unseelie - but don't let that keep you from trying what's another of Beth's amazing rose creations!

Succulent pineapple mellows into a soft, smooth flushed-skin scent. I don't usually do well with the musk scents, so I'm not the best at identifying them; I'd only venture a guess that there might be some red musk in this, which to me seems fruity and sweet in its warmth.

This wasn't anything like I was expecting, and I had Black Annis in mind as a similar scent, so I put off testing this one way too long. I'm really looking forward to the official scent description, because I don't think I'm close on any of the notes other than the pineapple.

I'd certainly consider a bottle of Baba Yaga, but I think I'll keep trying out the imp to make up my mind.

I think LaLisa may have been right - fennel smells likely as that mystery note under the waves of gorgeous lavender in Baku.

I'm a huge lavender fan, and while I can understand that it likely seems astringent to some, I have to tell you that Beth uses one of the mellowest, smoothest, most round lavenders around. Too often lavender products are painfully bitter, sharp, and acrid, while this one (as well as the single note of French Lavender) is beautifully done.

I've always thought of lavender as a cleansing scent, and since I need to cleanse my mind of all the thoughts jumbled up in it if I'm going to get any sleep, it always seems a natural to me for calm, clear, untroubled slumber. I can see how Baku would put me to sleep and keep my mind clear of anything that might cause a nightmare.

I'd put this one off for a while, thinking it would be sweet and ... well, young. Young as in something I'd put on my three-year old, who loves scents almost as much as I do.

Lolita is absolutely vibrant and smooth - like a drop of champagne spilled on velvet. While the lemon verbena is a big part of the flowery citrus quality, it's got that rich, furry, decadent heliotrope note supporting it and weaving in and out. I love the orange blossom in here, too - one of my favorite white florals, because it's kind and gentle and not overblown, which many of the white flowers seem to me.

All in all, the notes blend beautifully, and this is the kind of scent I can see worn at a wedding or for some elegant spring or summer event. It's fresh without being "clean" and "breezy", if that makes sense, and to me, it's a beautiful rendering of womanly warmth and soft skin.

Not the longest-lasting of Beth's amazing scents, but definitely one I'll be ordering a bottle of - and not for my little girl.

As soon as I sniffed the imp of Neo-Tokyo that the Lab sent with an order, I had to order a bottle. The soft, sweet grassy note of the bamboo - more leaves than stem for me - and the crisp, clear, dew-laden blossom that gives this a transparent sparkling feel are an amazing combination.

While I wish it lasted a bit longer, that's just the way it is with some of the lighter notes out there. Dry down has me thinking of elegant, expensive designer guest soaps that are so good they don't smell like soap.

I have an instant picture of Neo-Tokyo as the perfect scent for a formal evening in the springtime, and I think it wil be a good fit for crisp, cold, snow-laden days that almost seem to have no scent of their own.

I've gotten backlogged on reviews to write, and Magdalene happened to be the one I grabbed today. It wasn't one that interested me much originally, and I think I had it in my head that this would smell like Ave Maria Gratia Plena, for some unknown reason.

That was my mistake, because, no pun intended, this is divine.

Out of the vial, Magdalene still didn't hold much appeal for me. I try all of Beth's scents, though, and thank goodness I did. The second this went on, I had a delicate cloud of orchid to revel in, with the rose and labdanum combining to make an almost tea-like base. In fact, I feel like I'm floating in a cup of Orchid Oolong combined with Snow Rose from The Republic of Tea - and that's a very good thing.

It takes a few minutes for the rose to really come forward, and when it does, the orchid is still around. I'm so impressed with how the base of this scent changes when it does that; same three notes, completely different result. It has much less sweetness than Regan, but doesn't lose the orchid's strength of character that's so well-displayed there.

Magdalene is wistful, but not in a sad way. More of the smile you get when remembering something wonderful that you've accepted isn't possible anymore - like flipping through my daughter's baby album, then having her come running up to me to tell me she loves me and knowing it will never be like that album again, without detracting from the beauty of the moment.

Flowing, delicate, and soft without being wispy, Magdalene is beautiful. It's ripe and lush and completely feminine, and it's a stunning representation of those moments when I feel absolutely complete and like I have full knowledge of the facets of being a woman.

Other reviewers mentioned spice cookies, which isn't something I'm terribly fond of. I put off trying Laudanum because of those, which turned out to be my loss.

The nutmeg is really blatant when I first put this on. Within a few minutes, though, the sassafrass starts to come out, and I get an interesting root beer and nutmeg blend. It's definitely medicinal, but in an herbal/home remedy sort of way.

Laudanum turned out soft and soothing with a bit of wear, and although it had only moderate staying power, it really was something of a soporific. Oddly enough, it reminds me of the cabinet in my kitchen with all the baking spices, and it's a gentle, almost delicate scent.

I have to admit I was tempted by the three in ones, but I settled on getting the Spiced Apples 3 in 1 big bottle as it layers PERFECTLY with Samhain (old one at least, not tried 04 version yet).

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It *does* go well with Samhain, and the Hesperides, too!

Something about the Pumpkin Pie made my toes curl up, and not in a good way, so I gave it to a friend. I tried it with Jack and with Gluttony, and neither one seemed to work for me.

You'll laugh, but I did exactly the same thing - I picked up a 3-in-1 in Spiced Cider and Eggnog, plus Gingerbread Man, hoping they'd complement Beth's LEs. Drugstore.com had a great special that included a tub of the Gingerbread Souffle with purchase (they typically have great freebies on Philosophy orders, among other things).

Gingerbread Man is definitely citrusy. Beth's Gingerbread Poppet is so rich, so true, that I have a feeling you'll be as disappointed as I was when you compare the two. They smell ... well, nothing alike. The Lab has baking gingerbread down perfectly.

I like the Eggnog, but imagine it will seem watery and weak next to Beth's version. Between the concentration of scent you get in oils and Beth's knack for making every scent its lushest and most vibrant, that's my standard response with mass-produced bath and body products these days. I imagine I'll layer with it anyhow, as long as it doesn't conflict with Beth's scent; the 3-in-1s do good things for my dry skin.

It was worth the try, though!

We got two bottles of Chaos Theory, rather than share, and from the beginning, they've been chaotic!

Picking up the package at the post office, we opened the pull-tag on the priority mail box so we could breathe in that Lab-melange smell in the car, and while I ran into Kinko's to pick up a fax, Matt started digging through the packing peanuts to see what he could read through the bubble wrap. When we got home and started unwrapping the other bottles and digging through the packing, we had cards for Chaos Theory bottles IV and VIII, but only bottle VIII. 15 minutes of digging around in the box and car later, bottle IV reappeared.

After sniffing the two scents, we both wanted IV as our own, and nearly got into an argument over the concept of sharing it. Then, when I went upstairs to put the new bottles on the shelf, half of the bottles on the tray slid into the floor when I put VIII in the collection. Chaos at work!

As for the scents themselves, VIII is an interesting blend of cinnamon with a distinct floral tone and the tiniest bit of amber and sugar sweetness. While it dries down to a fairly gentle warmth, it spends most of its time smelling like Christmas potpourri; in fact, that was Matt's first comment as he wrinkled up his nose. It's definitely more likely to end up in an oil burner around here.

IV, though, was another story. Faintly aquatic, sweet, and only vaguely floral, it makes me think of a lighter, lusher version of some Angel-type oil thrown in as an extra in a swap one time. It's not the kind of scent I'd usually appreciate, but it's compelling in its near-edible quality - and by that, I mean that it doesn't smell like food, but that you want to breathe it in and taste it on the tip of your tongue like champagne.

We're not using either of the Chaos Theory scents any time soon. Our exes have put so much chaos into our lives in the last month that we don't want to encourage any more, and are already liberally covering ourselves with Aunt Caroline's Joy Mojo and Block Buster, instead. Once things calm down, though, I can't wait to use Chaos Theory IV and to go back and try Chaos Theory VIII again to re-test my initial impression.

Previous review of IV posted by Lorencita.

Okay - new round of questions from Beth for the custom scent!!

In general, these questions are followed by, "Why?" and "Explain how it makes you feel ..." In other words, elaborate on what's an otherwise simple question.

a) shower, using unscented or VERY lightly scented product; sniff your skin and give your impressions of your natural scent

b ) favorite colors

c) color schemes in your home

d) type/style/texture of clothes you prefer, for all seasons

e) Historic time period or figure you're drawn to

f) television, cinematic, or literary character you relate to?

g) what's dominant in your personality - "one word someone might use when first meeting you" sort of thing ... and do you like it, or try to downplay it?

h) e-mail a picture from a wonderful, perfect moment in your life

I'm only halfway through these - knowing what you like is one thing, explaining with some small degree of coherency WHY you like them is another thing.

I'm a little late getting here, but you might try this thread for some other ideas for interview scents.

If you don't find what you need, you can always throw a little more info at us and we can give you some more specific ideas.

Best of luck with the interviews; you'll do great!

Argh! I've been Buffy-ing the last couple of days, as my skin has been ridiculously dry, but it's sucking up my BPALs and taking them over.

Tamora disappeared in three hours, Queen of Hearts went even faster, and <gets goosebumps over the horror of this one> ... OLD MOROCCO TURNED INTO A BALE OF HAY!

I do give Old Morocco credit for making it half a day, in spite of smelling distinctly like last season's hay, stacked in a barn that had the doors closed in 100* weather.

I am dismayed and appalled that Buffy can do this to my scents, but need the wax-like moisturizing power too much to stop using it. Any suggestions for something that works WITH Buffy, not something EATEN by Buffy? You guys LUSH it up more than I do, so I'd be grateful for compatible scents.

I've had a custom scent on order for a while now, and had been waiting for Beth's life to slow down a little so we could do this in an atmosphere that was good for both of us.

She e-mailed me the other day, asking for some basic information about what I like and dislike, what kind of places or things in nature I like, a bit about my body chemistry, and personal information in order to do my chart and a reading. After she gets a chance to sit down and take care of those things, she said she'd e-mail me with the more in-depth stuff.

I'll keep you posted as it comes along - I'm sooooo excited! <---- closest I could get to a happy dance!

Honeysuckle, then jasmine, then back to the honeysuckle - Old New Orleans is all about these two flowers, and it's interesting to see how the jasmine took a back seat to the bright sweetness of honeysuckle. In many scents, it comes straight to the front and stays there, so this was a pleasant surprise.

I never end up with a spice note from this. I have pure, lovely honeysuckle that gets a crisp sparkle from lemon rind, and the jasmine, while still around, does more of a supporting role here - it stays underneath the scent and really supports the honeysuckle on its shoulders, providing a warm, wet, languid base for Old New Orleans.

I can't decide if I like this one or not. There's just enough jasmine, which I don't usually care for, to make me indecisive about this big, lush bouquet of moist blooms in full flower for full bottle. The imp will likely get used up as I make my decision, though.

Seems like anise must not like my skin, as it took off running in Old Kyoto and became almost overpowering within 15 minutes.

This starts out so well, though - it's a shame I'm not going to be able to wear it. The cherry bloosom and white sandalwood were gorgeous together, as the white sandalwood seems to be so much less heavy and sharp than red sandalwood; it never overpowered the cherry blossom's light, sweet flower. For the first 2 minutes or so, the anise is even nice - it's got a beautiful rust-tone that gives Old Kyoto real dignity and quiet strength.

The peppery-sweet tones of violet are really smoothed and rounded out with the gardenia in Le Serpent Qui Danse. While the vanilla was a definite latecomer to the mix when I wore this, it's there, and it's smoky and rich when it does arrive.

I'd swapped away my bottle of Veil the other day, as it just seemed sharper and sharper, ultra-peppery violet each time I wore it lately. Le Serpent Qui Danse, though, has the soft, velvety tone Veil had when I went through my first 5 ml. bottle, and I love the sexy edge the vanilla's smokiness adds here.

I'm really considering a 5 ml. of this.

I think Beth must have made this like the martini that simply toasts the bottle of vermouth - the ylang-ylang is so faint it's almost invisible. Because I have issues with ylang-ylang (particularly headaches), I was really delighted about this!

Sweet, soft, and true rose; I agree with other reviewers that the ylang-ylang seems to be intensifying the rose's sweetness rather than contributing its own scent. These are pale roses, too - light and fresh and sweet, without the lushness of red roses or the crispness of tea roses - more like pastel pink or white roses, to me.

I'm going to get a bottle of this for my mother, as I think it might fill in for the Rose Red she loves so, and that I just can't get my hands on any more of. It doesn't have the same clarity or intensity that Rose Red does, but it dried down on me to a true, true rose, which is what she's been looking for over the last several years.

I've got ambergris and patchouli wafting off of me, with maybe a drop of heliotrope, sweetening this up as it warms. There's a hint of fruity floral in here, too - perhaps orchid? The patchouli really fades into the background in a couple of minutes, but it's an anchor for Van Van in all its stages of wear.

Not bad, but I don't think it's something I'd wear everyday; this is clean in a soft, new baby purity sort of way, and makes me feel like I've got a fresh start to the world around me.