doomsday_disco

In the bottle: Mostly the whiskey-laden buttercream, but I can smell the cake and the cider as well. Wet: I am getting more cake than I did in the bottle, and more of the hard apple cider as well (which is spiced, but not heavily spiced). The cider note is becoming more prominent as this sits on my skin, as well as the buttercream note (which is definitely whiskey-laden). Dry: Delicious sponge cake, a much softer, lightly spiced cider note, and buttercream. The whiskey-laden buttercream note reminds me a bit of Captain Lilith and Her First Mate. Verdict: I love cider, and I love cake! I am glad that I bought a bottle of this!

2014 version. In the decant: Exactly what it says on the tin: cocoa powder and golden amber. The cocoa note is more prominent, and the amber makes the scent even dustier smelling. Wet: I am getting both notes, but the amber is a lot stronger on my skin than it was in the imp. The dry cocoa note starts taking on a creamier chocolate scent after sitting on my skin for a while. Dry: Dry, golden amber and creamy cocoa. Verdict: I like this. However, I have other chocolate scents (and other scents with amber) that I enjoy more. I will keep my decant, but I don't need a bottle of this one.

2014 version. In the bottle: Sweet and minty with an almost dryer sheet like powderiness. This is different than the other snow notes I have encountered thus far. Wet: The same, but with a more prominent mint note that I believe may be spearmint. There is also a somewhat aquatic vibe to this scent now, but it remains powdery. Dry: Sweet, powdery snow. The scent is sweeter than it was during the wet stage. It kind of reminds me of making snowcream when I was a child. I prefer this stage of the scent. Verdict: I almost bought a blind bottle of this, but I am glad that I didn't and went with a low partial instead (because I am not particularly fond of spearmint). I will keep my partial, but I don't need a whole bottle.

In the decant: Eucalyptus, grapefruit, a creamy floral, and mint. Wet: Grapefruit, eucalyptus, mint, for the most part. Then, what I believe is the davana emerges, followed by the iris. It is sweet and doesn't really make me think of piercing cold at all. The eucalyptus, mint, and grapefruit are still present, though. Dry: Minty, floral, and citrus-y. (So descriptive, I know!) Verdict: I expected this one to be colder since it is the scent for fear of extreme cold. It's not bad, but it doesn't really grab me.

2014 version. In the decant: This one is very dark. The clove is very strong, but the pitch is really strong as well. Wet: The clove dominantes, followed by the pitch, and then the pine itself. It is very masculine, and it has a smoky quality to it. I am getting more of the Terebinth Pine the longer this sits on my skin. It starts to become less smoky and dark as the Terebinth Pine becomes more prominent. Dry: Clove dominant, but the scent is a lot softer and smoother than it was during the wet stage. Verdict: I almost bought a blind bottle of this one, but I decided to go with a decant instead. I am glad that I did. I wasn't particularly fond of the first part of the wet stage, which was too masculine for me, and reminded me a bit of a campfire. I like the dry phase, but I don't want to endure the wet stage of this scent to get to it. I will give my decant to the boy, though. I bet he would love this.

In the decant: The pine pitch jumps out to me, as well as the opoponax and tobacco notes. Wet: Not nearly as dark as I thought it would be when my decant first arrived. (I let it settle for a few days prior to testing it.) I smell tree, opoponax, and tobacco. I believe it is the opoponax that adds a bit of sweetness to this scent. Dry: The opoponax really stands out to my nose. The tree notes are still present (it is hard to pick them out individually), and the tobacco is more prominent now, lending a smokiness to the scent. Verdict: I like the smell of trees, but I guess I don't really care to smell like them. I would prefer this one as a room scent.

In the imp: Boozy chocolate buttercream! This is one of those cupcakes that is buried under a pile of frosting as big as the cupcake itself. Wet: The frosting note dominates, and it almost smells like hard toffee-flavored candies at first before the chocolate note becomes more prominent. This really does smell like a chocolate cupcake slathered in dark chocolate frosting. I was worried about the stout component of this scent, but I am not really getting much of it at this point. There is just a hint of it. Dry: On my forearm, I mostly get chocolate powder, but in the crook of my elbow, I smell the remains of a chocolate cupcake. The scent is a lot softer and smoother now. There is a creaminess to it. Most of the cupcake is gone, but a glob of chocolate frosting remains on the plate graced by the presence of a few crumbs. Verdict: I really, really like this one. I ordered a half decant of it, but I don't think that it will be enough (despite the fact that I already own several chocolate scents). If this one comes back in stock before the Yules go down, I will try to get a bottle.

In the imp: Sweet cake and lavender. I am not really getting any ale from the imp. Wet: Same, but even sweeter than it was in the imp. It is very purple with almost a syrup-like quality to it. I can't help wondering if there is some kind of fruit inside these cakes, or if it is just the combination of the cake and the lavender. *looks up Welsh Cakes* Ah, it must be currants. There is a bit of ale in the background. I didn't expect this scent to be so fruity! Dry: Still mostly fruity cake and lavender. The lavender reads as a dried lavender to my nose now. The ale is more prominent in the dry stage, making the cake note seem a bit more bread-like. Verdict: I was really hoping to like this one (cake and lavender!), but this scent was too fruity for my liking.

In the imp: Black sandalwood and deep patchouli along with a bit of fougere and a hint of vanilla. The combination of black sandalwood and patchouli remind me of Black Silk. Wet: The black tea leaf fougere seems to be the most prominent note once this hits my skin. I am also getting some of the sandalwood and patchouli. As usual, the black tea part of the fougere is veering into black licorice territory, but it hasn't turned to full-on black licorice yet. The vanilla has decided to peek out, but it is rather light. Dry: No black licorice during this phase. Huzzah! The blend is a lot smoother now. I can smell the black sandalwood and the patchouli (which isn't a dirty patch) the most, followed by the fougere. The vanilla is stronger than it was during the wet phase, but it still isn't a main player. I can also smell the incense smoke. Verdict: I like this, but I am not sure that I need a bottle of this (since it does have a few notes in common with Black Silk). I will probably do a full-day test of this one before it goes away just to be sure, but at the moment, I think my half decant will suffice.

In the imp: The lavender is the strongest note, with the orange blossom and the tea lingering in the background. Wet: Lavender dominant, followed by the tea notes (more black tea than green). The tea notes are getting stronger the longer this sits on my wrist. I am also getting some orange blossom. I am not really getting any resins at this time, and I am not familiar with pink flowering thorn. Dry: The lavender is still present, but it has calmed down a lot. I am getting a lot more of the orange blossom now. The tea notes are still rather prominent. Verdict: I love lavender scents, so I was really hoping to love this one, but the orange blossom is stronger than I would like it to be during the drydown, and the scent is rather faint, so I think I can pass on a bottle. I will keep my half decant, though.

In the imp: Tea rose, yes... with something not quite right. Wet: Same. First, I get tea rose, and then the 'blackened' aspect mentioned in the description, which is becoming more prominent over time. I was trying to pinpoint what it was, and then I realized that it is a black tea note. I wouldn't expect anything else from London! Dry: Rose and the Lab's black tea note. The black tea note had a black licorice vibe at one point, but it never veered into complete black licorice territory (thankfully). Verdict: This one isn't for me (as I prefer my floral notes paired with something sweet), but I do think this one really fits its description!

In the imp: Mostly skin musk and honey. I can smell a bit of the orange blossom, peach, apple, and myrrh lingering in the background. Wet: Very strong on the skin musk and honey. I am also getting the red apple, peach, and orange blossom. The rose is present, but it isn't a main player on my skin. The same goes for the myrrh. Although I am familiar with frankincense, I can't pick it out here. Dry: The skin musk and honey still reign, followed by the peach and apple. I also get a bit of soft myrrh. I prefer the scent in this phase. Verdict: This one is nice. I don't need a bottle of it, but I will keep my imp and give it a full day test some time in the future. I think this scent would be good during the warmer months.

In the imp: The merlot jumps out to my nose. It is the strongest note in the imp, but I can also smell musk, a bit of leather, and a hint of rose. Wet: The merlot is the dominant note, followed by the musk and the crushed floral notes. The combination of the merlot and the violet makes the scent sweeter than it was in the imp. I am not particularly fond of violet, and it is starting to become more prominent the longer this sits on my skin. Dry: Still wine dominant. The violet is still present. I can smell a faint hint of leather, just like it says in the description. I am not getting much of the other notes. Verdict: This one is better than I thought it would be, but it really isn't 'me.'

In the imp: White floral notes with an aquatic vibe. Wet: I think I am mainly getting the gardenia and muguet notes. The scent still has an aquatic aspect. Dry: Strong white floral notes along with aquatic notes and some ginger. Verdict: I'm not a fan of aquatic scents, so this one is not for me.

In the imp: Exactly what it says on the tin: rose and leather. Wet: More rose than leather, but the leather is definitely present and reads as black leather to my nose. I don't know how Beth does it, but the rose note really does have a damp quality to it. It actually smells like a damp red rose. I'm not always fond of leather, but I am enjoying this scent thus far. Dry: The leather is much stronger on the drydown, but the damp red rose note is still the dominant note on my skin. Verdict: I was pleasantly surprised by this one. I don't think I need a bottle of it (as I already own a lot of rose scents that I like more than this one), but this is nice.

In the imp: Much cinnamon, so rose. Wow. Wet: Red roses and cinnamon. The roses reign, but the cinnamon seems to be getting stronger the longer this sits on my skin. This is not a sweet cinnamon note. Dry: The cinnamon is more prominent than it was in the wet stage. The roses are still present, but I get more cinnamon on my skin. Verdict: I like cinnamon, and I like roses, but I am not sure about the two being paired together. This one is okay, but I don't see myself reaching for it over some other rose scents.

In the imp: This is really strong on the red musk. The rose is next in prominence, and the amber seems to be lingering in the background. I am not particularly fond of scents that are strong on the red musk, so I'm not really looking forward to this one. Wet: The red musk dominates. I do smell the roses and amber, but they have taken background roles. Dry: The red musk continues to reign, while the roses remain in the background. I don't really get much amber at all. Verdict: Not for me, but if you like red musk (and, of course, roses), give this a try.

In the imp: I am mostly getting the almond, orange peel, and rose. I like almond, and Bulgarian Rose is one of my favorite rose notes, so I am looking forward to this. The only note that concerns me is the neroli, which has made some scents turn cough syrup-like on me. Wet: Mostly almond and rose at first. The sandalwood starts to peek out, along with the nutmeg, clove, and orange peel. The rose and the orange peel have become the dominant notes, followed by clove. Dry: Orange peel and clove, followed by rose. I am getting more of the nutmeg as well. It is somewhat bitter now, but I am not sure whether that is the orange peel or the neroli. The sandalwood is faintly in the background, along with a faint trace of the almond note. Verdict: I like this. I wish the almond note hadn't been so fleeting, but I do enjoy orange and clove scents. I will give this a full day test before deciding whether or not I need a bottle.

In the imp: I mostly smell the red amber, musk, and vetiver. I am not looking forward to this one because I amp carnation, dislike vetiver and orris, and the 'scorched' aspect of the musk doesn't sound very pleasant. Oh, well. Here goes. Wet: I am getting red amber with the musk and vetiver. The combination of musk and vetiver remind me somewhat of Orc, but it isn't the same musk found in that blend. I can smell the spiciness of the carnation in the background. Dry: The spicy carnation is a lot stronger than it was before. Although it has taken the center stage, it didn't stomp all over the other notes. I can still smell the red amber and vetiver. I am definitely getting the orris now (which tends to remind me of baby powder), as well as the tonka note. I would say that the carnation, red amber, and orris are the strongest notes now. The musk, while still present, isn't a main player like it was in the wet stage. Verdict: I was dreading this, but it isn't nearly as bad as I was expecting it to be, despite the fact that I dislike several of the notes listed in this scent. I don't need a bottle of this, and I won't keep my imp, but this scent was a nice reminder to give scents at least one chance (instead of judging them by their notes or their scent in the vial). *edit* Okay, several hours later, it smells really bad on my skin. I can smell the vetiver, musk, and orris the most, and that is not a good combination.

In the imp: The ylang ylang is quite prominent in the imp, but I can smell the sandalwood and neroli as well. Neroli can be problematic for me and has made some scents cough syrup-like on my skin. Wet: On my skin, I can still smell all of the notes. The neroli is stronger on my skin than it was in the imp, but ylang ylang and sandalwood notes have taken the center stage... for now. Dry: The neroli is much more prominent now, but it didn't go horribly wrong on me, and for that, I am grateful. The ylang ylang and sandalwood are still pretty strong, but now they are accompanied by the bitterness of the neroli note. Verdict: While I am glad that the neroli cooperated with my skin chemistry, this scent isn't really 'me'.

In the imp: The ylang ylang note stands out to my nose, and I think I am picking up the Lab's honey note as well... it reminds me a bit of O, but it isn't as sweet as O. Wet: This is similar to the Post's Formula 57 massage oil, which contains ylang ylang and honey notes. However, the ylang ylang note in this is stronger than it is in the aforementioned massage oil. The myrrh note has now made itself known, and I think there may be a musk in this as well. Dry: The myrrh is the most prominent now, but it is a soft myrrh, perhaps the kind found in Bastet. The ylang ylang is still present, and there is still something in this that reminds me of O. Verdict: This is okay. I prefer the blends that it reminded me of (before the myrrh became the dominant note), so I don't need a bottle of this.

In the imp: I am not familiar with civet, but I think that is mostly what I am getting in the imp, though I can definitely smell the musk and the opium as well. Wet: This one is quite heady, for lack of a better term. It's strong, there is an animalistic quality to it, but this also has a powdery aspect to it on my skin. The animalistic quality is becoming more prominent the longer this sits on my skin. Dry: This is still strong, but it isn't as heady. The scent is smooth now, but still very animalistic. I think it is mainly civet on me. There is a smokiness to the scent now, but I am not sure if that is the civet or the opium. (If it is the opium, it isn't the opium note in Poisoned Apple.) Verdict: Not for me.

In the imp: The white pine note jumps out to my nose at first, but I also smell the vanilla, juniper, and rosewood. It reads as masculine to my nose, but I think the vanilla note keeps it from being strictly masculine. Wet: Pine and vanilla. The juniper is present, and I get the amber as well as the rosewood. Mostly, it's pine, juniper, and vanilla, and the vanilla note is really nice. I can't stop sniffing my arm! Dry: The vanilla is stronger now, and it's a wonderful, creamy vanilla. I think this may be the same vanilla note that is found in Tombstone. I can detect amber and juniper lingering in the background (there is more amber than juniper on me), as well as white pine, but it rather faint now. Verdict: I really, really like this and will be needing a bottle.

In the imp: Exactly what it says on the tin. Mandarin and fig! Wet: Mandarin dominant. The fig is present, but it has taken a background role. However, the fig note is becoming more prominent the longer this sits on my skin. Dry: The mandarin still reigns, but the fig note is stronger than it was during the wet phase, lending a bit of earthiness to this sweet, fruity scent. Verdict: This is nice. I don't feel the need to grab a bottle of this one, but I think it would be great to wear during warmer months.

In the imp: I can smell all of the notes, but the carnation seems to be the strongest. I tend to amp carnation, and plum doesn't always work for me, so I won't be surprised if this doesn't work on my skin. Wet: A blast of carnation, plum, and musk. This is a spicy carnation, and the musk isn't a light one. If I had to compare it to another musk, I would say that it kind of reminds me of the musk in Orc without the vetiver. As expected, the carnation has declared dominion over the other notes. The plum note that I smelled when I first applied this to my skin was quickly forced into the background, making this a musky carnation scent. Dry: Musky carnation with just the lightest hint of plum if I inhale really deeply. I don't really get much plum at all (and that is probably because I amp carnation like whoa). Verdict: Definitely not for me, but if you are fond of musk and carnation, give this a try.