doomsday_disco

When I first applied this, without looking at the notes, I thought I was smelling mahogany, but that must have been the amber and frankincense with some of the warm, chewy hay. The white mint joins in (I was surprised -- I thought it wouldn't stand a chance against these notes), adding a light coolness to contrast with the warm notes. Over time, the oakmoss emerges and gains strength, as it is wont to do on me, and it mostly becomes a mossy resin scent infused with some warm hay and musk. Oddly enough, the patchouli in this did not stand out to me! (I would expect not to get the mint from this, but not the patch!) I wish the oakmoss hadn't ended up being the dominant note, as I was enjoying how the warm resins and hay played off of the cool mint.

This is a very old imp, so I imagine it smelled a lot different when it was fresh. Now, I get a mostly powdery (maybe amber.. definitely not orris), cuddly musk scent and the ghost of ginger. I say the ghost of ginger because it has the slight effervescence that the Lab's fresh ginger note has, but it is very short-lived. I so wish I had gotten the cherry and cola that some of the other reviewers got, but it was still fun to get to try it!

The first time I tested this, a day or two after the decant arrived, it was primarily a rose-y aquatic (primrose and salty sea water). The second time I tried it, it was much greener. I googled Grass-of-Parnassus and saw that it was a floral note and not actual grass, so I am not sure if it is the leaves of the willow or something in the aquatic note or what. It is very loud and is the main note I get in the throw of the scent. Eventually, it settles into mostly aquatic primrose, but the greenery is still there. I wanted to try this because I've been to the Orkney islands in April 2017. It doesn't remind me of the Orkneys, but it was still fun to get to try it and it's worth a try if you'd like a floral aquatic scent.

I was surprised that this one wasn't a red musk and plum bomb on me. It starts off with a chewy patch being the most prominent note, backed by a little smoky vetiver. Then a bit of lily joins in, but then it ends up morphing again and the plum and red musk have arrived, but again, it's not as loud as those notes usually are on me because the white musk is there with them and it is somehow even stronger than the red musk on me??? (Unexpected.) It stays that way for a while, but after eight hours, it's mostly patch and white musk on me with just a hint of plum and red musk. This isn't a scent I could see myself reaching for, but I'm glad I got to try it and that the red musk and plum didn't end up being bullies!

This is not the laundry bomb that some other fabric scents have been (woot!), but it does feature a fluffy, yet perfume-y vanilla musk-infused cotton that kind of reminds me of the porcelain in Pediophobia. Is it the vanilla musk or is there stealth cognac doing that?! I am not sure, but it definitely gives me Pediophobia vibes. The fabric is accompanied by a slightly waxy make-up note with a hint of fruitiness to it, and it's so realistic that it makes you go, "How does Beth do that!?" I also think there's a floral note in this that may be adding to the perfume-y vibe, and I'm not sure if it is iris or something else, but it makes it too perfume-y for me in the end. I do recommend giving this a try if you're looking for a scent like Pediophobia or are interested in this, but afraid of this being straight-up laundry (it's not!). I really appreciate the artistry behind this scent, but I'm being very picky about what stays in my collection nowadays, and I don't think I'd reach for this over scents like Cognac-Stained Sheet Ghost and Pediophobia. ETA: I think the mystery make-up floral may be orris.

I grabbed a bottle of this after reading Little Bird's review. The first time I tested this, a day after it had arrived in the mail, it was mostly red velvet cake (with its chocolate and slight tang) with a hint of cherry, and then an even smaller hint of cologne that was detectable by the end of the day, but mostly, I got a honeyed scent after a day of wear? And I assumed that was the alcohol, but I wasn't sure what would come off like that except for perhaps mead, and I don't think anyone is making fruitcake with mead. I tried this again several days later. The realistic red velvet cake is still there, but there was A LOT more bright cherry after a few more days of settling. I don't think it's maraschino cherry, because even though it's bright, it's deeper and redder than that. There's still only a hint of cologne behind the much stronger cherry and what remains of the cake by the end of the day, but it's so light that it's hard to discern what it may be comprised of -- perhaps a little white musk or moss? Who knows! Seriously, don't let the cologne scare you away from this if you're a cake-lover. (You do have to like cherry, though.) On this test, I didn't not experience any honeyed aspect to the scent after it had been dry for several hours, so that just goes to show how much letting a scent settle can make a difference! If you like cake and you like cherry, you should give this a whirl! I initially passed this up thinking I didn't want any cologne in my cake, and that I didn't want any fruitcake as far as cake is concerned, but I let myself be swayed, and I'm pleasantly surprised!

I tested this several days ago and then immediately had to make it my scent of the day because it is so wonderful. This is spice-infused, creamy marzipan buttercream pistachio milk custard goodness. It's more spice than I was anticipating, but there's no cinnabomb here. I get more clove than cinnamon, actually! The marzipan, pistachio milk (which features a true pistachio note, not an extract), and buttercream are the strongest notes when first applied, but the marzipan doesn't last as long as the other creamy notes, and the spices become more noticeable with wear. It smells absolutely delicious, and I want to gnaw my arm. Of the five Lupers that I blind bottled, this one is my favorite! Definitely one for gourmand lovers.

This starts off strongest on the lychee (which has a slight rose aspect to it), but the lime, yuzu, and white musk are quick to join the party, and it ends up being a citrusy white musk party for a long time. Then the lychee peeks its head out once more, but the scent is pretty soft by that point, and still tinged with citrus and white musk notes. I can smell a hint of blackberry by the end of the day, but it is by no means a main player on me (I'm glad about this, as it was the only note I was side-eyeing when I ordered the bottle). I don't get the vanilla, green tea, or red currant at the moment, but I am hoping that they'll emerge once this has had more time to settle (this test is after one day of settling). I like this, but I wish it were stronger and that I were getting some of the vanilla and green tea. I'm hoping those notes will become noticeable after this has had more time to settle. In any case, I think it will be great during the summer months, and I recommend it to those who are pining after Grapefruit, Yuzu, and White Musk (it's not as strong as that scent, but the yuzu and white musk in this made me think of that one).

This goes on with a bright cherry and lime, but the white musk quickly barrels through, hell-bent on becoming the dominant note. It is almost like a cherry limeade slush, but without all of the sugar. Alas, the cherry is pretty short-lived. It is never as strong as it was when first applied and drifts in and out of the blend. It becomes mostly about the white musk and lime, with an emphasis on the white musk. By the end of the day, the citrus-tinged white musk reminds me of the final drydown of La Joconde from Winter Travelogue update, if one were to replace the bergamot with lime. I think this smells nice, but I really wish the cherry had been stronger and stuck around longer on me. But this test is after only a day of rest, so I'm crossing my fingers and hoping I get more cherry once it has had more time to settle.

This starts off strongest on the white chocolate, but then the chocolate calms down, and it becomes more about the strawberry and calvados over time, settling into a boozy strawberry scent. It's not bad, but I can't see myself reaching for this over other scents featuring a strawberry note. I wish the white chocolate had stuck around longer on me.

Oh wow. This is making me realize how much the cognac in scents like Cognac-Stained Sheet Ghost and Pediophobia give it that perfume-y, porcelain-like feel. It strongly reminds me of those scents, with the bergamot and cognac being the most prominent notes at first, and the cognac winning out over the bergamot. It is not boozy whatsoever, though, and I wouldn't have guessed there were oudh in this if the note list hadn't mentioned it. The association with those scents is so strong that I keep thinking there might be vanilla in here or something else aside from the cognac that reminds me of those scents. I think this would have been very popular if more people hadn't seen the oudh and noped out. It's not something I need more of, since it is so very similar to the scents I mentioned above, but this is really nice.

Lady Death: Savage is one of the Lab's more mainstream-esque scents, but it is not in the same vein as scents like Butterfliers, Flowers, and Jewels Attending or Ava. It is difficult to pick out the notes, but the grey amber is noticeable in the beginning. Over time, it becomes less resinous and more floral, with the jasmine not being super heady or indolic. I'm not able to pick out the vanilla, but this is very well blended. While I think it is nice, I don't think it's something I would end up gravitating towards, but I'll hang onto the decant for now so that my mom and brother can try it one of these days. This is the kind of scent that's exactly in their wheelhouse.

I get water from this at first, along with some concrete, but eventually, it becomes resinous on me, and I keep thinking that that resin is oudh. It's not funky or anything, and I wonder if it's part of the cement accord? I wish this had stayed as fresh water and concrete on me, as I enjoy concrete notes. Alas.

Cold Moon 2005 is mostly a watery aquatic scent with me, infused with that signature lunar flowers and herbs touch that you get from older Lunacy scents. When I say aquatic, I mean that it's got a cool stream sort of vibe, or perhaps that of melted snow. There's a coolness to it, with just a hint of mint (not peppermint, but maybe spearmint) -- it's very light, and I don't know if it's just more subdued with age or what, but there's no blast of mint here. There is a touch of the Lab's slushy snow note that I get at the end of an inhale, but it's not the main feature. This is more cool water than snow. I am glad I got to try this, but I don't think I'd reach for it over other cold scents in my collection. It was still fun to try, though (and I like it more than Cold Moon 2020, for which I have the shirt).

I tried this twice. Both times, it was mostly a watery cabbage and lettuce scent with a touch of sweetness from the cucumber, like cucumber juice, or the middle of the cucumber, without any of the rind. The green musk in this doesn't go super perfume-y and is rather subdued in this scent (odd, because it tends to be a really loud note). The scent itself is pretty light and stays close to the skin, and I'd recommend it to those who like scents like Frenum bath oil or the GC Rapunzel (which both feature watery lettuce notes). If you're going into this hoping for cucumber, it's there, but not as loud as it is in scents like Squirting Cucumber or Rendezvous at the Bath. This is primarily about the watery greens. I'm going to hang onto my decant, as I think it would be nice and refreshing on a summer day, but I don't think I need more of this one.

This starts off strongest on the strawberry rhubarb jam on me, backed by the apricot and ginger. I don't really get the crumb of the scone, but I think there might be some toasted sugar at play like you'd find on top of a scone, or maybe I was just imagining it when smelling the jam. I don't get the cinnamon sugar pecan rolls (I'm glad about that after the last few pecan scents I tried where the pecan was sickly sweet on me), saffron sticky buns, or a tea note, but perhaps they'll emerge with age. This settles into mostly strawberry jam with hints of apricot and ginger by the end of the day (the rhubarb didn't stick around). I blind bottled this for the art and it being a tea party scent (but I ordered it with my decants, so I waited to try it last). I like this, but I think I would have been content with just a decant. But since I already have the bottle with its amazing cat art, I'll keep it around and see if the other notes pop up with more aging. But if they don't, that's okay -- the strawberry rhubarb jam in this is really nice (and we don't see rhubarb pop up as a scent note very often)!

I get the dusty stone, frankincense, and leather at first (which smells cracked to me), but then the scent ends up morphing into a musk bomb on me. It's a dark musk that's possibly infused with another fruity musk, with a little bit of funk to it, perhaps from the fossilized amber, which I'm side-eyeing from my experience with Mommy's MI6 Agent (although I had no problems with it in Lilith de Milo). I'm not sure why this became so musky on me. I was here for the stone and the book notes, but the musk is just too much.

I had to try this for the name and the art, even though I typically avoid absinthe notes due to the anise. I get a lot of champagne and sugar from this at first, with the absinthe increasing more with wear, but never overtaking the fizzy champagne on me. I agree with other reviewers describing the absinthe as green and herbal -- it's not an anise bomb, and I really only get a hint of anise early on. So if you're anise-averse (like me), this is still worth a try, and if you're hoping for lots of anise, you might be disappointed. Either way, you have to like champagne, though, as it is as loud as ever. I don't think I need a full bottle of this one (I'll retest before it departs to be sure, though), but this was a pleasant surprise!

Bedroom starts off somewhat effervescent, which I think is due to the frost note, and it's accompanied by some fir and blackcurrant, as well as a touch of cognac. Then the lavender and ambergris emerge, along with the grey amber. This trio ends up being the dominant notes on me after a while, with a splash of cognac that has increased in strength. I kept sniffing this and thinking it had white tobacco in it because it ended up being so similar to To A Wreath of Snow after it had been dry for a while, so if you own that one, you probably don't need this one as well, unless you really like the opening. But if you missed out on that one and wish you had tried it, you should definitely try Bedroom! Since I already own To A Wreath of Snow, I don't need more of this, but I'll probably hang onto my decant.

If you didn't like the Café De Olla Fried Ice Cream Jammed Into A Coconut Cream Pie imp from Black Friday one year, you won't like this one either. I've boarded the cumin train once again. It smells like cumin backed by some creaminess from the cheesecake note and a hint of graham cracker. I really don't like cumin in perfumes, because it has this funky undertone of B.O. and I. just. can't. (The only perfume I like with a cumin note is Bridge Trolls, and that's because the cumin is MIA on me.) And now I'm boarding the train to Nopeville.

This is so lovely! I get the cacao and pistachio strongest out of the gate, and the pistachio in this is more true pistachio and doesn't have any of the cherry vibes I got from the Vanilla Cream, Pistachio, and Macadamia trio, which I didn't enjoy (even though I love cherry, I had wanted a true pistachio). The vanilla bean lurks in the background and becomes more prominent over time, eventually becoming the strongest note on me, swirled with what remains of the cacao and pistachio. Compared with Spumoni, the cacao in this is a lot stronger than the chocolate in that one, and of course, there's no cherry here like there is in that scent. After testing this, I decided to give it a full scent-of-the-day slather and really enjoyed it. I'm debating a bottle, even though I already have a bottle of Spumoni on order. Even though they have some similarities, I think they are different enough to warrant owning both.

This is mostly blueberry (I agree that it doesn't smell like a fresh one) and pink pepper on me, and the pink pepper is the sweet, slightly bubblegum-y variety, and not one that gives this scent a kick. I only get the barest trace of tobacco beneath those notes, and by the end of the day, it's more pink pepper than blueberry on me. The blueberry and slightly bubblegum-y pink pepper combo are too sweet for me, but it's worth a shot if you're looking for a sweet blueberry scent.

This is mostly a lemony sugar scent on me. I agree that it's like a candied lemon or sugared lemon slices. The honeycomb isn't like the Lab's other honey notes and doesn't really lend a honey sweetness to the scent... I think it is playing a similar role to the honeycomb in Snake's Kiss (which also featured honeycomb and sugar and the sugar was somewhat lemony to my nose). I think it's nice, but I also don't think I need more of it as I have a ton of lemon/lemon sugar scents as it is and I don't like this more than Who's Afraid? (whose spun sugar goes lemony on me).

This goes on with a blast of pine, backed by the frankincense and beeswax. The pine quickly calms down, and it ends up settling into a frankincense scent sweetened by beeswax on me. I agree that the frankincense is a sweet, smooth variety, not a harsh or slightly lemony one. I find this trio to be really relaxing and will definitely be hanging onto my decant. I just wish the pine lasted a little longer on me!

This goes on as a blast of buttercream, that truly does smell like buttercream (unlike the buttercream in Lavender Buttercream, IMO), and it's accompanied by lots of tuberose. The tuberose is heady and has what I can only describe as a somewhat grape-y headiness to it that I dislike. After a while, it does calm down somewhat and I get more of the gardenia, and the sandalwood resides in the background the whole time as a base for these frosting-slathered petals. I like it more during this stage, when there's more gardenia than tuberose. I generally love flormands, and this is definitely one of those, but I guess I only appreciate tuberose in the more mainstream-leaning scents like Ava and Butterflies, Flowers, and Jewels Attending.