Miseraya

Got this as a generous frimp from Feline.By.Design. Thank you! In the imp: Vanilla, creamy and sweet. On the elbow, wet: This is vaguely reminiscent of Snake Oil to me, but better because I like this and Snake Oil didn't impress me. *ducks and waits for the pelting rotten vegetables* I identified the vanilla and the leather notes right away, which I am quite proud of myself for. Thankfully, I am not getting the lavender at all. It was the one note that stopped me from putting this on my wishlist. On the elbow, dry: This is a rich and creamy scent, with the leather providing a lovely counterpoint and preventing it from being too sweet. Overall, I like it, which I was not expecting. Final Analysis: I haven't decided whether I should keep this for myself, because despite my usual tastes I really do like it, or pass this on to my mother, who will absolutely adore it. I think I will hold on to it until she comes to Buffalo for a visit, that way I will have plenty of time to decide. A very pleasant surprise!

In the imp: Aquatic. Definitely fits the description. On the wrist, wet: Water, yay! Hopefully this doesn't go all wonky on me like Tempest and Bayou did. Very clean smelling. Astringent, but very slightly. Reminds me of the open showers at some East Coast beaches, a collision of sea water and air with fresh water and clean skin. Lovely. On the wrist, dry: Hmph. This is going slightly urinal on me. A little portapotty. Bugger. Final Analysis: I love ozone and water scents, but they don't seem to love me. I will try this as a room scent in the oil burner before I give up and swap it. Here's hoping it works that way and I can keep it.

In the imp: Earthy and spicy. On the wrist, wet: Sharp and perfumey. A 1950's-70's woman's cologne. A Shalimar type of scent, thick and musky. Not getting any individual notes in this. On the wrist, dry: This really doesn't morph much, and it reminds me of my grandmother. Final Analysis: Not me, off to the swaps.

Caveat: I try not to read the lab description or the other reviews before I review a scent, and apparently, I sniffed this one all wrong... In the imp: There is an expensive perfume that smells similar to this and I cannot figure out what it is.... On the wrist, wet: Jasmine? Lilac? Something in this is turning powdery almost immediately on my skin, the only note I know that does that is lilac. I get hints of something spicy... carnation? No too creamy... On the wrist, dry: Something sweet and warm struggling to come through. Final Analysis: This is a dark scent, but it sits lightly, it doesn't feel heavy like most florals on me. However, all in all, I am not a floral girl and this is very much a floral, so off to the swaps it goes.

In the imp: Old fashioned floral perfume. Definitely getting some faint rose, but mostly just old fashioned floral perfume and powder. On the wrist, wet: Rose and something white and heavy, like gardenia or magnolia. On the wrist, dry: A heavy white floral on me. Very floral, very thick. Very womanly and slightly southern. Final Analysis: Like most florals this turned into a powdery mess on me. I really need to stop trying to wear these sorts of scents. Off to the swaps.

I'm afraid I may have gotten a mislabeled bottle, as my review matches neither the lab description or any of the reviews I have read, but maybe my nose is just off. Anyhow, take my review with a grain of salt, just in case it is a mislabel. In the imp: Doublemint gum? I get a lot of something minty and hints of something else. On the wrist, wet: Minty, very minty. I've got it! It smells like this pink round tablet candy that my Papa used to eat. I can't remember what it was called, I want to say Canadian Mints, but I think that must be wrong. Anyhow they were very strong mints. On the wrist, dry: Staying with the strong mint candy smell, without wavering, not morphing at all to my nose. Final Analysis: I never really liked the candy (though I ate it, because Papa did ) and I don't really enjoy smelling like it either. This would be great for mint lovers, however or anyone who needs a strong refreshing scent to perk them up or focus their mind. Off to the swaps.

In the imp: Anise and citrus with something medicinally herbal ( or herbally medicinal) lurking in the background. On the wrist, wet: Same as in the imp, at first. Anise and citrus with a medicinal sharpness to it. The citrus is lemon to my nose, not discernible until now. The lemon begins to get very strong, briefly eclipsing the anise, but then they balance out again. I can imagine Absinthe smelling like this. On the wrist, dry: The herbal medicinal something is struggling to make it's presence known now, and though the anise and citrus remain dominant the herbal note is now much more prominent. Final Analysis: I like this. Despite my dislike of anise as a flavor I am discovering that I enjoy it as a scent on my skin. Over all, Absinthe is that clean, fresh and crisp sort of scent that I prefer. I will at least use the imp.

Caveat: This review has been skewed by scent association and some bad memories. The scent itself is lovely, and my reaction to it is based entirely on negative life experiences. In the imp: Something sharp, that sort of makes me think of my step father. Hmm interesting. It's the apricot. I hate apricots. Mainly because of their connection in my life with my stepfather, who was in fact a depraved and sick man, so I guess the scent is aptly named. I would love to swap this out, untested, but alas, the cap broke off so I am stuck with it. In the oil burner: It's better this way, spicier and more diffuse, less evocative. All in all this is a base and spicy scent, it causes the same sensation as cooking ground red pepper does, gives your throat a rough abraded and tickly feel and fills the room with a sharp almost peppery scent. Final Analysis: Had the cap not broken I would have swapped this, but because it has I will use it to freshen up Anubis' studio, which still smells like cigarette smoke from his last drummer. The scent itself is nice, and wonderfully blended, but the memories it brings up make this a difficult scent to have around for me.

In the imp: A heavy perfume note, mixed with something I recognize from Eden. Slightly "musky" smelling. On the wrist, wet: Spicy. Getting the carnation. Fiesty floral. On the wrist, dry: Copal? Definitely getting something resinous. This turns into a heavy sweet resin smell on me, perhaps the combination of vanilla and carnation? Final Analysis: In the end this turned into an expensive old fashioned soap smell on me, so I sent her to the swaps, to dance for someone else.

In the imp: This smells like a florist shop! That green and crisp smell you get when you first walk in. I love that smell! On the wrist, wet: A delicate floral. I think it's gardenia, but it's not amping like crazy and choking me to death so I'm not sure. Definitely a waxy floral but bright and beautiful. Not overpowering or stifling like most florals on me. On the wrist, dry: A very pleasant clean and crisp floral on me. Makes me think yellow. Final Analysis: All in all this is a definite winner on me. Love it. I would say anyone who wants to love florals but can't should try this one.

The Dark Side of Earth: deep, brooding forest scents, including juniper and patchouli. The scent of upturned cemetery loam mingling with floral offerings to the dead. In the imp: Something very green and medicinal, layered on top of dirt. Like Vicks Vapo Rub smeared on a tombstone. I get the Zombi fragrance, hanging in the background. But the Vicks smell (which I am beginning to identify as juniper) is in the forefront at the moment. On the wrist, wet: Juniper, with a hint of earth. Something in this reminds me of brimstone at this stage. I get the same chemical burning smell. On the wrist, dry: Pretty much the same as wet, but softer. Definitely very juniper. Final Analysis: Not for me. Off to the swaps. ETA: Lab description.

In the imp: Boozy, smoky, chocolatey. Complex and sexy. Very exotic smelling. All the smells smell familiar, but mixed together they become very exotic. On the wrist, wet: Losing the cocoa immediately. This is fainter than I thought it would be and sweeter as well. I'm having a really difficult time smelling this on my skin. I can smell it strongly in the imp though.... On the wrist, dry: For the longest time I couldn't smell anything, then it morphed into a really heavy commercial perfume scent. I am convinced that my body chemistry is acting up and destroying this. Final Analysis: I will try this again next week and see if I have the same results. I will post them accordingly. I could almost smell cocoa and something spicy but... I need to try this again.

In the imp: Earthy and sexy. I am definitely getting spices in this... and patchouli? It's smell fits it's appearance, dark and thick. On the wrist, wet: Spicy warm vanilla. Morphing... On the wrist, dry: Nag Champa. I smell like a headshop. Maybe it's just me, but this smells very akin to Nag Champa... Final Analysis: Not for me. Off to the swaps.

A caveat, I am still an amateur at reviewing and picking out single notes, and this one was very difficult for me. In the imp: Something sharp and almost soured, not sour, but soured. I think that's the wine. Yeah, red wine and ivy. Someone made an analogy of ivy vines climbing out of a wine goblet. That's very accurate. On the wrist, wet: Sharp green ivy. I like it, it's pretty. The leather comes out pretty quickly. On the wrist, dry: The leather is staying dominant and the wine is coming out, it's getting a bit herby smelling and it feels lonely. It's an airy scent to me, and beginning to be softly sweet, a smell that I attribute to burnt sweetgrass. Final Analysis: This is a wonderfully sexy masculine smell. Fabulous leather and ivy notes. I must make Anubis wear this more often.

In the imp: Definitely getting the raspberry leaf and the cedar in this. This smells very natural to my nose. Not really picking up the vetiver, and not sure what olive leaf would smell like, so I may be smelling it and not know. I like this, it's fresh smelling. On the wrist, wet: A definite plant smell. Not herbal, not floral, just a green leafy smell. Raspberry leaf! This makes me think of a kitchen garden. Something in here is appealing to my nose as an almost creamy scent. On the wrist, dry: Uh oh, the raspberry leaf is starting to get sharp. I thought that the leaf wouldn't do that, I thought only berries do that on me. The other notes are preventing it from getting too sharp thankfully. Final analysis: This is a very unusual and unique scent. It definitely puts me in mind of a mediterranean kitchen garden with the breeze wafting the scent of it through the kitchen window and into the house. I will at least use up the imp, Anubis may want a 5mL. ETA: Fixed a typo.

In the imp: Green? This smells like something very familiar.... On the wrist, wet: There is definitely something very familiar in this scent. Right away this is a spicy scent for me, with a hint of... floral??? Musky too... I've got it! This reminds me of something my mother used to wear in the late '80s, early '90s (when I was little). On the wrist, dry: This one is tough. It's definitely spicy, musky and floral, but I can't narrow it down to specific notes. Final Analysis: I think I will offer this to my mother and see what she thinks. I am not a spicy, musky, floral sort of girl. This either reminds me of something she used to wear (which is why I am offering it to her) or Shalimar, which my grandmother used to wear. All in all it was a beautiful resinous smell, but not my thing.

In the imp: This is heavy smelling. Must be the labdanum or copal? Something thick, that's for sure. It puts me in mind of amber and vanilla, whatever that note is. Possibly tonka.... Not what I expected. Not getting any florals at this point. Which is fine by me. On the wrist, wet: Patchouli??? That's odd. Something in here is reminding me of patchouli, or Nag Champa. Strange. I definitely get a resinous something. This is a dark, dark smell for me. Very heavy and thick. On the wrist, dry: I'm having a very hard time identifying any of the notes in this, but it's starting to smell more than a bit like decay on me. I think I need to wash this off. Final Analysis: There is something in this that does NOT like me. Off to the swaps.

In the imp: Smells a lot like Zombi, but completely different. The mossy/dirty smell is the most prominent in the imp, with a hint of sweeter things underneath. On the wrist, wet: Zombi, but sweeter. Heavy dirt notes. Awesome. I love dirt notes! On the wrist, dry: Nooo! Sweet heavy floral beginning to overwhelm my dirt smell! Oh bugger, it's magnolia, it's doomed. Final Analysis: My skin amps magnolia like nothing else and then turns it into a very aggressive powdery scent. So I used this for a while as a vacuum cleaner scent and now I am putting the 1/3 full imp into freebies box.

In the imp: Holy pointy mint! All I'm getting out of this so far is sharp, sinus clearing mint and eucalyptus. I can almost smell the violet.... On the skin, wet: Dinner mints and violets. Definitely a brisk, sharp and invigorating scent. The violet prevents this from being a big minty slap in the face. On the skin, dry: As it dries the violets come out more and more, becoming the prominent note, with mint still very much a presence but muted. This is a very clean violet scent for me, I never got the neroli or for that matter, anything but eucalyptus, violet and mint. Although I am not great at identifying scents yet, so that may just be my fault. Final Analysis: This is a great scent for mornings and pick me ups. It would also make a great room scent for studying or any activity that demands alert concentration. It's a great violet smell foor those who are fans of clean scents. Despite all that, I know I wouldn't wear this frequently enough to justify keeping it, so it's going to the swaps.

In the imp: Suntan lotion, booze. Definitely a lazy evening on a tropical beach. On the wrist, wet: Suntan oil. A little bit of booze and a lot of coconut. On the wrist, dry: This is a sticky, creamy tropical drink on a warm beach, with soft breezes wafting the scent of your suntan oil and the flowers at the edge of the beach. Final Analysis: Gorgeous evocative scent, but it doesn't suit me. Off to the swaps it goes.

In the imp: Fresh. Herbal? Slightly floral, woodsy. This is a nice natural fresh scent. Not exactly what I expected from Hades. Cernunnos (sic?) maybe. On the wrist, wet: Astringent clean and sharp. Fresh and masculine. Bold but not heavy. Definitely herbal to me, with a hint of floral notes at this point. On the wrist, dry: This is going soapy in the exact same way that Ouija and Omen do on me, I wonder if they have a common component? Final Analysis: My chemistry tortured this. Alas. Off to the swaps.

In the imp: Interesting, not at all what I was expecting. I guess this must be fig I am smelling? I wish I had more experience picking out single notes. This is pungent (in the good sense of the word, I know it has negative connotations, but not here). It almost smells like vegetable matter decaying, but it's not a bad smell... Hard to describe. On the wrist, wet: It's hard to identify any single notes in this, probably because I suck at single notes to begin with. This is earthy and pungent to me, not a dirt smell, like Zombi, but a growing things smell. Slightly foody with a hint of something sweeter. I think that must be the honeyed almond milk. On the wrist, dry: This makes me think of beautiful hippie women. For some reason this scent just screams sexy hippie to me. It's nurturing and empowering, it gets sweeter the longer I wear it and it's such a thick, rich and complex scent. It keeps getting stronger as well. I get a sense of the toasted coconut now, I had to read the description before I could identify it as coconut, I thought maybe hazelnut. A really beautiful earthy woman scent. Final Analysis: Alas, there was something in this that sharpened on me over time, much like berries tend to do on me. This is a gorgeous scent but my chemistry won't allow it.

Hmm, my reaction to this was very different from the reviews I read... In the imp: On first sniff I get a smell very similar to Shub in it's gingerbread-ness, but with something sharper behind it. Yummy. Hopefully the clove in this will leave me alone. Fear the clove! So far so good. On the wrist, wet: Again, gingerbread cookies and something very sharp. This is definitely a spice smell, I get cinnamon (possibly nutmeg?), ginger and clove, but only a hint of clove (thankfully). Much more foody than I was expecting, but with... booze. I think that sharp smell is rum maybe (after reading the description I am sure it's the bay, bay does terrible things on my skin, or vice versa). On the wrist, dry: The sharp smell (bay) never fades enough on me. Now I want to invent gingerbread cookie rum drinks! But alas, bay and I do not get along. Final Analysis: The clove in this didn't punch me in the nose like it usually does (avid clove loathe here) but the bay did. Alas, bay and I have issues to work through. All in all, it was tasty smelling, but I am not a food scented sort of girl anyway. Off to the swaps.

I received this as a very generous frimp from Forspecial Plate. Thanks so much! I've been dying to try this one. In the imp: This is very fresh and clean smelling. I too get the smell of Plumeria in there. Which I only recognize because I used to have a huge Plumeria candle, that I burned constantly. So this is a good sign, provided it doesn't turn into the tortured floral mess that sometimes happens with my chemistry. On the skin, wet: The plumeria fades a bit upon contact and the fresh laundry smell really comes forward. I get laundry soap and sun dried clothing from this. Gorgeous. This is just such a fresh, clean and beautiful scent. I may like it even better than Aizen-Myoo (which is my signature scent at the moment). I still get the plumeria, and it blends in so beautifully. What an unexpected surprise to find that here. On the skin, dry: Although this is a light scent it is also a very strong scent, which I really like. My nose is glued to my wrist. Beth I don't know how you do it, but thank you. This is the most recent in a series of scents that has proven to me that even non perfume lovers like myself can find a home (and plenty of lovely scents) with BPAL. Final Analysis: Big bottle. Definitely a big, big bottle. Fantastic.

In the imp: Lemony tea! I love lemony tea! On the wrist, wet: Ddefinitely getting the green tea and the lemon verbena. The jasmine is in there, but it's not being tortured by my body chemistry yet. Surprisingly it's staying a nice light jasmine. One the wrist, dry: This stays pretty true to the imp, although the lemon does get stronger and the jasmine peeks out. It sort of hangs out in the background, barely there but adding a little something to the scent. Final Analysis: Yay! Jasmine I can wear! Not sure about a bottle yet, but I am keeping the imp.