midnight_aeval

It's odd to have a scent that mentions rose and not actually smell a lot of rose! I see images of dried, crushed, deep red-almost black rose petals. It's definitely smoky, kinda ashy. This is something I could picture wearing in the dead of winter. Great imagery!

Steam.Goth leans more towards masculine on the scent spectrum, but it's surprisingly 'clean' enough that a lady could wear it. With the notes calling forth 'oil splattered' and 'grease' I would think that this blend would be far dirtier than what I'm smelling. This is like a fresh out of the shower/just shaved scent. In the drydown it is more metallic-clean.

ETA: super weird, this just turned very woodsy! Quite a morpher.

I was almost scared off by the coconut bark in this (as a rule, coconut goes horribly wrong on me), but was so glad I chanced this. I feel like the name of this one should really be White Lace because it evokes white imagery - it's very creamy without actually having that cream note [the always goes sour for me], and is light and fresh. I'm beginning to believe I really love cognac in fragrances when paired with resins/smoky notes (see also Dreadful Lies). I think I might actually like this one more than Red and Black Lace! Multiple bottle purchase for sure

Prototype, unreleased, no scent description.

In all the hustle and bustle of the last few months, I neglected to review a lot of my trunk show oils from the 6th Clearing Out the Cobwebs!

I think I initially passed up on this scent, but after a bit of the craziness died down at Dark Delicacies I was able to resniff a lot of blends, this being one of them. From my quick resniff I proclaimed this was a sweet woody scent. I thought I was picking up a cocoa-esque note from it, but as I skin test it I don't really get that at all. In fact, I do believe I know what this maaaay be - a prototype from the Urban Outfitters collaboration? The coded name would seem to suggest it could be, and truth be told this is like a less sweet version of Banshee Beat. I would bet they share some common notes!

Oh hi PRC12... I didn't forget you... in fact, I saved you for last because I love you!

There's something verrrry familiar about this blend. To my it reminds me of the older brother to Banshee Beat. Where BB is sweet and earthy, this one has the same earthy quality, but darker/bolder. I think that the patchouli in this is of the aged/antique variety similar to what is in Schwarzer Mond.

I want to roll around in this scent all day long. I find it so relaxing; I actually am giddy when I wear it and that's saying something if you knew me in person at all

I thought for sure I reviewed this one as it was one of the hits of the trunk show for me! Funny enough, I asked for v1, but my picker gave me v3 and I didn't notice until I got home! Luckily they were offering the protos at the following Will Call so I was able to exchange them out for the right version The lab is so great

Anyways, this is what I was wanting Anti-Saloon League to smell like! If I had to guess, I would say there is sassafras (also reminiscent of Stimulating Sassafras Strengthener) and madagascar vanilla because it does have that great vanilla vibe that I get from Celeste and Elf v4. I would say there is no cream here because cream notes go rank with my skin chemistry and this one just works lovely.

It does invoke the imagery of cream though - I picture an Italian Cream Soda made with sarsaparilla when I wear this

I remember being at the trunk show that this was offered at and it being like a rum scone type of scent. I tested it just today when I saw it was available at the Lab's Etsy shop and it has turned into a pumpkin, apricot pie scent - so odd! It's like Depraved and Jack did something kinky and ended up with a baby of sorts.

From the bottle this blend is promising - a light, airy, feminine scent. However, on my skin it turns to the stank that my skin chemistry does with all honey notes. Ugh. I don't get any similarities to Glowing Vulva, unfortunately. It's like a floral version of O. Great if O works for you, not so great when it doesn't

I'll preface with the fact that I am not a fan of citrus scents, but LSSB is loooooove. Reminds me of those damn Lemonade Girl Scout cookies I got addicted to a couple years back. It's sugary lemon icing.. mmmmm and the drydown has this extra jolt of vanilla sugar.

This is not fresh lemon, this is candied lemon or the lemon you'd find in baked goods.

This is most definitely dominant in the Madagascar Vanilla - it's similar to Celeste from the BPTP's Courtesan series. But whereas Celeste has this slightly alcoholic (ala Vanilla Extract) edge, Elf v4 has a delicate white musk and a sugary side.

I like this fragrance better than Antique Lace (which my husband hates anyways) and XCDL13 - it's definitely a gem!

SINUS CLEARING! I needed that after the last scent I tried kept reminding me of ketchup

Smells like a less sugary version of Tokyo Stomp! Pretty much true to the name of the blend - chocolate, mint, a shot of sour lime.

This is going to sound crazy, but from the decant/first applied, all I was smelling was ketchup.

Then the rose came out and joined... the ketchup.

WTF is up with my skin chemistry right now?

This blend was sooo promising when I first applied it - I was getting the saffron really heavy and was super excited. Something happened on my skin as time wore on... I suspect the vetiver came out to make it smokey, but that combined with the rum (for the record, Grog smells horrid on me, my skin chem just doesn't work with the lab's rum note so YMMV) made my stomach turn

This blend is really heavy on the blood orange. I was hoping for more patchouli & currant... as it dries down I am getting blood orange, galbanum, and oakmoss. The blend has shifted to a green scent with the balancing orange. WOW, a blend that has patchouli that I can't even smell?? Impossible.

Red musk. The smutty red musk that smells horrid on me Sadly, The Arbor doesn't work for me at all.

Even looking at the colors of the notes in this blend you see a common theme of the color of flames - orange, red, yellow, & black! It's goes on really aggressive, but the drydown is more feminine/soft that what you would imagine from the wet stage of this blend. It no longer smells like burning, but is more floral and waxy.

Cassia! How you hate me.. MB: Underbed made my skin burn, this one did the same. The scent, however, is surprisingly good.. smokey, salty with a touch of sweetness and spice. Really interesting and not in the same [ick] category as Gore Shock!

I was so excited to see Mahogany in a blend given that Mahogany Hall is one of the most fabulous smells EVER. Unfortunately this is mostly that weird pickle smell I get from some wood notes I blame you, rosewood.

In the decant & first applied to my skin this is a nice, tart, sugary cherry scent.

However, once it dries down this is a lot more floral than I would have thought.. not sure what mysterious note is doing that. (HAHAHA stupid me, READ all the notes next time - it's rose water!) Ok, so the rose water, bitter almond, and lemon peel are the most dominant notes on my skin in the dry down phase. I wish it stayed sugary cherry tarts!! Locket perhaps.

A coconut that doesn't go to plastic doll head! Interesting. Fresh coconut, not getting a lot of anything else. Would be an awesome scent if you're looking for a not too sweet coconut scent.

This smells like ginger & smoke... weird. I don't get cream, honey OR clove. Unless the combination of these notes = burning. Not really foody. I picture this might be what ginger cigarettes may smell like if they existed LOL sadly, not for me.

I enjoy drinking Tiratinis (Tiramisu Martinis), but I don't remember them being fizzy? Maybe it's been too long lol

This was really effervescent at first, I was scared. It's mellowed out, somewhat, but still too much of that fizzy quality I just can't wear without feeling slightly nauseous. Without the fizz, I think this could be a great creamy white chocolate scent.

I've never had a bad experience with alcohol or otherwise fizzy drinks, so I don't know where my fear of them comes from.. I just associate them with bad things after a night of drinking too much if you get what I mean!

Yup, mango and white chocolate! What else were you expecting?

I thought I liked mango scented things, but maybe that's more of my husband's love of tropical scents; they rarely work on me.. Not really my thing - pass!

This one reminds me just slightly of Red Lace, odd because it really doesn't look like they share notes. I think I'm picking up tobacco, odd again because it's not listed as a note...

I'm generally a fan of balsam + vanilla and honey + rose are usually death notes. This blend could really go either way, but the verdict is I DO like it! It has a cider-esque feel to it, reminds me of this Dorian CT I have. I suppose the wild woods could be the note rocking this blend; whatever it is, it's delicious!

Something in this is absolutely wonderful - guessing dark musk because I'm a huge fan of Haunted, but there is a sort of 'tang' to the scent that reminds me of that evil smell that radiates when red musk hits my skin and is not in the 'right' proportions (like: Mme Moriarty, The Soldier).

It's dirty and clean all at the same time. It has a cozy feel to it, and, yes, would be amazing on a man I do think. For me, I'm too on the fence about it. Would that sourness age out of it? Possibly.... Eeeeh can't decide if I need a bottle!