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Czech and Speake No. 88 "No. 88 is the signature fragrance from Czech & Speake. From its Aromatics Collection, No.88 is a blend of woods, bergamot, geranium, rose otto, cassie flower, frangipani, vetiver, and sandalwood. This gorgeous fragrance is worn by both men and women." (description from The Perfumed Court) I was attracted to this because I read Morrissey wears it (and Elton John, too). I was so glad to find a source for a sample. This is fabulous! It's a rose scent, but unmistakably gender-neutral, although some may find it masculine. The closest bpal I can think of is Thanatos, but No. 88 is definitely lighter, fresher, and not as powdery (not that I dislike Thanatos). It's definitely woody, but also floral and slightly fruity. It strikes me as a versatile scent.....I could wear this at work (and I did), or out on the town, or for a formal occasion. I would call it almost a studious rose scent, but dark, hinting at naughtiness. Now I need to try their Cuba scent, because I definitely want a bottle of one or the other. This stuff is pricey and only available from the UK, so it's going to be a treat to splurge and indulge myself. If Cuba is as good as this, it's going to be tough to decide. I could absolutely wear No. 88 on a regular basis.

Vetiver Guerlain "fresh and outdoorsy, a blend of vetiver, wood, tobacco and spice." (description from Fragrancenet.com I love vetiver and having read lots of rave reviews, I really wanted to try this. Wet on the skin, for the first 10 or 15 minutes, this is a glorious, almost dizzying swirl of fresh, bright citrus notes, with some green grassiness peeking in and out. I loved it! After a while, all the top notes fade and what's left is simply vetiver single note. It's a light, fresh vetiver, almost reminiscent of sweet hay. Not a bad thing, but I'd love to smell that first stage longer.

Pascal Morabito Or Black I sought this after reading Luca Turin's perfume blog, he seemed to really like it. This review is from one test on the skin (I'll probably wear it again, so I may add to this entry later). top Note : bergamote, pepper, leather Note de cœur : benzoin, ciste, cyprus Note de fond : vetiver, ylang-ylang, amber, Tonkin Musk, oak moss. Didn't refresh my memory on the notes first, so I thought it was primarily an incense scent. Wet on the skin, it was exactly that. Slightly reminiscent of Midnight Mass, but murkier, more 'black'. After a few minutes, very shortly, I realized there was a strong note of leather. It reminded me of something from my past, maybe Drakkar Noir. It seems to be a formal, almost stern scent. Heavy and dark. Not for everyday wear, but probably good for special occasions. The leather comes out strong and lasts for a long time.

Brand new Imp.... Wet on the skin, this is so, so sharp.....almost like soap.....but I like it, because it is very much the scent of peeling a lemon, with that little spray from the rind. There is a hint of flowers behind it, but then as it dries the rose comes out stronger (which I pretty much expected). This is so high pitched and nearly soapy, I doubt I will wear it much. Honestly I'm not sure if I'll keep the Imp or not. I never did smell any apple, but that note might come forward as the oil ages. I think apple would add a welcome hint of softness, because right now this is all sharp, eye-opening citrus and soapy rose (not necessarily a bad thing, but not usually my kind of scent).

I usually keep this about scent but I have to rant and rave for a minute. I am so annoyed by people who write useless reviews on this forum! I realize their review might be useful to someone else. But it makes me feel like I wasted time clicking on the post to read it. I'm talking about when someone floods the reviews forum with very short reviews which basically reiterate the description of the scent (the Lab's description), and nothing more. And the very worst are when the person says "Oh, I couldn't even try this on my skin!". In my opinion, if you haven't tested it on your skin, you shouldn't review it! If you're reading this and you have written this type of review, don't take it personally. I am just in a ranting mood and it's a small pet peeve I have. I totally understand the value of writing a review as a form of 'note to self', which is actually one of the reasons I write reviews. Otherwise I can forget that I've already tried a scent and don't need to try it again. So in other words, don't change your writing habits just because of me! : ) /rant

Caveat: I tried this first but I tried a few scents in different spots soon after. Anyway, the fir was the strongest note. It reminded me strongly of Nocnitsa, an almost fruity fir. Underneath that I could detect just a hint of something spicy or maybe smokey. This is not like the older Hexennacht whatsoever, in my opinion. I liked it, but as for fir/pine scents, it doesn't come close to the deliciousness of Stranger In Camp! That one will be hard to beat. For a bit of reference, the older Hexennacht was much more complex and also much sweeter to my nose. Something about it was almost like honey, with dark smokey embers. I think both (the old and the newer version) are great scents, but totally different.

I really like this! It took me a few tries for it to sink in. Nothing stands out to me. Not one note. It's sweet but not powdery in the least. There is a crisp quality that might be coming from the currant. Best of all, the honey seems to be working. Honey notes tend to go wrong on me, but I can't smell it here, or it's a nice, light supporting note. I think this is a gender neutral scent, not overly feminine or masculine. Again, I just can't pick out individual notes in this, which is not a bad thing. I love amber and I was excited about Arabian musk, but everything's just blended in a superb way. I wouldn't call it a big amber scent or a big musk scent. Very light throw, but that's not bad. That can actually be great sometimes. The scent seems to veer towards a woodiness, but it's not quite woody. Perhaps that's the kush playing on the scent. Overall, I really like this and I wish I could describe it in more detail. I'll definitely edit if anything comes to me. Edit......Tea. This has a note that reminds me of tea. Don't know why, but it was pretty persistent when I wore this today. I wonder what's doing that? Other than that, this does verge on soapy, but it's something that I can be in the mood for every now and then. Still like it! I considered wearing it to work tonight but then I thought "Hmm, might be a little too sexed-up for work!", so I didn't. : )

Just off the top of my head, I'd recommend Death Adder and Madame Moriarty, both from Carnaval Diabolique. They have some similarities but are also totally different scents! Death Adder reminds me a lot of Snake Charmer but it's less sweet and more earthy. Of course, Snake Oil also reminds me of Snake Charmer. I'd say that if you really like Snake Oil, you have a little idea of what Snake Charmer smells like. There are probably other scents that I'm just not thinking of at the moment. But I think it's safe to say Snake Charmer is pretty much one-of-a-kind (and that's why so many people want it!).

I love pine and fir! Sadly The Black Forest doesn't work well for me. It turns powdery and seems to clash with my skin a little bit. However, I think Knecht Ruprecht (the snow-covered foliage of the Black Forest and the fruit and woods of apple and almond trees) is tragically under-appreciated, but on the upside it's not too hard to find. I'm wearing it right now and it works much better for me than Black Forest or Nocnitsa (which I have nothing against, except it's just a tad too juicy-fruity for me for some reason). Stranger In Camp (evergreen, damp grass, woodsmoke, birch bark, cedar, and Terebinth pine) is the one. That is the most beautiful, brooding, night-time pine/fir scent that I've encountered. Just like a sinister forest at night with fire in the distance. Not a wintery scent....this is more like the woods in spring or summer. It was one of my most gratifying bpal purchases and I cherish my bottle!

I noticed you never reviewed F5 (aloe, white musk, lime peel, fresh mint, seaspray, verbena and green tea), is there some note in there that you didn't like? It's definitely my go-to scent for lime, and strangely the lime seems to have gotten stronger since I first got it (strange because I thought citrus notes degraded faster than other notes)! I still love it. The Phoenix (sea air, gunpowder, lime, salt-crusted wood, a splash of blood, and a dribble of Snake Oil) is wonderful and getting better and more complex with age....but I still don't detect the lime very much.

Deep floral. That's about all I know. I smell roses, but beyond that I'm not sure. I think I've tested too many florals today, but I'm trying to put together a floral enabling imp pack. So there ya go. This smells really good, actually. Kind of a musky floral with a deep dark background. I like it.

When wet, the chrysanthemum and carnation are a pleasing combination. They both fade considerably as the oil dries. Sometimes I can wear rose, and every once in a while Ms. Lily behaves herself. It almost works in this scent. The lily doesn't screech soap at me like she often does, and the rose is there in the dry-down, just a soft hint. Still, this isn't something I'll wear a whole bunch. A good imp for enabling, I think. Edit, much later.....Oh, hey! There's the grass! I kept sniffing my hand, thinking, 'what is that?? sandalwood or something?'. I forgot there was a grass note here. Still, not enough for me to wear it often.

Very pretty floral scent. I have nothing against jasmine, and that's the big note for me in this scent. I don't like honey, though. I can smell it here, whether it's the honeysuckle, or the softly glowing skin note, I'm not sure. Anyway, not a scent I would really wear, but it's beautifully presented.

I like this....it's almost aquatic, reminding me of Cthulhu or Deep Ones w/out the wetness. It's a tart scent, more green than woodsy to my nose. It also reminds me of one of the Rappacini's Garden scents....maybe Belladonna? Not sure but this is worth holding onto.

Hmmm....light, minty wood, slightly musty. Interesting combination of notes. I think I'll keep the imp to remember my time as a villager (in the werewolves game). : )

I seem to remember, when I first tried this, it reminded me of Samhain....especially in the dry-down stage. But I tried it again yesterday, and it was a very faint, sweet floral that reminded me faintly of marshmallows. The throw was next to nothing on my skin. It's a pretty scent but not one that I would wear with regularity.

What an odd scent! When first applied the musty/moldy smell is strong. It lightens up a lot as it dries, and I also get a hint of something nearly minty for some reason. The wood is soft and I don't get a lot of the cognac note. Just a dry, sweet, light woody scent. I'm kind of on the fence about this one. It's not grabbing me in a big way, but I do keep sniffing it just because it's so interesting and different. My decant is kind of beat-up looking because of a stained label so I'll probably keep it around for a while, and try it again from time to time. I think it could grow on me. Edit: I still have never decided if I really like this. It's old, old wood....dry with a layer of dust. The wood holds the long-ago traces of some kind of minty polish or wax. Very true-to-life scent. It's oddly comforting on a day like today, dreary and cold outside with a steady, light rain.....but warm and cozy inside, maybe reading a good book. This scent definitely has its place.

Right away I thought of Snake Oil. I get the same 'play-doh' note that I pick up from Snake Oil, which I guess is the amber, perhaps? And by the way, it doesn't turn me off the scent. I actually like that note. Anyway, I don't get much peach from this scent, just a hint of it. I mostly smell the amber, vanilla, and soft sandalwood, with the suggestion of fruit. This is one to hold on to.

Thank you, salixnoir! I think that you are absolutely correct after looking at the wikipedia articles on the two different plants/flowers. I was wondering how I could have missed the fact that there are actually two plants with different names and qualities - I'm far from an authority on all things perfume, but this was the sort of thing where I felt like I must have learned it incorrectly and it stuck with me (do you know that feeling?) Lo and behold, a little googling and I saw that the venerable Mandy Aftel uses the terms champa and champaca interchangeably in her book Essence and Alchemy. I am pretty sure that's where I must have read it. (That link should take you to page 114 of the Google preview of the book.) That in turn made me wonder - have I been thinking that nag champa and champaca smell alike only because I was operating under a misconception? Then I found this article by a natural perfumer, who mentions that a lot of people find them similar because one of the resins used in nag champa smells similar to champaca flower. So at least I feel like a justifiable idiot I think I still have a little sample of champaca absolute form Nature's Gift.....it's really different from the traditional nag champa incense that I'm used to. Midnight On The Midway is probably my favorite nag champa scent. It's absolutely wonderful!

This is a great scent, because it seems lots of folks get different impressions of it. I would call it gender neutral, because I'm a guy and I feel I could definitely pull it off. The list of notes is nearly useless, because I really don't detect a lot of those ingredients. I mostly smell soft vanilla and almost powdery woods. Juniper is usually a berry/fruity wood to my nose but I can't smell the juniper here at all. And lily often turns sharp and soapy but there is no hint of it here. So, I'm smelling a soft, sweet, woody vanilla scent. No rose, no juniper, no jasmine. It reminds me a lot of the newer Hunter Moon, without the smoky aspect. And even more I'm reminded of Glowing Vulva, just a little less sweet, somewhat more woodsy, and less powdery. The scent hasn't morphed at all in the last 3 hours. I'm particularly surprised that I can't smell rose, even when I sniff up close.

This scent is kind of shifty for me.....not in a bad way. When I first tried it, I thought it was the other octopus scent....because I swore it smelled minty. Not sure where the hint of mint was coming from. But this is an attractive scent. To be honest, it reminds me of shampoo, but a really nice, high quality shampoo. It's somewhat similar to 'Sunrise With Sea Monster', which I also like a lot. Somewhat aquatic. I personally don't get a strong fruity vibe from the apricot, it's just a sweet hint. Come to think of it, none of the notes really stand out, it's more of a nice blend of notes. I like it!

Men Ringing Bell With Penises reminds me of Aveda products in general. It reminds me of citrus and mint just a little, somewhat herbal, a clean smell. It has a weird quality of smelling kind of classic and modern at the same time. It took me a few tries but I think I like it more and more everytime I wear it.

Random thoughts..... Josh, I still 'owe' you some decants, I haven't forgotten, but school and work sort of got in the way. I do have some stuff you'll like or at least enjoy trying. I would say that around 75-80% of the bpal scents I've tried could very well be worn by a man or woman. There are quite a few that are very feminine, but if I like the description or theme of a scent, I usually give it a try, whether it's floral, candy, sugary, girly, what have you....and I've found a lot of favorites this way! I love Sugar Skull, Midnight On The Midway, Rose Red (I don't wear this often but I love how it smells...), Glowing Vulva, and many others that could possibly slip by someone's radar, if they are only looking for 'masculine' scents. As a matter of fact, I prefer the more 'neutral' scents and have found a few that were TOO masculine for me (Dee is one of those...I think it would work great for some guys but it's too manly for me). Basically if I like how something smells, I'm not going to worry about the gender aspect. As for applying....tonight I put on 3 teensy weensy dabs of Snake Charmer, one on each hand and one on my neck......and it was waaaaay too much!! I had to rinse a little bit because it was just too intense. Edit: Meant to add.......I recommend Ile de la Tortue for guys, as long as you're open to a floral scent......it's a big, bright floral but gender neutral in my book....and a new favorite of mine.

I usually apply right where my sleeve or neck of shirt ends. That way it's exposed to air but I'm not rubbing my scent everywhere, on objects and/or people. So for long sleeves, wrists or back of hands. Short sleeves, I apply on my inner elbows or even upper arms. As for the neck I usually put it right under my adam's apple, or on the back of my neck just below my hair. Sometimes on the sides of my neck, below the ears. And if I get it on my fingers I rub the excess in my hair.

Valentine Of Rome is a must-try for lovers of frankinense!