forspecial_plate
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Everything posted by forspecial_plate
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Chaos Theory III: Strange Attractors
forspecial_plate replied to shelldoo's topic in Limited Editions
Here's the 1 other review I found for this blend: On a whim, I bought this from ebay, and I'm quite glad I did! Not sure if it was supremegoddess that sold it to me, but if so, thanks, lady! : ) This scent is incredible. It definitely, absolutely has a component from Snake Oil and Tamora, which I guess would be amber. It reminds me strongly of the Snake Pit scents, and if this were one of them, it would be the lightest of the bunch. It's kind of plant-like, but there's also either an anise note or possibly leather....something you can only smell close-up. The throw is like a light, powdery cross between Snake Oil and Buck Moon. I've never tried Ivanushka but I imagine it might smell like this. My problem is I've gone off Snake Oil lately. I've been getting more powder than usual from the scent and it gets a little cloying after a while. Undoubtedly I will come around to loving it again, so I'm very very happy that I found this little gem. I can't wait to share it with certain local friends and hear their take on it! : ) Edit: wanted to add, this doesn't have vanilla. I get why supremegoddess called it spicy, but to me that comes off as amber. It's like a stripped-down Snake Oil with some light springy elements layered over it. YUM. Edit again: now that I've tried Siberian Musk SN, I think that is what I smell in this Chaos Theory and that's what was reminding me of Snake Oil. There's a lot of Siberian musk here. -
Limited editions equivalents in the general catalog?
forspecial_plate replied to Absinthe's topic in Recommendations
For lovers of Red Moon (the newer one, from '07), you should try The Maltese Cross of Sanctus Germanus. Compared to Red Moon it's a little stripped down, and maybe slightly more cologne-y, but definitely in the same family. In other words, yum. : ) -
Wow, the Blockhead surprised me a little.......I think I was expecting a quirky novelty scent but this is really quite 'wearable'. I thought the pink bubblegum would be too much, but for me it's actually subtle. This scent is reminiscent of New Year's Eve In Dogville, it has some of that masculine/feminine interplay. Kind of perfumey and cologney, at the same time, with a sugary element from the bubblegum that's almost effervescent. To be honest I forgot about the rusty metal note, when I first tried it. I knew it had leather but I couldn't smell that so much, either. Maybe just a little bit but nothing like Quincey Morris which is mostly leather for me. I'm also reminded of La Befana (which I didn't care for) and to a lesser extent, Sugar Skull (which I love). I imagine that Bulgari Black might smell something like this (I never tried it), and that's one of the reasons I wanted to try the Blockhead. But I think the Blockhead is probably better! Edit to add: I think some people will end up really liking this even though they wouldn't have expected to. I know that's how I felt! But obviously I had a hunch so I'm glad I have some.
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BPAL for Costume Parties, Halloween Costumes
forspecial_plate replied to chin's topic in Recommendations
Oooh, fun topic! I have a few thoughts...... Samhain...."Truly the scent of autumn itself -- damp woods, fir needle, and black patchouli with the gentlest touches of warm pumpkin, clove, nutmeg, allspice, sweet red apple and mullein." Samhainophobia...."The fear of Halloween. Menacing Haitian vetiver, patchouli, and clove with a shock of bourbon geranium, grim oakmoss, and dread-inspiring balsams pierce the innocuous scent of autumn leaves." I agree that Burial would be good. As for non-floral, I'd possibly recommend something like Djinn, Troll, or October. Maybe even....... The High Priest Not To Be Described....."Monastic incense, blood musk, black leather, cypress, pimento, white pepper, and Roman chamomile." Sinister and brooding, but maybe a bit refined for Michael Meyers? but at least it's available in the general catalogue. I know there are lots more, I bet others will have good rec's. -
Well I would have sworn I've reviewed this but apparently not. It's an unusual scent, mostly woody with a heavy undercurrent of green-fruitiness. Not a whole lot of throw, more like teasing little wafts of wood. I think the fruitiness comes from both the olive leaf and raspberry leaf, and it's almost like a deep red wine. And of course the vetiver flirts with the cedarwood. Cedar can be too sharp sometimes but it's softened up nicely here. Overall, yet another scent I will hold an imp of and let it age. I could definitely be in the mood for this from time to time.
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The Gay Pride festivities are next weekend, and I'm already thinking about what to wear. It will be hot, sticky, and sweaty, and possibly raining. So that probably eliminates anything light or ethereal as it would be just sweated off in a short time. Midnight On The Midway....this would be good because it's so strong on my skin. Would stand out in a crowd, for sure....also it reminds me of suntan oil that I used to love, so on a sunny/hot day it would be great. Stimulating Sassafras Strengthener......even though this is on the lighter side, it's quirky and unusual, and I know I wouldn't smell like anyone else! : ) Ile De La Tortue....to me this is a humid and sultry floral scent, with none of the bad things that florals can do (no soap, no powder). Scarecrow.....I wore this again recently. I had an imp a long time ago, but swapped it away. Something about the scent just stuck in my head and I bought another imp, and I'm glad I did. It's still slightly odd if I sniff up close, but the throw is amazing and unusual. Definitely the scent of a hot, dry day. This might be more of an August scent than June, but still it's good. Death Adder.....or maybe Snake Oil.....something from that family, might fit the mood. I think I'll put on Midnight On The Midway and see how I feel about it on a hot summer day. I haven't worn it much lately.
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L'Inverno Soap (by Silk Road Trading Company)
forspecial_plate replied to copyshopclerk's topic in Suds
I pick up on the fir and eucalyptus mostly, when I smell this. I can tell the other notes are there. Overall the scent is very subtle and doesn't stay on me after the shower is over. But I also started smoking again so maybe my nose is just deadened. : / I didn't really smell white ginger or plum, specifically. Not much fruity about it. I love the high quality of this soap. Very nice, moisturizing with soft suds. I think it's a good soap for hot weather, as it has a slightly bracing quality. I'd like to try the oil when they come out! -
Limited editions equivalents in the general catalog?
forspecial_plate replied to Absinthe's topic in Recommendations
I'd suggest layering Shub with Dracul. Smiling Spider is a good comparison but the clove is too loud on me, and the overall effect is sour-ness (whereas I love Count Dracula). -
Best BPALs for SUMMER - is it hot, sweltering, sticky outside?
forspecial_plate replied to Donnababe's topic in Recommendations
I've said it before, but I really like some of the heavier blends in the summer, especially red musk scents. Something about that note just goes with the sultry weather, and also those scents last and last through the heat. Corazon is the first to come to mind.....I love it in hot weather. Also Mme. Moriarty, Lust and Sin. Maybe it's a psychological thing. : ) -
Galvanic Goggles
forspecial_plate replied to lmaunu's topic in Phoenix Steamworks & Research Facility
Just for fun, I opened this w/out knowing what it was. I knew it was something from my new Imp-pack, but I didn’t look at the label, and I can’t remember the new descriptions yet anyway. The blind review: "First on: very tart and citrus, dry like a citrus peel, not juicy. Very nice and crisp. After some time: Golden resin and/or metallic notes start to rise majestically above the citrus. Beautiful transition. Something slightly soapy starts to come out, too. Not a huge throw….just strong enough. Yum. I hope the soapy doesn’t keep getting stronger, as sometimes happens. Still later: I’m thinking this is Galvanic Goggles. It sure isn’t the Antikythera Mechanism. Later: Well, this has settled comfortably into something like Satan And Death With Sin Intervening, except with metal instead of woods. It’s golden and citrus with gotta-be some resins, and probably some metallic notes. I think the metal is where the ‘soapy’ is coming from. It didn’t get more soapy, only slightly less as the dusky resins came forward. Almost dusty, but maybe you could say “time-worn”. This could be worth a bottle, I’m quite sure it will age with much grace and beauty." When I read the description again, I wondered where the heck I'm getting citrus out of this?? I was really curious about the Indian musk, and I think I was hoping for a substitute for Black Lace which turned way too soapy. Maybe Indian musk is soapy? Anyway, this is a great scent, and I'll be wearing it again for sure. -
Stimulating Sassafras Strengthener
forspecial_plate replied to flyingpizza's topic in Doc Constantine's Pharmacopoeia
I can't resist reviewing this even though I just got it today..... It starts out with a rush of sweet vanilla and sassafras, almost too sweet and rich, like a root beer float. But after just a few minutes, the notes settle down and start to interact, and it really is great. Light and effervescent, but the oak leaf comes forward to give the scent a solid backbone. I'm with Tartchef.....I thought of Glowing Vulva, but much lighter, and not powdery which that scent verges on. Nearly a "Root-beer flavored Glowing Vulva"..... ....but more than that (where else can I get away with typing that, and everyone knows what I mean??). The butter note is really not heavy to me at all.....I can smell little flashes of it, and it's more like a butter vapor to my nose, which sounds totally weird, but it makes sense in the overall composition of the scent. Bottom line......Laudanum is still my favorite sassafras scent, and I already have a big bottle of that, so I don't need more of this right now. But I am tickled pink that I have an imp! I want to always have this around for when the mood strikes me. It's a stimulating concoction, indeed. -
Smokestack
forspecial_plate replied to hipslike___cinderella's topic in Phoenix Steamworks & Research Facility
First impressions, possibly to be edited or added to later..... At first sniff, yep, this is my beloved Djinn, but also not! I agree that there's a big presence of vetiver in the scent, and that there's more going on here, more complexity (than Djinn), something a bit sweeter lurking in the background. After reading Reaver's review, purple was the color that kept coming to mind. I couldn't decide what kind of notes were buried in there......musk? incense? Um, flowers?? Maybe not. After a long while, this stays pretty strong. It becomes something like a sooty smear of a scent, making me think of aromatic charcoal, but good, not acrid or unpleasant. I kept thinking of a beautiful high-grade charcoal making a matte black smear on pure white paper (no paper notes in the scent, just an image in my mind), with the finest coal dust at the edges. The kicker is that I already have a well-aged bottle of Djinn, and Smokestack really is close enough that I don't need bottles of both. I'll definitely enjoy exploring this scent again, though. -
I can never quite figure out what fig actually does for my nose. I can't seem to pick it out in blends. Maybe some day I'll get to try a fig single note. When first applied, there is a sweetness to this scent, but also a gritty texture, just like the description reads. This is not nearly as fruity as I would expect, reading the notes. Actually the scent as a whole is very faint in the wet stage. Later as it dries, the herbs seem to pop out and it reminds me of the sage in Corazon. Overall, very herbal, slightly sweet, and mostly enjoyable. I like it enough to keep the imp and wear it again.
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Tiki King is mostly wood and musk on my skin. At first I was a little worried because it's almost powdery. But I've tried it a couple times and I think I really like it, maybe not for everyday wear, but something to definitely hold onto. The wood reminds me strongly of Mort De Cesar, and I agree with the post that mentioned sandalwood....it reminds me a lot of sandalwood too. I think this combined with black musk is what makes it seem slightly powdery. But it works for the scent....I could imagine this would be great for special occasions. The lemon is a slight accent, and the coconut seems to be just barely there, a supporting note. Maybe after some aging these will come out more. Overall, I'm happy with my bottle. It's a unique and compelling scent. The power of the Tiki King compels you! : )
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I love the wet-stage of this....almost tart, floral, but complex. As it dries, it starts to turn on me, sadly. I think I smell champaca, because there's a bit of faint banana in there (which that note seems to always do to me). This reminds me of Ile De La Tortue, but I like that scent a lot more. Tavern Of Hell is sweeter, almost cloying. And as it dries, it becomes more.....gritty or something. Something is just not working for me here. If I'd never smelled Ile De La Tortue, I might really like this. It's not terrible, but I prefer Ile when it comes down to it.
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I tried this w/out checking notes first. I've had it on for less than 10 minutes, and I'm going to break my own rule. I'm reviewing it w/out waiting, or trying the scent again later. I already know I can't wear this again. It's a pretty scent, don't get me wrong. It's not noxious or offensive. It just smells like soap to me. 100% pure soap. On first application, I noticed jasmine right away, which I'm generally not opposed too. But I'm betting there's a lily note, too. Lily amps up into shrieking soap territory for me, not every time, but more often than not. Anyway this isn't for me. And I bet it won't wash off (because the sharp soapy notes tend to cling to my skin like nobody's business).
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non-bpal review/Czech and Speake No. 88
forspecial_plate posted a blog entry in Forspecial Plate's Blog
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.
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non-bpal review/Pascal Morabito Or Black
forspecial_plate posted a blog entry in Forspecial Plate's Blog
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).
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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
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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.
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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. : )
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Limited editions equivalents in the general catalog?
forspecial_plate replied to Absinthe's topic in Recommendations
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!