mymymai

• ITI: A dusty orange blossom with slight carnation spice. It's...odd. I'm not sure as to whether or not I like it.

Wet: The patchouli rivals much of the orange blossom and carnation, but there's more spiciness and floral tones than anything sweet. There is a touch of muskiness, but it reads as a honey-d musk. It's growing on me as it settles.

Dry: The patchouli takes over much of the scent once dried. I'm having trouble, in fact, picking up anything other than that. Granted, it's a really intense, deep, non soil-laden patchouli, which makes the note pleasant even on its own.

• ITI: I get hay in late fall, vetiver, and bergamot - it's distinguished, gentlemanly, but approachable.

Wet: Smoky vetiver is followed by a really delightful but full-bodied opoponax note, steeped in bergamot. Yum!

Dry: It's an odd mix between clean (hay and bergamot) and smoky vetiver, but as a whole, it's a nicely refined scent that does seem to evoke its namesake relatively well.

• ITB: Oh, that's deeper and a bit more masculine than I expected from the combination of vetiver, tobacco flower, saffron, and ambergris (much really reads as a fougere musk more than anything, but I'm really not complaining since I love fougere almost as much as I adore ambergris).

Wet: The tobacco flower and saffron crocus are more detectable once applied to the skin, and the vetiver does have a grassy quality to it, but it still has a masculine quality to he scent as a whole that I'm really enjoying. I'm surprised hat the myrrh isn't showing up, though.

Dry: After a long walk, the scent now has the woody resin that was missing earlier. It still has some of the vetiver along with the saffron and tobacco - yielding a really pleasant masculine yet completely wearable scent for any gender.

• ITI: I don't even remember sniffing this in the imp. I just applied this straight on the skin and was immediately blow away with how gorgeous a scent this is. I do remember the impression of flowers! Resins! Woods! Love! It figures that it is limited edition, though.

Wet: I just about swoon every time I apply. It's sweet nectar - a sweet without being cloying - paired with absolutely gorgeously feminine rose notes and delightfully resinous woods under swirling spices.

Dry: It's sweet agave-nectar brushed resinous woods with just a hint of femininity. It's perfect!

• ITB: Strong musk, cold stone, and cracked, almost salty wood. Interestingly likable.

Wet: The musk is just an incredibly cold musk, and it clearly evokes images of a dark house looming in the distance, seen hauntingly under the pale light of the wee hours, obscured ever so slightly by light fog. I still strikes me as slightly aquatic, but nicely so like R’lyeh.

Dry: It doesn't stay on all to well, but leaves just the lightest impression of swirling, cold musk, but not so much that it would register as a scent unless you were right up on the skin.

• ITI: That is some strong jasmine right there. granted the lily white well and toned down the over quality of the jasmine whereas the sandalwood adds a nice, subtle tone as a whole. It's strong but I think its okay so far.

Wet: The jasmine at this point is almost overwhelming, like industrial bathroom sanitizer. As it starts to settle I get a bit more lily but it's just too much.

Dry: It reminds me of a lily and said jasmine Glade plugin. To the swap pile it goes.

• ITI: This is gorgeous, resinous, and haunting in all the right ways with the oppoponax, tobacco, heady black amber, and a lovely, deep leather note.

Wet: The resin here is strong and powerful but when combined with the tobacco, dark amber, and leather it creates for a really intense, dark, lovely brooding scent that would smell great on a man or a woman. I'm a fan so far.

Dry: Sweetly resinous from the oppoponax, tobacco, and amber, but no leather any more. It reminds me of my grandfather smoking his pipe on a warm autumnal evening.

• ITI: That's some really strong honey bucket honey right there. there's a bit of over ripe almost fake cherry note in there too, but the honey is just easy too strong.

Wet: The cherry is a lot longer on my wrist and I am so happy about that. It actually remind me now of the dark cherry kool aid I use to have as a kid. They go very is less port a potty and more sugary, so I actually find this decent.

Dry: It's sweet and flowery like honey dusting powder and cherry blossom. It's much nicer than I had anticipated.

ITB: This really is an absolutely gorgeous scent, even on first sniff, it's like a less creamy creamsicle with tones of mango and gentle sandalwood underneath.

 

Wet: It's still really lovely. The mandarin is a bit more distinct, but the mango paired with the musk and sandalwood is still warm, creamy, and just delicious. Yum!

 

Dry: It's a soft candied mango and light, billowy sandalwood and musk with faintly more citrus mandarin under it all. This is an absolutely lovely blend and I'm sad to get to know if after it was discontinued.

ITB: I get a strong but pleasant patchouli and a very clearly red musk that rivals the patchouli for attention. The bergamot is present, adding an attractive but somewhat elusive spin to the musky, earthy scent.

 

Wet: It's much sweeter on my wrist than I anticipated, but it's more of a resinous, exotic sweetness form the combination of the musk, patchouli, vanilla bean, and bergamot. I'm not picking up on any red currant, but there is a faint tone of saffron there as well. What's really odd is that the scent reads ever so slightly like chocolate.

 

Dry: The patchouli lingers after 10 hours along with the musk, but it ends up smelling similar to the Lab's patchouli single note than a blend.

 

ITB: I had the chance to sniff some scents I had never tested at ECCC this year, and Tristran was one that absolutely had to come home with me. First, I'm a huge fan of mint notes since I remember the Body Shop selling the odd puzzle-type perfume bottles. Second, the resins are pure, deliciously heady, and a fantastic compliment to the woods and lemon peel. How could I resist?

Wet: Delightfully pure rosewood comes first out on my skin, followed briefly by lemon peel, then tonka gently twirls with alight sandalwood while mint lurks underneath, adding a delightful depth to the scent as a whole.

Dry: It fades pretty quickly, much faster than I had anticipated. What remains is a really soft light sandalwood, lemon peel, coriander cloud that is just as ephemeral as the series.

ITB: It reminds me of early spring in the apple orchard when I was a child. The apple blossom note here is lovely, light, and fresh. When paired with the sandalwood and bamboo, it produces something that is subtle, feminine, nostalgic, and just delightful.

 

Wet: The bamboo and tea are much stronger on my skin, which is disappointing as it takes more of a clean, hard line that seems at discord with the apple blossom.

 

Dry: It's light and gentle, like a vintage powder room. Pretty.

ITB: It's sweet and feminine via the sake, amber incense, and yokan, although there's a bit of a bit to it doe the the green tones from the matcha tea.

 

Wet: The sake here is very floral and sweet with a touch of effervescence. The matcha notes are still distinct and slightly bitter, although the amber and sandalwood have trouble keeping up even with the subtly sugary yokan.

 

Dry: All the bitterness has subsided to reveal a soft, subtle sake and yokan-laden scent that is just gorgeous. It's worth the wait for the dry down.

ITI: *Whimpers at the sight of the honey note*. I just pray it isn't the bad honey. After the sniff, I'm not sure whether or not it is. What's really intriguing about the scent is it doesn't strike me so much as tobacco honey but dewberry honey. It's dark purple in tone and juicy just like a fruit with a touch of soft soapiness. Odd.

 

Wet: Yes, it's very similar, although the sweetness of the tobacco plant emerges out of the dewy, fruity, honey notes and creates a really interesting, complex blend.

 

Dry: Now, the tobacco is warmly intoxicating while beeping deeply sweet and slightly spicy, enhanced by the soft honey. It's actually a really nice scent!

ITI: It's an earthy cocoa surrounded by patchouli and a touch of floral-infused leather. Interesting so far. I need to see how the cocoa behaves on my skin.

 

Wet: The cocoa and patchouli work really well, even my my skin, which has a tendency to make even the prettiest notes smell strangely at times. The scent is sweet without being cloying, earthy, spicy, and resinous with a hint of leather and a touch of a light green note.

 

Dry: After 12 hours, the scent is slightly floral cocoa that is warm and pleasant. Very nice.

ITI: I'm more intrigued by this scent than I had anticipated. It's very much a loam, rich and moist, followed by the lovely and sharply green juniper and evergreen note, but there's an interesting smokiness to it as well that I'm really liking.

 

Wet: It really does smell like there is some labdanum in this blend just against the juniper and evergreen notes. The loam note hoovers just underneath while the lightest impression of floral keeps the scent from becoming too dark and somber.

 

Dry: As it dries, it's just a wonderful symphony of florals -roses, lilies, and another white, slightly spicy floral - underneath a deep loam and a smoky veil covering it all.

ITB: I get peony, rose, and a faint musky fur, like a clean cat sitting in the afternoon sunlight.

 

Wet: It's warm and floral, like a sun-drenched greenhouse filled with asters and roses, surrounded my a touch of furry musk. Oh, this is nice!

 

Dry: It fades to almost nothing save for a brief hint of aster and rose. It's still very lovely.

ITB: I initially thought I would be able to get away from ECCC without any of these. However, for Aubin and I, it was love at first sniff. The ambergris accord, one of my favorite notes, is warm and enticing, providing the perfect bed upon which the lavender, thyme, and benzoin rest. I second the idea that it is similar to TKO, although perhaps not as sexy and sweet (sans vanilla), but much more comforting and dreamy.

 

Wet: Absolutely gorgeous French lavender, warm ambergris, thyme and benzoin with a slightly bitter tone (but not overpowering, so it actually is a welcomed addition), and hints of carrot seed and light fur. It's light petting a soft, white bunny sitting amongst a field of lavender.

 

Dry: Gosh, this scent is amazing. Even when dry, it still maintains a dreamy, hazy and comforting quality. The benzoin is very noticeable now, tinged with carrot seed around the edges, complemented by light lavender, time, and the dainty floral of immortelle. While the ambergris is not as strong as it used it be, there is still a lovely musky tone that just amplifies the notes in the best possible way. This is certainly a keeper!

ITI: First off, I've never really smelled China Rain, so I'm not exactly sure what to expect. Interesting. On first sniff, I get something that is pleasantry aquatic and musky, which is rivaled by a deep, smoky note, like smoked wood chips right before a barbecue.

 

Wet: The vetivert's smokiness her really is lovely, and paired with the musky, dark aquatic, it does invoke something like an ominous storm. Usually, I'm not a fan of aquatics, but this is nice.

 

Dry: It fades fairly quickly to a light, slightly smoky, mysterious aquatic musk, which is still rather pleasant.

ITI: Oh, that's pleasant. The orchid is soft and well balanced with the white musk, which is followed by faint wafts of patchouli, bergamot and a green note (although not nearly as strong as a regular Lab's juniper note).

 

Wet: On my skin, it's mellow yet slightly sweet floral paired softly with lazy bergamot and a lovely white musk. Lovely.

 

Dry: Even though it's fact, the scent is absolutely divine on my skin. The orchid is delicate yet regal, white the musk paired with the patchouli gives it a lovely base that is both feminine and deeply earthy in all the right ways. Gorgeous scent!

ITI: I'm getting a strong, heady floral with touches of incense and light, slightly bitter herb. I'm not sure about this. The floral is a bit strong right now.

 

Wet: It's stronger than I would like in the floral department. There is definitely that oppressive, musky jasmine note that the Lab uses along with spicy carnation, rose, and incense. There is a touch of light sweetness, but I can't get over the soapy tones that are emerging.

 

Dry: The jasmine is just too much for my skin. I need to remember that. However, I do now get the earthy notes along with the spiciness that I think is carnation, some faint green, but the incense is all gone. This is a pass for me.

ITI: It's astringently green but comforting at the same time from the juniper, cypress, and chamomile. At this point, I'm not picking up the rose note, but I'm actually okay with that.

 

Wet: Ah, there's the rose, adding a slightly powdery, pinkish sweetness to the bitter juniper and cypress, while the chamomile soothes the more bitter tones of the scent. As someone suffering significant ice-pick migraines currently, this scent is strangely soothing. I'm going to bring it with me today to see if it can just help provide that sense of calm I need right now.

 

Dry: The rose develops nicely as it dries, blooming into a full-bodied red rose that gently shines alongside the chamomile against the greens (which have subsided to more subtle tones). Very nice and something I would consider getting a bottle of.

ITI: A really collection of heady ambers paired with the sweet, fruity floral of apple blossom and light green of myrtle. It's a pleasant scent so far.

 

Wet: It's very heady, which I like. I'm still getting the same three notes, but there's almost a woody resinous quality to it. The apple blossom note is simply lovely here under the ambers.

 

Dry: The apple blossom and myrtle are most dominant while it is drying and once dried, although the amber provides a lovely, sweet base for it. The carnation adds a hint of floral spice, which as a whole makes the scent both interesting and pleasing.

ITI: Oh, that's nice. It's green, slightly spicy, and austere. I can most clearly pick out the green sandalwood and lemon balm just under the juniper and fig leaf.

 

Wet: Wow, the fig here really elevates the cedar, basil and lemon balm with the sandalwood, juniper and myrrh suffuse everything with a delightful Christmas-y impression.

 

Dry: It dries down rather beautifully to a subtle combination of fig leaf, sandalwood, light myrrh, and a touch of cedar - gorgeous!

ITI: Wow, that's incredibly sweet - chocolate, gobs of sugar, pumpkin pie, clove, and nutmeg. If you are a foody, this should be one you consider.

 

Wet: warm chocolate, spices like nutmeg and clove, and freshly baked pumpkin pie. Actually, this is somewhat nice, even though I don't usually like foody scents.

 

Dry: The throw on this scent is significant. As I was taking a walk a few hours after application, I'd keep getting strong impressions of hot chocolate, sugar, pumpkin pie, and spices. Even now, the scent and its notes are clearly discernible and pleasant. I've warmed up to this one, that's for certain.