Juushika

I didn't have any luck with the sister scent, Vampire Tears, so I was a bit hesitant about Midnight Kiss. I'm glad to say, my concerns were way off the mark. This was a wonderful surprise, and a perfect frimp to receive from a seller. On me: Midnight Kiss is a rich red scent, bordered around the edges with dark cocoa, undercut by a low, fuzzy darkness that reminds me of the color and texture of powdered cloves. The red heart to the scent is definitely fruit, but it doesn't feel fruity, and it certainly doesn't feel foody. Instead, it tends more towards the nose of a red wine and the thick wetness of blood. The cocoa is a bit more gourmand but again isn't foody, and it rounds out the scent and makes it a bit more palatable, not bitter like real wine smells to me. The fuzzy dark not-quite-powdery undercurrent (edit to say: heh, this is probably the musk, isn't it?) gives the scent a decent throw, and it almost makes it feel tactile. It's hard to explain, and my attempts are a bit contrived, but on the whole, this is a red-and-brown scent, colorful but not simple or exaggerated. Over time: Unlike most BPAL, this scent seems to hover over the skin, around the nose, around the wearer (me) rather than rising up from the skin. In fact, after the drydown period I couldn't lean in and pinpoint precisely where I had applied it, or smell the scent rising from my skin. It floated, like an aura. A rich chocolate and blood red aura. It also stuck around for quite some time, without morphing or fading until, six/seven hours in, it finally quieted and disappeared. I've never had a BPAL scent act quite like that, and I really enjoyed it. It meant I could constantly catch one more smell of the scent without leaning in towards my wrists or my chest like a crazy person, which really is the best of both worlds. Verdict: I feel very thankful that I was gifted with this, and I see myself reaching for the imp quite frequently. It feels a bit like Enraged Groundhog Musk, without the animal connotations or the heavy musk. Rich, red, cocoa, and just on this side of gourmand, it's slightly sweet, fruity, and chocolate without ever feeling like food. The way the scent hovers is so pleasant, and it makes this a good perfume when you want others to smell you without leaning in, but not be scared away as soon as you enter the room. I'm so pleased. I love this. ETA, some months later: Unfortunately, as it aged Midnight Kiss became increasingly sweet until it smelled like sticky red candies on my skin. Cloying, sickly, a touch artificial, and glaring bright red in tone, I just couldn't wear it any more. I recently swapped it away.

In the imp: Dry pale powdered cocoa. I don't dawdle over the in-imp smell of this because I love how it smells on me so much, but it's actually quite pleasant and true to the wear scent. On me: A lovely blend of cocoa and sandalwood. The cocoa is the dry powdered dark chocolate, maybe even baker's chocolate--it's not sweet and not foody, but has a rich cocoa scent nonetheless. The sandalwood melts in perfectly, giving the scent a velvet texture—powdery (the powdered cocoa variety, not the baby powder variety), not quite smooth, but minutely textured and very fine. It's quite a subtle scent, but not understated--has a low-to-moderate throw, which makes it perfect for leaning in and smelling deep. It's at once both refined and comforting, the way that chocolate should be. Doesn't change much during wear. Verdict: Both the boyfriend and I love this scent on me. It's comforting, perfect for a chocolate-lover, and it's always a delight to smell—a good thing, as it sticks around a fair while (5-8 hours). The boy's only complaint is that it makes me smell good enough to eat, and I can live with that. This was one of my first purchases from the Lab, and is still one of my favorites. I adore it.

This was a frimp from the lab, and I don't think I would have tested the scent any other way—neither citrus nor predominant florals appeal to me. In the imp: Pure citrus, which is bright but very strong. On me: After the ten minute drydown, I get, immediately and without morphing, floral soap. It's actually pleasant, as soap goes—creamy white, just a little dusty, scented with graceful florals. But it's still soap, so while I'm not rushing to wash it off, this isn't a scent that I'd ever wear. Verdict: Nopes, not my notes, not with my skin chemistry.