aiobhan

BOTTLE: Cinnamon!!!

 

ON SKIN: Cinnamon!!! But also some ginger.

 

AFTER A FEW HOURS: Now it's warmed into smelling more like the actual description: Snake Oil with cinnamon, cassia, and red ginger. it's a touch sweet, very spicy, but not overwhelming.

Dark, dry vetiver keeps the sweetness of the vanilla and Snake Oil from being overwhelming. The coconut is subtle and adds a warm and buttery top note. This isn't a foody scent at all, but it's definitely gorgeous, dry, dark, and a little sweet.

In the bottle: It's basically all fruit pulp, but in a good way. Apple, orange, and lemon. The flowers are floating just behind the fruit, but the Snake Oil is basically nonexistent to my nose.

Wet on skin: Still all fruit! Juicy orange and apple, but the florals are definitely more present. They're gentle, bright, and not soapy at all.

After a few hours: This didn't even last two hours on my skin.

In the bottle: Damn this smells like soap. Fancy soap, but soap nonetheless. The jasmine, blackberry, gardenia, green sandalwood, orange, and honey are immediately obvious. They kind of drown out everything else. There is a little tiny bit of spice waaaaaaay behind all that tangy/sweet/super floral, though.

Wet on skin: SOAP D: NOOO! So much soap! But, the florals faded pretty immediately upon warming to my skin, and were more of a whisper than a can-o-whoopass like they were in the bottle. The berries/orange/bergamot are taking precedence, but the amber, vanilla/vanilla husk, musk, ti leaf, and cardamom are starting to become apparent. They're like a dark, warm, spicy foundation.

After a few hours: The florals are basically gone, but the oakmoss has warmed nicely without being too "green" or woody. I can still smell a hint of jasmine - which sucks, because I hate jasmine - but it's morphed into something a little sweet, very dark, and very warm with just a flash of citrus.

 

I'd wear this a lot if only I couldn't smell any of the jasmine. If you like jasmine, though, give Faiza a shot! I really liked her more than I thought I would!

The dry down reminds me a TON of Mouse's Long and Sad Tale. Between the very very subtle floral notes to the warm, sweet wood and the amber/vanilla taking precedence, it's like Mouse's gentler, sweeter cousin.

 

I LOVE it.

 

2016 version!

 

In the bottle: I'm scared of this because it really does smell just like a spicy, dry, dark cocoa. Chocolate notes NEVER work on me.

Wet on skin: The cocoa is definitely present, but isn't turning sour like it usually does on me. The Snake Oil is very very obvious, but the teakwood and rice milk definitely warm things up and keep the cocoa and Snake Oil much smoother.

Dry, after a while: Warm, creamy vanilla-heavy Snake Oil is prominent. Teakwood and just a breath of deep, dark, dry cocoa ground the scent and keep it from going too powdery or sweet. It's a very dark, warm, gentle scent. I really like it!

In the bottle: Super acai berry! Some sandalwood is also present.

On skin: The acai mellows a little and the vanilla, amber, and neroli show up to give the whole scent a sunny, deep warmth. The Snake Oil and cardamom are barely-there spice. The sandalwood rounds off the scent with a little woody dryness.

Dry, after a while: The acai and neroli remain bright, while the amber and vanilla amp up underneath to keep everything smooth and warm. (I amp both notes pretty strongly, so your results may vary!). The Snake Oil and cardamom are still just a breath of spice, and the sandalwood gives the scent just a touch of dry woodiness, but it's definitely waaaay in the background.

Would there be any interest in another virtual vacation swap?

 

I'd first need to find who ran the previous one to check if they don't mind me stealing their idea but I thought I'd test the waters anyway.

100% YES! I've been wanting to do something similar where you can send all the awesome stuff from your hometown/location/whatever to someone else! I have had a little swap thing just sitting around, but I'm always too busy to consider running one. I'd love love love love if someone ran one!!

 

Handmade knit swap, YES, only socks, not really, I don't like knitting socks :/ .

This. For whatever reason Socks and I never get along well.

 

 

If y'all decide to open it to crocheters I'd join, but as Philip J. Fry would say, I have stupid fingers so I can't knit.

In the bottle: Yep. Key lime pie. Not fresh lime - more like sweet lime juice and lime zest, with a heavy dose of buttery graham cracker and maybe even something creamy, without a noticeable cream accord.

On skin, wet: The graham comes out more, and the lime gets a little jucier. I could eat myself right now - I'm serious guys.

Warm, dry, after a while: Yeah okay so I smell exactly, 100% on-point, like a slice of key lime pie with a buttery graham cracker crust and a dollop of whipped cream (still no cream note, but the sweetness and lightness is there). Like what is happening - this is incredible.

 

If you like smelling like delicious baked goods, this is for you.

It looks like I'll be trying to move most of November, so running a swap probably isn't a good idea. I could always try it next year, or at the end of winter in Jan/Feb. I'm so glad there will be a Winter Fun and a 12 Days swap!

Is there any interest in a 12 Days of Christmas swap?

 

At first, I thought I'd run a way smaller Winter Fun swap (inspired by one ran by Porcelina a few years back: something yummy, something cuddly, something smelly + a surprise) but I don't want it to be too similar to what Aiobhan has planned.

 

Plus, if I want to do the 12 Days, I want to start it early, leaving it last minute like last year was too stressful.

 

Thoughts?

I still 100% plan on doing my winter warm cuddly swap, but I am also pro-12 days swap. I agree with starting earlier.

 

I plan to throw mine up at the end of October so people have time to craft stuff, but since I want it to be a no/low budget swap, I probably won't open it to international because shipping is so expensive.

 

A 12 days where international is available might be really awesome. I'd probably participate (if I don't find a house to move into by then).

I love the pink pepper in this - so bright and just a little sweet. He's a great accent to the sharp fresh grapefruit. It's not sweet, but smells exactly like a fresh grapefruit. There's some initial Surat sweetness as well, but it fades pretty quickly.

 

As it warms on my skin it gets much more grapefruit-y. My skin tends to appreciate citrus, so this isn't surprising. I could see this being a lovely delicate scent for summer.

It is exactly what it is supposed to be! Chocolate and cream. Sadly, my skin just sucks it up.

In the bottle - Cream, sweet, warm, like a very milky latte and less like a coffee with cream.

Wet on skin - THERE'S THE COFFEE OIL. Oh god. It smells exactly like I would smell when I used to barista - the rich, warm, nutty coffee oils against a creamy milkiness and just a touch of pure sweet. Not honey, not vanilla, just... sweet.

After a while - It's like Bah! but without any of the bitterness from the Turkish Coffee, and no hint of chocolate or booze. Just coffee with sweet cream. Oh god. I could eat my arm.

 

This. Is. The. Best.

In bottle - Sweet, fresh peach and sandalwood, with a tiny hint of dark leather.

Wet on skin - Still fresh peach, but the amber and sandalwood are warming it nicely and keeping it from being to juicy/sugary/saccharine. The leather is a secondary but still obvious note, and it's very much warm, well-worn leather like a good leather jacket at the end of a day of wear. the oudh and basalm are lending a dark "brown" quality behind the sweet peach and warm amber/spicy sandalwood.

After a while - A lot of the sweetness has mellowed out of the peach and now it's more reminiscent of baked peaches. The sandalwood and amber are still pretty strong along side it, keeping things woodsy and warm. The leather, surprisingly, has almost disappeared - it's just a little bit of darkness rounding out the edges of the peach. The basalm and oudh don't feature at all as notes, but instead contribute to the overall caramel-quality of the scent.

Neat!! I'll get something written up over the next month or so and maybe start it the last week of October so people have enough time to make stuff before mailing first week in December.

For the winter swap season, I know lots of people can't participate because of finances - it's expensive to buy presents and do a swap! - so is there any interest in a low budget/no budget swap where all you'd have to pay for is shipping (and however much else you'd want to buy)?

 

I have an idea for a winter warmth swap. You could buy or make something cozy like socks or a hat or a scarf, include a burned dvd or second hand book, and make or buy a warm beverage thing (tea/cocoa/cider/etc), and make or buy a small savory snack (popcorn package/crackers/etc).

 

It would be a very small swap just to get people who want to swap a chance to spoil someone with all the fixins for a little cozy night in! I was thinking maybe mailing out beginning of December so it doesn't conflict with the holidays or other holiday themed swaps.

 

Thoughts?

I'm up for any autumn or Halloween swaps. I LOVED LOVED LOVED SW last year - both giving to Vanesa and receiving from Greenwoodtree! - and would be thrilled to do another swap. Book/sock/soap/beverage sounds like it would be fun! I have a lot of books that need rehoming, and I love tea and cocoa and could totally make that happen for someone.

+1 switch witch.

Is there any interest in a pets swap? Like goods for your fuzzy/scaly/feathered friend, especially if they're locally made or super helpful/adorable/special treats?

In the bottle: Sandalwood, florals (the tagetes and tiare, probably), maybe some cardamom, with a soft base of amber.

Warm on skin: Vanilla and amber heavy, which is common for my skin. The floral is gentle and warm, which is surprising. Usually I don't like florals, but I like this. The sandalwood is barely noticeable, and I'm getting no cardamom.

After a while: The same as warm, but the florals have quieted down to a whisper, and the cardamom is a touch of something dry behind the sweet vanilla and amber and the warm sandalwood.

 

LOVE. THIS.

Just something I'm kicking around (read: it's months away from happening, if it ever actually happens): Would anyone else be interested in a cryptozoology exchange? The main catch I can think of is that there would need to be some sort of screening process to make sure that people don't all pick Sasquatch. Maybe one of the survey questions that only I would see could be what three creatures would you like to represent, and then when assignments are handed out, you are assigned one? Still trying to figure that one out. (Warning: I would most likely call dibs on Sasquatch because Pacific Northwest.)

 

Or just local mysterious happenings? Because if you're PNW and call Sasquatch, I call Mel's Hole.

Oriental # 12 --

In bottle: I'm having a hard time discerning this. I feel like there's a sandalwood type scent, as well as seething vaguely bright and almost berry-like but not quite.

Warmed on skin: Spicy, a little dry, and that bright note has come across as lemon verbena or maybe lemongrass, but not at all green. It's very citrusy and spicy without being foody.

Dry, after some time: Defnitely lemon verbena, but not green or herbal. The dryness has faded a little, and the spice is helping balance the citrus notes. The spice has to be something like light ginger.

Overall thoughts: This is a scent that would be great for oriental lovers who want something light and fresh and cheerful - but not too green or sweet - for summer.

 

---

CT: Oriental #49 -

 

In Bottle: Whoa. Very dark and heavy - like a musk/vetiver or something.

Warmed on skin: Sweeter. Maybe vetiver with something else, something kind of warm/sweet but not foody or sugary (coconut? beeswax? not super sweet). I'm having a hell of a time recognizing scents in this, not going to lie. It's very dark and rich. Maybe opium. It's definitely more masculine.

After a while: It's like a less-sweet, more dark Red Lantern. I'm picking up something that's maybe dark coconut (not foody), musk, vetiver, and something that brings the scent way down (leather? dark opium? something like that!). It's not very sweet, but deep and warm, and pretty rich.

Overall thoughts: This one's a no for me because it's not sweet enough, but would be excellent for those who like darker scents. It really is like if someone turned the brightness and sweetness of Red Lantern waaaaaaaay down.

Gourmand # 8 --
In bottle: Milk chocolate and something nutty that isn't almond or peanut. Not too sweet, a little dark, very warm.

Wet on skin: The milk chocolate note is taking a back seat to warm nuttiness. It smells like a snickers bar tastes. OH! It has a similar feel as Bah!, but without the darkness of coffee and with more of a nutty/macadamia scent.

Dry, after some time: The milk chocolate is more milk/cream than cocoa. The nuttiness is definitely from macadamia. It's lightly sweet without being sugary, creamy, and very warm.

Overall thoughts: I really do like this. I may keep it. Usually scents like this don't stay long on my skin, but this one seems to be holding out. It smells like a macadamia cookie and very creamy, melted-milk-chocolate hot cocoa.