byrdie

This is one of the original six Imps Ears from my first order. I'm strongly tempted to think that putting my nose so close to my wrist at any given time will produce a "warm" sensation, so I'm trying to leave that comment out of my review proper. wet ~ My immediate impression was of wood furniture, perhaps after years of soaking up incense smoke. I haven't been in enough churches to know how close this scent comes to the aroma of an actual cathedral. drying ~ Suddenly, I'm reminded of Barbie and other baby dolls I had as a child. Interesting, as I don't remember being all that fascinated by their smells; but this oil becomes somewhat plastic smelling. Am I detecting the wet resin? dry ~ Very complex, as if I'm smelling many different types of wood all at once. It's like being in an unfinished furniture store. My main impression is of hippie scented sawdust. It becomes lighter, though, less of a wood scent. later ~ It dries very determindly and becomes a very old smell. It's not a bad impression: it's very secure and comfortable, as if it's saturated my skin because it plans to move in to stay. final thoughts ~ I have to wonder if it's just my skin, or if all of the earthy oils dry into sharp, powdery scents? verdict ~ I like where it goes as it travels towards settling in.

I just tried Dana O'Shee and the first thing I thought was Snowcake! I've had it on for about 20 minutes now and have yet to change my mind about it. Pain would probably compliment Demon in the Dark quite well. I didn't think so at first, though -- it was strong enough while wet to remind me of Black Magic. Dry-down hasn't been completely kind to me, though. I got really excited when Anne Bonny started to smell like Amazonian, but that seems to have been just a phase. fooey.

This was one of the original six from my first order. For some reason, I was on an earthy kick that day. wet ~ My first impressions were of dirt and spice. Clean, freshly turned earth. drying ~ The spice scent morphed into drying, slightly off flowers -- overly ripe roses that are just starting to die. dry ~ The scent starts to decompose into a more zombi-like jumble. Individual scents become indistinct, as if the undead has risen and the earth, moss and roses have pressed together beneath its force. aftermath ~ This is not a morning scent. I'd probably wear this to a performance: a play or a friend's choral concert; perhaps an evening wedding. Some dignified event after sundown. It's a wonderful scent for putting on airs. I could picture feeling that I knew more than others while mingling among them and leaving a haunting scent curling behind me.

While not originally on my list of essential samples to try, it as added as a freebie. Thank you, Katherine! wet ~ My first thought was whether they'd given me two vials of Embalming Fluid. Strongly citrusy when a biting undertone. drying ~ Powdery, almost classically perfumey, but ... as with Embalming Fluid, the Lemon Pledge connection. I'd think I have a fixation, except that it's a much stronger association with this oil. Juliet is much more pronounced and determined; it's also not as musky. This oil reminds me of some of the chemical tangs I've experienced with mundane perfume, but it's only a reminder. dry ~ It tones down towards the feeling of having used a perfume marketed for little girls. final thoughts ~ This one isn't for me, as it didn't continue to tone down into anything I found pleasant. If Embalming Fluid is too wussy for you, try Juliet.

This is one that I nearly confused with Juliet, but that I like a heck of a lot better. I originally considered ordering it, but left it out of my first order. It came anyway as a freebie! wet ~ Citrusy, but warm, like a citrus-spice infusion. drying ~ There's definitely a bite here, like lemon or orange peel. Light and summery while adult at the same time. dry ~ What Lemon Pledge should smell like. For some reason this reminds me of my parents' house after we'd polished all the wood furniture, then opened the windows to release the fumes. The scent would stay, but it'd be lighter and clean. A sunny Summer day, but not a completely free one. One of work and chores, but also of simple pleasures. Afterthoughts ~ This calms down nicely into a mild musk with hints of citrus. I think it'd be a good warm weather scent, or a nice for a pick-me-up on a dreary day when worn very lightly.

A very complex oil that I selected for my first order. I went kinda overboard on the earthy scents, I think. wet ~ I found it to smell very much of incense, with a dusty rose scent as it started to dry. drying ~ The image I got was of a passion spell being cast in a hoodoo shop. Very strong. I had applied it to my upper right breast and could smell it without closing the distance between my face and my chest. dry ~ It reminded me of the more pleasant scents of South India when I stayed in Hyderabad last Spring. Very smokey and sweet at the same time, thus feeling somewhat alien and odd, but attractive at the same time. summary ~ I'm uncertain if I'd get more of this. It could make a good ritual scent, though. afterthought ~ I found that this one clung strongly to my nightie, which was interesting. I let my boyfriend have a sniff on Valentine's night, and he rather liked it. I may end up trying for a 5 ml bottle eventually.

This is the first Black Phoenix scent I've ever tried, a freebie included in with an order full of earthy scents. It is very, very complex. It's hard to know how to describe it, short of just starting at the beginning. wet ~ I swear that I smelled cinnamon and a deep, exotic floral when I started. drying ~ It dried to a warm spice with a very like musk scent, which mingled well with my own body heat and made it seem as though the scent itself was alive and caressing my nose. I find this both strange and worrisome, as I've never had this reaction to a scent before. dry ~ I began to wonder if there was any resin in it. It smelled almost clean, and reminded me of some Aromatherapy of Rome candles I still have squirreled away. At this point, I was thinking that it'd be a good scent for a rainy day. afterthoughts ~ After it'd snuggled down farther into my skin, though, I got less enthusiastic about it. It now smells very powdery, and somehow old -- not like the oil was off, but as if the scent on my skin had developed a considerable personality and worldview while I wasn't looking. summary ~ I don't think I'll get this one again. My nose is confused.