EphemeralFey

I have yet to try the original haunted, so I'm not quite sure exactly how much of this is skin chemistry, just the combo of notes or both, but Haunted Bonbon turned into a toned down, more chocolate sweet forward, Boomslang on my skin. I may need 5 bottles of this...

In the bottle: I get a sweet floral blend that is heavier on the rose and coconut with a hint of sandalwood and frankincense at the end. I can also pick out a little bit of the vanilla musk. A very pretty feminine scent, but I am slightly scared of the sweetness (I don't do foodie/very sweet scents) and the noticeable coconut note. So far all other blends that I have tried with coconut in it become single note suntan lotion coconut on me, unless there is some vetiver in it to knock the coconut down a couple of notches. On me: For the first 5 seconds I have the coconut and rose battling for top note, with the coconut winning to my disappointment. However, the sandalwood and frankincense are keeping the coconut in check and preventing it from going super sweet single note on me! Sadly I am not getting any florals at this stage. After a while: This settled into a sweet coconut with hints of rose, sandalwood vanilla musk and florals blend on me. Low throw and sticks very close to the skin. It's a very pretty, soft and gentle scent. Thought: This is the first coconut minus vetiver scent that I have been able to wear!! Though this blend has proven that I amp coconut. I would have preferred to get closer to the other reviewers with the rose note being more prominent, but hopefully layering this with either Rose Red, Peacock Queen or The Rose will help with that.

In the bottle: Beautiful rose and myrrh, with something a little spicy at the end. On me: A spicy scent that is very reminiscent of freshly baked gingerbread, though it is not going foody sweet. After a little bit the rose peaks out. Has an average throw. After a while: Goes between being heavy on the rose or being heavy on the myrrh. On me it never really settles on one, just keeps switching. The gingerbread vibe continues, though not as heavy as when the blend was freshly applied Thoughts: Not sure if it is a skin chemistry thing, a blend thing or a mixture of both but the gingerbread scent never really left. I'll keep the bottle for now and hopefully some aging will tone down or remove the gingerbread bit.

In the bottle: Beautiful sweet heavenly jasmine heavy florals!! Can't really pick out the other floral notes at this point. On me: Still jasmine heavy, but I am picking up the lily and a hint of the vanilla orchid. So far no jagged edge to be found (yay!), just smooth sweet florals. Very nice throw. After a while: The scent remained jasmine heavy with the lily trading places with the Vanilla orchid. Sadly didn't really pick up on any tuberose or opium, though I think they were playing supporting roles instead of main characters. Thoughts: If you love jasmine and heavy florals this is a blend you need to sniff! It is an amazing, heady, floral blend that refused to let my nose get away from my arm. It reminded me a bit of Mrs. Emma Marsh from NYCC 2014, except more heavy and heady. Like an older, more elegant sister that flirts with Emma's husband a little to much and totally get's away with it.

In the Imp: Minty coolness and faint eucalyptus with a light airy green smell. This reminded me more of living green plants then an herbal green scent, very pleasant. On me: Faint eucalyptus and now a stronger herb green smell. Good throw, but it is faint. Can't really pick out any other individual notes. After a while: Goes to a sweetish green herb scent. The eucalyptus has toned down a lot. Thoughts: A very nice scent that would be great to use during the hot AZ summers, but I don't think I will need a bottle of this.

In the imp: Musk, patchouli and a hint of floral sweetness. Very pretty! On me: Initially patch and the vetiver tar. After a moment they tone down and the lilly comes to the forefront with the musk playing a nice backup. I think I am getting some of the sweetness from the plum, but thankfully it hasn't gone fruity sweet. After a while: This has settled on a light lily musk scent with a very faint earthy note at the end. Thoughts: Typically there is only one scent out of all the update decants that I order that really works on me, and this is the winner! Absolutely lovely blend and I am going to need to hunt out a bottle of this!

In the bottle: A green, crisp, clean and slightly sweet scent. Can't pick out any individual notes, but this is smelling like a great spring/summer scent! On me: Still green, crisp and clean. Can finally smell the sandalwood and musk. Has a very good throw and is very calming. After a while: Settled on a green floral sweetened scent with a nice hint of sandalwood at the end. Thoughts: I was secretly hoping that this would be in the same family as Mr. Ibis considering that they have similar notes, but I am not at all disappointed by how this blend turned out! It is very pretty and light, but not faint. So glad I got a blind bottle of this!!!

In the bottle: Lavender, tea and those inky resins are the first notes my nose registers. Smells a little strange, but in a good way. Like a cup of lavender tea next to a strongly scented bottle of open black ink. On me: Lavender is center stage, with the tea notes taking a break in the back. I can kind of smell the orange blossom if I hold the scent in my nose. The inky resin notes seem to have disappeared. After a while: Lavender calms down and blends with the tea notes to become a nice fragrant floral tea with hints of the resins in the background. Thoughts: A very pretty scent that works as a year around blend. So happy that this worked on me since I don't have a lot of lavender scents in my stash.

In the imp: I get vanilla, patchouli and the faint scent of black licorice jelly beans (not in your face black jellybeans, more like walking into a room that has been gently fragranced by an open bowl of black jellybeans). If I linger on my imp sniff I get hints of sandalwood at the end. While a sweet scent, it does not verge into the territory of foody saccharine sweet. On me: Not super sweet black licorice jellybeans. When I asked the BF to smell this, he said it smelled like spicy floral potpourri that you find at Christmas time. After a while: No morphing, just continued on with the black jellybean smell. Never became overwhelming or super sweet. I got decent throw from my test patch. Thoughts: Not sure how I feel about this. I like the smell, and taste, of black jellybeans and it doesn't smell bad on me. Just not sure if I want to smell like black jellybeans. This imp may get turned into an emulsified sugar scrub scent or whipped body butter scent.

In the imp: I could pick out the grapefruit, tangerine and something green, probably the green cognac. It's a very light, citrusy, green scent. On me: light sweet citrus with something green lingering in the background. If I take a deep sniff I get hints of rose. Very pretty and with a good throw! After a while: Remained a light sweet citrus green scent that occasionally went toned down Fruit Loops on me according to the BF. Thoughts: This is a really pretty scent, and great for summer. Not sure how much I will reach for this though, so for the best that I got a decant of this.

In the imp and wet on my skin this is straight up pumpkin cupcakes, with the baker being heavy handed on the cinnamon. After a little bit this has mellowed out to smell exactly like the gingersnap cookies I got from the store to make some pumpkin cheesecake bars. I'm starting to give sketchy side eyes to arm with thoughts of nomming on it. Beth, many kudos for making a perfume that smells exactly like some of the autumn baked goods that I adore! Sadly though, I am not a foodie perfume person. However, I think this will smell absolutely amazing in an emulsified sugar scrub or a whipped cocoa butter. Into the scents for B&B products box you go!

In the imp I get green stems, freshly turned leaves, a little bit of dirt and woods all wrapped up in a cold wind. This reminds me of taking autumn hikes in New England with my father, good times. On my skin I only get the green leafyness for a moment before it shifts to something warm, spicy and slightly smoky. Like someone threw some spices into an outdoor fire. Occasionally I do get whiffs of apple and can pick out some cinnamon with it. Now I am reminded of doing 18th century camp reenactments with my father for the local fall festival, also good times (unless you got volunteered to be the stick gatherer, or it was really cold). I'll definitely be keeping the imp, and not just for the wonderful memories. I have a handful of scents that go warm and spicy, but they're a creamy warmth and incense spicy, where as this is a dry warmth and spice spicy. I'll have to do a full day test to decide if I want to get a bottle of this or not.

In the imp I'm getting something cool, misty, slightly sweet and a very faint citrus note, I'm thinking lime as well. It's a clean scent, nothing sharp and nothing overpowering. If only it could have stayed like that on my skin. I either amp something in this to high heaven, or my sniffer is broken, cause I am getting foggy oatmeal cookies on the dry down. Sorry imp, off to the swap/sale pile.

Purchase: Directly from the Lab In the bottle: Absolutely wonderful floral blend!! Light, airy with a smidge of sweet and spicy. The only notes I can’t really pick out any individual florals, the only note I can pick out is the frankincense. Test Area: Inside crook of elbow Wet: Instant sweet beautiful magnolia! The frankincense quickly follows and seems to be taking over. No other floral notes at this point, but I’m hoping they appear soon. Dry down: Still primarily frankincense, but the other florals are peaking through! 1 hour later: The frankincense calmed down enough for the florals to emerge! This is a wonderfully warm, spicy, incensy floral smell. It’s not super heavy scent; I think the white musk is keeping this lighter, and a little airy. I can’t stop smelling my arm! Thoughts: I really love this scent and see myself getting a lot of use out it in the coming colder months. I didn’t get the white flower heaviness that other people reviewing got, which is a little saddening cause I love white florals, but I have other scents that fill that need.

2014 Version: Purchase: Directly from the Lab In the bottle: I have finally found you, my beautiful rose floral incense blend! The perfect blend of dark smoky incense gently sweetened with flowers. Test Area: Inside crook of elbow Wet: Mostly rose with some of the other florals in the background. I’m really hoping the incense comes back soon. Dry down: The rose has blended in with the other florals and the incense is coming out again! This is going a little powdery on me, but the nice throw makes up for it. 1 hour later: This flip flopped between having stronger floral or incense notes during the hour, but ended up settling on a very slightly powdery version of what I got in the bottle. I continued to get a wonderful throw with this! Thoughts: I think I found one of my HG scents! The BF thinks this smells like potpourri, and I do see how he gets that, but I still love this dearly. I’m tempted to hunt out an earlier year and see how it compares to this year.

Tenebrous Love: a shivering white musk with vanilla-infused white cocoa, amber incense, and dead, dry leaves. 2014 Version: Purchase: Directly from the Lab In the bottle: I get mint hot cocoa with dry autumn leaves in the background, my BF gets vanilla spices. I’m actually not minding this, even though it smells rather foodie to me. Maybe white cocoa is an exception note. Test Area: Inside crook of elbow Wet: A mellower, almost dry, mint cocoa from the bottle. Dry down: The amber incense has finally come out! There is a very cool, ethereal, mint with a hint of sweet dry leaves scent that plays nicely with the incense in the background. Pretty average throw. 1 hour later: During the hour the amber incense and minty (which I am thinking is really the White Musk note) cocoa notes trade places a lot. One minute I got warm incensy amber goodness, the next the cool minty scent was back. Though in the end, Sonnet D’Automne settled for a cool dry vanilla sweetness with hints of the dry leaves. Throw remained about average Thoughts: Very happy that I got a blind bottle of this! I was a little worried that the vanilla-infused white cocoa note would make this blend to foodie, but I actually really like it. Possibly because it is sweet instead of super sugar sweet. I’m very curious to see how this bottle ages. Also, this smells amazing when combined with Visions of Autumn IV!

Purchase: Directly from the Lab In the bottle: Earthy and herbal with a touch of sweetness at the end. Test Area: Inside crook of elbow Wet: I’m getting mostly the orange blossoms with a hint of something green and slightly spicy drifting lazily in the background. I’m reminded of a greener, slightly spicier Goatweed Leafwing. Dry down: The orange blossom has mellowed out, and has blended with the other notes into a nice warm, sweet spicy scent. Very comforting, with a really nice throw! 1 hour later: This stayed very similar to the drydown, with occasional herbal peaks. The throw on this was amazing, I barely had to get my arm close to smell this. Thoughts: Another amazing Weenie scent! So happy I threw caution to the wind and got a blind bottle purchase. This really reminded a lot of Goatweed Leafwing, but a spicier, warmer, less brown and cuddly cousin. This also smells amazing when paired with the 2014 Sonnet D’Automne.

Purchase: Directly from the Lab In the bottle: Woah, florals! It’s a bit pale, cold, and has an astringent quality to it. I can’t pick out any individual notes in this, but it smells wonderful so far! Test Area: Inside crook of elbow Wet: The astringent quality has gone away, and the amber and frankincense are starting to warm up the florals. Dry down: The amber is starting to make itself known with a wonderful pale flower backdrop. I’m getting a medium amount of throw so far. 1 hour later: The florals paraded to the front, while the amber and frankincense took a breather in the back. It’s such a warm resiny floral with a great amount of throw now! Thoughts: I am so happy that I got a blind bottle of this!! It’s such a morpher, but I love every phase that it goes through! I’m looking forward to this bottle aging. This is a wonderful scent for floral lovers. If you were hoping that the amber and frankincense would beat back the flowers, you’ll be disappointed at the end result.

Purchase: Directly from the Lab In the bottle: Beautiful dark, sweet, resiny herbal! The only individual notes that I’m picking up on are the Vanilla, and a bit of the vetiver and rose at the end. Test Area: Inside crook of elbow Wet: I’m getting some of the pomegranate and more of the rose! The vanilla seems to have taken a back seat, but that amazing dark, resiny herbal scent is still very present! Dry down: It is a juicy, slightly sweet pomegranate with a deep dark cloud of incense goodness following right behind it. Dear god, I hope this doesn’t change and lasts! I’m getting a pretty average throw right now. 1 hour later: The juicy pomegranate has mellowed out and become a supporter to the final dark, sweet, creamy resiny goodness this scent has settled on. The only note I can really pick out from this deliciously dark and sexy perfume is the Vanilla. It’s not strong, so I think the other notes are keeping it grounded. Still an average throw, but it's going strong! Thoughts: OMG it’s a pomegranate scent that is working just like I hoped! This is what I really wanted Persephone’s Decent from HoG to be, dark, sexy with just that hint of sweet juicy pomegranate to keep things interesting. A little sad that the rose wasn’t a bigger player, but not enough to deter from my love of this perfume! I may need a back-up bottle…

Purchase: Imp from a decant circle In the imp: Very realistic blueberry with just a hint of the lemon verbena. Very bright, sunny and fun! Test Area: Inside crook of elbow Wet: First sniff smelled of blueberry bubblegum. Thankfully the bubblegum note quickly evaporated, and now I am getting greenery with florals and a hint of blueberry. Out of the florals I’m picking up on lavender the most, though it’s not very strong. Dry down: The lemon verbena is back and taking center stage. Sadly the bubblegum note is starting to come back as well. >.< The green and floral notes have blended nicely and I can’t pick out any individual one. I’m reminded of sitting near some fragrant bushes on a summer day chewing bubblegum. 1 hour later: The blueberry bubblegum moved back in and decided to stay. Thankfully it isn’t sugar sweet, but still sweeter then I prefer. The lemon verbena flits in and out, and I can’t smell much of the florals. Very small throw, and has faded a bit over the hour. Thoughts: I think this is the first perfume with berry in it that hasn’t made me run away screaming! I do wish the perfume stayed closer to what it smelled like in the imp, instead of my skin turning it into blueberry bubblegum. Sorry imp, off to the swap box you go.

Purchase: Imp from a decant circle In the imp: A feminized men’s cologne. It’s a little sweet, a little floral and I am detecting a small hint of citrus as well. Very pretty so far! Test Area: Arm Wet: No change from the imp, but I have to get really close to my arm to smell anything. Dry down: Its gotten a little sweeter, and the citrus is more pronounced, nothing else has changed. Scent is still sticking very close to my skin 1 hour later: It’s mostly faded now, but I’m getting vanilla and something resiny. Seems like it would be pretty if it lasted. Thoughts: This one will have to either go to the swap box, or see if it works better on my BF.

Purchase: Imp from a decant circle In the imp: A creamy tropical, salty aquatic scent. I am definitely smelling the salt, seaweed and orange blossom. Not really smelling the other notes, but I think they are contributing to the sweet and creamy part of the scent. Not sure how Beth did it, but when I smell this I think pink. Test Area: Arm Wet: First sniff I get smacked in the nose with sweet vanilla biscuits?? The salty notes peak through here and there. I’m get faint wiffs of some of the floral notes, but it’s hard to pinpoint which ones. Dry down: The vanilla biscuit has faded and the florals are coming out to play! The orange blossom, and I think the lotus petals, are the main players. So far the aquatic and salty notes have vanished. 1 hour later: The aquatic notes have slightly returned! It’s become a pretty vanilla sweetened floral aquatic scent. Can’t pick out individual notes at this point, it’s just a pretty tropical scent. Thoughts: After getting over the surprise, bakery! scent, I really started to like this. I don’t need a bottle of this, but I’m happy that I have an imp for those times that I want to feel tropical!

Purchase: Imp from a decant circle In the imp: Green grass with white blooming flowers. A very soft, almost innocent, scent. Test Area: Inside crook of elbow Wet: Grass takes a back seat and those white flowers BLOOM! It’s losing that soft innocence from the imp and starting to get a cold, almost bittersweet, tone, I wonder if that’s the marble or mist note. I’m vaguely reminded of The Silver Stream from the Coraline collection, it has the same soft floral bittersweet feeling. Though Ghost Houses is on the more vegitation side, while The Silver Stream is more on the aquatic side. Dry down: The florals have stopped screaming for attention and it has gone nice and earthy. I’m now getting that feeling of flowers left at an old grave. So far I am getting a nice bit of throw, don’t have to get close to my arm at all to smell this! 1 hour later: This has taken on a nice ethereal, earthy scent. The florals do peak through every so often to give it a nice soft sweetness. The large throw has remained with a good staying power! Thoughts: I really like this scent; it’s soft and spectral without having to hunt to smell it! Not sure if I’ll need a bottle, but I am very happy to have an imp of this.

Purchase: Imp from a decant circle In the imp: A very sharp, almost bitter green, scent with a slight rose undertone. I think I am mostly smelling the clary sage. Test Area: Inside crook of elbow Wet: Very similar to the imp, the sharpness has increased taking on a more medicinal herb feel. The faint rose note I was getting in the imp has vanished. Drydown: Its lots the medicinal sharpness and has mellowed out to a green herb. Very, very faint whispers of rose are starting to peak through. 1 hour later: It seemed to take forever, but the rose, sandalwood and frankincense came out to play! Low throw and doesn’t seem to have much staying power on me, but what scent is there is very calming. Thoughts: I really thought I would like this based on the notes, but it takes too long to mellow out into something acceptable to my nose. Sorry imp, you are off to the swap box. I wonder if I am sensitive to the smell of clary sage, because I was getting almost none of the other notes in the imp, and took forever before I could smell them on my skin.

Purchase: Bottle from a decant circle In the bottle: It smells like someone steeped vanilla orchid petals in cream before whipping it up. Not getting any peach, jasmine or frankincense. Bordering on a very sweet foodie cream right now. Test Area: Inside crook of elbow Wet: Ahh there you are peach blossoms and jasmine, with just a hint of wonderful incense underneath! Drydown: The frankincense has taken center stage, with the cream note being a wonderful back-up player. The jasmine and vanilla orchid peak through on occasion. The peach blossom seems to have vanished, which happens to me with Peach Moon ’09, so I’m not terribly surprised. 1 hour later: The frankincense cream has taken back stage, and the peach blossom has finally returned! I think I’m getting little whiffs of jasmine as well. I must confess to sniffing my arm during the hour wait, and oh boy is this a morpher! I went from the frankincense cream, to a peach jasmine, then to a vanilla frankincense, and then finishing off to a slightly creamy peach blossom. Sadly no orchid that I could detect. Thoughts: I was very worried from the initial sweet foodie smell that my blind bottle record of 100% success had finally met its first failure, but I am so happy that I took a chance on this!! While the bottle seems far too sweet for me, the flora and frankincense notes that I love so much (and ultimately drew me to purchasing this) appear on my skin, and beat down the foodie sweet smell. My small skin patch test area has very little throw, though hopefully a full day slather test will give me better results. While I don’t see the hunt for a back-up bottle, I do see this being more coveted and loved then my bottle of Peach Moon.