RoseThornAndOak
-
Content Count
581 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Everything posted by RoseThornAndOak
-
Sadly most candy blends go a bit powdery, sour, or plasticky, on my skin and same goes here, but mostly on the sour end as opposed to plastic or powder. YMMV, I will say in the bottle it smells exactly like Lifesavers Hard Candy and amazing.
-
Popcorn. Maybe some murky, spooky ish in the background. A little vegetal. Smells like a carnival. Random.
-
This is nice! Starts out heavy on the jasmine, but at each stage after it got prettier and prettier with the musk. I didnt find it aquatic or like laundry, but it does have a night blooming floral + blue vibe. It's a nice, smooth jasmine musk to me, I reckon the vanilla helps smooth and deepen things out, but I honestly forgot that vanilla tea was a note. Although there is no rose, the jasmine and night time vibe reminds me of this quote in the film Interview with the Vampire: In the spring of 1988, I returned to New Orleans, and as soon as I smelled the air, I knew I was home. It was rich, almost sweet, like the scent of jasmine and roses around our old courtyard. I walked the streets, savoring that long lost perfume. If you missed this one, it's very similar to a really good Night Queen or Queen of The Night blend you can find at Renn Faires, metaphysical shops, or online gothic shops, so although not the most novel, unusual, or hard to find fragrance, it is very lovely and definitely a keeper. Perfect for date night.
-
I figured this was either gonna go elegant or toilet. Well, I'm happy to report this is a nice, cool-toned soft floral. Everything is balanced: no sharpness or screechiness, maybe a bit more rose than peony. Fresh and pretty and haunted. I'd say the porcelain note rests somewhere between vanilla, the bone note, and white sandalwood, like if those were even smoother, cooler, softer, and more refined. It reminds me a bit of Young Woman Powdering Herself, that gorgeous spooky vintage floral vibe, but less powder, as well as a smidgen of a smidge of Black Opal, in how that scent was cool and smooth. Glad I snagged a bottle of this and grateful for the good reviews!
-
Ok I agree this is hella floral. Breathy, bloomy florals. It stays like this for quite some time, goes, sweet, then dries down soft, ambery, and cuddly. I dont like the first hour or two at all, just too breathy, but the final drydown has some similarities to Grey Columns that I love. I'm going to set it aside, too. I think it will age well.
-
This is from a sample bought directly from Haute Macabre about 10 months ago. The sample looks like your conventional BPAL imp. I believe this is my first time trying it and I'm pleasantly surprised! In the imp, I get a mostly herbal, kinda zesty blend. On the skin for quite some time I get dark red fruit musk, which I was not expecting at all. That might be the lotus at play, as it can have a fruit vibe. It then turns even more shadowed, musky, and dare I say mostly floral, but this isn't powdery. There's that dark undercurrent of soft, sweet resins that is quite magical and intruiging (no frankinstomps here, yippie!). Yet at the same time, the resins seem to take this blend out of strictly magical purposes and out into society. Very wearable, and conventional, but not? As odd as the notes sound, this would make a lovely, dark-toned every day wear or evening blend and is very versatile, although I will say, there is something shadowed and ritualistic about it. The visual I get is a sexy witchy lady who is refined, pairs black and grey knitted cloaks with pointy leather knee boots, and more than dabbles in the occult. Feeling cute, might Gnostic Mass later. I will definitely use up my sample, if not go for a bottle in the future. I think it is worth the price, personally, as this is a deep, rich blend that projects and sticks around quite a bit. Hard to compare to other Lab blends, but I think fans of Dracul and Event Horizon might enjoy this? Well done, Lab!
-
Yep, that's a tuberose. Almost a single note. Sweet amber is one of my favorites, so I hope it comes out more with age. This has a 1920s-1940s classic feel. It's a beautiful, vintage, voluptuous, night time floral. Makes me think of film noirs, like maybe Laura would wear this.
-
I agree! Very balanced what you see on the tin. A sweet champagne with pumpkin spice! I dont get bready or vegetal pumpkin anything, just the spices, but it's not overtly spicy either. I agree, not loud or screechy (for either note) Just pleasant. Has a vintage quality. Festive and fun but not immature in any way. It will probably make you feel glamourous and in a good mood. Well done Lab. I wasn't sure how this was going to work out but this coalesced well.
-
Dude. Yall. lolololol I sniffed this fresh on my skin and was like, 'MAN, why did I sleep on this all these years?' A few seconds later while scrolling Halloween movies on Netflix I saw Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy. Thanks for that, Netflix. This starts out fresh and tropical with the coconut and a haze of florals, powdery somewhat, but in a pretty and elegant way. There's something almost warm or animalic behind it, not in a stanky way, possibly the amber, myrrh, currant, oude, and vetiver playing together. It is definitely not the peanutty vetiver in many blends. There's a bit of high end sparkle to it, I kinda see the sharpness mentioned above. Ok, almmost stanky/indolic. It's more about the warmth and softness. After a few minutes that champaca is really coming out to play with the coconut. I'm really digging this stage. A little powdery still but I still like it. Later on that peach peaks out. Coconut, peach, incense, florals. This is nice, yall, very very nice. If that sounds appealing don't sleep on it lol.
-
2nd time trying. First time was right out of the box and I was too enamored with Lady of Saintonge on the same day to give a respectable review. Okay, other than the spicy cinnamon-like burn reaction on my skin from the red peppercorn I freakin love this! Today I'm trying it on my inner elbow, and as soon as it hit my skin, I knew it would burn like many cinnamon blends do, so if you are sensitive to this, I would wear this in a locket or over a dab of vaseline, or just not on sensitive areas like your damn elbow, lol. Upper shoulder the other day not much reaction. The red peppercorn actually does smell like a halfway step between pepper and cinnamon but you're not gonna smell like you sleep in the spice cabinet. Overall this is basically spooky, spicy brimstone, with warm amber keeping this wearable and not strictly atmospheric, with a hint of soft, black leather. If you like Gingerbread and Leather, this is less sweet and bready, less leather, even more unisex, and the spice is stronger but more linear than the gingerbread spice, albeit similar. Oof. I don't know who's sexier, honestly. I love it. I've been hoping we'd get more Sleepy Hollow blends and this delivered in spades. It's spooky, gritty, spicy, leathery, brimstony, and the smoke is gunpowdery. Warm yet dark. It's basically everything I could've wanted from this. I like the idea above about layering with something sweet. Share's some similarities with Mary Read in the gunpowder aspect. It's just so 18th spooky bullshit. This is gonna turn heads...wait... Heads gon roll. You get a roll! You get a roll! Everybody gets a roll! Cinnamaroll! I'll stop my room's hot and I'm bored okay?
-
I'm testing multiple frags from this release today, and can't stop being drawn to her in the crux of my elbow. She reminds me of Black Silk Orchid, but dare I say even darker? She's scary and intense, but so dang alluring. The perfume + black silk is mesmerizing, modern, yet ancient, overlaid, shrouded and clouded in gloom. Gritty, dark, sharp, and cold. The blood lends a coldness like Liz (that almost metallic twang) that really sucks me in. The white sandalwood adds this sexy, spice/woods to it and lures you out into the forest. The fur is distant yet palpable, snuggly even. Warmth in the cold. I know Mina Murray is popular and I love her. Yet, I've been wanting a Gwen Conliffe perfume for a while, and I could see Gwen wearing this, more from the newer Wolfman movie than the 1940s one. It has her enigmatic perfume, but the slight feralness of the wolfman lurking. So it's very Gwen + Lawrence. I'm freaking swooning y'all. I was not expecting this to be a favorite this year and to be quite honest, I was intimidated by the notes and almost didn't get it. Emotion overran my senses thankfully as I couldn't pass up a good werewolf blend, and it paid off. It's literally this scene in a bottle for me: Side note, 12 days later: if you missed Black Baccara's Undead or love that one this is in the same wheelhouse. There's almost a grey musk vibe. This has softened quite a bit and I'm loving it so much.
-
Wow this *IS* nice, thank you Estamets and Doomsday! It's a very pretty non-candy, natural-ish apple. There's greenery here especially in the beginning, so it's like green + apple, but not green apple, then there's a softness from the foam and wildflowers, making this very wearable and elegant. I forgot there was honey in this. Also forgot there was mint. A lot of apple blends have been smelling artificial or.. - ok, its not proper to say it, but I'll say it - pissy apple juice. Honey can go pissy too and it's not right. There, I said it. So if that happens to you, fear not! Thankfully I get none of that here, and this is downright pretty and gorgeous. Perfect for late summer and early fall. Oh side note, this reminds me of Glittering Apple of The Stars a bit. Less glittery, more soft.
-
Pretty good, pretty good. This is the pumpkin that has that popcorn, carnival edge plus some dark incense behind it. Yeah, pumpkin carnival incense.
-
Ooo this is nice!! Without remembering the exact notes and fresh out the mailbox, my impression was this is very Clean Girl vanilla floral, white, soft with musk, light light rose and some other dewy floral. I agree with the Ava association. Now that I see the notes, I can pick up white sandalwood, white amber, a bit of almond blossom for sure. It's dreamy, floaty, clean, and sexy and up there with the other vanilla floral greats from the Lab.
-
This reminded me of October out the gate, the dead leaf note mostly, followed quickly by evergreen. Hmm, a little bit of earthiness on the palette, you know when you sniff something and you can almost taste it? That part is like nice fresh loam + DL. Nice and atmospheric, woulf make a good room blend. Woof woof
-
Hay Absolute, Cacao, & Cardamom
RoseThornAndOak replied to zankoku_zen's topic in Duets & Menage A Trois
Oh my gosh yall, in the bottle this is a gorgeous cacao cardamom, dark, deep, almost syrupy, with the hay absolute giving it a bit of an Autumn vibe. It dries down soft and spicy sweet, less syrupy. Absolutely gorgeous! I'd say the cardamom is the prominent in the beginning. The scent becomes drier as it goes. This is a great Autumn gourmand more on the spicy side, with no cake, sugar, milk, or bready notesI do agree with doomsday_disco and wish the cacao stuck around longer but overall this is nice! Might layer with maor cacao. -
Okay, I see why this is popular now and I'm not sure why I slept on it. On the opening, a little powdery in the way resins or Morocco can be, but holy hell does this deepen and sexy up. Basically Morocco spices, darkened with cocoa, no bandaid or plastic. Honey doesn't really stick out to me. I see the Coyote similarity rhonorv mentioned, that warm soft dry desert incense description is very apt. theredkilt basically nails this too, a browner, slightly more gourmand version of Morocco. I maybe really possibly perhaps like this like a lot. It's a cousin to Inez as well which has been a long time favorite, so they'll be buddies and sit next to each other.
-
This is pretty nice. The terebinth pine dominates the opening, but this mellows out into something dark and I agree with Little Bird, sensual is a great term. There's a softness to it that is unexpected. I don't get a lot of oudy-ness at all! And it's not reading like your usual myrrh, either. I don't really know how else to describe this other than you're with your cute metalhead friend in a dark, moonlit forest, you maybe just had a group ritual or sumbel around a fire with some friends, but the fire has been put out now, and he is seeing you back to your car, and he finally drums up the courage to kiss you after seven years, so kinda exactly what you were hoping for?
-
This was a very generous frottle from the Lab! Thank you! Without reading the notes, I guessed maybe a light patchouli and lemon verbena, but not too stronk, actually relaxing and calming. It basically dries down to a soft version of this, slightly earthy, grounding lemon verbena. This is totally not something I would've reached for, but I like it somehow. Feels more like a witch's oil or charm than a perfume. I might keep it for calming purposes.
-
Glad I got this one. It's a nice grassy green aquatic with sweet, creamy coconut and jasmine. The jasmine reminds me of the tropical floral sun cream from our local renaissance faire which reads more gardenia. So this will be my Kinda Sorta Swans on The River/grassy aquatic medieval floral alternative.
-
Dark, balsamic woods! I can't really pick out most of the notes. It's a tad fresher in the bottle but stays pretty linear. A tad savory, a little sweet, but overall, this is all about those deep, dark woods. No evergreens, I wouldn't have guessed florals either but there is a bit of fresh wildflower floating around. If you love the oak note, you will love this. I think the skin musk is here, smoothing out everything, keeping it reasonably clean but not soapy in anyway. This comes across very natural. There's leather in this? Huh. I guess that makes sense? I dig it, I dig it. I kind of see a man in a highwayman's coat at night and there's a spooky forest with boney tree limbs.
-
In the bottle and fresh on, very evergreen, reads more pine than cypress and oakmoss, but that cypress freshness is there behind the pine. These notes recede for the most part and what I am reading as the amber and cream floating up together is not sour on me either, however... Unfortunately, ever since Covid, this blend like many others, goes sharp on me. Not all the time, however, I can pick up that this is the type that I get from many commercial perfume blends. So, I would suspect that on the right skin, this would coalesce into a very wearable, beautiful creamy amber with evergreens draping around the edges. I do get some similarities to The Queen and The Page, which works better for me. So think high end evergreen amber cream. Very regal and elegant, and totally fits the painting, although I could see this on a Viking woman too, very Freyja. MAN I wish this worked on me! I might keep it for a scent locket or atmosphere blend.
-
100% agree. This is beautiful and green! The same fresh, green leaves note in The Little Ghost Who Died For Love and Allegory of Spring. This is all about that green leaf note and green grass. I'm not getting the soil note, and I'm glad (no Zombi vibes here at all). Thee Clean and Green Fairie Queen. I love this. The scent, bottle, everything gives Elven/Middle Earth vibes, maybe the daytime version of Little Ghost. Glad to have alternatives to Elf and this year has been awesome.
-
No reviews? Dang ok here goes. This is pretty strong leather. When I first got the bottle, the pine was pretty strong ta-boot (heh). The piney slush died off considerably after a bit of aging and I'm kinda glad as pine can be hit or miss. reminds me a bit of Silver Phoenix too, there's a bit of that bright accord over the leather, so this had good throw. There are some florals that add to the cold yet bright atmosphere (nothing powdery). It's unique but fits well with BPAL's other leather snow offerings. I do prefer Snow White Rider, but this is nice. Fans of, was it Eleventh Lash, the piney snow leather? Might dig this too, although that is more fruity. Overall a little much on me so I'll probably destash, but I do feel like it deserves more praise.
-
I was so very graciously frottled this, and it came out of stash-hiding recently and has been siting on my desk for about a week or so. Then I saw the weenie update with Pumpkin Spice Champagne so figured it is time. Well this is pretty. It doesn't smell exactly like a sparkling apple cider you would find in the store. This is definitely Lab champagne notes, like in Bon Vivant and others, very aldehydic and bubbly. Sweet, definitely, yet crisp. It has an apple edge, I'm not getting anything too tart and green, but I dunno, just apple. It pretties up into more of a perfume/skin-wearable blend and is not hyper realistic or candle/air freshener like at all. Then notes blend to create something even more-so, almost like if there was a facial hydrosol but slightly apple rather than floral. So refreshing, I like it!