artisjok

Does anyone else have the disappearing coffee note experience, as I do? The coffee in Cafe Mille et Un Nuits and The Jeweled Spider both vanishes in moments, and just felt like a big hole existed amidst the midst of the other notes. *sigh* I want to try out Zonked in Paris (gah, the reviews! Yum!), but don’t want it to vanish! Does any one know of a coffee scent that might stick to me?

I found my Yule Chaos squirt in a box the other day! When I first received it, my nose was all stuffy, so I’m glad to finally explore this mystery~ It’s definitely a licorice smell, anise?, and something fresh like mint or pine, camphorous. As the fresh note tones down, I get a sagebrush note filling in the gaps. The anise note stays throughout, lending a spiced sweetness. I enjoy this a lot! Especially, the sage-y part, but the whole combo is lovely and fun. I feel like it fits my current vibe, too. Yayyyy!

The Bride stands before you, gloriously innocent and pure among the blooming magnolia trees. You catch a bit of vanilla from her breath, probably “testing” the cake earlier in the day. You smile lovingly at your precious woman. In the heat of the afternoon, you notice a drip of sweat trickle slowly down her neck. Curving past her collarbone, it advances down her chest. Now you are sweating. Innocence is a thought of the past. You ache to draw her near and taste her vanilla-scented mouth, smell her satin skin, damp in the sunlight. The wind sweeps through the trees and white petals flutter around.... Yeah. For such a pretty blend, The Bride hints of more carnal delights, but only slightly. I feel super girly wearing this scent, but also feel like I have a secret sexy agenda that glints in my eyes. I love it! Doesn’t last too long on my skin, but some on my shirt collar has been gifting me with luscious scent tendrils long after.

Black Pearl is a smooth, silky coconut scent . I can’t really tell the other notes are there, besides the coconut. I imagine the hazelnut is giving it a warmth and more sweetness, the white musk is giving it the fluffiness and the great wear length, and the iris seems to give a touch floral and maybe the powdery note I’m getting at the drydown. Fancy yet cozy and summery at the same time. I’m enjoying it more than I expected! And yes, it lasts and lasts.

When I first looked over the this collection, Cathédrale was the one I wanted to blind bottle, so, accordingly, I sat on my hands and waited for reviews. Luckily, I ended up getting a decant.... On my skin, I’m getting primary beeswax and lavender smoke. Feels a bit like the softer, kinder sister of Gaueko. It’s lovely, but only lasts about an hour before disappearing. I feel like if I had gotten some of the stone note, I would be more inclined to age a bottle and see if the wear length would increase. As it is now, I can be happy with just a decant, and I can always change my mind if it shifts! Edit: second wear, I can sense the stone note with the lavender in the wet stage. I think I was interpreting it as a sharp herbal of the lavender the first time.

Phasmophobia is indeed a very white scent. I’m just getting aquatinted with lilies, but they are clearly taking the lead, holding hands with the snow rose, almost shrieking. Behind these florals, I get an icy white grape note, the iced wine. Definitely get the white sandalwood grounding the scent, keeping it from being too sharp or soapy. I’m betting the white amber is also helping, but I don’t pick it out personally. Big throw at first, slowly winds down until I get a whisper of floral, a drop of iced wine, and the smooth memory of sandalwood. This is fills the white floral niche in my collection in a delightful way. I’d be especially happy if the amber and sandalwood increase with age, but I’m happy with it in this state, too. A scent I would have not been into a year ago, I now have a deep appreciation for and look forward to wearing it on windswept days, and during ghost story parties. (Note to self: have a ghost story party!)

Metallic onyx, grave-dark and gleaming. I’ve been wanting a starry sky nail color for a while, and thought Gothic Black might fulfill that want. I think it does, color-wise. I was a little hesitant without any reviews posted! Phew... Application, on the other hand, was tough. The consistency is super thick and for some reason the brush flared out at the end . I did buy second hand, so I’m not sure if the lab-fresh would be the same. Two coats gave gave good coverage, though. If I can buy a topcoat that will make the color last a while, the extra effort will pay off in shiny night satisfaction. (I want to try Zorya P. next to see how I like that color scheme!)

I honestly thought I would not like The Magician’s Garden. I’ve loved the others in the Magician line, so I went ahead and bought a decant recently. How silly of me! This is pure magic. I am not too familiar with the scent of either flowers, but on my skin they are a rich velvety yet delicate floral. I wouldn’t contest if it said there was vanilla in the notes! No soapy experience here. Ethereal is right. Transcendence is possible. The Veil (of petals) parts before me and the scent leads me into a blissful state of being. Sensual, yet purifying. I am undone. Open. One.

I’m wearing The Mountebank this morning, and it had mostly faded. So, why not test another lavender scent over? Pain seemed appropriate, but boyyyyy is this scent not my thing. It’s minty and lavender and floral, but has a soapy undercurrent that I just can’t get over. I love mint and lavender together, so I’m thinking pennyroyal just doesn’t work for my skin. Bummer! I was hoping for a sharp cleansing experience, just not one that involved soap. Maybe in a diffuser?? Cooling bedtime atmosphere..... will give it a try. Now, I’m off to slather Mountebank on again and feel cozy.

To me, the rose is super juicy at the first stage. I don’t know if I would have recognized it without previously knowing the notes. The patchouli/amber combo is backing, but gains strength and dominates as the scent dries in my hair. More perfumey than I typically enjoy, a sophisticated & adult scent. I’m detecting a bit of the aquatic-like note that others have mentioned, but it’s not overwhelming. Western Small Footed Bat isn’t my favorite, but I do have some scents that will pair well with it. I was hoping for a more sultry warm scent. I’ll do an all day test run and see if I want to hold on to my ounce for the days I want to feel like a professional adult haha

The Crescent Moon fits nicely with the theme of lunar scents. Definitely gleaming, it’s a very spa-like cool fresh scent, while also retaining a sacred resinous vibe. I was hoping for more copal, but am getting mostly juniper, amber, and a thread of fresh sage. I have a feeling it will deepen a bit with aging. I am thrilled to have this refreshing scent and can imagine myself out at night under the sliver of the Moon, journaling and meditating and breathing deeply. Lovely, clean, bright, shining light. Upon re-application, the initial brightness definitely contains the copal, but it seems to back away in the drydown. The amber steps forward in strength.

The Tower is a dense one. Smoky vetiver, some kind of thick resin, and maybe sage bush or chaparral, burning/smoking. I might be getting leather on the drydown, as well, or it’s my mind grabbing into z_z’s suggestion as a familiar note to rest on the destructive power of the Tower. The throw is big. Like the Tower card it seems to be breaking down my walls. I dabbed some on this morning, wary even then to the results, and went outside to take the recycling out. This resulted in a coughing-up-phlegm fit, and now my nose is dripping and my breath is haggard. Doesn’t help that I’m also attempting to eat chocolate cake for breakfast, does it? Oh, Tower. Thank you for your destructive wisdom. Thank you for ripping through my veils of complacency with your raw fingers of fiery truth. There’s a sweetness emerging in the later drydown. Like a breeze (still smoking softly) is blowing over new ground, cleared in the fire storm, ready for new growth. Compassion after the discipline. I think I love myself.... and this scent!

Lorraine Cross is a lovely scent. High quality. Starts off with a good amount of rose, but in the drydown the the myrrh and sandalwood reign. I agree there is a powdery vibe, but I find it velvety and distinguished, rather than old lady or baby powder. I imagine being a part of a sophisticated Victorian-style tea party. The surface vibe is all charm and civility, yet the undercurrents are pulsing with wealth and power. Strength of will is prized and conversations are secrets veiled with clever phrases. Wear length seems to be good, throw medium.

Second Spring is a coppery base color (a bit of a pinkish patina) bristling with gorgeous golden sparkles. The first coat looks very pretty on its own , a lighter, more subtle version of the color. The second coat really brings out the richness of the color. This is a very feminine metallic polish, and I’m enjoying how classy I feel while wearing it! (The room doesn’t have the best lighting, so the picture shows a bit darker than in natural sunlight.)

The DL & Maple Sap is scratching the itch I wanted from the Warm Sugar Cookies blend. Starts off with the strong crunchy leaf scent, slightly sugared. As it dries, the maple comes out stronger and takes over the leafiness. I never thought I wanted to smell like maple sugar, but this crytalline warmth is soooo luscious and perfect. The Dead Leaves linger in the background slightly, keeping this scent in the Autumn vibe rather than straight sweet syrup. Has great wear length! I’m grateful for the frimp of this and now want a bottle!