artisjok

I have a deep adoration for the Lab’s mint & patchouli scents, and here is no exception. Moldavite has that smooth woodsy coolness that I crave, with deep glistening crevices of resins. The blackberry syrup sweetens the blend, and gives it a tart spark. This is a scent of finding something glistening amongst the fallen logs on your walk through an enchanted forest in the freshness of the mornin’. A blend that conjures curiosity.

Affirming that Deuteronomy 10:18 is amazing, adding in some other discontinued (apologies!) that have been my favorites~ •Dreams Shape the World (Amorphous streams and sparks of lavender fancies drifting through a moonlit musk, given form on this plane by fossilized amber and sweet agarwood.) •Inferior Vena Cava (a torrent of sweet oudh, patchouli, blackwood, red labdanum, and vegetal musk) •Aevum (was released only in imp size) (13-year aged patchouli, incense smoke, burgundy tar oudh, teakwood, scorched driftwood, and clove) •Sinister Restlessness (blackened vetiver, amber smoke, clove, and oudh) is another I enjoy, but don't get the oudh strongly. I’ll have to wear it again to see how it’s developed since I bought it! Shadow Snake and Snake Eyes Gleaming in Spring’s First Twilight are supposedly very oudh-y. There are lots of others the lab has made, they are just not coming to mind, at the moment…..

Three Human Skulls goes on as lush florals and scratchy sandalwood, reminiscent of the texture of dried bone and the line marks in the illustration. The floral combo reminds me of orange blossom. After a while, the ambrette seed’s warmth adjusts the sandalwood’s texture to a smoother experience, mirroring the parchment that the skull drawing is on. The florals hang on and there’s a bit of darkened greenery in the edges. Overall, this matches the drawing, if it’s placed near a window overlooking blooms. I hoped the lily of the valley would be prominent, yet failed to register the nagarmotha when I read the notes. Still enjoying! *edit to say for some reason I was thinking narcissus for nargamotha, so I guess the lily of the valley is the only floral! Just doesn’t smell like greenish watery flower I’m used to….

Echoing the reviews above, That Villian Romeo is all about the honeyed lilies. Fragrant and waxy, they are powerful. The musk doesn’t come forth a bit in the later drydown. Would have been nice to have the pear show up, but I enjoy it as my one lily scent, and wear it on sunny days or when I want some cheer on the dreary ones.

You might try Lorraine Cross, it’s a collaboration of BPAL with Bloodmilk Jewels. Notes are: Steam-distilled Somalian myrrh with wild crafted rockrose, Moroccan rose absolute, and white sandalwood. It’s very good! A smooth woody rose that always gets compliments from my partner when I wear it. I’m sure there are decants on sales lists to try first. Here’s the page for the bottle if you want to check it.

Absolute adoration. This is the lush chewy jasmine of my dreams. The starchy rice (anything more comforting than a bowl of rice?!), the warmth of smoked vanilla, the touch of brightness from the yuzu…. All smooshed into each other and oh so smooth. It doesn’t read “tea” on me, just velvety sensual jasmine, in cuddle mode.

Another along the line of reviews of bottle CXX (I think?). The writing is fairly faded. I wouldn’t have been able to identify wisteria, as I’ve only tried in in other floral blends, but I do know it does adds this purple musky effect on me, that makes the blends more masculine-leaning than other florals I’ve tried. Here, it seems velvety musky and a bit purple. I think Dorian has gained strength in the years it’s been existing, since it’s fairly obvious & equal in strength with the wisteria. Agreeing with the extra citrus-esque note in the opening act, but it quickly sinks into oblivion. Do wish it stuck around. This lasts soooo long on me, and I think the Dorian eventually wins out as the final performer on stage. I’ve been wanting a wisteria scent to pair with any Demon Slayer watching (it features in the show as a demon deterrent, so let’s banish those scary vibes!). This will be perfect! Really pleased to have an opportunity to have another Dorian CT in my collection & super pleased it works on my skin!

Sepia-toned and refined, I keep returning to A Cup of Tea on the Veranda in hopes it will whisper more secrets in my ear. The jasmine is obvious and floats atop an amber-infused tea, sparks of bergamot bring in shafts of light. The cypress is a cushion that doesn’t call out to be recognized, and the orris quietly walks up with a light blanket to keep the chill away. It’s a scent that doesn’t need a specific event to be chosen, and can work with many moods. Yet it also elevates the moment to something more polished, and encourages contemplation and further discussion of said musings.

Lush! Definitely heavy on the nag champa, but the gardenia is equally present. The latter reminds me a bit of the Datura Blossom scent in its waxy, almost aquatic tone, but the gardenia is working better on my skin than that one, having more white velvety petal effect than the pool-turned-flower of Datura. I got this one in hopes it would be a good layering option, and I’m sure it will. Right now I’m enjoying the fragrant pair on their own, walking through a indulgent cloud of bliss. Lasts and lasts~

The Sixth Veil is just amazing. I’m getting a strong rosemary Florida Water-type scent and the bourbon vanilla. I’ve been a little over the bourbon vanilla recently, because it’s pretty strong in the scents I already have with it, but here it really melds in well without being overbearing or too similar to other variations. I love rosemary, so I’m glad it’s got a good amount of heft here. I wore it out on a sunny day in nature and felt lifted and pretty. I’ll be wearing it a lot now the weather is getting warm (hot), and will work at teasing out the complexities of all the notes the next times.

Okay, I just got this bottle, and am only doing a tester (a generous tester), but it’s already taking me on a nostalgic trip to my childhood. It’s rootbeer Bottle Caps! Spot on. One of my favorite candies growing up, so I’m not mad, but totally unexpected. Sweet, powdery , and a gentle effervescence, and that classic rootbeer flavor. Wow.

Plummy! And decidedly floral. The morga (jasmine) is obvious to begin, then mingles into the ume blossoms and is less distinct. The white honey makes the scent sweet, candy-like, but doesn’t scream “honey” (thankfully for me). Sniffing closely I can detect the clove incense, and I hope it emerges more with age. After it dries down, the lavender brings a drier herbal layer, yes to “gentle”, and I’m really jamming. Super pleased with this one! A pretty purple Spring fling.

At first, 8th Grade reminds me of a cocoa version of And Sing, And Sing, with sugary tuberose being most prominent floral. As tuberose tones down her song, I get more complexity some plum (skin) and the lavender and jasmine stepping up and pushing tuberose to the side. A fleeting moment of indole, then smoothing out. Jasmine ends up being the main act wrapping itself in the cocoa and sugar, with everything else just adding their whispers along the edges. I think tolu balsam sneaks in late in the show, but it’s lingers in the shadows and is hard for me to catch. I didn’t fully appreciate this when it was released, but I’m loving it now in my floral phase of life!

I’ve been on a mission to collect all the Alice variants, so I was pleased to find this one. Unfortunately, the pomegranate seems to skew this one into a weird territory. The tartness with the carnation just doesn’t want to play well on my skin & I almost get a musty incense experience….. I do sense the honey in the drydown a bit, and I think I smelled rose when I first applied. As much as I want all the outfits of Alice, does it make sense to keep one that doesn’t fit? Not sure. I might try it on a different day and see if vibes better.

Recently had a bunch of purple hyacinths in my kitchen vase, so I’m pleased to be able to identify them in this blend! My first time smelling them in person, so I wouldn’t have had a reference before. Not my favorite floral, but I’m appreciating them at the moment. The roses are definitely there, and the beeswax gives a waxy sweetness to the blend. Later in the wear, I get more lilac and it feels fresher and more my style. I am surprise to be lacking the leaves & cypress, though I feel like they somehow give atmosphere to the scent without being obvious…. I can see there being marble present in the same way. It works well for the imagery of kneeling before a grave, lighting a candle, and offering flowers and prayers on a cool, yet sunny Autumn day. This isn’t something I would have been interested in even a year ago, but I’ve evolved into a multi-floral devotee very quickly. As the weather drops and the wind howls outside, I’m making soup and lighting candles, answering the children’s questions and whispering to my ancestors. This scent is a perfect accompaniment.