artisjok

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!

When I first got Narr, I had a similar experience as most of the other reviewers- rich sweet foodie almond milky goodness with a dash of muskiness. Now, it’s totally transformed! The fig has barreled it’s way to the foreground. The image I get: The Fool smells warm marzipan wafting from a cottage window, held aloft by the fresh spring breeze. He leaves the road, drooling and hungry, and finds there’s a large fig tree growing right beside the kitchen window. He fills his pockets with the fruits and steals a nibble of marzipan before any one can notice him. Back to the journey, now replenished and ready for the next adventure! Narr is is now a very fresh blend with decadent foody backing.

In the bottle, About Midnight smells like a smooth sandalwood. When I first applied, I thought “hmm, vanillic sandalwood, I totally get it” + basalms. Then, I let my partner smell my wrist, and the scent has been wrecked for my nose... “Smells like a restroom.” I can’t get that association out of my head now, because he’s right! At least for the first, and strongest, phase, it smells like a softer port-a-potty smell “freshener,” whatever they use to cover the human smells. Sad! My bottle will have to find a new home, unless I decide on using in oil burner.

*dances*

There are some interesting sounding clove blends in the Yules this year, and you should still be able to jump in on decants! No reviews to go by, not yet at least

Tombstone starts off strong with the sassafras and cedar, vanilla floating in the background- a single scoop of ice cream floating in a rootbeer, sitting on a new picnic table. The combo always makes my mouth water.... These soften pretty quickly, parting away as the balsam moves forward to take center stage. I’m surprised by this. The scent is now more cozy than rugged. It fades faster than I like, but worth reapplying. I like the balsam stage, but I wish the other three notes stayed stronger for longer. I have other balsam-strong scents to wear. Give me my sweet woody soda! (The HG stays true for a long time. I lurvs it. I suppose, paired together, it’s not so bad getting stronger balsam if the HG is gonna carry the other notes alongside. )

From my most recent wear of this Thirteen, it’s is a super creamy chocolate (thanks to orris butter and coconut and vanilla cream) with a big punch of nutmeg and a touch of whiskey and maybe carnation. I like it a lot, and it’s very complex. I feel like I get different showing of notes every time I wear it, so I may come back and add some other impressions later. It’s in the same scent category as Death Cap to me. Both are used for my I-don’t- know-what-the-energy-will-be-like occasions and when I can only bring one scent to cover multiple days (and moods).

I’llI agree with StevenBoatman ^, this is definitely tinged a light bluegreen (cyan), actually remarkably close to the color of the planet Uranus (for real thorough! And being an Aquarius, I’m feeling extra appropriate making the connection and loving the polish). The microflake is perfect, not too sparkly and not bland either. I think the polish matches Mr. World idea perfectly, very material, almost like US dollars with some change, or a chunk of slate stone with little specks of black tourmaline and emerald and gold fleck sprinkled about. I can’t comment too much on the consistency and quality. I haven’t used polish for a few years, and this is my first dive back into fab nail armor. Took three coats for full coverage, but two didn’t look bad, and stayed longer. I’ll link a pic of the three-coat experience. I am super pleased with the color, as it vibes with much of my wardrobe and it’s uniqueness matches my personality! (Who am I kidding, everyone is unique.) Edit: In the lighting I wore this polish in today, I could finally see that it is white and the blueish color is from these beautiful light blue sparkles! I’m guessing this is the green micro flake? I donno... but lovin’ it!

I had a similar issue as Lucchesa. Svarta Fonix Bokaflod starts out with a wisp of smoke, one I’m not particularly fond of, which gets better in a few minutes. Unfortunately, that’s the only impression I get, and it stays so close to my skin, I have to scrap it off with my nose hairs to get a whiff! I can see this might get stronger with aging, but I don’t know if I would get the glorious scent I imagined from it. Book: A Murder on the Orient Express! I read very few murder mysteries, so I’m excited. Update: I tested another bottle that had rested longer and I did get a stronger scent! Mostly mahogany, a touch of paper and fur and a whisp of smokiness. Like an abandoned home library, mostly filled with empty shelves and the remnants of the past occupants (books & cats). I feel like this will be like Scholar’s Tower, which disappeared on me at first, but now is lovely.

When I first put on Picture Books in Winter, I thought, “Cool, not something I need to search for a bottle.” Now, I’m looking at my half decant and thinking it won’t be enough! Starts off pretty light leather, flower, and light butterscotch or caramel. The longer I wear it the warmth of my skin makes it bloom into a yummy vanillic paper flower, next to a piece of caramel. I get the references to Miskatonic U, but I’m also getting a similar vibe as Snow White. I wonder if the flowers are the same... The leather doesn’t stick around for me, but despite my usual love of leather, I’m so pleased with this scent’s result! I’m excited to find more~

Caldarium starts off with a big sweet berry blast, almost candy-like. As it drys down, there’s a warmth that emerges. I’m contributing this to the flax seed. I like the drydown well enough, but I’m not much of a berry person. I wish I got a huge blast of rosemary! On a side note, I read that honey myrtle can help with calming the nerves.

The cardamom is so glorious in My Little Grotesque! The sadness, though! It stays for a few minutes and fades to a slightly fake dry vanilla cake scent on my skin. I smeared some through my hair ends, and the cardamom stayed! Yay for that. I also put it in my scent locket, and it works fine, of course. More buttercream from the locket than any of the other applications. I really want want to keep this, but kinda bummed that it doesn’t work on my skin. I’ll hold on to it a while longer to see how often I wear the locket, or a bit in my hair.

The combination of the notes in Round Dance somehow smells like mild, tasty chocolate on me. I can pick out the individual threads of hay, Amber, strawberry, vanilla cream, & carnation if I concentrate. The lavender seems to be missing for me (bummer!), but the overall effect is quite yummy and well-blended. Started out a bit perfumey, but so smooth after a couple hours. I took a nap and was surprised to smell the scent still wafting about once I got up! Yay I’m gonna enjoy my decant, for sure. I’d consider a swap for a bottle, too! *flounces off, prettily*

My partner has This is Your Wilderness, from the OLLA line, and we both love it! https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/only-lovers-left-alive/wilderness/ I feel feel like The Antikythera Mechanism would be good, if you want a diversion from the pine. Also, it’s nice that it’s GC, so less expensive and regularly available. https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/steamworks/the-antikythera-mechanism/

Depart pour le Sabbat is such a cozy yummy scent. My first encounter with goat’s milk and the creamy gourmand paired with the sweet woody patch is great! The honey and vanilla amp the sweetness, but I think the oud is helping to keep them from taking over completely. The patchouli woodiness stays strong throughout. My partner says I smell like a delicious New Age shop. Mmmmm... my new favorite for the chilly winter days.

Unfortunately, The Cat is doing the baby wipe act on me. ? When wet, I got an awesome sweet mouthwatering cedar (like Tombstone sans sassafras), and I loved it! Then the dry down comes in quick and cedar flees, never to re-emerge. The idea of musky honey benzoin sounds awesome, but doesn’t work out on my skin. Boo. Really wanted this kitty to like me! Seems to have good staying power though. Haha

Picture this: Walking out the front door, you look around at the cold landscape. The wind blows, ruffling your hair. Leaves shifting and re-settling all around you, lightly touched by frost... wait.. Something is off. Too warm for frost today. You pick up a leaf, bringing it close to your face to examine. Is that... sugar?? Yes. Not frost. The leaves are all lightly sugared on the edges! Confused, you look around and notice there are small balls of white mixed in with the leaves. Crouching down and investigating, you find these balls are cookie dough.... Huh? What dimension is this?! That’s how I feel wearing DL & Warm Sugar Cookies. The cookie scent seems more like the pre-cooked dough to me, which takes this scent from a yes, definitely, to a hmmm, I can probably pass this on... Gonna spend a little while longer huffing my arm and deciding. I feel there’s just too many other smells I want to sniff to warrant keeping a whole bottle.