artisjok

I splurged on an unopened 8oz bottle of Eggnog bath oil with some trepidation ( ). I worried it would be mostly plastic-y vanilla, or smell... off after all this time. Rejoice! My fears were unfounded! It smells just like eggnog with a hefty dose of rum. The rum mostly dissipates once in the bath, yet the experience is still richly divine. I love drinking eggnog (straight up, in my coffee, in sweet breads...), and the Lab’s perfumes with it don’t often do it justice on my skin. Now, I can properly slather myself for the holidays with glee! So happy I took the plunge, and that the previous owner took such good care in storing the bottle.

I was very excited about this Witch, yet I’m getting the same experience as Seajewel- a skin-close beeswax scent, much like Loved to Death. It’s almost got a skin musk note to it. I’m detecting the patchouli after a while, but it’s only enhancing the skin-like quality, a little woodsy sweat. I’m really missing the leather and other woods listed.... maybe it needs more resting? I’m going to give this witchy lady some time to go inward with herself. May she emerge in full strength with the notes I lust after!

Artist’s Entrance is a beauty! Amber and leather sparkling with tree resins and a gleam of metal. The fir is really prominent in the wet phase, though is melds into the background quickly. The rosin is great. The leather is soft and brown (If I’m lucky, it’ll strengthen a bit with age!). The cedar isn’t taking over, it’s very tame actually. Sometimes metal amps on me, here it’s a perfect little touch. Amber is just right, not powdery or dominating. Yummy~ I agree with the RPG and Steamworks comparisons. This is what sexy geeks smell like in my dreams.

Super sparkly pink! A clean white musk, rose-tinted and a little lavender wisp. The lavender disappears quickly in me. As it dries, some of of the sugar, a touch powdery, comes into play. I don’t pick up on saffron. There was a touch of soap I was in the very beginning and it faded. This is more perfumey than I want it to be, yet still a very enjoyable scent. Very good throw & wear length. I slathered, and it’s kinda smothering me right now. Another Lilith I would grab if I wanted to feel fresh and feminine in the prettiest way. Someone get me a tiara!

Our Little Crypt Ghoul is prominent on the apple cider and the grass, yet I’m also getting more nuanced scent of the outdoors mingled in. It’s like a landscaped park right next to a forest, while the natural vegetation is turning and getting earthier, the park is pristine green, rolling grassland. While strolling along the edge of the two, indulging in some apple cider along the way, a delicious breeze brings joy to my senses.

Life, the Sculptor smells like a thick matte white earthen clay, dotted with the tangy sprouts of tulsi green, like a desert scene after a quick rain shower. The tulsi gives a spark of energy to the contemplative sandalwood and tactile Mitti attar. I can see how one might sense it as Palo Santo, with the almost anise smell of basil. I see a pottery studio witth open windows facing a sparse, and inspiring, landscape. If I didn’t have a specific scent already dedicated to my yoga practice, this would be a perfect choice. Maybe it could be my creative art scent? Or maybe I just want an excuse to buy a bottle... I feel like this is related to Lorraine Cross, or Death Cap. Definitely similar to a scent I own, yet very unique with the tulsi note. Lovely! Update: Silly me, it reminds me of the White Sandalwood, Bourbon Vanilla, & Sage trio!

Definitely creamy sweet confection, swirled with strawberry syrup, rather than fresh strawberry. The fog makes the scent go powdery on me, and the whole combo is not really working well on my skin. I got a partial for my daughter, and she likes it well enough.

Yes! Flan! I can even sense the wobble of the tasty custard treat. The vanilla from the cake batter is one that I’m not fond of (like a standard vanilla scented candle on me), so I’m still pondering whether to keep the partial bottle or not.... Gonna see if the little girlie likes it. But... Flan!

I’m looking forward to wearing Mountain Temple in the cold. I like it during the hot months, yet I want that mountain chill in the air! I also really enjoy Frostbitten Alice, and will probably wear it more after I get over my Weenie craze. Pink Snowballs is also a really pretty snow floral. I ration my decant. FB Dorian makes Dorian work on my skin much better than the original (doesn’t disappear!), so I’m grateful for its existence!

Harvest Moon 2020 is a rich woods & herb-infused wine scent to me. I was very drawn to the 2019 HM due to reviews (didn’t get the opportunity to try). When I realized 2020 had the same note list, I jumped to grab a second-hand bottle. The wine gives a delicious mouth-watering waft, and the lingum aloes (agarwood/oudh) are providing a supple woodsy bade. I can’t differentiate the different plants, but they really give this Moon with a witchy earthen vibe. I can imagine a village all sharing wine infused with herbs for prosperity, and celebrating all day and into the night. The mulling spices warm the brew and make the herbs more palatable. In the drydown, a tendril if smoke comes out and the wine is less potent. I don’t detect pumpkin or fruit apart from wine. I’m happy to have this bottle! It’s definitely perfect for Autumn, and I can see myself wearing it on cool night gatherings. A sensual scent, speaking to pleasure in intimate moments, as well as joyous group celebration. Connection and gratitude.

Musky, dirty, earthy and a crack of pepper, Woman as Dragon comes crawling from her cave with burning eyes, roaring her sacred song at the sky. The woods pull their way forward, providing strong foundation, and clove saunters around the corner with a gleam in its eye. She’s a drier, woods-centered scent, cloaked in red musk and prickly spices making it extra sexy. I was hoping for more of the resins to shine/gleam/ooze forward, yet this experience is gorgeous in its own dark feminine way. The resins might come forth more in time (and I’m thinking may be the last notes standing, I’ll come update, if so). I don’t differentiate the ginger from the other spices until later in the wear, it’s a bit sweeter than clove or pepper. Also, I hope to experience that blood-caked tar! I can feel this being a great power scent, when some tough shit needs to be taken care of, or some dominating sexy time is about to take place. Update: the last note standing is vetiver... no surprise to me. Hah!

I’m so thankful for the tester of Laura Belle I got in a swap. I can’t tell you how many times I considered buying or swapping for a bottle of this.... On my skin, it starts off as an oddly disjointed leather and lavender. I assumed it would come together in the drydown. Unfortunately, what I got in the drydown was a thick, nauseating powder. All the notes sound like absolute win, such a bummer. It’s a reminder that decants are often life(wallet)savers.

I love Hoggle, and I often forget. I’m the wet phase it’s strongly sweet buttery sticky syrupy pumpkin that dominates. Quickly enough, leather and tobacco come swooping in like Robin Hood to bring balance back to the world, and it’s simply delicious. The dust and the woods emerge when there’s more breathing space for them, drying out the pumpkin effect even more. While the foodiness sticks around, everything remains pretty balanced on my skin. I feel rugged and snuggly, like I’m sipping a hot Autumn drink and watching an old western. I need to slather this more often, especially with the weather shifting cooler! Hurray for a badass Weenie-centric GC!

The GC blends that come to mind are Elegba and Goblin and Black Pearl, all lovely, depending how the other notes play with your skin. I also thought of some LE scents~ So Below, The Pleasure of Aristocratic Women, and Body, Remember, if you can find them for sale on the forum. There were also at least three coconut duets/trios released this year (right?), and you might be able to find some of those on the forum. Editing to add Death Adder to the list. It sounds such a yummy sexy coconut, I’m wanting it now...

A Joyful Scene’s note list had me drooling and scrambling to find any amount in the forum. The decant I scored did not smell as my mind had expected (a woodsy amber vanilla..). What I smell is a sticky, resinous root beer! I was adverse to it in the beginning, as I wanted a totally different experience. Yet, now that my decant is almost gone, I’m really sad that this treat of a smell might not be sitting on my counter. Would purchase again.

My experience of this little number is quite like Lucchesa’s. Primarily a slightly sweet black tea with a touch of the other two earthy notes making it an outdoor fall experience. The only difference, perhaps, is that the dead leaves howled their way into my senses upon application, then lessened their throw and meekly went to sit next to tobacco leaf in the background. I have a bottle of Dead Leaves and Chai, and I can now pick out the tea note with this to compare with, rather than just creamy spices. It is pretty low throw, yet yummy to huff, and now I’m drinking some hot tea and dreaming of changing leaves and cooling breezes.

I feel like Dee is such an amazing unisex scent, though not spicy, it’s woodsy and comfortingly sexy. Antikythera Mechanism comes to mind, as my brothers like the tobacco scents I shared with them... As above, I think an RPG decant bundle sounds like a fantastic start, especially with the sweet new label choices.

Midnight Carnival looked so complex and gorgeous, yet the reviews made me a bit wary of blind bottling. A lovely lady shared a decant from her bottle recently. It’s definitely not as obviously complex as I expected, yet beautiful. It’s like wearing a velvet curtain, thick and lush, yet a little worn and scented by years of resinous (mostly myrrh) smoke. Seamless and dark, Midnight Carnival hints at sensuality and mystery, and gives no secrets away. Though I probably won’t look for a bottle anytime soon, as I have a good amount of dark resinous scents, I wouldn’t have been disappointed if I did blind bottle.

You might be into Death Cap, it’s got an earthy sweetness to it, yet not sugary at all.

I was always reluctant to take a chance on Kvothe, despite my general love of leather. I’m grateful to have a tester from a swap! This a cozy scent of soft brown leather and dust. I could see a touch of vanilla, as well. I don’t really get any spices, though it could be aging. It’s making me feel quite mellow, and I’m about to snuggle up with a blanket.

I have 2015 on one arm and 2012 on the other... ’12 has a definite cherry note going on, sweet musky cherry. Never loses the fruit, though the sugar comes more to the forefront in the drydown. ’15 is pretty much straight up musk. Not particularly sweet or boozy, it’s soft and cozy. Both are skin-close once dry, ‘12 amps a bit more. Of the two, I enjoy ‘12 more since it is more complex. I don’t often want to smell fruity, though. Not convinced I should keep either. I’ve been hankering for a good strong red musk scent, and have been finding it to be an elusive note to my nose. Almost always soft and smooth, not often a sexy vampy vibe that I crave.

Ah, water is probably the right element for dreams, honestly. Gotta get me something specifically watery! I find lavender to be airy, but I think it depends on the other notes. White Sage SN and Cool It are two I reach for often for that breezy and clear feeling. The TAL Song of Selune actually works really well for the dream work, though when I first got it I didn’t see how roses would connect. Now I visualize myself walking through rows and rows of rose bushes into my dream space. Lacus Solitudinis is both airy and earth to me, though fades real quick on me. My top bedtime favs are resinous lavenders, though. I Am Tired of Tears and Laughter and Winter Stars ‘19 are so comforting to my soul.

We Wear the Mask is a thick coating of longing, a heavy dose of feminine dread. The florals drape a purple velvet blanket, dusty with age, over me as I lay on a pile of brittle kindling. A sigh escapes as the will to struggle slowly releases in weary ecstasy. A thin thread of smoke curls around my head as a pale hand strokes my hair in placating comfort. Anxiety drips away into the Earth and eyes close to the world. The first wear, this scent was so good, and I jumped to find another decant. Last night when I wore it, I found myself almost choked by the strength and an amped perfumey note. Apply with care and attention, this perfume is like a deceptively soft-hearted woman, with a hidden rage. Here’s the poem, in case it comes down from the Lab’s site one day~

I love the idea of wearing an earthy scent for grounding, yet also on the opposite spectrum an airy scent for lifting into the dream space, when I want to do that kind of work. Scent and intention and feeling are so beautifully woven together. I’ve been reaching for cozy/smoky scents recently. Tonight, I think it’s gonna be We Wear the Mask before I snuggle in, as I’m feeling somewhat somber, also grumpy, maybe even just blah about my day. My hormones must be pulling me around. ooooohh now I’m intrigued!

Yes, I’m getting that eggy note that bread pudding or French toast has, especially in the wet phase. Then there’s a cinnamon-heavy middle phase that isn’t too exciting for me... not a chewy churro, sadly. The drydown veers back to pastry, and I’m glad. In fact, I do think it’s pretty close to funnel cake in the end. Still wondering if I want the bottle or not. Lovely for foodies!