artisjok

Smug Yale is such a cheering scent! A powdery, snuggly vanilla wrapped up with a humid fresh green grass. I love it in sunny days when I’m outside, or on day’s when I’m stuck inside longing to get out. Contrary to some above experiences, I get excellent throw and wear length, and that’s somewhat unusual for me. Smug Yale is smug because it smells simply divine and is a beacon of carefree joy for all who get a whiff on the breeze~

Challenge of the Ascetic is a breath of clear air in a calm fresh space. On my skin, it’s a translucent pale green over the translucent gold of frankincense, like a multi-layered stained glass window. It does go somewhat powdery for me pretty quickly, through retains its meditative tone. It’s unfortunate, because I can see the beauty and the calming effect, and I also don’t really like to wear powdery scents. Bummer... maybe aging will shift the effect. The label art is so sweet, and the notes sounded delightful, I was close to blind-bottling. Now that I got a tester, I’d only get a bottle if I find it discounted. A low partial bottle would be even better for me, so I can enjoy the picture and sniff the bottle. Definitely similar to the Monk RPG scent.

I got Faces Cleaving in hopes of a yummy apple version of I Am Tired of Tears and Laughter. It is related, I just don’t know if it’s a scent I want to wear... Fresh fresh apple, very strong when first applied, reminds me of shampoo, though a better version. The benzoin quickly comes forth to balance out the scent with resinous sweetness. I think the oudh is just giving a bit of an incense tone, as others have commented, and that’s just like I am Tired. The apple is where I am hesitant about keeping the scent. It’s a very clean resinous scent, and I usually like warm/cooked apples more.... I’ll see how I enjoy it after another wear. I don’t have any other really fresh apple scents, so it might be something I crave occasionally.

Fate’s Jester is a tart sweet juicy sugar bomb! I get loads of lemon and currant all coated in sweet buttercream. The patchouli is surprisingly absent on me.I’m sure it’s the note I was originally interested in... The joyful air of this Jester keeps me smiling, though, despite not getting that Silkybat patch mentioned above. The sweet sugary frosting note is what really makes the scent for me. Otherwise, the tartness would probably be overwhelming. Huge throw and wear length, which is somewhat of a novelty on my skin. Summertime perfection~

Kabe Ni is thick and foody vanilla on me, entwined with rich patchouli and sharp citrusy copal. I love the smell of burning copal, yet haven’t found a blend from the Lab that works for me... until now. This combo of rich sweet and woodsy with the bitter resin is decadent and spiritual and punishing all at once. The experience reminds me of when I used to be slightly obsessed with these San Pellegrino Chinotto sodas. At first I thought they tasted repulsive, so bitter! Then that bitterness, all sweetened up and sparkling, would just hit this flavor craving so perfectly. That’s the same with this. A balance of repulsion and desire. It’s addicting!

Milk Moon 2020 is definitely a delicate cozy scent. The fig is strong in the wet phase. As it starts to dry, the fig gets more aligned with a soft milk note and olive leaf. A bit of honey is drizzled over them, but it’s so delicate that it’s only serving to warm up the scent some. The date, I’m imagining, just deepens the sweetness a touch more. I was afraid the cedarwood would be MIA, yet I do get a sense of its support in the drydown. The milk becomes the primary note. It feels like indulging in a bowl of milk, dotted with ripe fruit and sparkling in the sun. Overall, a very supportive creamy fruity scent cloud that will nuzzle you into bliss. I think it’s perfect for Summer!

Beautiful and fresh! Morning Glories is like the first rays of pale sunlight glistening on the dew-dropped leaves. The florals aren’t sharp or overpowering, and the white amber is a perfect grounding resin, since it’s also lighter and brighter than most resins. I love the translucent green vibe. It’s perfect when I’ve had an exhausting day and want to restore to levity and magic again.

I’m not a huge fan of coconut scents, yet I wanted to see what the smoked vanilla & fog combo brought to the table. This is definitely a coconut-centric scent, and I probably should have waited til I had some food in my belly before testing, as I’m feeling a little queasy from it. Gradually, the vanilla slinks in to give the coconut more body, though no smoked note for me. I do think I smell a faint fig peeking in the background. Eventually, the vanilla seems to bully the coconut from the spotlight, though not from the stage. Fig never really gets the courage to stand next to these two divas. I can tell it’s still showing a little face around the curtain. The scent turns into something more appealing to me the longer I wear it. Never enough for it to be a favorite. Coconut lovers should definitely leap for it, especially for that lush summer tropical vibe. Someone else may get more fig, too. Also, impressive wear length for my skin.

Song of Hope is very skin-close on me, and I’m getting primarily ambergris and, I think, Peru balsam, with a tinge of spice. Where are you leather?! It’s pretty, but so fleeting that I’m not sure I should bother keeping the decant.... Might see what aging accomplishes.

If you’ve tried any of the Lab’s scents that contain the “incense” note, this is reminiscent of them. I rarely find much difference in the note apart from what ever else it is paired with. This time, it is creamier thanks to the cocoa dust, and I like it more than most pairings. The Darjeeling tea doesn’t jump out at me yet. The vial has only rested a day, so I’m hoping some more setting will make that apparent, especially to compare to the black tea in other scents I’ve tried. I may be back to update, if it emerges!

I’m, surprisingly, getting a grassy version of Rogue. Or something like Boots without lavender. There’s a waxiness that is like rosin, and I don’t really get obvious tobacco. Very good wear length, though subtle. I’m gonna try it on my partner and see what the notes act like on him. A good summer scent~

Dorian is a magical scent, and I’ve always loved the iterations the Lab produces. I was sad to find the original was so quiet on me, my skin just ate it up, & I ended up swapping my bottle. Frostbitten Dorian totally makes up for the miss of the original. I get the Snow White-esque snow note in the beginning, and by the drydown I’m left with an amped up Dorian, slightly chilled. This Dorian is here to snuggle the warmth of my skin, rather than the OG, who was always prancing away teasingly. Yay!

To Hope is fresh fir needles entwined with sweet gentle flowers. The scent is very yellow, and reminds me of a heavily forested version of Raccoon Moon. It does lean more and more soapy. Though, not one that turns me off as much as some aquatic soapy ones will do, probably the help of some flower. I don’t think I’ll keep the decant, as I already have Raccoon Moon and other forest scents I enjoy more (not soapy).

Veritas shows up as a frankincense and floral melange. I’m not familiar with the scent of angelica or heliotrope, so I’m guessing they are the pretty feminine aspects of the floral. I had also forgotten about chamomile while wearing this, so I’m not sure how much it contributed. The scent blooms into a carnation party, very clove-y. As it dries all the florals tone down, frank re-asserts itself and outlasts them all. I swapped for an imp of this, because I’ve been craving carnation, and it’s my month of florals. I also love frankincense, so it seemed right down my alley. It’s a lovely scent, though I don’t know if it feels like me, something about the prettiness of the flowers. I’ll keep the imp and give it another wear, in another outfit and environment, and see how it feels then!

I got a tester of this since it’s got fig listed, and cherry wood/red musk combo just sounded lovely. I only got red musk & fruit, definitely apricot (and it does have a funkiness to it in the beginning), not so much detecting fig. I sadly don’t smell the cherry wood, so it’s not really attractive to me. Too fruity. For those wanting to smell fruity, it’s an attractive and sensual scent to consider.

Sweet goth strawberry! I’m getting the cotton candy and strawberry, all dressed up in blood musk. The drydown brings more of that frosting to the mix. I wish there was more lavender, but it’s probably my favorite strawberry to date. Perfect for feeling extra girly, yet keeping that edge of darkness.

Fontium is a sweetie. My initial impression is akin to those bottle cap candies, a powdery soda-esque scent, with a touch of cooling minty note. The star anise gains some ground and makes it a bit more interesting in the first stage of drydown. Then, comes the magic. The resins start to sparkle and there’s an almost citrusy brightness combining with a lovely sweetness and the herbal edge. I feel like this scent will be even more a stunner with age. My mood today has been pretty pleasant, though I didn’t sleep well last night, so tired. When I put on Fontium, though, I felt much brighter and more excited to go do some work, some connecting, something more energetic than just the usual pace. My partner says this is the scent he wants to smell after a yoga class. Bringing peaceful clarity. I’m glad to enjoy to scent as well as feeling the effects! A lovely boost. Edit~ I’m getting strong minty vibes now, I’m assuming from the birch bark... still similar to powdery candies like those mint Lifesavers combined with Bottle Caps. It’s definitely bringing a tranquility. A fresh-breath-of-air candy, cooling and satisfying to huff.

Creamy rice flower & fig, Lola Lee Loo is a subtle stunner. I get a hint of toasty edge when I sniff my wrist. I can see this being a perfect scent for curling up with a book, and also perfect for work, as she keeps close to me. Surprisingly, the scent has been wafting up to my nose for hours! A major feat for such a skin close scent on me. The fig does fade into the rice flower & vanilla cream after a while. I don’t know how much I would reach for this in my current self, but if I worked in a scent-wary environment, I can see it being my go-to. I bet this would be fabulous layered over Castitas bath oil! Rice flower squared.

FIG! I agree this is the same fig I got in Waltzing Matilda, and a powerhouse. In the first stages, I get a touch of the cherry, yet barely. This is a perfumey, woodsy, and somehow sweet bubbly fig. I slathered and it had throw like whoa, aand lasted! A rare occurrence on my skin. I’ve been in such a weird fig mood recently, and I this one wear satisfied that craving so hard. Do I need more than this decant? *shrugs* We’ll see how I feel once this finally wears off. I’m thankful for the lovely lady who shared some of this & other figgies with me!

I slathered on I Die of Love with this thread in mind (also it’s my month of florals)... not much lilac comes through for me, though. Salt Phoenix is now intriguing me. I’ve been crushing on the Lab’s salt scents!

Someone sent me a little tester of Possets Billet-Doux recently, “The scent of paper with a bit of perfume still lingering in it, a slight zest of the ink while it is still wet, a great deal of melting musk to say that you lover the "other" part of your heart. This is a light but tenacious fragrance, bright but musk imbued.” It’s real sweet papery musk. BPAL’s Two-Ply Bristol comes to mind, though it’s probably too fresh paper to conjure that sweet paperback scent you’re longing for... BOOKS seemed less leather and more paper than any for me, though other reviews say otherwise.

Earlier in the day I was wearing The Magus, and Hope is in the same family, yet more refined, more composed. It’s waxy sweet and floral with a touch resin, though the mimosa is directing this to more of a tea-like floral, as mentioned above. I wonder if the smoky opoponax will emerge more with age... It shifts to be a little fresher than I expected, almost a soapy edge. I think this is gonna be great for Summer . I’m pleased to have a lil partial bottle to enjoy~

The Magus is a thick sultry summer flower, dripping with viscous honey and tear drops of frankincense glimmering around delicate white petals. A pale golden scent. At times the resinous frankincense is supported by the rich waxy honey, and though more often it’s the honey taking the lead with its commanding tone, and making me salivate. In both cases, the asphodel is very present, a wistful slightly powdery presence. The power of this scent is in its ability to create an aura of luxury with a touch of feminine mystery, perfect to elevate a Spring or Summer day.

Thanks to you both! I have to check with her to see what combos she is comfy with, though I’ll probably start collecting decants in the meantime. I’m also hoping someone knows a good single note from another company...