artisjok

Oh, Puce, what a fussy creature you are. This was one of the risky buys from DragonCon for me, but, after hearing Tom’s live review, I was intrigued & hoped for the best. Truly, the impression of being in someone else’s home/space is on point, like the smells of their draperies and packed bookshelves and couches, all permeated with “lived-in” essence. Not stinky, but personal. I feel like there’s a fabric note, as well. The pomegranate is what actually throws the experience for me. I’m sitting here in this pleasent living space, trying to absorb the details, and Pom is just obnoxiously bopping itself right in the middle of my vision. It’s does that pomegranate thing, where it turns into a powdery sweettart and overtakes the scene. Interestingly, the other notes do hold on around the edges, so if pom plays nice for you, it will probably be just fine. I wish the patchouli was a lot louder, but it’s a smooth ol’ dog, napping on the floor. This risk didn’t play out in my favor, but the journey was a unique one, and I’m glad we met, Puce Dragon.

Plume is a lovely, deep woodsy incense with the calla lily occasionally peeking out coyly. Rich and strong, it wafts about me for a good long while, making daily tasks feel much elevated. Being honest with myself, I don’t need the partial bottle, as I have some sibling scents I already adore (The Shimmering Mirror, Three Human Skulls), but, if it lingers too long on my sales, I might swipe it off into my collection again.

Wearing my one (?) dragon scent in anticipation of this year’s splurge being shipped, it’s so pretty. The grapefruit is front and center, even lasting the whole wear length (incredible!). I would have guessed that the resin was benzoin, if I was smelling this blind. Maybe it’s the combo of the dragon’s blood and the vanilla silk, so not a heavy DB. The musk is sheer and a perfect anchor. Floral elements are imperceptible to my nose, but would be totally expected to be blooming around this fair dragon. Really great for summer, or just as an overall mood lifter. Repeat after me: “I am pretty.”

woohoo! Here’s my answers to questions for this sweetie swap: I'm wanting to place an order with Paintbox Soapworks. Do you see anything you'd like? New & Limited Edition - 2025 Weenie Collection - Page 1 - Paintbox Soapworks ~Dank Granny, Phantasma,& Greyhound all look good, bar soap (!), sorbetto, or the hair/perfume oil in any would be swell. Also interested in Crystalcore & Buttercup scents. Copied this question from my Switch Witch-My Witchee doesn't seem to be interested, but might my Pumpkin like the following? I was fortunate enough to be gifted an entire collection of the Flower Letters. It's a story told through beautifully illustrated letters, pictures, diagrams, post cards etc. One snail mail letter at a time. The letters and details are gorgeous. I've finished reading it, would you like me to pass it along to you? ~I don’t think I’d be too into it. A cool idea, though! I make junk journals and paper crafts. I would probably have time to make a mini journal or a paper folio type thing. It would come decorated but with space to write and add your own touch or I could make a folio complete with address labels, stationery, stamps etc. to organize your writing goods. Would you like to receive one? My style is generally vintage but I could also do a Halloween one, winter holiday one, shabby chic or something of your suggestion. ~Would be glad to get a journal! Any style sounds fun, vintage Halloween? Anything from Haus of Gloi's fall collection https://www.hausofgloi.com/collections/fall-1 ? ~Apple Milk, Blood Orange Marshmallow, Spider Silk in body butter (!), Scrub or Candle… hair oil, sure. Cozy Sweater is also of interest. Would probably enjoy Cozy Pumpkin, the more I think of it. Adding The Little Hedgehog, as I just read a favorable review. Are there any creatures, autumnal or not, real or mythological, that you feel a strong connection to? ~definitely my big four~bats, moths, snakes and cats (big or little), spiders are brilliant, love me some dragons, griffins, selkie, and have a strong curiosity of the Fae. I’m into most creatures, to be honest, and it’s always fun to be surprised by my loves or a cool new friend to commune with! Speaking of fandom, I am going to place an order from Karen Hallion's shop soon and wondered if there's anything my pumpkin would be interested in: https://www.etsy.com/shop/khallion ~I don’t see anything that’s for me. As many of you know, one of my baking specialties is eclectic varieties of shortbread. I think I made pumpkin lavender shortbread for someone last year, I've done spiced orange, chocolate orange, lavender peppermint (a surprising hit that I now make annually). I could do something with rose, a wide assortment of spices, citrus rinds, etc. Anything sound interesting (as an early reveal day zero gift most likely)? ~Yum! Orange & spice sounds awesome, if a peach & cardamom is possible that’d be amazing. Honestly though, I’d enjoy any flavor. Do you burn candles / would you like to receive one? ~Yep! Prefer soy/coconut/beewax ones, but I’ll probably use any of them. Is there anything you'd like from Lush? (I have a whole slew of things from recent sales, like gift boxes with Sleepy scented products. They are good until 2026.) ~hmm, not sure. I had a bar shampoo I liked from Lush & Would use any bath wash. Not sure if other products would be something I like, but I’m willing to try. Are you interested in having some of this year's homemade peach or (some kind of berry) jam? ~yesss love peaches (& berries) & jam! Do you like plushies, like Squishables?  ~You know, I would normally pass, but I just looked Squishables up and saw this green dragon moth and swooned lol so cute! Yeah, any cool creature would be welcome. Plus, I have four children, they’d be happy to help take care of any plushie I receive. Also, we named our car “Marshmallow” and I have a green bat Squishable key chain hanging from the mirror, since it is like a marshmallow animal & it’s basically Halloween season. Do you like caramels? We have a local caramel maker who vends at our farmers markets. Any of these flavors sound good? https://jonboycaramels.com/collections/buy  ~not a huge fan of caramels, but I’m tempted to try the absinthe & black salt flavor. So interesting! My son makes mead, would you like to try a sample? Samples are in recycled nip bottles, about 50ml - OR I could do a 5 to 12oz. Technically he makes a lot of "melomel" which is mead with fruit (blackberry, huckleberry, blueberry, raspberry) and sometimes "cyser" which is a melomel made specifically from apples. Also sometimes he does "metheglin" which is mead made with spices and/or herbs -- like chocolate orange peel (made with cacao nibs from Theo Chocolates.) I keep trying to get him to make a rose or lavender vanilla bean one for me.  ~ Don’t drink currently, so no alcohol. We made rose petal liqueur and lavender vanilla liqueur; are you interested in having a sample of either? Samples are in recycled nip bottles, about 50ml - OR I could do a 5 to 12oz. Roses and lavender are both from our organic garden, no spray. ~ no alcohol (through they all sound delish!) Is there anything specifically Pacific Northwest or Seattle themed that you would like? Local coffee, smoked salmon (vacuum sealed and shelf stable), local tea (Friday Afternoon Tea, Market Spice, etc.), local chocolate (Theo Chocolates, Maeve Chocolates, Boehm's Chocolates, Frans (also salted caramels), etc.), Huckleberry scented or flavored things, lavenderscented or flavored things (there are SO MANY lavender farms here), honey, Seattle mug/shot glass/postcard/keychain, blown glass ornament or pike place pig, spice from spiceology, Bigfoot / sasquatch related items, Dick's Drive In kitsch, grocery bag that has PNW on it, something from Pike Place Market or the Space Needle, Liberty Orchards items (like aplets and cotlets), etc. ~ oooh Salmon sounds awesome! Wouldn’t want anything that’s a tourist type trinket, but I love food and treats and herbs, so would be happy to receive something you think is delicious & want to share. Honey, tea, chocolates are big favs. I also cook lot so spices would be happily used up! Maeve Chocolate (formerly Seattle Chocolates) has "seconds" bags; are you interested in some imperfect chocolates? Which flavors? https://maevechocolate.com/collections/truffle-chocolate-bars? ~ a quick scan, Mex Hot chocolate, salted toffee crackle(!), mint (!) or Pikes Place Espresso all would be gobbled up  Do you have a favorite kind of truffle or "candy counter" piece that you like? (Turtles, seafoam, orange jelles, peanut butter cups, butter creams, clusters, chews, chocolate covered fruit or nuts, espresso beans, fudge, malt balls, english toffee, marzipan, rocky road, etc.) ~love toffee, hard candies to eat as I do chores (my “get to work” bait lol), I like fudge, but recently got some that tasted like the store’s air conditioner, so a little bummed about that. Would be into some that isn’t sitting on a counter all day If you're sugar-free, do you want chocolate sweetened with maltitol or other alcohol type sweeteners? How about stevia? Boehm's has a selection of https://boehmscandies.com/product-category/sugar-free/. ~ no sugar free for me How many food items would be too many for yourpackage? If it's all different brands of chocolates from Seattle, honey, mead, liqueur, caramels, jam, etc. is this a bad thing?  ~ happy to recieved as much as you want. lol I so lush when it comes to food. Do you need any storage for BPAL bottles or imps? ~ I like to use cool cigar boxes for some storage, so another one or two of those would be great. Is there a tarot deck calling your name? ~The Astro Magician’s Tarot… I’ll have to go look through my saved things & see if I can find others Earth Magick Tarot Terra Volatile tarot  Could you please be more specific about what kinds of socks you enjoy wearing?  ~Crew length, trying to transition to natural fibers, but I’ll rock what ever you send. I love pretty, cool, wild, mystical, delicate… any patterns! Would you be interested in any Tokidoki? https://www.tokidoki.it/ My kiddo collected for awhile and we have numerous dupes of older series that might love to tag along in your package. ~Sure! I’d probably send it on to my daughter(s), but I love getting them into cute things.

I was hoping BPAL The Unreturning wouldn’t live up to most of the reviews for me (ahahaha), and swapped for it. I wanted that ambergris and darker notes, but it’s just as was foretold~ a big ol’ frankincense, almost bubbly (yes to the effervescent comment above), supported mostly by white musk with hints of tree that does remind me of birch. It’s not bad, at all, just not as deep and complex as the notes would suggest. I bet this would hit well on a hot day. That “memory of frankincense” is particularly palpable. After a while, some of the ambergris does peek through. I think I like it, after all. I haven’t been in a huge frankincense mood recently, but I have been in a fervor for it before.

Schrödinger’s Checkmark (airy, sticky marshmallow fluff, oily benzoin, and blackened, slick patchouli) & A Portrait (a cluster of sugared carnations with strawberry juice, sweet patchouli, and lush red labdanum) are a couple I enjoy. Nocturne Alchemy generally has some sweet patchouli scents in their seasonal releases (probably something in the GC, I just don’t know it), but my skin isn’t super fond of their patchouli for some reason.

I’ve been jamming to peony scents recently, and wanted a brighter rose scent in my collection, so I swapped for Imose-Yama. What I didn’t expect is that this dries down to the exact scent of some sacral chakra incense resins I used to burn ages ago! It must have had rose in it, but I’m not sure how the other notes translate to the resins. I like it & the nostalgia it brings, an unexpected experience!

The bright citrusy note of white tea and a surprisingly cinnamon-y woods note dominate the wet stage. Everything mellows as the scent dries and I get a fuzzily cozy scent (I’m thinking cashemere wood may be here) with hints of the tea touching the edges. Occasionally, I catch a whiff of rice, yet it’s not very prominent. I like it! Wearing it on days when I’m feeling a bit stressed and just need a little extra comfort to get through the day.

The woods in this Wolf Moon are a bit two brawny for me, prowling out strongly, despite the musk. Yet, they thin out considerably in drydown and reveal such a gorgeous blend of the beeswax and Morocco-esque musk, I’m left with only the faintest memory of the danger and purring with pleasure. As much as I love the smell of beeswax, only a few perfumes featuring it really work for me. This combo is a banger.

I’m always wary of buttercream, as it tends to be too much for me, yet took a chance on a secondhand bottle of Eros’ Valentine for the rose & suede. Risk paid off! It’s definitely sweet and rich, yet the combination of suede & musk tempers the buttercream overload effect perfectly. The rose tints the edges of the scent so beautifully. The drydown is dreamily cozy, and it’s a perfectly romantic scent experience.

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.