artisjok

Very chilly, yet also... some furniture polish on me. I’m not sure what’s doing the lemon, probably the tea. Bergamot usually doesn’t show up much on me, so I’m not suspecting it. 
It then gets a distinct male cologne vibe after a while, so polish and cologne with a bit of an icy breeze in the background. I’m glad it’s only in one arm, because the throw is pretty massive! That’s impressive. 
 

I was hoping for something akin to Odic Force, yet Icy Drafts didn’t work for me.

2 hours ago, DiZZysTARdust said:

Coming here because bpal has made me a red musk fiend, and i've recently discovered the joys of tobacco. And now i come here iso recs for red musk scents that are tobacco heavy. Help plz

If blood musk fits the red musk bill, Illimitable Dominion Over All is pretty delicious! 
Le Lethe has both notes, yet can’t remember how strong the tobacco is...

Now that you have me thinking, I’m gonna have to layer Patchouli Tobacco with A Demon and Her Unholy Basketball..... 

Door is golden and viscous herbal, sunbeams and florals. I only got a tester, and at first it was a little funky, like it had aged oddly. Thankfully, after a bit, everything melded and amped just right. Lovely! I would adore this on a Summer night celebration. 

The Temptation of St Nick is both warm and dry. The cacao isn’t blaring, and the clove and chili pepper are delightful in combination with it. The nuts aren’t particularly obvious, yet I do sense them when I search. The vanilla peeks out a bit after some wear, also not obvious, though. 
Later on, there’s a little smokiness to the scent, now a snuggly skin-close scent.
I like this final stage most, and wish it were stronger so I could stop huffing my wrist and get some work done. 

Glad to get a chance to try this trip, as I really love the lavender/ambrette seed combo in Thought Photography. 
The lavender is real strong and herbal, definitely different from the lavender in Lilith blends (which tends to disappear on me). The muskiness of the ambrette does pair well with the lavender. I agree the clove does create some dissonance, like a sharp buzzing sound amongst more soothing tones. The lavender and clove become more compatible as they dry down, the clove outlasting it’s companion with a wisp of ambrette seed still peacefully holding space. 
 

I can see this being useful when one wants to catch the attention of a scattered brain, both harmonizing with it and soothing it simultaneously, hopefully to be more focused and together.  

After reading the reviews above, I was really keen to smell Etienne.

Right off I get strong oak and something a little soapy. Then it turns real earthy and a funk comes in, like a touch of stinky oudh. The soapy aspect is still faintly in the background. There is a golden sheen to the scent, just taunting me from the edges of possibility. 
I’m missing the good impressions of outside sunny time, and somehow getting an odd stinky and clean mix... just weird skin time. 
 

@torischroeder9 That sounds fun! I like the blind bottle swaps. 

I got doomsday’s decant and totally conquer with her review. Silky champaca, the kindest iteration of the note I’ve ever had grace my skin. It’s a death note for me, so to be bearable is pretty cool. 
 

I jumped at the decant after reading comparison to oudh smoke (yum!), but I don’t get that at all. 
Ah well... glad I didn’t blind bottle, and glad to find champaca isn’t all raging corn tortilla rampage, even if most are. 

Hunter Moon ‘19 is a feral beauty. Musky woods and herbal wine, a brush of those lunar oils and the winter chill give the scent a slight lift. 
The cuddly musk is featured, similar to Buck Moon, yet with a much different tone of supporting colors. The leaves have changed into their red and orange tones, and are drifting about in the wind. A few chugs from a wine skin keeps one warm enough, while gathering herbs and fallen branches in preparation for dinner over a campfire. 
 

I’ve been loving wine scents recently, and while sniffing my wrists I don’t sense it’s presence, I keep getting tasty wafts of that fruity tang coming up from my neck. 
 

Happy to have a bottle of this cozy atmospheric experience! 

First ones that come to mind for me are Assassin and Streets of Detroit.
Then, I thought Cannibal Lady Macbeth might be an awesome one, while it’s in stock.

Le Lethe is probably a good on, too. Musky sexy time. 

Unsettling is right.
This scent is the kind that warns you with chemical tang, and then sneaks up behind to smother you in a thick sweet powdery cloth that fills the nostrils and absorbs energy, sucking out life force. Struggling just drains you more quickly. Grinning faces leer our from dust-laden frames, and your vision swims out of focus.

If not for the turpentine & verdigris, it would probably be a comforting powdery embrace. Instead it has tiny rows of teeth, pallid flaps of skin, and a sick sense of humor.
I hope some of what I expected to be darker notes (lampblack, smoky umber) come forth with a little more time, or the amber & frankincense.... even a stronger mineral sparkle added to it would improve the mood it evokes.

*shivers and looks warily around at the walls*

I agree that this is almost the same as Harlow’s Lace, without the cognac & labdanum twang. Thick honey dust and that puppy musk are overwhelming all else and mount an invasion against my nose. Thou shall not smell anything else!
I didn’t put it on, but my baby girl tried it. It was kind of charming for her to be wearing such a youthful comfort and toothache-inducing scent. Might keep the decant for her, but I doubt I will reach for it myself. 

Strong cherry wood with a hint of the leather. I’m surprised I’m not picking up any tobacco...Not as cozy as I was expecting/hoping, yet a pleasant fruity wood. A bit sharp. 
If you like cherry wood, jump all over this one. 
 

I’ll have to check my decant for the year & update. 

#207~

Pumpkin spices with something chocolate! 

I smelled a buttery note in the bottle, yet not so much on my skin. Could be the pumpkin note, as I notice it is buttery in some other blends. 
 

Chocolate doesn’t get the best reception at my house, so not sure if this is a keeper, yet. 
 

My bottle just arrived today, so I’m going to let it settle some and try again! 
 

Update: I’m getting vanilla, too, and I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a bit of booze, too. 
It’s not totally great on me, but chocolate and vanilla have to be with the right supporting notes to shine. I wish the PS was much stronger. 

Just popping in to recommend A Demon and Her Unholy Basketball for a fun, delicious Fall-centric red musk!
Pumpkin sugar, red musk, and a puff of brimstone.

I love combing through these recommendation threads when I’m obsessing over a specific note.

I went a little crazy and ordered a blind bottle of Drink Me. Luckily, my crazy self seems to know what I like, because this is cozily delicious! 

A fruity pineapple blast roars from the wet oil and then dives back into its den, pleased with its performance and ready to kick back and enjoy the rest of the show. Warm, rich and buttery pastry cradling delicately-spiced rum custard saunters forth and sings a song, both enchanting and comforting, to my quivering nostrils. A long-lasting song. A mouth-watering, I’m-hugging-myself, this-is-a-damn-good-day song. Every now and then, pineapple peeks out a bit to remind everyone of his big debut. 
It’s just the right balance, and I’m a huge fan. 
Holiday approved! 

19 minutes ago, Jenjin said:

Daughter is obsessed with Juliette Has a Gun Vanilla Vibes.
It's not really vanilla and more 'beach musk' than anything. 

Any BPAL suggestions? 

 

The closest I can think of comparing scent notes is Meditation Buddy.
Maaaaybe Thalassa, since she has benzoin to sweeten. 
For the beach musk vibe, Kamau Kogo (!) and My Country are the two that come to mind. 

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!