sarahmarie

Dark, decadent and incomparably exotic: the rich scent of buttered rum flavored with almond, bay, clove and sassafras. I tried my sister's imp of this, without any idea what was in it. Interestingly, the first thought I had was "cherry!", and my sister agreed with that assessment. Almonds can smell a lot like cherries, I guess? Or maybe my nose is crazy, but I definitely smell cherry. Once it dries down a little bit, a lot of spiciness comes forward. I smell cinnamon and clove, and something underneath that I don't recognize. As it dries, that smell I don't know becomes more prominent, and the spicy fades a bit. The cherry/almond becomes quite subtle. It does get more masculine, but I think I really like it.

I totally get how this smells like light. Really - it makes me think of lying in the grass and looking at the sun. I understand where people are coming from with the dark, musty associations, because it's very strong and very patchouli... Maybe I'm suggestible, but I do smell the light in this. And for that reason, I like it even though it is much stronger and much more patchouli than I can usually handle. I'm not sure whether I can wear this one...it might bother my headaches. But I love the idea of it, and I appreciate the scent immensely.

For some reason, a lot of the ozone scents smell like soapy flowers to me. I'm not sure if that's why, but Numb smells like soapy flowers on me! It's pretty strong, too. I'm sure it will be beautiful on someone else, but it's not something I can pull off. The violet is just too much for me. Hopefully someone who likes violets will give this a happier home.

In the bottle: Fruit Moon smells, to me, like a fruity candy. It's sweet and sour and perky! On my skin: The first thing I smell is melon - the cantaloupe in the description. As it dries down, the cantaloupe remains one of the most distinct notes, but I see it as sort of a base just because to my nose it smells like there's a whole jumble of fruit jumping around on top of it. There's a whole slew of fruity smells, and it's hard to pick out individual notes, but I think I can discern the pomegranate, strawberry, peach, and the passion fruit (or maybe that's the guava, or maybe both.) There's a tingley top(?) note that might be the kiwi, too. All in all, I really like Fruit Moon. I'm not sure whether I'll be able to use the whole bottle - there are only so many days I want to smell quite this perky and fruity! But I love it for what it is, if that makes sense, even if it isn't me most days. It has inspired me to eat some gummi bears, and I bet it will smell better than the smoothie I'm planning to make later on.

I thought I would love Hellcat, but I actually found it kind of overwhelming. When first applied, it's WHOA HOLY ALMONDS on me. After a while, it does dry down to a nicer, softer, sweet almond and hazlenut scent. It's probably really nice for some people, but something about it just really disagreed with me to the point where I didn't want to smell it. I've swapped it, and regret that Hellcat and I did not get along!

My skin loves fig, and therefore, my skin loves Eden. It's delicious - very figgy with a hint of green (it was slightly greener at first, but not the WHOA HOLY GREEN everyone's talking about), and undertones of warm, creamy almond milk with coconut backing it up. There was one stage where I could smell the almond more, but now it's hiding and just playing a very quiet, supporting role in the creaminess. It has throw too - not many scents have throw on me. It's not strong though, at least not in an overpowering way. But it does make itself known. I have another imp of this coming in another swap, and I'm so glad I do. It goes on the big bottle list for sure!

Midway is the closest you will get, for sure.

On me, this oil didn't really smell like much. I don't know if it was because I'd been smelling too many oils that day, or what, but it just failed to make any kind of impression at all. But then! Then my spouse tried it on, and he loves it. And I love it on him! It's all wood smoke and pine, and it reminds me of beautiful nights, camping by the lake in the summer. It's great. Plus, it keeps the werewolves away - so even better, right?

I recieved this as a gift imp in my most recent order. I didn't really expect to like it - flowers and frankincense are not generally my bag, especially not the frankincense, it's usually very heavy and headache inducing on me. But Seraphim is quite a surprise! It's soft and light, not a heavy breath about it! It's very pretty and definitely angelic - innocent, pure, and very very beautiful. I smell flowers (probably wisteria? I don't know what wisteria smells like. It's a soft, white scent with just a touch of soapiness, though) and sandalwood, with a little bit of a powdery (in a nice way) frankincense base. It's slightly perfumey on me, but it still invokes images of angels and softness and light in a way that overpowers the slightly stereotypical perfuminess. This was a total surprise, but I really, really like it. Also, my spouse took the biggest, longest sniff of my arm *ever* when I tried this on and offered it for sniffing. Hee.

There isn't much to say about Shill that hasn't already been said. It's buttered popcorn, precisely - not real butter, the kind on movie theater popcorn. It's amazing how close it is to the real thing! That said, I had high hopes for Shill. I even bought a whole bottle from a lovely forum member, I was so sure I'd like it. But it turns out that actually wearing it doesn't really work out for me! On my skin, it smells mostly like butter (not so much popcorn), which might be okay layered with other things. But my skin chemistry apparently isn't a big fan of it, because as it dries down it becomes very strange...almost chlorinated-smelling! I'm going to give this a try layered with other things, to see if that helps with the chemistry madness. If not though, I fear Shill will need a new home. :-/

I was *very* lucky to swap for PK recently, and it just came today. I was so excited! I feel lucky to get to try this blend, and I waited all day to review it because I wanted to get a good handle on what it smelled like before I did it. Okay, let's see... In the bottle, it smells like mulled cider with some butteriness and a teeny hint of musk/civet/patchouli - I really can't tell which! Something animalistic and dark, but it's almost undetectable in the bottle. Wet, on my skin, the spiced apple cider comes out strong. It's delicious - sweet and tart, and very spicy. Nutmeg and cinnamon and ginger, I think, maybe some other things too. There's a butteriness/creaminess also, but it's not overpowering. I don't think I detect pumpkin at this stage. As it's drying down, the muskiness comes out again, more strongly this time. I was nervous about that, but it managed to mingle in a way that didn't scare me or hurt my head, and because I was pretty hot and sweaty at the time (it was 90 degrees today!) it sort of complemented me. It really did add to the imagery for me, though. Think about it - all this great autumnal foodiness, maybe indoors (apple cider, cream, spicey baking) with a pumpkin field outside the window and something lurking in the woods. Once it's dry, though, the musk/civet/patchouli whatsit goes back to mingling more quietly, and I smell what I think might be creamy pumpkin along with the sweet apple. It's getting hard to smell on my skin, but it's been hours and I've been sweaty and before I applied it I was wearing sunscreen, so it's all a little weird. I can still pick up the apple and the spices most strongly. Overall, I love Pumpkin King, and I'm so glad and grateful to have gotten some. I hope it becomes available for Halloween, because it's a *perfect* Halloween scent. Even if it doesn't agree with you, it tells a good story.

I got this as a gift imp in a swap - thanks SpinalDesign! In the imp, it smells like grape, rose, and leather. Wet, the grape gets louder at first, taking over for a moment. Then as it dries, the rose and leather reappear. The rose is a little sharp on me, but it could be the combonation of the rose with the other flowers and the wine. I think the grape and the leather really keep it balanced though, and because of that I think I really like it! It's a very rich, strong, red scent. Very dominating! It's a scent for night, I think, maybe warm nights in particular.

On me, this is all cinnamon and flowers. I love the cinnamon - love love, 100% love. The flowers, eh. But I keep sniffing the spot where I applied it, so I think the overall combonation is good! This is interesting, because I know I tried Red Devil once before and ended up swapping it. I think my nose has grown a bit, and I'm not as afraid of flowers anymore. Or maybe this imp is slightly different. Either way...I think I'll be keeping it. I haven't had it on long enough to test the effectiveness though...I'll get back to you.

I never would have ordered this on my own, I don't think - but the lab included in as a gift imp in my order, and I'm really glad they did. It's so nice. It wears very softly on me, but it has a surprising amount of staying power. I tested a teeny bit on my leg (down near my ankle - it's where I test things I'm scared of, though I don't really know why I was scared of this scent!) and I could still smell the spot when I sniffed there hours later. But enough about my strange testing methods - on with the review. It was more floral and active wet, but it dries down into a very quiet, still scent that didn't move or change much once it was settled. I'm almost creeped out by how much this scent reminded me of cloth. It smells exactly like cloth to me, in a way I can't really explain, with a breath of flowers absorbed into or maybe floating around it. I am generally a little creeped out by the funeral oils, but this one dances around between creepy and calming in a really great, quiet way. I like it very much, and I think it paints a great picture.

To me, this doesn't smell like the ocean - but it does smell like water. It's funny, whenever I smell ozone/aquatic scents, I smell something floral. I don't know why, but that's always what happens, and that is what happens when I smell Kingsport. So I don't smell my beloved ocean - I smell water and floral perfume. I can't decide whether I like it or not, honestly. I'm going to have to wear it a little more, I think, to see.

I love evergreen scents, but I don't like orange very much. And musk can be an issue. So, I came to Dracul uncertain. At first, I thought there was hope - wet, it smelled strongly of orange, but a light orange I could see myself liking, along with some clove and mint. As Dracul dried, the musk came up, and what was left in the end was mostly musk, with orange and maybe some mint. It smells nice enough on my spouse, but the combination is really too strong for me and might be headache-inducing. Sadly, I don't think it's meant to be.

Silk Road doesn't need my review, but...I love it, so I feel like reviewing it anyway. I wasn't sure about this blend when I read the description - as wonderful as it sounded in theory, I was afraid it would be strong, and I'm often overwhelmed by incensey, musky oils and florals too. But to my suprise, Silk Road remains very light - so light, in fact, that I had to keep reapplying as it faded away fairly frequently. It wears very close to the skin on me - I seem to lack throw most of the time, actually. The lightness is probably my only real complaint! When I first put it on, it's all spicy and warm, with a little incense in the background. As it dries, ginger and florals come out to play, but in the most surprising, nice, light way. It's a very evocative scent, and smelling it makes me think of...I'm not sure. Something I can't put my finger on. Its incense isn't at all overpowering, and the whole warm, spicy, smoky combonation is very sexy. I am joining the throngs of Silk Road lovers and putting a bottle on my wishlist ASAP. Yay for Silk Road!

I love that Midway is so sweet and so foody, but so light and soft at the same time. I was worried that it would make me ill, but it doesn't do that at all! In the bottle, I smell cotton candy, and a lot of other sweet things that don't really identify themselves. But on my skin, I can pick out cotton candy, fried dough, a hint of caramel, and the salt water taffy, which smells sort of like it tastes. I think fried dough and sugar are the two most identifiably smells for me, on my skin. I'm really looking forward to wearing this to the fair next month, and smelling better than the midway there. If happy, soft, and sugary sounds good to you, go for Midway. You may need to reapply a lot if you like a stronger smell, but it will be worth it. And even if you get no throw, you *will* have delicious, edible-smelling skin. Mmmm.

In the bottle, I smell balsam, mostly. There's a hint of the rosewood and a lemony scent too, but the balsam is the most identifiable. On my skin, the balsam drops away (awww!) and the lemon scent and the rosewood come out full force. It's very clean, but it's heading towards soapy, and I hope that stops. I wanted this to be more balsam-heavy than it is wearing on my skin. It's wearing very sharp and soapy at the moment...I'll give it a little more time, though. (About an hour and a half later) Now I can smell a soft base of darker notes, and it's nice. It's toned down a lot, and it's still clean-smelling, but not as sharp. However, it's not quite enough to counter the way my skin has pushed the lemon-rosiness so loudly to the top. Overall, I think this is a really cool blend. It's medicinal in a very different way (not herby or eucalyptus, which is what I often think of when people say something smells medicinal). It's also very mysterious, with a nice mix of masculine and feminine tones. If my skin can refrain from pushing the notes that feel feminine on me straight to the top with such force that the rest of the blend is hidden, I might like it...but I suspect my skin isn't going to behave. I'll give it one more try, though, I think.

I really thought I reviewed this! But I guess not. Hmm. I wore this during my evening yoga just now. It was a brief exercise, just for some stretching, but it felt particularly good. The aroma wafting up from my hands felt warm and meditative, and made me feel more in tune with the tradition of what I was doing, even though I'm only a yoga dabbler who does some poses from Om Yoga books every day. It's a warm, peaceful scent. The Coiled Serpent smells like patchouli, yes - but I normally hate patchouli, and I like this. It has a sweet, golden sort of note in it too - something warm and soft. I think that's frankicense. There's a spiciness as well, perhaps pepper? And possibly sandalwood, though I could be making that up. Altogether, it forms a warm, spicy, deep blend. I picture golden honey (though without the honey smell!) over a dark, dirty-like base (the patchouli). I don't like patchouli and I can't normally wear blends like this because they are usually too heavy and bother my head. But I like this oil. I would wear it for limited amounts of time, I think - during my yoga, and for a while afterwards - but not all day due to my sensitivity. But the fact that I want to wear a blend that contains patchouli and frankincese? Quite a feat.

Rose, and something green/herby -maybe the geranium some people mentioned. I don't get any cinnamon in this, which is odd because cinnamon usually leaps right up my nose when I put it on. My spouse said it reminded him of the roses that grow near the ocean in southern Maine, and I can see that. I like the lightness of the rose, but the herby quality is slightly off-putting for me (much less so than some other VooDoo oils though). I won't be buying a bottle, but I will use up my imp.

I love the fruits in this - they do smell like melons in a very candy-like way. They're tart and delicious smelling. In the imp, the fruits and the spice are evident. On my skin, the fruits remain, but the deep musky, animal smell that others have mentioned also arises. I say musk, but I can't really pinpoint what I'm smelling - it just smells animalistic and sinister to me. It's a interesting and unusual pairing, but I fear it would give me a headache if I wore it. So, off to the swaps it goes.

Oof - whoa, mega-grape! I can see why people like this oil - it's definitely flashy and fruity. But it's way too sweet and loud for me - the grape and what I think is the lotus just knock me over. Lotus always goes super sweet on me, though, so I'm not really surprised. Chalk this one up to adventures with skin chemistry, but Glitter must find a new home.

Tart, tropical, and almost effervescent. Mi-Go started out kind of frighteningly floral on my skin, but then the kiwi comes out, and all is well. I can't identify specific notes other than the kiwi and some floweryness, but tart, tropical, and effervescent describes it. It's summery and peppy, and while it's not as "me" as, say, Miskatonic University is, I think I'll be hanging onto and enjoying this oil. Plus, who can resist squishy, mi-go brains?

This is *good* stuff. In the bottle, it smells strongly of irish coffee. Lots of cream, lots of booze. You could mistake it for the real thing, so watch out. On my skin, it softens and a teeny tiny hint of the wood/mustiness comes out. But the Irish coffee smell is still spot on. It's not as boozy on my arm as it is in the bottle, which is nice, actually - it becomes a softer, creamier scent (though it is still clearly spiked. ) I love Miskatonic University and I am tempted to buy a second bottle.