Fancyfetus

I waited as long as I could before purchasing, in the hopes of reading some other reviews. Finally, I had to give into the Equestrienne's siren song. Hopefully my experience will be of some help to another undecided soul. This review is from a skin test, as my hair currently smells of Marshmallows and Candyfloss. The leather here is slick and new, it smells crisp to me. I'm guessing black leather, as I recognize it from Black Rider. I have to bring my nose close to identify the floral note as rose specifically, maybe because it isn't a fresh rose. Overall, the rosewater is understated, just softening the bite of leather and alcohol. The real star of this show is the brandy. It's rich, warm, and just barely sweet. There's something sultry about it, and I think it could be mingling with the velvet to create a slight undercurrent of smokiness. This blend feels true to the label art. It's something you wear when you want to command authority and break hearts. It's a very classically sexy scent, with a bit of levity to it. The brandy is very realistic, and it's simply gorgeous combined with leather & rose. I know I'll be reaching for this quite often, especially on nights that I want to smell like a woman who owns a whip and knows how to use it.

Having time to settle can definitely change the smell of your perfume. Some are pretty true to their character fresh from the mail, but I've had one bottle that took about 3 weeks of rest before it smelled "right". Everything else I've tried seems to vary within that range. I like to test mine fresh, then again after 3 days, and so on. Some perfumes are ready to wear immediately, others just need a bit of time.

What leaps to mind for me is the fragrance inspired by Dr. Caligari herself! 💉 Minty on My Lips - Even the brainiest femme fatale schemes are bound to collapse under the weight of a monstrous ego. The scent of defeat snatched from the jaws of success: a soft, satiny pink grapefruit punctured by a shiny metal drill bit.

I received an imp of Burial secondhand. Unfortunately, I have no clue of its age. Burial is the soil scent I've been looking for. To me, this brings perfectly to mind the rich earth and decomposing wood and leaves that make up a forest floor. It smells damp, like it rained several days ago but this section of the woods is so thoroughly shaded by tree canopy that it has retained substantial moisture just below the very upper layer of leaf litter. What this doesn't smell like is a graveyard, or a "proper" burial. Cemetery grounds are all freshly mowed grass and sparse tree cover. All the fallen leaves are ushered away with a leaf blower, not allowed to rest and rot among the dead. Burial smells more like the place you find your untimely end. Rushing through a forested shortcut, you trip on a protruding tree root and break your neck in the fall. This is the scent of the earth ready to claim you and incorporate you in with all the countless dead things that have come before. It's truly a phenomenal fragrance. I don't get much floral in this, but it could just be mingled in with the other detritus. I think this would be gorgeous layered with a floral perfume. My heart says either lilies or violets, though white rose may be lovely as well.

It's a shame that I'm first to review because I am struggling to pick out many of the listed notes. Maybe I'm getting some lilac, and after a bit of research I'm confident that I'm picking up the elemi, which must be what I keep mistaking for citrus. After about an hour, the plum and blackcurrant come through, ripe and fragrant but not too sweet. Despite being totally befuddled by the notes, I was immediately captivated by this scent. It somehow manages to be both fresh and dreamy all at once. This smells like a special occasion perfume. Like a magical night that stretches on forever and yet still ends too soon. It's the kind of scent that I hope to be wearing when a lover nuzzles into my neck. It's enchanting, exquisite, and romantic. This is a real winner for me, and I will absolutely be needing backups.

This combination was such an obvious winner for me that I picked up the smallest decant size, knowing that unless something went horribly wrong I would need to upgrade I love the Lab's belladonna berry note, and love black tea. This smells exactly how I hoped. Luscious, waxy berries and sugared black tea. The tea in this smells just like the pitchers of sweet iced tea I keep in my fridge all summer. I only spritzed this on my arm, but I would be delighted to have my hair smell like this every day. For a duet, it's deceptively complex and sophisticated. I think this would be very sexy on someone masculine leaning as well. I may need 2 or 3 bottles of this.

I haven't tried any of the others from this collection, so can't make any direct comparisons. On first whiff, I get coconut, lavender, and something acidic. I think this must be the blueberry, though it's difficult to say. As it dries down, the blueberry becomes more distinct. I trust that the rose is in there somewhere, but I can't quite distinguish it. The blue musk is fresh and bright, which balances the fattiness of the coconut beautifully. While this never goes fully tropical, it is a really lovely choice for a hot summer day.

Warm, cooked grain, with a hint of spice and sweetness. To me this smells almost exactly like a fresh bowl of oatmeal. There is something wheatier about it. Maybe it's somewhere between the smell of oatmeal and the smell of cream of wheat. Very wholesome. Clearly a foodie smell but not in a mouthwatering way, more of a comforting kind of fragrance. This is what a kindly hobbit's house smells like. Food scents aren't usually my thing, but this one seems like it would be nice for rainy days indoors or times that you're feeling under the weather. A nice, warm hug in scent form.

This is one of my husband's favorite scents on me, so I'll be looking into grabbing a HG if not a full size bottle of the perfume. Honey, carnation, bergamot, and a tablespoon of milk. I don't get much rose specifically, but it might be adding to a sense of powderiness of the fragrance overall. I'd be curious to layer this with Peacock Queen to infuse more fresh rose into it. This smells like wide eyes and soft skin. There's a wholesome quality to it, but it could also bring to mind a pin-up or a vintage Playmate. Maribou, fluttering lashes, pink cheeks, and plush curves. You're either wearing this on a visit to your grandmother, or slathering it on before a lazy afternoon romp with a favorite lover. I can a why this is a beloved classic, and the layering possibilities seem endless.

So glad I got my hands on a sample of this one! This fragrance is downright bizarre - but only if you're paying attention. In passing it's a pleasant, gently citrusy perfume with a bit of sweetness. Very wearable day to day. Inoffensive. But on close inspection, it's slightly unnerving. I can smell the starless void? A liminal, flat nothing. It isn't inky black like the night sky, but matte like black paint. It smells echoey, in a way that's reminiscent of an indoor pool but without the chlorine. There is the definite hint of cigarette smoke, but it really is just a hint. The comparison to a Vegas casino is dead on - a whisper of cigarette beneath fragrance. Something in this is just bright enough to keep you from hurtling off into the void without a tether. Maybe the petitgrain and eucalyptus help to keep you [just barely] grounded. There is dirt in this. Not soil or earth but dry, dead dirt. I'll keep testing this to decide if I need the full size. I adore this as an art piece, but I'm not sure how much I'll really wear it.

I've been avoiding this review for long enough. I'll try to do it justice. This is primarily a chypre perfume; sophisticated, green, and mossy. I pick out the bright steel note immediately. I think it's the same gorgeous metallic that's used in Chrome Peaches - bright, sharp and almost sweet. A perfectly forged blade. On a deep inhale, the cinnamon appears. I think the cinnamon likes to hide amongst the moss. With careful attention you can pick out a flash of it, like the ripple and flutter of the samurai's red robes. I can imagine someone else's skin really amping the cinnamon here. The leather in this is quite polite. It's soft, worn leather - maybe brown. I can't quite pick out pomegranate, but there's the hint of incense. The oud helps to make the entire scent nice and round and whole, giving it some heft. I haven't been able to put my finger on what about this chypre is so particularly intoxicating, and I think it might be the saffron. It's just enough to add the lightest touch of gold, honeyed sweetness to the moss. Over time, this just gets warmer and softer but never loses its charm. This is a truly gorgeous blend and I'm glad I took a chance on it. There's a complexity and depth here that keeps me coming back for one more whiff. I can see this becoming a classic. If you're a fan of chypre perfumes, give this one a shot.

I love this one. I'm not sure why I skipped over it the first time, but I was able to snag a decant and I'm so glad that I did. The lilac and plum here were thrown in a blender and now neither can be singled out from the fragrant slurry for long. Together, the tea and steel sing; as clear and silvery as moonlight. I don't get smoke at all until after a few hours of wear, and at this stage the lilac comes through strongly on its own as well. This is lovely start to finish. The overall effect is much more refined than the actions depicted on the bottle. I've learned that steel, plum, and lilac are all winners for me so full sizing this is an easy choice.

I picked up a decant of this after seeing reviews indicating that it's heavy on juicy, wet vine. I want to smell like fresh, oozing plant matter. Fresh on the skin, that is exactly what you get. Viscous slime from a freshly cut vine. I'm in love! The florals are hanging out in this state too, but on me it's all about the vine. Gallons of green goo. A jungle hag sweating plant secretions, dancing with her tree frog familiar. Bathe me in this. Sadly this morphs considerably after a couple of hours. The vine slips away and the lilac + morning glory takes over. This stage only lasts a short time before becoming muddled into a vague, soft floral scent. Not unpleasant in any way, but no notes stand out and my glorious vines are a distant memory. You wake up in a stupor back in your own home, smelling vaguely of flowers. Perhaps the dancing jungle hag was just a dream. I haven't decided yet if I'll skip the full-size entirely or buy 2 bottles and absolutely drench myself in it to achieve maximum viney goodness.

I received this as a frimp. To me this is musty, dusty, and sickly sweet. My overall impression is that of being in an attic that's unfortunately not been kept totally dry over the years. Not quite mildew, just a bit of damp in with the unfinished wood and dust. Wholly bizarre and unpleasant. However, I am no fan of patchouli or oranges, and I might recall disliking ylang ylang as well. This isn't the kind of evil I can get into. Off to the destash pile it goes.

This reads as resinous to me more than creamy, it's a warm rounded scent. Nothing sharp or disharmonious about it at all. The florals are soft here and don't demand too much attention. The oak moss is grounding. My overall impression on wearing is that I think this makes me smell like a boy that's just been taken out of a perfumed wooden chest. It's a beautiful chest with intricate carving on it and a soft lining for storing treasures. The wood has been lovingly polished with fine smelling oils and waxes over years of careful stewardship. Maybe there's a sachet of dried flowers inside to keep the contents smelling lovely. Out I emerge from the chest, a boy smelling gently of resinous, perfumed wood. A pleasant and soft scent. Unfortunately I don't often want to smell like a boy, and when I do it's not this type. I'm more interested in smelling like a boy haunted doll or some kind of headless fiend in leather. I'll try this one out on my husband and see if it's a better match.