Penance

51 is the perfect summer scent for me.

 

I don't normally wear scents seasonally (if I love something, I wear it whenever I want), but 51 just screams "warm weather" to me. The honeydew is fresh and juicy and the florals and light musk are delicate and airy. It's a huge departure from my usual heavy incense/musk/leather blends, but I love it.

Origin:

 

5mL bought on Etsy.

 

Preconceived notions:

 

I really like the released version of Boomslang, so I'm looking forward to giving this version a try.

 

First sniff:

 

Yep, that's Boomslang, alright. The scent is recognizable, but the chocolate is lighter in this version than the released. This version has the light chocolate of a fresh bottle of the released version, but mixed with aged Snake Oil. I can see where people are getting a nutty vibe from this. It does have a faint sort of hazelnut-like scent. But I think that just might be one of those phantom scents that come up when certain notes are combined.

 

Wet on skin:

 

Light chocolate, aged Snake Oil and a stronger hazelnut-like note. Normally I hate the smell of nuts, but this is nice.

 

Dry down:

 

The (pseudo?) hazelnut scent is gone and I get aged Snake Oil and soft, but rich chocolate. It's less chocolatey than the released version, which is fine by me because I sometimes find Boomslang to be just a little too heavy on the cocoa. This is a warm, comfortable scent but strangely sexy in its own way.

 

The bottom line:

 

This isn't too far off from the released version. It seems to be more of a difference in note ratios than anything. I like both versions and, while they're similar, I'm glad I have both in my collection.

Origin:

 

5mL from the Lab.

 

Preconceived notions:

 

I love wood and sap scents (and the smell of sawdust) and I think the rocking-horse-fly is adorable, but I've put off trying this one because of the privet (sounds like it could be a very sharp green) and the shellac (can't say that I enjoy the smell of that). Curiosity got the better of me, though, and I ordered a bottle unsniffed. Hopefully it works!

 

First sniff:

 

Whoa, privet! That's exactly what I was hoping I wouldn't get so much of from this scent. It's not that it's a bad smell, it's just too intense and sharp and stabby for me. It makes me think of my childhood, but not in a good way, weirdly enough. I can't really tell what else is in here at this point. It's just overwhelming privet in the bottle.

 

Wet on skin:

 

Still mainly privet, but the wood and sawdust are starting to come out. I don't smell shellac specifically, but it doesn't smell (entirely, since there's some sawdust here) like raw, unfinished wood. If you took my childhood neighbor's woodshop and added one of the big bushes growing outside my best friend's house, you'd have something very much like Rocking-Horse-Fly. It's still too much privet for my liking, but it's better than in the bottle.

 

Dry down:

 

Weirdly enough, once this dries, a sort of green aquatic note comes out of nowhere. It smells like Water of Notre Dame of all things and I've got no clue what the culprit is. I actually like the scent of Rocking-Horse-Fly now, although it's nothing like what I was envisioning. It's a calm, peaceful scent and vaguely sweet. There could be a touch of sawdust here, but it may just be the power of suggestion at work, since I doubt I'd pick up on that if I didn't know it was in here.

 

The bottom line:

 

Crazy skin chemistry strikes again? I never used to do bizarre things to scents and I've never had my skin go crazy over a scent I've worn and loved for years, just new scents that I've tried in the last year or so. Either I'm doing something to Rocking-Horse-Fly or my nose is broken, because in the end it smells nothing like shellacked wood, sawdust, privet or any combination of them. It smells sweet, clean and aquatic in a blue-green sort of way.

Origin:

 

5mL from the Lab.

 

Preconceived notions:

 

It's no secret that I love vultures. I always have. My mom still talks about how whenever we went to the zoo when I was little, I had to see the vultures first. So Meskhenet's got that going for it right off the bat. I've been putting off trying it because I wasn't sure about the notes, but with the Carnaval temporarily disappearing and the possibility that I might never see it again (if it were discontinued due to a component issue before the Carnaval scents came back), I took a chance on it.

 

I love frankincense and olibanum, apparently, since it's another type of frankincense and I like oris and hyssop. The rest of the notes are unknowns. I don't like florals and non-woody green notes are hit or miss, but something about this sounds really pretty, even if I can't quite imagine what it's going to smell like.

 

First sniff:

 

Soft, feminine and slightly sweet in an aquatic floral sort of way. I couldn't tell you what was in here without the notes in front of me. I'd probably peg it as a sweet, blue-green aquatic (I normally hate aquatics, but a very select few of this variety work) with a touch of something floral in a tropical sort of way. Reading a description like that and comparing it to the sort of scents I normally like, you would probably think I would hate this, but I don't. It's actually pretty and something I would wear, albeit not every day.

 

Wet on skin:

 

Now the more "me" notes are putting in an appearance. It's still mainly a clean, sweet, slightly aquatic floral scent, but there are soft resins here. It's feminine and peaceful smelling somehow.

 

Dry down:

 

I was really loving Meskhenet until it suddenly developed the dreaded pepperiness that I've gotten from several blends in the last 6 months or so. I'm going to guess that it's the frankincense or olibanum. I've never noticed pepperiness from frankincense blends before, but I have a bag of frankincense resin that does have a slightly peppery note to it, so I'm going to assume that has to be the culprit. It's very faint, but it's just enough to keep me from completely liking Meskhenet on me.

 

The bottom line:

 

This is a pretty scent but I know that that tiny little bit of pepperiness is going to drive me crazy, like an itch I can't scratch, so this one might be better suited to use in a scent locket, even though the bottle scent doesn't have the lovely resins that it has on my skin (before it dries completely).

Origin:

 

Tester from a generous seller.

 

Preconceived notions:

 

I'm not sure how I feel about PX117 going into this, although I want to try it for some inexplicable reason. I really don't like citrus scents (I do like orange in small doses in combination with black tea, resins and/or cinnamon, but that's about the limit of my tolerance for it) and I despise anise. But there's something about this that kind of makes me want to try it.

 

This could be one of those scents that my subconscious seems to know will work in spite of the notes being made of fail. I've learned to trust those instincts, so I'm cautiously optimistic here.

 

First sniff:

 

Orange. Orange cake to be precise. Sort of like poundcake and sort of like the orange cake that my mom used to make all the time. There's a sugary sweetness to it, too, like vanilla frosting. It's very sweet and foody in the bottle and makes me think of an orange version of P013 (which I really like in spite of the citrus aversion I mentioned before). Like P013, it smells like it would be right at home with the original Monster Bait series.

 

Wet on skin:

 

Hmm, this isn't heading in a good direction. The sweetness turns cloying when it hits my skin. It's got a strong scent, too. I only dabbed a little bit on and it smells like I put on a good-sized smear. The scent is very similar to the one in the bottle. It's just that it's gone significantly sweeter and more intense.

 

Dry down:

 

That's better. PX117 calms down quite a bit as it dries. Some of the sweetness from the vanilla frosting (or whatever it is that smells like it) disappears, and the final scent is like a moist orange poundcake with a tiny touch of orange creamsicle. It's sweet and summery and still quite foody. This still makes me think of both P013 (with orange instead of lemon) and the original Monster Bait scents. Thankfully, I don't get any of the anise that some people have mentioned. Just moist orange cake with a touch of sweet icing.

 

The bottom line:

 

Just like P013, this isn't the sort of scent that I normally wear, but I actually like it. It's not something I would wear every day, but it's definitely staying in my collection.

Origin:

 

5mL bought on Etsy and testers from a few generous sellers.

 

Preconceived notions:

 

I like clove quite a bit and I'm a fan of spicy scents, although they're not the sort of thing I wear every day. I also like amber and most of the other notes being mentioned in the other reviews. To be honest, though, SAQQARA v2 isn't one of those scents that screams "TRY ME!". It sounds nice, but not spectacular, in spite of it's popularity. But I am looking forward to trying it.

 

First sniff:

 

Spicy for sure. I'd have a hard time saying what all is in this, but I'm going to say clove (definitely) and maybe some amber, cardamom and bay. It's not a foody spice. It's exotic and somehow antique smelling. It's pretty but it doesn't wow me right out of the bottle.

 

Wet on skin:

 

Ooh, this is starting to remind me of Lamia v3, which in turn reminds me of a clove cigarettes-inspired perfume from another company (which has listed notes of clove, cinnamon, cardamom, tobacco, amber, sandalwood and incense). It's still predominately spice (clove and cardamom), but there's a soft sweetness that makes me think of amber. I don't think there's tobacco in here, though.

 

Dry down:

 

Definitely similar to Lamia v3 on me! Which is awesome because I really like Lamia v3, but can't bring myself to pay the going price for it. This is a sexy scent to my nose. Spicy and enticing. Dry and not at all foody. It's got quite a bit of throw, too, which is great for a strong scent lover like me.

 

The bottom line:

 

I didn't think I was going to need two bottles of this, but now I'm regretting only buying the one when I had the chance. This is a real beauty and a good replacement for Lamia v3 since they smell so similar on me.

Origin:

 

5mL from the Lab.

 

Preconceived notions:

 

I've been working my way through the Snake Pit and Australian Copperhead has always been towards the bottom of the list (above Asp Viper, which has almond and is automatically guaranteed to be a scent I don't like, and Cottonmouth, which just doesn't sound that appealing since I hate florals), so I'm not sure how well it's going to work for me.

 

The Snake Oil, amber, cardamom and smoked vanilla sound good, but I despise neroli with a fiery passion and I've never smelled acai berry before (I'm not much of a berry fan in general, so it's probably not going to be one of my favorite notes). Fingers crossed that Australian Copperhead likes me. I've been pleasantly surprised before by the Snake Pit blends.

 

First sniff:

 

Sweet but tart berry. I can see where people are getting candy out of this. It has an almost Sweet Tart sort of scent, but Sweet Tarts if they were made in an exotic berry flavor. I get a tiny bit of Snake Oil and smoked vanilla, but mainly this is berry, and a rather unique berry at that. It's not looking all that promising at this point, but I never give up hope on a blend I buy (and most that I get as frimps) without at least testing it, so I'm forging ahead.

 

Wet on skin:

 

Okay, we're getting somewhere now. The berry is still the dominant note (it's smells deep red/purple and tart but sweet at the same time), but I'm starting to find some of the other notes peeking out. The Snake Oil is putting in a barely there appearance and I get a tiny bit of smoked vanilla and what could be the faintest touch of amber. It's less candy-like now, but still sweet.

 

Dry down:

 

Ooh, I like this once it's dried completely. The end scent is soft, sweet, and feminine. Smoked vanilla with a touch of Snake Oil and amber and an overlay of slightly stronger, sweet/tart berry. The dreaded neroli never puts in an appearance, which is fine by me. It's not something I'd wear every day, but it's much more wearable for me than I expected it to be.

 

The bottom line:

 

Australian Copperhead definitely isn't my favorite Snake Pit blend (that honor goes to Western Diamondback), or even a runner up, but I really do like it. It's oddly innocent smelling for a scent named after a venomous snake.

^ This. I have imps of Mouse's LAST that vary from very pale gold to a medium-deep amber. Currently, I have two deep amber and one pale gold. I couldn't tell you what color the oil in my bottles is, but I just checked the imps.

Not exactly an LE, but I find Magic, Do as You Will to be a poor man's version of Voodoo Queen, minus the spice. It's slightly drier, but the dark fruit and incense/resins are along the same lines.

 

Add a little Arachne of Lydia and you'd have a fairly reasonable replacement for Voodoo Queen. At least the way Voodoo Queen smells on me, anyway. Everyone's skin chemistry is different and I may not get notes that other people do and vice versa. But I thought I'd throw it out there since we all know how pricy Voodoo Queen is (especially me since I just dropped some big money on a bottle from the Lab's eBay auctions).

 

And on the same note (and I'm sure this has been mentioned before in reviews, if not in here), Devil's Night is like a poor man's Storyville. I have a bottle of Devil's Night 2006 and that's what I'm basing this on. I tried 2005's version when it came out, but can't remember how similar it was, and I haven't tried the other years, so they may or may not be equally good replacements. I sometimes wear Devil's Night instead of Storyville on less than special occasions where I want a similar sort of scent without dipping into The Precious.

 

Neither one is a perfect replacement, of course, and they may not smell fairly similar on you, but it's worth a shot if you can't afford or don't want to pay the price for a bottle of Storyville or Voodoo Queen.

Origin:

 

5mL bought on Etsy.

 

Preconceived notions:

 

I've been on the fence about trying this one and passed it up when I made my ginormous Etsy order, but grabbed it after all when I saw that there was only one bottle left. I love incense, amber and wood, but I'm iffy on the Lab's beeswax note and I don't like florals (especially rose) or baby powder. So this one is a real gamble.

 

First sniff:

 

Beeswax. The Lab's beeswax note always smells strangely creamy to me, with a touch of something that makes me just a tiny bit queasy and this is no exception. It has a scent that's similar to The Light of Men's Lives, but there's something else lurking in the background. I just can't figure out what it is yet.

 

Wet on skin:

 

Uh-oh. I smell rose. Granted, it's the scent of an unopened rosebud, complete with a touch of green stem (very much like Rose Red, which is about as close to being wearable as a rose scent can get for me), but it's still rose. I hate rose. It's second only to almond on my list of most hated scent notes. This isn't looking good.

 

Honestly, it's a pretty scent. It really is. I can recognize a scent that other people would find beautiful and this is one of them. It's just not something that I enjoy and want to smell like.

 

Dry down:

 

It takes quite a while (a few hours, probably; I lost track of time, but I'm guessing it's been about 2-3 hours), but finally Tetramorph v2 dries down into something that's pretty and appealing to me. Somewhere along the line, a pretty, golden resinous note comes out. Amber, with maybe a touch of something else...myrrh, maybe? And there's still a hint of sweetness here. There might be some vanilla in addition to the beeswax. It reminds me a bit of Jacob's Ladder at this point.

 

The bottom line:

 

I'm not entirely sure how I feel about Tetramorph just yet. I think it's probably going to end up being one of those scents that I rarely (if ever) wear because I don't like the wet stage and don't have the patience to wait it out. The late drydown is nice, but it's not unique enough on me to make it worth waiting hours for.

 

I may see if my mom likes it before I decide to move it on to a new home. It seems like it might be more her style since she's a rose lover and enjoys soft, non-foody sweet scents.

Origin:

 

5mL from the Lab.

 

Preconceived notions:

 

I've been curious about Pickled Imp for quite a while, but never got around to ordering it because I've already got a spice heavy blend (Three Witches) in my collection and I wasn't sure how pine and cinnamon, clove and vanilla would work together. But with the Carnaval disappearing for a while, I figured now was the right time to grab it. I am finding that the Lab's pine sap/tar note disappears on me in no time flat. My skin just seems to absorb it and it goes completely AWOL within minutes, so I guess that it's going to be more or less irrelevant here.

 

First sniff:

 

Cinnamon rolls! Cinnamon rolls over a very faint layer of pine needles to be exact. It's sweet and spicy and very foody. It makes me think of Cinnabon, but Cinnabon at Christmas with a live pine tree by the counter where they're making the cinnamon rolls.

 

Wet on skin:

 

The same as in the bottle. This is definitely different than Three Witches. It's sweeter for one, but also more foody since it doesn't have the pepper that Three Witches has. I'd swear there was cream cheese frosting in here rather than vanilla. That's hot sweet it is. It's bordering on being cloying but still manages to smell delicious.

 

Dry down:

 

As predicted, the pine is AWOL. Even the faint hint of it I got before is gone without a trace. All I get is cinnamon rolls. It does make me think of Christmas, even without the pine sap. Why I would associate cinnamon rolls with Christmas, I don't know. It's probably the inviting warmth of the scent. It just smells cozy and makes me think of roaring fireplaces and warm sweaters.

 

The bottom line:

 

Who knew that a pickled imp would smell like fresh-baked cinnamon rolls?

 

This is too sweet to be an everyday scent for me, but I do really like it. I don't normally wear scents seasonally (if I like or love something, I wear it whenever I damn well please), but somehow Pickled Imp just feels all wrong for summer. I have a feeling this will be one of the incredibly rare scents that I only wear during certain times of the year (autumn and winter in this case).

Origin:

 

5mL from the Lab.

 

Preconceived notions:

 

I originally didn't buy a bottle of Pussy because the notes make me think of Spicebush Swallowtail, which was just too sweet for me. But, since the Pussy moth is quite possibly the most adorable bug on the planet (the caterpillars look like they're wearing Tina Turner wigs, tell me that isn't awesome) and the reviews sounded promising, I caved and got a bottle.

 

I hate orange blossom, although I don't know how I feel about orange blossom honey, and I'm not a big fan of brown sugar in perfume. Saffron is generally okay and I like tonka and love tobacco. So this one could go either way.

 

First sniff:

 

I was anticipating something much sweeter and foodier than this. It has a sweetness to it, don't get me wrong, but it's not intensely sugary the way Spicebush was. I'm getting tobacco and honey with just a touch of tonka. It's surprisingly gender neutral.

 

Wet on skin:

 

This is nice. It smells vintage, or even antique, somehow. The scent just somehow makes me think of the 1920's and 30's. Why, I have no idea. It's honey and tobacco with just a touch of dusty sweetness from the tonka. It's fairly light and not cloying.

 

Dry down:

 

This definitely isn't like Spicebush Swallowtail. Not even close. The honey is still the main player, but it's not a sticky, cloying sweetness. It's sweet but sophisticated smelling. The brown sugar and tonka add just a bit more sweetness, while the tobacco and saffron add a nice richness and depth to the scent and keep it in the gender neutral range.

 

The longer it sets on my skin, the more integrated the notes become until it turns into a very nice tobacco scent with hints of spice and honey. It's like walking into an expensive cigar shop, which wasn't anything like what I expected going into testing this. It's a little bit sweet, a little bit spicy (not in a cookie spice sort of way), a little bit smoky and very rich smelling

 

The bottom line:

 

I'm glad I gave Pussy a shot. Not only do I get to laugh like an idiot when I think about the name (everyone's got an inner 5th grader inside them somewhere, whether they want to admit it or not), but it smells quite nice, too. I love tobacco scents and this is much less intense and less masculine than my other tobacco favorites (Herr Drosselmeyer, Hellfire and Famine). Plus the label is adorable! A hairy moth! It looks so snuggly!

You're very welcome!

I don't suppose anyone has a reference photo of *all* the 13s (thirteens) to date?

 

Original - white label

October 2006 - orange label

April 2007 - purple label

July 2007 - pink label

June 2008 - green label

February 2009 - black label

March 2009 - deep red label

November 2009 - tentacles label

August 2010 - dancing skeleton label

May 2011 - black with red/black swirled 13

Origin:

 

Tester from a generous seller.

 

Preconceived notions:

 

I've wanted to try Voodoo Queen for a long time. Since it was released, really, although I've never been sure how well it would work on me. I've seen references to it being slightly floral and generic smelling, as well as references to it being spicy and incensey with dark fruit. The spicy, fruity incense sounds wonderful, but I don't generally do florals except in rare cases. I never expected to get a chance to try this, so it was a very pleasant surprise to find a tester in my package.

 

First sniff:

 

Spicy, incensey and fruity. I'm mainly getting spice and soft, but dark fruit with a backing of slightly powdery incense. It has some similarities to both Arachne of Lydia and Magic, Do as You Will, although it's definitely not a dupe of either. It's lovely, although it doesn't wow me as much as Storyville does.

 

Wet on skin:

 

The spiciness amps, which is unusual for me. I get cinnamon, maybe some clove, incense and black plum or some other sort of dark purple fruit. It's not really identifiable to my nose other than as a soft, deep purple fruitiness.

 

Dry down:

 

I really, really like this. It's not too spicy, not so incensey that it smells like a headshop (not that that would be a bad thing for me) and not blatantly fruity. Everything just whirls together into something that's strangely comforting. I was envisioning a sort of mysterious sexiness, but that's not what I get from Voodoo Queen at all.

 

The bottom line:

 

Voodoo Queen is really lovely. It's somewhat similar to other scents I own or have owned (Arachne of Lydia and Magic, Do as You Will are still topping the list), but that's never stopped me before when it came to adding new scents to my collection. It's definitely my second favorite of the Convergence XII scents (after Storyville and before Doc Buzzard and Pumpkin King).

Origin:

 

5mL bought on Etsy.

 

Preconceived notions:

 

I really like the released version of Grand Guignol but don't wear it very often because it's so intensely fruity. Everything about this prototype version sounds fantastic, though. I love red musk, patchouli and booze (except gin, absinthe, beer and wine) and I like plum. I've been lusting after this one for ages, so I was thrilled that the Lab put it up on Etsy when I requested it.

 

First sniff:

 

Love! This smells fairly similar to Lust v7 (which I absolutely love) in the bottle, but less smooth and rounded. This is intense red musk, with just a touch of patchouli.

 

Wet on skin:

 

Uh-oh...the red musk is doing the weird thing that it does in Krampus and CBBOB1 where it goes sharp rather than smooth and sexy. I'm not sure if it's a particular type of red musk that's the culprit or if it's just my skin chemistry doing weird things to red musk when it's in certain scents/combinations.

 

Grand Guignol v4 is all red musk at this point.

 

Drydown:

 

Just when I was thinking that this was going to have to be one of those "smells amazing in the bottle, but not on me" scents that I have to wear in a locket, it calms down quite a bit. It's still sharper than I'd ideally like (and not as nice smelling as in the bottle), but it's quite nice. It's still mainly red musk (it reminds me more of the musk in Scherezade than Lust v7), but I'm getting the patchouli again and a hint of something vaguely boozy and fruity (which smells more like the apricot brandy in the released version than it does plum; to my nose, anyway).

 

The bottom line:

 

I wish that Grand Guignol v4 smelled as good on me as it does in the bottle, but I still really like the scent of it on me. I do think that I'm probably going to be wearing it in a locket more often than on my skin, though, if only because the wet stage is fairly harsh.

Unreleased prototype, no notes or description given.

 

Origin:

 

5mL bought on Etsy.

 

Preconceived notions:

 

Since there aren't any other reviews, I'm not sure what to expect from this. I bought it completely blind, but realized after I did that there was a good chance it was going to be at least somewhat aquatic since the toe biter (how could you not love a scent named after a bug called a "toe biter"?) lives in water. Now, I don't normally do aquatics, so that's not a promising idea. The only aquatic I genuinely like is Water of Notre Dame, although I can tolerate some others.

 

First sniff:

 

Hard to pin down. It's definitely aquatic, but also green and slightly sweet with a touch of something herbal. It's a tiny bit cologney, maybe.

 

Wet on skin:

 

Not quite as aquatic as in the bottle. I'm almost completely at a loss here. I couldn't tell you what notes I'm getting, just a vague description of the scent families involved. It's still a clean, green aquatic, slightly sweet the way that Water of Notre Dame is, but there's something here that's ringing bells in my brain but that I can't place. It's almost like a spice of some sort.

 

Dry down:

 

I wouldn't call this aquatic at all anymore, although I'm not sure what to call it. It reminds me a little bit of cologne or aftershave of some sort (although it's not classically cologney). It's kind of green, kind of sweet, kind of spicy and kind of herbal, all rolled into one. It's definitely not a bad scent, but it's very unique to my nose. It's still reminding me of something (some sort of green plant, I think plus a bit of something almost fennel-like), but not another BPAL scent, of that I'm certain. It smells like it would be at home in the Conjure Bag or maybe the TAL line.

 

The bottom line:

 

Definitely not my favorite prototype ever, but it's not bad once it dries down all the way. I'm almost definitely going to be keeping my bottle in spite of my attempts to force myself not to keep anything that I rarely wear and only keep for the name or bottle art.

Origin:

5mL from the Lab.

Preconceived notions:

I had to get this one eventually. I'm fascinated by cryptozoology and while the Jersey devil may not be my favorite of the bunch, any scent named after a cryptid is off to a good start with me.

As far as notes go, pine and I have a love/hate relationship. I love some kinds of pine (and other evergreens), but not others. It all hinges on how astringent or juniper-like it is. I have learned that I love the Lab's pine pitch note, though, so I've got high hopes here. The only thing that really has me concerned is the cranberry. I love to eat cranberries and I love the smell of them as food, but I'm not a big fan of berry perfumes. All the other notes are good ones for me (although, as much as I may like the scent of tomato leaf, I'm having trouble picturing it with berries, cedar and pine).

First sniff:

Strong pine pitch. It's the same pine note from The Illustrated Woman and Troll, at least to my nose. It's rich and slightly sappy smelling. I can see why someone could read this as a winter/Christmas scent. It definitely has a wintery vibe to it with the pine, wood and berry.

Wet on skin:

Just like in The Illustrated Woman and Troll, the pine pitch tones down pretty quickly. Within a few minutes, there's a noticeable decrease in the intensity. After a few minutes had passed and The Jersey Devil had toned down into a softer pine scent with hints of berries and wood (no blackberry or tomato leaf yet and the cedar just smells woody, not particularly cedar-like), I kept thinking that it was reminding me of something, but couldn't place it. I knew it smelled like something else I already owned and liked, but what was it?

Dry down:

Elf! It smells like a stronger, slightly more masculine version of Elf! That's good news, because I love Elf, but it disappears on me in no time flat. The Jersey Devil isn't identical to Elf, but it's damn close on me. The end result is a warm, cozy scent with rich, slightly tart red berry, soft pine, a little bit of wood and something almost amber-like (I have no clue where that's coming from; it has to be a combination of notes doing it, but I've got no idea which ones).

The bottom line:

I'm really happy I bought a bottle of this unsniffed. It may replace Elf in my second-string favorites box or they might cohabitate since I feel terrible kicking Elf out of the box even though they're so similar. Either way, this is a real beauty. It's definitely a bit on the wintery side, but I've never been one to worry about whether my perfume is seasonally appropriate, so I'll wear it all year.

Origin:

 

5mL from the Lab. That 5mL was bought when Mouse's LAST was released, so it's extremely aged by this point (over 5 years old and counting). Apparently I never wrote a review one, which I find hard to believe.

 

Preconceived notions:

 

I'm going on memory here, since I've owned and worn Mouse's LAST for years now, but based on the notes (and the fact that I love mice almost as much as I love rats), it was an immediate bottle purchase (like most scents that I expect to like), although I was worried about the sweet pea. I love sandalwood and I like amber and vanilla, but florals are almost never appealing to my nose.

 

First sniff:

 

This smells so pretty. It's a soft, sweet, cozy smelling amber and vanilla scent in the bottle. I don't get any sweet pea from Mouse at this point in its life, although there is a very faint lightness to the scent that just skirts around the edges. I like this in the bottle, but it doesn't bowl me over. It's a nice, sweet amber blend but not amazing.

 

I do have some fresher bottles which have a more noticeable floral note (it's not obnoxiously floral, but there are definitely flowers lurking inside), although the sweet pea still takes a back stage to the amber and vanilla. I don't remember whether I found Mouse's LAST overly floral when I got my first bottle, but I must not have since I kept it and actually wore it. The fresher bottles are also much lighter than my aged bottle. I would review the skin wear of the fresh bottles, but I'm trying to leave them untouched so that they can age with as little disturbance as possible.

 

Wet on skin:

 

I like this in the bottle (especially my super aged bottle), but it doesn't appeal to me as much as my heavier amber/resin blends like, say, Sin. But on my skin, it's more appealing. The lightness from the bottle starts to fade away and the sweetness of the amber and vanilla start to really bloom.

 

Dry down:

 

This is one of those scents that gets better as it settles down and makes itself comfortable on my skin. It's sweet without being foody and resinous without smelling like a church or a headshop. It's the olfactory equivalent of a lightweight but warm blanket. All snuggly and cozy.

 

I never really get the sandalwood from Mouse, which isn't as disappointing as I would have expected when I originally bought it. Instead, I really love the sweet vanilla/amber goodness. I almost think the dryness of the Lab's white sandalwood note might have felt a little out of place, as beautiful as it is in other blends and on its own.

 

The bottom line:

 

If you're a floral hater like me, but think Mouse's LAST sounds good otherwise and don't mind being patient, it's definitely worth keeping around for aging purposes. I promise it's worth the wait. I don't know when the turning point for my bottle was, unfortunately, but I can say that my aged bottle (soon to be bottles since I have a 10mL coming) is significantly more awesome than my fresh(ish) bottles.

 

Fresh Mouse's LAST would stay in my collection and get worn now and then, but aged Mouse's LAST has a snug little home inside my favorites box.

Origin:

 

A very aged old school "inkwell" 5mL bought on eBay.

 

Preconceived notions:

 

Honestly, I would never have bought this for the intended purpose of the oil, because I'm not a vengeful sort of person. But, I love the name and I love the old inkwell bottles. Plus, the reviews of the scent as perfume sound somewhat promising (I love dragon's blood and I like lilac, but the other florals have me worried), so maybe it'll be nice to look at and nice to smell.

 

First sniff:

 

Definitely dragon's blood. It has the rich, slightly lilac-like floral-resin vibe of dragon's blood. But there's also something almost musky here in a vaguely animalistic way. And maybe a touch of some sort of floral.

 

Wet on skin:

 

Dragon's blood and some sort of very faint herbs, maybe. I am getting a little bit of a floral scent (it's a bit like lilac and a bit like jasmine), but that could just be the dragon's blood.

 

Dry down:

 

In the end, it dries down into a decidedly feminine dragon's blood and lilac scent with some spice (cinnamon or clove, I think) and muskiness backing it up. There could be some myrrh in here, too, but it's faint. This like a less floral version of Dragon's Eye with faint spice, resins and musk added. I also get patchouli on the very late drydown (probably around 8 hours after application). I don't smell it at all until that point, but it comes out at full force on me then, which is great for a patchouli lover like me.

 

The bottom line:

 

I have to admit, Bat's Blood is a surprise winner. I mainly bought this bottle for aesthetic reasons (and it wouldn't have upset me in the slightest if it had smelled horrible), but the scent is actually very pretty! I know these weren't intended to be worn as perfume, but I don't know that I'm going to be able to resist wearing this one.

 

ETA: I read through the other reviews again and noticed that Beth mentioned that this could be worn as perfume and that the effect would be akin to that of High John the Conqueror. I'm okay with that. I can always use something that'll help me feel more confident and if Bat's Blood helps people think more highly of me, then that's fine by me.

Origin:

 

5mL from the Lab.

 

Preconceived notions:

 

Most of the notes here sound awesome. The opium poppy is a little worrisome since I don't like florals (although I love opium tar and smoke) and the castoreum gives me a bit of pause because I'm worried it was what made Minamoto No Yorimitsu go super cologney. The lime is my biggest worry, though. I hate lime (and citrus in general). I bought this hoping and praying that the lime would be very subtle.

 

First sniff:

 

Lime over "traditional" perfume. This isn't a good sign. I hate all things perfumey. But I'm hoping that this is one of those blends that will blossom on my skin. It's happened before and I don't give up hope on a scent until it's dry on my skin and still smells bad.

 

Wet on skin:

 

A little better. It's not perfumey anymore (which is very good news), but the lime is still stronger than I'd like. I'm getting the plum, amber, resins and clove underneath the lime and they smell great. But the lime is giving it an almost fizzy citrusy vibe that I don't care for.

 

Dry down:

 

Perseverance pays off! Hurray! It takes a while, but the lime fades until I can't smell it at all. In the end, I'm left with a scent that has a similar feel to Queen of Spades (they don't really smell alike, aside from some superficial similarities in the notes). Plum, amber, clove, muskiness from the castoreum and a very faint floral air from the poppy. This is really pretty now!

 

The bottom line:

 

I'm glad I gave Purple Spotted Swallowtail a chance. It's not my style at all in the bottle, just "meh" when it's wet, but turns into something genuinely beautiful when its dry. And the time it takes to get there is short enough that I don't mind the wait.

You're welcome, lilium!

Got my Metamorphosis scents in today.

 

Mourning Cloak is labeled Mourning Shroud.

 

Origin:

5mL from the Lab. My bottle says "Mourning Shroud" rather than "Mourning Cloak."

Preconceived notions:

I wanted this one for the name, but the notes sound wonderful. Except for the almond milk and possibly the verbena (if it smells lemony). Almond scents make me horrendously nauseous if I can smell the almond in them, but I can wear them if the almond is "hidden" and I'm not a fan of lemon (or citrus in general). I'm not quite sure what to expect here since the mix of notes is pretty complex, but I'm thinking a resinous scent with a touch of cocoa butter.

First sniff:

Wow, I wasn't expecting that. The first thing I smell here is the verbena. Really, really strong verbena. It's lemony and sharp. There are other things going on underneath the verbena, but it's hard to really pick them out. I get an impression of dark woodsiness.

Wet on skin:

Still mainly verbena (which I'm not enjoying), but there are also some nice dark woods here, too. No resins yet, unfortunately, but I'm hoping they'll rally on the drydown.

Dry down:

Early in the drydown: Verbena, woods and the resins have come out now. I don't get any cocoa butter, which is a little disappointing. I was anticipating something darker than this, although the notes really do fit with the butterfly's coloration.

Later in the drydown: The verbena mostly disappears (hallelujah) and I'm left with just a touch of it, plus Schwarzer Mond-style resins and a touch of cocoa butter. It's dark and pretty, but it's not as nice as Atlas.

The bottom line:

I really wish the verbena wasn't in here or wasn't so strong, but it does mostly disappear on the later drydown. It's just a matter of whether I can wait it out since I despise lemon. This is going to be one of those scents that I like in the end, but don't wear very often because I can't stand the wet/early drydown stage.

I'm hoping that aging will help tone down the lemoniness, but I'll keep my bottle no matter what (although I wish it was labeled Mourning Cloak instead of Mourning Shroud; both are great names, but I prefer Cloak).

Origin:

5mL from the Lab.

Preconceived notions:

This one sounds really promising. Everything here has the potential to be awesome, especially now that I've learned to love coffee scents.

First sniff:

Soft and almost fluffy smelling somehow. It's a brown scent, but a soft, cuddly brown. You know how TKO smells fluffy and cuddly? That's what Atlas feels like, only instead of being innocently girlish, it's gender neutral.

Wet on skin:

Brown, coffee-dusted marshmallows with a very faint touch of khus. I get everything listed in the notes. There's a soft marshmallow-vibe from the mallow, a gentle woodiness from the hinoki and oak bark, a rich brown scent from the coffee and just the faintest touch of ashy green from the khus.

Dry down:

I love this. I really, really love this. It's snuggly and cuddly and warm and brown and...

Atlas dries down to a scent that's similar to the smell in the bottle, only better. It's a soft, slightly spicy, slightly woody brown scent. It's hard to pick out individual notes at this point because everything just swirls together.

The bottom line:

This is the first of the 2011 Metamorphosis scents that I've tested, but I'm positive that it's going to be my favorite of the bunch. This is going to be a multi-bottle scent for sure.