Nimthiriel

Initial impression: Honey, with a soft touch of myrrh and frankincense. Lovely! First on: Light florals, sweet honey, dignified incense and something almost fruity. Yum! I love it... Dry: After about 20 mins, it's a deliciously soft honey scent with the odd hint of saffron, incense or florals. I'm enchanted. It's what I wanted from stuff like O. Sensual! And it stays that way, even after an hour. I'm in love with this one... Finally: I've always loved the painting, ever since I read Margaret George's books, where it was used as the cover illustration. Big keeper! Might even consider investing in a bottle.

Initial impression: Mm, I can smell pretty much only apple blossom in the vial – but that ain't a bad thing. First on: Apple blossom and something I can't define... But it's a lovely mix! Dry: After about 10 mins, it's a creamy cologne on me. It stays that way – cologne with something creamy, and the lightest touch of wood. It really reminds me of Arachne, somehow. Finally: Not at all what I expected – it's lovely, but not quite what I wanted. Oh well!

Initial impression: I pretty much only get vetiver in the vial, really. First on: It's earthy and raw – patchouli mixed with vetiver. Dry: After about 20 mins, it's gone to pretty much all cedarwood, with the tiniest hint of cinnamon. It dries down to a softly creamy cedarwood scent on me, but without any other notes. Finally: Passing it on, as I only got cedarwood in the end.

Initial impression: In the vial, it seems very soapy – but there's an aquatic quality to it, with a touch of ozone. First on: Wet on my skin, it's 90% vetiver and 10% ozone. I think it's safe to say that my skin rather likes amping vetiver like crazy! Dry: After about 10 mins, it's very cologne-like in nature. I was hoping for more moss and ”stone” in this. Another half an hour later, it's still mostly cologne on me. Finally: Bought this because of the notes rather than fandom. It didn't work so well on me, unfortunately – no moss, just ozone. So... passing it on.

Initial impression: Red musk and something fiery – spices, tobacco? All I know is that it's a hot and scorching scent, with a touch of softness through the musk. First on: It's mostly pepper and ginger on me at first. Dry: After about 10 mins, the scent is mainly resin and tobacco as far as I can tell, with the lightest touch of musk. It's a lot fainter than I expected, given the amount I slathered on. I get a general impression of something hot and dry when I sniff my wrist – like a desert. After an hour, the scent is gone entirely. No throw, no staying power. It was creamy and sexy for a while before it faded, but now it's all gone. Finally: Bought this because of the notes rather than fandom. Alas, it had no throw on me, so I'll pass it on – it was lovely while it lasted.

Initial impression: A cool floral bouquet – dignified, distanced, beautiful. Yes, it does smell regal! First on: I'm not good with picking out floral notes, so I can't comment much on what's what, but... the whole scent warms up on my skin, and becomes gentler and friendlier. Dry: After about 20 mins, it's a cooler scent again, and there is very much a dominant and fussy royal feel to it! It morphs into an almost... creamy floral after another half an hour. Lovely! And very regal. Finally: Beautiful scent. I'm not huge on florals, though. Passing it on, but giving it high marks.

Initial impression: In the vial, it's floral and oddly fresh – very serene and refreshing. Summery. A peaceful type of summer scent. First on: Wet, it's oddly citrusy! Citrus and floral. Dry: After about 10 mins, it smells like nothing but lemon soap on me. Ugh. Not good. It doesn't clear up, unfortunately. Finally: Not a friend of my skin chemistry at all! Swapping/selling.

Initial impression: Something like the juicy freshness of melons, with lots of florals. I get the magnolia quite clearly. First on: Various florals, in quite an uplifting and cheerful blend. Dry: After about 10 mins, I get a hint of pine, with lots and lots of florals. Another 20 mins into the drydown, it's a lovely, lively floral. One I'm oddly fond of – and I'm not a floral type person at all! Finally: A great floral, but not for me. Nice to try though!

Initial impression: An oddly ”cool” floral! Friendly, but distanced. First on: Mm. Cypress and something else – it's simultaneously cold/dark and friendly/welcoming, to me. It's pretty unisex as well. Dry: After about 10 mins, it's oddly masculine, all of a sudden. How can it be a manly floral? I'm confused. Another 20 mins later, it's a fresh and masculine scent – dark but oddly comforting. Not a dangerous sort of darkness. Finally: Peculiar, but good! Passing it on, though.

Initial impression: I get a waft of pumpkin pie, tonka and an almost nutty-chocolately note that shouldn't be there, logically. First on: Warm pumpkin pie, with a light floral to it. Dry: After about 10 mins, it's very floral and the tonka is shining through underneath, but the pumpkin is absent. Another 20 mins gone by, it's a bit better with the pumpkin and tonka, and there's a tiny hint of tobacco in there, but it's mainly florals. Finally: A lovely, charming, comforting and uplifting scent – I'm glad I got to try it. However, it was a tad too floral for me.

Initial impression: In the vial, it's a scent of white wine (not the heavy red kind), incense and something like olive oil. It's... refined and celebratory. First on: Wet, it's almost eclusively wine on me, with a hint of sweetened bread in the background. Yum! Dry: After about 20 mins, it's heavy on the myrrh and frankincense, but with the iniest hint of wine shining through. Another half an hour later, it's a glorious, soft mixture of myrrh, wine and something bread-like – it's comforting, joyous and radiant with light, all at once. I'm completely sold. Finally: This is my new ”Greek” scent for Hestia from now on. It's everything I wanted in a scent for Her! <3 Big keeper. Wish I had a bottle now.

Initial impression: Mmm, bittersweet is right! Very much like pomegranate. First on: Wet, it's a very sweet pomegranate – like pomegranate mixed with sweet grapes. Juicy! Dry: After about 20 mins, it's a lovely pomegranate scent – pure, refreshing and juicy. Finally: Fantastic scent. Alas, I already have a pomegranate single note perfume from Conjure Oils, so I'm passing this one on. A must for the pomegranate lover!

Initial impression: Woody, dry – incense and old bundles of paper covered in dust, but almost with a light floral quality to it. I'm intrigued! First on: It's all wood and leather on me in its wet state – it's almost kinky. Dry: After about 10 mins into the drydown, it's a woody scent with a hint of leather and parchment. It's lovely – very librarian! Another 20 mins later, it's still heavy on the leather and wood, with a tiny hint of tonka thrown in. It's very masculine. Finally: I wish it was a bit less masculine, but still woodsy and ”book-like” - I like it, though. Unless I come across something else in the same vein, I think this shall be my secondary Seshat scent. Divine Librarian and all.

Initial impression: Pumpkin, pumpkin, pumpkin – but with a hint of something sweeter in the background. Grapes? First on: Mmm, pumpkin and juicy pears! It's a refreshing and mouth-watering scent. Dry: After about 10 mins, pear actually seems to be the dominating note. Howpleasant! Pumpkin and sweet grapes linger in the background. 20 mins later, it's still a lovely refreshing scent with mainly pear – I'm getting a little jasmine at this stage, too. Finally: A beautiful, enchanting and refreshing pumpkin scent. I really liked it. I'm giving it away, none the less, though – I can't think of any good occasions for it!

Initial impression: Mm, dark and smoky and hot. I like it! First on: The rawness that can only come from patchouli – it's nice though! I'm a big fan of patchouli. Dry: Once dry, it's very woody on me – nothing like incense or such at all. It's like sniffing warm wood! Finally: Hmm, I liked it better in its wet state, if I'm honest. Bit too woody for me.

Initial impression: In the vial, it's all opium and lily of the valley. First on: It's pretty unfloral on my skin – the lightest touch of vanilla, followed by fruity mandarin. Dry: After about 15 mins, it's the softest scent of lillies of the valley, but that's pretty much it. 20 mins later, it's much more well-rounded – florals mixed with incense-like notes and a certain fruityness. Finally: I'm torn – to keep, or not to keep? It didn't sweep me off my feet, and it has no real throw on me. Hmm. Probably swapping it...

Initial impression: Mm, dark juniper and cypress – how declicious, in a cruel kind of way. First on: It goes extremely foresty on my skin! Like freshly cut evergreens, bark and moss... Dry: After about 10 mins, it's dark and masculine (possibly the musk) with a hint of evergreen. 20 mins later, it's less intense, but still gorgeous. A very manly scent, but still – yum. Finally: Wonderful – I shall keep it. It reminds me of Sweden's forests. <3

Initial impression: Incense mixed with fresh flowers. First on: A surprisingly pleasant, down-to-earth floral scent – not at all the way I usually experience florals. Dry: After about 10 mins, it's a lovely scent that's both smokey and floral – this might be a floral scent I can actually wear. *gasp* 20 mins later, it's still a floral I can tolerate. I'm impressed. Finally: Keeping as a ”spring/summer Pagan” type thing.

Initial impression: Woody, smoky, but floral. A peculiar and awesome blend! First on: Mmm, wood and smoke. Dry: After about 10 mins, it's a little floral, and the amber sort of forces the woody notes down. Woodyness is back after another 20 mins, but it smells quite a lot like... sweaty men. It mellows out a bit after a while, but it remains a very masculine scent. Not that that's a bad thing! Finally: Interesting to try – we'll see if I keep it or not...

Initial impression: A bright burst of citrus! First on: Herbal and citrusy, very fresh and ”sunny” as a scent. Dry: It's really citrusy and upbeat, with a herbal touch to it, making it almost... foody. Finally: Nice to try, but citrus isn't really my thing.

Initial impression: A soapy floral with something darker in the background... First on: A soft floral, but with something warmer underneath it. Very feminine. Dry: After about 10 mins, it's mainly roses to me. I don't care for roses, unfortunately. Another 20 mins later, it's still nothing but roses. If there are other notes in this one (which, of course, there is) I'm not getting any of them. How sad. Yet a bit later, I'm getting something that might be lillies, or lily of the valley. But predominantly roses. Finally: Alas, passing this one on. The name rocks muchly, however.

Initial impression: Orange and something floral. With an almost soapy afterscent. First on: Orange and flowers of some kind. It's very refreshing, very... regal somehow. Dry: After about 10 mins, it's citrus and florals – a refreshing burst of the jungle! Another 20 mins later, it's a lot more subtle, and the copal and incense are coming out more. Finally: Fantastic and fun to try, but I'll swap it, methinks. Nice though! (And I'm not even a major fan of citrus.)

Initial impression: Something like red wine and something bitter... First on: Wet, it's spicy red wine and cypress. Dark and full of ill intentions. Dry: After about 10 mins, it's all mulled wine on me. Another 20 mins later, it's still all mulled wine. That's not a bad thing, not by any means, but I was rather hoping to get something else. Finally: Lovely to try, and very refined, dark and sophisticated. Swapping/selling, however.

Initial impression: In the vial, it's actually mainly honeysuckle – sweet and thick, with a hint of myrrh. First on: Wet, it's still mainly honeysuckle and myrrh, thick and sweet. Dry: After about 10 mins, it's almost an almondy scent – bu there's hardly any hint of cinnamon, which disappoints me a bit. Another 20 mins later, it's still very almondy – don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of almond, but I got this imp in the hopes of getting cinnamon... Alas, my skin doesn't seem to find this notion acceptable. Finally: I'm sad to say it, but I think I'll have to pass this one on. What a shame.

Initial impression: It's really soft and gentle – something herbal (snakeroot?) and something like an old book. I'll interpret that as leather and a tiny hint of tobacco. First on: It's strong on the leather and tobacco in its wet state! Something sweet lingers in the background. Dry: After about 10 mins, it's heavy on the leather and tobacco, but I don't mind it. I thought I'd might dislike the tobacco, but it's a really comforting scent. Another 20 mins later, it's a little less intense, but still really warm and comforting. <3 Finally: Loved it. Big keeper! Now to figure out what to use it for...