suki

In The Bottle: Marshmallows and sweet, light chocolate. Wet On Skin: More of the same, with the chocolate becoming more even with the marshmallow, instead of having a background role. Dry Down: My DH got these chocolate-covered marshmallows from Trader Joe's. This scent kind of reminds me of those. In All: Low throw, less decadent than some other chocolate-heavy scents (like Bliss), so there's more occasions this scent can be worn in. I get no cookie, but the marshmallow has an undertone of granulated sugar.

Oh my, do I ADORE this. This is what I wanted Lemon Scented Sticky Bat but wasn't. A sweet, lovely lemon sugar. It reminds me a tiny bit of the Lemon Meringue doll I had as a kid. This is one of those scents that people of all ages can certainly wear. I would hoard this scent if I could, but for now, I will treasure the bottle I have.

I agree with Absinthetics- this is a non-assuming rose incense. I'm pretty picky about my florals, most go soapy on me. But this one had the tolu and the frankincense to ground it, and the rose balances the myrrh so it doesn't turn into baby powder. Really lovely.

In The Bottle: A light, dusty cocoa, similar to the one in Gelt. Wet On Skin: I'm getting a tiny bit of citrus- which happened with the Ginger Chocolate Soufflé. I wonder if the chocolate note for both of these is the same? It's slight, but it's definitely there. This isn't the chocolate from, say, Bliss or Muddy Puddles. Dry Down: Chocolate and lemon. In All: Low to medium throw, a good daytime scent. I get no vanilla or sugar or honey from this, which is downright peculiar, as I amp all of those notes. I'm going to let it settle and re-try in a few weeks. It's fine as it is, but I might trade away the B/U bottle I got if it stays as is.

In The Bottle: I get a liquidy, boozy chocolate liqueur. Definitely chocolate, but grown up. Not foodie. Wet On Skin: This is interesting. What I assume is the ginger is NOT behaving in a ginger-y capacity at all but instead is combining with the chocolate as orange. It reminds me strongly of those orange-chocolates you can get during the holiday season, actually. Dry Down: Now it's like chocolate-orange pez fancy mixed drink. Huh? In All: This is NOT what I expected in the least. I'm going to hold on to the bottle for now, to see if anything shifts with some aging. Also, sometimes chocolate-orange is what's called for. But with my skin, this is NOT a ginger chocolate soufflé. Nope.

Thanks MarsMomma for being such a great WC Faery!!! In The Bottle: Creamy, yummy, boozy Irish Cream. Front and center! Wet On Skin: Ah! Hello, cake! I was wondering if you'd be here! Dry Down: Another fabulous cake scent from the Lab this year, it combines exactly what the name implies. If you're a foodie, especially the type that swoons over the Lab's cake note (that's me! right here!) then definitely see if you can procure some of this. In All: Low throw, the scent has some of the gentle sweetness of the Lab's eggnog, but with that incredible cake note to keep it from getting too sugary. Really lovely. I expect wearing this a LOT.

I am most intrigued by the inclusion of an avocado note in here- let's see how it goes! In The Bottle: I'm getting a tart citrus note here, and, mixed with the sweetness, is actually reminding me slightly of Christmas at my aunt and uncle's house as a kid, playing with my Strawberry Shortcake dolls. That's not to say this scent smells plasticky, because it doesn't. but there's just that amalgam of sweet and tart and warmth...it's off to a good start. Wet On Skin: The sharp citrus of what I can only imagine to be the cubeb berries is thoroughly embedded amidst the chocolate and the creaminess of the avocado. It's odd, but it's working. Dry Down: This is reminding me a bit of the Dark Chocolate, Chocomint and Lime of Box O' Chocolates Past. It's like this is that scent's 2nd cousin. I like both for their dark chocolate note that stays true, and for the odd tang that the other notes are lending to it. Low throw, this is a strange but likeable scent. It shall have a nice place amid my Chocolate Scent collection.

In The Bottle: sweet plum and black currant and dark, dark smoky vetiver. Wet On Skin: wow. This vetiver is SERIOUS. But although its dominant, the sweetness lingers in the background, making it rich and interesting. This is no one trick pony. Dry Down: I'm not getting any rose, really. But this an incredible smoky, dark scent with sweet notes to round it out- it's like the scent equivalent of what it's like to eat blackstrap molasses. I can't wait to see how it ages!

In The Bottle: Oh. Oh MY. I wasn't sure what "cashmere patchouli " would smell like but this is :exactly: what I'd hoped for. Sweet, soft and earthy and holy moly is this :sexy: Wet On Skin: the plum picks up some of the slack, making the scent have more depth, but without compromising what was already stated. Dry Down: usually I can still pick out individual notes upon dry down. But this actually has melded so seamlessly that's hard to pull apart now, so all I will say is that I'm deeply saddened I did not order two bottles off the bat and also that I agree with those who predict this will age brilliantly!

In The Bottle: dried flowers in an abandoned drawing room ❤️ Wet On Skin: there's something dark that reminds me of myrrh, without going to powder on my skin. Perhaps it's the smoky plum, but I can't be sure. Dry Down: the amber and the lily are definitely adding something that smells like an era long gone. It reminds me a bit of B340, as if a dilapidated hotel's remains still boast that Garbo once stayed there. In All: I'm not certain this is the right scent for me, though those that love rich dark florals are sure to want this in their collection.

In The Bottle: I get the musk right away, it's a sweet one, and with the clove feels very "red" indeed! The oudh gives a smoky incense-y quality right off. Wet On Skin: as hoped for, the saffron is starting to bloom on me, making it more heady and sultry. This is very much an incense blend and I hope it stays that way! Dry Down: the clove is hands down the most dominant note in this, but that's not to say the others don't join in a glorious chorus, because they do. This is smoky and sexy and rich and feels like something to wear to a bawdy party held in a decaying mansion-part glamor, part sex, all disaster. In All: medium throw, I anticipate this will age :very: well. Hoard worthy!

Scorn the foolishness of others and love, for life is too brief, and death brings everlasting sleep: Ethiopian ambrette seed, summer honey, Alpine lavender, cognac, mate resinoid, peru balsam, and red musk. In the Bottle: The Astringent quality of the Alpine Lavender is the first thing I get upon sniffing the bottle, followed closely by both the mate resinoid and the Ethiopian ambrette seed, which both add a "green" and pungent smell. Wet On Skin: Ah, hello cognac, *there* you are! and red musk- so nice to see you! This is most certainly the red musk note from Smut, and here at this stage it's grounding the lavender and those 'green' notes nicely, as they all seem like they're operating on a higher frequency. So the red musk is acting very earthy in this context. It's a surprise, but I'm liking it. Dry Down: This is one of those scents that has completely morphed from the time it was in the bottle to settling into my skin. I'm getting the cognac and the balsam of Peru both making something dark and a little smoky-sweet, and then the red musk twisting in over that, with a touch of that mate resinoid coming in with a slight citrus finish, almost as an afterthought. This is a somewhat heady, rather complex scent, and I'm betting it's only going to get better with age. In All: Low to medium throw. I've been wanting a secondary scent that had the red musk note I adore so much in my beloved Smut, as smut can be a little overwhelming in some environments, like a day at work. Red Lace had a bit of it, but I always felt like I wanted more red musk than Red Lace could really live up to. But with Vivamus here, I really feel like I've got something that I'll want to wear again and again through the remaining dark winter months. Love!


From a 13th century recipe plundered from the vaults of the Zadok family's cellars! In The Bottle: Oh man. My mouth *actually* watered. Even with the most foodie food scent, that NEVER happens. But this scent has tricked my face into thinking there is delicious cranberry juice hidden inside this tiny perfume bottle! Wet On Skin: Okay. It's behaving more like a foodie *perfume* than food now. Still delicious, but the cider part is making it more of a fragrance than something to eat. Dry Down: This is a really nice holiday scent. I feel really excited to have this in time for all the festivities this month! It's a perfect blend of raw fresh apple cider and cranberries. It's not a 'hard' cider, there's no ferment or boozy note in here and I find I'm actually glad for it. In All: The lower end of the medium-throw spectrum, this scent likes to cling and stay close to the skin. In addition to being a must-have for foodies, I would say this is a good addition to the collections of anyone looking for a solid holiday scent to wear to daytime parties and also dinners with friends and family all through the season. I can also see this being a great scent to diffuse into a room with an oil burner. Total keeper!

I'll open this review by saying I've not had much luck with cherry as a note in the past, but I'm always interested in giving iffy notes another chance, so here goes! In The Bottle: Yep, that's dark chocolate-covered boozy cherries, alright! Wet On Skin: The same notes, but toned down a bit. It still reads as foody, but not in the HAI CHOCO-LUSH! capacity it did before Dry Down: I think I'm getting the star anise now. It's not black-licorice variety, thank goodness, as that type just smells like NyQuil to me But this is adding something...woodsy to this mix. wet and also in the bottle it was just straight-up food all the way. But now the chocolate note AND the cherry have both mellowed, the wine note isn't amping on me the way it usually does, and the anise is grounding it, giving it all a nice base to drop anchor on. In All: A surprisingly understated offering from the Box o' Chocolates this year, this is a chocolate scent that's- dare I say it?- sophisticated. I just think I found my first cherry scent!

RED LANTERN A tribute to the opium den cum bawdyhouses of Shanghai in the 1930’s. Golden amber, blonde tobacco, Sudanese black coconut, rich caramel, black currant, white opium and delphinium laced with a sensual blend of Asian spice. This is everything that I hoped it would be- the rich, sweet decadence of Red Lantern transmuted into a *mood* for one's living space. It's not different from Red Lantern perfume in any way I can detect, scent-wise, and yet there's something here that changes it, makes it a scent for atmosphere. I don't have a compulsion to spray this on my body, even if that were possible, and, interestingly, I don't feel some compulsion to dab on the oil while this wafts through the air. Instead I want to transform my living space, make it into something more befitting this scent. In the same way that a good spritz of Cathouse in my bedroom encourages me to hang pink gauzy curtains in the windows and turn on a sexy lamp with a red bulb in it next to my bed, so too does Red Lantern implore me to hang velvet tapestries on my walls, string tiny lights across my ceiling and invite my most lacivious friends over for a risque game of truth AND consequence. Oh yes, this is one to stock up on

This is a review of the 2015 version. I'm really glad I finally got a bottle of this. Incense notes sometimes escape me and I'm glad I made the effort for this one. The cake is not overly foodie, and the beer acts to keep it in its place. The incense is powdery but with a spicy undertone. I can see this aging really well.

This is sweet, juicy strawberry yumminess! I've been loving the Lab's strawberry note as of late, and this does not disappoint! This is the strawberry found in Strawberry Moon '09- juicy but natural. On the full dry down, some of the marshmallow makes its appearance, but it doesn't turn this into a childish scent. It's sweet and playful, but can definitely be worn by grown ups!

Ume blossoms and pink peony against a pale backdrop of white sandalwood, Japanese apricot petals, lotus root, and spider lily. Alas! Peony Moon and I are not meant to be! I'm sad because Peony as a note is so light and lovely. But florals are notoriously picky with my skin chemistry, so while sad, I'm not terribly surprised that this turned to soap on me This happened at Yule with Little Flora- I'd been hoping the Cream note would temper the Peony but instead it smelled *exactly* like the floor cleaner they use in the PATH train station in NYC and Jersey This story DOES have a happy ending, though: one of my best friends, a dude that some of you know as Othello, had a remarkable experience with this Peony Moon: on *him* it turned into this just lovely light green-tea scent. Fresh and slightly sweet in a green way, this scent is so spring-like and beautiful that it just goes to show that testing on one's own skin is the only way to really know for sure how a scent will work on you. Not a keeper for me, but a definite keeper for Othello!

In The Bottle: BROWNIES! Wet On Skin: The deliciousness of chocolate that is Bliss, combined with sugary, vanilla-y marshmallows. Dry Down: This is really just...perfect. The chocolate and marshmallow just come together to make me feel like I've come in from some terrible damp weather and am now warming up with a big, steamy cup of sweet chocolatey goodness. At the very end, there's a touch of something sweet and resin-y, like a low, rich amber. But it's so transitory, that even when sniffing repeatedly, it only comes for milliseconds at a time. But it's beautiful. In All: As with the others from the Fatherhood '15 series that I've tested, this scent has a low throw, but lots of depth. I think it's my favorite of the bunch, though, having said that, I think that this can be layered with others of the series to possible great effect, especially with the Saturday Morning vibe of Tranquility. LOVE!

In The Bottle: Super-delicious banana taffy. Wet On Skin: The banana is already becoming less candy-like, more real fruit, and added to the mix is the faintest hint of...Fruity Pebbles?! Dry Down: Breakfast in a bottle. The milk steps in at this point and it's mixing with the others to form a sort of sugary-banana-milk. In All: Low throw. A sweet, comforting, gentle scent. The coffee notes this year don't seem to be taking hold on my skin, which is a little sad, but I really love this scent. It's Saturday morning cartoons and watching TV in pajamas and eating bowls of sugary cereal. Well done, Puddin!

In The Bottle: All caramel and vanilla. The caramel is reminding me, ever so slightly, of Pinch With Four Aces. High praise indeed! Wet On Skin: The caramel is still dominant, but now it's morphed into the variety found in well-aged Red Lantern. Again, sure not complaining! Dry Down: Oh hai cream and sugar! Did you come to join the party??? In All: Low throw, though don't let it fool you that this scent stays close to the skin- it's really rich and heady, perfect as a beautiful autumnal scent. I personally appear to be getting zero coffee or bean, which is making me sad, but I'm also willing to let it sit and re-test to see if it changes. In the meantime, I have a super yummy all-caramel-and-vanilla-cream scent, and that's pretty good too.

Flexibility, cooperation, expansiveness, and altruism: Chinese musk and five woods with newly budding bamboo shoots, hyssop, chamomile, pink clove, magnolia, walnut, and fig. in the bottle: a deep woodsy scent, but no particular wood that i can pick out at this stage. it seems very "brown" to me, an unusual comment from me about a scent, but there ya go. wet on skin: the woods step back and a winter fruit scent comes to the fore- i'm thinking christmas apples and a hint of brown sugar, but not in a foody way. hmmm... dry down: sweet and woodsy to the last, this oil is well-blended with no discernable notes peeking through. in all: a solid Winter-time oil, i feel that i'll get most use during the cold months as a scent, but will use it year round in rituals when i want to be closer to the element of the same name.

Enterprise, adventure, restlessness, impulsiveness, and dynamism: Chinese musk and red musk with hyacinth, cactus flower, cubeb berry, galangal, tobacco, pink pepper, and sarsaparilla. in the bottle: sweet, spicy and just a little bit of a citrus note. wet on skin: same, but with a slight cream in it, like lemon curd, not like whipped cream. dry down: this is quickly becoming a combination of lemon, gingery-spice and a touch of curd. in all: this is my second wearing. the first time, i got more spice, less citrus. this seems to morph, and i wouldn't be surprised if a new element came out the third time i wear it. one thread that is consistent is that all the notes *totally* relate to Fire as an element. i personally will be using this in spells where i need some Fire energy present, but at the same time, i think it's a "toned down" enough Fire that it can be worn whenever you just want a little more warmth and energy in your daily routine. my favorite so far of the Phoenix oils i've tried.

BLOODLUST BONBON Smoked cacao with dragon’s blood resin, red musk, red patchouli and vetiver with a drop of cinnamon. In The Bottle: Smoky vetiver and a little cinnamon. YUM. Wet On Skin: The dragon's blood has just shown up. It's mixing nicely with the smoky aspect, adding a little sweetness to it. The cinnamon has faded off, and has become closer to cassia, like in MB Underbed. Dry Down: This hasn't morphed much from bottle to dry down. The smoke remains, with the dragon's blood contributing well. But I get no cacao at all, no red musk and the cinnamon is only a presence in the most remote capacity. In All: Low throw- I think you'd have to wear quite a bit to get this to move off the skin- and the smoke has the nice aspect of being leathery without actually smelling like leather- a find for a person like me that amps leather notes to sickening levels. It reminds me a bit of Time's Infliction Of Eternity. If you loved that one, give this a try- it won't disappoint.

L'ESSENCE DU CHAGRIN White chypre, French lavender, rose geranium, opopponax, Peru balsam, bois de rose, lime, and vanilla absolute. This is the one of the five that I was least sure about, but the note combination intrigued me enough to take a chance- let's see how it is! In the Bottle: The lavender is of the 19th Century Men's Cologne variety. Very dapper. In the bottle, this is the dominant note. So much so, that I don't smell anything else. Wet On Skin: the Rose Geranium is starting to show itself now. It's interesting- this is shaping up to be *very* floral, but it definitely reads to my nose as masculine. I'm curious to see what shifts happen next! Dry Down: This is *really* interesting. I feel like this scent has two levels going on, neither of which have ANY thing to do with the other. On the top more obvious level, there's the gentlemen's floral- here is where the lavender, geranium, bois de rose and chypre reside. But then there's this *under* current, and it's the rich sweet balsam, vanilla and opopponax live, and that under current creates the experience- I kid you not - of standing in an English garden with the smell of pancakes wafting in from the neighbor's kitchen. In All: Low to moderate throw, too light for the end of winter, but I anticipate it being a nice daytime scent for early to mid spring. I also plan on having my bf wear this scent, as I have a feeling I'll like it more on him than on myself. A nice counter point to the rest of the series.