suki

in the bottle: lavender and a bit of rose. wet on skin: the lavender is still present, but i'm icking up the orris root now too, which i'm really enjoying, because it's lending a sweetness that's tempering the harsh aspect of the lavender. dry down: orris and floral, this is very light and gentle- a "baby" scent for sure- but no trace of powder, which for me i am thankful. in all: sweet, close to the skin. it reminds me of Burt's Bees "baby bee" products. if you like the scent of those, you will *adore* this- as i do!

in the bottle: Sugar Skull+Custard+Orange= wet on skin: same! :dances around all happy: dry down: mostly the same, but with a bit more orange glaze. yes- it's GLAZE. this is *not* a fresh-off-the-tree sort of orange. make no mistake. the custard is still holding it's own for sure, and so is the element that smells like Sugar Skull. in all: for all the foodie fans out there (myself included!) this is TOTAL yum! :D

in the bottle: there is an astringent quality that i can see being read as medicinal. it DOES remind me of Tea Tree oil a bit, but there's something more complex going on here- it just hasn't emerged yet. wet on skin: there's a eucalyptus note that's fairly strong, with a hint of something that alternately reads as cinnamon and wintergreen to my nose. it's weird, but i like it. dry down: now i'm getting a touch of clove, a little wintergreen, and a whiff of red sandalwood. all the notes in this are fleeting and shift-like a salamander!-as other folks have noted. in all: not an easy scent to pin down by any means! this oil morphs continuously, befitting the spirit of the animal it embodies, yet there *is* something "fiery" about it too. perfect elemental oil, i will surely use this when i feel sluggish and in need of some of that frisky, flitting energy!

in the bottle: sweet and light, i can't pick out any notes but it gives me a feeling of early autumn for some reason. *shrugs* wet on skin: a white musk is peeking out, along with a touch of lily. but these are both really fleeting. it's like a tiny faery flitting in and out of being seen by human eyes. which is lovely. dry down: a delicate skin musk- light, but not really floral, sweet without being cloying. in all: a good "skin" scent, this one plays it very close. it strangely maintains that "autumnal" feel, though because of it's lightness, i'd likely wear this more in the summer than any other time of year. lovely, gentle, evocative and not easy to describe. a keeper!

in the imp: whoa- ALMOND! wet on skin: same. a sweet, strong commanding almond. dry down: the almond tones down considerably, which i'm a bit sad about. however a very warm note that to my mind is amber but i think is actually heliotrope has entered the fray and it's quite nice. in all: a warm "sunny" scent, this is something for the coldest and greyest winter days to remind you of the eventual return of the sun god.

in the imp: sweet and powdery floral. wet on skin: same. dry down: same! in all: a soft scent with less than average throw, this is one for the little ones in your life. or i suppose an adult that felt really childlike- though it seems a bit creepy to me personally.

in the imp: strictly vetiver. wet on skin: same, but softened up *slightly* with a hint of black musk. dry down: the vetiver comes back, full force. in all: my particular skin chemistry tends to pick out the vetiver to the exclusion of all else. luckily, i like the smoky, earthy scent of it, so it poses no problem to me. if the same is true for you, i say go for it! and if you happen to be a person whose skin EATS vetiver, the other notes in this sound lovely-give it a whirl!

Biblical witch, priestess of Astarte, and general troublemaker. A true role model for today’s upwardly mobile Modern Woman. A gloriously decadent blend of honey, roses, orange blossom and sandalwood. in the imp: honey, orange candy. wet on skin: the orange stars to lose it's candy edge, becomes a bit more natural. the honey stays put, being lovely, but not overpowering. dry down: yep, those two notes stay consistent. i get no other notes from this at all. in all: if you are swooning from the idea of orange and honey together, this is the scent for you!

in the imp: almond and smoky oakmoss. wet on skin: the almond is taking a back seat and the oakmoss is now smelling more like vetiver. dry down: the smoke clears and a rich indian jasmine snakes out from under it. that's a LOT of morphing from wet to dry! in all: if you're not a vetiver fan but you adore jasmine, i say get this and put up with the brief drying period. you will be justly rewarded.

in the imp: ozone, aqua. wet on skin: heavy, sweet water note. dry down: same. in all: average throw, exactly what the description implies- this is the purest distillation of the Lab's Water and Ozone notes. so if that sounds like heaven to you, stock up

in the bottle: sweet without being cloying, slightly musky but not aggressive, with a touch of tart fruit that i'm thinking MUST be the blackberry wet on skin: oh wow. the blackberry is becoming a much stronger note. it's so yummy my mouth is actually watering! love!!! dry down: yes. the blackberry has pretty much taken over- and i couldn't be happier in all: like the tart acai berry in Daiyu, the blackberry note in Bitter Moon really makes this special. :D

Dry, skeletal woods and moist marsh, dripping with the perfume of bog lilies. in the bottle: sweet, soft floral and white musk. wet on skin: same, with a hint of melon peeking in the background (aloe?) dry down: a sweet softness is maintained. in all: a vibe similar to Blue Moon, without any water note. this makes me think of falling asleep in an early autumn meadow...that just happens to be in a graveyard.

in the bottle: a hint of spice and a hint of Dragon's Blood. this is not an over-powering sort of scent. wet on skin: more of the same, the two notes doing a fabulous dance across my skin, neither getting dominion over the other. dry down: yep, it stays true. low throw, this keeps close to the skin. in all: i was expecting something loud and bellowing from Mars, but it seems to be playing more with the sexy-fiery-yang energy-aggressor aspect. which suits me *just* fine!

... Corrupted black plum, smoky opium and crumbling dead roses covered by a deceptive veil of Hungarian lilac, white gardenia and wild berry. in the bottle: sweet berry, dried roses and that sweet scent of rot and decay wet on skin: berry, dead roses. dry down: a spicy note has entered the fray, making this far more complex than a berry-heavy scent like Bloody Mary. the berry is kept in check by the spice, and the dried/dead roses are really extraordinary. in all: a total keeper, and a supreme goth girl scent for all those winter days spent walking the moors!

in the imp: lots of spicy cinnamon, a little bit of something sweet but undefinable. wet on skin: more of the same, though it seems like cassia is in the mix now too. dry down: the cinnamon has settled, but the cassia has taken over in it's place. i get a tiny bit more of the peach now, but that's it. in all: it's not a bad oil, but with so many fall-on-the-floor scents from the Lab, i don't want to settle for "not bad".

in the imp: very sweet floral- lots of rose, but it's not the only note. wet on skin: same- with a touch of the citrus coming through. dry down: the mandarin is not enough to save this cloying blend on my skin. in all: if heavy, sweet florals are your things, give this a whirl- you'll probably adore it. for me however, it's off to the swaps!

2008 version. in the bottle: cider, clove, nutmeg and general autumnal yumminess. wet on skin: same, but with a hint of smoke coming through. dry down: a delicious Fall mix of sweet, smoky and apples. in all: a must have- glad i've got my bottle for all the crisp days ahead!

saddest news ever: cracked bottle on arrival! postal jackals! that said, i can still test whilst i wait for my replacement to show up... in the bottle: sweet sweet sugary-sweet. not the candy sweetness of JailBait, interestingly. it's like Sugar Skull and maybe a butterrum combined. wet on skin: uh oh. it's getting a Yankee Candle quality to the sweetness. i hope this is just a passing thing! dry down: crystal melon candy mixed with blue rasberry bubblegum, eaten while wearing berry lipgloss, while sitting near a autumn potpourri candle. in all: even with the candle-y bits, this is TOTALLY worth the endeavor. get some!

in the bottle: the sweet smoky teak of both Glowing Vulva and Antikythyra Mechanism. wet on skin: same. dry down: same! in all: not as complex as i'd hoped, but perhaps with a bit of aging it will get better.

in the bottle: the YUMMIEST of apple ciders! wet on skin: same, with a slight touch of autumnal smoke entering the fray. :swoon: dry down: the smoke has become far more dominant, but the cider is hanging in there in all: a fine fall scent- i'll wear this in a month when i go apple and pumpkin picking for sure!

in the bottle: the muguet and the beeswax are combining to make this fascinating combination that smells like melon rinds somehow. but don't be alarmed- this part passes quickly. wet on skin: the wool makes an appearance at this point, strangely enough. this scent is as peculiar as old Ichabod himself! dry down: paydirt: once it has a chance to settle, the milky tea makes itself known, mixes with the spicy pepper and becomes a sweeter version of Chrysanthemum Moon! in all: worth every penny, and the wait, this is a great scent. SO glad i got a bottle!

A deceptively sweet orchid vanille with a faint trace of stephanotis. in the imp: sweet, milky and lightly floral. lovely! wet on skin: reminds me of Eden a bit, but much, much lighter. dry down: it's like a combination of Eden and Dragon's Milk, without the fig or the Dragon's Blood. it's really really yummy. in all: condensed milk!

in the imp: yep- that's civet musk and opium, alright. wet on skin: the opium is becoming the top note, the civet adding a nice smoky quality to it. dry down: the civet has taken over! in all: a deep, smoky resinous blend. i could see some foolish people using this is the Dark Arts- THAT'S how deep this is. for us more...discriminating viewers, this is good oil for power on a dark winter's night.

in the imp: sweet, spicy. reminds me of a Yule incense i get at a magick shop here in nyc. wet on skin: same. i can't pick out any notes, it's very well blended. dry down: spicy, musky, sexy. in all: lives up to it's name! a grand oil for a grand seduction!

in the imp: bright floral, some gardenia, some green notes. wet on skin: same. gardenia seems to be growing in intensity. dry down: same, but with a hint of Lily of the Valley poking through. in all: a heady floral blend. if that's your cup of tea, then get ready to swoon over Suspiro.