suki

in the bottle: like strawberry vanilla ice cream. yum! wet on skin: the strawberry morphs into cherry. TREMENDOUS throw! dry down: the fruit becomes more complex. i can pick out notes of plum, cherry, perhaps pomegranite too. the cream is there, but more subtle. in all: i like! a little more sugary than i had quite anticipated, but a lovely, fruity scent. will keep!

in the bottle: butter and sugar. YUM! wet on skin: more butter and sugar, with the faintest, faintest note of pine. good! dry down: the pine comes out a bit more. yes, this smells like a cozy winter night in a cabin: pine and sugar and cuddling up by the fire. in all: i LOVE this- and kinda want to eat it!!!

in the bottle: how to say this? astringent spiciness. nothing definable, just...that. wet on skin: more of the same, but a note of vetiver is coming out now. dry down: a more perfume-y quality is coming out now. i get some heavy, deep florals, but they are again undefinable . and yes, there *is* a smokiness, but it's more of an afterthought than anything major. in all: a sultry, spicy floral. i think i'll need to try this again.

in the imp: straight up rose. wet on skin: more rose. really rosey rose. dry down: still rose, and only rose. in all: if you are a fan of rose, you will LOVE this one. me? i'm picky about my florals, so OFF to the trade pile with thee!

this was sent to me as a sniffie, but i'm feeling determined to make it work! in the imp: EXACTLY like the Lemon Merangue strawberry shortcake doll i had as a kid! lemony-sweet, but totally scratch n sniff style. wet on skin: the lemon backs off and a faint floral emerges. it reminds me of dish soap. dry down: more of the same- slightly soap, slightly sweet, not real. in all: glad i got the sniffie, but it's not for me. ::sigh::

my first acquired Monster Bait- i couldn't be more excited! ok, let's do this: in the bottle: as i had hoped, it's mostly a warm caramel, with a very faint undertone of cedar. but not hamster cage cedar, light forest cedar. wet on skin: oohhhh- the patchouli starts to come out and mixes with the caramel to make it a little warmer, maybe slightly less foodie. dry down: BEAUTIFUL- a gorgeous mix of earthy, woodsy smells and sweet, warm melted sugar. in all: i'm really happy with this, and relieved that my skin chemistry has been kind this time- i will totally wear this often!

in the imp: lavender. but not just medicinal lavender. this is sweet, and yes, it reminds me of paris in a wistful sort of way. wet on skin: a combination of the sort of refined sugar candy that adults like and kids do not- sweet without being overpowering- and a lovely floral french lavender. it makes me think of a Provence-based syrup that the upper classes would pour on their morning fruit. dry down: more of the same, with the lavender showing itself just a teensy bit more. in all: floral without being cloying; sugary without being food-like. simply lovely!

i must preface this review by saying that, as if you couldn't tell by my SN, i'm totally smitten with all things violet. how this will compare, i don't know yet, but i'm pretty biased at the outset. so let's go... in the imp: very sharp, very sweet. the violet only comes through at the very last second. wet on skin: a light floral, but i don't really smell any violet dry down: sweet and grapey, sort of like icy grape punch on a hot day. about 10 minutes later, the violet *finally* makes an appearance in all: a gentle enough floral, and a very light violet mix. i'll likely wear it on the hottest days of the year when anything strong seems to only smother the skin. otherwise, i'll keep it in the box.

in the imp: fruity/floral. reminds me STRONGLY of mimosa flowers in the height of summer- which, if you've never had the pleasure, is a wonderful thing. wet on skin: WOW, the mimosa is mixing a bit with gardenia. this is fantastic! swoon! dry down: sweet, without being cloying, it's like walking through a beautiful garden in the heat of late july summer. in all: keeping in mind that i'm VERY picky about my florals, all's i can say is: i think i'm in love.

in the imp: fruity like bubblegum fruity, with an unpleasant cheese-like afternote. hmmm. wet on skin: more of the same! only stronger! dry down: mellowed a bit, but still has an unpleasant undernote to it. like feta cheese under a big pile of juicy fruit gum. in all: not pleasant on me in the LEAST. off to swap!

in the imp: undefinable citrus and something like fire, without being smoky, if that makes any amount of sense. wet on skin: it smells like lemon oil and fire. like i sat eating lemons next to a bonfire. it's not unpleasant but it's not really appetizing either. dry down: like i walked through a building that was full of burning plastic and then doused with lemon juice. not pleasant. in all: nope. not liking it.

in the imp: something both repulsive and attractive. i get whifs of rotten cheese and fruit. i immediately gag, but then want to take another sniff. WTH?! wet on skin: ewwwww. more of the same! like opening a garbage can behind a restaurant! blechhhh! dry down: it mellows a bit, i can pick out dried apricots and something else mellow, like a raw nutmeat sort of smell. hmmm. it's becoming nice, actually. in all: if you can stand the initial period of vomitous aroma, you will be justly rewarded. like a parable, really.

in the bottle: cucumber and melon. but not the perfume kind, the ACTUAL fruit kind- it smells like the garden in my back yard when i was growing up. this is one of those 'how DOES she do it?!' moments. wet on skin: the cucumber comes out to the front, and there's a beautiful, gentle aroma of wild honeysuckle behind it all. dry down: it loses the cucumber somewhat and becomes more of a floral. still lovely, though. in all: light, fresh and lovely. like early summer, when everything is soft green and the fruit isn't quite ripe yet.

in the bottle: LOVE. it's all butterscotch and caramel wet on skin: more of the same, but with a slight note of opium thrown in. this only makes it better, of course... dry down: no change. just yummy sweet buttery goodness with an edge of opium. in all: this is my partner's bottle, so i *clearly* need to get some of my own!!!

in the bottle: vetiver, plus something smoky. wet on skin: more vetiver but with a very subtle fruit afternote- perhaps orange, or tangerine. dry down: the smoke comes to the front, tempering the vetiver and removing it's bitter edge. in all: not my cup of tea for fragrances, but for those who have a love of smoky things, like the tea Lapsang Souchon, you will probably be in total love with this.

there was no difference between in the bottle and on skin. it was all the same, and it all smelled like cheap men's cologne to me. when my boyfriend wore it, i could smell it from across the room, which i feel is a baaaad sign. sigh. i really was hopeful about this, but i got none of those leafy notes others spoke of.

in the imp: oof! straight up medicine, like liniment, as others have said. wet on skin: more of the same. pine and vetiver in VERY strong combination. dry down: vetiver and more vetiver. it's all i smell. in all: i happen to like vetiver, for it's grounding and earthy and good in mixes. i would likely use this in a mix with other oils in the future, but not likely all on it's own. ADDED Aug. 2: in the imp: dirt, patchouli and vetiver. dark and earthy. nice! wet on skin: same, but the patchouli is amping a bit now. dry down: almost straight patchouli. in all: a nice patchouli scent. if you like this note, you will adore Wolfsbane.

in the imp: fruity and spicy. i see where the christmas conotations are coming from. wet on skin: more fruit, but in a faint, dusty way. this isn't foodie. dry down: fruit mixes with bay and a touch of cinnamon. if i'd had this for the holidays, i would've worn it. in all: it's worth having for all the long winter months ahead!

in the imp: all rosemary, all the time. wet on skin: more rosemary. honestly, it's making me a bit head-achy. dry down: rosemary with a bay edge. in all: it's nice, and i would possibly use it as a room scent, but certainly not as a body perfume.

in the imp: i don't know how else to describe it except to say it's like a medicinal version of a perfume a grannie would wear. wet on skin: slightly better. still medicinal, but with a resin finish. dry down: there is a beautiful sweet resinous quality here. unfortunately, it seems to be covered over with something that smells like a bitter orange cough syrup. in all: back to the swap!

in the imp: strong vetiver with an undernote of something chocolatey- maybe it's the black patchouli? wet on skin: the vetiver all but leaves and is replaced by the cinnamon. the chocolate essence remains. dry down: the black patchouli comes out in front and mingles with something that smells like opium- rich, musky, earthy. in all: a heady wintertime blend, good for any gender 'cept maybe the most femmie amongst us!

in the imp: very sweet cherry, like cherry candy. wet on skin: cherry and sandalwood mixing evely. strange and different, but nice. dry down: the cherry all but vanishes and is replaced with something that smells like suntan-lotion-coconut. that coconut-y smell mixes with the sandalwood and makes something unexpected and lovely. in all: sort of sexy, but simmered down enough to be able to wear during the day and not feel like a floozy.

in the imp: like cheap spiced wine. not unpleasant, but definitely...cheap. wet on skin: the wine comes out stronger. it reminds me of high school and drinking boone's farm strawberry wine. or grape Mad Dog 20-20. dry down: i feel like i could get a hangover just by smelling this too much. a boozy note that it overpowering all else, with the barest hints of spice and a single floral underneith. not my thing. in all: it got more unpleasant as time went on. i feel sad about that, but sometimes that's just how it is.

in the imp: overwhelmingly peppermint. there's an afternote, but i can't place it, and the mint takes it away again quick. wet on skin: more straight up peppermint. like candy cane kinda peppermint- sweet and nummy. dry down: peppermint still strong, but with a faint under current of pine. it's kind of surprising. very wintery, more than i had anticipated. in all: something i would likely put in a burner over putting on as a personal scent, but nice enough.

in the imp: musky, sweet, resinous yumminess. there's a slightly foodie after thought, something roasted perhaps. really, really good. wet on skin: yummy spiciness, like cinnamon-roasted hazelnuts. something along those lines. dry down: the cinnamon tones down a bit and a bay comes out on top, the raosted nutty smell *just* in the background. in all: delicious! food-ish without being foodie, musky without being overwhelming. a fine catch- and sext as hell.