suki

The discomforts of royalty: a pearl as large as a spinning wheel. Golden rose oudh and saffron swirling over opalescent orris root and a twinkle of translucent petals. In the Bottle: the dusty rose of the oudh and the sweet-spice of the saffron come through quite strongly! Wet On Skin: The rose gains in intensity, but I get a faint dust from the orris root in the background. Dry Down: A lush dried rose incense. I don't do many florals, but this is pretty compelling. And the oudh has given it a lovely incense quality that just might win me over

Black poppy, rose-infused myrrh, and patchouli leaves steeped in indigo wine. In The Bottle: HELLO, ROSE AND INDIGO WINE. WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE?!?!? Wet On Skin: Seriously? Whoa. Sweet wine touched by the rare, odd indigo note, which gives it a slight tang, and the red, red rose hanging in the back is actually, strangely, making my mouth :water: slightly. Dry Down: This is just...gorgeous. It's basically become the kyphi incense of my dreams- wine and dried fruit and incense all combined to make something sweet without being food and luscious...and luxurious...and sacred...and...just so...beautiful. In All: If you are a fan of wine scents or incense scents (or, like me- both!) then you not only need a bottle of this, but you might need a back up. It's. That. Good.

[No additional description provided.] I found it helpful that I have last year's Frankincense Peach hairless, for comparison. This year's frankincense note came across as far more bold. Whereas combined with peach for Dragon Con, the frankincense became more of a supporting role- the juicy peach in that blend definitely did all the heavy lifting- this year's combination is in stark contrast, the apple being more of a secondary note for sure. This isn't head-shop-y at all, this is a solid frankincense, something rich and well-suited for the approaching cooler weather. If you're partial to frankincense blends, you'll definitely want this one. But if you're looking for a heavy apple, you *might* be a bit disappointed.

[No additional description provided.] In The Bottle: Gorgeous, rich clove. Sometimes clove notes go slightly acrid or bitter for me, but this does neither. Here's hoping that aspect holds out! Wet On Skin: Glorious, glorious, glorious. Dry Down: This. Is. Wonderful. This exceeds my expectations by a considerable margin. I used to be in love with the Smiling Spider for its clove-y goodness, but even that was a little acrid on me. Wednesday's Child is Full of Woe is less so, I assume because the clove is sugared, though traces of the sharpness remain (don't get me wrong, I love the scent, but it's still there just the same.) This pure Indonesian Clove has all the rich spice and not a *hint* of that acrid / sharp / bitterness. It's wonderful. I am SO relived I got my bottle soon enough test, because I will *definitely* be needing a backup bottle or two!

I’ve run away from a little old woman, A little old man, And I can run away from you, I can! In the Bottle: Very thick, very dark, black strap molasses. That's it. Really! Wet On Skin: Okay, now that's it's warming up, the notes are beginning to reveal themselves. The gingerbread is front and center but it's still got that dark, chewy molasses thing going on. I suspect it's the vetiver having it's say in the equation, lending some deep, deep darkness to the mix. I get no clove at this point. Dry Down: The vetiver and clove combine into the gingerbread maelstrom to create a richer, darker, spicier gingerbread than the usual Lab gingerbread note, and it's PHENOMENAL. It's still a bit foodie, but this is a very adult, kinda sexy gingerbread. I'd wear this out for an adult holiday gathering where people like get a little tipsy and handsy In All: I predict this will be very popular, especially as it ages.

Favorite pastime: sniffing doorways. Everyone needs a hobby! Baked bread, apricot, mandarin amber, and CO2 of butter. In The Bottle: Mandarin orange and a little bit of apricot Pez. Wet On Skin: Okay. The "Pez" aspect is gone. It's just a bowl of mandarins and apricots now. Nice fresh ones Dry Down: Ah! *there's* the bread note! It's subtle, but there. I think I might be detecting a trickle- just a tiny trickle- of the butter, but it's very slight. I'm used to the abundance of it, such as in Mitzvah or Shill. In All: Medium throw- start with just a bit, it goes a longer way than one might expect. It's still primarily a fruit scent- foodies take note!- and then the bread note secondary. It's warm and also bright, a good scent for a frigid, sunny day, when a trip outside is to be avoided, but oh!- it looks so pretty out there, everything sparkling and radiant. A good winter scent!

In The Bottle: VERY woody-sandalwood, the carved and dry variety. Plus a bit of that saffron and the oudh to help ground it. Wet On Skin: The sandalwood is warming up brilliantly, and I'm definitely relieved, because in the bottle it was almost reading as cedar, which is generally a pencil-shaving death note on me. But this is the warm, sultry sandalwood I know and adore. Mixed in with that is the slightest touch of the saffron and the vanilla, though both are definitely in supporting roles. Thankfully, I get no juniper, which becomes floor cleaner on my skin. Dry Down: The smokey vanilla becomes a little more dominant, which is a nice addition to the warm sweetness of the sandalwood. The scent has a low to low-medium throw, which feels appropriately non-assuming, for taking up the mantle of being a Voice for the People. In All: Of the four Fortuna scents I've tried, this is definitely the most straight forward. Which is not to say it isn't good- on the contrary, I can see getting a LOT of wear out of this in the remaining winter months, as it's daintily a warm and inviting gender-fluid scent. But whereas the others pulled me into nostalgic depths I wasn't anticipating, this, for me, is more just a solid choice for daytime scent wearing or perhaps for a light date involving a trip to a museum and some flirty looks over coffee afterward.

I blind-bought not one, but two bottles of this, based on not just description, but the idea of a Witch's luck. I am ALL about that concept, and was willing to toss myself into the abyss of this scent, feet first. So here we go! In The Bottle: I definitely get the occult shop vibe that theshapeshifter mentioned. But more specifically, I am reminded of a magick shop my mom used to take me to when I was very very small. It was the 70s and headshops and magick shops were frequently one and the same. The proprietrix was named Mrs Katz and I adored her, especially the way she'd always let me pick out a bag of seed beads to take home with me. Her shop smelled of candle wax and bags of herbs and a million kinds of incense and that's what this smells like too. As I've mentioned in my other reviews of the Fortuna scents, the thread that appears to run through all -though they are all quite different from each other- is that they all have the uncanny ability to pull one through time, to a lovely reverie of somewhere else that is not the present. It makes my heart ache in all the best ways possible, and this scent is no exception. Wet On Skin: It is much the same. Pomegranate notes sometimes dominate a scent when mixed with my skin chemistry. Delightedly, I am experiencing no such thing with this scent. It doesn't register as fruity, so much as adding a sweetness that rounds out the heavy nature of both vetiver and patchouli. It's a nice surprise, because I was expecting something in the realm of #OccupyWallStreet and this scent is nothing at all like that. Dry Down: It's sweetly, richly, musky. Like sweat on skin after sexy physical exertion. It has surprisingly low throw given the notes. Honestly, although the scent is complex, it also feels like something I'd want to layer. I might very well charge this scent and use it specifically in magickal workings for fortune and luck boosting, and proceed accordingly.

White sandalwood, white sage, East Indian patchouli, muguet, golden frankincense, and Balsam of Mecca. Some of the notes in here can be a little iffy on me, but I'm hoping that the Mecca, Sandalwood and Patchouli can balance it out for me. Let's have a sniff! In The Bottle: A bit of patchouli, but not the dirty variety we saw in Occupy Wall St.. There's a nice subtlety here. It's also got some sweet balance with the sandalwood, which is a similar type to the one found in Tombstone. Sweet and desert-y. so far so good. Wet On Skin: Mmmm. This is warming up now, and becoming something rather personal, and sexy. Not overt sexy, like with Smut. That subtlety is continuing, holding the frankincense in check and making this rich and commanding- a scent to draw someone in- and keep them close Dry Down: This is total win. Soft enough for daytime, but personable enough for an evening affair, this is literally hitting all the right notes. In All: Low to medium throw, Pteropus is a scent that crosses all gender boundaries. I predict this to be the sleeper hit of the bats- when the luster has faded from the others, this may very well prove to be the most sought-after of this year's Bat's Day scents. Keeper!

[No additional description provided.] In the Bottle: YUMMMMMMM! Rich goat's milk and marshmallow and cocoa butter, oh my! Wet On Skin: More of the same, and I couldn't be happier. Dry Down: The cocoa butter warms up and comes forward a bit more but the goat's milk and marshmallow hold their own. the honey is a whisper and frankly, I'm glad, as honey does sometimes amp on my skin and drowns out other more subtle notes. In All: This is incredible. Like, I-probably-need-a-backup-bottle kind of incredible. This is a foodie's paradise. I am seriously in LOVE.

In a hotel in Baltimore, Lilith helped me color in my sign for the Womens March in DC. She had made her own two signs brimming with Girl Power and featuring a unicorn, of course but finished in time to help me get mine all dolled up. There are many criticisms of the march that are valid, but I will tell you this: being able to show my daughter thousands upon thousands of people that were demanding a government built on justice, compassion, and acceptance was something incredibly powerful. The experience she had meeting other children who were there in the hopes of a kinder, brighter future was invaluable. It was a pivotal moment, this ability to demonstrate for her /how to show up/ and how to /work/ for a better country and a better future for marginalized and under-represented groups. It was incredible being there in Washington with her, and I will never forget it. I hope this experience helped to reveal her own inner strength to her, and the strength she can find in her allies. Golden amber, vanilla oudh, and orange blossom. In The Bottle: A wave of gorgeous, nostalgia-inducing orange blossom, with a hint of dark vanilla bringing up the rear. Wet On Skin: Orange blossom is still the dominant note for sure, with the vanilla acting as something to soften the rough edges. I'm not getting any amber at this stage. Dry Down: This is the orange blossom scent of my DREAMS. I am *not* a floral person, but orange blossom generally comes across as summer days and a slight beach-y vibe and this fragrance delivers on all of the above. Upon this full dry-down, the amber comes out, just at the end, like instead of an aftertaste, its an after-smell, and it's really good, lending a warmth and depth to the whole affair. In All: So, so, so beautiful.

O Jove much-honor'd, Jove supremely great, to thee our holy rites we consecrate, Our pray'rs and expiations, king divine, for all things round thy head exalted shine. A smooth vanilla myrrh, streaked with cracks of java vetiver, styrax, and coffee absolute. In The Bottle: A lovely soft coffee candy scent. A mix of the coffee and vanilla-myrrh, obviously. It's a goof start- the myrrh isn't doing the baby-powder thing thus far that it usually does in my presence. *fingers crossed* Wet On Skin: Same, but with the java vetiver creeping in and a range non-food sweetness? Is this the styrax or the myrrh doing something unexpected? Dry Down: Coffee and baby powder In All: Well, I gave it a shot, but this is what myrrh does with my skin. I keep hoping and the rest of the notes in this gave me good reason to hope but my chemistry just won't allow it. To the rest of you, the hints that I got before all hope was lost would indicate that this scent is otherwise a lovely, yummy coffee scent. My loss is your gain- off to the swaps I go!

[No additional description provided.] In The Bottle: Rich, sweet, dark bruised-purple fruit. Juicy but also somehow slightly foreboding. Wet On Skin: As it warms up, it remains true to actual fruit, as opposed to a "Fruity Perfume". But it's also gaining depth, moving away from fresh fruit and more toward a rich jam or fruit preserves. Dry Down: It doesn't read as pomegranate per se, but my original assessment of it smelling like dark bruised purple fruit is what I stand by. I usually wind up moving on from fruit scents, because they usually come across as too bright or cheery / child-like. But this is NOT doing that. This is an imminently wearable, subdued and rather goth fruit scent. And I LIKE IT!

The black tea, sweetened by the cream - but only slightly - is the first impression to greet my nose. The rose is subtle, but a fresh, just-cut rose, not a stuffy-lady kind of rose. The whole impression is delicately sweet and light and very refreshing! Yes, I will surely use this in my own front sitting room, but I can see using it for sure in my linens closet and bath as well. Just lovely!

In the Bottle: a sweet and beguiling swirl of resins. Wet On Skin: the frankincense, wood and sugared honey all start to assert themselves as individuals now. So far, the myrrh is behaving admirably- I pray that continues! Dry Down: Someone else mentioned this scent being "chewy" and I concur! Although it's different, there IS a chewy aspect similar to french tobacco notes. The frankincense and polished wood are coming together beautifully and it's all very rich and good for cold, blustery days!

What hurrying human tides, or day or night! What passions, winnings, losses, ardors, swim thy waters! What whirls of evil, bliss and sorrow stem, thee! What curious questioning glancesglints of love! Leer, envy, scorn, contempt, hope, aspiration! Thou portalthou arenathou of the myriad long-drawn lines and groups! (Could but thy flagstones, curbs, facades tell their inimitable tales); Thy windows, rich and huge hotelsthy side- walks wide; Thou of the endless sliding, mincing, shuffling feet! Thou, like the parti-colored world itselflike infinite, teeming, mocking life! Thou visor'd, vast, unspeakable show and lesson! Sheer white patchouli, passionate red musk, caramelized vanilla, black opium poppy, and lilac. In The Bottle: Light patchouli, heavy red musk and a dash of opium. Wet On Skin: The patchouli becomes even lighter, more airy. This is NOT a hippy-vibe patch. This is something far more translucent. The lilac peeks through at this stage as well. Dry Down: The musk goes from a classic red to more of a warm brown, like in Small Brown Cat. The lilac adds a sweet undercurrent that keeps it from getting too heavy and dense. I get NO caramel or vanilla, unfortunately, but that could certainly come out after some aging, so I won't give up. In All: Medium throw, a snuggly scent for cooler temperatures. I shall certainly wear it in the coming months walking around my beloved hometown of NYC

In the bottle, behind a healthy bit of the same red wine note found in my beloved Glühwein, I, too, pick up on the odd undertone of coffee. It's rich, like a turkish coffee note, but far more subtle. Once it's wet and warming up on my skin, it shifts, the coffee essence disappears and is replaces by the sweet oudh. Oudhs are shape-shifters on my skin, morphing differently depending on the supporting players. In this blend, the oudh gives a kind of rich support that brings to mind myrrh, without the terrible baby-powder that afflicts me with that unfortunate note. The end result is a decidedly sophisticated scent that's somewhere between a debauched night involving sherry spilled on a crisp linen nightdress and a nod to a no-longer-available perfume that Betsey Johnson debuted in the mid-90s. I'm hoping the oudh will age as well as the wine, and something might transform to become a little more heady and perhaps incense-y. Right now, I like it enough to keep, but not enough to start wearing in regular rotation. :/

At first sniff, I mostly get a spicy plum. Though others mentioned cinnamon specifically, that's not what I'm getting. More of a spice *mix* as one might find in spice cake. As it begins to bloom, wet, on my skin, it's becoming more and more spicy, sultry. It reminds me a little of Kyphi incense with a bit of plum wine dashed in for good measure. In all, it's a strong, sweet, rich spice scent. I sadly get no rice pudding, which I was very much looking forward to. However, I think this has the potential for loads of sexy wearings and am hopeful a bit of aging will do it some good.

In the Bottle: Straight up Dorian. No footsie-ing around about it! Wet On Skin: the fougere aspect is particularly strong in this version, at least at this stage. Unlike Frostbitten Bliss, which I got equal measure of Snow White and Bliss, this, at least for now, is ONLY the strongest, most cologne aspect of Dorian and nothing more. Dry Down: Alas, it's stayed the same. In All: I've enjoyed the recent forays into Dorian exploration that have come out this year that I've tried (Spinning on Graves, Paper Phoenix) but the frost note in this has had the effect of taking the delicate balance of Dorian's components and, unfortunately, amping the ones that make me smell like a dude-bro out at a bar on a Saturday night I'll give it a chance to age, but I have a feeling this will go off to the swap pile in the end...

In The Bottle: lots of creamy, light almond milk and some Snake Oil. YUM! Wet On Skin: GOODNESS! A yummy mix of faint Snake Oil, the almond milk holding its own, and now the addition of the cotton blossom I recognize (and ADORE) from Kwamie Cotton with a little marshmallowy goodness tossed in to add a sweet finish. Dry Down: This might be my favorite scent, ever. Ahead, even, perhaps (just perhaps), of my all-time favorite beloved, Dragon's Milk. It's all the notes I already mentioned, but settling into proper proportions to each other, so that nothing overpowers anything else. It all gets acknowledged for how gorgeous it is- both as individual components, and more importantly, for the exquisite way they all play together. I am head over heels in love.

In The Bottle: A warm almond scent, with a slight backdrop of indiscernible spices. Wet On Skin: The almond disappears entirely, which I'm sad about. The warmth of the scent continues, and as it warms on my skin, I'm able to pick out strands of lotus, amber and saffron. The myrrh, to my relief, seems to be behaving- a rarity, as it usually amps and turns to terrible baby powder on me. So far, so good! Dry Down: This...wow. I can't believe I went ten years of BPAL without this. I feel like Bastet is a cousin to Morocco. Both scents share that warm, spiced, sultry aspect, and considering both are influenced by a related culture and continent, its no wonder. The more she settles into my skin, the more enamored I become. This scent is heady, though sticks surprisingly close to the skin. (I wouldn't start out by altering this, though- definitely see how she does with you before diving into the eep end of the pool, as it were.) In All: I was interested in obtaining a bottle of this because I've been doing some workings with Bast lately and it seemed appropriate. And she is! I will certainly wear this scent, and also anoint candles meant for her with this scent as well. I can't wait to see how this ages!

In The Bottle: Warm, buttery salty popcorn and juicy blue raspberry slush, in equal measure. Wet On Skin: The popcorn starts to pull slightly into the lead, which I'm personally grateful for, because I love popcorn scents and that's why I took a chance on this. Dry Down: Popcorn and sweet tarts! This scent is the perfect companion piece to last year's Vampire Night At The Movies. They both share a surprisingly subtle foodie aspect, making them both good "introductory" food scents for those less familiar with that genre and also are both eminently wearable for daytime use -including a good slather- by those of us that are more foodie-obsessive. This dries to a warm, slightly sweet, extremely cozy scent. Instant favorite!

Apple cardamom cake. In The Bottle: sweet, juicy apple cider and light spice. Wet On Skin: Same. It reminds me of mulled hot cider, actually. Dry Down: Same. I'd been hoping for the cake aspect to show itself, but alas, nothing. That said, the mulled cider vibe is yummy and it's good enough that I'll hold onto it no matter what, and hopefully with some aging that cake note will come out some!

Apple, marshmallow, apricot, and sugar cane. In The Bottle: Fresh apple, apricot and a little fresh sugar cane. Wet On Skin: Hi, marshmallow! The fluffy stuff shows itself and dives into the mix, making this a sweet and fruity confection! Dry Down: The sugar cane is giving this scent a bit of roughness- it reads almost like spice, like cinnamon, but it's not cinnamon. It's something the cane note does that standard sugar doesn't do, and its giving the scent some depth it didn't have before. The marshmallow is reminding me of 2010 Boo!, which is a nice feature. In All: light throw, sweet and lovely autumnal daytime scent. If you're partial to sugar and fruit notes, you'll want to hoard this one.

I am SO thankful for the full decant gifted to me because I have been *dying* to try this scent since it originally emerged. In the vial, and when first applied it was almost all fresh Snake Oil, all the time, with a slight juicy-fruity edge under all the Indonesian spices. Within short order warming up on my skin, though, it bloomed, gloriously, into super-yummy-fried-dough-and-juicy-raspberry-jam-goodness. This is everything I'd been hoping it would be. It's basically like a cross between Raspberry Sfyugiot, Australian Copperhead and straight up Snake Oil. I really, really, absolutely NEED to find a bottle.