suki

In the Bottle: Yummy, juicy mango pulp. Like the kind you can get from Indian grocers that come in, like, a gallon-sized can that you open and make delicious lassi drinks out of. Nomnomnom Wet On Skin: Wow. That's amazing. It's morphed a bit, and there's a decidedly "green" undernote to the scent, which is pretty unexpected, especially being a single note. It's working, though, adding some complexity to the scent. Dry Down: Yeah, I don't know the how or why, but both my partner and I also concur with the Disney Animal Kingdom thing. It *does* also smell like yummy tropical sunscreen and *also* like maybe a tropical gummy candy. I don't know what kind of layering I might do with this scent, but it's certainly a pleasant enough smell on its own.

In The Bottle: The cacao is front and center but it's *not* chocolatey AT ALL. I don't understand how I can even recognize it when it seems to have untangled itself from chocolate, but there you have it. Wet On Skin: Hi, myrrh. Let's behave for once, shall we? Dry Down: Hey, I think myrrh is listening to me! I can detect it, but instead of amping and making me ill, it's staying put, held in check by the cardamom which is very deliciously prominent in this blend. It's warm and spicy and slightly sweet without being cloying or foodie at all. I can see dabbling in this for the remainder of the summer, but more so, starting to really get into the promise of this scent as we head into cooler, crisper autumnal days.

In The Bottle: Dusty cedarwood and warm dark bourbon vanilla. Wet On Skin: The cedar is coming out a bit more now but it's not doing the "pencil shaving" thing it normally does, so, I'm cautiously optimistic. Dry Down: A sweet cedar-based scent with, yes, a bit of snugly vibe. I will hold onto this for now, but it might require some layering for me to really utilize it, probably with some smoky vetiver to play off the sweet woodsy aspect.

In The Bottle, a spicy floral. Wet On Skin, the layers of spice start to reveal themselves. The nutmeg is definitely saying hello. Dry Down: I can see what is being said about this being in the same family as Voodoo Queen. It's sexy and spicy and there's something here that feels incredibly powerful. I can see wearing this when I require some serious female-centric energy to pull me through something intense.

A Victorian bathing beauty: wisps of vanilla cream, caramelized tobacco absolute, white opium poppy, summer honeysuckle nectar, effervescent white mandarin, apple blossom, and green cognac. In The Bottle: The first thing I notice is the "effervescent" part- I don't know how Mistress Beth DOES that, but here's another of those brill scents where one can nearly feels the bubbly going right up the nose! In short, it's amaze-balls. Anyway, after that neat introduction, I get a fruitiness, courtesy of the mandarin and perhaps some of the apple blossom in a back-up roll. the vanilla cream is also coming through, and I'm vaguely reminded of the original release of Cheshire Moon, that fruit-and-cream combo thing. I'm getting curiouser and curiouser! Wet On Skin: The apple is coming out more now, though for me it's sans blossom. I'm also getting a deep crispness that I associate with the green cognac. At this stage I don't get much of the tobacco note, though it might be there, mitigating the vanilla cream, adulterating- corrupting - it, if you will. Dry Down: Wow- this changed a LOT in the dry-down. This now seems far more akin to Tattered Lace , which makes sense, as they both have variations of Cognac, Vanilla and Opium. The fruit has pretty much vanished and what's left is a slightly-dusty, gently-sweet reverie for hot summer days strolling beneath the canopy of a parasol and a stand of trees. In All: Low throw and rather fine for the upcoming Dog Days. I had initially said to myself that one bottle would surely be enough, but now I'm not so sure...

A spectre’s poison: unknowable strange toxins dribbled into warmed red wine. In The Bottle: A *very* strong wine. It's got an edge of grape juice to it, like the kinds of home-brew wine my Sicilian neighbors made when I was a kid. But make no mistake- this is boozy as hell. Wet On Skin: The kick lessens slightly but the grape remains. I'm also starting to get some of the warmth that was ever present in Gluhwein, which I adore. Dry Down: I get a trace of those unknowable toxins, but they are in the background, like a sinister shadow, or a disturbing afterthought. It's what prevents this from being too foodie, for sure. In All: Medium throw and rich. I would wear this on wintery evenings for sure, and if Glugwein is any indicator, this will surely age in a fine way. It's almost so pure that it could be a Wine Single Note- which means I anticipate layering options well into the future. If you're a fan of the wine note (as I am) then you don't want to miss out on a bottle of this. <3

Ask me no more where Jove bestows, When June is past, the fading rose; For in your beautys orient deep These flowers as in their causes, sleep. Ask me no more whither doth stray The golden atoms of the day; For in pure love heaven did prepare Those powders to enrich your hair. Ask me no more whither doth haste The nightingale when May is past; For in your sweet dividing throat She winters and keeps warm her note. Ask me no more where those stars light That downwards fall in dead of night; For in your eyes they sit, and there, Fixed become as in their sphere. Ask me no more if east or west The phoenix builds her spicy nest; For unto you at last she flies, And in your fragrant bosom dies. Thomas Carew Amber-gilded summer roses fading; sandalwood dust, cassia and sweet myrrh, and threads of lavender. In The Bottle: Dusty, dried roses and just a *wee* bit of myrrh, which is about all I can tolerate. Let's hope it stays that way! Wet On Skin: I'm getting some of the amber now, and it's pulling the rose out of "dried" and into "alive but fading". The myrrh has increased, but only slightly. There might be a touch of dustiness from sandalwood, but only as an afterthought. No lavender, alas, at this point. Dry Down: A glorious blown out, fading cabbage rose with some myrrh to sweeten the pot. There's something very wistful about this scent, less "June" and more "Late August", when the heat and sun have left their scorched mark upon all the vegetation and the roses have wilted and the first harvest is about to come ripe. I'm not big on florals, but I suspect I'll very much like wearing this one toward Summer's end. <3

In the bottle, there's definitely an orange creamsicle vibe happening, but with a slight edge, that almost smells like earth. It might be the gin, but if it is, it's staying put instead of taking over like gin / juniper usually does on my skin. As it dries, the orange creamsicle aspect stays firm, which I am enjoying IMMENSELY. The edge is pretty much gone by full dry down. Orange marshmallow situation happening and I adore it a LOT. I hope this scent stay around for a while!

In The Bottle: Oh, YES. coconut. Coconut like "slow-cooking coconut oil" kind of coconut. Wet On Skin: More of the same. This is just what I was hoping for. Dry Down: A beautiful, dry, yummy coconut. It's not terribly sweet or even terribly foodie. It's a rich-but-light coconut, like unsweetened coconut flakes or that simmering low-heat coconut oil I described before. It's the coconut I was hoping to get with Obatala and just...didn't. In All: low to medium throw, this scent can be worn just as it is for coconut fans like myself, or you can totally layer this with other scents- I'm already plotting how it'll do with last month's French Vanilla! I am SO glad I got two bottles!!!

[No additional description provided.] In The Bottle: Cacao, earthy cinnamon, and dry coffee (the coffee husks of Pinched With Four Aces, if you're wondering!) Wet On Skin: A glorious melding of the above. This is proving to be a surprisingly "dry" and "adult" version of these notes- this is grownup stuff, not Easter kids' candy. Dry Down: The powdery aspect of the cacao mixed with the cinnamon is calling to mind the lovely cassia aspect of Monsterbait: Underbed and I love it just as much here as I did in that scent. This is only slightly sweet, very sophisticated and eminently wearable. I am seriously in love with this! In All: Another Chocolate selection from this year's Box that is absolutely hoard-worthy!

FAE FOREST Mist-shrouded woods: Siberian fir needles, white pine bark, aspen leaf, wild lily, bergamot, wood violet, thimbleberry, sun-star, golden bell, snowdrop, heartsease, and bloodroot. This was quite lovely. Though not my favorite of the 3 new RPG sprays, (I prefer resins over pines, personally) this light and fresh scent will find many homes to be happy in. I could see this being used not just during Game, but when a house needs a bit more Spring Time Air going through it. Something to spray when guests are coming in from out of town and I just bet it'll work fabulously after a big, stinky meal (like getting rid of fish odor, for instance!) In All- clean, fresh and bright, I think this scent definitely lives up to its' name.

All that glitters /is/ gold. This oils province covers everything the sun touches, and is used to bring you renown and glory Twilight Alchemy Labs Ascendancy Oil contains essential oils, absolutes, and CO2 extracts that are organically-grown and pesticide-free, and many of the oils components are first distillations from small farms. This oil includes steam-distilled Indian frankincense, angelica root from the TAL garden, fossilized amber oil (Oleum succini), Italian blood orange, C02 extract of hyssop, Texas cedarwood, angelica essential oil, steam-distilled French galbanum, bay leaves from the TAL garden, and frankincense tears. Ascendancy was actively charged over the course of a full year on the day and hour of Sol and floated with raw gold nuggets, pyrite, and five diamonds. In The Bottle: I get the Italian blood orange, twinges of the hyssop and the angelica straight away. It's heady and bright! Wet On Skin: The hyssop and the galbanum both become stronger with angelica morphing into sort of a heliotrope vibe. Dry Down: Softly citrus and amber with heliotrope. This is indeed a very "sunny" oil. I'm less concerned about how well I like a smell when its primary purpose is magickal workings. I say this because there are standard BPAL that smell similarly and I'd trade those away because heliotrope isn't something I generally wear. HOWEVER, this blend is really very positive, I can feel its bright vibrancy and I will definitely be bringing this to anoint the soles of my feet when I go to my graduation ceremony in a few months. It's high-energy yellow for me, and it's relating strongly with my Ajna chakra. I am prone to melancholy in the winter months, and I will absolutely reach for this when the sun starts to fade more quickly from the sky in the darker part of the year.

In the bottle there is definitely that heavy lavender that others mentioned, but I also get something that smells like violet flower, and it continues after I've applied it. It might be what some folks have mentioned as seeming like chamomile, but whereas chamomile has a green, reddy sweetness, violet flowers have a sweet-but-acrid thing going on that I'm getting from this. As with all TAL oils, I don't get them for scent, and usually wear just a few drops and then layer with a complimentary perfume. I'd probably layer this with a thick chocolate like Bliss or else a favorite lavender, like Happy Baby In A Long Dress. As for intent, I'm an anxious person, which is why I was interested in trying this out. so far, it's just lovely. It gives me a similar feeling that I get from taking Bach Flower Rescue Remedy, like it's just a lovely and gentle way to take the edge off when things are feeling especially overwhelming. I suspect I'll be getting lots of use out of this!

This is myrrh - incense - rose in terms of scent. I put just a DROP, literally, a tiny test from the lid of the bottle, and it has very intense throw and is *very* heady. The energy from this stuff is crazy powerful. I'm a bit tired from running about all day, and so putting a drop of this on now is giving me the same feeling that downing full strength coffee gives me when I'm exhausted- awake but a little too wired. I've not tested it out in the field so to speak, but the energy boost alone insures I'll be testing thugs out in many different situations. I look forward to exploring its magickal depths!

2017 VERSION I have some of the original incarnate that I pull out only for the most special of occasions since I wore this scent on my wedding day. So I was *extremely* excited to get two bottles of this limited re-release. While I won't dab the original on my arm, I know that scent well enough that I feel confident I can compare easily. In The Bottle: As others have mentioned, it's like original Antique Lace with the yummy vanilla amped up by about 20 additional notches. I personally have NO problem with this Wet On Skin: It's becoming more of a "Vanilla Sugar + Antique Lace" situation at this stage. Dry Down: For now, it smells as a less-strong version of Antique Lace mixed with a heavy dollop of Vanilla Sugar. I believe that this will right itself in the long run, but that as with several Lab scents, it needs some time to rest and age to bring it to its full potential. In the incredibly off chance that it doesn't prove to be identical to the original, I will still love this version for its own beauty and will wear it frequently.

In The Bottle: The sweet, juicy strawberry and tart, green dandelion of my beloved Strawberry Moon 2009. Wet On Skin: Holding steady... Dry Down: Okay, now that it's fully dried, there *is* a bit of a difference. Those early summer grasses are lessening the sweetness without playing up the dandelion sap, and yes, giving it a bit more of a "grassy" feel. Apart from that, this scent is very nearly a dead ringer for 2009. So, if you love that one, you'll want this as well, and if you missed out on the SM '09, here's a chance to get something close enough to adore

UNSPEAKABLY EVIL TEMPLE A profane blend of opoponax, galangal root, dried mosses, wormwood accord, sandarac, frankincense, myrrh, and black copal. Yeah, I could see how this would be the perfect thing to spray during a good RPG when all are in some dank dark hole. For atmosphere while gaming, this makes sense. But me, personally, I would not spray this just to add scent to a room randomly. It's dark and dank, with hints of both wet stone and sulphur. So, you know, great for ambience, but I *definitely* would not, say, spray my linens with this scent. I would totally bring a bottle of this to a LARP, though!

[No additional description given.] In The Bottle: A rich "brown" musk. Wet On Skin: A sifter, sweeter musk. It's 'warm' still, but it's shifted. It doesn't have the feral, animalistic quality it had in the bottle at this stage. Dry Down: A far more subtle musk, considering how intensely it started off. It's still in the brown musk family to be sure, but it's less dense. Medium throw, sweet, I could see layering this with some of the more 'cold weather' scents, like Snake Charmer or Mme Moriarty. It's a single note for sure, but with a complexity that musk fans will love and appreciate.

Sweet red vetiver, 13-year aged patchouli, mahogany oudh, and shadow musk. In The Bottle: Strong, dirty patchouli, sweet and smoky vetiver, rich oudh. Wet On Skin: The smokiness of the vetiver is front and center now, though the richness of the oudh is coming in close behind. The patch seems to have moved waaaay into the background at this stage. Dry Down: The smoky aspect of the vetiver has tones down, though the vetiver is still very present. The shadow musk has come out of hiding to create something that is dark, dense and lush. This reads as extremely powerful to me, something that I'll likely wear when I want others to leave me the hell alone. Yet, the vetiver adds its own sinister sexiness- I could definitely see wearing this out to a club, either alone if I just want to hang with my friends or layered with a clove-rich scent to give a message of "Come closer if you like, but I just might be a black widow in disguise, chump." In All: A strong scent for those that know themselves. <3

This is a warm, Earth-based prosperity blend, utilized not just for financial growth and money attraction, but also for stability, security, and material / physical safety. It is an oil that solidifies the roof over your head and the ground beneath your feet while increasing your sense of protection and well-being. This oil can be used to dress candles, conjure bags, money boxes, and talismans, and can be utilized in baths and floorwashes. Twilight Alchemy Labs Prosperity Oil contains essential oils, absolutes, and CO2 extracts that are organically-grown and pesticide-free, and many of the oils components are first distillations from small farms. This oil was charged over four full lunations with prosperity-activated lapis stones, and includes cedar oil, chips, and leaf from the TAL garden, oakmoss and oakmoss absolute, extract of carnation, fumitory, pinon pine resin, Irish moss, Canadian white pine essential oil, and steam-distilled Indonesian patchouli. In The Bottle: Very woodsy, like being in a deep, rich, mossy pine forest. I don't go for pine scents to wear casually, but this seems VERY appropriate for a magickal working prosperity blend. Wet On Skin: The pine mellow, slightly, and the sweeter aspects of it start to emerge, helped along by the patchouli and carnation, no doubt. Dry Down: Same. Still mostly pine-heavy, but with a chorus of the above-mentioned in the mix. On the more woo-woo aspect, I definitely feel this resonating with my 1st and second chakras. Nice and rooty and earthy, this oil is one I will definitely anoint candles and dollar bills with for those aspects but I can see using this for more grounding-type stuff too. This is an oil to associate with the tarot's suit of Pentacles, in all its various guises.

Use our Self-Expression oil to aid in creative endeavors by helping you manifest the truth of your soul through your art. As a secondary effect, this oil aids in helping your address and communicate your emotions so you can better understand yourself and convey your thoughts, needs, and reality to others. Twilight Alchemy Labs Self-Expression oil contains essential oils, absolutes, and CO2 extracts that are organically-grown and pesticide-free, and many of the oils components are first distillations from small farms. This oil includes Sacred Lotus petals (Nelumbo nucifera), cold-pressed Brazilian sweet orange oil, Sicilian blood orange, Javanese citronella, orange blossoms, lemon verbena, and dried orange peel from the TAL garden, lotus leaf, frankincense tears, and CO2 extract of butter. This oil was charged ceremonially on the hours of both Sol and Luna over seven lunar cycles. In The Bottle: Beautiful, bright, joyous citrus. ALL the citrus! I can't pull out one over another. It's just orange (in energetic color) and tart and lovely. Wet On Skin: The various elements are beginning to separate out now. I'm getting some verbena, some straight lemon and some Sicilian tart blood orange. It's really lovely and makes me feel a little giddy! Dry Down: Usually I amp lemon verbena like crazy, but here the other notes keep it in check. I can definitely pick it out, since it has a very particular sub-component that reminds me of lavender a little bit, but it's really just adding a softening aspect to the other citrus notes. In terms of magickal workings, I am excited about this. I am an artist completing my MFA and I can tell, just putting a dab on my skin, that this is filling me with a giddy excitement for my own work and creativity. I blind-bought two bottles because the other creativity TAL oils I have, like Nine Muses and Ebon Night have both worked incredibly for my work and process and now, just with this little dab, I am feeling a rush to return to my projects!

[No description given.] In a word: Glorious. I am slightly leery of peach notes, they sometimes amp on me in a bad fake-plastic-candy way. But this is a fantastic blend of heavy fresh, yummy strawberry and light peach bringing up the rear. I actually don't use bath oils as bath oils that often, the Post's oils I use more on my skin as a moisturizer of sorts and I took one sniff of this and *knew* it had to be mine. I shall love it for always.

It's funny that I felt certain this was one of the oils I had to purchase, considering in the past the Champagne note has smelled like Mr. Clean on me and I was never fond of the licorice in Absinthe. So let's see why I felt so drawn, shall we? In the bottle: Bt far, in the bottle this strikes me as the lightest of the Yule Will Call Scents. Both the champagne and the absinthe note are *there* but both are so subtle that it takes several deep sniffs to even cull out what the notes are. Wet on skin: Much of the same. The combination at this point is doing an interesting thing where they seem to be almost canceling each other out. There is a definite "green" feeling to this scent at this stage, however. Dry down: Subtle is a word I feel compelled to keep using with this one. There's a spicy element that these two seem to bring out in each other, which is really quite nice, but it's a soft one, like carnations in spring, before the summer warmth can really make them bloom. In all: One to keep for the hot months of the year, but unless something changes in the next month of aging, I'm going to say this is not a scent for the cold, dark months that lie ahead.

Slushy white mint, vanilla cream, lemon drops, grapefruit, and yuzu! Yellow Snowballs Floof is basically the perfect adult cotton candy. I wanted both flavors, but also wanted to make sure I'd like them, so this one seemed a better place to start. The citrus mix is at the forefront, and yes, it's not just lemon- the grapefruit and yuzu are delicious and in perfect harmony! I get none of the mint, but the vanilla cream pulls the whole thing together, making for a really yummy treat! Based on this experience, I plan on getting a jar of the other one, and shall have no regrets about it!

In The Bottle: The sweetness of the tuberose is astounding. I am not much of a floral fan, but the other notes hooked me and I was willing to check this out. So it's funny that it's the tuberose that steals the show on first sniff. Wet On Skin: The juiciness of the white peach is present, but behaving VERY well, considering peach sometimes amps like crazy on me. That sweet fruity tuberose is still the main attraction, though. It's SO glorious. Dry Down: I agree with the "sunset on a beach" analogy. This is it. it's soft and tropical and beautiful. It doesn't go powdery, or old-ladyish. It's just soft and beautiful and gorgeous. Love and hand holding and reds and purples streaking the sky.