suki

Plasticky pinks, yellows, lime greens, and baby blues. In The Bottle: A sweet concoction of tart citrus and lime candies- lime, lemon and sour blue! Wet On Skin: There's a hint of that same yummy-fruity-cereal thing that Cheshire Moon had going on. This is a little less "Froot Loops" than that and a little more "Vintage 1982 Strawberry Shortcake and Friends" kind of vibe. Again, I don't mind! Dry Down: This is way more tart than I would've predicted. There's all the bright, neon fruit-stuff, but with this incredible sour-candy edge to it that makes it really singular (as in 'single note'- see what I did there?) In All: Low to medium throw, I had no idea what to expect. It's not the scent I might've envisioned (layers of sugar and chocolate and grass? I got nothing...) but it's really likable just the same. Glad I took a chance!

Blackcurrant bud, crystallized rose, inky musk, and tonka bean. Thanks a million times to my special Labbie Angel for this, you know who you are! In The Bottle: There's a slightly metallic tang that I'm betting is the inky musk (based on India Ink's scent) that is the first thing I notice upon initial sniff. Right behind that is the blackcurrant, which adds a bit of sweetness, but not in a foodie way at all. at this stage, I get no tonka or rose. Wet On Skin: The blackcurrant is now the dominant note, but there *is* some warmth that I associate with tonk a, though in this mix, it's definitely on the subtle side. The musk is bringing up the rear, though the metallic edge appears to be gone, at least for now. I still get no rose. Dry Down: Wow. This is really shifted. There's a mustiness that I loosely associate with Crypt Queen, though if it's the rose, it STILL is not reading that way. It's more like it's adding a bit of mystery. Mostly, though, I'm getting musk. A dark sweet musk that, amazingly, is not turning to powder on me as other darker musks frequently do. In point of fact, I'd say that this scent is like a summertime cousin of Crypt Queen, in that it has a similar vibe, but is light enough to wear on all the warm days that lay ahead of us. In All: Medium throw- just be careful not to slather or they'll smell you a block away! Rich without being too dense, and I'd bet that this is yet another of those lovely Lab concoctions which only gets better with age. SO glad I have a bottle to call my own!

I get what Patina was saying about the "old lady cologne" vibe. It definitely, upon initial sniff, reminds me of the heavy, cloying perfumes my grandmother's sisters would wear. Moreno, the smell that emanated from their 50 year old perfume bottles sitting on their vanities. That said, I join the chorus that there's something singularly comforting about this scent. It's timeless for me, even as it's reminiscent of a by-gone era. We had Rose of Sharon bushes growing in my backyard as a kid, and perhaps that has something to do with it. The name is a bit of a misnomer- do not expect anything even remotely "rose" about this scent- it's closer to a medicinal lavender/green scent. I don't know that I'll wear this on it's own, it seems kind of intense. But I could see using it in a more medical manner, like for grounding, or to layer with some cologne-y scents, like Dorian, and having an incredible outcome.

In The Bottle: Gingerbread and pink pepper fight for dominance. I'm not getting the pepper as acrid, but it *is* rather strong and bossy. Wet On Skin: The gingerbread is winning, but the pink pepper is giving it some kick. I'm not getting any of the vanilla sugar at this point. Dry Down: This has settled down into something sweetly spicy and delicious, and there's something here I can't quite put my finger on. For me it's evocative of childhood, but like children's perceptions of adults. Like an assumption that we will grow up to still be our child-selves, but have more control over our own destinies. (That was a little heavy. Sorry about that- this is legit what this scent reminded me of!) In All: I got 3 Gingerbreads this year, and all of them, including this one, have been incredible. A bumper crop of gingerbready goodness!

In The Bottle: Okay, I really want to eat this. This is all buttercream, all the time. Ridiculous! Wet On Skin: Mmmmmmm nomnomnom! The red velvet aspect comes out now, this is cake for sure, and there's that chocolate edge that red velvet in particular has. Now that the red velvet has showed itself, the buttercream has morphed into a cream cheese frosting. I die! Dry Down: I can't even. This is just so damn good! This is a foodie-lover's paradise, this scent is. The mint scents, like Lick Me, always evaporate off my skin immediately. But this one is apparently in the right proportions and it's just making me smell like delicious chocolate cream peppermint cake. In All: I am SO in love.

In The Bottle: This is the raspberry counterpart to last year's Strawberry. That's what I got from sniffing in the bottle. I couldn't be more excited. Wet On Skin: Oh, gurl yassssssss. This is the raspberry donut of my DREAMS. I don't even LIKE jelly donuts in actual life, but this? I would eat this donut if it was a plate before me. Dry Down: This scent stays true from bottle to dry-down. This is all warm raspberry donut, all the time. I am in love. In All: I got two words for y'all: Stock. Up.

Ethically harvested. In The Bottle: A sweet balsa type wood scent, with just the slightest edge of forest pine. Wet On Skin: Wow. This is NOT the type of sandalwood I'm used to. The ones I've experienced all have a bit of a sharp edge. This immediately "melted" into my skin and became this soft, sensual wood that it round and sweet and...glorious. Dry Down: This. Is. Hoard-worthy. I got one bottle, because I knew one would be good to have around, but it's sultry and sexy and now that the hot summer has landed, this is certainly something for all the decadent nights that await over the next 4 months. In All: A skin scent but with medium throw, this spicy, sweet sandalwood is beautiful, sultry, intoxicating. Perfect for any seduction. LOVE.

Smoky musk, ambergris, tonka bean, brown sandalwood, daemonorops, black currant, and honey. in the bottle: definitely getting the daemondrops, a bit of the black currant and some musk. it's sweet, dark, and rich wet on skin: the daemondrops and ambergris dominate at this stage. incense-y for sure. dry down: wow. very powerful, non gender specific and quite strong on the incense. this reminds me of Jacob's Ladder a LOT, and that's good, because that's my favorite incense scent from the Lab. in all: if you like the incense-type scents, this is a total winner.

Apple with hay absolute, oats, honey, cream vanilla, and goat's milk accord. In The Bottle: APPLES! Also some hay. Wet On Skin: Red, juicy apples. That's it! Dry Down: Ah ha! Hello, goat's milk! Hello, vanilla! In All: a must for apple fans, this apple-heavy perfume is sweet and juicy, with little hints of the milk and vanilla, making it into sort of a farm-like apple mash. I'm sad to not get past, as I love the oat note, but perhaps that will change with age.

I get a lemony whiff that I recognize as the nutmeg as soon as I open the bottle. There's also a definite woodsy finish, which I'm betting is the sandalwood being grounded by cedar (cedar alone is instant pencil shavings for me, and this is not that.) Immediately upon contact with my skin, however, all the above disappears entirely and becomes rosewater. Seriously, this is the light, sweet raise of rosewater or maybe, *maybe* the rose base used in cold cream. I had been hoping that some of the clove would be in the mix, or some sandalwood to ground it, but no, this is All Rose Otto, All The Time on my skin. It's a lovely rose, and I'll keep it around for a little bit, but I might just end up swapping it out :/

did you see that there's about ten new scents with the Yule update, that all have ginger and gingerbread as dominant notes??? Looks like you picked the perfect time to try out some new goodies!

In the bottle: The "pink" aspect is interesting. It almost reads like strawberry champagne, if such a thing existed. That's not *quite* right, but there's a sweet, innocent feel to this scent. At this point I'd say it's almost the polar opposite of the Opium and Champagne, in feel as well as scent. Wet on skin: There's definitely something more playful in this champagne than the others I've tried. The "sparkling" aspect seems more present and there's a sweet hint that takes the edge off the usual sharpness of the champagne note. Dry down: I am now thinking the "pink" in this equation might be pink pepper or a sweet spicy floral like carnation. The mix is rather fitting, and I predict that out of the new crop of Champagne scents that this one will wind up being the most sought-after for it's sheer wear-ability. In all: light to medium throw, with a playful feel reminiscent of sneaking sips from grown-ups' glasses on New Year's Eve night, this is the one to wear to all upcoming holidays and events when wanting to encompass sophistication and joy without taking yourself too seriously. Lovely.

After: George Du Maurier A chaotic, clanging scent – shadowy, sweet, and discordant: black licorice and teakwood. Full disclosure: I got this for my partner, who adores black licorice scents. But while I'm not the 'target audience' in this scenario, why not test it anyway? In The Bottle: All black licorice, all the time. It's not overpowering, though, which surprised me. Wet On Skin: The teak is mellowing the licorice a little- smoothing out the edges, as it were. The black licorice is becoming more 'earthy' as a result. For me, this is a blessing, as BL generally sells like NyQuil to me, and this, blissfully, does not. Dry Down: A rich, smooth, decidedly "masculine" scent, the teak balances the licorice and makes it rich, earthy and even a bit sexy. In All: Possibly a black licorice scent for those of us that despise the note! At the very least, I will enjoy smelling this on my beloved without fear

In The Bottle: Wow. It's pure apple pie filling. Like, actual filling, not regular apples. I can practically taste the cinnamon and pie spices! Wet On Skin: More of the same! This is crazy delicious! I must restrain myself from licking my skin!!! Dry Down: Ah- *there's* the bit of crust! It's slight- really slight- but it's there. the apple pie filling is definitely the star of the show. This is just incredible. In All: Medium throw and just beyond delicious. This might be the perfect foodie scent!

In The Bottle: I agree there's a strong almond note when I first open the bottle. It's a really rich almond, stronger than I was expecting from a 'milk' variation, but I like it. Wet On Skin: The almond subsides slightly and the balsam of peru-which always smells like a resinous vanilla to me- begins to come out a bit. Another minute or two passes and I'm also getting orris root, though it's less powdery and more woodsy in this mix. It's another thing I didn't expect but that's totally working. Dry Down: Wow. This scent keeps shifting and morphing and kept me guessing a little. But everything has now come together in the final analysis to produce a scent that's rich, deep, woodsy without being over-bearing about it and resinous- just so beautifully, sweetly, richly, resinous. In All: This is really remarkable, named for a remarkable unsung hero of history. It befits her, and I'm so so so glad to have some.

An odd mix of salted popcorn, butter, clove, and a few drops of stage blood. In The Bottle: Salty, buttery popcorn! Seriously, it's like being in a movie theater lobby! Wet On Skin: The stage blood is peeking out now, smelling a wee bit like candy syrup of some kind (no surprise there!) but the buttery popcorn is still dominant. Dry Down: This. Is. So. Delicious! I'm a long-time fan of the Lab's popcorn note, as I hoard Shill. This is more subtle than Shill, though. The corn is still very present, but it's mixed with the blood and the clove to make something that is surprisingly subtle, very close to the skin, and foodie but without being over the top. In All: Low throw, a yummy subtle skin scent, it's got a 'warm, cozy' vibe, slightly similar to Hod, but with a homey character all its own. I love it!

In The Bottle: The saffron is most dominant in the bottle, giving a slightly "root beer" vibe, of all things. Wet On Skin: Saffron is still most prominent, but the frankincense is making a bit of an appearance from around the edges. Dry Down: It's mostly root beer and a touch of frankincense. No woods on me, which makes me *supremely* sad. Still, I think I know someone that will love this tremendously, so off it goes to a better home!

In The Bottle: This is the rich, dirty patchouli from #OccupyWallStreet and then some very fine, very clear honey laid overtop. It's surprisingly elegant, I must say, at least at this stage. Wet On Skin: Yes, this is indeed a root-y, earthy patch, certainly similar to the kind I used to sport from a tiny bottle I carried around in high school. The honey softens the sharpness that straight patchouli essential oil sometimes has. Dry Down: The honey really is nothing more than something slightly smooths and sweetens the patchouli. In All: Surprisingly low throw, given the general behavior of these two notes. Sweet, rich and earthy, this is a pretty great scent as we glide effortlessly into autumn. Knowing how well all kinds of patchouli age, I'm really looking forward to seeing what this is like in a month- though make no mistake, it's just hauntingly beautiful right now too.

In The Bottle: Yup, that's myrrh and rose alright! Wet On Skin: More of the same. As it warms, I'm noticing that the myrrh is turning the rose into one of those dried, "sitting in the attic" kind of roses. It always reminds me of gothic romances, actually... Dry Down: The myrrh has gone all baby powder on me, which is par for the course, unfortunately. But for those that love myrrh and like rose, this scent will be a dream come true!

In The Bottle: Wow. Yes, I agree that this is like an incense. I don't *quite* get Nag Champa from it, but rather something else that might burn speficially in an Indian temple, possibly to Lakshmi. Wet On Skin: Strangely, I'm getting something that's reminding me of violets. I think it might be the pearl orris, which seems like a less dusty, more sweet version of itself. Dry Down: There's a feeling of sacredness with this scent. There's enough "white" notes in this that I can very well see wearing this for Full Moon rites. It's not resinous on me, but it's strong- a little goes a long way. I can't wait to see how it ages.

In The Bottle: Yellow cake and cardamom! Woo hoo! Wet On Skin: Hey cardamom, heeeeeeyyyy! In All: I have been waiting for what seems like for-ev-er for a real, true, cardamom scent, and this is it. Many years ago, when I first found out I had a gluten allergy, there was one tiny bakery in Seattle, where I lived at the time, and they made a gluten free cardamom cake with a rich frosting and I got a slice once a week to remind myself that the world wasn't *totally* conspiring against me. This scent is that cake.

In The Bottle: Mostly sarsaparilla with a bit of vanilla cream. Basically this smells like rootbeer, and I LIKE IT. Wet On Skin: Mostly the same. I hope it stays, because I tested something many moons ago with the sarsaparilla note and it turned to cardboard on me, which was really, really sad. Dry Down: YAY! I win! The sarsaparilla has stayed true and this is a really yummy rootbeer float! Oddly, I get *no* leather, which can be a deal-breaker note for me, but appears to be nowhere to be found in this blend on my skin, except perhaps as the vaguest, slightly smoky afternote. In all: I am loving this way more than I thought I would. Glad to have a bottle!

In The Bottle: SO MUCH COFFEE. I am in love! Also a slight boozy aspect, which would be the coffee liqueur. Wet On Skin: Oh man, this is amazing. It is indeed spiked coffee with a tiny, tiny bit of cinnamon. Really, the cinnamon plays a small role- if cinnamon is a possible deal breaker, I think you should try this, especially if you adore coffee, cause this is the greatest coffee scent since Bah! came out. Dry Down: Yup, dark, rich, almost-Turkish coffee with a slightest dusting of cinnamon. This might be heaven. I am in deep love.

In The Bottle: I think this is the banana scent of my dreams. Wet On Skin: Yummy banana candy (were you a fan of banana Laffy Taffy as a kid? Because THIS is IT) and yummy, yummy vanilla ice-cream. Dry Down: The banana fades slightly on dry down, but it's okay because this is the most incredible cake-cream-banana concoction of ALL TIME. I WANT TO CHEW MY ARM OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In The Bottle: That is some serious vanilla sandalwood combination. Wet On Skin: At this stage, sandalwood dominates. It's the same variety in Tombstone- sweet dry, very desert-y. Dry Down: Dry, clean meat bones, indeed. This arid, sweet blend is a lovely, 'bare bones' (no pun, I swear!) kind of scent in that it's stripped away everything non-essential to become what it is. A good 'sister scent' to Banshee Beat, which smelled differently, but had a similar vibe. Honestly, Banshee Beat didn't work our so well for me in the end, but this here, this is going to be JUUUUUST fine!