suki

Raspberry pulp with orange blossom, patchouli, and a pfffffft of red musk. First, the illustration is GREAT! Really love the kitchy comic book art style, very Johnson and Smith Catalogue- so perfect!!! In The Bottle: Very candy-like raspberry. This isn't juicy, this is a sugary fruit for sure. Wet On Skin: The patchouli is showing up a little and appears to be the "red" variety, expect no "dirty" hippy patch, that's not what's happening here. Dry Down: Okay, dry down changes this a bit. The raspberry has lost some of it's sugar, and I think the emerging orange blossom is helping the cause. This is still a very bright, sweet fruity scent, which is what I was hoping for- something to herald in springtime, and the scent does not disappoint in that regard. It's definitely foodie, but not gourmand. This is a scent for daytime, and those of you with little ones, this is a fragrance you can absolutely share with them.

In the bottle and wet on my skin it's mostly straight up fresh Snake Oil. As it dries, the spices start to come out to play. Even at full dry-down, the SO overpowers most everything else. HOWEVER, I know the importance of aging SO, and my bottle of Gingerbread Snake from4 years ago started off very much like this- I've no doubt that given some aging, this scent will be a classic in its own right, eventually.

In The Bottle: Hi cardamom! I've been waiting for you!!! Wet On Skin: Lordy. This might prove to be the cardamom scent I've been searching for all my life! Sweet, spicy, with a slight hint of chai spice- I hope it stays this way! Dry Down: Yep: pumpkin cake with cardamom dusted on top. I get NO cinnamon from this, but it's a nice addition to the cake / cupcake scents that have popped up this year.

In The Bottle: Pumpkin spice and gooey chocolate! Swoooooon. Wet On Skin: More of the same. Dry Down: Oh, HAI PUMPKIN! The buttery pumpkin note we all love hath finally made its appearance and it's great! This is a well-balanced blend of pumpkin, pie spice, and a light dusting of dry cocoa. The Lab has really perfect the dry cacao note, it's shown up a lot in the last year or so, and I could;don't be happier, because Beth just keeps making scents that I adore and the dry chocolate note is a great base to use when we get tired of woods and resins. I wish the cocoa was a little heavier on me (it IS supposed to be brownies, after all...) but I can layer it with Bliss if need be, and be just delighted by the whole thing!

In The Bottle: All (very) lightly spiced cupcake, all the time. Wet On Skin: The cupcake aspect is reading more like raw cookie dough, and it's all but overshadowed the rest of the notes. Dry Down: The cupcake note reminds me of the pancakes in Brunch Witches- just a nice, clean simple sweet batter scent. Don't underestimate that- it's comforting and warm and lovely for crispy sun-bright autumnal days. There's a sliver of vanilla extract in the mix, too. I'm sadly not getting any of the chai- I keep searching for cardamom scents and they keep hiding from me! So, I'm a little sad at that.

In The Bottle: Yummy, yummy espresso and dry cocoa. Nomnomnom Wet On Skin: The espresso has downgraded to coffee, but you'll hear no complaints from me about it. Also, I detect a hard-tack crust, which might be the caramel? Dry Down: An amazing dry cocoa / coffee bean combination. I sadly don't seem to be getting any of the cheesecake aspect, but I'm not complaining: it might come out later through aging, but even if it doesn't I am pleased as punch to have another chocolate-coffee scent in my roster.

Favorite pastime: skulking under dining tables, waiting to abscond with unsupervised food bowls. Don’t blame the dog! Dregs of cinnamon and cocoa. In The Bottle: Oh, YES. Right off the bat, this is Mexican Hot Chocolate. Wet On Skin: The hits just keep on coming. There are two basic types Lab chocolate notes- the yummy cocoa-y ones, and the ones that turn to weird, waxy plastic on my skin. The ones that work on me are found in scents like Bliss, Boomslang and Gelt. The ones that don't work are the ones found in the Box O Chocolates and most '13' scents. This scent, fortunately, has the former. And it's *glorious*. Dry Down: This is a nice, "grownup" cocoa scent. Less foodie and, believe it or not, I would call this scent kinda sexy. The chocolate becomes this dusty, understated warm note and the cinnamon gives just a tiny amount of spice- this is NOT an overpowering spice scent, so those fearful, give it a try. In All: Not just bottle worthy, possibly hoard worthy. I predict this will be quite popular.

Owls are important to me as well, and Athena has been a goddess of comfort for me on numerous occasions. I, too am glad that I was able to support this worthy cause! In The Bottle: The soft powder of myrrh, the sweet resin of benzoin and lavender in the background lending a top note to the mix, but not in a floral way. Wet On Skin: The sage starts to come out as the oil wars on my skin, bringing the scent out of its heavy-resin vibe it started out with. Dry Down: It's definitely a soft scent. Not to say it's not strong- this has a decent throw, so apply lightly at first- but the champaca, sage and myrrh definitely combine to make a scent that make me think of crawling under thorny desert plants, only to discover the underbrush is lined in fur.

Blackened cacao, black sandalwood, coconut, and dark, sweet musk. In The Bottle: Rich, chocolately chocolate. Like Bliss, if it were dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate. Wet On Skin: I can see the comparison to the original Candy Butcher for sure- it's like a very dark melted Belgium chocolate cut through with a dollop of cream. YUM! Dry Down: On dry-down, the chocolate becomes slightly more like a powdered chocolate- like a dark hot cocoa mix. It's warmed up a bit, too, scent-wise- I suspect that's the black sandalwood adding some depth to the mix. I might detect a *sliver* of coconut, but this isn't a Mounds bar or anything, so don't expect that. In All: Chocolate scents can be hit/miss on me. Luckily, this appears in the same family as Bliss and Candy Butcher and so it's pure win. Low throw, warm and gorgeous. I will treasure this now and anticipate more glory with age. <3

I am *seriously* in love with this scent. For me it's like a close cousin of Dragon's Milk, which is only my most favorite perfume in the world of all timer and forever. So, you know, no big. Anyway, as mentioned, it's soft and sweet and cuddly and just...comforting. It's really, really comforting. I hope that Kwamie is an actual type of cotton, because that's what I am picturing, just wrapping myself up in the biggest, softest smushiest blanket and taking a long nap. This won Con for me, hands down.

Blackberry pulp, Bordeaux wine, grape leaves, and wild patchouli. In The Bottle: Heavy on the blackberry, as I'd hoped for. The wine is the grape-y variety of note. At this stage, it's much more fruit-heavy as opposed to booze heavy. The blackberry note is the same one from WKAP's Blackberry Jam and Scones. Wet On Skin: Rich purple grape and blackberry in harmony. At this stage, no green leaves or patchouli to be found. Dry Down: A slight boozy quality at last emerges. Still, this is not the rich, heady one from, say, Glüwein or anything. This is more like a fruity purple sangria. While it might've been interesting to have the patch in the mix, I'm just delighted to have another blackberry-heavy scent in the rotation. In All: Medium throw and just full of juicy purple fruitiness!

[No additional description provided.] In The Bottle: Yes, very juicy-orange. But also there's an edge of perfume-y-ness to it that I was surprised to encounter. Wet On Skin: There's a tiny edge of tart orange peel sneaking in, and I think it's the same aspect that seems "perfume-y" to me. It's so close that I honestly can't say if it's just reminding me of a high-end perfume or some fresh orange peel. Hmmm... Dry Down: A lovely, sweet orange scent. Less juicy, more dry at this stage. I wouldn't necessarily read this as a "foodie" scent, however. The peel is much more prevalent in this than in King Mandarin SN, and it makes is come across more as a light citrus perfume as opposed to just ORANGE or even Orange JUICE. In All: Citrus fans, get your hands on some. I personally anticipate giving this bottle some love all hot summer long

Muse of Fire O for a Muse of fire, that would ascend The brightest heaven of invention, A kingdom for a stage, princes to act And monarchs to behold the swelling scene! Then should the warlike Harry, like himself, Assume the port of Mars; and at his heels, Leash’d in like hounds, should famine, sword and fire Crouch for employment. But pardon, and gentles all, The flat unraised spirits that have dared On this unworthy scaffold to bring forth So great an object: can this cockpit hold The vasty fields of France? or may we cram Within this wooden O the very casques That did affright the air at Agincourt? O, pardon! since a crooked figure may Attest in little place a million; And let us, ciphers to this great accompt, On your imaginary forces work. Suppose within the girdle of these walls Are now confined two mighty monarchies, Whose high upreared and abutting fronts The perilous narrow ocean parts asunder: Piece out our imperfections with your thoughts; Into a thousand parts divide on man, And make imaginary puissance; Think when we talk of horses, that you see them Printing their proud hoofs i’ the receiving earth; For ’tis your thoughts that now must deck our kings, Carry them here and there; jumping o’er times, Turning the accomplishment of many years Into an hour-glass: for the which supply, Admit me Chorus to this history; Who prologue-like your humble patience pray, Gently to hear, kindly to judge, our play. Lilith performed this prologue with her Shakespeare camp this summer. It gave me chills every time I heard her practice her lines, and forevermore she will be my Muse of Fire. The image accompanying this scent is from the morning of her performance. Lilith, you inspire me every day. Your love of Shakespeare has reinvigorated my own, and it means the world to me that we have this to share with one another. My little Muse of Fire: an explosion of rainbow-hued flower petals dusted in sugar. In The Bottle: woah. That was something else. It was effervescent and colorful and sweet and sharp all at once. The "exploding" is accurate! (Pssst this is one of those "how does Beth DO that?!" moments for sure!) Wet On Skin: I honestly can't pull out a single type of flower. And it's not "floral" in the traditional sense (scents!). It honestly reminds of Hawaian Punch! Dry Down: This is making me think of :something: from childhood and I can't place what. It's like fizzy candy and magnolia trees in spring time and lemon lime soda and pixie stix all rolled into one. In All: Nostalgia, bottled. Beth, sometimes you break my heart. ❤️

This scent is kind of amazing. I intentionally blind-bought a bottle straight away because of all the Lil's this year, this was the one I suspected might require a backup bottle, and I was RIGHT. In the bottle the sugared clove is front and center, and is SO disconcerting that it reminded me of magic marker. But...in a compelling way. Wetly applied to my skin, the magic marker fades, the vanilla starts to peek out and the clove warms up, making this scent immediately something that I want to keep sniffing. Upon dry down, the vanilla comes out slightly more, the sugar note doesn't amp as it sometimes doe on me but adds a little "crunch" the way Sugar-Crusted Marshmallow Chick did. I'm not getting any of the patchouli, the clove/vanilla combination is the star of this show. As with all heady notes, I anticipate this only getting better with age. DEFINITELY need a backup bottle!

Fancy salted Snake Oil with a hint of mixed nuts. In the Bottle: OH HAI SALT!!! This is SO salt-note-heavy that it's reading like salt water or brine. I hope that levels out because water notes are *terrible* on me, but the pure salt tends to ho okay. *fingers crossed* Wet On Skin: *whew!* it seems to be calming out, with a definite nut note stepping forward. Right now it's like very salty nut brittle, since the Snake Oil is actually farther in the background than I anticipated. Dry Down: Wow. This is pretty special, and sort of exactly what I was hoping for: all the sweet, spicy complexity of Snake Oil with salty nuts tossed in! This just came today, and we all know how Snake Oil improves with age. Therefore, I'm not going to leave it alone for at least a month but if it goes as well as it's already promising, a backup bottle to age for a year minimum might well be called for!

In The Bottle: I get a sweet and soft lavender, like a softer variation of the lavender in TKO, without the sugared aspect. Wet On Skin: It starts to warm up and a sweetness is beginning to emerge- I believe this is the vanilla, as it's kind of a soft, sweet, creaminess that's coming with it. Dry Down: Vanilla lavender gentle sweet cloud of niceness! I really like lavender, but the scents are usually things I want to wear at night, to fall asleep in. And while I will certainly put this in a nighttime rotation, I am really happy to say I will get plenty of daytime wear out of this scent as well. So much so, that a backup bottle might be in order! This is a really pretty, unassuming scent. I couldn't be happier with it.

Little Lady Macbeth “Lady Macbeth should have Macbeth and the king just play rock paper scissors to see who gets to be king. And then whoever wins has to play against her and if she wins, she gets to be king.” – Lilith coming up with solutions as we begin reading the Scottish Play. A Lilith’ized take on our Lady Macbeth scent, wherein ambition, covetousness, and manipulation are transformed into fairmindedness, equity, and a willingness to sometimes leave things to chance: sugared red currant and honey cake. In The Bottle: those of us that have a special spot for the sugary currants in Crumpet Rebellion, you will be VERY happy with this. Wet On Skin: Yes, this is a close scent sister to Crumpet Rebellion for sure. But it's got a subtlety that CR doesn't quite have. The "honey" part of the cake I think is making this more like a lovely scone, less a full Rebellion Dry Down: The honey is coming out more now, but the currant is making it sophisticated, like a sexy honey dust. And who wouldn't like sexy honey dust? In All: for those who love, or missed out on Crumpet Rebellion, his wont disappoint. A flaky, lightly sweet scone scent. Perfect for wearing to weekend brunch or having tea in the afternoon ☺️

I get the mulled spices, first thing, right when I open the bottle, and it's a primary note all the way through. It's astounding, because I thought I was getting some apple at first, which doesn't do so well for m,e, but no- it really is *just* the spices, sans apple. I also get the coniferous trees in there and the pumpkin, fresh off the vine, warming it all up, but not in a foodie, or pumpkin-spicey kind of way. This scent is pure autumn, but ALL of autumn, from the first crunchy leaves through to the soft envelopment of the first early snow. I assume this is going to age magnificently, and I suspect I will wear this quite a bit in the next 4-7 months!

It's a "green" sweet wet floral in the bottle and when first applied. A little goes a long way- even before fully dried, this stuff has some THROW to it! It's lush and beautiful, though. I am picky in my florals, but I knew I needed to invest in a bottle and I was right. It's definitely got some green vine in the mix, but the flower essence is holding its own. I honestly don't know how much I'll wear this on my skin, but I can see using this in an oil burner in the dead of winter to bring summer's warmth close to me for sure.

In the bottle, the wine is definitely the most prominent note, by far. It's that sweet, grapey, heady red wine note that I so adore in Glüwhein. Once it warms up and then dries on my skin, it shifts and yes, the ash comes in and it's become a delicious heady incense instead. The benzoin definitely gives it some kick in this regard, upping the ante when it comes to bringing on some spice. I don't really get any of the bourbon vanilla and for once, I'm not lamenting the loss- this scent is glorious all on it's own. SO happy I got my bottle before tomorrow's eclipse!

In The Bottle: Lots and lots of black, sugary coffee, and an edge of black musk. Wet On Skin: The black musk has morphed into more of an indigo musk and the sugar remains a strong secondary note. The coffee is still there, but is more like a lighter, sweeter "instant" coffee now. Dry Down: Usually I'm not a fan of the darker musks, but this is really nice. Not too overpowering, doesn't turn to cardboard on me. I'm disappointed that the coffee went away, but I'm going to see what happens with aging. If nothing else, I can layer it with single note Coffee Bean and all will be well

Black coffee and smoked vanilla bean with deep indigo opium petals. In The Bottle: The black coffee is front and center, definitely the same, strong coffee note from Bah!, with the vanilla adding a nice place for the coffee to land. The opium is there in the background, less invasive than I thought it would be. It might change out of the bottle though... Wet On Skin: The "indigo" part of the opium is key here, this is no soporific red poppy, no. This is a rich, deeply hued opium that almost would be an incense, except it's lacking ANY smokiness. It's smooth without becoming an overbearing floral. At this stage the coffee has taken a definite back seat and the vanilla has left the building. Dry Down: The vanilla makes a return! It's acting as a sweet and creamy balance to the opium, creating a scent that is rich, yet light enough for daytime wear, and manages to be neither floral nor foodie, even though the ingredients are one or the other. The more I wear it, the more it's strangeness grows on me. The two notes might seem to have nothing in common, but these odd attractors are creating something lovely and deep and pretty feminine, without reading as a "perfume" perfume. The coffee at this point is more like an afterthought, waaaaay in the background, adding just a sliver of raw sugar into the mix. In All: Medium throw, an eminently wearable scent. I got it for the coffee note but am not at ALL disappointed with how it turned out!

This spring we challenged friends and fans to answer that call, baring their souls (and more) in our steamy, Lust-themed #BPAL7wordstory contest. “Seduce us in seven!” we demanded, promising the winning story would be enshrined in a Limited Edition fragrance. The response was overwhelming — and downright filthy. Over eight hundred entries later, Lust found its new champion. The winning story, submitted via Twitter by @GeekDame, took flight in our perfumer’s imagination and resulted in the following myth-tinged tryst. He breathed smoke across her pomegranate-stained lips. Chthonic incense and blood-red pomegranate. In The Bottle: Juicy pomegranate. Really fresh- it made my mouth water a little! Behind that is the faintest hint of sweet incense, the sort you might find in a head shop about 40 years ago. Wet On Skin: The incense is stronger now, making this scent *completely* like the smell inside a headshot 40 years ago Dry Down: Same. In All: Medium throw, this scent also has the edge of the kinds of incense I recall from working at goth shops in the 90s. There's a dusty rose aspect (very subtle) and that musty note that shows up in some Lab incense blends. I honestly don't know that I like it enos to keep it, but if you're a fan of fruity incense scents, this is the oil for you for sure.

Cardinal air: the essence of balance. A blend of refined sensibilities: refined art, refined love, refined passion, and refined justice. Utilize this blend to enhance your appreciation of beauty and renew your fountain of artistic inspiration. It is a passionate blend, suffused with rose-tinted fire. The strawberries and roses of Venus gilded and polished into an urbane, elegant perfume by sheer white musk, mallow oudh, white incense, bourbon vanilla, red benzoin, and polished woods. In The Bottle: Subtle but fresh strawberry and perhaps a bit of that mallow. Wet On Skin: The strawberry reminds me of the original release of Strawberry Moon, from 2005. There's definitely an 'elegance' to this strawberry- this is not for tiny children. I get a hint of the 'polished woods' in the background, but it's mostly this sophisticated strawberry. Dry Down: The strawberry holds firm. I thought for sure I'd get some rose in this, but no, it's really mostly a 'dry' kind of strawberry. I get little to no hint of any of the other notes, which is very odd, but this is what had happened on my skin. In All: low throw, a subtle study in 'adult' strawberry. If strawberry is a beloved note for you, definitely get some of this. For myself, I will give it time to settle, but if it doesn't do something further for my skin, I have several beloved Libras who will no doubt be happy to have it!

This spirit shall return to Him Who gave its heavenly spark; Yet think not, Sun, it shall be dim When thou thyself art dark! No! it shall live again, and shine In bliss unknown to beams of thine, By Him recall’d to breath, Who captive led Captivity, Who robb’d the grave of Victory,— And took the sting from Death! Lilith at Poet’s Corner, Westminster Abbey – one of my favorite places in the entirety of this earth. Piety and intrigue, succor and terror… stone walls and painted glass panels bearing witness to generations of poetry, pride, conquest, and despair: the echoes of the incense smoke of hundreds upon hundreds of years curling around roses and oak branches. In The Bottle: This is...wow. It's got a rose in there, but it's honestly not like any I think I've smelled before. It's dark and dusky and the oak is certainly grounding it, even in the bottle. It's beautiful and somber and makes me want to walk in cemeteries on cloudy days- AND THIS IS ALL IN THE BOTTLE. Wet On Skin: The oak makes its presence more known and the rose takes a little more of a back seat. I'm less familiar with oak notes in the Lab's cannon, but this one reminds me of autumnal days and, yes, crunching through leaves. Unusual for me, but no complaints Dry Down: The rose is in the distant background, and this has become an oak incense - it's crunchy leaves mixed with an incense base. It waxes and wanes, strangely- one moment it's quite strong and the next it fades back. And it's got something I can't quite place...something that reminds me of childhood, though the scent isn't 'childish' in the least. It's dusty and powdery and incense-y and fallen-leafy and slightly musty. I honestly can't decide how I feel about it just now, but it's intriguing enough that I'm going to let it age and check back in later to see what's happening.