elinox

First Sniff: A combination of sugar and citrus; orange I think. Wet: The rose comes through which is delightful. However it’s not pure rose; there’s something else a bit tart in there too. Dry: As it dried, it became powdery soft and very feminine. The rose seems to be the most prominent and I don’t smell the orange at all now. My Reaction: Based on the description, I was hoping for something with rose that then turned a bit spicy. Unfortunately, this just goes completely soft on me and it did not have a lasting or strong throw at all. After about an hour it faded into nothingness. Rating 1-5: 1.5

First Sniff: Something horribly sugary sweet. Wet: Buttery almond with a tang behind it. Dry: During the dry down it became spicy. I think I can smell some cinnamon or maybe myrrh in it that seems to tame the syrupy butter almond. The lighter smell might even be hazelnut. My Reaction: The description was spot on; this comes off as being overly sweet (the ‘hell’ part for me) and then turns into a spicy, soft blend (the ‘cat’ part). I was surprised how soft it became. It was much better once it dried completely and calmed down than upon first sniff. Rating 1-5: 3

First Sniff: Something heavy and earthy. Wet: The word ‘loamy’ comes to mind. It’s rich and very much a wet mud sort of smell. Dry: As it dried it became the dry dust of death and old bones. Once it dried completely there was a hint of some type of spice which I wouldn’t necessarily associate with death or graves or Shakespeare. It gave it an interesting note though. My Reaction: The color in the imp after it had been lying on its side for awhile really did remind me of Hamlet’s famous soliloquy to Yorick: a pale yellow with a single drop of dark amber which swirled like mist throughout it. I don’t think I’ve tried a ‘dirt’ scent before so this was interesting in that respect. However, it faded quickly and I don’t think I want to smell like an old grave. Rating 1-5: 2.5

First Sniff: Freshness Wet: Spring flowers which are not very strong, and there are some greens behind them. It quickly softens though. Dry: As it dries it stays soft and lovely. It is however, very light and has no throw on me whatsoever. I think it’s going to fade completely into nothingness before it even lasts an hour! My Reaction: I liked the soft, light smell of this one, definitely a springtime scent. However it has had the least amount of staying power on me of anything I’ve gotten from the lab so far! I liked the name/concept behind this one but it’s just too soft on me to keep. Rating 1-5: 2

First Sniff: A light flower, maybe jasmine? Wet: I’m definitely getting the night blooming blossoms. I think there might even be a small aquatic note to this, something that makes it fresh smelling. Dry: On the dry down it got a bit of a bite to it, however once it dried completely it was back to being flowery softness. My Reaction: This turned out way softer than I had anticipated based on the description and it faded rather quickly too. I had been hoping for a night scent with some power behind it, something dark even. And this, sadly, was not it. It was more of a Glinda scent than the Wicked Witch. Rating 1-5: 2

First Sniff: Some sort of fresh citrus mixed with a hint of green leaves. Wet: Light lemon. I think I can detect some rose too. Dry: As it dried down, the lemon faded to be hiding in the background and the rose popped out a bit more (although not as perfect a rose as The Rose!). It also softened to a point where I could smell the chamomile. My Reaction: Unfortunately, I didn’t get the juniper or cypress at all. And in all honesty, I would’ve thought Rome would smell more like laurel leaves, smoke, stone and power. This was a soft scent that faded rather quickly on me. Pleasant, and feminine, but not really something I need to buy more of. Rating 1-5: 2

First Sniff: Plumeria and happiness Wet: The plumeria seems to get heavier. I think I can smell some sort of heavy fruity note too. Dry: As it dried, the plumeria faded and pear took over. Not in an unpleasant way, but it became much less flowery-springtime and much more deep and fruity. Once it dried completely the pear faded and there’s some sugary smell overlaying everything; it’s probably the champagne. My Reaction: I liked the deeper pear smell and the plumeria was nice. Not sure how I feel about the champagne yet, although it seems a bit too ‘perfumey” to my nose. It seems to switch between too much fizzy champagne and juicy pear; I'd prefer the pear stick around. It did make me feel cheerful though which is right in line with the Muse of Comedy. Rating 1-5: 3

First Sniff: Some type of berry; I’m thinking blackberry or maybe light raspberry. Wet: I think I can smell a hint of cinnamon now. Dry: As it dried, the cinnamon became softer and the berry stuck around and developed into a deep fruity smell which was nice. The cinnamon seems to alternate between being too spicy and just right though. My Reaction: If this were a color, it would be a deep purple. There’s enough flower smell in this to remind me of a small flower garden, but it’s not overpowering, it sort of hangs in the background. I also really enjoyed the fruity note. If this is what bandersnatchs really smell like they’d be very nice to cuddle with, frumious or not! Rating 1-5: 3

First Sniff: Something very tart. Citrusy even. Wet: I think I can detect amber in this. Although the potency of it is starting to bother my allergies I think. Dry: As it dries it softens a bit and I can smell the red musk. My Reaction: The softer smell was pleasant enough and it does smell like a dry dessert. I think after complete dry down there was a hint of the almond mentioned in the description. However, I don’t think this one’s for me. It’s making my eyes water and my nose twinge. Could just be a bad allergy day so I’ll have to re-visit this one later, but right now it’s unfortunately not the soft, furry scent I’d hoped it would be. Rating 1-5: 2 ADDED Sept. 15: Reviewing this one again. First Sniff: Sharp and pungent. Wet: Something spicy, perhaps the amber? Dry: As it dries it starts to smell dry and almost dusty. Better than last time, but we’ll see how it finishes. My Reaction: The spice was interesting and once it dried completely it mellowed out a bit and a hint of cinnamon poked through, which was nice. There might even be a tiny bit of vanilla balancing out the cinnamon, but I’m not sure. I like the softer smell of this one. Once I had it on for awhile though, it started to make my nose twinge again. So I don’t think it’s something I need to keep. Oh well. Rating 1-5: 2

First Sniff: Wet leather. Wet: Leather with a hint of sarsaparilla. As it started to dry down, I got vanilla peaking through which was nice. Dry: The leather turns to a dusty, dry smell, very reminiscent of an old west town. The vanilla mixed with it softly so it’s not as pungent a leather as I got with Jolly Roger. My Reaction: Once it had dried completely there was a lovely faint vanilla smell that mixed nicely with the leather which reminds me of the vanilla Yankee candle, only much softer and pleasing to the nose. The vanilla and faint sarsaparilla really made this one true to its name too. It’s the old west, dusty dry streets with horses nearby in an old saloon with plenty of whisky and good sarsaparilla. Rating 1-5: 3.5

First Sniff: A type of water flower. I think it’s gardenia. Wet: Light and flowery. And I’m still getting soft gardenias. Dry: The scent continues to remain soft and friendly. I’m not that familiar with jasmine but perhaps that’s what I smell now (and not gardenias). And as it dried completely there was a tiny whiff of honeysuckle; it was very faint though. I might even have gotten a hint of hyacinth, that famous Easter flower! My Reaction: It’s lovely and light and very feminine. It was a happy scent which reminds me of springtime with fresh cut grass and blooming flowers. Unfortunately, it’s very light on my skin. Rating 1-5: 3.5

First Sniff: Smoky incense and some sort of flower, plumeria perhaps? And there’s a whiff of vanilla. Wet: Middle Eastern spices of some kind. Maybe saffron? It’s definitely a “dry” smell reminiscent of the dessert. Dry: It’s delicate yet powerful in a quiet kind of way. As it dried completely I could smell a bit of the red musk which keeps that dry, strong underscent going. My Reaction: After it dried completely, I felt calm and ready to listen to her stories for hours. I believe I can now smell sandalwood or something similar too. It’s not overpowering on me at all. It’s lovely, and makes me think of the dry sands that while dangerous are still beautiful. It also vaguely reminds me of a dusty library which I loved. Rating 1-5: 4

First Sniff: The fresh cut smell of a young rose being washed in cold water before being put in a vase. Wet: Greenness with a single rose note coming through. Dry: This is not a bouquet of roses but is simply ‘the rose’; a single, long-stemmed red rose perfected by nature. The prize of any beast's collection. My Reaction: This is exactly what my husband was hoping for: feminine and flowery but not overpowering or sickly sweet. It’s exactly what I was hoping for in a rose scent too. Just rose: simple, elegant and beautiful. The green really adds to that fresh cut imagery too. Rating 1-5: 5

First Sniff: A bit of ozone, salt and some wet sea grass. Maybe even a hint of mint. Wet: It softens when it hits my skin and still smells pleasantly salty. There’s something soft underneath, probably the Alice scent coming through. Dry: It fades to a very light, salt smell on my skin. There’s also something vaguely flowery underneath. My Reaction: It’s definitely got that salty smell to it. Not unpleasant and really evocative of the name. A very feminine scent, light and airy. Unfortunately, as I’m finding most aquatics, they don’t last long with my skin chemistry. I really liked the initial smell though. Rating 1-5: 3

First Sniff: Freshly ground black pepper Wet: A bit of rose with pepper. Dry: As it dried, the sharpness of the pepper faded into a nice blend with the flowers. My Reaction: It’s definitely a somber scent! The pepper was an interesting addition and not what I was expecting at all. Pepper does not, however, make me think of sorrowful things. And since I already have and love several other light, flowery scents I don’t think this one’s a keeper. Also, I hate not being able to pronounce something so if I can’t say it, I shouldn’t have it! Rating 1-5: 1.5

First Sniff: Vanilla, like the kind in most candles. Wet: Cinnamon power, wow! I lost the vanilla completely and it’s now the burning cinnamon of Big Red gum. Dry: Once it dried completely, the cinnamon calmed down to a mild burning scent and the vanilla came back to mix with the toned down cinnamon to make a nice, warm scent. Unfortunately, I’m not getting honeysuckle at all, probably because that’s a lighter note and the cinnamon is just too strong for me to catch it. My Reaction: I’m not a fan of sharp cinnamon, but when this dried it was pleasant. It reminds me of Christmas and what it smells like and it made me want to curl up in front of the fire to read a favorite book in front of the Christmas tree. And since it’s very different than the other scents I own, I think I’ll be keeping this one to wear during the winter. Rating 1-5: 3.5

First Sniff: Wet moss covered rocks with some lilies nearby. Wet: I can smell some salty water and the lily smell is stronger now. Dry: As it dried, the salt blended nicely with the lilies and then something smoke-like came through. The lily blends nicely with the smoke and salt. My Reaction: It’s a lovely scent, but being so light and frail it fades quickly on me. Rating 1-5: 2.5

First Sniff: Light and fresh. Wet: Clean and bright. I think there’s some sort of lily in this. It definitely has a “pure, clean” smell which I like. Not "dryer sheets" clean but rather "fresh day" clean. Dry: The purity and freshness from this makes me imagine angels. It’s light and pleasant and gives off positive vibes as well as calming and peaceful feelings too. Once it dried completely I did catch some saltiness in it as well. Although still not enough to make me think ‘ocean’. My Reaction: With the title of this one I was hoping for a stronger “sea” imagery/reaction rather than angelic, but it is pleasant nonetheless. It’s definitely a feminine scent. Unfortunately, it’s so light that it faded quickly on my sensitive skin. Must apply more on bad days for that feeling of tranquility. Rating 1-5: 3

First Sniff: Freshness. Flowers of some sort, probably the sage or ginger. Wet: Lemon. Not unpleasant, just not what I was expecting. Dry: As it dries the lemon, er I mean verbena, was still dominant. However once it dried completely, it smelled more like gardenia than anything else. My Reaction: I liked it, despite hating the taste of lemon. This was lemon drops, not Pinesol lemon, which is good. Once the gardenia came through though it was very light and feminine smelling, a completely different non-lemony scent. Rating 1-5: 3 Reviewed again today. First Sniff: Lemony soap. Wet: Whoa lemon drops candy! Vibrant and fun smelling, reminiscent of childhood (even though I was never a fan of this candy)! Dry: As it dried, it went soft on me and I lost the lemon drops smell. I can still detect the sugary lemon, but it’s fainter than on wet. Once this dried completely the lemon drops were back, although not as strong as before. My Reaction: It’s interesting, and I’m finding that foody scents might be on my next to-try list, but this was not something I needed to hang onto. For those who love the scent of candied lemons or lemon drop candy though, this would be perfect for them! Rating 1-5: 2

First Sniff: Irish cream, yummy! Wet: A bit of buttered toffee and definitely some sort of dry wood. Dry: The smell of wood grew stronger as the lovely Irish cream smell faded into nothingness. I could still smell the hint of toffee, but it's mostly dry wood. Throw: I might as well take this subject out since I never get any sort of throw. Oh well. My Reaction: While I think the smell of freshly cut plywood is intriguing, the dry wood smell with this was not. It did not remind me of old polished halls, but rather an unfinished wood project. I had hoped the Irish cream would stick around, but alas, it’s just wood. It's interesting in a curiosity sort of way, but I don’t really want to smell like dry wood. Rating 1-5: 2

First Sniff: A sharp tang, I think it’s the pine + eucalyptus. I think I smell a heavier wood like cedar too. Wet: Heavy and reminiscent of a mossy forest. Dry: As it dried, the sharpness died away. I believe the orange, although faint, matches nicely and tones down the biting eucalyptus. The pine mellowed it out too. Throw: It’s a heavier scent on me so it had more staying power than the aquatics I’ve tried. My Reaction: O frabjous day was I looking forward to this one! It would smell nice on a male since it’s a heavier, musky scent. This is definitely an interesting scent, although I’m not sure I want to keep it. Rating 1-5: 3

First Sniff: A crisp flower, maybe lilac? Wet: Not as crisp, but definitely a light flowery scent. Clean. Dry: Very, very light, I can barely smell it after only having it on for 10 minutes! Throw: Nothing, it just fades too quickly. My Reaction: It does not smell like any linen I’ve ever had, but it did smell very clean and fresh. However, being a lighter scent, it did not have any staying power on me at all. After it dried, it was pretty much gone. Too bad, as I had high hopes for this one to smell like the Yankee Candle “clean cotton”. Rating 1-5: 1.5

First Sniff: Amber and tart. Wet: It has a musk sort of smell to it which is a bit strong, although not in an unpleasant way. Dry: As it dried down, it becomes softer. The amber fades and now I can smell a tiny hint of rose. Mostly though there's sweet gardenia. Throw: Like most things on my skin, there isn't really any kind of throw at all. My Reaction: This is a very feminine scent once it dried; light and flowery. I liked the gardenia but I wish the rose would've stuck around more too. Rating 1-5: 3

First Sniff: Something sharp and crisp, the lilacs perhaps? Wet: Very floral and fresh. There are definitely a lot of flowers in this! I think I can smell iris now too. Dry: Now I can smell the lavender, albeit faintly. And the sandalwood came through after the dry down too. I was worried that the sandalwood would be too strong and overpowering, but it’s not, it complements the florals nicely. Ooh, and there’s the gardenia, yay! Throw: Not really. Most scents turn very light on me and I never really get any throw. That’s ok though, I wear these for me anyway! My Reaction: As others have said, it is very light and fresh smelling, a perfect scent for springtime. It doesn’t remind me of hidden mysteries so much as flowers bursting with color under the warm sun. This is definitely a scent for females only! I like it as it smells happy and reminds me of a perfect spring day. Rating 1-5: 3.5

A great undersea metropolis located below Devil's Reef. A swirling, lightless, effervescent scent: the deepest marine notes with bergamot, eucalyptus and foamy ambergris. First Sniff: A hint of citrus and some salt too. Wet: Like all aquatics, it smells fresh to me which I love. It seemed to fade rather quickly though. Dry: During the dry down it became softer, like all aquatics on me. I could still smell the citrus tang and I was surprised that the bergamot didn’t bother me as I don’t particularly care for that note. As it dried completely, I did sniff out a tiny bit of the eucalyptus. But it was mostly just powdery light. Throw: Like all the scents I’ve tried so far (save for Loup Garou) there is almost no throw for me. Maybe I just need to apply more? My Reaction: Once this dried, there was only a faint light smell left which was disappointing. I want a “salty sea” smell damnit! It does remind me of what water lilies would smell like though; sweet, fresh and very light. Rating 1-5: 2 (just too light on me!)