tinyvulture

The coffee/cinnamon combination of El dia de Reyes, but with pumpkin taking the place of cocoa. I love the lab's coffee bean note, it's strong and has a lot of depth. This blend is more spicy than sweet. The cinnamon note outshines the pumpkin, which isn't super noticeable (but it's there.) I wish I had an imp of Pumpkin V (2009) on hand to see how Pumpkin Latte compares, as they sound very similar.

A buttery after-dinner mint with pine needles in the background. Think Snowblind + pine. The pine stops it from being a straightforward foody scent. a pine lover, I might wish for the pine to be a bit stronger, but that might throw off the balance of this lovely scent that evokes winter, snow, the holidays.

Plum mixed with florals and I'm also picking up green herbs and dry woods. It's not a "juicy, fruity PLUM!" perfume, more like a complex, womanly floral blend that happens to contain a plum note. I don't notice it being especially creamy. Sophisticated, good for the office.

I ordered one bottle -- A World Where There Are Octobers. I can't pass up anything with falling leaves. And maple...perfect. I'm getting several others as decants. The description of Noctiphobia intrigued me the most -- I'm so curious to find out what it smells like! Also getting decants of Dark Pumpkin Mead, Le Revenant (it may be too floral for me but it has good reviews), Autumn Fancies, Day of the Skulls, Haunted Houses, and Theme in Yellow. I already have lots of pumpkin scents, otherwise I would get some of the pumpkin patches too. I've tried/owned several of this year's previous incarnations. Mictecacihuatl is a really nice incense. I love copal. It was very light on me, though. I had to keep re-applying. Dia de los Muertos was similar, light incense and florals, but also very chocolatey. Flor de Muerto was straight up the scent of marigolds. I always keep bottles of Samhain and Samhainophobia on hand. They epitomize fall for me. They're similar, both with the falling leaves note that I love. Samhain is more foody (apples) while Samhainophobia is a little darker and woodsy.

So festive and Christmasy! In the same family as Hearth and Bonfire Night -- syrupy and piney and berry and smoky. Like the very best Christmas morning of your childhood, opening presents next to the Christmas tree, in front of a roaring fire, sweet desserts being baked in the oven, and berry potpourri boiling on the stove and scenting the entire house. I knew I'd love this, and now I'm hoping it returns so I can make it part of my holidays.

Sweet violets and rugged leather together, creating something lovely. This blend gives me a calm, serene feeling. It's quiet and understated. After a minute, the beeswax is noticeable. It smells like church candles, which adds to the restrained, almost somber feeling I get from this perfume. I think I could do with a bottle, for days when everything is a little too chaotic.

Lemony lavender is what I get from this blend. The red musk and cognac are there if I realllly try to notice them, and the mate resinoid brings a green, herbal note. But yeah, mostly it's lemon and lavender. Don't like lemon; gonna swap.

Was expecting a strong woodsy blend, but the almond and lavender honey are what I notice straight off. Lavender, honey, and almond are lovely together. The myrrh, olive oil and rose linger in the background. It's syrupy sweet and resinous and very seductive. Still no cedar or juniper after five minutes, but I don't care...it's beautiful!

I was totally surprised by this scent, since red musk usually amps like crazy on me...but the geranium note is the dominant one here. It's a slightly soapy floral perfume, no red musk or citrus to be found! There's also a bit of spiciness from the red pepper, but not too much. Geranium isn't a favorite floral of mine, so I'll be sending Lord Teishin to the swap pile.

Mega-vetiver. Where are you, cognac? Where are you, champaca? Vetiver-godzilla has trampled you all into dust. Vetiver is all that remains, with the faintest clove cowering in the background. OK, if you love vetiver, it's pretty nice here. It's very warm, very earthy. I used to do well with vetiver scents, but I think my body chemistry has changed and now my skin really amps it. This could just as well be a vetiver single note, as far as my nose is concerned.

So glad I took a chance on this one. Warm black musk and powdery myrrh form the base. The nutmeg is strong, but this isn't a foody scent. The nutmeg adds spiciness and more warmth. There's also a "cola" scent that I sometimes notice with resin-y blends. I wish I got more of the vanilla and red chili. I'm not noticing the patchouli or red chili. While I was excited to have a red chili blend, I'm OK with not being able to smell it, because what I DO smell is so fantastic.

Waxy honey and soft ginger. Ginger is usually very sharp on my skin, so this is a pleasant surprise. It definitely feels tropical and suntan lotion-y, as Cinder and Smoke mentioned, but I like it. Makes me wish I was laying on a beach somewhere, soaking up some rays. A perfect summer scent.

Creamy honeyed rose, similar to Katrina Van Tassel, but with the bright sparkle of mandarin orange. A bit powdery. It feels little-girlish, something I would give my daughter to wear. Very sweet and pretty.

Random association, right off the bat: Sen-Sen candies! At first application, the similarity is uncanny. Licorice and spice. As it dries, it grows in complexity. The red musk, lovely woods, and floral notes make their appearance. And then there's the amazing aged patchouli. Words are not enough to express my love for this aged patchouli. This scent feels like it was made for me. Red musk sometimes overpowers me, but it's tame here and blends in beautifully. My favorite Lupercalia ever.

Total morpher, this one. In the imp, it smells like lovely, creamy vanilla custard. Once applied, the cocoa and lemon are super strong. I don't think I've ever had a perfume change so much from bottle to skin! I can't smell the vanilla or custard at all. I suppose this was to be expected since my skin amps lemon. Ten minutes later, the chocolate has now completely vanished and it's all soft lemon blossom. If you can get past all the changes, this would be nice when you just want a very light, fresh lemony scent.

First impression: a warm spring day, a field full of green grass, a giant honeycomb with bees buzzing all around. The hemp and honey dominate at first. Then the beeswax and amber come out. I didn't think I would like the greenness of hemp, but it blends in well. It's actually the amber (which I normally adore) that's worrying me here. It has a sharpness and sourness to it, which clashes with the beeswax's soft haziness. I want to like this blend and there are moments that I do, but then that strange sourness returns. Off to swaps.

A good, strong scent. Polished wood (oak maybe?) with the fruitiest olive oil ever. Lemon and berry notes. Leather is hiding in the background. The fruitiness is not for me, but I'm going to try it on my husband. Since his skin amps leather. I think it'll be more balanced on him.

A woodsy/floral blend. The sandalwood is very dry and sharp, in contrast to the soft, faded roses. A well-blended, classic women’s perfume, unfortunately it’s a bit too “old lady” on me, not a favorite.

The softest, cuddliest bear ever! This is such a sweet, comforting blend. Buttery hazelnut, sour black cherry, and warm, musky fur are the notes I can detect most clearly. No pine at all. I adore the lab’s hazelnut note, so ordering this was a no-brainer for me. So warm and lovely.

Sweet/sour plums and warm musk at first. Then the lemon comes forth and it’s so strong. The matcha tea note is noticeable after a couple of minutes. But it’s mainly lemon and plums. I love some lemony blends, but this one is too sour and it’s reminding me of Mr. Clean.

Smells exactly like those peppery little cookies, right down to the powdered sugar they’re rolled in. Spicy and not too sweet. Cinnamon sometimes gets out of control on my skin, but not here. It blends nicely with the cloves, nutmeg, and other notes. A perfect foody scent that’s not too heavy or cloying. I want a bottle!

I love the combination of cool juniper and dark patchouli in this. The juniper smells medicinal, like menthol. The thyme note is also present, however, I’m not picking up any cocoa or frankincense at all. Sadly, the earthy, musty oakmoss is amping on my skin, as usual, shoving all the other notes aside and singing, “Here I am! I smell like mold and dirt!”

Marigold is such a “yellow” note to me, it makes me think of bright sunshine. So this is a bright, sunny autumn day. There’s also a slightly masculine cologne aspect to it. The autumn leaves, roses, and marigolds dominate, and the herbaceous quality of chamomile is also present. I’m not noticing any vanilla. I like it, but I think I would prefer it on my husband.

A cheerful, raucous celebration of life and death: bouquets overflowing with gerbera daisies, waling waling, sampaguita, ylang ylang, hibiscus, night-blooming dama de noche, santan, and everlasting flower with piles upon piles of bibingka, ube halaya, rice muffins, champorado, purple yam cake, and turon, and plates of gooey kalabasa leche flan. Banana, coconut, and exotic flowers (jasmine, ylang-ylang, orchid), with undertones of baked sweets and caramelized sugar. Cheerful, vibrant and lovely! If you love Manila, this is right up your alley. It’s gorgeous…really hoping this makes a comeback so I can get a bottle.

At first, it smells strongly of baby powder and vanilla. Then I realize it’s not baby powder, but powdery, warm amber. I don’t notice any cocoa. I keep waiting for the dry leaves to show up! After several minutes I can pick them out, faintly, in the background. I hoped the leaves would have a stronger presence. This scent doesn’t make me think of autumn or Halloween at all. It makes me think of cuddly babies! But, I do like it for what it is. Very warm and pretty.