tinyvulture

just like a cold, sparkling root beer on a hot summer day, SSS has arrived at my door just in time to help combat the texas heat. light woodsy and incense notes make the Strengthener a little darker, a little more complex, but really, they are so faint that i hardly notice them. just think of a tall, bubbly, chilled glass of root beer and you have this scent. i will be slathering this on for the next several months.

what i smell most is the moss – it smells wet and herbaceous and somehow old, but not dank or mildewy. it’s a clean, masculine scent. the green sandalwood is dry and woodsy. i expected a lot of sweetness from the tonka but it’s very mild. i can’t smell the rice wine, but the black tea is lovely. a wonderful springtime scent, like a japanese garden after a good, cleansing rain.

this scent just screams “spring!” i’m not sure what cherry blossom, ume blossom or wisteria smell like on their own, but Hanami is fresh, clean florals. it could be a commercial perfume or shampoo; it's got that broad appeal. it’s light, cheery and feminine, but not sweet or powdery.

oh. my. god. no exaggeration -- at first sniff, this became one of my all-time favorites. it goes perfectly with my skin chemistry. the amber is so warm and gorgeous, and the velvety cream accord is a perfect match for the bright, fruity lotus. the teak adds a dry, resiny woodsiness without smelling like pencil shavings (note to self – seek out more teak blends.) it’s one of the sexiest bpal scents, right up there with my beloved O. i agree with other reviewers who say it’s the scent of contented afterglow. gorgeous.

this blend is herbal and woodsy, with just a hint of aquatic sea-spray. it’s masculine, like a crisp, clean aftershave. there’s a green grassy note that really stands out, with a bonfire wood note in the background that reminds me of Hexennacht. i’m not really sure what meadowsweet, hellebore and Irish lady’s tresses are, but i’m assuming they are various herbs or grasses. a cool, outdoorsy scent, like an early fall evening hanging out in the woods, not too far from the water. i'm thinking i will love this one on my husband.

There’s a whole lotta pumpkin in this, and a good amount of spicy red ginger. I’m not very familiar with red ginger, but it seems less astringent than the white ginger I’m used to. It’s got a deep spiciness that is almost savory. (Note to self – seek out other red ginger scents!) I thought this would be similar to Pumpkin Queen but it’s nowhere near as sweet. The vanilla isn’t adding noticeable sweetness and, although citrus usually amps on my skin, I’m having a hard time detecting the lemon peel or mandarin orange. Honestly, this is like a pumpkin curry or something. Maybe it’s just my weird skin chemistry, but most pumpkin blends end up smelling like pie on me, I think this is extremely cool and different.

as a perfume, Black Cat is a strong blend of mint (or perhaps eucalyptus) and lemon. it’s quite medicinal, and has a “Mr. Clean” aspect to it whenever the lemon amps too strongly at first. i prefer it when the lemon dies down a few minutes later and the mint is in the foreground, because then it’s invigorating and refreshing. i also smell rose petals, but they’re faint and a little soapy. to me, it’s not really a “sexy” scent, but because it’s so cool and astringent, i can see how inhaling this would stimulate your senses and provide a burst of energy.

orange blossom is one of the few citrusy notes that doesn’t amp all crazy on me. it’s really sweet here, reminding me of those jelly orange slices covered in sugar. it’s evenly balanced with the rose. i’m not sure what type of rose this is, but it’s really the perfect rose note, as far as i’m concerned, deeply floral and just a little powdery. and then the honey adds a layer of golden sweetness over everything. i’m not noticing the sandalwood at all. it’s taken me a long time to get around to trying this scent, and i’m glad i finally did. it’s soft and glowing and feminine, not too heavy, perfect for spring or summer.

Three deep, dark myrrhs, smoke, and cinnamon bark. this is so smoky and warm. the myrrh just wraps you up in its powdery sweetness, its dark resins intertwined with the thick smoke. the cinnamon bark is there, but it’s not as strong as straight cinnamon and it lingers faintly in the background, adding a gentle touch of spice. this scent is sexy, but not in an over-the-top way. it’s not a raging inferno; it’s a small fire in the fireplace on a romantic evening that keeps on smoldering all night.

the rich, powdery cocoa is so strong that it takes a minute to pick out any of the other notes. i smell something green and creamy -- i'm guessing it's the massoia. the honey and vanilla add gorgeous sweetness, and the peach provides a hit of juicy, fresh fruit. i can't find the orchid, clove, or ginger. although there are a lot of notes, the resulting drydown is mainly chocolate and peach, a lovely combination.

what a bright, fruity, happy scent! the sweet lotus and syrupy pomegranate wine are the standout notes. in fact, i can’t smell anything else. sometimes lotus is too cloying, but not here. this is my favorite lotus blend i've tried so far. it’s strong, with lots of throw. it's the essence of pomegranate -- red, ripe and juicy.

when i first apply this it’s minty/medicinal and spicy, like cinnamon mouthwash. i’m surprised there’s no cinnamon listed in the description! i guess the white pepper and spicy pimento are what i’m smelling. the herbal chamomile is vaguely noticeable. soon it warms up and i'm inhaling all that lovely blood musk. it’s sweeter now, too – gorgeous incense resins. i’m still not smelling any leather, but there’s so much else going on that i don’t miss it. a mysterious blend, indescribable indeed – like a rare incense you’ve never tried before, yet you still recognize and feel comforted by the scent.

i smell a ton of jasmine, combined with heady tropical flowers. i’m not picking up anything that strikes me as “volcanic gas”. no greenery or smoke, either. it’s a lush, heavy floral scent -- reminds me of new orleans or bayou, only i like this a lot better. i think it’s the black musk that i love. it adds a layer of lovely warmth and sweetness.

krampus is mostly red musk on me. that’s a good thing – i love this warm, heady ingredient. here, it smells almost fruity, like grapes. it combines nicely with the leather. there are similar notes in loviatar, but it didn’t work on me. so i’m quite pleased at how well krampus does work. even with its crisp, clean linen note, this blend is mischievous, dark, and sexy.

Heliotrope, amber, almond flower, frangipani, cedar, and calamus. A warm, glowing mix of resins and soft florals. I smell dry cedar, a touch of tropical frangipani, and layer upon layer of sweet, powdery amber and heliotrope. It’s really pretty, but not quite strong enough to be a favorite.

A sexy, foody combination of chocolate, juicy cherry, and sweet orange. It reminds me of a chocolate covered cherry, but with a playful kick of citrus. The scent stays true over time, too. It’s such a fun, flirty scent, I think I need a bottle.

i don’t notice the roses at first, just rich, buttery pastry. i’m not that familiar with blackcurrant, but on me it smells somewhat like figs or raisins. after a few minutes, i can smell the rose. it makes me think of a fancy dessert strewn with decorative rose petals. extremely foody and comforting, with just a hint of floral -- a lovely combination.

There was a worrisome sourness to this blend when I first applied it, like pickles! But I gave it some time, and the sourness did indeed fade after a couple minutes. At this point, it smelled like soft fur dusted with baby powder. Then the warm musk came out, and it morphed into one of those wonderful “second skin” scents, the kind that works perfectly with your chemistry and smells like your own skin, only better. As I moved around and got my blood circulating, the scent seemed to “warm up” too, and I wanted to bury my nose in the powdery, furry warmth.

The warm red amber and ambergris are amazing combined with the spicy patchouli and clove, and the vanilla flower adds sweetness. The Spanish moss adds earthiness and depth. I was worried about the clove being too strong, but it’s very subtle and there’s nothing “baking spices” about this blend. It’s like a gorgeous, complex, incense. Exotic and sexy, but warm and comforting at the same time.

a bright, festive floral bouquet of chrysanthemum and plumeria. the flowers are so sweet, they’re almost fruity. there’s also a green, grassy note, which i'm guessing is the sage. noche buena is lush and cheery, one of my favorite floral blends.

i love the green, bitter herbal scent of the ferns. it’s almost medicinal, the way it clears your passages when you inhale. it smells so clean. the rose and lavender in the background are a bit soapy, but that doesn’t bother me. they enhance the fern nicely. i’m not sure what absinthe smells like. there’s a light dusting of sugar, but it’s not too sweet or cloying. this seems like a great unisex scent. it’s not too floral or too herbal; it’s just right.

Pink Moon made me realize that I love sugared florals, so I was dying to get my hands on an imp of Faith. It's really lovely. A soft, sweet, creamy vanilla violet. Not at all powdery or old-ladyish. Youthful, bright, flirty. A lovely floral for spring or summer. Now I just need to try Hope!

sweet, creamy vanilla -- a lovely scent for all seasons. the vanilla cream reminds me of the Candy Butcher. but, i wouldn’t call this a foody scent. a light touch of exotic saffron is the perfect spicy complement. it’s long lasting and doesn’t turn into play-doh or banana. simple, feminine, gorgeous.

the cotton (think White Rabbit) is clean and white and pure, in contrast with the rich, dark tobacco and incense (similar to the Lurid Library), all enveloped in a cloud of sweet vanilla. i can’t make out the musk or cognac but i know they are somehow adding to the overall charm of this blend. it’s so victorian -- elegant, refined, wistful, haunting, yet slightly depraved and dangerous thanks to the heady tobacco and the almost menacing incense. so glad i ordered a bottle of this, i LOVE it.

a woodsy, sweetly spicy masculine blend, with a hint of green herbs. very dry, very dark, more complex than a typical men’s cologne. the elm bark is the strongest note on my skin. the warm musk is there, but it’s mainly woods. i would guess there’s cedar in this, as well as the elm. i want to go wake up my husband so i can slather this on him right now!