tinyvulture

Chocolate. Not the milk chocolate of Bliss. This is a dark chocolate, sweetened with creamy vanilla (not like vanilla extract...like the vanilla cream center of a fine chocolate). After it dries, it goes a little bit banana. Chocolate-covered bananas are certainly carnival fare, but not what I was expecting from this scent. That phase doesn’t last long, though. It once again morphs into dark cocoa and cream, slightly nutty, very rich. Long-lasting and addictive.

Creamy almond. Heavenly, rich, creamy almond. It’s a perfect balance -- mouth-watering foodiness, but also a sophisticated masculine scent (but not overly masculine – it smells great on my man but I love wearing it, too). I can’t wear most almond scents because they go bitter on me, so I’m thrilled to find one that suits my skin. As it dries, I can smell the pine, which adds a lovely complexity. I have been slathering this one and will probably need another bottle before the Carnaval departs.

when i first applied this, i thought there was lotus in it because it has that strong fruity, kool-aid scent. as it dried, the scent sharpened and i realized it was apricot. very juicy and sweet! the white musk and orange blossom add to the warmth, sweetness and fruitiness of this scent. it is pleasant, but not for me – i prefer the darker notes of Depraved.

from the start, the neroli is most dominant on my skin, and as i don’t care for its citrus scent, i will most likely be swapping this one. it’s also got a green/herbal thing going on. i can’t pick out the patchouli or amber like i was hoping for.

like its name suggests, this is sweet, innocent, youthful, and feminine. the white tea, carnation, and fresh dewy rose are all very “pure” notes -- by that i mean i can easily pick them out individually. it starts out kind of gentle and faint, but grows stronger as it dries. i’ve been scrubbing tiles all morning in grungy clothes, and after a shower this will be the perfect scent to make me feel refreshed, clean and pretty.

a spicy, warm scent. the cassia and tobacco really stand out, the red musk is lovely, and sometimes i get whiffs of sweet plum. can’t smell the mandarin at all (which is good) nor the patchouli (which is bad). it kind of reminds me of walking into a candle/potpourri store, but i don’t mean that in a negative way at all. i find this scent very comforting and it would make a great room scent around the holidays.

on application, the tobacco stands out as the strongest note. i also get incense, honey, something that smells like candle wax, and a hinty of spicy florals. it’s such a rush of different notes, i am having a hard time picking them out. i can’t smell the clove at all, for sure. this scent seems masculine to me. if i close my eyes i could imagine being in some rich old lord’s study, surrounded by plush furniture and decadent tapestries and statues, cigar smoke lingering in the air, leafing through manuscripts by candlelight.

at first, it’s so minty – like spearmint gum! then i get tart lemon, which combines in an intriguing way with the mint and the licorice-y anise. i am not sure what wormwood smells like, but i do detect something kind of like dry sandalwood. overall this scent is medicinal, slightly sweet, and complex.

this has what i call a “general floral” scent – because i’m not exactly sure what the notes are. the rose is easiest for me to pick out. and it’s kind of sweet (fruity, like melon), and the amber makes it really soft and light. that’s about it – i can’t smell any patchouli at all, sadly.

vanilla, booze, and musk. sweet, warm and sexy. like snake oil but not as resinous. love it. i feel flirtatious when i wear it. i really missed the boat not getting a bottle of this.

This is my new favorite, #1 scent. It smells exactly like church incense, with a touch of mint. Underneath the woods and resins there is just a hint of sweetness. A warmer, richer version of Cathedral. Amazing!

the sparkling brightness of the citrus is tempered by soft, powdery amber and hints of spicy jasmine and fresh rose, and the result is a warm, sophisticated, regal scent. my only complaint is that the orris comes along later and kind of dries everything out. so, while i love how this blend starts out, the dusty note means that it will go in the swaps pile.

this is rich, fresh, moist earth (as opposed to the dryness of Zombi) blended with sweet, slightly spicy florals (roses, mostly). if you don’t want to go around smelling like dirt all day, it’s ok -– the soil scent fades after awhile and you’re left with just a hint of earthiness combined with the lovely floral perfume -- just enough to keep it interesting as you sniff your wrist over and over, as i am doing now.

A paean to all the Wicked Queens, Evil Stepmothers, and other misunderstood villainesses throughout history and lore. Lends an aura of majesty, refinement, strength, and a deep, brooding malice. A sophisticated, womanly scent: rich myrrh and jasmine draped in the subtlest rose. this reminds me a lot of Malice. there you have ylang ylang and myrrh; here it’s jasmine and myrrh. i'd say this is softer, more understated than Malice. a soft hint of rose combines with the powdery myrrh and the result is a gentle, almost delicate woman’s perfume. probably my favorite jasmine blend.

an orange/herbal scent. the acidic citrus and astringent rosemary combine to make a fragrance that is quite tart -- not sweet at all. there is some powdery rose in the background that mellows it out just a little. bright, bold and not overly feminine. a good, energetic spring scent.

tart apple mixed with fresh, “green” florals and clover. like a grassy field with wildflowers growing here and there, maybe. makes me thing of spring, of plants growing.

Spicy floral (jasmine?), tempered with something creamy, slightly nutty, and sweet. Complex, womanly – makes me feel confident and sexy. Lasts forever!

Smells like apricots, definitely. I am not picking up any clove. Just sweet, warm apricot jelly. Enjoyable and comforting, but kind of one-dimensional. I prefer the more “grown-up” apricot in Grand Guignol.

Very similar to Depraved as both are patchouli/fruit combinations. While Depraved is apricot/patchouli, this is peach/patchouli. This scent is a bit more mellow, however, thanks to the warm musk and amber which have a softening effect. Ripe and juicy yet dark and dirty – very sexy! Love this on my husband, love it on me too!

a light, sparkling fruit/floral scent. ripe peach, juicy orange and the sweetness of heliotrope – a bubbly, happy, girly combination, good for spring/summer wearing.

Sweet (but not too sweet) apricot. This is not a bold and in-your-face fruit scent. It’s subtle, restrained. I don’t notice any “boozy” notes, just pure apricot. After it dries, it’s soft and gentle yet ever so slightly tart.

for a second, this totally smells like irish cream. then the boozy note quickly dies away, and it smells exactly like rice pudding! sweet, creamy rice pudding you've cooked yourself. yum!

Even though it’s a lovely spring afternoon, this scent immediately transports me back to autumn nights. Pine trees, crackling leaves, smoky bonfires, and the mossy scent of the darkest depths of the forest. The perfect Halloween scent for sure. I am in love.

At first it’s bold, extremely fruity merlot. Then the florals come in, and a hint of leather that I wish were stronger. I don’t know...I want this to be sexy, but it smells like a candle shop. I don’t think I do well with wine scents, to me they always come off “potpourri.” Off to swaps.

Leather and red roses, just like the description says. A truly unisex scent. Smells devastatingly sexy on my man, and on me. I can’t stop sniffing it. Must get a bottle.