Shollin

Eternal, from Funereal Oils: Though they go mad they shall be sane, Though they sink through the sea they shall rise again; Though lovers be lost love shall not; And death shall have no dominion. Stephanotis, cyclamen, heliotrope, white rose and gardenia. First sniff: I have a very vivid (and odd) visual impression of this one – a blanket of white flowers pulled over a stone sarcophagus in an empty sunlit church. It’s not a wreath, but a long draping blanket like a horse gets when he wins a Triple Crown race. I can’t pick out specific floral notes, but it’s softly sweet and very sad. Wearing: It’s warmer and sweeter on my skin, almost too much – the overwhelming jumble of too many flowers in one room, very white. I preferred the soft sad scent it was before it hit my skin… it was more of a gentle rose then, now it’s more gardenia, which I usually find too bitingly sweet.

Rosalind, from Illyria: Dew-covered berries and fresh green grasses with a faint breath of spring flowers. First sniff: It’s not a very strong scent, but comes across as pale rather than soft… very pale flowers with a whisper of berry in the shadow of a tree by a stream. Wearing: This isn’t nearly as quiet a scent as I first thought – I suspect my nose was just burned out from sniffing so many less-subtle ones. If a little girl ran down a sunny hill carrying a huge armful of flowers for her mother, and a few of them slipped free and floated down to rest on the grass behind her, that would be this scent. Very pretty and greenly floral. It seems to be fading already, and I've only had it on for about half an hour...

Ouija, from Bewitching Brews: Lush parlor rooms draped in thick velvets and gilded in gold, unearthly whispering in the distance, fleeting flashes of wraithlike figures rushing just outside your vision, the chill of a phantom presence brushing by your cheek, the inscrutable knowledge that disembodied eyes are peering at you from darkened corners… this is the essence of Victorian-era spiritualism: rosewood, oak and teak notes with wispy blue lilac, tea rose, dried white rose and ethereal osmanthus. First sniff: Dark wood paneling surrounding a room full of spiced pipesmoke, with a dry edge to it. This is what I expect Ollivander’s wand shop would smell like. If there are flowers here, their brightness is obscured by dry wood… though there might be a hint of dried flowers. Wearing: Immediately I smell cigarette smoke. I don’t think that would be allowed at Ollivander’s, especially around all those wooden wands! That seems to be just the first-skin-touch scent though, because it swirls up and then vanishes quickly, and in its wake come the dried flowers, much more distinct now than in the vial. White roses and lilies with a wee bit of greenery, all crisped and sere (I’ve been reading Ulalume too much…) They’ve almost overwhelmed the dark woodiness, and I’m not entirely sure whether that’s a good thing. An hour or so later I think it’s probably not – another one for my floral friend Barbara, I’ll just have to convince her to sit through the dark-wood part of it.

The devil's herb, which he cultivates with skill and pleasure. According to lore, the spirit of this plant may take the form of a breathtaking, achingly beautiful woman, deadly to behold. This scent is a tribute to such a dark and magnificent plant: a rich green and floral blend, earthy and haunting. First sniff: This is another scent that was very familiar but I couldn't pin down specifically what it was making me think of. Dark, green, mysterious. Wearing: A little spicy and a little churchy. Seems to get darker and slightly bitter. Second wearing: I swear this is sharper than before. The sharpness calms quickly though, and fades to a mysterious, slightly spicy dark-green smell. The woods at night, in midsummer – the feel of the scent is muggy rather than fresh.

Ligeia, from Bewitching Brews: And the will therein lieth, which dieth not. Who knoweth the mysteries of the will, with its vigor? For God is but a great will pervading all things by nature of its intentness. Man doth not yield himself to the angels, nor unto death utterly, save only through the weakness of his feeble will. Jasmine, juniper berry and rose geranium. First sniff: Bright, sweet floral with a dark undertone -- a scattering of white flowers across black velvet. The jasmine is very obvious, but the other notes keep it from being screamingly sweet. Wearing: Seems to be pure jasmine on my skin -- the aura is pretty nice, but it's too sweet if I sniff my wrist directly. After an hour or so I do smell something underneath, greenish and a bit more grounded.

Malediction, from Sin & Salvation: Evil incarnate. Revel in your dark side with this romantically cruel scent. Contains red patchouli and vetivert. First sniff: Dark, earthy, slightly spicy - sandalwood? But pleasant, and I've discovered I don’t like sandalwood - must be the patchouli. Incensey. A hint of sweetness too. Wearing: Very dark, almost wood-y. A bit much at first but gets softer and warmer - was very nice at work. Very promising. Second try: For a while it’s cedarwood, like putting your head into an old cedar closet and smelling the coats. After a couple of hours there’s something sharp underneath – almost citrusy but not quite. I can’t pin it down. I might not like this one as much as I thought I did.

An enigmatic, otherworldly scent, brimming with power and mystery. Lavender and jasmine, with a touch of glowing honeysuckle. First sniff: This one is very hard to pin down. A definite floral, with a high yellow note that has a bit of bite to it and almost makes my nose itch. I thought at first it was a very warm summer evening, but it cooled off a bit as I sniffed. September, maybe, just as the leaves are starting to turn. Wearing: Caressingly warm, softer and darker on me than in the bottle, which is a good thing. Warm soft purple. My kinda floral. Over the course of the evening it upgraded itself from “just trying it on” to “definite keeper” to “must have more!” About halfway through work, four or five hours in, it developed an intriguing wet green smell around the flowers, like a garden in the rain. That stage didn't last long, but it was decidedly nice. After one wearing, it's gone on my favourites list.

Magdalene, from Sin and Salvation: A stirring yet gentle perfume. The scent of love and devotion mingled with an undercurrent of heart-rending sorrow. A bouquet of white roses, labdanum, and wild orchid. The version I tried is a prototype. First sniff: A very firm floral with a flowing herbal sweetness around the edges. This lady can take care of herself. Wearing: Sweet and strong and totally feminine. Girl power. I really like it. After a few minutes the rose is much more apparent, dominating the scent without screaming. It might be a bit too girly now that it’s dried down a bit – it’s going powdery and the aura is still quite strong. On second try, the lady and I got along much better. Sweet, deep, purple flowers. Still a very determined, standing-firm scent. I'll keep her.

Spooky, from Limited Editions, Winter 2003: A maddeningly festive blend of warm, buttery rum, cocoa, coconut, vanilla and a jolt of peppermint. It’s a sweet, decadent, slightly silly scent, reminicent of rum-laced holiday cookies. First sniff: Sniffing the cork made me squeal. This is very nice - peppermint with something warmer, but not spicy - very smooth. Chocolate mint. Wearing: This is flippin' gorgeous. Yankee made a Christmas Wish candle that smells something like this. On my skin I smell the warm rum-cookies more clearly under the mint, and after a little while it’s entirely cookie-ish, very little mint. It lasted and smelled delicious all night. My preciousss.

Danube, from Wanderlust: Rhododendron and bellflower petals swirl through deep, cool, dark aquatic notes. The version I tried is a prototype. First sniff: Ooh, nice. A very deep freshwater blue, cool and breezy on a cloudy day. Wearing: Very fresh, and the blue is so deep it’s almost purple, floating through tree-shadows cast on the river’s surface. A lovely cool wet scent that I suspect will get a lot of use while it's beastly hot.

Luna, from Celestials - Planetary Oils. Characteristics from the site: Cleansing - Purification - Imagination - Dream WorkEmotional Growth & Healing - Mystery - Veiling - Deception - Impulse Capriciousness - Bewitchments - Glamor - Delight - Pleasure First sniff: If anyone actually knows what this one smells like, please help me out. This is driving me crazy. I know this smell and I can't pin it down. (Happens to me way too often). I thought at first it was a fruit, but not an everyday fruit -- something exotic like kiwi or kumquat. The closest I can get is pineapple, but that's not right either. It has the texture of a bright yellow hard candy. Uplifting and sharp-sweet. Wearing: Still haven't managed to define the very specific thing this scent reminds me of. The candy-smell calms down quickly and I'm left with the undefinable yellow fruit. Sweet but not unpleasantly so. I'm not madly in love with it, but it's nice enough.

Regan, from Illyria: A deceptively sweet orchid vanille with a faint trace of stephanotis. First sniff: This one, I like. It’s a fresh, warm-breezy fruity-floral that feels like a young woman’s breathless laughter. Wearing: Oh! There’s the vanilla. (And yes, it really is an “Oh!” moment – I didn’t smell vanilla in the vial at all, then it touched my skin and exploded.) Mmmmm. Tiny but powerful flecks of vanilla seeds sprinkled into the centre of a sweet purple flower. It stuck around throughout work and by the end of the night was a quiet, golden vanilla scent, warm rather than sweet. I LOVE IT.

Venom, from Diabolus: Darkly seductive and lethally compelling: sinuous opponax, galbanum, dark wild berries, a drop of lush jasmine and a sliver of lime. First sniff: Warm and elegant. I smell alcohol in this one too, like an upscale cocktail in a room full of ladies in high high heels and black dresses. Definite sharpness. Wearing: It's nice -- I definitely smell the lime right away on my skin. Elegant but somehow ominous. Though pleasant, it's not exactly pretty... it's more of a haughty scent, like something an ice princess would wear. It's a much cooler scent on my skin than it is in the bottle, and somewhat green -- neon, not woodsy.

Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab’s RPG scent series was designed to emulate the character creation process, and are meant to be layered in order to create a character concept. In short: you layer your class, race, and the two fragrances that compose your alignment to construct your character scent. The RPG scents are designed to be layered! Are you a Neutral Good Half-Elf Ranger? Are you a Chaotic Evil Orc Mage? Whatever combination you try on, this is the place to review it! (Please note that nonreview comments and questions are still off-topic here and will be moved.)

Saturn, from Celestials - Planetary Oils. Discipline - Crystallization - Control - Constriction - BanishingDestruction - Sowing Discord - Death Reverence - Endurance First sniff: Very masculine. Dark, strong, woody and almost nutty. A scowling magistrate dressed all in black… maybe with a tricorn hat. I actually got a flash of evil priest guy from Disney's Hunchback of Notre Dame... yikes. Wearing: I really shouldn’t smell this straight out of the bottle – it’s way too strong and dark and GRRRR. It backs off very quickly and warms up a tad… like when you’re visiting the professor in his office and see the photos of his family and suddenly realise he’s a real person who has a life apart from making yours difficult. There’s a lighter note whispering around the edges that smells almost soapy. Very sober and grounding. Can’t see myself wearing it often – it’s just too wooden. Edited to add: I remembered that the planetary oils had several characteristics listed on the site, associated with each planet... and I have to say Beth nailed this one. Discipline, control and reverence, indeed. Guess that's why I was seeing authority figures.

Surround yourself with an aura of lethal allure. An incomparably enticing blend of intoxicating aquatic scents and florals. First sniff: Light and ethereal, but much sweeter than I expected. A hint of sharpness that's almost citrus but not quite--on second sniff it seemed a bit cocktailish. I like that this is named after a dangerous but beautiful woman...it seems appropriate, like the sweetness might lure you in before you get stabbed in the back. Wearing: Still sweet, but not loud or unpleasant. It's a bit honeysucklish. After about half an hour it shifted into yet another of those very specific scents I recognise but can't pin down, maybe a sweet frozen drink.

Florentine Iris, from Single Notes. First sniff: Powdery, watery and pale blue. A very definite scent, if that makes sense – it knows what it smells like and by God it’s sticking to it. Nice and strong in the diffuser - like being swallowed up in a soft blue flower. Wearing: Decidedly powdery and flowery without being old-lady-ish. Pretty, but not me. Stayed true throughout the evening - I can still smell it faintly, nearly twelve hours after application.

A crisp ozone-tinged breeze. The scent of the first gentle rain before the storm. First sniff: Utterly gorgeous. A storm rolling in over the Chesapeake when you can watch the lightning come in from miles away across the bay – very fresh and windy with the cool blue-green scent of salt air. Wearing: A whisper of citrus on the breeze. Soft turquoise. Faded quickly – I'll put more on next time and hope it sticks a bit better. Failing that, I might be persuaded to carry a bottle at all times so I could top it up, because it really is gorgeous.

Libra, from Celestials - Astrological Oils: apple / white musk / roserose geranium / sandalwood ylang ylang First sniff: A fresh, clean scent, pale green in the bottle and in my nose. Slightly astringent. It strikes me as a bit stiff and formal, which isn't terribly Libra-ish - I expected something a bit more wishy-washy. Wearing: First touch -- lily of the valley or possibly hyacinth. A sweet spring flower.

Frankincense, from Single Notes. First sniff: Heavy and dark incense, more woody than spicy. Wearing: At first touch it reminds me of a campfire on a chilly night in the woods. Within five minutes it’s gone aggressively sharp-sweet, and while it isn’t wafting at all, if I sniff my wrists it makes me sneeze. Incense + my skin = unmixy things. Which is sad.

First sniff: Light and airy (and for me, a little sneezy). I don’t actually smell citrus in this, but it feels like the sort of scent that would be citrusy. If that makes any sense at all. Wearing: It’s very very pale, almost ghostly, which matches the art beautifully. Pale wood, pale flowers, pale musk. Faded completely by noon.

First sniff: Deep golden fruits in a liquid pool of sunset. I can’t pick out any distinct notes—it’s all just deep, warm, golden, fruity, beautiful. Wearing: Stays very true to the first-scent sniff for the whole of its wearing, and it was still going strong as I headed off to a concert that night. Just fantastic.

First sniff: The edges of this scent smell like cherry/almond to me, but nothing like that is listed in the notes. There’s a rich buttery vanilla at the core, surrounded by lots of fruit. Wearing: Very bright fruit and very dark vanilla, a study in contrasts. It’s a little unsettling for some reason; the fruit is rather loud, and there’s a hint of boozey fruitcake-ness to it.

First sniff: In the bottle, all I can smell is patchouli and clove. Wearing: Dirty hippie smoking a clove cigarette…or possibly something herbal. It quickly calms down to a sort of green incense, and the floral part is coming out strongly on my right wrist.

First sniff: Pink and fluffy! Wearing: The pink fluffiness immediately solidifies into a very solid base of warm vanilla tickled by white floral sweetness.