dawndie

Wet: green plants On skin: dusty flowers. Amber goes dusty on me unless it's anchored to something more powerful like black musk Half-hour later: wow, orchid with a vengeance! I'm not familiar with moonflower or phlox, but they're acting like screamingly white florals with the orchid. No more amber and musk is nowhere to be found In conclusion: the flowers amped way too much in this blend on me, which is a shame as grey musk sounded intriguing. This turned into a pretty but generic floral.

In bottle: green floral, slightly fruity On skin: sweet green fruit (melon?), juicy and watery Half-hour later: perfumey florals with added juice In conclusion: this sounds like a nice summer blend, and sweet pea is a big player here. I have an imp of the Sweet Pea SN and it's a bright fizzy citrussy floral, almost making me sneeze. The sweet pea is deciding if it wants to dominate or not, and I wish this was a bit more green from the lettuce and pear. Definitely smells clean and refreshing though, and as long as it's below 100 degrees this will work for the summer.

Wet: nice light floral On skin: sweet, earthy, green floral Half-hour later: it's become more masculine and cologney, which must be the moss. Drat! In conclusion: I enjoyed the beginning, this was a unique sweet floral, almost like it had a dollop of corn syrup added. However, I wouldn't buy a bottle for myself as it turns into an aftershave-like green cologne that's just not my thing.

Wet: vague white floral On skin: "juicy" floral, flowers with a splash of pomegranate juice and dew Half-hour later: the pomegranate has receded (boo) and one of my nemesiseses, IRIS, has taken over In conclusion: while this didn't turn into a floral that was too dainty and twee, or too soapy, iris has conquered like it's done to several other blends. Iris is just too cloying on me. I really liked the beginning though!

Wet: sweet greenery On skin: dusty dirty base with sweet orange on top. Weird combo! Half-hour later: more green woodsy, but sweetned a bit with the mandarin In conclusion: I thought I would dislike this one, between the bitter almond and cinnamon bark and "fire-scorched earth." It's an interesting blend, green woods and earth with an added sweetness. The end result is more than the sum of its parts, and I ended up really enjoying it. Another unique blend!

Wet: barely-there herbs On skin: blast of herbal lavender, burrowing into my sinuses. Phoo! Half-hour later: still lots of lavender, but with a creamy base In conclusion: while lavender isn't one of my favorite notes, the creamier base makes it tolerable. This is the nicest lavender blend I've tried.

Wet: laundry detergent On skin: totally different, I got a flash of metal and then leather straight out of the stable Half-hour later: still lots of leather, with a sprig of herbs tucked inside somewhere In conclusion: this blend is totally different than any other leather blend I've tried. I'm a big fan of the dusty country leather of Dead Man's Hand and Quincy Morris, and this leather is dirty, not dusty (and certainly not slick and "city" like DeSade and Whip). Super interesting and unique!

Wet: sharp hairspray alcohol On skin: lots of thick green juice, very fresh. I picture goop oozing out of a broken piece of aloe. Slightly creamy background Half-hour later: the creamy background has gotten stronger, along with a slightly sharp light musk In conclusion: the Salons I have tried so far seem to have a beautiful creamy base in common, very haughty and regal. I do like the fresh green beginning, but the end result is a little too much rich-old-lady. Not a fall-over-dead favorite for me; it seems like it's already done a credit check on me and I'm not worthy. It's pretty, though, and I'm glad I got to try it.

Wet: barely-there antiseptic herbs On skin: lemony florals, not strong or overpowering Half-hour later: sniffing up close is dry and dusty amber and cedar, but further away is a very pleasant waft of "juicy" flowers In conclusion: an interesting mix of slightly citrussy florals with a dusty woodsier base. This isn't an up-close wrist-huffing scent, as the dustiness felt like it was really drying out my sinuses. I am really enjoying the waft though, it's lovely.

Wet: light honey On skin: sweet honey with some mellow resins Half-hour later: the honey is still the strongest, but with a creamy mellow base of peach and resins In conclusion: I was expecting more herbs with the belladonna and hemlock, but this is a very smooth resiny blend, beautiful with the strong honey. Almond will amp on me, and peach will sometimes go plastic and fake, but not in this one -- the creamy base is so well-blended. Very nice!

Wet: sharp alcohol hairspray On skin: water, clear with chlorine, and dirt -- "perfumed earth" Half-hour later: something more cologney and masculine has popped in, juniper-like In conclusion: this is the most evocative of the C13 blends, in that I really feel like I'm underground -- I smell water and earth and plants. Not something I want to walk around smelling like, but what an experience!

Wet: slightly musky dragon's blood On skin: more dragon's blood, which is a heady sweet floral on me, bordering on bubblegum Half-hour later: something sugary has sweetened this up, so it's more like bubblegum Kool-Aid In conclusion: very sweet for something as dark-sounding as The Unheavenly City, which sounds like the capital of Hell. Potent and long-lasting too, glad I got to try it!

Wet: blackberries and cake On skin: yum, dark fruit and booze, my favorite combo! Half-hour later: still dark and sweet. Others have mentioned the burnt-sugar smell, which I happen to enjoy In conclusion: a really nice boozy blend, not as foody as others got. Hmm, maybe a combo of Monster Bait: Closet and Sugar Skull would equate this for me? I'm really glad I got to try this

Wet: soapy white florals On skin: jumble of flowers. I picture a big magnolia bush with giant white blossoms Half-hour later: there's distinctive jasmine, but it's not overpowering like in other blends In conclusion: this is a nice floral, and I'm glad it didn't go all fancy-soap on me. Nothing special though, there are a lot of GC florals that are just as pretty. I'm glad I got to try it though!

I knew Blue Moon would be returning, but not with a whole bunch of other scents, including Thunder Moon! This month has been full of crazy storms here in Texas -- here are some pictures taken with my cell phone at work one afternoon. I work in downtown Dallas across the street from the American Airlines Center: July’s thunderstorms are the harbinger of this month’ s Lunacy scent: Thunder Moon. This is the scent of a summer storm: thick black clouds pass over this full moon, the Goddess roars, and Her Beloved hurls his forked bolts of lightning in the distant sky. Ozone deepened by liquid amber, and a spray of hot nighttime rain mingled with the scent of lightning-struck wood, water-soaked summer blooms, and sun-scorched grass. -- I learned my lesson early on from Storm Moon that ozone turns into laundry detergent on me. Cool name and nice description though. Selkie -- The chill waters of the Orkney coast, tea-leaved willow, honey-touched Grass-of-Parnassus, sea aster, and Scottish Primrose. -- this sounds a little too twee and floral. Cancer 2007 -- Cardinal Water: the essence of feeling. Wild lettuce, wild pear, chamomile, germanica orris, sweet pea, and mallow. -- The lettuce and pear sound interesting, very fresh and summery. I have the Sweet Pea single note which makes me a bit sneezy, it’s a fizzy citrussy floral. Hmm, I’ve never ordered one of the Celestial or Astrological oils. New general catalogue additions: Helena -- Rose amber, calla lily, night-blooming jasmine, water lily, and white rose. -- Don’t know if I’ve ever tried rose amber, but oh! There’s white rose at the end, one of the few single notes I have imps of which is bee-yootiful. This sounds like way too much lily though, not one of my favorite florals. Hermia -- Pink pepper, golden amber, honeysuckle, and passion flower. -- I remember pink pepper from Mi-Go Brain Canister. I’ll wait for reviews. Lysander -- Lilac musk, tonka, wood violet, and urbane lime rind, with a Venus-kissed tangle of myrtle, blackberry leaf, and benzoin. -- this sounds like a masculine cologne. Robin Goodfellow -- Dark musk, moss-covered wood, ragwort, heather, and sage. -- I really enjoy the dark smutty musk blends, so I’ll look forward to reviews. Dian’s Bud and Love-in-Idleness -- no descriptions for these, so I’ll wait for reviews. In conclusion: I’m ordering Blue Moon and Cancer 2007!

In bottle: sweet ginger candy On skin: I'm getting the Hungry Ghost Moon vibe too. Lots of sweet sugary ginger and rice candy Half-hour later: a bit more floral (lotus? nothing distinct) plus there's a light sweet musk that makes this more "grown-up" than HGM, which was all sugary sweet Japanese candy on me In conclusion: while this starts out with lots of candy, it ends up snooty and sophisticated, like something a rich aunt would wear. Beautiful and inspiring!

In bottle: light foofy roses On skin: light roses with other flowers floating around in the background Half-hour later: the other florals have come to the forefront, making this more perfumey and powdery. I have an imp of the Blue Lilac SN which is a beautiful sophisticated "powder," like something in a starlet's 1920s boudoir. In conclusion: I knew I had to have a Lunacy blend called Rose Moon because I love the BPAL Roses. While Rose Red is a wallop of rose, this is more of a jumble of florals with a prominent rose note, plus I'm so pleased that sophisticated blue lilac is in this. Very pretty!

In bottle: dusty rose On skin: nice light rose, fresh and perky Half-hour later: still lots of light rose with a mellow sweetness at the edges. The black plum and tonka are a great base for this In conclusion: I'm a huge fan of the BPAL Roses, but this isn't the smack-about-the-head wallop of Rose Red (which I love, don't get me wrong). This is a lighter rose nicely blended with the other florals, very sweet and girly, with a darker base that keeps the flowers from flitting away or giving me a headache. I'm really enjoying this one

Congratulations! :wub2: I worked for a bankruptcy attorney in Ohio before we moved here. Bankruptcy is very interesting -- one of the big benefits for me was "waking up" and really becoming hyper-aware of our own finances, from seeing the messes people will get themselves into. Obviously some people couldn't help it (illness, divorce) but others were so willfully oblivious.

A big one with Salon III: Rose Moon -- Bulgarian rose, tea rose, violet leaf, opium poppy, Bois de Jasmin, patchouli leaf, honey, blue lilac, balsam, woodruff, and lemon peel. -- I knew I would most likely want Rose Moon, as I love the BPAL rose blends. This does sound nice, I’m just hoping the Bois de Jasmine does not mean JAZZZMIN!! that will amp and overpower. I’m pleased to see blue lilac too, that’s one of the few single notes I have tried and it’s really lovely. Blue Moon -- Mugwort and bay, for psychic sensitivity…Juniper, for divination through dreams…Orchid and galbanum, for complexity, wisdom and noscere…with a potent lunar-charged blend of exquisite Asian woods, moonflower, Madagascan ylang ylang, Florentine iris, Greek cypress, davana, green tea absolute, palmarosa, cucumber, Clary sage, melilot trefoils, wood aloes, and pale creeping buttercup. -- I knew I would most likely want Blue Moon too. I have a sniffie of the previous Blue Moon and while the initial ingredients are the same the “base” differs slightly. I still see cucumber and wrote down that it smelled like a “perfumed cucumber, clean and refreshing.” It looks like this will go away, then be here for the next Lunacy update too. Tamamo-no-Mae -- soft skin musk, brushed by white tea leaf, rice flower, black locust flower, white sandalwood kodo smoke, dry ginger, benzoin gum, and Amacha. This one sounds nice too, hopefully light and pleasant for the summer. Gemini -- Lavender, benzoin, orchid, and frankincense. Unfortunately lavender goes very antiseptic-herbal on me a lot of the time. No thanks. And a quick run-through of Salon III: Bat -- Dusty amber, grey musk, red orchid, moonflower, night-blooming phlox, stock, honeysuckle, English ivy, toadflax, and purple salvia. Amber usually means “smells nice but disappears,” and dusty amber seems even more vague. Cleopatra -- Accords of peach kernel, hemlock, aconite, and belladonna, with bitter almond, saffron, honey, myrrh, hyssop, frankincense, and palm. I like the BPAL Hemlock, but really disliked the BPAL Belladonna, plus almond is not a favorite and peach = plastic. Death and Life Completed -- Grey amber, carnation, lemon balm, hydrangea, Chinese peony, white sandalwood, cypress, juniper, cedar, hibiscus, and African daisy. Carnation, nooooo! Too spicy on me. Fox Fires -- Weeping cherry, watery bamboo pulp, nettle tree bark, green tea incense, soft musk, rice wine, and Japanese tree lilac. Another Asian-themed that sounds nice. Kiyohime -- Salty ocean spray, red kelp, black plum, lychee, sea moss, green musk, hachiya, plum blossom, and matcha. Salty ocean spray = box o’ laundry detergent. Love and Pain -- Lavender, Balkan tobacco, black musk, dark vanilla, and golden copaifera. Everything sounds good except for that darned lavender. Macbeth -- Lightning-charged ozone, steel, myrrh, mugwort, colophony, ajowan, and leather. Lightning-charged ozone = “mountain spring” scented box o’ dryer sheets. Mad Meg -- Fire-scorched earth, black mandarin, cinnamon bark, bitter almond, sage, vetiver, and balsam of peru. Cinnamon bark AND bitter almond? Ugh. Madonna -- Hyssop, pomegranate, Angel’s Trumpet, Indonesian patchouli, iris, white orchid, and frankincense. This sounds interesting, I love dark fruit blends. Monna Vanna -- Russian rose, mimosa, gardenia, bois du rose, parma violet, calla lily, red currant, ambergris, and bourbon vanilla. Roses are usually good, plus a dark fruit bonus. Philosopher in Meditation -- Smoldering woodfire embers, Galen’s Kyphi, and Abramelin incense. I love incense blends, but I’m afraid the woodfire embers will be eye-wateringly strong. Schlafende Baigneuse -- Skin musk, white cream, honeycomb, yellow rose, King mandarin, chrysanthemum, golden amber, honeysuckle, and wide-throated yellow monkey-flower accord. This sounds beautiful, except I’m nervous about the white cream curdling on me. Smiling Spider -- Bitter clove, black musk, mahogany wood, and patchouli. I like the sweet clove of Madrid, but this sounds too dark and masculine. Spirit of the Komachi Cherry Tree -- Cherry blossom, blue lilac, lavender monofloral honey, white sandalwood, and Asian pear. Yay for honey and blue lilac! Sounds very pretty. Sunflower -- Sunflower bouquet, black amber, creeping black moss, wilted greenery, and scorched, dry stems. Sunflower sounds unique and this blend sounds interesting. Sunrise with Sea-Monsters -- Ocean mist, kelp, ambergris, amber, white pear, osmanthus, freesia, and seafoam accord. Is it laundry day again? In conclusion: since I ordered Lady Luck Blues on the 13th, and since Blue Moon will be around for the next Lunacy, I’m ordering Rose Moon and Tamamo-no-Mae!

In bottle: pleasant musty patchouli On skin: oof, this bowls me over with very strong wood mixing with the patchouli. The combination reminds me of wood that's been marinating in soy sauce, then lit. My eyes are almost watering Half-hour later: of course, because I'm amping the wood so hard, this stage is lasting forever. No apricot, no nice creamy-foody-yummy base of caramel goop, ugh In conclusion: Finally, after 3 hours or so, it sweetens a bit, but holy cow. I'm really hoping the wood and patchouli are so strong because this is brand-new from the Lab. I'll be eyeing this one suspiciously until that combo calms down.

Ooh, creepy label! In bottle: cherry punch On skin: lots of sweet dark cherry right away, fruity fruit fruit! Half-hour later: there's a creamier base, but not enough to curdle the delicious dark fruit In conclusion: the cream accord was my biggest concern in the blend, but good for me it's no match for the giant stomping fruits, raaarr! This one had the least hang-around time of the recent Monster Baits, only a couple of hours, but well worth a bottle.

In bottle: vanilla ice cream On skin: tingly mint, very sparkly like Lick It Half-hour later: this sweetens up nicely with the vanilla, nothing plasticky or fake (which some vanillas become on me) In conclusion: Tokyo Stomp ends as a nice creamy mint, reminiscent of Snow White and Snow-Flakes. It has a shorter duration, maybe 3 hours, and of course I want it to last longer. Worth slathering and enjoying!

A mini-update, ain’t that great? I'm a poet; you bet I know it. 13 (new version) -- A base of cocoa absolute and white chocolate with thirteen baneful and beneficial bits: cardamom, fig meat, grains of paradise, rice flower, chamomile, sandalwood, catnip, clove, and a bundle of five blessed blossoms and herbs. -- by my count, this is the third version of 13. I bought the first one (May 2005) and liked it but didn’t love it. Off it went to swaps. It was revised in October 2006 and I still have a bottle of that; it’s more sophisticated and “perfumey” than the original 13. This latest revision sounds nice (with catnip! Hee!) but the cardamom is scary -- that’s what made Enraged Groundhog go totally cinnamon on me. I’ll pass. Bad Luck Woman Blues -- Spanish moss, black pepper, mullein, sweet sage, vandal root, cypress, cigar tobacco, and a puff of goofer dust cloaked by a swarthy cologne of vetiver, lime, dark musk, caramel accord, and lilac. -- While I am intrigued by “goofer dust” (la cocaina, maybe? ) the rest sounds too masculine. Lady Luck Blues -- Honeyed Bulgarian rose, vanilla flower, benzoin, tonka, black plum, peony, and iris. -- this one sounds great! Honey and roses, yum. In conclusion: while I was hoping to save funds for the next update (Rose Moon! More Snakes!) I’m getting a bottle of Lady Luck Blues

Yay, pretty flowers! *love*