galahad

In The Bottle

Smells exactly like Davidhoff Cool Water in the imp - fresh with a bubblegum base.

On Application

Cologney warm lavender and aromatic herbs

Dry Down

This is beautiful and sensually masculine. Still very much like Cool Water which I like but has a more sophisticated edge as it dries down further. The lavender pops up to say hello every now and then and then pulls it's head back in. This is a stunner and perfect for summer.

Rating (0-5)

5

In The Bottle

I'm a little scared to put this on.

On Application

The chocolate comes to the fore pretty quickly. The cherry is more almond at this stage.

Dry Down

I don't like what the orange blossom does to this oil. The chocolate peeps out every now and then. I don't really get much cherry.

Rating (0-5)

2

In The Bottle

Mint and lavender. Cool and crisp

On Application

Very green and crisp. Moist, sharp and bitter

Dry Down

This stays nice and herby green on me all the way through. The mint is no longer evident and the overall effect is wild, weedy, sappy green - hemlock, dandelion and green grass.

Rating (0-5)

4

In The Bottle

Cherry and chocolate for me

On Application

As above the with the chocolate coming to the fore. Very dark and cloying.

Dry Down

It has taken 10 minutes for this to tone down enough for my sinuses to get a break. I am really getting the honey now and a touch of the wine. Feral musk is right! I am thinking I will like this when it starts to behave. 20 minutes in and this is now a smooth honey, vanilla and clove scent with a touch of wine. This will be too sweet and cloying for me to wear.

Rating (0-5)

3

In The Bottle

Moss and ozone - fresh and bright

On Application

Warm, airy mint

Dry Down

This initially switches constantly for me between light and warm to cool and airy but dries down very quickly to a hand cream smell. Not unpleasant but a bit disappointing considering the opening.

Rating (0-5)

3

In The Bottle

Leather and incense

On Application

Woody leather. Dry and worn.

Dry Down

I can smell rosemary on initial application, with rich woods and incense. This is a fantastic scent of cologne, old polished wood and soft incense. Awesome!

Rating (0-5)

5

In The Bottle

Dark fruit and herbs

On Application

Yes...pomegranate and musky amber

Dry Down

This is quite tart under the amber powdery sweetness. Dries down to a slightly fuity, incensey and powdery scent.

Rating (0-5)

3

In The Bottle

Almost nothing except what seems to be black pepper catching at the back of my throat

On Application

A touch of currant joins the spicey black pepper note.

Dry Down

This is soft and powdery. There is a bit of a kick which is fleetingly obvious (the ozone?) Overall impression is of strongly scented baby powder. Pleasant but not me.

Rating (0-5)

2

In The Bottle

Ylang ylang

On Application

Ylang ylang

Dry Down

Ylang ylang plus ylang ylang and then some more ylang ylang on top. Ugh!

Rating (0-5)

0

In The Bottle

A touch of cocoa with something drier and deeper

On Application

Very dry cocoa with a woody note.

Dry Down

Very definitely not foody which is a nice surprise. This is so dry and woody with a touch of sweetness. Intriguing, indeed.

Rating (0-5)

4

In The Bottle

Aromatic herbs - lemon verbena to the fore

On Application

Lemon verbena with something musky rounding it out.

Dry Down

Buttery, lemon at first. Actually the buttery note smells kind of rancid. Lemon scents don't do anything for me. This is a miss.

Rating (0-5)

0

In The Bottle

Tobacco and musk but a but more sparkly

On Application

The rums peeks through 5 minutes into the drydown.

Dry Down

I have been trying to find a scent reminiscent of my father's pipe tobacco which was sweet, vanillary with rum. This comes very close in the drydown and then turns very, very spicey. This goes through a very smokey, burning stage before softening out to rum, coconut and spice. Lovely

Rating (0-5)

4.5

In The Bottle

A touch of earth and rose with something else in there to round it out

On Application

Dirt and forals including rose and night blooming flowers

Dry Down

This is the first time I can pick out the wine note in a blend and I like it! I am not really sure about this - I love the dirt and wine but the rose undercurrent is not to my liking. As long as it doesn't come to the fore, this will be OK. That's better, this finally dries down to dirt and wine. A must have.

Rating (0-5)

4.5

Full Wear Test

Fantastic. Just needs a bit of a touch up part way through the day. Love the earthy scent which seems to last for ages on me and really love the winey note. The rose is bearable. Another bottle! I managed to spill the imp in my office, so I am going to be experiencing this one for a while.

In The Bottle

Rich wood and eucalyptus

On Application

Very dry and sweet - the woods and the vanilla.

Dry Down

Smokey, woody and sweet. This is so unsual but the whole thing reminds me of something at the edge of my memory - incense and the afterglow of sex, perhaps? Yes, love it!

Rating (0-5)

4.5

In The Bottle

Golden apples. Gorgeous. Where Poisoned Apple was red apples these are definitely golden apples

On Application

Holy Mother of God, this is amazing. The oak bark gives these apples a mustiness which is so evocative.

Dry Down

To me this is apples drying and wrinkling in the sun - nothing twilight about it, perhaps a promise of the end of the day. There is very little sweetness to this, only juicy and slightly tart apples. This does go a bit plastic -y at the end of the drydown but still a lovely summer/autumn scent.

Rating (0-5)

4

In The Bottle

Fresh with a touch of melon sweetness but with a bitter afterthought

On Application

Definitely sea air with just a hint of saltiness

Dry Down

Wow, this does warm and sweeten up more as it dries down but the briney quality increases. Definitely has a cool and damp feel to it. I have just noticed that I have used both warm and cool to describe this and that is entirely accurate - it's a warm, leather-clad pirate body in cool, misty sea air. Great scent.

Rating (0-5)

4.5

In The Bottle

Air freshener

On Application

Oh god no

Dry Down

Wash off

Rating (0-5)

0

In The Bottle

Orchid, rosewood and a hint of juniper

On Application

Ugh! Juniper and sandalwood with the strong orchid.

Dry Down

In the initial stages this tones down and blends nicely to give a spicey scent which is really quite nice. I can still pick the juniper through it all and an after-image of lilac. Becomes really smooth and the musk sweetens up the blend to take the astringency away. This goes through quite a strong rose stage which I find disturbing but it doesn't last long. Lovely and worth retrying. Has made me want to try some lilac blends.

Rating (0-5)

3.5

In The Bottle

Amaretto, indeed.

On Application

Really sweet with the fruit amping initially. Nice so far

Dry Down

Thank goodness for the black currant which keeps this scent on the good side of sickly sweet. The amaretto moves to the back to allow the juicy plum and currant to shine in the first stages of drydown. There is a slight sourness from the wine which, combined with the tart currants, gives this scent a maturity which is nice.

Rating (0-5)

4.5

In The Bottle

Lime and fruits

On Application

Yum , the grapefruit really features on initial application (another of my favourite oils) but it is a sweet grapefruit.

Dry Down

I swear I can smell the nectarine, all juicy and ripe. Thnankfully the rose is behaving itself. There emerges a sweetish muskiness (must be the hedgehog musk!). This is a really languid and deep scent without being cloying. Absolute heaven and I wouldn't class the overall effect foody at all. This actually smells more tea-like than some of the tea blends. Doesn't last long but reapplication is no chore.

Rating (0-5)

4.5

In The Bottle

Vanilla and leather with something herby and spicey

On Application

This immediately puts out sage and vanilla with a little kick of lavender. Very nice.

Dry Down

Wow. The leather and musk with the spicey carnation make an awesome combination in the initial drydown stages. The sage gives a sweaty muskiness. Very, very manly. The term "sultry" has been used in some of the reviews and I concur. Sex in a bottle!

Rating (0-5)

5

In The Bottle

Almond - bitter and strong

On Application

As above

Dry Down

I get a bit of anise coming through as it dries down. I am not liking so far. Turns to more cherry than almond further into the drydown but this is definitely not me.

Rating (0-5)

1

In The Bottle

Just a faint whiff of orange

On Application

Orange and then the narcissus blasts out. Yum

Dry Down

I was so looking forward to trying my first narcissus blend and this is showing such promise. This becomes a smokey narcissus with an incense edge 5 minutes into the drydown - very spicey. This started off bright and pretty and has dried down to a dark, spicey and incensey scent. Beautiful but not sure if bottle-worthy. I will have to retry.

Rating (0-5)

4

In The Bottle

I get vanilla in the bottle with a dry kick

On Application

Beeswax and musky vanilla. I am going to love this!

Dry Down

The woods start to emerge giving this a slightly more resinous and dry feeling. This smells like our local museum....creepy. I get occasional kicks of black pepper (black pepper is one of my favourite oils). I have been trying to pin something down in this and have just got the incense and charred wood. Sarada mentioned the smell of birthday cake candles that have been just blown out. I think that is a great image which works for this scent. I adore this already.

Rating (0-5)

5

In The Bottle

Very floral but definitely tropical flowers

On Application

Jasmine first off

Dry Down

Once this starts to dry down the jasmine behaves itself and it becomes quite soft and lovely. There is definitely a beachy scent here for me. This reminds me too much of sunscreen once it has dried down completely. Not for me.

Rating (0-5)

2