Ajila

The Scent - A sweet lemony floral

The Meditation - I am lying on my back in a field of wild flowers and grasses, surrounded by rich vibrant colours. I know that if I sat up I would be able to see a lazy river. The baking sun glinting on its waters as it meanders through the flood plain to the sea. I hear the sound of a thousand bird songs and I want to lift my my voice to join theirs, but I know that I must not, I don't belong here. In the blue cloudless sky a hawk hovers, seemingly motionless, and then, spotting its prey, dives into the long grasses. It's cry cutting through the peace. For a moment there is silence and then slowly the joyful birdsong returns.

(I use my temple oils as aids to meditation, with the oil in my burner, so this is how I've reviewed them)

The scent - Dark green and herby, but also slightly fruity.

The meditation - I am walking in dark woods. The path is overgrown, the surface uneven. I'm either slipping in the mud or clambering over rock, it's hard work, but I keep going, I feel I have to. There is a stream down to my left, but this is no languid trickling stream, it gushes and pours over rocks, the sound is soothing and yet dangerous and threatening. I climb higher and higher, occasionally I feel the heat of the sun through the leaves above me, but for the most part it is cool and damp. Finally I stop, I lean back against an old oak tree and feel the bark at my back. I hear the birds singing and the leaves rustling in the trees and the ever present churning of the stream.

(I use my temple oils as aids to meditation, with the oil in my burner, so this is how I've reviewed them)

The Scent - Pepper, violets and mint.

The Meditation - Plumes of dark smoke billow around me, lit by swirling clouds of light, green and purple mixing with the darkness. As the smoke clears I see I am in a cave. The walls are dark and wet and covered in moss. A stream cuts through the centre of the cave and disappears thundering into the deepening darkness before me. It's surface is lit by floating lights which swirl and dance and flicker through the dark. I am aware that the surfaces of the cave are radiating warmth. The sounds and heat overwhelm me, I lay down on the floor, which is dry and hard and close my eyes.

(I use my temple oils as aids to meditation, with the oil in my burner, so this is how I've reviewed them)

The scent - Lemons, apples and something purple.

The meditation - The sun beats down on my face at the same time as the strong wind buffets my body. I can taste the salt from the sea on the wind and hear the waves crashing below me. I stand at the top of a rocky outcrop, to either side of me there are sandy beaches, but beneath me the rocks are black and forbidding. In land I see rugged hills topped with outcrops of prickly gorse, with it's deceptively merry yellow flowers. Equally misleading is the calm of the distant sea which stretches to the horizon, glinting in the sun, with only the shadows of clouds to warn of the dangers which lie beneath.

(I use my temple oils as aids to meditation, with the oil in my burner, so this is how I've reviewed them)

In the bottle - A kind of cold dark scent, edged with green. A shining piece of obsidian sitting on a green velvet cushion.

Wet on me - More green and herbal, with tinges of sweetness.

Dry on me - Perversion, slightly more powdery, especially towards the end, but other than that this really does smell like perversion to me.

In the bottle - Slightly masculine soap and jasmine.

Wet on me - Soapy, but bright and green. Pleasingly delicate with just a hint of cut grass.

Dry on me - The florals soften and fade to a dort of citrusy ozone, which lingers on my skin for ages (ie 16 hours after application)

In the bottle - Booze and caramalised sugar.

Wet on me - It's got a linen feel like Antique Lace, but with the boozy caramelly sugar behind it. I just hope it doesn't turn into ashes.

Dry on me - Sandalwood and something dry and sharp. After about an hour actually close to my skin it smells of ashes, but the waft (particularly off my cleavage) is the dirty vanilla of Tombstone. The vanilla gradually outways the ashes, but in general they are just too much

In the bottle - Lily oddly enough. But not overwhelmingly so. Surprisingly sweet.

Wet on me - Very soft and delicate, but almost as if the actual scent is just out of reach.

Dry on me - A sweet almost honeyed floral. Florals aren't really my thing, but I like this, it doesn't last very long though.

In the bottle - A bitter green floral

Wet on me - Still green, but harsh and peppery.

Dry on me - A very soft green, floral. Sweet and surprisingly cheery.

'06 version

In the bottle - Grapefruit? and something green.

Wet on me - Still graefruit, with fresh grass, not mown grass, but the smell when you lie on the lawn on a sunny day. My mum thinks it smells like Concentration, but I don't get that.

Dry on me - It dries a sweet, sugared lemon, almost vanilla but not. I don't know how often I will wear this, but it's a very refreshing room scent.

In the bottle - yellow, but also green and earthy, actually it makes me think of dandelion sap.

Wet on me - Washing powder, there's something lemony behind it, but washing powder is the dominant scent.

Dry on me - There is no 'waft', but if I sniff my skin there's a vanillary/musky scent.

In the bottle - bubble gum, pepper and tobacco

Wet on me - I get the apple and the pineapple now, but I also primarily get that bubble gum powderiness

Dry on me - It went lemony and then faded quickly to leave a slight brown sugar smell (presumably the sugar cane)

In the bottle - Bubble gum, coconut and red muck, at least that's how it smells to me.

Wet on me - Almonds and red musk.

Dry on me - It quickly turns floral lavender/jasmine floral. It gets soft and green and very faint, before disappearing altogether.

In the bottle - Nothing. In its 'natural' state this oil apparently passes my nose by.

Wet on me - Melon and coal tar soap.

Dry on me Spicy soap. Actually it smells quite waxy (not like wax, but waxy if that makes sense). After a few hours it's clean, dry, warm, spicy, sexy tobacco, this really grew on me.

In the bottle - Booze, caramel and digestive buscuits.

Wet on me - Flapjacks? I guess I mean that I smell like golden syrup, but rounded out by something grainy.

Dry on me - Sweet and syrupy, but it fades quickly leaving little after-wafts of ginger.

In the bottle - Vanilla custard, sponge cake and something slightly sharp like cream cheese. Very similar to Beaver Moon.

Wet on me - Sponge cake, cream and blackberries, with just a hint of booze.

Dry on me - Sadly as it dries this turns to ashes on me. Hours later there's a gorgeous vanilla/fruit/light musk combo going on, but I can't get over the ashes.

In the bottle - Lime, mint and 'blurry aquatic notes'

Wet on me - The throw is apple, next to my skin there is a slight chemical smell.

Dry on me - It fades almost instantly, occasionally throughout the day I get a slight hint of vanilla, but that's all.

In the bottle - Mens aftershave with something green in the background.

Wet on me - Surprisingly soft any warm, and a little oily.

Dry on me - Dark and spicy, I would have said patchouli, but it's not listed as a note. It's a manly scent, not really for me.

In the bottle - My first thought is bubble gum, but it's more fresh fruity and green than that.

Wet on me - Powdery, yet spicy florals. I smell like a Past Times Shop .

Dry on me - Dark and fruity and sweet and spicy. This is a very lush blend, but probably not me.

In the bottle - Jasmine, with the gardenia in the background.

Wet on me - The vanilla and roses are nice in the background, but the jasmine overpowers everything.

Dry on me - The jasmine disappears. The blend becomes a sweet powdery floral. Before finally drying as a lovely creamy vanilla. I'm uncertain about this its lovely, but I doubt I'll wear it, because of the initial jasmine overload. Perhaps I could layer it with Antique Lace.

In th bottle - Mint and something yellow smelling that I can't place.

Wet on me - Minty lemons.

Dry on me - Wood, sandalwood and that's it

In the bottle - Masculine soap, with added lemon.

Wet on me - Lemon and mint, but some how warm and spicy

Dry on me - I don't get on with fougeres, but this is very pretty, very green. It fades to a soapy/watery scent

In the bottle - Red musk and DBR, red, spicy and metallic.

Wet on me - The more floral aspect of DBR and digestive buscuits?

Dry on me - Gorgeous red musk sexiness, much akin to my beloved Great Sword of War

In the bottle - Moss covered earth. Actually for me this has an uncanny resonance with Stonehenge. I don't think it smells like it, but it takes me right there on a cold winters day, just before dawn.

Wet on me - Very green and earthy.

Dry on me - It kind of goes watery/soapy and then fades.

In the bottle - Patchouli.

Wet on me - Patchouli and sandalwood and something green and sweet.

Dry on me - Sandalwood, sandalwood and more sandalwood