yeahbutnobut

Happy New Year to all of you! I really hope 2007 is a kick-ass year, in more ways than one-in my studies, my social life, my creativity and my hobbies. I want to make resolutions but it seems just calling them 'New Year resolutions' means that they will be broken ten minutes later. Call it a jinx, if you will. But anyway, my goals for '07 include: -Studying harder and much more than last year, especially in maths. -Looking for jobs early so that I can save up money to help when debt-time really hits me, and also for nice things like holidays, gifts, and indulgences like BPAL. -Putting more money into savings, though that's hard, especially considering today's Wallet Armageddon... -Selling off the stuff I really don't need on Ebay, like that pair of jeans that I got one Xmas and never fitted me, they're as good as new... -Trying to get my writing and arty muses back so I can write and sketch loads more than I did last year. -Socialise a little more, especially with guys. I'm pitifully shy in real life, and I need to get my arse off that computer chair and get mingling a little. And go to more student union clubbing nights or go to the union bar more. -Keeping that temper under control, and those uber-emotional/panicky moments need to be restrained too. -Do more active stuff, like swimming, dancing, or even gym... Now, let's get to business. BPAL style... BEST START TO THE YEAR EVER! Wow, what an update! The mother of all updates. The update to end all updates and the road to sweet-smelling debt...I thought the first CD instalment was amazing. I thought the Order of the Dragon and Halloween update was breathtaking. But this just blew my socks off and blew my mind and my Paypal all at once. It was just so good...and there's so much that I WANT RIGHT NOW, no decants, give me bottles! But alas, with Xmas and all that, my bank account is crushed...but these scents are up for ages! I just had to get Bakeneko since I love all things kitty-shaped and I want one of the Japanese scents to become a top ten scent. It has cherry blossom which can ruin a scent on me but hopefully that will be cancelled out by the wonderfulness of cinnamon, cardamom and tangerine tea with amber and musk! I love the concept of Faces of the Heroine, even if I can't pronounce or spell the names! But I love the combinations of exotic notes present in that series. In fact, I really like the whole Indian theme that many Lupercalia scents have this year, the incense blend Chintamani-Dhupa sounds particularly interesting with so many notes I've never encountered before! But the best bit of the update of course was the Freak Show itself. I knew it would be good but I wasn't expecting it to be so magnificently, gargantually, fantastically wonderful! I adored the previous lot of CD, most scents there were hits on me. But these new scents look even better, more complex, more unusual, with loads of unique notes and combinations. And then there are those Snakes. I'm so intrigued as to what Snake Oil with mint tea will be like. Or SO with acai berry and cardamom, or SO with teak and bamboo, or SO with aquatic moss, or SO with tropical flowers and tangy fruits...and I can't wait for cinnamon SO and mandarin SO and chocolate SO. And I wonder what that Anaconda will smell like? Hope and Faith were destined to be mine from the moment I discovered that they were Londoners like me and that they contain sugary flowers, and I can't wait to get my hands on them. And Priala the Human Phoenix looks like it will be divine, like Chimera's cinnamon-myrrh, but better. And what would a Black Phoenix carnival be without a phoenix? And of course, the cherry on the cake was the fact that two freaks are from You-Know-Where, and one of them is a MUMMY! (Must hoard loads of bottles of them!) That was probably what made this update not just wonderful, but utterly perfect, well for me anyway. But it goes to show that this Carnaval series is truly incredible and epic, and it's for everyone. Be you a foody fan, or mad for musk, or even a flower fanatic. It's for vanilla whores and spice girls. It's for incense addicts and aquatic adorers. It's artistic and beautifully told. It appeals to everyone, no matter where your interests lie. It even hits our fears-of clowns, or snakes, or spiders, or death itself, what lies in the shadows, the unusual and disturbing and mysterious...and it makes us confront those demons through means of scent-and perhaps, through this, to discover what could be their inner beauty. It is truly all encompassing, the whole world-and then some-within a travelling fair, all within little bottles of beautiful fragrance... I can't wait for Carnaval Diabolique-The Movie! (I can dream...but you never know!)

The Reaper and the Flowers In the imp: white lilies, chrysanthemums and dry roses. Wet on skin: dry chrysanthemums and lilies. Dry on skin: very pretty. This really does smell like a funeral bouquet. It's predominantly 'mums and white lilies, with a hint of warm, spicy carnation and rich rose petals underneath-I smell it all here, flowers, stems and leaves. Maybe even a hint of the grass the bouquet is laid upon. It reminds me strongly of Sepulchre, but with added 'mums and carnation. After a while: the sharp dryness of the 'mums seems to have faded a little, as well as the greenish lily scent. Now the gorgeous white rose note, warmed up so nicely by carnation, comes to the front, with the dewy, waxy-papery lily at the back now. It's now a deep and velvety yet slightly melancholy floral scent, it's very well blended though and with that lovely spicy sweet carnation touch to it. The rose note becomes drier at the end and the 'mum comes out again to join it after a few hours. Verdict: this is like going to a florist's and burying my nose in a bunch of flowers. It's a very realistic bouquet scent bursting with floral notes, but these are mournful in nature. It starts off smelling strongly of lilies and chrysanthemums, but then moves into a gorgeous rose stage. I adore Beth's white rose note, and it is fantastic in here, where it bonds with a delightful carnation note which adds warmth, and the result is a floral scent which is almost like velvet with petals strewn over it. It's my favourite of the funereal florals so far, not one I need a bottle of right now but I'm keeping the imp. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Just the imp. If you like this, try: Sepulcher, Santa Muerte, Maiden, Alice, Hymn, Les Fleurs du Mal, All Saints 06

Caliban In the imp: salty sea air with dry palm, a tropical scent. This smells like one of the marine-themed Lush products, maybe Sea Vegetable. Wet on skin: wet jungle greenery sprayed with seawater. Dry on skin: I like this. This smells really like a tropical island-lush, thick greenery, dry palm leaves and bark, and sea air. There's a hint of dryness to it, like a mat made of dry palm leaves lying on the beach, like sun bleached driftwood, it also reminds me of sand. I don't smell wine here. It's not as wet smelling as I expected-it's not the sea itself, more like the air coming off the sea. Warm and salty and with the scent of beaches and jungles to it. A mysterious desert island. I think this could be considered a 'Lost' scent. After a while: now I smell the wine. It reminds me of the wine in Nosferatu, a soft wine note with a greenish scent at the front, this time provided by the fern note. The sea air and the palm (which smells very much like the palm in Manila) are still there. The sea air note is very good here-smells genuine and doesn't turn to washing powder on the skin. Eventually this dries down to a scent I can only describe as smelling like skin, sand and salt, with a hint of something almost moss like, like a sea moss note. It's very pretty, and evocative. Eventually it becomes pure salty sea moss, like the moss note in Yemaya and Lyonesse. Verdict: at a time when most marine aquatic scents turn to salty washing powder or soap on my skin, this is such a pleasant surprise. It really does smell like a beach on a tropical, unspoilt island paradise. I can smell it all here-sea air, sand, palm mats and traditional island huts made of palm fibres, and a hint of thick green jungles at the back. The sea air note is wonderfully genuine, like a salty breeze on a hot day, and it smells more airy than aquatic, and dry, like the sand of the beach rather than the waves lapping up on it. A hint of wine passes through momentarily, like watching a sunset on the beach whilst enjoying a glass of sweet red wine, and the drydown is a soft, slightly mossy/lightly musky scent of salt and sand sticking to warm skin. Whilst I prefer Yemaya and Lyonesse as my beach scents, this is incredibly evocative, and just perfect for summer, or any dreary winter day when I want to transport my nose to an exotic desert island and lose myself… Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? yes, the imp. This makes me think of summer holidays! If you like this, try: Sea of Glass, Manila, City in the Sea, Olokun, Jolly Roger

Szepasszony In the imp: a fresh, tangy, fruity-floral ozone cologne with hints of melon and citrus. Wet on skin: rain! This smells genuinely like fresh breezy rain on soil with the addition of cool citrus and flowers. Dry on skin: I like this! It's very ozonic but it doesn't seem to be the 'evil ozone' that smells like electrical appliances or pure washing powder on me. I smell white flowers and fruits, as well as a sense of coldness, fresh and windy and piercing. It does smell a little like something I'd wash my clothes with, but in a good way. It's like Dirty, one of the nicer 'clean laundry' scents, but this has a feel of cologne to it, it's refreshing and cool. I get hints of wet soil underneath as well. After a while: this smells like a perfume I've smelt before, or maybe a combination of perfumes. It smells fresh and almost mainstream, a mix of bright sharp airy citrus/cologne notes (I swear I smell orange blossom in here) and pale flowers with ozone. It's a very springy scent to me-it's almost reminiscent of Amsterdam, for some reason. It smells like there's a sharp light musk in here as well. Verdict: it seems to me that rain is one of those ozone/aquatic notes that actually smells very nice on me. This is a very pretty, a clear, refreshing and uplifting scent, like a mountain breeze. This is like an April shower, cool and fresh, with springy floral notes all around. There's also a cologne like citrus note which smells almost like orange blossom at times. It's also one of the more 'perfumey' BPALs, in that it smells almost like something you'd get at a perfume counter, like one of those feminine 'sporty' perfumes, but in the best way possible. It is very clean as well, like white, just washed linens drying on the line, but without smelling too much like detergent. I don't need a bottle but I like this a great deal it's a very springlike scent which I'll keep for warmer weather-it's got a real feel of freshness and coolness which will be lovely when it's hot. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes, the imp. One of the better ozone scents. If you like this, try: Tempest, Lightning, Dirty, Amsterdam

Currently smelling of: Snow Flakes for that whiff of idealised festive weather (we never get snow these days-not until January anyway), plus a dab of Sol Invictus, because he's the real reason for the season... This year I had the smallest amount of presents so far. Mainly because my main present was an iPod. Yay! Finally I get my very own antisocialising machine (that's what my dad calls it)! I'm very pleased with my iPod and can't wait to put all my music onto it. Apart from that, I also got chocolate, a lovely knitted hat (usually knitted stuff at from relatives at Xmas is a bad thing but not this!), a little bit of money, and the compulsory gift of underwear. This year, it's been a very relaxed Dec. 25, no rows, no stress, just a delicious non-traditional Xmas dinner (turkey and sprouts? No way.), generous amounts of wine, and the Best Mince Pies In The World made by my mum-no other mince pies will do. Now I'm looking forward to the Doctor Who Christmas special, which will make this day end very nicely, I think. Merry Christmas/Yule/Hanukkah/(insert winter holiday here), Seasons Greetings, Happy Holidays, whatever you celebrate (or have celebrated) at this time of year, make it a good one and enjoy yourselves! *hands out more of the Best Mince Pies Ever to all*

Midnight Mass 06 In the imp: mmm, the same, gorgeous, resinous frank n' myrrh based incense as last year's. Wet on skin: mmm, here comes the myrrh, lovely and rich, with the golden, sharper frankincense. Dry on skin: beautiful stuff. This is almost identical to last year's when it was fresh. Gorgeous frankincense and myrrh with some other resins, but here I think I can smell woods too, maybe red sandalwood and rosewood. Possibly some rose as well? It reminds me of All Souls without the sugary cake. Maybe a little bit more myrrh than last time. After a while: the myrrh becomes honeyed and greenish-gold and rich. It reminds me of the myrrh in Anubis, there could be some balsam fir here too (I got this impression with fresh MM05), and at times the myrrh is like the one in Great Cry in Egypt. I also get a definite deep wooden note at the back, either a rich sandalwood like the one in Anne Bonny, or a cedar note. It's deep and dark and lovely. It's very much like the 05 version, but a bit more woody-it leans towards resembling Cathedral. The drydown at the end is a soft, muted, powdery wood and a hint of sweet resin, maybe amber. It makes me think of the ashes of incense after they've burnt fully and the scent just lingers gently. Verdict: this reminds me of what MM05 smelt like when fresh-wearing them side by side, it seems the 05 version has become smokier and more 'smouldering' in scent with a hint of something almost peppery to it. One of the myrrh notes has come out a lot more, the frankincense has developed a more piquant quality to it and there seems to be a rosy note at the base. MM06 on the other hand is drier, smoother, less 'spicy', with a stronger woodsy backing, with a softer, deeper myrrh note, almost along similar lines to All Souls and Cathedral. It's like there's a soft, gently ashy fragrant wood like sandalwood or cedar wood to this. It's similar to 05 but has it's own character to it, which makes it worth another bottle purchase. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes, I'm getting a bottle because both 05 and 06 are gorgeous for their own merits and I'm a big incense/resins whore anyway! If you like this, try: Midnight Mass 05, All Souls, Cathedral, Penitence, Anubis, Pit and the Pendulum, Haloa, Aureus

Herr Drosselmeyer 06 In the imp: the same smoky cherry-almond scent from last year's HD and Hearth 04. Wet on skin: sweet, dark marzipan with caramel and treacle, and tobacco. Dry on skin: now the freshness of crisp linen comes in. this is very similar to 05's version, almost identical, but for now it seems a little lighter, less heavy than last year's. it also has a chewy, sugary feel to it as well, like some dark treacle based dessert. The leather, tobacco and woods are still there, but it seems this one is a little less masculine and less dry than last year's. After a while: the sweet pipe tobacco gets darker and heavier and smokier over time, it becomes the dominant note now. It's like tobacco covered in dark, almost burnt caramel. The woods and leather provide a lovely background. The drydown is almost identical to HD05, and also very similar to Ogun's honey tobacco scent but with treacle in place of the honey. Verdict: this is almost identical to the 05 version, although maybe it's a little sweeter, more sugary, less heavy but with a bit more tobacco than the last one. It's a very fine scent, but like the last HD, it's a little too masculine for me so I'm probably going to pass it on. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Not really, I already have a little of the 05 version. If you like this, try: Herr Drosselmeyer 05, Perversion, Ogun, Count Dracula, Elegba

Intergalactic In the bottle: I think I smell gardenia in here. It's a white floral with a dry, peppery undertone. I really hope this doesn't screw up on me… Wet on skin: noooo! Evil Gardenia! It now smells of white flowers with a hint of melon and Evil G's 'mutated burnt celery' odour. Dry on skin: this scent is making me cry. Really it is. The dominant note is the gardenia, and it happens to be the gardenia note that hates me, not the nice one from Kindly Moon. It's turned to an acrid, dry, harsh, greenish, peppery celery scent that smells burnt and nasty. Underneath it are hints of better flowers, soft white blooms, but I get none of the delicious fruitiness other reviews mention. Just gardenia. A pox on thee, skin chemistry! After a while: the Evil G's remains linger on my skin, now I also get a hint of white sandalwood, light myrrh (it reminds me of the dry, charred scent of Black Lotus, but less incense like) and some soft white dewy flowers, maybe orchids. Possibly an ozone-aquatic note as well, which gives the scent a feel of being spaced out and sparkling. There may be a hint of white musk too. The scent becomes a dry, ethereal white floral with white sandalwood at the end. Verdict: this probably my biggest ever BPAL heartbreak, and it actually made me wonder what I did to deserve such a terrible skin reaction to this scent. A rare scent with a cool name that I swapped a bottle for, with glowing reviews that made me want it. I really wanted to love this. As a lover of all things spaced out and as a student of astrophysics, I admit I got this just for the name. But I had no idea that it contains my nemesis, Evil Gardenia, and it's not in bearable amounts like in Sacred Ho or Hanging Gardens. No, the gardenia here is the main player and like in Has No Hanna, she does the Dalek thing and exterminates all the other notes, taking over the fragrance in her evil, villainous way. This continues for about an hour. After that the scent becomes a little more bearable, a pleasant starry floral white musk scent with a hint of 'out of this world' ozone, and a backing of dry woods and thin peppered incense. But I just can't tolerate about an hour's worth of malevolent acrid celery and pickled petals on fire on my skin. This scent has made me so heartbroken-I suppose the bright side is that I can let others try this rare, exclusive fragrance. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? I will decant this out so others have a chance to try this rarity.

It's funny how the older you get, the more stressful this time of year becomes. As a child, the Christmas season was a time of perpetual happiness and gifts and fun. Now this innocent perspective is tainted by batterings to my bank balance (well, some of those batterings are inflicted for slightly selfish smelly reasons ), the stress of wrapping, cooking, decorating, writing cards etc, the ordeal of dealing with shops, streets and tube trains heaving with crowds, the dilemmas of what to buy for people (I have a lot of 'hard to buy for' people in my family), hoping that the presents my relatives have in store aren't too embarassing, the fear of accidentally embarrassing myself in front of relatives (but gone are the days when I had to sing for my presents. I was forced to sing what I sang at school choir. Without accompaniment, totally solo, almost in an X-Factor style. Thank goodness there aren't any Simon Cowells in the family. But that was the most cringe-making part of Xmas for me) and so on. But even so, I still love the festive season for many reasons. The sparkly lights everywhere-even the tacky displays can induce smiles, the fact that putting baubles on the tree is quite fun (straightening it, on the other hand, is a bitch of a job), writing cute messages and giving little gifts with cards, the cheesy songs that always get me singing along no matter what, the smell of satsumas and roasted chestnuts all around, chocolates always seem to taste better at this time of year (I know, I probably have weird taste buds, but I think it's true), learning the fascinating pagan background behind many beloved Xmas traditions and customs, fragrancing the house with spicy incense and oils and wearing gorgeous Yule BPALs to really get into the mood, generous alcohol consumption, scoffing loads of home made mince pies-and only home made ones will do, and of course, prezzies. I'm getting an iPod this year. Yay for expensive toys. Thank goodness I don't have to sing for it...

The Snow Maiden In the imp: Snow Moon's little sister! This smells like Snow Moon/Dublin/Skadi with a hint of the lemony scent of Snow Angel! Wet on skin: fresh snowy pine-menthol-citrus with a creamy floral undertone. Dry on skin: this really is like Snow Moon-a floral, snowy scent. This one's a little sweeter and fruitier thanks to the berries, which smell both sugared and tangy. The ylang might be what's making that heady undertone and I can smell the freshly floral and distinctive osmanthus. This actually reminds me of Snow Bunny, that fresh 'snow note' with tangy fruits and florals, a youthful snowy scent. There's a fruity-dry crispness to it that reminds me of white wine or cranberries. After a while: this seems to almost the bitter, olive like note I got in Talvikuu but it doesn't go too far. The scent is now frosty osmanthus with a hint of sugared, frozen berries. Soft icy flowers and fruit, it's very pretty and fresh. The scent then loses it's odd olive scent and becomes an airy, sweet frozen berry scent with a hint of iced juniper, maybe some pine and osmanthus too, and then at the end it's fruity ice with hints of osmanthus and juniper. Verdict: this is Skadi's cousin, Snow Moon's younger, more innocent sister, Snow Bunny's twin (SB being the loud, extrovert, giggly one and SM being the shy, retired and gentler one) and Talvikuu's girlfriend. Snow Maiden is a very pretty, delicate, glacial and feminine fragrance, containing the famous 'BPAL snow note' with its now familiar pine/juniper/citrus/ozone/menthol/sweet aquatic components. The frosty note, of course, is the dominant note, with the osmanthus peeking through and the berries coming out at times. Because of the berries, this scent is pretty close to Skadi but the florals make it more of a Snow Moon type scent. There are moments when the scent turns a little bit odd on me (so it's not my favourite wintry scent this time) but otherwise this is another lovely adaptation of the snow theme, and Yule just wouldn't be Yule at BPAL without at least one scent with that particular snowy note! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes, just the decant. Smells similar to a lot of snowy scents I have which I prefer. If you like this, try: Snow Moon, Snow Bunny, Dublin, Death of the Gravedigger, Talvikuu, Darkling Thrush, Black Ice, Jolasveinar, Snow-Flakes

Snow-flakes In the imp: yes, it's like Snow White, but clearer, cooler, more transparent than white, with a crisp minty feel to it. Wet on skin: oooh, this tingles once it hits skin! It smells like mint and ice! Dry on skin: oh, this is gorgeous. The scent reminds me of something I drank when I was in Paris, called 'menthe a l'eau' (mint water) which is really water with sugary mint syrup added. This smells like that drink, with lots of ice, and a hint of the creaminess of Snow White. I'm amazed at how wet this smells, it really smells of ice and water and snow. After a while: the mint note sticks around for a surprisingly long time here! It still smells of cool, watery, sweet sugared snow, with a soft, velvety creamy/white musk aspect, and possibly a hint of cucumber. A slight aquatic/ozone note has popped up now and it's a good aquatic note, as it doesn't turn to soap on me. This scent brings to mind the colours blue and white, like icebergs, and strikes me as a very peaceful scent, of cold air with snow falling through, frozen landscapes under moonlight, and silence. It becomes even more airy and ethereal over time, developing a cool crispness and feathery lightness, with a creamy undertone. Previous reviews mention juniper and I realise I smell it here now, and that brings to mind Twenty One, which smelt like pure ice to me. This is a lot more wearable than 21 on me though. Verdict: in the absence of the beloved Snow White, Beth brings out Snow-Flakes for 06, and it smells like a cross between Snow White and Ice Queen, with a hint of Nuclear Winter/Cloister Graveyard's mint. This is a beautiful winter fragrance-it starts with a fabulous, fresh, authentically watery (cucumber?) scent with lots of mint and a little sweetness, sugary and wet and cool-this mint sticks around for a very long time. Then soft notes of air and ice and soft creamy sugar and musk come through and the scent becomes even more delightful-it evokes the enchantment watching snow fall, the serenity and silence it brings, and the sense of wonder as the soft flakes float down from the sky. Cold and desolate yet beautiful and haunting. It dries down to a lovely, delicate scent of pure winter air, clean and chilly, with a velvety white creamy musk underneath. such a stunning, well crafted scent, very fitting to the poem, highly evocative, and perfect not just for winter but also as a cooling, calming scent for steamy summer days. I'm glad I got a bottle and might need to stock up! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes! And I might get more. If you like this, try: Snow White, Cloister Graveyard in the Snow, Nuclear Winter, Black Ice, Darkling Thrush, Jolasveinar, Twenty One

Lick It Again In the imp: like last year’s sugary mint scent, but with more mint. If Lick It was candy canes, this is Trebor’s Extra Strong mints. Wet on skin: whoa, this is mint to the max! It smells like I’ve rubbed a Polo on my skin! Dry: strong, nose-clearing, mind-clearing, bracing mint. This is more like a breath freshening mint than a sugary candy cane, it even has a hint of the slight chalky scent I associate with mint imperials, Polos and Trebors. I smell a hint of sugar but this is really fresh extra strong mints. It’s making my wrist and nose feel so tingly, which I really like. After a while: the mint scent in here stays a lot longer than the original Lick It, and the cool sensation lasts longer. Can’t wait to try this next time there's a heatwave. Now that the mint has faded a little, I smell a gorgeous vanilla scent with a hint of sugar and something reminiscent of the sandalwood in Underpants, as well as the powdery white mint scent from the start of the scent, which has a mineral feel to it like talc or chalk. Eventually this turns into a gorgeous, gorgeous, fresh vanilla-musk with a hint of something like white sandalwood and something like the cool mineral note in Black Opal. It’s a little stronger and paler than last year’s and more powdery, but delightful nonetheless. It’s like soft icing sugar dusted on my wrist. Verdict: at first, it seems to me that this has an extra jolt of mint, not sugar. The mint in here is much more powerful than the original, it’s like those extra strong mints, right down to the white chalkiness of breath mints. (Maybe it should be called ‘Suck It’! ) So minty that it makes my skin and nose tingle for a long time, and really does wake me up. The drydown is where the sugary jolt is more apparent-like 05’s version, it dries down to a wonderful soft touched vanilla musk scent, only this time there’s a dusting of white icing sugar, more mint, and the scent is even closer to Black Opal’s powdery vanilla and ‘mineral musk’ scent than last time, thanks to the scent’s chalky aspect. It also seems to have a hint of pale sandalwood or maybe a little caramel, something that makes the scent almost like Underpants. (Hmm, don’t get me started on the layering combo I’m thinking of! ) I loved last year’s LI and this year’s is different enough to warrant another bottle purchase-and definitely one to reserve for hotter weather, since this rivals Tulzscha for the title of ‘ultimate tingly-cool BPAL’. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes! I’ll get a bottle, it’s very similar to LI05 so I only need one, it’s perfect for summer. If you like this, try: Lick It 05, Undertow, Black Opal, Black Ice, Cathode, Antique Lace

Winter of our Discontent In the imp: a gorgeous festive scent which is quite dark…smells like evergreens (probably the balsam) and mandarin with a hint of spice. Wet on skin: orange, spices and fir with a hint of rosewood and smoke. Dry: mmm, this is really beautiful. It gives off an air of ‘traditional Christmas’, think Victorian or Elizabethan/Shakesperean-era Xmas, but with a hint of something darker to it. The festive fragrance of balsam firs mixes with soft smoke and warm spices and orange on a base of gorgeous rosewood. I love Beth’s rosewood note, some rosewoods smell a bit odd but Beth’s smells like a woodsier version of rose, and the rosy aspect of this note increases gradually. After a while: at one point the scent goes a little sharp and I worry that it will turn sour, but then it softens. It smells of roses-I mean, rosewood, which here smells like roses and sandalwood (the cypress may be adding an even woodsier touch to it), sprinkled with nutmeg, a hint of fir and with a gorgeous deep undertone of smoke, myrrh and possibly musk. It smells a little dustier now, and does remind me of very good quality, naturally-scented Christmas potpourri (not the fake-scented cheap stuff). The scent seems to fade into spicy roses and wood with a hint of musk. Almost like a darker, more old fashioned, less foody version of the recent 13 reformulation. The drydown at the end of the scent is a soft mix of myrrh, rosewood and fir. Verdict: ironically, I find this scent to be the antidote to wintry discontent. More than anything else, this is the true smell of Christmas past. It’s dark and sombre at times, epitomising the darkness of winter nights, and yet there’s a feel of warmth and comfort to it. It’s a very traditional scent actually, it definitely evokes the Yuletide season in an age before electricity, shopping frenzies and commercialism, coming in from the cold to a welcoming hearth fire and candles and the aroma of comforting spices and roses, family togetherness and goodwill. In fact, I’m reminded of an old house in London which is decorated every December in the style of a Victorian (or older) Christmas. The rosewood is very strong, sometimes taking on the smell of roses, and the balsam, nutmeg, myrrh and musk notes are gorgeous, everything is wrapped in a lovely smoky layer, and the blend becomes woodsier and a little more resinous-musky at drydown. It’s not as masculine as I expected, certainly not villainous, I find it cosy and warm, and perfect for winter and the festive season. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes, I’ve got to get a bottle soon. If you like this, try: Séance, Thirteen Revisited, Velvet

The Music of Erich Zahn In the imp: dark, pungent vetiver and tamarind, like Nephilim, but with sweetness and spice. Wet on skin: this smells like a kind of sweet chocolate-nutty thing! I know, that’s crazy but that’s what I’m smelling here! Dry: chocolate nougat! I’m very puzzled but pleasantly surprised. This smells like an exotic yet sinister version of nougat. It smells like nuts (pistachios and almonds especially, though this smells nothing like bitter almond) mixed with dried fruits, chocolate, sugar and vanilla and topped with spices, This has the ‘nutty’ vetiver which tends to have sweet, chocolate like nuances to it, with the darkly sweet black musk and the gorgeous opoponax it makes it even more like some kind of dark, chewy, edible concoction. There’s a touch of spice, thanks to what could be ajowan, a hint of pale mimosa, and the tamarind isn’t going odd on me. After a while: the dark, nutty, smoky vetiver (it’s one of the vets that sticks for ages but it’s sweet incense-chocolate scent is very nice!) and the wonderful combination of sweet black musk and opoponax are now the dominant notes. The ajowan is still going strong-it smells like a cross between saffron and cardamom. The drydown is predominantly black musk and vetiver, a deep, dark, swirling mix with deceptive sweetness to it and a hint of tamarind. Verdict: this smells like evil dessert. And I mean that in a good way. The best way I can describe it is almost like baklava and other Middle Eastern and Indian sweets meets nougat meets Italian panforte meets Christmas cake with a hint of cocoa and vanilla. This is then set at the altar of some underworld deity in an underground temple, and you can smell the remains of the dark, earthy incense lingering from past macabre rituals. The musk and vetiver are the stars of the scent, with opoponax and newcomer ajowan playing fantastic supporting roles. The vetiver is strong but has a nutty, sweetly dark scent to it which I really like, and ajowan and tamarind add a lovely, exotic spiciness to it. The scent moves between sweet, spicy, dark, earthy and musky phases continuously. I like this so much more than I expected I would-it’s not one I’d get a bottle of but I’m keeping the imp. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes, for the imp. If you like this, try: Nephilim, Satan and Death with Sin Intervening, Typhon, Djinn, Czernobog, Oblivion

Black Ice In the imp: dark, cold, slightly aquatic-ozonic. Smells like a man’s perfume, but different to other ‘snow/ice’ scents. Wet on skin: cold, almost minty now, dark aquatic notes. Dry: mmm, now it’s sweeter, this smells a little bit like the mint from Lush’s Demon in the Dark soap, with added aquatic-cologne-ozone notes. it’s almost a salty aquatic scent, reminiscent of City in the Sea, but the soft, almost creamy mint scent adds an icy feel. it reminds me either of Frost or Cold Moon, but darkened. There’s a definite feel of darkness and dirt here, I can smell a little hint of asphalt but it’s surprisingly nice, not overwhelming or making me smell like I’ve been tarred. The vetiver, it seems, is of the lighter, softer kind, like in Bitter Moon. After a while: the mint-like scent lingers, now it reminds me of the pine-menthol component of Beth’s snow blend, but with a slightly salty, fresh aquatic note. At first I was a little puzzled as to why this smells salty and now I understand…I’m not sure if this is intentional, but I’m reminded of how they remove black ice from the road with huge gritting trucks full of salt. I love the way that even that is captured in scent! I’m amazed at how good the asphalt note is here, adding a real edge to this icy, watery, airy scent. At times, the ozone sweetens a little, it reminds me of the ‘rain’ note from other scents, but colder. Ah, so this is what the ‘sleet’ note is like, it’s certainly different from the snow note. And this ozone does have a bitter briskness like winter wind…again, I’m impressed at how Beth captures weather in scent. And I’m pleased that this aquatic scent isn’t turning to soap! At the end, it does seem to turn to a sort of fresh scent with a hint of crisp ozone and darker green vetiver at the base. Almost like fresh laundry but a little dirtier and grittier, leaning towards masculine. Verdict: what a fascinating scent. This works on two levels…it is a fresh, almost masculine-sporty aquatic, cool and airy and ozonic, almost like something commercial-but not quite. On the other hand it really is evocative of black ice-the cold, the slush, the scent of the road, the bracing winds of winter, even right down to a hint of saltiness from the gritters attempting to remove the cold, treacherous ice from the road. The minty, frozen aquatic note used here is halfway between the ‘rain’ note and the ‘snow’ notes, which seems apt for sleet and slush. The vetiver is perfect-not pungent or overwhelming but adding the right amount of earthiness. The asphalt note really took me by surprise-I was expecting full-on tarmac but I get just a hint of dark roughness with a hint of tar, which really adds character. It’s not something I’d get a bottle of-it does smell more like something that would be nicer on a man, but I’m keeping the decant of this unique and different take on a winter scent, and it works better on me than I expected. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes, for the decant. If you like this, try: Cthuhlu, Hurricane, Sea of Glass, Dirty, Jolasveinar, Numb

Knecht Ruprecht In the imp: frozen almonds and green apple, and a hint of pine. Wet on skin: a very soft almond note, green crisp apples, pine and woods. Dry: marzipan and green apples, though knowing my skin, the almond will fade fast. And it does, leaving behind a delightful iced apple scent with a lovely pine/fir note and a hint of snow. Some green apple notes go odd on me but not this-for now the apple is staying true, it smells crisp and juicy and yet it is chilled, like the last apple of autumn frozen and kept fresh by the first snows. Smells of fresh Christmas trees and gentle woods peek through the iced apple scent. This is a gorgeous scent so far. After a while: the smell of pine and fir, maybe juniper too, now dominates the scent. I still smell hints of fresh apple which has an almost effervescent scent to it, but now it’s mainly the fragrance of evergreen tree needles covered with a hint of frost. Like an outdoor Christmas tree, the only decoration it has is a covering of snow. Soon, some woody notes come out, mingling with the pine needles. The apple wood and almond wood are almost like cedar or cypress, a dry, greyish-green wood scent, like fresh planks of timber but with snow and evergreens. There are moments when this sweetens a tad and the snowy scent becomes a little stronger but then it goes back to woods and cool pine/fir needles after a few hours. The pine note lasts a good long time here. Verdict: last year, I loved the ‘liquid Christmas tree’ scent of Mistletoe, but the scent lasted only an hour on me. this scent however, has a definite Xmas tree scent to it but lasts a great deal longer, and has almonds and apples, and woods and snow thrown into the mix. This is a wonderfully evocative scent, to me it’s like walking out of a house where almond based desserts were being prepared into a dark winter’s night. It is totally silent, the only sound is my crunching footsteps in the snow. First I walk through an orchard where snow-covered apples lie on the ground, preserved by the ice. Then I end up in forest of tall evergreens and firs and pine and I smell their needles and wood all around. This is perfect for this time of year and I think I might need to get a bottle. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes. I might get one bottle. If you like this, try: the Hesperides, Mistletoe, Black Forest, Yew Trees, Ladon, Jabberwocky

The Darkling Thrush In the imp: ohhh, this is the gorgeous icy scent from Ice Queen, Nuclear Winter, Kumari Kandam and Cloister Graveyard. Maybe with a hint of Skadi/Snow Moon’s snow. Soft and cold and slushy. Wet on skin: cold, minty, fresh and white snow with a hint of powdery orris. Dry: wow. This is beautiful. It’s minty and frozen and very cold, and also serene, a peaceful scent. It smells like cold winter air over a frozen lake, and there’s a hint of cucumber which gives a wet, slushy feel. Under it, I get slight hints of pale orris enhancing the feel of white snow this scent has, and there’s a hint of amber glinting through the scent, like winter sunlight through icicles. After a while: the snowy scent softens a little and it’s not as cold now. I detect a hint of ozone to it which seems to work nicely on my skin (it’s a ‘good’ ozone note) and now I smell the powdery scent of orris, a hint of violet and amber. It’s almost like the amber’s warmth is thawing the snow. The orris and violet are particularly strong at some points, fringed with wet ice and with that promising amber note underneath. The drydown is a beautiful mix of warm amber contrasting with cold ozone on top of powdery flowers. Verdict: it seems to me that every year, Beth brings out a scent with a distinctive, white, minty, ozone-y, wet and musky ‘snow/ice’ accord which I adore. In 04 it was Ice Queen, in 05 it was Nuclear Winter and Talvikuu, and for 06 it is the Darkling Thrush. This is a wonderful, peaceful, poetic and gentle scent, with an icy beauty to it like a winter morning with soft, blushing clouds in the dawn sky with frost and snow all around. I love the ice scent this has, this doesn’t smell of ‘darkness’ like the description says, to me, this has a lovely glow to it. The orris adds a pale white powdery scent which of course goes very well with the whole snowy theme, the violet is cool and soft and silvery, and the amber gradually warms up and sweetens the scent with its golden, luminous tones, like the first rays of spring sunshine melting the snow. This is a very moving scent, full of serenity, elegance and glacial beauty. One I need more of. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes! I’ll get a bottle, but just one since I already have Nuclear Winter and Ice Queen. If you like this, try: Cloister Graveyard in the Snow, Kumari Kandam, Nuclear Winter, Dublin, Snow Moon, Jolasveinar

Krampus In the imp: woods and leather, and a hint of smoke. It's almost like Spanked, but not as spicy. Wet on skin: the gorgeous musk starts to surface under the layer of leather and dusty woods. Dry on skin: oh yeah, this is good stuff. It's like a masculine companion to Loviatar with added woody notes and a definite feel of dust. I swear I even smell a hint of the clean linen note here. Red musk and sleek black leather on top of fragrant planks of dark dry woods, maybe cedar. I really like the wood in here, it's almost resinous, but it does smell a little bit masculine. But this scent definitely resembles Spanked, and even though there's no cardamom here, it smells quite spicy. After a while: I'm getting an odd, fresh pine-ozone note to this, which is very unusual. Maybe the 'dusty rags' could reading as clean linen with a hint of dust? But it seems to me like more of a cold, frosty, wintry type cent, which many of this years Yule scents have in common, and it does smell like pine or fir. I still smell the fragrant woods and leather and that wonderful, rich undertone of red musk. And then, after an hour or two…I get patchouli. Yes, patchouli. I have no idea where it's coming from (maybe musk/leather and woods combining?) but I get a very strong dark patchouli note, at this point, the brief fresh winter breeze/fresh linen note is gone, so it's woods, leather, musk and patchouli now. The drydown reminds me of Smut but without the sweet sugary vanilla scent I got from that, and with a deep patchouli note reminiscent of Schwarzer Mond. And then, it's pure aged patchouli. Verdict: this is Spanked for 06. It has that same kinky leather note and a similar spicy feel to it, but this is much more woodsy (with wonderful rich resinous wood notes coming through every now and then) and has a wonderful, almost feral depth provided by red musk. But this cheeky little festive guy has a few tricks up his sleeve. He whips me with a dusty rag that smells of fresh laundry, an unexpected cool zingy note that passes through momentarily. And then he pulls out the final surprise…a huge hit of patchouli. Dark, heavy and aged patchouli, and it's really good stuff. This patch note also gives this scent more of a resemblance to Spanked and also to Anne Bonny and Schwarzer Mond, and also, with the red musk, this seems like a more masculine cousin of Smut and Loviatar. This is such a fun, naughty scent, very sexy and dark and wild. It does, however, seem quite masculine to me, but it's the kind of masculine scent that I like. I might need to get a bottle-I have a feeling this will age wonderfully. Emoticon rating: :D Is it a keeper? Definitely yes, for the decant. May get a bottle. If you like this, try: Loviatar, De Sade, Anne Bonny, Smut, Count Dracula, the High Priest not to be Described

Jolasveinar In the imp: dirty snow! It's the famous pine-menthol-citrus 'snow note' but with some earth added. Wet on skin: mmm, now I start to smell pastry and smoke in the snow. Dry on skin: this is lovely! It's a wintry scent of forests covered with snow, but with hints of dirt scattered on what would be a pure white surface, this dirt note is less wet and loamy than the usual, it's drier and dustier. I smell inviting hints of cooking pastry (or maybe since I made mince pies today, I have pastry on the brain? It's definitely reminiscent of the smell that came out of the oven) and wood smoke, with the barest hint of a pale floral note, probably the orchid, and some frozen moss. After a while: the spicy, smoky, foody note, like cooking buttery pastry (not too overpoweringly buttery, but just right) gets stronger, I smell hints of what could be mince pie filling and roasted chestnuts, but the snow, dirt and mossy orchid notes still linger. This is like Skadi or Ice Queen, but dirtier and more mischievous, a little ogre with grubby fingers and bits of pastry sticking around his grinning mouth. Eventually I get the slightly burnt, smoky, almost caramelised note I get in a lot of Beth's foody scents, but this one isn't as sugary as most. It reminds me of the smoky note in Trick #1. The icy orchid and dirty snow are still there. This is such an unusual fragrance, with dark, smoky, warm foody scents contrasting with the cold and ice that surrounds it. this then fades into an icy floral-aquatic surrounded by smoke and dirt and silvery moss. Verdict: this is an unusual and different take on a winter scent-though it has the familiar snow note, the addition of dirt, flowers and a hint of food give it some unique dimensions. The pastry note here, especially at the beginning, is spot-on. Not sugary, not too spicy, with a subtle, barely detectable hint of butter, it's like barely sweetened pastry concealing sweet fillings, which develops a smokier tone at drydown. The orchid note is pale and chilly, mingling well with the slushy snowy scent, and the dusty dirt note darkens it all. The moss really comes out at the end and thankfully it's not like Spanish moss which amps madly on me, this is gentle and powdery like oak moss. It's a fun scent full of contradictions, and fascinating to get to know. It's festive and wintry but ever so different from the usual. I'm not sure if I'll get more though-I need to test the other icy-themed Yule scents before I decide which ones are the ones for me. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? yes, for the decant. Not sure if I need a bottle yet. If you like this, try: Kumari Kandam, Jezirat Al Tennyn, Hearth 05, Oberon, Niflheim, Dia De Los Muertos 06

Purple Phoenix In the bottle: grape bubblegum. This smells like those grape-flavoured sweets, but with a hint of plum…and Calpol-or is it Tixilyx? One of those brands of children's cold medicine that I loved when I was a kid. Wet on skin: out of the fruity base, flowers spring to life, like lilac, wisteria and violet. Dry on skin: what the? There's a sharp, screaming note here that I'm not keen on at all. It's probably the same lilac-wisteria-violet combination that disagreed with me in White Moon. It's piercing and loud, like a screech of scent. Around this almost metallic razor sharp scent, is a base of boozy fruits, grape flavoured sweets (or cough syrup) and a hint of the paler notes of orris and plum blossom. I don't think this is agreeing with me much. After a while: finally, that scary sharp metallic scream of scent tones down a lot. The scent I now get is of dried lilacs, soft powdery orris and violet, plum blossom and fig. There's still a hint of something medicine-like about it, like cough syrup, that bitter aftertaste. I like the initial lilac-orris-plum scent but I'm not keen on the undertone this scent has, reminiscent of (clean) public toilets. I get none of the myrrh. But it's not as bad as the just-dry stage. There are times when this smells like pure violet, with hints of lilac and cognac. Other times it smells of plum fruit and blossom with orris and wine/cognac. I quite like those moments, but there's still a hint of the medicinal-metallic scent I'm not keen on. The drydown is much more acceptable after a few hours-a soft plum with cognac, violet and orris, a pale, powdery purple. Verdict: this one makes me sad. I was taking a gamble with this scent anyway since half the notes there don't work on me but I was hoping for the nicer notes to redeem this scent. But it wasn't so. The purple bird doesn't like my skin…especially at the beginning, where this phoenix's scented song comes about as a dissonant screech of metallic sharp floral notes, probably the lilac and wisteria misbehaving on my skin, with undertones of cough medicine and bathroom cleaner. There are some stages of this scent, especially at the late drydown, which are quite pleasant, nice plum and violet moments, little hints of cognac and orris, but even they weren't enough for me to like this scent enough to keep it, this blend fluctuates from 'ok' to 'yeesh, get it off!' quite a lot. I think I'll be passing it on to someone else. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Probably not. if I want purple plummy goodness, I'll stick to Bordello/Blood Countess. If you like this, try: Bordello, Horreur Sympathique, Blood Countess, White Moon

Bitter Moon In the bottle: mmm, blackberry and sage, similar to Bewitched. The blackberry here actually smells a bit like dewberry, and there's lavender as well. Wet on skin: blackberry, sage, lavender and…is that hibiscus? It reminds me of hibiscus tea. Dry on skin: this is gorgeous. I smell bittersweet blackberries and something akin to grapefruit, mingling with soft green sage and lavender, a hint of dry-sharp hibiscus (there is, indeed, something blue to this scent), a little bit of rose, maybe even the smoke from poppies. I can't smell tonka, lotus root, peony or vetiver yet. I get a 'dewberry' effect from this scent at times, but this is greener, more multifaceted, and more interesting. This is a crisp, dry (as in, fruity-dry like wine, not arid-dry) dark yet glittering scent, rich black-purple and indigo wrapped in soft green and glints of yellow, pink and blue. After a while: the blackberry note seems to be ripening and sweetening nicely, and warming up, like sun ripened, black, juicy berries with the scent of the brambles (probably the sage) all around. I even get the impression of the thorns here, which fits the name and theme. I think it's the tonka that's coming through to sweeten it all. I smell roses now, much more than I did before. A haze of opium covers the scent. The rose-berry scent I get is similar to Santa Muerte, maybe also because of the vetiver (which, so far, seems to be very discreet). The scent never sweetens too much, which is good, but the tonka undertone is gorgeous, smooth and almost vanilla like under the scent of hibiscus tea, smouldering smudged sage and poppy smoke, roses and ripe-to-bursting blackberries. The vetiver is perfect-not strong or pungent, but enough to add a gritty greenness to the scent. Eventually the pale, soft powder of lotus root comes up to lighten the scent a little, and the scent has moved from bitter to sweet, in an almost poetic way. Verdict: what a fascinating fragrance, and the kind of bitterness I like! A complex scent, first this has a definite bitter feel, like the sharp recoil you get after biting into unripe fruit. It's blackberry dominated-a true blackberry still growing on it's thorny bramble, the sage gives an incredible greenness, the hibiscus adds a tart dryness. It softens and becomes less bitter upon drydown, when the tonka and lotus root appear, the rose grows a little stronger, and the berries appear to become darker and sweeter, and the scent becomes almost velvety and smoky. All the notes in this scent work beautifully and the result is a unique and masterfully blended fragrance which is quite a work of art, beautifully emotional and stirring. Truly stunning, this is a fantastic example of how Beth can make masterpieces for the nose. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes. This is a beautiful, unique fragrance. If you like this, try: Bewitched, Glasgow, Rosalind, Pontarlier, Santa Muerte

Mania In the imp: sweet, sugary strawberry, sharp grapefruit, and red musk. Gorgeous! Wet on skin: melon? There’s an almost melon like fruitiness to this, along with grapefruit and musk. Dry: oh, I like this. Fruit and red musk are always so good together, this is another example of excellent fruity musk. The sharp, bittersweet grapefruit comes first, and then a hint of sugary strawberry which has turned melon-like and green (is that the strawberry leaf?) with the soft freshness of white musk and a wonderful depth from the red musk. There’s only one problem here…there’s something popping up in this scent which reminds me of plastic doll heads. I really hope this plastic note dies down-I have no idea what’s causing this. After a while: the ‘plastic doll head’ note still hangs around, and it distracts what would have been a gorgeous mix of musk and fruits. It does add a ‘cheerfully synthetic’ feel to the scent, young and pink and reminiscent of toys and childhood, but it does get in the way, when at the back I smell the wonderful red musk mingling with strawberries and white musk and that unexpected melon note. The scent seems to move through phases of delicious fruity musk, odd ‘doll plastic’, and cool strawberry juice with ice cubes (I like the way the white musk adds fresh coolness to the scent). The drydown is less plastic but I do get watermelon, in fact, it’s a similar strawberry-melon-sugar scent to that of Treat #1. Verdict: this is a mad little scent! There are aspects of it that drive me crazy in both good and bad ways. I love the depth of the red musk, the coolness of the white musk, the sugary fruit notes and the way the musk and fruit bond with each other…but there’s a nagging little note which smells of plastic doll heads in here and it’s really bugging me! it pops up regularly and tries to spoil the lovely fruity musk, and it’s the only thing that stops me from enjoying this scent. There’s also another strange note that pops up here which is much nicer-melon. I have no idea where the melon comes from but I smell it here, it’s like watermelon sweets. So I think, due to that maddening ‘doll head’ note, I’ll have to pass this scent on. I prefer Hollywood Babylon, which has a similar feel but is more complex and rich. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Probably not. If you like this, try: Hollywood Babylon, Bon Vivant, Shango, Blood Lotus

The High Priest Not To Be Described In the imp: warm, red, spicy and crackling incense. Mmm. Maybe a hint of camomile here. Wet on skin: spicy pimento and pepper mingles with something reminiscent of frankincense, and blood musk and leather. Dry: mmm, this is lovely! This has a fantastic crackling spiciness to it, warm and sparkling, like fireworks and a bonfire. There’s definitely something red to this. It’s smoky and dark too with a hint of dry, pale camomile. The leather and musk bond beautifully, and there’s a lovely sweetness to it. The incense note is wonderful, like burning resins and spices. Dark, fiery ritual incense. After a while: this gets better and better! The incense, musk, spices and leather have all merged into the most sublime scent ever. It’s smooth and sweet and dark and rich and mysterious and wonderful. It reminds me of the creamy spiced blood musk in Blood Moon but without the cinnamon/cassia note. Smooth and almost sexy, this reminds me of Loviatar’s musk-leather mix, but spicier. Over time, it gains a sweetness which reminds me of the tonka in Dee and Perversion. This is so good! Verdict: this is a wonderful, delicious winter warmer of a scent. Spicy and crackling, it starts as a red, fiery scent of spiced resins, flickering flames, occult rituals, similar to Dee but hotter and a tad more sinister. But then the scent gets softer and gentler over time, the leather smoothes out, and a sweet musk merges all the notes together. This makes the scent comforting and protective, it’s like sitting by a fireplace on a comfy leather sofa whilst getting a hug, a smooth spiced leathery musk. This is gorgeous and unisex fragrance which is perfect for the colder months. I might need more of this stuff. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Oh yes! This is a perfect winter scent. I might get a botttle soon. If you like this, try: Loviatar, Dragon’s Hide, Blood Moon, Bow and Crown, Count Dracula, Telltale Heart, Dee

The Temptation In the imp: sweet peachy flowers! For some reason, this reminds me of Queen Mab, but with a hint of Fae. Wet on skin: sweet peach with rose, and a hint of wisteria. Dry: now I smell fresh, dewy, sharper flowers moving through the rose and peach. A hint of green, herbal, grassy palmarosa (this note seems to give an impression of dry grass and herbs on my skin) with white wet calla and a twist of wisteria. This smells like a rich, heady mix of spring blossoms upon grasses. I don’t know what rice flower smells like and I don’t smell black musk yet. I love the peach blossom and rose combination though. After a while: the peach blossom has serious throw! All around I get a wonderful, wonderful sweet dewy peach scent, but closer to the wrist I get a greenish-pale scent which strikes me as quite Asian in feel, it might be rice flower. It smells almost like sake/rice wine in here, actually. I also smell dried wisteria blooms. It’s unusual and pretty, but not as nice as the peach-rose scent which wafts all around. And I can’t smell any black musk, which is odd because this note is usually very strong on me. This scent remains the same all through the duration of the fragrance, with the peach being stronger at times and coming out more over time. Verdict: this is a very pretty, peach-dominated scent. it has the fruity-scented peach blossom note which I am very fond of, in here it bonds very nicely with rose. This scent smells more peachy the further away from wrist I smell it…close to the wrist, the scent is more unusual, a mix of dry sharp grassy/greenness with a hint of rice wine and wisteria, different but quite pleasant. I was hoping for more of a musky oomph to the scent but the black musk is unusually quiet. I like the way it’s quite unusual compared with other floral scents, but there are other peach/peach blossom scents I prefer so I might pass this one on. I did enjoy it though. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Dunno, maybe. I have other peachy scents I prefer. If you like this, try: Fae, Queen Mab, Tamora, Silence, Aglaea

Thunderbird In the imp: tangy, wet, soapy ozone over deep green pine. Wet on skin: Thunderbird is go! (that is, like, really bad grammar…) The pine notes start to strengthen and so does the ozone. Dry: ozone, ozone and more ozone, as well as pine. It’s not as bad as I feared, as stormy ozones go. This does smell soapy and does smell a bit like detergent but it’s quite pleasant, along similar lines as Dirty or Kingsport (there’s an almost fruity-floral sweetness to it, as well as a hint of salt), a hint of wetness evoking rain, and an electric feel. Underneath is the scent of pine, fir, many evergreens. After a while: the pine scent retreats to the background whilst the scent of ozone lingers. For storm ozones, this one is quite nice. It doesn’t smell like the usual thunderstorm ozone, this doesn’t even smell that stormy…it smells more like a fresh April shower. A cool refreshing rain falling on pretty springtime blossoms. There’s also a hint of tangy fruit and marine air wafting through, the electric scent that I usually get in stormy ozones is at the back here. This also reminds me of the unreleased Toxin, but with a pine background. There’s one problem-the ‘fruity’ aspect of this scent does turn a little cloying, almost like overripe banana, on me at times…the drydown of this is clean laundry with very ripe fruit. It’s pretty but much sweeter than I imagined…a little too sickly sweet for me. Verdict: I’ve never been the biggest fan of thunderstorms and stormy ozone turns nasty on me, usually. But this is actually not bad! Of all the stormy scents, if I was forced to choose a favourite from them, it would be this. Smelling more like a short springtime cloudburst than a full-blown electrical storm of doom, this smells like rain falling on sweet blossoms with a hint of fruit and a darker undertone of pine and fir. Fresh and light, with hints of clean laundry and sea air. It does become surprisingly sweet and the fruit (or whatever smells like fruit) becomes almost too much like bananas on me and the scent loses its pretty spring shower scent. As ozones go I much prefer lighter, non-stormy ones like Lurid and Urania but I’m surprised at the fact that I like this a lot more than I expected. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Not sure yet. If you like this, try: Lightning, Tempest, Dirty, Olokun, Pool of Tears