yeahbutnobut

The Lovers In the imp: mmm…it's orange blossom/neroli. Possibly with some orange fruit/peel mixed in. Wet on skin: still orange blossom and citrus fruits. Maybe a twinge of something spicy or woody. Dry on skin: now it develops a herbal note, possibly lavender or rosemary, or perhaps thyme. Maybe some lemon verbena as well. There's a cologne like scent to this. It's fresh and zingy. There may also be something spicy here, warming the blend up. Possibly pepper or cinnamon? it's not obvious though, under the loud orange blossom/herbal scent. After a while: this eventually dries down to a much more floral scent. Hints of herbs linger, but now the scent is predominantly lily. Lots of lily, with a slight green note. Verdict: this was very different to what I was expecting from a blend called 'the Lovers'. I was expecting something more floral with a bit of fiery spice, something slightly aphrodisiac smelling. This scent is, actually, very fresh and bright. A cologne like blend, with a strong orange blossom note and herbs, a bit of citrus and maybe a tiny little bit of spice. This then dries down to become a lily scent. It reminds me of Santa Eularia and Calliope. This is a nice scent, but it's not my favourite of the tarot blends.

HOLY SHIT MACHA! *keels over* Now I am even more impatient for that bottle to arrive!

Umbra In the imp: dark, dark patchouli. Maybe a hint of vetiver. Wet on skin: oooh, cinnamon! Now the cinnamon comes out to play, amidst the dark patchouli, vetiver and possibly a hint of cedar. Dry on skin: mmm, the cinnamon adds a very nice spiciness to this dark, shadowy scent. I can smell all the notes in this clearly, and they are all very well balanced. It's a very deep, rich, sombre scent, mysterious and quite earthy. But I like it. After a while: at one point, the vetiver strengthens, adding a dirty, more earthy and mulchy green feel to the scent. That could also be the patchouli, but it's a deep green scent, so it's mainly vetiver. Then it becomes more balanced and the notes settle down nicely. Verdict: this is a very deep, dark scent. Very shadowy, befitting to the name. I can smell all the notes in this, the cedar, patchouli, vetiver and cinnamon are all nicely balanced, and the cinnamon adds a lovely warm spicy touch to this scent. This is an interesting scent, certainly unisex, not sure if I'll get a bottle yet, but I will definitely keep the imp.

LOL! I have that problem too! I say Ba-o-ban Sith too...I am also rusty withGaelic/Celtic names too. I need to stop saying 'leanne-an-sid' in my head whenever I see Leanan Sidhe! Samhain is similar-in my head, I say 'sam-hayne' as well. And Aeval. Is it pronounced 'ah-eh-val'? or 'e-val', or something totally different? I, on the other hand, have no probs with French names. I'm half French, so names like Grand Guignol don't bother me. (it's pronounced 'graahn gee-nyol', with the 'gee' having a hard G.)

Aztec names are pretty damn hard...I have real problems with pronouncing/spelling the X oil too. Yup, I'll have to copy and paste it if I ask for an imp of it. Same with 'Bloody Bunnies' (you know the one), but it's not as tongue curdling as the X oil looks. Is Tezcatlipoca (sp?) pronounced tez-cat-lih-poker? I say that, but I could be wrong...

Freak Show In the imp: cocoa, fig and pomegranate! A strange, but not unpleasant combination. Wet on skin: still cocoa, fig and pomegranate, but now the lemon is coming through. Dry on skin: this is an interesting and unusual fruity combination. It's sweet cocoa and vanilla with sharper fruit notes like fig, pomegranate and citrus. It's compelling, but so different to anything I've ever tried. It's a very soft scent, clings to the skin with its tart fruitiness contrasting with the smooth vanilla-tonka scent. After a while: after an hour it smells like juicy ripe fig, a hint of pomegranate, vanilla and/or tonka, cocoa and a delightful honeyed musk. It's really nice now. Chocolate covered fig with pomegranate and vanilla honey. Sounds weird, but it smells yummy. In fact, I've noticed that scents with both pomegranate and vanilla have the most gorgeous drydown. Queen of Clubs had that, and so does this. Verdict: this is one of the most unusual, unconventional perfumes I've tried. It's a complex scent of contrasts, sweet and tangy, smooth and sharp, with fruity scents (fig, pomegranate, lemon) contrasting with a very soft background of chocolate, vanilla, honeyed musk and tonka. This sweet, velvety background smoothes the tart fruity notes and adds another dimension to what could otherwise be a purely fruity scent. It's compelling to sniff, strangely addictive. It seems to fit the name well, because it is so different and quite bizarre, yet oddly mesmerising. And the drydown of chocolate fig, honey musk and pomegranate and vanilla is wonderful. I'm not sure if I'd get a bottle, but I am keeping the decant because it is really quite lovely, especially the drydown, and it really grows on you.

I wish I could, but I can't access the forum where I found it...it seems to be down.

Horus (Many thanks to UltraViolet for letting me try some of this. You seriously rock, girl!) In the imp: frankincense. Definitely frankincense with a sweet resinous scent, possibly amber. A golden, glowing fragrance. I am unsure of the exact magickal purpose of this oil, but I do know a lot about Horus and what he represents. Wet on skin: a radiant, warm golden resin scent, with a hint of spice. Frankincense and something extra. Dry on skin: oh, this is so beautiful. This is a sweet amber with frankincense and spice scent. It reminds me a bit of the Lion, in fact. There is something definitely solar about this scent, it has the same vibe as Tarot: the Sun and the Stations of the Sun, it reminds me very slightly of Ahathoor as well. It has a golden, shining, luminescent feel to it, which seems apt for the god it's named after. I'm wondering if there's also some heliotrope in this as well, as there's a hint of sweet, golden floral. And there's a lovely spicy aspect to this, adding warmth to the fragrance. After a while: now a sweet, sun warmed skin fragrance starts to come through- possibly a light musk, and there's a hint of something floral, possibly even some sandalwood. Still the golden resinous fragrance dominates. It's complex and multifaceted, glowing and luminous. As time goes on, I'm pretty sure there's a sandalwood scent coming through, with a hint of something floral, and still more amber, and maybe some 'sun warmed skin scent' musk. It's slightly powdery but it's no bad thing at all-it’s good powdery smell, soft and smooth. In fact, it reminds me somewhat of the drydown of Baghdad-it has that dry, dusty, warm scent that seems antique and familiar. And then, a few hours later, it switches back to that wonderful translucent spiced amber scent. (I wouldn't be surprised if it was Egyptian amber…) The effects: as I said before, I am not sure what the exact purpose of this oil is, but this is how it makes me feel…something about this smell makes me feel so positive and yet calmed inside. I have been suffering form terrible depression recently and I have been feeling ill, but this scent has lifted me out of both my depression and has made me feel a lot better. It also has given me inspiration and the impetus to stop me feeling lazy and lethargic, and I feel more assured and confident about myself than I have been in the last few weeks. Verdict: I feel so honoured to have tried this beautiful fragrance. Recently I have been feeling quite drawn to Horus, I have always had an affinity for him but it's grown a bit stronger these days. And this oil is truly wonderful. It's a sweet golden resinous fragrance full of complexity and various notes- amber, frankincense, spices, sandalwood, something floral, and even a hint of a skin scent. It reminds me of the Lion, Tarot: the Sun and Ahathoor, but is even more magnificent than those are. It is the fragrance of golden solar light, filled with positive energy. It is a scent that feels sacred, divine, and ancient too. It is a scent truly appropriate for Horus, it feels right for him. I also had high hopes for this scent, and guess what, I absolutely adore this fragrance and how it makes me feel, and would be so sad if this was discontinued, or not made any more…I want a bottle! But for now I will enjoy the little 1/8th of an imp that I do have of it! HAIL HORUS! :D

OMG. If anyone has LitA, please take a picture of it. The label is squeeworthy. I saw a photo somewhere else of it. And...the Carnivale label is a CN themed label.

Sea of Glass (Note: this review may be a bit inaccurate since the imp I got of this was actually diluted-don't worry! The person who gave this to me warned me that she diluted it to tone down the scent which she thought was too strong, and anyway she had tossed it in as a freebie in a swap.) In the imp: sweet and salty! A definite marine scent, with a hint of something a bit floral. Very fresh. Wet on skin: yup, it's still that fresh marine scent with a hint of green or floral, or fruity-melon or cucumber. It's warm, yet cool at the same time. Dry on skin: omg. This scent reminds me of summer holidays! It smells like something I took on holiday with me once, either an aftersun cream or a shower gel, or sun lotion. With a hint of sea breeze wafting through. But it smells just like something that automatically reminds me of holidays in Mediterranean resorts with sandy beaches and clear blue seas. Such memories make me smile, and give me beach cravings! After a while: it stays pretty consistent on me, that mix of sweet and salty water, sitting by the pool wearing a sarong whilst watching the sun setting over the sea. The scent of a warm, salty breeze at the end of a beautiful day. Verdict: this scent is absolutely perfect for summer. It's fresh, marine, with a hint of something floral. But the thing I really like about this is the pleasant memories it evokes of summer holidays. It reminds me of something I used on holiday once, possibly a sun lotion or aftersun lotion…you know how the smell of something you used on a holiday somewhere instantly brings back memories of that time? This makes me think of a warm sandy beach on an island resort, either in Mauritius or somewhere Mediterranean, with the scent of the sea wafting on the breeze, I've just been for a swim in the delightfully clear, clean, warm sea waters and the scent of sea salt and suntan lotion is mingled on my skin. This is the perfect scent to evoke memories of the best summers of my life, even on the rainiest, dreariest day. Now I have a serious beach craving, I want to go for a swim in the sea. But I can't because I live in London, and the sea in Brighton or Bournemouth isn't exactly the Med or the Indian Ocean, is it? Bear in mind that this is the diluted version. I need to try the undiluted scent, but for now, this imp will be my summer scent.

Bliss In the imp: mmm, chocolate! *drools* This actually smells like chocolate brownies, with a hint of nuts. Or Cadbury's Whole Nut chocolate. Wet on skin: now it smells like cocoa powder, or drinking chocolate in powdered form. It's not as yummy as it smelt in the imp. Dry on skin: yup, it's chocolate. It's not the 'chocolate bar' scent I was expecting, this is more of a dry scent, or like cocoa powder, but quite yummy none the less. After a while: this fades pretty fast. All I'm left with is a little hint of cocoa and sweet milk. It is, I'm afraid, a bit flat on me. I hate my stupid skin and my stupid hormones! Actually, this doesn't fade-it returns, but still remains a flat cocoa smell. I'm even afraid to say that I even detect a bit of plastic there. Verdict: in the vial, it is truly delicious. Yummy, nutty chocolate, sweet and rich, indulgent and yummy. But on the skin, it's not as nice…something in my skin sucks out all the rich chocolate goodness and leaves a slightly flat cocoa powder and a hint of sweet milk scent. Like a hot chocolate drink-but slightly watered down, and slightly plastic. It's not bad, it still is quite an edible scent, but I actually prefer the chocolate notes in 13, Velvet and Gluttony, they are fuller and richer. But this is nice as a single note chocolate scent and maybe for layering possibilities-I just wish that on my skin, it smelt as delicious as it was in the imp! Maybe I should try this again when I'm not having that monthly crisis, or as a room fragrance.

Peitho In the imp: a soft, sweet floral. Jasmine, lily and vanilla. Wet on skin: mmm! This is delightful, that soft vanilla floral scent. It's mainly a gorgeous lily note with gentle jasmine and vanilla. Dry on skin: this is so nice! It's a very gentle scent, it clings close to the skin, but the scent is a wonderful blend of vanilla, soft musk, lily and jasmine. The vanilla in here is truly delicious, mingled with a fabulous stargazer lily scent, just like those huge pink lilies with their beautiful fragrance, with freshly bloomed jasmine and a lovely musk note. The more I sniff, the more I fall in love with this. After a while: oh my word, the bourbon vanilla and lily become even more pronounced, richer and so genuine smelling, it's like I'm sniffing my mum's vanilla pods in a room with a big vase full of lilies. The jasmine softens the blend along with the musk, and the throw has improved greatly, it's like the scent has warmed up and blossomed wonderfully on my skin. It's also a lot sweeter now. Verdict: wow, this is one of the loveliest, softest vanilla florals. It's sweet and flowery without being too heady, cloying or overpowering. The notes in here are truly magnificent-lily, jasmine, gentle musk and a divine vanilla-and they all combine to create a beautiful, feminine scent that enchants and desires and is compelling and addictive to sniff. I need a bottle!

Vechernyaya In the imp: fresh, light musk and dark patchouli. Wet on skin: oh, this is nice. The musk and the patchouli contrast each other nicely, and there's another scent there that must be the poppy. Dry on skin: this is lovely. I love the white musk note in this, it's fresh, light, airy and sparkling. The poppy adds a sophisticated aspect to this, sweet and heady, whilst the patchouli grounds the scent. It is like a really well made perfume, sensual and mysterious. After a while: now it smells like very posh perfume! This isn't a bad thing-this is a really well crafted perfume scent. It's very heady as well-I think it's the poppy that's doing this. I can't really smell the patchouli any more, but the musk is still there. Verdict: this is an intriguing and mesmerising scent. The musk in here is light, sparkling and gentle, the patchouli adds depth, and the poppy adds a sweetness and rich floral scent reminiscent of sophisticated, expensive perfume. This is a mysterious scent, sensual and very heady. It's a very grown up scent. I don't find this masculine at all-indeed, this is incredibly feminine to me-and not girly, but very womanly. I'm not sure if I'll get a bottle as this may be a bit too heavy for me at times, but it seems very appropriate for evenings out, it's sexy with an air of mystery. I'll certainly keep my imp.

Whippoorwill In the imp: very green, with a hint of sweet spice-no doubt the cardamom. It's also a moist green scent. Wet on skin: a moist, green scent. Very nice, very herbal, or like crushed leaves with spices. Cardamom and bamboo are the dominant notes here, I think, as well as moss. Dry on skin: oh, the cardamom in this is wonderful! So pronounced, and mingling nicely with the scent of bamboo shoots, dewy moss, freshly cut cedar and juniper woods, crushed leaves, trees, spices and reeds, and a little hint of pepper. It's a scent of refreshing, vivid greenness, but there's a tiny hint of something darker behind it. After a while: this stays pretty consistent. It's still a fresh, moist green scent with spicy warmth in the background. Verdict: this is an amazing scent of intense and complex greenness…it's herbal, woody, leafy, mossy and spicy. It's got aspects of sweetness, moistness and a hint of warmth but with a refreshing, watery coolness. The cardamom note is delightful, enhancing the scent of bamboo leaves and shoots, cedar and juniper trees and moss. I was worried that the woody-mossy notes would make this rather masculine, but it's not at all, it's certainly a unisex scent. A fascinating blend of woodsy and marshy scents, it's a lovely scent and I'm glad I have an imp of it.

Neo Tokyo In the imp: fresh and almost lemony. It's also a bit salty-that could be the ozone. Wet on skin: yup, still fresh and lemony, like lemons soaked by rain-maybe that's part of the 'wet fruits'? There's also that metallic, electric, slightly salty ozone tang. Dry on skin: I think I can just about make out the orchid in the ozone scent-I can smell lots of citrus fruits and greenery, and that fresh, almost rainy/stormy ozone scent which gives this fragrance an interesting edge. Tokyo in the rain? It's a very zingy scent, it's refreshing, I think this would be nice in the spring or summer. After a while: I think there may be a tea note in here too, or bamboo. It's green, that's for sure. Now it reminds me of Blue Moon as well, but more ozone-y and fruity. There's something quite Japanese about this, it makes me think of a traditional geisha looking over the modern skyline of Tokyo as the rain drenches the blossoming trees and bamboo. After about 30-45 minutes, this really does get metallic. How on earth does Beth do that? Now it really smells like rain falling on steel, bright neon signs crackling, the tang of electricity in the air, and still that fruity-green scent wafts through. Verdict: this is an interesting fragrance, ozone is the predominant scent here, and it's a very refreshing scent, almost like a sea breeze, with a salty, metallic bite, it feels rainy and electric. There's also the zingy scent of citrus fruits-I think lemon and grapefruit? And there's a nice orchid background with possibly the cherry blossom. It's a very refreshing scent-it's almost like cologne, it would be perfect for summer because it's light and breezy and fresh and full of energy. Not sure if I'll get a bottle but I like it none the less-and it really does fit the description.

Gluttony In the imp: holy yum…This smells edible. No, that's an understatement. Caramelised sugar and butterscotch. Chocolate and nuts, biscuits and cake. I'd imagine this to be what Willy Wonka's factory smells like. Wet on skin: buttery, sweet, indulgent, chocolatey and a tiny bit boozy… Dry on skin: yummy! This is a very sweet and rich blend, and there's definitely a booze note. Maybe it's the hops? There are nuts, chocolate, caramel-there's a definite sweet butter note, like butterscotch, buttercream, and maybe Butterbeer-hehehe that's what happens when you read too much Harry Potter! In fact, I think this is what Butterbeer served at Honeydukes would smell like! After a while: now I want to eat myself. It's getting even sweeter. It smells like caramelised sugar with toffee swirled through it, sprinkled with brown sugar and topped with chocolate and nuts. It's sweetness overload! Verdict: this is the sort of scent that would make Homer Simpson drool. This is the most devilishly indulgent and sugary foody BPAL I've tried. It smells like a tiny drop of this scent contains 1000 calories and even sniffing it will make you put on weight! It's got all the most sweet and rich dessert smells in it-chocolate, vanilla, caramel, nuts, praline, chocolate truffles, biscuits, cake, and a booze note to make even more sinful. This really does epitomise gluttony. Delicious as it is, I'm not sure if I'd get a bottle as this really is a very heavy and rich food scent and can be a bit too much at times, but I'm keeping the imp for those moments I get chocolate or dessert cravings.

King of Clubs In the imp: sweet almonds! It's a very mild almond note with something sweet and resinous in the background. Wet on skin: now greener notes start to peek through-probably the sage. There's a smoky scent-possibly tobacco, and amber and perhaps some musk. It's a complex but lovely mix. Dry on skin: holy moly, this is nicer than I expected! It's a combination of moist earth, sweet amber and ripe fig, green sage and oak moss, and smoky tobacco and possibly a sensual leather-musk scent. I'm surprised at how lovely this is, considering I was apprehensive about the tobacco, earth and leather! After a while: yup, it's smoky! But not in a repulsive cigarette scent (yup, I'm not a smoker), but more of a really sophisticated tobacco, or even like burning incense, with leather. There's a lovely mossy green and earthy scent on top of the smoke, and a sweet, rich depth lent by amber and fig, and a bit of musk. This is sexy. Verdict: this was a wonderful surprise! Like the Queen, this is a complex scent, multifaceted and detailed, and filled with a gorgeous selection of scents-earthy, deep, sensual, smoky, sweet, fresh and green. I was worried that the tobacco and leather would smell awful on me, but no. In here, they are lovely and work in harmony with all the other scents! It's a scent with depth and richness, and is definitely unisex-if I had a boyfriend, I bet this would smell uber-sexy on him! Now I am kicking myself for not buying bottles of the King and Queen of Clubs!

Decadence In the imp: almonds, amaretto, slightly boozy almonds. Wet on skin: mmm, smells like Christmas cake with marzipan! There's even a hint of what smells like brandy-which is what my mum puts in her Xmas cake! Dry on skin: this smells boozy! It's not strong booze, but I think it could be brandy. There's something here that reminds me of cherries, and there's candied citrus peel, and there are spices in here-not sure what sort though. It does smell like brandy soaked fruitcake or Christmas pudding. After a while: now the citrus peel note gets stronger, it smells like lemons or oranges! There's still a hint of alcohol in here as well. But now, it's very citrus-peel smelling. I was hoping the Xmas cake smell I got when it was wet could have stayed longer. There is a bare hint of something spicy, but it's predominantly candied fruit peel. As time passes, the spice seems to creep slowly into the citrus scent! Now it starts to smell like a bit like an orange pomander. In fact…I swear this is turning into mulled wine as well! The only problem is that it seems to be fading quickly. Verdict: this might be the closest to the 'Christmas cake' scent I was thinking BPAL could do as an LE. I wouldn't be surprised if this one was released as a yule LE because it really does smell like the ingredients of Xmas cake-almond marzipan, brandy, and candied fruit, especially citrus peel. First you smell the marzipan, then a hint of booze and spice and fruits, which then becomes a purely citrus scent, which is nice, which then becomes orange pomander meets mulled wine. And the alcoholic note isn't too strong smelling, which is good. The only problem is that it fades fast on me. I'd probably wear this more around Christmas, but I'm not sure if I'd get a bottle (when it becomes available) yet.

Queen of Clubs In the imp: wet soil! Yup, it smells a bit like wet earth with sweet fruits-pomegranate and currant. Wet on skin: whoa, this really does smell like cool damp soil, but that's no bad thing-it's quite nice actually! The fruit notes add a lovely sweetness to it all. Dry on skin: still earthy, but now the fruit notes deepen and ripen, the crispness of pomegranate is strong here, and I can make out the myrrh and incense notes, with vanilla adding a nice sweet touch. This is surprisingly nice! After a while: I can smell the rose now!! It smells like rose petals strewn on damp soil, like you've planted a new rose bush. I think there's also a bit of a dark or smoky scent, which could be the incense, and there's also a sweet vanilla-amber scent, with juicy currant. It's much sweeter now. Oh crikey, after an hour or two, the drydown is incredible. Vanilla can either be fantastic or cloying on me-in here, it is divine! And it mingles so nicely with the rose, and is probably enhanced by the myrrh and amber. Verdict: this is a totally different perfume to the ones I usually wear, but I love it! I was reluctant about the 'earth notes' but the soil scent is actually really nice. There's a lovely fruit note here, sweet and juicy, with incense deepening the scent and a little bit of rose and vanilla rounding it up. The notes develop as time passes, the scent sweetens and becomes fuller, with a wonderful drydown. This works surprisingly well on me, and feels both fresh and earthy, and quite complex and multifaceted. I love it.

Hamadryad is my perfect autumn scent-it's like an autumnal potpourri of cinnamon, wood chips, tree bark and moss. And also Tintagel. Mabon is fantastic for early autumn. I thought Bewitched was autumnal as well-it's the blackberry scent, I think. March Hare is late summer-early autumn to me.

Definitely Tum, to me it was honeyed grape with a little spice. I like it! (In fact, the latest reviewer says it smells like Welch's!)

Chaos Theory DXVI (516) From a swap with OriginalWacky In the imp: holy moly, this oil is BLUE!!! That is weird. I wonder where that colour is from? Anyway, the scent…it's like sweet coconut candy with mint, and a refreshing, probably ozone-y or marine smelling edge. It reminds me of the coconut scent of Milk Moon without the sour smell. Wet on skin: mmm, this is nice! This is like Milk Moon-with the coconut milk and mint, but instead of the sour milk that I disliked, there's a bit of ozone. Not stormy ozone, but marine ozone-which I like. It's like the spray of breaking waves. Dry on skin: this smells like summer on the beach, drinking coconut milk by the seashore. A fresh mint and oceanic ozone and sea spray and a bit of coconut. Very refreshing and perfect for summer, and very cooling. It reminds me of holidays on tropical beaches. After a while: the coconut scent strengthens. It has a milky aspect which is like sweetened coconut milk or cream. There's still a hint of sea spray and mint, but now coconut is the dominant note. After a few hours, I have coconut milk and something that reminds me of lotus! (Maybe it's blue lotus-considering the oil's colour?) I love this CT... Verdict: this is a gorgeous summer scent, and it's the first ever blue BPAL I've encountered-and the colour matches the scent. This is a marine aquatic fragrance, which is like summer on a tropical island of blue skies and bluer seas. You've just been surfing, diving, swimming in the ocean, and now you're sitting on the beach and you crack open a fresh coconut and drink the milk inside. This is what it smells like. Coconut milk (which smells startlingly like it's come from a freshly cut coconut) with marine ozone and a little bit of sea salt cooled down by mint. It's perfect for summer and makes me think of beautiful beaches and holidays to far flung exotic islands. I love it, and I'll cherish the half imp I have of it. Chaos Theory CCCLXXXVIII (388) From a swap with OriginalWacky In the imp: another harsh chemical cleaner smell! Dang it, I'm getting a bad run of these CTs! This too has a floral background. Wet on skin: yeesh! A lot of the CTs I've tried seem to share a common note-and it's one that disagrees with me completely. A harsh, medicinal, antiseptic like smell. Here too, there's that soapy floral scent. Another one that, unfortunately, reminds me of just-cleaned bathrooms. At least it smells clean! Dry on skin: still that chemical scent that I don't like, still that soft floral scent that attempts to break through. Yup, it seems almost like a clone of those other CTs, which seems impossible-unless my skin is being a bitch?? After a while: after half an hour, the lovely floral scent is now strong-and it's really nice. I think it could be jasmine or honeysuckle. If it was just that in the perfume, I would like this CT better. Verdict: I don't know why, but three of the CTs I've tried all have a harsh scent like chemicals coupled with a floral background that just smells like antiseptic or cleaning product. Yes, this is another CT I don't like, and even if it does have a nice drydown, which it does, I just can't handle the chemical scent. I'm intrigued to know what it is though. I'll have to swap this one off.

Hamadryad In the imp: mmm, slightly cinnamon-y! There's also something reminiscent of woods and bark here. Wet on skin: not bad! It has a slightly ginger or root beer-y smell, but there's also a dry woody smell, reminds me of tree bark. And there's a bit of spice. Dry on skin: wow, this is nice! This smells like dry cinnamon sticks with other woods and tree bark. It's got an autumnal feel to it, I swear I can even smell dry leaves in this. It's spicy and dry, and warm and woodsy. I can't smell the flowers, but I can smell the woods and a hint of lichen on the bark, which is not as bad as it sounds! After a while: something in here is reminding me of mulled cider, even though it's not listed as a component…it's like a spiced cider scent. I can also detect a little bit of oak moss! Verdict: I've found my perfect autumn scent! This is a lovely blend of dry woods, spices and leaves. Think of an autumnal pot pourri made from cinnamon sticks, wood chips, dry leaves and chips of bark with a sprinkling of spice (and with no horrible synthetics)-and this is what it would smell like. There's a lovely strong cinnamon scent, like cinnamon sticks, and a dry wood scent that is makes me think of tall trees in the autumn sunset, with leaves swirling all around, and a little bit of moss. It's a wonderful blend and I'll be wearing a lot of this, especially when summer ends.

Chaos Theory CCCLXXXII (382) From a swap with OriginalWacky In the imp: oh dear, this one smells really harsh and medicinal, quite chemical. A bit like something antiseptic. Wet on skin: dang it, it really is like antiseptic! There's a really harsh, sharp, chemical scent here that doesn't agree with me at all. In the background, something sweet and floral attempts to break through. Dry on skin: still that chemical scent that I don't like, but there's a soft floral background. It reminds me of another CT that I tried and disagreed with, but I think there could be a different floral here. It seems like jasmine or lotus, or gardenia, or maybe plumeria/frangipani?? The floral gets clearer and creamier, attempting to push away the barrier of that nasty scent that masks it. After a while: that's more like it. It's now become a soft, white floral scent which may be jasmine, gardenia, lotus or honeysuckle, or a mixture of all or a few of these. It's lovely now. Verdict: this is another CT that has a medicinal, harsh note that I can't stand. It reminds me of antiseptic or cleaning products. But, like the other scent that was similar, this one also has a floral scent that attempts to redeem it. It's a gorgeous creamy floral, very full and smooth that gradually gets stronger and pushes the 'antiseptic' scent to the side-it could be jasmine, maybe frangipani. After about half an hour, the scent is a nice, soft floral with no annoying medicinal smell. If it was just that floral drydown and nothing more, I would like it better-I just can't handle the first 30 minutes of this scent, so I might swap it.

Chaos Theory LXXVIII (78) From a swap with Laochodia. In the imp: omg cinnamon!!!!! This smells like cinnamon and orange-it smells like Christmas! Wet on skin: still cinnamon, which is lovely, but there's also something herbal, spicy or slightly boozy in the background. there's an almost medicinal feel to it, kinda like a hot toddy to warm you up in the winter. Dry on skin: cinnamon, yum! And also something that could be ginger beer or tea. This smells like chai tea without the milk, with ginger added. This smells like a warm, comforting winter drink-perfect for the cold, rainy unseasonable weather I'm having now! It is reminiscent of the Lion, but warmer and spicier. It's got a fabulous spicy bite! It also has an effervescent quality that reminds me of Lush's Hot Java. After a while: damn it, this is delicious! This is the Holy Grail of spice blends! It's sweet, warm, spicy, and comforting. I think there's also cardamom, pepper and nutmeg here, mingled with the cinnamon and ginger. It has a sparkling quality, it reminds me of those little sparkler fireworks, those little sparkling sticks you wave around, gentle yet fiery. I wish this was released as a regular or LE scent! Verdict: this is my absolute favourite out of all the CT blends I've tried. It smells like chai tea!!! Yup, this smells like black chai tea with cinnamon and ginger and possibly some pepper. There's a wonderful cinnamon kick in this scent. This is a warm, cosy blend that makes me want to snuggle up with a hot toddy when it's cold and rainy outside. It's perfect for winter and Christmas, and will be the scent I reach for if I have a cold, since it makes me feel so warmed. I will cherish this little decanted imp, my most treasured of Chaos Theories, and my perfect chai tea blend (that is, until Bengal comes along.) (Previously reviewed by sihaya09.)