yeahbutnobut

June Gloom 04 In the imp: a very clean lemon soap. Wet on skin: interesting, it’s almost like lemon incense now? Dry on skin: hmm, this is a strange one. I am reminded of Delousing Powder, though this is a lot soapier, a lot fresher, and less powdery and more like ozone. The lemon note is the most dominant one, and it’s lemon verbena. Or maybe lemongrass, but to me it’s too soft to be lemongrass so I think it’s verbena (it’s not lemon fruit). I also smell something powdery, a little soapy, and some ozone too. Oddly, I also smell something like olive to this? Almost like olive oil. As well as a hint of something like sandalwood incense. there is something pale and floral here too, flowers of the soapy, sharp kind. After a while: this then turns to bathroom cleaner-specifically, the creamy Cif/Jif cleaner. It has that oddly creamy, oddly chalky smell with the soapy lemon. It does though have an interesting herbal-mossy background to it…but this almost leans towards smelling like mildew at times. Oddly, I still get hints of sandalwood incense too, or even nag champa…it smells like a light thin incense. At this point the smell is very similar to Delousing Powder, but it lacks the warm sweetness and amber-ish scent I got in DP, and I prefer that scent. Verdict: not my kind of scent at all. It smells like lemon soap for most of the time, a fresh and tangy soap with lemongrass or verbena, and turns to bathroom cleaner on me. The flowers only amp up the soapy scent. Oddly, I get incense at the drydown, and it turns quite nice at the end but also fades very fast after a few hours. So this really isn’t my thing. I hope the 09 version of JG works out better on me. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? no.

Strawberry Moon 09 In the imp: freshly picked strawberries sprinkled with sugar, and a hint of greenery. So beautiful! Wet on skin: erk, this is becoming very sharp and bitter now…though I still smell strawberry. Dry on skin: why hello there dandelion, you’re a little bit of a show-off aren’t you? Trying to get in the way of the strawberry? The dandelion has amped up and now threatens to overtake the delicate strawberry note, which in here is so gorgeous. I thought it would be too sweet yet sour, but the strawberry in here is very authentic in scent, it smells like the real fruit, complete with leaves. I can also smell some grasses, both fresh green and dried. There’s something in here that smells just like the scent of English meadows on a summer’s day, a kind of hay and dry grass and pollen scent, and I love that. But the dandelion is a little too strong and is stomping all over the strawberry! After a while: oh strawberry? Where are you? Gone into hiding from big bully dandelion, I presume? That’s all I smell now. No strawberry, or at least, very little, maybe more of the strawberry flower than the fruit. Loads of dandelion and grass though. This dandelion isn’t gentle and softly green, this is an aggressive little weed that tramples all over the strawberry and vanilla and takes over completely. That said, it’s not a bad scent. A bit bitter and slightly soapy, but not bad. It’s just that I was hoping this would smell like strawberries! And then this turns to an indistinct green-fruity-sour mush on me, like grass clippings and weeded-out dandelions with just the barest hint of squashed strawberry trodden into the grass. I am heartbroken. Verdict: if the dandelion were just a tad softer, this would totally smell like nostalgia. Like the strawberry picking that was a highlight of every June. The scent of the greenery and the dry grasses and the sunshine, the cheeky thrill of eating the picked strawberries instead of putting them in the basket. But sadly, the dandelion amps to high heaven and gobbles up the strawberry. And this strawberry was not the bad variety! It was, for once, a lovely fresh natural strawberry that smelt like the real deal and brought back happy memories of childhood, but the dandelion completely overtook it, just like the gin note did in Velvet Pink Kitty. I think I’m the only person who doesn’t like dandelion notes (with the exceptions being the sublime Dog Days and Fairy Wine), and that’s all I get here. It’s a shame really, I was hoping this would be the ultimate strawberry…I passed my bottle on to someone who may love it more than me. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? sadly not. If you like this, try: Velvet Pink Kitty, Strawberry Moon 05, Beaver Moon 07, Bon Vivant

Bat of Wealth In the imp: pomegranate and patchouli, mmm! Wet on skin: now I smell blackberry, but it still smells predominantly of pom ‘n patch. Dry on skin: oh dear. Once dry, blackberry does the thing I dreaded. It gives me the ‘bad kitty’ reaction. It’s like a tomcat has approached my wrist and is spraying all over the gorgeous pomegranate and heliotrope notes! The patch doesn’t help, it seems to make the cat pee scent even more pronounced like it did in Agony of Heartache, whilst the bergamot, a note I usually like, does the same thing-enhances the blackberry-gone-bad on me. what’s more, something in here seems to be turning to soap? After a while: the cat pee fades a little and the scent remaining is back to pomegranate, and in here it reminds me of Penumbra, but a bit soapier. Not sure where the soap comes from. But it’s a deep purple pomegranate-patchouli scent with a bit of berry, but overall I do prefer Penumbra, with its smoky resinous depth. This one smells a bit tinny and strange. Verdict: as expected, this didn’t work, thanks to blackberry, aka ‘bad kitty berry’. And yes, this berry did the cat pee thing here too. a shame really because I loved what the pomegranate was doing, especially when it mixed with the patchouli. However when the blackberry interacted with the patch, it seemed to make the ‘territorial tomcat’ scent even dirtier. And there was also a soap note, not sure where from, that I didn’t like. Not for me…I’m glad I don’t need to track any more down. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Nope.

Pumpkin III 08 In the imp: buttery pumpkin, sharp citrus, green herbs. Wet on skin: the bitter scent of yuzu, grapefruit and parsley now pop out. Dry on skin: whoa, yuzu and grapefruit! This smells like bitter citrus rind on me now, with hints of parsley and pumpkin. I find that yuzu is like grapefruit on steroids, especially when paired with grapefruit, like in here! This scent is dominated by those two citrus notes, with a hint of sparkling lime and verbena. The parsley adds an interesting bitter herbal note, but I don’t get much mint, and even the pumpkin has gone quiet now. After a while: the intense bitter peel scent does tone down and the citrus notes now turn into a softer scent. though now the scent seems to take on an oddly soapy feel, with a hint of something almost like wet cardboard? Not sure what’s up with that. I do like the sweet, almost floral and sugared scent that this now has. I can also smell more the pumpkin. It reminds me of Aizen Myoo, but with pumpkin. Verdict: this was very, very citrus to start with, what with hyper-grapefruit yuzu with grapefruit and lime, not much pumpkin. I quite liked it, even if the yuzu was a little too loud for me as it can be. But then the scent goes really odd, and soapy too. The citrus dies down but whatever’s left turns strangely floral and also sugary, but with that strange soap and cardboard scent which means this just doesn’t work for me. This may be the pumpkin scent I like least out of the 08 patch. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? No. If you like this, try: Aizen Myoo, Night Gaunt, Pumpkin I 07

Velvet Panther In the imp: mandarin cologne. This is sharp and snappy but has a darkly sweet undertone. Wet on skin: citrus, cologne, anise, musky vanilla, vetiver. Dry on skin: this one is intriguing. I can smell liquorice, from the anise note. Combined with the dark musk and vanilla I get a liquorice laces note, the kind of scent I wanted from Humbug. I also smell the mandarin, wonderfully strong. Something in here reminds me of manly cologne, but in here I quite like it. I also smell a hint of violet. Overall this brings to mind a glossy black, with hints of silvery violet and bright orange, and a growling undertone of vetiver (which is subtle but I sense its presence). Though oddly this reminds me of something from Lush as well, but I can’t say what. After a while: this moves through stages of sweet sexy purring cologne with a masculine edge but then dries down as violet and musk, and then at the end the vetiver comes out. It’s not as strong as the Tiger’s vetiver, but it’s a little too much and it seems to take over the more delicate violet note. even so, the scent isn’t wowing me as much as it did when it started. It’s too masculine by then and also smells a little flat? Verdict: of the two Velvet big cats, this is my preferred scent. It smells sleek and dark and warm, and I really like the beginning when I smell the sexy black musk mixing with anise and vanilla and citrus, it’s very appealing and the sort of scent I want to snuggle up to. It’s not as nice to me at the end though when the vetiver gets a tiny bit stronger (though not as strong as Velvet Tiger) and the violet comes out a little, and the musk becomes a little more manly, the vanilla also fades away too and it’s the vanilla that I found nicest in this scent. but ultimately it’s not one of those ‘must have more’ scents even though it’s one of the nicest vetiver scents. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? not really. If you like this, try: Mad Meg, Silas Ruthyn, The Great He Goat

Glukupikros In the imp: a masculine blend of woods, moss and lavender. Wet on skin: clean fresh moss and woods, but I also smell amber and sweetness, and musk. Dry on skin: I like this. It’s manly, but I still like it…there’s a very classic feel to it. It makes me think of a well-crafted chypre/fougere based cologne. The lavender leads the way but it’s beautifully backed up by a warm, golden amber and vanilla-caramel (no cloying caramel foodiness though). I can smell woods, pale musk (a very clean ‘just showered skin’ scent) mosses and the earthy touch of spikenard too. This reminds me a bit of the Emathides, but more masculine and fresh. After a while: this then seems to go into a stage that reminds me of a cross between Old Scratch and Emathides, and one of the sweeter spikenard scents-maybe Diwali? The blend of cedar, spikenard and sandalwood reminds me of the incense base of Diwali. The amber and lavender and musk and moss are very appealingI seem to be getting powder from this as well, from the moss and musk. This gets more and more amber-vanilla over time, and I love that. it smells like a sort of amber chypre in the end, sweet moss with an amber base. Verdict: this is masculine, but not overwhelmingly so, I feel this is unisex and I really like it. It’s a very nice blend of lavender and woods and moss with a clean musk and delightful amber-vanilla warmth behind it. I feel as though I can pull it off without smelling like aftershave, though I’d love to smell this on a guy. I find this very sexy and approachable and it’s got a very sophisticated, mature feel to it as well, classic but also quite contemporary. It’s not a favourite-there are other lavender-wood-amber scents I prefer, but it’s a lot nicer than I expected. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? not really but it’s very nice! If you like this, try: Emathides, Old Scratch, Casanova, Bat of Longevity, Gaueko

Planting Moon In the imp: greenery, but a much deeper green note than usual. Not at all grassy, not sharp, not floral, but it is wet and earthy. Wet on skin: oh, this is nice. It smells like tomato vines! Dry on skin: deep green leaves and vegetables. This is quite incredible! It really does smell like green broad beans and tomatoes, not just the leaves but the fruit too. I can smell squashes, courgettes and marrows, and fresh spinach. So many vegetables, but not a salad-this is growing veg and a hint of soil, and also some weeds. The greenery is very different to other BPAL greens, much deeper and mellower than the grass notes, not a dry balmy pungent green like herbs, it is fresh but not as wet as the lettuce and cucumber notes, this is much warmer, it evokes summer. I swear I get a hint of basil too at times. It’s also not a soapy or sharp floral green. After a while: this now reminds me of another scent from another etailer (hint-it’s a seasonal themed changing scent!) which, in it’s early stages, smelt very much like wet earth and spring greenery. Though this lacks the floral element of that scent-it’s still all about the deep green tomato leaf and bean vines, and something that reminds me of peas-or those climbing plants with the spirally bits coming off the main stem? It reminds me of gardens, and gardening. There’s a hint of something wet, more like dew than rain, or maybe a little bit of watering from the hose, but it still smells like sun warmed vegetation. Something here also reminds me strongly of fresh spinach and rocket. Verdict: by far one of the nicest green-planty smells I’ve come across, this smells like an allotment! It reminds me of the wonderful babysitter I had who looked after me and took me to her allotment where she grew all sorts of vegetables, such as the most delicious tomatoes, and this smells just like it, the warm sunshine and the smell of the growing vegetables. It also makes me think of mum, one of her hobbies is gardening, she takes comfort in it, and that makes me think of her finding calm and grounding herself by working in her garden. There’s nothing soapy, nothing bitter, nothing unpleasant or anything that goes awry on my skin chemistry, just the smell of well tended vegetable patches in the summer sunshine. It’s so lovely, and very different from any other green scent from the Lab, not to mention a unique perfume all round! Very glad I have a bottle, and not just because of the Isis label… Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Definitely. If you like this, try: Jersey Devil, Green Party, Virgo 07

Pontia In the imp: a blue haze of lavender-halfway between Yvaine and the Somnium blends. Wet on skin: lavender and bergamot, pure and simple. Dry on skin: lavender and bergamot. I can smell both notes. Usually I don’t detect the bergamot in BPAL but I do here, a little hint of deep citrus underneath the lavender. Of course the lavender is the dominant note, and it’s reminiscent of the lavender in Yvaine, a scent that’s quite heavy, smoky and nocturnal in feel, yet also with a hint of starry white musk underneath. After a while: the lavender here does last a bit longer, but as this scent is made of notes that don’t last very long (lavender and a citrus), this scent does fade considerably and becomes faint after a short time. That being said, I can smell a waft of something lavender-y and herbal lingering. There’s a clean powdery-white, sweetish background, almost like a hint of white musk, or maybe iris/orris, holding on to the remains of the lavender and bergamot. Verdict: this is an uncomplicated blend of lavender and bergamot, with lavender being the strongest note. It’s a smoky and deep blue lavender scent. the good thing is I can also smell the bergamot, usually a quiet note on me, I smell its distinctive tea-ish tang under the lavender. There may be a hint of something else, maybe a white musk? But not surprisingly, lavender and bergamot do not last long on me so this blend fades very fast. But it was nice when it lasted…though to me this is more of an aromatherapy scent as opposed to a perfume-it would make a wonderful base for a bath product or a massage oil. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? not really. If you like this, try: Yvaine, the Somnium blends, Psyche, Pain, Mad Hatter

the imp: a pretty ‘pink musk’ sort of scent, almost honeyed, and sugary. Wet on skin: very nice! I now smell heliotrope and pear and maybe some lily too. Dry: the heliotrope is surprisingly strong-usually this note is a background player but it’s very much a leading note here. The pear is also very strong in here. Overall this is vanilla (a vanilla that reminds me of shortbread biscuit dough!) and heliotrope with pear and it’s very appealing. There’s something to it which can only be described as a kind of ‘pink musk’. It hints at sugar and candy, but doesn’t have that sometimes oversweet edge. It smells almost honeyed, but not quite. It smells powdery, but in a pleasant way. I sometimes smell a hint of sweet lily-the sweeter aspects of the Black Lily blend-in here. After a while: the scent becomes floral-vanilla pink musk now, and I really like it! It’s almost like there’s a hint of creamed honey to it, something in here reminds me of Alice and Dana O’Shee. The vanilla still has that soft doughy feel to it, and the heliotrope is delightful. It also reminds me of lip gloss, or lip balm, and that’s not a bad thing here. It smells sticky and sweet but not cloying or oversweet. I think I even detect a hint of stargazer lily-and I mean the real deal, pink heady blooms. Verdict: this one has really grown on me, and it’s one of the prettiest pear scents ever! The vanilla and pear blend remind me of the Perilous Parlour, but this is much nicer because the other flowers here add depth and new dimensions to the vanilla-pear theme. It’s good to smell strong heliotrope as well, as this note tends to keep quiet. The lily is surprisingly lovely-sweet and rich but not at all soapy. And underneath it all is something which to me is a pink musk of sorts-the only way I can describe it is that it reminds me of lip gloss, sweet and sticky and pink, almost fruity, but not gourmand, though it does almost remind me of honey-though it’s undeniably pink in scent. I wonder if this is the rose reacting with another note? This scent is what I’d imagine the Teenage Cannibal to smell like once grown up (and out of her cannibal phase?) and I love it. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? yes-I’m very glad I bought a bottle. If you like this, try: Perilous Parlour, Marotte, Black Lily, Eclipse, Dana O’Shee, Teenage Cannibal

Butter Rum Cookie In the imp: mince pies and Christmas cake (with marzipan) and a shot of booze. Wet on skin: almond liqueur and nutty festive sweet treats. Dry: mmm, I love this. It reminds me of mince pies at first, but then seems to go into a really almond-y stage, and then I smell a little bit of spiced orange. It reminds me of Fruitcake and Decadence, but it is a lot drier, less boozy, less rich. It does smell more like a nutty spicy biscuit than a rich cake, a cookie served with strong festive booze-not so much rum, more like a blend of mulled wine, amaretto and sherry, and interestingly there’s a smoky aspect, like wood smoke, to this too. After a while: this completely changes after about 15 minutes-and it’s not a nice change. Gone are the scents of mince pies and cookies, and now I smell something weird…like a mix of burnt paper, sweet plastic, and strong booze. But overall it smells like burnt cardboard covered in flaming rum and plastic vanilla. it reminds me of the bad reaction I got from Pancake Breakfast. I smell the rum now, but it smells harsh and a little fake on me. however this swings from that disjointed sweet plastic/paper smell to a more pleasant spiced rum, reminiscent of the Tiki bar scents. But then the cloying caramelised plastic smell returns… Verdict: I’m shocked as to how this turned from smelling so nice to smelling so bad. At first I wondered if this could smell like that mince pie scent I crave for. It smelt a bit like amaretto too, and spicy oranges, and biscuits served with booze by a warm fireplace. So delicious! And then it did a complete 180 on me, and turned to plastic, burnt cardboard, and a strong, screaming alcohol note with cloying caramel. My skin turned this one to epic fail…and I really loved the first stage! it’s a little disappointing because my skin isn’t as tolerant to foodies as it used to be…this one was passed on to a new home. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? no. If you like this, try: Sugar Cookie, Pancake Breakfast, Kill Devil, Te Po

Windy Moon In the imp: fresh autumn leaves and pine, and something ozone-y and almost masculine. Wet on skin: cologne! This smells like some kind of men’s deodorant scent now. Dry: this reminds me of a cross between Nowhere in Particular and October or Meditation in Autumn. I didn’t like NIP at all, but this lacks the soapy scent I got there. What I do smell a lot of in here is masculine cologne or aftershave. It’s a very sharp and slick ‘sports deodorant’ scent, very piercing and cologne-like. However, I do smell some outdoorsy notes, something very reminiscent of tree bark as well as some pine or evergreen notes, and autumn leaves. Though I was expecting more of a cool bracing feel for the wind, I don’t really get that other than piercing ozone. (this ozone doesn’t smell soapy or electric.) After a while: the scent loses that initial biting sharpness, but doesn’t lose that cologne scent. It does become woodier and I can smell dead leaves-this seems more fitting for autumn than early spring. It doesn’t have that same mossy scent that I got in October, but it’s very similar. It does have that ivy or vine-like scent from Meditation in Autumn, as well as the perfumey aftershave-ish scent. Though now I also smell something smoky, a little bit ashy, in here, as well as something dirty and earthy. Verdict: not my thing at all! Instead of smelling like cool March wind blowing across bare trees, it smells like the scents I try to avoid in BPAL-masculine cologne, aftershave, and sharp, though thankfully not soapy, ozone. It does smell fresh, that’s for sure, fresh and bright and invigorating-but in a sporty men’s deodorant way, not a wind gusting through forests, though it does become more outdoorsy at drydown when I smell distinctly autumnal notes of dead leaves, tree bark and smoke. But I really don’t like the generic men’s perfume scent I get from here. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? No. If you like this, try: Visiting the Temple, Nowhere in Particular, Meditation in Autumn, October, Thunder Moon, Parsifal

The Sea Rat In the imp: oh, exotic incense and amber! This smells potentially gorgeous. Wet on skin: wow, just like a spice market, by the sea! Dry: this is magnificent! This is the exact kind of scent I wanted to get from Port Royal! This smells like beautiful oriental spices and herbs wafting from a sun baked eastern market, mingling with a sea breeze and a dash of dapper and musky cologne. I smell lots of amber here-which I’m guessing is the ambergris. This reminds me of a spicier version of Dream of the Fisherman’s Wife. I also smell something fruity, and a very pleasant waft of salt (but no soap or ozone!). but overall, it’s incense, exotic spices and herbs with ambergris and some furry musk. After a while: this does go into a more masculine stage, but it’s still gorgeous. The musk is warm and velvety, and there’s still that wonderful incense, now smokier than before, the berry note, and the spices and ambergris. Now it reminds me of Frederic, but I much prefer this. It’s also got a salty/sea air/salty wooden beams scent which isn’t at all soapy, and I love that. It smells like ship’s woods and pirate’s plundered booty-spices and perfumes and glittering treasure. Verdict: why can’t all the spicy pirate sea blends smell like this on me? This has the perfect incense note, a blend of spices that smell just like an oriental souk, and the sea note is also perfect. This smells how I’d imagine the exotic spice markets of the Sea Rat’s home of Constantinople to smell. Wonderful and exotic incense with bazaar spices, amber resins and musk, mingling with charming masculine perfume and a waft of sea air. I think the spices and incense in here are some of the nicest, most evocative and exotic I’ve ever smelt in BPAL and I’d love more scents with this kind of souk thing going on. Another brilliant thing about this scent-no soap or ozone from the sea notes! And though this does have a slight hint of something like manly perfume, it’s subtle enough for me to pull off. Probably one of my favourite sea-themed scents. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes! my favourite of the WitW set! Now I wish I’d bought two bottles… If you like this, try: Port Royal, Dream of the Fisherman’s Wife, Frederic, Calico Jack, Pirate Moon

Couple Consulting an Enpon In the imp: cherry? I have no idea why, but I smell black cherry, not blackberry, in here. Wet on skin: cherries and almonds! And patchouli? I smell things in here that aren’t even listed! Dry: ok, now it smells a bit more like blackberry. I still smell cherry and almond, but not as much. I also now smell the sandalwood, and it’s a very dry, gritty wood, not as subtle and smooth as usual. I can smell the freshness of mint and a touch of bright orange blossom, but overall this is a dark blackberry which seems to have something patchouli-ish to it. no cat pee to this blackberry! After a while: this does something very weird. It doesn’t turn to cat pee, thankfully, but it smells strange and very plastic on me…it smells like doll heads? Like doll heads with a hint of orange blossom and berry. Almost like blackberry scented dolls? It also smells a little medicinal too, like some kind of antiseptic. This is not working on me at all. Verdict: this really didn’t work. I wasn’t expecting to as usually blackberry scents turn bad on me. however this didn’t do the usual trick of turning to cat pee, but it turned to plastic, which I really didn’t expect. It smells surprisingly deep and dark at first, not in a blackberry way, but in a patchouli-fied way! I also smelt cherry in here which was just as strange. No amber, no sandalwood, very little orange blossom and mint, and blackberry pretending to be something else…and then it turns plastic and medicine. My skin chem made this fail. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Nope. If you like this, try: The Oblation, Lysander, Lady Una, Blood Garden

Velvet Dogs Playing Poker In the imp: sweet caramel latte! Wet on skin: now I smell the woods and the tobacco mixing with the coffee. Dry: this now smells quite sophisticated, as something slightly perfumey steps in-maybe from the wood or tobacco, maybe the tonka? I’m not sure but I like it. It is similar but not identical to Pinched. The coffee for one thing is sweeter, it’s less of a smooth creamy coffee and more of a caramel latte with brown sugar. It actually reminds me more of El Dia de Reyes than Pinched, it has that dry biscuit/macaroon quality. I also smell the woods (I’m guessing mahogany or ebony, maybe teak) and tobacco, and the pipe smoke is very nice-not the cloying and overpowering Hearth one, but a subtler one, and definitely smoky, more like bonfire smoke at times. After a while: at times I worry that the woods/tobacco may go all burnt on me, but thankfully that never happens. This then turns into a really lovely, very sweet, coffee cake scent. The deep dark intense sweetness of the tonka amplifies the caramel of the Irish coffee (I now smell a bit of whisky here) and this becomes very gourmand. I think of a very sweet coffee served with macaroons, or a coffee flavoured cake sprinkled with brown sugar. It still reminds me of El Dia de Reyes, but with smoke and woods added. I think I prefer El Dia though. Verdict: well, it’s not Pinched, but it’s not bad either! I wouldn’t say it’s a poor impostor to Pinched either because it seems like it’s a scent of it’s own as well as a tribute to the DPP range. There’s the sweet coffee-tobacco thing, as well as a darker tobacco and a pipe note and some more woods that hint at other DPPs. The coffee is more caramelised to me, also a bit drier at times, with a biscuit-like dry crumbly background. The woods are deeper and the tobacco is definitely pipe, not cigar, and a little too pipe-like for me (I sometimes find pipe tobacco notes too cloying). This doesn’t have the gentle cinnamon (though it seems a little spicy at times) or the smooth creamy vanilla base of Pinched. It’s lovely but I’d rather the tobacco was more of a dry cigar type, and the coffee a little less caramel-scented, then it’d be a keeper. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Not really but it’s a very agreeable coffee scent. If you like this, try: Pinched, Riding the Goat, Antikythera Mechanism, A Bold Bluff, Miskatonic University, El Dia de Reyes, Ventriloquist’s Dummy

Bony Moon In the imp: really gorgeous warm sandalwood! Wet on skin: sandalwood and a little bit of cedar and something green. Dry: this is a really lovely white sandalwood scent! The sandalwood is the dominant note here, and it’s gorgeous-warm, slightly sweet, even a little spicy, but with that pale and dusty dryness which fits with the bony theme. The cedar is there too, a deeper and harder wood note under the sandalwood. The herbs are subtle, but I can smell hints of fresh greenery here too. After a while: this becomes very faint after some time, and turns to pretty much single note sandalwood. But that’s no bad thing, as I do love white sandalwood, and this scent really shows it off. That warm dry wood, now a bit sweeter than before, with that bony white dusty scent to it which almost reminds me of orris, but not as powdery. It is very faint though, the sandalwood isn’t as strong as it could be, and it’s a whisper of woody scent. I do love how sweet it is now, a gentle sweet warm wood which actually becomes a little resinous at times. Verdict: this is fantastic sandalwood. A warm, dry, rich sandalwood with hints of spice, a little depth from the cedar, but mainly sandalwood. Makes me realise I love this note a lot. However, this scent does fade fast, which is a shame, because it goes through some nice resinous stages before it does. Though I do love sandalwood, I was hoping the herbs would show up a little to add another dimension to this woody scent, make it a little more interesting? It reminds me of the White Sandalwood SN (which I have a bit of, and I love), so I don’t feel like I need this one. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? It’s nice but I’m not sure I feel it’s a keeper. If you like this, try: Mole, Dragon’s Bone, Isaac, Dragon’s Claw, Magus

Iron Phoenix In the imp: men’s cologne! Much sharper and more masculine than Metal Phoenix. Wet on skin: lemon! There’s a citrus component, as well as a strong cologne scent. Dry: this smells very much like Door 13 and Kataniya, more than Metal Phoenix and Mechanical Phoenix. It also resembles the Torture Queen a little, but less light and not as feminine, this has a definite ‘men’s sporty perfume’ feel to it. It smells fresh and bright and zingy and, sadly, a little generic. It smells like something along the lines of CK1, a kind of teenage perfume scent. It’s bright ozone cologne with a metallic background. Though there is something sweet at the back, which reminds me of the sweetness in Metal Phoenix and the Blockhead that I really liked. After a while: this still has that sporty perfume feel to it, and still reminds me of masculine deodorant, but now it is softening and developing that sweetness that I find very appealing in Metal Phoenix. I’m not sure what it is, but it may be a floral. It’s somewhere between marshmallow and lotus and sugar cane, and yet it’s edgy because of the metal, has a light musk aspect, and has something that may be a citrus blossom, maybe lemon blossom? It’s almost a sweet lemon marshmallow but with clean metallic musk taking away the sugariness. And in here there’s that manly perfume overtone too. Verdict: as expected from most metal scents, this one doesn’t really work on me, it smells too masculine and ‘generic cologne’ for me, at the beginning at least. However, I quite like the drydown, when it sweetens and I smell a hint of marshmallowy floral and citrus blossom coming through to calm the strident metal notes. It’s very pleasant, but the sharp cologne and ozone scent I get at first is too much for me. I prefer Metal Phoenix when it comes to scents of this genre, but it’s a lot nicer than Mechanical Phoenix was on me. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? No.

I disagree with a few points mentioned...just as it's my opinion that labelling everything 'synthetic' or 'chemical' as 'bad' is not a good idea, doing the same thing with 'natural' products is a big overstatement. I don't think all production of essential oils is 'very unfriendly' to the environment. It's all about the way they are produced, grown etc. I see it as like agriculture for food etc, though one could argue that food is essential and cosmetics are a luxury, but that's another topic...but I think it's all about how sustainable the production of essential oils/natural products is. If plants for use in the cosmetics industry are grown sustainably (ie they do not endanger the plant species, or destroy ecosystems) and maybe are fair trade and are grown in a way that benefits the environment/communities, surely that's not a bad thing? Now with some other essential oils like sandalwood and rosewood-yes, they have been overharvested, sandalwood is becoming endangered. But I've heard that there are now sustainable rosewood oils, and there are sandalwoods from other sources than the endangered Indian variety, I think some of those may be more sustainable-or at least trying to be? But I'm sure that Beth's sources for oils are very ethical and not destructive to the environment, even for things like rosewood and sandalwood. (I know this sounds really bad, but I don't like to get too deeply attached to all the ethics of cosmetics (though I have been trying to get stuff that isn't animal tested) mainly because it would make it difficult to shop for things, and there are so, so many complications and contradictions and I don't want to feel guilty about it all...plus I'm a student and in most cases all the really environmentally and ethically conscious products are too pricey for me!) But an interesting point has been raised-where do you draw the line between what is 'natural' and 'synthetic'. Is a substance only truly synthetic if it is created from scratch in the lab? Is a fragrance chemical manufactured from coal tar compounds just as synthetic (remember that coal is natural too) as a fragrance chemical extracted by various complex extraction and distillation processes from the essential oil of a plant? Are essential oils/absolutes/scent chemicals really 'synthetics' because despite the plant containing and producing them, they can't be extracted by non-human-manufactured processes? Makes you think...

Flower Moon 09 In the bottle: quite different to Honey Moon, this is a light yet snappy wildflower honey, a bit like O. Wet on skin: gradually the flowers surface from the honey. Dry on skin: sharp O-like honey and an unusual floral mixture that I’m not sure about, but it’s interesting. It reminds me a bit of the original Flower Moon, in that it has that melony nectar sweetness to it, but there’s something to the flowery scent that I’m not sure about. Maybe it’s the jasmine going bad on me, but there’s a sharp or bitter aspect to this floral that I’m not keen on. I can’t really smell the individual nuances of the different flowers, other than a mash-up of sweet wildflowers and dried petals with something heady. I was also expecting a sweeter honey, like the magnificent glowing honey in Honey Moon and Hony Mone, but it’s not like that. it’s a tart honey, and I’m not sure I like it much. I’ll see what happens, as I got a similar reaction with Mead Moon’s honey, and it sweetened. After a while: oh, this seems to improve! Rather nicely too. it’s still not as wonderful as Honey Moon, the honey is still quite sharp and edgy, a pollen-y honey rather than a sticky sweet one. But the flowers are much nicer now. And surprisingly, it seems to be the jasmine that’s turning really nice here! It reminds me of the lovely jasmine scent I got in the first release of the Perfumed Garden, the jasmine that smelt just like Lush’s Fairy Jasmine. This has a similar thing going on, and I like that. Some of the other flowers are trying to turn soapy, but I hope the honeyed jasmine wins. It reminds me of Biggercritters with honey. The scent then becomes a little bitter, I think the wisteria is kicking in. that can be a problem note, and it’s spoiling the pretty jasmine and honey scent. Verdict: I was hoping this would be like Honey Moon, but sadly it didn’t come close. The honey here was a little too sharp and not the gloopy golden rich sweet honey from Honey Moon or Hony Mone. It’s more like the sharp herbal honey from Osun, I think. The scent did improve a little as the jasmine strengthened-and that’s a good thing, because the jasmine in here is actually really nice, not at all a sharp vicious floral. I really hoped this would be a pure honey and jasmine scent, but other flowers-possibly the wisteria and wildflowers-got in the way, turning bitter and soapy and clashing with the gorgeous honeyed jasmine. so ultimately this wasn’t a keeper for me. it’s a shame because it’s my birth moon, so I’m a little sad that this didn’t work out. It wasn’t horrible, but it didn’t work on me either. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? No, unfortunately. If you like this, try: O, Osun, Mead Moon, Morpho, Hony Mone, Biggercritters, Eos

13 (March 09) In the imp: think Dark Choc Cherry meets Midnight Kiss! Wet on skin: rich black cherry and dark chocolate, with undertones of musk and spice. Dry on skin: oh yeah, this is good! This is Dark Choc Cherry enhanced and sexed up with spices and wonderful deep musk! The cherry is fantastic-not a sharp cherry, not medicinal, not sour, not fake or chap-stick scented. This is, like DCC, very much like a Black Forest gateau (even with a hint of cream and cake! I smell a hint of butter here) but I can smell hints of the spices here, though they are much milder than the Feb 13 spices (and it’s gentler than Enraged Groundhog Musk, another cherry-chocolate-musk-spice blend). And then there’s the musk…with the cherry, I am reminded of Hollywood Babylon, which I love. I am sure there’s Indian musk and most probably red or dark musk here. It’s very reminiscent of Midnight Kiss, in that it’s a mix of red fruit, sexy musk and cocoa. After a while: after a moment when I thought ‘huh? Vetiver?’ and a phase of buttercream, this then settles into a smoother and less foody scent of cocoa, cherry and rich musk, with something at the back which may be the moss or maybe the caraway? But it’s very smooth and coherent, creamy but no longer buttery. It’s very sexy cherry, and reminds me of a deeper, darker Midnight Kiss. I love the dark chocolate here. I don’t smell the bamboo in here. Verdict: I’ve been looking for the perfect cherry scent, and I think this is it! I liked Dark Chocolate Cherry but I felt there was something missing. This on the other hand is like DCC, but even better, more complex, and quite stunning. Dark cocoa and cherry dominate the scent, and the cherry is the best cherry note ever-not at all fake or chemical-smelling, and smelling more like real black cherries and not bitter almonds or glace cherries. The musk really boosts, enhances and adds a sexy backdrop to the cherry, and the spices are subtle but help to make this smell unique. There was a slight buttery-creamy stage at first I wasn’t keen on but this was short, and the musky chocolate cherry drydown is phenomenal. I’m glad I bought a bottle of this! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Definitely. If you like this, try: Hollywood Babylon, Dark Chocolate Cherry, Vice, Midnight Kiss, Milk Chocolate Buttercream, Enraged Groundhog Musk, Boomslang

Chaos Theory V (O) CCXXV In the bottle: mmm, this reminds me of Ozymandias/Great Cry in Egypt. Honeyed resin and musk. Wet on skin: gorgeous deep MUSK! Oh nom nom nom… Dry on skin: this is gorgeous. It smells predominantly of a dark smoky musk. Probably a black musk, dark musk or maybe Indian musk note. it’s got a very incense-like feel to it, fringed with smoke…there’s a dry woodsy smoke, and a more resinous smoke. I can smell resins underneath the smoke too, like frankincense or myrrh. And then there’s the honey and amber of O. It reminds me of Ozymandias but muskier, less airy. It reminds me of Great Cry in Egypt but less spicy. And I love Great Cry and Ozy, so this makes me very happy indeed. After a while: this wafts like mad, and I love it! it’s honeyed amber with a deeply musky core surrounded by clouds of incense smoke. it’s pretty much perfection! At this point, I smell saffron (like in Great Cry) and ambergris, as this now bears a passing resemblance to Phallus Head, that hint of golden slightly salty ambery musk, but there’s a resinous golden feel a bit like Jacob’s Ladder too. Verdict: if I were to name this scent, it’d be called ‘Ooohhhhh!’ This is like it’s been custom blended for me! I couldn’t have got anything more perfect with my bottle of O CT. it’s got a load of my favourites in it-musk, incense, spices and resins, with the O honey supporting it all. It reminds me of my favourite Egypt-themed scents as well as my favourite honeyed musk and resin scents. it smells sexy and exotic and golden, lasts for ages, has impressive throw, and goes through some lovely morphs from deep smoky musk to musky resin to honeyed velvety musk and ambergris spiced with saffron to a gorgeous honeyed amber frankincense drydown. It’s so much richer and deeper than O, but the O honey and amber really enhance the other notes. Have I said that this is perfection? And it’s all mine, a whole bottle’s worth of it! Emoticon rating: :love!: Is it a keeper? oh hell yeah.

Milk Chocolate Buttercream In the imp: milk chocolate-the finest Belgian variety. With a liqueur filling. Wet on skin: very similar to Bliss and Velvet now. Dry on skin: this is actually quite similar to the Candy Butcher at this point, but with milk chocolate instead of dark. The milk choc is very similar to Bliss, but I prefer this-I found Bliss to be very flat and bland, but this one is richer, fuller. It also resembles the milk choc in Gelt, but less powdery and creamier. I don’t smell blatant buttercream, but I think that’s what gives the chocolate note in here a bit more oomph than usual. After a while: this becomes much, much fainter, losing that initial rich creamy scent turning into a dusty drinking chocolate scent at times. Then I smell cocoa butter (as opposed to buttercream) come out, and I like that. it reminds me more of Gelt, but I prefer that because of the amber. I wish it were a little stronger, but as a milk chocolate single note scent, this is much nicer than Bliss. This lacks the creamy sweetness of Candy Butcher though. Verdict: this smells good enough to eat, but I wish it were a little stronger and lasted longer. But it smells much nicer and less buttery than expected. It’s got one of the loveliest, most genuine milk chocolate notes I’ve smelt, much nicer than Bliss, I think the buttercream does add a little more substance and smoothness to the chocolate in here. It does have a slightly faint and dry cocoa powdery drydown which I am not as keen on. It’s a shame really because if it had kept up that creamy just-dry stage, I would have bought more. The scent does have great layering potential though. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? not really, despite the delicious wet stage. If you like this, try: Bliss, Velvet, Gelt, 13 (any), Candy Butcher

Giant Vulva In the imp: very perfumey copal. A hint of honey, but otherwise, very perfumey. Wet on skin: this improves as the sweet notes come out, along with beeswax. Dry on skin: I actually like this one! It’s a little more perfumey than expected, but in a nice way-this smells sophisticated, but also very sexy. The copal is the leading note and I’ve discovered that this note can either smell incense-y or perfume-y. In here it’s the latter, but it works. The honey and beeswax are discreet, but the beeswax is delightful. I also smell something a bit like lemon, or orange blossom? Something tangy and citrusy, and a bit like a commercial perfume top note. I also smell the delicate juicy sugar cane and floral vanilla, and the pale velvety musk. After a while: over time the sugar, skin musk, beeswax and vanilla flower become dominant, and it reminds me of Harikata. It’s a similar mix of light floral, honey and musk. It’s a feminine and almost (but not quite) innocent scent, flirtatious yet classy. The scent moves between perfumey floral musk and honeyed sugar cane musk, but overall this is a lot fresher and cleaner than I expected. There’s nothing sticky about the honey or sugar, and there’s nothing slutty about this scent either. Verdict: it’s a lot more demure than it’s name (and picture) would suggest. To me this isn’t a this to me is more like sexy lingerie. Something about this scent with it’s satiny skin musk and clean floral tones evokes the image of silky lacy underwear. It’s a lot more perfumey and sleek than it’s glowing counterpart, a lot more like a mainstream perfume (in a good way). the honey and beeswax smell golden and sweet and there’s a hint of something a bit like citrus too. the copal has a surprisingly perfumey feel to it which works well in here, and the vanilla flower is more floral than usual, and the drydown is a beautiful honeyed floral skin musk which is very feminine, and sexy in a sophisticated way. Who’d have thought a scent called ‘Giant Vulva’ could smell so pretty? Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yup. If you like this, try: Itaso Kansei, Xihu…you know, the Mayan god one, Defututa, Glowing Vulva, Harikata

Red Rose In the bottle: oh, I can smell fir and clove and amber here! Wet on skin: I get a lot of fir here, as well as clove, smoky tobacco and a sexy musk. Dry on skin: whoa, this is incredible. This is deep, smoky, dark and sexy rose…in fact, I can’t even smell the rose. What I do smell is clove, tonka, tobacco and musk, with a bit of evergreen fir and sweet amber. the clove is dominant, and smells bittersweet, smoky and sexy. It’s like the clove in Mort de Cesar. The tobacco is reminiscent of the Illustrated Woman, but much nicer, less burnt/masculine. The musk is of the dark, sensual variety…a little bit like Siberian musk perhaps, but less sweet. I can also smell the amber. I am reminded of a scent from another company which I love-Agni by Cobalt-which is fir, amber and incense (and clove?) After a while: the musk becomes darker and sexier, almost like a red musk but not as red/spicy? It’s hard to describe other than it has a dark, slightly feral (but not civety) feel to it which makes me go rrrrowww! It has a blood musk feel, actually. Especially when coupled with tonka and clove. I must say that the clove note in here is remarkable-strong and spicy and smoky. I also love how the amber adds that golden glow to it all. At this point, I smell a hint of rose, and this is a rich resinous rose, like rose incense. Verdict: I think this is my favourite of the Roses set. This is a wonderful rich spicy incense-rose scent, even if the rose isn’t that obvious here, it’s still stunning. It’s got one of the best clove notes ever, strong and smoky and darkly spicy. The musk is sultry and sexy and delightful, and the fir adds an interesting hint of evergreen sap. The amber makes this wonderfully resinous and the tobacco is subtle yet adds it’s smoky touch, and under these warm, sensual and exotic notes, there’s a core of red rose which doesn’t take over the scent but enhances it, much like the rose in Blasphemare Reliquary adds a little something different to the resins. Wonderful scent with great aging potential! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes! If you like this, try: Illustrated Woman, Mort de Cesar, Hexennacht 08, Blasphemare Reliquary

Green Party In the imp: no surprises, this is very green. In fact, it smells of mown lawns! Oooh, this is promising. Wet on skin: now I smell lettuce, and lots of it. Also some dandelion, crushed leaves and stems. Dry: greeeeeeen! So green, greener than Envy could ever be. Green that makes Green Phoenix look off colour. A chlorophyll overdose. This is the scent of cut grass, mushy leaves, rained-on gardens, lettuce, cucumber, green tea, clover, dandelion leaves, and whatever made that salad scent in Virgo 07. I swear I even smell some rocket (as in, the herb) in here. There’s that nutty greenness that reminds me of rocket salad. It smells fresh and wet and evocative of spring. It reminds me of Dog Days, but not as hot and summery. It’s wonderfully outdoorsy too, but I get the impression that something in here may go soapy. After a while: the green notes aren’t turning soapy or sharp, but they are gaining a slightly bitter edge, though it’s not an unpleasant. It’s like the green notes are deepening and darkening. And I smell something else. Something lurking under all the leaves and stems. At first I thought I was imagining it but now I think that I do indeed smell vetiver. It’s green at the dark end of the green spectrum, earthy and strong. Now this reminds me of the Apothecary. Ok, so maybe it wasn’t vetiver. After a couple of hours I don’t smell it at all. Instead this has gone sweet? Yes…it’s gone sweet, like there’s a gentle sweet musk or maybe a sweet floral in there. Interesting. Verdict: this is, literally, a green party! It’s a lively, exuberant celebration of the greenest notes out there. Everything is fresh and dewy and alive in here. There are varying shades of green-from sun warmed grass clippings to wet cucumber and lettuce salad, snappy green tea and a touch of herbs, as well as a darker green scent evocative of vetiver or maybe some kind of evergreen or woodsy note. I love the first stage, when it’s all refreshing and the notes are at their brightest and most vividly green, but they lose their sparkle over time, turning a little bitter and vetivery at times, but I do like the green musk I get after a few hours. It’s not a favourite, I do prefer Dog Days when it comes to grass, but I’m glad to smell a green grassy scent that doesn’t turn to bitter soap on me, that’s quite a rare thing. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? It’s not my favourite of the party scents, but it’s so aptly named…I’m glad I tried it. If you like this, try: Green Phoenix, That! The Terror, Roadhouse, Dog Days, Envy, The Apothecary

Moana In the imp: melons and ginger surrounded by turquoise sea water. Wet on skin: the tang of ginger and salty sea breezes over sweet flowers and fruit. Dry: grapefruit? Now I smell citrus in here, for some reason. This is a really lovely sea scent…mainly because it isn’t turning to WASHING POWDER!!! on me. It smells just like salty seas and crisp sea breezes…but there’s more to it. There’s a sweetness to it as well. This sweet-salty contrasting scent reminds me of Kingsport and Olokun, though more of the latter because of its slight melon-like scent. I smell the ginger, which is both spicy and fresh like a ginger root, but also floral. There’s a hint of citrus to it, and also a pleasant clean ozone (clean as in, it smells airy, not soapy). But overall, this evokes the colour turquoise-as in crystal clear turquoise seas, coral islands fringed with white sand. After a while: it loses its initial ‘wet’ scent, its actual watery sea scent, a little. Now it’s much more ozone-scented, to me. It’s crisp, fresh, bright…like white linen drying in a sea breeze. Though at this point I do get a hint of the dreaded ‘tumble dried and static covered’ scent I get from most ozone scents, but in here it’s not too bad. I also smell more seaweed here now. It’s a little bit like a tropical Selkie, because of that mix of salty ozone and floral notes. But I do prefer this to Selkie. After some time, this mellows into the same salty-sweet-ozone-foam scent I got in Mary Read, but without the rum and bay and woods. Just a sea breeze… Verdict: whilst Aeaea evokes the Mediterranean, Kingsport is reminiscent of the cool Atlantic, and Olokun brings to mind the Caribbean seas, this is how I’d imagine the Pacific to smell. The first time I wore this I got more of the genuine sea scent, a wonderful turquoise-aquamarine scent evocative of coral sands and warm clear waters, before it did it’s usual trick of turning to ozone and squeaky-clean on me. the second time I tried it though, it turned to soap and static ozone and washing powder not long after applying, I didn’t get the slight hint of gingery floral from before. Where’s my tropical ocean scent? I was a little disappointed. I think I’ll stick to Aeaea if I want to smell like the sea without smelling soapy. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Initially yes, but I think this turns soapier with age (with me at least). If you like this, try: Water Phoenix, Olokun, Mary Read, Sea of Glass, Kingsport, Thalassa, Pool of Tears