arabella
-
Content Count
430 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Everything posted by arabella
-
First Impression: Jasmine. Dries down to: Light jasmine - then, finally, a very light hint of peach appears. Additional Comments: This one was a difficult one for me to review. Nothing stood out. On checking the notes, I see there's no jasmine at all - at least, not listed, though it may be part of the bouquet of French florals - and I'd never have guessed amber was in here. I'm guessing the galbanum, jonquil and vetiver stomped the other notes down. I had been so hoping for more peach. I find I don't that I love or hate this oil; it's just a take-it-or-leave-it one for me. Lasted: A couple of hours. Rating: 2.5 out of 5
-
First Impression: Very cherry cough syrup. Dries down to: The sweetness tones down greatly and a wisp of incense appears along with a hint of carbonation. The final result is fruit punch. Additional Comments: The notes in this one really surprised me. I'm always fascinated how individual notes vary greatly depending on their proportion and what they're teamed with. I definitely get cherry instead of cranberry and would never have pinpointed any of the other notes. The incense is probably the musk combined with the spices and the lily is what's probably causing the other notes to morph. I'm going to try this as a room oil to see if I can get cranberry out of it that way. Lasted: Several hours. Rating: 2.5 out of 5
-
First Impression: Sour Sawdust. Dries down to: Changes to soapy sawdust with a hint of lemon. Additional Comments: This is that smell of unwashed feet covered up with a citrussy cologne that's not fooling anyone. It's not too bad at the very end when it settles down to a very light lemony cream but that only lasts for about 5 minutes before it disappears entirely. I have a feeling that it's the geranium rose and lily that are causing the problems for me. Lasted: 1/2 hour. Rating: 1.5 out of 5
-
First Impression: Very complex - nothing distinguishable. Dries down to: This is my first Celestial and I'm having trouble picking out any notes at all. It feels dry and slightly sour, faintly floral, airy, slightly spicy and woody with a rich undertone. Additional Comments: If I had to guess, I'd pick amber; herbs, maybe basil; some type of citrus; an evergreen, probably pine; a scattering of tiny flowers; a dusting of cinnamon and/or clove and incense. It's absolutely lovely on me after it dries down. I find I need a lot of sunlight - I love cold, crisp, sunny winter days but the dark gray ones really bring me down. I'm really glad I got the bottle - It'll get a lot of use in the winter. Lasted: A little over an hour. Rating: 3.5 out of 5 for the scent; 4.5 out of 5 as a mood enhancer
-
2005 Version First Impression: Flowers and wine. Dries down to: The incense and smoke make their appearance. Additional Comments: I never get the chocolate or tobacco notes, but there's an underlying richness that confirms that something else is definitely in there. This is not a fave but I'll certainly enjoy the bottle. Lasted: A couple of hours. Rating: 3.5 out of 5
-
First Impression: Citrussy musk with a touch of sugar. Dries down to: A smoky undertone emerges and adds balance to the mix. Additional Comments: What I thought was the citrussy note must be the "boozy" component. I always confuse the two notes for some reason. (Must be all that hot tea laced with home made brandy and lemon I grew up with - taken for medicinal purposes, of course - that makes them interchangeable to me.) This reminds me of the times we used to go to my brother's house for Halloween to take the kids out trick-or-treating with them and all the neighbors. We'd grab our travel mugs filled with hot tea or coffee laced with whatever and, as we went door to door, the smell from wood-burning fireplaces (one of my favorite comfort smells) would be in the air. Although I'd probably never wear this, it brings back such good memories that it's definitely a keeper for that reason alone. Lasted: A few hours. Rating: 3.5 out of 5
-
First Impression: Burnt sugar. Dries down to: The burnt smell subsides fairly quickly but I'm not sure that what remains is candy - it's more "nutty" - and, it's just not working for me. Additional Comments: I've come to the realization that the Lab's "sweet" scents are really hit or miss on me. They're either fabulous or horrible. This one, unfortunately, falls into the "horrible" group. I'll have to try it as a room scent. Lasted: Several hours. Rating: 2 out of 5
-
First Impression: Resin-y incense. Dries down to: The same, but softer. Additional Comments: Judging by all the reviews so far, I seem to be in the minority on this one. I don't know why but I was expecting so much more from this. It's just not quite the way I remember the smell of Midnight Mass when I was growing up - it's much tamer. I had hoped to have more of an instant connection with this scent. It just feels very neutral to me. Perhaps, I was hoping for more smokiness. I loved the smell of the smoke coming from the censors in church so I used to burn lumps of frankincense at home when I was younger; I think that was the scent I was hoping for. Lasted: Barely an hour. Rating: 2.5/5
-
First Impression: Definitely floral, but unfamiliar. Dries down to: A simply lovely floral note with a touch of lemon. Additional comments: I see there's no floral notes in this at all. Once again, I'm guessing the amber is what's making this absolutely gorgeous on me. I also think the herbs must be the "lemon" ones, like lemon basil, lemongrass, lemon thyme, etc. I can't detect the patchouli or musk at all, nor the neroli. Overall, this is lovely - it reminds me of lemon soda. This is what I imagine an outdoor wedding in June should smell like. Lasted: About an hour. Rating: 4 out of 5 (Would be higher if it had any staying power.)
-
First Impression: Jasmine. Dries down to: Still jasmine. Additional Comments: I know this is supposed to be lotus and other florals with some citrus and amber - but all I get is jasmine. It reminds me a lot of Lush's Godiva shampoo bar - which is a really good thing. I'm not as familiar with lotus but I've liked most of the oils I've tried that contain it. It must be very similar to jasmine, or at least to the jasmine version I've acquired a taste for (Jasmine's a love/hate scent for me). The citrus and amber, although undetectable to me, must contribute to taming the lotus on me - especially, the amber, which seems to be my "holy grail" note. This might be bottle-worthy if it had any staying power but it doesn't. Lasted: A little over an hour. Rating: 3.5 out of 5
-
First Impression: Very strong violet scent with a hint of necrotizing fasceitis (or at least what I think rotting flesh would smell like. This must be the eucalyptus, which I usually like but have to be prepared for). Dries down to: Very shortly after, the rotting flesh smell disappears and is replaced by a jolt of ozone. Then, it settles down to primarily violet with a hint of mint. The final stage, which arrives after about 1/2 an hour, is just lovely, sweet violets with a wisp of neroli. Additional Comments: The early stages really hit me between the eyes. Thankfully, they change quite rapidly and the end result is gorgeous and well worth waiting for. I have to be in the mood for violets, but when I am - this is the blend I'll go for. Lasted: A couple of hours. Rating: 4 out of 5 (Would have been higher except for the early stages and the fact that it doesn't last that long on me.)
-
First Impression: Evergreen and wood with flashes of something fruity. Dries down to: The flowers slowly start to emerge and the woods recede a bit. There's also a chilly edge to this blend. Then, after about fifteen minutes, it all balances out to a beautiful wintry floral with a faint hint of berries and fir. Additional Comments. I'm not usually a fan of evergreen blends, except to use as a home fragrance, but the florals in this one make it quite nice. This one may see more use than I initially thought. Lasted: Several Hours. Rating: 3.5 out of 5
-
First Impression: Oily cinnamon. Dries down to: Fades rather quickly and then I can't pick anything out at all except a slightly spicy benzoin and tobacco. Finally, the tobacco fades and I'm left with a very faint and slightly spicy scent - barely detectable. Additional Comments: I can't figure this one out. When I first got it, I opened it and was really glad I had decided to order it since it smelled so good. Then, when I went to do a more in-depth test of it the next day, it was just a muddled mess. I love patchouli but can't pick it out and I don't detect any fruitiness at all. The mental image I get is of one of those perfume test strips you get in magazines, three years after it was put in a book, to be used as a bookmark, that I never got around to reading. You know it's supposed to smell good but it's just impossible to tell. I don't understand how it could be so different from one day to the next. I'm hoping aging will help. Lasted: Barely half an hour. Rating: 1.5 out of 5
-
Resurrected Warm cinnamon, husky clove and white pepper. First Impression: White pepper and a lot of it. Dries down to: Pepper and cloves. Then, the cinnamon makes an appearance. Additional Comments: This is a very "dry" scent on me. The cinnamon is definitely not sweet at all. I don't think I like it by itself but it may work well for layering with some of the sweeter blends to tone them down a bit. I'll have to do some experimenting. Lasted: A couple of hours. Rating: 2.5/5
-
First Impression: Oily Lavender - almost has a hint of gasoline in it. Dries down to: Still lavender but the oiliness has faded quite a bit and it's become more herbally. Additional Comments: I love lavender and, although I'm not enamoured of the "oily" component, I still quite like the blend once it decreases in intensity. I originally bought the bottle because I'm always nervous travelling in cars and on planes and since I find it quite soothing, it fits the bill perfectly as a "travel oil". If it continues to keep me calm on the road, I'll probably keep buying bottles of it. Lasted: A few hours. Rating: 3.5 out of 5 for the scent and 4.5 out of 5 as a panacea.
-
Samhain 2005 First Impression: A bonfire with a sweet undertone to the smoke. Dries down to: Spicy wood, especially fir, brushed with patchouli. Additional Comments: This one evokes memories of sitting by the fireplace at the cottage over the winter holidays. I wish the apple were more prominent so the scent wouldn't seem so "dry". I like the spices but can't distinguish any of them. I'm betting this will age beautifully, though. Another one to try as a home scent as it's not really one I'd wear. Lasted: Several hours. Rating: 2.5 out of 5
-
First Impression: Baked Cinnamon & Dragon's Blood Pie. Dries down to: Musk and woody notes add to the mix and the whole starts to blend together. After a few minutes, it settles down into a warm, musky scent. Much later, the sandalwood starts to peek through and this is the stage I like. But then, the sandalwood really amps up and I go off it again. Then, .... this oil never seems to stop morphing. Additional Comments: This oil is almost dizzying in the way it keeps changing. I liked some stages and hated others - it's probably the most intriguing blend I've tried to date. Lasted: Several hours. Rating: 3/5 (on average - some stages were 1 and other, 5)
-
First Impression: Freshly cut wood. Dries down to: Wood with ginger in place of the sap. Additional Comments: This is the most interesting Pumpkin Batch blend to me. It's another one I wouldn't wear but might use as a home fragrance on occasion. Lasted: Two hours. Rating: 2.5 out of 5
-
First Impression: Very strong sandalwood. Dries down to: The sandalwood backs off right away and allows the pumpkin and orris to share the stage. Additional Comments: This is another one I quite like. I agree with the people who said this was pumpkin incense - that's exactly what I get from this oil. I don't know if I'd ever wear it but I'll enjoy it as a home scent. Lasted: A couple of hours. Rating: 3 out of 5
-
First Impression: Mushy fruit. Dries down to: The pomegranate comes forward and I find it to be really fake-smelling. Additional Comments: This one doesn't work for me at all. It's a bit better when it dries but not much - it's still acrid and smells like mushy fruit, it's just not as strong as it was initially. Lasted: A couple of hours. Rating: 1.5 out of 5
-
First Impression: Dry cocoa powder. Dries down to: Nutty, chocolate-y pumpkin. Additional Comments: This is my favourite of the Pumpkin Batch blends. It's like baked pumpkin squares, drizzled with bittersweet chocolate and sprinkled with nuts. I sometimes find hazelnut to be too overpowering but it's just perfect here, with the walnut and cocoa. It's got a dry sweetness to it that I find most comforting on a bitter, windy autumn day. I'd love a bottle of just this one scent. Lasted: Most of the day. Rating: 5 out of 5
-
First Impression: Strong pumpkin & Spices. Dries down to: Almost immediately, the apple comes out and overpowers the pumpkins and spices. Then, a few minutes later, the apple tones down and it all blends into a mulled apple cider. Additional Comments: This is a crispy apple scent, not a soft mushy one. It reminds me a bit of The Hesperides. I really like this one - it's fruity but not sweet and has a nice spicy warmth to it. Lasted: Several hours. Rating: 4 out of 5
-
First Impression: Vomit. Dries down to: Within seconds, it changes to a lightly sugar-dusted vanilla scent. The tobacco and leather never make an appearance. Additional Comments: This reminds of the chrusciki my grandmother used to make - those deep-fried, flaky,dough twists that are covered in powdered sugar. Then, after some time, the chardonnay becomes more prominent and brings back memories of having a sweet wine, like Vin Santo, with delicate, homemade tiny cookies. I love this for all the memories it evokes but I'm not sure I'd ever wear it. I'll definitely keep it for the nostalgia factor. Lasted: A few hours. Rating: 3.5 out of 5 as perfume; 4.5 out of 5 for nostalgia factor.
-
First Impression: A sharp floral. Dries down to: A hint of rose with greenery in the background. Then, the rose really amplifies and turns to soap. Additional Comments: Definitely not one for me - way too soapy. Lasted: Several hours. Rating: 2 out of 5
-
First Impression: Lemon Tea with a bit of ginger. Dries down to: A light, lovely ginger tea. Additional Comments: This is a very simple, classic scent - perfect for summer. Not my usual preference but very nice for a change of pace. Lasted: A couple of hours, but was very faint after the first half hour. Rating: 3 out of 5