revinn

My very first scent from the Carnaval, and it's a winner! Initial Smell from Bottle: Hmm, it's hard to describe. It's very smokey and almost..nutty? Wet: Ohhhh my. It's very dry and sexy, smokey with a sticky sweet edge. Dry: I really wish I could pinpoint notes so this review would be more helpful.. It smells like a burning log, covered with layers of beeswax and sprinkled with something lightly spicy (the nutmeg?). It's such a mysterious scent. I ordered it because it sounded like something a character I write would wear, and it fits her to a T. Delicious! Out of 10: 9

I'm so excited! My package just came (with an extraordinary amount of frimps..thank you Lab!). In the Bottle: Whoa. That actually smells JUST like a real strawberry. Juicy, it's making my mouth water. Wet: The same! Dry: It's a very sweet strawberry, with just a little hit of grass floating in the background. It almost makes me think of Strawberry Fruit-by-the-Foot! Delicious, I absolutely love this. It's perfect for the summer. Out of 10: 10! ETA: Oh, it fades really quickly.. I might have to make a lotion out of some of it so I can layer.

Ok, I want sugar and light musk. Sugared musk. Sexy, musky candy. Like a sweaty romp in icing sugar. Yum. Someone, please tell me this exists? Doesn't matter if it's an LE, I'll track 'er down.

Another frimp from the lab. Initial Sniff from Imp: Whoa, that's really sweet. Wet: Still sweet, but now something herbal is creeping through. Dry: I think there's a note in this that was also in Mouse's Long & Sad Tale, or at least something similar. It went sour and rank on me, just like that scent did. I still a touch of that sweet, yummy smell, but whatever turns on my skin dominates. Oh well, my lavendar loving friend might have better luck with this. Out of 10: 5 ETA: Hmm, after a short period of time, that sour smell disappates, leaving that sweet almost grape smell behind. This is actually very nice; not me, but still something I'd like to have around.

I got this as a frimp from the lab in my latest order. I think they're psychic; it was on my wish list. Initial Sniff from Imp: Smells like Earl Grey tea! Wet: Strong tea; hard to say what kind. Dry: Tea, tea, and tea. I don't smell any other notes. It's nice, very soothing, but not very complex. I might wear this to bed. Out of 10: 8

I love hard booze. I'm in university, of course I do. It's all I drink. However, there is one type of liquor that activates my gag reflex every time I catch of whiff of it, and that is rum. Any kind of rum. When people leave it in my dorm room, I have to dump it out in my sink and then run, to prevent myself from puking. So really, why would I be stupid enough to order a scent that lists rum as a primary ingredient? Maybe I was drunk. Initial Sniff from Imp: AH! Rum, ugh, strong rum, ooooh. It reminds me of when my friend threw up rum into a Christmas bag at a house party. Nooooooo! Wet: Not sure how I managed to talk myself into putting this on my skin, but I did. It is no better. Now it is sweet rum. Oy vey. Dry: Well, I can't comment on the dry stage, as I had to rinse it off my arm long before the oil dried. It did however, give me the dry heaves. Now, if you like the smell of rum, I'm sure you'd like Grog. It certainly does embody a hardy party on a pirate ship (even the seasickness! No? Not funny? Well, I tried). If you can't deal with rum, like me, do yourself a favor and skip this scent. Out of 10: -56432

Initial Sniff from Imp: I don't know how to describe it. Some kind of strong floral, a touch of coconut, and something sour and aquatic. Wet: Smells like someone spilled sunscreen in a pool of salt water. Dry: The funky floral is back with a vengeance; it's almost pungent. Someone through a bouquet into the pool of salt water. Not for me. Out of 10: 5

Initial Sniff from Imp: Aw, it smells like a baby! Wet: Oh, this is nice. Dainty and delicate, snuggly vanilla and a touch of linen. Very comforting. Dry: The same. I don't think I'd wear this on its own, but I will definitely purchase a bottle for layering. Out of 10: 8

I love the smell of tea. And black tea? Unf. One of my favorite scents in the whole world. After loving Dorian so much, I figured White Rabbit was a definite future love. And it was, at first.. Initial Smell from Imp: Oooh, this is lovely. Creamy dark tea, a hint of linen. Wet: Much of the same, only something funky is popping up.. Is that..the pepper? It's very acrid; it smells like someone came trampsing through my lovely tea party and set fire to the table cloth. Dry: Burnt rubber. How did this happen?! Out of 10: 3. At least I learned that pepper hates my skin. Sigh.

Initial Sniff from Imp: Hmm, I smell juicy berries. No cake yet, but those berries sure are nice. Wet: Ahh, there's the cake. It's light and fluffy, covered in some kind of sticky berry sauce. Very decadent, but not heavy. Dry: The same as wet, only with more vanilla frosting. It's certainly evocative, and extremely pleasant. I don't think I want to smell like food, so I gave this to a vanilla-crazy friend of mine, and she loves it. She's worn it every day since I gave it to her, and tells me that her boyfriend is quite smitten with it. Out of 10: 7

Initial Sniff from Imp: Well, hello strawberry. Wet: Oh dear, this smells like Halls cough drops. Ugh, I really don't like it, it's burning my nose. I don't get any red musk, just Halls. Dry: I don't know what in this is disagreeing with my skin chemistry, but it's BAD. Cough drops and something sour. I am a sad girl. Out of 10: 1, unfortunately. I had high hopes for this one.

Initial Sniff from Imp: This reminds me a LOT of L de Lolita Lempicka in the imp. It has that same funky aquatic tone. It definitely smells salty, and maybe a little soapy. Wet: I don't smell much vanilla, but it's there, way in the background. Mostly I smell overripe fruit and that briney ocean air smell you get at the beach. Still a little bit of soap clinging on as well. Dry: Not terrible, but not me. Something in it is reminding me of Cockaigne. If you like complex aquatics, this would be right up your alley. Out of 10: 4

Initial Smell from Bottle: Wow, this is cloying. Something yeasty is lurking underneath all those sweet berries. Wet: Bread and wine. I amp boozy notes, so the wine is definitely dominant here. Dry: Now it's a huge ball of dough, a vat of wine, and gingerbread cookies all laid out on a table. Nice if you're looking for that sort of scent, I suppose, but it's making my stomach turn. I think this smells like communion in a bottle (not that I've ever been to communion, so I guess I'm not very well-informed). A savory, boozy, yeasty fragrance. Out of 10: 3

I wore Dorian to a New Years party last night. It's my new favorite scent, and I figured it would bring me luck going into the new year. Sure enough, I got laid, had a wonderful time, and became increasingly optimistic that this year will bring only good things.

... Offerings of milk, honey and sweet grains were made to placate these creatures, and it is that the basis of the scent created in their name. I really thought I liked very sweet foody scents until I received my first order of imps from BPAL. For example, let's look at Dana O'Shee: Initial Smell from Bottle: Ack, so THAT'S what almond smells like..all I can smell is sweet, cloying cherry almond. Wet: I smell no milk or grains. Only almond. Dry: The same. Sigh. Out of 10: 3

Initial Smell from Bottle: Ick, very dry honey. This reminds me of something.. Wet: Kama Sutra's Honeysuckle Body Dust. That's how I know this smell. Unfortunately, I hate the scent of that product. Dry: Apparently, my skin amps honey. I smell no vanilla or amber, two of my favorite notes, only honey honey honey. Disappointing, I had high hopes for O. Out of 10: 4 ADDED April 15: I love amber. I love vanilla. I am impartial to honey. So O should have been made of win, right? Incorrect. Don't get me wrong, it doesn't smell bad, it just smells.. kind of blah on my skin. In the imp, it smelled rich and heavenly, syrupy and luscious. On my skin? Kama Sutra Honeysuckle Body Dust. It's uncanny. The rich scent in the imp turns to a dry, powdery honey on my skin. Sigh. 5/10, as I'm sure this would smell lovely with someone else's skin chemistry.

My signature scent, easily. This is so "me," and I absolutely love it. Initial Smell from Bottle: Very, very sweet. I was almost a little put off by the sweetness. Wet: Oh, this is yummy. Not buttery, not cloying, just the perfect decadent caramel. Dry: Now I can smell the coffee, but it isn't bitter. It's sweet coffee, with a heaping drizzle of caramel, and, thankfully, not a bit of booze. Normally I amp boozey notes, so I'm very happy about that. My favorite smell is the scent of the spine of old books, and this scent is grounded by that musty smell and a touch of dry woods. This is the scent that made me realize how much I adore caramel notes, and I plan to order a big bottle very soon. Out of 10: 10!!

Oh my goodness. This might be one of the best-smelling things I've ever had the pleasure of coming across. In the Imp: Citronella! That scared me off a little, as I hate the smell of lemon. Wet: Oh, no more citrus. Just an indescribable, delicate scent. Dry: This evolves into a scent that I would describe as haughty and sexual. It smells like cool vanilla, sugared tea, and musky sex. I don't see how this is considered a masculine scent; on me, it is slightly androgynous, but mostly feminine. I absolutely love it. The throw is average, and the staying power is good. Out of 10: 10+

A soft, sensual, luxuriant blend with a wicked bite: hazelnut, buttercream, honey mead, rum and sweet almond. The first time I tested my first batch of imps, it quickly became clear to me that my skin amps any form of booze. And by amps, I mean SCREAMS. The second time around, I was extremely weary of trying anything with rum listed as a note, but I bit the bullet and grabbed an imp of Hellcat. Initial Smell from Bottle: Good god, rum. Rum brings me back to a certain college party about two months ago, where I ingested a pint of rum and subsequently threw it all up. I don't have high hopes for this scent. Wet: Where's the buttercream? The hazelnut? It smells like I dumped a bottle of rum all over my wrists. I can't detect any other notes. Dry: Well, it never improved. No miraculous morphing, just rum. The throw is strong, I've give it that, however that just makes me smell like a drunk. Next! 1/10

It's kind of a powdery gourmand. The creme brulee really stands out, as well as the tonka. I don't smell any fruit, just a dark, sexy foody smell that isn't too sweet.

My favorite commercial fragrance, as ashamed as I am to say it, is In Control by Britney Spears. It was an LE, and while I have a back up bottle, I'd love to find a BPAL replacement. Here are the notes: loquat fruit, midnight orchid, crème brûlée, black vanilla bean, tonka crystals, sandalwood, and musk. Any suggestions?

Does anyone know of any scents with strong notes of butterscotch/caramel?