RedRoseMaze

The Corruption of Having Lived Category: American Gothic Quantity: sample Description: THE CORRUPTION OF HAVING LIVED Surviving isn’t necessarily living. You fight for purpose, surrounded by the walls of the Old Manse, its endless rooms, trapped and all alone. Nobody left but the voices in your head. Talking to you. Trying to understand. Rationalizing. How did this happen? Why? You have the rest of your life to ponder. The answer is already yours. You’ve chosen your path. You must live with your choice. Fig, black currant, calla lily, vanilla sandalwood Review: In the bottle: It’s a moderately strong smell of fig, currant, and sandalwood. Wet: It’s much softer on my skin, and much more floral (probably the calla lily), with a touch of vanilla, and something sweet and fruity in the background. Dry: Not bad, it’s floral, yet fruity as soon as the fig comes back, with a little bit of bitterness and darkness. Verdict: I love this one too! So far, except Forbidden Desire, the American Gothic collection suits me well, and I think I still have 2 samples to try... I'm impatient to see if they're as good as the ones I have tried so far!

B Category: LGBT & More Quantity: sample Description: B N/A Review: In the bottle: Citrus and... bergamot? Wet: Yes, I do smell a sweet herb such as bergamot, as well as citrus or orange. Dry: Now, I’m getting something floral, possibly honeysuckle. Verdict: It’s golden, vibrant, and the citrus scent smells clean, of course. Overall, it’s a nice gender-neutral blend.

Lava Rocket Category: Starlite Oasis Quantity: sample Description: LAVA ROCKET Turn it on. Warm it up. Watch it erupt. Get ready for blast off baby! Cassia, clove, black pepper, molten musk, orange lava Review: In the bottle: I smell cassia, pepper, clove, and a little bit of musk. So far, it’s alright. Wet: Hmm, spicy! I get clove and pepper first, then musk. Dry: Now it’s just old musk... Verdict: No, not my thing, it’s just too oldish, and maybe a little bit too masculine for me.

Femme Category: LGBT & More Quantity: sample Description: FEMME N/A Review: Ok, I’m going to look stupid, but I didn’t know the meaning of “femme”. In French, a femme is a woman, but I thought that was too broad. I searched for an expression with femme in it, and I found “femme fatale”, which was an interesting theme, of course, until I searched “femme” in Wikipedia and found out what it means. Well, at least I’ve learned something... On the other hand, a femme could also be a femme fatale, right? Anyway, let’s move on... The scent has no description, so this is going to be a challenge for my nose. I’m sure I’m going to be completely off the track with this one. In the bottle: The first thing I think about is grape punch. It’s sweet and delicate, with a little something floral. Wet: Now I have images of flower trees in bloom (maybe lilac?), and a fruit (peach?). Whatever it is, I still get delicate florals with something fruity and juicy. Dry: This review is about to get worse... It reminds me of wine a little bit, but mostly of a fruit punch I used to drink when I was younger, which was made of grape, cassia, berries, and some other fruits I forgot. It’s not as floral as before, but it’s still sweet. Verdict: I’m getting a retro pin-up feeling out of this one. It’s feminine, seductive, and very sexy!

Shoujo Category: Anime & Manga Quantity: sample Description: SHOUJO Shoujo is all things girly! Images of fairy tales, summer romances, slumber parties, whispered secrets, giggles, best friends, boys, flowers, and those sugary sweet and innocent teenage years. Fushigi Yugi, Ayashi no Ceres, and anything from CLAMP offer Shoujo at its finest! Apricot, sugar cane, candy hearts, white florals. Review: In the bottle: It smells like apricot-flavoured candy, mixed with something floral, or a very sweet and fruity herbal tea. Wet: Hmm, it’s juicy like a fresh fruit, as if you were biting into a delicious apricot. It’s still very surgary sweet, but the flowers balance the candy a little bit. Dry: It’s so soft and lovely! I can still identify the powdery candy hearts; but overall, it’s a very peaceful blend. Verdict: It’s soft, delicate, feminine, refreshing, and absolutely perfect for summer. I like it, although I’m afraid that it might be a little bit too young for me… but I do love it, so it’s on my “maybe” list.

Shameful Secret Category: American Gothic Quantity: sample Description: SHAMEFUL SECRET We all come with a past. Certainly, some have more to hide than others. What we do with our lives is of no concern to them. Nobody need know your secret. Hide your shame. Stand tall and proud as it turns your stomach sour. Sweet milk, raspberry cream, absinthe, cassia Review: In the bottle: I smell cream, cassia, raspberry, and absinthe, in that order. It’s an interesting mix. Wet: It’s a little bit bitter, but very herbal, from the absinthe; yet very sweet from the milk and cassia. So far, the raspberry is still very far in the background. Dry: It turned sweeter, more fruity and juicy, but still with a tiny bit of bitterness/sourness underneath, but it’s really whispered like a secret. Verdict: Oh, I love this one! It fits me so perfectly, how could I give it a bad review?

Mephitic Vapors Category: Curio Shop Quantity: sample Description: MEPHITIC VAPORS Careful with that! The contents can be quite dangerous. That bottle has been passed around for generations and nobody is quite sure of how much is left inside. You see, it looks empty. That’s the danger. Bottled hundreds of years ago by an infamous resurrectionist, one whiff of the Mephitic Vapors captured in that bottle would surely bring instant death. You’ll want to make sure you purchase the Good Judy souvenir version. The real one can’t be opened anyway. The lid’s glued on. Accidents do happen though. Authentic Mephitic Vapors: A miasma of graveyard putrescence. Not for sale! Souvenir Version: Black oak, peat moss, graveyard loam, headstones, and damp air. Plenty for everyone! Review: In the bottle: It’s very masculine... I do smell the oak and moss very well. Wet: Yeah, that’s the old-fashioned graveyard caretaker’s favourite cologne. It’s a bit strong, and just so strange on me. Dry: Ok, I had to wash it off. It was just so absurd on me, even the dog started crying after she smelled me. Enough said. Verdict: I guess I’ll have to give this one... I don’t doubt this would smell good on a man, and preferably someone fairly older than me, because there really is something old-fashioned about it. It has also a dark/gothic feeling, like taking a walk in a graveyard in late fall, with a coroner passionately telling you all about his most fascinating cases... Well, you get the picture.

Woobie Category: In The Mood Quantity: sample Description: WOOBIE Every little one (and many of us larger ones) knows the comfort and security (as well as juju) a well-worn woobie can evoke. A woobie can be anything from a favorite blanket to a favorite pair of socks. Good Judy’s Woobie evokes the comfort and security (and the juju) of your favorite woobie. Warm, comforting, and soothing, Woobie surrounds you in a peaceful, secure aroma. Benzoin, vanilla 10x, styrax, labdamnum Review: In the bottle: Benzoin, vanilla, and spices. Wet: The perfume is dark brown, and when I first applied it, it actually left a brown mark on my skin. Fortunately, I rubbed the area with my finger, and the mark disappeared; but still, this is one dark perfume! I smell the vanilla even more than before; but overall, it’s very soft and sweet (well, I guess that’s the point). Appart, from the warm vanilla feeling, it doesn’t smell that much, no matter how much I put on. Dry: It’s still raw vanilla and benzoin for me. In fact, it makes me think of a vanilla cake on sleeping pills... weird image... Verdict: Hey Sigg, have you ever thought of turning this one into a soap? I’m sure it could work for bath & relaxation products.

Bread Pudding Category: Mary Jo's Bakery Quantity: sample Description: BREAD PUDDING Warm bread soaked in milk and eggs and spices. Baked golden bubbly and served drenched in an ooey-gooey vanilla rum sauce. Delightfully rich and satisfying! Review: In the bottle: I smell a mix of bread, eggs, spices (especially cinnamon, yum!), vanilla, and a bit of rum. Wet: This really smells like french toast (or “pain doré/pain perdu”; as usual, please forgive my french) with spices, and some sort of a rich vanilla sauce, with a strong sugar undernote. Dry: Yeah, old bread or old cake soaked in a preparation of milk and eggs to remove dryness. It took some time, but I finally got some of the rum back. And as usual, the perfume turned sugary-sweet on me. Verdict: Not bad; but maybe a little bit too “french toast”, the ressemblance is just too obvious for me. Other than that, it’s lovely, and so yummy that it makes me want to bake.

Pop Category: Punk Quantity: sample Description: POP Break out the Dickies and the studded belts! Faux-hawks. Thin ties. Skinny jeans. Chuck Taylors. Eyeliner. Cotton candy flavored cherry-red lipstick. Pink and black. Trucker hats and skull jewelry. Review: In the bottle: I smell cherry, something sweet (like sugar maybe?), and a bitter under-note. Wet: It has turned darker, with a spicy bitterness like clove or pepper. The cherry is almost absent. Dry: The cherry came back, and I still smell clove… Why am I thinking “cherry cola”? Verdict: Frankly, this isn’t my thing. I love cherry, and I love spicy scents; but I’m not sure I like the two together. This one just doesn’t work for me.

Atomic Cheesecake Category: Starlite Oasis Quantity: sample Description: ATOMIC CHEESECAKE It’s all about the pinup. With their peek-a-boo poses and pouty lips, these blonde bombshells, buxom brunettes, and randy redheads are the ultimate art of seduction. Pure, unadulterated cheesecake, vanilla bean, vanilla musk Review: In the bottle: It does smell like cheesecake! I smell cream cheese and vanilla. Wet: It’s pretty much the same as in the bottle. It’s very creamy, rich, warm, and decadent. If it’s based on a real cheesecake, I want the recipe. Dry: I smell the vanilla musk a little better, but it’s still a lot of cream cheese. Overall, it stays true from beginning to end. Verdict: It smells delicious! It’s like a real cheesecake, served fresh and tender; it’s only missing the berry sauce.

Gravy Category: Signature Scents Quantity: sample Description: GRAVY Gravy is Good Judy's signature scent! This is some awesome sauce! Two warm, buttery vanillas folded into creamy cocoa butter and poured over spicy warm resins. Soft and glowing. Warm and comforting. Nice and sweet, with something a little mysterious and dark underneath. Review: In the bottle: I smell a mix of spiced vanilla and cocoa butter. It’s very yummy, like warm cookies or cake. Wet: A warm and very buttery vanilla, with a note of chocolate, and some resins underneath. Dry: It still smells like warm cake, with a resin under-note. It seems worthy of Mary Jo’s bakery. Verdict: Gravy is very decadent, and it opens my appetite. However, it’s not as decadent as Atomic Cheesecake, but it has an interesting (or even sexy) spicy aspect.

Pickled Punk Category: Curio Shop Quantity: sample Description: PICKLED PUNK When two become one, what once was is now forever...only never to be. Ghastly to some. Fascinating to others. A medical marvel to all. This bicephalic form floats, peaceful, in a man-made womb with a view…perfectly preserved for your curiosity and pleasure. Tangerine, pink pepper, talc Review: In the bottle: A lovely, spicy tangerine. I doesn’t smell too fruity or too sweet, but not too spicy either; it’s well balanced. Wet: It’s orange on my skin! I should have thought about it, it was orange in the bottle. The tangerine is juicy and fruity, but it’s mixed with a spice, and I’m not even sure it’s pepper. In fact, it smells like clove on me. It reminds me of those Christmas ornaments made of whole oranges picked with clove. Dry: I finally get some of the talc, which separates the ingredients a little bit. Therefore, I can smell the pink pepper better, or at least for what it really is. However, there’s not enough tangerine left (at least in my opinion, and I love tangerine). Verdict: I can see there’s an interesting concept behind this one, and the smell of it is also very interesting; but unfortunately, it’s not enough to convince me. It works fine as a gender-neutral blend, but it doesn’t suit my skin type very well, and it doesn’t last very long. Too bad.

Uke Category: Anime & Manga Quantity: sample Description: UKE Whatever flavor, shy or outgoing, Ukes are the younger, more androgynous (even feminine) counterpart in the Boy Love anime genre of Yaoi. Fiercely loyal to their Seme, Ukes can be slightly annoying, but always cute in their devotion. Sexy and hot! Vanilla musk, cotton candy, cherry, cream Review: In the bottle: It smells like cherry cupcakes! I smell cherry, vanilla, sugar, and milk, in that order. Wet: Indeed, it smells like Betty Crocker’s cherry cupcake mix… It’s drying into a mix of candied vanilla musk and cherry cream. Dry: Now that it’s completely dry, I smell musky vanilla, and less sugar. The cherry note is also less intense. Verdict: I love this one, it’s so yummy! What? It’s for boys? Who cares! It smells delicious and sweet.

Honey Patch Category: Resinate Quantity: sample Description: HONEY PATCH In the wild, unadulterated lands of the free, grows the honey patchouli tree. Earthy, warm, and golden. Patchouli and two sweet golden honeys. Review: In the bottle: Honeyed, sweetened patchouli; yet, the patchouli is quite strong. Wet: What a sweet honey! I can’t decide if it’s herbal or floral (maybe both?), but I can smell the honey very well, and I can almost imagine its texture. Yum. Dry: The patchouli comes out as it dries, but it keeps a good balance with the honey. Verdict: This perfume has a little bit of a borderline personality, always on the edge between honey and patchouli. Honestly, patchouli isn’t my thing, so my enthusiasm was limited from the start. However, I have to admit that this blend is interesting.

Diamond Category: Limited Edition (April 2009) Quantity: 5ml bottle Description: DIAMOND April's birthstone, Diamond is known as the stone of innocence and purity, and inspires matters of the heart. Diamond is said to encourage self-confidence and independence and counteract jealousy. Diamonds are energy amplifiers so be cautious: it amplifies negative as well as positive. Diamond purifies and detoxifies all of the body’s systems, rebalancing the metabolism, and building up stamina, strength and treating allergies and chronic conditions. White peach, champagne, white hibiscus, white amber Review: In the bottle: It smells white and clear. It reminds me of my mother’s garden, with fruit trees and hibiscus plants around every corner. Wet: Mostly hibiscus and peach, with a little bit of champagne and amber. Dry: Slightly less peach, and more champagne and amber. Verdict: What a clear and fancy scent! I think I just found my new “special occasion” perfume.

Hanami Category: Limited Edition (Spring 2009) Quantity: 5ml bottle Description: HANAMI Hanami is the Japanese tradition of viewing the flowering trees. When the Sakura (cherry) and Ume (plum) Trees blossom, spectators arrive in throngs to view the ephemeral and beautiful flowers and picnic on foods and sake. The Hanami tradition is as anticipated and celebrated as Leaf Season in America. Sakura blossom, ume blossom, sake Review: In the bottle: This smells like spring to me, and walking through the apple and cherry trees in bloom. Although, in this case, it’s cherry and plum… Wet: The flowers are exploding under my nose. The plum came first, and then the cherry. Dry: I’m still getting a lot of the flowers, but with a little bit of sake as well. It’s strange, but it smells a bit like spray net… Verdict: Hanami has a serious, mature feeling. I don’t doubt this could be an elegant Japanese woman’s favourite perfume.

Ostara Category: Limited Edition (March 2009) Quantity: 5ml bottle Description: OSTARA Ostara, or Eostre, is the Goddess of Renewal, from which the name Easter evolved. In celebration of the movement toward the rising sun (East), Ostara embodies renewal, rebirth, and fertility. Wild strawberry, honeysuckle, rice flower, spring rain Review: In the bottle: Sweet, honeyed strawberry, with a floral touch underneath. Wet: So far, the strawberry and florals mix well. The rice flower and spring rain are very subtle, of course, but I did not expect anything else. Dry: Well, I have to admit this is lovely. It’s sweet, but not too sweet. Because it’s fruity, it might work fine on a young girl. Verdict: If it was only the strawberry, this perfume would be way too sweet, but the flowers offer just the right balance between serious and playful. It’s a youthful, yummy scent, but it won’t turn you diabetic.

Chocolate Chai Muffin Category: Mary Jo's Bakery Quantity: sample Description: CHOCOLATE CHAI MUFFIN A cakey, not-too-sweet, muffin flavored with chocolate powder and chai spices. This muffin is scrumptious! Review: In the bottle: Oh my! Spicy chocolate! Those warm, exotic spices seem delightful when mixed with the cocoa. Wet: As soon as it touched my skin, it turned into bitter spices, with an subtle note of musk. There’s a little bit of chocolate behind, but it’s not as strong as in the bottle. Dry: After a few minutes, it turned herbal; that’s weird. If you are familiar with the (fake) chocolate essence sold for soap-making, mix it with spicy herbs, and that’s what you get. Verdict: Honestly, I feared that it would be the cousin of Forbidden Desire; but fortunately, it’s not as sweet, and its spiciness gives it a very sexy aspect.

Herbert West Category: Picnic in Arkham Quantity: sample Description: HERBERT WEST Of Herbert West, who was my friend in college and in after life, I can speak only with extreme terror. This terror is not due altogether to the sinister manner of his recent disappearance, but was engendered by the whole nature of his life-work, and first gained its acute form more than seventeen years ago, when we were in the third year of our course at the Miskatonic University Medical School in Arkham. While he was with me, the wonder and diabolism of his experiments fascinated me utterly, and I was his closest companion. Now that he is gone and the spell is broken, the actual fear is greater. Memories and possibilities are ever more hideous than realities. Aftershave, embalming fluid, and splatterings from a panoply of reanimation reagents. Review: In the bottle: Indeed, aftershave and citrus (or lemon). It’s definitively for men, but I’m curious enough to try it on. Wet: Still a good dose of aftershave, lemon, as well as tea and/or something herbal and fresh. Dry: Not so much aftershave anymore, but a refreshing lemony herbal scent. Verdict: I don’t doubt this would smell different on a man (my skin chemistry tends to make everything turn sweet); however, whenever a perfume changes during drydown, a part of my brain says “make soap!” This psychological problem aside, I really liked it, the smell is clean and clear, and not as sinister as I thought it would be. More reviews: Picnic in Arkham: Herbert West

In the bottle: Indeed, aftershave and citrus (or lemon). It’s definitively for men, but I’m curious enough to try it on. Wet: Still a good dose of aftershave, lemon, as well as tea and/or something herbal and fresh. Dry: Not so much aftershave anymore, but a refreshing lemony herbal scent. Verdict: I don’t doubt this would smell different on a man (my skin chemistry tends to make everything turn sweet); however, whenever a perfume changes during drydown, a part of my brain says “make soap!” This psychological problem aside, I really liked it, the smell is clean and clear, and not as sinister as I thought it would be.

Cursed Cameo Category: Curio Shop Quantity: sample Description: CURSED CAMEO Don’t be fooled by its beauty, by its seemingly delicate nature! Well over one hundred years old, this cameo is a splendid piece of jewelry marred by a fearsome curse. Given to a scorned wife as pacification from her flagrantly cheating husband, the wife was rumored to have dispatched of each of her husband’s affairs with a chilling and cold-blooded fervor, all while wearing the cameo. Now the cameo is cursed to bring torment and discord to its wearer, keeping them forever miserable and alone. Well, yes, I don’t see why you can’t hold it. Only please refrain from putting it around your neck. We are not sure how swift-acting the curse is. Come to think of it, maybe it’s best if you didn’t hold it at all. One can never be too careful! White lily, iris, jasmine, magnolia, grapefruit, peach Review: In the bottle: It’s soft and feminine, in a graceful way. I can identify the notes of lily and magnolia. Wet: Without any surprise, the flowers came out first. Dry: As it dried, I started to notice something juicy and sweet, which I assume is the peach and grapefruit. It’s funny, because it leaves a little bit of an aftertaste, but maybe that’s the curse? Verdict: I find it hard to write a review on this one because I’m completely addicted. If you like blends of flowers and fruits, you should try this one.

Lullaby Category: In The Mood Quantity: sample Description: LULLABY Sleep judy. A quiet and relaxing blend to ease your tension and calm your thoughts. Peaceful sleep nourishes the spirit and soothes the soul. Lullaby does just that, without having to sing a single note. Lavender, chamomile, mandarin, jasmine, ylang ylang, rose. Review: In the bottle: Hmm… Chamomile, mandarin, lavender, and some other flowers float toward my nose. There’s something comforting and soothing about it right away, that I can not explain to myself, but it seems to work. Wet: As soon as I put it on, a bitter smell came out of it, so I was quite worried; but, fortunately, it didn’t last long. It then turned into a soothing blend of flowers. The lavender is soft, which is a good thing because I usually don’t like it much, and the mandarin adds a warm touch to it. Dry: After drydown, I smell the rose and the jasmine a little bit better. The floral scent is stronger, but the drop of mandarine is still there to complement it. Verdict: At least this one keeps its promises, it’s very calm and peaceful. It could work, to a certain extent, as a neutral blend, even though the flowers make it a bit feminine. On a personal note, the first time I tried it, I was tired and overloaded with work, so it wasn’t a very good time to try it on, I didn’t work much that day (I guess I could have used a little bit of Jolt). But right now, I’m on vacation, and fully able to appreciate it. Would I wear that often? Probably not, but it was fun to try it and see what it does.

In the bottle: This certainly smells soft and feminine! So far, it’s mostly a blend of flowers, but the white tea is a sweet touch. Wet: Carnation, carnation, and more carnation, with a little bit of rose, and a tiny little bit of white tea. Dry: It does stabilize during dry down, but it’s still a lot of carnation! There’s still a little bit of rose, and what I believe is a trace of white tea, but it’s very subtle. Verdict: Overall, Maiden is a nice spring/summer scent, but you really have to love carnation to fully appreciate this one; therefore, it’s just not for me. I know white tea tends to be tasteless, but I expected more of it. But still, it’s a nice floral scent.

Maiden Category: Ars Amatoria Quantity: sample Description: MAIDEN A gentle vision of purity, goodness and virtue: white tea, carnation and Damask Rose. Review: In the bottle: This certainly smells soft and feminine! So far, it’s mostly a blend of flowers, but the white tea is a sweet touch. Wet: Carnation, carnation, and more carnation, with a little bit of rose, and a tiny little bit of white tea. Dry: It does stabilize during dry down, but it’s still a lot of carnation! There’s still a little bit of rose, and what I believe is a trace of white tea, but it’s very subtle. Verdict: Overall, Maiden is a nice spring/summer scent, but you really have to love carnation to fully appreciate this one; therefore, it’s just not for me. I know white tea tends to be tasteless, but I expected more of it. But still, it’s a nice floral scent. More reviews: Ars Amatoria: Maiden