lwhitesel

So this is a combination of things that can go all wrong: patchouli and honey both amp on me like crazy (and sometimes I don't want to smell like a stinky hippie, and I never want to smell like a snack) and cinnamon can...give me a rash? Now that I'm typing all this, why did I take a chance on it at all? I'm glad I did! I like the balance -- the patchouli and cinnamon keep the honey in check, and the patchouli is warm/earthy and not super-hippie. Gentle, spiced incense. Not much throw, but lasts for a long time.

Hm. I get a musky peach initially, and now it's peach/sweet champaca. Not much throw. It's nice and good for springtime, but not generally my style. I might use it to practice making bath bombs or body spray or something.

This starts out as very fruity, but ends up as a sort of fruity/red incense. (I can't distinguish between pomegranate and currant, sorry!) It almost reminds me of Cairo. Usually both patchouli and honey amp on me, but neither is particularly dominant, although the patchouli does lend some spiciness. I like it!

Initially it's wood and amber, very masculine, but the patchouli ends up dominating for me (like usual). Tea never works on me: either it's not there or fades too fast. I do like this -- softer and slightly more interesting patchouli -- but ultimately it's not much different than everything else that goes super-patch on me. Definitely still on the masculine side, and not quite spring-like, but I like that.

2018 version: I see I'm late to the party on this one! Reading the reviews...well, I didn't notice much jasmine at all! Initially, the apple and sandalwood are prominent, and they stay that way, with myrrh and quince joining them. I'm getting fruit-perfume, maybe better off as a fancypants lotion? The description makes it sound complex/sophisticated, and that's not what I'm getting. Maybe I'll use my decant for a bath bomb.

It starts off creamy-fruit, definitely perfume-y and not particularly interesting to me. I thought it had faded entirely, and then suddenly the amber/musk came out. I originally didn't even think it was the same scent -- I was wearing a scarf, and decided that there was something in the scarf left over from the last time I was wearing it! Very confusing! So, I decided to try it again today (no scarf) and indeed the musk/amber shows up after a loooong time, with a little fruityness left over. I think I like it? Definitely good for spring, although there's something about it that's also a little too sexy for me to be comfortable wearing it to work.

I got this as a frimp from the lab. It smells very incensy in the bottle, and I think I was hoping for a sandalwood-heavy incense blend. There is something just not right about it: maybe it's the rose/jasmine/patchouli combo, which did not work with me in a different blend recently, maybe it's the rose eventually becoming dominant (not my thing), maybe it's the lemongrass being too astringent and sour, or the jasmine going wonky...after it settles it's mostly rose/sandalwood (ok!) with cedar/lemon (not ok!). I agree with the assessment that it feels like two different perfumes. Unfortunately I don't like one of them.

It's citrus and honey! Finally a honey that works on me -- it's not heavy or dominant at all -- and definitely on the musky/sexy side of things. Not much throw, medium wear length. Very springtime, the way you hope spring is coming soon.

What a great blend! The lavender seems like it's going to be most prominent, both in the bottle and initially on the skin, but all three notes harmonize perfectly. I know folks have mixed feelings about jasmine -- I, too, have mixed feelings about jasmine -- but it's a softer, more subtle jasmine here, tempered by the champacha and lavender. Minimal throw, and seems to fade too quickly, however this is my favorite of the Fortunas so far.

Woodsy clove, with a the neroli and pepper adding darkness in the background. Altogether too much for me, and a bit too reminiscent of those clove cigarettes I smoked in college. Also, it's definitely on the "masculine" side, and I generally pass of those to my partner, but I think it might even be too dark for him.

This is just plain weird on me. It smells incensey in the bottle, but when I put it on whoa is it stinky. Astringent? Maybe that's vetiver? It's almost like oudh? Fortunately, that doesn't last long, and it becomes a spicy patchouli, then fades to a sweeter patchouli/rose with a background myrrh note. I do not know how I feel about this! I think I would like it enough if it didn't have that yucky initial phase? I feel like I'm going to keep trying this "one more time," so maybe my opinion will change or the blend will change some as it ages.

Wow, there's the apricot. I am not so good at distinguishing fruit notes, but yes, apricot! With a little bit of orange blossom. Honestly, I was hoping for more orange blossom, but I like this, although fruity scents make me think bath bomb/lotion more than perfume oil.

Definitely agree about the fruity lavender, and also about the fancy soap/lotion! I think it's the clary sage and tea that's contributing to the latter, although they're way in the background. Interestingly, I don't notice the patchouli or the sandalwood at all, and those are usually super-dominant on me. Fades quickly.

Ok, I'm confused. I put this on, and it smelled delicious amber/chocolate for a hot minute, and then it got terrible. I couldn't quite identify the terrible -- might have been from the goat's milk or the benzoin -- but it basically was rotten or even poopy. I washed it off right away, BUT apparently not before some got on my sweater, which I am still wearing, and I'm noticing that it is, again, delicious. The chocolate has faded, but now it's a creamy warm amber/honey blend.

I thought the patchouli would dominate, as it usually does, but instead the champaca comes out and it becomes a dry, incensey scent. And yes, the champaca is so like all the incense I burned in my room when I was a teenager. I'm not sure if I can pick out the amber or vanilla. The first time I wore this I wasn't sure if I liked it, but now it's growing on me. Very comforting.

(I'm not familiar with Dorian...do I get my membership card revoked?) (Also I consistently misspell "lavender" -- you'd think I would've learned by now, since it's a favorite note.) Initially it's all lavender, then the vanilla-antique lace comes out and blends so nicely with the lavender. Antique Lace was always a little too sugary-sweet on me, so the Dorian component settles it down into something good: pretty without being super feminine, vanilla-y without seeming like a pastry, and light without fading (tea notes fade really fast for me.) Wow.

I loved the way this smelled wet -- amber/incense, mainly -- but about an hour later it's faded so much that I can barely tell it's there!

I like jasmine, but I was beginning to think I liked it more in tea than as a scent, since it's been hard to find a good jasmine blend. This appears to be the jasmine I've been waiting for. The jasmine is initially dominant, but softer -- it starts as jasmine/amber, then jasmine/sandalwood, and now it's more amber/sandalwood. I can barely pick out the vanilla (and I'm new enough to this that oudh is a big ????). So lovely.

... Strength, passion, and the cleansing fire of joy: olive blossom, white nectarine, vibrant blood orange, honey absolute, lemongrass, elemi, sensual patchouli, and the quiet purity of gardenia. 2017 It smells fruity in the imp. When I put it on, the olive blossom seems to come forward, but it soon turns into a honey-incense. I can't find the patchouli at all, which is too bad -- I was hoping it'd keep the scent grounded and give it more staying power. Generally, I'm leery of anything that has the word "honey" anywhere near the description, since the honey note always takes over on me, but I figured everything else would even it out. Sure enough, after an hour or so it's just plain honey and almost gone. It's still lovely while it lasts, though.

I'm also having trouble picking out specific floral notes. Initially it was sweet/cold/pale floral. Now there's something piney coming out. I usually avoid piney things -- too masculine and/or just icky -- but it's not overpowering, and the florals are still present. I was ready to put it in the maybe/sometimes category, but ugh, now it's all a sweet pine and I am not a fan.

Oh, I really like this...it goes on green/grassy smelling and sort of aquatic, but then it's just a creamy, luscious vanilla. Hours later, it's a more spicy-vanilla, no more grassiness. Medium wear length and low throw.

I got this because I had an imp of Succubus ages ago, loved it, decided to order a bottle, and saw it was discontinued (whomp-whomp) -- so, anything that's citrus + clove seems worth a shot in case it's similar. Verdict: nope. This one goes on super lemony. I can't smell the clove at all (note: this is the second scent involving cloves where the clove is invisible to me). The lemon gets a little softer on drydown, and then the whole thing vanishes pretty quickly. The only redeeming quality is that I put on the shirt I was wearing yesterday when I tried Over-Acuteness out (don't judge me!) and I liked the way the blend had stuck to my shirt a little.

I get orange blossom and other citrusy dominant notes, maybe sandalwood/vanilla toning them down a little. It actually smells a little like Lush's karma bubble bath, since I have trouble picking the patchouli note out of either. And patchouli amps like crazy on me...not always a problem because I like it (damn hippie) but having patchouli non-prominently in the mix is even better. (And it seems like "white patchouli" is the key here, as well.) This scent is so optimistic and energetic and darn happy.

On application, the first minute or so are astringent/bugspray/nope, which I think comes from the marigold, but it settles down to a sweet floral. I like rose, and too often rose is overpowering, but not so here: it's definitely present, but not taking over, and other herbs/flowers are blending in nicely. It actually reminds me of Summer's Last Will and Testament, which is my favorite late summer/early fall scent, although that one is a little more bitter/cold.

This is super astringent as it goes on, then turns into something dry/woody with the leaves and oudh. No plum at all, and doesn't stick around for long either. This is not for me. My partner says he might like it, so I'm passing it on to him. Edited to add: my partner did try it, and it smelled delightful on him. Sort of a juicy clove, very masculine (or at least my interpretation of masculine.)