thekittenkat

Note: I only use the bath oils as a body lotion.

 

In the decant: Honey and pumpkin!

 

Wet: Smells good, but I think there's cinnamon in here, because something is burning a little on back of my hand, and the bf can smell it, also. Mostly I can still smell the honey and pumpkin.

 

The dry-down: Still a lovely honey and pumpkin scent. Not really getting oatmeal or stout.

When first sprayed, seems a minty pom. But then it slowly changes to a white rose (and other pale florals) aquatic with mint. It seems that I would use this more in the late winter or early spring when frost could still appear. Certainly a cool note over all.

In the bottle: Sweet, pine, smoke, candy, and dirt.

 

Wet: Lots and lots of pine and snow!

 

The dry-down: Still lots of pine, but hints of that candy sweetness. I'm hoping that some aging will tone down the major pine note, and bring out more of the notes lurking in the background. Interestingly enough, as the scent dries down, the coolness goes away, and the scent warms up (must be the smoke and woodstove fires coming out).

In the decant: Yet another well-blended scent, as no one note predominates.

 

Wet: Some sharpness from the mums and marigolds is obvious.

 

The dry-down: At the last, I'm finally getting the autumn leaves with a hint of coolness. What a morpher! I like it, but don't need more.

In the bottle: All the notes have sprinkled on some fresh roses. Nice.

Wet: Still a lovely rose with those other well-blended notes. Dark, but not too dark. Sweet, in a floral style, not foodie. The vanilla bean affords a gentle shot of sweetness.

The dry-down: The indigo musk has finally appeared, and seems to have drenched the other notes as it competes with the rose. A lovely dark and deep scent, perfect for wearing out at night, whether for a walk in the country or the city. A scent fit for an elegant woman.

In the decant: Basil, myrrh and olibanum give a nice sweet fresh scent.

 

Wet: Much as when sniffed.

 

The dry-down: Only a hint of the lemongrass came through, thank goodness, as it usually takes over any scent that it's in. Does not seem to morph, which makes it nice. Lovely scent for spring and summer.

In the bottle: Gentle pumpkin and sweet vanilla with hints of wood and cloth.

 

Wet: The wood and linen are over-powering the pumpkin and vanilla.

 

The dry-down: Now everything has calmed down, and all the notes have blended together. This is a good scent for autumn.

In the bottle: That's a beautiful red rose accord--very rich, like smelling a freshly-cut rose.

 

Wet: The rose is being tempered by the pom and the anise.

 

The dry-down: Mostly rose and anise. Not sure where all the other notes scampered off to. I like the cold sniff the best, so this will go in the scent locket.

In the decant: Bitter loam and herbal plants. Is there rue in this?

 

Wet: The soil is wetter and fresher now, and the plants are green and growing. Well-blended, as no particular plant note jumps out.

 

The dry-down: As this goes along, it's a little bit fresher and greener. I could see wearing this in the springtime. It's rather a nice garden, after all; in fact I think of it as a garden of life.

Thanks to everyone who has posted pics of the labels.

Note: this is for the 2011 version.

 

In the decant: Sweet smokey musk.

 

Wet: Much as when sniffed, only a bit sweeter.

 

The dry-down: Now getting a hint of those burning autumn leaves. So far, I like this better than the 2009 release. As this goes along, the leaves and the sweet smokey musk have blended together in a lovely melding.

In the decant: Smells like a good pumpkin spice latte, only not so spicy.

 

Wet: The bitterness of the coffee cut through all the other yummy notes, sad to say.

 

The dry-down: Still mostly mildly bitter coffee, with only hints of all the other yummy notes. Not as much bitter coffee as last year's version. If this got made with the coffee bean note instead of the espresso note, I would be totally in love and would wear it all autumn. As it is, there's always the scent locket to save lovely scents from my wonky skin chemistry, thank goodness!

In the bottle: Sugar, wine, Dorian, and Snake Oil.

 

Wet: Much as in the bottle, but more with the Snake Oil on the sweetie.

 

The dry-down: From first to last, this scent stays true to itself on me, Still more Snake Oil on him, though. Might layer with Dorian for an added kick of tea.

In the decant: There's flowers in a vase on the kitchen table; on the stove, a pot of caramel is slowly cooking.

 

Wet: And now something sharp has appeared.

 

The dry-down: A hint of sweetness has returned, probably from the flan, the muffins, and the cake. The wet stage just does this in for me, though. I'll probably wear what I have in a scent locket, even though the dry-down is pleasant. I like the strong caramel note that I get from sniffing the bottle.

In the decant: Many florals sprinkled with cognac and musk, only lightly.

 

Wet: The narcissus and muget are doing what they usually do, turning sharp and nasty.

 

The dry-down: Yep, that brown musky scent from the muget, aided and abetted by the narcissus, has over-ridden all the other notes, alas. I was hoping for a lovely gardenia and sandalwood scent, backed by the musk.

Note: this is for the 2011 version.

 

In the imp: Lots of vetiver and autumn leaves.

 

Wet: Now the patch comes out, but the leaves and the vetiver are still very strong.

 

The dry-down: There is now some sharpness from the geranium and the clove. Certainly a scent for those who don't like the autumn. If there was more patch and leaves, and less of the vetiver and the geranium, I would like it a lot better.

Note: this review is for the 2011 version.

 

In the bottle: Gorgeous! Roses, dark and lovely, dipped in copal and agave, then rolled in wood chips and tobacco.

 

Wet: Suddenly, it's mostly cigar tobacco, but some rose and copal hovering nearby.

 

The dry-down: Thank goodness all the other notes (with the exception of the spices) return to temper the tobacco. It's now more like what I sniffed in the bottle. Still, I might put it in the scent locket when I want a stronger rose note.

In the decant: A very well-blended scent, with all the notes swirling around in a heady but light mixture.

 

Wet: The white tea is the most obvious note at the moment.

 

The dry-down: Very much a skin scent, probably because of the skin musk. A cool scent, also, Yet another scent that I would save for late winter/early spring, a gentle and lovely tea scent, touched by all the other notes, but not over-powered by them.

In the decant: It's a misty day in the early spring, when winter can still return. Some green things are braving the cool winds to push their way out of the moist dirt.

 

Wet: The sharpness of the green plants takes center stage, but the lovely violets crowd in the background.

 

The dry-down: Nicer than expected, since the Lab's violet note usually does not work on me. This is pleasing to me. Although I suspect those black fruits may be adding to the lovely but faint sweetness. It will be a late winter/early spring scent for me.

In the bottle: Pine, but tempered by the other notes.

 

Wet: Now the pine seems more fresh and green, but there's a hint of the smoke and the frank.

 

The dry-down: I had expected this to be be a stronger scent and to last longer, but it does seem to be becoming somewhat faint and fading fast. I'm glad I have a half-bottle, as it's a nice pine scent, but I may have to slather.

In the decant: Whoa! Lots of vetiver, backed up with the teakwood and the green pepper.

 

Wet: Ah, now the clove and champaca come through a glass, darkly.

 

The dry-down: Getting some of the clove, but the vetiver and green pepper have come roaring back. Not sure where the patch wandered off to. Tried on the bf, and on him it's woodsy green pepper all the time. Not sure that I like this, but it does illustrate the painting amazingly.

The label is very amusing!

 

In the bottle: More like a dark baking chocolate or cocoa powder, after a careful rolling so that the gloopy chocolate bits would mix in, but there's other notes hiding in the depths.

 

Wet: Not really a sweet chocolate at all, and the oleander is rather present.

 

The dry-down: This reminds me of the 13 series, with all the different notes mixed in with the chocolate/cocoa note, thus saving it from being too foodie! (Mind you, I like foodie chocolate scents, but it's nice to have a non-foodie take once in a while.) The oleander seems to be retreating a bit, and the sandalwood and musk are giving Batty an interesting depth. This may work better on the bf.

In the decant: Mostly the bpal violet note, but with other scents tempering it in the background.

 

Wet: A musky violet.

 

The dry-down: This is such a well-blended scent, and it's lovely. This is a big surprise for me, because usually the Lab's violet note turns a little sharp on me, alas, and I love violets so. However I think all the dark notes are keeping it in check, and because it's a violet musk, not just violet, that's also probably part of why this is working. I got it mostly for the ambergris, wood, currant and fig notes, not to mention that I was curious about lavender incense. And I was hoping that the amber wouldn't go to powder on me, as it often does, but it might be heading in that direction. I think I'll save this for springtime.

In the bottle: Hints of all the notes, but overall is the aquatic feel of the shivering white musk.

 

Wet: Cold and somewhat aquatic leaves, green not dry.

 

The dry-down: The vanilla-infused white cocoa is making its presence known again, with hints of the amber incense. The leaves are now seer and frost-coated. The way this morphs captures the outdoors of the autumn in an interesting fashion. I rather like this and may have to stock up. Love the poem, of course. If this scent was a tea, I'd be drinking it all year-round, as hot tea in cooler times, and iced tea in the warmer months.

In the bottle: Sweet liquid candy sugared pumpkin mash.

 

Wet: Seriously, like a pumpkin liquor!

 

The dry-down: Mellows out in the dry-down, with the almost butterscotch liquor note fading away in front of the spices. I liked this better when wet (and thus will probably go to the scent locket). Seriously cute vintage or vintage-style label.