zankoku_zen

In the Bottle: Watery, green and a tinge of floral. Very fresh. On Skin: Strongly watery and green, very clean. I smell the peony. On Drydown: This reminds me of something... I can't remember what though. It's a pretty, floral, aquatic scent. Verdict: I like this. But I'm not entirely too crazy about it. It's a pretty, light and very feminine scent.

In the Bottle: Smells earthy and brown. On Skin: There is patchouli in this. There is something that reminds me to root beer. There is a musky undertone of hands sweating. It really does make me think of money. Coveted money. On Drydown: Root beer and dirty money. Verdict: Interesting. Its a very evocative scent. Definitely not me though.

In the Bottle: Sweet but smells like nail polish remover. On Skin: There is something citrusy to it. It makes me think of fruit cake. Like baked goods and fruit and oranges. Which I suppose is better than bubblegum explosion or nail polish remover. On Drydown: Fruity. Although at first sniff, it smelled like just boiled noodles. Could my nose be wrong today? Verdict: It's a very odd changing scent but very happy. I'm not sure I'll wear it.

I didn't think I would have the chance to review this scent and I'm really glad I do! In the Bottle: Spicy rum raisins. Odd.... very odd. On Skin: I smell spicy berries. It makes me think of the dried Chinese plum candies you can get. The smell sweetens to sun-ripened berries. It reminds me alot to Glasgow actually. On Drydown: I smell the carnations now. The sweetness now reminds me to Alice. Verdict: Too berry sweet for me personally but its a lovely, sweet light scent. I can understand why so many people love it.

I feel I should preface this with the disclaimer that I have never been attracted to vanillas as a smell. For a few months, Snake Oil, despite its popularity was not a scent I would have considered. In the Bottle: I smell the vanilla and something spicy. On Skin: This is more spicy than vanilla on my skin. Very warm. Its slightly more masculine than I expected. On Drydown: Still warm, still spicy, slightly sweeter. Sensual. Verdict: This is a beautiful scent. Just not me.

In the Bottle: Warm cinnamony apples On Skin: I get more of the tree bark smell, with pungent ripe apples. I want to say this is sweet... but its more juicy than anything. On Drydown: Still juicy. I smell like an apple. But not just ANY apple. Verdict: A very fragrant apple. I don't know how Beth does it. This is such a lovely scent. Apple goodness!

In the Bottle: Very lemony. Very clean On Skin: Smells like lemony tea. It reminds me alot of Shanghai. On Drydown: Still very similar to Shanghai, perhaps a bit sweeter. Verdict: I honestly can't distinguish between this and Shanghai. There might be tonal differences... but I'm not getting them.

In the Bottle: Coffee. Irish coffee. And something else. On Skin: Coffee still. With a shot of whisky. I'm getting more of the dusty book smell at the end now. On Drydown: There is something almost buttery warm underneath the coffee. My skin drinks this right up though. The dusty tomes whiff gets stronger after time. But ah... coffee... After two hours, the dusty note is the first smell and then the underlying beautiful coffee... Verdict: I have Jack on one arm and M.U. on the other... and I alternate between sniffing both. And somehow, I feel like I should be having dessert. It's so tasty. Coffee in one and pumpkin pie in the other. Lord, Beth is a genius.

In the Bottle: I can smell the sweet chocolate and the orange blossom, which seems a bit bitter. On Skin: The chocolate smells bitter. I get the floral note of the orange blossom predominantly. There is a sweetness to the entire fragrance. On Drydown: The scent fades fast from my skin. I can still catch whiffs of the orange blossom though. Verdict: I was hoping more for a chocolate/orange scent. This is pleasant but not me. Off to the swap pile

Man I haven't even uncorked it fully and I can smell the nutmeg and the clove. It smells like a cookie! In the Bottle: Cookie! Warm and delicious and scrumptious. On Skin: The nutmeg and the clove are the most predominant notes. After a bit I can smell the pumpkin. My mouth is watering. I love this. Drydown: I smell like pumpkin pie. Tasty. It softer and more delicate on drydown. It's so warm... and comforting. I can smell hints of the peach now... and it reminds me to Fae. Verdict: Beth is a genius. This is a warm and lovely autum scent. This just screams fall at me... which will be lovely in Peru... since our fall is a paltry month in which summer just gets 'cooler'. None of this lovely changing of leaves. Oh... I think I love you Jack.

In the Bottle: Very piney and berry. On Skin: Smells very Christmassy. Its the pine. And the sugary berries. And there's some menthol to it. There's something very herbal about this. On Drydown: Now I smell some pineapple. Odd. Very odd. The pine scent is still there though. Verdict: It's very Christmassy. It makes me think of a Christmas tree. Unfortunately, I don't fancy smelling like pine. It's a comforting scent. Beth is a genius... for putting Christmas cheer in a bottle. But its not something I can wear.

In the Bottle: A bit incensey. A bit musky. On Skin: Warm. Smells a bit like Pinesol. It's very resin like. On Drydown: Still very resinous. Very masculine though. Verdict: Not me at all. Off to the swap pile.

In the Bottle: Something sweet and flowery On Skin: I think there must be sweet pea in this because it kind of reminds me to Juliet. Very sweet. Maybe some melon? On Drydown: It got less sweet. There's an incense note that comes out afterwards. In this sense, it reminds me to Morgause. I get this odd mixture of floral, melon and incense. Verdict: Not me. Off to swap.

In the Bottle: Lemon and menthol On Skin: Lemon and menthol. It's very clean and refreshing. It makes me think of a lemon drop. On Drydown: Limeish lemonade. Verdict: I like this. I don't know if it works. But it makes me feel cheery.

In the Bottle: Grapefruit... and something herbal. Ew. On Skin: EW. Grapefruit and something herbally bitter. EW EW EW. It basically smells like rotting grapefruits on me... Not even waiting for the drydown on this.... EWness.... Damn my body chemistry.

This was a gift from Finny! In the Bottle: Amberish. Don't get much of a rose note. On Skin: I get more of the amber and musk on contact. There is something somewhat floral lurking. After 5 minutes, I get more of the rose smell. On Drydown: Exquisite in an regal lady sort of way. Very rosy. Verdict: This is a somber scent. It is a rose in mourning. Very likeable but a bit overwhelming.

I have all 3 and the all smell different but on me if you take: Hollywood Babylon - devious cherries; and Centzon Totochin - dusky cocoa Blood Kiss is their love child. I get the cherry wiffle and sniffs of chocolate but slightly creamier and sweeter than in Centzon. That is the strongest scent similarity I've noted. Well... Juliet and Desdemona smell alike on me.

In the Bottle: It's like a mixture of Hollywood Babylon and Centzon Totochin. On Skin: I smell cherries and vanilla, the wine and a hint of musk. So delicious. The wine and musk are definitely more predominant in this one... I'm getting a whiff of clove at the end now. This is very in your face lustful. Very feral indeed. On Drydown: There is a duskiness to this. Still slightly sweet. Still pulsatingly sensual. Verdict: This works on me. I don't love it like I love Hollywood Babylon but it's right up there with Lust. Will definitely use the imp.

A scent swirling with dark rage, unbridled jealousy, and murderous intent. Violet, lavender, white musk and vetiver. In the Bottle: Lavender and something salty... like ocean salty. Very piratey. Unfortunately I find it a bit unpleasant, but apt. On Skin: Sharp lavender. There is still a briney afterscent to it. After a minute, it seems to calm down a bit. On Drydown: Very faint. It fades fast on my skin. Verdict: I'm not even going to try this on the boy. I don't know... it just doesn't suit my nose. But I do find the name very apropos.

I can smell the cherry goodness from within the envelope. In the Bottle: Cherry nail polish remover??? On Skin: Gawd. Sweet smelling tasty cherries. It's a bit overwhelming. Smells like... cherry Jolly Ranchers. On Drydown: This sweet fruity thing. After 15 more minutes, the scent turns almost sticky on me. Verdict: Loved it at the beginning and was hasty in my profession of love. But it gives me a headache at the end. Sad... but I will have to swap.

In the Bottle: Something musky. I can't really place the scent. On Skin: There's something almost peppery about this. It's musky. It's very... masculine. I have some very ambigous feelings about this... I'm getting a herbal tinge to it at the end. On Drydown: Yep, definitely masculine. There's this incensey/cedar like smell to it. I'm not sure if it is cedar though. Verdict: Smells. Like. Man. But I don't find this scent attractive. I wouldn't want my boy smelling like this.

Smelled this in the DC BPAL meet up and decided I have to try this! In the Bottle: smells like chocolate rumballs! On Skin: Warm bittersweet cocoa. Ever taken a whiff of chocolate before you make hot cocoa the old fashioned way? Yeah... that's what I'm getting. On Drydown: Some of the cocoa smell fades and I get more of a liqour smell, either its the rum or the red wine. It adds a spicyness to it. It fades fast though. Verdict: I'll keep the imp but I will doubt I will require more. Ah... I wish the dusky cocoa would have lasted longer.

I have high hopes for this one! In the Bottle: Strawberry sweetness... and something else. On Skin: Strawberry with a hint of bitterness, which I'm either going to attribute to the carnation or the black poppy. This is a nice counterbalance, I was going to worry if it was overly sweet. It's deceptive. The strawberry fades quite fast on me as other florals come to play... florals I don't think I have sniffed before. On Drydown: This scent fades fast from my skin. The strawberry is gone and I think I'm mainly smelling black poppy and hibiscus, and perhaps the orange blossom, but I really can't tell. It's floral but there's a certain darkness to it. Verdict: I had worried that this might be too sweet or innocent on me and it doesn't. However, it fades so fast from my skin that I would have to douse myself in it. So off to swap.

In the bottle: Lemony rosy, with a hint of sweetness. It smells bright and cheery. On Skin: Lemony sharpness, there is the heavy rose floralness. There is also a powdery note to it. On Drydown: Very rose. Too much rose. Verdict: Too rosey for me. Off to swap.

From the previous reviews, its seems that Dragon's Blood Resin is a component. I don't think I've ever had a DBR scent yet. In the Bottle: Musky... On Skin: Its very warm... but to me it smells a bit like cough medicine. Maybe its the color association since the color of the oil is this strawberry red. There's a floral twinge to it. Drydown: I can't identify a single note. I don't find the smell unpleasant, but it doesn't strike me as alluring. I don't feel alluring. In fact, smelling more of this is starting to make me dizzy. Verdict: I'm a bit confused on what exactly there is in the blend. I don't think this blend is me, esp since after a few sniffs my head starts swimming a bit.