zankoku_zen

Blue lavender sugar. This smells like a sugary lavender musk. Sort of like TKO but sweeter and slightly muskier. Good throw and wear length.

Frankincense and rosy lilies. This one has a fair bit of resin/frankincense, with floral edges. Medium throw, good wear length.

I took this photo of Lilith a few days ago. I told her that it looks like her and Pickle are reenacting Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam, and I show her a pic. She asks what’s going on in it, so I explain the image, and she says… “Well, that’s friggin sexist. It’s stupid to say that boys were created first and to make a whole painting about it. Plus there’s no girls in the photo, and not everyone has boy or girl parts. It’s sexist, and I hate it.” That was a much, much stronger reaction than I expected, but good on you, kid. Burn the patriarchy down. And Elohim created Adam in His Image, in the Image of God He created him; male and female He created them. The first woman, created with Adam, in all her darkness and all her light: sweet black pomegranate, French lavender, oakmoss, ti leaf, bakhoor oudh incense, and black fig. Lavender, oakmoss, and oudh incense. This smells sort of aquatic incensey. Good throw and wear length.

This was an unexpected frimp in my recent Fool's Journey decant circle order (my guess due to the server/website issues that the Lab has experienced as of late). It starts off as a green blend, but then the pepper and green musk comes through, and maybe some cinnamon. There's also a sort of wire/ozone hint to the edges. It's actually a pretty aggressive blend with a pretty good throw. I swear there is also some sort of green leather in there in the drydown. As gremlin-like as you would expect.

A braaaaaap of oakmoss, labdanum, lightly-chewed villager, and smoke. Citrusy-edged smoke, aquatic oakmoss and a tinge of labdanum. This one is an interesting mix of both smoke and aquatic. Medium throw and wear length.

Woody patchouli and cedar. This one is a sweet, very wearable patchouli as opposed to stinky hippie patchouli. The cedar gives it a nice warm base. Good throw and wear length.

RUDE. Sweet black patchouli and pink peppercorn right in yer face. Ash and smoke! This is really a smoky patchouli with a slight peppery edge to it. Good throw and wear length.

Supernaturally smug, draconically self-satisfied: red currant, persimmon, and oudh. Bitter citrus, and something that smells darkly musk and perfumey. It actually smells bitter, and kinda manly on me. Good throw and wear length.

Sweet, fiery dragon's resin, hint of pepper, and geranium. This is mainly a DBR and geranium mix on me. With spicy hints. Medium throw and wear length.

Smoky pine leads to clove and leather. This is mainly a clove and black leather blend on me. Gender neutral to my nose but I can see others making that black leather manly. I can see a strong, dominant female into this. Good throw and wear length.

Lord of the cycle of death and resurrection, he is the personification of the rhythms of order found deep in the cycles of nature. He is the embodiment of virility and male fecundity and shepherd of souls to the afterlife. Ash and white cedar, frankincense and acacia, holly and oak, verbena and nettle. Verbena (which adds this citrus edge), cedar, frankincense. This smells like manly cedar. Or more like a manly cedar perfume. There's a bit of greenery peeking through which is either holly or nettle. Good throw and wear length.

Commanding his legions to secure the safety of his people and promote the expansion of his lands: steel and gold wreathed by a crown of bay and iris. Bay, metallic steel (warmed up by something golden) and a touch of powdery iris. If you love bay, give this a whirl. It's a sophisticated perfumey bay. I am putting this on mr. zee_zee's pile. It's gender neutral but definitely more along the lines of expensive cologne, which he tends to favor. Medium throw and wear length. Regal, sophisticated, manly.

Chamomile, rose, red musk and a whiff of other things. I get mainly chamomile, red musk, and a touch of lavender on wet. This one is an interesting mix, as it changes a bit and the rose blooms as it dries. Good throw and wear length.

Sakura, peach and a touch of cedar. Definitely delicate florals, slightly watery feel, and very Shunga-esque. Low throw, good wear length.

Mandarin with oudh. The bergamot amps up the weird white musk tendencies of the oudh, and it ends up a citrusy powdery screech on me. Good throw and wear length. Oudh, get it together, damnit.

Patch, moss, grass and assorted bits and bobs. This smells like a forest garden outside, dark green, and full of life. Medium throw and wear length.

Musky red roses, with touches of benzoin and honey. Soft, musky, female roses. Medium throw and wear length.

Blackcurrant and cardamom with peru balsam, patchouli, leather, and oudh. Leather, patchouli and oudh, with touches of cardamom. This one is mainly a warm, leathery blend. Mainly masculine veering toward gender neutral. There's something deeply approachable about this blend. Good throw and wear length.

Pom, carnation, and incense. This smells red, lush, and carnation with tinges of other things. Medium throw and wear length.

Jasmine, red roses, sandalwood and a touch of elemi. This is dark, mysterious red roses. Medium throw and wear length.

Daffodils, wildflowers, amber. This is a sophisticated wildflower perfume. I do like it, but I am not sure that I would wear it as much as I think I would. It is gorgeous though. Hmmm. Good throw and wear length.

Herbal trees - fir, cedar, and oak. Feminine, and yet woody. Deep and mysterious. Good throw and wear length. Definitely magical. This is what the forest for a Totoro smells like.

Hay and clove. This smells like delicious cloves with a whiff of golden grass. Good throw and wear length. Mmmm, love.

Honeyed champaca which is sultry, heady incensey floral with honey. Good throw and wear length

Crystalline musky vanilla. Light throw and wear length. Pretty, but pretty much a skin scent.