puck_nc

Kiss-soft clouds of spun-sugar snow. Origin: Straight from the Lab Initial Thoughts: I want to like Snow White, but every time I've tried it, it's gone odd and plasticky on me. When I started seeing reviews of "kind of like Snow White but not", I figured I'd give it a try. In the Bottle: Light and smooth vanilla mint. Just a bit too greeny to be frozen winter, with an undertone that suggests floral and spring without actually being floral. Wet: There's a quick burst of minty sweetness, and then it seems to disappear completely on me. There's the faintest trace of vanilla sugar, staying extremely close to my skin. Drydown: It does strengthen a bit after drying down, into a very soft vanilla sugar scent. The green/mint edge that was in the bottle is barely there on me. Verdict: I'm on the fence. The first thing I can think of is wearing this in a situation where I'm not supposed to wear perfume, because no one would know I was wearing any but me with so little sillage. On the other hand, so light as to be undetectable isn't exactly why one wears perfume. I'll ponder.

Okay, I know I reviewed this, but it looks like my post got eaten. In short, it's yummy foody-sweet mint in the bottle. I get the marzipan first on my skin and then it dries down into a lovely creamy and sugary cooling mint. If you want to love the Lick It series but the mint is just too overpowering, give this one a try.

Origin: The Trading Post via one of the pair of lovely forumites who agreed to split an Inquisition with me. Initial Thoughts: I almost clapped when I saw this lovely tempting lotion with beautiful notes. And then I almost cried when I saw that every single Nice bath oil and perfume had deal-breaking notes. But now I get to enjoy the sugar-coated goodness of one of my favorite flowers. In the Jar: It's a bit runnier than I expected from something called "Glop"; more of a sauce consistency than a batter, if that makes sense. The scent is divinely sweet honeysuckle, all drenched in sun and gold and honey. On My Skin: I tried it on one elbow, since that's a particularly thorny problem as far as dry skin goes. It did take a moment to rub in and sink in, but once it did it improved the situation immensely. The scent isn't quite as tooth-achingly sweet on my fingers, though it's still very much sugary honeysuckle. I shook the jar up before trying it on the other elbow, just in case anything had settled or separated in transit. It remained that slightly runny consistency but treated the second elbow just as nicely. Verdict: I would like Glop to become a Thing, please. While I'm at it I'll shoot for the moon and hope that Nice Glop in particular becomes a Thing, although I'll take it in any combination of notes that I can wear.

Origin: Swapped for it. Initial Thoughts: While I love me some pumpkin and I love me some pecan pie I wasn't sure about committing to a bottle. So I was glad to get the chance to try a decant. In the bottle: The force is strong in this one. I can clearly smell it from the closed imp. Very nutty, very sweet, and a bit pumpkin-y. Wet: The pecan comes out in full force, swimming in sweet sugary treacle. This is so very pecan pie at the moment. Drydown: The pastry develops strongly, enhancing the pie sentiment. The pumpkin never really comes out strongly, though the pecan settles down a bit. Verdict: Quite foody and mostly true to the name. If you love your foody scents, you should consider it.

Origin: Straight from the Lab Initial Thoughts: I hoard the original Lick It and have tried the later ones over the years. But none of them have ever seemed to quite match the original. Since my Skadi needed traveling companions, I figured it was time to try a new bottle. In the Bottle: Wow...that's different. Maybe it's a byproduct of trying slightly minty Skadi and then very minty Mother Shub's Unmentionable Peppermint Creams before this, but the candy cane I was expecting isn't there. There's almost a syrupy quality to the sweetness, and a tinge of alcohol that makes me think of peppermint schnapps. But when I sniff my original Lick It from 2005 and Lick It Now side by side, they do seem quite similar, with Lick It Now suggesting a bit more sweetness. Wet: Nostril-clearing warm mint rises from my wrist. I'm rather astonished how it can be so bracing and yet not chilly at all. Drydown: The mint calms down a little, but only a little, and the sugar emerges. The sweet candy-cane of the Lick Its comes into full force, still holding onto that odd strong-but-warm mint. Verdict: Definitely a keeper!

Origin: Straight from the Lab, ordered the minute I saw it. Initial Thoughts: I have been hoping and begging for this scent to be brought back for ages. I acquired a half-imp of the original 2004 Skadi sometime in 2006 or 2007 (though I only got around to properly reviewing it in 2011). It's the most natural-smelling pine I've ever encountered in a perfume, and with the snow and winter berries it's such a gorgeous snowy-outdoors scent. I've found consolation with a couple of blends like Mistletoe or BPTP's Hollyberry and Mistletoe. I've missed out every single time a bottle of Skadi appeared on eBay. So that shriek you probably heard in three states a couple of weeks ago, soon after Yules went up? Probably me. In the Bottle: I'm comparing it to my imp, which I've tried to keep carefully over the years, but has certainly aged. The imp is more strongly pine with snow, while the new bottle seems to have more berry to it. There's the slightest tinge of fruity/citrusy something to the new bottle that I don't get at all from my decant. Wet: A cool but not cold blast of pine with that rich multifaceted fruity undertone quickly shifts into an almost minty pine. The aged Skadi is much chillier and is missing a lot of that fruity layer. Drydown: New Skadi stays wonderfully sparkly and blended, keeping the minty pine and tang of berries under a lovely blanket of snow. Old Skadi is more straight-up snowy pines, but still beautiful in its ability to be natural rather than fake-candle smell. Verdict: I am still in love and will almost certainly be grabbing more bottles before this treasure gets away.

Origin: Straight from We Love Fine. Yes, I spent the $100 just to try this, but now Christmas is taken care of for the boys in my life. Initial Thoughts: On the first read, this was a WANT! I love carnation and peach blossom and vanilla. I like pear in several BPAL blends. The only thing that might be iffy is the sugar note. In the vial: Oh, wow...so sweet and pink and girly! My mental impression is actually bubblegum, even though it doesn't smell a thing like bubblegum. I smell the flowers and pear, simply dripping with sweetness. Wet: I get pear and peach to start with, anchored by that lovely sweetness. Drydown: The carnation asserts itself fairly quickly, bringing in that unique spicy element. Now it's not quite so "hosed down with Pepto Bismol" pink...there's a welcome edge to it that keeps it feminine and sweet but not quite so innocent. Further drydown calms it more as the vanilla bean starts to make itself felt. There's a very brief stage of plastic impression that could be something about the sugar, but thankfully it is brief and settles down to mostly carnation with that sweet undertone. Verdict: Please, please, gods of retail, let these become a bottle line!

Origin: Straight from the Trading Post In the Bottle: Strong green citrus, all yuzu and lime. In my hair: I spray it on and rub it in wet, then dry my hair. I get the usual wonderful soft shiny results as with my CVBT hair gloss. The scent warms up a bit for me and the tea and ginger come out to play. The mint never really comes out other than keeping this a cool scent. Verdict: This will be a nice contrast to my CVBT gloss. That one makes me think of warm summer days while this one is the refreshing iced drink for said summer days. Glad to have it!

Origin: Straight from the Trading Post In the Bottle: Green citrusy mint. The lime and mint are all up front with a tinge of greeny herb that is probably the rosemary. On the skin: I slathered this on after my shower, as I always do with the bath oils. What I smelled was mostly the citrus notes, while the mint made it very cooling on my skin. Whereas Exhibit Hall Fatigue had the hot/cold thing going - warm under the skin and cooling on top - this is just the cooling side, but not so intense. It did help me wake up - I was sick this week and had an unexpected nap before taking the shower and am now feeling a bit more alert. Aftermath: It went through a stage where a lot of sugar emerged and that was very nice. It has settled quite quickly - I could easily use this before work and not offend anyone at all since it has almost no throw on me. Verdict: I like it. I like the less powerful wake-up compared to Exhibit Hall Fatigue and how it calms down fast so I could wear just about any perfume after it without clashing. I might get another bottle before the Weenies go away.

Origin: Straight from the Lab in record time! Initial Thoughts: It's a floral SN. It's for Philippine relief. No-brainer. In the Bottle: Incredibly sweet jasmine. It's like the star jasmine vine on our garage in full bloom and dipped in sugar syrup. Wet: And for the first time that I can remember, I get the soap note. Clean, fresh Ivory soap with just a hint of flowers. Now I understand the phenomenon that I've seen so many reviewers complain about. Drydown: Something tones down the worst of the soap impression and it has edged into white floral territory, just barely. Verdict: I can see using a lot of this in a scent locket, and eventually it calms down from SOAP! If you're a jasmine lover who has no trouble wearing the scent, do consider a bottle!

Origin: frimp with my order of SN Sampaguita Initial Thoughts: I had no designs on this one as I generally am not fond of chocolate in my perfume. I'd rather eat it than wear it. In the Vial: Interesting. It's more like a pumpkin-mocha latte than strong chocolate and pumpkin. It's rich and creamy and if this were a candle or room spray I think I'd rather like it. Wet: And now it's a blast of chocolate settling down into spice, with very little pumpkin. We'll see what happens. Drydown: Interesting. The chocolate fades, the pumpkin doesn't really stand out. I have a wrist that is mostly pumpkin-pie spices of cinnamon and nutmeg. Verdict: Well, it's not what I expected, but I'm not sure if I'll wear it. The husband doesn't care for foody scents. Again, if it were a candle or other room scent, I'd quite happily use it up. I might do better offering it a new home.

Origin: decant circle Initial Thoughts: I got to sniff this but not test on my skin at Dragon*Con. I'd never tried Morocco because of the warm musk and red sandalwood, two notes that are often hideous ampers on me. But the nose scent seemed to possibly be the closest match to my memory of sniffing someone's Pumpkin King some years ago, a scent that I have pursued in vain ever since. In the Vial: Rich, somewhat buttery pumpkin, but without the usual accompanying strong spices. Yes, there's spice, but it's subtle. The scent is slightly more forest/garden than foody. Wet: A quick surge of sandalwood and spices with a hint of the carnation. I'm guessing Morocco came out to play first. Drydown: The pumpkin emerges, but it continues to seem more fresh and woodsy rather than foody, in spite of the continued presence of spices. And while the sandalwood is making its presence felt, it's not swallowing everything else up. Verdict: This is quite interesting and I think I see a bottle in my future. It's almost as if the original Pumpkin Patch #5 (pumpkin & woodsy & ivy) decided to drop into your kitchen, poke at the spices a little, and stick around.

Origin: decant circle Initial Thoughts: I've tried Alice once or twice over the years and while it's nice, it hasn't been one that I've clung to. Pumpkin may make for a very interesting variation. In the Vial: Lightly spiced sweet pumpkin, rather like a pumpkin chiffon pie. Wet: That impression of a pumpkin dessert, but an incredibly light one, remains. Sweet and pumpkin-y, but very gentle. The bergamot is also peeking out. Drydown: Alice starts taking charge of the scent. The very lightly spiced pumpkin is still there, but now it's behind the creamy sweet rose of Alice rather than beside or almost in front. Verdict: I'm not sure yet about a bottle, but I'm considering it. Anyone who likes the idea of pumpkin but not the often heavy, rich scents it inspires should play with this.

Origin: decant circle Initial Thoughts: Sheer curiosity. That's what made me try this scent that is probably too foody on the foody scale for me. In the Vial: Marzipan with a tinge of buttercream. Wet: Even more marzipan, if that's possible. Very strongly almond to the point of being extract rather than sweet. Drydown: Some buttercream emerges, but it's still more marzipan than anything else. I didn't get even a peep of pumpkin from start to finish. Verdict: Off to the swaps with you, my dear. Foody lovers should definitely give this a whirl.

Origin: decant circle Initial Thoughts: This is one of the few times I fell for the name. I'm 90% certain that this won't work on me, but my birthday is in September and I'm used to the Weenies having October/November references instead of September. In the Vial: Very dark resins and green chypre with an underlying bit of harvest impression, probably from the pomegranate. Wet: And the amber amps as amber so often does on me. Something is lending a woodsy turn to it. Drydown: Wow, this one didn't stick around on me. I've got the faintest traces of amber left after less than thirty minutes. Verdict: It was worth a shot, but not for me. Those who like the idea of an apple-less harvest scent might give it a try.

Origin: decant circle Initial Thoughts: I generally don't do well with strongly boozy scents, but it's so easy to toss another decant into the order... In the Vial: Pumpkin, very thick with sweet spices and a trace of alcohol in the background. Wet: MAPLE! HONEY! I am suddenly smelling like pancake syrup. Drydown: The pumpkin re-emerges and so does the alcohol, a little. Now it's rich and dark and spicy instead of overwhelmingly sweet. Verdict: I think I like it, but it strikes me very much as more of a room scent than a perfume. I'm not sure I'd wear it very much.

Origin: Decant circle Initial Thoughts: I tend to do fairly well with pale musks. Woods are hit or miss. I tend not to appreciate earthy/stone scents, but there's a first time for everything. In the Vial: Cedar. A whole lotta cedar. Wet: Still cedar, but not as strong as in the bottle. Drydown: This is a bit frustrating. Whatever it is that's toning down the cedar isn't really coming on strong enough to be identified. It's just kind of muddled on my skin. Verdict: I'll test again to be sure, but this one isn't speaking to me.

Ghost songs and love to the harvest moon: fresh pumpkins warmed by candlelight and aglow with Halloween joy. Origin: decant circle Initial Thoughts: With the very first Pumpkin Patch in 2005 I have learned the delights of pumpkin in perfume. Whether it's paired with woodsy notes or foody ones, I like a variety of the BPAL pumpkin blends. But the closest I've ever come to smelling a lit jack o'lantern was another company's Halloween scent, and it was paired with autumn leaves and other notes. So this was definitely on my must-try list. In the Vial: Buttery pumpkin with a strong dash of nuts and spices. The first impression is overwhelmingly pumpkin pie. Wet: Wow. The beeswax jumps out so fast my nose is spinning. And the pumpkin is much more like raw pumpkin rather than cooked with spices. Drydown: The spices come back but do a better job of blending with the rest of the notes. And the candle impression remains. I'm willing to bet there's some cinnamon in here because my skin is itching slightly where I applied. Verdict: Something pumpkin and foody lovers must try. I hesitate about a bottle because of the skin irritation - it's not at all severe, but it's nagging and persistent.

Origin: decant circle Initial Thoughts: I love the night sky, though I prefer the nights where it looks like "the silver pepper of the stars", to quote my favorite line from The Great Gatsby. And yet, a scent that evokes the inky blue of a cold night lit by the moon and stars sounds like a wondrous thing indeed. In the Vial: There's something musky in there to my nose. It's lighter, softer and sweeter than I would have expected given the description. I can also pick up the lavender among the notes. Wet: It goes slightly herby, but unlike most herby scents it's a soft green rather than a harsh one. Drydown: While I can't tell if it's something that just happened to be on my hand or something in the scent, I'm getting a bit of sourness in "unwashed body" mode. It's not the skank I get from rose or violet nor the screaming ampitude of musk/amber/patchouli. But it's there enough to throw the scent out of kilter. Verdict: I'll test again. The decant is very good for a scent locket; we'll see if further testing helps the sourness.

Origin: decant circle Initial Thoughts: I've had pretty good luck taming some of my death notes by finding perfumes with the light side of the spectrum. Red/black/dark musk amps horribly on me; white/blue/crystal musk works pretty well. Most patchoulis turn into headshop in a bad way on me, but the white patchouli in Butterflies, Flowers, and Jewels Attending is amazing. So I thought I'd try white amber since it was mixed in with florals. In the Vial: Fresh, chilly florals with an emphasis on a surprisingly sweet lily. Gorgeous. Wet: Greenish lily, but the green isn't too strong and that sweet impression is still there. Drydown: Hm. Perhaps if either the white sandalwood or white amber had been alone this would have worked. But both together are amping enough that they almost bury the florals. Verdict: I'm definitely keeping the decant as it's lovely scent-locket material. I'm not sure that I need a bottle, though.

Origin: Decant circle. Initial Thoughts: Like most of the Liliths this year, it was the story behind the scent that grabbed me.The only thing that made me hesitate was the chocolate peppermint. In the Vial: Lavender, carnation, ginger and herby. Rather refreshing. Wet: Lavender and chamomile. It's quite herby, but the honey or ginger or something is making it a very smooth herby scent. I tend to avoid overly herby scents because they strike me as too much of a harsh green. This green is smooth and soft. Drydown: The honey emerges, bringing a very gentle ginger with it. It sweetens the herbs but doesn't overpower them. Verdict: I like it, but I'm not sure I need a bottle. We'll see how much the imp gets used before I make my Weenie order.

Origin: Decant circle. Initial Thoughts: This was mostly a what-the-heck-one-more-decant choice. The dark myrrh is usually very bad on me and sandalwood is iffy. But there were gummy bears... In the Vial: Spicy sandalwood. Wet: Sandalwood and myrrh, amping it up as they do on my skin. Drydown: Hm. Something has begun to itch like there was cardamon or really strong cinnamon. But I'm still getting 100% sandalwood/myrrh, totally smothering the other notes. Verdict: If sandalwood/myrrh behave on you, consider trying it. But my skin chemistry will not play nicely.

Origin: Decant circle Initial Thoughts: I got to sniff this first at Dragon*Con, but between all the Pumpkins and other scents I couldn't get a really good sniff other than ethereally pretty. Upon reading the notes, I knew I was trying this. If only the rose will behave... In the Vial: My instant mental image is a girl's toyland. Princess dolls in sparkly jeweled costumes with crowns of flowers riding unicorns. It's flowery, but the musk and spices are there to balance that and create a wonderful blend of sparkle and gold. It's quite possible I'll get a bottle just to enjoy this in a scent locket. Wet: The musk pops up, which is what musk tends to do to me. But it's staying light enough to make me think it's a white or blue musk variety. There is also the fact that white patchouli seems to be following the musk's lead and not overpowering everything. Now I'm curious as to what a white patchouli single note would smell like and if I could wear it. Drydown: The flowers are peeking out and so far the rose is behaving. I'm also getting a better impression of the spices, quietly warming up the entire scent. The impression has shifted slightly and those dressed-up princesses are now enjoying a bed with the fluffiest down comforter ever. Verdict: This is a knocked-outta-the-park winner. I'm definitely getting a bottle, maybe two.

Origin: Decant circle Initial Thoughts: Normally the word "frankincense" is an instant rejection for me as I tend to amp notes in the incense/dark musk/myrrh/amber family. "Rose" is also usually a note of doom. But it's vanilla frankincense and rose champaca...I will dare it. In the Vial: Strongly incense with a hint of green and a dash of licorice. Wet: Hello, incense! If I breathe in very deeply I can catch just a whiff of the vanilla. Drydown: Darn it, rose champaca isn't far enough away from rose. It's underneath the frankincense, but that tell-tale stinky cooked greens I get from rose is definitely there. Further Drydown: This is new. The stinky-collards actually fades away, which usually doesn't happen with rose on me. It leaves a sweet frankincense in its wake that is gentle, rather than head-shop. The one thing hiding from me is the licorice, which is not a huge loss for me. Verdict: I'm not sure I'll get a bottle, but I'll hang onto the imp.

Origin: Decant circle Initial Thoughts: I don't wear Dorian very well and I fear it may be a bit sweet for me, but the concept alone sold me to at least try it. Or maybe it was meeting Puddin in person the first time at Dragon*Con a few weeks ago and being able to imagine his poem to Lilith in his voice. In the Vial: Sugary Dorian with vanilla. Wet: Oh, wow! The lavender really comes out on me right away and helps take the edge off the sweet. Please, please stay like this... Drydown: Hello, musk, my old amping friend. At least you're skin musk and not marinated-in-Jovan musk. Sadly, it is amping enough that the nuances of the wet stage are overwhelmed. Further Drydown: The Dorian peeks its head out, which helps un-bland the musk, but also shifts the scent to "masculine" in my brain since I don't wear Dorian by my husband does. It also does develop a bit of the baby-powder feel that others have mentioned. Verdict: I so wish I could capture the wet stage and hold onto it. That sweet, rich lavender was heavenly.