thebirdofhermes

This... really does not change at all on my skin from the scent in the bottle. It's just constant syrupy golden goodness. I can't quite define it beyond that. Where everyone else is saying florals or sandalwood or vanilla... I just don't ever quite pick up on that. If I had to guess at the notes, I'd say perhaps benzoin, lotus, and... I don't know. Part of me wants to say there has to be some note in common with Tzadikim Nistarim, as they both have a bright, fruity quality to my nose. However, this one is definitely more goopy sticky, whereas Tzadikim Nistarim is a bit more juicy. After around 12 hours, it's mostly faded, and I can kind of see where others get sandalwood from? But not really. I do like this one when I have a headache, as it doesn't aggravate things any. I am curious as to what this smells like fresh, as mine is from a very low 10mL bottle. I may have to pick up an imp next time I make a Lab order. I hope this isn't one of those blends I only like with three to four years on it, as my 10mL was originally much closer to half full and I would say it is now maybe a third full.

So, I will try to remember to edit with a full review when I get a chance, but here are my impressions after five hours of wear. It is a fairly close sticking scent in that I can smell it when I move my arms near my face, but if I'm still, it has to be in a few inches of my nose. However, it is still going strong. To my nose, the tagetes is a much more dominant player. It gives the scent a feel reminsicent of The Harp, but not quite so sweet. I find myself surprised that the musk listed is white, as it's behaving far closer to how skin musk plays on me. The honey wants to go powdery, which makes me suspect the O honey note, but it's only right up against my skin where that happens. The throw is all sweet and creamy honey-musk with tagetes. I don't really get more than the suggestion of blackcurrant rounding the scent out. Tangerine has not showed up yet at all for me. All in all, this reminds me of a less sweet and more demure version of Giant Vulva, or a muskier and somewhat sexier Harp. I will try to actually compare the three in the future.

I have to say, the prior review worried me about my bottle, but... Well, in the bottle it smells like grapefruit juice. Somewhat pithy, a bit more bitter than an actual grapefruit, but no wholly unpleasant. No varnish scent yet. And on the skin, it is not at all strong, but it seems a bit sweeter now and truer to the scent of a real... pink... grapefruit? Okay, maybe it's stronger than I thought; I can smell it while I type. Not the strongest ever, no, but it's not terribly weak either. Up very close, it reminds me of dusty candied peels. Maybe my skin chemistry is just very forgiving of very old citrus, though. I'd like to see some more recent reviews of this one.

So, I just got my bottle of Pennyroyal in the mail today. Totally purchased it having absolutely no familiarity with the note beyond it being apparently minty and also something not used in Chaos Theories. ONWARDS! The bottle scent opens with a blast of cold mint, backed by something distinctly medicinally herbal. It's actually quite pleasant, like a natural pain relief salve. On the skin, it retains those qualities, though up close and personal I find it falls flat and... dare I say... smells kind of like band-aids. Hiya, skin chemistry in action! But the throw is a sharp, yet somehow mellow mintiness. Kind of like wintergreen to my nose, but not quite. It's definitely sinus clearing, but unlike peppermint I don't find myself cringing away. It seems better in the throw. Very stimulating! I've been up since this time yesterday, and this has me feeling quite alert once more. It does seem to fade fast, but I can still smell a coldness as I breathe in. Very nice! (And I am too out of it to make this follow my usual format, but it's a single note so.)

Ah, where to begin, where to begin. Properly, I ought to begin with my initial thought of what this blend might smell like: namely, sweetened red musk. Sounded nice enough, but to be entirely honest, I really am most fond of Scherezade for my red musk needs. So I did not get a decant. Then the reviews came rolling in. They spoke of this most amazing scent, with creamy red musk. Oh, how lovely was the honey note and how beautifully did it mingle with the musk. Truly this scent, though simple, was most inspired and amazing. It was quite possibly the love child of O and Red Musk SN. At which point, I should have stopped right there and ran screaming. Unfortunately, I didn't. No, no. I knew better, you see. I went, "Surely it's just because it's honey and cream, and those notes are in O, that make people compare this blend thusly. Yes, that must be it, because it sounds divine and therefore it must be liquid awesome on me. Verily." So, spurred onwards, I ordered a bottle blindly with my Yule decants. Again, really, I shouldn't have. I should have saved the money. Maybe upgraded that half bottle of The Soldier to a full bottle. Picked up a GC. Except I didn't. I had to have this one, the one that everyone was talking about. Oh, she started off gorgeous. A pure, sweet red musk, reminiscent of Smut but not quite so boozy. Absolutely delicious in the bottle. Positively drinkable except for the fact that one should not ever drink perfume. I needed it on me. So, I slathered generously, because if it was anything like Smut and Scherezade? Oh yes, it would be love. For the first minute or so, all was right in the world. Creamy, smooth red musk. Soft. Pretty. Me, only way better than I actually smell sans perfume. I was about to regret ordering only one bottle. And then IT appeared. IT didn't just subtly waft in on the edges of the scent. No. IT reached out and grabbed my nose, hard. IT smacked me upside the nostrils, laying a heavy beating on my sinuses. There was no escaping IT. IT consumed the scent. IT was... baby powder. Lo, a great cry rose up from my breast, and indeed there was wailing and gnashing of teeth, for my ancient foe had reared IT's powdery head. Yea verily, I should have listened to the cries of "O and Red Musk!" for, in sooth, it was the honey of O indeed. O, being a great villain of my skin, turning instantly no matter the age into Eau de Johnson&Johnson. Alas, mourn for me, for I did not listen. I did not listen! And now, alone, I weep silent tears, for it is seriously like eight hours, some scrubbing, a lot of washing, and more rubbing alcohol than I care to think of later... and it's. still. on. me. GAH. FRIGGIN' O. (For those of you who prefer less flowery reviews... Bottle: Sweetened red musk Wet: Yep, nice, sweet red musk. Creamy and smooth. Dry: ...Baby powder. And maybe a touch of red musk. Definitely the same honey from O, because that honey note dominates as Johnson&Johnson SN on my skin.)

Wore The Russian Dance this morning for Mass and gift opening. The rest of the night shall be spent with Herr Drosselmeyer (2010). He seemed good for snuggling in with my new Kindle.

Okay, so. I've tried this before bed three times, and I have to say it actually does help me sleep, surprisingly. Unfortunately, because of this, I really can't do a proper review, since I can't stay awake using it long enough to get the full drydown. (And I'm NOT putting anything that soporific on in the middle of the day.) I will say that in the vial and initially on my skin, it is straight up lavender. Evil, hateful, quease inducing lavender. So I keep my wrists away from my face for the first ten minutes. Once the oil sinks in, though, it becomes a very sweet, soft, powdery herbal sort of scent. I can't really pick out any specific herbs in it, since my skin mostly makes it that sweet powder, but the herbal component is kind of like sniffing a bunch of dried herbs all mixed together. So, I can see where people say rosemary or basil or sage... but I just don't get individual herbs like that. Past that, I'm usually asleep fast. I will say that I really cannot wear this when I only have a limited amount of time to sleep (such as a nap), because it keeps me asleep for a good 12 hours. Which, considering half the time I'm actually sleep deprived, isn't so bad... but it's definitely not a sleep blend I can use if I don't have that half a day to sleep. Two of the three times, I got some pretty amazing dreams. This most recent time, I didn't remember any dreams, but to be entirely fair, I also had a migraine and was having an impossible time falling to sleep in the first place. So, I used Temple of Dreams to try and help me sleep. It worked like a charm. All in all, I'd say this is a blend I may end up getting a bottle of, just because it works and works well. I think I can ignore some initial lavender-ick because of that.

In Bottle: An alcoholic note, mixed with... Fruit Stripe gum. No lie. There's something faintly musty underneath, possibly the honey? but mostly it's sweet booze and Fruit Stripe. Wet: Strongly sweet, cloying, generic artificial fruit scent. The brandy is present, though more as a soft alcohol presence than an identifiable liquor. No honey, though, unless it's contributing to the sweet of the fruit. Dry: Deep, plummy, honeyed booze. Not cloyingly sweet; nor has it gone to baby powder like the reviews comparing the honey note to O made me fear it would. Minimal throw. Seems a bit... soapy? Yes, kind of like soap. All in all, very pleasant, but I'm glad I didn't pay full price for my bottle.

So, I got my bottle today, and let me tell you it was much anticipated. Several overnights at work, as well as closings, have left me very sore. While I'm sure it would be even more effective if I had someone to give me massages, from the limited areas I can reach on my own, it seems quite nice. I'm not getting any of the tingly feeling others report (but then, my skin is very tough and thick, I think, as even strong mint oils don't tingle), but the scent is quite soothing (herbal orange candy!) and... well, I do feel a little less pain. And the effect is lingering. I'll have to try and remember to update this review after some continuous use. I certainly like the scent, and the feel of it is amaaaazing. Very smooth, and not greasy or sticky. Makes it feel like your hands are just gliding across your skin. Let's hope the effects are cumulative.

Well, I can tell you this: It does not smell like a swamp. I live right next to a swamp...er, creek, technically..., and if the swamp creek smelled like this, that would be awesome. Alas, it doesn't smell like this, but this is the creek you wish your creek could smell like. It's on a horse. As far as the actual scent goes... I'm not quite getting the fresh aquatic everyone else is. It comes across as a bit murkier to me. Still more of a straight saltwater and ocean air scent than muddy, silty, and rusted shipwrecky... which is quite disappointing to me, as I rather do like muddy, silty, and rusty metal scents. That said, there is an edge to this that I would call metallic, and there is a definite musty, almost stale quality in the late drydown. Though, it's a lot more pleasant than the actual scent of stale water. It's definitely got that almost sweet tang of water that's been left to stagnate, though, which does give a thicker scent to it. Not quite as throw-tastic as some others I've tried; the throw is quite light. Gentle humid air. Kind of an idealised humid day near a large body of water scent. Not at all unpleasant, like such days can smell... more like the nostalgic memory of that scent, assuming the memories associated with that kind of day are good ones. Overall, it's definitely a new favourite of mine. Now, to get my paws on more...

So, because there wasn't a GC I've tried that I wanted a bottle of, but I was feeling independently wealthy, I got a bottle of Black Opal. It's been on my want to try list, and going by the notes I know I like, it seemed like a safe choice. In the Bottle: It smells cool... like the inside of the ice machine at work. Cool and watery. There's a touch of sweet cream rounding it out, and something slightly dusty. Wet: Subtle watery sweet dustiness. I think it's orris. It smells like orris does on my skin. Very close to the skin. Delicate and unassuming. Not too terribly much in the way of throw. I definitely recognise a note that reminds me of Inganok Jewelers... I would assume a similar accord to the gleaming stone note in Inganok. Dry: Occasionally, I do catch whiffs of something sharper. Whatever it is, it's minty... spearmint? Mostly, it's the same as it was wet. Subtle, dusty, liquid. Very light. I could probably douse myself quite liberally with this and not be too strongly scented. Would be a good scent for work. Overall, I do like it and feel like it was money well spent. Not so sure it'll be one I repurchase, but the bottle will definitely get used. I may try layering it with Inganok Jewelers to enhance the stone note of the latter.

Alas, I can't do the usual in the vial and wet stage reviews because the vial is all packed up to be swapped off and I did not take notes either time I tested it until the dry stage. So, dry. At first, I kept thinking it was the love child of Snake Charmer and... the uber-linen/"apple" version of Black Lace. That is seriously what it went to on my skin, with the caveat that it did not have the throw of either. (Though, really, nothing except Snake Charmer has Snake Charmer's insane strength and throw on my skin, so it's not fair of me to try and compare any scent's throw to that. Tombeur could have at least had the very nice throw of Black Lace, though.) It's like a fruity, linen-y Snake Charmer. I have no idea how the heck that happened with the note list, but there you go. Also, I think I'm finally beginning to pick out Snake Oil as a distinct scent. Which is also telling me that I probably shouldn't ever waste money on buying Snake Oil, but should I ever get frimped a bit, it would be a safe one to keep. Why, no, I have never tried Snake Oil straight. What throw there is keeps with the Black Lace/Snake Charmer mix, though up close after a while, a spicy dry bitterness comes out. The bitterness is distinctly recognisable as lavender, though it's not so bad, I suppose. With the fruits and sweetness, I'm put in mind of Lurid, just a little. I'm trying to figure out where I keep getting fruitiness from, and I must conclude that blood musk is a dragon's blood blend and not a blood accord blend as I had hoped. I also think it's the vanilla with the dry sandalwood that's reminding me of the vanilla cotton of Black Lace. All in all, not a terribly unique scent for me, and nothing I'll seek out a bottle of, all things considered.

Okay, so... I am looking for a BPAL with the same general feel as Ralph Lauren Polo Double Black. Notes are: Mango, Pepper/Roasted Coffee, Indonesian Nutmeg/Rich Woods, Cardamom, Juniper Berry It opens with a very fruity, almost mandarin and tamarind sort of note, with just a touch of spice. The drydown is a very creamy scent... it has a slight hint of mango, which lends a watery quality, but is primarily woods, cardamom, and a dash of nutmeg. Matching to either stage is fine with me. I'm mainly looking for something to layer this with to help the lasting power. Not that it fades fast... I just like layering for depth and weartime. Of course, I'll be doing my own tests and reporting back if I find anything.

In the Vial: Dry tea leaves, sharp and astringent, like sniffing from a tin of tea. Slight hint of what might be leather? Wet: ...Play-doh. Yep. Straight up Play-doh. Ick. Dry: Wafts straight earl grey tea, like I just brewed a cup. Very subtle, though. Very close sniffing right near my arm reveals a hint of play-doh, which I suspect is actually the leather note. This one I much prefer in the throw, as I am very much enjoying the refreshing tea-scent. There's not a lot I can say about this one, really, other than that it's subtle and nice and cozy feeling for lounging about the house. Not something I'd wear out, as I like my scent to be stronger if I have to leave the house, but very cozy for staying home. Might be a good sleep scent...

In the Vial: Strongly pineapple, though more of a candied or syrupy pineapple than a fresh pineapple. Quite delicious, very strong. Could easily smell it through a thick wrapping of plumber's tape. Wet: Hairspray. No, seriously. The moment this touched my skin, it turned into straight up hairspray. Not sure how much of this is just fruit notes not aging well and how much is skin chemistry in action, but it does make me a bit more hesitant to try pineapple notes. Dry: Has tinges of fruit scented hairspray up close. Further away, the throw is more creamy pineapple, but there's still a strong chemical undertone. Which kind of hurts my nose. I'm glad I had the chance to try this, but it's just not at all for me. Which is really a good thing.