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SophieCedar

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Everything posted by SophieCedar

  1. SophieCedar

    Contemplating the Moon Through an Open Window

    Ok this was my sleeper hit. When I 1st applied, my nose was blown to bits because I had just received my decants..overload! oops. It smelled of tuberose, milk and baby powder. 2nd time? Its that nice. Once I got a chance to really let it sit by itself, all the wonderfulness started to open up. Sweet creamy dreamy tuberose, bright smooth sweet asian pear, shadowy opoponax, and earthy but clean oakmoss. I get a bit of the carrot seed. I think its pulling the heavier notes together and making them cleaner, harmonious. Overall, this is very innocentbutdirty, sweet, and creamy. When 1st applied I get a pop of bubblegum and a flash of powder but they're quickly gone. Left with a gorgeous scent for HOURS. I mean a little goes a LONG way. ETA: Does anyone smell Love's Baby Soft???
  2. Summer favorites: 51 Boo Strawberry Moon Kitty Ninon Violet Ray Lyonesse
  3. SophieCedar

    Our Lady of Pain

    So, I'll talk about the note that alarms me the most: patchouli. Patchouli's been hit or miss for me lately and overall, unless well-blended, I'm finding I can't really stick with it past 10 minutes. I did not get an overt patchouli stamp from this. I get a soulful resinous powder combination like frankincense, but deeper. I couldn't put my finger on it and didn't have the description in front of me. Something about it struck me as "OMG its something from my teenage years in Harvard Square." I figured out this reminds me of the patchouli and oakmoss combo I wore, mixed with an old friend's perfume..I think it was Aramis or Hermes..one of those, and dried eucalyptus & heather arrangements. Overall, the notes don't hit me as what's in the description. Sign of a well-blended scent. If you asked me blindly to pick out notes, I'd say rooty oakmoss, white leather, orchid, & opium. Impressed.
  4. SophieCedar

    The Raptures and Roses of Vice

    Ok. I might be cuddling this decant like a teddy bear tonight. Sorry, I know that's weird.. but its the most warm, glowing, fuzzy, blissful scent I've ever experienced. The rose comes across as deep pink/crimson with wonderful moroccan musk, sweet magnolia, and a bit of cinnamon. The coconut is in there but circling the background and not easily identifiable on me. Multiple bottle purchase for sure.
  5. When 1st applied I smell the cubeb berries and honey, mostly. It's reminiscent of a cherry cordial chocolate, actually. During drydown, the cubeb and honey mellow, allowing the subtle creaminess of the avocado to shine. the fig makes a notable appearance too. I can smell more creaminess from the belgian chocolate too. Overall, this went better than expected. Very creamy, fatty, rich and slightly syrupy with notable avocado flesh smell. Unique and I'll be reaching for it more often, having remembered the awesome drydown phase.
  6. SophieCedar

    Antique

    I'm actually impressed by the close resemblance to the smell of antiques. There's tons of antique dealers in Maine.. and this is a romantic perfumed version of walking into one of the finer stores and taking in the smell. the juniper berry and currant encapsulates the nostalgia part, for me. Amber, leather, vetiver, oudh, and oakmoss, that damp dusty ancient feel. Wonderful combination. Well blended. Debating a bottle.
  7. SophieCedar

    Honey and Beeswax scents

    I second Les Bijoux, Door, Dragons Milk, Lady Una, Womb Furie, and O. You may also like Redoul Honey from Rappaccini's Garden: Apiary section. O is not my favorite either, but I think its one of those love it or hate it scents. Other recs: Hetairae (golden honey, fiery patchouli, sweet fig and clove, and a blushing touch of ylang ylang). Its well blended. The patchouli isn't very prominent. Its more honey, fig, and clove on me... Agrat-Bat-Mahlaht: (Amber, cream accord, white honey, apple blossom, skin musk, caramel, and teak.) On me: spicy honey, cream, and caramel with apple blossom draped over it. Eve: (Apple blossom, rose, ylang ylang and golden honey) Exactly as it sounds on me. If you don't mind rose, I think you'd enjoy it! Defututa: (Olive blossom, honey, smoky vanilla, cinnamon, jasmine, sandalwood, and champaca flower.) I really don't smell the jasmine much. Its earthy well blended and fresh + sweet. If you like the chamomile and hyssop combo on Against Idleness and Mischief, I think this would work for you. This LE is great and you might find it on the swaps/sales page: Blossoms in Springtime: Vanilla bean and vanilla blossom, golden honey, antiqued amber, beeswax, copal, lotus blossom, and helichrysum. Hmmmm.. I'm having a hard time thinking of a singular scent for honey + snow. I can't speak for Candles Moon but someone else here might be able to help you. You may like- First Soft Snow: (Heavy drifts of snow blanketing winter's narcissus.) or Winter-Time: (Sweet, soft snow.) Good luck!
  8. This is my favorite out of the Box of Chocolates. Its Wulric without lavender, add lemon verbena and white sugar. I vote this to be the Chocolate Sleeper hit. The sweet flag is a wonderful addition, giving a warm fresh grassy note. Its hard for me to pin the wormwood or fennel, but I can tell they're in there. Overall, wonderfully blended.
  9. SophieCedar

    Vivamus, Mea Lesbia, Atque Amemus

    Uhhh...this is gonna sound really weird, but I smell the atmosphere created by an old, home window model, air conditioner mixed with lavender. I really can't shake it.... I mean I actually really like the smell of old air conditioners (my sinuses don't like what it does to them but that's off topic), but this is bizarrely unexpected.
  10. SophieCedar

    Night Thoughts

    Ok, I preface this with.. I LOVE sweet sad contemplative smells. You put blue musk and lilac together in any combination and I'm bound to be dreaming about the scent constantly. When I saw the description for Night Thoughts I was squirming in my seat with joy. I'm giggling because I see many others were also hoping for a Silence replacement. I would say its unique because it perfectly straddles the line between an atmospheric and a personal scent without teetering. I can't really draw any exact parallels. Its a more gender-neutral Silence. Lilac is one of those amazing flowers both masculine and feminine scent lovers can swoon over. Light and hangs in a fog around the wearer. I agree with the previous poster about calling it a lilac mist. I could see this as a really cute match for foggy days wandering around cobblestone streets or sitting at a waters edge in darkness. Addition of the ozone, cedar, and eastern herbs cools and subdues the florals, halting any possibility of change to overt feminine sweetness. I do like it though and it'll be on the "maybe a bottle" list for the time being.
  11. SophieCedar

    Corinna

    I mistook the mimosa/jasmine combo for magnolia on 1st application, but everything separated out on the skin after a minute. Wet phase is a bit Origins/plug in air freshener type of clean (I think Orris is not my friend after all). Dry phase is way better, but I still can't shake that Origins tuberose + something smell. Not for me, but watch.. I'll be needing a bottle in a couple months.
  12. SophieCedar

    Unveil The Grace In Thine Eyes

    I'm pretty confused about this one..or rather my nose is. 1st time I tried: powdery orris, with barely a hint of warm amber and musk to brighten. 2nd time I tried (this morning): I swore there was vanilla in here until I rechecked the notes. Its lighter version of Lyonesse. Overall: pleasing, clean without being detergent-y, warm, light, low throw, good for sneaky applications in an allergy-dominant workplace.
  13. SophieCedar

    Delight and Consternation

    The bottles I received all have cocoa sludge, FYI.. The best way I can describe this is "mischievously cute". I agree with Tea Otter about how it forms a cloud around the wearer. I would say its a light elusive cloud of sweet floral and a deep cord of resin. Its the kind of perfume that'll drive people nuts saying "Where is that wonderful scent coming from?!"...becaaaauuusse they won't be able to directly pin it on you. On me, the creamy sweet custard accord is most notable. 2nd most: bourbon vanilla, 3rd: a melange of cocoa, oud, and skin musk. The lemon blossom is definitely *very* light and floral, only offering a slight perky brightness to the rest. So, lemon fearers, don't fret. Same with the white rose. It just amps the rest. that's why I love white rose. Its rose without being all the rosey in your face YO I'M ROSE stuff. I'd place this in the Daytime Date category. Its the coffeeshop date, under radar, alluring, only picked up in wafts when you're grabbing a sugar packet turning into that wonderfully feminine subtle smell left on your date's pillow which can only be described as "you" instead of "perfume".
  14. SophieCedar

    The First of the Three Spirits

    I didn't review this? I dug it up out of a pile of Yules from 2010.. This is amazing and I need a bottle. Its the brighter, happier, cleaner version of Blossoms in Springtime.
  15. SophieCedar

    I do love cedar...

    I would like to think I'd have some cred considering my handle is SophieCedar... hahahah just kidding. Really though, Tombstone is an awesome cedar scent. My husband adds it to his homemade pomade every day after shampooing with Lush's Fair Trade Honey. The combo smells fucking divine! (sorry for the sailor mouth but he hit gold on this one and I had to share) Other cedar recs? 1st that pops to mind is Bow & Crown of Conquest. This is basically White Rider but MORE. Nobility and haughtiness befitting the Antichrist: sage, carnation and cedar with lavender, vanilla, white musk and leather. The other I would recommend is Aelopile: Glowing amber and citrus, labdanum, verbena, cedar, and oud. The cedar comes through more than the description lays out... ps: I'm a sandalwood NUT. Have been for almost 20 years. I love anything smelling of sandalwood or that emotes sandalwoody goodness.... While bpal doesn't use real sandalwood (they're environmentally kind/awesome) I do like the following: Tushnamatay: smooth buttery sandalwood blend that really does help me breathe an anxiety reducing exhale of relief. Great for day and evening. Titus Andronicus: Pure AWESOME. Dark musk and black amber with frankincense, red sandalwood, neroli and bergamot. Brown Jenkin: this smells like the color brown..I will try not to quote the Satanic Shoe Salesman from Kids in the Hall every time I hear the word brown... you are welcome. Still awesome and nuzzly: dusty white sandalwood and orris root, dry coconut husk, creeping musk, and the residue of ceremonial incense. Kathmandu: this might fare better on you than it did me... The scent of sacred incense swirling up the steep slopes to Swayambhunath Stupa. Saffron, blessed sandalwood, Himalayan cedar and the miraculous lotus of the Buddha with chiuri bark and Nepalese spices. You want pure woody sex, you say? Why, you should try...Antikythera Mechanism: Bronze gears spin inside a polished wooden case, and an entire universe dances within. Teakwood, oak, black vanilla, and tobacco. its UNGH in a bottle. Hope this helps! Best of luck!
  16. SophieCedar

    Black Lace or Snake Charmer?

    I would say Black Lace then. Its a bit more versatile for daytime and nighttime wear. I honestly get more compliments about BL than SC... Snake Charmer is plummy snake oil..its much more nighttime/going out (or staying in rraaooowww!) sexy.
  17. SophieCedar

    Spicy but not Foody

    I would recommend The Hell of Great Heat (2012 Lupers: Indonesian patchouli, tonka bean, red musk, natural hedoine accord, black opium, cassis, styrax, costus, oakmoss, frankincense, and kief accord.)
  18. SophieCedar

    Silk Road

    I've waited a long time to try this! It got discontinued right as I was about to order it.. Wet: ep.. cinnamon and myrrh and frankincense. My wrist is getting that burny feeling it did from Sacred Whore of Babylon... waiting for the redness. Dry: no redness! yayyy!! I smell olive leaf, predominantly. Olive leaf & olive oil tends to amp on me big-time. I also smell beeswax... warm and glowing. The cinnamon has backed waaaayy down to a tolerable level. Honestly this reminds me of LUSH's Olive Branch. Wondering if there's some citrus too...hmm. It's actually really nice. Calming, joyful, vibrant. I would recommend it for the upcoming holiday season and as a great dead-of-winter pick-me-up.
  19. SophieCedar

    what is ruining these scents for me?

    I second the red musk = culprit. Especially around my period it goes all metallic and sour. red musk is very fickle on me..can depend even on what I ate that day.
  20. SophieCedar

    Le Lèthè

    Why this still only has 1 page of reviews is beyond me. This is GORGEOUS. If you missed out on Senelion, try this one. It's a close 2nd. The red musk is prominent but not peaked or fiery pungent. Just smoky and lightly metallic.. I think the nutmeg, laudanum, and tobacco absolute are twining with it. The golden amber does an amazing job of smoothing out the edges and I can tell there's a good dose of it in here. Which combined with the skin musk.. this glows warmly and deeply. Orchid sweetens and brings a nice top note that's notable from the rest. Brilliant blend.
  21. SophieCedar

    Clarimonde

    Apparently this has aged well... the musk is buttery on me.. I mean really buttery. The white rose is sweet, light, and fresh. The oriental perfume notes add a touch of resinous aquatic. This is.... dreamy. It's a clean, simple scent I can totally deal with. Mellow, buttery smooth, clean.. I can't believe I almost sent this to the sales page!
  22. SophieCedar

    Figs and Fig Scents - alone and in combos

    I haven't really found an SN fig, (...not Strangler Fig at all..) but the strongest figs I've found are: The Grave Pig: Fig, oakmoss, mushroom caps, and patchouli. Hetairae: golden honey, fiery patchouli, sweet fig and clove, and a blushing touch of ylang ylang. To some extent Eden, but it was more almond milk and coconut on me, honestly: fig leaf, fig fruit, honeyed almond milk, toasted coconut and sandalwood and new but LE on my list of very figgy scents: Figgy Puddin: (bptp) Calymyrna figs, dark rum, cognac, raisins, cinnamon, ginger, brown sugar, and clove. Nymphes de Pave: (NYCC excl) White fig, rose otto, honey, and bourbon vanilla.
  23. SophieCedar

    Nymphes de Pave

    Wet: very sweet deep honey, rich resinous vanilla and refined rose otto giving it a balanced perfume-floral note. The fig comes on strong & consistent. Its like a golden syrup instead of the molassesly rich fig from some other blends. White fig for sure. It's almost edible. Reminds me of middle-eastern sweets flavored with rose syrup. Awesome.
  24. SophieCedar

    Badgers

    Holllleeeeshit. Its Ninon and Banshee Beat's lovechild. I see what people are saying about a sharp note at 1st or the honeysuckle being culprit. I'd say wait it out. Its worth it. The patchouli is very sweet and mellow, honeyed leather: whatever that is I need more, sarsaparilla is laying low adding a slight non-foody brown-golden spiciness, the honeysuckle is amping the golden quality and making this decidedly feminine, french vanilla? who doesn't need that? No really it helps make this warm and sweet.
  25. SophieCedar

    Mariposita

    You know, I want to love this so bad. Really bad. In the vial its sweet lavender strawberry honey with cakey notes. When applied its a toxic amount of baby aspirin hidden in vanilla strawberry cake. I will not give up on this one. Retry in 1 month. one week tonight.
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