brilliantcat

Imp: Exactly what it says on the tin Wet: Anise primarily with deep, rich chocolate underlying it. If I try hard, I can get the cherries and wine but they're quite faint. Not quite what I was expecting. Dry: Anise SN. Sigh.

I love, love, love Mexican hot chocolate and I got the decant hoping this would be similar to that amazing chocolatey, spicy, gorgeous, yummy... well I could go on but I'd rather get this baby on my wrist! Imp: In the decant it smells like dry cocoa powder. No hint of the spices or vanilla. Wet: It absolutely blooms on my skin into this rich chocolate with hints of spices and vanilla. It's gourmand vs. foody I'd say, as in I don't feel the urge to lick my arm the way I do with truly FOODY scents. I think the annatto seed is keeping this from foodiness with its slightly dusty, powdery aura. Dry: HOMG AKJFDJKL:SD:L LOVE.

Imp: Herbal, incensey, dark. Wet: I definitely get the bite of clove and I still get incense, likely the combination of the vetiver and musk. It's feral in a good way. I'm getting a green-ish note tucked in there too. Dry: Oh hello honey! It's rich and sticky and lovely and melds nicely with the incense feel and smokiness of the vetiver. This is dark, dangerous, and wonderful.

Bottle: Herbs and soap. Wet: Citrusy and... incensey! I like the incensey. Surprisingly complex and less fruity than I had imagined. From farther away I get the cherry blossom but up close it's amazing incense and aquatic. I'm reminded of the ephemeral nature of the cat and I get a blue-green vibe that is reminiscent of the cat in the most recent movie (vs the tradional pink and purple). Dry: It's gone soapy, though not in a bad way. Not sure if this will be going to swaps. Edit: Upon allowing it to age for several months, this has deepened into a really beautiful scent! I wouldn't even really identify it as soapy anymore. Instead upon drydown I get some of the tropical fruits but this is certainly not foody by any means. It has a glow like the cat's eyes until they wink out before you. Throw smells slightly aquatic but the guava and papaya and cherry blossom are more evident at the skin. Little of the citrus at any point now. A very cool-feeling scent. I think this will continue to develop as it ages.

This is a deep, richly colored oil that smells faintly of red musk in-bottle, along with a swirl of incense and smoke. On me, I get that very slight hint of red musk along with slightly astringent incense that I suspect is the frankincense, possibly reacting with the bois de cade. I catch a hint of the sweet myrrh as well. Now, I'm a red musk whore but I think I've reached my limit for red musk blends without having scent twins. That said, this is NOT one of those! The musk is actually very subtle... shocking! It's mostly incense with a touch of smoke and the slightly clean scent of the bois de cade. The astringency has disappeared. I was hoping for the beeswax to be present more strongly, like the smell of beeswax candles but I catch only the faintest scent of beeswax. It's helping tie the blend together though. Smoky, spicy, incensey, sweet, complex. I think this needs a bit of age on it to reach perfection but I quite like it as is

I saw the notes and I HAD to have a bottle of this, so thank you heaps to my lovely fairy In bottle and wet, it's definitely a sweet, subtle patchouli vs. a dark, earthy, headshoppy patch. I think the honeysuckle and sarsparilla are lending some sweetness as well. Considering the inspiration, this smells surprisingly clean and sweet. Not floral, just a smooth, sweet, complex patchouli for awhile. Then the vanilla starts to peek out and warms the whole blend into heavenly territory. Eventually I get a soft, soft leather note that blends seamlessly with the other notes and brings it more in line with what I pictured. Certainly beautiful and smartly blended! This has become one of my favorite blends and I am so grateful to have gotten a bottle! I can't wait until it gets a little age on it, as I expect it to grow only more gorgeous with age.

Despite the masculine-sounding notes, I bought this for myself because I can usually rock whatever scents I want regardless of "masculine" or "feminine" vibes. This was sweet tobacco and booze in the bottle and warmed to woods, sweet and smoky tobacco, and bay rum. Pleasant enough on me but I had the husbeast try it and it was a winner on him so the bottle found a new home with him

Bottle: Sweet plum underlaid by dark murky water. Wet: It's a battle between salty sea air and crashing waves and the fruit tempered by the tea. Right now, I'm in a teahouse on the edge of a cliff while a storm is coming and the waves are crashing against the rocks. The lanterns sway and threaten to go out, and plums fall from the trees outside. Leaves are swept in by the winds. It's quite evocative. Dry: What the heck happened? It's gone soapy! This rarely happens to me with aquatics but this is pure soap. What happened to that gorgeous evocative crash of notes?

A lovely, generous fairy picked up a bottle for me at WC which I am profoundly grateful for as this has all the notes I love and adore! So a big thank you to her Bottle: Sweetly sour tamarind and a touch of amber and patchouli. Wet: Sweet figs, a touch of apricot (even though apricot isn't a listed note, I think the tamarind and fig are interacting in such a way as to give me that fruity impression), and earthy patch tying it together. It's a little bit incense, a little bit sweet, a little bit sour and altogether beautiful. Dry: Earthy, smoky, sweet. I am so happy to have gotten a bottle!

I've been dying to try this for ages and I finally got ahold of a decant! I hope it's everything I expect Imp: This is a seriously dark, murky oil! Gloriously musky and incensey. I get the comparison to Smut, which is one of my favorite blends. Off to a good start! Wet: Champaca, musky. I get some sweetness in there that's oddly discordant. I think it may be the benzoin. There's also something earthy and herbal which I imagine is the mandrake. Slowly, the ginger seeps out adding a nice spiciness. Dry: Spicier, more herbal, and creamier than Smut but still very similar to my nose. I will treasure my imp but I won't die of longing if I can't find a bottle. Don't get me wrong, I DO want a bottle!

Imp: Murky, resinous florals. Wet: On me, it brightens considerably and I can get a good whiff of the tamarind. Smoky florals and sweet-sour tamarind. I love it! Dry: Murky, smoky, spicy, resinous. All the things I love in a perfume! The florals fade pretty quickly on me. Not sure I need a full bottle, I think my imp will hold me.

Imp: Clean, clear water. Almost soapy but just at the edge. Wet: Ocean water, it has that slight tang of salt. Soapy But I don't mind soapy all the time. It smells very clean and I could imagine it would smell lovely on anyone right out of the shower. It would be great for a warm day to bring that hint of clean beachy water. Dry: Pure soap. Not terrible but not something I need either.

Imp: Very clean, very springy. It screams a vivid yellow-green. Wet: Cleaning fluid, but not in a bad way. It's potent, non-soapy lemon, like pure lemon oil. It'd be great to wake up with. It does soften almost immediately into a much softer lemon sorbet type of scent. I think the musk is helping temper the strong lemon. To me, this is only superficially similar to Shanghai. I found Shangai to be more light, herbal lemon while this is much more in-your-face lemon. Dry: As it warms, the lemon stays front and center. It edges closer and closer to cleaning fluid in a not so good way. I think I'll stick to Shanghai for my lemony needs.

I love aquatics. I love Lovecraft. Let's hope they turn into gorgeous Imp: Sharp and yet soapy. I get the impression of opium incense, kind of harsh and dry. A bit odd for an aquatic. Wet: It still has that "dry" feel to me. It's hard to describe. Oh! On first sniff I get the opium-incense and then underneath a spark of ozone and THERE'S the aquatic. It's edging on masculine but I can't keep my nose off my arm. It's supremely interesting and complex. This is deep, deep water not the surface of the sea with crashing waves. This is down where it's always dark and creepy blind fish live. Dry: Smoky opium incense UNDERWATER. I don't even... It's crazy and fabulous! And does have a distinctly unsettling vibe. I doubt I'll wear it often but my imp has a happy home.

Just a note: jasmine and I are not friends. It likes to turn into cat pee on me. But I love hyacinth and aquatics and maybe the fir will beat the jasmine into submission? Considering I found a rose blend that I LIKE, anything can happen! Imp: Watery florals. A bit perfumey. Wet: Salt and florals. And there's just the tiniest touch of the fir. The jasmine is behaving, wonder of wonders! Wow, I really like this! If the jasmine continues to behave, this would be a bottle purchase for sure. Dry: Ok, this is love! Slightly aquatic, slightly floral, slightly fir-y, slightly sweet. The notes combine into the most amazing dance of olfactory delight! I definitely need a bottle of this

Imp: Watermelon and musky-weird-gloopy amazing. I really don't know how to describe it. Wet: The musk is more pronounced on my skin but the sweet, watery watermelon is still present and quite lovely. I want more blends with melons! It's sort of oddly sweet-sour in a totally awesome way. Dry: Musky-melon-sweet-weird. I weird! This got a thumbs-up from the husbeast too.

I know I'm going to regret this given my history with roses... but I have made it a point to test all blends that come across my lap (thanks Lab, for frimping me roses ) and others have said if you hate roses, you should try this one. Keeping an open mind. For now. Imp: Yup, that's rose all right. Wet: Sweet, sugar-covered roses. I must say I'm happily surprised. I doubt I'll ever love rose notes as much as they apparently love me, but dare I say... I LIKE this As it warms, I'm getting vanilla cream and roses with that greenery note others have mentioned. The mental image I get is lying in a rose bower with a cup of heavily creamed tea and a book, the sun is shining, and the breeze is pleasantly warm. Dry: I like. Rose. At least this rose Pretty, sweet, not overbearing or grandmotherly. I think the world has ended!

Imp: Fresh-picked flowers, stems, leaves, and all. Wet: That green fresh floral with a slightly sweet and acidic kick from the acai berries. Dry: It has maintained that fresh-picked flower aura and is slightly sweetened by the honey and berries. This is definitely a springy, happy scent! I shall happily use up my imp.

Imp: Almonds and a kick of orange. Wet: Almond, citrus, and a hint of florals. It's quite pretty. Dry: She's gone to ROSE! Yet another lovely blend ruined by rose *scowl*

What else could possibly be more lickable at Yuletide? This is a candy cane perfume, minty, sweet and sugared. In the bottle: Minty candy. Immediately after application: Sinus-clearing mint, which I LOVE. Mint usually fades fast on me, I hope this lasts. Warming up: Minty and almost a vanilla-like sweetness. Fading: Slightly sweet soft mint. Faded: Average throw, short wear. Overall: Argh, I wish mint lasted longer on me Not sure if I want a bottle since it fades so fast. Rating: 4/5.

In the bottle: MARZIPAN OMG. Immediately after application: Marzipan but a little tempered by musk and sandalwood. Warming up: AUGH WHITE MUSK IS DEATH! It turned to powder and made me gag Fading: N/A Faded: N/A Overall: *shudder* Rating: 0/5.

2010 version In the bottle: Coconut and flowers. Immediately after application: Coconutty floral should not seem like a wintery scent, but it is. I think I am getting an idea of why so many people are batty about this. Warming up: Very soft, sweet coconut with a chilly breeze. It's not the meaty coconut from my beloved Tiki scents. This one is truly feminine and soft. Fading: Soft coconut. Faded: Average throw, average wear. Overall: Consider me a convert. Bottle! Rating: 4/5.

In the bottle: Having trouble picking out notes but I get a minty undertone and possibly the juniper berries. Immediately after application: Definite minty-aquatic I associate with snow plus juniper. It's leaning towards being masculine at this point but I find it refreshing. Warming up: It keeps that snowy feel but also has a sweet touch. Fading: Sweet snow. Faded: Average throw, average wear. Overall: It was pleasant but it didn't impress me enough to get a bottle. Rating: 3/5.

In the bottle: Woodsy with leafy bits. It's a forest! Immediately after application: The patchouli is coming out some now, so it smells like an earthy forest with fresh-turned soil. Warming up: Patchouli and a chemically note :\ Fading: Patchouli. Faded: Average throw, long wear. Overall: I was really disappointed. This seemed like it'd be a winner on me but I never got any hints of coffee or tonka that would have made this absolutely amazing. *sniff sniff* Rating: 2/5.

In the bottle: Sweet champagne. Immediately after application: Bubbly and a little bit fruity. Warming up: Soft fruity champagne. Fading: Soft fruit. Faded: Average throw, average wear. Overall: Not for me, sadly OH COME ON, ONE OF THE CHAMPAGNE SCENTS HAS TO WORK *sadface* Rating: 2/5.