mistressfizz

Sniff: Chocolate with something slightly tangy. Wet: A milk chocolate bar swirled with spices! I'm normally not a fan of the lab's chocolate note, but this one might actually work?! This is warm and dusty, the cocoa is more bitter than sweet and there's something quite earthy about it. Dry: Resinous and spicy vanilla, with a toasted cream note that's almost like caramel. Unfortunately there's just a hint of the odd sour note that my skin does to chocolate. If it weren't for that, this would be pure heaven. Even with that odd note, it's still pleasant and delicious. Just not something I could wear all the time. Alas, Boomslang, you are almost the chocolate blend that could....

Sniff: Tart apples! Wet: Definitely apples, crispy and juicy. A hint of citrus. But the fruit is overwhelmed by florals, especially the gardenia. A very bright and vivid scent. Dry: It's spicy fruit potpourri and burnt plastic! It's actually not bad, just a little weird on my skin. I really like the fruit and florals, but something acrid is sneaking around in there and pushing this slightly off balance. I think this would make a good room scent. Edit for spelling fail!

Sniff: Surprisingly light with a pleasant sage bite Wet: Smells almost like a pastry to me. There's something buttery and warm, just a tad spicy, mixed with the sage. I also get hints of grass and musk - I think that's from the leather. This is very subtle, not too strong, and quite comforting. Dry: Dusty and softly herbal with a hint of vanilla and spices. The sandalwood and leather play real nice with the snake oil, creating a delicious blend that's gentle and exciting at the same time.

Sniff: Spicy patchouli, something sharp and almost herbal, like sage. Not what I was expecting! Wet: The sharpness wears off. Now I'm getting a dusty resin with bursts of sweetness. I also get smoke and darkness lurking underneath, probably the vetiver. The coconut is faint; I think it is softening the blend as a whole. Overall, I'm getting a dry, desert vibe here, musty and shadowy. Dry: The coconut is stronger now, but has turned sour and gummy on me. Unfortunately it's gone to plastic and play-doh. I love the wet phase, but the drydown is a total bummer

Sniff: Slightly sweet honey Wet: A strong floral component emerges from a honey base. There's just a hint of sweetness. The vanilla is not very potent. It's very light with good throw, gentle and a warmth very much like amber. Dry: Turns powdery and musky, stays light. Unfortunately this is yet another honey blend I can't wear - it has turned sour and ruins the pretty floral musk.

Sniff: Light rose, soft and floral, very pretty! Wet: A complex and rich floral blend, elegant and delicate. There's definitely rose in here, warm and gentle, with a creamy base and the barest hint of sweet fruit. This is soft and dreamy, like waking up in a spring garden. Dry: Still floral, but now there's a hint of smoke and resin. Mainly, she stays light and soft, a very classic and feminine scent.

This is for the 2011 version. Sniff: Warm and resiny, a bit spicy Wet: A flowery smell emerges that's sour and dolorous. Kind of like a funeral bouquet, but this one is laid upon overturned earth and sickly sweet woods. This is rich and dark, quite heady with strong throw. I don't get patchouli outright; I think right now the resin and whatever plants are in here are drowning it out. Dry: A musky, deep resin. Still expecting the patchouli to appear, but it seems to have melted into dust. Maybe the fact that it's already aged is the reason why? I wonder how many years "antique" refers to. The wet phase is a little off on me, but the drydown is pleasant enough. I'm not totally in love but I think I'd wear this more in the winter, since it's so dark.

Sniff: Whoa, not what I was expecting! I get menthol(?!) mixed with bubblegum and a distinctly sour note as well. Very strange. Wet: The menthol becomes more herbal and now it smells like heavy mossy, wet earth. Not aquatic, but a darker, dirtier kind of wet. It's spiked with creamy pear and sugary powder. An odd combination of earthy wet notes alternating with light fruity ones. Sometimes those types of notes work well together, but the balance doesn't seem to be struck here. It ends up kind of muddled and strange. Dry: Well, it does settle on drydown. The herbal sharpness and sugary notes go away. Every now and then, I get a whiff of juicy pear mixed with ferns and jungle blooms, but it's mostly tropical musk, humid and soft, layered with damp florals and wet earth. It's pretty in this phase, but not worth going through the confusion in the beginning.

Sniff: Warm tobacco, resiny, a hint of sweet. I can tell I'm going to like this! Wet: Surprisingly light, dusty and soft. The vanilla is not overtly sweet, it mixes with the fruits to keep the heavier components from taking over. I find this extremely well blended - no particular notes pop out too much, which is amazing considering there are some strong elements here. I keep waiting for the incense or patchouli to smack around the other notes, but they are behaving very nicely, grounding the scent just right. There's a core of delicious musk wrapped in warm woods, dirt and smoke, then sprinkled with light sugar. Dry: Doesn't morph much on me - it stays soft and beautiful, becomes a bit more musky. This is definitely romantic, in a warm gentle way. It doesn't scream "sex" to me so much as it does "sexuality" - it's not throw someone into bed and ravage them, but more like a slow tease.

The solace of shadows: blackberry and blackcurrant with Nepalese amber, kewda attar, and a deep, rich, sweet dark musk. Sniff: Mossy and earthy, slightly fruity Wet: Very faint, not much throw at all. Soft and sweet. The sweetness is not sugary, but more like myrrh, a warm floral kind of sweet. I get hints of dirt and dark green as well. The berry isn't overwhelming, it plays surprisingly well with the heavier notes. Dry: Ah, now this is where Luna Negra turns to pure love on me. Dries to a beautiful dusky musk. It's not dark in a sinister way, but a gentle, peaceful darkness. There's a shimmering quality to it (I guess this is where some people are getting the alcoholic sangria note). I can imagine a quiet summer night, sitting outside sharing a bowl of fresh berries with a friend, basking in the warmth and comfort of the day just passed. So lovely. Edit to add scent description.

Sniff: Definitely dark and heavy. I'm getting a rubbery sweet note, like cherries and vinyl. It's not bad, just unexpected. Wet: Ah, here are the woods! Rich, dense resin, like heavy velvet drapes. This isn't church incense, it's too dirty and musky, has too much tobacco smoke flavor to be sacred. There is definitely a sweetness but I can't exactly identify it as plum. It smells almost like almonds or cloves, sharp and buttery rather than sugary. I think there's some myrrh in there too. Dry: Delicious musk mixed with warm powdery sweetness and dark woods. Every now and then, I get a whiff of that vinyl note and oddly enough, it's growing on me. It only adds to the persona of the blend, dark and seductive. I don't think I could wear this often, as it's so dramatic and heavy. But I do like it very much!

Sniff: Rose!!! Powdery soft rose. Wet: Lots and lots of florals, dominated by rose. I do get a spike of something sharp, I think that’s the lavender. This is very much a late summer garden, but a shadowy corner of that garden. While the flowers are strong, they aren’t quite bright and fresh. They are slightly muddled, bordering on sour and almost becoming heavy. Sometimes I catch a whiff of something like cotton or linen. Dry: This dries a tad soapy, but pleasantly so. Now the soft incense and warm amber come into play, taming the flowers and creating a wonderfully feminine and elegant blend. I will definitely treasure this bottle!

Sniff: Dense and floral, definitely getting some strong gardenia Wet: Mmmm, this is very pretty and dreamy. The florals soften and become warm and humid, with a hint of incense. I can imagine the curl of distant torches floating in the air, behind a beach bordered with luscious tropical blooms. Dry: Soft amber, flush with white florals. Lightens over time, so the florals aren't quite as heavy as the wet phase.

Sniff: White florals! This is definitely in-your-face flowers, mostly lily Wet: Heavy, heavy floral. Just a tiny bit aquatic, with hints of green stems. This is not a bright, fresh blend - it's strong and somber, with a reserved, almost cold elegance. I keep picturing a lonely vase in an empty room, sunlight streaming through the window but not providing any warmth. The lilies are strongest, but I also get whiffs of the sweeter blooms as well. Dry: I was worried this would turn to soap, but the flowers hold up on me! It actually smells like dried flowers - a little musty and faint, but still wafting everytime you move. It has medium throw and fades in just 2 hours. This is beautiful, but it's so melancholy, I can't wear it as an everyday scent.

Sniff: Hello, cologne! Sharp and spicy. I'm not sure what that is - the rosewood maybe? There might be some sandalwood in here too. Wet: There’s a hint of woods, but mainly this is still sharp cologne. I’m not sure I dig the high-pitched tone. Dry: Ah, now that’s the stuff! This morphs from screaming astringent top note to a warmth that is like amber mixed with brown musk. The leather is very subtle, just a soft supporting note. This definitely has a masculine feel, very traditional and clean. I really don’t like the beginning phase, but once it dries down, it’s quite pleasant.

Sniff: A woodsy resiny base with hints of citrus and pine. I immediately get an image of frost dusting the ground and inky night sky. Wet: This is very well blended! Grounded and herbal, without any sharpness. I don't quite know how to describe it, except as magical and mystical, a deep core of earth overlaid with seasonal berries and pine. It definitely evokes mystery and secret things in the night. Dry: Settles to a soft red musk, mingled with patchouli and highlighted by herbs. A rich, warm darkness underneath a cool, white exterior. I waited a long time to try this one, and now I wish I had sooner! This is all sorts of love on me.

Sniff: Even though vanilla isn't listed in the notes, this is spicy vanilla at first whiff! Wet: Still getting a hint of vanilla, but now the coconut comes out to play. It's spicy and sweet, but actually not very foody. It's oily and sticky, more like coconut lotion or butter. It reminds me a bit of Red Lantern, but sugary and without the languid sexiness. This is more playful than sultry. This is also different from Harigata II, where the coconut is lofty and bright. Elegba is thicker and creamy. Dry: All that delicious coconut dries into plastic play-dough, which rum has a history of doing on me It's musty and weird and makes my nose wrinkle. Alas for skin chemistry!

Sniff: Very faint and bright, high pitched Wet: Shimmery but not metallic, a sharp crystal musk. The high note isn't exactly like cologne, but very close. It's slightly aquatic. There's just a tiny hint of dirty, mossy, green tones. Dry: The sharpness burns off and now I get a slightly sweet, nutty finish over a base of dusty musk. I'm not getting the "fuzzy" factor but I definitely agree there's something a bit weird here. I was hoping for more of the "dirty" notes to rise up, like the anise and tonka, but they aren't very apparent in this blend. It's not bad, but not exactly working for me either.

Sniff: Fuzzy brown leather! Wet: Soft and velvety, this is supple deerskin in a fresh spring meadow. The leather smells very natural and it's nicely blended with the herbs and flowers. Surprising clean and light, without being airy or soapy. Dry: Doesn't change much when dry. This continues to be furry soft leather mixed with fresh grassy field. I agree that it's very comforting and cozy, a lovely unisex scent. No wonder this one was the first to sell out on PI's website!

Sniff: soft vanilla, something crisp and fresh underneath Wet: I'm not good at detecting most individual flowers (except rose and jasmine, which scream out at me) but I can sense strong white florals here, mixed with sweet vanilla. This reminds me a lot of MB: BiggerCritters, just replacing the jasmine with something almost like a sharp white musk. Dry: muted vanilla and florals. Very faint. Pretty, but kind of generic.

Sniff: Not very aquatic at all! Light incense and dusty. Wet: Oh, wow! This smells exactly like clay baking in the desert sun. There's definitely something ancient and dry, and the incense is not church incense, but more natural and green, soft and muted. This is actually quite refreshing without being too bright. The aquatic notes are not high pitched, but instead hint at sandy, peaceful, dark depths. Dry: This dries to a beautiful warm and creamy musk, like a light amber, with a swirl of incense and old stone. Definitely evocative and I find myself wanting to reach for it again and again.

Sniff: High pitched herbal note. No pine or evergreen for me, it's more harsh and bitter. Wet: Drat, I had high hopes for Elf, but this is all sharp cologne on me, with a medicinal streak that makes my nose itch. I was hoping for woods and berries, but instead this smells like cheap gin. Dry: Well, it calms down after a few hours into a powdery, herbal amber. Unfortunately my skin is turning the honey into something sour and overall this leaves a rather unpleasant impression. I wouldn't give up on it for layering, though, it's just not a good standalone scent for me.

Sniff: Fresh vanilla and cigarettes, surprisingly soft Wet: Oh, this is gorgeous! Soft florals and vanilla that isn't too sweet, wrapped in a haze of smoke and leather. The cigarette smell I first detected has faded into something wispy and dry. This is a dreamy, sexy scent, womanly with just a hint of aggression. Dry: Yum, this dries into smokey vanilla musk and a trace of floral powder. The leather isn't very apparent, but I think it lends a warm undercurrent. It's not too strong, with medium throw, and lasted all night. This is really beautiful and I'm so glad I have a bottle!

Sniff: Faint, light scent, slightly herbal Wet: Soft pine and woods, serene and peaceful. A little sharp at first, but that dies down. Reminds me of branches dappled with sunlight, mossy bark, and crisp air. Dry: The pine blends into the background and now I'm getting more dirt and ferns, like a forest floor. The woodsy note dominates. I love how the Lab can evoke a sense of place and this blend definitely has that quality. This is a mountain forest in a bottle, rich with plants and the scuttling of furry things underfoot.

Sniff: Ooof, I am punched in the face with leather! (Or more appropriately: sneak attacked in the face by leather!) Very strong and worn leather, natural and brown. Wet: This is surprisingly animalistic. It smells almost furry and has a woodsy, fertile undercurrent. It's really potent, and doesn't have the chemical note that leather scents often do. Dry: This settles down in an hour or so to a beautiful, soft leather musk. It still smells very organic and reminds me of wild beasts, but it's tempered by soft woods and a hint of green. This seems more like a Ranger in personality than a Rogue scent (though I haven't tried Ranger yet, so maybe I'm mistaken). Either way, it's very pleasant once it dries and quite comforting.