mistressfizz

Sniff: a light citrus, very, very faint. almost not there! Wet: still faint, but now I can smell violets and a tangy note, which I'm guessing are currant and/or mandarin. it has a light feel, not as bright or crisp as Embalming Fluid or Shanghai, but a similar freshness, stained with earthy tea. Dry: this doesn't last long on my skin. it leaves a trace of floral tea, pleasant but quickly fading

Pink rose, red musk, red sandalwood, oakmoss, vetiver, nectarine, black tea, ambrette, jasmine, and blackcurrant bud. Waiting for my 2011 Lupers to arrive...figured I'd visit some old ones. Sniff: Can't really pick out specific notes, just a woodsy, heavy musk Wet: Ah, hello, vetiver! With a sharp floral undertone. Dry: I agree with the "atmospheric" description. As time passes, the vetiver steps down and now I'm getting a murky, charcoal kind of floral. It's a litte disarming, like remembering a far away time and place, covered in shadows. An interesting blend, but not really something I'd wear.

Still waiting for my Lupers 2011 to arrive, so I'm pulling out some older ones to review... Sniff: very faint floral, a hint of green Wet: mostly lilac, slightly sharp (maybe that's the ginger?). very pretty and bright, though I can't really detect the tea note. Dry: the lilac mellows out, now I'm getting more musk and tea, blended with soft florals. Luckily, this hasn't become too soapy. a light, fresh scent.

Sniff: green tea and lemon! very light. Wet: jasmine is fighting green tea for dominance. I keep getting alternating whiffs of each, along with an underlying sweetness. Dry: the lemon is totally gone and now I'm getting mostly jasmine. It's slightly soapy, but in a pleasant refreshing way, like a spring afternoon. also, the throw is just right, not too strong, but enough for my co-workers to comment on how pretty it smells around me. I will definitely be wearing more of this!

Sniff: fruity, slightly boozy Wet: the booze isn't as apparent now, this is mostly refreshing pear and plumeria. light and sparkling. Dry: so pretty! it's a bright, classy perfume, non-foodie sweet and delicate.

Sniff: warm teak Wet: teak dominates, followed by patchouli, and something burnt in the background Dry: teak and patchouli, a combination I didn't think would work, but actually does! I can't detect any plant notes, but I believe their subtle presence is what gives this scent a dry smoky warmth. This reminds me of indian summer in the Appalachian mountains. A beautiful blend and I agree that it should age wonderfully.

Sniff: red musk and a bit tangy (guessing that's the saffron) Wet: I get the aquatic note, but the earthy galangal holds it down. I normally don't like ozone scents, but combined with the other components in this blend, it's quite pleasant Dry: I can't stop sniffing this. It really mellows out when dry and becomes a fascinating mix of warm and cool notes: like a rain shower cutting through humidity, or sweat cooling off skin. I have to agree with VioletChaos, there's a sexy side to this too. A surprise hit for me!

Sniff: fresh grass! Wet: damp green florals, wet dirt Dry: The "wet" goes away, and now I get hints of cherry blossom mixed with an earthy, green floral. Even though it's snowing outside, my arm smells like a field just awakened by a spring breeze. Lovely!

The seasonal phoenixes have all been good to me, and this one is no exception! Sniff: light, minty, very faint Wet: icy and cool, with a hint of tart berries Dry: maintains a wonderful light feel, a trace of mint, the barest hint of sweetness - it captures the dry, astringent cold of winter perfectly! Reminds me of the nearby woods where I walk my dog, just after a deep snow has finished falling and the sun is starting to set. Simply beautiful.

Sniff: Yup, definitely tea rose! Very strong floral, it kind of smacks your nose Wet: Bright tea rose. Quite a lot of throw too. Dry: Borders on soapy for me, but manages to avoid becoming powdery. After an hour, it mellows to a pleasant, soft, dry rose and lasts a long time. Classy, mature, and feminine, without being too prim. This is a lovely scent and definitely a staple for me!

Sniff: strong foodie vanilla, bakery fresh Wet: the vanilla melts into mint and fir Dry: I keep waiting for the vanilla to come back, but it's hidden beneath minty evergreen. My skin must be soaking the vanilla up. While the woodsy lightness is pleasant and festive, it needs more warm notes to work on me.

Sniff: Glorious incense sweetened by fig (not a sickly sweet, but soft and muted). Woody resin note is definitely there, and a dry dirt tinge (I'm guessing this is the galbanum) Wet: More of the same. I’m falling in love. Dry: Beautiful resin, with a hint of sweetness and spice. There is smoke, but I don’t find it overpowering. I’m a huge fan of incense blends and this one is definitely slather worthy!

I’m a huge comic book fan and adore Adam Hughes. The artwork on this bottle warranted a big grin! Sniff: sour, pungent, slightly peppery. I have no idea what rhubarb smells like, so not sure I can pick it out. there’s definitely something musky, and a little earthy patchouli. I’m actually turned off by the initial whiff, but let’s see how this plays on the skin… Wet: More earthy and musky. A bit spicy too. Dry: Ah, now we’re talking! The earth and musk settle down, maybe due to the amber? There's a pleasant slight tart. When I sniff my arm, I feel like a villainess, which kind of contradicts the name, but this is too dark of a scent to not feel a bit evil. A shadowy figure behind a window pane, belted leather trenchcoat, plotting her next move…

Sniff: bright and tangy, a fall of sweet floral, not much lemon (but my nose is bad at picking out lemon - I'm sure it's there, I just can't find it) Wet: definitely lots of floral going on. Still very bright, makes me want to bat my eyelashes at someone Dry: the brightness fades and now there’s just powdery soap. Very sad, I really love the wet phase. But this turns into a bad kind of soap on my skin, like stale laundry detergent.

Sniff: crisp, light, green tea and lemon Wet: sparkling clear tea note. Refreshing and clean. Someone mentioned it smells like Elizabeth Arden’s Green Tea – I definitely agree with that. Dry: Still very much tea, fading into light musk. My skin chemistry turns the lemon into something soft instead of sharp, which is a big win for me! It’s like being at a spa inside a tea house.

Sniff: Playful, bright and sparkly. I normally dislike sweet/foodie scents, but as others have mentioned, this one is sweet without being cloying Wet: Fruity, feels less pink and more somewhere between pink and red. Mulberry, maybe? This actually doesn’t reach bubble gum heights, it’s a more subtle candy tone Dry: Softly, softly, the musk creeps in and subdues the sweet, but not entirely. There’s more green now, and the overall effect is like sitting in a field of berries on a warm day with fishnet stockings on. This is a gorgeous blend, definitely one of my favorite and destined for hoarding!

Sniff: Floral and citrus, floating on top of something bronze and earthy Wet: The citrus comes out to play, in a pleasant non-floor-cleaner kind of way. Dry: This dries to Sophistication on Skin! I don’t detect the leather or teakwood specifically, but I suspect they’re holding down the citrus, which has backed away and now accents a woodsy dark floral. When I put my nose to my skin, I see old money penthouse, tailored wool skirt, silk blouse, pearls and gold, cocktail by an antique grandfather clock. Elegant and mysterious, this is total love for me!

Sniff: clear and chilly, frosty grape with a slight herbal tinge Wet: grape dominates! Dry: this also becomes boozy on me, with cough syrup undertones. alas