mistressfizz

Sniff: I'm getting orange zest from this, very clean and refreshing Wet: Orange and amber and something a tad musky underneath. It's bright and has moments of tartness. Dry: Dries to a light citrus musk. It does remind me of sunshine. It's not for me, but anyone who wants something light and warm should try it!

Sniff: Sugary sweet patchouli. I have to admit, it's an odd combination and messing with my senses a bit. Wet: Well, it's still primarily patchouli on me, but there's a sweet buttery overtone and scratchy herbal twang. I don't get much anise, but maybe it's just all mixed into the general herbal scent. Dry: As it dries, it gets sweeter. The butterscotch note is stronger, as the patchouli becomes smoother. The mix of candy sweetness and dirty earth doesn't really quite work for me. While I find it interesting, I don't think it's something I'd wear.

Sniff: Popcorn! Sweet & nutty popcorn! Wet: Definitely popcorn with a drizzle of vanilla pastry and roasted almonds. Creamy and thick. Dry: There's more of a burnt caramel smell mixed within the popcorn. This dries very much a strong foodie scent. Interesting but not really my thing.

Sniff: Jasmine over lush greenery Wet: Yup, still jasmine. But a soft muted jasmine, very light and gentle. A salty note starts to creep in. I also detect herbs and a hint of pine. There's a wild aura to this blend, it's very evocative of nature without smelling earthy. Dry: Interesting, as this dries it becomes almost aquatic. It's very clean, but not in a powdery or linen way. It's more of a flowing river clean, with ripe fresh herbs and brambles and flowers sprinkled along the banks. Very gentle and soothing. I really like this!

Sniff: Fizzy & Bright. This reminds me more of dry champagne rather than gin. It tickles my nose hairs! Wet: Stays fizzy, and the pumpkin is sneaking in now. It's a baked pumpkin scent, very faint. There's something sharp and refreshing, a touch of herbs I think, but mainly this is bright crispy champagne with the pumpkin sweetness underneath. Dry: Fades quickly on me, but stays fizzy to the end. It's lovely when dry, just a tad sweet and the alcoholic notes never get too strong. A light sparkling pumpkin champagne, yum!

Sniff: Thick red musk and clouds of dusty incense, with a sharp herbal undertone Wet: More and more dusty. The red musk is not as strong and a sweet resin dominates. I definitely get hints of wood and earth, and the herbal note is just a whisper. The leather is not detectable by my nose. Dry: I'm getting a powdery diaper smell now, kind of sour and incredibly musty. Unfortunately, this is the second D*Con blend which hasn't worked on me

Sniff: Whoa, some sort of high pitched chemical scent, almost like acetone Wet: OK, settles down a bit on my skin. The sharpness softens and I get a grassy dry scent, with leathery undertones. The overall tone is very green. Dry: Dusty green grass with a slightly sour twang. Sadly, not really for me.

Sniff: Love at first smell!!! A beautiful buttery caramel, with hints of herbs and musk. It's woodsy and delicious without being too sweet or foodie Wet: The caramel deepens and takes on a creamy earthy tone. There's a tad of smoke & exotic spice lurking in the background too. Dry: Much of the same, dark delicious caramel swirled with herbs & spices. This is simply amazing and I will be hoarding my bottle!

Sniff: Faint floral, hints of resin Wet: This becomes lighter on my skin, developing a soft astringency like white tea. There's a kick of spice and lots of pink florals, with an undertone of murky resin. An interesting mix of feminine flowers and sharp masculine ginger cologne. Dry: When dry, this is earthy floral tea over light musky tones. I like it, but it fades very quickly on me!

Sniff: ozone with floral hints, bright & sharp Wet: I get a strong cologne vibe from this. It's sharp and vibrant, kind of like fresh ginger, and there's definitely a floral musk underneath those high notes. I don't get any leather, but there's something kind of earthy & buttery Dry: As this dries, the earthy vibe gets stronger, becomes rotten & sour. It's the oudh, doing its typical nasty thing on me, turning everything into stinky burning rubber. I was hoping the other awesome notes would make this blend OK, but the oudh strikes again!

Sniff: This is straight up vanilla cake in the bottle Wet: Yum, vanilla dusted in confectioners sugar, with a creamy fig filling. There isn't a very strong chocolate note here. It's mostly vanilla and tart fruit, with a soft sweetness that isn't overpowering. Dry: This gets darker as it dries. The sweetness fades and becomes almost spicy, taking on an overall dusty note. It reminds me of old school potpourri, the kind with various dried plants & fruits which you had to simmer over heat to release the essential oils. It has that kind of hazy faintly sweet & fruity effect. I'm not totally in love with this one, but I do find it very interesting.

Sniff: Sugar & sparkles! Wet: This is sweet & tart hard candy, over a musky base. Has a fizzy tang and almost raspberry-like sourness. Dry: Well, this fades incredibly fast on me. It dries to just a trace of light musk, then disappears in an hour. It's definitely a scent with a sweet tooth. Sadly, this really doesn't work on me.

Sniff: Whoa, I pick up something citrus, definitely not expected. It's got an incense base, but I didn't think it would be fruity as well Wet: The fruit mellows. It's less tangy and more of a sweet suggestion. There's a brightness to this blend which takes me by surprise. There's hints of yellow flowers and a dry herbal quality, wrapped beneath a core of dense incense Dry: As it dries, this deepens, becomes more dry and heavy. I can still detect soft florals and herbs, but mostly it's a golden incense.

Sniff: Soft wispy patchouli, a gentle muted earth tone Wet: Still very much a patchouli blend, but there's a spicy vibe from the sandalwood, lending an exotic air. This is much richer than expected, almost resinous in its thickness. It's very soft and smooth, quiet yet with a definite presence. Dry: Slightly spicy, powdery patchouli. Sadly, this fades rather quickly on me, but I love its gentle earthiness while it lasts.

Sniff: citrus flavor, kind of like orange cream wafers. not very sharp, but strong Wet: citrus note develops a pleasant tang and continues to brighten. the scent overall is light and crisp, verges on foodie, with hints of cream and lemon and light flowers. Dry: dries astringent and soft. this is more like white or green tea to me, not as robust as most black teas, with only slight earthy tones. It's pretty, a very spring scent.

Sniff: Golden florals, very faint Wet: This is all amber and molten gold, with a dusty background and slightly spicy floral. It reminds of me dried mums in a summer wreath. I wish it were stronger, this is barely detectable on my wrist, even when I tip the bottle right over my skin Dry: Still very faint. Under a lovely haze of golden flowers is this odd plastic odor, like melting vinyl. If it weren't for that sickly note, I would like this much more.

[2006 Version] Sniff: Ah, soft resins, very quiet & smooth Wet: Florals come out, mostly rose. It's a deep, dense rose with just a hint of spice. There's just a tiny bit of sweetness. The resins get dustier. Dry: And this finishes to soap. A pleasant dusty floral soap, with undercurrents of smoke. Soothing and gentle.

Sniff: Light, crisp, and something kind of musky in the background... Wet: Yup, there's musk! A bright musk, bordering on aquatic, with a fizzy vibe. I've never smelled anything quite like this before! Definitely like a cologne, but lacks the sharpness and bite I usually associate with cologne. There's a hint of citrus and a vibrant herbal quality. Dry: I'm really liking this! It dries to a creamy musk, maintaining a light clean tone, but without the pop of the beginning phase. Refreshing and something I'll be reaching for during hot summer months.

My first pumpkin patch! Sniff: Buttery pumpkin, sweet Wet: The grass notes come out to play! Slightly herbal, but not sharp at all, thanks to the creamy pumpkin note. It's not as sweet now; as it warms, it becomes green and more savory than sweet. It's lighter than expected, almost wispy. Dry: Stays light and soft. Not quite dusty enough to be a desert scent, but close. A wonderful gentle mix of pumpkin & herbs, reminds me of hay bales in a grassy autumn field.

Sniff: Definitely get a charred vibe from this. Champaca is the strongest note, with dusty burnt woods in the background Wet: Auuurrgh! On my skin, the oudh dominates, a sharp, sour smell like band aids and rotting dry wall. Underneath, I can detect smoke and some earthiness, but holy crap, my skin is amping the oudh and making a mess of this. Dry: Whew, OK, the oudh burns off after about 30 minutes or so, and I'm left with soft champaca incense. It's not as dark or heavy as I expected. There's a gentle richness of earth & woods, and it doesn't smell like a headshop, more like an outdoor temple. I don't know if the end result is worth the nasty middle phase. My skin chemistry definitely did wonky things here.

Sniff: Dusty, dark, with a woodsy spice Wet: Surprisingly thick and creamy, with an oddly milky note, like spiced yogurt. I was not expecting that! There's a kick which is not at all like the cinnamon spice from baking or apple cider. This is woodsy and dry, reminds me of roots and leaf tinctures. Dry: Mmmmm, this dries smooth, the kick of the cinnamon has melted into a lovely earthy spice, deliciously dark and just the right amount of dusky powder. One of my favorites from this Shunga update!

Amazingly, I got a frimp of this with a recent BPTP order! Thanks, Puddin! Sniff: Light and vaguely sweet with sharp ozone. definitely watery & aquatic Wet: Stays light and fresh, the ozone/water notes become more pronounced. There's something almost nutty in the background, mixed with a hint of fruit and mint. It's like a cocktail with a splash of fruit juice and a side of salty snacks. Dry: Something kind of greasy/oily emerges as this dries and there's a hint of sweet tobacco (I think this is what the initial nutty note evolved into). It seems more far flung and ethereal in this phase. The ozone is not as sharp and the salty flavor is more gentle. In the end, it's like a soft, clean cologne with hints of sweetness.

Sniff: Dark and slightly resinous, with a hint of something sharp, like citrus or herbs Wet: Not what I was expecting at all! I thought this would be dominated by florals, but it's more smoky and spicy, with a tingling bitter edge and earthy/mossy background. Dry: Powdery, spicy incense. It's a rich blend and borders on being warm. But the herbs create a sharp unsettled tone that prevent this from being too soft. It's dark and dense. I like it, but I'm not crazy about it.

Sniff: Beautiful deep resin, with hints of warm amber Wet: A complex & dark frankincense, woodsy and dense and soft, with a comforting solid warmth, like having a wool blanket wrapped about you. Glorious! Dry: And here is where I break down -- as this dries, it turns into total baby wipes on me. Occasionally, I get a whiff of the amazing incense notes, but then it goes back to a sour powdery mess. This is the first time a resin blend has done this to me...

Sniff: Sweet fruit juice mixed with an earthy muskiness Wet: Definitely earthy, but not in a "dirty" headshop way. It's more like being underground. There are also notes of fruit and spice, but not quite sweet, more sour. It's kind of like being in a wine cave. There's a sense of cool earth and sharp stone, but also the tang of sugary fermentation. Dry: Sadly, this turns to pure baby powder when dry. Every now and then, I get a whisper of the delicious earthy/fruity wet phase, but then it fades back into powder. If it weren't for the dry down, I would love this one.