MercQ

When I first got this as an extra, I opened it up and smelt CHOCOLATE. Sweet, delicious chocolate covered cherries. I kept it on hold for a few days and struck unfortunate PMS, and hoped this was the scent for the day. Was it? Well, sort of. Why I got it: Twas an extra, but is helping realize I am a Foodie Guy. In the bottle: The first time I tried it? Pure, delicious chocolate. THe time I tried it when I was PMSing and desperately wanted chocolate? Only cherries. Nothing wrong with cherries, but it wasn't that rich chocolate I remembered. Oh, Vice, you tricky vixen. On the skin wet: A really dry, syrupy cherry smell. A teensy bit of chocolate was there but it was a very artificial feel to it. I felt sad. On the skin dry: But then I felt better. It dried out a little nicer, although not fufilling my chocolate craving. I can smell the cherry predominantly and it's a lot smoother and less cough-syrupy now, more like dried cherries. Dried chocolate cherries and orange peel. It's not as strong as I'd like but I also didn't put much on once I realized how nasty it smelt wet on my skin. In short, not the big chocolate scent I was hoping for, but a nice light scent once you get past how gross it is wet. Probably not a big bottle buy, but I'll use the imp. It strikes me as an elegant lolita scent or classic lolita scent when you're not going for straight out little girl perfume.

I was highly anticipating trying Dorian since first getting into BPAL - it's been rocking the top of my list for the entire time. When I got it, I was anxious - what if I sniffed this scent and it wound up smelling like dead lemons or wasp spray or rotten eggs? Would Dorian break my heart in an ironic-yet-fitting way? Find out in the thrilling conclusion of "MercQ Orders a Dorian Imp!" Why I got it: Alll the reasons in the world. First of all I love The PIcture of Dorian Gray and I have a character codenamed Dorian Gray in a story. Also it just sounded so tasty and it has 28 whole pages singing it praises. 28 pages doesn't lie. Usually. Dorian - In bottle - ….mmmm. Smells like a cool cup of sweet tea. Surprisingly cool. On skin wet - Oh god. It starts out nice and cool like in the bottle (and for some reason I'm getting lemon along with the vanilla?) but definitely tea. And then it warms up with what I imagine are the fougeres, kind of eliminating the tea scent. I miss the tea. But it's still coming back! I feel it! Come back to me, tea! On skin dry - This is sweet and nice. The tea comes back but warmer and a little more subdued I can get the vanilla better this time and oh man it is nice. The musks disappear to the back but they're still there, looming. Waiting. I want to eat myself now. In Short: Well, I had a feeling I was going to wind up going gay for Dorian Gray at some point. It is this point. This is warm and vanilla-y without being too foppish or too over-victorian. Since I realized with Dee that I didn't want to smell like old books, this a more modernly relevant scent that still evokes the same delicious themes. It's young, boyish in a kind of drag way, innocent and will also rape your soul if you let it. Perfect.

A master storyteller who possessed unfailing courage and compassion, a sharp, quick wit, and a true understanding of human nature. Saffron and Middle Eastern spices swirled through sensual red musk. So I'll be honest. I stumbled while smelling and got this shit up my nose. I think it's starting to affect me - I've been moving my hips in very sexy ways and I've gotten lots of new story ideas - about a thousand, maybe one more - that are just popping into my head. I have an extremely strong aversion to death. My hair seems a bit blacker. With that in mind, read on. Why I got it - Because I damn love Scherezade the character, enough so that I have a character in a story with the code name Scherezade. I wanted to see if it would be something she would wear, and something kept drawing me back to it. So I imped that up. In bottle - There's a pagan/wiccan bookstore and supply store near my house with lots of bags of various herbs and moon stuff and a lady who does fortune telling. It's a cool little shop. This is the smell of it. On wrist - I'm definitely getting less of a middle eastern scent than I am of a more naturally wholesome herbal and spice scent. It's not bad, I think the association with the wiccan store is not helping it pass off as a middle eastern scent. It starts out strong but after a while mellows. I can't quite identify much here. And dry: Still the bookstore. I'm not quite getting any sort of spicy warmth or the middle eastern feel everyone else seems to be claiming, but then again maybe I just don't know what the middle east smells like. Could have used a little more sweetness and a little more maybe like...cinnamon or something? Could have used a spicy kick. In Short: This is not really something neither me nor my Scherezade would wear. In fact I'm not sure if it's something the real Scherezade would wear if it came out smelling like this. HOWEVER that doesn't make it bad, it just makes it different. It's not as if the pagan bookstore smells BAD, after all. It's a very old feeling scent and honestly probably has a lot of healing, warm soothing qualities. And it sounds like a lot of people get re-seduced by it, so I'll hang on to it for now methinks. Perhaps i'll try it again once my nose is no longer burnt out.

First perfume experience ever, first BPAL experience ever, first review - you're watching history in the making, kids. I will also say my sniffer is not particularly trained or good at perfume, so take all this with a grain of salt. Reason for getting - A few people recommended it for a masculine scent. It fell under the Broscent part of my WANT!list (as opposed to the genderneutral Whoascent or the not so gender neutral Hoscents). Also, John Dee. What a boss. In bottle - Men's cologne, but a very soft, light one. On skin wet - I can't quite identify any of the scents individually (this could be more an an experience thing) , but I think I can pick up on the leather, the woods and the incense. It's a light scent at first and then it lingers a bit more powerfully in your nose (which I think is the doing of the incense.) After a few minutes, this gets a little sweeter, with the rosewood and a hint of the leather shining through. Not as much leather as I would have liked. On skin dry - And the incense is back. Hello, incense. The woods are still kind of there and the leather is being a little tease. Come on, leather, baby. You know I love you, you know I want you. I know I've piqued your interest, but you just won't put out. In Short: It's very Victorian and nice - it's perfectly evocative of John Dee, actually, so super kudos. I just don't think I'm the John Dee it is looking for. But we can be friends, Dee, it's not you, it's me. I may hang on to it in case I ever feel like emulating that scholarly feel but I don't think it is signature scent worthy for me. Actually, it strikes me as something my brother might like. This all could be off since my scent palate hasn't been the same today since accidentally shoving Scherazade up my nose. Will edit later.