Aveya

Source: Swap!! Yay Preconception: Apricot? Loved depraved. Red Musk? F yes. Clove? My favorite. Vetiver? .... ... Well. We're not on speaking terms. Vial: Basement! Dirty grass! How exciting. Skin: Apricot bloooooms which is amazing. However vetiver's sort of grassy dirty basement thing plus apricot is a real curiosity of a scent. It's like, actual apricot. Picked it up off the ground, dusted off the dirt, took a bite, it's tart and maybe not quite ripe yet. The pit is astringent if you bite in too far. Drydown: Red musk and Clove start to creep in and overtake. It's a very strange combination with the vetiver again. It becomes fruity sweet musk but with a violent cleave down the middle of a spiced earthy almost astringent blend. Curious battle between sweet fruity red musk, and dark, tart, dirty, earthy vetiver and clove. Has a vibe similar to Depraved for me (in the sense of contrast) but in this scenario I'm not sure if it's working for me. Thing is - I'm not sure. I'm in love with it one moment, then despise it the next. And I keep coming back to examine it because that really fascinates me. Verdict: Sweet fruity musk, spliced with bitter earthy spices. Medium throw and nice wear length.

Source: Decant Circle Preconception: My last toss to Myrrh to prove it's not wet basement. Fully expecting wet basement. Vial: Honestly nothing. Sort of empty Skin: I'm torn. I smell something but yet nothing. I'm anosmic to this? I get a musky wet nothing, topped with cinnamon. Very light touch of something green. Drydown: This one fades fast on me. I'm left with a murky herbal vague spice. Verdict; Myrrh you failed to prove anything to me. :|

Source: Decant Circle Preconceptions: Literally a training moment for me. I've come across all these notes and been confused about them. I'm hoping this will help me unwind them. Vial: Sweet tart woody. Frankincense I believe. Skin: Musks just insta-bloom. Frankincense backing but these musks just engulf you like a fog machine and magic smoke billowing towards you. Prepping you for the show. Drydown: This is shockingly beautiful. I've been on a kick with tobacco and honey blends lately? And when those blends engulf you they're extraordinarily smooth. This blend FEELS the same way - the dark mysterious engulfing feeling. But instead of cloying / smooth / smothering, it's like actual smoke. Airy, physically light, but deep and full. Verdict; What every witch wishes her house smelled like 24/7. Or maybe it's just me. Flippin' beautiful, incensed musks, earthy spices, full bodied yet ethereal. Strong throw at first but tames dramatically.

Source: Decant Circle Preconception: In love with Tobacco lately, and on a learning-voyage with Frankincense. Excited but unsure. Vial: Wood. Slightly lemon. Skin: Lemony woody. I'm finally figuring out this is frank. Hi, frank! Extra-wood version. Drydown: Pepper comes across STRONG for me. But pepper + cedar = pencil shavings. Specifically pencil shavings in a plastic container. Because it even has this like, acidic element to it, as well as the feel of static cling. Like the shavings just wont quite come out so you gotta stick a finger in there and get all the dust into the can. And then you're gonna smell like that for the next few hours. Verdict; Pepper crusted wood.

Source: Decant circle Preconception: Worried about this being too masculine, but I can't turn down berry scents or tobacco scents lately. Excited but concerned. Vial: Manmusk and berries. Skin: Initial burst of fruit and ambery wood. Aha, this must be peru basalm, with an added omph of sweet from berries. Tobacco also peaks out and comes across on me as the lovely beautiful sweet thick version of Tobacco I've ran across. Alas I still haven't gotten my hands on the SN yet, but one day I will. Drydown: I am SO surprised this isn't going full masculine. Instead this is going super fruity on me, in a dark goopy sort of way. I'm getting Crawdad Dream scent-memory flashbacks, plus beautiful thick and sweet tobacco. Lovely spices bubble up and pop periodically in this thick tar-like goo. This is so beautifully perfect on me. I'm sold. Reminds me of the dark sweetness in Pure Applesauce. The term "tar" was used and that applies here as well. Thick tar-like sweet tobacco, with berries melted in. Verdict: LOVE THIS. Fruity dark wet sweet tobacco.

Source: Decant Circle Preconception: Sage is relaxing, love it. Patchouli is my Soul Mate. Lavender is my love affair. Tobacco is my sultry alter-ego. Lotus Root is my soul. The other notes are new to me. But generally? I'm super flippin' pumped for this one. Vial: Herbal, soothing, smells amazing. Skin: This thing has a robust cast. In order of appearance; Lavender, Blooming beautiful lavender, strong and proud. Then once I think it's going to be a lavender single note, this dirty edge peaks out and prevents lavender from going smooth and mellow. Instead it gets gritty and bright. Dirty. Patchouli alters the course. Then it gets more melded. Something spicy and strange tingling in. At this point I'm unsure about the blend. It's now cluttered and full. Confusing conflicting notes for me. A bit of chaos for the soul? Drydown: it eases off the confusion and melds more peacefully into an almost creamy herbal blend. It's natural, dirty / earthy, slightly dusty, but with a solid dark, almost resinous base. I don't get much lotus at all unfortunately. Verdict; Not a scent for me, but definitely an herbal-lovers dream. Very relaxing yet invigorating as well.

Source: Decant Circle Preconception: Preeeettty sure I'm going to hate it. But I have this inability to pass up campfire scents. Because I just... so much emotion comes out. So, I got this one emotionally. Vial: Sweet campfire. Sweet? That's a surprise. Skin: Sweet campfire! Maybe it's the beeswax. it's not sugary or honey based, but it is sweet. Gently natural sweet. God that's absolutely stunning. This isn't a roaring fire, this is a nice controlled campfire. You can still smell fresh wood, unburnt. And the fire smoke is gentle and not abrasive. It's a nice nook where this fire is, no wind pitching soot into your face. This is a perfect storytelling fire. Drydown: Leather starts to peak out more, but it sort of steps up as the smoke steps down for me. But that underlying sweetness continues. In this stage it starts to feel more pine and outdoorsy than earlier. But generally it's a sweet warm beeswax with a faint edge of soft cozy leather and campfire smoke. SO FLIPPING BEAUTIFUL. Verdict: A surprising hit. This is the best emotional pick I've ever had, and will be buying a bottle. The scent itself comes across masculine-leaning, but could be worn by anyone with ease. I'm going to go slather it on my husband right now. Dee is his scent at the moment, this might usurp it. Edit: Husband at first is ALL leather, and some smoky background. We'll see how drydown goes.

Source: Decant Circle Preconception: It's impossible for me to pass up trying honey. I still haven't figured out frankincense, and floral isn't my thing. So ... no idea. Weary but had to try. Vial: Green, tart. Strangely herbal. Skin: Suntan lotion. I feel so bad to derive this down so simply but this is legit like a coppertone tanning lotion? Not sunblock, mind you. My dad is like anti-sunblock for whatever weird reason (Like, you have red-head children how can you even) but always uses sun tanning lotion. I used his SPF 4 (lol 4) once because I had nothing else and this is that. It smells good in a weird way? Tropical-esq, tart, but sweet. Drydown: It's so hard to sniff this without going SUNTAN LOTION but there is more to it. It's like a citrus-esq woody resin, super sweetened with honey, and a nice gentle white floral humming in the background. AKA: Suntan lotion Verdict: Beautiful but my poor brain will never be able to sniff without wanting to go to the beach with my dad.

Source: Decant Circle Preconceptions: I'm unfamiliar with most the notes really. But lavender is a fav of mine so I figured why not!? Vial: Herbal sweet leather. Skin: Lavender I loooove you. Comes across very sweet. It reminds me a lot of Daybreak! Swoooon. It's got the same fuzzy sweet lavender thing happening. mmmm Drydown: There's no coconut bloom like in Daybreak, instead it stays pretty solid. Absolutely beautiful. Sweet vanilla-esq resin olfactory-ly dyed with lavender. Weirdly the leather feels absent on me. But it's not. I think my nose just merges it with the other scent and I forget it's there. It's in the sniffing equivalent of aftertaste where I smell the leather. After a massive inhale and slow exhale it's there tingling. But other than that it's not a big note to me at all. Verdict; Daybreak, - coconut, +sweet resins

Source: Decant circle Preconceptions: I love clove. I love cardamom. I love spices. Black musk has been amazing and horrible. Wood of any kind could go #2 pencil. Frankincense is a weirdo to me. I'm expecting a general spicy weirdo scent. Vial: Heya weirdo! You smell funky. Like, dirty damp maybe moldy funky. I'm going to put you on my flesh though. Skin: Sorta like, freshly moistened dirty socks. ... Cool. Drydown: Eases out of gross sweat socks and into a much lovelier scent. Musky is dominant, very very very musky. The spices tend to lend to the animalistic dark gritty edge and come across less as dominant notes. It's almost leather or dirty skin musk. Sexy in a really gritty way. I think this will be a hit for some. Dark, brooding, gritty, but warm. First-take masculine, but is really very non-binary. Comes across as strong and powerful - could be wicked delicious on the right person.

Source: Swap! Expectations: Sounds up my ally. I love rose, fruits, ambers are hit or miss but lately going great. I'm expecting a sweet musky fruity thing. Skin: Sweet. Rose at first, amber & rose heavy. Apricot comes across a little strange. Sour? Yeah, Apricot strong and strange. Drydown: Rose got beaten down. Late drydown is just a sweet slightly fruit-dusted musk. "Strange" from Apricot is gone and settled. This stage is really wonderful. But the "strange" from apricot was a trip I don't know if I can repeat. Verdict; Beautiful late-game; dark fruity vanilla-esq musk that's skin close and beautiful. But getting there is a long and strange journey due to sour funky apricot.

Source: Decant through Swaps Preconception: I want thick red apple with super prominent clove and vanilla-heavy burbon. These are all notes I swoon for. Imp: Super plump crisp red delicious. I was scared based on all the other green apple comments in reviews? But this is 100% red delicious, or maybe Gala, to me. Skin: Mmm cloves. The apple is strong, wet, crisp. Then the clove sneaks in slowly and starts adding that glorious yet oddly mellow clove-vibe to everything. There's a weird floral-esq note that starts to poke through here - assuming blackcurrant bud. That adds a bit of a floral tartness that for a brief moment threatens to go craft-store apple candle on me. Drydown: Craft-store scare vanishes as soon as I think it. And clove just continues to add a smokey depth to the apple base. Verdict: Corrupt, dirty spiced apple. This is a scent made for me. Based on the other poor reviews I'm betting I can hunt down a bottle somewhere. This is loooovely. I'ma be layering it with some vanilla.

Source: Swap (decant) Preconception: I've got a daydream about what skin musk smells like, so always try it out. Vial: Apple blossom! Skin: Caramel/Teak pops up. Balanced by apple blossom and a creamy bright-ness. Drydown: This is actually really beautiful. It's a soft, chewy milk-caramel with a sweet light fragrant apple-honey syrup on top. It's surprisingly light and feminine on me which I did not expect. It's got a musky natural edge to it that's growing on me. Verdict; Sweet apple flavored milk caramel, on top of a musky skin base. Surprisingly light and feminine, really beautiful.

Source: Decant from a swap Preconception: I'm hesitant with cakes. I LOVE the scent in bottles/vials but once it hits my skin it goes too caramel-y or bready? Something offsetting about it. but I keep trying Vial: One vial sniff of this and I was in pure heaven. I've never hard a King Cake but oh. my. god. I'm going to now. So sweet. Beautifully complex. This little vial sniff I could do all flippin' day long. Skin: AAANNNND there's the caramel bread every cake does on me. It's softer than other cake blends I've tried, not so obviously off - there's an almond smoothness to it. But the sweetness seems to have tempered off fast. Drydown: I'm surprised because the Almond sweetness in the bottle actually came BACK after some time on my skin. Usually once it's gone it's gone. I'm fascinated. It's still combating the caramel-breadyness, but it's much much much improved over other cake blends I've had before. The sweetness is also holding on a bit more as well. Impressive! The longer it sits, the more the bread-caramel vanishes and the almond cream cheese beauty returns. Verdict; if the vial-sniff was the same on my skin I'd own five bottles.

Source: Amazing decant from a forum swap Preconception: I have a soft spot for peony - it blooms almost every year on my Birthday (May 30th). I had a few peony bushes alongside my house when I was a child, always enjoyed the blooms with my mom on my birthday. And now that I have my own house, It happened to have peonies alongside the house as well. And year after year they bloom right on my birthday, give or take a day. It's one of the few florals I have any connection with. Also - Unicorns. FING GIVE ME UNICORNS! - I'm hoping the floral will be gentle, and the vanilla/apricot will be big players. I can hope. Vial: Pure rose. Skin: Rose heavy. I amp it. I didn't think rose-tint would become the star of the show. Drydown: Rose-like, vanilla-sweet, lavender is barely noticeable, apricot faint but sweet-tart. "Sugared" is gentle. Peony-Rose dom. The lavender was SUPER faint on me - I usually notice it right away but this blend it got buried under the lush rose-peony combo. LAAATE drydown I did some yardwork and worked up a sweat. And this baby has a beautiful late vanilla that will bloooooom on hot overworked skin. Try wearing this one to work out with. You'll be a majestic unicorn and smell like one too. Verdict: Marsh-mellow-sweet peony and rose, muddled background of tart-fruity herbal. Vanilla beauty on the late drydown.

Source: Decant from a swap, 2013 version Preconception: I want to love it sooo bad, but chocolates have been flat and chalky on me. Vial: Nesquik powdered mix. Skin: Oh my goodness. Blooms into exactly-as-described land. Has that slight foody-tint that the BPAL coffee's get on me. Reminds me for a moment of Pumpkin Latte (my go-to coffee blend) but then eases back into spiced chocolate land. Drydown: I ruined my test a little bit by going out and doing some hard labor garden work and worked up a sweaty mess. BUT - an almost vanilla-sweet bloom overtook and was absolutely beautiful and comforting. Loved it. Verdict; Exactly as advertised. Rich chocolate milk & coffee with all the fixings. I'm not sure if this is one I'll wear or not. I'll fiddle with the imp for a while longer. Maybe pick up an imp from a decant circle in the future releases if they come out.

Source: Decant Circle Preconceptions: Honey amps, wood = #2 pencil, ambrette seed & hay = foody gloop, Jasmine = nemesis. I uh, yeah don't know. I heard rave things about Hal though? So wanted to try a sample. Vial: Floral honey? Skin: OH wow. This is all kinds of... perfect blend. F the individual notes here. This becomes a sort of encompassing, warm, sticky, heady, beautiful creation. Drydown: Honey prominent, but by no means sticky cloying. I'm thinking the Jasmine is keeping the honey from going too dark and sticky? Honey is cut through by a light floral (that doesn't read as "floral" to my nose - just a gentle natural lightness) and allows it to reveal an earthy/woody undertone to this sweet honey. The longer it sits the less honey there is and the more woodyness it becomes. Which is opposite most honey blends on me. Verdict: This is beautiful. Warm, engulfing, honey-wood. Dark and sweet. Deep and mysterious. Earthy and surreal. Swapping out only because this won't win out over the others in my keep box. I know I'll go for twenty scents before this one. But - still beautiful.

Source: Decant circle! Preconception: I tend to love soft leathers (Dee, my darling). But assume it won't work on me and I'll have to slather my husband with this randomly. Imp: BOOZE and a little leather. Skin: ... What on earth, why does this smell like fruit? This combo is killer. It's also bizarre. It smells juicy - almost like a fruit. Leather fruit? A new kind of Zombie fruit? It smells sweet, tart, earthy, and of course leathery. Oh. Em. Gee. This is a cool scent. My brain can't stop sniffing this new leather zombie fruit. I know it's not fruit. But DO I? It's sweet sweet leather. Soft and gentle. Shaggy is a great term. Drydown: Sweetness slowly tones down, and patch makes a bigger appearance. But that leather high note stays, still with that punch from the rum. Patch makes it more robust but isn't obvious. And I love me some patch, not a prominent note here to me. More of a backing, earthy-adding element. Verdict: Youthful, hippy-esq in the classic fringe leather attitude. Sweet and unisex. I know my hubbers won't wear this one, it's not him. And I won't wear this, it's not me. But I'm really glad I got to try this out. Awesome scent.

Source: Decant Circle Preconception: I never turn down a coffee blend. But so far I've found very very few blends I keep and want to wear. I'm always disappointed in some way. Vial: YES! THIS! THIS COFFEE SCENT! - Spice strong. But I like my coffee spiced! Skin: No disappointment here! Cardamon is strong but I like that. Tobacco and coffee are swimming together in the background, spices are forefront and super bright. Drydown: BPAL Coffee and tobacco linger around all day, with a nice soft spicy touch. I have to be careful not to wear this when a little dehydrated - it vanished from my first test off the back of my hand. In a better spot after some lotion it had much better throw for longer. Might be a re-applier for me, but worth it. Verdict: I usually get Masala Chai lattes when I stop in coffee shops. This is that, for me. The scent of coffee (which I love) all around me, but then strong milky spices in my cup. Yum.

Source: Decant Circle Preconception: Lavender, vanilla, tobacco? Sign me up. Vial: Lavender. beautiful beautiful lavender with a touch of sweetness and grittyness. Skin: Lavender, tempered hard by "lace". Sweetness from the tobacco cuts in just as I hoped. There's a smokey fabric vibe happening. Drydown: Oh no. OH NO. Someone spilled their creme brulee all over my lovely lavender lace. It's ruined and can't be washed. Seriously if you amp foody caramel into gross generic "foodstuffs", do not snuff your nose at this caramelized tobacco. Half of the wear of this scent decided it was "foody" caramel. Everything else got drenched in the sticky goopy over-the-top caramel nonsense happening here. I am devastated. Everything else was working perfectly for me. Underneath the caramel-foody-ampage is something stunningly beautiful, albeit light on the lavender. The tobacco, smoke, lace effect is glorious. I'll be trying other laces for sure. Verdict: Ruined by caramel-amp for me personally. Wanted to love so bad.

Source: Swap! Preconception: I love lavender, herbal blends, and berries. Figured it was worth a try. Bottle: Whoa lavender! Prominent. Skin: Oh mai. This is stunning - right in line with many of the other reviews. First application is utter relaxation. Lavender, sweet herbs. The White musk is adding a "clean" element to the edges of this scent. Just yum. I'm sad there isn't more a fruit note for me. It's mostly a lovely herbal gentle musk blend. Drydown: White musk, I'm assuming, is making this go super "clean" on my skin. Goes through crisp linen phase, then wet freshly cleaned laundry, then to soap proper, and now heading into baby powder land. I think that's just me "amping" white musk? So sad, the initial phase was just stupidly stunningly soothing. I'll be keeping lookout for other herbal blends sans white musk. Verdict: Super super soothing scent. Unisex, herbal prominent, musky "clean" edge with the barest hint of tart-sweet fruit.

Source: Forum Swap Preconception: Excited. I'm a clover lover in all forms, and frankincense is growing on me. And I'm an avid tea lover but not sure how it works in scents yet. Interested! Vial: Simple, clean. Floral and light. Skin: YUM CLOVE. With tea. Fresh fresh green tea and clove. Drydown: Gets more herbal/floral. The clove eases up and just adds a gentle bite to the green tea and wisteria. Pretty well balanced in the end. Floral professional green tea (don't think matcha, think lose leaf chinese buds with flower blossoms), spiced with clove - it's not subtle but it's not overpowering. Then Frank is adding his sweet funk to the blend, plus wisteria's floral vibe. Verdict; Spiced herbal flowers. Light, green, leans toward feminine. Lovely throw.

Source: Decant Circle Preconception: Jasmine and I have a history. Floral and I just, don't get along we'll say. Vial: Floral's, hey! Light sweet bright. Skin: Remarkably smooth and sweet, for being a floral. But then there's an after-smell that sort of burns you randomly. Floral but agressive. Which is in contrast to the otherwise smooth, sweet, gentle floral. Drydown: I'm not strong with my floral notes, but this feels like a classic chypre. It's well blended, grounded, but also lovely neroli top note. It comes across slightly clean to me, but only just the barest touch. Those in love with gentle clean florals should enjoy this. low-medium throw on me.

Source: Decant Circle Preconception: Ozone is not a note I wear. I fully expect this will get swapped off. Vial : SHEW LEATHER. Black black black leather. Zap. Skin: Calms down and smooths out. It's actually surprisingly lovely. I know a few people this scent actually reminds me of. It's entirely wearable, although super distinct. Still leather and ozone, 100%. But it comes across as a smoother, strong, robust cologne. Drydown: Mellows more as time goes on. It morphs into something aquatic, almost. Smooth ocean breeze at moments. But generally the same scent all through. It's simple enough that you could easily layer this. Perhaps even with some of the RPG scents if you want to add some creativity to your RPG characters. Verdict: Smooth, sophisticated, edgy, well-kept, kinky. Very masculine but surprisingly un-assaulting, considering. On me it had great throw and staying power.

Source: Decant circle! Preconceptions: I'm on a hunt for an imaginary "Skin Musk" feeling I got from an ooooold decant long ago, for the life of me I can't remember what it was. I just remember putting Skin Musk on my radar. Vial: Unexpectedly herbal? Skin: I didn't expect this at all. Bright. Almost herbal musk. I'm not familiar with Frankincense (working on understanding that one) so I'm useless there. Drydown: Much more perfume-esq powdery clean than I anticipated. Not much if any vanilla. Sheer is the key word here. Like a nice cotton sheet laid down, ready for more scent. But the direction it will take isn't a journey I necessary want. Verdict: Bright, light, sheer, clean. Big throw and staying power.