damuddymeg

in the imp: Floral with a musky bite of spice. Wet: all floral, heavy on the jasmine. Dry: This morphs a lot over the first 4 hours of wear. It starts off mostly jasmine, with a bit of musk and sandalwood lurking in the background. Osmanthus starts to show up and soften the jasmine, and both fade together. Never does this become a rose scent, though it does go through a "traditionally perfumey" stage. Thankfully, it does not last long. In the end, it softens to a lightly floral musk, still a bit spicy, though I can't pinpoint how or why, with the remnants of light sandalwood. Quite lovely.

imp: almond-y and golden. wet: almonds, with hints of musk and cardamom. dry: Eventually, the almonds fade into the background. What I'm left with is warm amber and musk and myrrh, with a lickable trace of spices. Warm and sexy.

imp: vanilla and anise and mint. wet: all anise. and a hint of plastic. dry: almost all plastic--like cheap doll-babies. a little anise. later: plastic-y anise and vanilla. *sigh*

imp: sweet floral, with a hint of musk. wet: the floral goes spicy and dirty, not the way I'd expected this to turn, AT ALL. It is warm and bright and musky, all at the same time. dry: This loses some of its brightness during the drydown--I'm assuming this is the hint of mandarin fading. The musk and spice notes stay, and turn quite creamy. The floral is never overt. I hadn't thought I would like this, but I'm finding myself quite drawn to my wrist, atm. This sticks quite close to my skin--I think a big bottle will be in order. note: I think my imp may be aged--I received it in a sale lot, and have no idea how old it might be. I'm thinking that I'll get a bottle over the summer, and keep it in a nice, cool place until fall.

Warm, sunny, green and citrusy. It puts me in mind of laying in a meadow on a warm spring day--I find it both empowering and soothing. I wanted to snuggle with the arm I applied this on, because the scent was so utterly glorious. This goes on the bottle list for sure.

in the bottle: Wintergreen! And herbs--there's a bitterness here that speaks of vetiver... Wet: Wintergreen. A little overpowering, honestly. Not unpleasant, but whoa! The sour herbal note rises and then, thankfully, dies. In its wake are fresh green herbs and wintergreen. Dry: After about a half hour, this is a decidedly creamy, almost rootbeer-y, wintergreen. Reminds me of wintergreen tea with cream and honey, or almost like I imagine wintergreen ice cream would be like. Lovely!

imp: peachy white musk. Wet: Peach takes the high note in this blend at this point. Sweet, juicy and warm. A lilt of floral can be detected within the swirl of white musk that anchors the scent. Dry: This smells, on me, like a peachy version of Dorian, just as Zephyr is a lemony version. Within a couple of hours, any trace of floral is long gone. The peach resurfaces from time to time, and I get the occasional whiff of bergamot. Otherwise, this is all white musk, which my skin amps. I've tried wearing this in my hair as well, with the exact same result--musk, with a hint of citrusy peach. That said, as Dorian is a favorite, Fae is a lovely, springy version destined for a 5ml....

In the imp: sweet green floral. Wet: This goes rancid for a few moments. It's the vetiver, and I cringe, prepared to run and scrub it off my wrists, but the moments pass, and it stops smelling like ashy, rotting herbs. In its wake comes an almost citrus scent, tangy and delightfully green, with floral in its wake... Dry: It's official--I've finally found another blend with vetiver that does not smell heinous on me (the other one is Bloodlust, preferrably aged, in case you're interested). It dries down to a light floral, a rose sweetened and softened by chrysanthemum, brightened by the cactus flower. It stays close to the skin, and after 8 hours, I still get a faint hint of green floral.

in the imp: Lemony with an undercurrent of wood notes. Wet: Still quite lemony, with touches of sandalwood and patchouli. Dry: This scent morphs a lot. To me, the only notes I detect with regularity are lemongrass and sandalwood. The patchouli rises in the occasional small wave, present but not overwhelming. Cedar gives the occasional hint. At the very end (the scent only lasted perhaps 4 hours on me), the lemongrass dies back entirely, leaving me with a very faint sandalwood and an even fainter floral. I hadn't read the notes before trying this today, and few of the notes are ones I would ordinarily want to try. Patchouli and cedar and sandalwood all typically go dirty-hippie or pencil-shavings on me, but they were all fairly light and moderate--nothing overwhelmed this beautifully balanced blend. It's also one of the few scents I've worn that has elicited a random compliment from a stranger--so, this morning, I wound up enabling my phlebotimist! I'm going to hang on to my imp, and see how often I wind up wearing this. I liked it quite a bit more than I had thought I would, and I'm rather sad I didn't bring my imp for reapplications today!

in the imp: booze, berries, and a hint of something rich and creamy. I'm intrigued! Wet: like blackberry brandy, to me. Boozy, sweet-tart, and creamy all at the same time. Dry: Oh wow. Just, wow. The booze hangs around, but not with the same force as when it was wet. Lush blackberry, warm sweet cake, and a lick of rich buttercream. Licking isn't advisable, but boy, is it ever tempting! After my disappointment with the Underbed Monster, I am glad this one is such a keeper!

*sigh* I wanted to love this so much. I feel as though perhaps my nose is broken? I didn't get cassia, or cocoa, or coconut, or angel food. I got burnt butter. In the imp, wet on my skin, and dry on my skin. Like burnt Ritz crackers, or like Medici said, burnt cake. Sad and horrible on me. Even my husband, whose normal reaction to whatever I put on is a simple "yeah, nice" or "ew", looked at me and went, "Burnt cinnamon toast?". I didn't even get the cinnamon, though. So strange, and sad. Glad it works for so many, though--means I shouldn't have a problem unloading my bottle!

In the imp: Wet, green, herbal. Wet: Slightly sour, very green and herbal. Not terribly impressed thus far. And then? Dry: Oh. My. Goddess.... Dry, this transforms into something complex and amazing. Green and herbal, still, though the sour note is long gone. I'm not getting any ginger, though there's a slight green-earth note of fig. It is light, mild, and a touch sweet. But damp and green. A slight smoke overtone from the tea, a touch of earth and moss. I was very hesitant with this one, and I shouldn't have been. It's amazing, and, for me at least, is very much a spring and summer scent. Fabulous.

I've had a frimp from the lab of Lurid kicking around for about a month. I love currant, lavender AND white musk, so I can't believe I didn't slather at first sight. This morning, however, was the morning to try it out. (I need a little soothing--getting my taxes done tonight!) In the imp: Soft herbal notes, and berry, which must be the currant. Normally I can pick currant out immediately, but in the imp, this smells a bit raspberry-ish. Wet: A touch of ozone, but predominantly currant and lavender. Dry: As this dries, the musk begins to warm up and give a slightly smoky note to this, making it deeper and more complex. The lavender is a gentle wisp, never absent but never hopping around waving its arms like it's wont to do. I get just the faintest touches of resin and ozone from time to time. But the currant is sweet and dark and shiny, and ever-present. Absolutely beautiful. This has been moved up to the top of my 5ml list, and I'll be putting this in with my order of Enraged Bunny Musk and the Lunacy next week.

In the imp: Apricots? Warm, sweet fig and a little citrus. And spice? My nose is broken? Wet: Still spiced apricots over citrus glazed figs. Reminds me quite a bit of March Hare. Dry: Ok, here we go. I think both the spice and the fruit note I'm getting are both tag-alongs of the fig, which in this blend is beautiful and not nearly as earthy as I normally find fig to be. The citrus lurks around the edges, giving a fine glimmer to the scent, but it never becomes dominant. It really is just sweet and lovely. I got 2.5 ml of this in a rollerball bottle as a bonus in a swap, and I love it!

Imp: Sweet and incensy. Not my normal mo, but I'm game. Wet: This little kitty has teeth! Vetiver typically hates me from the get-go, but in this blend, it hasn't found its way past the musk and patchouli. Dry: Incensy patchouli starts in the foreground, and is warmed by the musk. There's a hint of sweetness in the background, but it takes awhile to develop. Eventually, the almost sharp patchouli retracts its claws and fades away, letting the dragon's blood and spice come and lurk within the blissful musk. Vetiver never rears its sour, ugly head in this blend, and there is much rejoicing. At last! A blend with vetiver that doesn't hate me! After about 5 hours, the musk has died back, too, and I am left with a lightly sweet, almost creamy blend of dragon's blood and a touch of cinnamon. note: I have 2 imps of this, one I got as a frimp (new) and one I got in a swap (aged). I currently really prefer the aged version, and have stashed my other imp for later use. I'm planning to do the same with the 5ml I ordered!

I've found that some of my favorites don't smell so hot on me during this TOM, but others that I normally can't stand smell amazing on me. So now I know, if I think I hate a scent, try it at the other end of the cycle. The ones that smell especially good right about now? Hellcat and Gluttony--normally my skin amps the almond in them, and makes me queasy. This week, though, the almond recedes almost immediately, and I smell more like vanilla and buttercream, which I prefer. Also, while I love Bloodlust anytime, and particularly love my aged imp of it, I love it that much more during that one week in the month. After the first couple of hours, the sharpness of the patchouli dies back, and I get cinnamon and almost creamy dragon's blood. I should note that this is the only blend I've found so far which contains vetiver yet doesn't hate my skin and turn sour. And finally, I first tried Bordello the first day, and while I don't yet know what it will be like on a different day, I found that the excessive sweetness a lot of people find in it was not in evidence. I got plum and black currant and a little lick of musk. Honestly, I was shocked to find something that still made me feel sexy on the first day!

Imp: Salt and a bare hint of rose. The other floral I'm detecting must be the calamus. Wet: Floral, with the barest hint of incense. I'm not getting the salt note as distinctly, and the rose isn't in the foreground. Dry: As this dries, it changes dramatically on me. It becomes the perfume worn by a beloved, and sadly, deceased, relative of mine. I believe she wore White Shoulders, though I'm waiting on word from my grandmother to see if I'm right in my recollection. I've checked, and the two scents do not share any notes. But it smells so much like her, it brought tears to my eyes this morning. I ultimately had to wash it off, as the scent ultimately had a seriously melancholy effect on me. I will be keeping my imp when I need to feel close to my relative, but I don't think I'm going to wear it much. It was honestly spooky, like summoning her.

Imp: Highly sweet, almost candy-like, fruit. A hint of grapey, boozy wine. Wet: Very sweet, fruity, a little boozy. Dry: This, honestly, is odd. Makes me think my nose is broke. I'm finding that the staying power is quite good--I put it on at 7:30am and now, at nearly 3, it's still hanging around, though softer. I think it smells less sweet and boozy than it did wet, but that it's still all plum and predominantly black currant. I definitely pick up fruit, and perhaps, the occasional breath of dark wine. No almond-y notes of amaretto, just a vague deepness to the scent. I'm in total love with it. BUT! My coworker says I smell like the special holy-day incense they burn at her church. She loves the scent, but that's what it reminds her of. I'm wondering if there is some sort of tea or musk note buried in this? Those often turn a bit smoky on me... Verdict? I'm keeping the imp, and I'll see how fast I go through it before I buy in mass quantity.

In the imp: Almondy, with a touch of spice. Wet: Serious buttered almonds. The spices start to purr during the drydown. Dry: YUM. Buttery spices. The almond gives up, which is ok, because I have several scents which are my go-to's for when I want to smell like biscotti. This is just amazing--all food notes without going foody on me in the slightest. A hint of root-beer-y sassafras, a boozy bit of rum. A bite of clove and bay without being manly or overwhelming. Perfect and spicy and warm on this sleepy, foggy morning.

Imp: Mmmmm. Musk and lemon and a hint of white floral. Wet: Smells so much like Dorian! Only lighter and less smoky. Definitely getting some neroli and lemon, but other than that, a LOT like Dorian. Dry: Musk and vanilla and a touch of citrus. The floral rises and fades over and over. So there's the occasional breath of pale, light floral, but it never takes over. I am totally in love. I'm thinking this will be my spring/summer version of Dorian, which might get to be a bit much in the warm weather. Oh, and have I mentioned it reminds me a lot of Dorian? Cuz it does. Thankfully, Dorian loves me, and now, so does Zephyr!

Imp: Sweet, spicy, and a bit creamy. I don't get the buttery scent that others have noted. Puts me in mind, honestly, of carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. I typically like foody smells, so I'm going to give it a go. Wet: Pumpkin and spice. I definitely start to pick up on the peach--it mellows the clove and nutmeg, which could turn the whole thing into pumpkin bread in a heartbeat. Not necessarily a bad thing, mind you, but the peach rounds out the notes and gives the scent a depth beyond "mmmm--cake!". Dry: Pumpkin and peach did NOT sound like they'd work together well, but they do. Oh, do they ever. Sweet and a little tart, with nutmeg to blur the edges and just enough clove to give a little bite to it. NOT a year-round fragrance, but definitely one I'll wear in the autumn and winter, especially when I'd like a little comfort. 5ml will be a certainty.

Initially, I was worried that this really would be too much of a "gentleman's" scent for me--citron, musk and lime could potentially go either way. Still, worth a shot. Imp: Lime and citron. And soap. Figuring the soap smell is the lilac. I'm still hesitant, but Beth has rarely steered me wrong. Wet: still really all about the lime and citron. The soapiness doesn't manifest on my skin. There's a slight whiff of something sweet and dusty, I'm guessing some combination of the lilac and musk. Dry. The citrusy top-notes depart within about an hour. What I'm left with is a light scent of lilac and pale musk. It's a very gentle, soothing, alluring scent. Not overpowering in the least; this will be a perfect spring/summer scent. 5ml, minimum, will definitely be in order.

I'd read Naamah_Darling's LJ review of Dorian, and thought it sounded divine. So, when I put in my first order with BPAL, it was among the scents I had to try. Imp: dark, sweet, vanilla tea. A little musk. Wet: Mmmm. Sweet and almost a little smokey. Tobacco-ey? I don't get ANY of the lemon that other reviewers have mentioned. And I'm ok with that. The vanilla is smooth without being phony or cloying. Dry: The lemon has never made any appearance. The vanilla is still there, but light. The musk is hanging around nicely, and the dark tea smell (which I think is where I'm picking up the pipe tobacco-ness) is staying put. It is not a "feminine" smell, which I'm actually quite happy about. No flowers to go all grandma on me. Just light and sweet and comforting, without being girlie. Note: This is the only scent thus far that has caused my husband (who normally has no sense of smell whatsoever) to follow me all over the house, snuffling my neck and making yummy noises. Yeah, 10ml will be on my next order.

I call it sex in a bottle. Some people may have trouble with smelling edible. I am NOT one of those people. In the bottle, it smells almost entirely of almond, sweet and not remotely cherry-like, as some almond scents wind up being. There is a subtle hum of honey in the background, and a dark slur of rum around the edges. First applied, the almond is still the topnote. It does everything but sing and dance to get your attention. However, the hazelnut and buttercream start to warm up, and I wind up smelling like biscotti. Pretty sure this isn't a bad thing. No one has tried to take a nibble yet, but no one is running away or anything either. Several hours later, the almond seems to have mostly worn off. I'm not getting the hazelnut much anymore either. The buttercream is still there, sweet and warm, but not overpowering. The boozy notes of rum and mead are hanging around--I don't smell like a pirate or a medieval drunk, I don't think. Think whiskey cake--there's still that tinge of warm flavor from the whiskey, but the rest of it is sugar and cake. There's not a lot of throw to this scent at this point. It's close and sweet, a bit heady without being cloying. This may require repeated slatherings. But I feel that an imp won't be enough. I'll see how I do with 5ml...

Now, we have to take into account that my skin LOVES amber. Snags it and holds on for dear life, and will only relinquish it after repeated scrubbings. In the bottle, it's, well, amber. Hot and sweet and fiery, with a touch of spice. And, oddly, almonds. Perhaps my nose is broken from sniffing Hellcat all day yesterday? Perhaps, but I don't think so. Wet, the almondy note rises and then, poof, it's gone. What I'm left with is amber purring on my pulsepoints, with a high spice note in the background, like snorting ground ginger. I feel it between my eyes and at the back of my nose as I inhale. This could be potentially dangerous, and I'm praying I don't wind up with a migraine. Dry, this stuff has amazing staying power on me--7 hours later and I can still smell it. The punch-in-the-nose ginger has mellowed, but is still detectable. However, it goes from almost acrid in the beginning to a more alluring note as time goes by. The amber stays front and center the whole day, sweet and playful without being cloying. I have to wonder what my current hormones are doing to my body chemistry, and therefore, the scent. This may require retesting to determine whether it's a keeper or gets relegated to the swap bin... So far, undecided... Ye Gods, I love this stuff!