Mergekat
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Posts posted by Mergekat
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That champagne fools with my nose a bit. It almost reminds me of more a fizzy pink grapefruit (see what I mean by nose foolery). It does have a brightness to it, but it's hard to say if it's for me. I get elements of champagne, pink grapefruit, fizzy cola, and oddly Sierra Mist soda in it (despite not having some of those mentioned notes). It does elevate my energy with the scent, but somehow feels very foreign wafting continuously around my olfactories. Definitely a good mood elevator, but somehow uncertain if it suits my scent personality preferences with its combo airiness and bubbliness.
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No description
When I hear of a Temple to the "Raven of War" I automatically think of the battle crow herself, the Morrígan. Known as the the ancient Irish Goddess of War, she is often associated with fate, especially with foretelling doom and death in battle. In this role she appears as a crow, flying above the battlefield.The Morrígan has thus been likened to the Valkyries of Norse mythology and Norns of Germanic mythology. Of course ravens are also associated with Odin of the Norse, but I digress and feel this scent invokes a more dark, feminine tone.
I went in blind on this as I love Kevin Hearne's Iron Druid series version of the Morrígan, whom has a primal, feral nature that should be tread with carefully. Honestly I'm guessing on the notes, but I'm safe in saying there is vetiver here. Not the burned kind but that inky darkness found in Black Moths and A Shadow in the Elevator. I also believe there is plum or a sweeter plum wine note in here as well. Add a bit of some musk and I've got this slinky lady in black feathers. When applied you may spell doom to some, but you'll smell lovely doing it.
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I tested my Unicorn Hunt bottle today. It reminds me a bit of the Velvet Tiger blend (likely the amber and vetiver), though it is a bit spicier from the currant and red wine notes. I can see why some have compared it to Red Hot Candies or Big Red Gum. It leans more to the festive Autumn and Winter scents for me. It is a fiery red unicorn! I think it has more akin to the nature of the Red Bull (from The Last Unicorn) than an actual unicorn. With those notes I was hoping for a fighting karkadann or a qilin creature version of the unicorn categories, and instead got the bull that hunts the unicorns. Uncertain now if it's a keeper as I may have to wait for the seasons to change to get a better perspective.
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Totally agree with the prior reply. Amazing scent, but also very exfoliating for after a shower. My skin feels softer and smoother.
Love it!
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Luper 2016's The Book is very much a love story!
It is like a lovely balance of scent elements from BPAL's Touched Twice and The Manuscript. Those who haven't dealt with the warm delicate rose in The Last Unicorns' Touched Twice will find it similarly in Yule's The Bear Prince (albeit that one has some musk added to it). The leather is much lighter then The Manuscript here, but it is certainly from the same swatch. The Book is very much a lambskin leather bound book flapped out by a vase of delicate, pink roses in a vase.
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"It's a bonny thing," said he. "Just see how it glints and sparkles. Of course it is a nucleus and focus of crime. Every good stone is. They are the devil's pet baits. In the larger and older jewels every facet may stand for a bloody deed. This stone is not yet twenty years old. It was found in the banks of the Amoy River in southern China and is remarkable in having every characteristic of the carbuncle, save that it is blue in shade instead of ruby red. In spite of its youth, it has already a sinister history. There have been two murders, a vitriol-throwing, a suicide, and several robberies brought about for the sake of this forty-grain weight of crystallised charcoal. Who would think that so pretty a toy would be a purveyor to the gallows and the prison? I'll lock it up in my strong box now and drop a line to the Countess to say that we have it."
The madness of avarice: rich patchouli-infused golden amber, leather, black oudh, and almond.
It's strangely giving me Inferno plus Tombstone vibes, but minus the cinnamon or sassafras of those. The amber and patchouli has the feel of woodiness similar to a cedar note. It's a nice dry scent with good throw. -
"Did he not advertise?"
"No."
"Then, what clue could you have as to his identity?"
"Only as much as we can deduce."
"From his hat?"
"Precisely."
"But you are joking. What can you gather from this old battered felt?"
"Here is my lens. You know my methods. What can you gather yourself as to the individuality of the man who has worn this article?"
I took the tattered object in my hands and turned it over rather ruefully. It was a very ordinary black hat of the usual round shape, hard and much the worse for wear. The lining had been of red silk, but was a good deal discoloured. There was no maker's name; but, as Holmes had remarked, the initials "H. B." were scrawled upon one side. It was pierced in the brim for a hat-securer, but the elastic was missing. For the rest, it was cracked, exceedingly dusty, and spotted in several places, although there seemed to have been some attempt to hide the discoloured patches by smearing them with ink.
"I can see nothing," said I, handing it back to my friend.
"On the contrary, Watson, you can see everything. You fail, however, to reason from what you see. You are too timid in drawing your inferences."
"Then, pray tell me what it is that you can infer from this hat?"
He picked it up and gazed at it in the peculiar introspective fashion which was characteristic of him. "It is perhaps less suggestive than it might have been," he remarked, "and yet there are a few inferences which are very distinct, and a few others which represent at least a strong balance of probability. That the man was highly intellectual is of course obvious upon the face of it, and also that he was fairly well-to-do within the last three years, although he has now fallen upon evil days. He had foresight, but has less now than formerly, pointing to a moral retrogression, which, when taken with the decline of his fortunes, seems to indicate some evil influence, probably drink, at work upon him. This may account also for the obvious fact that his wife has ceased to love him."
"My dear Holmes!"
"He has, however, retained some degree of self-respect," he continued, disregarding my remonstrance. "He is a man who leads a sedentary life, goes out little, is out of training entirely, is middle-aged, has grizzled hair which he has had cut within the last few days, and which he anoints with lime-cream. These are the more patent facts which are to be deduced from his hat. Also, by the way, that it is extremely improbable that he has gas laid on in his house."
"You are certainly joking, Holmes."
"Not in the least. Is it possible that even now, when I give you these results, you are unable to see how they are attained?"
"I have no doubt that I am very stupid, but I must confess that I am unable to follow you. For example, how did you deduce that this man was intellectual?"
For answer Holmes clapped the hat upon his head. It came right over the forehead and settled upon the bridge of his nose. "It is a question of cubic capacity," said he; "a man with so large a brain must have something in it."
"The decline of his fortunes, then?"
"This hat is three years old. These flat brims curled at the edge came in then. It is a hat of the very best quality. Look at the band of ribbed silk and the excellent lining. If this man could afford to buy so expensive a hat three years ago, and has had no hat since, then he has assuredly gone down in the world."
The shadow of declining fortunes: lime cream and bourbon vetiver with a dribble of candle wax.
The Battered Old Felt. It is an amazing concoction of clean lime cologne, and a deeper vetiver that borders between an aged, earthy, and wooly nature. Definitely NOT wooly like scratchy lambswool (or going down the wet fur vibe), but somehow a very soft, dry, fluffy felt (like angora). Literally comparing that part to a super soft scarf I own. -
The evening bell tolls their knell: hyacinth and snow-dusted honeysuckle, sweet with asphodel and honeyed vetiver.
Do the Dancing Maidens Sleep I've worn today. It's cold, twinkling, and almost a fragile blend. Like the delicate nature of BPAL's Maiden mixed with that cleanliness of the Sherlock Holmes scent. I think Hyacinth works well and appeals to this giving an airy, crystalline nature to this soft floral perfume. Big change in its last dropdown hours later as it really morphes to a warm and sweet vetiver for me. Kind of relaxing at the end. Cool or warm, both sides of this maiden are very interesting.
*Also even though I think this was from The Nutcracker this image reminds me of the feeling I get from this scent.
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I went with Fairy Tales and Lies today for work. I wanted a fresh scent that played well in public. Basically pretty, but not overpowering to the masses. Nose is still a bit congested, but I got that lovely lilac water that dries and softens to that amber chypre. I think the bergamot simply is there to brighten and enhance those prior notes. It somehow perfect for multiple ages. It is both endearingly sweet and girly; and yet there is clear, cool, and refreshing nature to it that makes it a perfect wear for an adult lady in the daytime. It's very much a step into childish memories of sweet stories. But underneath it there is the sense of newly refined tastes.
P.S. Got compliments, and gave out a couple BPAL sample imps to a fellow employee.
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I like him!
Dang it, Alan, why do you have to have to have such a sweet gigglemug‽ Yes, that is a Victorian slang word and perfectly sums up this character picture.
There are parts of it that remind me of the playful and inviting RPG: Bard (likely that spiced bay rum). And the sandalwood note is very soft and smooth. Perhaps that is why some people have been saying it has a cool breathiness to it like the Snow White blend. Somehow it's both warming and cooling because of its scent notes. You could say Alan is being hot and cold in his actions. The friendly, approachable gentleman that has been frozen into the friend zone by his childhood love. Yet he is still loyally there it she should need him. An appealing scent that I could see myself going back to for a lot of everyday use.
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Wood and copper mimicking life, dressed in a gentleman’s cologne. An elegant automaton wonder built to fascinate.
Had dreams of whirligigs and automatons, so I went with The Magician. Similar vibes to Paladin, but a lighter and brighter metal is being conveyed. Yeah, there is no knight's steely armor here. Frankly, it is a nice step up as Paladin can get a little too heavy and sharp with its metals. Must be a touch of bergamot in there as it is quite lovely. It's very clean, crisp, and yet has that gleaming metal note that reminds me of new copper wiring and polished brass.Side note: Checked out The Art of Crimson Peak book and saw some of the gears that made this magician come to life with its ball trick. Got to say, automatons really are something brilliant with all their intricacies.
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I get quite a bit of all those needed notes from Philologus.
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What a cute, yet perverse dragon. Quit staring at them!
The name and image is just perfect of those odd symbols that pop up in Medieval art, and frankly every time period since. Now I'm waiting on the Hieronymus Bosch symbol scents. Seriously where's that flute guy scent?
My impressions are that this scent is both bold, and yet playfully sweet at times. I get right away the dragon's blood and the red musk. It does not get over-powering and fiery throughout its application period for me. I know that if red musk is too strong I sometimes get dizzy from it; but it doesn't happen here. It's more of a little baby drake kept to a small sizzle thanks to the cooling and sweet honey. Think of the honey notes found in Lady Una or RPG: Elf. They are more of a green, subtly herbal made honey, rather than a sticky honeycomb smell. The honey and cream may seem unnoticeable, but they act to smooth out and keep the two more volatile notes on a controlled leash. Nothing worse than a rampaging dragon! The leather then acts to ground it and give it that shade of green that is almost "slithy" in nature. The throw of the perfume starts strong, but after the first hour becomes a more medium to soft throw for me. Hard to tell, though in Winter if it's always going to be that case. The little Creeper then played peek-a-boo throughout the day. It would seem to be gone, and then return with a wisp or a turn. See what I mean by being playful. I really like this little guy. I think I shall name him Gorbash.
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Honey streaked with red musk and saffron.
Utterly perfect.The hair gloss really has some shine and scent power to back itself up. This is what I wish the Sin Hair Gloss had been more like in its usage of red musk and throw. This one has an amazingly strong scent for me, even in this cold weather. The red musk is very smooth, enhanced with the usage of honey to it. The saffron adds a warming quality, but also something unexpected. It makes it almost have a dry woody vibe like I find in Shiny Furball. Despite that particular Halloween HG being a cedar wood note. It really utilizes what I love about those other hair glosses quite well. I may have to get a back-up as I may use this practically daily.
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A very lovely and delicate lavender perfume with a slight juiciness from the sweet fig. Similar but with less up-front throw to the Victorian Garden, which is probably because of its resiny Summer honey note in there. It's one of those calming, relaxing, and forgetting about the stress scents.
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This blood isn't for the faint. Dragon's blood lovers rejoice! I get right away a deep red blood vibe from the deamondrops draco. But it's so well blended with the other earthier elements. Honey gives it a resinous quality, and adds sweetness along with the boozy rum. The tobacco and vetiver ground it and give it a heavier base. If summed up: dragon's blood + candy + booze = Faint Blood Between Her Lips Perfume. A purchaser who likes similar notes in scents like the Ars Draconis series, Bard (RPG), Bloodlust, and Serpent's Kiss I think will certainly like it.
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MARS COROTIACUS
Mars of the Cavalry
A dark leather chypre with white sage and juniper berry.
I'm finding I really love the Lab's chypre and fougère blends. This is a perfectly clean, and yet a cool green scent! Imagine a dashing cavalryman wearing this on his days off. I found this to be a perfect conglomeration of what I love in the two fragrances of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Henry Jekyll. Now I visualize these characters crossing over literature; and meeting at the Diogenes Club to talk about puzzling matters (no Hyde or hair to be seen). There is that clean, refined leather note I get in Holmes. Then it goes a bit to the greenery side with the juniper (and possibly bergamot) I get in Jekyll's blend. Unlike Jekyll though it doesn't go powdery or sharp in its dry down, as I think that may occur from the use of cumin or basil there. Luckily, there is no cumin or basil noted here.
On application, this lasted pretty consistently for me at work for around 6-7 hours (though longer in a scent locket). -
I like this spicy and fruity scent mix!
I wasn't sure when bidding on it if it was more my kind of scent, or my sister's (who prefers more bubbly perfumes). But I really enjoy this blend! It smells like a red licorice rope rolled in cinnamon, or to be more exact like a red birch root beer. It makes me think of summertime and concession stand candies by the local ball park. This is one sticky sweet phoenix with a hint of warm spice to it as well. I give a 4 out of 5 stars for being a likable, nostalgic scent.
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Definitely get the men's cologne vibe too. But strangely smoother here that reminds me a bit of cola (Is that the bay rum mixed in?). I'm also picking up the traces of patchouli, and some floral which I assume is the tea rose. The rest must be well-mixed in there, because I only get those 3 main notes. I give it about 4 stars out of 5. I'll see how this one ages, and if other notes appear.
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I got this partial bottle and when I tried it I got a lovely, soft mix of the peanut brittle and caramel. It became saltier as it dried, but never got too foodie. It stayed close to the skin, and somehow morphed into a slightly sweeter version of Miskatonic University which seems all "oakwood" to me. I wish it had held on to the caramel a little longer. Though faint it lingered a full day later, and I still get scent traces of it on my hand. Nice, but it could have a stronger sweetness to it (in my opinion). I give it more of a 3.5 out of five stars.
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I got this 2011 version bottle and tried it out. On first application I got a wet, but definitely crisp mix of sandalwood and cedar. It seemed to have a medium throw and moderate staying power throughout the day. It morphed and became drier over time, and near the end and became kind of a smoky woods scent (which had also happened with RPG: Ranger tested on me too). I like it as woodsy themes work well for me, but I wish it had a stronger throw. I give it a 4 out of 5 stars.
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Such lovely, mechanical bees! I got a decant of this and I tried a few drops on today. It appears to have medium throw, but prefers to hold tight to the skin (unless in the summer heat). I'm getting the warmest of inviting scents. It at times smells more of smooth beeswax glazed in honey, but there are hints of the lemon balm and the sage there. I get multiple scent visuals that make think of Honey Nut Cheerios, then of honey-scented candles, and then of waxed brass metal. It blends in way that I get all these variations. I do with several individuals that it makes them think of "buzzing", and I can see that now with all the honey vibes I'm getting here. Which is perfectly fine for me, as bees are my favorite insects.
I give it a 4 out of 5, only because I wish it had a larger throw for enjoyment's sake.
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Maybe Ü from the Mütter Museum series.
On me it lasts a long time just on a few drops. It's very "green" with hints of balsam and resins in there too. It reminds me of being in a refreshingly cool, green house. I've worn it in several scenarios, and it still has consistent staying power (indoors, outdoors, in a hot car). It says in its description it has some leather and vanilla, but all I get is the greenery portion (so it must be faint, background notes). I put some droplets on my velvet necklace collar too, and it still lingers there even after two weeks.
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Just got this recently from the Mütter Museum. From the bottle sniff, I'm getting that green and woodsy scent, but obviously very concentrated there. Some might say there it's astringently so, but for me it's smells like something lovely thriving in a botany class. On application, I get that green balsam with the barest hints of some softened leather with light vanilla sweetness in the backgrounds. It has super throw which I love, and the balsam seems to stay around the most slowly letting the other scents mingle more as the hours pass (and it does last). At times I'm getting that green house vibe, and as it dries it becomes more like a model craft and hobby store that used to be in our town. Both sides are lovely, and seem to create comfort scents that also work as lovely fragrances to wear. I think I've found my favorite BPAL green/woodsy scent so far. Totally didn't expect that, since I was looking for a more dry paper/bookish scent. Hopefully, I'll find one that fits that description; but this is a perfect scent in its own "greenwood" style as I like to call it. Total 5 out of 5 for me.
The Small Brown Cat
in American Gods
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Warm brown fur, cardamom-infused bourbon vanilla, and a touch of cedarwood.
This American Gods perfume has elements of Tombstone (with its cedarwood note) and the nuzzly Mouse's Long and Sad Tale (likely from its bourbon vanilla). It comes across as warm, woodsy, and somehow furry vibes coming forward on little cat feet. Much like a kitty that has been sunning itself on an old cedar deck.