saralaughs

This is very sweet, almost honeyed baby powder on me. There is definitely a floral note there that is 'behind' the powder, jasmine perhaps? And a slight bit of wood or sandalwood. Very dry as well as sweet and powder-ish. Clean, too. ETA: Now that I have my own bottle, I can tell you that the floral note in here reminds me of night-blooming jasmine. There may be rose in this but it's way, way in the background. So much so you can't really tell it's there...so maybe it isn't. This is a heady, tropical fuzzy floral note. Maybe ylang? Anyway, beautiful!

I feel like this should be titled 'The Life of an Orange; Backward' First application is bitter orange; the zest. But that quickly goes away and is replaced by the juicy and it's not just oranges but mandarin. YUM. Juicy smelling and realistic, it's about the only kind of citrus I look forward to in blends. This is really the star for a bit and then it softly and slowing transforms into this glorious blossom. OMG. I love orange blossom. It's beautiful and heady and light and fresh and just floral enough. This is the note I get in Ravenous. ETA: I wore Ravenous today and it is dead-on to the orange blossom in this. Those that can't get Orange should definitely give that a go. Just beautiful. And a huge thanks to the lovely (crazy bitch) lady who sent me this.

Intial application is all white mint. The absinthe does peek out and doubles the astringent power of the mint, making it almost cleaner-ish. Very clean smelling thanks to the absinthe and mint, which I'm finding is a very nice note. I usually do not like mint but maybe white mint is different for me just like white rose. The vanilla is very soft and not at all strong but more of a cream smelling. I think this would be a good one for mint vanilla lovers to buy now and age.

First application, I get woods; teak and maybe oak? I'm unsure but they are very smooth. For some reason, I smell leather in this but it's very light, not at all the strong chemically leather that I am familiar with. I think that the leather that I percieve to be there may not be and is just the combined patch in this mixing with the woods. This reminds me of how I thought Spanked would smell like. Woods, a bit of leather, glorious patchouli that is slightly sweet and herbal with a bit of vanilla and spice. It's bold and assertive but not aggresive at all. Seemlessly blended and lovely.

Immediately after application, it's very creamy lemon. I do not get any of the blueberry at all. At one point it was almost edging into 'lemon cleaner' territory but it shied away from that. I get a burst of butter as well. Not so much the crust but butter. The butter calms down but is still there. Turns out to be a very creamy, fluffy-like lemon with a bit of something (hemlock maybe) in the background to keep it from being OMG FOODY. Like it a lot and this tells me not to be afraid of the hemlock anymore. May get a bottle.

Thunder & Blazes reminds me of how a rodeo clown would smell, which I think was Beth's intent. Dirt, sweet grass, a little leather, and I get a hint of apple? Must be the dragon's blood on me in this. Anyway, this is mainly sweet grass and dirt with that hint of leather way in the back. If you're a dirt lover, you need this.

OMGWTFBBQSAUCE!! No, I'm being serious. This is BBQ sauce on me. This is the kind of honey that was/is in Autumn Moon of the Mirror Stand. Unfortunately, that honey (with the addition of mayhap a bit of spice) turns to BBQ Sauce on me. Slather me and stick me on a damn spit because DAMN. It smells like good BBQ Sauce but still... IMO (and definitely compared to Ov5), this is a very sweet, cloying, heavy honey. Definitely sweet and sticky. There may be some amber in here as well but I doubt it. I agree with the bit of tea assesment though. And maybe, just a bit, of carnation. If you can't tell already, this is not for me.

First off, thanks to the lovely lady who generously supplied me with a tester. Upon application, I get apple; very tart and green. A bit of floral is there as well. As it goes into drydown, the tart apple all but disappears. It's still around, but in the background. The floral is more apparent and I like it. Very tropical. I can't pinpoint it but I'm thinking plumeria. It does go a bit sharp on me at one point as there is a jumble of notes screaming for attention: apple, floral, honey, coconut (now), and a bit of green. I love the coconut in here though. On my skin, it is no where near suntan lotion. It's fresh, smooth, and almost watery, like you just cracked one open. It's covered by this slightly sweet honey that is not cloying but fresh and herbal itself. Maybe that is where the green note I am smelling comes from? Lovely blend that I am so glad I got to try but not for me, thankfully.

It is a sweet floral scent. I also get a gentle green loam kinda thing going on in the background. Aquatic but not in your face about it. And an almost 'clean' dirt note in the background, mixing with the loam? I dunno how dirt can be clean but it is. I love it!

First applied, I get amber, very resinous and regal so I'm thinking Egyptian? Also myrrh, which goes sharp and powdery on me; not something I care for. The myrrh does back down though and lets the amber shine. There is also a very tropical floral here, mixing in with the amber, adding to that regal feel. Maybe some musk and perhaps a bit of coconut but way in the background. It does add a light-airyness that I like. So glad I could test (LUFF YOU AMAZING WOMAN!), but now I kinda want a bottle.

OMG WANT A BIG ONE. Er.... A big bottle! Cotton Candy! Musk! Some fruit with a bit of a waffle cone background. Yummy! Smells just like walking down the midway at your local fair. ETA: And BIG LOVE to the lady who sent me this.

Fig. Definitely fig. Too bad I do not like the smell of figs. It's definitely 'meaty' as was said above. I'm not getting many spices, if at all but the rice flower is really nice and does soften it up a bit. Not floral at all though.

Weird. Limey/lemon rose. Yet somehow it works and I'm not screaming for it to go away. Woody rose that is soft and a bit citrusy. I think oak really works on me. Nice to know.

Myrrh, my arch-nemisis. Powdery resin with a bit of smoke behind it, making it stronger. The orange blossom in this is very nice and stays quite true to form but it is almost nearly overcome by the myrrh for me. Great to try, not for me.

The GC version really does not work on me. The black currant does not like me and ends up smelling sort of cat pee-ish. This is a totally different story. Vanilla nutty cake on, it is rich and lovely. The nut vibe going on is completely seperate from the almond that I get as well. The almond is that clean sort of almond and lends a lovely background upon which this rich, vanilla nut cake rests. Lovely winner for me.

First applied, I get cinnamon red hots and a bit of pumpkin. Not pumpkin pie, raw pumpkin, candle pumpkin but pumpkin that has been cooked before adding any spices. The pumpkin fades fast though and is lost in the overwhelming sweet cinnamon that is present. Late in the drydown, the cinnamon subsides and gives way to this beautiful sweet pumpkin that is spicy but really sweet. A peak of blueberry pops out but it's only a peek. I really like the drydown but it takes a feck of a long time to get there.

I am So, sososos glad that the released version is what it is. Because I fucking love it. This version? Not so much. Very smooth musk. I think there may be a combination of musks in this one as I'm getting a lemony/soap tinge off it that is black musk's signature on my skin. The plum is more round here and lends this blend a fruitier vibe than that of the released. A bit sweeter and not as in your face. I think it may be a bit sweeter but I'm missing the depth that vanilla bean adds here as well so I think that may be missing or not as prominent in the blend as the released. But my patchouli is GONE. The released verion of MME Moriarty is MY patchouli blend and without it, it just is not as bold or sexy. It's kinda plain. I love you Beth. Thank you for making the released version what is it.

This is very much a 'pink' carnation instead of a 'red' carnation that I get from the released version. It's subdued but I dunno if that is in a good way. There is more sandalwood in this version as well as it is very dry on me. Amber makes it a bit powdery but not in a bad, high-pitched sort of way. More in a clean, kinda cuddly way. I don't find any of the creaminess that others may be getting either and the reported sugar has skipped town.

Almond, almost like raw almond. After application, there is an almost sharp green scent that immediately makes itself known. It reminds me of the sap that is present in High-Strung Daisies, although not as sweet. Maybe some sandalwood as it is a bit dry as well. I don't get any vanilla or musk.

Definitely a soft leather. And musk, but I'm unsure on the red. I'm actually thinking maybe brown musk as it's kinda furry feeling instead of that almost floral edge that red musk has on me. Definitely not black musk either as it doesn't have that lemon-tinge that black has on me, either. It goes on my skin as a deep brown oil, almost Snake Oil-like in color. But yes, leather; soft and snuggly musk with a bit of patchouli way into the drydown. Barely detectable and almost *not there* unless you are looking for it.

Black Opal. All those that you've mentioned though; really aren't 'vanilla' standouts for me, so it may just be possible that it isn't the vanilla that is ruining it for you.

I know retail onlys are available at the places that Will Calls are held, at least they are in the 'Dirty South'.

First applied, this starts out with a strong sasparilla note. ROOT BEER! That fades a bit though and I get spices, maybe some clove and anise. They aren't strong and play well with the root beer vibe I'm getting. The anise is nice in here, which I hardly ever say. It's not so licorice and more...anise. ::shrugs:: It definitely smells like fall or winter to me. I get maybe some orange or some sort of citrus in the background and then maybe wine? In drydown it reminds me very much of Zakok Allen Vinyard from the Yules of '09. So I think definitely some wine. Very nicely balanced blend and strong, too. Good throw and medium wear time.

Apples. Sweet apples that are crisp, juicy, and well...realistic. I am getting some sort of lush floral element in the background with a bit of sweetness. Maybe some apple blossom with a bit of amber. Very nice.

A very fresh yet spicy scent. I agree with the review above regarding the sugarcane but I don't get brown sugar at all. Brown sugar usually goes molasses on my skin and/or burnt caramel and this is way too clean of a scent for that. Maybe some bamboo? There is a sweet green-ness in the background that is reminiscent of Habu for me. The spice is almost cinnamon like on me, if not exactly that. But it's not hot at all. Maybe some amber. A clean (or cleansing maybe?) scent. Thanks so much to the lovely lady who sent me a tester.