dementia_divine

2018 release. In the decant: Upon opening the decant, I am hit with a blast of jasmine, accompanied by some of the saffron-infused bourbon vanilla and honey. But mostly, JASMINE. Wet: The jasmine note is the most prominent note on my skin, followed by the honey. I can also smell the saffron aspect of the bourbon vanilla and the musky ambrette seed. Oddly enough, I’m not able to pick out either of the wood notes, but I suspect they’re adding some more warmth to the scent. Dry: The jasmine continues to reign, but it is softer now, and so is the honey (which is also a main player). I get more of the saffron-infused bourbon vanilla than before (especially the saffron), and I can still smell the musky ambrette. I’m still not able to pick out the woods or hay, but the scent is even warmer than before, and I am sure they likely have something to do with it. I really like this phase of the scent. Verdict: While I enjoyed the dry phase of this scent, I’m not sure if I’d want to endure the blast of jasmine and honey that I get when I apply it and wait for it to settle down. This isn’t something I feel the need to obtain more of, but I’m glad that I got a chance to try it!

Eerie billows of spun sugar, fluttering white cotton, and sheets of cream. 2012 version. In the decant: I have not tried the previous versions of Boo. I only have the hair gloss, and I once had the bath oil (but I used it up long ago). I get waaaay more white cotton from this decant than I do from my hair gloss, but I can still smell the spun sugar and cream. I am also getting a lot of lemon, and I wonder if that is from the sugar or the linen? Wet: Creamy, sugary, clean linen. The lemon-y aspect that I got in the decant is also present on my skin. Although it is sweet and creamy, it is definitely stronger on the white cotton note than my hair gloss is, so it has more of a clean, breezy quality to it. Dry: This makes me think of clean, vanilla-scented linen drying outside on a summer breeze. It’s like musky vanilla cream and clean linen. However, the boy think it smells like sunscreen on me. Sad! Verdict: I’m going to hold on to my decant and retest it on a day I’m actually wearing the hair gloss. I like it, but not nearly as much as the hair gloss (which I love).

In the decant: I can smell the fog, the sugar-crusted vanilla, and the cherry and lemon notes. I’m not getting anything sinister from the decant. Wet: The fog note unravels on my skin, with a bit of cherry, lemon, and vanilla behind it. The fog in this does not remind me of Fog Machine Juice whatsoever, which makes me happy, as my skin chemistry did not get along with that one. It smells like a light vanilla fog from a fog machine doing its best to obscure everything else in the room, but it’s simply not able to hide everything. The cherry and lemon in the background smell candy-like to me. Dry: This took a sharp turn on me. I’m still getting a lot of fog with a light vanilla, and I don’t know if it is the sour lemon combining with another note or something else entirely, like a hint of men’s cologne? It’s not as sweet as it was before. After a few hours, it’s a really light vanilla-tinged fog with a hint of lemon. Verdict: Alternative Facts is an interesting scent journey that perfectly matches its description! I think it’s nice. I preferred the wet stage of the scent, and if it had remained that way, I would have considered a bottle. But the dry stage is a little too sharp on me. I’m super glad that I got to try it, though! (Thanks for the tester, VetchVesper!)

Blackened patchouli, clove bud, honey oudh, pomegranate pulp, and a splash of whiskey. This was my original impression at Drag Con: “I was not expecting to like this one, but I ended up buying a bottle. It's mostly clove and blackened patchouli to me, and I adore clove. I think it's the black clove note I love in the grave soil HG." Now, I'm testing it on a paper towel to try to review it properly: I am hit with a blast of whiskey and blackened patchouli, and then the wonderful black clove note emerges, which quickly becomes the most prominent note. I do get some pomegranate pulp, but it is not nearly as strong as the other notes. I'd say it's mostly black clove, followed by the blackened patchouli, whiskey, and oudh, with just a little pomegranate pulp. It's boozier than it was when I sprayed it at Drag Con, but my nose was probably just overwhelmed by scent by that point. I don't have any wigs to use this on, but I think I'll spray it on my clothes when I wear scents like Wednesday's Child is Full of Woe or the Black Clove, Tobacco Flower, and Grave Soil HG. I'm glad I grabbed a bottle! I love the clove in this one.

French lavender, white musk, vanilla bourbon, crushed violet petals, orange blossom, and sugar cane. At Drag Con, this was my scent impression of Lavender Wig Spray, which I had sniffed from the bottle and sprayed in the air a few times: Orange blossom and lavender that's been sweetened by vanilla were the notes that stood out to me. I did get some crushed violet, but it wasn't as strong as the other notes. When I got home from Drag Con on Saturday night, I spritzed this all over my bedding before passing out, and it was this amazing sugared, vanilla lavender further sweetened by the crushed violets (which I got more of than I did at the Con) and a bit of orange blossom. Now, I'm spraying it on a paper towel to do a proper review. I get sweetened lavender (thanks to the vanilla and sugar cane), sweet, crushed violet, and white musk, and then the orange blossom and white musk start to come out more after the initial spray. Violet and orange blossom can be problem notes on my skin, so I'm glad to have this in wig spray form, since I can spray it on my clothes and bedding and not have to worry about skin chemistry issues. This is very purple. It ends up being sugared, vanilla-ed lavender, crushed violet, and white musk, with just a bit of orange blossom in the background. I am very happy to have a bottle (but I am kicking myself for not buying two).

In the decant: I am not familiar with the scent of the actual flower, but it does smell sweet and purple in the decant! Wet: Definitely a sweet, purple, springtime flower. And it’s a strong one, too. Dry: It’s softer now, but still going strong. The lush carpet of flowers in the description is spot on! And it really does smell purple and white. Verdict: I’m glad that I got to try this. This is a lovely, sweet, purple springtime floral, and I look forward to pairing it with other floral single notes I have and experimenting with it! I don’t think it’s a single note I’d wear on its own, though.

In the decant: Smoke, leather, and floral perfume. I tested this at Drag Con and mostly got a lot of smoke and leather from it at first with the floral perfume coming out more later, but I didn’t really get any vanilla. I’m excited to do a proper test! Wet: Smoke and leather, with the floral perfume note not far behind. I wonder if the floral perfume note features sandalwood or benzoin, as something in this reminds me of Kit (or maybe it’s the marjoram or a dry vanilla?). They both have the same dry quality about them. Dry: The same dry quality that is present in Kit is the main thing I am getting from Liz. That accompanied by some smoke. Verdict: I like this, and I’m really glad that I got to test it without tons of other scents on my arms! It’s not something I need a bottle of, given that I already own Kit, and this is very reminiscent of that on me -- but if you want something similar to that, or are looking for a really dry scent, give this one a whirl.

In the decant: This is floral, herbal, and fruity. I can smell the freesia, jasmine tea, red currant, and mint. Wet: The florals and jasmine tea stand out to me the most, but I’m also getting the mint, red currant, and some thyme. Dry: Now it smells like the scent of flowers and red currant being carried on a cool breeze. I am getting soft florals, red currant, and mint. This scent is light and stays close to the skin. After a few hours of wear, I mostly smell the thyme and mint with some very soft flowers in the background. Verdict: I enjoyed the wet stage of this scent the most. I wish the thyme didn’t end up becoming as prominent as it did on me. I’m beginning to think I amp that note. Overall, I think The East is nice and that the scent is fitting for what it represents, but I don’t think I need to obtain more of it.

In the decant: A cascade of florals! But these are soft florals. The jasmine doesn’t appear to be a heady variety. Wet: I am getting the bright orange blossom and freesia, and what I think might be the wisteria, that are going somewhat sharp on my skin, backed by the soft jasmine and the other flowers. Fortunately, the sharper notes quickly calmed down for the most part, although the orange blossom’s bitter quality remains present, and now the thyme note has added a green aspect to the scent. The jasmine, orange blossom, and thyme are the only notes I am able to pick out for sure, but I think I’m also getting the camellia note from the Trading Post’s Fallen Woman hair gloss. Dry: Alas, I am getting even more thyme than before. Lots of thyme and soft, somewhat soapy florals. Verdict: Jasmine Cottage does smell evocative of what it represents, but it is not a scent for me. I am glad I got to try it, though!

In the bottle: Lots of crushed grass, white musk and ozone, and a bit of lavender. I think there are some flowers in this crushed grass. Wet: I’m getting the white musk, ozone, and crushed grass, which I still think is dotted with flowers, and a little lavender. It smells very clean. Dry: The ozone and white musk have calmed down somewhat, and I’m getting more of the crushed grass (and its flowers). The lavender in this is soft, and the scent is warmer now. Verdict: I took a chance on this one because I originally wanted a bottle when it was available, but I ended up passing on it because I knew I’d need multiple bottles of Lilith’s HG and The Serpentine. I don’t dislike the scent, but it’s not one that I could see myself wearing. I wish I had gotten more of the lavender from it. I think it would be a nice room scent, though, so I think I will try it in an oil burner and see how that goes.

I haven't tried the original version. In the decant: The orris note stands out to me the most. Orris and I are not friends, so of course it would be the most prominent note to my nose. I also get some of the resins and the musk of the Snake Oil. Wet: I am getting lots of orris, some white frankincense, and the smoky black copal backed by a Snake Oil base (with the musk being the most prominent part of the Snake Oil to me here, and then the spices). It smells like I dived into a pool of baby powder, because orris hates me. Dry: Alas, it is still an orris party on my skin, with the resins lingering behind the powdery orris The Snake Oil is light, lurking in the background. I mostly smell its vanilla with just a hint of its spices. Verdict: I’m really glad I got to try this one, but King Cobra is one snake that just does not mesh with my skin chemistry (thanks, orris).

2016 version. In the decant: Vetiver and coconut-infused Snake Oil with some opoponax in the background. Vetiver and I are not friends, but I am on a quest to try all of the Snake Pit scents, so here goes! Wet: The Snake Oil in this is strong. In some of the Snake Pit blends, the Snake Oil is just a light base, but that is not the case with this one. I get lots of coconut with the Snake Oil, the smoky vetiver, and some cola-like opoponax and some extra vanilla. Dry: There’s lots of coconut, some vetiver (I think it’s the bourbon vetiver of Wulric the Wolfman -- the only kind that has worked for me thus far), and some vanilla and opoponax on a soft bed of Snake Oil. Verdict: I did not expect this one to work on me, but it was a pleasant surprise! I’m going to have to give this one a full-day test to see whether or not I need a bottle, but I’ll definitely enjoy using up this decant!

In the decant: Radishes, soft soil, and herbs. The radish and soil notes in this are softer than in Doozers. Wet: Super herb-y! I am getting lots of herbs with a soft soil note and a hint of radishes. I am getting a soft floral note as well, which makes sense since it is a garden, and there’s a sweetness to it that I think could be beets. But maybe it’s just the sweet herbs and floral with the soft earth and the peppery radish (which isn’t nearly as strong as it is in Doozers). There’s an episode of Fraggle Rock in which the mother Gorg mentions the radishes being used in a beauty cream. I can’t help but wondering if these herbs, mixed with the radishes, is what that cream would smell like. Dry: It’s sweeter than it was before. The herbs and soft floral still dominate, backed by the soft soil note (which is not as moist or as strong as the Lab’s graveyard dirt note). The radish note lingers far in the background, as if these radishes haven’t been harvested yet (or maybe the Fraggles ran off with them). There’s no sign of the Trash Heap that lives in the Gorgs’ garden in this scent, although I know if Beth were to create a scent just for her, it would be spot on! Verdict: The Gorg’s Garden is a lot more pleasant than I thought it would be. I don’t think I need a bottle of it, but I’m really glad I got to try it!

Pumpkin spice that funeral home! In the decant: I have bottles of Pumpkin Spice Snake Oil and Pumpkin Spice Perversion, and in both of those, it's mainly the GC scent with only a bit of pumpkin spice. While I can smell more of the pumpkin spices in Pumpkin Spice Embalming Fluid (since it is a much lighter scent), it's still predominantly the green tea and lemon of Embalming Fluid with just a little bit of spice in the background. Wet: Warm pumpkin spices bursting through the green tea, lemon, and aloe of Embalming Fluid. The pumpkin spice in this doesn't actually make this smell like spices to me – it just makes the scent smell really warm. After a minute, the white musk note emerges. Dry: This is still predominantly Embalming Fluid with just a bit of added warmth from the pumpkin spice, but the spices are stronger during this stage. Verdict: I was really curious about how Embalming Fluid would play with the pumpkin spices. The answer is mostly just like regular Embalming Fluid with some added warmth.

I tested this at DragCon and posted my impression of in the Con thread, but since I only really got to pay attention to it when it was freshly applied to one of my boyfriend’s fingers, I decided to get a decant of it to do a proper test. In the decant: When I tested this at the convention, I thought this one was rather cologne-y, and now I see why. I am only getting the aftershave from the decant. Wet: The aftershave is the most prominent aspect of the scent, but now I can smell the leather behind it. It’s not a sharp chemically black leather, and it is not nearly as strong as the aftershave note. I totally get TTP’s description of cute boy that’s used Irish Spring soap in a leather jacket. I’m not getting any of the greasepaint. Dry: The aftershave note still dominates, but it’s softer than it was before, and I’m getting more of the leather now. There’s something in the background now that I think may be the greasepaint note, or perhaps the oiled part of the leather. I’m not sure. Verdict: I think this one is nice. I don’t think it’s something I’d reach for myself, but it’s something that I would appreciate on a guy. I’ll have to try it on mine and see if he likes it. It’s too bad that I’ve never encountered a metalhead that actually smells like this!

In the decant: This is a lot sweeter than I was expecting! I can smell the sweet balsam and the lavender the most in the decant. Wet: The sweet balsam note is the dominant note on me, but I can also smell the leather now, what must be the thieves’ rosin, the white sandalwood, and the lavender. The balsam, rosin, and lavender stand out the most to me, followed by the leather, with the sandalwood in the background. The leather in this is either a softer, worn variety, or being tamed by the other notes. I am really enjoying this so far. As it begins to dry, I start to get more of the thieves’ rosin, and I wonder if it contains amber. I think the white sandalwood is contributing a slight dusty quality, but it is not a super dry white sandalwood. I think it’s the same one used in Mouse’s Long and Sad Tale. Dry: The sweet balsam and thieves' rosin reign, and I think this is the balsam from Tombstone, which is one of my favorite scents. It’s backed by the soft leather note, which I think may be the leather from Outlaw, and then the lavender. Verdict: I bought this one on a whim because it has lavender listed as a note and I was curious about the thieves’ rosin (as I haven’t tried the RPG scent). It ended up being a big win on me! Now I’m not sure if my decant will be enough. I may need a bottle of this one before it goes away! *edit* I have amended my review after trying the GC Thieves' Rosin, as I noticed that it creates the fluffy, sweet resinous vibe I get from this scent and is actually a main player here. I also want to say that this is my favorite scent from The Fool's Journey: The Magician.

In the bottle: Chocolate (I think one is milk chocolate, and there may be some cocoa in here as well, but there's no cocoa absolute floating in this) with vanilla buttercream (made with vanilla extract). Now I want some cake. Wet: Chocolate with thick vanilla buttercream. Even though the description mentions three chocolates being present in this blend, I am getting a lot of the vanilla buttercream. It quickly becomes the strongest note on me. So it's not as chocolate-y as one might expect (certainly not as chocolate-y as Bliss). Dry: The vanilla cream is still the dominant note on me, with some chocolate lingering in the background. So I guess on my skin, it's more Pickle than chocolate? I tried it on the boy, and it was heavy on the vanilla buttercream on him, too. Verdict: I told myself that I was not allowed to buy any more chocolate scents, and then I caved and got this because this is a Lilith creation. Well, it ended up working out because it's more vanilla buttercream than chocolate on me anyway. I am happy that I have a bottle, not only because I smell like vanilla buttercream and chocolate, but also because it features some of the most adorable Lilith artwork yet. (It's a bar of chocolate and a pickle holding what appears to be an ice cream cone, sundae (there's a cherry on top), or snowcone on a boat with a heart on the sail.) Thanks to my wonderful fairy for picking this one up for me!

Thanks to my lovely fairy for picking this up for me! In the bottle: On initial sniff, I smelled Dorian. So I got out some Dorian to compare (an aged bottle of Dorian and a fresh bottle of Dorian hair gloss). This is definitely softer and cleaner. It does not smell super sugary, either, so this cotton candy is either light (like in Pink Fuzzy Handcuffs) or flavored. Wet: This is much, much softer than straight-up Dorian. I'm currently getting the pale musk and a bit of the lemon-y white tea and fougere of Dorian, but I have to say that normal Dorian is sweeter than this is on me. Alas, I am not getting any cotton candy from this. Dry: This still reads as musky and clean to my nose... which makes sense if it is supposed to represent slime, but not cotton candy plus Dorian. Much later, it becomes really masculine on me (and I see Dorian as a unisex scent). It reminds me of another scent, although I'm having trouble identifying which one. I keep thinking Odin or Mister Wednesday, but I don't have an imp of Odin anymore to compare to this. So maybe there's some herbs or wood at play here? Verdict: I am going to let this one age a bit and revisit it. I typically love Dorian and its variations, so I am surprised that this was not love at first sniff. If I am not able to get some cotton candy out of this with some age, or even the usual sugared vanilla tea of Dorian, I will have to send it somewhere where it will be more appreciated. *edit* I originally reviewed this the day after it arrived. I am retesting Slime Queen after it has had over a week to settle. I have Slime Queen on one hand and Dorian on the other. Slime Queen is definitely sweeter than when I originally tested it and does possess a sugared quality to it, but it's like Pink Fuzzy Handcuffs in that the cotton candy component isn't as strong as you would expect (in other words, not like Midway). Slime Queen now smells a sugared pale musk and fougere scent. I am so glad that I am getting more sweetness from it than I did before, and I highly recommend letting it settle for a little longer and retesting it if it doesn't work for you the first time.

A blend of Indonesian red patchouli, red sandalwood, and frankincense. This soap was made for the Black Phoenix Trading Post by Bakermancy. Those that avoid buying products that contain palm oil will be glad to hear that it is palm oil-free. However, it does contain silk, so this particular bar isn't vegan-friendly. I believe Puddin' had mentioned offering both silk and silk-free versions, so that may still be happening, but the ones at the booth were the silk versions. Here are the ingredients: Olive Oil, Organic Unrefined Shea Butter, Virgin Organic Coconut Oil, Castor Oil, Distilled Water, Sodium Hydroxide, Silk Peptide, Activated Charcoal, Dark Red Brazilian Clay, Pink Brazilian Clay, and Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab Fragrance. The bar is a 4.5 oz bar. Anne Bonny is not an exfoliating soap. The soap creates a lot of lather and leaves my hands feeling really soft! This is probably the most strongly scented of the three new soaps, with the red patchouli being the note that stands out in particular. (Side note: I think all of the new soaps are stronger, scent-wise, than the ones made by for the Trading Post by Villainess.) I can still smell Anne Bonny really strongly on my skin after washing my hands with it, so I think this will make a lot of patch fans happy. I'm glad I bought a bar and look forward to covering myself in Anne Bonny suds before wearing scents like Snake Oil and Revenant Rhythm (and of course, Anne Bonny herself)!

Mokey is not a scent that is likely to work on me, given that it contains violet and orris, but I wanted to try it anyway because I want to test all of the Fraggle Rock scents. In the decant: I can smell the sweet violet sugar, followed by the lilac, and then the orris. I'm not very good at picking out osmanthus, and I'm not familiar enough with stephanotis (though I've tried a few scents with that note listed). Wet: This is a light purple and green floral scent. I can smell the lilac and orris, with the sweetness of the violet, with some white floral note and some greenery. It's becoming more powdery as it sits on my skin (thanks, orris). Dry: I am getting more of the violet sugar now. It has become the dominant note, followed by the powdery orris and soft florals. It's a sweet, soft, and clean floral scent. Verdict: Mokey is, as I suspected, not for me. But I do think the fragrance fits her character!

In the decant: Sugared, spicy carnation backed by phlox. Wet: The sugared, spicy carnation is the most prominent note on me, which is what I expected since I amp the note. I do get some of the phlox behind it, which I recognize from the Trading Post's Phlox bath oil from a few years ago. It definitely smells pink. Dry: I'm surprised the spicy carnation didn't stomp all over the phlox! The sugared carnation continues to reign, but I can still smell the gentle phlox, and I am getting more of it than I did before. Verdict: As a fan of sugary florals, I'm glad I got to try this one! It's not something I need more of, but I think I'll hold onto the decant and pair it with Alice HG.

In the decant: Sprinkles (some of which may be chocolate, because I do get a bit of chocolate from this), vanilla, almond, and creamy frosting. Wet: Sprinkle-adorned frosting, with some of the sprinkles being fruity and some being of the chocolate variety. I think there is some vanilla extract and almond extract in this concoction. SO MUCH SUGAR. Dry: For the first time I have gotten the dreaded Play-Doh! Why ya gotta be like that, Sprinklecake? Verdict: Alas, Sprinklecake is one cake that is not for me, which is too bad, as I am a slut for super sprinkle-y things. (Sprinkle doughnuts? My favorite. Sprinkle cupcakes? The sprinklier, the better. Sprinkle sandwiches? Yes, I make those with De Ruijter sprinkles from the Netherlands, which are far superior to the sprinkles we have in the US. I also use them in scones and pour a them over vanilla ice cream.) Maybe I'll try it in the oil burner to see if I get a better sprinkle experience.

In the decant: Sponge cake, spicy red carnation, strawberry cream, accompanied by some bright grapefruit. Wet: The sponge cake and carnation are the first notes that jump out at me, and the carnation overtakes the cake, because I tend to amp it. I get some of the strawberry cream in the background, but I'm not getting super strong strawberry cream from this (probably because the carnation has taken over). Dry: The carnation still dominates, and I'm getting the zing of the white grapefruit now. I can still smell the sponge cake, but it's not nearly as strong as it was when first applied. The strawberry cream remains in its background role, but I smell a bit more of it than I did before. After a few hours, the carnation calms down somewhat, and I get more of the strawberry cream, with the sponge cake and zing of grapefruit in the background. It's now mostly a warm, creamy scent with a bit of effervescence from the grapefruit. Verdict: I'm really glad I got to try this one! I was afraid of the strawberry, but of course, it was the carnation that was the main player on me. I don't feel the need to hunt down more of it, since it was more carnation than cake and grapefruit on me, but it is nice. I think I'll hang on to the decant and pair it with Alice HG.

In the decant: The Lab's banana note (which reminds me of banana Laffy Taffy), cake (which I think may be yellow cake), and vanilla ice cream. Wet: I'm getting the banana and the cake, followed by the vanilla ice cream. The cake note is stronger on me than it was in the decant, and I'm still thinking it may be yellow cake. Then, the vanilla ice cream note becomes stronger, so that it's mostly cake and vanilla ice cream with a bit of banana. Dry: The vanilla ice cream note is even stronger than it was before (it's now the dominant note), and it reminds me of the vanilla ice cream of Detestable Putrescence when I first got a bottle. I am still getting a lot of cake, while the banana note remains faint before disappearing completely. I can see the banana pudding/Nilla wafer association while it lasts, though! Verdict: I had originally intended to get a bottle of this back in 2016, but there were so many lavender scents that called to me that year (some of which I needed multiple bottles of), as well as Outlaw, with its sassafras, so this one didn't end up making the cut. I am thrilled that I was frimped a decant of this (thanks, Aveya! ), as it is a lovely vanilla ice cream and cake scent. I will cherish my decant.

Wulric, I am sorry I did not try you sooner. (I have not tried the original.) When you were rereleased, I did not know that bourbon vetiver was not the mean BBQ variety, and I was not sure what your wild musk would be like, but now I see that you're the cuddly creature that everyone has claimed you to be. In the decant: I get lots of cocoa (which has separated from the other oils, so I rolled it around a lot) accompanied by an herbal lavender and other herbal notes. The cocoa absolute is the strongest note on my skin, but I also get a fair amount of herbal lavender and what I think may be the birch tar. It's cozy and comforting. When I saw people listing this as a wonderful bedtime scent, I was iffy about wearing a scent with cocoa in it to bed, but this herbal lavender and cocoa scent is so relaxing that I'm not sure I'd want to wear it as a daytime scent. As the scent sits on my skin, the cocoa becomes less prominent, and the lavender and herbal notes (I'm thinking the herbal bourbon vetiver and the clary sage, but I am not sure) gain strength. I can tell that there's vanilla present, but it is not a main player on me. After a while, I start getting more of the musk and clary sage with the lavender, but this isn't a scent that I feel like I can review properly just by picking out the notes. The scent becomes sweeter, thanks to the musk (which isn't the grape-y variety, fortunately!), the cocoa, the vanilla, and the herbal notes calming down. Verdict: Wulric is going to come live with me in my next order, and I think that will just be the first of many bottles.