dementia_divine

In the imp: Super sweet! I'm only getting the sweet notes from the imp. The molasses and the sugar cane are the strongest notes to my nose. Wet: I can smell all of the notes on my skin. This is a warm, sweet, scent, with the molasses, sugar cane, and honey being the most prominent notes on me. If the oak is here, it is content to hide in the background, which is okay with me, since it can sometimes be sharp and cologne-like on my skin. Dry: Now the sugar cane reigns. The molasses has calmed down, and the honey has come out more. I'm reminded of another scent – perhaps Give Me Thy Breath, My Sister? Yes, I think that's it, with its honeyed cotton candy note. Yaaaaaaaas. After a while, the molasses note reasserts itself so that it becomes mostly molasses and sugar cane again. The oak note is present now, but it just plays a role in the background. Verdict: Why didn't I try this before? It was probably the oak note that was listed that made me refrain from doing so, but this isn't a woody scent on me at all. I'm not sure that I need a bottle, but I'm definitely keeping my imp.

In the imp: Sweet, white flowers mixed with a bundle of more astringent ones that do seem representative of salty tears. Wet: The astringent floral notes are the most prominent on my skin. Beneath them, I can smell the soft lily of the valley and sweet hyacinth. Dry: The lily of the valley and hyacinth notes are playing a bigger role now, and the scent smells sweeter and less tear-soaked than before. After a while, I still get lily and hyacinth, but with a soft aquatic vibe. Verdict: The scent is evocative of its name. I think it is pleasant, but probably not something I'd choose to wear over other florals in my collection.

In the imp: Honeyed herbs over some light resins. I had expected this to be a lot heavier due to the myrrh. Wet: At first, this is all honeyed herbs on me. After a few minutes, the resins emerge, but they are not the stars of the show. Dry: The honeyed herb notes still reign. The resins are stronger during this phase of the scent, but the myrrh has not managed to take over. I think I'm getting the embalming herbs and the storax the most. It's sweeter than before and dare I say floral with the resins behind the honeyed herb-y floral sweetness. Verdict: I thought this would be resin-heavy, but it wasn't like that on me at all! The unexpected sweetness was a nice surprise for me. The scent is nice, but it is not something that I can see myself reaching for.

In the imp: This is one of those scents that reminds me of something, and it took me a while (and much sniffing) to pinpoint exactly what it was making me think of: it makes me think of picking raspberries when I was a child. Wet: On my skin, it does not make me think of prying raspberries from their bushes. It's decidedly more green and floral, with the juicy raspberries in the background. After a few minutes, the raspberries do get their wish for a bigger role, and I'm also starting to smell some woods in the background. Dry: Berries drifting over the scent of greenery and flowers. There is some spiciness to this, which I think is likely due to a carnation note. I can't help wondering if there is chrysanthemum in this, too. The berry note now reminds me more of blackberries than raspberries, although it was very distinctly a red berry earlier – I wonder if there's violet in this that's combining with the berry and making me think that, or if I'm just getting another berry note during this stage of the scent. After a while, I still get the berries, but now they're accompanied by soft flowers, and something light and sweet in the background. Verdict: I thought this would be a very floral scent, but oddly enough, it was very much a berry scent on me. After sifting through the reviews, wondering if I had gotten a mislabeled imp, it appears that I'm the only one to get raspberries from this, but at least some others have mentioned fruits of some kind. Although I generally dislike smelling like berries, I appreciate this scent. But I doubt I'd end up reaching for this.

A disconcerting scent, heavy and oppressive, through which no light, no matter, and no spirit can escape. Black opium, labdanum, opoponax, black orchid, and benzoin. In the imp: Sweet, incense-y, and resinous. I think the notes I'm getting are the black orchid, opium, and opoponax, but I'm not positive. Wet: I am getting the sweet, black orchid along with some really potent opium, with the labdanum and opoponax lingering behind those notes. It is disconcerting, almost like static. Dry: The sweet, black orchid note continues to reign, followed by the opium, but the opium has calmed down significantly, and the labdanum is more noticeable. After a while, I am getting the black orchid and cola-like opoponax along with the sweet benzoin note, with some opium and labdanum in the background. Verdict: This ended up being a lot sweeter than I was anticipating, thanks to the black orchid. Orchid isn't really my cup of tea, but those that enjoy the note should give this one a try, despite the heavy notes listed here.

In the imp: This reminds me of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Bat! I'm mostly getting the melon, gin, and juniper from the imp. Wet: This is definitely the same melon found in Twinkle, Twinkle Little Bat. I think it's a honeydew melon, backed by the effervescent gin and juniper. Dry: The melon note still reigns, and now I'm not sure if it is honeydew or cantaloupe, although it definitely reminded me of the former during the wet stage of the scent. The melon is now sweetened by the honey note, with the gin content to stay in the background. After a while, I get some tobacco mingling behind the honey and melon notes. The honey gets stronger over time, and the melon ends up calming down. It becomes a honey-laden gin and melon scent accompanied by some smoky tobacco with just a hint of chili pepper in the background. Verdict: I didn't expect this one to be so fruity and sweet for so long! It's like Twinkle, Twinkle Little Bat accidentally flew into a bar, and then had to roll around in some honey to recover. This is too fruity (and gin-y!) for me, but I'm glad that I got to try it.

In the imp: The lemongrass note stands out to me the most, with the other notes lingering behind it. Wet: Lemongrass and jasmine are the first notes to emerge, with the lemongrass being particularly potent. After a few minutes, I get the rose and patchouli. Dry: This is still lemongrass like whoa, followed by the jasmine and rose. I get some of the patchouli in the background, and some cedar behind that. Then, the sandalwood and cedar notes start playing more of a role, and the sandalwood ends up duking it out with the lemongrass on my skin. In the end, the sandalwood wins the battle, so that it's mainly a sandalwood and lemongrass scent with some cedar, patchouli, and a bit of rose in the background. Verdict: This one isn't really my cup of tea, but I'd recommend it for fans of sandalwood and lemongrass.

In the imp: I'm not familiar with the notes listed, but I can definitely say that it doesn't remind me of beer at all. It smells lightly grassy and herbal. Wet: Weedy, herbal, and floral. I think I am either smelling the marsh arrow grass or hogweed the most. It still doesn't really make me think of beer... sometimes I think I get the impression of the foam on top of a wheat-y beer, but mostly, it's just a light herbal and floral scent. Dry: There's an aquatic vibe to this that is more present in this stage than the wet one. It smells more marsh-like than beer-like to me. It's aquatic (yet not soapy), herbal, floral, soft, and sweet. While the yew berries might be adding some sweetness, I'm not getting any note that's distinctly berry to my nose, which is good, because I generally am not fond of berry scents. Verdict: This one was a lot better than I was expecting (given that I'm not fond of beer)! I actually think it's rather pleasant, but I don't think I'd elect to wear it over other scents in my collection.

In the imp: Hmm. I do get some warmth and spice (probably cinnamon) that probably represent the flaming coals, but I think that's behind some sweet floral note. It is not as dark as I was expecting it to be. Wet: The first note that jumps out on my skin is a sweet floral, with the cinnamon or cassia (or maybe cinnamon bark?) right behind it. I think the sweet floral note could be lotus, but not a variety reminiscent of bubblegum on my skin... I'm thinking black lotus. Dry: The main notes on me are now what I believe to be black lotus and spicy red carnation. I tend to amp that carnation note, and that's what I'm getting here. The lotus note seems to be getting sweeter over time, while the carnation is determined to get spicier. Verdict: Not what I would have guessed, given the description! This isn't a scent I'd elect to wear myself, but if you're looking for a sweet and spicy floral, you might enjoy this.

In the imp: The crushed rose leaf is the note that stands out to me the most. It really makes me think of a crushed rose petal more than a leaf, though. Sometimes, I smell a mature red rose, and other times, I get a fresh red rose like The Rose or Rose Red. Wet: The mature red rose note is the first note to greet me, but behind that, I am getting fresh greenery. Dry: After the leaf note calms down, this is mainly a red rose scent. The rosewood is lingering in the background, with just a bit of the warm hazel beyond that, but both of these notes are far behind the rose component. Verdict: This isn't the kind of rose scent I prefer (as a fan of roses that are either sugared with some note or not accompanied by greenery), but I'm glad I was able to try it.

In the imp: Poppies, backed by some honey and acai berry. Wet: The poppies reign on my skin, but I'm also getting a lot more of the acai berry than I did in the imp. The honey note is present, but it is not a main player on my skin. Dry: The honey is stronger during this phase, making this a honeyed poppy scent, sweetened by the acai berries. Eventually, the acai berries end up overtaking the poppy note, so that it's a berry scent with a honeyed floral in the background. Verdict: Berry scents are not my thing, but this was more pleasant than I thought it was going to be.

In the imp: Lots of wasabi and black tea! I'm not really getting the honey in the imp at all. Wet: Ah, there's the honey note. It's adding a sweetness to the scent, but it isn't as prominent as the wasabi and the black tea leaf, which isn't the black tea note with a licorice-y quality. The scent is somewhat clean, lemon-y, and vegetal. As the scent sits on my skin, the black tea note ends up being the dominant note Dry: This winds up being primarily black tea leaf on me, lightly sweetened by a bit of honey, with a kick from the wasabi. It's a very light, clean scent, for the most part. Verdict: Not my tea scent of choice, but it was better than I thought it would be. I'm glad to have gotten to try a perfume with wasabi as a note!

In the imp: The patchouli root and moss are the strongest notes in the imp. The red currant adds a tartness to the scent, but refrains from making it fruity, and the crushed violets do have a crushed aspect about them. Wet: The tart red currant is the first note to jump out at me, followed by the patchouli and moss. It's actually rather sharp to my nose. Then, the violet note emerges, with a very distinct crushed quality to it. I believe the patchouli in this is a red variety. The red currant only seems to be getting stronger over time. Dry: The red currant note is still the dominant note on me. The patchouli and moss remain pretty strong for a long time, but after a while, the crushed violet note comes out more, so that I get currant, followed by crushed violets, spicy red patchouli, and moss. Sometimes I get more violet, and other times, I get more of the patchouli. It's tart and earthy. Verdict: This one is not my cup of tea. I'm not very fond of violet, but it actually took a long time to assert itself on me, even though the scent takes its name from it. I didn't actually mind the violet here, but the combination of the tart currant with the red patchouli and moss just isn't for me.

In the imp: A blast of banana! Behind it, I can smell some pineapple and apple, but mostly, it's BANANA. Wet: The candy-like banana note is the most prominent note, followed by the pineapple. Then, I start to get the apple. Although I'm not actually able to smell the chili pepper at this time, I do feel its effect on my skin. It doesn't burn, but it does have a warming quality to it. Dry: In the early part of the dry phase, the banana note calms down significantly, the sugar cane really shines, with some sweet apple and pineapple. After the scent has been dry for a while, I still get the sugar cane, but it is not as prominent as before. The pomegranate note has emerged and is now playing a major role, but I'm still getting lots of banana, pineapple, and apple, and there's more coconut during this stage. Verdict: Far too fruity for me, but if you like the sound of smelling like tropical fruits, this is the scent for you.

In the imp: Lots of red musk and strawberry leaf. The combo is almost bubblegum-like. Wet: The red musk and strawberry leaf notes reign, but the red musk isn't as strong as it normally is, probably thanks to it mingling with the white musk and the sweet strawberry. After a few minutes, the white grapefruit note emerges, and the strawberry leaf becomes less like an actual strawberry. The red musk and strawberry leaf seem to be wanting to take this into bubblegum territory, but the white grapefruit is doing its best to keep those notes in check. Dry: Alas, the grapefruit note simply could not compete with the musks and strawberry leaf. It's still present, but it is mostly a sweet, fruity strawberry musk on me. Verdict: Not my cup of tea, considering that red musk and strawberry are not notes I typically enjoy, but I'm glad I got an opportunity to try it.

In the imp: I'm getting the white sandalwood, Moroccan rose, what I believe is the mastic note, moss, and some myrrh. Wet: The resins dominate the scent. I'm getting the white sandalwood, mastic, and myrrh the most, followed by the moss and rose. The moss is stronger on my skin than it was in the imp, and the rose note seems to be getting stronger over time. Dry: This is all rose, resins, and moss, accompanied by some incense. The scent is somewhat sweeter during this phase thanks to the emergence of the benzoin, but it is not a main player on me. The rose and moss give the scent a somewhat somber feel. Verdict: Roses plus resins are not my jam, but I'm glad I got to try it.

Tenebrous Love: a shivering white musk with vanilla-infused white cocoa, amber incense, and dead, dry leaves. 2014 version. In the decant: I'm mostly getting the dead leaves and the white musk. Wet: The white musk and dead leaves are the first notes to emerge, followed by the amber incense. The leaves were a lot stronger in the decant than they are on my skin, and after a minute, I start to get the vanilla-infused white cocoa. It's rather light at first, but it seems to be getting stronger as the scent sits on my skin. The dead leaves note isn't headache-inducing in this one, fortunately, but I do get some of that freshly cut peppers vibe from it. Dry: The dead leaves reign for a while, but the scent ends up being a white musk and vanilla-infused white cocoa scent, with swirls of amber incense and dead leaves being carried by breeze. I prefer this phase of the scent. Verdict: I admit that I was afraid of the dead leaves, but save for that fresh pepper vibe during the wet stage of the scent, they weren't a problem for me. I don't feel the need to try to hunt down more of this, but I think I'll hold onto the decant and wear it in the autumn.

This is an old, aged imp. In the imp: Soft fig and a rooty quality that reminds me of Screaming Mandragora. Wet: The fig note is the first to jump out at me, followed by the rooty aspect of the scent. The fig and the roots actually have a bit of a waxy aspect on me, which also happened when I tried Screaming Mandragora. But there's a sweetness present in this that isn't due to the fig. Maybe it's a bit of coconut? Dry: This is a soft, sweet, rooty fig scent. The sweet note is definitely coconut. It's far more prominent than it was before. I still get a somewhat waxy aspect to it on my skin, but it's not as strong as it was before. Verdict: This one is a nice fig and coconut scent, but I don't really think it's for me, due to the waxy quality that I get on my skin.

In the imp: Definitely makes me think of purple flowers! Wet: This one is strong! It makes me think of a bunch of fresh, purple flowers, and I feel like there's a citrus-y white tea aspect to it. Google tells me that these are pansies, but I don't recall what they smell like (or if they have a particularly strong smell). As the scent sits on my skin, the flowers become sweeter, and it makes me think of springtime. Dry: Sweet, strong, purple, spring flowers. I think this may be one of the components of Muse of Fire and Rainbow Swirl. Verdict: This one is too strongly perfume-y floral for me. I feel like it needs something to tame it. Glad I got to try it, though!

In the imp: The oil in my imp is light green! The scent is also very green and has a somewhat menthol-like quality. Wet: Yep, this one is very green, and the menthol-like quality I was getting from the imp is present, but softer on my skin. It actually doesn't remind me of mint, now that I think of it – it makes me think of the fresh needles of an evergreen. Dry: Crushed evergreen needles, accompanied by some lemongrass and herbs. The scent is much softer than it was during the wet phase. Verdict: I think I actually preferred the wet phase of the scent, because it was more evergreen and less herby. I don't think I'd ever reach for this, since it didn't end up being an evergreen scent the whole time, but I'm glad I got to try it. I prefer Hemlock Honey to straight-up Hemlock, though.

In the imp: A citrus-tinged lily. Not sure if it is orange, neroli, or bergamot yet. The oil in my imp is yellow. Wet: A very heady lily, with the edges tinged by some citrus fruit. I don't think it's neroli, because it's not being problematic on me. It makes me think of a lily with an orange tree or some abandoned orange peels nearby. Dry: The lily is softer now, but this remains a citrus-tinged lily scent. The orange-y note is sharper and more bitter now. The lily itself is a sweet one which does not end up turning to soap on my skin. Verdict: This one is okay, but not something I'd elect to wear. The orange peel vibe is too sharp for me. As far as lilies go, Tiger Lily is my go-to lily scent. I'm glad I got to try this one, though!

In the imp: Berries accompanied by green leaves and some dry bark. Wet: The berry note is the strongest note on my skin. I think this is a mix of tart, red berries and sweet, dark ones. The green leaves and bark are lingering in the background. As the scent begins its drydown, the dry bark note becomes stronger, as does the leaf note, and the scent becomes a lot darker. Dry: Tart berries, dry bark, and whatever is representing the dark murk in this blend that smells, unfortunately, like dryer sheets on my skin. Verdict: Berry scents are not my jam, and something in this did not agree with my skin chemistry. Glad I got a chance to try it, though!

This is a old, aged imp. In the imp: Soft, sweet black lotus with amber, sandalwood, and a bit of myrrh. Wet: The black lotus note is the strongest note on my skin. It actually does have a sweet, bubblegum-y quality to it, but I think it's kept in check by the resins, of which I can smell the amber and sandalwood the most. After a few minutes, I start to get more of the myrrh. Dry: The black lotus, sandalwood, and amber are the main players on my skin. The myrrh note, while more present than before, seems to be content with staying in the background. This is ultimately a sweet floral and resin scent, with the black lotus adding some sweetness to the scent (without veering into bubblegum territory). Verdict: This one was a lot nicer than I thought it would be. I don't think I would reach for it, since florals plus resins generally aren't my cup of tea, but I like this more than a lot of other floral + resin scents that I've tried.

Sweet pea, cherry blossoms, and sugared cream. In the bottle when it first arrived: Upon opening the bottle, I get the sweet pea note. I have the single note, so I know it is the main floral I am getting in the bottle. However, the sugared cream note makes it a sweeter sweet pea (if that makes sense). I can smell another floral in the background that must be the cherry blossom. This is really promising! In the bottle a few days later: The cherry blossom note is far more prominent after the blend has settled for a few days. However, I can still detect the sweet pea note. Wet: I can detect all of the notes, but the cherry blossom note is the dominant note on my skin at the moment. It is really lovely. Although it is cherry blossom, I can detect cherry in the note (much like I get apple from the Lab's Annurca Apple Blossom single note before the blossom dominates). The sugared cream note is emerging more over time. It is more cream than sugar on me. Dry: Ah, the 'sugared' part of the cream has made an appearance! This has dried down to a sugared cream (like the kind one would eat with a scone) with cherry blossom. Verdict: Absolutely lovely. I will definitely be keeping my bottle and may get a back-up bottle if I don't fall in love with too many scents from this Luper update. *edit* On second wear, the sweet pea is more prominent on me than it was during the first wear, and the scent is even more gorgeous than it was before! I think this is going to age wonderfully. I may need a second bottle.

In the imp: I get the green tea and lemon of the embalming fluid and the aftershave. It's a masculine Embalming Fluid! Wet: I am still getting lots of green tea and lemon, so the embalming fluid is the most prominent component on my skin at first. Then the scent becomes even cleaner smelling, thanks to the aftershave and possibly, whatever is comprising the reanimation agents. I'd still say this is like a masculine Embalming Fluid, or the clean part of Sherlock Holmes. The lemon note in the embalming fluid seems to be getting stronger over time. Dry: Definitely a more masculine Embalming Fluid, but not overly so. It's a clean, lemon/green tea/white musk/aftershave scent. I get more aftershave and musk during this phase of the scent. Verdict: I like this! Not enough to hunt to try to hunt down more, fortunately, but it's nice. Now I just have to decide whether to keep the imp for myself or if I should be nice and give this imp to my mom, since she discovered she was a fan of it after it was discontinued.