dementia_divine

I guess I neglected to review most of the Lupers I purchased last year. I love the white apple note in this one, and I'm a fan of benzoin. After a year of aging, the oudh note seems like it is even more prominent than it was when I first purchased it. It deeps and darkens the scent and ends up being one of the most prominent notes on my skin, especially in the crook of my elbows. I like the scent, but I don't love it. I actually think I liked this more when it was fresh, as I don't recall the oudh note being this strong when I first got it. The apple note is really nice, though.

In the decant: Exactly as the description says: bay rum and sandalwood. Wet: The dusty sandalwood is the dominant note on me at first, and I think it may be red sandalwood (or perhaps golden?), but it doesn't take long before the bay rum overtakes it. I'm not surprised, due to the spices in that note. Alas, I'm not getting anything that makes me think of this as a masculine Snow White, which was the reason I wanted to try it, but perhaps the final version is different from the prototype reviews. The scent becomes creamier over time, probably due to the coconut of the rum mixing with the sandalwood note. Dry: Spiced sandalwood. I applied this in two different spots, and it smells a bit different on my wrist. After a while, I think I do get a bit of a cold quality from this, but it is very faint, and it still doesn't remind me of Snow White. Verdict: I'm glad that I didn't buy a blind bottle of this, as this isn't the masculine Snow White I was hoping for.

In the decant: Soft red rose. Wet: Yes, I'm getting a fresh, soft red rose (or maybe it's pink). It's not as red as Rose Red and doesn't have that green quality to it. Dry: The scent is deeper now, like the rose had been timid before, but is now in full bloom. The vanilla has finally emerged, and although it isn't nearly as strong as the rose, it is helping to soften the rose, and the two go really well together. Verdict: I'll be holding onto my decant, but I have so many rose scents already that I don't feel the need to spring for a bottle right now. It's nice, though!

In the decant: When this first arrived, it reminded me of a store like Third Planet with a bunch of incense sticks, and I wasn't looking forward to trying it. Now that it has settled for a few days, I can pick out the oudh and tobacco, followed by what must be the grey benzoin. I'm not getting any vanilla from the decant. Wet: The oudh still reigns, but I'm getting more of the benzoin note on my skin than I did in the decant. The vanilla note isn't a main player, but it is present, and it's helping the grey benzoin soften the really strong oudh note. Dry: Vanilla and benzoin, where did you go? The tobacco note is the most prominent note now. It's a really dirty, smoky tobacco, and I'm not a fan of it. The oudh note is second in prominence. It's kind of like walking through a smoky casino. Verdict: Not for me.

2015 version. In the decant: Mostly snow-covered pines, and it's the sweet, pine-y snow note from Snow Bunny that I smell. I'm getting more pine than snow, though. When this was fresh from the mailbox a few days ago, I smelled grape-y musk (which I'm not a fan of), but I am not getting that now. Wet: Yep, this is the snow note from Snow Bunny and The First Soft Snow, but there is more pine in Frau Holle. But then it changes and becomes a sugary, slushy snow note, and the florals emerge, but I'm not exactly sure which florals I'm smelling here. They are soft and pale, though. The bestial musk I was worried about hasn't made an appearance yet, and I'm hoping that holds true during the dry phase as well! Dry: The floral notes are a lot more prominent during the dry phase, and the musk has emerged now and doesn't seem to be the one I had feared. The scent is not as sweet during this phase, as the snow note isn't as strong anymore. From a distance, it's mostly a pine forest, florals, and herbs. Verdict: I prefer the wet phase of the scent, with the sweet, pine-y snow. I like it, but I don't think I like it enough to grab a bottle.

In the decant: Buttery apricot with some mandarin in the background. This reminds more of a buttery, fruity hard candy. Wet: Apricot, followed by the buttery note, and then the mandarin. It's a little more bread-like than candy-like after sitting on my skin for a bit, and it becomes more like that over time. Dry: The candy-like butter note just reminds me of hard toffee candies, and it's making me hungry. It's the dominant note on me during the dry phase. I'm getting some of the mandarin amber in the background, as well as some apricot, and the baked bread note. But mostly... it's buttery hard candy on me. Verdict: This isn't bad, but I don't think it's something I want to smell like, either.

2015 version. In the decant: A very green forest. There is a bright aspect to it that almost reminds me of the Lab's fizzy champagne note, that I suppose is representative of it being a starlit forest. It's more forest than musk in the decant, and I'm hoping it will be that way on my skin, too. Wet: There is a burst of the champagne-like, bright, fizzy note, followed by trees. So yes, it smells like a party in a forest. Dry: This is mostly just champagne single note on me. I'm not surprised, as I amp that note – but I wasn't expecting that bright, fizzy note here! The musk note is lingering in the background. Perhaps it's a brown one? It's nice and soft. There's only a tinge of the forest. Verdict: Well, that was unexpected! I was hoping for forest, but my skin chemistry had other plans for this scent. I'm glad I tried it, though!

In the decant: Lavender, fir, carnation, and mint. I'm mostly getting lavender and fir, though. Wet: The lavender is the most prominent note on me, but the spicy carnation is gaining strength. Some scents with carnation in it end up being single note carnation on me – I hope this one doesn't do that! Then, the mint note appears, followed by the fir. The patchouli note is present, but it is lingering in the background. I have to inhale really deeply to smell it. The scent is very curious, because there is this burst of cold, and then a burst of warmth. It's rather fitting for a lad that enjoys slamming doors. It ends up being lavender, fir, and mint on me, followed by the carnation and patchouli. Dry: This winds up being mostly fir, woody patchouli and carnation on me, with the mint and lavender lingering in the background. I prefer the wet phase of the scent. Verdict: I'll be content with my decant.

In the decant: Dry cocoa (I think the same one used in Gelt) and cinnamon. Wet: The cinnamon note is a lot more prominent on my skin than it was in the decant, but it doesn't burn. The cocoa note isn't far behind it. This isn't a sweet cinnamon note. As the scent sits on my skin, the cocoa note becomes creamier. Dry: There is more of a balance between the cinnamon and cocoa notes now, and the scent is creamier and softer. Verdict: I thought this might end up being too similar to El Dia de los Reyes, but it isn't. It's not nearly as sweet, and of course, it doesn't have the coffee note. I like it, so I'll be holding onto my decant, but since I have too many chocolate scents, I'm going to pass on getting a bottle of this one.

In the decant: This isn't Skyr with fresh berries and oats on the top. This is mixed berry flavor (I'm pretty sure there is at least strawberry and blueberry here) Skyr in a yogurt cup. The Skyr is a pinkish purple color. The oats are in a compartment of the lid and haven't been mixed in yet. It definitely smells yogurt-y. Wet: This really does smell like yogurt to my nose. There's a tartness present as well. Skyr is thick and tart, more so than Greek yogurt, and it's the berry notes that are doing all the sweetening. But as this sits on my skin, the berries become artificial, and I'm reminded specifically of raspberry Mamba instead of yogurt. Dry: Yep. Raspberry Mamba candy... with a bit of dairy and oats lingering in the background. The oat note is really nice! Verdict: I am not fond of berry-dominant scents, but I just wanted to smell it to see if it actually reminded me of Skyr. It did... briefly.

In the decant: The fresh rose note from Rose Red, followed by what must be the fur note, and then a very light, sweet snow in the background. Wet: I agree with the descriptions of this being Rose Red + the Snow White + fur. The sweet snow note is more prominent on me than I expected it to be, and I'm glad, as that's the main reason I wanted to try this scent. The rose is the dominant note, though. Dry: The rose still reigns, but the snow note has diminished now, so that it is mostly that fresh rose note and a bit of fur. I'm reminded why I don't like Rose Red on my skin, but I'm a fan of the hair gloss. It ends up having a sour aspect on my skin. Several hours later, the sweet snow note reemerges and helps the fur tame the rose. Verdict: This is pleasant, but I vastly prefer the rose note in Pink Snowballs with the sweet snow note, and thus, I don't feel the need to obtain more of this.

In the decant: Orange peel and mild spices. Wet: Yes, this definitely smells like orange peels! But then it quickly turns into orange slices. The spices are more prominent on my skin than they were in the decant, but they are still mild and do not burn. Dry: The scent is growing fainter over time, as one would expect from a citrus-dominant scent. It smells like bitter oranges (that are no longer juicy whatsoever) and mild spices. Verdict: Aww. I was hoping this would mostly be orange and clove, but it's not. It's decent, but I don't need more of it.

In the decant: I'm getting the peppermint note used in Lick It Now, but instead of being accompanied by sugary awesomeness, there's a bit of cleanness from the snow note? Wet: Yes, this is definitely the peppermint used in Lick It Now, which I really enjoy. This doesn't make me think 'unmanageable' at all. Dry: The peppermint still reigns, and then something that smells clean behind it, which must be another aspect of the snow? Verdict: Well, this was unexpected! I thought this would end up being a really bracing, ozonic snow scent, but it's not. I'm glad I tried it, but there many snow and mint scents that I prefer over this one, so no bottle for me.

In the decant: Strong white tea and soft white mint. Something in here is making me think of one of the Lab's snow notes. Wet: Astringent white tea, soft mint, and eucalyptus. It smells bracing, but it actually doesn't feel that cold on the skin. After several minutes, I start smelling the fir note, but there is just a bit of it. Dry: The Lab's white tea note, combined with the soft mint, make this smell like a 'clean' scent on me. It doesn't remind me of Skadi, because this doesn't have a sweet aspect on me, and the white notes don't make me think of the Lab's slushy snow note. I'm not really getting any camphor from this at all, fortunately (a.k.a. that mentholatum ointment smell). Verdict: The soft, white mint in this is nice, but I don't think I'd reach for this one when I have so many other snow scents that I enjoy more.

In the decant: This reminds me of My Baby and a Goat, but with coconut cream and a drop of cinnamon. Wet: The sheep's milk note is reminiscent of the goat's milk in My Baby and a Baby Goat, and the scent is sweetened by the coconut cream note. The cinnamon note seems to be emerging more over time, but isn't strong enough to burn the skin. Dry: The sheep's milk note is still pretty strong, but the coconut cream note has gained strength during this stage of the scent, which is nice. There really is just a drop of cinnamon in this. Verdict: I am not sure if this one is different enough from My Baby and a Baby Goat to warrant a bottle. The main difference seems to be that one has coconut cream, and one has rice flower. I may have to deathmatch them. This one is very nice, though! *edit* I deathmatched My Baby and a Baby Goat with Giljagur, and I think they are different enough for me to buy Giljagur, too, even though I already have a bottle of My Baby and a Baby Goat. The coconut cream makes Giljagur somewhat sweeter, and I like the cinnamon in it. Now I just have to decide if I would like to have Giljagur (or just multiple bottles of Stekkjarstaur).

In the decant: Sweet tangerines and candy, followed by Sicilian orange, and then the anise. Wet: This smells like orange candy on me. The anise starts off lurking in the background, but then quickly gains prominence. I'm not fond of anise, so I was hoping it would stay in the background. It smells like anise candy now. Dry: Candied anise. It smells soft, like there is a powder around the candy. The citrus notes are lingering in the background. Verdict: There is just too much anise in this one for me, though the candy part of this smells nice.

In the decant: This smells like a Christmas tree! A fresh fir tree, not a dead one. Wet: TREE SMELL. I love the smell of evergreens. This is like that, but more intense. As time goes on, it really does start to smell like a tree that is drying out because everyone neglected to water it. But it hasn't turned as dry as the fir note in Aperotos Eros, though (at least, not yet!). Dry: The scent has morphed from a fresh tree to a tree that has been water-deprived and is very dry. Fir needles are scattered on the floor. Verdict: I'm so glad that I was able to try this! It's really interesting how Beth was able to capture the different phases of a Christmas tree. I don't think a bottle of this one will be in my future, but only because I don't think I'd reach for it enough. It's nice, though!

In the decant: HONEYSUCKLE LIKE WHOA, followed by the brief appearance of another floral note. I'm not sure if it is asphodel or hyacinth, as I'm not too familiar with either of those. (I think I've only smelled asphodel in The Silver Stream.) Wet: Honeysuckle, followed by the other floral that I can't identify, but it is bulbous and has a watery quality to it. That floral note is a lot stronger on my skin than it was in the decant. I can smell a bit of snow as well (it's not the sweet snow of Go to Sleep, Darlings or Snow White). The honeyed vetiver has not made an appearance at all yet. Alas, the honeysuckle is not nearly as strong on my skin as it was in the decant. It hasn't gone away, but I really wanted complete honeysuckle gloriousness. So fair and foul a day, I have not seen. Dry: The other floral note is much more prominent now. The honeysuckle is still present, and fairly strong, but if you're hoping for single note honeysuckle, this is not it. As far as the vetiver goes, let me just say that vetiver and I do not get along, and I can barely detect it here. There is just a faint hint of smokiness in the background, but it is very faint. I have to press my nose to my wrist and inhale really deeply in order to detect it at all. Verdict: I'm going to hold onto my decant, but I don't think I need a bottle of this. This scent has only strengthened my desire for a Honeysuckle SN or a sugared honeysuckle scent.

Homemade blood clot-and-cherry ice cream plopping onto moonlit sand. In the bottle, this reminds me more of cherry candy (perhaps those Lifesaver lollipops with the swirls?) than ice cream. It's intensely cherry, but it is far creamier once it is actually sprayed (and kind of makes me think of red Starbursts). I'm not really getting the blood clot note. I thought it would mean dragon's blood or clove to accompany the cherry (like in the GC scent Blood), but I'm mainly just getting a creamy cherry scent from this. It definitely does not contain dragon's blood. I would never wear a scent like this, but I like it as a room spray. I'm sure it will get a lot of use during the summer months.

In the decant: There are some florals I can't identify, followed by lavender. Wet: Same. Florals and lavender. I'm not sure which floral is the dominant note – I know it isn't the iris root, as I'm familiar with that. What I'm getting is pale, white floral, with a bit of a powdery quality to it – perhaps it's the moonflower? Dry: Soft, pale, sweet florals. The lavender isn't as prominent during this phase, and the vanilla orchid is present now. The white sandalwood note is very faint, and I'm not getting much moss, either. Verdict: I like this. I'll be holding onto my decant, as I think this would be a nice, relaxing blend to wear before bed. I don't think I'll end up upgrading to a bottle, though.

In the decant: The lilac water and bergamot were the strongest notes when this first arrived, but after settling for a few weeks, the floral notes seem to be the strongest, with the amber chypre and bergamot residing in the background. Wet: Lilac water reigns, but the rose petals gain strength over time. The combination of these two florals isn't very good on my skin. It's verging on being sour. D: Dry: Okay, the floral notes have calmed down, and the sour vibe has gone away. The lilac water is still the dominant note, but I can smell the amber in the background now. I prefer this phase of the scent. After a few hours, the amber becomes the dominant note on my skin. Verdict: The wet phase was not a good one on my skin, and even though I enjoy the amber that is present during the dry down, and the florals softened significantly, the wet stage is enough to make me stay away from this scent.

In the decant: Clove, musk, and resins. The burgundy musk note seems to have a similarity to red musk, but it isn't as sweet, and it's deeper. Wet: I'm getting a lot of clove from this, as well as the musk note, and some of the red sandalwood. Then, the oudh note peeks out, which deepens the blend further. The clove is the strongest note on me, but I am not surprised, as my skin usually does this with clove, and I really enjoy clove. The musk note seems to be gaining prominence over time, though. Dry: This is still mostly clove and musk on me, followed by the resins. I can't pick out the saffron in this one. I think “incense-y” is probably the best way to describe this one. Verdict: I was worried about the burgundy musk in this, but I'm finding that I enjoy it more than the Lab's usual red musk note. That said, I don't feel like I need to upgrade to a bottle, but I'm glad that I tried it.

In the decant: I'm getting the Lab's slushy snow note, accompanied by wood. Wet: The snow note reigns, but the wood note is present, and I do get the 'decayed' aspect of it from the description. I don't smell anything that reminds me of clay. Dry: Mainly slushy snow, but the snow note is sweeter now than it was during the wet stage of the scent. Verdict: I don't think I need more of this, but I'm glad that I was able to try it!

In the bottle: Chocolate accompanied by lemony sugar. There is something in here (either a lemony honey and/or sugar note) that reminds me of Sweets to the Sweet. Wet: Sugar, honey, and chocolate. I'm still getting that lemon vibe from one of the sugar and/or honey notes. The 'dusted with chocolate' description fits perfectly. I am not getting a lot of vanilla from this right now, so hopefully it emerges more during the dry stage. Dry: The vanilla is more prominent during this phase, but the sugar, honey, and chocolate are all stronger. I can only smell the vanilla when I huff my wrist. It still reminds me of Sweets to the Sweet with the addition of a dusting of chocolate. Verdict: I'm going to hold onto this in the hope that the vanilla comes out more with age, and then I'll retest it then. But at the moment, I think a decant of this one would have sufficed.

In the bottle: This is mostly melted bittersweet chocolate with a hint of the coffee grounds that others have mentioned. When this arrived, it was pretty much only chocolate, but now the marshmallow note and cookie have come out more, although the chocolate note is still the strongest in the bottle. I hope the marshmallow is a lot stronger on my skin, because it's the reason I bought a blind bottle of this. Wet: This is more cookie-like on me. The chocolate is still the strongest note, and it's definitely melted. I'm still getting a bit of that coffee ground vibe. The marshmallow note emerges after a bit, adding a nice, fluffy creaminess to the scent. Dry: The marshmallow note is far more prominent during this stage, making the scent smell like a chocolate chip cookie, fresh from the oven, with a nice dollop of marshmallow. Verdict: I was actually wary of trying this one, because it smelled so strongly of melted chocolate in the bottle. I'm glad that I got more marshmallow from this on my skin. I think I would have been happy with a decant of this, but I'll hang onto my bottle for now, and I'll consider getting the hair gloss. It depends on what Lupercalia brings.