dementia_divine

In the imp: Mostly almond, with the myrrh note lingering in the background. Wet: The almond note reigns. The myrrh and dark musk do not appear until the scent begins its drydown. I believe this is the same dark musk note found in Cheshire Cat, and the almond and myrrh combination remind me of Bastet (but less complex, and not nearly as awesome). The almond note's butteriness is emerging more over time. Dry: The almond has calmed down significantly, so that the myrrh and musk are now the dominate notes, and the almond is adding a bit of sweetness in the background. Verdict: This one is okay, but it's very powdery on my skin, so I'll be getting rid of my imp. I prefer Eclipse for an almond scent.

The Scarlet Woman, aglow with sensual indolence: red musk, benzoin, caramel accord, golden honey, and spiced Moroccan unguents. In the imp: I must be getting the spiced Moroccan unguents, because I'm familiar with the other notes, and they're not what I'm smelling in the imp. Wet: Yep, the spiced unguents note is the most prominent on my skin, but the red musk note is gaining strength. Dry: I'm getting some of the benzoin and honey now, and the scent isn't as sharp as it was in the previous phase, but I'm still getting a fair amount of the spiced unguents note, along with the red musk (and I'm not a red musk fan). I'm getting a bit of caramel now, but not much. It's mostly spices and red musk. Verdict: Not for me.

In the imp: Fir, musk, and bark. The scent is quite dark (as well as the oil itself). Wet: Hello, fir! I am getting the same notes that I got from the imp. I feel like I'm sitting beneath a fir tree that has been deprived of water. I'm not sure if this is more reminiscent of a tree trying to survive wildfire season in a dry state, or a Christmas tree that shouldn't have been kept in a livingroom until the end of January. In any case, this is a dry coniferous scent. Dry: The musk, myrrh, and galbanum are more prominent now. The fir, bark, and resin notes dominate the scent. Verdict: Not for me.

In the imp: Sassafraaaaaaas, and then some nutmeg. I can't really smell the other notes. The sassafras is pretty potent. Wet: Sassafras, accompanied by a bit of nutmeg. It mostly smells like sassafras, though, and I'm reminded of root beer barrel candies (although this scent isn't as much like those as Stimulating Sassafras Strengthener is). Dry: Sassafras, nutmeg, and what I think must be the black poppy note (because it isn't the myrrh). Verdict: I do not like this one at all. I normally like sassafras (at least, I like it in Tombstone and Stimulating Sassafras Strengthener), but the combination of the sassafras and black poppy in this one is so off-putting that I just want to scrub this off.

In the imp: I'm mostly getting the spices from the rum note in the imp, with just a bit of the wood note. Wet: Spices! This is reminiscent of Plunder, but it's not nearly as intense as far as the spices are concerned. There's lots of cinnamon (perhaps cinnamon bark), but it isn't burning my skin (yet). Dry: The spices are smoother now, and I'm getting a bit of the rum part of the spiced rum note now. The ship's wood is more prominent in this stage, but the spices still reign. Verdict: This one is okay, but I think I prefer Plunder. Retest with a Lab fresh imp: In the imp: Orange, ship wood, sea air, and spice. Wet: The orange note jumps out to me first, and I wonder if that's part of the prostitute's perfume in this scent. I also get the sea air, the salt water-strewn ship wood, and some spice (but not the rum). Dry: I'm still getting the orange, though it's lighter than before. The spices have calmed down, so that it's mostly orange, ship wood, and sea air on me with some light spices in the background. I'm still not smelling any sweet rum. Verdict: I am glad I decided to restest this with a fresh imp from the Lab. It's a lot better than I remember it being (I must have tried an aged imp). I don't need a bottle of this, but I do like it.

In the imp: Jasmine and ginger are the most prominent to my nose, followed by the apricot, and then a hint of vanilla. Wet: Apricot, ginger, and jasmine are the first notes to greet my nose. It only takes a moment for the jasmine to increase in strength, as well as the ginger, and though I can tell there is vanilla in this, it really is just a hint. Dry: I'm still getting a lot of apricot, jasmine, and ginger. The ginger is more prominent now, and the vanilla is even fainter by this point, with just a tinge of it lingering in the background. Verdict: I like the apricot note, but I am not really digging the combination of apricot and jasmine. I think I'll just stick with Aristocratic Couple, which contains apricot, vanilla, and a spice (cardamom), but no heady floral note.

In the imp: Cherry and anise. Ugh, I hate anise. Oh well. Here goes. Wet: Cherry, followed by the anise note. I'm glad that the cherry is stronger than the anise. I am not particularly fond of red musk, but it isn't as strong the other two notes at the moment. The anise note is getting stronger the longer this sits on my skin. Bother. Dry: This might as well be black licorice single note on me. Much Later: The red musk is the dominant note now, with just a hint of anise and cherry. Verdict: Not for me.

In the imp: Something in this is familiar, but I can't place it in the imp It's sweeter than I thought it would be. Maybe it's the musk accompanied by a spiced amber note? Wet: I get the sweet, musky smell that I got from the imp at first, but then the scent takes on more of a dry feel as it sits on my skin. Perhaps that's the dry grasses note, or the soft woods. I think I know what the 'something familiar' is. I think it's the Egyptian Amber note from The Lion. Dry: Smooth, spiced amber, musk, and a soft, dry aspect that my nose is not adept enough to say whether it is the doeskin, dry grasses, or soft woods. Verdict: Hmm. This one is nice. I really like the combination of the amber and musk in this one. I don't think I need a bottle (since I already have a bottle of The Lion, which I think contains this amber note), but I think I'll hold onto my imp.

In the imp: I can smell the grape vine, lilies, and roses along with the forest note. Wet: The grape vine is quite prominent, and the lily and rose notes are rather strong as well. After the scent has sat on my skin for a few minutes, the opium smoke note appears. This is not a dark evergreen forest, but the sunlit one mentioned in the description. Although I do detect some pine, I feel like this forest is comprised of a fair amount of deciduous trees as well. Dry: The forest note is far more prominent and green now, and the opium smoke has increased in strength as well, creating a smoky, leafy, green scent. The grape vine and florals are still present, but they play lesser roles now. Verdict: Not for me. I really don't like the dry phase of this scent, which is too strong and green for me.

This one is dominated by a white floral (I do think those that have mentioned gardenia in their reviews may be right), with the addition of a sweeter floral (perhaps mimosa blossom? it has a candy-like sweetness to it, but isn't too sweet) and a bit of spice. It's not bad, but I don't plan on keeping my imp, as I can't see myself reaching for this one.

In the imp: Heady florals, musk, and mandarin. Wet: The mandarin note is the first to greet my nose, followed by the heady florals. Then, the musk emerges. I get more mandarin than anything else, but the heady florals and the musk are quite prominent as well. Dry: Same. The mandarin still reigns, accompanied by the heady florals, musk, and a bit of spice. Verdict: I like the mandarin note, but the combination of the mandarin + the musk and the heady florals just makes this too sweet for me. It's verging on candy-like on my skin (or maybe a sweet alcoholic beverage).

In the imp: The oakmoss note is the strongest note I'm getting from the imp. I can smell a bit of the leather, orange blossom, and amber, but I'm not getting much else. Wet: Oakmoss, leather, and orange blossom are the notes I smell first. The oakmoss is pretty strong, and so is the leather note. The combination of these two notes is very heavy, and not very appealing to my nose. It's like being buried under a lot of leather jackets (not well-worn ones) while lying on a bed of moss. Ughhh. Dry: The floral notes begin to emerge during this phase, although the oakmoss and leather are still very strong. The floral notes make the scent seem less dark, and the leather note is softer now. Verdict: I just can't stand the leather and oakmoss combination at all. This one is going on my swap page.

In the imp: Almond and fig, followed by the toasted coconut. Wet: Same. The almond note is the strongest. The fig and coconut notes are present, but they are not nearly as strong as the almond note. Then, the almond note calms down and becomes the honeyed almond milk it was meant to be (as opposed to straight up almond). I'm able to smell the fig and toasted coconut notes better now that the almond has calmed down. The fig note ends up becoming a lot more prominent as the scent starts drying down. The coconut note is getting stronger as well. Dry: Fiiiiiig, sweetened by the toasted coconut and honeyed almond milk notes. The sandalwood note is hiding in the background. Verdict: This is a nice, creamy fig scent, but I don't need more of it.

In the imp: Leather, rosewood, parchment, and soft woods (but the first two notes I listed are the most prominent to my nose). Wet: Leather and rosewood dominate the blend. This one is very masculine to my nose. The parchment and soft woods are present, making the blend seem even drier to my nose. It isn't long before the rosewood becomes the most prominent note. Dry: I'm still getting a lot of rosewood from this, but the parchment and soft woods are stronger now. The leather has taken a background role, and the tonka adds a nice warmth to the scent, preventing it from being too dry. I can smell the hint of incense if I inhale deeply, but it isn't a main player in this scent. Verdict: This one is too masculine for me, but I wouldn't mind smelling it on a guy!

In the imp: Lots of cocoa and red wine. Wet: The cocoa note dominates, and it is a smooth, dry cocoa note, but the red wine isn't far behind. Then I begin to smell something darker and not quite right... that must be the sacrificial blood note. By this time, the wine has become the dominant note. Dry: The red wine note was the most prominent for a long time, and then the smooth cocoa note returned. Both notes are softer now, and I can find the remnants of the sacrificial blood note if I inhale deeply. It's a rather warm scent by this point. Verdict: This isn't bad, but the combination of the chocolate and the wine (especially when the wine dominated the blend) isn't really my thing. (Also, I did not smell the rum note in this one at all, which is okay with me!)

In the imp: The clove note jumps out to my nose at first, followed by the resins, and then a bit of cherry. Wet: A rush of clove, and then the dragon's blood note, which adds more spice to the blend. The myrrh note is also present, but it isn't as strong as the other two notes. The cherry note is the last to emerge, but it seems to be getting stronger now that it has made its presence known. The clove is the strongest note, and I'm glad that it is, since it is the note I was looking forward to the most. Dry: Clove and dragon's blood reign. The cherry seems to have disappeared now. I'm not getting much myrrh at this point, either. Verdict: This is a nice, spicy resin blend. I like the prominence of the clove in this one, but I'm not sure how I feel about the sweetness of the dragon's blood. I don't need a bottle of this, but I must say that this is one of the few scents that I like containing dragon's blood. *edit* Many hours later, the cherry note has emerged once more to join the dragon's blood and clove.

In the imp: The sea note is the most prominent, but I do smell the milk note in this as well, making this more appealing to me than most aquatic scents. Wet: More ocean than milk. It's an odd combination. As the scent begins to dry down, the milk note becomes a lot more prominent. Dry: The milk note in this makes all the difference. It adds a warmth to this aquatic scent. Verdict: This is the most pleasant aquatic scent I've tried thus far, but I don't think I'd wear this one even though I enjoy the milk note.

In the imp: The rosy heather note jumps out to my nose first, followed by the berry note. Wet: Same. More rosy heather than berry. Dry: I'm still getting more of the rosy heather than anything, although the note is much herbier now. The berry note is a lot fainter now. Verdict: I'm not finding this to be like Bewitched at all. Bewitched is sweeter, and the berry notes in that one reign on my skin, but in this one, the rosy heather steals the show. I have so many rose scents in my collection already, that I can only keep ones that I love. This is not one of those scents, so I will be passing on my imp.

In the imp: Red musk, followed by the patchouli note, and then the myrrh and ylang ylang. Wet: The red musk reigns, and I guess I'm a heretic in that I am not particularly fond of the note. I'm also getting the patchouli and myrrh notes. Sometimes, I can detect the ylang ylang, but other times, I go to smell my arm and can't find it beneath the patchouli and myrrh. The red musk note just seems to get strong over time. I'm glad I only put a dab of this one on – it's strong! Dry: Mostly red musk and patchouli, though the myrrh is present as well. No ylang ylang to be found. Verdict: I figured this one wouldn't be for me, but tried it anyway since it is listed under the Lab's Beloved Favorites. It's just way too much red musk for me.

In the imp: Marine notes like whoa. Wet: Very green marine notes, followed by the eucalyptus. I think I'm getting some cucumber from this, or at least something green that is reminiscent of cucumber (but it isn't sweet like in Squirting Cucumber). Dry: Fresh cucumber and eucalyptus, accompanied by foamy ambergris. Verdict: This one is way too green for me. Too green, I say!

In the imp [Con imp w/ card]: Bourbon geranium and peach are the first notes to jump out to my nose, followed by the raspberry leaf and a bit of the spicy carnation note. Wet: A blast of peach, and then an even stronger blast of herby bourbon geranium greets my nose. The raspberry leaf note has also appeared, and it is quite prominent as well. The carnation note, while present, hasn't stomped all over the other notes yet, and I don't think it will in this one, because the bourbon geranium in this is so strong. The bourbon vanilla note isn't a main player here, but it is helping to soften the other notes. The bergamot note adds a little extra zing to the scent, but the peach, bourbon geranium, and raspberry leaf are the stars of this show. Dry: The fruit notes begin to lose their prominence during this stage, but the bourbon geranium reigns supreme. Without less sweetness from the fruit, it is herbier than ever and decidedly more tart now. Verdict: Bourbon geranium is not mah jam. The wet stage of the scent was okay, but the dry one is one I would never want to smell on my skin again.

In the imp: Yep, this is an aquatic all right. The scent in the imp does fit the description. I find it to be more water-like than Vial of Holy Water. Wet: Aquatics don't tend to like my skin chemistry, and in no time at all, this one threatens to turn into soap. It isn't quite there yet, though. I would describe this as a dark aquatic, as something about this seems heavy compared to other aquatics I've tried. Dry: This scent has a prominent floral aspect now, although I'm not exactly sure what I'm smelling. Verdict: For once, it didn't turn into soap! This isn't really my thing, so I will be passing it onto a friend who finds aquatics to be rather refreshing in the summer heat.

In the imp: Ambergris, wine, ozone, leather, and woods. Wet: Wine and ambergris are the first notes to jump out to my nose, and then I start getting some of the leather, ozone, and sandalwood. Then, the wood notes make an appearance, making the scent more masculine than before. Dry: The leather is more prominent now, and the combination of the leather and wine remind me of Perversion, only Perversion is sweeter (thanks to the tonka), and this one is accompanied by a strong ambergris note. The ozone is still present, but it isn't making the scent soapy, and I'm thinking I'm getting what may be the dry grasses now. Verdict: This is a lot more pleasant than I thought it would be! I really like it, but I don't think a bottle will be necessary, because this is similar to Perversion, and I plan on getting a bottle of that one instead. But I will either keep my imp and pair it with Mikado Saloon hair gloss (those scents would make an excellent combination!) or give it to my brother, who would probably love this scent.

In the imp: I'm getting the pinot noir, dark myrrh (I can tell its a dark one, and not a soft one, like in Bastet), jasmine, and rose. Wet: The myrrh note dominates the scent, which is really sharp to my nose. I can also smell the wine, jasmine, and rose, but the jasmine note is really strong on me, so I'm getting more myrrh and jasmine than anything else. Dry: The myrrh remains as the dominant note, and the jasmine in this is still pretty song. The wine note is rather faint now, but I can smell more rose during the dry phase than the wet stage. The patchouli is present now, but it's not nearly as prominent as the myrrh and the floral notes. I'm not really getting the sandalwood at all from this, probably because the myrrh is so strong on me. Verdict: I'm not a fan of this particular myrrh note, and I don't like the combination of myrrh + jasmine, so this one is not for me.

In the imp: Honey, clean, white musk, a coconut vibe from the rum, and wood. Wet: The honey note is the most prominent, followed by white musk. The wood note isn't a main player here. There are also some spices present, although they weren't listed in the scent description. They are subtle, though. Dry: The rum and white musk are stronger during this stage. The honey is still present, and the wood note is lingering in the background. Verdict: This one is too sweet for me. It must be the rum note. It's not bad, but I don't think I will even keep my imp for layering purposes.