dementia_divine

I suppose I should review my decant of this one before it is gone! I do get the 'doughnut' part that people are describing (like a spiced cake doughnut without any icing) when I first spray the scent, but that quickly gives way to a somewhat smoky hay and parched grass scent. I wish the 'doughnut' part of the scent would stick around longer

This was the Denver Comic Con exclusive that I was most excited about, and it did not disappoint. It is mostly amber and vanilla goodness. I'm not exactly sure what the silvered glass note is derived from, although I do get that feel from it whenever I spray it. I agree with Lycanthrope's description of a light, ozonic floral note. If you are worried about the glass note, but love amber and vanilla, don't be afraid of this. It is GLORIOUS.

In the imp: Treeeees. The sharp pine note, juniper, and cypress stand out the most, followed by the musk note. Wet: Intense pine! The spot on my arm where I applied the oil feels a bit tingly. The pine note is becoming less sharp as it sits on my skin, and the musk is starting to make its presence known. The cypress note is becoming stronger as well as the ambergris note. Dry: The ambergris and black musk notes make this more cologne-like once the scent is dry, especially since the forest-y notes have calmed down significantly. The black musk note gives the scent a bit of a lemon-y aspect. After a while, the black musk loses the lemon aspect, and it adds a warmth to the scent. It is the dominant note, followed by ambergris and pine. I enjoyed this phase of the scent the most. Verdict: If you want a scent that smells like you've just been slapped in the face by a bunch of pine needles after unsuccessfully trying to move a pine branch out of your way (or if you just really want a pine-dominant masculine scent), this is for you. I'll be passing my imp onto a friend that likes pine scents, because I know I won't reach for this one again. Ranger still holds the crown for the most realistic forest scent that I've tried thus far (as it smells like actually walking through an evergreen forest).

In the imp: I get all of the notes in the imp! The dusty quality of the sandalwood and the deliciousness of the cocoa vanilla are the most prominent, and the blend is deepened by the myrrh note. Wet: The cocoa note reigns at first, but I'm getting more of the resins the longer the scent sits on my skin. The vanilla note sweetens the blend, preventing it from being a really dry and dusty chocolate and resin combination (which was my experience with Gelt). As the vanilla sweetens the scent, and the sandalwood emerges more, I'm somewhat reminded of Kit from the OLLA line. Dry: Yes, this is very Kit-like now, as the cocoa note hides in the background. The myrrh note becomes stronger over time, making the blend drier, but it gives off the impression of a velvet tapestry hanging in an old library (with some cocoa powder is sitting open on a nearby table because someone is about to make hot chocolate, of course). Verdict: I like this! I don't feel the need to upgrade this one to a bottle (since I already have lots of chocolate scents and two bottles of Kit), but it's really nice.

In the imp: The tobacco note jumps out at me the most, followed by spice (it smells like there is cinnamon in this, similar to that in Plunder), and then the hot leather and musk notes, and lastly a bit of ambergris. Wet: Cinnamon, even though it isn't listed as a note. I wonder if this is part of the incense note? The spice-y aspect reigns for quite some time, but as the scent is drying down, a sweet aspect of the scent begins to emerge. I think it is coming from the dark musk note? But this isn't the same dark musk found in Cheshire Cat or the Trading Post's Mikado Saloon hair gloss. It's almost wine-like. I wonder if there is a wine note in this? The leather note is lingering in the background. Dry: Spice and something reminiscent of wine mostly, along with ambergris. The leather and tobacco notes continue to take a background role. Verdict: Well, that was unexpected. The dark musk, leather, and ambergris notes made me think this could be like a cousin to Mikado Saloon, but this is absolutely nothing like Mikado Saloon hair gloss. Something in this is rather off-putting to my nose (whatever is creating that sweet, boozy aspect of the scent), and I'm tempted to go wash it off. It's grape-like. This is not my cup of tea. I did try washing this off, but the scent didn't want to go away!

In the imp: On the first sniff, I mainly detected the bourbon vetiver and hay notes (especially the 'bourbon' part of the vetiver note). On subsequent sniffs, those notes are still present, but the bergamot is pretty strong too, adding a sharp citrus quality to the scent. I'm not getting much opoponax from the blend in the imp. Wet: At first, the hay note, which I recognize from Eastern Comma, is the most prominent. The bergamot is pretty strong as well. I am often wary of blends containing vetiver, but this one doesn't seem to be screaming vetiver at the moment. The scent is somewhat sharp and rather masculine to my nose. Dry: In this stage, the hay and bergamot still reign. The hay note adds a warmth to the scent. I can detect more of the opoponax now that the scent is dry, and the vetiver note, while still present, is more of an herbal type of the note (as opposed to a smoky vetiver or smells-like-a-farm-get-it-off-me vetiver). Verdict: I really didn't think I would like this one based off of the notes. It's a nice masculine scent, but not really one that I could see myself reaching for as far as masculine scents go.

The chamomile note is the most prominent note in the imp. It is the dominant note on my skin at first, but the pollen-dusted honey is helping to sweeten the blend. The scent is getting sweeter the longer it sits on my skin. The tonka note seems to be emerging more over time. (I'm not sure what hyssop smells like. Sometimes I get a hint of spice, but I'm not sure which note is contributing to that.) The honey note reigns during the dry stage, but the chamomile is still present. This is a nice, relaxing blend that just reads as 'happy' to my nose. I can't stop huffing my arm. I love sugary florals, and I could see myself using this as a sleep blend or wearing it on warm spring days. I need a bottle.

In the imp: Tree bark, musk, and herbs. Wet: The elm bark is the dominant note, and it definitely reads as dry (and sharp!) to my nose. I am also getting the musk and herbs. This may be too masculine for me. It kind of reminds me of polished wood. Dry: The scent is sweeter (and a lot smoother) on the drydown. The elm bark note still reigns, so it's mostly a woody, musky scent on me (with the herbs being in the background). I am somewhat reminded of Lush's Icon perfume. Verdict: This is too masculine for me, but since I actually bought the imp for a guy, that's okay! I'm glad that I was able to try this one, though! I adore Norse mythology. *edit* I tried an imp of this fresh from the Lab a few months ago before sending it to a friend. I got hazelnut when I applied the fresh imp, which I thought was curious, but it ended up turning into the woody, musky, masculine scent that I remembered once dry.

In the imp: The wine is the strongest note, but I can also smell the Lab's dragon's blood note and the rose. Wet: I am getting more dragon's blood on my skin (which is like a somewhat spiced floral with a bit of cherry to my nose) and a fair amount of wine. The rose is becoming more prominent the longer this sits on my skin. The rose ends up becoming the dominant note, but the other notes are still present, and they certainly aren't faint. Dry: Boozy, fruity rose and dragon's blood resin. The wine is the dominant note. Verdict: This one is not for me. I am just not very fond of the way these notes play together.

Florentine iris, white almond, and golden honey. I am using testing this on my skin as opposed to using it in the bath. In the decant: This smells like Dr. Pepper to me. Letting it sit for a few days didn't change that. It still smells like Dr. Pepper to me! If I inhale really deeply, I can detect a trace of the almond. The boy originally thought it smelled like “really good cough syrup.” I don't get that at all, and besides, how could cough syrup smell good? Wet: Dr. Pepper. It starts off that way and stays that way for a really long time. I am not familiar with Florentine Iris, but I think it must be that note giving me that impression. I looked it up online and discovered that it used to be used to flavor soft drinks. Dry: The honey has emerged, and the Dr. Pepper scent seems to have dissipated. It is now a very light floral scent that stays close to the skin. Verdict: Well, that was interesting! I won't be needing a bottle of this one, but I am glad that I was able to try it.

Pumpkin whipped with milk chocolate syrup and dark chocolate shavings. Note: I am reviewing this as a moisturizer (and not as a product that I used in the bath). In the bottle: More chocolate than pumpkin. When this first arrived, I mainly smelled the dark chocolate shavings, but the milk chocolate syrup is more prominent after sitting for several hours. The pumpkin definitely has a 'fluffy' aspect to it. It's very light. Wet: Creamy milk chocolate syrup dominates at first. The pumpkin note becomes more prominent after a few minutes, and it is lightly spiced. After a while, I don't really feel like there is a dominant note. The creamy chocolate and very lightly spiced pumpkin go really well together. This smells delicious! Dry: The dark chocolate shavings seem to be more distinguishable on the drydown. It is chocolate dominant again. Verdict: It's chocolate and pumpkin! I like this, and I will be keeping my bottle to use as an after-shower moisturizer and a room scent (as I recently discovered that the BPTP bath oils have a lot of throw when used in a wax warmer). However, I don't feel the need to get a back-up of this one.

In the imp: The golden apple note stands out the most to my nose. A floral and a bit of the dragon's blood resides in the background. Wet: Golden apple, followed by the dragon's blood resin. Dry: Apple, apple blossom, and dragon's blood. The combination of the apple and the dragon's blood isn't very good on my skin. Verdict: I tend to love apple scents, but this one just isn't one of them.

In the imp: More tears than dragon's blood. Wet: The salty aquatic note dominates, but the spicy floral/cherry aspect of the dragon's blood isn't far behind. Like most aquatic notes on my skin, this salty aquatic note has a soapy quality to it. Dry: A salty aquatic with a hint of dragon's blood. Verdict: Like most aquatics, this is just not for me.

Dominant, passionate, devastating. Dragon’s blood and five deep musks. In the imp: Musky dragon's blood. The dragon's blood in this is a lot stronger than it was in Dragon's Bone or Dragon's Claw. Wet: This is sharp. I am getting more musk than dragon's blood, but that doesn't mean that the dragon's blood isn't strong, because it is. I think one of the musks is black musk. I am getting some lemon or something lemon-like from this scent. Dry: Sweeter and even muskier now. This is mostly just musk on me. I am generally not a fan of musk scents (aside from pale musks), but this is a pleasant surprise. I can tell that there are several different musks present, but I am able unable to identify them. I'm not getting much dragon's blood during this phase. Verdict: The dry phase of this one is nice, but I don't feel like I need a bottle of this one.

In the imp: Mostly sandalwood. The dragon's blood is in the background. Wet: This is sandalwood dominant, but I am getting more of the dragon's blood on my skin than I was in the imp. (In other words, it is sandalwood with some spicy floral, resinous, somewhat cherry scent.) The sandalwood notes in this aren't as dry as the sandalwood found in Dragon's Bone. Dry: Still sandalwood dominant, but with much less dragon's blood than before. The dragon's blood is still present, but it is content with a background role. Verdict: This isn't 'me,' so I will pass the scent on.

In the imp: Dry and dusty (thanks to the woods and the orris) followed by heady dragon's blood. Wet: I am getting the dry woods, along with dragon's blood, but the dragon's blood in this isn't nearly as strong as dragon's blood on its own. The orris adds a powdery quality to the scent. The wood notes dominate. Dry: The dry woods still reign, but the orris note is stronger now. The sweet dragon's blood is lingering in the background. Verdict: I do think the scent befits its name, but this is too dry for me.

In the imp: A very potent white floral note (is it jasmine?) hits my nose at first, but I think it may be accompanied by a cherry note and some musk? Wet: There is definitely a floral note present, and I do think I am getting cherry. It is stronger than it was in the imp. A bit of spice emerges. As it dries down, it is predominantly a spicy floral, but the cherry is still present. The scent is quite strong. Dry: A somewhat sweet, strong spiced floral note along with a resin and some cherry? It definitely smells more resinous now. Verdict: I always thought dragon's blood was a problematic note for me, but I guess I was wrong. This is not something that I see myself wearing, but it is nice to know that I don't have to avoid a blend just because it contains it in the future.

In the imp: Fruity and floral. I think I am getting the green mandarin, honeydew, guava, a bit of the neroli, and the freesia note (which I recognize from Butterflies, Flowers, and Jewels Attending). Wet: Same, but the freesia note is stronger than the fruit notes on my skin. Then, it ends up taking an unpleasant turn. Perhaps it is the green musk combined with the freesia? I'm not sure. The neroli is also becoming more prominent, making the scent bitter. I am also getting a woody aspect to the scent now. However, the freesia remains the dominant note. Dry: Freesia still reigns, but it is softer now. I'm not sure if it is the honeydew or guava behind it. I get the floral note, followed by fruit, and then a bit of light musk and dry wood. Verdict: This one is a bit too perfume-y and dry for me. It isn't bad, it's just... not really my thing.

Olive leaf, raspberry leaf, vetiver and cedarwood. In the imp: I can detect all of the notes. My nose does not think that they smell very good together in the imp, but maybe that will change upon wear? Wet: Both leaf notes are quite prominent, but the vetiver and cedarwood aren't far behind. The vetiver is getting stronger, but the olive leaf note ends up being the dominant note (followed by the raspberry leaf). I'm not particularly fond of this thus far. Dry: Pretty much the same. Olive leaf, followed by raspberry leaf, followed by vetiver, and finally, cedarwood. The vetiver is stronger than it was during the wet phase, giving the scent a smoky quality. Verdict: This one isn't for me.

In the imp: The almond note jumps out at me first, but I also smell the jasmine (this is a stinky variety), cinnamon leaf, and patchouli. It isn't a very good combination to my nose. Wet: There is a blast of almond (which is the dominant note), and I'm also getting the cinnamon leaf and the jasmine. The almond is making the scent creamy, and it doesn't seem to be as fleeting as it is in most blends. I can smell a bit of patchouli and bergamot as well. The fig leaf is present, too. The saffron note seems to emerge more over time. Dry: Mostly jasmine, lilies, almond, and cinnamon leaf (and a bit of patchouli and fig leaf). Verdict: This was a pleasant surprise during the wet phase (due to the prominence of the almond note), but the floral notes are stronger than I would like them to be once the scent is dry. This is one is okay, but I don't need more of it.

Breezes blowing off of the waters of the Caribbean: marine accord, seaweed, and bladderwrack. In the imp: Aquaaaaaatic. It has a rather soapy quality to it, and it is quite salty. I am guessing that is the marine accord. Wet: Still salty, but not as much as it was in the vial. The soapy quality is present, but it isn't as soapy smelling as it was in the imp. Nevermind, it is getting saltier now. The marine accord dominates. I can smell seaweed, too. However, I'm not familiar with bladderwrack. I also take back what I said about it not being as soapy. It is VERY soapy now. Dry: Ugh. Horrible, generic soap with a salty quality to it. Verdict: Definitely not for me.

In the imp: Frizzy and fruity (perhaps cherry?). Wet: This is fruit dominant (and the fruit is definitely red). I'm not getting very much fizziness. Dry: A very fruity cocktail. The booze is a lot stronger in this phase, but it is still fruit dominant. Verdict: This is way too fruity for me.

In the imp: A dark aquatic, indeed. Wet: I can't pick out the notes, but this smells like an incense-y aquatic to my nose. The incense becomes somewhat sweeter, and there is a strong aquatic note that I think may be seaweed. Aquatics tend to have a somewhat soapy quality on me, and this one does have a bit of one, but not as much as the other aquatic scents that I've tried. Dry: A dark aquatic (with a distinct watery feel) with a sweet incense. Verdict: This isn't my thing, but I enjoyed this more than the other aquatics I have tried thus far.

In the imp: Almond, sassafras, rum, and a bit of clove. It smells wonderful. Almond tends to be very fleeting on me, though. I hope it sticks around this time. I am not familiar with bay, so I can't comment on that note. Wet: The almond, rum, and sassafras are the most prominent notes to my nose. The clove is present as well, and it is getting stronger as the scent sits on my skin. Dry: Sassafras, clove, and rum. There is still a bit of almond, but it isn't as strong as it was in the imp/during the wet stage. Verdict: I like this. I'm not sure that I need a bottle of it, but it is nice!

In the imp: Ginger and resins (but mostly ginger)! I like to think of it as evil gingerbread. Wet: Ginger dominant, along with cinnamon, a hint of something citrus (I think it is the herbs?) and the resins. The herbs become sharper and stronger over time, but it remains ginger and spice dominant. Dry: Mostly ginger and spices (along with a few herbs). Verdict: I prefer this scent in candle form (as the candle scent is creamier than the perfume oil), but this is a nice gingerbread-like scent.