dementia_divine

In the imp: Mostly lavender, followed by the lotus and a bit of spice. They don't seem to go together in the imp. Wet: Lavender and lotus. The lotus note is stronger than it was in the imp. The lavender note is astringent. I am only getting a bit of spice. Dry: The lavender note isn't as sharp, and the lotus is stronger, lending an airy, almost bubblegum-like quality to the scent. I am getting a lot more of the spice now. Verdict: I like lavender, but I guess I don't enjoy it when it is paired with lotus. No bottle for me.

In the imp: Mostly verbana, ginger, green grass, and the summer rain note. Wet: Verbana, ginger, and green grass. This really does have a summer-vibe going on. The verbana and grass end up being the dominant notes. The ginger is still present, though. Then, the summer rain note emerges. Dry: The grass and verbana notes are still present, but they are not as prominent as they were before. The summer rain note, like most aquatic notes, has turned somewhat soapy on me. The amber is present now, along with a bit of sage. This stage of the scent is not for me. Verdict: This is not a scent that I would like to wear, but I think it would make a nice room scent.

In the imp: Iris, amber, and berries. I'm not really getting any spices. Wet: Iris and amber emerge at first, followed by the berry note. This particular iris note has a somewhat Dr. Pepper-esque vibe (but not as much as the iris found in the Trading Post's Erotic Images of Spring Evenings bath oil). The spices in this are indeed velvety, but they aren't very prominent. The iris and amber have the center stage. Dry: The iris still reigns. The amber is still present, but the berry note has gone. The spices are lingering in the background. Verdict: This one is okay. However, I am beginning to think that I am not a big fan of iris. I won't be getting a bottle of this one.

In the imp: Very potent cinnamon. I think it is the same cinnamon note found in Plunder. I hope this one doesn't burn! Wet: Cinnamon bark reigns at first, but I can smell the skin musk underneath it. Then, the skin musk starts to become more prominent. The cinnamon bark isn't as strong as it was in the imp (thankfully). I think the skin musk is helping to soften it. Dry: The scent is sweeter now. The spices never burned my skin (huzzah!). The skin musk (accompanied by the honey) dominates now (and I believe it is the same one that is found in Les Bijoux), followed by the cinnamon bark. I love clove, but I didn't really get much of it on my skin. It is hard to pick out the other spice notes beneath the cinnamon. Verdict: I like this. I don't think I need a bottle, but it is nice.

In the imp: Lots of flowers, dirt, and herbs. Wet: The floral notes dominate. I think that jasmine is one of the floral notes. I am also getting the moss, incense, herbs, and some dirt, but it is predominantly floral on me, with the other notes lingering in the background. Dry: This is still very floral on me, followed by the moss, incense, and herbs. The dirt is still present, but it is even lighter than it was before, so it fits the 'dry earth' note of the description. Verdict: I guess I like my dirt scents with more dirt! The floral notes used in this aren't really 'me.' I prefer scents like Deep in Earth and Zombi.

Sugared vanilla rose, pink carnation, pink peppercorn, cistus, Oman frankincense, white peony, white moss, and lemon peel. In the bottle, the pink carnation is the dominant note. It pretty much dominates all of the other notes in this blend. After much sniffing, I can get a bit of the rose, moss, and frankincense out of this. This scent does seem like it would be appropriate for spring, and I'm hoping that I get more of the sugared vanilla rose and pink peppercorn out of this once I spray the scent all over the room. Once sprayed, the frankincense note is one of the prominent notes, and it smells like a frankincense and floral blend at first. I also sprayed this on a blanket, and I can smell the lemon peel note when I sniff the blanket, mingled with the floral notes (especially the strong pink carnation), moss, and frankincense. The scent on the blanket is sweeter (thanks to the lemon peel giving it a candy-like quality), and I prefer it to the scent of it in the room (which has mellowed out into frankincense, moss, and florals). The pink carnation is the strongest of the florals in this blend. I like this, but I'm not in love with it. I will keep my bottle, but I won't need a back-up of this one.

In the decant: For a moment, this reminded me of red Jello or Kool-Aid. Maybe it's the combination of the grapefruit and/or tangerine rind, rose water, and almond blossom. I'm not sure, but it is rather fruity. Wet: I get that impression when it hits my skin, too. This is citrus dominant, followed by a floral aspect, which I think must be the almond blossom mixed with the rose water note. The neroli makes its presence known as the scent is starting to dry, adding a bitterness to the scent. Dry: I am mostly getting the mugwort-infused musk now. The rose water is still present. The fruitiness of the wet stage is gone, save for a bit of lingering tangerine peel or neroli. Verdict: I was curious about this one, but I refrained from getting a bottle of it since I am generally not fond of Lunacy scents. I am glad I went with a decant instead, as it isn't really 'me.'

In the decant: White tea and lilac! I'm not really getting any of the candle wax. Wet: The white tea note is the first to make an appearance, but the lilac note quickly makes itself known, and it is starting to get stronger. The white tea note (which has a citrusy quality to it) remains the dominant note, but the lilac isn't far behind. As it starts drying down, I'm starting to get the candle wax note. Dry: More lilac than white tea now (though the tea note is still present), along with some of the candle wax note (but not the sweet beeswax candle note from scents like The Lights of Men's Lives and (Not So) Penitent (Mini) Magdalene). Verdict: I like this one (but not enough to grab a bottle before it goes away).

In the bottle: I'm getting a lot of rose from this, as well as some of the apple peel and mahogany wood. I'm not smelling any vanilla in the bottle. Wet: The rose geranium dominates, followed by the apple peel. The mahogany wood is present, but isn't as strong as the other notes. Dry: More rose geranium than tea rose. The apple peel is still present, but the mahogany note is rather faint now. I can only smell a hint of the bourbon vanilla if I press my nose against my wrist, but it is very faint. Verdict: I ended up going for a decant of this (in the original bottle) instead of springing for a blind bottle, and I am glad that I did, because I was hoping for more vanilla with the rose notes. It isn't bad, but there are other rose scents that I enjoy more, so I won't be needing more of this one.

In the bottle: Mostly the whiskey-laden buttercream, but I can smell the cake and the cider as well. Wet: I am getting more cake than I did in the bottle, and more of the hard apple cider as well (which is spiced, but not heavily spiced). The cider note is becoming more prominent as this sits on my skin, as well as the buttercream note (which is definitely whiskey-laden). Dry: Delicious sponge cake, a much softer, lightly spiced cider note, and buttercream. The whiskey-laden buttercream note reminds me a bit of Captain Lilith and Her First Mate. Verdict: I love cider, and I love cake! I am glad that I bought a bottle of this!

2014 version. In the decant: Exactly what it says on the tin: cocoa powder and golden amber. The cocoa note is more prominent, and the amber makes the scent even dustier smelling. Wet: I am getting both notes, but the amber is a lot stronger on my skin than it was in the imp. The dry cocoa note starts taking on a creamier chocolate scent after sitting on my skin for a while. Dry: Dry, golden amber and creamy cocoa. Verdict: I like this. However, I have other chocolate scents (and other scents with amber) that I enjoy more. I will keep my decant, but I don't need a bottle of this one.

2014 version. In the bottle: Sweet and minty with an almost dryer sheet like powderiness. This is different than the other snow notes I have encountered thus far. Wet: The same, but with a more prominent mint note that I believe may be spearmint. There is also a somewhat aquatic vibe to this scent now, but it remains powdery. Dry: Sweet, powdery snow. The scent is sweeter than it was during the wet stage. It kind of reminds me of making snowcream when I was a child. I prefer this stage of the scent. Verdict: I almost bought a blind bottle of this, but I am glad that I didn't and went with a low partial instead (because I am not particularly fond of spearmint). I will keep my partial, but I don't need a whole bottle.

In the decant: Eucalyptus, grapefruit, a creamy floral, and mint. Wet: Grapefruit, eucalyptus, mint, for the most part. Then, what I believe is the davana emerges, followed by the iris. It is sweet and doesn't really make me think of piercing cold at all. The eucalyptus, mint, and grapefruit are still present, though. Dry: Minty, floral, and citrus-y. (So descriptive, I know!) Verdict: I expected this one to be colder since it is the scent for fear of extreme cold. It's not bad, but it doesn't really grab me.

2014 version. In the decant: This one is very dark. The clove is very strong, but the pitch is really strong as well. Wet: The clove dominantes, followed by the pitch, and then the pine itself. It is very masculine, and it has a smoky quality to it. I am getting more of the Terebinth Pine the longer this sits on my skin. It starts to become less smoky and dark as the Terebinth Pine becomes more prominent. Dry: Clove dominant, but the scent is a lot softer and smoother than it was during the wet stage. Verdict: I almost bought a blind bottle of this one, but I decided to go with a decant instead. I am glad that I did. I wasn't particularly fond of the first part of the wet stage, which was too masculine for me, and reminded me a bit of a campfire. I like the dry phase, but I don't want to endure the wet stage of this scent to get to it. I will give my decant to the boy, though. I bet he would love this.

In the decant: The pine pitch jumps out to me, as well as the opoponax and tobacco notes. Wet: Not nearly as dark as I thought it would be when my decant first arrived. (I let it settle for a few days prior to testing it.) I smell tree, opoponax, and tobacco. I believe it is the opoponax that adds a bit of sweetness to this scent. Dry: The opoponax really stands out to my nose. The tree notes are still present (it is hard to pick them out individually), and the tobacco is more prominent now, lending a smokiness to the scent. Verdict: I like the smell of trees, but I guess I don't really care to smell like them. I would prefer this one as a room scent.

In the imp: Boozy chocolate buttercream! This is one of those cupcakes that is buried under a pile of frosting as big as the cupcake itself. Wet: The frosting note dominates, and it almost smells like hard toffee-flavored candies at first before the chocolate note becomes more prominent. This really does smell like a chocolate cupcake slathered in dark chocolate frosting. I was worried about the stout component of this scent, but I am not really getting much of it at this point. There is just a hint of it. Dry: On my forearm, I mostly get chocolate powder, but in the crook of my elbow, I smell the remains of a chocolate cupcake. The scent is a lot softer and smoother now. There is a creaminess to it. Most of the cupcake is gone, but a glob of chocolate frosting remains on the plate graced by the presence of a few crumbs. Verdict: I really, really like this one. I ordered a half decant of it, but I don't think that it will be enough (despite the fact that I already own several chocolate scents). If this one comes back in stock before the Yules go down, I will try to get a bottle.

In the imp: Sweet cake and lavender. I am not really getting any ale from the imp. Wet: Same, but even sweeter than it was in the imp. It is very purple with almost a syrup-like quality to it. I can't help wondering if there is some kind of fruit inside these cakes, or if it is just the combination of the cake and the lavender. *looks up Welsh Cakes* Ah, it must be currants. There is a bit of ale in the background. I didn't expect this scent to be so fruity! Dry: Still mostly fruity cake and lavender. The lavender reads as a dried lavender to my nose now. The ale is more prominent in the dry stage, making the cake note seem a bit more bread-like. Verdict: I was really hoping to like this one (cake and lavender!), but this scent was too fruity for my liking.

In the imp: Black sandalwood and deep patchouli along with a bit of fougere and a hint of vanilla. The combination of black sandalwood and patchouli remind me of Black Silk. Wet: The black tea leaf fougere seems to be the most prominent note once this hits my skin. I am also getting some of the sandalwood and patchouli. As usual, the black tea part of the fougere is veering into black licorice territory, but it hasn't turned to full-on black licorice yet. The vanilla has decided to peek out, but it is rather light. Dry: No black licorice during this phase. Huzzah! The blend is a lot smoother now. I can smell the black sandalwood and the patchouli (which isn't a dirty patch) the most, followed by the fougere. The vanilla is stronger than it was during the wet phase, but it still isn't a main player. I can also smell the incense smoke. Verdict: I like this, but I am not sure that I need a bottle of this (since it does have a few notes in common with Black Silk). I will probably do a full-day test of this one before it goes away just to be sure, but at the moment, I think my half decant will suffice.

In the imp: The lavender is the strongest note, with the orange blossom and the tea lingering in the background. Wet: Lavender dominant, followed by the tea notes (more black tea than green). The tea notes are getting stronger the longer this sits on my wrist. I am also getting some orange blossom. I am not really getting any resins at this time, and I am not familiar with pink flowering thorn. Dry: The lavender is still present, but it has calmed down a lot. I am getting a lot more of the orange blossom now. The tea notes are still rather prominent. Verdict: I love lavender scents, so I was really hoping to love this one, but the orange blossom is stronger than I would like it to be during the drydown, and the scent is rather faint, so I think I can pass on a bottle. I will keep my half decant, though.

In the imp: Tea rose, yes... with something not quite right. Wet: Same. First, I get tea rose, and then the 'blackened' aspect mentioned in the description, which is becoming more prominent over time. I was trying to pinpoint what it was, and then I realized that it is a black tea note. I wouldn't expect anything else from London! Dry: Rose and the Lab's black tea note. The black tea note had a black licorice vibe at one point, but it never veered into complete black licorice territory (thankfully). Verdict: This one isn't for me (as I prefer my floral notes paired with something sweet), but I do think this one really fits its description!

In the imp: Mostly skin musk and honey. I can smell a bit of the orange blossom, peach, apple, and myrrh lingering in the background. Wet: Very strong on the skin musk and honey. I am also getting the red apple, peach, and orange blossom. The rose is present, but it isn't a main player on my skin. The same goes for the myrrh. Although I am familiar with frankincense, I can't pick it out here. Dry: The skin musk and honey still reign, followed by the peach and apple. I also get a bit of soft myrrh. I prefer the scent in this phase. Verdict: This one is nice. I don't need a bottle of it, but I will keep my imp and give it a full day test some time in the future. I think this scent would be good during the warmer months.

In the imp: The merlot jumps out to my nose. It is the strongest note in the imp, but I can also smell musk, a bit of leather, and a hint of rose. Wet: The merlot is the dominant note, followed by the musk and the crushed floral notes. The combination of the merlot and the violet makes the scent sweeter than it was in the imp. I am not particularly fond of violet, and it is starting to become more prominent the longer this sits on my skin. Dry: Still wine dominant. The violet is still present. I can smell a faint hint of leather, just like it says in the description. I am not getting much of the other notes. Verdict: This one is better than I thought it would be, but it really isn't 'me.'

In the imp: White floral notes with an aquatic vibe. Wet: I think I am mainly getting the gardenia and muguet notes. The scent still has an aquatic aspect. Dry: Strong white floral notes along with aquatic notes and some ginger. Verdict: I'm not a fan of aquatic scents, so this one is not for me.

In the imp: Exactly what it says on the tin: rose and leather. Wet: More rose than leather, but the leather is definitely present and reads as black leather to my nose. I don't know how Beth does it, but the rose note really does have a damp quality to it. It actually smells like a damp red rose. I'm not always fond of leather, but I am enjoying this scent thus far. Dry: The leather is much stronger on the drydown, but the damp red rose note is still the dominant note on my skin. Verdict: I was pleasantly surprised by this one. I don't think I need a bottle of it (as I already own a lot of rose scents that I like more than this one), but this is nice.

In the imp: Much cinnamon, so rose. Wow. Wet: Red roses and cinnamon. The roses reign, but the cinnamon seems to be getting stronger the longer this sits on my skin. This is not a sweet cinnamon note. Dry: The cinnamon is more prominent than it was in the wet stage. The roses are still present, but I get more cinnamon on my skin. Verdict: I like cinnamon, and I like roses, but I am not sure about the two being paired together. This one is okay, but I don't see myself reaching for it over some other rose scents.