themeaningofV

The Lab's description is so spot-on that I'm not sure what else to say. The leather note is subtle and divine. It makes me think of being coiled around by a guardian dragon. It's very comforting and makes me sleepy. If I got a bottle, it'd be so I can dab this on before heading to bed. Love it.

At first, I was disappointed that I wasn't getting more of the frankincense/myrrh/resin - it was just a soft, somewhat soapy rose/lily floral. But the more I sniffed my wrist, the more I liked it, and I've just re-applied it! It's a very pure, clean, unobtrusive scent, and one that I can imagine would be great for everyday use. Not sure if it's bottleworthy quite yet, but I'll definitely hang onto my imp. eta 6/15: The more I wear it, the more I get of the incense when it dries down. It's beautiful. This has become one of my everyday go-tos, and I've just ordered a bottle last night.

Gosh, this is strong on me. I'm not sure what absinthe smells like, but I definitely got the rosewater, lilac, and scorched sugar cubes (mmmm). After about an hour I'm just getting the smokiness. I am really, really liking this, and if it continues to dry down nicely, this'll be on my bottle list. eta: I had to go out of state for some work last week, and in a small baggie, I packed my imps/decants of Hymn, Dragon's Hide, and this. I just nabbed a bottle of this on Etsy. Can't waaaaait.

This smelled SO GOOD in the decant I received (I actually wrote down "this is hot" as a first impression!), but on me it dries down to cheap cologne. And not just any cheap cologne, but the kind that young teenage dudes use in locker rooms. Like Hadewig, it gives me a headache if I sniff it for too long, only I'm amping the ginger and bergamot. Alas! I might age it a bit and try again.

I bought a very full imp of this from someone on the forum, and I'm glad I sprung for it. After a worrying track record with some of the scents I was hyping up, this is VERY satisfying. The mint note worried me at first, but the apple smells fantastic, and now it's dried down to a beautiful sweet musk. I'm so glad I got to try this!

This is the most beautiful smell in the imp, and when it's wet, it's rather wonderful! But after a while, it dries down to something odd. I can see where the "peanut butter" remarks are coming from, but to me it's something powdery and almost clay-like. Booo.

This is so nice. I really dig the fir resin in this, and combined with everything else, it makes me feel like a fairy in an enchanted woodland or something like that. Also, the label art is awesome.

Ack, I was hyping this up so much in my mind, but even during drydown... vetiver. Vetiver vetiver vetiver. I don't really mind vetiver (I like Saturnalia and Brimstone!), but this is smoky, bitter, and completely overwhelming. Where are the clove and leather I was so excited about? D: I'll come back to this in a few weeks and try again, but for now, I has a sad. eta: An hour and a half later, I can sort of get a whiff of leather if I sniff indirectly. Still no clove to be found. I'll throw this on a family member later and see what happens.

Snake Oil with vetiver, black coconut, vanilla, and opoponax. I bought a sniffie of this as an impulse buy on a recent forum order, and I'm so glad I did. I've never tried Snake Oil because vanilla's hit-or-miss on me, but I might have to give it a shot, because this is wonderful. I get vanilla, coconut, and spices when first applied, and then the vetiver comes out to round it out with an earthy base. I wish I had more of this now! If this is in the rumored CD comeback, I'm definitely buying a bottle or two.

Yeah, I just looked into Eve a few days ago and am bewildered at how it passed me by for so long! I'll check it out.

I was wondering if anyone could recommend a similar BPAL to See by Chloe? I got a sample card at Sephora a few days ago and it's a really lovely honeyed-apple floral, but I'm not sure if I'm ready to drop a large amount of money on it yet. Perfume pyramid according to Fragrantica: Top notes: bergamot, apple blossom Middle notes: jasmine, ylang-ylang Base notes: musk, sandalwood, vanilla

I finally discovered bpal.org's search function last week and did a search for "clove" after falling in love with Port-au-Prince. This was one of the ones that sounded the most intriguing. Then I was online at the time of the Etsy boom and had to snatch one of these up. Now that I'm wearing it? It's gorgeous. I'm so glad I took a chance on it. It doesn't seem very impressive in the bottle, but on my skin, it blooms into the most wonderful deep, spicy scent. At first it's CLOVE CLOVE CLOVE, but then it settles down into this rich, dark vanilla scent with hints of red pepper and a tiny bit of an earthy undertone. I don't normally like vanilla, but this is making me reconsider. There's also something really familiar about this scent - it evokes memories of my extended family's place up in Maine. The Wild Men and I, we were meant to be. I only regret not buying more than one bottle.

Holy cow, this is strong. I only applied a dab, and that's enough to make my eyes water. Smoky, burning green things. Vetiver and... sage? This really reminds me of the smudge sticks I saw people use when I went to ritual. Nostalgia! I'm not sure when I'd get a chance to use this, because again - strong. But there's something about it that makes me feel like a total badass. Looking at the other scents mentioned in this thread, I'm going to have to check out Djinn.

When Mom showed this to me, she said, "It smells like a doctor's office." I sniffed it, agreed, and we both left it alone for a while. But I think that was necessary, because it wound up settling into something really, really nice. - In bottle: Leather and booze. - Wet: The leather becomes more prominent, and the opium lends a sort of spicy-smokiness to it. - Dry: Leather, smoke, and spice, and I think I'm getting that coconutty note that other people mentioned with the massoia. I can't believe I was iffy about this before, this is warm and comforting and aaahhhhh. If this were a coat, I'd snuggle into it FOREVER.

I was so excited to try this, but when I put it on the honeysuckle PUNCHED ME IN THE FACE while my beloved opium peeked around the corner, not knowing quite what to do. I can't find the vetiver at all, unless it's lurking behind the honeysuckle somewhere. This is thick, cloying, and sweet to the point where it irritates my throat and gives me a sinus headache. I'm not getting sexy from this, I'm getting decay. Alas, we are not meant to be. /makes note to avoid honeysuckle in the future Edit: After attacking my wrists with soap and water, the vetiver's came out - a sort of burning grassy smell. I sort of dug it in Saturnalia, but it was too hidden/clashing with other notes here.

Received an imp from the lovely zewtsuit! Mmmm. Cloves, rum, and sassafras, with something musky and pleasant underneath. I think I might amp clove, but I like how this smells so much that I'm not bothered. I just want to nom on my wrist! Looking like a big bottle in my future. I am in LOVE.

Starts off as a really bright, citrusy scent, then calms down to a somewhat smokey incense note right next to my skin. Wonderful.

Bottle: Incredibly buttery, sweet, caramel-y coffee, with a rather sharp dry woodsy note. Wet: Oh, blergh, this is not working for me. The woodsy note is just getting stronger, and the blend is turning into something terrifying. I'm making horrified faces at my wrist. Drydown: Yeah. I think I'm in the "stale corn chip" camp. I'm barely getting any coffee at all now, and the books have yet to make an appearance. Oh, wait, is that the dust? It's... not helping. Gonna go wash this off... the description is SO ME but the oil and my skin do not agree.

I'm a n00b who's been trying to absorb everything in the past week, but I would love a newbie guide. In particular, I'd like clarification of the following terms: Amp - this is short for "amplify", right? As in "my skin amps this certain note, so it overpowers everything else"? "Death note" - does this mean a note that dies immediately on the skin, a note that smells horrible upon application, or does it vary depending on the person using it? Oh, and why is it that when I look in some sales threads, there are posts with periods spaced throughout the names li.ke t.h.is? Thanks in advance!