DiesMali

In the imp: Roooooooooooooose rose rose ...ROSE. Wet on my skin: ROSE and am I detecting the sandalwood in there? Ooooh, now there's the plum. Dry: I happen to like rose when it actually smells like rose and not cheap rose imitation perfume (which gives me an insta-migraine). This smells like real roses! Soft and almost buttery petals, very sweet. It's tempered by the plum and sandalwood, which bring it from a light, crisp red to something a little more "mauve." The bergamot and oudh give it just a hint of a bite, but not so much as to make the scent sharp. This is a very pretty scent, in an antique, lacy Victorian sort of manner. Hmm...maybe more Rococo, now that I think on it. It's a little bit too "full" and lively to be truly Victorian.

In the imp: This smells very familiar, and a little ocean-y. Wet on me: Ah-hah! It smells familiar indeed. This smells, to me, like Kumari Kandam. Dry: Very reminiscent of Kumari Kandam, but with warm sea water instead of cold. It smells like jungle flowers and plants, and the ocean. There's a faint incensey note, but the floral elements of the plumeria and jungle plants are definitely predominant. It is an ancient-feeling scent, though, like the unspoiled jungle surrounding a civilization lost to time. There's definitely an aquatic note to this, and I think it might be the citrus that is somehow translating to warm, salty sea water. It's a very unusual scent, and I think I like it more than Kumari Kandam. I'll have to try them both again to be sure, though.

In the imp: Musky floral. Wet on my skin: Ethereal, light musk and yellow/white flowers. Dry: The lemon blossom and peach are the predominant notes on my skin, with an undertone of pale woody musk. After about half an hour, it starts going soapy in the manner of a very nice shampoo. This is a very clean scent. It is a little too light and feminine to be something I would wear on a regular basis, but I have a feeling it would be amazing in a sachet in my dresser drawers or something.

In the imp: Vaguely sweet and musky. Wet on me: This starts out with a bite of lavender and something I can only describe as dark. Dry: This scent fades fairly quickly, becoming a close to the skin sort of thing. The lavender and sandalwood are the primary notes here, with an undercurrent of what smells to my nose like white musk and faint sage. I'm not really getting any lemon here, but it has a "bright" note that may be that. It's a very light scent, fairly unassuming, and somehow hollow. There's not a lot of substance to it. It is a fairly odd scent, and while I'm glad I got to try it, I'll have to try it another time or two to see if it's something I would wear again.

Let me preface by mentioning that I live at the base of the Colorado Rocky Mountains, where there are thick pine and aspen forests covering every hill and mountains as you work your way up into the canyon lands. In the imp: Strong pine, almost industrial cleaner strength. Wet on me: This is gorgeous on me, even wet. It loses some of the acridity right away, and then all I get is cool, crisp pine. Dry: This is a dark, forebodingly beautiful scent. There's a certain sort of ponderosa pine that we have here, and when you put your nose to the bark, it smells like pine and vanilla. This reminds me a great deal of the scent of the ponderosa pine forest, with juniper growing in the underbrush and musty pine needles, kinnikkinnik, and soil underfoot. It smells like a pine forest, in other words. This is the truest pine scent I've ever smelled, aside from the real thing. I think the vanilla sweetness to it must be the ambergris? So pretty.

In the imp: Leather and black tea! Wet on my skin: Leather, tea, and creamy sugar. I like this already. Mmmmm. Dry: I bought a whole bottle without even trying it, because the notes are all things that my skin loves as much as I do. I may or may not also have had an infatuation with Jareth when I was younger. Ahem. This lived up to all of my expectations and then some! I actually tried this before Dorian, despite writing that review first, and it's definitely similar. Black tea and vanilla sugar cookies, with a waft of lilac and pale musk...and leather. Mmm, the leather is amazing. It smells like my well-loved black leather jacket. What I assume is oudh also gives this a slightly sharper quality than the soft and pretty Dorian, which to me gives it a sense of being...dangerous, somehow. Instead of a refined Victorian gentleman drinking tea and eating sweet biscuits while reading a naughty romance novel, this is a leather-clad power metal singer doing the same. With a bouquet of lilacs in the next room. This scent is absolutely gorgeous, and I foresee more bottles in my future. It's definitely in my Top 5 BPAL scents so far.

In the imp: What the heck IS this? Wet on my skin: Immediately, I got a waft of something that smelled strangely like chocolate, but with a sickly-sweetish yet sour note that reminded me unfortunately of vomit. This was almost certainly the honey, which usually and unfortunately ends up smelling unpleasant on my skin. My first instinct was to wash it off, but I remembered something about this one smelling much different dry than wet, so I left it... Dry: I am glad I didn't wash this off! As this dried, the sour note faded quickly (within 10 minutes), and was replaced by a sensual, spicy fragrance that reminds me a little of Wrath (which I love). The clove and cherry came out first, followed by the poppy and wine. I don't smell the vanilla much, but the honey is still there to add that vaguely sharp sweetness in its place. Underneath the spicy-sweet surface of this is a warm, musky, and almost earthy undertone. It's a scent that I can only describe as "heady." Definitely something to wear to a smoky, dimly-lit bar or maybe to bed with a lover. It's probably not something I would wear on a regular basis, but I'll keep it!

In the imp: Vanilla and Earl Grey tea. Wet on my skin: Still vanilla and Earl Grey tea. Dry: Oh. My. Goodness. This is like Jareth, but a little sweeter and without the lilac fougere. It's black tea, leather, and vanilla sugar cookies on me. This smells like a refined Victorian gentleman lounging in a luxurious velvet chair, reading some heady romance novel while having tea and sweet biscuits. That's the image it brings to mind, and I love it. I can see why this scent is so popular - I'm probably going to have to order a bottle of it. It's not so similar to Jareth that I don't need them both.

Fresh imp of Snake Oil, will maybe review again after it's aged a bit. In the imp: Smells like vanilla liqueur. Wet on my skin: Deep, almost musty vanilla. It smells almost just like the real vanilla in the bottle I bought from Costa Rica. Dry: This starts out a little weird as it dries. It threatens to turn into what I swear is Play-Dough, but never quite tips over into salty. I was a little underwhelmed at this point, but then the scent started to evolve as I wore it longer. Within an hour, it went to a musky, vaguely spiced vanilla, with the vanilla closer to my skin and the incense wafting in the air around me. It smells a little like vanilla sugar cookies sprinkled with cinnamon, and it's delicious. In my mind, it's a rich and creamy off-white with swirls of cinnamon brown. It isn't quite into "mind-blowing" territory, but it certainly is very pretty. Edit: Trying this again after two months, and holy moly this stuff smells amazing. NOW I get why it's so popular! This is a gorgeously rich, spicy incense with creamy vanilla twirling through the smoke. If it's this much better after only two months of aging in a dark box, I look forward to seeing what a year+ will do to it.

In the imp: Butter rum. Yummy. Wet on my skin: This is what butterbeer from the Harry Potter books should smell like. No wonder all those wizards loved it so much. Dry: As this dries, it goes from warm butterbeer to honey mead and pastries topped with almond flakes and buttercream icing. I want to eat myself. I'm so hungry now. This is a wonderful scent and I love it, but I'm not going to be doing my waistline any favours if I wear it when I'm hungry and have access to sweet things that are more edible than my arm.

A scent aflame with rage, swirling in the red haze of hatred: dragon's blood spiked with black pepper, clove, and cinnamon. In the imp: Rich, warm dragon's blood and cinnamon. Wet on my skin: Warm, sweet, and RED. The dragon's blood and cinnamon are the primary notes here. Dry: For being such a laid-back and calm person, Wrath certainly likes me (and the feeling is mutual). It's almost like my personality itself tempers this red-hot anger and reins it in to something passionate and driven instead. It's still a very warm and red scent, with notes of gold and black. The pepper is faint, but present, and it's the spicy-sweet of fresh ground black pepper. The clove and dragon's blood are now foremost on me, with the cinnamon under that, and the pepper underneath it all. It's almost a candylike blend, or maybe spice cake. Yes, I think it's spice cake. Delicious. MMmmmmm.

In the imp: Fresh mown grass with a touch of cucumbery sweetness. Wet on my skin: Exactly the same as in the imp. Dry: This fades quickly on me, but it's a perfect blend of crisp cucumber and freshly mown summer grass. It's a very green and almost earthy scent on me. Not really something I'd wear, but it will be nice to put in my air purifier/humidifier.

In the imp: I was expecting incense, with a name like this. But it's...ocean water??? Wet on my skin: Definitely ocean water, like a cold tide carrying flowers and tree branches that got blown into it by a hurricane. Dry: I love aquatic-scented candles and colognes, but I never tried wearing one before. Apparently, my skin liiiikes the ice and flowers in this more than anything. I'm turning it into this gorgeous mixture of lotus and unburnt incense, with a hint of what I think is violet, and then frigid seawater and icebergs. It smells exactly like the description - a long-lost civilization swallowed by the cold ocean. It's very unusual, and I love it. I predict more of this being ordered once I use up the imp.

In the imp: Smells like thick, rich wildflower honey. Wet on my skin: Almost overpoweringly sweet honey with a touch of fruit and flowers. Dry: I don't know how, but the sweet florals from the Lab (so far) don't turn to syrup-covered plastic on me. Thankfully, the sweetness is not quite as heady once this dries down. Still very much a honey scent on me, with hints of wildflowers and something vaguely fruity. I don't get much, if any, of the musk in the throw, but it's tucked away close to my skin. It's a very pretty and warm scent overall, and while it's a little sweeter than what I would normally wear, I'll be keeping the imp in rotation for those times when I want to feel pretty and girly.

In the imp: I was expecting something incensey and heady, but this is surprisingly floral. Wet on my skin: Beautiful blend of rose and lilac, threatening to become a little old-ladyish. Dry: This is a gorgeous perfume on me, thanks to the lilac, which almost always works well with my skin. It's a dark, dusty floral with hints of antique wood and maybe a little bit of incense somewhere in the mix. It smells exactly how I would imagine a darkened Victorian sitting room as the occupants perform a forbidden seance. It has a very antique feel to it, and maybe a hint of sadness in it as well. Perhaps the occupants of the room were trying to speak to a recently and tragically deceased loved one. This is so very pretty, and makes up for the earlier disappointment with the Lilac Wood.

In the imp: Strong, sweet metal with a bit of oak. Wet on my skin: Surprisingly sweet, tangy, and metallic. The iron note definitely overpowers the oak at this point, and for some reason it's almost creating a salty ocean effect. Dry: Mommy Fortuna smelled like honey and blood. This smells like blood, damp oak, and freezing rain. Rather than a cage, this almost makes me think of a coffin in a pauper's grave. Desolate and cold. Interesting that the two related scents give me such a strong impression of blood. It's a powerful and sweet scent, but not so much sweet in a pretty way as it is sweet in a high-pitched, shrill sort of manner. It isn't something I would wear for normal day to day business, but like King Haggard, it will be amazing for the Renaissance Festival and/or roleplaying sessions. Maybe even cosplay, now that I think about it.

In the Imp: Beautiful, soft, fresh lilac with a hint of green grass. Wet on my skin: Lovely lilac with spring greens. Not the usual fakey perfume lilac - this smells like the real thing. Dry: I really, really wanted to love this one. Lilac is my favourite flower and it normally works very well on my skin. Unfortunately, something in this blend turns it to lilac soap on me. I'm going to try it again in a few weeks and see if it works better once it ages a little bit.

In the imp: Juniper and herbs. Wet on my skin: Juniper bark and basil, with a hint of sweet vanilla and tangy citrus. Dry: Ohhhhh my goodness this is gorgeous. One of my favourites so far! I tried this on my sweetheart the other night and wasn't too fond of it on him, but on me it just blooms. All of the notes blend together, yet I can pick them all out if I try. It's still juniper bark and sweet basil, but now there's a softly musky vanilla and barely any citrus, and it has this vaguely leathery scent, like brown saddle leather. It reminds me of going horseback riding up in the mountains here in Colorado. I think I'm in love with this one, and may order a bigger bottle if the imp keeps working so beautifully on me.

In the imp: Bitter, freshly hewn cedar. Wet on my skin: I smell like the lumber section of a hardware store. Dry: This is a dry, bitter, ashy redwood or cedar smell. It's like someone set a redwood forest on fire, laughed as it burned, and this is the charred aftermath. It's actually not unpleasant, and I love how it works on my skin. It's definitely not something for everyday use, but would be absolutely fantastic to wear at the Renaissance Festival or a tabletop gaming session. I may need to see how this smells on my sweetheart...

In the imp: Juicy watermelon. Pink! Wet on my skin: Juicy watermelon and sweet pea, with a hint of the lilac starting to come out. Dry: I wasn't expecting to like this as much as I did, as my skin sometimes does odd things with sweet florals. The lilac musk and sandalwood temper the sweetness of the watermelon and sweet pea into something a little more lavender than bright pink. I'm not getting much of the oakmoss, but that's alright. The overall feel of this is innocent, pretty, and naive as to the darker ways of the world. I think it's the lilac musk making this smell amazing on my skin, but whatever it is, I'm definitely going to use the imp. This is a perfect springtime scent, like what you'd wear to brunch or maybe a spring wedding reception. Very pretty.

In the imp: Sweet, sweet wildflower honey. Wet on my skin: Same as in the bottle, but with a faintly smoky note. Dry: Sweet wildflower honey and a tinge of fresh, coppery blood. As a former EMT, the latter is something I smelled quite often, and that's what this smells like to my nose. That being said, the mixture is not at all unpleasant. It clings fairly close to my skin, and would be something I might wear when expecting a passionate interlude. It's a visceral and indulgent sort of scent to me, appealing to the baser instincts of hunger and bloodlust. As it wears on me, this sweetens a little further also takes on a dry, powdery note.

In the imp: Dark, wet stone and wood. It smells like the air coming from a damp Appalachian forest cave as you stand peering in from the forest. Wet on my skin: Fancy hand soap! Dry: ...Still fancy hand soap. I REALLY wanted to like this one based on the description and other reviews, but none of the individual notes are coming out, and it smells like the high-end liquid hand soap you might find in an upscale restaurant or hotel. Not a bad scent, but not unique. That being said, I am expecting shark week to start at any time, so this very well could be my skin chemistry making it go all funky as my hormone levels go out of whack. I'll test this again and edit the post in a few weeks and see if it makes a difference.

In the imp: Flowers and mint! Wet on my skin: I was very much looking forward to this scent, but was very unsure when I first put it on. It was strong wisteria and tuberose with a little bit of mint and white chocolate. Sweet florals are very hit or miss on me, and I was a little afraid this was going to be too sweet. Dry: Now, the achingly beautiful Lady Amalthea has come out in her full splendor! This scent is a cool purple in my mind's eye. The powerful florals settled down somewhat and perfectly harmonized with the other notes in this blend. The florals are still the dominant note, mostly the wisteria and tuberose with a tiny hint of the lilac, but the winter musk and white chocolate soften and mist over the flowers just enough that it's not overly sweet. The scent is then cooled to a wintry purple-white by the mint. I live in Colorado, and this scent reminds me of one of our mid-spring snowfalls, when the flowers are all in bloom and the sun is shining, but there's snow on the ground and frost on all the petals. Lovely, lovely fragrance. The throw on this one is all but gone from my skin in 3-4 hours, leaving behind traces of wisteria and chocolate when I put my nose close to my wrists. Interestingly, its short-lasting beauty fits the rest of its character inspiration, so I'm okay with that.

In the imp: Dark fruit and cloves, much sweeter than when on the skin. Wet on my skin: The currant note starts to fade almost immediately, but the clove powers up into this warm, lush cloud surrounding me. This oil not only smells warm, but seems to literally have a warming effect on my skin. Dry: Gorgeous. Rich, warm, and dusty/dry clove with a hint of sweet fruit under it. I'm almost getting black plum rather than black currant. It's a beautifully rich scent, and rather than being spice rack in-the-jar cloves, it smells like cloves baking in the oven as part of a holiday meal. Warm and somehow a little bit nostalgic, like a childhood home of which you only have faint memories.

In the Imp: Odd. Sort of musty, like dried citrus peel potpourri in a room full of dusty antique furniture. Wet on my skin: The amber and bergamot notes are most powerful right now, but they're softened by the fuzzy tonka bean and what I assume is the petitgrain. Dry: This is a light, warm, and somehow fuzzy scent on me. On my skin, it seems to fade quickly, but then I realise that it's still floating in the air around me as I move. Tonka and powdery amber are now the primary notes, with the bergamot still giving it that little touch of citrusy spice. It's like the dusty bergamot of Earl Grey tea, though, rather than the fresh fruit. I'm not sure what petitgrain is, but there's a vaguely woody note in here that I think must be that. Overall, it's a very pretty, soft, and warm scent.