Hystrixia

In the Bottle: Paysage is a pale gold oil heavy with the scent of smoky bourbon vanilla and bitter mugwort with a slight undertone of sweet opium. Top Notes: Freshly applied to my wrist, the dominant notes are most definitely opium with tobacco absolute and a half boozy, half cologne-like mugwort. The vanilla bourbon hangs out in the background, rounding out the overall scent with a smooth, creamy effect. It reminds me of sitting in a warm, smoke shrouded bar on a bitterly cold winter’s night. Middle Notes: Thirty minutes later, the mugwort has died down and the tobacco absolute takes charge. The plum shows up shortly afterward; adding a slight fruitiness to the green note of the mugwort, while the white musk and heady white florals quietly starting to come out to the play in the background. The mixture of notes at this stage gives off a very languid, dreamy quality. Base Notes: Three hours in the remaining notes a soft, sleepy, and wistful swan song of muggy white florals with a hint of smoky sweet plum. Overall Impression: To me, Paysage is like Tom Waits in a bottle. It is evocative of nostalgic, liquor-fueled pipe dreams and cold, long nights filled with rain. Whenever I wear it I find myself wanting to stay inside and listen to his music while I drink myself into a cozy stupor. It’s definitely an end of the day fragrance and I could easily see myself wearing this to bed to help me go to sleep. My only gripe about this blend is that it’s so effective at making me go into hibernation mode that I can never really see myself ever managing to wear it outside of the house! Paysage’s scent colors are a tobacco brown, puce, and a smoky white. Sillage-wise, Paysage is low on me while the longevity is fairly good, clocking in at around eight hours. Final Verdict: While I like Paysage, its limited usage for me makes owning a full bottle pointless. I’ll probably be decanting this one.

In the Frimp: Santa Eulària des Riu is very pale yellow oil in the lab frimp and smells of citrus soaked herbs. It’s very spicy, juicy, and green. Top Notes: Immediately after application there is a heavy blast of citrus notes, predominately a very green, spicy lemon-like scent mixed with a tart orange (lemon balm and neroli perhaps?). Lavender and what I think is rosemary occasionally peek out beneath the dominant citrus notes. It’s very clean but somehow stops just short of being soapy. If anything, teeters between being astringent and refreshing. Middle Notes: Thirty minutes later, the citrus is still dominating the blend but has calmed down and rounded out with the introduction of the sweeter, more floral jasmine and orange blossom notes. At this stage it’s somewhat pleasant and it reminds me of suntan lotion and warm summer days at the beach. Base Notes: Two hours later and it is mostly gone: only faint wisps spicy, sweet herbs and citrusy jasmine remains. Overall Impression: It took me a while but I eventually figured out what Santa Eulària des Riu reminds me of: Yankee Candle’s Sun & Sand! Personally, I think this type of scent would be much better suited as an atmosphere spray as it’s a too fresh for what I usually wear. If there had been more emphasis on the white floral aspect, I might have enjoyed waering it a little more. I would highly recommend this blend to those who enjoy summery beach fragrances! The scent colors for Santa Eulària des Riu are a sunny yellow, vibrant green, and aquamarine. The sillage is low to medium spectrum and the longevity is very short (less than three hours) on the skin. This is one of those blends where you might want to use a scent locket in order to prolong wearing it. Final Verdict: Not bottle worthy for my tastes but I might keep this frimp until the summer months roll around so I can test it in warmer conditions.

In the Bottle: The Snow at Midnight is an almost colorless oil that smells very cold, rich, and bittersweet in its container. The black currant bud present in the blend gives off a soft, fruity but spicy green smell while the background is predominantly cold, almost pine-y woods. It reminds me slightly of fruity turpentine. Top Notes: Freshly applied, it starts off as icy blend of tart black currants and slightly coniferous frankincense. The snow note in this one is definitely not like the sweet, fluffy one in The Snow at Dawn or The Snow at Dusk. This is the hard, crunhcy iced over snow in occurs when it refreezes overnight. Middle Notes: An hour later the greenness of the black currant bud has mellowed from the addition of the sweet and woody qualities of the oudh, ciste, and other resins. It’s fruitier, smoother, and less cold than before but still comes off as being very dark and slightly on the velvety side. Smelling it reminds me of being outside on cold starless winter’s night. Base Notes: Six hours later and sweet, velvety woods and resins are all that remain. Soft and somber. Overall Impression: The Snow at Midnight is such a wonderfully cold, dark scent, making it my second favorite in the Snow Falling Faintly collection. It teeters on the edge of being unisex with the amount of green, resinous notes but just barely wins out at being feminine. It is one of those fragrances that makes you think of things like black velvet and india ink; things that are rich, dark, and smooth with a bit of bite. The Snow at Midnight’s scent colors are crystalline sapphire, inky turquoise, and pitch black. The Snow at Midnight has a low to medium sillage but has a great longevity thanks to all those luscious resins and woods. P.S. It smells absolutely gorgeous layered with Midnight Mass. Final Verdict: Anything full of resins and with black in the scent colors is good in my book. In my collection it shall stay!

In the Bottle: The Snow at Dawn is pale yellow in color and smells like bittersweet, clean neroli in the bottle with just a touch of sweet, powdery snow. Top Notes: Wet on the wrist, the neroli is dominant at this stage, giving the snow note an extra cool, fresh quality that could closely compare to soap. However, the sweetness in the both the notes just barely keep it from going full soap mode on my skin. Middle Notes: At the half-hour mark things start to get interesting! This is most definitely a morpher. The neroli is slowly balanced out by the orange blossom note, lending a sweeter, warmer, and more delicate touch to the blend. At this point, the scent is morphing from being a baby blue and clean white fragrance to being a sweet, shimmering white fragrance with streaks of pale blue, gold, and pink shining through. The whole thing is very fitting seeing as this is a dawn inspired scent. Nearly an hour in, the rose gardenia (which is more of a sweet, musky rose than a gardenia) is fully noticable, amping up the pink aspect even further. Base Notes: Six hours later, a pretty base of floral orange blossom and that cool, sweet snow note remains. It's very light, warm, refreshing and feminine. Overall Impression: Beautiful! I really enjoyed the way this one morphed throughout wearing it and the air of elegance it gave off. The way I see it, The Snow at Dawn is The Snow at Dusk’s shy, clean-cut, pastel-loving twin sister. Both of them are white floral dominant scents with touch of a green at in the top notes and a subtle soft, sweet snow note in the heart. The main difference between the two is their personalities Dusk is much darker, richer, and slightly more dramatic compared to Dawn’s warmer, crisper, and ethereal nature. The Snow at Dawn’s color palette is pretty close to its name sake: snow white hills bathing in the light of a pale morning sky streaked with soft golds and pinks. In terms of sillage, The Snow at Dawn is weaker than rest of the Snow Falling Faintly scents I have, about a low medium. Longevity is decent, lasting around eight hours. Final Verdict: The Snow at Dawn gets a thumbs up and will be staying with her sister scent in my bottle collection.

If you are wanting a licorice note close to chewy black licorice candy, I highly recommend finding imps of Le Pere Fouettard. Think a clean black leather jacket with pockets filled with black licorice candy and freshly baked vanilla waffle cookies! Here's the review page: http://www.bpal.org/topic/50786-le-pere-fouettard/

In the Bottle: Gelt (2015) is gold in color and smells like a sweet, sweet chocolate note that is similar to a tootsie roll. Top Notes: When wet on my wrist, the chocolate note is dominant. It is a milky and sticky-sweet chocolate at this stage, very much like the smell you'd get from opening a half-melted bar of chocolate on a hot day. It can be very cloying but, seeing as I adore chocolate, I'm enjoying it very much. Middle Notes: An hour later and it dries down to a lovely marriage of smooth, sweet cocoa and rich, warm amber. It's almost spot on in reminding me of the chocolates coins but has a softer, velvety quality thanks in part to the amber. There's also a very, very slight nutty quality much like you find in certain milk chocolate brands. Base Notes: Over six hours later, it has become a powdery cocoa-laced amber that still remains noticeable. It's very warm, soft, and sweet. Overall Impression: Holy Childhood, Batman! Gelt is absolutely wonderful, especially since I grew up in a household that celebrated Chanukkah. It really does smell like those delicious little chocolate coins and wearing it makes think back to the days where I'd play dreidel on the living room rug after having a family dinner of brisket and homemade latkes. I can see why this blend is a Yule staple... It's marvelous! Gelt's scent colors are pretty much summed up in notes: a creamy chocolate and a warm gold. I am highly impressed with the sillage on this one, as well as the longevity. My skin amped both the chocolate and amber notes like crazy, so it was very noticeable even from a distance. The wear time was good too: I had applied it in the late afternoon and could still get hints of it on my skin the next morning. Final Verdict: Gelt is a winner! I would definitely buy this again and I can hardly wait to see how my bottle ages.

In the Bottle: Stekkjarstaur is pale gold in color and smells like vanilla sugar in the bottle. It’s cloying but pleasant; nothing too crazy. Top Notes: Wet on the wrist there is a sticky, almost candy-like note that sticks out on top of a sweet, downy vanilla note. It sort of reminds me of the smell of vanilla spun sugar or fairy floss. The whole combination is very pretty and yummy. Middle Notes: Thirty minutes later, the candy element has died down just enough to allow the creaminess of the vanilla notes to come out. The scent has taken on a very soft and fluffy quality and really does smell like a bag full of marshmallows! Base Notes: Aside from fading, not much has changed three hours later. It has consistently remained a soft, candied vanilla cream on my skin. Overall Impression: Stekkjarstaur is a vanilla candy lover’s dream scent! I really enjoyed the well-balanced blend of the creamy powdered vanilla and sugar notes that manage to give this scent that fluffy, air-light quality present in marshmallows. Better yet, the sugary notes in this blend thankfully never gained a plastic-y quality on me like they did in Père Noël (HALLELUJAH!). Good job, Beth! Stekkjarstaur’s scent colors are a creamy ecru and soft white. Sillage-wise, it’s on the weak to medium spectrum, staying close to the skin (my boyfriend smelled it almost immediately when he hugged me after coming home from work). My only gripe about Stekkjarstaur is concerning its longevity, which lasts under six hours. This is definitely one you will want to use with a scent locket. If it lasted longer on my skin, I’d easily pick up another bottle of this! Final Verdict: Stekkjarstaur will easily be staying in my collection. I can’t wait to try layering this with some of my other BPAL scents!

In the Bottle: The Snow at Dusk is a soft yellow oil that smells richly of cool plum, sweet opium, and lily of the valley with just a nip of carnation. It's a bit hard for me to describe what it smells like as it's so well blended. Top Notes: Fresh on my wrist, a sticky-sweet combination wild plum, opium tar, and benzoin is dominant while the lily of the valley adds a pretty floral component with just a touch of green. The snow note in this is clean, light, and fluffy, like it's freshly fallen. An image of frosted sugar plums nestled amid fresh white blossoms is fitting to describe it in this stage. Middle Notes: The plum and opium continue to be the dominant notes but the champaca and carnation have shown up and add subtle spicy warmth to the scent. The lily of the valley is still present and the whole combination is so, so beautiful. It walks the line between both warm and cold, like the sun's warm rays slipping slowly below the snowy horizon. Base Notes: Six hours later and all that’s left is a glowing mix of plum, opium, champaca, and carnation. Overall Impression: Out the four Yules I had ordered, The Snow at Dusk was easily my favorite. I’m glad I took a gamble on this one and chose it as my blind purchase bottle! It’s such a phenomenally pretty scent that manages to be perfectly balanced on me. It’s fruity but not overwhelmingly so and is both fresh and warm with a hint of florals. If you are a plum or opium lover like me, this might be a good one for you. The scent colors for The Snow at Dusk are the colors of shadow cloaked snowdrifts against a bleeding winter sky: warm plum, leadened orchid, and soft gray. The sillage is great on this one and longevity is good as well, so you shouldn't need to constantly reapply it if you plan on wearing it for long periods of time. Final Verdict: Love, love, LOVE! I will be keeping this one and ordering a backup bottle or two.

In the Bottle: Père Noël is a bright yellow colored oil in the bottle that smells of sweet tangerines, fresh orange zest, and candied anise. Even from the inside the bottle it smells sugary sweet. Top Notes: Freshly applied on my wrist, the anise and hard candy note is immediately noticeable alongside the tangerine and orange. The lavender is not detectable at all at this point. It has an almost creamy quality that is lovely. It is like sniffing a bag full of anise drops and candied oranges. Very yummy and definitely foodie. Middle Notes: An hour has passed and the hard candy mixed with the creamy anise has become the dominant note with the oranges as the supporting player. The overall scent is like a sickeningly sweet and almost plastic-y creamsicle on my skin. I’m pretty sure I smell like one of those Peppermint Rose or Cupcake dolls I used to have as a little girl back in the 90’s. Still no lavender at this point and I highly doubt it will ever show up on me. Base Notes: Almost four hours later and it has become straight up candied anise drops with not a hint of the orange or tangerine whatsoever; only sugary sweetness. Bummer! Overall Impression: Curses! I was hoping for a juicier, fruity orange based fragrance with only a touch of candy. It’s a shame considering I really, REALLY liked the initial wear stages where it smelled like candied oranges and anise. Unfortunately for me, this turned into a straight-up sugar fest on my skin. I will admit it was a bit nice as it reminded a lot of being a little girl again, but I don’t exactly enjoy smelling like a creamsicle fragranced plastic doll in the process. Père Noël scent colors are vanilla white, bright orange, and chartreuse. Pere Noel’s sillage is fairly good in the beginning but it tapers off considerably as it has a short period of longevity. Prepare to slather yourself in this if you want the scent to last all day on you. Final Verdict: Père Noël will not be staying in my collection. Off to the Swaps it goes!

Whip leather, coal dust, gaufrette, and black licorice. First off, I’d like to thank delighted for providing me with this decant. This sounded so nice and with the Christmas season upon us, I was dying to try this! In the Decant: Le Père Fouettard (2013) is bright yellow oil that smells of mouthwatering sweet licorice pontefract cakes and clean black leather straight from the vial. It smells like a brand spankin’ new leather jacket with pockets full of sweets! Top Notes: Fresh on my wrist, I get a quick lashing of sweet and slightly medicinal black licorice before the leather note takes the reins. The soot is noticeable and adds just a touch of sharp earthiness to the sweet, muskiness of the leather. So far this is a very sexy masculine scent. Middle Notes: An hour or two later, the dominant leather note has softened and warmed up with the introduction of the vanilla waffle cookie (think of those pizzelle cookies that come in stacked side by side in the clear box). The combination of the soot and cookie is actually very pleasant and, as other reviewers have noted, gives it that fresh off the waffle iron feel. The licorice is still in the background and adds just a dash of greenness to the blend. It just barely teeters between being a foodie scent and masculine musk. Base Notes: Four hours later, and the remaining notes are warm leather laced with waffle cookie crumbs. It’s wonderfully warm and comforting. Overall Impression: "Daddy Whipper" indeed! If you took Santa’s evil twin out to a leather bar, Le Père Fouettard would be the result. It’s a dominant, sexy, and masculine fragrance that manages to maintain a bit of the cheery holiday foodie vibe in the process; something very rare as most foodie scents come off as feminine. If you’re the type of person who would prefer the idea of dashing through the snow on a snowmobile over a one-horse open sleigh during the holidays, this is the scent for you. The only way this scent could get anymore awesome would be to layer it with a vanilla cookie scent for extra umph. Le Père Fouettard’s scent colors are the colors of debauchery, smut, and flesh: gleaming black, dusty charcoal, and warm bisque. Both sillage and longevity are moderate, so application throughout the day isn’t a necessity unless you really want to slather yourself in this stuff. Final Verdict: Le Père Fouettard has me whipped. I’ll be keeping this decant, adding this onto my wishlist, and start hunting around for a bottle.

In the Frimp: Eros is a dark golden, almost amber colored oil in the imp. When sniffed it has a similar bouquet to a chilled glass of muscat or ice wine: honeyed white grapes and floral notes with a hint of citrus. It smells sweet and delicious. Top Notes: A mix of honey wine, rooibos tea, and bitter myrrh are prominent immediately after application to the wrist, with the lilac being present in the background. The lilac is very clean and sweet.. but mixed with the myrrh it takes on a sharp, soapy quality. The smell is similar to one of those honey and goat milk oatmeal soap bars you might find at a farmer’s market; clean but still earthy. I'm guessing this might also be the infamous celery note other reviewers were talking about? Middle Notes: The soapiness has subsided for the most part. The rooibos has gained a very subtle grassy note and the resins have started to come out. The lilac and honey are still present, just not as loud as they once were. Base Notes: Two hours later, it has morphed into a soft base of floral lilac, rooibos, and sweet warm resins. It is very pretty now but incredibly light on the skin and can be hard to pick out at times. A pity as I enjoy the base notes quite a bit. Overall Impression: I like the sweetness of the honey wine and resins with the vegetal fruitiness of the rooibos tea leaf, but the union of the bitter myrrh and lilac ruins it for me by becoming overly soapy… And if it’s one thing I don’t generally enjoy is perfume that reminds me of straight up soap. That being stated, I find it interesting how this scent manages to be clean and earthy at the same time. It’s a shame considering I generally like most of these notes; if it had been more of a warm honeyed floral on my skin I would’ve enjoyed this a lot more. Eros’ scent colors are terracotta red, ochre, and mauve. The sillage is weak, as is the longevity, so if you plan on wearing this all day, you’ll need to reapply it at some point. Final Verdict: Eros is nice but not something I could really stand wearing because of the astringent soapy quality on my skin. I’ll be passing on this one.

In the Bottle: Samhain (2015) is a pale oil that smells heavily of wet fir needles, heavy spices, and strong patchouli. It’s very dirty, sweet, and woody. Top Notes: Applied fresh, it’s heavy on the fir needles, decaying leaves, and the spices. The apple is present, but not the pumpkin or mullein. To me, the apple note is neither red nor green; it is more of a golden apple note, similar to the russet or golden delicious apple varieties. The spices are very gritty at this point, adding an extra dirtiness to the leaf notes. Middle Notes: An hour later and the sharpness of fir needle has been pushed into the background, with the apple, spices, and dead leaves now being the main notes. A warm, slightly vanillic quality has showed up that isn’t the patchouli. Perhaps the mullein and the pumpkin notes decided to join the party? Either way, it really rounds out the bitterness of the spices while add a slight smoothness to the apple. The end result is a rich, slightly creamy apple cider with the scent of autumn woods in the background. Very, very nice. Base Notes: Six hours later, a wonderful base of spice-kissed ripe apples and warm, earthy patchouli remains on my wrist. It smells delicious and soothing. Overall Impression: When I initially tried Samhain, the grittiness of the spices mixed with the foliage notes almost scared me off. I’m just glad I gave myself a little time to acclimate as it took a couple of wears to finally get a better idea of it. In my personal opinion, it’s very much a late autumn scent: the rich sweetness of the apples, pumpkins, and spices invokes the feeling of autumn while the dead leaves and fir really add a bit of augur as the winter months approach. It’s a scent that somehow manages to be simultaneously cheery and pensive, which I find interesting. Samhain’s scent colors are a harvest gold, dark sienna, and smoke black. The sillage is pretty good with this scent and the longevity is great, lasting well over twelve to eighteen hours. Final Verdict: Now that I’ve warmed up to it, my bottle of Samhain (2015) will be staying my collection. If I get around to it, I might try to find decants from previous years just to compare and contrast.

In the Frimp: Baba Yaga is a bright yellow oil with the scent of cold iron and sweet herbs and flowers. It has an almost citrusy, indolic quality like you would find in white flowers when sniffed in large concentrations, which is something I love. Top Notes: Immediately after application, the cold, metallic scent of iron and bright green herbs soaked in patchouli makes itself very apparent. There is a slight hint of dust in the background that peeks through the entire time. The whole thing is very refreshing and sweet in an herbal way and it holds an almost magical quality, like the smell of fresh herbs being ground up with incense in order to concoct a magical potion. Middle Notes: About an hour has passed and it has become heavy on the moth dust and wood notes with the herbs and flowers becoming secondary. Something almost catty is in the background and the iron is still present, but only barely coming through. At this stage it does a very good job of evoking the imagery of a decrepit wooden hut in the forest with a mossy thatched roof and dusty cobwebbed walls filled with both freshly cut and dried herbs and flowers on the inside. Sniffing it kind of gets in me the mood for Halloween. Base Notes: After a few hours, the metallic iron note has turned the blend into a generic soapy floral-wood scent reminiscent of Dial Gold Antibacterial soap. It reminds me a LOT of my Grandma’s kitchen as that was the soap she used. Occasionally the patchouli amps or a nice hint of green moss pops up… but in a flash, it’s gone and the soapy florals return. Bummer. Overall Impression: I initially really liked Baba Yaga as it had a very wild, decayed, and witchy quality to it in the beginning. But when the base notes came out, Baba Yaga went from being the classic mystical crone in living the woods to becoming a traditional suburban grandmother. It’s a shame for me. I really enjoyed the top and central notes in this blend, especially the indolic moth dust, sweet green herbs, and mossy-wood notes. If it had remained more on the dirty, sweet, or green side while wearing it, I probably would have liked it a lot better. Baba Yaga’s scent colors are a bright mossy green, bistre (blackened brown), and straw yellow. The sillage on this one was fair but the longevity is pretty short, so you’ll probably have to reapply if you plan on wearing it for more than six to eight hours. Final Verdict: I will not be keeping this frimp as I do not like scents that go soapy on me. Baba Yaga had potential, but ultimately was not what I was hoping for.

In the Bottle: Mother Ghost is a very pale oil with a scent that is very cool, smooth, and sweet. I’m mostly getting the vanilla flower, tea leaf, and orchid when I’m sniffing her in the bottle. Top Notes: Freshly applied, she has an invigorating white tea note with a warm, resinous vanilla sugar to accompany it. The vanilla note is more restrained and ladylike than Edith’s nearly gourmand vanilla and it has a colder, almost gossamer quality to it thanks to the tea leaf. Middle Notes: After thirty minutes, I’m beginning to smell more of the floral notes, particularly the orchid and just the slightest hint of a powdery rose. The tea leaf, vanilla flower, and resins are still the dominant notes. The combination makes for a very charming, classic fragrance that screams feminine elegance. Base Notes: Six hours later, and a soft mix of resins and warm amber remains. It gives a very cozy feel while adding a quality of mystique. Overall Impression: I expected to enjoy Mother Ghost and was not disappointed with my purchase. I especially like the combination of the tea leaf and vanilla flower as it really gave the whole perfume a nice translucent quality to an otherwise traditionally heavy oriental fragrance. The feeling I get from this scent as a whole reminds me of the scene where she first visits young Edith, particularly when she curls up next to her daughter on the bed while cooing to her. Her scent colors are a pearly white and gauzy grey, brighter than her almost jet black appearance in the film. She is about the same as Edith in wear time. However, she’s much stronger in terms of sillage, probably ranking second strongest out of the four Crimson Peak scents I have. Because of this quality, I actually have a story to share about what happened the first time I wore Mother Ghost: The day after the bottle arrived in the mail, I applied the oil on my wrists before heading out to lunch with my boyfriend. We were in the restaurant and had just finished our placing our orders when a woman and her boyfriend/husband walked by us looking for a table. The woman paused for a moment while she was behind me and said in a sentimental tone to her partner, “I wonder who is wearing Shalimar? It’s the perfume my mother wears.” The whole episode was kind of spooky but funny at the same time. By the way, the lady is right about it smelling like Guerlain’s Shalimar. They share many of the same qualities, so if you run out of Mother Ghost, you know where to go for something similar. Final Verdict: Mother Ghost will be staying my collection. I’d recommend giving her a try if you are partial to delicate, slightly fresh oriental vanilla scents.

In the Bottle: A dark gold hued oil with a fruity bittersweet fragrance from the plum musk, ylang ylang, and black amber notes. It reminds me of a silver fruit bowl filled with barely ripened black plums. Decadent, cold, and delicious. Top Notes: When first placed on the skin, the immediate smell is a bitter and biting mix of the black lily, plum musk, smoke, and lovely wet red roses. The mixture of lily and plum musk at this point is dominant, almost screaming. I'm pretty sure the lily note is what is adding to the acridness, which would make sense as it's one of those notes that can be temperamental when worn on my skin. In a way, it's fitting... this IS Lucille Sharpe in a bottle after all. Middle Notes: An hour later, Lucille has softened into the most lovely, sumptuous, and sultry scent. The rose has deepened and gained a wonderful powdery quality with a touch of sweetness thanks to the amber base. Much to my delight, the ylang ylang has reunited with the plum musk, taming the lily note in the process. The result is a ripe, juicy plum note with only a hint of bite like you'd find in the skin of the fruit. This is one of those scents that makes you want to slide on a black silk evening gown with a pair of satin opera gloves. It's sexy, restrained, and intimidating all at the same time. Base Notes: Eight hours later and a beautiful, fruity plum-amber base is what remains. It's as soft and warm as a pile of purple velvet cushions. Overall Impression: I'll be frank... At first I was afraid that the very sharp combination of the black lily and plum musk would overpower the rest of the notes, thereby making Lucille unwearable for me. Luckily, the sweetness of the amber and ylang ylang saved the day while really adding to the red rose element. For this reason, I'm glad I stuck it out through Lucille's violent beginnings as she truly is a unique and wonderful fragrance. She is very much like her namesake in the film: cold, dark, refined and unpredictable with an undercurrent of raw feminine sexuality hiding under the surface. Her color palette is heavy on jewel tones: a glistening garnet, powdery dark violet, and jet black with a slight glimmer of emerald. Compared to the other two Crimson Peak bottles I have (Thomas and Edith), she has the best throw of the three and is second best in longevity, her brother just barely winning out. She's a perfect evening fragrance for those nights out where you want to feel like the prima donna or femme fatale in the room. Layer her with Thomas if you want to give her an even sexier demeanor. Final Verdict: Lady Lucille Sharpe will remain in my collection despite the rough start. Because in the end, she's bad in the best way possible.

In the Bottle: Luscious black amber and sensual oakmoss, with the slightest hint of lavender. I have not even applied him yet and he already smells intoxicating. Top Notes: Wet and ruby red when placed on the skin, Thomas begins with the green and earthy oakmoss note from the fougère taking the forefront while the black amber remains strong and consistent. Lavender slinks quietly around in the background. The scent is like a cool yet smoldering glance from across the room. Middle Notes: While drying, the tonka bean begins to lend a soft vanilla note to the black amber. The oakmoss has quieted down and has now blended with the amber to create a very heady, sexy, and damp masculine wood fragrance. The combination is carnal, dark, and delicious. Base Notes: The oakmoss has faded away, leaving behind a sweet, lingering mix of the tonka infused amber. The result is a scent that is sweet and sexy in a gentle way. Overall Impression: This particular blend is a fairly accurate representation of Thomas Sharpe as a character. The lavender and oakmoss notes in the fougère on top of the black amber base initially give him that quality of stoicism and sensuality present when he’s first introduced in the film. However, the combination of the tonka bean note that’s also in the fougère and the black amber base expose the tender and loving nature hiding underneath. The whole composition is extremely reminiscent of the classic Byronic hero archetype that Thomas embodies: cold on the outside, warm on the inside. His scent colors are a warm burgundy, deep verdigris, and sable. While he is not as complex as Edith or Lucille scent-wise, he certainly makes up for it with presence. He’s a wonderfully balanced blend and, out of the three Crimson Peak bottles I currently have, he has the best longevity at an impressive 20 hours. He’s neither passive nor aggressive; he is perfectly grounded in the middle in terms of both notes and sillage. And while he is without a doubt a masculine scent, he’s sweet and gentle enough to where he can easily be worn as a unisex fragrance. Because of this, I can see him being a perfect candidate for layering with other oils. Final Verdict: Sir Thomas Sharpe will be staying to haunt my collection with undying sexiness for all eternity.

In the Bottle: Smooth and saccharine vanilla with rich grey amber and a slight nuttiness that might be from the ambrette seed. It reminds me of cup of brandied eggnog with freshly grated nutmeg on top and a slight perfumey quality hiding in the background. I can already tell this is capable of being a great winter scent. Top Notes: Freshly applied, she’s very sweet and warm in a girlish way. The vanilla musk, white sandalwood, and the gray amber are dominant. Occasionally the white patchouli makes a very quick appearance before darting into the background. It comes off a bit coquettish and dreamy, like a young woman smiling and batting her lashes at her the object of her affections. Middle Notes: Over an hour has passed and Edith has matured into an absolutely stunning fragrance. It’s gone from an almost innocent scent that a young lady might wear to something beautiful and refined with a touch of sensuality. The sweet vanilla musk remains the dominant note along with the gray amber but now there is a lovely leathery or suede quality added thanks to the introduction of the oudh and ambrette seed. I cannot stop sniffing my wrist! Base Notes: The vanilla has died down but the sweetness remains with the warm and slightly powdery combination grey amber, oudh, and white patchouli. It hugs close to the skin in a comforting way. Overall Impression: I’m floored. Beth did a fabulous job of conveying Edith’s personality in this particular blend. Much like in the film, she starts out a bit on the childish side before maturing into a heady, complex fragrance. She’s every bit gentle, sweet, warm, and dreamy like the character she is based off of. Initially, I was a bit worried that the vanilla in this would make the scent cloying but the addition of the resin and animalic notes really make this fragrance shine. Her scent colors are a golden buff, shimmery ecru, and a tawny brown; similar to her character palette in the film. In terms of sillage and longevity, Edith is the weakest of the three Crimson Peak blends I currently have (Thomas being the longest lasting and Lucille, without a doubt, having the strongest throw). However, that is not a problem for me in the slightest as she is so pleasant to wear. Wearing this scent feels like receiving a beaming smile and warm, welcoming embrace. I love it! She’ll make for a perfect winter scent, especially with the holidays coming up. Final Verdict: MOST DEFINITELY a keeper. I will have to order another bottle before she’s all gone. Get her while she lasts, especially if you enjoy vanilla or wood fragrances!

"Cold blows the wind to my true love, And gently falls the rain. I never had but one true love, And in the greenwood he lies slain." In the Bottle: The scent of a freshly-cut rose in the frosted air. It's very refreshing and elegant. The rose note in this reminds me of the hybrid tea roses my mother grew when I was a kid. Top Notes: Wet on the skin, the gardenia appears and mingles with the rose. An intense, biting chill of what I imagine to be white mint rustles by before settling onto the flowers. Middle Notes: About an hour later the rose and gardenia are still the prominent notes with the now present sandalwood mingling close behind. The vanilla orchid hides in the background lending a tender sweetness to what has become a lovely chilled floral scent with a hint of wood. Base Notes: Six hours later and the florals and ice have faded away into a soft mix of the sandalwood and frankincense. It's warm and sweet but very light. Overall Impression: I like it quite a bit. The mint, aside from adding a cooling effect, really contributes to the florals by lending a nice green note. The result is the smell of freshly cut flowers in the damp winter air. I also enjoy the effect of the vanilla orchid, white sandalwood, and frankincense being added as they stopped the blend from being too cold. Colorwise, the scent comes off as a crisp white, a cool slate, and a soft taupe; a pale bouquet gently placed on a footstone slicked with morning frost, bareboned trees silently standing witness in the background. On a seperate note, I tried layering a small amount Yorrick over The Unquiet Grave for extra emphasis on the "grave" aspect and was very pleased with the end result. Final Verdict: I am very glad I took a chance when I made this blind purchase based only on the notes given. I love how refreshing it is while maintaining it's floral quality. I'll gladly be keeping my bottle.

"Was I born a cute, vindictive, little b***h or... did society make me that way? I go back and forth on that..." - Hard Candy (2005) In the Imp: A cloying strawberry bubblegum with an acerbic note. Top Notes: Upon applying to the skin, the strawberry, orange blossom, and hibiscus jump out, soon followed by the bitter spiciness of the carnation. It's incredibly sweet, in a twisted way. Poisoned lollipops come to mind. Middle Notes: The carnation and poppy are now front and center, with the strawberry and orange blossom still lurking around in the background. On my skin, it's morphed into a very dark and spicy fruity floral thanks to the fact my skin does well with opium/poppy based scents. I kind of like it. Base Notes: Maenads finishes with a velvety strawberry opium note. It's warm, sweet, and soft on the skin. Overall Impression: As many other reviewers have said, Maenad is very much a lolita perfume, though it's far from innocent and demure. Wearing it is akin to petting the belly of a fluffy kitten that happens to have quite a set of claws. The drydown was very quick on this one, but the longevity on my skin was quite impressive (it easily stuck around for over 8 hours). The colors I get from this scent are ruby red, a burnt orange, and coal black. Final Verdict: Initially, Maenad was my least favorite of the Imps I had been testing... but somewhere along the way it wormed its way into my good graces. I don't think I'd buy a big bottle, but it certainly is a fun and demented fragrance I wouldn't mind wearing from time to time. If your skin does well with poppy/ opium notes and you can stick it out through the candy-coated fever dream in the beginning, you might find something in this.

"Perfumes there are which through all things can pass And make all matter porous, even glass; Old coffers from the Orient brought, whose locks Grind sullenly when opening the box, Or, in an empty house, some ancient chest, Where time and dust and gloom were long compressed, May yield a flask where memory survives, And a soul flashes into future lives." - Le Flacon, Charles Baudelaire In the Imp: The sweet and heady scent of fresh lilacs and wisteria. It smells amazing, like a humid evening in late spring. Top Notes: On the initial application, the lilac and wisteria take a dark turn from their sweet demeanor, especially as the rose makes its introduction. Middle Notes: The wisteria has faded into the background, leaving the lilac and rose. On my skin, the rose is fairly dominant but the lilac can still be easily distinguished and tames the harshness of the rose. It is a deep, lush rose that reminds me of the times my mother would leave some freshly cut 'Mr. Lincoln' hybrid tea roses in my room as a child. The roses were a dark red against the sugary pastel purple paint on my bedroom wall. Base Notes: Only the rose is left, which has become a soapy and clean smelling ghost of its former self. It whispers of yellowing lace, old perfume bottles, and powder puffs sitting on the vanity of an aging beauty. Overall Impression: A very mature, old-fashioned perfume that reminisces on spring nights long past. Colorwise, it comes off as a soft purple, crimson, and ivory scent. Final Verdict: I love florals, especially rose, but unfortunately Les Fleurs du Mal is too much an old lady scent for my tastes. I will, however, be keeping the Imp as wearing it gives me a nice trip down memory lane.