Kay Torres

I wanted to wear Crucifixion multiple times before posting my review. This one was a complete surprise. In the bottle: I smell mostly just rose, frank, and myrrh. All very bold, all very strong. But the rose smells HEAVY, very full, like a bloom on its last leg. I suppose that's because it's dried rose??? Wet: Very bold, and very oriental. It's all sweet spice. Dry: The rose comes out and softens on the dry down. It smells very sophisticated and mysterious. Not the greatest description, I know. But that's what I think when smelling it. The rose, frank, and myrrh are the major players, with clove staying in the background. I'm not really able to pick up the labdanum or the orris notes, but I suspect those are what make me think "sophisticated" when I smell this. It also smells so very full and heavy (pretty sure that I already said that). But, for all of its weight, it doesn't have a lot of throw at all; it wears very close to the skin. I find that I don't like wearing it in summer, but I feel like this will be a staple in fall and winter.

In the bottle, the sugared peony and rose are what I smell most. Wet: Vanilla. Sugar. Floral. Dry: Lavender comes out to play, and that mallow note picks up a bit. This is iridescent pink and purple floof. It smells beautiful, soft, shining, sweet and innocent. I don't get the powderiness others have mentioned, it just goes creamy on my skin. This is what you'd imagine a fairy tale would smell like. It's just so danged fluffy that I could die. Lol.

Okay, so I admit that I had really high expectations for this before I managed to snag it. See, I have this thing about dandelions. I anxiously await their arrival every spring, and then I go to town... dandelion jelly, dandelion wine, pickled buds, sautéed greens, dried roots for tea, salves, etc., etc. In the bottle: Yasss!! Pure dandelion! Wet: It smells like my hands after I've been picking them all day - the bitter, milky sap of them, the sharpness of their leaves, the heaven of their flowers. Dry: The same for about half an hour, but then it goes really, really sweet and peppery on me. Not bad, but it just doesn't smell like dandelions to me anymore. Sad panda is sad. I'll try again when I'm not pms'ing.

This was bitterly offensive to my nose. It reminded me of Unforgiveable. They don't really smell the same, but they share ozone as a note. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that ozone is not my bag. It reminds me of the chemical soup used to clean grungy pools. Unfortunately, just like with Unforgiveable, once I caught a whiff, it was the ONLY thing I smelled. Headaches and nausea ensued. Not a keeper for me. I'm passing it along to the man who likes things like this along with the dire warning to never wear it in my presence.

Or how about Harlot? Love that one. Somalian rose, Moroccan rose and Bulgar rose with a sultry dribble of cinnamon I don't know why I didn't think of that. I LOVE Harlot!

No, I haven't. I didn't know it had rose. I feel a new order coming on.

I really loved this when I first got it from the lab; it was a fresh, pretty floral with just a hint of woodsiness. Now that it's had a bit of a sit in my drawer, I hate it. My skin DEVOURS the floral notes and it's just wood and tea. Very STRONG wood and tea that makes my eyes water. I smell like the man after he's been out cutting (only nowhere near as delicious) - it's sort of briny, woodsy, bitter and very sharp. It sort of reminds of the smell of a rotting fallen log. Not feeling it. I need a scrub.

That's the second time that one has been suggested to me, I'm going to have to add it to tomorrow's order so that I can try it. ** It seems similar to Crucifixion. Since I'm placing my order today, I'm going to try Crucifixion first, and if it isn't the one, I'll try Cicuta next.

I'm hunting for the ultimate oriental rose scent. I bought La Rose Angel (just to give you guys an idea of what I mean), but it wasn't "spicy" enough. I'm thinking that my best bet would be experimenting with layering to get the kind of bold, over-the-top sort of scent that I'm looking for. I want to smell like I imagine Salome smelled before she danced the dance of the seven veils, if that helps. It needs to be spicier and earthier than La Rose Angel. Any suggestions for either one bpal that fits the description, or a layering combination that might work? I was thinking maybe Two, Five & Seven with Bengal?

Disclaimer: I tried this on fresh from the mailbox, and I know that's a big no-no. In the bottle: Zero rose. Just lotus. Wet: Fruity bubblegum that makes me want to puke. Very wet. Very sugary. Very nauseating. Dry: Still no rose...Just that golden syrupy, almost fruity, almost floral smell that I associate with lotus...Minus my frimp of Czernobog, looks like this order was a complete bust. I'll let things settle and try it again in a few days. * I've tried it three times now, and I can't like it. It's just seriously fruity bubblegum in a way that smells plastic.

In the bottle this is perfectly gorgeous and smells exactly like its description. Wet: I've been looking for my HG rose scent. This isn't it. My skin eats the rose, just like it does in Alice (which is why I layer my Alice with Hope). I've been told that orris smells like violets. That's never been my experience, and it's definitely not the experience here. This smells like those coconut covered marshmallows that you can buy at the grocery. It's perfectly lovely and it smells like lazy summer days spent sunning on the beach, but absolutely zero hint of rose. Sad panda is sad. I'll try layering with something more rosy tomorrow and update. * I guess these notes just don't work for me. No matter how much or what kind of rose I layer this with, it still winds up smelling like coconut covered marshmallows.

Scents like this one, Voodoo, Queen and Horn of Plenty are soooo good... I. Freaking. Love. Them. They have a cola deliciousness that I've been told is from myrrh. So, yay for myrrh, and yay for Czernobog's deliciousness!! ETA: Omg... I got out of the shower and put this on again. I think I need a full bottle... It's like bottled lust. I can't stop inhaling my own wrist and just rubbing my nose along my skin. It's soooo freaking good, y'all. This frimp was the best part of my order. I want to slather the man in this.

Patch has been hurting my feelings lately with how offensive it's become to my nose... In the imp this smells beautiful; all woody, spicy rose. Wet: Sandalwood and patchouli. A very strong sandalwood and patchouli. Dry: The sandalwood is gone and I'm left with just patchouli in all its nauseating, headache inspiring glory. I got absolutely no rose from this whatsoever. I tried scrubbing it off with rubbing alcohol and it just ended up spreading the patch smell. Tried hand sanitizer, Cetaphil, lemon Ajax, Dove, Shea butter, kojic acid and in a fit of desperation, I even tried putting Vicks under my nose. It doesn't go away. So, plus one point for being long lasting, I guess. Otherwise, this scent is my worst nightmare.

Full disclaimer: I hate anise. Very, very much... Wet: complex, herbal and very, very green. I liked it wet, the anise was in the background where it belongs, and this was very clean smelling. Dry: This turned to single note anise. Since I can't stand the smell of anise, I immediately washed this off. It was nauseating.

Wet: Astringent and bitter, like tea that's been steeped too long. Acrid. Dry: This smells like my bf right after he steps out of the shower; manly, soapy and with a touch of the hemp oil he slathers on in there. There's a reason that I don't touch him until he's finished the rest of his grooming rituals. I hate the smell of his soap and oil, and this is it exactly.

A very generous foumite frimped me with the '07 version of this. It was love at first sniff. Bold, blooming, heady, red rose. Very intense, and it brings to mind the velvety feeling of rose petals. It's a pure, realistic rose, that doesn't really change from beginning to end. It just gets softer. I really love this one, and I'm sad I missed buying the 2015 version, but I didn't even know that I liked roses until I met a bpal rose. This one is saved for the times when I want to feel classically beautiful.

Headache inducing, and sickeningly sweet. I can smell the champaca/sandalwood faintly underneath. But it's mostly orange blossom, and orange blossom and I don't seem to get along well at all.

This was Jasmine from beginning to end on my skin. Sickly sweet and soapy. I regularly layer this with Queen Gertrude because it's the only way that I can get any other notes beside jasmine. Together they turn to wildflowers, but by itself Moscow is just a no for me.

Omg, wet this smells like a bad boy should smell, and it kicked my libido into overdrive this morning. It smells like leather, tobacco, man skin, and sugary brandy kisses. Where is that vaguely alcoholic smell coming from? I don't remember seeing any wine/brandy notes listed. It's having a one night stand with a biker and then getting up in the middle of the night to wrap yourself up in his leather jacket and huffing the collar. Dry? It smells exactly like my great grandfather's green leather recliner. He would sit in it and puff away on his pipe while watching The People's Court back when it was Judge Wapner banging the gavel. Not so hot anymore when it smells like your Pap-Pap.

So much powdery floral.

I'm not sure how I feel about this one, it's the third time I've tested it. When I first apply it, I get a chocolate so dark and bitter that it smells like coffee. That is very quickly overtaken by red wine. And not a dessert wine, it's the red of blood. Full and overly alcoholic. And then that blood note all coppery and sweet... It's disquieting, is what it is... There's some sort of spicy floral that reminds me of tobacco flower. Or is that just the chocolate and wine mixing to create a floral smell? This smells like sex, and blood, and war. It is not a comfortable scent, but it is definitely evocative.

In the imp this smells like a spiced cider. On my skin it smells like an alcoholic is eating stewed prunes. This one is a pass for me. I'll use it as a room scent for fall.

This right here is the stuff. I tried this before, slathered in it for a few days, tested something else, and then forgot about the imp. I cracked it open this morning and as soon as it hit my nostrils, happy grins ensued. In the imp, it smells similar to Voodoo, not the same, but it definitely shares notes. Wet: I'm surprised no one mentioned citrus. Because it smells like lime cola when it's wet. I can't get enough of that smell. The throw is strong! Dry: Seriously, it smells like a lighter version of Voodoo. Imagine Voodoo without the patch. It's got that same haunting golden, sweet brightness, but instead of it playing hide and seek underneath heavier notes, it's on display all of the time. I'm so glad I found my imp of this, but I'm a little sad that there isn't very much left in it. This goes on the full bottle list.

In the imp, I pick up the incense and jasmine, and not much else. Wet: Jasmine. I'm not really sure if jasmine loves me because it likes to loudly announce its presence, but I can assure you that I don't love jasmine. It's nothing but a jasmine sn once it touches my skin. Loud, heavy, suffocatingly sweet. Dry: This reminds me of my grandma's Sunday perfume; dark, heavy, slightly soapy. At least I can detect incense with the jasmine now. Unfortunately, it's so overwhelmingly sugary (powdered sugar is how my nose reads it - is there musk in this?) that it makes me nauseous. Caterpillar is not a win.

I normally love violets. I don't love Faith. With her sister, I get candied rose petal. Faith, on the other hand, smells like someone has done something medicinal to the violets. It smells sort of like a violet tincture. Not pleasing to my nose. The alcoholic violet smell of it actually made me nauseous. I layered liberally with Hope. I'm glad that I did. Because while I may not be able to stomach the smell of Faith by herself, with Hope they both blossom into something far more beautiful than either one could hope to be alone.