Witch's Dagger

Hmmm... I've been putting essential oils straight on my skin (with exceptions, such as cinnamon and cassia) for years with no problems. There are also other companies which sell pure essential oils to be used as annointing oils. I don't think the "essential oils are dangerous" is a hard fact, but rather an opinion. I've also heard that some people are more sensitive to them, and are therefore recommended to get a carrier oil. Therefore, I suspect that the oils Beth uses are essential oils. Certainly, people have experienced the burning in blends which contain cinnamon oil. I'm guessing the ones that are 85% are diluted, but that the others are pure essential oils. I'm hesitant, concerning my own experiences, to think that all essential oils are dangerous. Some are (like cinnamon), while others aren't.

Depraved A salacious, lecherous, leering scent - dirty and dark, slapped with a wet sweetness. Earthy black patchouli swelling with apricot. This was a freebie from the lab! Thanks! Preconceived notions: sweet, snarky darkness In the vial: Yes, very sweet. I don’t like the apricot, but maybe the patchouli will make it behave. Yerevan was okay, but March Hare was ... ugh (for me) 11:30 On me: Ah yes, much better, at least near the wrists. I think (from my other samples) that there’s some red patchouli in here, too. Or at least something really green. I’m not getting “depraved” so much as “bitchy”. This is a scent I’d wear if I needed to knock down doors to get what I wanted. Not in a sexual way, either. In five minutes: Wafting, the apricot is still very present, but it’s not the overriding scent. Near my wrists, there’s no apricot at all. It’s all wonderful, spicy, yet green patchouli. In fifteen minutes: The apricot has taken over the wafting scent, and it’s irritating me. My wrists still smell of spicy, green patchouli. I really wish I just had that part, without the apricot. In half an hour: About the same, but it’s starting to fade. In forty five minutes: Still no change. Overall: I think I’m going to stick with straight patchouli. And I think I’ll avoid apricot in the future.

noch - NEET - sa (ch = cheese)

This is a short review, because it's the only scent I've ever merely sniffed, rather than actually trying out. That said: Egg Nog smells, in the bottle, exactly like egg nog. And when I smelled it in the bottle, I realized, "You know, actually, I don't really want to smell like egg nog, nor do I want my house or bath to smell like egg nog, because I can't actually drink this perfume." And if it doesn't smell like egg nog, I'll be disappointed. So, it's off to swaps. I should have gone with Skadi instead, it seems.

Anathema This was a freebie from the lab. Thanks! Preconceived notions: Some said this was dark, and all said it was “ethereal”. I’ve been looking for a *dark* ethereal scent. In the vial: Wow - that’s very intriguing. The core is clearly the vetivert, and it is a very metallic, cold vetivert. This one is definitely not confused with dragon’s blood. The opium and honeysuckle make it very sweet and yes, ethereal. This is one of the scents I think smell like my idealized idea of chloroform (I’ve never smelled the real stuff). This smells like some evil thing that would put you right to sleep. Wonderful. On me: It’s a very cloyingly sweet medical kind of scent. Mysterious and sinister. In a while: The vetivert is gaining some spice - I’m not sure what it’s from, but it’s very spicy now, under that sweet softness hanging in the air overhead. Overall: This is a smoky, deep, sinister, and yes dark, ethereal oil. I’ll be keeping it, but it’s not much one for every day. Special occasions and all that.

Luna This was a freebie from the lab. Thanks! Preconceived notions: Good for moon magic? In the vial: ylang ylang, and some sharp pungent herb. Nice, but not what I’d call lunar... 11:00 On me: Is there some sweet almond in this? It’s really clashing with the ylang ylang - to a feverish pitch. So far, I’m not enjoying this overmuch. Over time: Sharp white florals. I much prefer Midnight for my lunar scent. Overall: I think I’ll be swapping this one.

Black Rose Exquisitely melancholy. The background scent to an ancient exequies. Heavy, dark and floral: a blend of roses, with a touch of amber and musk. Origin: Ordered from the lab Preconceived notions: I was able to smell it once at morseren’s house, and found it to be darkly lovely. It took me awhile to order it to try it more thoroughly because I’ve always been susceptible to scents I haven’t *ever* tried. In the vial: A very somber, deathly, almost earthy rose. On me: I don’t know what’s in this, but it reminds me somewhat of Blood Rose, yet smokier, drier, and darker. It’s also as elegant, but colder, not as carnal or erotic. I don’t get much rose in Blood Rose, but the rose that’s there is this one. And it’s one I can’t describe - It’s a very deep scent, almost spicy. I’m guessing there’s some kind of incense in this blend, myrrh or frankincense would be my first choice, because there’s a dark, resiny spice to it. In 25 minutes: It has softened, perhaps due to the influence of the musk - I’ve found that musk makes things softer for me (well, except for red musk...). So, now, it’s a deep, dark, soporific, soft, comfortable black rose. In 45 minutes: This is such a rich scent. I’ve checked my notes and found out that the resin involved is amber. That makes as lot of sense at this stage in the scent, though it seems too light for the earlier stage. Not that this is lighter now, just that it does seem tinged by something warm and golden - a single black rose sitting on a cherry night table with a lit candle illuminating it just slightly. It’s also much more sensual than it was initially, though still drier, not as wanton as the Blood Rose. The sensuality is the kind you feel after a really good massage or sauna experience. I imagine a woman, dressed in a black evening gown in a hotel. She has just been to the hot tub and the sauna, and she’s now awaiting an excellent dinner of something with a rich sauce, a bold red wine, and a decadent dessert. The room service arrives, and she is gracious, yet reserved. She is alone, but completely comfortable in her own skin. In an hour: Wow, the rose has gently faded slightly to the background, and I’m left with a glowing amber musk scent. The rose is still there, but it’s not the prominent note. This is really nice, and it’s still quite strong, which is odd for me (BPAL oils tend to have at least *begun* fading by now, if they’re not completely gone). Overall: This is beautiful. I think I’ll definitely need more of this when I run out. Edited to add: 2 hours later and it's all sweet amber - very sweet amber. Which I do like, particularly late at night with a candle burning. Also, I've read other reviews, and I can say for me, it's nothing like Spellbound. The rose in Spellbound was incredibly sharp, as was the amber and red musk. It gave me a headache in 5 minutes and I had to swap it - the notes all tended to make each other sharper on my skin, instead of fuller and softer. This one did the opposite. For me, as can be seen in the review itself, it was much more similar to Blood Rose, in that the other notes added depth to a round, soft rose.

Some things I've thought of, but am not sure about (I love this post - I've forgotten how much I love this post!) Note on the way I'm using the letter "a" a = ah - not like in "can" but like "father" kh = loch, Bach... Lampades - lam - PA - days, sort of like lam - Padres, without th "r". And then for some with my Slavic, Czech-learning bias: Tenochtitlan = ten- okh - TEET - lan Centzon Totochtin = sen - tson - to - TOKH - teen , with the "ts" being the same as the sound in pizza. And I admit, I've been pronouncing Nyarlathotep wrong: Nyar comes out as a Spanish n tilda followed by ar - like in yard without the "i" in "in" - the rest is fine though. I don't think I'm going to change in order to pronounce it correctly, because I hate the "eye" sound, and really like the n tilda sound. For some reason, I've been pronouncing Ulalume as yoo - LA - loo - may, but considering the rhyming reasons Shollin brought up, I think I'll start pronouncing it according to French phonetic rules, which is basically oo - la - LOOM, but the oo isn't really exactly that. I can't describe the French "u" in writing - you have to experience it. I should note that I automatically pronounce things out very precisely (though Xiuhtecuhtli was hard until I found this post!), if not correctly, which means I usually do get the spellings right.

Midnight This was a freebie from the lab. Thanks! Preconceived notions: Hmmm... maybe too floral, but this sounds very intriguing. In the vial: Definitely what I’d call, warm, white and lavender (color, not scent) evening flowers. This is a summer night, in a garden, with the moon shining down - a full moon. On me: This is definitely floral, but it’s a warm, soft, sweet, floral. I don’t get anything overly harsh, although I can smell the herbal greenness of the stems. This is definitely a secret, magical garden of blooms, not some flowers cut and set in a vase with water. Over time: This doesn’t exactly change much, though different notes come to take prominence at different times. I cannot identify any of them, though they are all floral or herbal in one way or another. Overall: This is a very mysterious, secretive scent. While I know that Tarot: The High Priestess exists, I could see Midnight as a good stand in. This is a keeper, and I could easily see getting more of this, though I’ll probably never wear it out. It it too secret and sacred for that. I’ll be wearing this in Goddess-centered rituals.

Shroud This was a freebie from the lab. Thanks! Preconceived notions: It sounds like it might be a soft, dark, meditation blend. In the vial: Lots of woody sandalwood - as in, I mostly get sandalwood, and it’s even woodier than normal, greener. On me: Sandalwood and grass, with something wispy and ethereal in the background. Very nice, but difficult to describe. In 10 minutes: It’s definitely sweeter now, sort of like a sweet, floral cedar. It’s very nice and comforting. Shroud is an apt name, since it feels a lot like a warm blanket. In an hour: Still very slightly there. Not many changes over time. Overall: While I wouldn’t call it a “soft, dark, meditation blend”, it is very nice for a comforting, relaxing on a Sunday, kind of scent. I’ll be keeping it!

Zombi This was a freebie from the lab. Thanks! Preconceived notions: This is one I was going to try as the idea of dirt and dried roses intrigued me. However, though I don’t dislike roses or dirt, there were others I was more interested in first. In the vial: Wow - that really does catch the scent of dried roses. I’m not getting any dirt from the vial though, and the rose note is *really* sharp. I generally prefer the softer side of rose. On me: First whiff: Yes, there’s that lovely decaying scent I was looking for. This is really quite amazing - the roses with decaying stuff. I feel like I’m in a forest near some fungi and someone’s tossed some dry roses over them. But the rose is still foremost in this scent, and it’s still very, very sharp. I want more decay and less rose - or for a decayed rose, maybe, that didn’t smell so strong and chemical-like. In a few minutes: Something soapy is coming up. Wait, that’s not the diswashing detergent I used to get rid of the last scent I was trying (I have too many oils to wait for them to actually fade away - some do, but others I need to wash off). No, I think it’s in the oil. Not sure what’s causing it, but it is softening the rose a bit - just not the way I’d like. Come on! More decay! Less soapy roses! 15 minutes: Ugh, still soapy roses. 1 hour: Gone. It didn’t change much over that time Overall: I’m not too fond of soapy roses. I would have really liked more of the decaying scent and a softer rose. This one is going into the swap pile.

Wings of Azrael This was in my “discontinued scents” order Preconceived notions: This was one of my choices for a “dark, ethereal” scent. In the vial: Yes - dark ylang ylang - dark and ethereal. On me: Still ylang ylang, but I can smell something deep and dark in it, that’s coming out more strongly - something vaguely buttery, yet, as I said, dark. Oh, yes, that’s right the dark part is the violet, and the other must be the myrrh. I am getting the piney-fruitiness of juniper in there as well - I think this is one of the first scents I’ve actually been able to smell juniper in. And there’s still that heady, buttery darkness from the other combinations. This isn’t as dark as I’d hoped, but it’s so good it doesn’t matter. Later: Violet. Pure violet. Luckily, I like violet. One hour later: Violet Overall: I wish the complexity of the initial scent stayed with me, but this one goes pure violet on me. Not bad, but it’s not as interesting as I’d like, especially since I have a violet single note already. I’ll keep this imp, though, and consider it an Extra Special violet!

The Caterpillar This was a freebie from the lab. Thanks! Preconceived notions: From the reviews, I got - sweet, intoxicating, dark, heavy, complex, complicaated, florally, mossy, deep, and mysterious. Sounds very intriguing. In the vial: Very herbal, in a pungent, biting way. Ylang ylang or jasmine. Interesting. Definitely complex. While I’m not getting a “mossy” scent, the color is definitely mossy green. On me: Wow, this is very strong. I do tend to put a lot on, but I’m getting a headache from how strong this is. And I’m still getting that sharp jasmine. It is not jasmine alone, though - whatever else is in it is green - making this a very green jasmine, if that makes sense. And it wafts like there’s no tomorrow. Closer to the skin, it’s definitely more herbal. There, close up, I can smell the patchouli (vaguely), vetivert, and carnation. It’s definitely a spicy carnation and I’m wondering if the incense has something to do with that. And as I type this, the wafting scent is getting a little smokier, while the wrist scent is getting citrusy. Definitely complicated. I like it. In a few more minutes: Wow, suddenly the incenses have really started to come out, along with the citrus, and the green jasmine is still there, hovering in the background. I like this stage even more than the last. I might need to get a bottle of this if it keeps being this unusual. 10 minutes: This is incredible. It somehow manages to be an herbal, citrus, smoky, fiery, floral scent. This is sort of what I imagined Tarot: The World smelling like, since a lot of the reviews said it smelled like everything. This smells like everything. 30 minutes: It hasn’t changed much. It’s still very complex, still very strong. I keep thinking I’m getting cedar in this. I’m hoping it’s not leftover from Damnation - though that was pretty weak when I put this on, and this is really strong. In any case, I didn’t mention it in my long thing, but all of that herbal, citrus, smoky, fiery, floralness is happening in a forest. A pine forest with cedars in it. Yeah, everything. 1 hour: It’s starting to get powdery, but the basic scent hasn’t changed. It’s still everything. Overall: I love this. It’s amazingly complex. It’s definitely a dark scent, it’s definitely in the woods, and there are all these notes that are sort of all simultaneously present. I simply don’t have the words to describe it.

Damnation Preconceived notions: I was really intrigued by antimony's review, saying it smelled like "smoky moldy trees." I also tried it late enough to know that Penance is dying for it, so I figured if I didn’t like it, I’d send it to her. After all, we’ve swapped before, so I have her address... In the vial: Ah, a nice smoky cedar. Lovely. On me: Is that, could it be, dragon’s blood? Oh, no, must be vetivert - I get those two confused sometimes. It goes very well with the cedar, though. It gives it a rich, ‘bloody’ warmth, which is very sensual. I’ve never smelled a more sensual cedar. The cedar is still the most prominent note, but that’s usual for me. In fifteen minutes: The sandalwood is coming out now, as is the frankincense. It is a very rich,fiery (both cedar and frankincense are “fiery” for me, rather than woody) , powerful scent. At the same time, it is very calming and peaceful. It would be great for grounding and centering rituals. In forty-five minutes (after originally putting it on): Mostly sandalwood at this stage, but I smell some of the other scents in the background. Over time: This is the second time I’ve tested it. The first time, about two hours later, it morphed into a beautiful soft vanilla-like floral (???), while wafting cedar. It lasts well over 24 hours, mostly as a nice cedar scent. Overall: I love this one. Sorry, Penance, but I’m keeping my imp.

Mad Hatter This was a freebie from the lab. Thanks! Preconceived notions: None In the vial: Mint, and something sweet and saccharine smelling. Not really my thing. On me: On my wrist, some spicy lavender is grounding the saccharine mint, but the wafting scent is still there. There’s a certain sweet, floaty scent in Nine Mysteries that someone thought was lotus. Whatever it is, it’s in this too. It was better in Nine Mysteries. In a few minutes: More of the spicy lavender (yes, there’s a spice part and a lavender part, and the lavender is also spicy in its own right) is helping, but it’s still way too saccharine sweet. This is like an infusion of peppermint, hibiscus flowers, rose hips, honey, sugar, and nutra sweet in the air, and some lavender closer in. Later: Still too sweet and minty. This really isn’t my thing so far. The lavender and spices are nice when I can actually smell them, but they don’t seem to like to come out much. Later: starting to fade. Overall: It’s not a bad scent, it’s just not me. Off to swap! (Actually, it was already promised, which is why I had to hurry up and review it before some of the others).

Khephra This was a freebie from the lab. Thanks! Preconceived notions: Out of all the Stations of the Sun, this was the one I was most looking forward to, for I am a woman of the night. In the vial: Spices - allspice and nutmeg seem most prominent. This worries me - I detest allspice (though, oddly, I adore nutmeg). On me: No, actually, I don’t think that’s allspice - it’s not actually causing the reaction allspice normally does. So, it must be cinnamon and nutmeg. I can see why it’s the Midnight Sun, too - not that it’s dark, but there’s a kind of soft peacefulness around it. It’s not quite glaring, despite all the spice. In a few minutes: I think there’s something hiding in the background of this one that reminds me vaguely of Hunter Moon - a floral, aquatic, or fruit element, or perhaps a musk - something soft and gentle, that’s too shy to actually say what it is. Also, the scent on my actual wrist is extremely dark. I’m thinking now we’re talking about cloves and maybe some cumin. I haven’t smelled Eclipse yet, but the smell I’m getting is what I’d think of for an eclipse - it’s got the force of the sun, filtered through something dark (I know - that’s not actually what an eclipse is, but it is what an eclipse looks like to a viewer). I’d call it a burnt brown color with golden edges. Later: No change. And it’s still pretty strong. But - ooh! I know what that background scent is - I think it might be almond. I was writing down my signature scents for various moods, and I realized that this reminds me somewhat of Hecate. It’s got a kind of burnt almond flavor, way in the back. Later: Okay, it has definitely morphed from the original scent. Now the almond (ha! I was right, at least on my skin!) has definitely moved up to the foreground, with the spices supporting it nicely. It *is* the bitter almond from Hecate, not the sweet almond in some of the other scents. This gives it a kind of burnt flavor, which fits in well with the solar series. Overall: A bright and strong cinnamon/nutmeg gradually morphs through a clovy-cumin stage into a burnt, dry, spicy almond. I love it, but I’m not sure when I’d wear it, since it is so very unique.

Perversion Preconceived notions: It sounded like a highly sexual leather scent. Later preconceived notions: Rum? Uh-oh... I hope it’s not like the super sweet buttered rum in Hellcat. In the vial: In the vial, it smells like a softly sensual floral. Huh? Oh, that must be the chardonnay. . . On me: Immediately, the tobacco comes out from the vanilla (tonka) - chardonnay mix, making it definitely a darker, more sinister scent. The tonka adds warmth and sensuality, while the chardonnay keeps it from going completely into evil. Still, I agree with the reviews that have called it dark, disturbing and highly sensual. It takes La Petite Mort and plunges her into an abyss of nightmares and delirium. I can’t pick out a specific leather note, but there’s something about the chardonnay-tonka-tobacco blend that evokes leather in a way I haven’t found in the other scents with leather as a component (I have not tried all of them). The tonka is the most dominant note, followed by the chardonnay. I wish the wine wasn’t so bright, though I understand why it’s there - it adds a note of frivolity and intoxication, a sense of living for the moment. Still, since I like dark scents in general, I find that it distracts me slightly from the parts that I really enjoy. In a few minutes: The chardonnay part is gone, and I think the rum is a part of the tonka scent now, though happily it is not overpowering with booziness. It’s as if the chardonnay was only there as a seduction tool, and now the scent plunges more directly into murky sensuality. The couple in my mind is oblivious to all but raw emotions and sensations - there is clawing, biting, and passion. They aren’t in a room, though, but falling deep into swirling black mist and some sinister presence is watching them with quiet approval and a certain satisfaction. This scent is black to me - not the black of a solid object, but a pure black smoke (maybe that’s the tobacco?) This scent to me smells more like the environment than the actions themselves. Overall: Like La Petite Mort, this sort of becomes a “skin” scent on me, that is, all the elements of it seem to be oozing out of my skin, not sitting on top of it. Oils do that in general with me, but these two did it to the extent that I really felt like I just smelled that way. It’s a keeper, and perhaps I’ll get a bigger bottle at some point. I do like the dark smokiness combined with the sheer sensuality.

I'm with diabolique here: Dawn dishwashing detergent always works for me.

Cheshire Cat This was a freebie from the lab. Preconceived notions: This sounds way too bright for me. In the vial: Yes, I do get the grapefruit the most, but I can tell the lavender and musk. Still, it’s mostly grapefruit. On: Wow, grapefruit! I’m really not a fan. Please let the lavender come out. Ah, there it is. But still too much grapefruit. It’s very sweet, also. I’m not sure what is making it so sweet. In 15 minutes: Gone. No wonder I don’t remember anything from my first testing. Overall: Between not liking grapefruit, and the fact that it disappears so fast, I’m swapping this one.

March Hare This was a freebie from the lab I'm reviewing somewhat in haste, as I've already made an agreement to swap it. Preconceived notions: None, though it wasn’t on my wishlist, so I’m assuming it’s probably rather light. Testing it: I tested this one with Cheshire Cat while I was watching Alice in Wonderland. It is one reason I had to test Cheshire Cat over again - March Hare is a very strong and insidious scent. I cannot describe it, only that it overpowers everything in its vicinity. It’s a very sweet fruit - based on the descriptions and my experience with Yerevan, I’m guessing it’s apricot. It doesn’t change on me at all - it’s the same scent on me as in the vial. And I don’t like the way the apricot smells like in this at all. As I said, it’s somehow overpowering in a very insidious way, and takes over everything. Like “The Song that never ends”.

Ligeia Preconceived notions: it sounds lovely - a dark, regal, bitter floral. In the vial: Right away, I catch the ylang ylang - a very bitter, yet sweet scent. On me: Wow - very bitter, but I like it. Sharp and bitter floral indeed. This is haughty and malevolent. I didn’t expect that this would work as a poison scent, but it does. There’s something sweet, yet acrid about it - a woman who smiles sweetly as she slowly stirs strichnine into your coffee. Not only that, but she knows that no matter what happens, she will be revered as a moral, upright citizen. She’s firm in her power, confident of her success, and bitterly wishing the demise of the next person on her list. I like this. I would have said it was too floral, except for this bitterness, so I’m not sure how well anyone else would like it. Wafting: Jasmine. Around me, all I smell is jasmine. To get the bitterness I so enjoy, I need to smell my wrists. This is disappointing, as the scent is way more complex than just jasmine. Granted, this is a powerful, knock-you-off-your feet jasmine, but still. I want to smell the bitterness that comes from the other ingredients - especially more of the juniper. Over time: The rose geranium is coming out more now, but I still wish for more juniper. Overall: I really like the initial burst of angry florals, sharpened by juniper. The wafting and later scents aren’t as interesting. I’m going to have to try this one again before deciding.

La Petite Mort (yes, “petite” should also be feminine) This was a gift from the lab, but originally part of the Mythic French Order that always seems right around the corner, but which I’ve never placed. Preconceived notions: I had to get this on name alone. I’ve written a short prose poem with that title, and I think it’s one of the sexiest things the French have ever come up with (and we all know how many sexy things the French have come up with). Then, the description. O and Snake Oil? Both of their reviews had me languishing on the ground in bliss, though I haven’t tried either. In other words, I have high expectations for this imp. In the vial: This is a lovely, sensual, warm, spicy scent that reminds me, for some reason, vaguely of Alice. On me: This is heavenly. Or sinful. I’m not sure which. I can’t pick out many individual notes, although I do catch amber, honey, and a good deal of spice. Oh, wait, oh no... It’s quickly drying to baby powder. It still has all those notes, but it’s like someone has taken the oil and scented some baby powder with it. I’m going to wait to see how it develops. I’ve pretty much decided so far that it’s actually not as bad as I feared. Yes, I detect a “baby powder” type smell in there, but it’s not very prominent, and adds a sense of “skin”. Instead of smelling like baby powder, if I don’t pay attention, it simply smells like skin. Overall: This fades very quickly into spicy, sensual, skin. It’s not something I can smell at all, except when I put my nose to my wrist, but it’s there. This is a very intimate, sensual scent. I’ll be keeping mine. More? Perhaps, but I’d like it more if it wasn’t quite so understated. Edit (1 hour after writing the review): I did some other reviews, and then, though, "I want more La Petite Mort". So, on I go, slathering a *lot* more than the first time, and I must admit - mmmmm! I think I've solved the problem. I just need more! I didn't put enough on the first time. This is extremely sensual, spicy, and in general, luxurious. It lives up to all my expectations and exceeds them . . . so long as I put enough on. Guess what that means? Yeah, I think I'm gonna need a bottle of this one. Maybe even a 10 ml.

Phantom Queen This was a freebie from the lab. Preconceived notions: complex and stormy, meadow in spring. Sounds nice, but it wasn’t one of my urgent must-haves, especially since the stormy scents have ended up really light on me, and I prefer darker scents, for the most part. In the vial: I’m definitely getting the grassy meadow here. On me: Still a grassy meadow, but it’s a soft and gentle - wind-blowing-through-the grasses kind of scent. And strangely, whether this is my imagination or in the scent, I do get the sense of some kind of warrior power hiding in the dense grasses. It definitely provokes visions of a battlefield. Again, though, this could be me trying to make a peaceful floral scent into something it’s not just because of its name. Just - there’s something unearthly about it. In 15 minutes: Still a nice, sweet meadow. It’s also less strong than the original scent, as would be expected, but it’s not really fading. I’ve abandoned my battlefield images, and feel that this is actually a very peaceful, calming, and happy scent. In 45 minutes: The same. I think it’s beginning to fade a bit, now, though. Overall: This is a lovely, gentle, calming floral. I’ll probably keep the imp, but as I do prefer darker scents, I probably won’t be getting more.

Aizen-Myoo This was a freebie from the lab. Preconceived notions: Strange Asian fruit-blend? Hmm... The Asian part’s okay, but I’m not too interested in fruity scents, particularly the sharp grapefruit mentioned in reviews. In the vial: Ack! Yep, that’s really sharp grapefruit. On me: This is so bright - it’s like looking directly at the sun. Smelling my wrists makes me cough from the extreme sourness. So far, this is definitely not me. Later: Still grapefruit. Not as sharp - I’m smelling something mango-like in the mix, which softens out the grapefruit some, but I’m not too fond of smelling like mango, either. I’d highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good citrus fruit blend. Complete drydown: The mango-like scent has taken over. There’s still some of the sharp grapefruit in the back, but this is a very mellow, creamy mango-like fruit. Much more sensual. Overall: The drydown is really nice, but even so, it’s still too orange, if that makes any sense. It’s just not me. Off to swap! Note: I never did get any tea or cherry blossom.

Ahathoor I got this as a freebie from the lab. Preconceived notions: I thought the entire Solar Collection was a neat idea, though I was most looking forward to Khephra. In the vial: Wow - this definitely smells like a hot, bright, summer day. The cinnamon comes out first, but I get a sense of greenness, too, like a summer day of mowing the lawn. Very fresh. On me: This is definitely one that has a difference between how it smells close to the skin, and how it smells wafting. The wafting scent is a lot like the “in the vial” scent - very light, airy, fresh, and hot/spicy. Closer to the skin, the spice is much stronger, to the extent that I don’t get the freshness as much. Furthermore, the spices are much more complex - I think I’m getting some nutmeg and allspice in there, as well as maybe some black pepper. I don’t like allspice (I’ve recently discovered that it’s the culprit in every “spiced candle” or “pumpkin spice” flavored coffee, etc.), and for some reason, it’s all I can smell. Overall: It doesn’t change much. Just allspice, with an occasional green cedar background. This one’s going to be swapped. I just can’t do the allspice.