Witch's Dagger

Noir Preconceived notions: Dark, sensual, and elegant. It sounds like the perfect scent for me. Why is it discontinued? Oh, that’s right, one of the components is too hard to get. I can understand that *grumbles about unavailability of component*... Then, wait, you mean, people might actually be willing to swap this? In the vial: Exactly as it promises - this is upscale, sassy, sophisticated, dark, with an underlying smouldering sexuality. On me: This smells exactly the way a particular perfume my mom had in a bottle shaped like a woman. I have no idea what the name of this perfume was, but this, on me, smells exactly like that. It was a velvety blue skirt (the bottle itself) with a screw off lid, and then a ceramic lady’s bust sat over it, conceiling the fact that it was a bottle. This, I swear, smells *exactly* the same - very dark, turbid, spicy, and yet classy and sophisitcated. This is for wearing at the Opera. Over time: There is no change to this scent on me - it just gets fainter. Final impressions: This is the scent of an old, rich, evil woman bent on revenge. The classic evil Mother-in-Law. She wears the most elegant clothing, with the most regal air, and inside her, passion is thundering and seething. Without an outlet, it turns into anger. It is powerful, it is haughty, and it will get what it wants. A keeper, for sure.

Tushnamatay Preconceived notions: Sensual (jj_j’s comments about cloves and chocolate), and decadent. Also some said it looked like it might be a good sandalwood based meditation blend. I love sandalwood for meditation, and this became my number one pick for the “Meditative” category. I got it in a swap from Aurelius - thank you! In the vial: I definitely am getting some sandalwood, and is there amber in there? Whatever it is, there’s something sweet, but in a sharp kind of way, which is why I’m thinking amber. There’s also a touch of spice. This smells wonderful. On me: I’m definitely getting some exotic florals in there, along with what I’m still pretty sure is amber and sandalwood. Perhaps some honey, as well, though it’s hard for me to distinguish between amber and honey. Also, I recognize the sharpness from Loviatar and the smokiness from Haunted - maybe some musk? I’m thinking amber from Loviatar and dark musk from Haunted, but I’m not sure. This is turning out to be a nose-centered review, which seems way too cold and analytical for the warmth and sweetness of this scent. It’s very decadent and incensy - again, I agree with the sandalwood comment. This is a woman who doesn’t try to be sexy - she just is, and she knows it. She isn’t pampered, the way Decadence or Jezebel are, but her movements are all sensual and relaxed. And every day, she goes to put sandalwood on the censer for peace of mind. This is exotic, relaxing, and luxurious. It also seems like a dusk, sunset kind of scent - when the fireflies are just coming out, and the cicadas are starting to quiet down. In about 15 minutes, I definitely think there’s some honey in here, along with the amber and sandalwood. And now the sandalwood is taking over, and may I say this is one of the most beautiful sandalwoods I’ve ever smelled. In less than an hour total, it’s all gone. Final impressions: I want more.

I don't know why I didn't think of this earlier, but Tintagel was woodsy on me - I felt like I was in a bright, dark red forest. And I think I remember Kweku Anansi as being foresty as well (and that was more green and red, so maybe even more foresty/earthy than Tintagel... it's been awhile since I've worn it though, because I'm working my way through a bunch of new ones).

Lightning This is going to be a fast review, so bear with me... I avoided trying this one for awhile, because I didn't like the way it smelled in the bottle - very bitter and citrusy. I like citrus, and I like bitter - but I like *dark* bitter, and this was very bright. So, finally, I tried it. It didn't change on me at all. Instead, it remained that bright bitter scent. I was able to figure out that what it smelled like to me was bitter lime - I love eating limes, but sometimes I get a bad one. This was like that. I finally got so frustrated that I layered it with Haunted, since that is a darker, warmer citrus. At first, this was unsuccessful, and the Lightning overwhelmed the Haunted, but now I smell lovely again. Anyway, so I wish I liked it more, and I think it's definitely appropriate for its name: very powerful, bright, and bitter. It's very intriguing, and I think on the right person, it would be wonderful. Sadly, this is not me.

Jezebel Preconceived notions: It sounds like a luxurious, indulgent, sexy, yet sacred smell - perhaps a good Priestess scent... In the vial: Yes - very sweet and indulgent. It reminds me of Decadence without the almond. The honey is there - very lush and mouthwatering. On me: First whiff: Very orange - yet it’s a sedated orange, hiding behind some powder. . . ah, yes, the powder is sandalwood. After a few minutes, the sandalwood backs off slightly, and the orange gets a sharp bite, warmed by the honey. After a few more minutes, the sandalwood returns again. It does give an air of sacredness to the scent, but I think the orange is too bright for this to be a Priestess scent. Still, it’s lush, decadent, and sensual. The honey is coming out more, and it’s becoming a decadent honey-orange-sandalwood scent. If it were to be used in circle, this would definitely be a Beltaine scent. Final impressions: This is a softer, smokier indulgent version of Decadence. It will definitely get good use on days when I want to pamper myself.

Alice Preconceived notions: I didn’t think this would be something I would like because I don’t really think of carnation, milk, and rose would make a good combination, even with the honey and bergamot. But, it sounded interesting, and tart said it was like Seraglio, so I decided that it might be very nice. In the vial: ooh! It does have an almondy-flavor, similar to Seraglio... On me: First whiff: Wow, very soft and pink. And yes, there’s carnation - now I see - it *is* spicy, but still carnation. I’ve never thought of carnations as spicy before. And there’s something herbal and somewhat sharp. I like it! In a minute or so, I think this is even rather elegant, something I wouldn’t have expected from Alice. Though, it’s true, I am getting grass and swing sets. This is a very girly scent. And strangely, I never thought I’d like a ‘girly’ scent, but I really like this. In around 10 minutes or so, I can say that on me, the carnation really comes out. Which makes me very happy, since I ordered a bottle for a friend of mine who loves carnation (it’s her favorite scent) and also loves Alice in Wonderland. That’s not the only thing - I can smell the bergamot and the honey and milk. Very nicely blended . These notes all seem to bring the best out of each other (unlike my experience with Spellbound, where a bunch of scents I *like* ended up bringing the worst out in each other once they confronted my skin). I also don’t get much rose, which I like. I like rose, but I don’t think a lot of it would be good for this particular blend. After about 15 minutes: I’m noticing now that it smells sort of like soap - like high quality soap that you just want to luxuriate in for hours. Maybe the milk? After about half an hour: This is definitely lovely. It’s also very much a ‘curious’ and intriguing scent. Much more mysterious than I had given it credit for upon reading the reviews. There’s the spiciness from the carnation, and the sweetness of the honey mixed in with the rest of the carnation and the bergamot. I’m still not getting much rose, which I still think is good. Very mysterious, very delicate, and absolutely stunning. Final impressions: This didn’t change much over time, and it’s definitely a keeper. Thanks tart!

Voodoo Preconceived notions: Almond, vanilla, and spices, with a hint of mystery. Yes, yes! In the vial: I can smell something sweet, almost root beer-like, and yes, there's the almond, and it is very, very hot and spicy smelling. It reminds me a lot of an extra-spicy version of Mystery, which is one of my favorites. On me: First whiff; The spices really come out, and the root beer scent, which I don't particularly like fades into a more purely almond, leading me to believe that it comes from the mixing of almond and vanilla, and not so much a sassafras note. In 5 minutes or so: This is a very dark and very warm scent. It's a lot like Hecate in its almond smokiness, but is much, much darker. The vanilla adds the smoke, and the spice adds heat. This is exotic, dark, and beautiful. In about a half an hour: This is still lovely, exotic, and darkly mysterious. I think it might be too sweet for some people, because the almond/vanilla part is very, very sweet. I think this might be one of the sweetest oils I have. But - and this is important - it's a *dark* sweetness. Very insidious and deep. Final impressions: This lasts a long time. I love it.

Yeah - Black Forest and Loup Garou are on my wishlist, but I haven't tried them yet, so I can't really say. I meant to add that in my original reply, but I edited that reply so many times before actually posting, I see I forgot. Sorry I can't be more help...

La Bella Donna della mia mente: At first sniff, I can tell that La Bella donna della mia mente is going to be very kind, sweet, and gentle. She hides slightly behind the flowers she is carrying, and curtsies almost awkwardly. As I get to know her better, I can tell it is true: she is quiet and unassuming, and always elegant and proper. So much so that, after 5 minutes, I suddenly realize she is no longer there. Final impressions: This is a very lovely scent for someone who likes light scents, who doesn’t want to overwhelm people with a strong perfume. It smells very nice, classy, and elegant. Unfortunately, it’s not for me.

For me, Wolfsbane was very herbal, but if we're talking about green forests here, as opposed to dry, brown wood, I don't know that I could distinguish 'herbal' from 'foresty'.

i have NO idea what you're talking about, but now i'm curious. if you have a moment, would you mind explaining? i'm interested in linguistics but lack a great deal of knowledge/skill when it comes to the subject. Bilabial fricative: bilabial: using two lips (as in 'b', 'p', etc.) fricative: air keeps moving (as in 'f', 'v', 'th', 's', 'sh', etc.) And actually this is an idea I had which I posted in the Pronouncing BPAL thread, because a bilabial fricative would be somewhere between the 'w' sound and the 'v' sound... Edited to add: voiced - you use your vocal cords (as in 'b', 'v', 'd', 'z', etc.)

Well, yeah, it's easy to miss stuff when you're skimming... it's also easy to miss stuff if it was sort of in the middle of a longer post that wasn't actually about giving you suggestions, like I did. So, I think we both had a part in the you missing it... Anyway, I wish you a lot of luck on your midterm! Sounds like a very interesting class, by the way.

At first when I read this, I felt bad that I hadn't mentioned it, and then I reread my post and saw that I did - sorry it got lost in there...

Oh, and watch for reviews with cherry/almond problems. I've noticed myself that sometimes almond smells like cherry and vice versa. So some of the reviews saying "almondy" might just be cherry-like. Like Kabuki, for instance - I didn't get any almond there, but someone might have because of the cherry. And when I do reviews, I know I ignore the 'official' description of notes to accurately reflect what I *smell*. So, you might want to check the reviews of the ones diabolique mentioned to find out who thought they were 'almondy' and why, as well as how many people thought it. For example, even though Dana O'Shee says it it is basically milk, honey, and grains, there are a LOT of people who say it's almondy. Just some more thoughts

For Halloween, I'm probably going to wear Wolfsbane. Or Obeah. Or both *evil grin* Yeah - evil poison mixed with dark magic...

This isn't much help now, because it's one of the 'not yet released scents' but Nine Mysteries supposedly has a lot of lotus in it. I tried it, and there's definitely a note that gradually takes over that fits that description. Very minty at first, though. And the formulation might change a lot before it gets released... But something to keep your eye open for

Wolfsbane Preconceived notions: This one is at the top of my list of “poisonous” scents to try. Part of it is that it sounds like one of the earthier ones, which I definitely prefer to floral. Another part is that I know of the herb wolfsbane, and due to Harry Potter, know all its different names (Aconite, monkshood, etc.). Finally, there’s the Harry Potter reference itself - I have to admit, I really like Snape. He’s by far my favorite character in the books because he’s constantly blurring the nice and straightforward line between good and evil, from the first book on. Also, even if Snape weren’t a factor, potions would be my favorite class, which is why I even have a "poisonous" category of scents I want to try! Okay, I’m done being a Harry Potter fan. On with the review: In the vial: Definitely a very sneaky, mysterious green scent. On me: First whiff: Very pungent herbal smell, which I love. In a few minutes: I’m in fits of delight - this is mysterious, green, vile stuff that makes me feel dangerous and exotic. There’s something slithery in it mixed up with the pungent herbal smell. It wafts fairly well, too. In less than 15 minutes, I get something new. Roses? Am I smelling roses? Bitter green roses? Hmm... I think this might be a weird body chemistry issue. It’s okay, but I liked the non-rose pungent green beginning smell, especially with all the slithering white misty vapors... They’re all gone, and now there’s this rose. Half an hour after first putting it on: Still rosy, still green, still strong. And the vapors are back - yay! (but I still wish the rose would go away). An hour after: Things are pretty much still the same, and beginning to fade. Final impressions: I really like everything about this except the rose. Since it’s ‘that time of the month’, I’ll give it another shot.

Kostnice Preconceived Notions: I thought this would be a relaxing, contemplative, and meditative blend. Also, I was intrigued by the name, because I’d love to visit the Bone Church of Prague (as someone who knows a little Czech - the word itself does mean “bone place”). In the vial: I smell cedar - a very green, almost grass-like cedar. On me: First whiff: Still cedar, but warmer now, and I’m getting the rosewood a little, I think. It still also has a green grass kind of smell. Yes, there’s the rosewood, and it’s wafting more than the other notes. Much warmer and kind of spicy. Appropriately, this is a very dry scent. It’s also much sharper than Cathedral. After 15 minutes: This is a very *green* scent. I can almost smell growing things. After half an hour: I think I might be getting some floral notes, but I’m not sure, and I can smell the incenses now, too. Final impressions: Yes, this is a very calm, green, incensy scent. Also, I was wrong - the floral thing must have been a trick of my nose. I liked the way the various notes kept coming out to surprise me, though, like the growing things, and then the incense. Very intriguing.

*flags this post* Penance, I cannot help you here, but I love this thread because I love almonds in my scents. Hecate is one of my favorites... (takes out pencil and starts scratching down delightful almondy scents) Edited to add: duh! I was just looking at almondy scents (because I am a weird one and didn't want to get too many of the same kind of scent), and I will second what diabolique said: Decadence - I've tried it and love it - very almondy Black Phoenix - on my wishlist

King of Spades Preconceived notions: Between this one and the Queen of Spades, I simply couldn’t decide. They both sounded wonderful, intriguing, mysterious, and complex. In the bottle: I have open, not too far away, and I can definitely smell the coconut. Mmm... Closer in, I get the same “mistletoe” note I noticed in the Queen, and a complex richness around it, including some spices (?) and coconut. It’s dark green in color, surrounded by milky white. On me: First whiff: The same smell as in the bottle, at first. I definitely smell the coconut and the dark green note. I definitely agree that this is lighter than the Queen of Spades. After a couple of minutes, I notice that it wafts well, and it is very mysterious, intriguing, and exotic. After about half an hour, it’s still pretty much the same - wonderful, elegant, mysterious, exotic, strong and wafting! And, in an hour, it’s still strong - yay! And now there’s an insidious smoky scent coming out, like burning wood. Why doesn’t this happen in Wildfire? Final impressions: I love this. It’s lighter and sweeter than the Queen of Spades, so I like her more, but the King is definitely a keeper.

I read this in a state of laziness and curiosity (since I'm actually a U.S. customer), but I found it extremely interesting, anyway. Thanks to both of you for the wonderful information!

Wildfire This is one review where I checked the other reviews before writing it. Usually, I avoid reading the reviews while writing mine, but I was so confused by what I was smelling, I had to check what other people wrote. This made me even sadder and more confused. Preconceived notions: Sacred woods? Pyromancy? Sounds wonderful, especially since dragon’s blood and juniper are two of my favorite notes. In the bottle: That’s a lot sweeter and more floral than I was expecting. But it smells nice, and I am getting the spicier, woodier notes if I really look for them. Then - Gah. I don’t think I like reducer caps. I got a lot all over me, and some onto my keyboard. On me: First whiff: Very sweet. In fact, this is an insidious sweetness, swirling around me. It’s an insidious, almost sickly floral sweetness. Where are my woods? Where is my fire? Not only that, the ‘floral’ is of the white variety, definitely not rose. Where’s the rose? Where’s my beloved dragon’s blood and juniper? Over time: It completely fades in less than an hour. Final impressions: I get soft, sweet, soapy white flowers. I’m not really a floral person. I want my dragon’s blood, juniper, and woods. I’m going to try this again, but so far, I’m just really jealous of all of you who got juniper, and especially shriekingviolet who got the wonderful burnt red variety of dragon's blood.

That's wonderful! As for me, I alternate between bee-pal and bay-PALL (as if it were French), but now I'm thinking of going with PALL.

Puck Preconceived Notions: Possibly a good scent for the God, and maybe I can wear this one (I tried Satyr, and it doesn’t work at all on me). Slightly worried about the civet. In the vial: I get some grape, I think, and that animal scent from Satyr. Good. I was hoping the note that didn’t work on me in Satyr was civet. Let’s hope it behaves better in Puck. On me: First whiff: So far, so good. Yes, the civet is strong, but it smells strong and virile, not like a dirty, peeing animal like it did in Satyr. I’m guessing this is probably too ‘masculine’ for women who are concerned about such things. After a couple of minutes: I can’t concentrate, this smells so darn sexy. The grape note is still there, and I think there’s something else, but I can’t place it. They tone down the civet a little. This is wonderful! Over time, the civet does begin to annoy me a little (I’m not really sure why, but amber sometimes does the same thing). I’m even starting to get a headache. That’s frustrating. The scent hasn’t changed at all, but my reactions to it now are more negative. Final impressions: This is pretty good. I like the entire scent, although after some time passes, the civet begins to annoy me, and give me a slight headache, so this probably won’t be an everyday scent. However, I'll give it another try. There could be other reasons for the headache. Though I like it better than Satyr for myself, Satyr will remain my top choice for particularly animalistic or Hunter-type gods. Puck would do well for earthy/foresty gods that are less animalistic, such as the Green Man. Overall, an excellent blend.

Black Cat Preconceived Notions: I tend to be melancholy or blissful. Simple joy might be a nice respite from all that intensity. In the vial: warm vanilla and cool mint, plus some sort of sweet floral or musk. On me: First whiff: A green note comes in, and that’s all I smell at first, somewhat grassy. Then, in a minute or two, I get the mint and vanilla again, mixed in with that green note. This is a very warm, mint, and grassy scent, so far - very sunny smelling - exactly like a cat lounging outside in the grass. After half an hour: Mmm...I can’t pick out any notes, but this is very comforting. It smells like soap that has been scented with various essential oils, including a majority of incense-type scents. It reminds me vaguely of my dragon’s blood soap that I got at the local Farmer’s Market a couple of years ago. It doesn’t waft much, but the scent near the skin is very nice. I wish I could describe it better. After 45 minutes: Now, I’m getting rosy soap instead of incense-like soap. Still good, though Final impression: I normally don’t like soapy scents, and rose is something I generally like in small doses or blended with something strong. Yet this is lovely to me, even when it gets to the soapy rosy phase. And who knows, maybe I’ll have more joy! Edited because I'm an idiot.