sarahmarie

Wet, this is very piney, with sweet undertones. I sort of imagine I smell the almond milk, but I'm not entirely sure.

As it dries, there's a nuttiness that emerges. It's not almond-y per se, it's nutty and sweet, sorta creamy. Almond milk! Pine and almond milk are really the main players on my skin. There's a warm, creamy quality to this scent that ties it together. My thoughts about this scent aren't fully formed - it's unusual enough that it's going to require another wear to really process, I think. But it's definitely fascinatingly different, and I like that about it.

Wow, this is really sweet on my skin. In the imp, it had a more masculine, woodsy smell, but on my skin the tobacco really blooms and sweetens. It's got a little bite in the background - some of the woods going a bit sharp on me, possibly? I can imagine this being very sexy on the right person, but I think it's just a little too heavily sweet on my skin. Still, this is a nice, warm, not-overtly-masculine blend that evokes all the goodness of Nutcracker magic, to me.

The Isles of Demons. Totally wet and green and whoa. Envy also a humid, greener-than-green scent.

This is a complex and unusual blend. It starts out less complex and gathers into a frenzy as it dries (which isn't usually how it goes on me, but hey!) I really like the rooibos, and I can definitely tell it's there...and it blends nicely with the fruitier aspects of this scent. I really like the unusual components of this blend - rooibos, starfruit, nutmeg...mmm. I am intrigued, though I'm not in love with this blend.

Unfortunately, as 13 dries down, it becomes quite sharp. It's a skin chemistry issue, not the oil's fault! But it's probably a deal-breaker for me.

I am totally in love with this scent. I didn't really expect it, but it was love at first sniff! Last year's Lick It didn't quite do it for me, but the addition of the extra sugar just about knocks my socks off. It works beautifully with my skin chemistry and I could not be more smitten. I may need a second bottle, and I don't really ever do the second bottle thing! It's that good. I kind of want to bathe in it. PERFECT.

I'll preface this review by saying that while Pumpkin Queen did not agree with me personally, I recognize it as a beautiful fragrance that would really be amazing and sexy and *perfect* on the right person. It's really many things I love in a scent - it's just that it dries down too amberiffic for me, as amber tends to give me a headache. But Pumpkin Queen is regal, spicy, sexy, and autumnal - exactly as it should be. I appreciate it very much, even though it isn't something I'll wear. Beautiful, just not for me.

Softly floral, dragon's blood, a hint of spice. Soft, yes. Sexy? Sorta, yeah. But my skin turns that sorta sexy scent into soapiness, which I don't think is very carnal or alluring. Too bad!

I thought I already reviewed this, but evidently I didn't!

This is a really unique, striking scent. It really does smell like wintery, mountain air. The *cold* scent is most evident, along with the woodsiness - emphasis on juniper, I think, at least on my skin. The florals don't assault at all, the way florals often do on my skin - they're quiet backdrops to the scent, creating a more complex, genuine aroma.

I like this one a lot in my scent locket, with a bit on my skin as well. Beautiful.

I just got an a 6 pack of imps from the lab today and I noticed that three of them were below label level before I'd even opened them. The labels didn't appear to be put on any higher or lower than any of the other imps I've gotten with lab labels.

 

I guess as with anything that has the human factor in it, there's always going to be some variances.

To quote Andrabell:

"I swear we've had this discussion before. Each measure of oil that goes into the bottles and vials are calibrated. The imps are 1/32 of an ounce (IIRC). The glass in each bottle/vial can differ, which is you may get bottles that are full into the neck or only up to the shoulders. It is still the same amount of oil.

ETA: The viscosity of the oil can also make a difference in the level of fullness."

This means that variations in how high or low the oil is when the vials come from the lab is *totally normal*. They all have the same amount of oil in them, but it won't always *look* the same due to oil and glass variations.

Aaah, the apple is definitely here in this one! There's a general tartness to this scent (the cranberry), and to me there's a green note - the apple trees, the leaves and branches and grass. This is a very perky, fun scent.

On me, Creepy is very much like Miskatonic University meets brown sugar. It's sweet sweet sweet. I like it, but I'd love to smell the apple! It doesn't seem to come out on me at all. I think I'll give this one some time to age and see if that makes a difference. It's lots of fun and will be good for this season, regardless.

This one is intense and confusing, complex and high-end. It's definitely smooth and chocolate-orangey with a thick buttery undertone, and the cardamom pops right up on me. It's not buttery like the pumpkin scents or Gluttony, it's a more subtle, though very rich, buttercream.

It has dried down to a a light creamy version of itself. It's very interesting. I admire it as a perfume but I'm not sure if it agrees with me or not - orange and I, we're on ambivalent terms. I'm going to have to wear it a bit to decide. But this is definitely a very compex and luxurious chocolate scent that I'm impressed by, whether it's for me or not!

I was gifted with an imp of this one and am very grateful to have been able to try it!

Storyville and I, however, were not meant to be best buddies. It's nice in the imp - very red musk, very alluring, vaguely fruity and vaguely spicey. On my skin though, it's oddly flat. The red musk smells warm and delicious, but it just lacks some dimension on me, and despite the musk, it doesn't last long. I'll probably still wear it from time to time, and if not I know someone else will be very happy to recieve it. Thanks to ivyandpeony for giving me an imp to try!

I was surprised by how much I liked this! It's sweet and fruity, very much a candied plum scent. It reminds me of the jelly ones, actually - the candies you find sometimes at Christmas. It's really very nice when I first put it on - my only complaint is that it fades very quickly. I think I'd probably want a bottle of it though, the better to slather a bit (and I never slather).

Mmmm.

Whoa!

This one is so distinct and unique! It smells very much like sweetened mint tea, and the honey makes it a rounded sweetness without overpowering everything (honey can be pretty bad on my skin). The touch of citrus-y goodness is just right.

Very cool.

I've been hesitant to review F5, because I can't quite pin it down. I can't decide what it smells like or whether I like it! It is obviously a clean, refreshing scent -it just wears a bit floral on me (it's something teas seem to do on my skin). It vanishes quickly for me, as well. I'm going to hang on to this one for warmer days, and see how it feels to me then.

I love Nocnitsa as a fall scent. To me, it's very autumnal - a chilly forest with the strong scent of fir trees and underlying wood and leafy ground. On my skin, it fades fairly quickly despite starting out strong, but in my hair it lasts all day. I really like this one a lot for this time of year, and will definitely enjoy the imp.

This one wears a bit too soapy on me, so I probably won't be keeping the imp. However, it could be really awesome with the right skin chemistry! It's green and sort of succulent, if that makes sense. But on my skin, it turns all pretty and then all soapy, not exactly what I was hoping from from something called Isles of the Demons. Where is my volcanic gas, dammit?

Wet on my skin, this reminds me very strongly of Chiroptera...which is odd, since I don't know that they share a lot of notes. As it dries, it changes to a more...traditionally floral perfume. It's pretty, sweet and floral with lilac dominating. I can also detect the rose. I can't really identify any greenery specifically.

This is pretty - very pretty. I don't know how "me" it is, but I do love lilac and will probably at least keep an imp of this bottle, if not the whole thing.

In the bottle, this is strong, sharp, and very sweet. On my skin, though, it mellows out quickly, leaving only a quiet, warm scent of creamy chocolate. Whatever gives it that creamy sweetness seems to like my skin, and while I'm not getting a lot of throw from the little test I did, I do get a close-to-the-skin chocolate that's really very nice and kind of sexy. I like this a lot. That's two winners from the Carnaval for me so far! Yay!

Wow. Just...wow! This is so nice! It does remind me very strongly of Smut, but it's a lighter, more varied scent. The musk is very similar - all deep and sexy and sweetened by the vanilla. But the other stuff going on in here makes it complex and very changeable. There's the patchouli, but it's blended so well that it doesn't bother me the way patchouli sometimes does. It just gives some slight edge to the sweet muskiness, and makes it just a bit tobacco-like, as others have said. And there's a touch of tartness in there too - the fruit notes. It reminds me at times of root beer, but only for a moment at a time and in a really sexy way, if you can imagine.

This is totally awesome...a scent worthy of our real-life Mme. Moriarty.

I swapped for an imp of CCLXXXIV (284).

It's just delicious! Dark and chocolately, with coffee and some sweetness. It threw nicely and actually has staying power on me too. I'll definitely enjoy this imp!

Previously reviewed by storme.

Miskatonic University, to me, is a comforting and warm smell. Of the new update stuff, I'd recommend Dia de Los Muertos, perhaps, and maybe Creepy if that sort of thing cheers you up like it sometimes does for me.

I also like Baku and Somnus for putting me in a relaxed, sleepy place. from the TAL, I have Peace and White Light, both of which I use sometimes when I need to feel calm and comforted. Both can be applied as perfume-with-intent, which is usually how I use them.

Some of my favorite summery scents:

Chiroptera (my #1 favorite, smells like a summer evening in a garden to me)

Envy

Dorian

Midway (soft and sweet)

Wanda (for evenings *only* - much too heavy for daytime. I used to wear this to Waterfire in Providence and it totally fit the mood)

I've also been really digging Hungry Ghost Moon lately, and I think it would work well in the fall as well.

Autumnal:

Trick or Treat

Wrath

Silk Road (could also be summery, it just wears a little warm on me)

all the pumpkin-y goodness

Intrigue

Alecto

I'd say...

All purpose (for someone who doesn't know his or her taste, a sort of sampler of different types):

Perversion

Envy

Silk Road

Antique Lace

Villain

Intrigue

Wrath

Swank

Gluttony or Jack (buttery food scents)

Bliss (because chocolate, dude!)

Cheshire Cat

Harlot

LE: Midway or Snow White

This list is based on my early experiences with BPAL, and my few enabling experiences.