yellowrose

Beth ... you had me at caramel. I went to the first page to cheat and see what the other notes are supposed to be. They are golden amber, blonde tobacco, Sudanese black coconut, rich caramel, black currant, white opium, delphinium and Asian spice. OK, so I remembered caramel and opium. Source: imp from swap. Handicap: body is recovering from a cold that did include some congestion, therefore, not able to smell anything really well. But this (a couple of days ago while the forum was down, natch) was a good day. In the bottle: sticky caramel. Yum. Initial dab on skin: caramel. Drying: caramel and floral-y plastic. Could be the opium or another note. OK. Red Lantern is a real morpher on me. It goes from sweet to smoky, then back to sweet with a hint of tobacco flower. It's different almost EVERY time I sniff my inner wrist. The plastic note subsides after about 15+ minutes. Thank goodness. The caramel scent dissipates eventually. Hmm? This is unusual. As time progresses, the insinuation is, well, a nice piece of furniture. A pleasant aged wood smell, for lack of a better description. And there is often an underpinning of tobacco. Look for this post to be edited. I plan to post again when all the senses are 110 percent. I do like it and I'm glad I've got a bottle en route. The Latest ... Yup. Red Lantern does morph a LOT. None of the plastic smell this particular time through. However, it's reminding me a LOT of Dia de los Muertos 2004. A LOT. I'm sure that's the result of the sweet-smoky yin yang happening. Still not getting the currant a-tall. Still liking it although it and Dia seem a bit redunant. This is, however, a sweeter scent. -- yr

What? No love for Black Cat? If you can find 'em: Love in the Asylum and Parlement of Foules. Check the swaps/sales. Moon Rose and Rose Cross are beautiful, but Black Cat.

Carnival = Ultimate Carnation!

Asphodel is daffodil? Really?! It's wisteria and violets on me. I was going to suggest Eos and for crocus, there's Prague.

Expectations: Not sure precisely how white roses differ from others. Unsure how different this might be from the other rose scents in the collection -- Black Cat and Love in the Asylum. (Moon Rose was eclipsed when Black Cat showed up on my doorstep.) I'm satisfied that each of these has its specific place or time for wearing. I hope Parlement of Foules will be distinctive enough not to worry about having made the investment. Purchased because the word "resins" is always intriguing. In the bottle: lovely roses. Wet: Roses. Roses. Roses. Drying: Roses. Where're the promised resins? At least on me, roses trump resins. The resin seems to anchor the rose a smidge, but this is a simple almost ethereal rose very akin to Black Cat. This is the daytime wear version. It's unobtrusive. Lovely. After a couple of testings, it's obvious that slathering will be the only way to keep from having to reapply. Parlement doesn't last as long as two other wonderful roses: Black Cat or LitA. Think of it as a personal rose. Very nice. May try layering with LitA sometime for kicks. ETA: Even-handed slathering does help the staying power. Third time's a charm. More resins detectable and delectable. Really enjoying this scent!

Words cannot express how much I'd been looking forward to and coveting the ambery goodness promised by Jacob's Ladder. Thanks to some cruel twist of fate, I suffered an extreme allergic reaction to some component in Jacob's Ladder. What it was I couldn't say. I've never had problems with amber and benzoin. Tonka, too. For all I know ... well, I don't know. The scent had strong staying power that even two vigorous scrubbings could not dilute. The overwhelming scent was, oddly, lemony. Not a trace of amber. Utterly crushed. edited to correct spelling

My two cents (and I love amber, disliked O) is that several of these on your list were disappointing for me. And they were among the first scents I ordered as well. Namely, Mata Hari, Intrigue, and Velvet. (Still need Black Pearl and Antique Lace!) When I was first ordering, I did like you and ordered things based on what I had tried and liked. What some of the hits were for me sorta surprised me -- and one of the big hits was a lab gift. Best bets: * take copious notes and read up on scents you've tried previously that you have worn and liked or not liked. You can learn more about what works and doesn't work. And there might be some surprises. That's why the spreadsheet is such a great tool! * try your scent more than once; * work the swap forum and keep working it; and * read the reviews and re-read them AND the scent descriptions. Some soft and warm scents, which is the quality I like in amber, that worked and you may want to try: * Dragon's Milk; * Tombstone; * 13 (an LE due back in January '06). All of us are continually finding new scents and surprises because that's what Beth keeps doing: giving us new surprising scents! Good luck! yr

Both in bottle and wet: Hello. Black Cat? 'zat you? Drying: Not as greeny-herbal as Black Cat. Rose, rose. rose. Only rose. With three great rose scents that smell very different in the collection -- Moon Rose, Black Cat, and Love in the Asylum -- Rose Cross seems redundant, especially because, on me, none of the incense ever makes itself known. These are great rose scents I love. This experience has made me reconsider ordering Rose Red and The Peacock Queen before the Yule LEs vanish. It's not that I'm not adventurous, I just love Black Cat and need a 10 ml of it badly. ETA: The lasting power of this rose is four hours max. Not such a long time before it fades to a whisper.

A gift I have been petrified to try because of the honey and cinnamon. Tested on fingertips because I am a big chicken. In the bottle: Conjures up the sensation of being in a spice market with lots of bodies pressing against each other. Wet: Ditto. Honey and cinnamon. Drying: Almost exclusively honey with cinnamon. A touch of musk and cloves sneak through. Becomes more powdery over time and surprisingly light, which may be a by-product of where it was tested (heavily callused fingertips), but I don't want to risk welts. Having dodged that bullet, this is off to swaps.

Exactly. Snake Charmer. Can't top that. There's one scent that isn't exactly musky-vanilla, but it hints at earthy, musky vanilla and I love it so: Queen of Clubs. Worth trying if you can find an imp. Dragon's Milk isn't a cloyingly sweet vanilla. It's comforting. You might want to try it since it's a catalogue scent. Tombstone is another good earthy vanilla in the catalogue. Haven't tried Antique Lace. In the immortal words of Gomer Pyle, "Fre shame! Fer shame! Fer shame!" Trust this is helpful, yr

Since when is white grapefruit evil? Wet: White grapefruit, lotus and saltiness. Drying: Almost overwhelming. There's one note I can't pick out. This is more astringent, aquatic than Queen of Diamonds, which sets the bar for grapefruit scents. Almost immediately becomes masculine. Polo?! Ack! Not what I want to smell like today. Will try again in cooler weather. Washed off as I could, but still having problems with whatever that one evil note is. Vetiver? Anyway, having problems breathing. Could be that I tried to happy up my scent aura with some Kunstkammer. Ironically, the combination brings forward the pepper note in Kunstkammer. Very, very ODD!

In our paean to all the mysteries surrounding this enigmatic number, there are thirteen lucky and unlucky components, including white chocolate, tangerine, currant, mandarin, white tea and iris. 13 was a thoughtful gift from a generous faery. Although I've worn 13 several times now, I've really just wanted to enjoy the experience and not kept notes. In the bottle: a blast of hazelnuts with a little chocolate. Wet: lovely white chocolate. Drying: Still waiting for tangerine, currant, and mandarin to show up. As it dries, there is a hint of white tea and iris with other soft florals. Dries to a creamy floral. On me, 13 is a soft skin scent. I wish it had more umpf, but I love it for what it is. ETA: I have really been enjoying this scent A LOT. It is comforting and I really enjoy the cocoa-floral dry stage. I can't thank my faery enough!

Candy little girl? Wow! This is a strange scent. It's one thing and then another. It doesn't settle as it dries. There's a time when wet that it reminds me of Carnivale, then something else. Probably Carnal. I'm really not keen on this and it seems to vanish fairly fast. As in within minutes. Up for trade.

WOW! Straight from the bottle, House of Mirrors is all lovely amber. Wet: Amber with a bite. There is a spicy note in the scent that is very similar to Morrocco, but a kinder, gentler spice. It stays in the background, then comes to the fore before blending in and mellowing. Very mysterious and wonderfully heady. Drying: YUM! More spicy amber. Oddly, in the drydown stage it reminds me of a commercial fragrance -- Habanita by Molinard. Great staying power! Kept thinking how amazing it would be in combination with Dragon's Milk. (Experiment to come.) Must have another bottle before the Carnival pulls up stakes. EDIT: This is really Snake Charmer --Shollin

So I guess Hell is filled with wisteria and violets. Who knew?! I still don’t since Beth’s Lab notes do not mention specific notes at all. For all I know my sniffer could be off. In the bottle: The first scent I associate with this scent is plumaria. Then I smell other flowers. Odd. Wisteria *and* violet? But, yes! Applied very lightly to one elbow crook. Wet: More wisteria with a touch of violet and something else in the grey family. Lilac? Drying: Powdery floral and a very old-fashioned scent. Strangely refreshing. This has been wafting up from the crook of my elbow all day. It’s an unusual scent that sometimes smells like soap, other times like fresh flowers. I like the way it morphs and lasts. What I associate with this is a boudoir. Dunno why, but that’s Asphodel … at least for me. Feminine and old-fashioned and very lovely. It does remind me of a snippet of the English lyrics for “La Violetera” – a song popular for a couple of decades. “Love is like a little violet/with the fragrance of regret./It was born to last for but a hour/To be lost and then forgot.”

Attempting to describe the Queen of Clubs is an exercise in folly. Others have done an excellent job of describing the scent and their experience with it. It's a flabbergasting scent that defies description because it is so well blended. Yes, I have sniffed Graveyard Dirt and the Queen of Clubs does contain that earth element. She is very plummy -- not in the plum sense, but in the sense of being rich and full -- and refined. However, she has dirt under her fingernails! Moist loam and incense or resin are the strongest sensations. (Not too sure what myrrh smells like as a single note, so I cannot say if that is what I'm smelling.) The crimson fruits are fleeting. And after a couple of wearings, I have yet to have the amber or vanilla leap out. Although I love those notes intensely, I wouldn't want them to be aggressive. A well-blended scent ... and one that will be worn often because it is comforting and grounding without being sweet or cloying. Perfect for Fall and for the Earth sign wearing it. NOTE: it is diametrically opposed in every conceivable fashion from Queen of Diamonds. They share in common their creator and the fact that they are both superb scents.

Although I've tried Kunstkammer once, I just had to review it because I fear some won't give this scent the chance it deserves. Don't know why I think that or how I reached that conclusion, but ... there it is. The second I smelled Kunstkammer I was gaga. Both wet and dry, at least on me, the dominant notes are blood orange and benzoin. The result is a cheery orange-cherry scent that is remarkably not fruity. Kept waiting for more black pepper, but it was shy despite my slathering. The scent dries almost promptly to a skin scent. This could be a fluke precipitated by hot weather. It had staying power in the cleavage area to be sure. (More testing will result in amendments to this review. Promise.) Here it is almost eight hours later and it is still very much present at close range and LOVELY. Yes. Me. Slather. I did. Could not stop sniffing and daubing as I was dressing. This is a seductive, juicy, syrupy blend I will wear a LOT. I am sooooooooooooooooooooo very glad to have this scent and love this Carnival curiosity. It has a special place in my cabinet. Ooooooh. I wonder how this would layer with Carnivale??! Hmmmm. ETA: The SO has declared this as a favorite. Claims it is reminiscent of being in a bakery. Perhaps some hoarding is warranted, especially because it's too wonderful NOT to slather. Updated -- March 27, 2006: In the interest of those who may be purchasing bottles during the next Lunacy, I have this observation about the Kunstkammer to contribute. My particular bottle has been kept in a lovely dark cabinet and applied thoughtfully since I've purchased it. A week or so ago, I got it out because it had been neglected (13 is a rascal!) as of late. I was surprised to find it much softer than I originally recall. It's orange-y, yes. But the only other note that seems to be there is a hint of black pepper. It's still smells wonderful, but it isn't as cherry or punchy as I recall, but still cheery.

Numb is cool indeed and very much a scent that is reminiscent of places of shade and water on a summer's day. The scent notes are difficult to pin down. The florals are lovely and, gellid?! I don't particularly get that sensation. Just nice, lovely cool. The impression: not a winter scent, but something like biting into an ice cold pulpy something when it's hotter than blazes. A refreshing cold. As frustrating as the notes are to pick out is the fact that, on me, the scent seems to vanish rather quickly. (Within an hour ... unless right up on the arm.) This is no doubt attributable to heat-induced sweatiness, which has also shortened the staying power of other scents. Although tried at least twice, will be testing in cooler surroundings and will note what occurs. And for all those who posted speculations about Numb in BPAL Chatter Hate to say "I told you so" but I TOLD YOU SO! No mint. Not even a wee smidge. Another inspired creation that ... well, Beth's scents -- the LEs in particular -- are getting increasingly difficult to describe and more and more amazingly delightful. It's a treat to be ringside to the evolution and an involved witness in the process. June 13, 2006 Update: For some odd reason, I became obsessed with wearing Numb. I was wearing green. Maybe that was it. Not particularly hot, but the idea of cool, I think resonated with me and there was no other scent that would do but Numb. It does not have any more staying power after a year's time than described above, but there is a nice hint of scent that lasts for several hours. It's a great summer scent.

Phobos In the Bottle: GOOD MORNING! It's a wakey-wakey citrus blast. Wet: all lemons. No grapefruit. White grapefruit is among my favorite notes. I was so hoping to get some from this scent. Drying: lemongrass predominant. Fades almost instantly to light lemon oil or tart lemon sorbet. What's odd is that it was applied to both wrists. One is scented; the other smells of skin only -- as if it had never been applied. Some skin reaction. Not much. Disappointed. I need a white grapefruit scent for the inevitable day when Queen of Diamonds is no more. ETA: for clarity's sake ... the lemon-musk Phobos becomes is very, very nice. with white grapefruit mentioned as a note, my expectations were high, probably unnaturally so and only because i wanted white grapefruit. should not let one's pouty preferences muck up a review of a perfectly fine scent.

Old Kathmandu ... yes, Old. Wet: Wowee! But this is saffron-y. Drying: Lots of burning-wood scent here. Not like Dia de los Muertos, but an incense scent with lots of power from the cedar. This cedar is sweet, not sharp. There is some clear note somewhere, but it is elusive. Not sure what this particular sandalwood should smell like, but I'm guessing it's part of that spicy incense scent. Very unusual scent indeed. Fades between the two and three hour mark to a whisper of lotus. Without the lasting power and with the funky melange of notes, this would be a scent worn on a whim or for a special event when reapplication is possible, but not particularly needed.

Prague is an exceedingly sweet floral when wet. Very nice. The scent vanishes within 15 minutes to nothing. Not so much as a wisp remains. To be swapped.

If you're looking for something similar to Hakkotsu, try Belle Epoque. To fairly compare, Hakkotsu seems like a minimalist version Belle Epoque. These share muget and sandalwood notes. And layer well together.

Plans were to augment a review I thought existed. It doesn't. Humpf. Hakkotsu was sniffed way, way, way back as soon as it arrived around the first of the year. Here are the notes, then: Initially very floral and and overwhelmingly muget with a touch of bergamot. Almost too sweet. Not great first thing in the morning. Drying: more sandalwood comes forward. Making me achy and a little hard to breathe after about twenty minutes. May just be morning. Try again another day. Could smell it lightly even after washing and shower. Nicer when lighter. Try applying less. Oh ... and so I guess I was waiting for the second test, which Hakkotsu passed with flying colors. It is nicer when lighter and a very fine scent indeed. What was to be appended? If you're upset about the loss of Hakkotsu, try Belle Epoque. These scents share notes: muget and sandalwood (granted, two different sandalwoods). It's almost as if Hakkotsu was a minimalist sketch of what would become Belle Epoque. Layered? Very nice indeed.

Chaos Theory XCV from the Chaos Run Amok circle In the bottle: orange Wet: Maybe my nose has gone wonky, but this is a light orange-lavender scent. Within minutes, it’s a peppery lavender to the exclusion of any other notes. Drying: There’s some other note in here, but drat, the section of skin to which it was applied … it’s a contortionist act to get to sniff deeply. That note smells very baby-like. Hello. Vanilla? ’Zat you? I like this a whole lot, but with XLVIII screaming from the other arm, I can’t smell the subtle shifts in scent. This is probably one of the Chaos scents I could and would actually wear of the Amok group. Very reminiscent, now that I think of it, of Calliope – but without the almond or herbal-green notes. Previously reviewed by hypothermya, with coffee spoons, harlequin, quantum spice, inkstone, andrabell and Tesseljoan.

Chaos Theory LXXXVII from the Chaos Run Amok circle The scent in this bottle is a pinky liquid, which surely means dragon’s blood is a component. In the bottle: red hot cinnamon. Wow! Since cinnamon causes skin problems for me on application, this is a sniff-in-the-bottle review. A limited review, to be sure. Cinnamon fans would have a field day with this. It does smell more of cinnamon candies than of cinnamon found in sticks or in a bottle on the spice rank. Previously reviewed by Vicious Mistress, andrabell and Tesseljoan.