Penance

Chaos Theory XXXII

Origin:

I got an imp of this from kmasden.

Preconceived notions:

I believe this was described as fruity and floral with some sandalwood, so I'm curious to see if I like it or not since I love sandalwood but don't normally go for fruit or florals.

First sniff:

Pears! This smells absolutely, 100% like the pears that the people down the street used to grow when I was little. I get a sudden image of trying to fnd fallen pears that hadn't already been claimed by the wasps and yellowjackets because I couldn't reach to pick it. This is really pretty even though I don't normally like fruit scents.

Wet on skin:

Hmm, this isn't all pear now...there's definitely some sort of florals in here, too, although I'm at a total loss to name them. Florals aren't my forte, unfortunately. It's not too floral, which is good, but it's just enough to keep this blend from being one-dimensional. I like this a lot, surprisingly.

Dry down:

The pear is the dominant note again, with the florals taking a far backseat. I'm starting to smell what could very well be the sandalwood I was hoping for, although it's not quite clear yet...if I had to say what kind of sandalwood, I would say the white variety without hesitation. This definitely isn't red mysore sandalwood. I have a feeling that it's going to get stronger the longer it's on my skin.

The bottom line:

Another gorgeous Chaos blend. I haven't tried a single one yet that I didn't love.

Previously reviewed by quantum spice, inkstone, kimmer and Jasminepearls.

Origin:

jj_j was kind enough to gift me with a 5mL of this for my wedding. Thank you, hon; you saved the day!

My impressions:

Opening the bottle is instant nostalgia. I'm 5 years old again, climbing the lilac trees (and they were trees, too, not bushes) in our backyard. This is so perfect I can't even begin to describe it. There are so many happy memories attached to this scent and I'm almost on the verge of (happy) tears from the memories its bringing back.

I thought I'd smelled realistic lilac perfumes before, but jj's mother is right, they really do pale in comparison. All those other scents I've been amazed by really are just perfume, but this...this is like closing my eyes and being back in my old backyard, whiling the day away perched in our lilac trees. I can't even begin to describe how happy this makes me.

I know this is the perfect scent for my wedding.

Origin:

Lagniappe from the Lab.

Preconceived notions:

I've considered buying an imp of this more than once, so I'm glad I get a chance to try it...I'm terrible about waffling on scents that I'm not sure about. My family is mainly Scottish, so I've been curious, plus I love blackberries although I'm not sure I want to smell like them.

First sniff:

Good God is that gorgeous! Glasgow isn't anywhere near as fruity as I'd feared. It's more like heather with a faint touch of true blackberry - none of that artificial BBW blackberry here. This smells like the real thing wafting over fields of heather. I'm so glad I tried this one!

Wet on skin:

The blackberry is still taking a backseat to the heather, which is just fine by me. I love the way this smells. It's very calming and clean in the same way that Oisin is clean. I have a feeling this would smell gorgeous on a guy, too, although you might have to resort to pretending there's no fruit in it to get it on them.

Dry down:

Glasgow is remarkably stable. It smells pretty much the same from imp to dry down: heather with a light touch of true blackberry. On me, this is similar to Oisin, but with the musk replaced with blackberry. I really like this a lot.

The bottom line:

This is really very wearable without my having to worry about smelling like I was attacked by a giant piece of fruit. I'm definitely getting a bottle of this at the next update.

Origin:

Lagniappe from the Lab.

First sniff:

This smells similar to Somnus to my nose. Lavender and spice but no lotus, which is good. I really expected something more...lotusy from this, I think...maybe something vaguely bubblegum like with a hint of herbs and spices, but this is almost strictly herbs and a hint of spice.

Wet on skin:

Now Paris smells more like Temple of Dreams...very similar, in fact. I don't now what spices are in this, but to me it smells like basil, which could very well be my imagination running wild since spices normally means something like cinnamon or clove or fennel. Either way, this smells quite nice in the same way that Temple of Dreams smells nice.

Dry down:

Paris is almost identical to Temple of Dreams on me. I happen to really like Temple of Dreams, but that's sort of the kiss of death for Paris, unfortunately. I'm trying to cut down on extremely similar scents because my collection is getting out of control, so Paris would have stood a better chance if it had been a little more unique.

The bottom line:

This is practically identical to Temple of Dreams on me, so while I like it, it's going to have to find a new home since I don't need two almost identical scents right now with my collection expanding at an exponential rate.

Origin:

Astroabe kindly gifted me with an imp of this.

First sniff:

I can't remember what everyone else has said about this, but for me The Heirophant is soft and warm and comforting smelling. I smell cinnamon and maybe cloves...warm, cozy spices at any rate. This is so gorgeous. It's familiar somehow, too, but I don't know why...

Wet on skin:

I know why this smells so familiar now. It's smells like a very close relative of Three Witches. I never really got the pepper note from Three Witches, so it was just cinnamon and clove on me and that's almost exactly what The Heirophant smells like on me.

Dry down:

If I didn't know better, I'd swear I was wearing Three Witches. This is extremely close on my skin although there's something else here, too, something slightly woody smelling, although I can't pin it down. I love this and I like it even more since it's a damn good stand-in for my beloved Three Witches.

The bottom line:

I need a bottle of this, pure and simple. This would make a great winter scent for curling up with a good book in front of a fire. Gorgeous; just gorgeous.

Origin:

I got an imp of this from Harlequin.

First sniff:

This is beautiful and extremely familiar but I can't quite place it. It smells vaguely like pineapple upside down cake and some sort of incense wiht maybe a sweet wood note, but I'm not sure about any of that. It's one of those scents that I know I recognize but just can't quite place...I'm sure if someone told me what was in this it would be instant recognition, but for the moment my impressions will have to do.

Wet on skin:

I'm almost positive that's pineapple although it seems a little incongruent (to me, anyway) with the namesake of this particular scent. There's something else here that's wavering between a floral and a sweet smelling wood note and a hint of incense in the background, but I could be mistaken since it's so far back and so covered by the other notes.

Dry down:

This is so familiar! Why can't I remember this? It's like having a name right on the tip of my tongue...it's not so fruity anymore and the (supposed) resin note has gotten stronger, but it's still naggingly familiar. The best way I can describe it without getting into specifics is as a slightly fruity (pineapple) resiny/wood blend with maybe a hint of pear and possibly some florals. I'm really curious about what's actually in this because it's gorgeous.

The bottom line:

I can't wait for Baba Yaga to be released. This is beautiful (if elusive)!

Origin:

I got a 5mL of this from Astrobabe, who kindly picked it up for me from the Lab.

First sniff:

Oh, boy...is that civet I smell? If not, it's a darker musk of some sort. It's very similar to Satyr to my nose which is, admittedly, not the best at deciphering animalistic notes. It certainly smells a lot like civet to me, though, and not much else. I don't know if I'll be able to wear this or not.

Wet on skin:

Well, it's not cat pee on my skin, which is good. It's definitely a musk of some sort, but maybe it's not civet after all. This is definitely more wearable than I'd anticipated it being from the way it smelled in the bottle. I don't normally go for strong musky scents, but there's something sexy about this, strangely enough. I think it might be working on me.

Dry down:

Musk of some sort and definitely not the scent of skin but sexy and sensual smelling, somehow. There's a bit of cognitive dissonance going on here, too...my nose is saying "This is dangerously close to smelling like cat pee" (my normal reaction to dark musks and civet in particular) but my body's got another, more favorable, opinion of Flame of Desire. I think I may just have to learn to live with smelling a little bit like I've been peed on by a tomcat because I feel good wearing this.

The bottom line:

More evidence that the Voodoo Blends (and BB Exclusives) aren't really about smelling good...this one's a keeper in spite of the fact that I don't like the way it smells.

Origin:

Lagniappe from the Lab.

First sniff:

Hmm, interesting...Goneril seems to be equal parts of cedar and flowers and I'm not sure how I feel about that. I love cedar to the point of obsession but flowers and I don't generally get along, so I'm up in the air about this one right at the moment.

Wet on skin:

Pretty much the same as in the imp. The only floral I recognize is the geranium because we used to have pots of them all over our front porch when I was growing up and I would pluck the petals to use to draw on the steps with. It's not an overpoweringly floral blend, but I'm not sure if the flowers are really subtle enough for me to be able to really wear this.

Dry down:

I wanted to like this because of my love for cedar, but Goneril and I just aren't getting along. Somehow the geranium just isn't appealing to my nose. At all. I don't know what it is about it but I just can't quite make myself like it, unfortunately.

The bottom line:

Another potentially great blend ruined by flowers. Goneril is going to be finding a new home.

Origin:

I got an imp of this from kmasden.

Preconceived notions:

Let me start off by saying that I have no idea what possessed me to try this. Florals are (as anyone who knows my taste in perfume knows) not my thing and I don't normally wear fruit, but I wanted to try this (for whatever reason) and try it I shall.

First sniff:

Huh, I'm not quite sure what to make of this. The musk and spice and mandarin are htere, no doubt, but there's an almost syrupy sweet, vaguely floral note in the background that I'm not so sure about. Somehow this smells very southern to me, like cornbread and molasses, as strange as that sounds.

Wet on skin:

So far, Hell's Belle is holding steady. If anything, it's a tiny bit more floral now than before, but I still get that initial impression I got before. I have no idea where it came from, but it's unshakeable. If I had to pick out notes in this I'd be hard pressed to do it. All I can say is that I smell syrupy sweet florals and musk of some sort and a hint of spice. This really is much nicer than I'd imagined, but I'm not sure it's me.

Dry down:

Nothing new to report. Hell's Belle is a very steady scent, not a quick change artist like some BPAL scents I've tried. I'm still standing on my previous impressions on this one, as odd as they may be.

The bottom line:

I'm going to have this give this one some thought before I decide if I want to keep my imp or not.

Origin:

Lagniappe from the Lab.

First sniff:

Pear is the first thing I smell, but it's a floral pear, somehow...it's not pears and florals, it's a floral pear, like one note, which is kind of odd but rather pretty. If I had to say which floral note this is, I'd say lily of the valley, but it's so well blended with the pear that it's somewhat difficult to tell for sure.

Wet on skin:

This is almost identical to the most recent Chaos blend I've tried (XXXII). It's soft and unoffensively fruity/floral and realistic to the point that I can almost taste it. This really isn't bad at all at this point, in spite of my floral aversion.

Dry down:

The rose is coming out now, which is unfortunate because I realy don't care for rose. Something about this is just too...aggressively girly, I guess, even though it's namesake is male. I'm not a rose kind of girl, unfortunately, so Endymion's going to be finding a new home.

The bottom line:

Endymion as actually alright right up until the point where the roses staged their coup d'etat, but it was downhill from there.

Origin:

Lagniappe from the Lab.

Fist sniff:

I'll be damned...is that spicy note I smell what people are talking about when they say "spicy carnation"? I've never encountered spicy carnation in anything before, so that's a surprise. I'm not particularly optimistic about this one, though, since I really don't care for rose and carnation has a nasty habit of making me sick if I'm around it for any length of time. In this I smell the tea and the spiciness that has to be the carnation (and which is quite nice provided it doesn't make me nauseous).

Wet on skin:

Spice, spice and more spice...this smells like cloves, actually, and if I didn't know better I'd swear that was what I was smelling. I think that the spicy variety of carnation may be alright since I don't feel sick yet. The only thing I don't like about this is the rose underneath it all. I don't like rose and especially not powdery rose, which is what's in Maiden.

Dry down:

I still smell cloves (they're related to carnations, aren't they?) and baby powder. If it weren't for the rose, there's a good chance I would really like this, I think, but unfortunately the rose ruins it.

The bottom line:

Maiden was actually a rather nice surprise, even if the rose keeps me from really liking it.

Origin:

Lagniappe from the Lab.

First sniff:

I didn't expect to like this since I'm not a rose fan, but this is nice. I smell the wine most prominently right now, then the dragon's blood and finally the rose. It's a very dark red kind of scent, both in feel and in color and I actually like it.

Wet on skin:

Dammit. As usual my skin has decided that Blood Rose is nothing but rose. For some reason, my skin really amplifies florals, especially rose, which is unfortunate because I really don't particularly care for the smell of roses.

Dry down:

Slightly sour smelling roses, which must be the roses wreaking havoc with the red wine note. I wnated to like this in spite of my rose aversion, but nothing doing, apparently.

The bottom line:

Another good scent ruined by roses. I'm sure someone else will love this, but it's definitely not for me.

Origin:

Lagniappe from the Lab.

Preconceived notions:

This one sounds a bit confusing to me. I think dark and maybe dusty when I think of this one's namesake, but the description sounds very light and almost springtime-like.

First sniff:

Yep, definitely light and flowery. I smell powdery violets and a bit of sandalwood and iris. I don't get any of the musk or neroli yet and if I'm lucky the neroli won't make an appearance at all since it hates me and I hate it. Right now I don't see this being me. I can't smell violets without thinking of violet mints and I don't want to smell like them, to be honest.

Wet on skin:

Aha, The Raven has pulled a quick change on me. The musk has come out somewhat and (unfortunately) the neroli is putting in an appearance, too. It's much darker and less flowery than before, but it's still not a dark scent by any stretch of the imagination.

Dry down:

Neroli and baby powder, which is most likely the violets which tend to go quite overzealously powdery on me. This is definitely not me. At all.

The bottom line:

I really didn't think this would be for me, so it's not really a disappointment that I don't like it. I'm glad I got to give it a shot, though.

Origin:

Lagniappe from the Lab.

Preconceived notions:

This was on my wishlist at one point, but since then I've learned that vetiver is hit or miss and I don't particularly like gardenias, roses or jasmine, so I'm not really sure this will work for me.

First sniff:

No florals, thankfully, just lots of vetiver and some cinnamon and leather. This smells fairly masculine to my nose, but I tend to prefer gender neutral or masculine scents, so that's not a bad thing in my book.

Wet on skin:

Much less intense in the vetiver department, which is good since it can be overpowering. There's some vague florals here, too, mainly jasmine, but mainly it's vetiver, cinnamon and leather. This is really sexy smelling and I'm sure it would smell fantastic on a guy. I may test that theory on the boy if I decide I don't mind sharing.

Dry down:

Mmm, this smells good. I smell a little bit of everything now and even the flowers are sexy. The leather's quickly becoming more and more prominent and dragging the cinnamon along for the ride and I really like this. It's not too masculine for most women, I wouldn't think, it's just aggressive smelling and not for the sugar and spice kind of girls.

The bottom line:

Much sexier than I'd imagined. I was worried about this one, but I really, genuinely like this. Kudos to the Lab for throwing this in with my order!

Origin:

Lagniappe from the Lab.

Preconceived notions:

I already know I don't like Glitter (it was one of the first BPAL scents I tried, mainly out of curiosity), but since I haven't reviewed it and I've got another imp on hand, I figure I may as well give it a shot and report what I think of it.

First sniff:

Lotus, that's why I don't like Glitter, I remember now. To me, lotus smells like bubblegum and I can't tolerate the smell of bubblegum. That's really all I'm getting from Glitter right out of the imp. It actually smells quite similar to Aunt Caroline's Joy Mojo to me right at the moment.

Wet on skin:

Bubblegum and white wine. This is what Lolita should have been like - grown up but innocent and childish all at once. Unfortunately, this really isn't my kind of scent, the same way Jailbait wasn't. This is way too bubblegum sweet for me.

Dry down:

Bubblegum and a tiny hint of pear. I might like this if it weren't for the lotus/bubblegum note. I'm really starting to learn that I should avoid any blend with lotus in it, including Kathmandu which I used to love and now can't wear because the bubblegum note is more prominent to my nose now.

The bottom line:

Glitter is sadly not for me, but maybe on someone else it would be gorgeous. It's going to have to find a new home.

No reducers on my most recently received orders, either.

I just tip the bottle up against my wrist and then rub my wrists together and run them down my neck. Screw contamination, it's the easiest way to get it on heavy enough.

Here you go...

UNSEELIE - Diabolus

CHYPRE - Bewitching Brews

SILENTIUM AMORIS - Funereal OIls

BANSHEE - Diabolus

ENTROPY - Diabolus

CALLIOPE - Bewitching Brews

SPECTRE - Diabolus

MELPOMENE - Bewitching Brews

GOONA GOONA - Voodoo Blends

DAMNATION - Sin & Salvation

HAKKOTSU - Diabolus

PANDORA - Bewitching Brews

ERATO - Bewitching Brews

Origin:

I got an imp of this from the wonderful Sarada.

Preconceived notions:

I've been dying to try this one. It sounds perfect for me and I'm really looking forward to it. I expect something like Zombi without the rose, so I'm hoping I'm not too far off.

First sniff:

Mmm, this smells like Demeter's Earthworm only a million times better. This is wet, loamy soil at its finest. This is gorgeously earthy and just what I'd imagined.

Wet on skin:

Dirt, pure loamy dirt. I just love the smell of wet soil, so this is making me very happy. I already figured I'd be needing a bottle of this and now I know for absolute certain. I need as bottle of this!

Dry down:

I'm a country girl through and through and this is the smell of working in a garden or in the fields after a summer rain, with the wet soil coating your hands and knees. This isn't dry, dusty dirt...it's rich soil, the kind you need if you plan on growing anything. I don't think of a graveyard when I smell this, I think of a plowed field after a summer downpour.

The bottom line:

I love, love, love this. I might very well sell my soul for a bottle of this one.

Origin:

Lagniappe from the Lab.

Preconceived notions:

I'm quickly learning that neroli isn't my friend and I'm not a big berry fan (although I do really like the smell of huckleberries because they're so tart) so I don't expect Jester to work for me, but I'll give it a shot.

First sniff:

Berries. Lots and lots of sweet berries (this must be the red currant because it's not huckleberries I'm smelling). It somehow reminds me of gummy bears, too, which is just something that happens with me and certain fruit (and specifically berry) scents. I don't smell the neroli yet, but I do smell a whole lot of currants, which, unfortunately, really isn't my thing.

Wet on skin:

Whoa, there's the neroli. I knew it would crop up sooner or later. It always does and, as always, it's making me a little sick to my stomach. The berries are still there, too, with the huckleberry portion making a valiant effort at coming through, but the neroli is overpowering it which is a pretty big letdown since I actually love huckleberies.

Dry down:

All I'm getting is neroli and a faint hint of huckleberry now. If I didn't despise neroli and could get past the intense red currant initial stage, I'm sure this would be a fun scent, but, as it stands, this one's a no-go for me.

The bottom line:

I know my tastes and aversions well enough to have known from the start that this wouldn't work for me, but it's still a bit of a let down to know that I was right.

Origin:

Lagniappe from the Lab.

Preconceived notions:

I already know I'm among the few who don't love Alice. In fact I'm among the very few who truly hate it. Milk-type scents in general make me a little queasy fairly often but add carnation to that and it's a definite nauseator. But, in the interests of reviewing, I'll give her one more chance.

First sniff:

Oh, yeah, now I remember the main reason why I despise Alice: it smells like almonds. That's not to say there's actually any almond oil in here, just that it smells like there is. Normally I'd assume my instant nausea when I open the imp was almond-induced, but since it's not listed in the notes I'm going to assume it's most likely the milk or the carnation (or a combination of the two since I can wear White Rabbit just fine), although the reaction I'm having is a bit extreme for that. But yeah...it smells like almond milk to be exact.

Wet on skin:

Okay, having dabbed it on as lightly as possible I smell...almond. I don't know if I'm imagining it or if it's just a combination of things that just smell like almond or what, but that's what it smells like to me. No milk, no honey, no flowers, just almonds. There's maybe a vague similarity between this and the milk note in White Rabbit, but it's barely there for me.

Dry down:

At least the almond note (or whatever it was) has disappeared. Now I get rose and a hint of milk. I still don't like Alice, but it's better than it was before. This scent just isn't for me by any stretch of the imagination, unfortunately.

The bottom line:

"Queasier and queasier...." Alice hates me in much the same way blends with almond in them do, unfortunately, so it's off to a new home with her.

Origin:

Lagniappe from the Lab.

Preconceived notions:

I'm really curious about this one (and Oneiroi). I like Somnus because it works but I couldn't stand to try Baku (I hate anise/fennel), so I'm curious to see whether I'll like Temple of Dreams and whether or not it works. I'm expecting lavender since it seems to be a main component in all the Dream oils but, other than that, I don't know what to expect.

First sniff:

Very herbal. It almost smells like Baku at first but then I realize it's not anise I'm smelling, but some sort of herb instead. I don't know why I initially thought anise because it's not really that similar. It's vaguely sweet and very herbal and smells clean and comforting.

Wet on skin:

Rosemary, maybe? Or basil? I don't know what this is, but I like it! The lavender is coming out now, too, balancing the other herbal notes and making me think of lavender water linen spray in the best possible way. I actually really like the way this smells, unlike Somnus which is actually somewhat unpleasant to me. I could actually see myself wearing this as a real perfume.

Dry down:

That same herbal note from before (I think it's basil) is dominating again and I really like it. I didn't expect to actually like the way this smelled, so that's a definite plus. Now off to bed to see if it works...

The bottom line:

Temple of Dreams smells gorgeous and seems to work, too. I don't normally remember my dreams, but I had some crazy ones last night (and I mean crazy in a good way, not my normal nightmares) and I remembered them enough in the morning to have a good laugh over all the things my brain came up with during the night. This is a definite big bottle candidate.

Preconceived notions:

I am not a foody scent kind of girl. At all. I love rum and other boozy scents, but I don't generally do the true foody scents. That being said, I'm really looking forward to trying Spooky because I have to admit that it sounds wonderful.

First sniff:

Oh, God...I think it might be love already. I smell all the notes in here right out of the bottle, but not all at the same time. First comes coconut and vanilla, then rum and coconut, then cocoa and peppermint, all in the space of a matter of seconds. I get the feeling Spooky is too complex to smell all at once if that makes sense. This smells good enough to eat and I don't even like Grasshoppers!

Wet on skin:

Spooky goes on very light on me (much lighter than I expected, I might add) and smells exactly like Grasshoppers or Thin Mints or any other chocolate mint cookie of your choosing! There's also a tiny hint of coconut hiding out in the background. I love this. Spooky may very well be the scent that makes me reconsider my dislike of foody scents (and specifically chocolate ones).

Dry down:

Strangely, this smells different on one wrist than the other.

On my right wrist it's heavy on the coconut and vanilla and almost smells like a pina colada, but on the left it's pure cocoa and peppermint with a little bit of coconut in the background. It smells delicious on either wrist, it's just interesting to see how different it smells on different parts of my body.

The bottom line:

I love this. I don't normally do foody scents, but this is pure heaven. I ended up snagging the two bottles the boy bought to add to the two I ordered because two just wasn't going to be enough and it smelled so damn good on me.

Gluttony and Sugar Skull couldn't be more different to me. Gluttony was like rancid butter on me and really made me nauseous. Sugar Skull smells exactly like maple syrup! 

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I concur.

Gluttony was a disaster for me. It made me horribly nauseous the second I opened the imp and I could smell it from across the room even with the cap on.

Sugar Skull on the other hand was lovely. Tooth-rottingly sweet, mind you, but lovely. To me it smelled exactly like the rum rolls my mom makes...rum flavoring, brown sugar and butter for the topping = Sugar Skull doppelganger.

Preconceived notions:

I've been on pins and needles since the reviews started cropping up, wondering if I would like it, but I adore ozone scents, so I'm hoping this one loves me back. The only thing I'm really worried about are the florals some people have mentioned. I don't like florals. At all.

First sniff:

Oh my God...this is perfect! When I say I love ozone I'm not kidding. I mean love. Nothing makes me happier than to stand outside after a thunderstorm and sniff the air and Storm Moon is that scent in a bottle. I do get the fabric softener connection Macha mentioned, but that's okay, too, since I love the way fabric softener smells, too.

Wet on skin:

Even stronger ozone. This definitely isn't for people who don't like the smell of thunderstorms. It's strong and I do mean strong. I feel like I should have lightning crackling on my fingertips it's so strong, but that's a good thing in my book. I think the only thunderstorm scent I like more than this is Thunderbird because it's more wearable. I wouldn't be surprised if I offended a few people wearing Storm Moon since it is so strong and so potent and not everyone adores ozone the way I do.

Dry down:

Ozone with a tiny hint of incense in the background, but mainly ozone. This is very fresh smelling, like walking outside after a rainstorm and smelling that tang in the air, like the way a penny tastes when you put it in your mouth (I'm serious, that's what ozone smells like to me). This is very nice and I can see it lasting a long time for me since a little goes a very long way.

The bottom line:

Apparently I didn't need to worry. Storm Moon loves me and I love it back. The boy liked it when I held the bottle under his nose, too, so I'm going to try it on him next!

Origin:

I got an imp of this from Spark a very long time ago.

First sniff:

This isn't really my first first sniff (I've had this for quite awhile, but haven't worn it yet), but it is my first sniff before wearing it, so it still counts.

Let me preface this by saying that I don't like smelling like flowers. It's important, believe me. That being said, Havisham is actually a beautiful floral blend. it's very soft and unassuming smelling and feminine without being in-your-face floral. I'm terrible at picking out floral notes but, hazarding a guess, I'd say...lilac, white rose and maybe gardenia. Of course, I could be entirely wrong. It wouldn't surprise me.

Wet on skin:

This is so pretty and feminine (and so different from my normal scent choices). It reminds me of a scented talcum powder my mom used to use when I was very small, but I can't remember what scent it was, only that it was a very similar soft, sweet floral. There's definitely rose in here; there's no question in my mind because I know very well how rose behaves on my skin. The other notes I'm not so sure about. I wouldn't be surprised if there was lilac hiding in here somewhere, although that may just be wishful thinking on my part.

Dry down:

As Havisham dries, the rose note (and I'm positive it's rose) becomes more and more prominent. It's a cross between an unopened bud and a full-blown bloom in scent and it's definitely a white smelling rose, if that makes sense.

The bottom line:

In spite of my floral (and specifically rose) aversion, I like Havisham. I'm tempted to wear it for my wedding, but I'm not so sure I want to chance fate, given the inspiration for this particular blend.