fairnymph

Colourless oil. Peppermint candy! Yup, this smells exactly like a candy cane, and while it's sweet, it's not tooth-achingly so - I don't really get the extra jolt of sugar, thankfully. My skin absorbs this instantly - there is no true wet stage. And I kept slathering it on - I guess it just vaps off? Much more minty, very mentholic and sinus clearing on my skin - too much for a personal perfume. Also much less sweet. Unfortunately there is a rancid sort of note, nutty - like peanut butter that's gone bad? Bizarre and unpleasant. It feels cool, like rubbing alcohol or vicks, where the oil is - major menthol action - but surprisingly low throw. The cold-skin isn't going away, either! It's strong if I put my nose nearby, not a weak scent, but it doesn't travel very far. The rancid nutty note has faded to almost nothing, but so has the sugar. Where's the candy? I get almost none - this pretty much straight up peppermint essential oil. Although...I get a little bit of a citrus note - this reminds me of Juiced Up, a Tommy Hilfiger body wash with orange juice and mint that I LOVED and was of course dc'ed. It also reminds me greatly of one of the Panaceas - Detox or Moxie? Same citrus Pez drydown, but a little less powdery, a little more juicy. A very surprising evolution. I think it's Moxie I'm reminded of. This really smells like Peppermint SN + Moxie. Happy to be getting a partial bottle!

2009 Extremely pale yellow oil. Sweet, cold mint (spearmint and peppermints) with soft, creamy, fluffy snow. Lovely! Very fresh and light - but not weak - and evocative. Mintier, a little less sweet - a really perfect 50/50 balance of p-mint and s-smint - I make a tea that's a blend of these two mints and it reminds me of that, but much cooler, fresher, and brighter. The snow note is the same from Snow White and Pink Snowballs, but it's much lighter and less present here. This is a fantastic, elegantly simple mint scent unlike anything in my collection! I'm not sure this oil will ever dry - it's been a few hours now! Unfortunately, the snow note has amped up (boo) and turned a little plastic on me, but it's tolerable - if just barely so. This is less mentholic, much less fresh and bright, a really soft and surprisingly creamy scent now. Unfortunately I am getting something like cilantro, which I detest above all other things on the planet. WTF. Yeah this is going to plastic dollhead (that sort of musty, slightly powdery note that a lot of baked goods dry down to) with cilantro. Wtf. It was so gorgeous but once it finally dried it turned evil. Only mildly evil, but still evil. Most of the lovely mints of the early stages is just gone, though the remaining traces are taunting me. Oh evil skin! At first this has great throw but it fades down to lower throw and overall doesn't last long on me.

Very pale gold oil. Soil and moss, very wet and evocative, with a little bit of the piney-hairspray snow note. Also, a bit of sugared fruit sweetness, which reminds me a lot of the sugar plums in L'Inverno in combo with that snow note they also share. This is a soft scent, not very sharp or harsh at all, surprisingly! Less dirt (yay!), less sweet, more moss (oakmoss, yay!), more snow - colder, but also harsher, and a little soapy (?) - sort of cologney. I think it's the snow note in combo with something else. Again I'm reminder of L'Inverno though this is MUCH less sweet. Still, there is a resinous quality to this, and the earthiness makes this much warmer than you'd expect for a snowball. A weird contrast with the 'snow''s coolness. All about the oakmoss and soil - much of the snow, which was never strong to begin with, has faded away, and this is only just barely a cool scent still. Mostly it's EARTHY, with a sweetness that's now not fruity, but that sweet soil sort of sweetness - reminds me of one of the Iteru scents quite a bit, the earthy aquatic, though this is less aquatic, it does have a bit of aquatic feel, and more so a hint of slightly sharp floral cologne. This one goes more and more floral on me, in a really nice way that reminds me greatly of 51. I also love the oakmoss here. The sweet dirt note and the piney-hairspray snow fade quite a bit, but not enough to make this wearable for me. 51 with hints of sweet soil and harsh snow is not a bad summary of this scent. Much nicer than I expected a lovely evolution, but not quite right. Good throw and decent longevity.

Light yellow oil. Clean, cold floral - surprisingly fresh and bright. The narcissus is so much nicer than it normally is - not nearly as sharp/harsh. The snow note is NOT piney hairspray or almond-coconutty. Okay, so it is a bit of that piney-hairspray snow, but only a little bit - softly, appropriately. I agree that this smells far more like actual snow than any other BPAL blend. There is a softness, like very fluffy, slightly powdery, absolutely pristine first now - very, very evocative. The narcissus is a little sharper and greener on my skin, but tolerable. This is going citrusy! Like white grapefruit zest, specifically. Very zesty, but also a little juicy-sweet-tart. It counteracts the harsh/chemical aspects of the snow note really well, somehow. The narcissus has gone greener, a sort of sappy/stemmy note - this is working with the fresh/zesty/aquatic feel. This is reminding me a bit of The Macabray now. The grapefruit has amped, and this has 'melted' - it's less cold, though still cool, and more aquatic. The narcissus has further softened. At this point it reminds me a lot of Szeassapony, and has a slightly floral-cologne base to it like that scent. Grapefruit & snow Szessapony. If this didn't have the slightly sharp narcissus and that snow note -which as said is much milder and softer than usual, but still has that harsh tinge - I'd definitely get a bottle. It's much, much nicer than I thought it would be.

Citrusy, herbal, and surprisingly spicy-resiny. Much more depth than I would have expected. A hint of soap and a hint of powder. The lemongrass, ginger and frankincense stand out, but there are some other strong notes I can't pin down. Brighter, tarter, juicier. Finally the bergamot and blood orange! I get the lemon dishwashing soap powder of Delousing Powder. And...unfortuntely I recognise one of those strong notes - coconut. My roommate says 'it smells like the beach', and he's not wrong. Very strong throw. Where are all the fresh, bright notes I was hoping for? Instead this is very resiny and almost sickly sweet, with hints of powder and soap. The herbal notes are more earthy and harsh, not green and refreshing as I'd hoped for. I do get the geranium now, but it's just overpowered by the frankincense, coconut, and other unidentifiable smoky resins. The bergamot and blood orange are long gone, the ginger is delightful but woefully faint, and the lemongrass is the sour-hay sort of note I dislike. And where the fuck did the soap and powder come from? This has insanely strong throw and it's making me feel a little queasy. This nothing like what I'd hoped and expected, and the few listed notes that I can detect at all are either woefully faint (ginger, geranium) or unpleasant (frankincense, lemongrass). This is all heavy coconut & smoky resins -perhaps the most FRANKINCENSE heavy scent I've ever tested, and I HATE frankincense - with soap, powder, and sour lemongrass.The most epic fail and disappointment since Lilith vs The Giant Crab. Ugh. And it won't wash off, of course. EPIC FAIL AND EPIC SADNESS.

Sweet, definitely foody and a little fruity, spiced in a mulled/autumnal foody sort of way, and some definite honey-ish mead though it's not boozy. Something a little savoury-foody as well, almost like meat or meat broth. Tarter, with more fruit - the prune asserts itself.I definitely get the creamy, slightly nutty/grainy rice pudding. Also, the hearth - this is a very warm, cozy sort of scent and something smoky comes through clearly. Still that odd savoury note. Overall this a very subtle scent that sticks close to the skin - no big player notes that jump out. The prune note holds really well but I think there is something else fruity, maybe some orange peel, that's a bit tarter and brighter, and it holds really well. Almost a sparkling quality from the fruit. The mead is very smooth and light and well-behaved, and I amp honey type notes - so honey haters should not be afraid. The spice is maybe faint clove and cassia? Very light. This reminds me of Pomona, Lambs-Wool, and Fearful Pleasure, though it's less spicy than most of those. It's the same sort of fruity, warm, mildly foody cool-weather, cozy scent (aka Not My Thing). The smoked meaty/savoury note and the firewood note don't work for me, and the slight nuttiness of the rice is also off-putting. Low throw but decent longevity.

Extremely pale yellow oil, nearly colourless. Minty chemicals, almost boozy. A clear liquor, Everclear maybe? Harsh, solventy. But with some sort of very slightly sweet mint below. Indeed very cold, but in an icy way that's not very mentholic. I get more of the mint (specifically spearmint), and the same snow note from Snow White, that creamy cold coconut/almond. Still a harsh alcoholic bite, but less sharply. Err, this is making my skin BURN intensely. Burn/itch. My skin is reacting a bit visibly, but I've had other scents produce more redness - nothing has FELT this horrible. It feels exactly like it's eating into my flesh, strong acid-style (which I unfortunately have experienced). I had to wash this off, as I reacted more strongly to it than any other blend ever - a full blown contact dermatitis. But the alcohol seemed to be burning off entirely to leave a spearmint and snow white creamy snow, a very simple but not unpleasant blend. It goes a little plastic on me like SW. Good throw.

2009 Extremely pale nearly colourless yellow oil. BPAL's piney-hairspray snow note, first and foremost, with florals below - more osmanthus and daffodil than y-y, fortunately - and some definite fruity sweetness, though not something I can readily identify. PINEY PINEY CHEMICALLY SNOW, yech. And unfortunately the ylang ylang really pops up, making this all together very heavy and cloying and just far too much - bad drugstore perfume-style, trashy hookers, cheap teens. The sweetness is a bit candied, like fake strawberry lollipops. Fading a little - thank god - but still very harsh. It reminds me greatly of L'Inverno, though less sweet. The daffodil adds a lovely creaminess, and the osmanthus an almost citrusy brightness, but they simply can't compete. The fruity note remains light and pleasant. Going a bit soapy on me and the osmanthus is a bit sharper/brighter/stronger, but not a lot of evolution beyond that. Still mostly that nasty snow note, with everything else present but smothered below. Still incredibly throw (to the point of painful distraction). Uh, wow. My shirt came down and rubbed most of it off and now it's really nice and reminds me ALOT of Kitsune-Tsuki, with osmanthus and daffodil and something musk. The ylang ylang is less heady and there's only a hint of that horrible snow, and the berries are a vague sweetness. Alas, I really can't handle the earlier stages and a hint of snow is a hint too much. Strong throw and longevity.

Extremely pale nearly colourless yellow oil. Buttered juniper berries. EXTREMELY buttery, with a strong evergreen presence below. It's actually a really nice juniper note, woodsy and deep and not as harsh as it typically is, but the butter is gross and clashes horribly. A little sweeter, more like fake butter now, fake butter popcorn is what I think of, with maybe a drizzle of sugar or caramel in there. I think there is something earthy, a moss or vetiver or patchouli, mingling with the juniper (and other woods, maybe some redwood?) far, far below. It's like someone littered a beautiful redwood forest with cheap hydrogenated movie popcorn. Sweetening up, and the butter is fading (so now it's sort of like some type of cake/baked goods note), while the woods are amping, and this has turned a lot darker and more earthy. Now I'm getting a spice note...nutmeg? Or mace? Maybe both? This is really odd. Cake, spice, and earthy woods in the final drydown, with juniper and nutmeg standing out. It all sort of melds together in a way that's not at all my thing, but not the revoltingness of the early stages. Low throw and this does fade a fair bit.

Deep golden oil. Apples cider, spice, and slightly mentholic evergreen woods (pine? or maybe that's meant to be the mistletoe - it does remind me a bit of Holly Berry & Mistletoe). Definitely some clove. Something smoky and earthy, maybe vetiver or patchouli. The apples are crisper and brighter, less baked and muted. Spices are stronger - definitely clove foremost but also some cinnamon. Along with the piney mistletoe this unfortunately reminds me of Christmas spice candles/potpourri - generic. Although, that dark earthy-smoky note does make this a little more interesting. It's a little rooty, and not cologney, so I'm leaning towards patchouli. And WOW that clove is strong! The apples/apple cider (it's gone a bit more baked apple) is fading as apple nearly always does on me, and that clove is completely amping and dominating. The mistletoe is actually really well behaved here, not strongly Pinesol at all. And the patchouli, while definitely dark and pretty masculine, is not 'dirty' - earthy, yes, but not dirty. I think maybe the cinnamon is not cinnamon but cassia. CLOVE CLOVE CLOVE and black patchouli have beaten anything that hasn't faded away into submission. And since I can't handle strong clove, off to the sink. This amps up to have insane throw and how much do you want to bet it won't wash off?

Deep golden oil. Very strong MINT(s) and other herbs. Definitely some pennyroyal, alas. Something slightly soapy, and something slightly bitter. Strongly herbal on the whole, masculine. Peppermint and pennyroyal, very mentholic, sinus-clearing. A bit sweeter, less bitter/harsh on my skin - the peppermint note is almost candyish and reminds me of the note in the Lick Its. There's a slightly rotten floral note which makes me suspect iris, and the soap makes me think lilac - these are not good florals, but old lady florals. Eeek. Much more unisex, even feminine, on my skin. Oh gods. There are all sorts of horrible florals in this. Lilac and iris and EEK LILAC that came out of nowhere and completely hijacked the entire blend. And the clashing with the mints is atrocious. Strong mints and strong florals really do not work. This is like a bouquet a really dreadful man would send you, that's started to rot. There is a vague fruit note under this but with the dual superevils of FLORAL and MINTY I can't clearly identify it, but I do think that pear or apple is very likely. I'm leaning towards apple. You'd think this might help redeem the blend but no, it just further adds to the disgusting mayhem. I have to wash this off, it's just so revolting and nauseating. Pennyroyal, peppermint, lilac and iris over faint apple. The pennyroyal and lilac really amp and dominate the blend. There could be some other herbs here too but who the hell knows. This has REALLY strong throw and longevity.

Cool, green/herbal, and zesty fruit. The herbs, green tea, cucumber, lemon balm and passionfruit jump out most to me, with light florals (iris and orchid standing out), cypress and woods more distantly. Definitely getting the 'blue' vibe and kinship to both earlier incarnations. Oh, delicous tart, tropical, bright passionfruit! And glorious cucumber and a very strong green tea note. More lavender and cypress; this is more herbal than previous BMs. Sadly, also a bit soapy/powdery; the florals are amped, and the moonflower is turning particularly soapy on me. The iris is more of a soft powder, not bad as far as powders go, and the orchid is quite lovely. Whoa, this has morphed within minutes. The florals are settling down and losing their soapiness - they're faintly powdery and clean, pleasantly so. The herbs have melded into an aromatherapy/Panacea sort of melange that makes this feel therapeutic, in a mystical way. The cucumber and passionfruit are holding and the green tea has really smoothed out, while blue musk has emerged to tie everything together. I've regained hope. Still morphing! The soapiness I can handle, but the powder...powder I tolerate much less well, and I seem to be amping the iris in this majorly, turning this into 'old lady floral talcum powder'. I think also that blue musk is not a musk that does well on me, but tends towards a dusty-musty sort of thing, appropriate in theory but not right for me in reality. Most of the passionfruit is gone after 40 minutes, and the herbs, powdery/soapy florals and that blue musk reign, over a woody base. The powder and musk reign in the end, and the musk really amps up and holds on tightly, tempering the floral powder. Still soapy-clean in feel and the green tea and sage hold on well to keep this herbal/outdoorsy in feel. Definitely complex, but on my skin it lacks the magic of the earlier two BM blends. Moderate throw and good longevity.

Cool, definitely lunar, and deeply woodsy. The masculine touch is obvious. The juniper, pine, yarrow and chamomile stand out, and the deep spices are distinct, too - especially the star anise, and to a latter extent the cardamom. This is also much more resinous and smoky; the styrax and frankincense are clearly present. Fainter pomegranate and florals. This doesn't smell really like the other BMs, IMO. Woooooooooods. Pine and JUNIPER and CYPRESS. The star anise is also amped, almost licorice-y, very much ANISE. In fact I'm almost getting an Absinthe sort of vibe here, mixed with evergreens. This is also a little soapy-cologney on my skin, with the florals more present, especially the moonflower and iris, and the white musk piercing through it all. The frankincense too is stronger, smokier, and sweeter. Still WAY too heavy on the evergreens for me. In general this is a VERY potent scent, very masculine and forceful. That star anise is stealing the show along with the woods, while the moonflower has amped to make this a bit soapier, and the cardamom has come out a little to add a bit of spicy warmth. The scent still feels deeply woodsy and blue-green (imagine a deep Teal/Ocean colour), though, which is rather amazing. The yarrow here is also very strong, herbal-bitter-green. After several hours this coalesces into something much more elegant, smoky-herbal-smooth with that deep woodsy-anise base. It's surprisingly nice, and I bet lovers of anise and its kin would enjoy this if they can get through the strong evergreen phase. Strong throw and longevity.

I won this in an ebay auction from the lab. Sniffed: Slightly soapy balsam and cologne with a bright floral (not tobacco flower I don't think) - it smells almost identical to the released version, except there is a dark slighty woody sweetness below - maybe frankincense, or vetiver? I find this a bit less metallic/sharp than the released version. Wet: Sweeter and almost smoky - definitely some sort of woody dark resin, and I get something like maybe wormwood or sassafras, a slightly medicinal herbal thing, as well as what I'm quite sure is vetiver. Maybe some tobacco? A bit less soapy than the released. Dry: This has a warmer feel than the released and it's more sharply floral in a way that verges on giving me a headache - narcissus maybe, or a type of gardenia? I don't get any metal notes at all now, if I ever really got them in the first place. Lots of rich sexy musk emerging, and it's the same Indian musk. Later: Definitely vetiver (though a well-behaved one!) and I strongly suspect frankincense. Loads of rich Indian musk in the drydown with milder bright white floral that's become slightly sour - I do think it's gardenia, and it's not a bully, but it's also the type that makes my head hurt. Summary: This is more intense than the released version and more distinct (though still clearly a relative) on drydown; it's muskier, has much less balsam, is much more floral, is sweet and woody, and is overall less-well blended and sophisticated in feel. The most noticeable differences are the vetiver, frankincense and gardenia notes, and the missing tobacco flower. Insane throw and tremendous lasting power, many times the released which is itself a very potent oil. I do prefer the released version (which is my all-time favourite perfume for men), but I like this one as well and think it would be fantastic on the right man. That Indian Musk is just an incredible note, and it's even stronger here. I also like the vetiver, which is very smooth, truly beautiful vetiver - not the bullying sort that many people dislike. I couldn't wear this personally because of the frankincense (not a note I enjoy), and the particular gardenia note, but this is not a GARDENIA SN sort of blend and is something that I'd bet many of the gardenia-wary would be able to enjoy.

Lemon-yellow oil. Sweet buttery hazelnuts and a hint of lemon tea. Definitely foody, and not distinctly like any other BPAL blend I've sniffed. Much, much more lemony and tea-ish, lighter overall, no longer rich. Less sweet, still quite nutty, but almost all of the butteriness is gone. The lemon tea is in command now instead of the hazelnut praline in the imp. Now it reminds me a bit of Storytime at DD. The tea note is pretty darn strong here, too - this could almost be a Dorian CT blend. I agree this has a golden, bright feel - but not at all in a metallic sense, at least not on my skin. I don't pick out any sort of metal note. I also don't get anything aquatic or snowy. Cake, maybe - there is a definite foody pastry/baked goods note. The hazelnut note is very agreeable, very natural and not cloying or heavy as nut notes tend to be. The very light spice if I seek it out strikes me as allspice. I think there's some red cherry, becoming apparent as the lemon fades. The note reminds me a lot of the red cherry note in this CT III blend I tried, which was, to my nose black currant & red cherry, and I'm reminded a lot of that scent. So it's possible I'm conflating red cherry with blackcurrant, but I don't think so because the fruit here has that slightly mentholic/cough syrup quality of red cherry. Tea foremost, with red cherry, slightly faded lemon (actual lemon, not verbena, to my nose) and faint softly buttery nuts with even fainter spice. I do get a bit of powderiness, perhaps that powdered sugar note others mention, and I also a big dose of musk - really, the musk reminds me a lot of the musks in Dorian. Great throw & lasting power. Red cherry Dorian primarily on drydown.

Pale golden oil. Slightly sweet, slightly spicy resins and wax. Some sort of piney resin, maybe balsam or copal. Beeswax. Glowing in feel. Sweeter, bubble-gummy - probably some lotus, and I'd bet some davana too. A pink sort of feel, now. Still very spicy and resiny-woodsy. Smokier and darker as well, providing an interesting contrast. The vibe generally reminds me a lot of Gypsy Queen, a feminine but exotic/mysterious scent. Drier, warmer, woodier. I do think there is some sandalwood, probably red, in this. And I think the spice (or one of them) is cassia, because this is reminding me a bit of Morocco on the whole - though much darker and less creamy. I think the piney resin is balsam, which has a slightly citrusy overtone to my nose. I see where people are getting the plum note, but I still get more of a lotus/davana thing. I'm trying to figure out the other spices, and I think nutmeg is one of them. The smoky/incense note is still evading me. I don't think it's myrrh because it's not bitter or musty, though there is a dustiness here. Opium smoke is a possibility, though. It really reminds me of some BPAL blend I've tried but I can't place it. Maybe 'Mum Moon? It's in that 'category' of complex, smooth, deep, spicy scents. This gets fruitier and fruitier on me, as well as waxier and smokier, but overall it's a smooth evolution. Sweet, spicy, warm scent - very winter-appropriate and unisex to feminine. Fortunately not at all my sort of scent, but a very pleasant incensey scent for those who like the sort. Good throw and great longevity.

Green-herbal, a little grassy, and a little citrusy. Quite fresh and a touch cologney but with some sweetness, too. Unisex. More complex, deeper, with a black tea note, and maybe some bergamot. Still very green and grassy; I suspect actual grass and dandelion, and something more edible...basil? I think also another mild mint note, maybe white mint or spearmint, and a very light touch of verbena. It's more masculine, more like a cologne on my skin. Lovely brisk herbs, citrus, and tea over a musk & cologne base. It has a Victorian feel, like a gentleman strolling in a lush green park after a rain. I get some more floral notes now too, maybe some daisy, and there's something slightly soapy - could be the rain/aquatic note I get now, or a flower - I'm not sure. Definitely something minty, but I get a waxy note in the drydown, not really beeswax, more like paraffin, or really old, ancient, faded beeswax. The final drydown is more about sweet muskiness with that waxy quality, and only a faint smattering of herbs remains. I would say this is unisex to masculine - I like it on me, but it's even better on my male roommate. Low throw but good longevity. I am happy to have a bottle!

Sweet, vanillic, but also smoky-resiny. Sophisticated and a little mysterious. Much sweeter, almost fruity, on my skin. Definitely vanilla but also a deeper more syrupy note, like honey or more likely,benzoin. Or maybe some beeswax? I do get a bit of 'candle smoke' that reminds me of the note in Gypsy Queen. Also, some more smoky-woody-sweet note, I think frankincense. Fruitier and fruitier, almost candied! Still that sort of syrupy, or maybe hard candy sort of note. It reminds me of a certain flavour Jolly Rancher (green apple maybe?!), over frankincense/benzoin base, and while that sounds like an odd combination, it sort of works. Less vanilla - I think now that it was the early stage benzoin that came across vanillic initially. Maybe the fruit is fig? The sweet fig note of Carnal, not the dry dusty fig note. Dry down is sweet, almost juicy, candied fruit over a smoky frankincense-heavy resin base. Really interesting, but not quite my style. Lower throw, moderate longevity.

Fizzy and citrusy - orange? A little sweet. Light and fun, girly but almost unisex or cologney. It's juicy and fruity, more zesty and tart than sweet, though. Deeper, a tad sweeter. Still lots of orange, but a little less fizzy, and a bit of a spicy bite of ginger - reminds me of Moxie quite a bit, though this orange note is slightly different. I think it's actually mandarin. And the ginger is like fresh ginger juice, zesty. I do get some warmth too, so I suspect a well-behaved amber. I think this is the same amber from L'Estate, but less of it - it's very subtle and smooth, warm and glowing and not at all powdery. The ginger and mandarin are both holding - this does not morph on my skin, or at least it hasn't yet, which is amazing. Maybe a little musk is coming out? That could be my skin chemistry though, which lately has been making everything super musky.

Extremely pale yellow nearly colourless oil. Tart, fruity, a little cologney - maybe some delicate slightly soapy florals - very light and clean and fresh. More intensely fruity, and I get a definite tropical feel. Lusher. Still very zesty though. Kiwi or passionfruit maybe? I get that sort of a vibe. There's also a slightly bitter green note, maybe palm, or something like that, a little grassy and a touch soapy. Going a bit more bitter, that greenery, but the zesty fruit is holding really well. Still light in feel and with low throw. I get a bit of powderiness, which makes me suspect maybe cotton flower or sweet pea as the soapy/powdery floral culprit. I think my skin chemistry is being weird because like last night, everything I test turns sort of the same on me. This is going musky - skin musk, I'd bet. It reminds me of Ebisu actually but with a sweeter and more tropical and stronger fruity note, and a floral soapiness I can't place. Slightly soapy skin musk, kiwi, and a floral of some sort. Maybe a little plumeria too, that adds to the sweet/fruity feel. It's almost too soapy for me, but it's the sort of scent that I like, so this could be promising and I'll have to retest when my hormones are more stable.

Sweet - tart and juicy fruit with what I'm betting is red musk - reminds me a little of Semiramis, but this is lighter. Also something creamy, maybe coconut? Or a grain/nut note. Tarter and creamier. Now I'm reminded a little of Albedo with its lemongrass/coconut thing. Definitely a coconut note. The tart fruit is more like yuzu or some asiatic citrus, though. This is also a little soapy, and I suspect a white floral of some sort - it's a little heady. Maybe cherry blossom? I get a definite Asian feel. Definitely more floral, cherry blossom but something stronger too, possibly star jasmine. I'm not sure where I got the red musk thing from initial sniffing, as while this has a depth that suggests musk, I detect no actual red musk. The citrus has turned bitter, a little pithy. The coconut is definitely very subtle and better than coconut usually is but I still hate coconut in perfume. The coconut has faded mostly, and I'm getting something almost minty? It's definitely a green note, maybe hyssop, or coriander? It's a little spicy, almost resinous, but also fresh and green feeling and sort of invigorating. I'm positive about the star jasmine at this point, too, and the citrus has burnt off.

Pale yellow oil. Sweet, syrupy fruit and something dark and smoky, maybe vetiver and a resin like frankincense or myrrh. Definitely some vetiver. This actually reminds me a tad of Hellion, so maybe a plum note? Darker, spicier, foodier. Maybe slightly buttery or creamy? Some sort of sugar or maybe even caramel note, although I still get the plum. The vetiver's a tad smoky. I'm also getting a strong tobacco note now which is really nice. This scent is really coming together and settling down. The odd foody richness was a brief phase, it seems, though this is still sweet, it reminds me of the slightly candied or maybe sugared plums, and I'm getting a bit of candied orange peel now too. The vetiver remains light, with tobacco the strongest woody note. Okay, it's gone powdery and floral - there is jasmine and amber in this, I'm pretty sure, though they are both quite light and much less obnoxious than they frequently are. Still a good tobacco note, and now there's some honey-ish benzoin which has amped to keep this sweet, though most of the plum has gone. The orange peel is holding quite well. This blend feels 'warm' now. This is such a morpher. I get a very musky, powdery drydown with hints of tobacco, fruit, and flowers but almost exclusively a light, slightly oakmossy sort of musk. It could be my skin chemistry which has been funky lately. Lower throw but great longevity.

Peach coloured oil. Sharp, herbal, medicinal. Definitely some mint(s), and something that's bitter and reminds me a lot of valerian root. There is a strongly dark and earthy base, notes of soil and rocks, and then loads of mentholic herbal greenery on top. Eeeeek dragon's blood. And I can see it in the neon-pinkish tinge when I put this on my oii. It provides and odd, soapy-sweetenss - nasty air freshener, as usual, with that lilac-like heady floral and fake cherry candy note. The DB clashes horribly with the mints, which I peg as pennyroyal and peppermint. Almost no more earthiness, much lighter and less dark. Oh definitely pennyroyal, a nemesis note which amps epicly on me and makes me wildly nauseated. Combined with the DB, it is overpoweringly sharp and noxious. Ares is definitely one potent, nasty bitch! Very, very strong throw and longevity.

Warm golden-brownish oil. Sharp, boozy, herbal, medicinal. It reminds of this herbal cough syrup that I have that has alcohol, honey, and echinacea in it. There is the same sort of slight syrupy sweetness under everything. It also reminds me of Bitters. Same, but stronger, harsher, more boozy. Very alcoholic, very bitter. Lots of rooty notes, maybe an earthy or rooty patchouli - actually, I'm almost positive there's black patchouli in this. Valerian root, and then I think the honeyed note is a resin, likely benzoin. There's also a sort of dustiness, so I strongly suspect myrrh. More and more incense/resin notes. The black patchouli takes over, and it's really dominating everything else very, very thoroughly. It reminds me a lot of how Samhain 2009 went on my skin in drydown, though the earlier stages are very different - it's that same patchouli noe. Almost no booze, but still some mentholic herbs and roots, though they're less bitter and sharp now. Amped benzoin sweetens this. It's much better dry than it was wet. This just gets better and better over time! The patchouli has evolved into quite a lovely patchouli note - too strong and masculine for me personally, but it's now smooth and deep and round and dark and a little incensey-smoky, not too dirty or gritty or rooty. The vetiver has held on well and it provides a smoky, cologney-clean counterpart to the patchouli. Only a whisper of those sharp mentholic notes remains, and the benzoin has faded slightly. Final drydown is a good balance of dark patchouli and pleasantly cologney vetiver with a hint of sweet resiny base. Dark and masculine, and much better than the bottle ever suggested. Moderate throw and good longevity.

Peachy-pink coloured oil. Sweet, spicy and floral. A little fruity, and a soapy/powdery type of rose note, as well as maybe another stronger floral. Ahhh I know what is giving me all that - dragon's blood, ugh. Dragon's blood galore, it's very very strong, totally dominating right now, and turning awfully on my skin as it always does. The fake cherry note is much stronger here than usual in DB, so I think there is cherry in this is well - cough syrup, medicinal, mentholic. Wow, this could not be any worse. This has insane throw on me and even from a foot away it's utterly revolting. Off to sink - I can't even let this one dry completely. Of course, it won't wash off. One of the most horrible scents I've ever tested. Evil cheap cherry air freshener.