fairnymph

Sniffed: Bright, deep yellow oil. Bright florals (much like traditional feminine perfume), a bit of greenery, and maybe some fruit? Mostly floral. Wet: More fruity, maybe grapefruit? But also more floral, and I suspect lily of the valley or muguet - something white and heady. And edge of sort of grassy, slightly bitter and sharp greenery. Dry: Sweeter, almost nutty. I get a pink grapefruit vibe as well as something sweet and creamy, but the lily of the valley is completely overpowering the sweet/fruity notes. Later: LotV going a bit powdery, but this has become a very creamy scent with a pale peachy-pink feel. Now I get some violet, but a nice sort of clean, comforting violet - a la Violet Ray drydown.

Sniffed: Root beer coloured oil. Red musk and a horrible rotten floral - iris? This is putrid. It makes me think of rotting, slimy funereal flowers on top of Snake Oil. I can't bring myself to skin test.

Sniffed: Extremely pale yellow oil. Bright, fresh grass and forest! Not the gross sweet air freshener pine typical in BPAL's wintry blends, but REAL TREES and pine pitch, pine needles, bark and grass...I smell redwoods, too and a little sweet birch. Wet: Darker, more bitter, more about the intense dark green needles and pitch, though there's still loads of grass, it's less airy, more of a bitter weedy grass with some dandelion in it, but in a rather nice way. I get a bit of a soil note; this is a much more 'grounded' scent on my skin whereas in the imp it's trees soaring into the sky. Dry: GRASS! It has totally amped up along with the dandelion; all others notes pale in comparison. It really IS damp grass, too. Evergreen and pine pitch (Terebinth) are still distinct, but I can't pick up the birch without straining - even though it adds a mild creamy sweetness to the blend. Summary: Dark green and now too bitter. Grass and dandelion and the bitter aftertaste of pine needles. I never got the cedar or smoke. I really love this in the imp and it's also very evocative in its wet stage, but I do not like how it dries down. Oddly, it's sweet creamy birch when I wash it off - of course! Decent throw and good longevity.

Sniffed: Deep amber, very viscous oil. Sour, spicy, acrid. Reminds me of Kinnabari a little bit, actually. Sort of dusty, like clay or sand. Wet: Almost minty? Maybe hyssop? Some sort of medicinal-mentholic herbal note, and I'm pretty sure some saffron, which can go that way too, along with providing the spicy edge. This is a little sweeter. Maybe some cinnamon or cassia? Dry: Increasingly sweet in a strange way, like artificial sweetener - saccharin, specifically. Along with the dusty ground feel, and something sour-acrid that burns the nose, maybe acid or vinegar. Still strangely minty, but less spicy in feel. Later: More incensey, but in a vague indescribable way - it could even be a wood, like rosewood or something else dusty and aromatic. Still oddly minty in a way that must be hyssop, with what I think is cassia. Also a weird soapiness? Summary: I don't really know how to categorise this or compare it to anything else once on my skin. When I wash it off, dry smoky incense remains. Not a pleasant blend overall and it has strong throw and longevity.

Sniffed: Pale yellow oil. Something boozy, almost sharply so, with crisp, sour-sweet, juicy apple below. Sugary with a bit of real, creamy caramel, not brown/burnt sugar. Wet: Apple galore! Still oddly boozy but softer, not as harsh. This reminds me of a sour apple martini. Very faint caramel. Typically I hate caramel in perfume, but this is like - soft vanilla cream with a caramel tinge. Lovely. Dry: *Now* I get a candied apple note, exactly like that red candy shell, like a bite of apple overlaid with that. It's sweeter now, and like a candied apple, there's an almost painful quality to the sweetness, but I don't find this unpleasant or cloying. Later: The apple note is holding REALLY well. Beyond the dried stage, this isn't morphing much. It reminds me a little of Agrat-Bat-Mahlat, but MUCH nicer, not cloyingly sweet, and without the teak. How ABM would have been ideally. Summary: Fades down rapidly to faint candied apple and vanilla cream. Decent throw, but it fades within an hour to almost nothing. Oh, what a shame, since it's gorgeous.

2005 version Sniffed: Pale yellow oil. Sweet, rich, foody. Notes of candy and butter, and REAL corn. It doesn't smell like candy corn to me, more like a sweet corn desserty pudding with maple syrup caramelly butter sauce. Almost boozy. Wet: Spicy - oh hi there clove. I'm reminded of mulling spices and Fall-scented candles generally. Much less sweet, but there is still that REAL FRESH CORN note, that reminds me of the Feast for the Greatly Revered Ones. I almost get a hint of coffee (?) in addition to the maple syrup. Dry: Spicy sweet corn, maple-y corn syrup, and now, CINNAMON, a little bit Red Hots. Still a bit disgustingly buttery. Something about this reminds me VERY much of Egg Nog Latte, which is why I got that coffee note even though I don't think this actually has coffee in it. Summary: Spicier and spicier. Cinnamon totally dominating now with clove behind, over a sweet corn and butter base. A little stale smelling overall. Strong throw.

Sniffed: Pale yellow oil. Oranges and spice - reminds me a lot of Constant Comment tea, actually. Wet: Tarter, some lemon too. Now the lemon, orange and spice combo reminds me of mulled cider, as that's how I make mine. Clove for sure. A little sweeter and spicier, too. Dry: Maybe some ginger as well as the clove? There are definitely a few different spices; it has a complex blend. The orange is sweet and mild, the lemon juicy and bright. Later: Orange fading (aww) but lemon amping or else just holding on strongly. The spices are less pungent, smoother. Gingered citrus drydown - very pleasant. Summary: Spice is fading, oddly. And while this is still mostly lemon, the juicy orange is still holding decently. It reminds me very much of the note in Orange. It doesn't remind me at all of Jingo-Kogo, however. Dismal longevity.

Sniffed: Bright dark yellow oil. Something sharply chemical and something citrus, as well as maybe some greenery? Quite bitter. Wet: Still extremely bitter and acrid. But the citrus is a little juicier - it could be some of that very bitter evil grapefruit from Nyalarthotep, maybe? Also some neroli and orange blossom, I think. Dry: This stuff is SO INSANELY STRONG. It smells very lushly tropical now, with some frangipani! I love frangipani, but the neroli here is not behaving, nor is the evil grapefruit. It's just so bitter, and even sniffing it leaves a bad taste in my mouth somehow. Sink!

Sniffed: Ambery orange coloured oil. Planty and floral, and little rotten (iris?) and a little sweet. A bit 'traditional' smelling. Wet: Sweeter, almost fruity and a little nutty, maybe some almond? Still heavily, whitely floral - jasmine or a strong gardenia, as well as a bit of iris. The florals are bit a sharp, pungent, and soapy. Dry: Very slow to dry. Now I get the violets - although it's sort of orris-y, and I stand by the iris I observed earlier. It's going both sweeter and more powdery over time - frankly a little nauseating. It's also starting to give me a headache and has strong throw. Off to sink!

Light amber coloured oil. Sharp/acrid and dusty. It does smell like clay, as others have noted. It also reminds me of certain strong acids, like HCl. Eeek. I was too scared to try this one on my skin.

Sniffed: Pale yellow oil. Sharp, herbal, a little medicinal, and definitely masculine. It has an old-fashioned feel. Quite astringent and a little soapy. Wet: Softer and more herbal on my skin - brighter and greener, too. Almost citrusy. I get the suggestion of dark nighttime air. Also, some slightly cloying sweetness from one of the herbs. Also smells a little green - not sweet. Dry: It's gone rather sour, like hay or elemi does on me, with a dusty sort of undertone, and I think I get a little bit of sour/white rose? It reminds me of The Miller's Daughter. I'm also getting a piney note which I'm positive is spruce. Later: I get some clean musk and dry, somewhat creamy sandalwood on drydown, for an overall cologney feel - the sour notes have mostly faded, and this had become much weaker of a scent overall. No more of that rose, guess it was a (brief) phase? Summary: Final dry down is light, slightly dustry rosewood and more aromatic sandalwood, with a faint trace of herbal cologne & cool, almost Buck Moon-like musk. Low throw & lasting power.

Sniffed: Light yellow oil. Creamy white coconut and lemongrass. Wet: More lemongrass than coconut, quite lemony indeed, very tart and bright - reminds me of the lab's lemon blossom note, too. The coconut is the same note as in Black Pearl, to my nose. Very white and gleaming, appropriately. Dry: Coconut amping, and it's very intensely creamy, heavy and foody. The lemongrass has that slightly sharp green edge, almost grassy. Actually this is reminding me a little of Thai soup! Oddly foody. I am not a fan.

Sniffed: Deep peach/light almost-neon orange colour. Sweet, floral, and a little bitter. I get orange blossom though it isnt' listed as well as orange peel, definitely the heliotrope, chamomile, elder and marigold. Not sure what rue smells like, but maybe it's contributing to the bitterness (which I think is also the orange). Not too heavy on the dragon's blood. Wet: More herbal, less sweet. Still pretty floral with a slight soapyedge. Loads of chamomile and marigold, more distinct dragon's blood, but still-noticeable heliotrope and elder. I still find it bitter, and I like it less on my skin, but this is oddly appealing, and also quite unique amongst the 1000+ BPALs I've tried. It does have a very red-orange warm feel. Dry: Sweet resiny herbs and orange peel - the bitterness has worn off, while the amber has emerged. It's resiny and warm, a little perfumey, but not powdery. In fact it is exactly the same as the amber note in Carnivale, and this has a similar feel. The heliotrope is simply gorgeous in this. Summary: The drydown sort of reminds me of an herbal version of Ladon. For me this is a bit too herbal in feel and I can't shake that damn dragon's blood, but it's quite lovely otherwise. Low throw but great longevity.

Sniffed: Pale yellow oil. Slightly sweet, clean, fresh, mossy cologne. Lightly floral, unisex to masculine. The woods are very light but overly dry. A little traditional smelling, in the best possible way. Wet: A little brighter and sharpy; more woody and astringent. Almost a little powdery, but not yet unpleasantly. A little sweeter and more floral, more unisex. A definite strong aquatic feel, as well as a breezy feel that suggests ozone. Make my rosacea itch a bit. Dry: It's faded a bit, but remains a light, fresh, clean woody-floral aquatic. Still cologney, but this has become more feminine on my skin. It sort of reminds me of an aquatic version of Dirty, a scent that I LOVE. Later: Actually, the drydown to me is very much like 51, that smashed light woods and musk, with an aquatic overlay and a hint of (slightly powdery?) floral sweetness from the lilies. I also get a bit of oakmoss, maybe to mimic the marsh? Summary: Light, slightly dry woods, a fresh cologne feel, oakmoss, and 51-ish musk galore. VERY musky and 'pale', almost ghostly feeling. Unfortunately my skin eats this stuff voraciously and rapidly and it has dismal throw.

Sniffed: Light yellow oil. Rich milk chocolate and a tiny hint of sweet strawberry. Like WC&V, the chocolate note totally dominates, even overwhelms. Wet: MUCH more strawberry! The chocolate note is lighter, and less cloyingly rich, white and creamier, almost like white chocolate though still a little Bliss-milk-chocolatey. The strawberry is juicy, fresh, and real - not fake or candied or jammy. Dry: Aww. Something is going fake, I suspect the chocolate because it went plastic in Bliss and WC&V on my skin, as well. And the strawberry I can smell (underneath the fake vanilla-chocolate) and it still smells delicious, albeit smothered. Summary: As with WC&V, the fakeness does wear off a bit over time, and the strawberry note here is divine and strong and it HOLDS! I also love how creamy this scent is, but I still don't think I can handle the richness of the chocolate note. Great throw & longevity.

Sniffed: Peachy-golden oil. Cologne (sort of green-floral and a little sharp), musk, and leather. Surprisingly fresh. Wet: Way more leather, leather overload! It is not the leather of De Sade, but neither is it my beloved Dead Man's Hand/Quincy Morris leather note, though it's much closer to the latter - it still has a bit of a sharp edge. It's worn but not well-worn; it hasn't been fully softened yet. I also get a sort of almost anisey spicy-herbal-sharp note too? And delicious sexy manly musk. Dry: Going sort of dry/dusty, and there's an almost citrusy note? The leather note is beginning to resemble worn leather more, but it still lacks the smooth refinement. The musk is quite sweet, maybe it's black musk at least in part? It has that almost edible foody quality. Summary: I take it back - this has plenty of sharp, chemical-powdery De Sade style leather. It has the other leather and some dry dusty woods, medicinal herbs and rich musk - but too much De Sade for me. It could maybe work on a man so I'll hold on to my imp. Strong throw and longevity.

Sniffed: Extremely pale yellow oil. Super cool and minty with some refreshing green cucumber below. The white pepper adds a little kick, but isn't too spicy or peppery overall. Wet: More mentholic/sinus cleansing - it reminds me somewhat of mouthwash - but there's a mild sweetness that softens the medicinal bite, and the cucumber is a stronger, cool-sweet green note now, too. The pepper is still very well behaved. Dry: Cool minty cucumber! Refreshing and invigorating. It has a kick that's interesting without being hot or peppery. My one peeve is that it fades rapidly.

Sniffed: Slightly powdery floral perfume, a little bit of rose, but I get mostly violet. Wet: Deeper; I get a bit of the tobacco, but it is indeed smoky, not as deep as I'd like. The leather is, alas, the De Sade chemically-plastic kind. I find this a bit soapy and powdery/old ladyish. Dry: Why oh why do I get rose-tinged ORRIS POWDER and little else from this? It's a bit sugary; the rose water note reminds me very much of L'Heure Verte. The leather makes this a bit sickly cloying and oddly sweet, too. Strong throw and longevity.

Sniffed: Deep golden oil. Complex. Sweet, spicy, boozy. I get lots of fruit, all the listed ones, but especially the apples, plums, and wine. A strong cinnamon note. A bit of sage, but not too harshly, and some ivy. I do get a vague sense of florals but they are very distant and not individually apparent. Wet: I get the grains and wood now - that amaranth is so nutty - and even though the cinnamon is actually lighter on my skin, this makes me think of potpourri now and it didn't before. Nearly all the fruits have simply vanished, though I can pick out a little pear from the faint remains. Bizarre evolution. Dry: Amaranth amping, though in part it's just that so much else has evaporated. The cinnamon is returning a bit and I get some other spices though I can't pinpoint them. Where are all the floral notes? The bergamot? The verbena? I get a tiny bit of chrysanthemum, at least, and it's still faintly winey. Summary: I get a bit more sugar later...but it's not really brown sugar. It does smell crystalline, though, and it's pleasant, though faint like this scent on the whole. Dries down to spicy redhot cinnamon and nutty amaranth potpourri. Low throw and fades quite fast.

Sniffed: Red musk, vanilla, sandalwood. Something a little cologney & soapy, some faint herbs. The base reminds me strongly of snake oil; that medicinal cola-ish red musk sweetened by vanilla, but this is sweeter, almost foody, almost like cream soda. It is in fact a bit creamy, and quite sweet. Wet: Much harsher, much more herbal. More soapy. Where did all the creamy vanilla and sandalwood go? All the sweetness? Harsh and medicinal, like rubbing alcohol and Bitters (the liqueur) and echnicea-goldenseal syrup all mixed together with some red musk, too. And for some reason it also makes me think of embalmed dead things. Eeek. Dry: More and more herbal. More and more medicinal. More and more soapy. Amping like crazy with crazy-strong throw and that dreadful red musk rearing up beneath it. Sniffing closely, I detect some of the sweetly creamy vanilla underneath, but it's vastly overwhelmed. Sink, and now. Of course, like all nasty perfumes, it won't wash off. Arghh!

Sniffed: Slightly soapy cologne. Rather masculine, a little sharp, though it's not overly strong. Wet: More herbal, more soapy, and almost...minty? It smells quite green to me. Slightly bitter edge. Dry: Herbal soap.

Sniffed: Cream soda and root beer? Or maybe a vanilla ice cream root beer float, but not nearly as sweet or foody as any of those sound. Light and almost effervescent. Wet: Stronger, sweeter, but also tart - almost fruity? But still with a sort of herbal root beer edge. Somehow a little medicinal, but not unpleasantly. Dry: Sweeter and more and more herbal over time. Definitely some type of fruit, maybe an orange citrus, as well, but it's faint. Later: Huh. It's all tart-sweet fruit, but there's a hint of some evil floral (I suspect iris, because I get faint rot and soap). Definitely citrus of some type, but not a type that likes me. Much less sweet than earlier, and all the root beer and fizz has gone. Summary: I can see how people would get absinthe and powder from this, and maybe a little mint. Candies, definitely. I don't get rose, though. Poor throw and fades fast.

Sniffed: Herbal-aquatic, fresh, light and unisex to masculine. Maybe a little cologney. Edge of sweetness, and a wet rock scent. Wet: Dustier, like dry stones now but still aquatic in a non-soapy way, like rain and ozone. Very clean and neutral, almost metallic. Dry: Going a little soapy; also, I find this too dry for me. It is a very inoffensive scent, overall, though. Very airy. Summary: Clean, dry, almost crisp air. Good throw and longevity. Conceptually perfect!

Sniffed: Grass and slightly sour milk. Oddly sort of refreshing. Wet: Same, maybe a little sweeter. A little bit of an herbal soap edge, or something like a natural cleaning product. The milk is thin, but has a bit of weak creaminess to it. Dry: Much, much sweeter, creamier, richer, and stronger with more powerful throw. It has an almost fruitness to it. Reminds me of a grassy version of Nonae Caprotina. Summary: Sweetness dies down but the milk mostly holds as the grass amps. Overall not a lot of morphing. Great throw & longevity.

Sniffed: Yellow oil. Green, sharp, a little bitter - very planty with hints of soil and sweet resins. I get the fir sap and mosses and a light floral note. Wet: More complex - I get some moss and a bit more sweetness; some black pine and a sort of pungent green floral note. I finally get some of the ocean spray, which is delicious but faint. More soil on my skin, alas, and more resins, with a smoky edge. A touch soapy overall, too. Dry: Very slow to dry. This reminds me of another blend I've tested, but I can't place it. It's softening a little, becoming less acrid and sharp and bitter, more grassy. It's not going more soapy, thank god, and is definitely sweet with more of a distinct (but still light and very nice) mix of evergreen notes. The soil note has softened a bit, but the incense/resins have amped. Summary: When it finally dries, it's quite pleasant - soft smoky incense and mosses, clean sea breezes, and light evergreens with almost no bite or trace of harshness. It's much cleaner and less sweet; a very comforting manly scent. Good throw & longevity.