fairnymph

Toad Hall reminds me VERY strongly of Odin. While not as close a match, the dry down of Candy Phoenix has a black currant note identical to the strong one in Eat Me - they're close cousins.

In the bottle: Bright, orangey-golden oil. Clean, herbal, woodsy and woody. A bit cologney, masculine. Slightly medicinal but tempered with a hint of sweetness. Wet: Even more herbal, and also sweeter. A bit grassy, too. Very very GREEN, but not in a bright way, more dark. I get a nocturnal feel, or like I'm deep in the woods. Dry: Florals start emerging, and they remind of funereal types in Ars Moriendi. It's more unisex, now. Going a bit soapy, but the grass just saves it. The wood stands out more, warm and a bit dry. Later: The wood has emerged a bit more, mingling with the herbs. I'm getting some thyme and sage, and I think the wood is oak. Balsam and tobacco, too. Floral, soapy and cologne notes are pretty much gone. Summary: It becomes more dry and smoky, woody and woodsy, over time, and sweetens as well. The fresher green notes wear off, though it's still herbal. Strong throw & lasting power. This does not work with my skin chemistry - would be better on a man. It reminds me greatly of Odin - almost identical.

In the bottle: Colourless oil. Very fizzy, and quite dry champagne and delicate roses. Amazingly like a chardonnay based champagne. There's a bit of a vodka or gin-like alcoholic edge. Wet: The same, maybe a touch rosier - before it was nearly all liquor-spiked champagne. I do think it smells like gin and tonic, as well. Dry: The roses have come out a bit more and strike me as tea rose, but are still very light. This is also less delightfully fizzy, sadly. It's more bitter and astringent. Later: No long-term morphing, other than champagne fading to reveal more rose. Way below everything else is something musky-earthy - I think oakmoss. Summary: Final dry down is mostly light, very slightly powdery rose and a hint of gin-like, dry champagne, over even fainter oakmoss. Low throw and fades considerably. I would like a bottle if it weren't so rare!

In the bottle: Very pale yellow oil. Crisp, juicy, sour-sweet apples, somewhat medicinal green herbs, something mentholic. Reminds me a bit of the SGA prototype. Wet: Fainter, less apple, and a bit of soap. The greenery is still strong and has that astringent, cold edge. Pine? Eucalyptus? It's sinus-clearing. Dry: Still mentholic, but some of the fruit has come back a bit. I think some herbs are adding sweetness as well, in a sort of dark, dank manner - appropriately enough. Later: It's amped up in strength overall, but the apple is fading. It's still juicy but no longer as crisp. Some light floral in this is making my rosacea flare.The herbs are less harsh. Summary: Juicy apple and a sweet melange of herbs, as well as darker and more medicinal plants. Something is mentholic-cool, perhaps hemlock, and there is faint, almost soapy-clean floral, daisy I think. Decent throw & longevity.

Sniffed in imp: Extremely pale yellow oil. Sweet, rich, and floral with a hint of spice. The jasmine is very strong, and the clove and lily are distinct a well. A bit oriental in feel, and somewhat 'traditional'. Sophisticated.

In the bottle: Extremely pale yellow oil. Sweet, but not too much so. Not that foody. The chocolate is like a high cocoa-milk version. Orange blossom is surprisingly bright and orangey, much stronger than the cherry. Wet: Much more cherry, less chocolatey and sweet. Smells like Maraschino, not black cherry - artificial. VERY fruity in combo with the orange, which is more fruit than flower. Dry: Now the orange fruit begins to fade and the blossom emerges. Cherry has backed down a bit, and chocolate is even fainter. Going a tad soapy. Later: The cherry's a bit less artificial, the orange blossom much more floral. That orange blossom is also a bit powdery. Chocolate, where are you? Summary: Orange blossom first and foremost, with some orange fruit and a hint of soap, then slightly artificial cherry, and if straining, a faint hint of hot cocoa. Low throw, weak lasting power.

In the bottle: Extremely pale lemon-yellow nearly colourless oil. Surprisingly soft, delicate, and feminine. Slightly sweet mallow and honeysuckle, gentle carnation, with a tang of smooth metal. Wet: Much more floral with a hint of powder, a slight kick from the carnation, and some herbal undertones - the verbena I guess, which is only vaguely lemony. Sadly, less metallic. Dry: Slow to dry, but the flowers amp as it does. What I thought was powder is soap, and that's common with honeysuckle on me. This reminds me a bit of the Torture Queen (white amber maybe?). Later: There's a weird sweetness that isn't just honeysuckle and mallow, and is vaguely creamy and foody. Orchid or vanilla flower? I also really suspect white amber's powdery warmth. Summary: Sweet, gentle, and powdery-warm but clean and pure as well. Mostly delicate florals stand out - sweet powdered honeysuckle, soft mallow and carnation, and only a hint of white metal. The musk is there but muted, blended. Moderate throw & longevity. My favourite of the phoenixes, but still not really a win for me (a shame, because I love metal for a variety of reasons). I think without the powder (i.e. honeysuckle), I could be convinced.

In the bottle: Colourless oil. Sugary fruits, almost piercingly sweet. The black currant is strongest, but is a little plastic. Lighter pomegranate and pear. Wet: The fruits are even stronger, more pear and a little apple emerging, and the currant has a really wild, almost herbal edge. Still a bit plastic, less sweet. Dry: Not really much change, other than perhaps a bit of the non-currant fruits fading. This makes the chemically harsh element more apparent. Later: This reminds me of two things - Eat Me, without the creamy and tangy notes, and black currant candies (a specific European brand I used to get, gummy ones in tins). Summary: It settles into a pretty yummy black currant candy - almost single note - with a lighter undertone of pear. It still is a bit sweet and a bit plastic for my tastes. Decent throw, fades fast.

Sniffed in imp: Extremely pale, nearly colourless yellow. Sweet, woody, sharp. Surprisingly wet-smelling (maybe the bamboo and hyssop). A little spicy and almost foody, probably from the walnut and fig. Odd burnt plastic and rotten fruit notes.

In the bottle: Light gold oil. Soil hits my nose before anything else, a bit sharply. Below it I can smell the dark sweet fruits, musk, heady florals, tobacoo and more distant herbal-woodsy notes. Wet: Still heavy on the soil, but the jasmine amps up quickly, with a soapy edge. The black cherry is also quite strong, almost artificially so. There's a bitter herbal note I think is snakeweed, and the tobacco adds depth. Dry: That soil note just won't let up. This is a very dark, heavy, almost syrupy (that cherry turning a bit sickly sweet) scent. Which is appropriate, but not pleasant, and the jasmine is just as heavy, only with a touch of soap. Later: I don't think the musks will ever be able to shine with so much dampening them. There's also an unpleasant plastic note. Summary: Sharp soil, artificially sweet cherry, bitter weeds, and heady, soapy, jasmine. I find it rather nauseating. Good throw & longevity.

Sniffed in imp: Deep chesnut-brown oil. Sweet, musky, spicy - and almost foody. Red musk, pink pepper, and sarsaprarilla jump out. The first and the last make the think of cola and root beer, syrupy sweet. Hints of fresher florals and citrusy galangal.

In the bottle: Colourless oil. Sharply aquatic, cologney-aftershave. A bit herbal too (lavender and juniper). Rain, musk, and a hint of salt. Wet: Softer, gentler, saltier. Still rather masculine, but wearable. There's a bit of sweetness (I think from frankincense and juniper) and a hint of florals. Dry: Lavender has amped, making this harsher and more medicinal, and the sweet pea has turned to sweet powder as it usually does. LotV is a bit stronger and heady. Later: The musk is very gentle but sexily unisex, and when it emerges it really ties every element together beautifully and seamlessly. Summary: A light, pleasant unisex to masculine cologne that morphs very little, at least on my skin. Fresh herbs, rain, and ocean with faint sweet frankincense and vaguely powdery-heady florals. Though truthfully it's difficult to pick out individual elements from this well-blended, rather delicate scent. Lower throw and longevity. Nice, but not amazing and rather weak.

Beaver'versary In the bottle: Colourless oil. Sweet and foody; it really smells exactly like it says. I get a bit more cupcake than cheesecake, heavy on the frosting. Yum! Wet: It's not too sweet or buttery as foody stuff often is. There's almost a hint of spice underlying it, and maybe some grain or nut, like carrot cake. Dry: The spice note is more prominent. Clove, I think, which I tend to amp. It does add an interesting dimension but not one I personally like. Later: I don't really find this very creamy, despite the frosting. It's rich, but I don't get butter or cream, only a creamy vanilla that amps over time. Summary: This starts out as deliciously tangy cream cheese frosted cupcakes and steadily morphs into mostly clove and too-sweet vanilla, with only a hint of of that delicious beginning. SIGH. Thankfully it's low in throw and longevity.

2008 Version Sniffed in imp: Rich, warm chestnut-brown oil. Sweet, softly spicy, intensely musky. A little smoky. The coconut and vanilla are distinct, as is the amber with its warm powdered edge. Hint of playful fruit and bright labdanum.

2008 Version In the bottle: Colourless oil. Fresh, green, rosy. I feel like I can smell the sharpness of the thorns; there's a bite to this. It's also dewy and clean and vaguely aquatic. Wet: Sharper, almost chemically and plastic. Also a bit fruitier, but in an artificial way that is also a bit plasticky. The greenery and roses are secondary. Dry: Stronger, sharper, even more chemically, with a soapy edge. It's almost bitter, or astringent, and maybe reminds me of a cleaning product. Summary: Not a major morpher, though it is an amper. Harsh chemically esters with a touch of soap, red roses, faint fruit and fainter green leaves. Ridiculous throw and longevity. No clue why only the '05 version works on me.

In the bottle: Colourless oil. Quite sweet, fruity, and floral. The warm and creamy notes hit secondarily, held in check by a spike of neroli. I can smell every note clearly, and it reminds me a bit of Eisheth. Wet: A bit less sweet, and significantly more floral, almost soapy (gahhhh neroli!). The vanilla is the natural, not cloying sickly sweet sort. The cream note is very light. Dry: The cream and honey have amped, which is fortunate, because I think I'd find the white peach too sweet and the neroli too soapy-sharp otherwise. The gardenia is just a tad too bright, but bearable, and the amber is warm and soft, but not powdery. Later: Wow, reminding me a lot of L'Estate as those richer notes take the fore and the neroli fades further. The vanilla and peach are still a bit too sweet, though. Summary: The amber dominates in the end, becoming just a touch powdery (this sort of merges with the soapy residue left by the neroli), with vanilla, cream, and honey as a rich base below. The gardenia for once softens into a bright but not piercing feminine floral and the peach is syrupy but not sickly. It's so close to something delicious, but the eventual powder-soap from the amber and neroli make this not quite wearable for me.

In the bottle: Deep peach/light amber coloured oil. Woody, fruity, slightly sweet. Brown and golden. The pine, patchouli, musk and amber come through strongly, with lighter fruit, and very faint florals. Wet: Definitely citrus, but the blood orange isn't as exotic as it could be - still nice, though. The linden and honey are more present, and the patchouli and amber have softened. This is lighter and brighter. Dry: Those woods and resins have returned, majorly. This is very earthy (but not like dirt or soil), brown, and warm. It's also very comforting. The honey and mallow have amped a bit, and they make this very smooth. Later: Patchouli and musk have taken over, though I can still detect the other notes lightly. I think this is just a bit too grounded for me, and a bit too much like a headshop. Summary: Deep, earthy patchouli, woodsy pine resin, and rich, sexy musk. Amber provides warmth, light honey and mallow smoothness, heliotrope gives this a light golden floral tinge, and fresh linden keeps the blend from being too heavy. It's really, really gorgeous, evocative, and fitting. So well-blended, with each note still apparent, and a natural, subtle evolution on my skin. I think this screams VIRGO (I'm a Virgo moon); it's clean and pure yet grounded and earthy, youthful and energetic but calm and wise, too. I'm so wavering on whether to get a bottle or not, because this isn't a traditionally me scent but I very much enjoy it.

In the bottle: Very pale lemon-yellow oil. Crisp, green, and planty - with an odd sort of stone undertone, I guess the dust and some ozone. Leafy-planty, with a distant spark of tart fruit. Wet: So clean and fresh it's almost soapy or aquatic, but not quite - more airy, indeed like cool night. Then that stem-sap scent of crushed new greenery, a bit grassy. The fruit is a little riper, rounder. Dry: The greenery has become bitter, overpowering that unique airy note and the crisp granny smith apples - such a shame. It's not unpleasant, but that bitterness rules. Later: Very slightly soapy, though the bitterness has softened a bit; maybe it morphed. The ozone and fruit and fresh green notes keep the soapy and acrid notes in check now, though. The apples are even riper, less crisp. Summary: This fades quite significantly and rapidly, leaving a very clean (but not quite soapy) aquatic-airy, ozone-tinged mist over grass, new leaves, and faint green apples. Fairly unisex, and decent throw despite its brevity. The bitter stage is short-lived enough for me to want a bottle of this. Evocative - natural, nocturnal, whimsical - and very wearable, I think it'd also make a nice room scent.

In the bottle: Very pale yellow oil. Soap, wet leaves, roses and other intense flowers. Vaguely sweet. Wet: Soapier. Whatever those yellow blossom are, they're soapy-powdier, and the roses have that powdery edge too - they're not the fresh, lush sort. Dry: The aspen leaves remind me almost of root beer. They're foresty and leafy in a pleasant deciduous manner, but they're so soft they can't stand up to the soap and flowers. Later: Sweeter, more of that woody-soda note...but the flowers are also mostly just soap, now. Summary: Gently sweet, root-beerish aspen leaves, a soapy aquatic note and even soapier, powdery roses and other florals. Definitely feminine. Strong throw and lasting power. Soap-powder-yech.

In the bottle: Light, bright yellow oil. Clean, fresh, and spicy. A hint of aftershavy, almost soapy cologne, a metallic tang like the one in Galvanic Goggles, and that sweet, smoky-spicy tobacco. Wet: Less cologney-fresh, more mellow, subdued, and refined. There's a smoothness here, maybe some type of polished wood, and the metal is not sharp but rich and shining. The pipe tobacco is almost cinnamony, and only vaguely smoky. Dry: The spice has amped a lot, and it's definitely cinnamon, and I some sweet, woody clove as well. I'm still getting that polished wood note, but the metal and cologne are sadly much fainter. Later: Musk comes out in a major way, along with some smoky-earthy vetiver - that oddly does smell a bit like burnt cloth, with a strange sweetness. Summary: Faint, sweet spices and mossy, smoky vetiver, with light tobacco and polished wood, and a animalistic musk. The metal and cologne notes are mostly gone after a few hours, sadly. I think my female skin chemistry may be ruining this rather masculine blend. I'll hang on to the half imp because I love Toads and maybe one will be my prince.

Review of the 2008 version: In the bottle: Colourless oil. Creamy, cold, and gently sweet. Almond and snow and a hint of soft white flowers. Wet: The almond is less nutty, more benzaldehydey like extract. Less cold/fresh/snowy. Flowers still faint and distant. Dry: I almost feel like there is a cream note here - it reminds me of the one in Schlafende Baigneuse. This is very delicate. The cold note has returned and the benzaldehyde has died down. Later: Doesn't morph. Summary: Blanched, delicately sweet almonds and cold white snow, touched with cream and faint white flowers. It's not crisp on me, but not quite creamy either. Lower throw but great lasting power. Classic and feminine, and definitely one that has grown on me over my time with BPAL, but still not up my alley.

In the bottle: Deep goldenrod-coloured oil. INCENSE, smoke, wood. A bit of salty seaweed, that sweet waxy ambergris, and some rich musk too. Wet: Much lighter, and saltier. A little soapy. A tiny hint of sea buckthorn. Still heavy on the incense and combined with the wood this has a dusty feel. The musk is divine, though. Dry: Slow to dry, but that fruity berry really emerges over time - it's slightly juicy and a little tart, almost reminds me of cranberry. Sadly, the smokiness of the incense has amped as well. Later: That deep, sexy, rather feral musk has amped as well and I really like it combined with the light tartness of the berry. The salty-soapy elements have faded almost entirely. Summary: Dark smoky incense, rich, sexy musk, waxy-salty ambergris and dusty wood, touched faintly by sweet-tart berries and a ghost of salty soap. Lower throw, but lasts forever. Too much incense/smoke/dust, not enough berry/seaweed. Alas.

In the bottle: Rich orangey-amber colour. Sort of piney, cold snow and a ton of mixed wildflowers, with a hint of sweetness. Wet: Sweeter, warmer, and suddenly rather resiny. Still heavily floral, a bit soapy, as well as a hint of 'traditional floral perfume'. Surprisingly dark in feel. The lovely crocus is overwhelmed by bullying notes. Dry: Very, very slow to dry. Over time, though, it's become much sweeter - vanilla? The florals are sharp and a bit intense, and even a tad soapy. A touch of powder from the violet. Later: Dark resin and incense, whoa...where did you guys come from? Vetiver, is that you? They do add a nice dimension, but still not one that I personally like. Musk now too, but soft. Summary: An intense bouquet of slightly soapy and powdery wildflowers over a vanilla-ish, sweet, dark, somewhat smoky resin, wood, furry musk and vetiver backdrop. Hints of snowy pine. Strong throw and lasting power. Unisex to feminine. Not my thing, alas.

Annihilation. The ice, desolation and barrenness of nuclear devastation shot through by a beam of radioactive mints. Nuclear Winter 2008 In the bottle: Nearly colourless extremely pale yellow oil. PINE and mints and other mentholic, strong-smelling stuff. It reminds me of a cleaning product. Wet: Very similar, perhaps a bit mintier. Gentler and sweeter. Still cold and Vicks-ish, which is of course appropriate for the theme. Dry: It has continued to evolve in the same direction; gentler, sweeter, more minty, less evergreen-y. Less harsh and more herbal, natural. Later: Wow, MUCH softer and nicer, a complete evolution. And ooh, ozone! Summary: A dramatic morpher, from chemically mentholics to softly sweet, gentle mints and herbs, that feel cool and fresh. Unisex, fades quite rapidly. Must retest - I may want more of this, despite my initial dislike of the blend!

In the bottle: Extremely pale, almost clear oil. Sweet, woodsy, woody-resiny. The cedar and pine are pretty obvious, as well as sweetness from the berries which are otherwise not distinct. A bit dry. Wet: Similar. For something so outdoorsy, it's surprisingly smooth. The rose is very light and fresh, almost citrusy. The berries are herbal and not very sweet or ripe, but a bit like Baneberry. Dry: Slow to dry. More floral - and sadly soapy - now, with the sandalwood adding that dry, sharp note and amber some warm powder. The cedar is warm too, but not amping hotly as it often does. The musk is delicious, sexy, sweet, smooth. Summary: Shower-clean and woodsy-fresh yet dry-warm and resiny-woody all at once. Incredibly well-blended and balanced. Gently sweet and floral, and richly musky. Unisex, good throw and decent lasting power. Much nicer than I expected and the first cedar blend that has ever worked on me. Still a bit too shower-gel/aftershave for my personal taste, though.