fairnymph

Sniffed: Sweet, foody, creamy, and very pink smelling. Reminds me most strongly of Velvet Unicorn with the creamy pink candy. The marshmallow note is maybe a tiny bit plastic/powdery, but is very faint. Hints of dandelion and something resiny (sap?).

 

Wet: Less sweet, and less of the tartness of the fruity/foody note, too. All about the marshmallow at this point - identical to Marshmallow Poof, though there is still an edge of pink sugar, bitter green dandelion, and resin. These are all sadly faint, and this is mostly plastic-powder.

 

Dry: Slow to dry, but more dandelion (and less so sap) emerging as it does. The plastic powder of the marshmallow has backed down enough for more of the creamy pink candy note to shine. It's a lovely green, outdoorsy, not-too-bitter dandelion note. It's faded a lot in potency, though it was never that strong a scent.

 

Later: The pink sugar amps up a bit, and it reminds me exactly of the pink sugar note in Pink Moon 2005, while the creamy candy note from V. Pink Kitty & V. Unicorn holds nicely. There's still an edge of the fake powder from the marshmallow, but it's tolerable. The dandelion and sap are very lightly bitter-green and softly milky - all notes are in balance right now, none dominating.

 

Summary: The dandelion is not nearly as strong here as it is Strawberry Moon 2009 - and this is a softer, creamier, mellower scent. Low throw but decent longevity.Not crazy about the marshmallow-heavy stage, but most of the time this is quite lovely. I'm happy with my bottle, but won't need more.

 

If you like this, try: Velvet Unicorn, Pink Moon 2005, Marshmallow Poof, Strawberry Moon 2009

2005 Version

 

Sniffed: Light yellow oil. Sugar cookie dough and vanilla cream cheese buttercream frosting! Rich, creamy, and sweet. Foody, but not heavy or cloying. Very realistic.

 

Wet: Cheesecake and cookie dough - sadly a bit less sweet, tangy, and creamy on my skin - overall fainter. A tad buttery, but bearably so. A bit more 'baked' smelling, maybe even a hint of spice.

 

Dry: It reminds me a bit of the note in Mr. Nancy, though much fainter and it fades much more rapidly. The 'tangy' cream cheese note has a similarity to the acidity of the lime in MN. The spice note (a slightly burnt cinnamon) really makes this much warmer.

 

Later: Maybe a bit of clove, too? The spices here are very subdued though, and add more warmth than actual bite. This fades so quickly and has such dismal throw, despite extra slathering.

 

Summary: I do love the cream cheese-cookie creaminess (and it's so warm and comforting), but it's just so faint.I would like more of this, but not at an insane price, not with its pathetic throw & longevity.

 

2008 version

 

Sniffed:: Much, much stronger and much more intensely buttery-foody. Cloyingly sweet.

 

Wet: On me, the butter just won't stop an amps to a sickening degree, refusingto be removed from my skin by any means. I get a nasty hint of spice and heavy sweetness, but mostly, this is EVIL SWEET BUTTER. Off to sink.

 

Sniffed: This smells slightly rotten, I think it's that 'evil grapefruit' note (that I got in the Empyreal Mist prototype & R'lyeh). The jasmine smells like the sharp soapy type, and the gardenia like the bully headache type. At least the vanillas seem mild and creamy?

 

Wet: REALLY strong gardenia, with acrid jasmine just behind, and the grapefruit still smelling rotten. The vanillas are a little stronger, and quite lovely - foody, but not too cloying, and very creamy. They cannot stand up to these florals, though - I'm not sure anything could.

 

Dry: The grapefruit fades, as nearly all citrus does on my skin, while the florals continue to amp, the jasmine now on par with the gardenia, with almost a green note to it. I can feel a headache coming on, so to the sink I go. A shame considering the lovely vanillas. Insane throw.

 

 

Sniffed: Rich gold/pale amber coloured oil. Sweet, fruity, slightly soapy floral. Blackberry, hibiscus, wild rose, the herbs and lotus all jump out. The blackberry/sage/lavender combo reminds me of The Oblation, but this is more floral.

 

Wet: More herbal and a little soapier - the sage and lavender really emerge. Also sweeter - the tonka's a little cloying in combo with the lotus. The aforementioned dominate the other note at this point. I do get the spicy, almost peppery edge of poppy, now, too.

 

Dry: The florals (excepting poppy, which has dissipated almost entirely) have bloomed beautifully, the tonka and lotus have settled to a bearable level, and the blackberry & lavender are holding. I'm getting a touch of vetiver, which sadly, I think is combining with the sage to make this increasingly soapy.

 

Later: I can't get over the sweetness of the tonka or herbal-soap of the sage - the combo actually reminds me a little of Western Diamondback, a scent I initially liked but now associate with industrial bathroom cleaner. Poppy is completely gone at this point.

 

Summary: Delicate feminine florals, herbal-sweet lavender and blackberry, with a slightly harsh soapy edge that amps over time - I totally blame my skin chemistry in this case. This ends up unisex on me. Good throw, fades a fair bit.

 

 

Sniffed: Pale yellow oil. Key lime pie with tobacco and cologne (the bay rum?). A tad buttery foody, but not as much as I'd expected. Loads of sweet lime, with a very astringent tobacco note.

 

Wet: More sugary, with a definite cookie note. The bay rum & tobacco merge and take on an almost spicy edge, and the lime is SUPER zesty. It's almost foody, but really not quite - it's too tart and too complex, and honestly just a fascinating & awesome combo of notes.

 

Dry: The tobacco quickly starts to emerge in force, and turns a little smoky, in the best possible way (I'm rarely a fan of smoky). The bay rum, too, has amped a bit and is rather herbal and masculine - so far, I still can pull it off. This is manly and intense, despite the sugary lime-y cookies!

 

Later: On me, it sweetens back up, or seems to reach some sort of balance on my skin after a little bit - there's just exactly the right amount of each note. The roommate says 'smells like pie, it's warm and wafting and I want to eat it' - I can't disagree! I also find the cookie note is somehow creamy on my skin.

 

Summary: I'm picky about 'foody' scents and this is (just barely) foody, but it's a very complex, sophisticated foody - the smoky depth of the tobacco and tart juiciness of the lime keep the sugary cookie note in check, and the bay rum adds a pleasantly perfumey freshness, though it's the least distinct note on drydown. Fantastic throw & longevity!

 

Definitely a bottle, ASAP. What's nice is - I can slather this on males too. It's a wonderful unisex scent, and I find it fits male/female chemistry accordingly - it's darker and less sweet on the roommate, and more creamy/sweet on me.

 

 

Sniffed: Dark, vivid red oil. Surprisingly light on the DB, but with loads of vanilla-cola medicinal-sweet red musk, and somewhat less black musk. I get the tang of the currant and I do find this fruity, but can't pick out the fig.

 

Wet: Lighter, fresher - more currant, less sweetness, a little more soapy-flora from the DB, while the red musk loses most of its harshness, and I get a little bit of ripe, almost juicy fig. Black musk amping.

 

Dry: More and more black musk and fig as this dries, with the currant note holding - there's still the Febreze undertone for the DB, but the red musk has become bearable, which is rare on my skin.

 

Summary: Black musk, ripe fig and dark, tart black currant - deep, unisex scent - with more distant red musk and the soapy-floral of DB. Nicer on my skin than expected. Moderate throw, fades a bit.

 

 

Sniffed: Light yellow oil. Sweet and anisey - actually it reminds me of Humbug a bit, but less heavy on the vanilla.

 

Wet: A bit sweeter, more vanillic - though it's still a different note from Humbug's vanilla. The anise here isn't licorice, but more herbal, either anise or fennel - but the distinction isn't huge. A tad medicinal, but pleasantly.

 

Dry: Actually, this becomes sweeter and more vanillic over time, with a slightly warm, powdery edge that makes me suspect a well-behaved amber - sort of like the one in L'Estate.

 

Later: I get a strong honeyed beeswax note (not sure why I'm only noticing this now...) and a slightly bitter greenness, sort of wormwoody - oh, this reminds me of La Fée Verte! Except more vanilla-y. I agree that it feels resinous, as others have noted.

 

Summary: Love the nearly SN honey-beeswax drydown - but the amber starts to take on the plastic edge I associate with O. It takes ages to dry, and then it starts to fade very rapidly. It's never sickly, but it doesn't quite work.

2005 Version

 

Sniffed: Chartreuse coloured oil. Heady and a little soapy, literally heavy/thick in feel. I get a ton of ylang ylang, a little hyacinth, tuberose and tobacco flower, and the spicy bite of the poppy. Some slightly dry sandalwood and sharp white musk, too.

 

Wet: Lighter and also more perfumey - more (soapy) tuberose, the green freshness of jonquil, and way more delicious tobacco flower. The sandalwood is perfumey, less dusty. I get a dry edge of champagne - it's not sweet or grapey at all. A bit more poppy, and the hyacinth is fruity.

 

Dry: Nicer - the tuberose has backed off, as has some of the ylang ylang, and the white musk & tobacco flower have really amped. Alas, so have the jonquil and poppy - this is much greener in feel, almost masculine. Champagne & hyacinth gone.

 

Summary: It goes weirdly sharp/chemically, and musky in a bad way (like bad body odour) - the jonquil, ylang ylang, and poppy dominate in the end too much for my likely, and it also goes sort of sour/rancid. Strong throw & longevity.

 

 

2005 Version

 

Sniffed: Dark golden oil. Sweet and almost fruity, but not in a cloying way - I get mostly the pipe smoke and a little linen, but I can't pick out any woods or leather. It reminds me of rosehip-scented black tea.

 

Wet: Similar, still that tarty-fruit (sour cherry) edge, with a bit more smoke and a tiny bit of leather - also, some wood! It smells like old, slightly dusty, polished wood - I'm picturing carved exotic wood boxes in an attic. Overall, much lighter and less masculine than I expected.

 

Dry: Much darker and more intense; way more tobacco, smoke (vetiver?), woods, and leather. For some reason the sweet powderiness of the leather here reminds me of saccharin - not a pleasant association. The woods are dryer, maybe I get a little cedar and some oak?

 

Later: This is all about the smoke /tobacco & woods, with the leather, linen & cherry as an afterthought. It's warm and wintry and indeed comforting in a paternal sort of way - I definitely get the masculine vibe, now.

 

Summary: Almost entirely dusty wood after a few hours, with a little smoky tobacco around the edges. It feels hazy, and it's quite nice - but not my style. Decent throw & longevity.

Sniffed: Light yellow oil. Slightly sweet, slight floral (rose?), medicinal LAVENDER.

 

Wet: It dries down very quickly to powdery floral soap, losing the freshness of lavender - I get a strong jasmine vibe, and less of that rose I suspected.

 

Dry: I don't know if it would have helped, because I washed it off within 30 min - but it certainly didn't make me tired. Really not into the floral powder, old lady stale thing.

 

 

 

Sniffed: Neon orange oil. Dragon's blood, honey, and a rather cloying, powdery vanilla. Makes me think of O + DB, two major nemeses. I'm scared!

Wet: Very heavy on the DB, and fruitier than usual - cherry galore - with a soapy-lilac Febreze undertone. Creamier, the vanilla is nicer - and the honey is rich and syrupy, perhaps a little heavy for my tastes.

Dry: Insanely strong throw, and it's going plastic as O does on me, and sort of powdery. Combined with the increasingly soapy, fake cherry Febreze, I'm utterly revolted. Sink.

2005 Version

 

Sniffed: Rich orangeish golden oil. Sweet, boozy, smoky. I definitely get the bonfire and a cognac-ish booze note, along with maybe some tangy beer, the sugar, and even a bit of musk. It does smell autumnal, and actually quite lovely.

 

Wet: Sweeter, almost a little foody, like spice cake? A definite spice note, sigh. Even more booze notes, and I definitely get some hops, as well as a sweeter liquer. Loads of rich, manly, sexy musk. I still get the 'smoke in the air' note, but it's light - really, just like fall air, not like actual smoke.

 

Dry: Spicier, cinnamon and ginger? They're very well behaved and light, much nicer than usual, but alas, I still don't like 'em. And the musk has really amped - it's very strong. Still the lovely smoky air (a masculine vetiver) and sugary booze notes.

 

Summary: Beer, slightly spicy woodsmoke (the spices fade again), sugary liquer and manly, intense musk (much like Buck Moon) - it really is a little thuggish, and it goes sort of coconut-y on me the way that BM does. Masculine! Good throw & longevity.

Sniffed: Light brown oil. Sharp, sour, a little bitter and acidic. Slightly soapy edge, and definitely some vetiver.

 

Wet: Less sharply sour, more airy, some ozone, still clean but not overly soapy. It's a masculine, but pleasant vetiver. The scent becomes smoother, more coherent, and more classically manly as it dries.

 

Dry: Fading rapidly, losing all sourness as it becomes sweeter and sweeter. Still a little ozone, but much more air, in a luminous, cloudy, ephemeral sort of way. Very clean but barely soapy any more, and still towards masculine, but without the heavy vetiver presence.

 

Later: Faint, airy, slightly clean and slightly sour cologney masculine vetiver. It's a little sweet on my skin, and a bit darker/woodier on my male roommate's. Pleasant, but poor throw and longevity and rather simplistic. It's not anything special.

 

Summary: Final drydown reminds me of a cleaner, lighter/gentler and much more 'airy', slightly ozone-y version of Hessian of the Hollow. Quite pleasant on my male roommate and this really doesn't work for females well, I think. Moderate throw and good longevity.

Sniffed: Golden oil. Powdery-soapy, honeyed-sweet floral. I get the lily of the valley, honey, amber, and sandalwood in force, along with some minty hyssop and a little herbal immortelle. Pretty unisex, a little cologney.

 

Wet: LotV beating me over the head, eek! I get the almond flower distinctly now, and it's almondy. Definitely the perfumed-powder sort of amber, and the honey and sandalwood and musk aren't strong enough to stand up to it and the florals,. There's a green-woody base from the gaiac.

 

Dry: Powerful, perfumey, powdery soap. I can't handle the lily of the valley and amber, and the throw is so strong it's making me ill. Off to sink.

 

Sniffed: Light peach oil. Surprisingly sweet-tart and fruity, like yuzu or kumquat? Definitely citrus. I get a bit of soapy-sweet dragon's blood, some cherry blossom, piney tea and aquatic bamboo. Bright, fresh.

 

Wet: Definitely some tart-juicy citrus, with a bitter, pithy/zesty edge - yuzu, for sure, but yuzu zest and pith primarily. Dragon's blood is a bit stronger and soapier. Still lots of smooth tea and girly cherry blossom, with a bit of creamy sandalwood.

 

Dry: Less and less juicy fruit, more and more of a sour/bitter edge from the citrus - I think it's merging with the bamboo note. The cherry blossom is amping a bit, while the sandalwood remains faint. Still the soapy edge from the dragon's blood.

 

Later: This becomes sweeter over time, and loses the bitter edge, though it remains almost-aquatic and zesty. The citrus/bamboo/tea combo reminds me a LOT of the Holiday Moon, and the clean, dry sandalwood note only reenforces the similarity.

 

Summary: I think I'd really like this without the soapy tinge of the dragon's blood (which does fade, but not entirely; the tea note here is one of the nicest I've encountered, as are the other listed notes and I also love the yuzu. Unisex, good throw & longevity.

Sniffed: Rich golden oil. Surprisingly sweet and a little smoky - lots of black tea and frakincense, with an edge of tobacco and slightly cologney musk. I barely get any lilac - though I do get a faint soapy tinge.

 

Wet: A bit darker and more masculine - more frankincense and especially tobacco, with the tea note still very strong. It feels sophisticated & intense. Still faint lilac.

 

Dry: I feel like there's a licorice/anise note hiding with the frankincense. The tobacco in this goes a bit stale on me, and smoky in sort of a bad way, like cigar as a note does. Combined with the sweet heaviness of the frankincense, I find it sickly.

 

Later: The white musk holds, but doesn't amp to the point of competing with the dark notes, and the lilac is a bit heady, but doesn't turn to soap ever. I feel like a lot of the tea fades, but it could just be that it's overwhelmed.

 

Summary: Sweetly smoky, stale cigar tobacco and woody frankincense, with heady lilac, white musk, and black tea below. Definitely masculine, heavy in feel, with moderate throw & longevity.

Sniffed: Extremely pale yellow, nearly colourless oil. Clean, soft, radiant. I get a sense of glowing white purity, with gentle sweetness. A linen-esque note (but lighter) that recalls Berenice slightly, aloe, a creamy sandalwood, vanilla flower, rich musks. Delicious!

 

Wet: A little soapy, and almost a little cologney - actually, it reminds me a little of Buck Moon, which I have on my other arm right now - maybe a shared musk? I get a soft sandalwood, and something that makes me think of amber, a little powdery - it reminds me more of Berenice on my skin.

 

Dry: Smells like baby shampoo - Johnson's No More Tears - but only mildly. The musks haven't really amped on me, but they, the sandalwood and the sweetness of the vanilla flower keep this interesting for me, though it's still a little - bland? generic? It reminds me of a Berenice/Wensleydale cross.

 

Later: I really want to love it, but I just can't find it very noteworthy.

 

Summary: Mild, sweetly musky, lineny-soap with sandalwood and vanilla tones. It smells expensive and soothy, but it's so nondescript, and the soapiness (which really verges on powder, and makes me strongly suspect amber) makes this not quite wearable. Decent throw & good longevity.

Sniffed: Dark yellow oil. Sour roses & incense - reminds me of The Empress & The Miller's Daughter. Rather sharp and perfumey, maybe some amber?

 

Wet: Softer/gentler, less sour-sharp-astringent on my skin - the rose is much nicer, more velvety. Less intensely perfumey, but a bit more powdery from what is definitely amber. Less incensey than I'd expected, on the whole.

 

Dry: Doesn't morph, though it takes on a little more of smoky edge - reminding me strongly of the incense note in Black Lace - the same sort of ethereal haze, that's a little soapy and spicy.

 

Summary: Light generic incense, perfumey-powdery amber, and sour rose. Unique, I guess, but not my style, and definitely not the sort of rose I enjoy.

 

 

Sniffed: Golden Oil. Strongly herbal and astringent almost medicinal; loads of lavender with a little tobacco underneath, and the resiny/piney edge of copal in the distance. A little cologney, but no distinct musk. No vanilla.

 

Wet: Still all about the lavender, but now with a mildly soapy edge, more tobacco (almost a little bitter?), and some heavy vanillic sweetness & musk coming through. Copal remains very light. Super masculine and still pretty astringent/mentholic.

 

Dry: Copal has amped, or else it was strong to begin with but merged with the lavender such that I couldn't distinguish it. This remains quite harsh/sharp/medicinal, though it has a sweet underbelly, and the musk has amped a bit more. I find the vanilla to be too heavy and cloying in combo with the sharp top notes.

 

Later: This is the bad sort of vanilla that amps on me, and is syrupy. I agree that it becomes sort of boozy, as others note. Along with the sweet richness of the musk and the strong medicinal notes, it's just too much and makes mea little sick if I sniff closely.

 

Summary: This becomes increasingly sour over time, reminding me of elemi. It's a heavily herbal/medicinal/resin blend lavender, copal, and dark tobacco (that becomes more bitter and smoky with time), that clashes somewhat with the heavy vanilla-musk base. Strong throw & longevity.

 

 

Sniffed: Very dark and earthy, and also a little sour/astringent. Soil, tobacco leaf, oakmoss, sage, vetiver, leather - these are all present in force. Not much musk or amber at this stage, but hints of fig and more so the almond.

 

Wet: Sweeter, with loads more bitter almond and a bit more fig. More oakmoss, and the soil is more sweet as opposed to sour. The tobacco and sage have a more distinct herbal, spicy edge. I get sort of a sparkling fresh ginger note, making this reminiscent of Eau de Ghoul. Definitely nicer on the skin.

 

Dry: Slow to dry, with the soil note dominating - tobacco, leather, and vetiver are just behind. The fig and bitter almond have backed down slightly, but are still strongly present, and I continue to get the semi-sparkling ginger note. The sage is medicinal, and I'm getting tons of sexy musk that amps.

 

Later: It fades quite rapidly, with the soil, fig, and bitter almond dying the most. I'm getting a bit of perfumey-powder from the amber, and the sage has gone to herbal soap. The vetiver and tobacco have taken on a darker, vaguely smoky edge, and the oakmoss has emerged.

 

Summary: Dark, slightly bitter, astringent and smoky earthy notes with soapy-clean-medicinal sage, chemically-plasticky leather & powdery amber, and a little sweet and nutty fig and almond. Definitely masculine, and a morpher that's not unpleasant, but not me, either. Good throw, fades fast.

 

 

Sniffed: Slightly cloudy yellow oil. Sour, heady florals. Jasmine and ylang ylang?

 

Wet: Same, very evil florals, with maybe a nasty sort of resin or incense?

 

Dry: Yeah I get a sort of sour smoky note now which reminds me VAGUELY of Gypsy Queen, bc it has a candle/beeswax undertone.

 

Later: I agree with the 'green olives' someone gets. But I think a sour straw/hay note is more likely the actual source of this sour-earthy scent.

 

Summary: It fades greatly with time, like all of the Panacea blends I've tried, but it's never something I like. Too sour/acrid/sharp with that vague smokiness.

Sniffed: Orange oil. Sweet; chocolatey, maybe a caramel note/brown sugar, pretty creamy and a little boozy. Bourbon vanilla. There's a dry woodiness, like sandalwood or even maybe cedar.

 

Wet: Holy tobacco and musk! With rich, boozy bourbon vanilla. Most of the chocolate note fades, but not all. The tobacco and musk really amp. Still quite dry and woody.

 

Dry: Now this is reminding me of Antique Lace! But this isn't floral and lacks the linen note - but it's the same type of vanilla. Most of that caramel note and all the chocolate has burned off - it's vanilla, tobacco, and sandalwood, the latter going a bit dusty-dry.

 

Later: When I put my nose close to sniff - I get tangible warmth from the area where I tested - a rich, deep muskiness that's just lovely - I get an almost masculine, exotic sort of musk. The sandalwood has is smoother now, and merging with the tobacco. This reminds me a LOT of Black Lace, without the spicy incense note.

 

Summary: Indian musk (I'm positive!), tobacco, bourbon vanilla, maybe even some booze, sandalwood, and I get a chocolate note that burns off quickly. Sweet, rich, darkly sexy, complex & sophisticated. Good throw & longevity.

 

I like it a lot...but I'm not sure that it's me - it's a little dark and mature for my tastes.

 

Sniffed: Colourless oil. Smells like cedar, very dry and very woody, and very simplistic.

 

Wet: I don't find this dirty at all, but maybe a tad dusty. Maybe a little rooty, but this is still CEDAR.

 

Dry: Extremely viscous, and never really dries. Cedar pencil shaving single note, to me.

 

Sniffed: Sharp and woodsy - juniper, CYPRESS, another evergreen that's strongly mentholic, and maybe even some eucalyptus - with a little earthy patchouli (but light) and soil underneath, and faint nocturnal florals.

 

Wet: Still mentholic/medicinal/wintergreeny, but much sweeter, and I think I get some sort of mint. Also, this is reminding me a scented toilet cleaner I once used (it's the cypress/mint combo). Iris is definitely amongst the florals, both powdery and a little rotten.

 

Dry: As it starts to dry (very quickly), it becomes almost limey and the juniper creates the impression of gin - and this reminds me of The Mock Turtle's Lessons. I'm positive this must have white mint as well. The patchouli has amped a little, and is the rooty sort.

 

Later: A little cedar in here, reminding me of The Witch's Garden. And the cypress/mint recalls Melpomeme. The mentholic stuff has mostly burned off, so it's no longer medicinal, or only barely. Still sort of soapy. Only a tiny wisp of soil remains.

 

Summary: Piney-evergreen floral-soapy toilet cleaner. Cypress, juniper, white mint, lime, cedar, rooty patchouli, rotten iris, and faint soil. Pretty dreadful, with strong throw & longevity (of course).

 

 

 

Sniffed: Sugary, fruity hard candies! Watermelon and citrus, for sure. Tart, sweet, and a little artificial.

 

Wet: Delicious musky fruit, much less sugary and no longer fake on my skin, with loads of lime and watermelon, and some strawberry too. Much more juicy and distinctly pink in feel.

 

Dry: The candy/sugar note in this has a bit of creaminess to it, sort of like Velvet Unicorn, though not quite that creamy, and more musky. The citrus holds wonderfully on my skin, and I adore this watermelon note. The strawberry only goes a tiny bit plastic.

 

Summary: Wahhhh. This goes to chemically plastic with wafts of artificial watermelon candy. Good throw, but fades to nothing after 3 hours. I'm so sad!