fairnymph

Sniffed: Bright orange oil. Soapy-fruity-floral dragon's blood and oakmoss, along with piney evergreens. Also sort of dusty and airy (it really does smell like dry leaves) - maybe a little ozone, or something mildly mentholic?

 

Wet: Less dragon's blood, more pine - and also some juicy, slightly bitter citrus - grapefruit? Petitgrain? The pine in this is dark, smoky pitch pine, not the lab's typical cloying note.

 

Dry: Dragon's blood amping back up, making this sweeter and spicier; I also get some black pepper. It's both very woodsy and woody - there are other woods notes in here - maybe cedar or rosewood, something dry and warm? Also, some vetiver.

 

Summary: More cherry-fruit than soapy-flowers dragon's blood, with pine resin, citrus, vetiver, dry leaves, moss, and something lightly peppery. Nicer than dragon's blood normally is on me, but still too artificial/fake. Unisex to masculine. Good throw & longevity.

 

 

MCLXXIX - 1179

 

Previous review here.

 

Sniffed: Citrusy lemon, light woods, lots of green herbs (thyme, for sure), something spicy-tangy. Clean and unisex to masculine.

 

Wet: Much more herbal-green. Thyme galore, as well as something minty and a little geranium. The lemon is lemon peel, not verbena. Very cool and fresh, with a burnished metal note, think Phoenix Steamworks or No. 93 Engine.

 

Dry: Even though it feels cool...there's an odd wamth - a sandalwood of some type, I believe, and that metal note which is shiny and golden and glowing, not cool or sharp. I'm pretty sure there is bergamot in here as well - slightly sweet. A slickness makes me think of motor oil, as a previous reviewer found.

 

Later: There's a dark note that's sexy - astringent and almost smoky -tobacco? This is going quite masculine, cologney. And also SUPER sexily musky - think Buck Moon or Robin Goodfellow. The minty note is slightly bittersweet - hyssop? I also get basil, and a tiny sliver of cumin.

 

Summary: Sort of as if Toad, No. 93 Engine, and Dr. Edward Hyde had an orgy. Definitely a very masculine scent. A bit cologney, a bit corrupt. Tangy motor oil and gold-tone metal with fresh, sweet green herbs, tobacco, dry woods, feral dark musk, and a hint of cumin. Great throw.

 

I like it, though it's not really the sort of thing I can wear myself - too masculine. The cumin note bothers me a bit, and it's very smoky, but the motor oil, metal, musk and cologne notes are all love. Probably worth saving for menfolk.

Sniffed: Bright golden oil. Sweet, smoky, woody, herbal, fruity, and rather intense. Sage (a strong, almost medicinal type), hickory wood (not unlike oak, but smokier and darker), pomegranate, black cherry, apple and elderberry.

 

Wet: Spicy, smoky apples. Crisp, tart and juicy apple note as in many autumnal scents., the other fruit holds. Woodfire-bbq. Sort of nutty, not the hazelnut (which I can't detect), but the sorghum and wheat. I get the heady richness of rice flower, but not rice milk.

 

Dry: Apples fading, as usual, but pomegranate is still very strong as well as the now-apparent wild plum (a la Kitsune-Tsuki), then black cherry, and faintly the elderberry. It has an brambly dark fruit vibe, now. I also get some cinnamon - quite spicy.

 

Later: The apple has actually morphed into a baked apple or pear scent, odd. The sage has amped even further, and is really harsh, almost bitter - it reminds me of the sage note in The Agony of Heartache. Masculine, especially combined with the ashy hickory.

 

Summary: Cinnamon-spiced, hickory-smoked baked apples with strong, medicinal sage. I get a little bit of other dark fruits and sorghum, along with some almost-creamy rice flower, but only if I sniff closely. The other notes are totally overwhelmed. Strong throw, great lasting power.

Sniffed: Amber coloured oil. Sweet, smoky, and spicy. Musky and resiny. First thought - Hellion! Definitely some plum, sandalwood, red musk (and others, I get a bit of Smut vibe, almost boozy). Some rich white florals, to be sure, as well.

 

Wet: This reminds me of Mme. Moriarty a lot, but it's not quite as dark, and not nearly as heavy on the red musk. The spice is bitter clove, but I get some carnation, too. Less sweet and fruity on my skin. I think olive blossom is one of the florals - I get that smooth, slightly oily feel.

 

Dry: I think one of the 'resin' notes is actually patchouli, a rather dirty headshoppy sort, but it's light, a minor note. The smoke + clove + fruit (and now some cassia) combo reminds me a great deal of autumn. The smoke seems to come from 'scorched sandalwood' which to me as also have a vetiver element.

 

Later: Despite all those dark/heavy notes, this is oddly fresh - I do think that there's bay rum, as well as some tobacco.There is a slightly astringent, herbal quality but in a way that balances the blend. A golden feel suggests some of sort of light amber.

 

Summary: I'd guess at: cloves, cassia, carnation, olive blossom, black and red musks, patchouli, scorched sandalwood, black plum, tobacco, vetiver, and amber. It doesn't go powdery on my skin. Decent throw, great longevity.

 

Very, very complex and unisex to feminine - another popular one which deserves its fame. I'm amazed by how it's both light and dark at once. It's too spicy and smoky for me, with how my skin amps clove, though.

 

Sniffed: Yellow oil. Slightly spicy and slightly powdery oranges. Sweet oranges - not tangerines or mandarins, but oranges. Zesty, but not quite juicy. It reminds me greatly of Moxie - I detect the same Orange Pez note as well as some ginger.

 

Wet: Tarter and juicier, though still very zesty and still powdery. But there is a fresh-squeezed juice note as in Neil Gaiman's Orange. The ginger is even more spicy, but it's also fresh, like ginger juice. It's not as dry as the ginger in Moxie anymore.

 

Dry: Amazingly, this has amped up. It was so light wet that I fear my skin would devour it as it does most citrus. It's gone sparkling/fizzy, and reminds me of a cross between Orangina and Fanta, though it's not a sweet as either. The ginger note here now appears the ginger note is white ginger, and with the carbonation, I get a ginger ale vibe.

 

Later: It's gone a bit more powdery, with a slightly soapy edge - it's not Orange Pez anymore, but powdered dishwasher detergent. That's actually a smell I LOVE, though, and it's just a nuance, here. Overall strength has faded a bit; I spoke too soon about my skin not eating this.

 

Summary: Faint, slightly clean & powdery orange and fresh ginger. In the final drydown, a bit of earthy musk emerges - the sort of musk that reminds me of oakmoss, almost, though it's extremely light. Low throw, dismal lasting power.

 

My skin, as always, just eats the orange fruit. This is the least-weak orange scent I've tested, though, and it is very nice. I wouldn't sell my soul for it, but I'd buy a normally-priced bottle if it were available. Definitely a slather-repeatedly type of scent.

 

ETA: I find Orange to be more true to the actual smell of oranges than this scent.

CDXIII - 413

 

Sniffed: Juicy, bright fruit. Reminds me of the Chinese New Year scents - sort of Asiatic. Melon and blossoms? Also a slightly creamy note that reminds me of Cheshire Moon - maybe banyan fruit? Pink grapefruit, too.

 

Wet: Sweeter and more foody. TONKA (gah, why, why!) lends a buttery edge.This is a really gorgeous, juicy-sweet, not sour grapefruit note. The (honeydew) melon is quite watery, almost aquatic. Spicier - ah, carnation.

 

Dry: Definitely Asian and Lunar in feel. A little cherry blossom. Yeah, it has that sort of figgy banyan fruit, too, which has amped and become richer so that this reminds me a bit of Carnal in combo with the juicy citrus. I get the same 'candied melon' note from Earth Rat.

 

Later: The tonka has faded greatly, and some gardenia has emerged and is amping.This is much creamier, now - loads of carnation and more cherry blossom. Less grapefruit. And suddenly...rich white musk.

 

Summary: Cherry blossom, carnation, candied melon, pink grapefruit, banyan fruit, gardenia, white musk, and a splash of tonka. Earth Rat crossed with Cheshire Moon, and a little bit of gardenia thrown in. The drydown is gorgeous, but the tonka stage might be a dealbreaker. To re-test.

 

Sniffed: Colourless oil. Slightly soapy and slightly fruity rich rose (definitely tea rose in there) over the slick, chemically leather note from De Sade.

 

Wet: Really gorgeous rose - the best of both Peacock Queen and Red Rose. It has the regal quality of the former and the lushness of the latter. Multifaceted. Alas, the leather lurks below, making this plastic.

 

Dry: De Sade smells like West Coke Cocaine, and Whip smells like the roses I mentioned over...methamphetamine. Seriously. Agony/ecstasy isn't a bad description of meth, either. This is sort of nostalgic for me.

 

Later: Not really any morphing. The combination of different rose elements continues to impress me - it's really the best of both tea rose and red rose (also as in The Rose, from Marchen). Gorgeous!

 

Summary: A complex but simple blend of roses that stays true on my skin - no soap or powder, or sour sharp notes - over a much lighter, skin-hugging meth-like slick leather note. You could say the roses dominate the leather...Moderate throw.

 

I want a bottle.

In the bottle: Very pale yellow oil. Cold, woodsy and herbal. It definitely feels like a 'snow'/winter blend, and I get some evergreens, and something citrusy. Some sharp florals. A little sweet, the way that a lot of the winter piney blends are.

 

Wet: Juniper, pine, and that snowy 'slush' note. Less sweet, and less sharply floral, less 'hairspray'. Still mentholic, but in a nice way - not overly medicinal. Eucalyptus? The citrus strikes me as lemon or white grapefruit peel - it's zesty and subtle, not juicy.

 

Dry: It has a lightly soapy clean edge that I really like, and the pine has faded. I think the sweetness comes from a berry note, but it's so faint I can't quite pinpoint it. A bit more floral - osmanthus, I think? I also get a bit of chrysanthemum. The soapy citrus thing is a little bit sparkling - in the same way that Independent is, but this aspect is very light. I think one of the herbs in here is sage?

 

Later: I think the 'pine' note is actually tea. Going a bit musky, in a way that is new to me. A very feral, almost furry sort of musk. It's almost warm/woody/dry - it reminds me of the feel of cedar in saunas. It could actually be a dry, warm wood, and maybe the musk is separate? My nose is having difficulty differentiating.It's a definitely a unisex to masculine scent.

 

Summary: There's a smooth, oily effect that is the same combo of tea & chrysanthemum that's in Daiyu, though this is not as sweet. And then white grapefruit peel, juniper, strong osmanthus and lightly piney slushy snow. Sage (clary?) and possibly some eucalyptus, musk and dry woods.

 

naeelah got metal...and there is a weird tang that could be iron. I wouldn't have thought it myself, but I can see it potentially now. Leather, I don't get at all. It's fascinating to me how much this morphs on my skin, from something I'm not crazy about to something I quite like. It's a bit masculine for me, but sort of sexy. Very intriguing.

 

If Hunger Moon and Daiyu had boy-children, maybe.

MCXVI - 1116

 

In the bottle: Caramel/burnt sugar and chemicals. Like, Sharpie marker fumes. I think it's actually a benzaldehydey cherry note. Sort of medicinal and VERY pungent.

 

Wet: Still strong on the chemicals, but more fruity - it's definitely cough-syrup, fake cherry - a note I intensely dislike. I get a bit of bubblegum, and the caramel (which reminds me of Sugar Skull) is fainter.

 

Dry: Very strange. The chemicals had burned off, and I get black currant now, and only a little cherry. It's still sort of mentholic, but now mostly from the currant. Still the burnt sugar, although this is not really sweet or foody.

 

Later: Slightly medicinally metholic black currant with lighter red cherry and brown sugar. Very straightforward blend with little morphing after the initial drydown. Moderate throw.

 

Summary: I like black currant, but I don't like it so much as an almost single note, and I'm not a fan of the caramel or cherry notes. It's nice, but not me. Off to swaps.

XXI - 21

 

Previous review here.

 

In the bottle: Rose, slightly soapy, clean herbs and something sort of mentholic and fresh - myrtle? Overall the scent has a pleasantly medicinal scent, like a good aromatherapy blend, on top of the floral rose.

 

Wet: Similar, but with a strong, deep resin/woods undercurrent and more herbs. There's definitely something incensey. It's odd, because this is both light and dark in feel. The myrtle is quite lemony, but in a pleasant herbal way that isn't PLEDGE DOOM.

 

Dry: The rose here is the rose that to me registers as sour - white rose, as in Katrina Van Tassel. However, it's sweeter and rounder dry on my skin. Wet, it had more of that tang reminiscent of hay absolute. The incense/resins seem to have amped; they're slightly sweet and earthy...frankincense and patchouli?

 

Later: This smells like a specific brand of soap I have used, some sort of speciality soap - though it's not a SOAPY scent. It's clean, and the soap thing is more of an association. A faintly powdery, almost creamy warmth suggests amber, and a fresh dryness indicates sandalwood.

 

Summary: White rose, (lemon) myrtle, frankincense, patchouli, sandalwood and amber. Sort of like The Cup of Death crossed with The Empress and a little Katrina Van T thrown in. Unisex to feminine. White rose and I don't get along, alas, so off to swaps with the bottle.

 

 

In the bottle: Chartreuse-coloured oil. Green, smoky, incensey and floral. Candlewax, jasmine, and champaca. The jasmine is a little sour. I get a sort of tart/citrusy olive oil note, too.

 

Wet: Definitely the same 'smoky candle' scent as in Gypsy Queen. It's a little bit sweet and beeswaxy, a slightly different honey note from the usual. The olive flower is both fresh and sort of smooth/polished. I get loads of very SMOKY, but not cloying, vanilla.

 

Dry: It's oddly clean (a teensy bit soapy, probably the jasmine) and tratitionally perfumey with the heady champaca. And an odd, almost citrusy sweetness - olive blossom? The sandalwood has emerged in a major way. It's very warm in feel, and very opulent.

 

Later: This going really sweet on my skin, with amping honey/beeswax/vanilla, almost syrupy but in a good way. The jasmine and champaca are bright rich, unisex florals, and in balance with the olive blossom - no one flower dominates. Less soapy, now.

 

Summary: Waxy honeycomb and vanilla candle smoke with velvety, almost citrusy olive blossom, warm, dry sandalwood and heavy white florals. It's very smooth, rich, and deep. Fabulous throw & longevity.

 

A very well behaved jasmine note, and I don't get any hint of cinnamon. Too smoky/heady for me, but nicer than I had anticipated. There's definitely resins and incense, though not listed. I do think it fits the theme very well - it feels very languid.

 

In the bottle: Pale peachy-amber coloured oil. Leather (the sharp, chemically kind in De Sade), amber, and deep, rich wood. A suggestion of flowers, but no honey or fruit. Surprisingly sharp and masculine.

 

Wet: LEATHER (or, as it registers to me, West Coast Cocaine). Less wood, and amber still very faint, possibly conflated with the coke-powderiness of the leather. A tiny smidgen of berry.

 

Dry: Solvent-soaked, WCC-ish leather still dominates (ha!), but the wood has a dry, round edge that makes me think oak. It combines in a way with the leather that really does evoke polish.

 

Later: Getting a bit of honey, FINALLY, although it's extremely buried. I think it's merging with the amber a bit, reminding me vaguely of O. A sort of light sweet-warm, softly powdery glow.

 

Summary: Biting, brutal leather, dry oak, and a smidgen of honey-tinged amber powder. A very, very slight variation on De Sade. No flowers or berries in the long run. Good throw.

Due to sensitive skin I can't use these bath oils, so this is sniffed only:

 

Pale beigey-amber coloured oil. Very sweet and rich, with boozy bourbon vanilla taking the lead. Creamy, decadent, and edible. I get some nutmeg and sweet orange which only enhance the foody vibe, tart-sweet, juicy pomegranate, and red currant in the distance.

 

The red musk here reminds me of snake oil, but it's more musky than sharp or medicinal, though it does have both those qualities (minorly). I don't get any patchouli, although I do find this vaguely incensey. But I do get a creamy, nutty grain-like note - like rice milk in Boomslang, and the grain notes in Dana O'Shee - that's really rich and delicious.

 

This seems like it would be wildly popular as both a bath product and a skin perfume for many BPAL folk.

In the bottle: Deep neon pinkish-red oil. Strong, heady, white florals and artificial fruits.

 

Wet: Citrusy - probably the magnolia. Definitely some jasmine and gardenia too - it's a very strong, traditional floral blend. I also get cherry - red, sort of cough-syrup artificial cherry. Oh hi, dragon's blood. :\

 

Dry: With all the strong florals you'd think it'd be a mess...but it's actually pretty gorgeous. There's a creamy quality to this - not foody creamy, but floral creamy. Very lush.

 

Later: Slightly soapy, and sweeter in a floral way, not sugar or fruits. I don't get much red musk in this, although there is an odd mentholic quality, which I get with red musk as well.

 

Summary: Creamy, rich, and almost foody-sweet florals with hints of soap and fruit. Heady and feminine, it's a very unique, complex, and well-blended scent. The gardenia and magnolia take centre stage on me.

 

The fruity-floral musk drydown actually reminds me a LOT of Kitsune-Tsuki, which is one of my favourite scents - but that hint of dragon's blood ruins the blend for me. As usual.

 

 

In the bottle: Slightly spicy fruit and rich booze. I get a 'baked fruit' sort of smell. Apple, pear, black cherry. Reminds me a bit of the Perilous Parlor, but without the vanilla. Fruity, but not really foody.

 

Wet: Okay, now I'm getting more cake. This is a nearly-dry sniffie, so I don't have a lot to work with. It's a very soft, fluffy, not overly sweet cake note like in Eat Me. I definitely get a light clove note, and pear is the dominant fruit (and so lovely, that baked, warm sweetness).

 

Dry: Vague hint of almondy marzipan, almost boozy but not quite. Amazingly, this is not that sweet or foody. It's such a light test that I can't be sure...but I feel like there's a slightly smoky, almost woody note - tobacco?

 

Later: Here's the vanilla, amping on me even when barely present. It's strong and sweet and creamy, but not the cloying fake kind, thank god. The clove however, is definitely going that way. :\ I also get a dark, boozy note that's sherry or brandy.

 

Summary: Liqueur-soaked creamy vanilla cake with baked pears, clove, marzipan and a hint of cherry pipe tobacco. Very festive, and a surprisingly wearable, not overly foody scent. It's one of the nicest creamy vanilla scents I've tried.

 

In the bottle: Golden oil. Sweet, herbal, and floral with a sour astringent note - sour rose, perhaps? There's a sugary note that reminds me of the candies in Fairy Market. This is almost foody.

 

Wet: Very faint on my skin, even though it's not faint in the imp. Still that sweet candy note, as well as a little incense - slightly smoky and resiny. Less floral and less green, but still tangy.

 

Dry: A little bit of grass, but it's not the fresh-mown note, it's more like hay. Actually, I bet that sour note is hay absolute - yes, yes it is! The florals are going a bit soapy. I also find this to be a very warm scent, and a bit powdery - amber?

 

Later: It's stronger now than it was wet. The florals in this are so subtle and well-blended that I have difficulty picking them out, but I believe I get jasmine and rose.The incense note is also hard to place, it's very DARK - maybe opium? Some rich black musk, too.

 

Summary: It becomes quite balsamic on drydown - some sort of benzoin and/or vanilla that in part gives produces the 'candy' smell, along with sour hay absolute, dark incense notes, sweet, heavy musk and slightly powdery amber. The florals are muted but classic, and slightly soapy. Abysmal throw.

 

Someone mentioned that is smells like Aveda products - and it TOTALLY does smell like Aveda's underlying base scent (which is quite resiny). It also reminds me of expensive, sophisticated 'traditional' perfumes - of the oriental-vanillic type - that I've smelled. It has that sort of glamorous, older lady feel (not old, but mature).

 

In the bottle: Rich golden coloured oil. Bright, slightly sharp flowers, frangipani, bittersweet orange citrus, exotic saffron and a touch of sweet incense. I get loads of mock orange and orange blossom especially.

Wet: More juicy-tart citrus (hello, tangerine and citron!), less saffron. Still very heavy on the orange blossom and slightly bitter mock orange. Some honeyed heliotrope. Slight soapiness, a hint of powder, and still that strong frankincense current.

Dry: It's gone more powdery (amber!), and lost the juicy and tart citrus notes. Orange Pez strikes again! Though, it's not unpleasant. Most of the florals have died off, except for glimmers of frangipani and heliotrope. Light saffron still, and faded frankincense - this is much less incensey.

Later: Moxie without the ginger and with the addition of those light floral notes. Actually, the saffron has turned spicy - almost hot like pepper or ginger - which makes it a saffron version of Moxie. Like Moxie, it has a subtly dry, almost woody heat to it from the spice.

Summary: Faint, saffron-spiced, slightly powdery orange Pez with a little bit of incense and delicate flowers. It does indeed feel warm, bright, sunshiney-happy. Fades massively and rapidly. I like it, but I don't love it and the throw is just dismal.

In the bottle: Light golden-beige oil. Bright flowers (sour roses) and various wood notes. A bit heady, quite sour overall. Bay leaf? A heavy, slightly bitter note, maybe myrrh.

 

Wet: Sweeter, a little smoky, still very astringently sour.The floral is that sharp, slightly powdery, rose. The same rose from The Miller's Daughter, original Libra and original Virgo.

 

Dry: That wood in the imp is dry and dusty now, though not warm. There's a curious coolness to this scent, almost mentholic (the bay?). The rose is a little less sour now, more like wild roses but not nearly as nice.

 

Later: There's the powdery velvet that's the trademark of certain violet notes - this gives me a vague Marie vibe, though the rose and violet notes are not the same. The myrrh is less bitter on my skin.

 

Summary: Goes to dry, floral, woody powder, with a sour, herbal edge. If the rose weren't quite so strong, I'd almost call this masculine, because it's so astringent. Strong throw and longevity.

In the bottle: Bright peachy-pink oil. Soapy-sharp-artificial dragon's blood, hyacinth, and sweet, rich apples. Fruity-floral and quite sweet. Reminds me of bathroom air freshener sprays.

Wet: Hyacinth and apple with a crispy, juicy edge. Only a hint of dragon's blood. Definitely some apple blossom too, very airy and spring-like and girly. Apple increasingly crisp and delightful.

Dry: Going soapy/powdery - damn dragon's blood! Also, more and more floral, less and less fruity. More and more like air freshener and dryer sheets. The apple is holding, though!

Later: This is just so FAKE. Like Febreze or cheap tacky scented candles. I love some of the notes but the cloying fakeness is so off-putting. The white musk emerges, rich and strong.

Summary: Sweet, crisp delicious apple, fruity hyacinth, soft, almost honeyed apple blossom and sexy white musk...with horrible floral-power-soap DB. It would be so incredible without it. Powerful throw.

So sad because this is the ONLY apple note that *stays* on my skin. The white musk masks the DB a bit when it amps, but not enough. I can't shake the fake association.

In the bottle: Very pale yellow oil. Spicy ginger clove and buttery, sweet, foody cake, which isn't that sweet and really buttery, so I can see the 'buttered crumpet' I think. Foody galore.

 

Wet: Spicier and sweeter, with an almost fruity note (apple? pear?). This is SO buttery that it reminds me greatly of the pumpkin scents (Pumpkin Queen?), especially in combo with the spice. A bit of creamy vanilla.

 

Dry: I don't get blackberry - definitely not. I do get the Sugar Skull comparisons (similar sugary note with a hint of incense). The ginger is going very hot-dry spicy, like in Gingerbread Poppet or Shub-Niggurath.

 

Later: I think the major fruit note is pear, and I get a bit of dark fruit - though it's a dried fruit note. Some reviews mention citrus, and I could see that. It has more of a marmalade smell than a berry smell, for sure. The fruits are very faint and close to the skin, alas.

 

Summary: I don't get any tartness, and I love tart fruit. Hot ginger, spicy clove, sweet vanillic butter galore and slightly burnt sugar with juicy pear and a hint dark dried berry.

 

The extended drydown reminds me of spice-addled Plum Pudding with slightly boozy Hard Sauce like my grandmother would make for Christmas. Like...exactly. Definitely a dried fruit vibe. Very nostalgic, but this is not something I'd wear.

DCCCLVI - 806

 

In the bottle: Fresh fruit and clean soapy greenery. A little citrusy, maybe a little tropical. Slightly grassy - green tea, I'd bet.

 

Wet: Brighter, greener, tarter. Zesty citrus! White grapefruit and maybe a bit of lime peel, too. Possibly an aquatic note that's giving the soapy (but not too soapy) feel.

 

Dry: Dries almost instantly. I'm getting some sort of exotic, juicy fruit. Pineapple, maybe? Also, it's going rapidly musky. I'm guessing an ocean aquatic note because this is salty.

 

Later: Definitely green tea. And this has really sweetened up with the musk and fruit. I get something like red currant, tart and juicy but definitely red.

 

Summary: White musk, green tea, white grapefruit, lime peel, salt spray, pineapple and maybe a teensy bit of red currant. Fresh, bright, and clean. Low throw, decent longevity.

 

2008 Version

 

Sniffed in imp: Yellow oil. Sweet, foody, and a little bit like...curry? I get loads of caramel, coconut, some dry woods (blonde tobacco/amber, maybe?) and yep, curry. It kind of reminds me of this coconut-white chocolate-curry ice cream I've had (and didn't like).

Sniffed in imp: Extremely pale yellow oil. Creamy, slightly foody root beer. Definitely get the vanilla, sassafras and some light butter. The oak leaf provides a tannic bitterness. This is pretty mentholic-medicinal, and also somewhat resiny.

 

Note: Some got on my finger accidentally, and it turned into the EVIL FAKE VANILLA OF DOOM.

In the bottle: Golden oil. Sweet, foody, fruity. Also a little spicy and bitter. Nutty, too - walnuts?

 

Wet: Honeyed walnuts. This reminds me GREATLY of baklava. There's also a sweet floral or two. Something sort of citrusy...ahhh! Starfruit! It's quite juicy, tart-sweet.

 

Dry: Definitely some lily, with a very slightly powdery-soapy edge. Stargazer lily, maybe? There's another floral note too, as well as a culinary spice, clove I believe.

 

Later: Going quite musky, in that high-pitched way that makes me think white musk. It's a VERY strong musk note. Also, some sort of strong white floral, not lily, is amping. Ahhh, magnolia.

 

Summary: Okay, I'm getting a sort of caramel 'n dry wood note. Ah! It's that caramel and teak combo from Agrat-Bat-Mahlat. That sort of burnt-sugar edge. It's also gotten more tart/citrusy - lemon-something.

 

Caramel, teak, starfruit, lemon (verbena?), magnolia, clove, some type of lily, strong musk and possibly walnut. Bizarre! And too foody for me, though I LOVE the starfruit/magnolia combo.

Any suggestions I have probably have to be tempered w/the fact that I really amp geranium - although I do love the smell, I sometimes don't like blends with it because I basically turn them into single-note geranium.Two that I don't see on your "tried" list - Winter Stress Relief, while not the ideal perfume for many, is a really yummy mint-geranium blend. The oil is hard to find but the bath oil from this past holiday season might be a little easier to get your hands on. Ephemera was pretty much all violet and geranium on me, like a green violet blend (the notes are violet, chamomile, muguet, white geranium, calla lily, tea rose, and "a hint of" autumn leaves).

Stress Relief Elixir is what inspired this post. :DEphemera sounds promising if it's mostly geranium and violet, thanks!

I think one of the big showcase rose geranium scents was Longing from last years Lupercalias (rose geranium, frankincense, Ceylon cinnamon, golden musk, bay rum, and bois du rose). I get a real 'warm sunlit geranium' waft, and it does a brilliant job of lifting my mood.

I never tried it because geranium and musk are the only two notes in there that I like...:\Is the cinnamon detectable? And how dry does the rosewood go?

Whatever makes cinnamon 'Ceylon' I think also makes it significantly less harsh, less hot, less foody, and more golden somehow. When your post brought Longing to mind, it wasn't until I tracked down the notes that I even recalled it had cinnamon in it.And I wouldn't describe it as dry at all. It's a big scent, lots of throw and there is no mistaking the rose geranium. It's the star of the show.

This is exactly what I needed to know...that does sound very promising indeed. Thank you.