lilirose

This smells exactly like Anthelion to me. It has the same medicinal, menthol tang. For intent- Yes. Got me through a night when I was incredibly sad after realising a hard, hard truth. It helped me to face that truth and make it through with my head high instead of descending into depression. I have a decant and I'm not sure if I'll buy a bottle quite yet, because it's just so much like Anthelion to both my nose and my spirit- I'll have to try it again before I decide for sure.

Scent: Yes. primarily orange. I get a touch of musk and incense as well, though can't narrow it down further. Intent: I'm not disappointed. I tend to be hypersensitive, and someone who is really, really important to me inadvertently hurt my feelings earlier (over something pretty silly, but whatever). Normally I'd tend to dwell on this and worry about it until I spoke to her again, but tonight I put on Joy, lit some orange candles, and meditated for a little while, and I'm not stressing about it as much as usual. In fact, I'm in a surprisingly good mood for a Friday night when I'm sitting at home. So I'd give this high marks for intent, much like most of the other TALs.

I was wearing the Conjure Bag versions of Blockbuster and High John the Conqueror when I took my driving test a few months back. I passed, then immediately after, got into a fight with my (normally placid) husband that was scary-bad, probably the worst in our entire relationship. So, er, I'm not sure if I could recommend them or not...

First, it's relevant to mention that I am autistic (which causes me to be very socially awkward and clumsy), and am social phobic on top of that. I have always had enormous trouble making friends in real life and have spent the last few years mostly in isolation. I do not so much avoid social situations, but I'm rarely included/invited to them. Charisma works. It does. I've had it for a while and never before had exactly the right occasion to use it properly. I did on Thursday night, and a situation that terrified me was very much smoothed, people seemed to find me incredibly interesting and kept encouraging me to talk, I had a truly wonderful time, and I came away with several new friends who I think may end up being be long-term. I actually don't care for the smell of it. To me something about it smells fermented and sour and a bit like beer (I don't like beer). After applying it whilst concentrating on my intent, I put a ton of Dragon's Heart into my scent locket so I wouldn't obviously smell of Charisma and only Charisma. Still, 5 out 5 for intent, and will be a permanent fixture in my TAL arsenal.

I've worn this four times now. The bottle is about 1/6 gone, and though I know I love it, I've only just now pinned it down enough to write a review. In the bottle: sweet, almost "standard perfume" without the headache. On skin, wet: Honey and amber. On skin, dry: Honey and amber and light, light musk and something that leaves a salty tang in the back of my throat. Maybe just barely fruity, but barely. Not foody, unless you're thinking of "food" in terms of that scene in 9 1/2 Weeks where "Bread and Butter" is playing in the background. (Am I dating myself here?) I don't get any of this "kush", even though I used to be Ms. Super-Stoner before I had kids. Throw: medium. Staying power: medium. Final judgement: 5 out of 5. Now that I've managed to write a satisfying review, it Shall Be Hoarded.

This blend is so incredibly sharp that I almost cut myself putting it on. I'm a fan of lavender, and this is lavender with a razor edge. Wet, the pennyroyal was cool and sort of minty but while drying down it just got...pointy, for lack of a better term. It's quite a pleasant and unassuming lavender underneath, which is not totally overwhelmed, but it's close. However, it fits a mood, for sure, and it also seems to be one of the few blends that I like when I'm fighting off a migraine (Envy being the other). I'm going to hang on to this imp, and I might not buy a 5ml but will probably want another imp when it's gone.

Wet: bitter and fruity. Dry: so sweet it makes my teeth ache. more fruity than floral, to me. Not really unnatural, but very candy-ish. Sort of “tutti-fruitti” for lack of a better description. This is another one that is "nice but not really my thing".

Oh no, yet another rose I’m in love with. In the imp: Rose soap. On skin, wet: Rose and wood smoke, a bit incensey. On skin, dry: Blossoms! Oh rose and gorgeous deep living wood! I think this may be the first wood smell that didn’t smell like sawdust on me, other than Yggdrasil. I love this and the only thing stopping me from immediately purchasing a 5ml is the knowledge that I really, really need to branch out from wearing rose almost all the time, and also the fact that I like my scents to have just slightly more throw than this has.

Nine-tailed fox demon of Korean lore who transforms into the visage of an irresistible beauty in order to seduce men and lead them to their doom. A sharp, biting blend of crisp white tea and ginger. Yep, that's tea all right, only a strangely perfumey tea...and I don't mean that in the sense of jasmine tea or lavender tea, but rather...maybe tea with a little touch of soap? This is a very crisp and clean scent. I can't find any ginger at all, but I'd swear I smell a bit of rose. Quite pleasant, but entirely too refined and proper for my personal taste.

Reviewed mostly for intent. In scent this is a sweet, feminine floral. It's quite pleasant, gentle and not overwhelming. There's a note in it that reminds me of White Light, and another that reminds me of La Flamme. For intent: Holy crow, this stuff works. Magic, seriously. Without going into too much detail- I had a necessary appointment with someone who, during our two previous meetings, treated me in a very rude, brusque, and somewhat unreasonable manner. Today, while I was wearing Servare, he was not only as nice as pie, but went out of his way to be helpful and make sure that I got everything I needed from him. Also, I went into a shop to pick up a few small items to send along with some swaps, and the shopkeeper (who is a friend of mine) gave the items to me for free. This is yet another five-star TAL, a definite must-have.

In the imp: Sweetly, deceptively floral On skin: Oh no. This has the dreaded "dry leaf" note- the same one from October '07- which, on me, turns unbearably, overwhelmingly bitter. I left it a while to see if it'd morph, but the leaf note remained prominent until the whole scent faded to nothing. Throw: Average. Staying power: medium. Overall: No, thanks. But if you liked October, you'll almost certainly like this.

I write my reviews in a Word document before posting them to the forum, and with this one didn’t look at the description or any of the other reviews before writing my review. Now that I’ve read the other reviews, I’m sort of surprised, because this smells different to me than it does to nearly everything else. I get no citrus at all from this blend. In the imp: Slightly sharp and woody, though I can’t identify which wood. On skin, wet: This is incredibly light. I hardly smell anything at all. Drydown: Definitely an ozone note in this, along with wood…not any specific wood, but the smell of walking through the woods on a damp day. Maybe a touch of sandalwood? It’s both light and deep at the same time. Throw: Almost none. This is nice enough, but it’s not really me.

This is an odd one. As others have said, it’s a big morpher, and in the end it’s a pleasant surprise. In the bottle: I couldn’t smell much of anything. On skin, wet: OMFG cedar! Argh, how did I fail to notice before buying this that it has cedar? Beginning of drydown: Dry cedar and sandlewood with just enough patchouli to make me think, in total, that this smells like dust. Not like the Lab’s usual dirt note (which I like), and not totally unpleasant, but very…dusty. After an hour or two: The cedar damps down to a tolerable level and the rose start to come out. This becomes quite sweet, feminine and almost creamy- or, at least, less dry and dusty than it started out. Verdict: probably about a 3.5 of 5. I’m going to see if it improves with age before I decide whether to swap it.

LadyLuckDoubt, all International orders turn up that error (or at least, they do for me). The USPS can't do international tracking, so the CnS email is the last you'll hear of your order until it arrives on your doorstep.

Wow...this one is completely amazing. I can't believe I waited so long (and decanted a couple of frimps from my unsniffed bottle) before I tried it. It's soft and almost...dim, with little to no throw. I slathered, and still have to put my nose right next to my skin to smell it. With the particular notes listed, I expected it to be right in my face, but it's not. I honestly can't pick out the individual notes, with the exception of the vetiver and the tobacco, which simply add a grassy, dewy scent without screaming "VETIVER!!!" or "TOBACCO!!!" It has a gentle, incensey sweetness- not full-on fruit, or full-on frankincense or myrrh, either- I want to call it "biting" but it's so soft it's barely a nibble. There is also something I detect that seems both deep and watery, though it’s probably a result of the combination rather than a character of a single note. Each lunar eclipse has great significance for me. It is sacred to me, a night that I take time to honour and reflect upon my spiritual evolution. This scent captures my reverence perfectly, and the rest of my bottle will be among my most treasured possessions.

In the bottle: lovely, sweet, deep, with maybe a touch of ozone. On skin: Men's cologne! This is just way overwhelmingly masculine on me. Not sweet, not floral, just manly. I've become a fan of so many BPALs that others think of as masculine that I'm totally shocked at how strong my reaction was- at first I thought "Oh this is nice", then all of a sudden: "Wait, I totally don't want to smell like this at all." I was so looking forward to this one, as well. Oh well- it'll smell great on my husband.

Reviewed for intent and for scent I've used this twice now, once by itself and once in combination with other TALs. On the "combined" use, it did its job perfectly- it lifted my personal energy as well as lifting the energy of the oil I used with it (one of the love/attraction blends), allowing me to have a perfect and effective ritual. The time I used it alone, I applied it on my chakras and wrists to relieve for simple physical fatigue. I can't say I noticed an effect, though my fatigue may have a medical cause, which I should not expect any oil to cure. I also applied too much, enough so that after a while I started feeling ill and had to wash it off. I don't think I will try wearing Energy on my skin again. I'll save it for ritual use, as I know it is extremely efficacious in ritual. As for smell, I only get a touch of citrus. Actually, more than anything, it smells like Coca-Cola with lime. When I wore it on skin, my son told me I smelled like "Coke flavoured candy". I'd have to agree.

First, I should make it clear that I am Not A Fan Of Jasmine. To me, jasmine doesn’t really smell “floral”- it smells bitter, dark, and sort of musky, like a locker room. I tend to avoid jasmine like the plague. Still, myrrh and rose are both notes which I adore, so I decided to try Wicked despite the prominent jasmine. And what a shock- I like this scent. Maybe. Sort of. But I'm definitely intrigued. In the imp: Urgh. Jasmine, and nothing else. Am I sure I want to do this? Aw, what the hell. Wet, on skin. Er. I don’t know. How can it be both “jasmine” and “sexy” at the same time? How come I keep putting my nose to my wrist and inhaling deeply even though I mostly smell jasmine? Dry, on skin: this just keeps getting nicer and nicer. I can’t explain it. The rose becomes detectable relatively soon, which draws me in, and somehow the myrrh is doing…something….that’s making the jasmine smell really, really good. Throw: Major- one swipe on each wrist and my husband says he can smell me halfway down the stairs. Staying Power: Amazing. 8 hours plus and still going. Overall: Wicked is very wicked, in a devious way. I’m still not sure if I like it, but it’s certainly made me sit up and pay attention. I honestly can’t decide if it’s sexy or scary. It’s sort of both. Keeping the imp for sure. I’ll decide whether to buy a 5ml when the imp is gone and I can decide whether I miss it.

My husband and I used to blend our own incense before having an asthmatic child, which put a stop to any kind of smoke in the house. Kyphi was one of our favourites to make, though the ingredients can be hard to find and blend properly. Anyway, I somehow missed the fact that Cairo=kyphi until I got this as a frimp. It's a bit hard for me to break it down to those who haven't smelled kyphi incense before. It is, I feel, very difficult to accurately reproduce the smell of incense smoke in an oil, since, well- incense is smoke, and oil is oil. (I know, you're thinking "No sh*t, Captain Obvious!") Regardless, I like Cairo very much. It's a bit sweeter than my usual blend of kyphi, with less juniper, and it's not particularly smoky, but still, I was thinking "kyphi" before I checked the description. Unfortunately Cairo doesn't seem to have much throw or staying power on my skin- but I might just be having an off day, I don't know? I do like this and will be keeping the imp and considering a 5ml.

I was looking forward to this scent, as I am very fond of Hokusai’s work in general, and felt sure that Beth would, as usual, capture the essence of the painting perfectly. And as usual, I am not disappointed in the least. In the bottle, this smells almost exactly like Lightning to me. On skin, wet- It smells like the sea with musk. Like sex on a beach…not the drink, but the actual act. On skin, dry: This blossoms into the most complex and intriguing aquatic I’ve tried so far (and I’m a huge fan of aquatics). The “ocean and musk” smell hangs on, but is joined by a deep, mellow note that I assume is ambergris? I’m not getting mint from this at all. Long after drydown (6+ hours later): It’s still there, though now it’s honey and ambergris. Still very nice. Many BPALs evoke colours in my mind, but this one definitely evokes a sound- if you’ve ever heard a recording of whale songs, this blend is just like the very, very low bass note that you almost feel in your heart rather than hearing with your ears. Somehow, despite the aquatic depth, this still manages to be quite feminine. I like this very much and would love to have a second 5ml before it disappears forever.

This blend? Is love. I know I tend to rave about a lot of scents but truly- this is an all-time favourite. I dearly wish I could afford a couple more bottles for hoarding. It's very sexy, passionate, and sensual on me. At first it's very, very mandarin- like dawndie said, it's orange fizz, like the smell when you're peeling a lovely fresh mandarin. On my skin, this hangs on for far longer than any citrus has the right to- the brightness of the orange hangs on well after drydown (I can still just make it out four hours after applying!) I can smell both patchouli and ylang ylang in this, but they are so perfectly balanced that it's neither too earthy nor too sweet- both notes just lift up the yummy citrus but also give it a depth that stops the whole thing from being foody. Throw is terrific (though I did slather a bit) and staying power is excellent. Can't say enough good things...if you're considering a bottle but the price seems steep, all I can say is SO VERY WORTH IT (yep, I'm shouting).

Since I’m reviewing this TAL on intent rather than scent, I’ll just say that scent-wise this is warm and yellow and sunny. It’s not entirely dissimilar to the LE To Helen, which I wore yesterday, except this doesn’t have any rose. It definitely has a honey note as well as amber. Enough about the scent. I used Lionheart today because I had an important, make-or-break meeting with one of my kids’ school principal, who I dislike strongly and who unfortunately, also is also a bit of a bully. I’ve been stressing about this meeting for a fortnight now. Lionheart did help me to feel calmer and more collected. Despite the man pushing every last button I had, I did not lose my temper. I won’t know for a few days what the result of this meeting will be, and I’m not sure it went all that well, but I don’t feel as wrecked about it as I had expected. There are a couple more meetings over the next few days and I will definitely be using Lionheart again. I currently own a decant but will be buying a 5ml, as I can see this becoming one of my “basic TALs to always have on hand”.

This smells so very wonderful on me. In the bottle it's soft creamy rose. Wet, it's so creamy that it almost smells like beeswax and vanilla (though I know there's no vanilla in it). After drydown it's a luscious, sweet smell- beeswax, honey, and rose are the predominant notes. I don't get ozone from it at all, for some reason, even though ozone usually amps on me. It's a very "ivory" sort of scent colour-wise (if you're weird like me and associate scents with colours). Despite its softness it has a ton of throw. So far this is my favourite of the Love Poems, though I haven't gotten to try all that I ordered yet because I had a cold. Definitely a 5/5.

Oh no, another “OMG I love this with all my heart” BPAL rose. Soon I may end up being “all rose, all the time”. In the imp, this is dark, sultry rose. On skin, wet: Another incredibly real rose scent, with a musky darkness and a deepness I have not found in any other. Drydown: Oh gods, this is incredibly, amazingly sexy on my skin. The level of musk is just perfect, weighing the rose down just enough to make it both mournful and sexy (kind of like me ). It’s longer-lasting than any other BPAL rose I’ve tried, even my beloved Rose Red. The throw is stronger than most roses, too- not strong enough to be “in your face”, but at the same time I feel surrounded by a cloud of dark, amazing beauty. Verdict: Love. Love. A million times love. I have too many rose scents as it is but I must have a 5ml of this.

Their scent of their slick, rubbery hides is bittersweet, ticklish, and skin-creeping: something akin to yuzu, white grapefruit, and kumquat mixed with the snow-dusted flowers of Mount Ngranek. In this imp: this was very bright, tart and strong. I picked it because I thought it would have a ton of throw and I was in the mood for something "throwy". On skin, wet: Bright citrus. I don't want to say "grapefruit", because it doesn't have the bitterness I associate with grapefruit. It's more like...something between orange and grapefruit. I guess than must be the yuzu. On skin, dry: Still citrus, with an undertone of a non-citrus fruit. My husband said it reminded him of kiwifruit, but when I said "kumquat" he said "Oh, yeah!" Half an hour later: Gone, gone, gone. My prime desires in a great blend (other than it smelling good) are throw and staying power, and this has neither. It smelled wonderful while it lasted, though,