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Showing results for tags 'Yule 2017'.
Found 137 results
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Eight legs of wild plum and scrabbling black musk fluttering over a sac of lemon sugar eggs. Light, lemon mixed with plum a dash of sugar with a smooth hint of black musk in the background. The musk is clean and keeps the lemon in check. Finally, a lemon scent I can enjoy!
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Golden-brown and sugar-dusted, plump with sweet blackcurrant jelly. Full disclosure: I am an enormous fan of the Sufganiyots of Yules past, so I blind-bought two bottles of this year's Black Currant variety, because I felt *certain* that I'd want backups of this one, too. And I was NOT wrong. In the bottle, and when first applied, this has the familiar -and delicious!- strong fried-dough scent of its siblings. And, as with raspberry and strawberry before her, black currant starts to come into her own within the context of the scent as it warmed on my skin. This years' version is perhaps a little sweeter than its predecessors, which I believe has everything to do with the chosen fruit. Both raspberry and strawberry have a bit of a tangy undertone. But black currant is more of a pure sweetness with nothing tart to counteract. It's not cloying, don't misunderstand. This is the epitome of a full fried doughnut stuffed to the gills with thick and sweet black currant jam. It's delectable! If you loved the other two, you'll be delighted to add this one to your collection. If you missed out on previous years, definitely give this one a try. I would only say proceed with caution if you're a foodie that only likes your food scents to have a little edge- you might need to tread lightly with this. Or possibly layer with a rich non-food, like sandalwood or vetiver, or layer with a spice, like the newly released Indonesian Clove SN. Now to decide if I need *another* backup bottle...
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Copaiba balsam, black oudh, Ceylon cinnamon, vegetal musk, and ambrette seed. Oudh, greenish musk, and a touch of cinnamon and balsam. This one has a greener edge than I expected. It's actually a fairly gender neutral/masculine cologne type and I'm surprised at the number of scents this update has had for the fellas. This one is nice and soft, and very pleasant. I'm actually going to try this on mr. zee_zee. Good throw and wear length.
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Dark soil upturned by raking claws, a shiver of pine needles, glints of white frankincense, and a gleaming black rustle of lavender, cade, and opoponax. This is a blend of things I never would have thought to put together, and it really, really works. The pine and lavender are not a combination I would have guessed I wanted, but it's beautiful! The pine is strong at first, but the the lavender amps to balance it perfectly. Anyone who likes the lavender in Mari Lwyd, The Air and the Ether, Hidden Purpose, etc. will like this. It's not too herbal or too floral. The frankincense and opoponax are soft and stick to the background, but they warm up the scent and keep it from feeling too icy, which is a problem I sometimes have with pine. This is truly a standout from the Yules I've tried, and I'll probably end up getting backups.
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Lavender smoke and golden amber, rushing by like a shadow on the wall. Galloping Dreams is simple and lovely. Grey-purple lavender (smoky in a dusky way) and warm amber work together here to create a very effective sleep/relaxation spray. I sprayed my bed linens last night and slept so well! The amber brings down the herbal pitch of lavender (which can sometimes smell a bit astringent to my nose), so I'm free to spray more heavily than I might otherwise. Some night I'll have to spray this and then wear The Air & The Ether for maximum lavender + amber effect.
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Wynter wakeneth al my care, Nou this leves waxeth bare; Ofte I sike ant mourne sare When hit cometh in my thoght Of this worldes joie, hou hit goth al to noht. Nou hit is, and nou hit nys, Also hit ner nere, ywys; That moni mon seith, soth hit ys: Al goth bote Godes wille: Alle we shule deye, thah us like ylle. Al that gren me graueth grene, Nou hit faleweth al by dene: Jesu, help that hit be sene Ant shild us from helle! For y not whider y shal, ne hou longe her duelle. May we be saved and save ourselves from these hard, cruel times, and may we find strength together, for we know not where we go, nor how long we will dwell here. A warming, uplifting, strengthening scent: patchouli and sweet amber with champaca, bourbon vanilla, and frankincense. This is just beautiful. All of the notes are evident, with the frankincense and bourbon vanilla initially prominent. In time, the champaca and patchouli become more dominant. It's not overly sweet. It's not a churchy incense scent nor a dirty hippy scent, but somewhere in a happy middle place. It reminds me of something which is escaping me at the moment.
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UNCANNY STORY FROM THE ONSET SPIRITUALISTS Wealthy Widow Becomes a Ghost’s Bride The Bangs Sisters, May and Lizzie, Continue to Startle the Peaceful Residents of a Massachusetts Town – the Spirit Bridegroom Charming May Bands and her sister, the great spiritualists, who, when at home, reside in Chicago, have lately startled the natives of Onset, Mass. This statement means more than might appear on the surface when it is added that that little town is almost wholly made up of spiritualists. Thither the Bangs sisters hied themselves some weeks ago to take part in the summer assembly of the eastern societies. They made their headquarters at Happy Home cottage, where they were daily visited by pilgrims in search of friends and relatives long since in the “other world.” Among those visitors was a rich widow from the far west, who wanted to see her lover, who had been a captain in the United States army. The captain, who came from Maryland, died on the eve of his marriage to the rich widow. For a year she has worn widows’ weeds and longed for even a visit from the spirit of her departed lover. Miss Bangs informed her that she could not only produce the captain’s spirit, but that the marriage ceremony that had been cut off by death would be performed in Happy Home cottage. A few days ago an item was given out for publication to the effect that the ceremony had been effectually performed some days before. In speaking of it May Bangs said: “I materialized the form and the lover came out of the cabinet attired in the uniform of an army officer. The premises had been previously examined to prove that there was no mortal about. The materialized spirit asked that the curtains be drawn for a while to shut off the front parlor. The bride wanted him to put on her slipper, and he did. “Only a faint light shone through the room where the minister and others were waiting. He kissed her numerous times. The bride was in a new wedding dress. Then the materialized spirit lover requested that the marriage ceremony be performed, and the request was granted. He placed a ring on her finger. They were together a long time that evening.” – Fort Wayne Sentinel, September 10, 1894 Misted roses and the memory of cologne, salt-wet and bittersweet. The Spirit Groom is gentle rose and salt water on me, like roses and tears. The 'memory of cologne' is very subtle, almost an insinuation more than a note. The first time I tested this, I wasn't sure it would be 'me', despite the lovely rose. But the second time I tested it, it really bloomed on my skin and I found that I kept bringing my wrist to my nose for the watery rose. So I guess this one is a keeper!
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Seven Swans-A-Swimming Six Geese-A-Laying Five Golden Rings Four Calling Birds Three French Hens Two Turtle Doves and a Partridge in a Pear Tree Chestnut milk with honey and hay. Oh. My. Goddess. I knew, from description alone, that this was a must-have. Even though I don't use glosses that often, even though I literally have ten other bottles already languishing. I knew. I *KNEW*. And I was RIGHT! There is the light and sweet hay note from Surreal Crawdad, which I was hoping for, and yes, the honey is in there, sweetening the pot a bit more. But that chestnut milk. That's the money shot right there. If there was a scent, a single note, of ONLY chestnut milk, I'd be forced to buy multiple bottles. This note is so gloriously creamy, so beautifully...earthy? at the same time- it's just...glorious. Let me put it this way- chances are excellent that I will be using this on my skin, whether or not my hair is in need of a spritz!
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But on what could an impression be left? An impression of such a nature becomes a material thing and implies a material nexus, however subtle. So far as we know there are only two things there, the air and the ether. The air is a mobile thing and could not carry a permanent impression. But is the ether a mobile thing? It is pictured as a most delicate medium with vibrating currents flowing in it, but it seems to me that a most tenuous jelly with quivers and thrills would be a closer analogy. We could conceive the whole material universe embedded in and interpenetrated by this subtle material, which would not necessarily change its position since it is too fine for wind or any coarser material to influence it. I feel that I am rushing in where even Lodges fear to tread, but if it should prove to be as I suggest then we should have that permanent screen on which shadows are thrown. The block of ether upon the stairs is the same that it always was, and so conveys the impression from the past. the Edge of the Unknown, Arthur Conan Doyle Gentle, almost imperceptible, permeating all things: pale amber vibrating with ambergris and a thread of lavender. This is one of the purest, most beautiful lavenders I've ever smelled. It's up there with Hidden Purpose bath oil! It's the perfect balance between floral and herbal lavender, with just a hint of salty, spicy ambergris enhancing it. The ambergris gets more prominent as it dries down, with more of a 50/50 balance between that soft ocean scent and the lavender. It's amazingly, and yes, a little ethereal. I'm probably going to need more bottles.
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If then, man, in every act, leaves the impression, or daguerreotype of his mental being upon the scenes of his life and the subjects of his action, we are by this law furnished with a new clue to the history of our race; and I think it highly probable, that, by the application of this principle, the chasms of history may be supplied, and a glimpse may be obtained of unrecorded ages and nations, whose early history is lost in darkness. The ancient manuscripts, paintings, and other works of art, which still exist – the crucifixes, garments, armor, and other ancient relics, still preserved – are doubtless still instinct with the spirit that produced them, and capable of revealing to psychometric exploration, the living realities with which they were once connected. At present, these relics are barren of significance. Their hidden meaning lies waiting the future explorer, as the hieroglyphics of Egypt awaited the arrival of Champillion to interpret their significance. And why should not the world be filled with the monuments and unwritten records of its past history? It would seem, to the superficial thinker, that man was entirely limited to tradition and written records for his knowledge of the past; but physical science proves, that the world possesses, embodied in enduring monuments, the story of its progressive existence. The geologist finds, in the different strata of the earth, in its curiously mingled and irregular structure, and in the fossil remains which it conceals in its bosom, the history of its various changes of surface, and of the antediluvian races of animals which have long been extinct. The huge Saurian monsters, which he portrays from their fossil relics, rise before the eye as incredible chimeras. And over this fertile region, now occupied by prosperous States, he revives, by the magic power of science, the antediluvian seas and their strange inhabitants, unknown to man. The Past is entombed in the Present! The world is its own enduring monument; and that which is true of its physical, is likewise true of its mental career. The discoveries of Psychometry will enable us to explore the history of man, as those of geology enable us to explore the history of the earth. There are mental fossils for psychologists as well as mineral fossils for the geologists; and I believe that hereafter the psychologist and the geologist will go hand in hand — the one portraying the earth, its animals and its vegetation, while the other portrays the human beings who have roamed over its surface in the shadows, and the darkness of primeval barbarism! Aye, the mental telescope is now discovered which may pierce the depths of the past and bring us in full view of the grand and tragic passages of ancient history! I know that, to many of my readers, unaccustomed to these investigations, and unacquainted with the first experimental facts of this great science, these anticipations must seem a visionary hope – too grand, too romantic, too transcendently beautiful to be true. But observe, that all is based upon familiar experiments, and these results are but legitimate deductions from familiar facts. As surely as the expansive power of steam gives premonition of the ocean steamship, does the power of Psychometry give promise of all the glorious performance to which I have alluded. —Buchanan, 1842 A tactile scent, groaning under the weight of aeons: wild fig, cedarwood, venerable ti leaf, and white sage. In vitro: Woody figgy. I love wood and I love figs. Let's do this. Wet on skin: The cedar and sage predominate, with the fig adding juicy sweetness. The sage contributes a very clean feeling that could strike people as smelling like really nice shampoo (Tabella did the same), but I am cool with that (I have three bottles of Tabella). Delicious, multi-dimensional cedar. Dry: Sillage is very close to the skin. This actually reminds me quite a bit of a more chilled-out Tabella, less bright and sharp, just fig and cedar and sage hanging out together. There's nothing flashy about this, in fact, but it's still compelling and substantial. It's a classy, calm, and wise scent, like meditating in a forest. Definitely unisex; I wouldn't call it masculine, but nevertheless this would probably be lovely on a guy. The sage gets stronger on drydown and reminds me of one of my favourite places in the world, the Mojave desert in southwestern Utah. Love it.
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A great, warm hug of relief: snow-dusted carnation and sweet clove. Gently, Gently is just the nicest combination of carnation and clove. Carnation is already a 'spicy floral' to my nose, so the clove really enhances that and brings out the peppery quality in fresh carnations. I don't pick up an overt snow note here, just the sense that these carnations are 'snow-dusted' as in the description. I will likely need more of this. Not only does it make for a beautiful bath, but this would be great for using as a moisturizer and layering with scents like Alice, Eclipses Be, and Clémence.
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Three French Hens Two Turtle Doves and a Partridge in a Pear Tree Screeching pink peppercorn, a squawk of rose geranium, black patchouli, bois de rose, and prune. I love pink peppercorn, hope it's prominent here! Wet: Blah! I had totally forgotten that rosewood sometimes goes horribly sour on me! That is what is happening here. Ick. Hoping it will settle as I smell some sweet fruit and spicy floral notes in the throw that are quite beautiful, but nose to skin this is all sour wood. Dry: The bois de rose eventually settles a bit, but is still rather sour. I can smell the geranium quite strongly now. I can't pick out the pepper specifically, but there is some spice to it. It's got an interesting spicy/fruity/floral/woody thing happening though. I think this would be really lovely on someone else's skin, or perhaps even with some age on my skin. Right now it's still just a bit too sour for me.
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No additional description provided. Scent description for Sin is here.] I got mainly Snow White plus cinnamon and a dash of sandalwood. It was very chilly snowy but with cinnamon. Good throw and wear length.
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Dust, rags, leather, and shining steel. Brown leather, steel and a touch of dust. Honestly, this makes me think of a cross between Quincy Morris and the Torture Queen. If you've ever been craving a replacement for Quincy Morris, I'd give this puppy a whirl. Good throw and wear length.
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Fear of Opinions The discordant clang of silverware punctuates another heated rant, and Uncle Elliot whips out his phone to underscore his point with a Facebook meme he saw earlier in the day. Flecks of cranberry sauce spatter the table as a fist pounds in anger: a boisterous, conflicted, bombastic lather of red pepper, boiled cranberries, and bergamot. Very juicy cranberry scent. As it dries I get more red pepper which spices up the scent and makes it more festive. Like a new twist on the classic cranberry cinnamon combo. Not specifically getting bergamot but it could be adding some brightness. The throw is fairly low, but I don't mind as it could be overwhelming if it was too strong. Soft, but bright and cheerful.
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While Persephone visited the realm of Hades, she tasted one single pomegranate seed, an act which compelled her to remain connected to the Land of the Dead for all eternity. Demeter's grief over her beloved daughter's absence that brings on the bleakness and barrenness of the winter months. The Fruit of Paradise, the Nectar of Death: bittersweet pomegranate. The story of Persephone was what first made me love pomegranates when I heard it as a child, and as the cold months begin and they start appearing on store shelves (in ever increasing quantities!) I cannot resist them. The rich, blood red, dripping fragrant juice is a delight, and I love perfumes in which it is a prominent note. This is a deeper, stronger pomegranate than something like Swank or Persephone, but it remains true to that sweet red almost berry-like scent. It's given some depth and strength by...well, I'm not sure but it makes me think of amber. I was wondering if maybe this would have a strong earth or dirt note, but it is mainly pomegranate sweetened and deepened perhaps by amber or some other sweet, golden pale resin. A few notches different from something like Hymn to Proserpine, but it does recall a Yule time red sweet berry-fruit scent. On the drydown there might be a hint of a rich, darker note, but that clear, bright red fruit is always on top.
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and a Partridge in a Pear Tree Pulsating globs of red musk, viscera-thick black vegetal musk and opoponax, with white pepper, tuberose, white lavender, orris butter, and ambergris accord. Wow, yes, this is a red musk-heavy scent. Everything else flows in around the red musk. The most prominent sub-notes on me are the vegetal black musk and opoponax, followed by lavender and orris. The tuberose, white pepper, and ambergris round this out but don't assert themselves. It's one of those scents that's so well-blended that everything sort of melds. This is a musky fun mix, in the vein of Smut. I love red musk, so this is going to get a lot of wear from me!
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Four Calling Birds Three French Hens Two Turtle Doves and a Partridge in a Pear Tree Luminous golden amber, lemon peel, and royal agarwood, tonka bean and bone-white orris, and a splash of blood. In the bottle - Definitely got that "bone white" feel going on. Dry. Wet - Instantly juicy. These bones are fresh, with lemon zest and amber. Amber is dominating. Drydown - A lot more wood now. Damn, I rather like this. It's a vibrant amber-wood blend with a hint of juiciness. There isn't a lot of throw, so I don't have much more to report. The amber does go a little powdery as it wears on. I'm sneezing a lot. (Potentially unrelated since I've been breathing wildfire smoke for the last week, but thought you should know.) Verdict - For the most part, I like it. I'm going to have to give this a couple more tries, though. I haven't quite figured it out.
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[No additional description provided.] Sweet Ginger and Patchouli HG plays out as a surprise in my hair—I think I was expecting something bolder, but this is soft and has an almost herbal feel. The ginger here isn't overly assertive, spicy, or sweet. It's a gentle ginger, coding unmistakably as ginger but sotto voce. The patchouli gives this an earthy feel, but it's similarly restrained. For the first few minutes or so, the combination of notes smells a bit like citronella. Then it mellows out to an earthy, herbal ginger. A pleasant, non-foody ginger scent for those who also like patchouli!
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My most remarkable experience has been with Dr. H. Slade of New York, for whom I have formed a high regard. I first met him at his residence last November, when, without announcing my name, in three consecutive sittings, at eleven o’clock in the morning, seated at a small, bare table in the centre of a light room, there written on the under side of a slate placed on the table, several communications addressed to me, purporting to come from my deceased friends. I pass over the other manifestations – such as the movement of heavy articles of furniture in plain view, without visible contact – and confine myself to the writing on the slate, which I regarded with most interest… – Thos. W. Waterman, Binghamton, NY, July 14, 1873 The result of a physical law which is not yet understood, and the existence of which has hitherto scarcely been suspected: beeswax candles, chalk, and dust. In the Bottle: Rich beewax and a little bit of a dusty background On the Skin: The beautiful lab beeswax note, rich and sweet. The dry chalky note and dust emerges quite quickly to dry out the blend and tone down the sweetness of the beeswax. I am loving the chalkiness. On the Drydown: Stays fairly consistent through the drydown as a dusty beeswax but the beeswax amps up every now and then. I love it.
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A chilly, bright perfume: flurries of virgin snow, crisp winter wind and the faintest breath of night-blooming flowers. Limited Edition; December 2003. Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab has been outdoing themselves with the limited edition scents lately, and this is a sterling example! This is an airy, crisp, barely floral that is warm and soft, all the while making me picture the first snow and the sharp, clean scent that accompanies it. I know warm and snow don't sound like they go together, but let me assure you that they do! My all-time favorite. I wonder if Elizabeth would consider keeping some of the limited editions based on customer response ... I'd e-mail daily on this one.
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At a late period in the evening, after nearly three hours of experiment, Mrs Hayden having risen, and talking at another table while taking refreshment, a child suddenly called out, Will all the spirits who have been here this evening rap together? The words were no sooner uttered than a hailstorm of knitting-needles was heard, crowded into certainly less than two seconds; the big needle sounds of the men, and the little ones of the women and children, being clearly distinguishable, but perfectly disorderly in their arrival. Augustus de Morgan Polished mahogany and black tea with a clatter of vanilla husk and oak wood. In the bottle this is vanilla tea with a little bit of dark polished wood underneath and it stays true on my skin. A deep rich vanilla tea, with the woods coming in for support. Elegant and cozy.
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In the center of the chariot shines Capellas yellow-white brilliance. A deep chthonic, earthy scent, with a glowing core: oakmoss, vetiver root, and patchouli with lemon rind and golden amber. In the imp: A very earthy, almost herbal fruity scent. I expected the lemon rind to be sharp to the point of astringency, but this has and oddly... juicy quality to it? Might be the amber rounding things out. Wet: This is a scent of wild places, a sunbeam piercing the canopy of the forêt sauvage. The vetiver is surprisingly well-behaved on me, deep and growling but not B.O. or burning tires, the way it can sometimes go. The amber-gilded lemon rind is still fairly dominant, but it's made dark and wild by the patch and just a hint of vetiver. At this point, I would compare it to Hemlock - a very realistic green, wild scent, but dark and mysterious instead of light and springy. Surprisingly little throw so far. Dry: Huh, that's a surprise! I was worried that the oakmoss would take this blend straight to Soaptown, as it tends to do, but instead I get an oddly pretty, almost fruity-floral scent. The amber is much more prominent, and the patchouli is now providing an almost spicy warmth instead of grit. There's still a breath of wild, fresh air, but I would now call this a cheerful, even office-appropriate, scent. Earthy, maybe. Chthonic, not so much.
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Sweet pea and sugar cane. I blind bottled this as soon as I saw the sweet pea and sugar because I'm still suffering from the Great Reflected Vulva Heartbreak of 2014. After painfully doling out a teensy drop from what's left of my decant to compare, I can say that at least to me it's very close. Even though Princess doesn't have the cream note, it still smells soft and creamy to me. This is so sweet and girlish and precious that it should come with a free tiara, and yet it's not overwhelming and cloying. It's absolutely lovely and now I can finally stop pining for the Luper that got away. You're damn right I'm a motherfucking princess and now I smell like one too.
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A splort of honey in a pile of snow. Mmm, honey... Somewhat spicy and resinous smelling honey. I don't get much of the snow note in the hair gloss once it's dried on my hair, as opposed to the perfume oil. I found it to have good staying power, I was still catching whiffs a couple hours after application.
