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Showing results for tags 'Halloween 2009'.
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This season's Ridiculous Scent! As creepy as Spooky was spooky, this is the scent of butterscotch-kissed, caramel-smothered red apples spiked with a blast of coconut rum. First sniff out of the bottle this smells to me like a cross between Miskatonic University and Harvest Moon '06. At first it is all apple with a hint of cider. There is something else in there that smells to me like the 'autumn wind' note that is in Hunter Moon in Samhain. After I slather it on and let it sit a minute I can smell the caramel coming out. Now it smells like a big caramel covered apple. Mmmmm. As it drys down it smells more to me like Miskatonic University (the butterscotch note?) and apples. I don't detect the coconut rum note in this at all. Conclusion- Creepy is creepy and not at all like Spooky. This is the scent of autumn wind, cider, and caramel apples.
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BOO Eerie billows of spun sugar, fluttering white cotton, and sheets of cream. :ghost: This scent, for me, was exactly the same in the bottle, wet and dry on me. That's a first! The sugar and cotton are the two strong notes, with the cream adding a wonderful richness without being overpowering. I'm glad to see cream take a backseat for once, on my skin it usually turns sour. The cotton is fresh, clean, line dried in crisp spring air sheets that haven't been washed with scented detergent. It's sweet, but doesn't scream FOOD, but it does smell eerily like a marshmallow. Not a toasted marshmallow, just a straight out of the bag puffy white marshmallow. One of my favorites from the '09 Weenies, if not my favorite. :ghost:
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Well, we *are* doing a vampire update finally. Croquembouche with almond silk and a drizzle of caramel. Bite Me has a different honey note. Almost like a clover honey that is slightly flowery. Powdered sugar is sprinkled on top lightly. There is the a light fluffy pastry way down underneath it all warming it up. Not as overtly foody as I had feared. The almond is not very strong. It is a light toasted almond in the background. The clover like honey surprised me. Very nice!
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A barrel of beer, a pyramid of cakes, and three sticks of incense. Wet: Sweet, almost peanutty. A tinge of sourness cutting through the cakes. Not smelling the incense much. Dry: Incense, cake and beer, it's all there but nothing is overpowering the other two. Fantastically blended and not overly foody. Sweet, musky, with a hint of something....extra. I will be getting backup bottles of this! Yum! Lasting Power: Light/Medium. Throw: Light
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I am the ancient apple-queen. As once I was so am I now -- For evermore a hope unseen Betwixt the blossom and the bough. Ah, where's the river's hidden gold! And where's the windy grave of Troy? Yet come I as I came of old, From out the heart of summer's joy. The Roman festival for Pomona, Goddess of fruit, orchards, and gardens, was celebrated on November 1. On this day, the stores amassed during summer were opened for winter. Azaroles, nuts, and apple blossoms with red apple pulp, mulberry, blackberry, and pomegranate juice. bottle: very warm and lightly fruity. apple with a nice whiff of berries and nuts. wet: this has a very slight boozy feel when applied but it's mostly a fresh apple and warm, roasted nut scent. the berries are indistinct but i can smell them. dry: this dries to wonderful rich red apples and very faint nuts and berries.
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Devil's Eve, Devil's Night, Gate Night, Trick Night, Mischief Night; whatever your name for it might be, the chaos is still the same. Contrary to popular belief, this festival of pandemonium isn't unique to Detroit. Falling on October 30th, it is an evening of mayhem and destruction. On the gentler side, it may be celebrated by practical jokes, an egging, Ding-Dong-Ditch, or enthusiastic TP'ing of your most hated neighbor's trees, and on the more violent side, arson and vandalism. This is the scent of autumn night, fires in the distance, with a touch of boozy swoon, playful sugar and thuggish musk. Well, this is nothing like I expected. I expected it to be heavier and it's actually very light wearing on me. Beth nailed it with "autumn night" as that's what this smells like with a ever so slight hint of sugary/booziness. It is not at all too sweet or too boozy though. They are just very soft in the background. I do smell the note that I smell whenever Beth has a scent with the description "Autumn Winds". I have no idea what it is but it is very evocative of just that. When I was walking outside yesterday, it was chilly and the leaves were falling and I inhaled deeply and thought to myself "now that's an autumn air" and now I've got that in an oil but it's made even yummier with the sugar. This is really lovely and I am glad I bought more than one bottle. I don't think it resembles the Hex (can't spell it) LE at all, so I think those who speculated that this would be close may be disappointed. Although, I can smell just a tiny comparison to it. ETA: I'm noticing something spicy (almost gingerish) in this now. I don't know what it could be but this stage is really yummy. I just touched it up about an hour ago.
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A joyous celebration of La Catarina, La Flaca, La Muerte... Glorious, Beautiful Death. In Mexico, death is not something to be feared or hated; She is embraced, loved, and adored. La Muerte is fêted, as the celebrant "...chases after it, mocks it, courts it, hugs it, sleeps with it; it is his favorite plaything and his most lasting love." This is a Mexican paean to La Huesuda: dry, crackling leaves, the incense smoke of altars honoring Death and the Dead, funeral bouquets, the candies, chocolates, foods and tobacco of the ofrenda, amaranth, sweet cactus blossom and desert cereus. Okay, I've been wearing Dia de Los Muertos in my hair as it seems to be one of the best places for me to use many scents without smelling this overpowering scent on one part of my body. I put in one drop in my leave in conditioner (mind you it was a largish drop). When I first put it on, I definately smelled a smokiness that I can only assume is the tabacco. After about an hour or so I noticed that the scent had mellowed and that I was picking up smells that were a cross between Pan de Huevo (mexican pastry- it an egg bread type product with vanilla and other stuff) and Dulche de Leche candies. Later yesterday I noticed another scent as I was bowling, probably because I was sweating a little, That I believe was the cereus (I haven't been back to Tucson in blooming season for those in over two years). I washed my hair this morning and I can still smell the scent. Given that I normally go girlie girl with scents, this one is a bit out there for me (as it I wouldn't normally seen it smelling really good on me) but I think it smells amazing, and I spent most of yesterday catching whiffs and thinking man I want to go back to desert. Edited to add the lab's description--andrabell
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LUCY'S BOUDOIR Rose water and lavender with stargazer lily, white carnation, bois de rose, white iris, violet, and honey. I love every note in this but lily and carnation don't work on my skin, so YAY! Room spray! It's very heavy on the lily and carnation, too, funnily enough--slightly sweet from the honey but mostly this is flowers, flowers, flowers. Delicate and girly and beautiful!
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Sexy and suckable: black cherry brandy. I was a little nervous after reading will-call reviews that this might go cough syrup on me. Not so! Suck It smells like exactly what it should, black cherry brandy. However, the booziness doesn't take over too much. Instead, it keeps things from smelling too much like candied fruit. I really love it!
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PUMPKIN I Pumpkin, almond, brown musk, and honey. The Almond seems to combine with the Brown Musk & Honey for something of a skin scent with a slight earthy tone. It's quite a bit more laid back then many of BPAL's other Pumpkin scents.
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PUMPKIN II Pumpkin, rosewood, red sandalwood, and tea rose. This is a very elegant, Victorian pumpkin. The tea rose balances the inherent pumpkin buttery-ness, and the rosewood and sandalwood give it a refreshing, slightly dry coolness.
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LUCY, KISSED There was a long spell of silence, big, aching, void, and then from the Professor a keen "S-s-s-s!" He pointed, and far down the avenue of yews we saw a white figure advance, a dim white figure, which held something dark at its breast. The figure stopped, and at the moment a ray of moonlight fell upon the masses of driving clouds, and showed in startling prominence a dark-haired woman, dressed in the cerements of the grave. We could not see the face, for it was bent down over what we saw to be a fair-haired child. There was a pause and a sharp little cry, such as a child gives in sleep, or a dog as it lies before the fire and dreams. We were starting forward, but the Professor's warning hand, seen by us as he stood behind a yew tree, kept us back. And then as we looked the white figure moved forwards again. It was now near enough for us to see clearly, and the moonlight still held. My own heart grew cold as ice, and I could hear the gasp of Arthur, as we recognized the features of Lucy Westenra. Lucy Westenra, but yet how changed. The sweetness was turned to adamantine, heartless cruelty, and the purity to voluptuous wantonness. Van Helsing stepped out, and obedient to his gesture, we all advanced too. The four of us ranged in a line before the door of the tomb. Van Helsing raised his lantern and drew the slide. By the concentrated light that fell on Lucy's face we could see that the lips were crimson with fresh blood, and that the stream had trickled over her chin and stained the purity of her lawn death-robe. Diabolical voluptuousness, a siren song from the grave: juniper and yew brushing against blackened violets and funeral roses, red musk and hot blood, veined white marble and icy, brittle musk, all pulsing with the sinister, hypnotic scent of patchouli, amber, oude, and cubeb. Wow, I am first!!! Received it today and it immediately reminded me of Spellbound - has to be a close relative for sure! Just a little dab will do ya, this doesn't warrant slathering! Just a bit and the throw was great, not too strong, not too light. I don't pick out single notes, just a heavenly, incensey/musky rosy blend. It's dark without being musty or evil! I adore it and will love wearing it for a night out on the town - definitely an evening/night scent - a bit too heavy I think for warm weather during the day...
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The Cave of Cruachan in Connaught, a province that was given to the Formorians after the Battle of Mag Tuired. On the first of November, a flock of malevolent copper-colored birds bursts forth from the mouth of the cave, ushering a host of restless ghosts and wicked goblins that torment the living by blighting crops, killing livestock, stealing away brides-to-be, and replacing infants with changelings. Smoldering brimstone, bitter labdanum, clove, black musk, and copper-colored feathers. This is fantastic! in the bottle: very dark and smoky, there's a tang of something almost citrus wet: smoky clove and the black musk is just barely there dry: mmm. the bitter labdanum is definitely making it's presence known, and it's keeping the clove from being too overpowering. it is very, very dark. the black musk is subtle. there's a note that smells almost like dirt, but not quite. I don't know what copper-colored feathers are supposed to smell like, but whatever it is isn't very strong. It's got a lot of throw and isn't fading. There's something about the clove note BPAL uses that my skin chemistry just adores. This is a hoard-worthy winner!
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According to William Shepard Walsh, the Gentleman's Magazine for May of 1784 stated, "this is a constant ingredient at merrymaking on Holy Eve." He also quotes Vallancey's etymological speculation: "The first day of November was dedicated to the angel presiding over fruits, seeds, etc., and was therefore named La Mas Ubhal, -- that is, the day of the apple fruit, -- and being pronounced Lamasool, the English have corrupted the name to Lambs-wool." A popular holy day beverage in 18th century Ireland: roasted apples mashed into warmed milk and ale, with nutmeg, sugar, ginger, and clove. bottle: softly sweet, warm spiced milk. this is not the same jarring milk note that i get from milk moon 2007 though, it's far more soft. wet: i can definitely smell the ale as this warms a bit on my skin. it's not "boozy" per se, just there. i get the mashed apple scent too. the milk and spices have faded quite a bit to be almost just a faint trace. dry: very lovely. the milk note creeps back in after about 15-20 minutes and mixes well with the apple. this reminds me of baked apples, filled with oatmeal and spices and covered in cream. (edited for spelling idiocy)
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The Girl actually reminds me a lot of Bath and Body Works' brown sugar vanilla scent, except waay more sinister. I was on the fence about this one for a while. It's got the kind of appeal that makes Snow White so popular. All the aspects are so well blended and you've probably never smelled anything quite like it. I think my indecision was due to the fact that I'd get a waft and be like "That is just so God damn creepy." For such a pretty scent it squicked me out to the point where I didn't want much to do with it. It's been a couple years and I'd like to try it again. It's so hard to find though, I wish they'd bring it back next Weenie time.
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MIRCALLA, COUNTESS KARNSTEIN (Carmilla, Sheridan LeFanu) Sometimes after an hour of apathy, my strange and beautiful companion would take my hand and hold it with a fond pressure, renewed again and again; blushing softly, gazing in my face with languid and burning eyes, and breathing so fast that her dress rose and fell with the tumultuous respiration. It was like the ardor of a lover; it embarrassed me; it was hateful and yet over-powering; and with gloating eyes she drew me to her, and her hot lips traveled along my cheek in kisses; and she would whisper, almost in sobs, "You are mine, you shall be mine, you and I are one for ever." Then she had thrown herself back in her chair, with her small hands over her eyes, leaving me trembling. Languid, melancholy fire: red musk, purple orchid, frankincense, smoky vanilla, Styrian herbs, peru balsam, tonka, Zanzibar clove, and patchouli. Wow. This is one freakin' gorgeous and sexy scent. At first it's mostly spice form the clove with the other scents in the background, but quickly the other notes begin to appear. I can pick up the red musk, frankincense, and patchouli, and the vanilla adds a really wonderful smoky sweetness. After it's been on a little while I can catch hints of herbs, but nothing I can pin down and they are light enough that this is in no way and herbal scent. The orchid is surprisingly faint and adds a touch of femininity to the blend. Also, for those of you that are scared off by red musk, don't be. It is not a a blend that screams red musk and it is really well blended here. Honestly, this is even better than I expected and I am sooo happy I bought a bottle right off. Back up bottles will find their way into future orders. ETA: Wow, this just keeps getting better and better. It's become richer and a bit sweeter and the red musk comes and goes. It is really really gorgeous.
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CLARIMONDE (La Morte Amoureuse, Theophile Gautier) I do not know whether it was an illusion or a reflection of the lamplight, but it seemed to me that the blood was again commencing to circulate under that lifeless pallor, although she remained all motionless. I laid my hand lightly on her arm; it was cold, but not colder than her hand on the day when it touched mine at the portals of the church. I resumed my position, bending my face above her, and bathing her cheeks with the warm dew of my tears. Ah, what bitter feelings of despair and helplessness, what agonies unutterable did I endure in that long watch! Vainly did I wish that I could have gathered all my life into one mass that I might give it all to her, and breathe into her chill remains the flame which devoured me. The night advanced, and feeling the moment of eternal separation approach, I could not deny myself the last sad sweet pleasure of imprinting a kiss upon the dead lips of her who had been my only love. . . . Oh, miracle! A faint breath mingled itself with my breath, and the mouth of Clarimonde responded to the passionate pressure of mine. Her eyes unclosed, and lighted up with something of their former brilliancy; she uttered a long sigh, and uncrossing her arms, passed them around my neck with a look of ineffable delight. "Ah, it is thou, Romuald!" she murmured in a voice languishingly sweet as the last vibrations of a harp. "What ailed thee, dearest? I waited so long for thee that I am dead; but we are now betrothed; I can see thee and visit thee. Adieu, Romuald, adieu! I love thee. That is all I wished to tell thee, and I give thee back the life which thy kiss for a moment recalled. We shall soon meet again." Her head fell back, but her arms yet encircled me, as though to retain me still. A furious whirlwind suddenly burst in the window, and entered the chamber. The last remaining leaf of the white rose for a moment palpitated at the extremity of the stalk like a butterfly's wing, then it detached itself and flew forth through the open casement, bearing with it the soul of Clarimonde. The lamp was extinguished, and I fell insensible upon the bosom of the beautiful dead. Pallid skin musk, white roses, and a languorous vapor of Oriental perfume. Oh man my first OP ever! And only my second review ever too. Boy am I nervous. The first thing I notice upon placing this on my skin is the white rose. It seems like a more restrained, slightly dry kind with a very slight sharpness and delicate sweetness, to my nose at least. Generally I love roses, though I find sometimes I am put off by the sharpness some varieties have. The barely there edge to this one is really nice, though! It’s an almost youthful, pure rose (after I read the story this was based on that is almost ironic, but it 'fits' the idea of Clarimonde to me). I can smell the “oriental perfume” aspect floating just behind the rose. I am debating what it might be, still. I could be totally off the mark but there may be amber in there. It reminds me of the “idea” of oriental perfume from a bygone era, actually. Is that you amber...? It's perdy. The skin musk note is floating around vaguely in the forefront now it's warmed up, it’s my first experience with “skin musk”. It comes off to me as a light, slightly fragile musk. There is something antique and lady-like about this blend that is pleasing in it’s simplicity. Not much throw for me. A very "pale" scent. Overall; I am afraid that this may translate as the “old lady rose perfume” to some! But if you are into scents that evoke the elegance of bygone eras, this may be one to look into. I certainly am! Now I have the urge to design something… I dunno… maybe Victorian inspired to wear with this. UPDATE Sept 16 2009: I have been wearing Clarimonde to death and will have to break my #1 rule and let myself get backup bottles for the first time EVER I am already 1/3 of the way through the bottle I received last month, and this is coming from someone who makes a single bottle last a several years.
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KNOCK-A-DOLLY Ding Dong Ditch! Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab's Samhain scent with cinnamon sugar and candy dust! This one would be perfect to set the mood for a Halloween party ... it's very, very dark, harshly so, very dungeon-y. Unfortunately, it's all Samhain and no cinnamon, no sugar, no candy, at least not to my nose. But if you love Samhain, you'll love it.
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The Spirit of the Eve of Samhain, an aspect of Cailleach, the Divine Hag, in her Destroyer aspect. While Brìghde rules the time between Beltane and Sahmain, Cailleach rules the Dark of the Year. On the night of Samhain, she transforms into Carlin, harbingering the death of the land and the onset of the snows. On Beltane, the Great Crone is slain by Brìghde so springtime can reinvigorate the land. Black sage, ivy-twined rowan, thistle, snapdragon, heather, gorse, fumitory, and anise. This has the fresh green one associates with evergreen without seeming like Christmas. There is a slight floral overtone from the Snapdragon with the Anise adding a subtle interest. VERY Green/Brown and lovely. It is much less heavy-handed than many other "Green" scents from BPAL. It exceeded my expectations which I purposely kept low on seeing "Black Sage" listed.
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SARAH (The Tomb of Sarah, F.G. Loring) By half-past ten we were both getting very tired, and I began to think that perhaps after all we should see nothing that night. However, soon after eleven we observed a light mist rising from the 'Sarah Tomb'. It seemed to scintillate and sparkle as it rose, and curled in a sort of pillar or spiral. I said nothing, but I heard the Rector give a sort of gasp as he clutched my arm feverishly. 'Great Heaven!' he whispered, 'it is taking shape.' And, true enough, in a very few moments we saw standing erect by the tomb the ghastly figure of the Countess Sarah! She looked thin and haggard still, and her face was deadly white; but the crimson lips looked like a hideous gash in the pale cheeks, and her eyes glared like red coals in the gloom of the church. Unholy mist congealing into soft, white flesh, with black marble, remnants of liturgical incense, wolf's fur, and black flecks of froth. I've never been the first to review a scent... here goes! I had to try Sarah because of our shared name, and also because of the intriguing description. Black froth???! For me, Sarah calls to mind an old, abandoned church. The windows have been broken out, rot and mildew have set in, and the only visitors are wild beasts foraging for food. The marble altar is cold and wet with a layer of fuzz growing on it. The incense smoke was so thick in previous years that it became embedded into the pews and wall hangings, never to fade away completely, but now it is combined with the dusty, funky scent of thick animal fur. It's not an instant favorite. The mildew/mist note is kind of a turn-off, and the marble, incense, and fur notes are subtle and, at times, barely discernable. It's not a powerful enough scent, overall, for me to love it.
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The sticky sweet scent of candy corn! (I only tested this on my arm - have not yet worn it - so I may update this) This oil smells kind of "corny" out of the bottle. I don't know how else to explain it, but when applied it smells more like sugar skull without the brushed fruits (for those of you that aren't familiar with Sugar Skull, it was basically a sugar scent brushed with fruits). It has a very slight buttery/honeyish tinge to it. I also get a tiny bit of that "burnt sugar" scent that also came thru on me with Sugar Skull but it passes thru that phase. I was unable to wear last year's Sugar Skull due to a skin reaction, so hopefully I'll be able to wear this. This is a fun Halloween Scent. Thanks Beth!
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TATTIE BOGLE Alane upon the field she stood, The tattie-bogle, tall an' prood. But certie, she wis smairt an' braw, A bonnie lass, tho' made o' straw. Her gowden hair wis made o' oo. Her dentie goon when it wis new Langsyne, hid been the guidwife's best. Sae trigly wis the bogle drest! The beasts they cam' frae a' the airts. (The tod ran tours frae furrin' pairts.) They cam' by day, they cam' by nicht, To see a maist byordnar sicht. An' craws an sparras by the score, A wale o' burds, mair nor afore. The fermer roared an' raged aboot. 'A'll cast yon tattie-bogle oot!' Pair tattie-bogle, she wis wae. 'Eh!' said the houlet, 'Whits a dae?' He flew doon frae the elder tree. 'Noo, dry yer e'en an' herk tae me. 'See, lassie, tak ma guid advice. There is nae yiss ye bein' nice. Can ye nae glower an' skreich an' a' Tae sen' thae cooardie burds awa'?' The bogle grat nae mair: instead 'A'm much obleeged tae ye,' she said 'Ma voice is lood - jist like the craik!' 'Then sing,' he said, ' for ony sake!' It chilled the verra bluid tae hear The bogle's sang : frae far an' near The burds rose up, a' frichtit sair An' nivver cam back ony mair. Sae should ye pass at skreich o' day Alang the road frae Auchenblae, An' hear a strange uncanny soun, That scares the burds for miles aroon, A soon like pincils on a sclate, Be on yer way an' dinna wait. Ye can be shair as onything Ye've heard the tattie-bogle sing. Hay, gunpowder, patchouli, autumn herbs, and sun-baked wood. In the vial, this is a very sharp, dry scent. Freshly applied, it's scorched and desolate. This scarecrow may be in a field, but it's a field that's been harvested and only has the stumps of the plants remaining, waiting to be plowed under. You know those post-apocalyptic movies where there's the obligatory scene with the main character looking out over an utter wasteland? This is the smell of that scene. As it dries, it gets slightly lighter and prettier. The herbs are coming out a little bit. Dry-down, the wood comes out and it turns into high-school wood shop, as almost always happens with wood notes on me. I just keep hoping.
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ARIADNE BRUNNELL (The Vampire Maid, Hume Nisbet) This contact seemed also to have affected her as it did me; a clear flush, like a white flame, lighted up her face, so that it glowed as if an alabaster lamp had been lit; her black eyes became softer and more humid as our glances crossed, and her scarlet lips grew moist. She was a living woman now, while before she had seemed half a corpse. She permitted her white slender hand to remain in mine longer than most people do at an introduction, and then she slowly withdrew it, still regarding me with steadfast eyes for a second or two afterwards. Fathomless velvety eyes these were, yet before they were shifted from mine they appeared to have absorbed all my willpower and made me her abject slave. They looked like deep dark pools of clear water, yet they filled me with fire and deprived me of strength. I sank into my chair almost as languidly as I had risen from my bed that morning. Yet I made a good breakfast, and although she hardly tasted anything, this strange girl rose much refreshed and with a slight glow of colour on her cheeks, which improved her so greatly that she appeared younger and almost beautiful. I had come here seeking solitude, but since I had seen Ariadne it seemed as if I had come for her only. She was not very lively; indeed, thinking back, I cannot recall any spontaneous remark of hers; she answered my questions by monosyllables and left me to lead in words; yet she was insinuating and appeared to lead my thoughts in her direction and speak to me with her eyes. I cannot describe her minutely, I only know that from the first glance and touch she gave me I was bewitched and could think of nothing else. It was a rapid, distracting, and devouring infatuation that possessed me; all day long I followed her about like a dog, every night I dreamed of that white glowing face, those steadfast black eyes, those moist scarlet lips, and each morning I rose more languid than I had been the day before. Sometimes I dreamt that she was kissing me with those red lips, while I shivered at the contact of her silky black tresses as they covered my throat; sometimes that we were floating in the air, her arms about me and her long hair enveloping us both like an inky cloud, while I lay supine and helpless. Poppy flowers, peat, sphagnum moss, gardenia, and white water lily. Gardenia given depth by the Poppy and a light hearted sweetness from Water Lily. There's the merest hint of some earthy notes. I adore this, it is really a beautiful, very classy floral. Not over done. This might work for people who've not had much success with Florals. This seems like a cousin of I Died For Beauty. After testing again last night & this morning: Last night, the mossy elements came out much more and this verged on being close to unisex. This morning, I got a whisper of something that put "powder" into my head but before I could decide my attention was drawn to how thin a scent this is. This seems like a rather prim, pallid Victorian vampire. After reading a synopsis of the story and the excerpt, I'd say it's a good evocation of Ariadne Brunnell
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LUCY IN DARKNESS And then insensibly there came the strange change which I had noticed in the night. Her breathing grew stertorous, the mouth opened, and the pale gums, drawn back, made the teeth look longer and sharper than ever. In a sort of sleep-waking, vague, unconscious way she opened her eyes, which were now dull and hard at once, and said in a soft, voluptuous voice, such as I had never heard from her lips, "Arthur! Oh, my love, I am so glad you have come! Kiss me!" Denn die Todten reiten Schnell. Black opium poppy, laudanum, blood, and a chaplet of garlic flowers. So, to give some background, I should admit here that my undergrad thesis was on Dracula, one of my all-time favorite books. Specifically, my thesis (the thesis of my thesis, if you will) was that Dracula was Jonathan Harker's penis. Yes, I got a degree for this. It makes sense when you think about it (sort of). I mean, it gives a reason why Dracula's reflection doesn't appear in the mirror (because his reflection WAS in the mirror BECAUSE HE WAS SECRETLY A PENIS). And it explains all the ridiculously flagrant phallic imagery, talking about how he is alternately flaccid/limp/pale and gorged with blood "like a filthy leech" (my favorite quote - I put the thesis title on my CV to this day, even though it has nothing to do with what I do now, just because I want to have "like a filthy leech" and "penis" on my CV). Anyway, that gives you some background on my enthusiasm for Dracula and all characters contained within, even those that aren't secretly a penis. So can I just say how super happy I was to see a collection devoted to Lucy. I am eternally sad that I missed the Dracula series from back in the day, and I am pumped x1000 to get to go nutzz over some Lucy-themed awesomeness. After that extremely lengthy prelude, here are my feelings about Lucy in Darkness: For serious, this is awesome. I feel like all of my reviews are overflowing with praise, but it's because I never review anything I hate because my review for something like Malediction would just be "BARPH" and that would be it. I can only go on like this about things I luv. And I luv Lucy in Darkness. Allow me to finally get to the stuff y'all actually care about (thanks for putting up with me until now; it made me happy to write about Dracula and penises). This smells amazing. I'm not sure how I'd feel about it if it were a perfume or anything other than a room spray. But as a room spray it is seriously amazingly evocative. Wantonly voluptuous, one might go so far as to say. It definitely does make me think of the scenes of her changing, lying in bed while a bunch of her buds forcibly insert their "blood" (ahem) into her for her own (supposed) good. It is very womanly and kind of old-fashioned smelling. In fact, it reminds me a bit of Red Lantern and Chrysanthemum Moon insofar as the opium poppies and laudanum make the smell feel very languorous. The blood really adds to it, too. Other people may not be too pumped to have their living rooms (or wherever) smell like the aftermath of a metaphoric bizarro blood-rape, but in my opinion this is about the awesomest thing ever.
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OCEANS OF LOVE AND MILLIONS OF KISSES Why can't they let a girl marry three men, or as many as want her, and save all this trouble? Orange blossom and honey. Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous. The orange blossom is definitely floral, and the honey is not the same honey as in, say, Tomoe Gozen. It's more of a musky floral than anything else, lightly sweet but not cloying. I love it!
