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Showing results for tags 'Yule 2011'.
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So much has been done, exclaimed the soul of Frankenstein-more, far more, will I achieve; treading in the steps already marked, I will pioneer a new way, explore unknown powers, and unfold to the world the deepest mysteries of creation. The deepest mysteries of creation: wild frankincense, rose otto, hyssop, and oude. Preconceived notions: based on the notes listed (wild frankincense, rose otto, hyssop, and oude) I'm expecting something resembling Rose Cross/ All Saints/Ecclesiastical excesses. A church scent, something sacred, devotional. Sniffing the bottle: soft rosy hyssop. Wet on skin: resiny rosy hyssop. As it dries: the hyssop comes forward. This is starting to smell like the cake/incense from All Souls. Ironic. It doesn't smell foodie in the slightest though. It's more like a suggestion of cake, rather than a full on impression. Drydown: the frankincense is coming forward. The hyssop slumps back, very relaxed, into the frankincense armchair, with a cashmere throw made of Oude, whilst hugging a soft resiny Rose scatter cushion. The rose is not really obvious, you really have to slump back as if you were the hyssop, and then you'll detect the faintest whisper of a rose. For those who don't deal with rose too well, I wouldn't worry. Overall impression: this scent is SOFT, SUBTLE, DELICATE. It is absolutely lovely, and I'm sure it will age beautifully. In fact, it would benefit a lot from ageing. I would highly recommend this scent, it feels sheer on the skin, like a veil of gentle loveliness, or a soft, peachy beige angora sweater. It's not offensive in any way, and will not frighten your colleagues at work, if you work in an office like I do! It actually makes me feel quite beautiful, wearing this, like I feel when I have just washed my face in the morning and my skin is fresh and plump. Rating: 4 out of 5 stars. It may deserve an extra star depending on how it develops with age. I'm not saying it's not perfect, but this isn't a wow blend that screams, it's a soft blend that whispers. I can only give 5 stars to blends that shout SEX, but I think that's more down to me, than down to the blend.
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As I spoke, rage sparkled in my eyes; the magistrate was intimidated. “You are mistaken,” said he. “I will exert myself, and if it is in my power to seize the monster, be assured that he shall suffer punishment proportionate to his crimes. But I fear, from what you have yourself described to be his properties, that this will prove impracticable; and thus, while every proper measure is pursued, you should make up your mind to disappointment.” “That cannot be; but all that I can say will be of little avail. My revenge is of no moment to you; yet, while I allow it to be a vice, I confess that it is the devouring and only passion of my soul. My rage is unspeakable when I reflect that the murderer, whom I have turned loose upon society, still exists. You refuse my just demand; I have but one resource, and I devote myself, either in my life or death, to his destruction.” I trembled with excess of agitation as I said this; there was a frenzy in my manner, and something, I doubt not, of that haughty fierceness which the martyrs of old are said to have possessed. But to a Genevan magistrate, whose mind was occupied by far other ideas than those of devotion and heroism, this elevation of mind had much the appearance of madness. He endeavoured to soothe me as a nurse does a child and reverted to my tale as the effects of delirium. “Man,” I cried, “how ignorant art thou in thy pride of wisdom! Cease; you know not what it is you say.” The pride of wisdom: Roman chamomile, rosehips, ginseng, and fig. In the bottle: Bright, fresh, lightly herbal rose. On skin: pretty much the same, stays true on drydown. But pretty much stays mostly rose with the chamomile and ginseng adding a fresh herbal quality. I don't get any fig from this. Rosehips (the fruit of beach roses) are one of my favorite scents in nature. I was hoping for a bit more of that and not just "rose" from this blend. I'm thinking this might work better for me layered with something beachy, like R'Lyeh.
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I saw-with shut eyes, but acute mental vision-I saw the pale student of unhallowed arts kneeling beside the thing he had put together. I saw the hideous phantasm of a man stretched out, and then, on the working of some powerful engine, show signs of life and stir with an uneasy, half-vital motion. Frightful must it be, for supremely frightful would be the effect of any human endeavor to mock the stupendous mechanism of the Creator of the world. A pale student of unhallowed arts: fading Georgian cologne and split O3 molecules. This is really interesting scent! I was expecting something more familiar or a traditional type of cologne blend but I had a hard time trying to even figure out what I was getting, most of the notes are well-blended in here. On my skin I get a blend of some pine and perhaps a little juniper, woods, there's a slight fruitiness which could be from a citrus note, light resins (the kind that usually end up smelling like tea on my skin) with hints of incense, soft smokiness and perhaps also a light musk. I'm sure there's other notes in here because it smells very complex. It has this strong but hazy feel to it. After a little bit I start to get a sparkling and almost effervescent scent, which is how metals usually smell like on my skin, at this stage it almost feels like the scent is buzzing with electricity. After it settles I find the blend fresh and pleasant, not what I was expecting but a very special scent in my opinion.
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The cup of life was poisoned forever; and although the sun shone upon me as upon the happy and gay of heart, I saw around me nothing but a dense and frightful darkness, penetrated by no light but the glimmer of two eyes that glared upon me. Sometimes they were the expressive eyes of Henry languishing in death, the dark orbs nearly covered by the lids, and the long black lashes that fringed them; sometimes it was the watery, clouded eyes of the monster as I first saw them in my chamber at Ingolstadt. A dense and frightful darkness: black musk, vetiver, myrrh, opoponax, hemp, crushed sage, oakmoss, and tobacco. First Sniff – wonderful black musk blend. Reminding me of Haunted. Skin Test – upon first application still reminding me a lot of Haunted – which leads me to ask the question, how is this different than Haunted? Maybe it's a little softer, I think maybe the tobacco and the myrrh together are giving this a little bit of a sweeter feeling with a very, very light soapy feeling. This is like Hunted's slightly more distinguished and elegant mother or grandmother. Just a hint of powderyness from the myrrh and maybe oakmoss. As it dries there's a bit of warm spice happening. This scent hangs on for quite a long time. At the mid point the resins really come out and it's musky and kind of resin-powdery. Late in the dry down I'm getting musky spice on my skin and it seems like it'll continue to hang on for a while. I feel pretty sure it's the oakmoss lingering. In the end it's the oakmoss that clings to the skin for an unexpectedly long time.
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CHANUKKIYAH Baruch ata Ado-nai, Elo-heinu Melech ha'olam, Asher kid'shanu b'mitzvosav v'tzivanu l'hadlik ner shel Chanukah. Baruch ata Ado-nai, Elo-heinu Melech ha'olam, She'asah nisim la'avoseinu, bayamim ha'hem baz'man hazeh. Baruch ata Ado-nai, Elo-heinu Melech ha'olam, She'hecheyanu, vekiyemanu vehigi'anu laz'man hazeh. Olive oil, beeswax, glowing amber, sweet sufganiyot, pomegranate, and fig. Ha'Neiros halalu anachnu madlikin al hanisim ve'al hanifla'os, ve'al hat'shu'os ve'al hamilchamos, sh'asisa la'avoseinu bayamim hahem baz'man hazeh, al yedei kohaneicha hakedoshim. Vechol sh'monas yemei Chanukah, haneiros halalu kodesh hem. Ve'ein lanu reshus le'hishtamesh ba'hem, eh'la lir'osam bilvad, ke'dei le'hodos u'lehalel leshimcha hagadol al nisecha ve'al nifle'osecha ve'al yeshu'oshecha. Ma'oz tzur yeshu'asi Lecha na'eh leshabe'ach Tikone bais tefilasi Ve'sham todah nezabe'ach Le'es Tachin Mabe'ach Mitzar ham'nabe'ach Az egmor beshir mizmor Chanukas hamizbe'ach. In bottle/imp: Brown sugar and amber, with a sweet bakery/foody note thrown in. There’s a little spice as well. Immediately on skin: This is such a warm, yummy scent. I smell brown sugar and something buttery and foody, but not overly so. It might be the olive oil, but it’s subtle and blends well. The beeswax is in here, but it interacts nicely with the other notes. The amber is tame, and very warm. The fig is adding a nice, soft earthy fruit scent and almost a warm spiciness, but I can’t seem to smell the pomegranate at all. After a few minutes: Even though I seem to have listed all the individual notes above, I have to stress that this scent is very well blended. This has become a little sharper, with the pomegranate peeking in to add a sharp but light fruit note. The sufganiyot (donut, I believe) is definitely present in this blend; I can smell some sort of baked, warm cake and it’s certainly yummy. The beeswax adds something to the blend that tames the foodiness quite nicely. There’s almost a nutty feel to it which is probably from the olive oil blending with the beeswax. This blend has gotten extremely sweet though, with an almost maple syrup quality coming from the sugary notes. (added a couple hours after wearing) A while later, there's also a smokiness that smells just like a burning beeswax candle mixed in with the other notes. It's amazing! Overall Impressions: If you love warm, sweet blends, then this one is for you; it’s not just straight-up foody in my opinion, but the sweet notes come out very strongly. The beeswax is a nice addition, and it’s evident in the blend amongst the other notes. This scent is on the verge of becoming almost maple-syrupy on me, so if you tend to have a problem with that, you may find it happening here. Everything is beautifully blended, however, and creates a beautiful scent. Overall, it’s a nice warm, comforting, sweet scent that is just wonderful and perfect for the name Chanukkiyah!
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A lighthearted winter scent: chilly vanilla rose snowballs! Dainty, soft, and certainly unfit for flinging! Pink Snowballs started out Snow White, with a hint of vanilla, and stayed that way for a while. After about two hours, I smelled it and snow white had wandered away, leaving the vanilla left with a single rose and a hint of her perfume. Rather soft, and pretty.
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Sevivon, sov, sov, sov Chanukah, hu chag tov Chanukah, hu chag tov Sevivon, sov, sov, sov! Chag simcha hu la-am Nes gadol haya sham Nes gadol haya sham Chag simcha hu la-am. A bounty of chocolate coins! Dry cocoa and golden amber! Gelt is gorgeous. I'm not a foody fan, but I will be hoarding this. In the bottle: perfect cocoa powder, with a dash of hazelnut. This is not very sweet at all, it's exactly like sticking your nose into a fresh box of expensive cocoa powder that's got some hazelnut flavor. Application: The same, but it immediately starts warming up. The amber is poking it's head through the cocoa and giving it a homey warm feeling. This is the scent of curling up on a chilly night with a steaming mug of cocoa, prepared from scratch the stove-top way, with a healthy splash of frangelico. 15 minutes: Much the same as application. There's still beautiful, dry cocoa and the golden warmth of amber. It hasn't sweetened up or collapsed in on itself. Overall: This is a remarkable scent. It smells precisely as described by the lab, and I think can be appreciated by both foody and non-foody fans. I will be stocking up on this before it vanishes.
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Thousands of lights were burning on the green branches, and gaily-colored pictures, such as she had seen in the shop-windows, looked down upon her. The little maiden stretched out her hands towards them when–the match went out. The lights of the Christmas tree rose higher and higher, she saw them now as stars in heaven; one fell down and formed a long trail of fire. Indian ambrette seed, beeswax, champaca flower, saffron, Italian bergamot, frankincense, oak bark, and vanilla orchid. Wow, first one! On me this is mainly frankincense and beeswax. It has a very peaceful, churchlike aroma. Beeswax candles and church incense. I wore it straight out of the box, however, and I wonder if more of the components might come out to play once it has had a bit of time to rest. This is my favorite so far of the Yules I chose. It is simple and sweet and warm. It seems very true to the inspiration.
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Who shall conceive the horrors of my secret toil as I dabbled among the unhallowed damps of the grave or tortured the living animal to animate the lifeless clay? The horrors of my secret toil: vetiver and rose. (I tried this right out of the mailbox so I'm not sure if it will smell different in a few days, but it's been cold so I think it's okay.) I was torn on getting a bottle of this because I was afraid the vetiver would be too strong for me, but I am really pleasantly surprised. I have to admit that I can't tell the difference between the different kinds of roses, but to me this smells like a lush, wet rose. I don't find it sharp or bitter; in the drydown it actually gets sweeter on me. There's not too much vetiver at all. In fact, I hardly detect any. I feel like the vetiver comes through more in the drydown but it's still very subtle, just darkening the whole thing by a few shades. It's primarily a rose scent to me. I like it!
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“You are in the wrong,” replied the fiend; “and instead of threatening, I am content to reason with you. I am malicious because I am miserable. Am I not shunned and hated by all mankind? You, my creator, would tear me to pieces and triumph; remember that, and tell me why I should pity man more than he pities me? You would not call it murder if you could precipitate me into one of those ice-rifts and destroy my frame, the work of your own hands. Shall I respect man when he condemns me? Let him live with me in the interchange of kindness, and instead of injury I would bestow every benefit upon him with tears of gratitude at his acceptance. But that cannot be; the human senses are insurmountable barriers to our union. Yet mine shall not be the submission of abject slavery. I will revenge my injuries; if I cannot inspire love, I will cause fear, and chiefly towards you my archenemy, because my creator, do I swear inextinguishable hatred. Have a care; I will work at your destruction, nor finish until I desolate your heart, so that you shall curse the hour of your birth.” Inextinguishable hatred: red ginger and black opoponax with black pepper, stinging neroli, myrrh, and tobacco absolute. Very sharp in bottle and right after application on skin. The ginger settles down a bit after a few minutes and sweetens just slightly with the myrrh and tobacco notes. I'm not sure what I was expecting with this scent, but it smells quite unique on my skin.
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EGG NOG Sweet brandy, dark rum, heavy cream, sugar, and a dash of nutmeg. Oh, Mama. This one is DEAD ON ACCURATE. I am madly obsessed with Egg Nog. For me, the Holidays wouldn't be the same without it. And a good batch of Egg Nog has a scent to it that is equally as appealing as the taste. And BPAL's limited edition masterpiece has that scent... the smell of the perfect batch of Egg nog, served up in an antique crystal and gold trimmed goblet. Brimming over with spice, rum, sugary goodness, and oh, oh, oh... that BRANDY. It really leaps out at me and my happy little nose! That's my 'First Whiff' experience. Now *on* gets even better... After some dry down time, the rum is really prominent. But it's accented by the nutmeg and the brandy. It's so sweet and subtle. Warm. Inviting. Almost... alluring. I can't believe I'm wearing an "Egg Nog" scented oil! It's downright delightful and so far, it's really holding. The spice of this scent gets better and better with my body warmth, too. About 30 minutes later: It's still going fairly strong. Much of the other notes had faded off, but that rum is still there. Sweet, sweet rum. I couldn't resist... I HAD to do a re-app, just so I could sniff the contents of the bottle again. I decanted some straight to an imp, and am applying from that so that I can really slather it on now. I hate Holiday shopping, and so I have decided this is going to be my "Holiday Shopping Blues Pick-Me-Up" scent. It does the trick! -Leslie
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I collected bones from charnel-houses and disturbed, with profane fingers, the tremendous secrets of the human frame. In a solitary chamber, or rather cell, at the top of the house, and separated from all the other apartments by a gallery and staircase, I kept my workshop of filthy creation; my eyeballs were starting from their sockets in attending to the details of my employment. The dissecting room and the slaughter-house furnished many of my materials; and often did my human nature turn with loathing from my occupation, whilst, still urged on by an eagerness which perpetually increased, I brought my work near to a conclusion. The workshop of filthy creation: electricity-scarred cypress beams, ancient stone slabs, damp metal, the coppery tang of coagulating blood, and ozone. First review! I think most people were too hesitant to touch this. The first thing that comes out is the cypress. It's not too harsh and it almost smells like tobacco. I'm pretty sure there's some myrrh involved somewhere. Overall there's a sleight rootbeerish smell. Ozone is very iffy for me since scents like Lightning often turn into pure soap. Metallic scents can become sharp, manly aquatic cologne. The damp metal note here is surprisingly pretty, though. It's a clean, true unisex scent that would work very well on a guy. I'm actually getting a sense of charged electricity from this one. Very pleasant, not sure I'm in love with it but it was unusual and surprising. I hesitate to compare it to Ekhidna, since Ekhidna's spicy and murky and has an almost sour note but I can't think of any scent that comes closer to this. Clean, unisex rootbeer with an electrical charge. No contents of the slaughterhouses, thankfully. Edit: With aging, the rootbeer smell mostly disappears to be replaced by cypress and metal. Still a good smell, though.
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The perfected winter rose, dew covered and freshly cut. Red Rose. Limited edition. My favorite rose so far. This is the first rose scent I haven't melted off within an hour. (I was amazed the first time I wore it. Eight hours, and no need to reapply!) In the bottle, it smells like a rose from the florist - that cold hothouse smell. On, it warms up slightly, but not too much - it's got a slight bite, which is a nice change from most roses that fade to a powdery softness. I'll be very sad when I finish this one.
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NOCHE BUENA A celebration of the Nativity: the light, uplifting incense of the Misa de Noche Buena, purple sage, and a vibrant bouquet of plumeria, chrysanthemum, tuberose, Angel's Trumpet, Mexican tiger lily, dahlia, and azucenas. straight sniff from bottle is an olfactory delight of plumeria and chrysanthemum.... once applied this is a deep, floral incense ... jeebus.... beth just gets better and better with these 2007 yule blends... the sage and florals swirl together and are nothing less than astonishing...the throw is fair so i will have to slather this puppy for certain...g-o-r-g-e-o-u-s
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DIABLE EN BOÎTE The crickets sing, and man's o'er-labour'd sense Repairs itself by rest. Our Tarquin thus Did softly press the rushes, ere he waken'd The chastity he wounded. Cytherea, How bravely thou becomest thy bed, fresh lily, And whiter than the sheets! That I might touch! But kiss; one kiss! Rubies unparagon'd, How dearly they do't! 'Tis her breathing that Perfumes the chamber thus: the flame o' the taper Bows toward her, and would under-peep her lids, To see the enclosed lights, now canopied Under these windows, white and azure laced With blue of heaven's own tinct. But my design, To note the chamber: I will write all down: Such and such pictures; there the window; such The adornment of her bed; the arras; figures, Why, such and such; and the contents o' the story. Ah, but some natural notes about her body, Above ten thousand meaner moveables Would testify, to enrich mine inventory. O sleep, thou ape of death, lie dull upon her! And be her sense but as a monument, Thus in a chapel lying! Come off, come off: As slippery as the Gordian knot was hard! 'Tis mine; and this will witness outwardly, As strongly as the conscience does within, To the madding of her lord. On her left breast A mole cinque-spotted, like the crimson drops I' the bottom of a cowslip: here's a voucher, Stronger than ever law could make: this secret Will force him think I have pick'd the lock and ta'en The treasure of her honour. No more. To what end? Why should I write this down, that's riveted, Screw'd to my memory? She hath been reading late The tale of Tereus; here the leaf's turn'd down Where Philomel gave up. I have enough: To the trunk again, and shut the spring of it. Swift, swift, you dragons of the night, that dawning May bare the raven's eye! I lodge in fear; Though this a heavenly angel, hell is here. One, two, three: time, time! - Iachimo, Cymbeline Act II, Scene 2 There are few things more disturbing than a Jack in the Box. A strangely sinister, unnerving holiday scent: redwood, bitter clove, tonka, hemp accord, and tobacco with peach blossom, black currant, and red musk. Oh no! I'm first on another Yule. In the bottle, it's very astringently medicinal. I was snorting so I could pick up what it reminded me of and it sort of burns at the back of the throat. Again, not what I was expecting when I ordered and not something I'd necessarily want to wear. But like with Yule Cat, I went ahead and put some on. Wet on skin: It's the red musk from Mircalla, but much smokier. Smoky is really the main thing I remember about first application. Drying: The smoky has wafted away and a dry wood is mostly prominent now. I really wish I knew what individual notes smell like instead of giving just general impressions. I don't know if this is the redwood or what. A sweetishness is still lurking, but it has a distinct woodiness. Specifically a dried out wood, not freshly chopped green wood. This stage gives me the impression it's just a tad on the masculine side. Much later this evening: All has settled down and Diable is just lovely. There's a soft sweetness to the deeper, rich tones of the scent that make it very wearable. I'm sure that has to be the peach blossom. Masculinity has went away and it's leaning more on the girly side now. Overall: I'm very happy that Diable hopped into my cart unsniffed. I've enjoyed all stages of this morpher and I don't plan on him just sitting around unworn. Added after I was thinking about it... I have a feeling that Diable will be supremely lovely with a bit of age.
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Iced blackberries, blackcurrant honey, frozen white peach, and sweet vanilla cream. Oh my god, you guys. You guys, oh my god. Oh my god. Ice Princess smells so very good. For reference, I use the bath oils in the bath; I'm sure this will be a bit different on individual people's skin if you're a slatherer. Ice Princess is funny, because in so many ways, she's the opposite of what I'd envision from her name (or, I suppose, from the colloquial use it takes on). Rather than being cold or harsh, she's warm and comforting. The cream and (I suspect) the blackcurrant honey take on a sweet edge, in the water, that reminds me a bit of the sort of warm fuzzy-feeling I get from white musk, with a definite fruity edge--mostly it's too well blended for me to pick out a particular fruit, but sometimes I got hints of the peach sort of popping up above all the others, just for a moment. I also smell a bit of something floral, though it's not listed in the notes, and I can't think what I would be smelling--it reminds me of just the lightest touch of rose. Perhaps my brain is tricking me, there, because Ice Princess feels a lot, to me, like Winter Maiden? I can't say, but whatever the reason, I really love Ice Princess.
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This is the scent of a freshly assembled gingerbread house, with swirls of multicolored icing, spice drop lights, meringue snow, pinwheel mint accents, chocolate roof tiles, candy wafer pavers, and jelly candy stained glass. We used a French translation for ‘gingerbread house’ as the name to make it sound fancier. French adds +40% Fancy! A jumble of scents reminiscent of that box of mixed Christmas cookies your grandmother used to make. For all the candy/sugar treats mentioned, this is shockingly not that sweet. I get chocolate , a HINT of gingerbread... and if I keep inhaling I eventually detect the barest whisper of mint and what I think is anise. My skin is notorious for burning off sweet scents so I'll be interested to see how this works on others. The dry down is a mix between Sugar Cookie, Gingerbread Poppet with a touch of Gelt and an indistinct Fruit note that shows up way in the background.
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Her little hands were almost numbed with cold. Oh! a match might afford her a world of comfort, if she only dared take a single one out of the bundle, draw it against the wall, and warm her fingers by it. She drew one out. “Rischt!” how it blazed, how it burnt! It was a warm, bright flame, like a candle, as she held her hands over it: it was a wonderful light. It seemed really to the little maiden as though she were sitting before a large iron stove, with burnished brass feet and a brass ornament at top. The fire burned with such blessed influence; it warmed so delightfully. Three radiant ambers with honey, linden blossom, bourbon vanilla, and orange zest. In the bottle: creamy, sweet orange, possibly some floral (the linden blossoms?) Wet on skin: So this is definitely orange ZEST- I'm getting creamy orange for sure but there's also really bitter note like citrus pith- it's the difference between taking a bite of plain juicy orange and accidentally biting off some of the peel too. It actually reminds me of Halls vitamin C drops- they're sweet and citrusy but then there's almost a medicinal quality, like mint or eucalyptus. It's kind of off-putting. Dry: Much nicer- everything seems to have settled down and now this is a warm, sweet well-blended scent. I can't really pick out the individual notes, but the bitter note has disappeared. I'm going to hang on to it for awhile and see what (if anything) happens with the overly zesty zest and if I like the drydown enough to reach for it.
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Affectionately nicknamed 'The Devil's Bake Sale'. Wet I can't believe how foody but yummy this is. This is by no means too foody meaning it doesn't get sickening or cloying as some food-y type products do. You can actually smell that golden brown smell as when pastry or dough is baked and becomes golden because of the butter. That's exactly what this smells like. How in the world did Beth get that smell in a bottle? 10 minutes There's also a sweetish, vaguely fruity bakery smell mixed in with some cinnamon and nutmeg too. 20 minutes The cinnamon has come out more to the foreground . Damn, this is really good. I'm impressed. The buttery golden brown goodness is still there just more cinnamony. Still smells as good as it did when wet, this is a real pleasure. 5 2005 In the bottle Hmm. More creamed and sugared butter smell. On Wait a minute, I don't smell the golden brown buttery pastry of 2004. 30 minutes It's less cream and sugar and more cooked pastry crust. Throw: average Scent category: Foody Summary I like the sweet dough smell of this better than the cinnamony part of 2004 blend. The golden buttery crust part of 2004 is here in the 2005 blend also. Whew. Purchase again? Yes. 1-5 rating (5 being best) 4
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She lighted another match. Now there she was sitting under the most magnificent Christmas tree: it was still larger, and more decorated than the one which she had seen through the glass door in the rich merchant’s house. Spruce pine with hints of silver birch and warm, dark woods. I love pine scents (Black Forest is my favorite) and I'm always on the lookout for new ones to try and was very excited about this one. On me it smells like a very atmospheric and realistic pine tree and soft woods scent, like walking through a pine forest looking for a Christmas tree. When I smell it up close I get smokey woods (which I'm not loving too much), but from afar the wafts are all gorgeous pine tree, birch with some slightly smokey, earthy woods. I really like this and I love the throw it gives off, but I think I might prefer it as a room scent. This actually reminds me of a cleaner version of Phyllocrania Paradoxa v6.
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The Ski Lady, jötunn goddess of winter, bowhunting, mountains, and skiing. The scent of winter wind blowing over snow-capped mountains. Oh, hellooooooooooo Öndurdis. This smells like Christmas: pine, cold, a bit of something like winter berries. Look, I knew I had to had to have Ondurdis because I was hoping it would smell like Skadi, who I've been missing like crazy. I'm sure opinion will be divided on this, but Öndurdis smells a lot like Skadi to my nose, only a bit sharper. The pine is predominant, with a bit of a biting, cold scent behind it, and a hint of sweetness behind it all. It doesn't really become any more complex on my skin, or even change much in the drydown, just settling into the skin more (which, incidentally, is exactly how Skadi behaved on me too--and, really, how any super-piney scent seems to behave on me), but that's fine with me--this isn't really an every day scent for me, anyway, more a perfume for when I want to smell like Christmas, especially when it's cold outside, and I am very happily indoors.
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Because I am very, very crass this year. Slushy white mint, vanilla cream, lemon drops, grapefruit, and yuzu! I was hoping this would be more bright mint and citrus with a bit of creamy vanilla, but it is very much a "snow" scent with blend of citrus notes. I'm not sure I like it since I'm really not a fan of snow & ice blends. Those who like scents like Pink Snowballs, but would prefer a non-floral and fresher version, you should try this. The throw is good and lasts for hours. The label is also cute.
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Rooibos tea with red ginger, green cardamom, fennel, peppercorns, almond, and licorice, sweetened with coconut sugar and jaggery. This was the Yule scent I was most excited about- it seemed kind of random and different, and I was not disappointed. In the bottle: Warm, rich spice. I do smell some pumpkin, and the red fruitiness that I associate with rooibos tea. Wet on skin: Sparkly red ginger and cardamom (?), with a kick from the peppercorns and a subtle sweetness. I can still smell the rooibos in the background. Drydown: Still getting a lot of the spice from the wet stage. As it dries down further there's more sugar, similar to Sugar Skull but with a tinge of creamy coconut (and jaggery is a kind of unrefined cane sugar, so I'm guessing it's just further sweetening the mix). This is really nice- I like spice but I'm not really a fan of cinnamon or cassia in perfume, so this is perfect. It's vaguely foody without being bakeshop foody, in my opinion. I didn't get any of the fennel, licorice or almond, and the coconut was a supporting player at most, giving a little bit of a creamy background to the whole thing. Lots of throw (but I like to slather) and okay wear length- still getting whiffs 3-4 hours in. All in all, a really interesting take on the spicy holiday gingerbready scent. I'll definitely keep my bottle around and may even snag a backup as I anticipate wearing this a lot.
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WOODS IN WINTER When winter winds are piercing chill, And through the hawthorn blows the gale, With solemn feet I tread the hill, That overbrows the lonely vale. O'er the bare upland, and away Through the long reach of desert woods, The embracing sunbeams chastely play, And gladden these deep solitudes. Where, twisted round the barren oak, The summer vine in beauty clung, And summer winds the stillness broke, The crystal icicle is hung. Where, from their frozen urns, mute springs Pour out the river's gradual tide, Shrilly the skater's iron rings, And voices fill the woodland side. Alas! how changed from the fair scene, When birds sang out their mellow lay, And winds were soft, and woods were green, And the song ceased not with the day! But still wild music is abroad, Pale, desert woods! within your crowd; And gathering winds, in hoarse accord, Amid the vocal reeds pipe loud. Chill airs and wintry winds! my ear Has grown familiar with your song; I hear it in the opening year, I listen, and it cheers me long. Wild hemlock and juniper berries scattered in the snow beneath leafless trees bedecked with glittering icicles. In the bottle: It seems very aquatic and linen-y. And because of that perception, when I first accidentally got a teeny bit on my hand, that, too, smelled uber-aquatic. I was worried it might give me a headache! But I pressed on!! On skin: It starts off smelling a touch like pine or rosemary, but I guess that is the juniper or maybe the hemlock… It is very atmospheric - very light. It has a bit of sweetness (but it is not a sweet fragrance overall), a touch of spice and… perhaps a teensy bit of vanilla? It’s quite comforting. And strangely warm, even though it’s supposed to evoke, well, Woods in Winter! Maybe that tiny bit of sweetness is like marshmallows - light, fluffy, sweet, soft... That must be the snow on the ground Side note: When I first put it on, I was surprised that it really evoked some strange emotional feeling - brought tears to my eyes. (I’ll have to figure that out! ) I wore it overnight, and when I sniffed my wrists in the morning it was nearly gone, with just a hint remaining. It was back to smelling a bit aquatic. I think I’ll have to try again (and maybe add to this review later). Bottom line: It’s lovely. For me, it’s almost ethereal, and I find it appropriate that it’s based on a poem, because it has a poetic feel to it, if that makes any sense. I’m fairly certain I’ll be keeping my bottle (Edited to add in a piece I had forgotten before - sorry!)
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This year’s minty double ententre! A sticky, chilly peppermint candy cane with sweet vanilla and an extra jolt of sugar. WOW!! I guess I am the first to review this....bear with me, since this will be my first review ever! Soo...all I can say is WOW! This is a crazy peppermint overload...in a good way! Wet: In the bottle: PepperMINT!! There is a hint of vanilla in there, but to me, very little. On the skin: Still very pepperminty...I keep thinking of the York peppermint patties....the oil is actually COLD on my skin, not just in the scent, but it feels cold!! Crazy good!! The sugar I think keeps it at bay...because even though this is heavy on the mint, as it dries down, I feel the chill on my skin but still get that icy peppermint. It made my eyes water at first, but WOW!!! Talk about crazy good!! 20 Minutes later: Fades on me fast, but in a good way...has become a nice, mellow slightly creamy mint, kind of reminds me of those little pastel colored buttermints, but not too creamy. THIS is a real keeper! Next Day: Tried it again, LOVE the scent, but sadly, about half an hour later, it is completely gone! Maybe my chemistry?
