Catalyst

[Macha]

Inspires you to begin new projects and gives you the impetus to see them to completion. Enhances creativity, drive and determination.

This has been a very difficult oil for me to get a grip on. In the bottle it smells herby and medicinal, and I must admit it's not the most pleasant smell for me. Once I put it on (and since this seems to be an oil that affects the self that did seem to be the best way to use it) it becomes spicier. Like anise and cinnamon, maybe? There's definitely a licorice/herbal/spiciness going on there there that is, if not perhaps my cup of tea, at least very interesting.

As far as effectiveness is concerned, that will likely take some repeated exposure to see.

[wickedgoddess]

Note - I wrote this before Macha posted her review, so I didn't know the uses at the time of writing.

 

Origin - part of the TAL circular swap

 

Hmmm… catalyst means to cause a reaction or to precipiate an event. Something that causes something else to happen. Sounds like something to be careful with.

 

Wet - pungent and a bit astringent. The only note I recognize is lemon.

 

Dry - more of the same, just lighter. After awhile a bit of spice comes out; clove I think. I would want to know a bit more about how to use this oil before using it again, but I am intrigued by it.

 

Note 2 - after seeing Macha's description, I am much more comfortable with this oil.

[yeahbutnobut]

Catalyst

 

Courtesy of the TAL circular swap.

In the imp: this smells odd. A bit like dragon's blood, though it can't be as the oil isn't red-it's clear. It smells clear too, and metallic-the scent is hard to describe, but it smells almost like alcohol-like a clear booze, maybe vodka like scent?

Wet on skin: still the same, that clear alcohol like scent, and I think there could be cloves here too, or maybe it's anise? I now also smell something rather lemony coming out, maybe verbena?

Dry on skin: now it smells like fresh cologne! It smells quite lemony and bright, piercing-but not lemon fruit, this is more like a lemony herb, like verbena or citronella. It's not the same piercing lemongrass scent of Concentration though, this one is more bright and cold, slightly distant, fresh like a spritz of cologne and a gust of winter wind. It has an airy, metallic, almost ozone like feel to it. That and something spicy, but only slightly. It's unusual, I can tell you that!

After a while: it still has that fresh lemon-ozone scent, but it's now starting to remind me of freshly washed laundry. It smells quite soapy now, and very clean, but still with a hint of cloves or anise.

Verdict: this is one of the strangest smelling TAL oils I've tried. At first it smells oddly chemical, almost like alcohol, or metal. Then, on the skin, it smells like cologne, fresh and zingy, and lemony. There's also a metallic, or airy ozone scent in this, it feels cool, even cold, clean and bracing, with a dark spicy scent, possibly anise or clove. Purpose-wise, this is an oil that I need, because I am looking for a bit of creative impetus, determination, and the drive to finish projects or start new ones. I might need to get more of this oil.

[helarctos]

I really did not enjoy the scent of Catalyst. The notes I took read "unpleasant earthy herbs." It is possible I have some sort of allergy to something in it, though, as I had a headache afterward. So other people may find it more congenial than I did.

 

(Disclaimer: This review was written in a circular swap, so I did not use the oil for ritual purposes. I can only report here on its scent. I believe this is valuable information so people know if they will find the oil physically/aesthetically uncomfortable when they use it for its intended purpose, BUT I do not believe TAL oils should be used as simple perfume. )

[Aredhel]

(I can't believe I never reviewed this, since I've had a decant since August!)

 

Rating (on skin): 2/5

Summarised in a word or two: Strange!

 

In the imp/bottle: Freshly cut lemon and herbs. A bit medicinal.

 

On skin, wet: How very odd. I've encountered lemon and herbs together before, but there's something about this one that's so... strange. Not in a bad way, but definitely unique. Almost... astringent.

 

On skin, dry: A bit heavier on the lemon/citrus. There's some spice -- clove or cinnamon, and maybe anise? -- hanging about, but that isn't what makes it so odd.

 

Conclusion: I'd never wear this as a fragrance, but I tested it as one anyway. As for an effect, I haven't used it in ritual use so far, mostly because I fear that I'll find it terribly useful, and be unable to find more. Once/if the TAL site launches, I'll use it then, knowing I'll be able to purchase a bottle of it.

[Northernminx]

Sort of medicinal and sharp, I couldn't really place any notes in this except to say that it was fresh and clearly herbal. In terms of effectiveness I did feel a bit more energized and ready to go using it, but I didn't really like the scent of it enough to try it repeatedly.

[minilux]

This must be further proof of my corruptive chemistry, because I absolutely LOVE Catalyst. It's spicy and herbal without being the least bit foody. I primarily get what I would call hardcore clove. This isn't sweet clove, but clove like an actual clove you would stick in a ham or put in mulled wine or whatever people do with cloves. Anyway, I adore it and wear it whenever I (and the people around me) need a good kick in the a** to get going.

[emzebel]

Part of the TAL Circular Swap -

Tested only for scent, not for purpose.

 

My notes on this say "minty cinnamon".

 

I think I may have actually liked it, but unfortunately this was several months ago...

[Blood onmy hands]

I do not really like the scent of Catalyst... my little half imp has a strangely soured lemony quality to it. On my skin, it smells somehow dirty. Herbal-dirty. Not earthy in a good patchouli sort of way, but somehow makes me feel like I need to take a hot shower when I'm wearing it. Maybe a funky clove scent underneath the soured lemon.

 

I don't much care for this one. It's like fresh scent meets spicy, and it just rots with my skin chemistry.

 

I didn't really feel inspired to start up any of my essays or projects that are going to be due in a week. The smell was actually a bit distracting to me.

[aidenraine]

I really need this. I can't seem to get any work done right now. I am a professor with summers off, and I need to do research, but have only myself to put pressure on me right now.

So I am applying this to my wrists, third eye, and neck.

 

Initially, it smells like a chewable vitamin. It's got that lemony-fruit smell with something that smells like iron does in vitamins. It does smell a little clove-like too.

 

Ok, down to work.

 

(Later)

My experience with this oil was that about five minutes after applying it I was extremely focused. I've never had results like that beyond taking ADD medicaton. For about 30 minutes I was riveted to my work, and then suddenly I lost it. I reapplied, but it seemed to have left me. I am dying to get it back.

 

I am going to try again tomorrow and see if I can recapture that focus. Catalyst does have real promise!

[Mountaingrrl00]

I got an imp of this in Brumbjorn's decant circle.

 

When it arrived in the mail, well-wrapped in bubble wrap and a separate plastic bagging, I could smell it through the package! It smelled like straight-up cloves - very strong and bracing.

 

Almost as soon as I applied some oil to my palms and inhaled, I was motivated to do a number of tasks I'd been putting off. I even (gulp) put down a deposit on a car - a very big deal for me.

 

Yeah, this stuff works.

[elfmaiden]

I ordered this for a decant circle I ran.

 

It smells so strongly like a chai tea I make when I'm settling down to get some work done. That really make me smile!!! It's very spicy sweet just like Chai tea.

 

I was trying to get everything done for the decant circle, not realizing how long it could take and by the time I got to Catalyst I had a burst of delightful energy. I seriously had trouble sleeping afterward 'cause I knew there was stuff I could be doing.

 

I can wait to use this when I start Art School in the fall.

 

Awesome stuff!

 

Jenn

[storme]

In the imp: mm, chai and a slightly herby powderiness.

 

On me, wet: fades very fast - but becomes very powdery, still with a kick of cloves and chai-like spices.

 

On me, dry: lots and lots of cloves, and a little bitter herbiness behind it. Still a sort of chai smell to it all.

 

Verdict: It smells fairly nice - it's not particularly making me focus on stuff that needs doing, though. Enh. One to retest for purpose, but scentwise it's the nicest TAL I've tried.

[surlygurl]

Hello. I'm surlygurl and this is my very first review.

 

The SCENT, to me, was a lovely lemony red ginger with spices. I would love to wear it as a regular scent, but I don't need cataclysmic happenings in my life all the time......

 

Effectiveness: Long story short, I had 30 days to find a place to live. After 2-3 weeks of meditation, doing enery work, and making MANY, Many, many phone calls, nothing. So I purchased a bottle of Catalyst (which arrived quickly). I annointed a candle & myself with the oil, then meditated on what I would like. When the candle flickered out I sent the picture off to manifest.

 

The next day I saw an ad for a studio apartment, made a phone call and spoke to a real live human being! Woo-hoo! After work that day I went & looked at the place, and the following day they offered it to me.

 

 

So, um, yeah. I found it effective. I'd only use it for the big life altering stuff, though. And it would probably compliment other ritual oils quite well.

[fiddledragon]

Scentwise, this is a bright sweet lemon scent. Maybe ginger as well? It doesn't make my head to fuzzy like some of the TALs I've tried. I tried it out to jump-start a weekend of inner work and meditation, to try to get some general mental/emotional gunk out of my system...there wasn't any dramatic effect while I was using it, though the bright scent helped clear out some of the normal meditation-sleepies, but I had a series of strange, vivid, alternately beautiful and frightening dreams last night. This is definitely an oil to work with more.

[tamburlaine]

Mm, Catalyst smells wonderful! I get nothing but a soft lemony ginger, similar to the smell of Origins' line of ginger products, but smoother. It kind of smells like lemon shortbread cookies: couched in comfort. The lemon on me is not astringent, but calming -- it puts me in the right mood to get stuff done. It imparts a sense of calm and focus, not a feeling of frightened urgency or the horrible feeling of having your feet to the fire when you're nearing a deadline.

 

Since I used this in an oil diffuser and with only a touch on my throat and heart chakras, I can't talk much about the drydown or anything like that, but Catalyst is a good blend to help you relax and get things done in a timely fashion. Taking a deep sniff of it chilled me out when I was jittery from too much coffee! I imagine if I used the oil on a regular basis, it would inspire me, but thus far I've only used it when I've needed to snap out of procrastination. What I wrote while "under the influence" came easily to me and the words just flowed as I typed; there was no feverish scramble, in other words.

 

In the future, I'll use Catalyst when I'm not running late. I think it has great potential.

Edited November 29, 2006 by tamburlaine

[girl_android]

The house we bought has a lot of things that need doing to it to make it ours, and to fix the broken things. It's what comes with home ownership, I guess.

 

I decided to give catalyst a test run this afternoon. The little ritual I've come up with for my use of TALs is simple, because I'm not a huge ritual person. It exists so I will sit down and think of the intent of the oil.

 

This afternoon became a whirlwind of activity in the house - there were cupboards emptied, then filled with boxes that have just been sitting out in the open doing nothing, there was furniture rearranged, lists created from searches (our current other project is to replace all the vertical blinds in the house seeing as they're 1) pink and 2) all broken by cats), even the daunting pile of laundry needing sorting and ironing is being taken care of today (: Catalyst seemed to be enough of the initial little push I needed so I would just start somewhere.

 

Scentwise, it's spicy and slightly sweet in a deep kind of way. I suspect this may make it into a future TAL order (waiting on my first order to arrive), a lot of this last subject for uni is getting myself onto doing the hard work instead of leaving everything to the last minute.

[Honeygirl]

Bottle: Orange

 

Wet: Bright orange and ginger! It smells wonderful! I'm hoping to accomplish some writing today!

 

Drydown: I don't get the lemon that others have talked about, just orange. But I do get a bit of sweetness along with the ginger, making it seem like I'm smelling gingerbread cookies with an orange glaze on top!

 

I'll edit when I know if it worked or not!

 

ETA: Well, I have had no compunction to write, but that may be due to my depression. Will test again in the future.

Edited January 23, 2008 by Honeygirl

[puddingirl]

There's a slight resin/herbal smell that is warmed up by something like cinammon and ginger.

 

I will update with how it works when I have used it. I imagine that I will anoint myself before doing whatever I am struggling to do.

[Ishtar]

Catalyst is a bright, slightly herbal lemon scent on me. I for one happen to love lemon, so this is quite enjoyable as TALs go.

 

The first time I had tried Catalyst (a year or two ago), nothing particularly noteworthy happened. Now, I think this is more of a "let's get the ball rolling and let's commit to a project for the long run" than a strong kick in the pants a la Determination - so don't expect instantaneous, dramatic results from this one.

 

However, used with a clear intent, it definitely works. I used it in conjunction with Determination today, and the difference in feel was very noticeable. Determination grabs me by the collar and makes me do the things I don't want to do - it gets the job done, but I'm still thinking "drudgery, drudgery, and more drudgery" while I'm getting it done.

 

In comparison, Catalyst sits down for a gentle but invigorating pep talk with my work ethics (and the part of me that loves starting new projects), and doesn't stop until everyone is positively brimming with enthusiasm and motivation.

 

Catalyst is a motivational speaker and personal coach in a bottle.

[zankoku_zen]

Catalyst smells like a soft, herbal gingery lemon blend. I actually quite like it.

 

I find Catalyst to be gently invigorating. It's more about putting the right moves in place for the long haul, as opposed to getting things done right now. Determination is much more about the right now, Catalyst is about enabling you to change things and/or recognizing what needs to change for things to get done.

 

I'm really glad I picked this up, and I can see this comboing really well with things like Road Opener and 13 Crossroads, which I'm excited to try out.

[rachelos]

Out of everything in my last order this is by far my favorite. And there was A LOT in my last order! It is motivating, and sparking, for me. I wear it when I start to lag mid morning, and have made a lot of progress with a project I'd otherwise neglect. I'm also approaching a big life change within the next couple weeks, which will take a lot of organization and courage. I'm hoping this can be inspiring to me in that sense as well. It is a gingery lemon tea scent which I love. Really recommend this.