TKO

[PinkoCommie]

“Many things -- such as loving, going to sleep, or behaving unaffectedly -- are done worst when we try hardest to do them.”

I couldn't sleep, so I sprinkled my favorite Eeyore (yes, I'm almost 30 and I still sleep with a stuffed animal - what's your point?) with TKO.

That was about 7 minutes ago.

Is there a muscle relaxer in this? Did Beth somehow aerate some vicodin or something? Head-to-toe, I'm relaxed and quieted and ready to rest. Not just sleep: rest.

Wow. Just wow.

[KaliVerra]

TKO does what it promises... knocks you flat on yr. ass. Gets the kinks out. Oooohs and Ahhhhhs you all over.

 

Swell for when your brain is *on* and you want to switch over to *off*

[agnusdei]

I'm another one of those people that has a hard time sleeping because their brain just doesn't know when to rest. My body is usually sufficiently exhausted when bedtime rolls around, but as soon as the lights go out my head fills with all sorts of thoughts that aren't important but won't go away... because of that it can sometimes take hours to drift off to sleep. I take melatonin, and while it does help me fall asleep sooner it doesn't stop the whirlwind of thoughts that keep me from relaxing up until that point. I usually have to read a book or watch tv or something in order to distract my brain until I just can't stay awake anymore, but the boy is sensitive to light & sounds while he's trying to sleep so I always feel bad when I have to resort to that. So, it goes without saying that I needed to try TKO.

 

I don't necessarily dislike lavender, but it's not one of my favorites, and my boyfriend feels the same. I've tried one of the Somnium blends before and it was a very sharp herbal lavender, which I found to be somewhat relaxing but my boy didn't like. TKO however? We both love it. Even before the imp is open I can smell toasty vanilla sugar cut with a cool and refreshing lavender that is anything but harsh. It's warm and sweet and a little herbal, and something that I would definitely wear as a perfume. Once on my skin the lavender comes out more, but it's very soft and comforting with hints of marshmallow coziness wafting through it. As time passes the lavender fades and the creamy vanilla takes over for the rest of wear. Okay, so it smells really good. But does it work?

 

The first time I tried it was in the afternoon, after I got home from school. I felt pretty drained and wanted to recharge, and since I'd just gotten a package with an imp of TKO I figured a TKO infused nap would be a splendid idea. I usually have a hard time sleeping in the daytime so I didn't have high hopes, but I put some on and hopped into bed anyway. I felt lighter and more relaxed right away, but after about 20 minutes passed I started to wonder if it was actually going to put me to sleep... and then I woke up. Turns out I passed out without even realizing it! Of course a real night's sleep is required to accurately test TKO's power, so last night me and the boy put it on before turning out the lights, and the results were equally promising. I felt very relaxed, almost to the point of being a little light headed, and my brain was pleasantly empty of those plaguing before-sleep thoughts. I could think if I really tried to, but it felt like my thoughts had to wade through sand or water to get to my consciousness, and it was so much easier for my mind to be free of them. I don't know how long it took me to actually fall asleep, but I know the time before getting there was so much more pleasant. I also usually wake up a couple times in the night, but with TKO I slept soundly until the next morning. I'll have to keep using it for a few more days to really get an idea of how well it works, but it has the potential to completely change my sleep experience for the better. If it can consistently clear my mind and generally promote calmness it will be an absolute necessity to have a bottle.

[lmaunu]

I wasn't sure if I really needed TKO since I already have Somnus, but I'm so glad I ordered this! I wore it for the first time last night, and my husband liked it so much that he even had me put some on him.

 

It's a soft lavender scent, with strong overtones of creamy marshmallow and vanilla. It's such a cozy and relaxing scent, and putting it on last night immediately relieved my stressed-out state of mind. I ended up wearing it to bed instead of Somnus, and it helped me drift off right away! It's wonderful!

[zankoku_zen]

I can see why everyone loves this blend! TKO begins with a almost lemon overtone to a fairly strong lavender. After a few minutes however, I can detect an almost vanilla/amber warm base to it. The warm base with foody overtones makes me think a bit of the feeling I get from Fairy Market --- and it immediately made me think of dreams. This is what fairies would use to put humans to sleep.

 

I went to bed at about 9:45 PM... and didn't wake up until 7 AM, even though the alarm was set for 6 AM. Out like a light. I don't know if it was TKO or that we're getting used to a new mattress, but I had a good night's sleep.

 

And I'm snubbing Oneiroi from now on and getting myself some more TKO!

 

ETA: Used it last night. The husband loved the smell of it and wanted some himself. TKO = made.of.win.

Edited March 6, 2008 by zankoku_zen

[scarletgenesis]

First, TKO smells wonderful. All lavender and sugary vanilla. I applied a short time before bed, and the scent stayed with me until I showered this morning.

 

It seemed to relax my mind and let me just rest. I don't know if it's the power of suggestion or this amazing blend, but I slept incredibly well last night...better than I've slept in weeks, if not months.

 

Thank you lab!

[hellomoonglow]

I just received this from the lab today, and even though it was only 1 pm, I put it on. Not being in a "napping" position, I can't say how it'll work for sleeping. I can tell you that it smells very good. I get some vanilla, a little something like antique lace? Also some kind of foody scent, like white cookies or cake. I'm anxious to try it tonight for sleeping. I like this very much, but am not sure it'd be an everyday scent, due to it's overwhelming food aroma.

[Teggy]

I've been sniffing TKO at the lab during most will calls lately and decided to finally buy my own bottle. As it always happens, mine smelled a bit different than the lab's, and not better. It's decent though. The lab version is much more sugary. Mine is BAM! LAVENDER! with a hint of sugary sweetness. I'm hoping that it just needs some aging.

 

Still, I am finding that I'm sleeping through the night better since wearing it. I can't say it's helping me to fall asleep though. Very little helps me with that part.

[tura]

I just got my bottle of TKO last night, and thought "well, it's almost bedtime, I'll put some on, write a review, and hit the sack. I brought my laptop out to the sofa, put on a bad movie, and woke up when the alarm went off in the other room. I don't remember smelling it. I don't remember falling asleep. I don't remember much of anything!

 

I know. Not so useful as a scent review, really. But I think that speaks wonders for the powers of this blend. I am a certified insomniac. I've had trouble falling asleep for almost a decade. Tried prescriptions, sleep-time bath stuff, teas, OTC meds, everything, and nothing has knocked me out that fast and left me feeling refreshed and ready to go in the morning. I think I need to get about 10 back-up bottles of this stuff. Ohmygosh!

[savage_rose]

I tried the famous TKO for the first time last night, and it's definitely a new favorite. It's lavendar-vanilla based, with something almost nutty mixed in, and maybe a hint of mint. I wasn't knocked out, but I was definitely mellowed. No small feat!

[veganhothead]

I got a decant of this because I'm too poor to be spending $25.50 on something unsniffed.

 

There is definitely a bottle of this toasty potion in the very near future.

 

Falling asleep has always been difficult for me. TKO has made it not only easier but almost like a treat. It's like being tucked in to a field of lavender by the Sta-Pufft Marsmallow Man (when he's happy, not stomping all over Manhattan).

 

Sweet Dreams indeed!

[passionsast]

I personally wasn't all that fond of the scent, I can't quite place it but something about it just doesn't agree with me. It did, however, make me sleep like a log and have the most intense dreams EVER!

A keeper despite the weirdness

[mooncityminx]

Lavendar, sugared cream and something sweet and musky. It's almost like sugared tea with a sprig of lavendar sticking out. It's a mix of candy and herbal and it's wonderful. I would love for my whole bed to smell like this, but I'm not sure my husband would. There was an incident last year involving a certain lavendar lotion. It was mistaken for sour cream. To make a long story short he doesn't like anything lavendar anymore. Maybe if I don't tell him he won't notice?

 

ETA: You know, I've been looking for a vanilla lavendar scent since I started BPALing, and this fits the bill perfectly.

Edited April 30, 2008 by Tempest

[babsarella]

I have lived with my TKO bottle for a few months now, and I can tell you that it will last me a long, long, LONG time. Why is this? Because I have the misfortune of getting scent headaches from certain BPAL blends, and this is one of them. I do use it, but I can only use a teeny drop on one hand or my sleepiness will compete with my headachiness. I guess the blend is effective in that it certainly doesn't keep me awake. I hardly ever have a problem falling asleep, though, and I typically forget to use it on the rare occasion that I do. (Too busy thinking, "Fall asleep, dammit! The alarm's going to go off in just X hours!" )

 

As for smell, I would apply liberally if it stayed the way it smells in the bottle. Both my husband and I like it a lot when it's wet. It's much more herbal lavender in there, with a hint of other, unidentifiable things to make it more complex. But once it's on my skin, the marshmallow sweetness springeth to the front like a mighty lion, and something in there prods at my sinuses with a pokey stick.

 

Oh well. At least I'll never need another bottle in my life, as long as I don't spill this one.

[lilirose]

For this one I'm putting the "verdict" on top as so many others have described the scent eloquently, and I mostly want to rave about how well it works.

 

Verdict: I am astonished at how well this works. I went to bed feeling terribly upset and agitated over something a friend said. Usually such a situation would have kept me awake until past dawn. I put some TKO on my wrists, curled up with my hands over my face, and was out like a light in ten minutes. Since I've been an insomniac all my life, mainly because I have trouble "turning my brain off", this is nothing short of stunning.

 

TKO definitely will be a permanent fixture in my future.

 

Scent:

In the bottle: lavender and sugar.

 

On skin, wet: strong lavender and sugar

On skin, dry: Can you imagine lavender-flavoured candy floss (cotton candy)? That's my strongest impression. There's a hint of marshmallow as well.

[iiinterstate]

I finally got myself a bottle of this after testing a sniffie over a month ago.

 

So. Wonderful. (and effective)

 

I just took a TKO-soap shower, and now I am slathered in the oil. I smell like lavender cotton candy sugary heaven. Last night when I wore this I fell asleep quickly and STAYED asleep...something that doesn't usually happen for me. I'm almost tempted to wear this in the daytime because its so yummy, but I think I want to keep it associated with bedtime.

 

*nods off*

[theseagrows]

oh no, i love this. i put it on before bed and it was very comforting and relaxing, yes, but i LOVE the scent which is a creamy lavender-vanilla. i wanna wear it during the day because it just smells so good. i hope it doesn't put me to sleep though...

[persianmouse]

*sigh*

 

Alright....I give up.

 

I cannot win against you.

 

You are just too strong. And so blindly optimistic and full of go-getterness that you remind me of Ronald Regan if he were an incontinent-but-well-meaning dog.

 

I didn't want to like you.

 

I didn't want to need you.

 

Thinking of how I've become so dependent on you lately sickens me. How weak and needy I have become.

 

But no matter how many times you beckon me, tempt me like some hideous siren, how ever many times I come back to you, I will never love you. You can never make me love you.

 

In fact...I hate you.

 

I hate everything about you. Everything you're made of and everything you exude. Your very make-up offends me. When you try and do your...thing, I just fall asleep, that's all. And that's a first, believe me. Usually I can be up all night with my other..."friends".

 

I wish I never met you.

 

I really mean that, TKO. From the bottom of my bitter black heart, I mean that.

 

I don't even like the way you smell, you contagious lavender cloud, it reminds me of Gammy Owls "Home Remedies Fer What Ails Ya". You smell like old ladies and sickness.

 

Maybe that's why you work. Because you make me think I've five and sick again, and all you do is sleep when you're sick. And five.

 

But that doesn't make you special. That doesn't make you worthwhile. It just makes you a liar.

 

But oh...how I need to hear those lies.

 

I loathe you. But not half as much as I loathe myself.

 

But don't get cocky.

 

There will come a day, oh how there will come a day, when I don't need you anymore. When you sit alone and unused and unneeded and superfluous all alone on the shelf. But oh, I won't get rid of you, send you off to some other poor, unfortunate, insomniactic soul. No no, that is too good for you, my precious liar. No, you will sit there, upon my dusty shelf, as a monument to my renewed independence, a little gaudy souvenir of my trip to Co-dependence Hell. A mockable, detestable thing. And each night, in my Hello Kitty pyjamas, I will pass you and I will pass you by, and not invite you into my bedchamber that night. You can spend the night alone, cold, with only the memory of ever being needed to keep you a lonely little company.

 

And how I will pity you...

[donnatron]

Bottle: Mmm, candied lavender.

 

Wet: More candied lavender.

 

Dry: I came home from the bar slightly tipsy, turned the TV on hoping the movie Gods would bless with a freakin' awesome 1990s disaster movie and received 'Wild Wild West.' "I said awesome, not awful," I muttered disdainfully but watched it anyway. I absently dabbed on some of my TKO and thought about how Steampunk probably went out of a fashion a lot sooner than it should have due to the fact that the only two Steampunk major motion pictures ever made were "Wild Wild West" and "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen." That's pretty much the last thing I remember because I was out like a light and definitely not tipsy enough for it to be drunk sleep. Definitely lives up to its name. Which sort of sucks because it's a gorgeous scent on my skin. But, you know, sleep aid. Good times!

 

Throw: Of course it's got a great throw and wearlength I wake up smelling.

 

Overall: Fabulous. Absolutely amazing and fabulous and makes me excited to try the rest of the Panacea.

[Jenesis]

The scent is indeed vanilla (which, as always, is lovely and sweet on me) and lavender, with the traditional sharpness of lavender essential oil tempered by the sweet vanilla.

 

Even if it doesn't make me actually sleep, it's a lovely, soft, relaxing scent that makes me feel calm and will hopefully ease my falling-asleep process. I go through phases of bad insomnia, and frankly even prescription drugs don't help me sleep then, so it looks like TKO will at least ease the anxiety I feel every evening when contemplating the restless hours ahead.

[Delirium1009]

I once read someone describing TKO as "lavender marshmallows" and that's really the best way I can describe the scent of this one to me. In the bottle it's a little more herbal, but on my skin it's soft, comforting lavender marshmallows.

 

As to how well it works, it's my default bedtime scent. It's relaxing, calming, and doesn't make me sleepy as much as totally relaxed. I love it

[dluszcz]

In the bottle: Sweet sweet sweet lavendar, maybe some vanilla

 

On my skin: Sweet vanilla and Sambuca, without the alcoholic content

 

Dry: Underneath the sweet vanilla and licorice, something medicinal- camphor?

 

Cleared my sinuses. Cleared my head. Got to bed early and slept nearly 11 hours.

 

Verdict: Good stuff. Worth the $25.50. Xanax is cheaper, but this doesn't mess with your head.

[IronMollyBlack]

As the previous reviewer said, TKO is definately worth the $25.50 for the bottle. For one thing, it really, really WORKS! I am a hard-core insomniac, and although it doesn't totally take care of the problem, it helps a great deal, and is a major part of my sleep routine. I find that it stops my mind from racing at bedtime. Also, it has a very strong throw, you don't need very much at all to get the effect, so a bottle lasts a long, long time. I use it every night, I think I'm pretty generous with it, and a bottle lasts me almost 5 months. The scent, to me, is very comforting, as others have said, lavendar toasty marshmallows!

[Lyrical]

In bottle: lavender, but the softest, sweetest lavender ever!

 

Wet on skin: very foody vanilla. This reminds me of Midway Resurrected. The lavender recedes almost at once, leaving gentle vanilla sweetness. It's not bedtime, but I do feel a little heavy-headed after applying this.

 

Dry on skin: very soft and faint lavender and sweet vanilla. This one fades fast on skin, but lingers softly on fabric like the ghosts of long-dead, lavender-flavoured cookies!

 

Sleeping: I have been unable to detect a definite difference in the way I fall asleep with TKO. It is soothing, though.

[ErinZ]

Candy-sweet, herbaceous lavender with a hint of mint - fades to a sweet, soft vanilla

 

I was feeling a bit restless, and it didn't put me to sleep (this time at least), but it did calm me and soothe my mind. Very nice.