Phobos

[jiggahava]

Twin to Deimos and child of War, Phobos is the embodiment of terror and mortal fear. Chilling white musk, lemon verbena, white grapefruit and lemongrass.

This had so many of my favorite notes in it. How could it possibly go wrong?

Well it did. The lemon verbena and lemongrass were super astringent, to the point of numbing my nose. Then I could detect this sour smell, like bad breath underneath all that lemon. I'm not sure what note is causing this, I think it's a combo of white musk and lemongrass. It just smells OFF and I'm sure it's my chemistry. What a shame, because I usually adore fruity scents. Not this time.

[Carmencita]

in the vial: palelemon and high-in-the-sky sunshine

 

on me: most realistic lemon scent ever

 

later: essence of bright sunshine, sharp, not sweet really, but rather pure

[Brianne]

In the vial:

lemon!

 

On me:

Oh yeah, that's lemon. Very tart lemon too - and quite realistic, it doesn't smell fake or plasticy to me. Definitely getting the grapefruit though too which offers a sort of "pale pink" citrus feel to this. A slight sweetness. The white musk smooths it all out, as musk usually does on me.

 

Final note:

You know, I really like this but at the same time, it DOES make me think of lemon pledge. I don't think I could wear it for that reason, but will keep around my imp anyways. It's very bright and refreshing. I could see this as being a great scent to wear when you feel "icky"

[CrazyPretzel]

This was a frimp in my last order from the Lab -- in the bottle it was very sharp and unsettling, and I was kind of worried about it...figured I'd have to swap it.

 

But then I put some on my wrist: Hilarious! The 'twin to Deimos and child of War, the embodiment of terror and mortal fear' smells like friggin' LEMON SORBET!!!

 

So given my predilection for sweets and food-y scents it was pretty much uphill from there. After a while the tart lemon sugary-ness disappeared and I was left with lemon and musk, refreshing and sexy.

 

All right, Phobos, you can stay after all.

[Nia]

On the imp: lemongrass with something playing underneath.

 

On me: pure lemongrass. The only difference with the lemongrass SN is that the single note is overwhelming and lasts forever, and this one is subtle and lasts about an hour.

[Aevalin]

I love my bottle of lemony Phobos. In my youth I had a thing for Skin Musk, and this reminds me of a grownup version of it. While I get the citrus scent, that fades quickly leaving just a hint of lemon on my skin and the white musk amps up. It's really lovely on. I get decent throw and it will last an entire day and even into the next morning - it's the longest lasting BPAL I have!

[waternight]

In the imp: Lemon drops!

Wet/Drydown: This is strongly lemon, but it’s lemon candy rather than natural lemon. I get neither grapefruit nor white musk.

Dry: It’s strong, heavy, dark, generic “citrus”. On its own, I don’t really like it. I might try layering a tiny drop of it on top of Embalming Fluid, but we’ll see.

 

I so wanted Phobos to work on me. I adore citrusy scents, especially lemon. Alas, it was not to be.

[Nimthiriel]

Initial impression:

A pure shot of lemon and grapefruit! Yikes.

 

First on:

Lemon, lemon, lemon, lemon, lemon... Pure lemon.

 

Dry:

After about 10 mins, it's nearly all lemon, but there's the tiniest hint of musk in the background.

 

20-30 mins after application, it's slightly more complex than before, but it still feels like I sprayed myself with bathroom freshener. Ugh.

 

Finally:

Swap, swap, swap.

[JenM]

In the imp: lemon and a twist of a different citrus.

 

On the wrist: very lemony, verging on—I hate to say it—lemon Pledge. There is a warmth behind it, though.

 

Oh, it fades so quickly! Now it’s the faintest whiff of verbena through a cloud.

 

An hour in: Just starting to get something that could be grapefruit. Only with dedicated sniffing, though. And maybe a hint of musk, but it’s not “chilling,” it’s warm. Oh, for a skin chemistry that’s not wacked out on pharmaceuticals!

[reina]

received this imp through a swap (thank you CrazyDiamond!)

 

clean, citrusy... mmmm... definitely grapefruit in the beginning, and then it fades into a sweet musky scent with that note of sweet herbal something, I'm guessing this drydown is the combination of musk and verbena.

 

Can I mention how calm and clean this is? and still that note of musk is giving my mind strange thoughts of ravishing any guy who wears this. Lethally sexy on the right man.

the image I get is of clean masculine skin, a very attractive man who just stepped out of the shower with nothing but a towel on him.

 

personally the drydown is a bit too much of that manly sex thing so I'm not sure I'll wear it regularly, but my next b/f is SOOOOOOOOO going to get slathered...

[aquazoo]

Wow, that tightens up the nostrils! Have some citrus. Now it's mostly lemon verbena, which I think is pleasant. It's sweet, like a lemon candy.

[jbzoellner]

this is one of those blends that you have to wait thru the drydown to get to the good stuff! Wet, it's pure lemon... lemon lemon LEMON... then it dries down to the most gorgeous white musk I've ever smelled

[Elizabethm]

Review:

 

Initial Impression: Lemon Pledge

 

Wet: Lemon Pledge with some weird unknown mustiness that seems out of place and really stinky on me with a weird unplesasant odor.

 

Dry: Must. Wash. Off. Omg. Is it supposed to be this way?

 

 

Throw: (across the room) heehee

 

 

Verdict: Maybe I got a bad imp or something but it smells like lemon pledge layered over dead animal on me. Totally bizarre. I haven't tested enough of the scents yet (this is my third!) to know if it's the white musk just turning awful from the moment it meets my skin or what.

[SarahScent44]

In the imp, I smell grapefruit (not lemon!) with just a hint of sharpness (I think it's the lemon verbena). Ohhhh, I'm in the best kind of trouble. I am the biggest citrus fiend there is.

 

Wet, it's still that gorgeous grapefruit, with a little of the clear warmth of the white musk - SO wonderful!!

 

When it's dry, the citrus settles way down, and blends beautifully with the musk; it ends up very soft (and, surprisingly, the citrus note lasts all day - I love that!) and beautiful. This is one of my favorites!

[lilirose]

In the imp: lemony lemon.

 

On skin: Lemony lemony lemony lemon. Just amazingly, incredibly lemon, but real lemon, not artificial "cleaning fluid" lemon. Also quite sweet- it reminds me very much of Lemonheads candy, which was one of my favorites as a kid.

 

Throw: Not very much, for some reason, but when you get close, watch out!

 

Drydown: starts going soapy after a couple of hours. Damn. I really liked this until I smelled soap. I'm starting to think it's white musk that consistently turns into "soapy smell" on my skin.

 

Verdict: About a 3/5. Would make an awesome room scent.

 

ETA: Just re-read the description. I never knew that fear smells like lemons!

Edited November 7, 2007 by lilirose

[maribouquet]

In the imp the verbena is very strong (that's the one that smells a bit like citronella, right?) but wet it is a nice grapefruit and lemon scent. Very fresh, so much so that it's making me thirsty! This gets grassier and tangy as it starts to dry.

 

I like this - it reminds me a bit of the TAL Concentration, but I enjoy this scent more. And I think it will make a lovely study blend, as I do seem to be phobic of sitting down to work. Terror and mortal fear, indeed.

[alicia_stardust]

PHOBOS

 

This is very uplifting, vibrant, fresh. It is nothing but lemongrass and verbena on my skin from start to finish. I find it very energizing and much less cloying that most lemongrass scents. I think that the grapefruit really helps freshen and lighten this scent.

[akiko]

Imp: limey. I know there's no lime in it, but it smells like limeade.

 

Wet: Oh, there's the lemons! Nice.

 

Dry: The musk comes out more when it's dry, but I can still smell the verbena. Yum.

 

I also tried this on my SO, and he likes it. I don't think he got any musky notes, though.

[Laurel the Woodfairy]

Mmmm, Phobos is gorgeous, but *lord* is he strong! I had a massive sneezing fit from an enthusiastic sniff. This is for my boyfriend, who is also gorgeous and strong, but doesn't make me sneeze. And he's going to love it--as is anyone who likes really fresh citrus with just the barest hint of foody. Phobos reminds me of Follow Me Boy, which I compared to lemon pound cake. Here there is much less of the cake, but bright clear lemon/grapefruit opening and a luscious verbena/musk drydown. I'm really glad this was revived.

[Lyrical]

In the vial: mostly sharp grapefruit.

 

Wet on skin: sharp, fresh grapefruit and lemon verbena, which soon becomes sharp dry grapefruit with a hint of musk and lemon.

 

Dry on skin: This is a paler, cleaner version of Whitechapel, but without the icky note. It's a bit too cold and sharp for everyday use though, and sniffing it gives me little headache twinges. As it dries down, it warms up just a little, but remains dry, sharp citrus.

 

After an hour or so the citrus fades. What's that? Boiled potatoes? *sniffs again* How odd - it's the water potatoes have been boiled in with some herbal lemon.

 

The last note is lime. It's very interesting, but not all that wearable on me. I don't sweeten scents at all, but someone who does might like this better.

[suki]

in the imp: sweet and VERY lemony, like Lemonheads candy.

 

wet on skin: more of the same. a persistent sweet lemon.

 

dry down: a lemon verbena comes out full force. that's it in a nutshell. this could be a lemon verbena SN, it's so pure.

 

in all: a good summer time smell for those who are partial to all things lemon-y.

[Reaver]

Phobos

Diabolus

 

Far too astringent lemon to be of any pleasure to my discerning nasal passages. Nose-rape with bathroom cleaners. Off to my male scent-opposite.

 

Conclusion: Don’t have any qualms about passing this one along.

 

1/10. Wash it off now! Oh no, don’t worry... It’s already faded.

[Kimbernunk]

OMG smells like lime hard candy at first. Then my skin plays with it and I really notice all the lemongrass and lemon verbena – it doesn’t smell like straight LEMON to me at all, but lemon with an herby undertone. If this goes well, it will be awesome. If it goes not so well, it will be Lemon Pledge.

Later: This went WELL. Very well. My skin tends to sweeten things quite a bit, and what I got after an hour was a nice lemon verbena scent that (after an hour, mind you) wasn’t overpowering, but just gorgeous. Perfect for winter blues, methinks, and very energizing. This is going on my bottle list…

[bibzerneth]

Wet: smells like lemon frosting, a little sweet but nice.

Drydown: lemon frosting and lemon cake, too sweet, it lacks the sourness of lemon

Dry: the sweetness is fading but now it is replaced by a powdery smell that lingers.

 

I was disappointed by this one, I was hoping for something a bit more lemony and tart, oh well.

[twilighteyes]

In the imp this is WOAH! HELLO LEMON!!!

 

Question for you guys -- "Terror and mortal fear" = "lemons"??? *taps foot*

 

I mean, ok, lemons are SOUR and make you pucker. But sometimes puckering is a good thing. Except when it's Renee Zellweger. Ok, I get the terror and mortal fear part now.

 

But on to the perfume!

 

Ok, second sniff from the imp (after the terror and mortal fear have subsided enough to let me pry it open with my shaking sweating fearful fingers), I can sense that the lemon is more verbena. Grapefruit is baring its scary gnashing teeth at me.

 

Except I'm really not that scared, I'm just trying to make Phobos feel good about his/her job. Shh. Come on, it must be tough to be a child of war and be... lemon scented. No wonder they are the embodiment of terror! They were probably picked on by the other children. 'HEY PHOBOS! YOU SMELL LIKE LEMON! And your daddy is WAR?? AHAHAHAHA.' Phobos probably had to kick a lot of ass to protect daddy's reputation.

 

Maybe I really am scared of this one, as I'm delaying letting it TOUCH me! Shamed, I swipe it on my skin. Lemonade is my first impression. (Loviator is on my other wrist, taunting Phobos. 'Hey, I'm tougher than you! I smell like LEATHER!') As it starts to dry, my mouth is watering a bit. (Note to self, don't use foody perfumes when you're hungry.) Dry down reveals more grapefruit. (Ok, now I want greyhounds and lemondrops. And no, I'm not an alcoholic.) Verbena is coming back. Bottom is a becoming a bit muskier. Either the lemon decided to beat up my nose or it's shrinking. It's more of a verbena grapefruit top now with a slight soft musk bottom.

 

Refreshing, sweet, and lemony.

 

Maybe layering with a little snake oil would make it into lemon sugar cookies. Or with Sugar Cookie! I would think this definitely has a future as a layering tool.

 

edit: Four hours later this is completely gone from my skin.

Edited March 22, 2008 by TwilightEyes