Aunt Caroline's Joy Mojo

[harlequin]

Bottled happiness. Helps reverse misfortune, brings light and laughter to even the most troubled and discordant place, and aids in alleviating the stress and discontent that accompanies so many of life's daily trials.

In the Imp: ooh. this is sweet and cheery! (maybe even cherry, along with cheery.. not quite sure!)

On: Oof. There's gotta be some sort of wine/champagne note in here.. I'm leaning towards the latter.. i'm getting a bit the same sort of sour thing I got from Bon Vivant. I don't think it's White Champagne, though, because Shattered didn't do it. I'm sure I'll be able to nail down the difference when Thalia arrives, as that's also got White champagne in it.

After a while: Alas, I don't think I'll be reaching for this one very often. The poor sweet has definitely turned to sour.. (it's not super sour, but when you're expecting something sweet and cheery, it's.. well, not the same.


Hard to tell if the Voodoo concept of the oil is doing it's thang or not, though, as I've got Andra's Experimental Blend on my other arm, and oh-my-goodness, it's got me squee'ing!

[Lady Ravenglass]

Woah - sweet! Not fizzy-bright sweet, like Midwinter's Eve, but soft, candy-sweet, a tiny bit like Bordello. It's very pink with just a hint of almonds somewhere in there. This smells like parties, and promises of iced things, and enough sweets to make your 6-yr-old self thoroughly sick.

 

Dunno yet whether I'll keep it, but it's certainly not what I expected!

[Moonpuff]

I loooooove this one! MMmmm: It's fruity and cotton candy and constantly changing and - of course - HAPPY!

 

For some reason this made me think of Willy Wonka. Kinda random, but it makes sense, I promise! It's a unique tasty candy treat for your nose!

 

*adds to bottle wishlist*

[Spastik_Kitty]

In the bottle: It smells like regular flavoured bubble gum.

 

First on: Bubblegum, sticky sweet berries and a hint of cotton candy

 

After a bit: Gooey stickyness. I love it.

 

After an hour: I can note the marshmallow that someone mentioned, but I'm wondering if that's a subconscience thing. It's staying sweet, but not in an offensive cloying way, more in an innocent, jovial, youthful way.

 

I really adore this one and can see how it would cheer one up if they were feeling a bit glum. It has a certain "kid in a candy store" aspect to it. Not something for everyday wear, but definately something for when you're wanting to feel child like.

[paperdoll]

Initial Sniff: This is super sweet. I smell cantaloupe, strawberries, and lots and lots of sugar. I hate cantaloupe, but I can't help grinning when I smell this.

Wearing: This doesn't change at all on my skin - it just gradually fades away to nothing.

Final Impressions: I defy you to maintain your glum attitude in the face of Aunt Caroline!

[Penance]

Preconceived notions:

 

I remember sniffing this when I first got it and thinking it smelled unpleasantly like bubblegum, but the Voodoo Blends aren't really about smelling good, so as long as Aunt Caroline does her job, she's okay by me.

 

First sniff:

 

Yep, that's bubblegum alright. There's something else here, too...florals, maybe? I can't tell, to be honest, but it's not all bubblegum. I really don't like the way this smells at all, but like I said before, that's not what matters.

 

Wet on skin:

 

Aunt Caroline's isn't so sickeningly sweet now, at least. Now it's less like Bazooka Joe and more like Carefree, if that makes sense to anyone. Anyway, it's actually settling down fairly nicely to be honest, and even the fact that my brand new imp from the Lab is only half full isn't putting a damper on my good mood (Aunt Caroline is working, apparently). I do feel happier wearing this, although I'm not sure if it's the oil or just the placebo effect of expecting to feel happier. Either way, I'm happy and that's what matters.

 

Dry down:

 

No more bubblegum! Now Aunt Caroline's smells like nothing really...I mean it's not gone (it's definitely there), but it smells like my skin now. It's strange but really rather nice because it blends in so seamlessly. I get maybe a tiny hint of something cotton candyish, but mainly it's just a slightly sweeter version of the natural smell of my skin. And is it working? Something must be because I feel wonderful.

 

The bottom line:

 

I could do without the wet stage, but Aunt Caroline's is a keeper! I'm going to have to get another imp of this since mine is half gone already.

[EvilKitten]

In the bottle: Light and sweet. Yum, I can't wait to put this on!

On me: Oh delight! I am cheered! OMG It's fruit, sweet, it's not the sugary fruity sweetness of jailbait, it's like a pure childlike fruity sweet. It's divine, and I'll be buying a bigger bottle of this. It has great staying power too!

 

THANK YOU LAB For this freebie! I've not usually been keen on the voodoo scents, but this is the FIRST that I have fallen in love with!

[shelldoo]

another that makes me wanna chew my arm off...hey that is atkins friendly no?

 

juicy fruit, bubble gum, candy, it smells like a trick or treat bag...i am in lust

 

def will be getting a 10ml

[summer]

GOD this is good stuff.

 

It's definitely a sweet, pink bubblegummy fragrance. However, *somehow* it manages not to smell fake and synthetic, but rather totally warm, whole, naturally sweet and organic. It's like homemade bubble gum (if there is such a thing) made from strawberry/melon-y sugar syrups. Or cotton candy made from pure, raw spun sugar. It has a definite warm feeling -- not spicy, but warm nonetheless. Warm like skin heated from a close, snuggly hug.

 

I feel like this oil brightens my eyes when I wear it. It's warm, nurturing, sweet, and smile-inducing. I've got a big bottle on the way. Yippee!

 

[TheMuses]

Ok when I read the reviews initially I kept thinking what does bubble gum smell like?

 

When I finally got my imp, I knew what you all meant. Wet this starts out all Hubba Bubba strawberry chewing gum. As Penance mentioned Bazooka Joe is another good comparison. And for some that remember, it’s even similar to that pink stick bubble gum that came with baseball cards and had that light powdered coating.

 

It quickly dries into an ever so subtle pink cotton candy smell with a floral undertone. It almost reminds me a little of Pink Sugar.

 

I adore this, but how I wish it was a bit stronger. It's just a happy, summer day at the carnival scent. It makes studying a much more pleasant experience!

[rainbow]

There's an indescribable undercurrent in this that seems common to all the voodoo blends I've tried. It's something I can't even begin to describe, but it's definitely present.

 

On top of that- this scent is sweet and sugary with a slight cherry tang. It is indeed a happy scent. It almost smells sticky.

[helarctos]

I first thought Aunt Caroline's Joy Mojo smelled like strawberries and cotton candy. Then I had my husband take a whiff. He pronounced it "exactly like Hawaiian Punch!" And now I can't think of it any other way.

 

It really is a joyous scent, Hawaiian Punch aside!

[scarlet]

To me, this smells like pineapple and cinnamon. Sweet, candy-ish, and kind of like dusty bubblegum. An antique doll comes to mind when I think of this oil. It's cute and playful on the surface, but underneath there's something older and darker than the image it presents. It has the feel of an old and not so innocent soul in a child's body.

[Ajila]

At first I was really disappointed in this, because I didn't like something in it on me, I don't know what, and whilst I loved the bubble gum scent that wafted up at me I didn't think I'd be able to wear it. However, when it's dried down it smells as if I've dribbled vanilla ice cream all over me and let it dry, now I smell all lovely and sticky and sweet .

[eadavenp]

I really like this one a lot... i call it my happy juice and will defintely be getting a 5ml at some point. I put it on my elbows and promptly cheered up. It may have been power of suggestion, but i think it was at least in part the fruity, sweet, bouncy scent wafting up at me. (i think a scent can be bouncy... don't you?) It dried down to a more cotton candy with a hint of fruit type scent, and i really liked it. Usually scents like this are not to my liking, but this is like medicine, and i need it!

[amberlox]

OKAY.... to me this smelled like one of those candy necklaces from back when I was a kid... the ones with all the little different colored candy beads attached, each a different flavor. smelling it right out of the imp I was kind of blown away by how indistinctly sweet it smelled. and it's been a few minutes on my skin and now it seems like my skin is eating it and it's turning very powdery. Awww, too bad. I could see why someone would call it 'bubblegummy'. But I think it's something else... I don't smell the roasted marshmallow smell other people were talking about. That makes me sad because I wanted to smell it.

 

this scent is a very young smell, very little-girly. it is sort of like a festival. but i wouldn't say it was all that exciting and it isn't what I was hoping for... plus the magical properties don't seem to be working for me as I'm still feeling low spirited. It kind of reminds me of a strawberry shortcake doll that is scented by the smell of it. there I am with more childhood references... i guess it is a very child-oriented smell. i think maybe a little kid might like it better than i do.

 

then again, if it hadn't gone so faint and turned to powder i might feel differently about it. stupid skin chemistry! Blah!

[tart]

First impression: This is really strong. I don't like strongly "happy" scents, for some reason -- I didn't have a good impression of Has No Hanna because it was so in-your-face happy. Maybe it's like when you're in a bad mood and you see someone that is happy for no reason, and it's irritating.

First sniff: Aunt Caroline, is that orange juice?

Drying: Ooh, strawberry! Like strawberry soda! This is a sugary strawberry, not like the fresh bubbly strawberry in Bon Vivant.

Dry: Cotton candy?

 

Verdict: Okay, I think I'll keep this. Maybe I'll wear it to sleep.

[Muppetk]

First impression: Cherry bubblegum, but not in a bad way. I don't usually like cherry scent (outside of fresh cherries) but this isn't bad. Much less obnoxious than I was expecting. Also unexpected: it's made me smile right away. I wasn't in a particularly bad mood before, but this made an immediate difference. A kind of soft joy.

 

Later: The scent is pretty stable. Effective stuff. Good mojo in this! Not my first choice in perfume, but as a voodoo blend it has my respect!

[Finny]

Fruity and sweet out of the imp.

 

Hmmm, on it is...

fruity and sweet.

 

A very yummy fruit, and it is hard to be unhappy wearing it so it works for me.

I love the dry down on this one, it is like fruit flavored cotton candy. And bubblegum. And all the other yummy pink candies.

 

I think everlasting gobstoppers smell like this.

[tesao]

a freebie from the lab!!!!! thank you -- obrigada! once again!

 

in the imp: really strong, really sweet, bubblegum or juicy fruit gum. i really didn't like the way that this smelled, but as it is a voodoo blend, i left it on to see if it did anything as a joy mojo.

 

on my wrist, wet: pretty much the same as in the imp. that may be because somehow the bottle cap broke and left a plastic ring still attached to the imp....so the scent is pretty overpowering.

 

on my wrist, dry: it changed. and not for the better. it smells sort of like a cross between cherry toilet bowl cleaner and cherry cough syrup. i did not like it at this stage. at all. but i had to admit that there was a little smile playing around the corners of my face. i thought about taking it off but decided to go ahead and wait a few hours to see what happened to my mood.

 

dry down: well, it changed again. now it is all of the strawberry shortcake and whipped cream goodness that others noticed. and i am happy as can be, giggling and smiling for no reason whatsoever. so even though i thought this would be one for the swap pile, it looks as if I’m keeping it for the joy mojo it really does seem to have.

[byrdie]

Vial ~ Strawberry bubblegum on a warm summer day.

 

Wet ~ The mojo has started working. There's a pencil-shaving backbone to this scent that keeps it from being cripplingly cloying. Yep, wearing strawberry lipgloss while emptying the pencil sharpener. People who thought that their compulsory school years were the best of their lives may well appreciate this stage.

 

Drying ~ argh. Natural strawberry seems to come across as artificial on me, so as the strawberry note takes over I find myself getting more and more annoyed. Only my tiny increments: Aunt Caroline's has yet to get so bad that I've wanted to run and wash it off. But ... yargh?

 

Drydown ~ Wow, this is lightening quickly. The strawberry and the woodish notes have merged. The first time I tired this oil, I thought I was smelling incense behind the fruit note, but I don't think that's it. It's almost chalky, but that's not quite it. I think that this might be the most pleasant of the Voodoo Blends I've tried, though, just because sharp underscent doesn't distract unpleasantly from the top notes. Actually, it distracts quite pleasantly.

 

Dry ~ Strawberry lipgloss that was applied hours ago. After another half hour, it's starting to develop a slight plastic undertone, whch suggests that there was a resin in the mix.

 

Fade ~ A light, sweet, powdery finish. If I really concentrate, I can smell the strawberry, still.

 

Final thoughts ~ I stand by a statement a made months ago: Aunt Caroline's Joy Mojo smells exactly like what it is: artificial, pre-packaged joy. There are other scents I can sniff that can make me grin or even giggle. This ... isn't one of them. I understand that the intent is to make me happy, but it takes more than intent with me. I'm stubborn. It's the difference between being depressed and hanging out with a friend who can say the right snarky or witty thing and actually make me smile or even laugh; as opposed to having a stranger walk up to me and say, "Smile, it can't be that bad!" or "Turn that frown upside down!" or "I know there's a smile in there somewhere!" This latter could generate a startled, automatic smile in reaction; but it's not genuine happiness or release. It's the difference between hearing a song on the radio that brings back pleasant memories or that generates wonderful daydreams; and having something as overplayed and relentlessly cheerful as Don't Worry, Be Happy come through the airwaves. I'm glad that this oil actually does manage to bring joy to others. Alas, when I wear it, I feel as though I've failed to get the joke -- or joy, as the case may be.

[feline.by.design]

I kind of just want to go "ditto" to what byrdie wrote in the post previous to mine.

 

I haven't had a real good history with the Voodoo Oils. The only one I like so far is Wolf's Heart.

 

Aunt Caroline's Joy Mojo oscellates from the wood chips to line a hamster cage to strawberry or cherry chapstick at first. For the record, I wasn't big on Bon Vivant, and this kind of reminds me of that scent, except with some odd, erm, mojo working in the background. Maybe there's lotus in this as well, as I detect something in the background that my nose thinks is plastic, but sometimes winds up being lotus. After about ten or fifteen minutes, ACJM decided on sticking with the "melted strawberry wax" scent. As it dries, the fragrance becomes less intense and a lot better, in my opinion. It's more like strawberry body spray: light, misty, fun.

 

Although the intentions were good, I think I'll work on finding my own joy. I can see a young girl loving this scent, and it's very suitable for teenyboppers who aren't quite ready for adult fragrances. It dries down very sweet and fruity, which really isn't my thing, as sweet and fruity translates into icky, stick mess in my mind. I may try it as a room fragrance.

 

-doreen

[gingersnapp]

I'm going to agree with the reviews right above mine on the mystical qualities of this oil. I put some on this morning because I have been feeling particularly off and unhappy with my job and figured I could use a little boost.

 

The smell in the vial is nice and very, very sweet. I will agree that it is a cotton candy / spun sugar / pink fruit scent. Bubble gum is pretty accurate.

 

I put some on my wrists, the pulse points on my neck, on my collarbone, and even trailed a little through the ends of my hair.

 

While it is sweet and seems to have quite a bit of staying power and throw, it is almost... smothering? I feel somewhat claustrophobic with this scent, and I can't really explain why. I felt somewhat manic on my drive in while the oil was only about a half hour on my skin. And now I feel restless and almost panicked.

 

And still full of piss 'n' vinegar. So no joy here. Oh well.

[violetblue]

Does anyone else find this to be Red Queen's little sister? Both have that strong in you face sweetness, but this one is more innocent and playful. I love it's strength and sweetness, and great for when you're feeling grumpy!!!!

[cupide430]

Aunt Caroline's Joy Mojo

 

At first fruity. Really fruity. Like fruit punch with a pinch of a bubblegum kick. It is now starting to mellow... into stale bubble gum. Reminds me of bubblegum flavored Trident. This is fading really fast on me. Now it smells very faintly of the opening notes of Bordello. But very very faint. I don't know how well it will actually accomplish its intended effect. I'll have to try it again on its own to figure that out. My nose is practically glued to my wrist and I can barely smell this. Maybe I didn't apply enough?