Cheshire Cat

[Amoraexcena]

Grapefruit, red currant, dark musk, Roman chamomile, delphinium, and lavender.

Imp: grapefruit! mmm
Wet on Skin: herbs… why, chamomile, why… No more grapefruit.
Drydown: sweet… cat pee? Something a bit nauseating in there… fermenting fruit? Oh and… lavender. I don’t like lavender 99% of the time (TKO is the 1%) and unfortunately this is no exception.

[Caerphilly]

In the imp: Sweet, yummy grapefruit! And tart yummy currants! Very delicate and pleasant. Not artificial.

 

Wet: Lavender. A masculine, musky, heavy cologne lavender.

 

Dry: Turns soapy on me. I don't know what it could be. I think it's a floral that just doesn't work on my skin. And it fades really quickly. The soap smell is very light. And I get a whiff of old cocoa butter... Strange.

 

Overall: I love it in the imp, but doesn't work on my skin at all! Will have to swap the decant!

[irishelf]

 

In the imp: holy moly, grapefruit. Like snorting a crushed vitamin C pill.

 

Wet: Sweeter grapefruit, plus a touch of lavender, and it throws like crazy on me.

 

Drying: Uh oh. Something went really funky on me, like lemon pledge crossed with herbs crossed with stale fruit snacks.

 

Dry: Okay, what? Now it’s the fruit snack smell with the lavender, and the dark musk has finally come out.

 

Summary: it morphs a lot, but I don’t know if it’ll last long enough to get a “final” smell. Probably not going to keep it.

 

[girasol]

In bottle: Herbacious and citrusy, pleasantly zingy.

Wet: It has a bite that's a little harsh, not sure what note is causing that.

Dry: Oh no the sparkly little kitty has turned to air freshener with a granny-talc undertone.

 

Cheshire Cat was a disappointment for me. I really loved Schrodinger's Cat and a couple of people recommended CC as being similar, but he just didn't love me.

[gingiemay]

This is a really sharp citrus, I think it is the grapefruit and the currant ganging up. No lavender or musk... maybe the delphinium isn't helping either. I was really disappointed as I hoped it would be more fun. It's definitely a sinister, biting smile.

[SophieCedar]

This was my first attempt with the lab's grapefruit. I was afraid of it until now.

 

This is well-balanced, fruity, refreshing.

 

In imp: totally grapefruit and currant

Wet: starts to open and the currant bursts. The grapefruit smells juicy and sweet. This is softened by chamomile very well. Lavender burst for a moment then it's gone.

 

Drydown: even fruitiness. Grapefruit, currant, chamomile... delphinium and lavender are slightly detectable. These are slight supporters. Very cute scent!

[jamcde03]

not a big morpher on me, perhaps i get a bit more of the tea in the imp- on me it's wonderful tangy grapefruit softened by lavender. the lavender doesn't cut out the bite all together, it's still a nice crisp grapefuit, but there's no bitterness, and this is defenitely a happy scent. bottle for me.

[FelicityTwitchell]

It reminds me of an orange-cicle mixed with something I can't place and then it turns bad. I'm not sure how to describe what the scent changed to but I didn't particularly like it.

[crebbsgirl]

This went oddly bitter on me from the grapefruit/lavender combo. It was a bitter fruity floral. Not something I would ever wear. I could see how this would be very refreshing in the summer months.

[strahlend]

Sniffing this scent made me smile - it smells just like a sugary fruity breakfast cereal (fruity pebbles). I don't think I'll want to wear it, but it's fun to sniff so I'll hang onto my imp.

[Sultaana]

I was weary of the lavender after buying some lavender-heavy imps, but it turns out lavender and citrus are a match made in heaven! Soft and juicy and sweet! I can close my eyes and see that familiar Cheshire Cat smile disappearing in a ghostly swirl above my head and leaving a delicate lavender grapefruit musk of a smell in the air.

[FeatherQwill]

Wet: Bright, sharp, citrussy, friendly - I loved this! Unfortunately . . .

 

+20min: Soap. That's pretty much it, just soap.

 

 

Overall impressions: I loved the wet stage, but was quite saddened by the way it reacted to my body chemistry. If I had a scent locket, I would see how well the "wet" stage smell that I got held out, but as I don't, this is unfortunately not for me.

[mxtine]

I bought this because hoped it would be similar to YSL In Love Again, a perfume I used to love but can't stand anymore due to the alcohol.

 

Wet, I expected more from the red currant and grapefruit notes. Finally, they come out to play on the initial dry down, then chamomile comes to temper the tartness. 5 minutes later, a cotton-candy sweetness comes out, making this smell like raspberry lemonade. This goes a little powdery towards the end but it's still tart and pretty.

 

I might consider a bottle of this when I'm bored.

[ElizabethOSP]

Thankyou, Lab, for the frimp!

 

Snoofing the vial, yummy grapefruit! Perhaps a citrus blend feel, too. Yum! Wet on my skin, grapefruit and a whiff of floral skipping by in the distance. I then get an almost clementine scent, and then it goes back to...grapefruit, herbs, and floral. Emphasis on the citrus feel. It's a fairly gentle, happy scent on me. I may have to get a bottle!

 

But this is the really fun part: After a while, the main scent fades, and leaves the ghost of a citrussy smile on my skin! It really IS the Cheshire Cat!!!

Edited August 12, 2010 by ElizabethOSP

[reynardine]

From imp. Wet, it is very sweet (probably the grapefruit), almost candy-like, which I abhor. As it dries down, the scent deepens and becomes more interesting. I’m getting the musk and chamomile. Even later, the lavender comes into play and it becomes rather soft and pretty. But it fades into baby powder on my skin, so it’s a no-go.

[Incendiare]

The grapefruit comes bursting out of the imp as soon as I open it. Wow! The chamomile and musk quietly follow, but I really need to concentrate to smell them because the grapefruit it pretty damn loud. I'm surprised I don't smell any lavender because my nose tends to be very sensitive to it. Wet, while the grapefruit is still in charge, the chamomile catches up a bit more, and I'm getting a bit of what I am guessing is the delphinium? My mom has grown them in her garden and they really never had much of a scent, but this definitely isn't lavender I am smelling. This blend is so refreshing and invigorating. I think it would make a great shower gel. It almost smells a bit cooling to my nose too. I never would have bought this blend on my own so I'm glad that the lap frimped me this one.

[galahad]

In The Bottle

Herbal and lavender

 

On Application

Lavender and smooth chamomile with a slight fruitiness

 

Dry Down

Really pretty. Smooth with some depth. I definitely get wafts of tart and fresh currants occasionally and the play of chamomile and grapefruit gives a kind of mintiness. Lovely and the changeability of the scent is very Cheshire Cat-like

 

Rating (0-5)

4

[o0SnowDrop0o]

Hey guys- hoping someone can help me out here. I placed an order for a 5ml bottle of Cheshire Cat after getting an imp from someone on the forum. I loved it... in the bottle, it's just a bit musky maybe.. smells like there's tea and lavender with a nip of mint. There's a splash of grapefruit in the distance.

 

But I just got another partial decant from someone, and it's completely different. It's mostly sharp grapefruit, with the other elements barely there in the background. The oil here is slightly lighter/less yellow than the other.

 

Does anyone know if this is a difference in year, or just a matter of fresh/versus aged? I'm really hoping my 5ml will be like the first one.

 

Note from Shollin: Since this is a review, please don't respond to aging questions in this thread. This is the appropriate place for discussion.

Edited March 21, 2011 by Shollin

[Gin]

I remember trying Cheshire Cat many, many years ago--in fact, it may have been in my very first order. Back then, I really didn't care for it. 'Manic' was a good description of it. Now, however, I like it much better. I get grapefruit, lavender and chamomile, which seems a bizarre combination, and even weirder for me to like it since I am neither a fan of lavender nor chamomile, but here, it works really well. It's citrussy but herby and actually kind of relaxing, like dirfting off to sleep (?) to the sound of the Cat's voice.

[Tiada]

I've worn Cheshire Cat so many times, I'm surprised I haven't done a review yet!

 

This scent is so bubbily and happy and joyful, it puts me in a better mood just by putting it on. The citrus is bright and zesty, like I've cut open a grapefruit next to a sweet tangerine. Delicious. As it dries down and after a few hours of wear this really mellows. It becomes softer, sweeter. It's almost got a creaminess to it that's really quite pretty.

 

Now for the subjective part. In spite of how much I should just adore this scent, I don't. I'm not sure why. I do like it, and I've worn it repeatedly, but it's just not one I want to rave about, which makes me a bit sad because I feel like Cheshire Cat deserves to be adored. My co-worker (who sniffs my wrist every day to see what fun new scent I'm wearing) says it's one of her favourites on me, I wish I felt the same.

[calivianya]

I received this as a frimp from the Lab.

 

The grapefruit immediately jumps out and attacks once this blend is on my skin, but as it dries down the other notes come out more. I can definitely smell the chamomile, currant, and lavender. I can smell a hint of musk in the background but it is not as in your face as black musk usually is on my skin. This is a winner, and by far the best scent of the 6 imps and 6 frimps that came in my order.

[Gateau]

In the imp: getting mostly vanilla-scented musk and a berry note

 

Wet: smells like orange baby aspirin, which I always hated. I was expecting grapefruit but got a sort of acrid citrus.

 

Dry: getting a fruity berry syrup or pie backed by lots of dryness, but nothing I can pick out as currant. It's not a cloying sweetness, but there is that aspirin note, I think from the lavender. Doesn't smell grapefruity or particularly like lavender.

 

I had such hopes for this, so I tried it again. On the second testing I could pick up the grapefruit rind a little more directly, but still got that impression of baby aspirin. It's not very juicy, fruity, or even particularly herbal. Some of the throw had lavender notes, but mostly it just blends into this scent I don't care for. Swap pile.

[JunkieCosmonaut]

I am so in love with this scent right now. The notes are intoxicating, crisp, cool, and green all at the same time! Def want a bottle of this <3

 

Edited to add that when I first read about the scent I was really put off with the description of it, but out of a sense of obligation to the Mad Tea Party, I had to get it. The notes are fruity and clean while the grapefruit is sweet and soft

 

5/5

Edited July 31, 2011 by JunkieCosmonaut

[KittyHawk]

In the imp, the grapefruit overpowered all the other notes, but I could detect the lavender lurking somewhere in the shadows.

 

I really liked this wet; the grapefruit mellowed a good deal and allowed the musk, currant, and chamomile into the party. It's still a grapefruit-dominant scent, but it's a sweet, almost candied grapefruit. This is surprisingly complex; I really like it!

 

My skin ate this scent, unfortunately. About 20 minutes after I applied it, Cheshire Cat had completely disappeared, smile and all. It's too bad because it was such a nice change of pace from what I usually wear. Oh well, maybe I'll just slather what's left in my imp on and enjoy it while I can.

[Balame]

In the Imp: All right my dear cat, you sound like you could be amazing, so I'm hoping you won't let me down. First sniff and that is some powerful, mouth-watering grapefruit. I can definitely tell there are richer notes swirling around as it's not as wildly citrus as it would be if alone. The musk and currant and quite nice.

 

Wet: Crap, it's good. DAMN. Sorry, having a bit of a fit here. I love currants and this one is right smack dab in the middle of everything. The grapefruit is still held in check and contributing the perfect amount of citrus kick, with a hint of uber sexy musk in the background. I really like chamomile as well, and it's making the whole thing smell like a delicious tea.

 

Dry: I'm not familiar with delphinium, but there is something vaguely reminiscent of vanilla in this, and I'm guessing that's what it is. Whatever is going on, it's very good. It's somehow morphed beyond being a clearly citrus blend, to a both bitter and sweet creamcake with a side of tea. Seriously. And it's really, really yummy. The musk is the hottie sitting down for dessert. Thankfully, I haven't gotten a lot of noticeable lavender, which tends to become overly astringent on me.

 

Verdict: Didn't have a clear idea of what to expect from this, but it turned out fantastic. I've been looking for something a bit lighter during the hotter days and this is right on. Fresh and a bit juicy, playful, but with an adult feel overall. That and it has the perfect balance of feeling slightly foody without being cloying. I want to lick my wrists!