Cathode

[March]

A negatively charged scent. Ambergris, Spanish Moss, oakmoss and three electric mints.

Cathode on me is a deliciously complex mint. It's really minty, but grounded and deep at the same time. I like it best in summer, but I pulled it out today anyway, and it holds its own on cold, chilly days as well.

This scent does not morph much on me, it simply fades over time.

[Allumina]

Weirrd scent. A bit soapy, a bit aquatic, not sweet. The ambergris and I don't get along, and then the moss turns it sour. Soapy at first, but that fades. No mint. My coworker deemed it "grandma".

 

[magikalbrownies]

smells like spearmint gum...hah like ABC gum...

 

has a headachey aquatic where its overwhelming but the mint makes it like spearmint gum...

 

overall: no..not putting this one anywhere.

[RogueKiss]

It smells a lot milder on my skin than in the bottle. I wasn't sure I'd like it, but as the Lab was kind enough to include an imp with my order, I gave it a whirl.

 

It's calm, aquatic - no hint of mint for me.

 

Oddly enough, it reminds me of summer camp. I like it!

[hkhm]

imp: moss and mint, brighter than it sounds and very clean smelling.

 

wet: this is pretty much a tug-of-war between mint and moss. luckily, i love both notes and really like this scent so far.

 

dry: this dries down to a bright, fresh moss scent and a minty feel in the background.

[bubblefish]

A negatively charged scent. Ambergris, Spanish Moss, oakmoss and three electric mints.

This scent completely disappears into my skin. There's a hint of something, I think the ambergis, and then it's just... poof, gone! It's been eaten! The ambergis wiff that I get on its own doesn't work for me, either.

[rfredri2]

I didn't like this one at first, but it's been slowly growing on me.

 

Wet, it smells minty and aquatic and a bit too much like bathroom cleaner.

 

As it dries down, the mint fades into the background of ambergris and moss. It's a soft green aquatic that stays on the skin. Very subtle and really pretty nice.

 

[Aldercy]

This imp (swap frimp) is definitely aged, as it has the old label design. I'm not sure how much of a difference that makes to this blend.

 

Cathode confirms my attraction to ambergris (*swoon*), but also confirms my increasing hostility toward mint. Pennyroyal, is that you? Or do all mints just smell like baking soda toothpaste on me now? The moss notes are quite nice and very similar to those in The Apothecary.

 

This will be wearable only if the electric mints fade off, I'm afraid.

[tragedy]

Would I have ever thought I would love the combination of mint and moss?

It sounds like such an absurd mix, but its LOVELY!

This smells very fresh and clean and ... "bright"

Its almost aquatic its so fresh.

Like this alot!

[superpopkid]

Standard disclaimer: I'm still new and still struggle with identifying notes. In the imp, all oil smells harsh to me, so we'll skip ahead. Wet: a strong minty herbal with a spicy element. This stage lasts for a half-hour to an hour. It's reminiscent of a quality mouthwash, like Tom's of Maine. The spicyness goes down after that, and then there's a long stretch where it's just soothingly cool and fresh in a soft and slightly sweet way. If Cathode were a color, it would be apple-green chalcedony.

 

I should mention that I wore this on an especially grungy day that involved a lot of lifting and stress. I wore it on my wrists and behind my ears, and Cathode projected a convincing halo of FRESH and CLEAN over my grody hair. Every time I moved my hands I was treated to a perfect little minty breeze. It's still faintly there about eight hours later.

 

It is freshness in a bottle. I love it!

Edited September 3, 2009 by VitaminA

[animalcule]

This is pleasant, but nothing special. The mint disappears instantly when I put it on, which is disappointing.. if it stuck around it would really make it special. I'm left with a green, watery cologne scent. I would keep it, but it's too faint even immediately after application.

[Ishtar]

Cathode is not a scent I would have picked for myself, it came as a free sample from the Lab. I was weary of trying it - aquatics and "fresh" blends are not my friends, but I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked this.

 

Right after applying, the mint is quite noticeable, but it is soft and muted - nothing piercing or high-pitched, and certainly nothing "electric" in spite of the description.

Fresh, clean and aquatic, yet very wearable even with my wonky chemistry.

 

As it dries down, the ambergris becomes more prominent, as does the moss. It keeps mellowing, until I am eventually left with a light woody/watery scent that is quite soft and soothing.

 

If you like mint and/or fresh scents but don't have a good track record with aquatic blends, consider giving Cathode a try!

[semuelle77]

Cathode is a gentler, masculine version of Green Tree Viper. It seems to have the same mint notes, but is far less sweet. The ambergris provides a warm, musky base. Unfortunately, the scent sinks straight into my skin and nearly disappears. I had to SLATHER it, mixed with unscented body oil and it still remains very close to my skin. It is lovely, however. I'll definitely keep the imp and contemplate a bottle.

 

Now, to see if I can get my guy to try it on...

[devilot]

Cathode

Whoooa nelly, they're not kidding about the mint. This is actually a really gorgeous blend, but not something I would really consider wearing as perfume. I'd love to hang onto this imp, but if a swap comes along, I should be good and pass it on to get something I might love more and actually wear out. Still, I wouldn't mind having an imp of this around, just in case.

[jizatt]

I had tried this once upon a time and marked it up as MINT, no thanks. I have been craving to retry it ever since, go figure. So I finally got my hands on an imp. First applied, it was exactly what I was craving. But my mint burns off super quick, and I'm left with a strong sticky ambergris with a hint of moss; the mint is left only as a cooler whiff. Wow, first time I wished a blend had more mint?!? I may try to reapply somewhere else -- its currently on the back of my hand.

[Lethran]

In bottle: There will be no skin test due to mint content. It smells very clean. The Ambergris and mint combine to create an ozone effect. The mosses combine to anchor it and great an pleasantly androgynous effect. I really don’t like mint, but I do think this is lovely and well blended.

[jamethiel]

In the bottle: Oakmoss and mint.

Wet, the mint is more prevalent, as well as an odd green vegetable scent. Maybe spanish moss?

 

It's pleasant enough but very faint. Fades quickly. Why is my skin eating so many scents? It makes me sad

[loubric]

Very very faint on my skin when I first put it on, but get’s a bit stronger as it dries.

I’m surprised the mint’s aren’t more prominent on my skin. All I smell at first is sweet wax (the Ambergris) and my mortal enemy musk. The mint is there but not enough for me to like this scent.

 

Oh well.

[Banyangirl]

Got this as a frimp from the Lab. I'm not sure why, but this scent is making me smile. It's clean and fresh and sweet, and the mints are awesome. It's like Shattered's softer little sister, and much more wearable for me than Shattered. The throw isn't really noticeable, but when I wave my hands in front of my face, I get this nice little minty breeze. It's lovely!

[moosue]

In the frimp: Mint and moss.On: More moss, some mint, and something cologney.

Upon seeing the notes, that must be ambergris.The good news is that I've got no beef with mint, and I LOVE moss. The ambergris smells like a 1920s gentleman to me, but the blend itself isn't so masculine that I can't wear it. It's quite unisex. The moss pretties it up and the mint freshens it.

 

Very fresh and clean, while still being slightly perfumey and sweet (in a noncloying, nonfoody way).

 

Thank you BPAL, for teaching me that I love moss through frimp/imp trial and error. I never would have thunk it.

I don't know that I need a bottle of this, but I'm definitely hanging onto my frimp. I can see myself grabbing for it before going on summer evening drives, or going to summer BBQs.

 

Edit: for ridiculous triple posting within one post. What the heck, forum?

Edited February 6, 2010 by moosue

[sarandipitee]

In the frimp: faint mint, citrus and a bit of tingly ozoney

 

On my skin: Dries to a light, faint, clean lemony scent ~ ultimately too much like a cleanser on my skin.

[hmelt004]

This is my favorite of the Lab's many wonderful mint blends, and probably the most wearable one. The ambergris gives a sweetness that I love, and makes it not gum/toothpaste minty. The mosses ground it and soften the mint's sharpness. They also make it last. My complaint about many mint scents is that they don't hang around long. Not so with Cathode.

[ami226]

Hmmm, the mint is quite understated. A grassy mint.

 

I like this mint blend better than others I have tried, but it is not for me.

[donnatron]

Imp: Dirty mint. Possibly a hint of the dreaded pennyroyal.

 

Wet: The mints are really strong on my skin and there is a sweet, almost sweaty sort of scent underneath that must be the ambergris accord--does the lab have two different ambergris accords because I'm used to ambergris being more salty and a little almost... silty smelling.

 

Dry: I think there is pennyroyal here and it is making this all smell a little like a bag of rotting mint. There is a little bit of the moss peaking through but it's not salvaging it. It smells like spraying men's cologne on rotting mint.

 

Throw: Mercifully mild.

 

Overall: To be fair I've had this imp for three or four years. This might be a scent that benefits from being fresher. At this point it's just too harsh on the pennyroyal and none of the other ingredients really shine through. Sadface.

[INFJ4w3]

I didn't like Cathode at first. It reminded me of that chalky, minty, thick liquid you get for severe indigestion or diahrrea.

But...good news! It ages well and has a most unusual aroma. Think spearmint - kinda like spearmint chewing gum. A little wintergreen. Lots of moss. Aquatic for sure. A feeling of fresh sea air, but nothing salty. Strange.

This layers beautifully with Darkness. Ultra-Goth when worn together.

I don't get anything bright or light with Cathode. It's like a late afternoon thunderstorm in late fall in an Atlantic beach town. Winter's coming and night's about to fall.

I've decided that I really like it. And it's long lasting: I spilled a little on my hairbrush a month ago. The scent is still going strong. 4 1/2 stars out of 5.