Phyllocrania Paradoxa v3

[angelicruin]

My impressions are that this starts off with a very sharp earthy note with grass.

 

As it dries, it does soften considerably. I know one of the other versions of this blend had a strong sassafras note in it and I think that note is in here as well, but it is very subtle and I can only smell it when the oil is almost dry.

 

As it dries down on my skin, more than anything it smells like oiled leather.

 

Overall, I like the blend, but it's not something I see myself wearing very often.

[Penance]

Origin:

 

5mL from angelicruin.

 

Preconceived notions:

 

Since I've only seen angelicruin's review of this one, I'm going by her review, so I'm expecting grass, earth and leather, which sounds good to me. I'm a little concerned about the sharpness (I don't like sharp scents), but I've got a good feeling about PP v3.

 

First sniff:

 

Ooh, I like this! I don't find it sharp at all, personally. I get soft, worn-in brown leather and green grass.

 

Wet on skin:

 

The leather disappears and I get springy green grass and a touch of dirt. Luckily, I love both those notes but I wish the leather would come back.

 

Dry down:

 

Aaaaaand it's back. The drydown on this is so nice. Maybe not incredibly unique, but very nice all the same. In the end, Phyllocrania Paradoxa v3 dries down into a soft, worn brown leather scent with a touch of freshly mown grass.

 

The bottom line:

 

Very, very different than v1. This seems much more appropriate, scent-wise, for something named after the ghost mantis. It's a brown and green scent, outdoorsy but not woodsy. I really love this.

[ellebelle]

I agree completely with Penance's review. On me, PP3 was a soft, suede-y leather scent without the astringency that I associate with some of the other leather blends I tried. I also got a touch of dry grasses - more like the scent of sun warmed grass than green grass to me. Pretty, but not for me.

[ljaylh]

Suede icecream! This smells like suede icecream!!

 

The most obvious note to me is leather, but it's the soft and snuggly kind.. like a new pair of suede boots. And then there's a lovely clean vanilla mingling with the leather - it seems to be the same (or very similar) kind of vanilla that was in PP v1 - it's not sweet, more an earthy/woodsy kind of vanilla with a slight green tinge. But in v1 the vanilla gave me a sharp, chemical-ish tone - in v3 it's not doing that quite so much, which I'm very happy about! It smells like a cowboy who has bathed in icecream

 

I find that v3 does change a bit through its wear life - it starts off being all about the leather, then the vanilla takes the stage, then the leather comes back, then the vanilla - this sequence continues for a while, until eventually after about an hour.. I've got suede icecream

 

I actually got a Chaos Theory Vanilla bottle that was all leather and vanilla, and PP v3 reminds me very much of that.. except that my CTV bottle was more about the vanilla, and PP v3 is definitely more about the leather. I'm very happy with this, although I do own quite a lot of leather-related BPALs so I'm not sure this is enough of a standout that it competes with my other faves, but it's really very nice in its own right and very enjoyable.

 

Since nobody seems to have invented suede icecream, I'm going to invent a new word instead - I will call this lovely blend of leather and vanilla.. leatherilla

[Blood onmy hands]

This pretty much smells like dry, soft leather on me and nothing else. It's like a cheap leather purse, slightly chemical-y, with a layer of dust on it :/. I like a lot of bpal's leather blends (love White Rider, Red Rider, Bow & Crown of Conquest, and a bunch of others), but this is strangely chemical-y and nauseating to me. It has a bit of a cloying edge without smelling like anything sweet. So strange. I can't wear the leather from a lot of perfume oil companies, because it smells sort of cheap and fake/chemical-esque, and that's the problem I'm having with this blend.

 

Leather, dust, and chemicals... makes me feel sick when I smell it.

 

ETA: This has gotten a lot softer smelling. It's still dusty leather, but it reminds me of Thunder & Blazes a bit (like a lighter, not as good, not as grassy Thunder & Blazes, but still). It's not as sweet or chemical-y anymore, but it's still not better than any of the other bpal leathers I own.

Edited January 31, 2012 by Little Bird

[zankoku_zen]

Leather and dust. This is the strong chemical leather note I get from DeSade. It does drydown to a smoother, suede like leather. It reminds me to Quincy Morris. ON STEROIDS.

 

Not for me.

[donnatron]

Bottle: Strong, chemically leather and a bit of greenery. Reminds me of walking into a Bentley's or other bag/luggage manufacturer at the mall.

 

Wet: Hoo boy! Super strong crazy leather! Reminds me a bit of the shiny black leather from C. Auguste Dupin but now it's scuffed up a little and worn in. But this is leather. Lots of leather. I smell like Tobias Funke.

 

Dry: Yeah... straight up leather and nothing else.

 

Throw: Good.

 

Overall: Not for me, but I know someone who will be all over this. Will tuck it away for next time I see her.

[angelamaria]

In tester: an earthy, grassy note, almost sharp. Something feels familiar.

 

Wet on skin: doesn't change from the tester scent, and I've realized what this reminds me of: Thunder and Blazes! I could swear this was Thunder and Blazes, although I don't have my decant or empty anymore to be sure. The dirt/earth/grass note they share is very, very identical to my memory, and I remember a fair bit because T&B was one of the first blends I smelled that was "weird", or not traditionally perfume-like.

 

Dry: this doesn't change at all for me, from the tester scent down to the drydown.

 

Verdict: interesting because of the T&B similarity, but not for me.

Edited December 6, 2011 by angelamaria

[catalyst]

Crap. CRAP! Where am I going to get more of this? I love this even more than Thunder and Blazes, which is leather and cut grass, but this is much more refined and green and doesn't have the wet mud of Thunder and Blazes.

 

Where am I going to get more?! All I have is an imp courtesy of K.Harker, and now I have to make it last forever.

 

It's leather with fresh green over it, there's no other way to describe it. The green is a fantastic, mellow, even greenness that doesn't stick out as sharp like fresh cut grass, or any particular herb, it's just green, like a formal garden with a lawn. Only there's leather in it too.

 

Help!