![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
SOCERAPHOBIA (LE: Yule 2016)
A scent of judgement and scorn: blackened vetiver, smug vanilla, and a dismissive, sneering dribble of black coffee.
In vial: Coffee.
On me: An entirely different beast wet and dry. Wet, this is a smokey coffee blooming into a sort of tobacco dirtiness; masculine, but not too cologne-y. Dry, this reminds me distinctly of over-applied Lurid Library (the incense-tinged scent of forbidden tomes and the musk-laden remnants of infernal servants), which goes almost floral and distinctly sweet while retaining that library/parchment scent; Soceraphobia is darker in shade and more intense, a sort of vanilla'd, masculine, bookish almost-floral. Throw is low and wearlength is minimal—not much more than an hour.
On cloth: For a few hours this is a whisper of smooth, rich vetiver with a vanilla sweetness, a little cologne-y and almost floral; no coffee to speak of. The lingering, long-term scent is much more potent, that overapplied-Lurid Library's darker, sweeter, more masculine cousin, a vanillic/incense almost-floral.
Verdict: A strange scent. It has so much potential, but that floral late-stage doesn't fulfill it, and it vanishes on the skin. That said, Lurid Library (when not overapplied) is one of my top ten scents, so the overlap in my impressions(/the notes?) intrigues me. All of these notes also age well. I'd be interested to come back to this in another few years and see if it's settled into itself.
THE PHOENIX, HAVING BURST HER SHELL (LE: Anniversary 2014)
A perfume of freedom, regeneration, and renewal: bitter orange and tangerine with warm patchouli, tobacco absolute, glittering amber, and white musk.
In vial: Bright orange, almost an orange peel, with something darker hiding behind.
On me: Wet, this sings—a bright, almost sharp citrus, a deeper and warmer patchouli, and an amber base—pungent, glowing, beautiful. Dry, the citrus loses some of that freshness. It's a patchouli base, an almost-traditional patch/amber/musk combo which is solid and bodied but not overpowering. This review is spot-on in calling it "a structural patchouli, a scaffold for the amber and oranges." Citrus is still the star, not juicy or sweet but dry, golden, warm, bright. Tobacco is a hint of darkness that flatters the citrus beautifully.
Verdict: One of the better citrus blends I've tried, particularly citrus/amber blends—I think because amber isn't the predominate base note; patchouli is, and it's a better base, less samey in texture and tone, holding up to the citrus and balancing it with something darker and richer. This is beautiful, a Klimt-esque dark/bright combo which has depth but also a glowing vivid heart. Part of me wishes the tobacco were a little stronger, or for a contrasting spice like pepper, to flatter the bright citrus even more.
CANDIED PUMPKIN (LE, Trading Post Halloweenie 2011)
Sweet pumpkin cooked with piloncillo, orange juice, brown sugar, cinnamon, fresh ginger, maple syrup, honey, and clove.
In vial: Sugar, spice, and a earthy pumpkin.
On me: An earthy, vegetal pumpkin—not waxy or sickly sweet, as BPAL pumpkins sometimes go, but sugared and backed by a mixed spice. It reminds me almost of mulled pumpkin—that sort of mixed, indeterminate, gentled spice, but over a pumpkin base. I sometimes get something weird out of it, a sharpness or a vegetal rot. Amazing wear-length.
Verdict: Given my description, I'd expect to love this, and it is pleasant; it's also the truest pumpkin I've tried. But the mulled-ness, that indistinct mixed spice, doesn't have the brightness or, well, spice that I want.
HORREUR SYMPATHIQUE (GC: Diabolus)
The perfume of a hellbound soul, gleefully lost to iniquity: blood musk, golden honey, thick black wine, champagne grapes, tobacco flower, plum blossom, tonka bean, oakmoss, carnation, benzoin, opoponax, and sugar cane.
A frimp from the Lab.
In vial: Bitter, sharp fruitiness.
On me: Wet this is a bitter, herbal resin over a dark, well-bodied fruitiness; ominous but surprisingly wearable. Dry, the wine comes out, slightly boozy, rich purple-red—but it's well balanced by benzoin/opoponax/oakmoss/tobacco flower, with a touch of beautiful blood musk. I get only a slight sweetness. This is a warm, deep wine against a multi-note resinous, almost-herbal, almost-bitter base that adds a productive complexity and darkness.
Verdict: I tested this right before I meant to shower because I expected it to be horrible or at least horrible on me; it's not! It fits the inspiration well, a dark, rich, ~evil~ wine; I appreciate that it's not a tart or sweet fruitness. This isn't remotely my style, so I don't expect to wear it again, but I'm pleasantly surprised.
A scent of judgement and scorn: blackened vetiver, smug vanilla, and a dismissive, sneering dribble of black coffee.
In vial: Coffee.
On me: An entirely different beast wet and dry. Wet, this is a smokey coffee blooming into a sort of tobacco dirtiness; masculine, but not too cologne-y. Dry, this reminds me distinctly of over-applied Lurid Library (the incense-tinged scent of forbidden tomes and the musk-laden remnants of infernal servants), which goes almost floral and distinctly sweet while retaining that library/parchment scent; Soceraphobia is darker in shade and more intense, a sort of vanilla'd, masculine, bookish almost-floral. Throw is low and wearlength is minimal—not much more than an hour.
On cloth: For a few hours this is a whisper of smooth, rich vetiver with a vanilla sweetness, a little cologne-y and almost floral; no coffee to speak of. The lingering, long-term scent is much more potent, that overapplied-Lurid Library's darker, sweeter, more masculine cousin, a vanillic/incense almost-floral.
Verdict: A strange scent. It has so much potential, but that floral late-stage doesn't fulfill it, and it vanishes on the skin. That said, Lurid Library (when not overapplied) is one of my top ten scents, so the overlap in my impressions(/the notes?) intrigues me. All of these notes also age well. I'd be interested to come back to this in another few years and see if it's settled into itself.
THE PHOENIX, HAVING BURST HER SHELL (LE: Anniversary 2014)
A perfume of freedom, regeneration, and renewal: bitter orange and tangerine with warm patchouli, tobacco absolute, glittering amber, and white musk.
In vial: Bright orange, almost an orange peel, with something darker hiding behind.
On me: Wet, this sings—a bright, almost sharp citrus, a deeper and warmer patchouli, and an amber base—pungent, glowing, beautiful. Dry, the citrus loses some of that freshness. It's a patchouli base, an almost-traditional patch/amber/musk combo which is solid and bodied but not overpowering. This review is spot-on in calling it "a structural patchouli, a scaffold for the amber and oranges." Citrus is still the star, not juicy or sweet but dry, golden, warm, bright. Tobacco is a hint of darkness that flatters the citrus beautifully.
Verdict: One of the better citrus blends I've tried, particularly citrus/amber blends—I think because amber isn't the predominate base note; patchouli is, and it's a better base, less samey in texture and tone, holding up to the citrus and balancing it with something darker and richer. This is beautiful, a Klimt-esque dark/bright combo which has depth but also a glowing vivid heart. Part of me wishes the tobacco were a little stronger, or for a contrasting spice like pepper, to flatter the bright citrus even more.
CANDIED PUMPKIN (LE, Trading Post Halloweenie 2011)
Sweet pumpkin cooked with piloncillo, orange juice, brown sugar, cinnamon, fresh ginger, maple syrup, honey, and clove.
In vial: Sugar, spice, and a earthy pumpkin.
On me: An earthy, vegetal pumpkin—not waxy or sickly sweet, as BPAL pumpkins sometimes go, but sugared and backed by a mixed spice. It reminds me almost of mulled pumpkin—that sort of mixed, indeterminate, gentled spice, but over a pumpkin base. I sometimes get something weird out of it, a sharpness or a vegetal rot. Amazing wear-length.
Verdict: Given my description, I'd expect to love this, and it is pleasant; it's also the truest pumpkin I've tried. But the mulled-ness, that indistinct mixed spice, doesn't have the brightness or, well, spice that I want.
HORREUR SYMPATHIQUE (GC: Diabolus)
The perfume of a hellbound soul, gleefully lost to iniquity: blood musk, golden honey, thick black wine, champagne grapes, tobacco flower, plum blossom, tonka bean, oakmoss, carnation, benzoin, opoponax, and sugar cane.
A frimp from the Lab.
In vial: Bitter, sharp fruitiness.
On me: Wet this is a bitter, herbal resin over a dark, well-bodied fruitiness; ominous but surprisingly wearable. Dry, the wine comes out, slightly boozy, rich purple-red—but it's well balanced by benzoin/opoponax/oakmoss/tobacco flower, with a touch of beautiful blood musk. I get only a slight sweetness. This is a warm, deep wine against a multi-note resinous, almost-herbal, almost-bitter base that adds a productive complexity and darkness.
Verdict: I tested this right before I meant to shower because I expected it to be horrible or at least horrible on me; it's not! It fits the inspiration well, a dark, rich, ~evil~ wine; I appreciate that it's not a tart or sweet fruitness. This isn't remotely my style, so I don't expect to wear it again, but I'm pleasantly surprised.
