imaginarycircus

Just as we were heading out to Wave Hill to sit in their gardens and chat about stuff and walk around in a pretty place -- my BPAL order showed up. We just got back and I opened it up. I smelled all the bottles closed. Some of them smell very promising. Though I got a seventh vial of Arcana that must be additional -- like a freebie or something? (I've been told the term is frimp.)

I ordered:

Amsterdam, Manhattan, Lolita, Garden Path with Chickens, Envy, and Thalia

I got Amsterdam, Manhattan, Lolita, Envy, Thalia, Arcana, and 51? What happened to Garden Path with Chickens? And Arcana does not smell like something I will like. 51 smells like old lady to me. I'm confused since I didn't order either of them! Spicey and sweet. GACK! OOOOPS I didn't see that Garden Path with Chickens was not available as an Imp unless I bought the whole Salon Exhibition II set of them. Pooh.

So far both Manhattan and Amsterdam smell the most promising.



Wanderlust

51 (They must have substituted for Garden Path. And I sort of hate it in the bottle.)
Luminescent, glowing, and otherworldly: green mandarin, neroli, honeydew, white amber, guava, freesia, white and green musks hovering over desert scrub, smashed wood, and the dry, biting scent of night air over the Groom Lake salt flats (didn't order - hate musk!) BIG NO!

Amsterdam
Tulips, peony, fresh flowing water and crisp green grasses. (Beautiful but turned soapy and sharp on me) Sadly, no

Manhattan
Sexuality, power, confidence. A meeting of modern, sleek elegance and rich, passionate history: sheer amber, black leather, white mint, lemon peel, white tea, grapefruit, kush, teakwood and orchid. (Spicy floral with tea and very very light citrus - this is quite nice. I don't know if it is me though. It is a little sweet and reminds me of Opium.) Maybe. I like it. Not sure if I like it enough to order a whole bottle


Love Potions

Lolita
Bright, sweet and youthful, but swelling with a poisonous sexuality. Glittering heliotrope, honeysuckle, orange blossom and lemon verbena.


Sin & Salvation

Envy
Green herbs slithering through mint, lime and lavender. Maybe. It fades quickly though.


Excolo

Thalia
Plumeria, pear and white champagne Undecided. Need to try again.


Bewitching Brews

Arcana
The essence of magickal enigmas and long-forgotten esoteric mysteries. Frankincense, rosemary, lavender, neroli, and lemon verbena.(didn't order and can almost guarantee I won't like it)


I am going to go try Amsterdam now.

ETA: In the bottle - very green and floral. Reminds me a little tiny bit of of Calyx because it is so green.

And Amsterdam is "Tulips, peony, fresh flowing water and crisp green grasses."
1. I get the tulip and the grass in the bottle. Very springy and sweet.
2. On my wrist it smells very very green when it is wet.
3. As it dries I am getting more floral. Some peony. Some grass. Now the aquatic notes are coming out. I get a little soapiness in the background with this. Perhaps I put too much on. I like it, but I am not sure how much. Final verdict: This doesn't work on me. It goes too soapy and has a sharp note I do not like. Poo!

Sunday I tried Manhattan

In the bottle: lemon, amber, and tea, and maybe the orchid. Sweet, spicey citrus, with floral note in back.

Wet: amber, white tea, mint, and citrus very light

dry down: amber, teak, and kush all prominent, then tea and orchid, almost no citrus and maybe the mint in the way back.

I really like it though I normally don't like scents that are musky/spicey. But this is subtle and warm and rounded. Very polished. I put on a little tiny bit and it is fading after two hours. I'm going to have to try it again with a little more. Though I prefer very light applications of scent.

My perfume history:

My first perfume was Anais Anais: cedar, leather, and blooming, fresh cut flowers. Accompanied by white floral notes of gardenia, jasmine, and lily of the valley.

Chloe: jasmine and honeysuckle - this was my mom's perfume. It was not right for me.

Paloma Picasso mostly because of the bottle: florals along with citrus, woods, and green

Fendi: A Blend Of Leather, Rose, Sandalwood, Amber And Musk

Calyx: grapefruit and mandarin with passion fruit, mango, papaya and guava, freesia, muguet, neroli, rose, lily, jasmin and marigold, oakmoss, orris, sandalwood and vetiver. (That doesn't sound too different than the 51 they sent me -- but without the grapefruit I am not sure I will like it, especially with musk. I really am not a fan of musk. It smells grotty on me now -- or maybe too me.)

For the last seven years or so I have been wearing Origins Spring Fever: Artemesia, Apple, Marigold and Linden Blossom with Mandarin, Cypress and Watermelon.