Review - Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab - Venus Obsequens (Lupercalia 2015)

Review - Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab - Venus Obsequens (Lupercalia 2015)

Description: Pink apple and blackcurrant with honey and cardamom.

In the Bottle: Apples and honey

Wet: Honeyed apples with a touch of cardamom

Drydown: Super honeyed apples

Throw: Medium

Wear Time: 2 hours for a single application.

Verdict: Much to my dismay, the cardamom note disappears on me. I'm not a huge fan of honeyed scents and so without the cardamom to add spice this just smells like a mature apple scent with drizzled honey. The apples make this a very springtime scent. 

Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab's sample “imp” vial is the standard stoppered 1 ml vial. It came from a decant circle, clearly labeled with an easily readable font.

Review: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab - Venus Cloacina (Lupercalia 2015)

Review: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab - Venus Cloacina (Lupercalia 2015)

Description: A magnificent white gardenia in full bloom, gilded by frankincense, sheer musk, and vanilla orchid.

In the Bottle: Frankincense and gardenia

Wet: Gardenia with a touch of white musk

Drydown: Lightly musk gardenia with a touch of frankincense. After about 2 hours a touch of the orchid comes through.

Throw: Medium

Wear Time: 3.5 hours  for a single application.

Verdict: Worth buying a full bottle. Love this. A light sweet gardenia scent, the frankincense and musk keep it from being too floral and heavy.

Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab's sample “imp” vial is the standard stoppered 1 ml vial. It came from a decant circle, clearly labeled with an easily readable font.

Review: Black Phoenix Alchemy Labs - Plunder

Review: Black Phoenix Alchemy Labs - Plunder

Description:  Tea leaf, cassia, cinnamon bark, clove, allspice, sandalwood, tobacco, peppercorn, and nutmeg.

In the Bottle: Cinnamon and tobacco.

Wet: Cinnamon

Drydown: Cinnamon with a smidge of nutmeg, allspice on top of light sandalwood.

Throw:  Low

Wear Time: 2 hours for a single application.

Verdict: Love this, I wish it lasted longer and had a larger throw. I really love the scent of cinnamon and that’s what comes out as the strong note on me.

Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab's sample “imp” vial is the standard stoppered 1 ml vial. It came clearly labeled with an easily readable font. 

Review: Hazel Fern Perfumes - Courtesan

Review: Hazel Fern Perfumes - Courtesan

(Yes, my Hazel Fern Perfume order leaked during shipping. Sad.)

Description: Sweet vanilla and soft musk swirl together with just a touch of sugary cotton candy.

In the Bottle: Vanilla Musk

Wet: Vanilla Musk

Drydown: Soft musk with a top note of sweet vanilla

Throw: Low

Wear Time:  2 hours for a single application.

Verdict: A very sexy yet subtle light musk  with a hint of sweetness. If it lasted longer I would totally invest in a full bottle.

Hazel Fern Perfumes’ sample vial is the standard stoppered 1 ml vial. It came clearly labeled with an easily readable font.

Review: Midnight Gypsy Alchemy - Love Alchemy

Review: Midnight Gypsy Alchemy - Love Alchemy

Description: A hypnotic potion of natural cherry extract, cocoa absolute, essentials oils in sweet patchouli, lavender and chamomile blended with hand ground cardamom, chai tea, patchouli leaves and infused with real cherries.

In the Bottle: Cherries, a bit of cocoa and spice.

Wet: Cocoa

Drydown: Cocoa, cherries, and spice with a hint of lavender.

Throw: Low

Wear Time: 2 hours for a single application.

Verdict: Surprisingly very lovely despite the lavender (not my favourite smell).  Its light but spicy and sweet without being overpowering or heavy.

The Midnight Gypsy Alchemy sample vial is the standard stoppered 1ml vial. It came clearly labeled with an easily readable font.

Review: Firebird Bath and Body - Green Lemon

Review: Firebird Bath and Body - Green Lemon

Description: Bright juicy lemon, green lemon leaf, and citrus-y verbena make up this cheerful, sunny blend.

In the Bottle: Refreshing Lemon Lime

Wet: Sparking lemon lime. 

Drydown: Bright lemon-lime with a sweet citrus top note of verbena

Throw:  Low

Wear Time:  2 hours for a single application.

Verdict: Amazing. Light, fresh, very Spring-time.  The verbena makes an awesome sweet yet citrus-y top note.

The Firebird Bath & Body sample vial is the standard stoppered 1ml vial. It came clearly labeled with an easily readable font.

Review - 25 Feb 2015 Update

Review List - 25 Feb 2015 Update

All names are perfume oils unless otherwise noted.

If you would like one of these to move to the head of my testing list, please leave a comment with your request.

Alchimia Apothecary

1. Dryer Lint - Reviewed
2. Duchess - Reviewed
3. Geisha - Reviewed
4. Gladius - Reviewed
5. Jamocha
6. Jungle Juice
7. Magma
8. Mysteries of Blue - Reviewed
9. Oasis
10. Orange Vanilla Chai
11. Tsunami - Reviewed

Alkemia Perfumes

1. Aphrodesia - Reviewed
2. Miel de Sauvage et Tabac

Bath Sabbath

1. Black Xmas - Reviewed
2. Christmas with the Devil
3. Duncan Hills
4. Heart of the Unicorn
5. I Was Made for Loving You
6. Love Bites
7. Love Stinks
8. Mistress for Christmas
9. Sacred Heart
10. Sweet Cherry Pie
11. Winter Madness
12. Wizards in Winter - Reviewed

Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab

1. 13
2. A Countenance Foreboding Evil
3. A Rosy Colour Paints Her Claws with Honor
4. A Thought from Propertius
5. Absinthe - Reviewed
6. Aeronwen
7. Algaea
8. Al-Azif
9. All Night Long
10. Anteros
11. Ashlutum
12. Azathoth
13. Bathsheba
14. Belladonna
15. Bengal
16. Bien Loin d'Ici
17. Bijoux Y'ha-nthlei 2010
18. Black Cat
19. Black Lotus
20. Black Rose
21. Bleeding Heart (Unreleased)
22. Bliss
23. Blood Lust
24. Bloodlust Bonbon (Lupercalia 2015)
25. Blood Lotus
26. Blood Kiss
27. Blood Pearl - Reviewed
28. Blossoms in Springtime
29. Bly -Reviewed
30. Bread-and-Butterfly
31. Butterscotch Balls and Black Beetles
32. Catherine
33. Ceanothus Silkmoth 
34. Cheshire Cat
35. Chimera - Reviewed
36. Cobra Lilly
37. Croquet
38. Cthulhu
39. Dance of Death
40. Dark Chocolate with Wormwood
41. Darkness
42. Dawn: Mourning Victory
43. Deathcap
44. Death on a Pale Horse
45. Dee
46. Defututa -Reviewed
47. Dragon's Claw
48. Dragon's Hide
49. Dragon's Milk
50. Drink Me - Reviewed
51. Druid (RPG Series)
52. Eternal
53. Euphrosyne
54. Eve, to Adam in Paradise - The First Love - Reviewed
55. Event Horizon
56. Evil (RPG Series)
57. Fallen
58. Galvanic Goggles
59. Gingerbread Sin (Yule 2014)
60. Gingerbread Snake (Yule 2013)
61. Gingerbread Villain (Yule 2013)
62. Good (RPG Series)
63. Grandmother of Ghosts
64. Greed
65. Grendal: Cyborg
66. Half-Elf (RPG Series)
67. Harlot's House
68. Hedylogos
69. Himerus
70. Hunger - Reviewed
71. Hymn
72. Imaginer
73. Incubus
74. Ivory Vulva (Lupercalia 2015)
75. Jack
76. Jazz Funeral
77. Jezebel
78. Juliet
79. Katharina
80. Kill Devil
81. King of Hearts
82. Kyoto
83. La Vita Nuova
84. Lampades - Reviewed
85. Laudanum Bonbon (Lupercalia 2015)
86. Le Revnant
87. Leanan Sidhe
88. Lear
89. Liasion
90. Lick It Now (Yule 2013)
91. Lick It Softly (Yule 2012)
92. Lilium Inter Spinas
93. Lilith
94. Little Flora
95. Living
96. Lolita
97. London - Reviewed
98. Love
99. Love Me
100. Lucy's Kiss
101. Maenad
102. Mage (RPG Series)
103. Mango Infused Pumpkin Chai Latte
104. Masquerade
105. Minamoto No Yorimasa and the Lotus Flower (Lupercalia 2015)
106. Mari Lwyd
107. Mata Hari
108. Miles
109. Milk Moon (2007)
110. Miss Jessell
111. Mother Shub's Cthulhustollen
112. Mother Shub's Gingerbread Temple
113. Mrs. Grose
114. Mouse Circus
115. Namaste - Reviewed
116. Nephilim
117. Night Thoughts
118. Nocturne
119. Old Scratch
120. Orange Pumpkin Floss
121. Ouija
122. Pain
123. Paladin
124. Penitence
125. Persephone
126. Phobos
127. Plunder
128. Poisoned Apple
129. Pomona 2012 - Reviewed
130. Prunella - Reviewed
131. Pumpkin Hard Candy (Unreleased)
132. Psychodynamic Discharge
133. Psychological Horror
134. Qandisa
135. Rapunzel in Ballpoint
136. Red Devil
137. Robin Goodfellow
138. Rocking Horse-Fly
139. Rome
140. Roses, Pearls, and Diamonds
141. Rumpelstilzchen
142. Sachs
143. Saint-Germain (Discontinued)
144. Satan Talks to Sin and Death
145. Scarecrow
146. Scherezade
147. Schrodinger's Cat
148. Seeds of the Pomegranate, Leaves of the Poppy
149. She Perishes That She May Live
150. Silence
151. Sin
152. Siren
153. Sloth
154. Smut 2015
155. Smut 2013
156. Snake Oil - Reviewed
157. Snake Oil Chaos Theory 
158. Snooty Rose
159. Snow White 2005
160. Sophia
161. Spirits of the Dead
162. Sri Lanka (Discontinued)
163. Strawberry Moon 2012
164. Suck It 2012
165. Sugar Moon
166. Sugar Skull 2012
167. Tamora
168. Temperance (Tarot)
169. Temple of Dreams
170. Thanatos
171. The Adoration of the Mi-Go
172. The Death Horse (Discontinued)
173. The Delicate Ambrosial Dews of Heavenly Nectar
174. The Empress (Tarot)
175. The Ghost
176. The High Priestess (Tarot)
177. The Lion
178. The Moon (Tarot)
179. The Obsidian Widow
180. The Perfumed Garden
181. The Perilous Parlor
182. The Raptures and Roses of Vice (Lupercalia 2013)
183. The Reaper and the Flowers
184. The Red Queen
185. The Robotic Scarab
186. The Rose
187. The Sorrow of Love
188. The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil
189. The Vampire Bride
190. Thieves Rosin (RPG Series)
191. Titania
192. Titus Andronicus
193. TweedleDee
194. Twilight
195. Ulalume
196. Undertow
197. Urd
198. Vasilissa
199. Velvet
200. Venus Cloacina (Lupercalia 2015)
201. Venus Obsequens (Lupercalia 2015)
202. Vice
203. Viola
204. Voyeuristic Monkey
205. Wanton
206. White Rabbit
207. White Phoenix
208. Winter Stars
209. Whoso List to Hunt
210. Wrath
211. Yule Cookies

Cocoa Pink

1. A Twist of Lime Noel - Reviewed
2. Angelica
3. Black Vanilla
4. Caramel Chai
5. Coeur de Vahine
6. Come-Hither
7. Cozy Blanket - Reviewed
8. Heavenly Vanilla
9. Ivory Eyelet
10. Licorice Ribbon Candy
11. Maple Bacon Cupcake - Reviewed
12. Marshmallow Pumpkin
13. Medieval Mint Eyelet
14. Oh Olive
15. Peppermint Snow Angels - Reviewed
16. Perfect Pumpkin - Reviewed
17. Pink Snowflake - Soft Bubbles Foaming Scrub - Reviewed
18. Pumpkin Buttercream Frosting
19. Santa's Cookies - Voluptuous Body Butter - Reviewed
20. Spicebomb - Reviewed
21. Tahitian Monoi Cake - Reviewed
22. The Un-Red  - Reviewed
23. Vanilla Bean Noel
24. White Sugar
25. White Sugar - Voluptuous Body Butter - Reviewed
26. White Sugar - Whipped Dream Lotion - Reviewed
27. White Sugar - Ends with Argan Detangler - Reviewed
28. White Sugar - Ends with Benefits Leave in Conditioner - Reviewed
29. Witches Delight
30. Zombie Apocalypse

Deep Midnight Perfumes

1. Belladonna Kiss
2. Black Throne
3. Blood and Donuts - Reviewed 
4. Carnivale Rouge
5. Dark Desires
6. Decadence
7. Endris Night
8. Mayan Mystery
9. Silk Road Delights -Reviewed
10. Tea with Dragon
11. Thalia
12. Velvet Harlot

Firebird Bath & Body

1. Brown Sugar
2. Green Lemon
3. Sugar

Haus of Gloi

1. Come Hither
2. Cozy Roses
3. Cozy Sweater - Reviewed
4. Elevenses - Pumpkin Butter
5. Hearth
6. Moon Dog - Reviewed
7. Odette
8. Satyr - Pumpkin Butter - Reviewed
9. Tonic #4 - Reviewed
10. Troika - Pumpkin Butter - Reviewed
11. Twice is Nice - Hair Oil - Reviewed
12. Vice

Hazel Fern Perfume Oils

1. Courtesan
2. Edith Crawley
3. Fairy Garden
4. Madell

Madame Josephine

1. Babette - Reviewed
2. Dame Krampus
3. Enshrouded Woods
4. Ghastly Jack
5. Gruß Von Krampus
6. La Fee Verte
7. La Dolce Vita
8. Patia
9. Scarlet Dragon
10. Spirit of Halloween - Reviewed
11. Starlet Night
12. Sugared Flames - Reviewed
13. Sweet Muertos - Reviewed

Midnight Gypsy Alchemy

1. Darkness Divine
2. Love Alchemy
3. Mi Corazón
4. Raven Spells

Possets Perfume

1. Arrival of the Queen of Sheba
2. Death
3. Limoncello Ti Amo - Reviewed
4. Nevada Heat  - Reviewed
5. Nocturne
6. Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal
7. Snow on Bare Skin
8. The Great Psychiatrist of Babylon

Queen Bee Trading Co

1. Candied Vanilla
2. I Love Cake
3. Mardi Gras
4. Monkey Break
5. Vanilla Sugar Bomb
6. Winter Linen

Secret Perfumer

1. The Enchantress
2. The Seductress
3. The Temptress

Sixteen92

1. Black Sugar
2. Cloven
3. Lolita
4. REI
5. Wicked

Smelly Yeti

1. Beauty Queen
2. Capitalist
3. Psycho - Reviewed
4. Supermom
5. The Slayer
6. Unicorn Collector

Solstice Scents

1. Black Mallow
2. Black Leather, Red Lace
3. Blueberry Muffin Batter - Reviewed
4. Buttered Rum Mallow
5. Café Mallowmel
6. Cardamom Rose Sugar
7. Cherry Cordial
8. Cherry Vanilla Ambrosia
9. Cocoa Mallow (Discontinued)
10. Dark Ginger Spicecake - Reviewed
11. Flintlock - Reviewed
12. Ghenna
13. Heart of the Night
14. High Desert
15. Jack and the Devil
16. Kitchen
17. Lemon Ginger Creams
18. Loggia - Reviewed
19. Nightgown
20. Nightstar
21. Outpost
22. Rose Leather
23. Snowmint Mallow - Reviewed
24. Snowshoe Pass - Reviewed
25. Sugarvale
26. Sycamore Chai - Reviewed
27. Violet Mallow
28. Violet White Leather
29. Whispering in the Night
30. Winslow's

Supplee Soap Company

1. Ethereal
2. Evoke
3. Jade
4. Spellbound

Ten Digit Creations

1. Aloha Vanilla
2. Bamboo Cypress
3. Big Girl Panties
4. Butterscotch Pudding
5. Coconut Cream Pie
6. Midnight Jasmine
7. Southern Belle
8. Succubus
9. Twisted Cranberry
10. Violet Vixen

Three Ten Labs

1. Artificial Angels
2. Dark-Eyed Daughter - Reviewed
3. Homicidal Soccer Mom
4. Where the Glory is in the Crowning

Review: Alchimia Apothecary - Dutchess

Review: Alchimia Apothecary - Dutchess (this is their spelling not mine!)

Description:  Dutchess. World’s deadliest spy. The smooth, but not too-smooth secret agent is usually chatting up the ladies and sipping on a bourbon, with his hair slicked back to a dapper sheen. A light fougere from his faded cologne peeks out from under his freshly laundered black turtleneck. Kadu blossoms still cling to his clothing from his most recent exotic job. Two pistols are tucked safely in their leather holsters, recently fired from his latest mission. Or maybe he just shot Brett again on the way to the elevator. Yes. Deadliest man, indeed.

In the Bottle: Men’s cologne, something fresh Kadu blossoms maybe? And gun oil.

Wet: Men’s cologne, something fresh Kadu blossoms maybe? And gun oil.

Drydown: Fresh Kadu blossoms and clean laundry.

Throw:  Medium

Wear Time: 2 hours for a single application.

Verdict: Ok so how could I not try this because: Archer. Wow this is sexy, fresh, and refreshing! A little on the masculine end but not enough that a woman couldn’t wear it. Very lovely unisex scent.

The standard Alchimia Apothecary sample vial is a droplet top dram  of 1.5ml. It came clearly labeled, though the fonts were not as clear as they could have been. 

Review: Three Ten Labs - Dark-Eyed Daughter

Review: Three Ten Labs - Dark-Eyed Daughter

Description:  Brown sugar, almond, gardenia, lotus, cranberry and plum.

In the Bottle: Cranberry, almond, with a little brown sugar

Wet: Sugared cranberries with a sliver of gardenia.

Drydown: Sugared cranberries with a sliver of gardenia, and an undernote of almond.

Throw:  Medium

Wear Time: 2 hours for a single application.

Verdict: This smells divine. I wish some of the other notes like the plum had come through but it smells fabulous as it is on me. 

The standard Ten Three Labs sample vial is an open top dram of 1.5ml. It came clearly labeled, with an easily readable font.

Review: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab - Defututa

Review: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab - Defututa

Description:  Olive blossom, honey, smoky vanilla, cinnamon, jasmine, sandalwood, and champaca flower.

In the Bottle: Honey and sandalwood.

Wet: Honey, jasmine, and champaca flower

Drydown: Powdery vanilla, topped with jasmine sweetened with honey

Throw:  Low

Wear Time: 1.5 hours for a single application.

Verdict: This dried down to a very nice spicy floral. Very adult and sexy. My only problem with it is that a single application didn't last too long.

Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab's sample “imp” vial is the standard stoppered 1 ml vial. It came clearly labeled with an easily readable font. 

Review: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab - Lampades

Review: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab - Lampades

Description:  The scent is the crisp, inviting bittersweet tang of cranberry with smoky dark lilies, heady, sensual musk, a tingle of ginger and a brush of Mediterranean spices.

In the Bottle: Cranberry, ginger, and spices.

Wet: Cranberries, sensual musk, with smoky dark lilies.

Drydown: Musk with rotten ginger

Throw:  Low

Wear Time: 1 hour for a single application.

Verdict: This started out very fresh and cranberry but dried to a disappointing foul scent on me. 

Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab's sample “imp” vial is the standard stoppered 1 ml vial. It came clearly labeled with an easily readable font. 

Review: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab - Eve to Adam in Paradise

Review: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab - Eve to Adam in Paradise

Description:  Moroccan rose, white fig, honey, hay absolute, vanilla, chamomile, white musk, pomegranate juice, and morning dew.

In the Bottle: Chamomile, honey, and morning dew.

Wet: Light roses on the white musk.

Drydown: Light roses, white musk, morning dew, a light sweet vanilla, with a touch of honeyed pomegranate.

Throw:  Low

Wear Time: 2 hours for a single application.

Verdict: The drydown turned out to be wonderful, so light yet complex. I really like this. It’s a different kind of spring scent.

Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab's sample “imp” vial is the standard stoppered 1 ml vial.  It came from a decant circle, clearly labeled with an easily readable font.

Review: Solstice Scents - Violet White Leather

Review: Solstice Scents - Violet White Leather

Description:  Soft powdery violets resting on a vanilla cloud float atop ripples of supple white leather.

In the Bottle: White Leather

Wet: White leather with a sliver of violets.

Drydown: On me it remains heavy white leather with an overlay of light sweetness.

Throw:  Low

Wear Time: 2 hours for a single application.

Verdict: It’s alright. I was expecting the violets and vanilla to stand out more but they didn't show up on me, unfortunately.

Solstice Scents’ sample vial is the standard stoppered 1 ml vial. It came clearly labeled with an easily readable font.

Review: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab - Pomonia 2012 LE

Review: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab - Pomonia 2012 LE

Description:  Azaroles, nuts, and apple blossoms with red apple pulp, mulberry, blackberry, and pomegranate juice.

In the Bottle: Juicy apples

Wet: Juicy apples

Drydown: I was hoping for some of the other notes to come out but it really just stayed smelling like apples.

Throw:  Medium

Wear Time: 2 hours for a single application.

Verdict: It smelled like fresh juicy apples on me the whole time. I had been hoping some of the other notes would emerge but to my dismay they didn't. 

Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab's sample “imp” vial is the standard stoppered 1 ml vial. It came from a decant circle, clearly labeled with an easily readable font.

Review: Smelly Yeti - Psycho

Review: Smelly Yeti - Psycho

Description:  Assertive and bold, uninhibited and reckless. Faith's always been a wild card. Wild black cherry, dirty leather, black musk, and a wisp of tobacco smoke.

In the Bottle: Cherries, dirty leather and tobacco smoke.

Wet: Cherries, dirty leather and tobacco smoke with an slight note of musk

Drydown: It smells exactly as described, black cherries with dirty, musky leather and tobacco smoke.

Throw:  Medium

Wear Time: 5 hours for a single application.

Verdict: I was so excited finding that Smelly Yeti had a whole Buffy the Vampire Slayer collection. So excited that before I tried this I made a second order of samples. Anyhow this smells very white trash, like Faith. It smells exactly as described and doesn't change on my skin. I’m pretty impressed with it.

The standard Smelly Yeti sample vial is a short dram of 1.5ml. It came clearly labeled with an easily readable font.

This was my first order from Smelly Yeti and it came beautifully packaged.

Review: Solstice Scents - Cocoa Mallow (Discontinued)

Cocoa Mallow (Solstice Scents – Discontinued)


Solstice Scents announced this scent would be discontinued after Valentine's Day so I snagged one to try.

Description:  A combination of devilishly tempting rich dark chocolate and fresh sweet marshmallows that will leave you salivating. This perfume has a stronger chocolate start with a subtle hint of marshmallow. 

In the Bottle: Cocoa

Wet: Deliciously Sweet cocoa

Drydown: Hot cocoa with the sweetness of marshmallows on top.

Throw:  Low

Wear Time: 2 hours for a single application.

Verdict: If you like chocolate gourmand scents, this one is totally for you. It made me hungry.

Solstice Scents’ sample vial is the standard stoppered 1 ml vial. It came clearly labeled with an easily readable font.

Review: Haus of Gloi - Cozy Roses

Review: Haus of Gloi - Cozy Roses

This is part of Haus of Gloi's Valentine's 2015 Collection

Description:  Cozy Sweater blended with Rose City. [Cozy Sweater: Pale skin musk, faded perfume, Egyptian amber, softly burning nag champa incense and a fine aged vanilla. Rose City: Red roses and the earthy wet scent of aged patchouli.]

In the Bottle: Roses, so many roses

Wet: Roses, light musk with a sliver of vanilla.

Drydown: Rose scented fresh laundry

Throw:  Medium

Wear Time: 2 hours for a single application.

Verdict: It smells good, like a rose version of cozy sweater which is it. If you like rose florals and cozy sweater you will love this. It’s light, feminine and romantic.

Haus of Gloi's sample vial is the standard stoppered 1 ml vial. It came clearly labeled with an easily readable font.