Blood Kiss - Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab

Details: 
Blood Kiss
Bewitching Brews
Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab

Notes: 
Lush, creamy vanilla and the honey of the sweetest kiss smeared with the vital throb of husky clove, swollen red cherries, but darkened with the vampiric sensuality of vetiver soporific poppy and blood red wine, and a skin-light pulse of feral musk. 

This is a spicy vanilla with a sour note that is probably the clove. Not quite a scrubber but not pleasant. The dry down is slightly sweeter but that clove still comes through enough to be irritating. And of course, because I don't really like it the sillage is fairly high and it lasted 8+ hours on me. *sigh*

Rating: 
1/5

Day 181!

Bloody Valentine - Black Baccara

Details: 
Bloody Valentine
Black Baccara

Notes: 
A perfume for those who like their florals with a hint of gloom and doom. Bloody Valentine is a story of aged papers and Victorian flowers enhanced by a tinge of the metallic and earthy. It is a strong, floral blend best suited for those who love the smell of "vintage" flowers and Victorian inspired perfumes. The scent here is from another time and place. The strongest notes are those of violets, followed by rose, sandalwood, a hint of red wine, a trace of soil, and clove pennyroyal, among others.

The dominant notes in this floral are violet and rose, and boy are they running the show. It's like Bea Smith and the Freak fighting for supremacy in Prisoner (the real one, not that travesty of a remake). This is a true head kicking perfumy perfume, and not for those who like their scents delicate. There is a sweet note that could be wine, and a sharpish spice note that might be clove or nutmeg. The dry down was like a mildly spicy soap, and once that soapiness made an appearance it stayed until the perfume disappeared about 4 hours later. No likey. 

Rating: 
1/5

Day 155!

Vaudeville - Nevermore Body Company

Details: 
Vaudeville
Nevermore Body Company

Notes: 
Freak shows, concert saloons, carnival show and Vaudeville captured in one fragrance of sweet chocolate base with spicy pepper, fresh brewed Espresso and a mouthwatering Merlot wine bouquet of wild grape, strawberry stems and a hint of spice.

When I test a perfume, I like to know as little about it as possible, as if I'm already aware of particular notes, I find that influences me and sometimes I start imagining I can smell them, even if I can't.Luckily, I have the memory of a goldfish, so when I order a perfume online because it sounds like something I'd like, by the time it reaches me, I've forgotten what the notes are. All this is a roundabout way of saying that what I got from Vaudeville, and what the notes tell me I should have gotten are two vastly different things.

What I expected from the name was a carnival-type scent, some concoction of popcorn, candy, fairy floss, etc. In the vial I can smell chocolate and wine. Once applied, I got an apple smell - sort of cidery and alcoholic. A couple of minutes later I sniffed again and got a big whiff of liquorice. Now, these are both notes I'd expect to find in a perfume called Vaudeville, but imagine my surprise when I looked it up and found neither of them mentioned. The alcohol can probably be explained away by the Merlot (though it really did smell distinctly apple-ish), but where's that liquorice coming from?

A couple of hours later it was almost gone - the sillage is quite low and the lasting power... meh. I reapplied and this time I got the coffee. I wonder if that's because now I knew the coffee was there? I swear I did not smell coffee the first time I applied it. How odd.

Rating:
3/5 Interesting, and I like it, but I don't think I'd buy a full size of it.

Day 41!