Black Cat

OK, I must confess -- I jumped on this one when I was in full-blown PE frenzy, and after I had placed my order, I said, "Self, Steamy Bikini did not work for you, and scented Cougar did not work for you, why are you ordering this?" To which Self wisely replied, "Because with LPs you cannot ever say for sure something won't work for you, and if it could, wouldn't that be wonderful???" (Spoiler alert: it was!) When I first put it on, the smoked sugarcane threatened to do what Steamy Bikini had done (which was a sad mess of burnt paper on my stupid skin), but as Tyvey said, there appears to be maybe a smidge less in this? In any event, within moments the sugarcane settled down and then the coconut started to bloom and OH MY GODS YOU GUYS. This is the coconut I have been waiting for all my life. This may have edged Coconut Breeze out as my favorite coconut scent. This is so lush and creamy it makes me swoon, and I cannot stop snuffling my arm. It sets off a rippling cascade of dopamine and leaves me feeling blissed out beyond belief. The concept is perfectly executed -- it's summer perfected, the memory of all that one misses without any of the annoying little bits that come with reality. I sound ridiculously over the top but all this to say I love it, it's genius, congrats to Tyvey and Mara, and I only wish there had been 25 bottles so I could go buy a few more because this is just the most yummilicious thing I've encountered in quite a while! ETA: Just reread Tyvey's review and it covers CB? Be still my heart!

OK, this is the scent I was most apprehensive about trying of this month's NRs -- the notes looked heavy and more resin-y than usually works for me. Out of everything so far though, this is the one I am closest to considering a full bottle on! It goes on herbally, as others have described, and as it dries it gets deeper and more complex and more evocative. This one is pure witch's cottage to my nose -- I get such a sense of polished oak planks, bundles of dried herbs, maybe Maililyahn's leatherbound grimoire lying on the table! It's also got a serious don't-fuck-with-me vibe I am really digging. Wonderful!

Hm, this one is interesting! As others have described, wet it was very berry, but in a way I really liked. As it dried down and the red musk gets more pronounced, the berries seemed to get tart, almost sour, but in a way that made this feel edgy and intriguing. I also keep thinking I get a touch of leather. Anyway, not a me scent, but for the right person -- empowerment in a bottle! Halo, I agree, this month's sampler is so much fun to test! Even if things are not turning out to be scents I want to go full bottle on, so far each one has been intriguing and had something I really liked about it!

So many fun and eloquent reviews on this one -- I haven't much to add except to report that this is very much lemon tea on me, quiet and subtle but with a slightly feral undercurrent weaving through the civility and Sunday parlor! Halo is spot on with her "lemon balm instead of straight lemon" observation -- I definitely got a hint of fresh plants waving in the breeze.

This was fascinating -- I don't know if I've smelled any other blueberry LPs! Right out of the bottle it was all blueberry, and my nose automatically added sugar and maple for a pancakes experience. But very quickly the other notes -- without coming to the forefront or even making themselves individually discernible -- worked to ground the scent so that instead of foodie blueberry it was wild nature blueberry. I can definitely see this being great on a guy, but I'm finding it quite lovely on me as well. A soft woody musk heavily tinged with wild berries. Almost like the unisex/masculine complement to Horny.

If I wouldn't be stepping on the toes of anyone who hasn't had a chance to get a first bottle yet, could I please get another of Invi's October Laundry? And I think I'm going to need an Out of This World Musk as well!

This one is quite light on me -- with oak, teakwood and oud I was anticipating something much darker and earthier. I definitely get the apple -- it's a deliciously crisp rather than sweet and fruity one, as Hearts said. I definitely get a visual of the fields after haying is done and nothing but stubble and bare earth remains -- later fall, post harvest, rather than early fall. Cool and rainy. I think more a scent I would want to smell on a guy than wear myself -- the drydown especially is beautifully clean and fresh.

Fantastic review, JLisa (and Wendylynne and Luna and, well, everyone!)! This is the first one I tried and it really is quite stunning! It has a darkness to it while at the same time the texture is smooth, light and airy. And I have NO IDEA how Mara does this, but this one has movement. It's curling up and away from my skin; when I hold my hand to my nose I swear that I can *feel* a current as I sniff! Also, despite the smoke, it has a cooling quality to it. It makes me think of the way ghost hunters describe "cold spots" in haunted houses. I think the allspice is genius and taking it out of what I thought might be familiar vanilla, resins and musk territory. Just.... really something! ETA: This also has strong sweetness to it! The sugar note is quite prominent, a fascinating contrast to the resins.

She said it much better than I could!! What a delicious delightful presentation!

Oh WOOHOO shipping notice!!!!! Weenies sampler and everyone's amazing PEs on the way! I am so excited for these!

Oh, Tink, I'll be so excited to see -- and maybe even smell! -- what you end up doing. And I'm so moved to read about your ongoing experiences with Persphone. I really liked what you said about using it in conjunction with the energy of Autumn. That to me is what magic is all about -- learning to harness all the available energies and work with them (instead of, as I so often do, attempting to bulldoze through a metaphorical stone wall on sheer willpower!), which is a process that I find involves a lot of acceptance and surrender. And Mai, I'm glad you saw this! I opened up Grimoire the other night and just sat there sniffing the bottle -- I wasn't quite ready for the potent force that gets unleashed when I actually wear it, but I needed a little sniff for a power boost!

D'oh!! Just realized in order for the magical shipping notice to be sent I MUST PLACE AN ORDER. Magical PE goodness and sampler now on the way!

Phergineer, I've been thinking about you since the A2D thread! You know, I'm sure Mara could brew some more of this, but I wonder if you might want to work on designing your own special potion for your own journey? I really can't convey how helpful these have been to me. I have gotten great results from some of the spell oils, but there is something about the process of visualizing/figuring out your own intent, and then bringing together the elements/notes that are most significant to YOU, and asking Mara to put it all together, that is really powerful! Just something to think about. :-) And as one dark underworlder to another -- hang in there! It's rough but I believe it's worth it. Speaking of which -- I have an appointment in about 45 minutes, time to dab on Persephone and descend! :-)

And Eternal Summer! If there are any left!!

Sigh. Please could I get I Heart Halloween and I Heart Autumn? ETA: I was done in by the scrumptiousness!

Oh, these all look spectacular gorgeous!!! Congrats to everyone for the autumnal October-ish splendor! And if we are starting to line up for reservations: I already know I desperately want a bottle of Invi's October Laundry! I may add to that when full descriptions post! Congrats again everyone!

Stacy, I've been meaning to post for days to thank you for this beautiful review, which really expressed something I hadn't thought of before but which resonates so much with my experience -- which tink pointed out, the something old breathing beneath the surface. So true. In all honesty, I haven't been able to get it together for any kind of serious ritual work lately. BUT -- I did use this in a very informal, very imperfect Autumnal Equinox candle working, asking to find a perfect balance between light and dark, between surface and depth. I've been wearing this often at night, and also dabbing it on before (most) therapy appointments. It's really fascinating. Maybe it's just a giant coincidence, but on the days I have this on for those appointments, it feels like being dropped through a trap door into some very deep dark stuff. But at the same time, I am finding myself able to then put all that away and leave it mostly in the office. So far (knock wood) I've been very successful in setting all the internal chaos aside so that I can not only show up for my work (which gets very busy this time of year) and my domestic life, but I can really enjoy those things and be present for them (instead of suffering through pretending everything is OK, which is what last fall felt like). I didn't even know exactly what I meant when I asked for the "potion to navigate the Underworld" but I think it was this! I really can't express how much my intent PEs have done to help me out this year. Mara's magic is the real deal.

OMG Mara, I couldn't imagine how you could possibly top last year's Weenie labels and these..... do!!!!! Absolutely dying for notes on Blue Smoke and Haystack and Autumn Rain. I can't wait for these!

Cheesy! It is one of my all-time favorites, and yes, it was a small offering that went. BUT. I am probably going to ask for a rebrew in the next year or two because I ended up giving away more bottles than I expected to and this one soothes my soul like nobody's business. It gets gamier and pine pitch-ier and ever more grounding and earthy! I haven't checked with Mara to see if the ingredients are still available, but I trust that she could do something similar... speaking of which... I am pondering ordering a winter variant when PEs open again. Stay tuned!

Oh, Tink, thank you so much for this gorgeous review! I am really glad to hear that the amazingness is not limited to my perceptions of it. I love what you said about the red -- I have been trying to find a way to characterize the juicy aliveness that the pomegranate adds to all that airy darkness and that really captures it. I forgot to mention -- this is also a glorious color in the bottle, a deep almost carnelian shade of amber. Tink, did you get Grimoire? I highly recommend as I was lucky enough to score a bottle in the initial brew. I feel as if they are paired in some mysterious way -- as if in Tarot terms Grimoire is The Magician to Persephone's High Priestess. Or, if you are a Terry Pratchett fan, Grimoire feels like wizard magic in Ankh Morpork, while Persephone is the province of witches out in Lancre (Maililyahn, I hope you're seeing this!). Anyway, they are both such potent potions, and each is perfect for fall in its own way.

Cherise, you always crack me up! Heavenly AND heathenly, I think! And Cheesy, no lines crossed at all! I think I have written in a bunch of different places on the forum about the fact that I am currently doing some very in-depth therapy work on old trauma stuff, so for me, that's the "underworld" I'm navigating. I think you could use this in all kinds of ways though! I think "navigating the underworld" could fit whatever one's particular challenge (and everyone I know has at least one!) happens to be. I was also thinking about how much I love the Persephone story, and the idea that there are times where we go deeply inward and withdraw, vs. times when we are fully surfaced and engaged more outwardly in our communities and friendships. I find myself paying closer and closer attention to the seasons as I get older, and I can't believe how long it took me to really understand the relationship between each season and the light -- that winter is actually the period where the light is coming back, even if the days are still shorter than the nights, spring is when there is more light and days continue to lengthen, in summer the shortening period has already begun, and in fall we move deepest into darkness. So this is also very much my fall potion, to be a guide in that dark and contemplative time of year. And trust me, that protection Mara mentioned adding, I can totally feel it! no danger of disappearing through a portal and not getting back. I'm pretty sure.

Awww, thank you for the kind words, lovey! The PEs are such a huge and vital part of my LP experience, and I think they are a big part of what makes this company unique. And they are also what puts me over the top in my respect and admiration for Mara's genius. To be able to take someone else's ideas and hopes and desires and likes and quirks into consideration and make someone else's vision come true for them -- in my case often in ways I would not have been able to conceive on my own or known to ask for -- well, I'm in awe. In addition, there is the shared community aspect... we get to know each other on this forum, and reading about or even trying other people's PEs is often a fascinating and moving adventure. And I love hearing other people's experiences with my preciouses (not sure there is a plural of that, but you get what I mean!)! Speaking of which -- if any of you other Persephone holders have gotten to this, I'd love to hear how it's working for you!

Jennifer's Persephone Potion Jennifer's potion for navigating the underworld, crafted of blackest musk, smoke, earth. air (ozone), and a drop of pomegranate. Forgive me, Jennifer, but I added a splash of protection in the form of Frankincense and Myrrh to round it out. Some powerful mojo with this one! It was the last I made one night before I went to sleep and I wore it to bed...it produced some wild dreams! MUSK ~ Self confidence and strength, sexual attractant, heightens passions and arousal. SMOKE ~ In addition to the attributes of whatever is being burned (resins, woods, etc), smoke is for cleansing, purification, renewal, consecration, concealment and celebration. It is also the foremost mode of communication from this world to the realm of spirits and the gods. EARTH ~ Grounding, centering, protection, renewal, reincarnation, life. AIR/OZONE ACCORD ~ Thought, communication, ideas, awareness. POMEGRANATE ~ Divination, luck, wishes granted, wealth, fertility. FRANKINCENSE ~ Purification, consecration, protection, exorcism. Associated with silver and the moon. MYRRH ~ Stimulating, soothing. Powerful guard against evil. I have NEVER waited this long to test a PE, but as I posted elsewhere, we have had stupid hot weather and I was afraid of triggering a headache with the resins and ruining the scent for myself. I think it's probably a good thing, because it means this has had a few weeks to settle. Last night a huge storm hit around 4:30 and cleared out heat and humidity, and at about 9:00 pm I decided it was cool enough to give this a try. This is absolutely spectacular! At first I was -- not concerned, exactly, but a bit taken aback because I had specifically asked for this to be a light and airy scent, despite the darkness of the notes, and wet in the bottle I got a robust juicy resinous scent. I knew that I could trust Mara though, so I was not alarmed, and within moments of putting it on, I knew that I had gotten everything I asked for and more. The musk, smoke, earth and ozone are in perfect balance, and they create a soft ethereal base on which the pomegranate eddies and surges in waves, and the resins (thank you so much for the extra notes, Potion Master) sparkle out from the darkness. I confess I chose the pomegranate very much for symbolic value but I can't believe how much I love it. It's rich, full-bodied, almost wine-like. When I smell this, I get a visual very much like Mara's label -- a cast-iron cauldron with a glowing charcoal piled with the richest loose incense which melts and smolders, releasing clouds of fragrant smoke. What I found the most interesting was that if I sniffed right next to my skin, it was hard to smell. But when I held my wrist several inches away, I got the most haunting nuanced complex scent. I went on with my evening and at various points would suddenly go on alert, wondering, "What is it that smells so divine?!" and it would be me. This is another one I asked Mara to craft with intent -- and the other thing that happened was that every time I smelled the scent I felt a huge ripple of energy wash down my spine. I felt invigorated, deeply empowered/protected, and it's a deeply feminine dark goddess kind of power (which is exactly what I need right now). I am so thrilled to have this and I can't wait for the weather to get properly cool so I can start wearing it regularly. Dear Mara, thank you SO MUCH!!!! ETA: I can't believe I forgot to list note meanings, I love those! And holy smokes, seeing all that, no wonder this is so powerful and amazing!

Cherise, I think you're going to love it! Very grounding and powerful.

So I pulled this one out late last night and dabbed it on. Wet I get leather first and foremost.... and it is unlike any other leather note I've smelled before in an LP, I think! I have no idea how Mara does it, but yes, this one totally has ancient tome leather written all over it. Then the resins emerge, and the smoke and earth right behind them. The earth note is a dry, almost dusty one to my nose -- just perfect for this. It is a very evocative scent and perfectly embodies the concept. In the dry down the leather is less of a standout and the individual notes blend to an earthy, resin-y, leather-y mix that has a sense of primitive power to it. I think it would be amazing for ritual or meditation use, but it's also a very sophisticated complex scent that works as a perfume in a way that is similar to Totem Bat for me (though the scents are very different from each other). Unlike Bat, though, I think this one is absolutely unisex -- men, if you are a fan of leather or resins you should take a close look at this one!