Black Cat

DD, for me Coconut Breeze is a very beach-y kind of summer scent, evoking hot temps, humidity, sitting on someone's deck with grill fired up, hair still wet and kind of clammy on your neck from swimming .... while this is more delicate and indoors, freshly showered in a pretty cotton dress so you can go walk around air-conditioned art galleries or find a nice restaurant and sit on the deck under shade, watching the river go by and feeling the breeze while you sip your tropical drink. To me it's like a summer version of Petit Four Your Thoughts.... very soft, almost dainty foodie sweetness.

This went on as delicate pineapple musk, which was lovely for what it was -- so far, I am not finding that pineapple is a note that I like to wear (though this being LP, I am always ready to be surprised out of that!). But this did one of this big skin chemistry weirdnesses -- I think it might be the amber, something went plasticky and kind of burnt on my skin. I'll try it again in a couple of weeks in case it's cycle-related skin chemistry weirdness... ETA: OK, a couple of hours in now, and it's a very soft gentle pineapple musk with some creaminess around the edges. This I could see wearing!

Wow, I am LOVING this one! Which is odd, since I scored a bottle on the trade threads a while back and my memory is that I felt pretty "meh" about it. So I don't know -- definitely need to pull that baby back out because this is a fruit scent I can do -- thick sweet sultry syrup with not even a hint of cough drop (which I was getting with the other bottle). I can't pick out the cocoa and I think I'm experiencing the ginger and black vanilla as warmth for the whole brew rather than individual notes. But the mango-maraschino cherry combo is to die for! And not a squeak out of the patch, which I amped badly in another of this month's scents.

This is one I am experiencing very much as a texture -- weathered silk that is laddered and tears easily. Then, oddly, I get a kind of tea vibe -- I'm thinking that's the lemon grass and lemon verbena. So first it's a tattered silk shawl, and then it's an icy cut glass pitcher covered in condensation, sitting on the little table next to the front porch spring. It's a quiet, classy, slightly spooky little fruity floral. Perfectly named!

Heh!! Blame it all on the amazing Mara.... I hope it works well for you, Ducky -- I am just loving it. I really like Atomic Mandarin, as you know, but that one is *very* light on me, and what I like so much about Sunset Kiss is that it has more weight to it, if that makes any sense. It's definitely heavy rich custard instead of cupcake. The other thing that's interesting is that it morphs along, there are periods where I sniff close to my skin and think, oh, darn it, faded already. But then I pull back and a few minutes later get caught off guard by a heavenly waft of creamy sweet orange.... quite magical! And FWIW my mom loved the Key Lime even more than this one!! <grins evilly and scampers away>

Sorry, it's not in Lindee's Dark and Vampy, I ordered it as an add-in, splitting a phero boost between that and a bottle of Lady Suzy's Snow Leopard. I just meant that if you have the Unscented Gotcha! it's a very nice pairing!

Initially I really loved this one -- it went on as a very soft, almost powdery berry sweetness. In the longer drydown I am amping the patch. I will keep sniffing and hope it comes around again, because I would love another Blatant Invitation scent! This is very congruent, IMO, in the earlier stages for me -- soft subtle sweetness with a surprising depth to it.

Interesting! I put this on this morning without refreshing myself on the notes, and I had the hardest time figuring out which this one was... I swear I was smelling a very soft pineapple! Now that I look I can pick out the fruits a bit better, but I can hardly pick up the tea at all. This is just very soft, quiet fruit. It wears very sheer on me.

Thanks for sharing the experience, Rose... I've been a non-drinker for a while, so it won't be a problem for me (but I bet others on this thread will benefit from the advice!). That's also interesting about sedatives -- I don't anticipate that coming up, but it's good to be reminded to pay attention to what else I have directly affecting my brain when I'm having fun with my pheros. I am absolutely sold on Gotcha! from using it in the two scents I got boosted, but now I really want to be able to try it out with a number of different scents. Can't wait for this next order! BTW -- one of the scents I have it in is Lindee's Dark and Vampy, which I know you just got... IMO they are VERY congruent!

Mmmmm... soft mellow amber vanilla and a boysmell note that I believe must be the tonka.... It's verrrrrrry smooth on me! Then as it dries down it gets softer and more powdery. I wish I were getting the earthiness Blue Bear describes, but perhaps in the longer drydown. i agree with Spoonki -- this is definitely a great one for those times where I don't necessarily want to be perceived as "wearing scent" but I want to smell delicious and awesome, in a totally natural, casual way!

This one is all thick succulent floral, on me. So far I'm not picking out any of the foodie notes. It has a wonderful texture, like vintage silk -- I think that's the musk. Or maybe it's the butterscotch, and even though I'm not picking it up as a scent/flavor, it's creating that lovely density? One of the reasons I usually don't go for florals is that they can be so sheer on me, but this has a much more palpable presence. I agree with Lady V, it definitely feels like a match for Gotcha!

I read the notes on this and assumed I was safe to think it wouldn't work for me, because "berry sugars" sometimes go wonky... also, I am not normally excited by the pink stuff. But this is a huge nostalgic nommy fabulousness! Pink coconut, for sure, but bringing a whole host of memories of swimming, climbing out of the water and having to stand still while suntan lotion gets re-applied, then walking across the cool grass and onto the burning sidewalk to get to the cotton candy stand while the sun dries the water off your skin and your wet hair sends cool droplets sliding down the back of your bathing suit ... oh, dear. I might need this one. I am also flashing on something like Hostess Sno-Balls? Magnificent!

Woohoo!! Sexy foodie fun for all!

Finally ordered a full Unscented bottle of this one! I decided to start by getting it in the oil, which may be interesting -- so far I have just used it in boosted perfume sprays. But I figure if I end up wanting it in both oil and spray (which I could see happening) it would be good to save the increased strength option for the spray. And Hearts, that is the awesomest hit ever!!

I am really trying to stick to sampling NRs, but I finally got my bottle of this (with cops added). I washed my hands and broke out The Bear and OMG -- I had forgotten how much I love this!! It is deep, mellow, smoky, woodsy, earthy and -- I can't believe I am saying this! -- I am in love with the peanut note. It is making me drool. This is absolutely fantastic, and it's a perfect cops cover. Also a great bedtime scent. It's lovely with the hot humid weather, but I bet slathering up with this and getting between flannel sheets when the cold comes around would be AMAZING.

This is sweet fruity musk on me -- I'm really not able to pick out individual notes (I was sniffing extra hard for the grapefruit!). As a spray it wears lightly, but the tone of the notes is much fleshier and mid-range succulent, if that makes any sense. It's not a "me" scent or a "me" phero, but I will enjoy my sample.

Oh, Mara! and all the amazing people at LP -- just finally finished taking EVERYTHING out of the box and discovered the gifts -- I am speechless, and overwhelmed by your generosity. LP is simply the most amazing company in the world. Thank you for everything!

Jennifer's Key Lime Kiss Jennifer asked for a foody (not drinky) lime and toasted coconut blend, so I combined 2 kinds of natural lime EOs with 3 coconut varieties to achieve the toasted feel, topped with a dash of vanilla custard and whipped cream. Delish! The lime oils, being natural, make this blend a little bit cloudy. *Make sure you shake before you apply.* I confess, I kind of started to get cold feet about this one -- yes, I love *eating* Key Lime pie, but I suddenly thought, do I really want to smell like it? Well, if I had to pick a favorite of my three PEs, this would be it! Like Sunset Kiss, it's a sexy yummy summer tropical foodie. I was a little worried about being overwhelmed by the lime, but it's perfectly balanced by the coconut (and whatever those three varieties of coconut are, this is the yummiest LP coconut experience I think I've ever had!). Rich, creamy, mouth-wateringly decadent. But somehow Mara got more than the foodie elements in there -- I swear there is a lick of salt air and a wisp of suntan lotion and a hot summer breeze hovering around the edges of the scent. I get this huge wave of nostalgia when I smell it -- I think I may be remembering visiting family in Florida when I was much younger. Like Sunset Kiss, I think this is going to be perfect with both Lumina and Cuddle Bunny. The only question is, do I have enough bottles?!

Jennifer's Sunset Kiss Jennifer asked for a "blood orange creme brulee", but with the citrus rather than the sweet being the main attraction. I combined two blood orange oils, with two creme brulee oils - one sweet and one of them creamier, added a little whipped cream and my own custard/pudding accord, and ended with just a dash of caramelized sugar. Note that "blood orange" is not the average orange, it's a little more "grown up" smelling and not as candy-like as the tangerine oils I use in the cupcake scents. it has a deep body to it. This is delicious and adorable but has a touch of maturity at the same time. This is everything I hoped it would be: sexy, tropical summer foodie! The orange is wonderfully deep and rich, and Mara totally got what I was talking about with creamy citrus. It's absolutely decadent; every time I sniff it I want to make sure I don't have whipped cream on my face! And this is TOTALLY a sunset scent! It makes me think of sitting at a table at some tropical resort, a band playing and tiki torches burning. I feel like Ginger Rogers about to be led out onto the dance floor by Fred Astaire. I think this is going to pair beautifully with both Lumina and Cuddle Bunny!

Jennifer's Farmhouse Afternoon A lazy summer afternoon, laying in the cool green grass with the scents of nature carrying on the breeze... To achieve this aura, I combined quite a long list of fresh and watery green notes, just tiny drops of each, added a micro drop of two moist earthy notes, and a dash of lilac and rose stems, not enough to make it a floral, but just a hint traveling on the breeze. Quite an authentic experience! IMO, this would be an awesome perfume to layer with Sugared Apples. I was going to be wonderfully systematic and work my way through the NRs so I could figure out if there's anything I have right away, but I couldn't resist going to my PEs. Here is some of what I wrote to Mara: "I am thinking of my best friends' farmhouse in Strafford Vermont. Of a spring/summer feel. There's a certain feeling I get, on a Sunday late spring/early summer afternoon, when all the windows are open and cool breezes are coming through, cats are sacked out on the bed with me, and I have a good book and all is quiet -- time seems to get suspended. Or when I visit my friends in Strafford... they have a two hundred year old farmhouse in the valley, and we have picnics underneath a big tree, with an old quilt spread on the grass. There is a sense of total peace, of being exactly where one ought to be, right in the heart of the present moment." I talked about how I loved the earth and grasses notes in both Summer Belle and Spring's Jasmine Rain, and that I wanted something where those notes were the star (instead of providing the gorgeous grounding to the fruit/floral notes in those). I mentioned wanting a touch of lilac but not for this to be a floral. A tall order, right? Well, bearing in mind that this is just the preliminary report and it has barely had time to settle after traveling across country, all I can say is that this is EXACTLY what I wanted. It's a soft delicate amazingly complex blend of grasses and earth. It's not a floral; the lilac and rose stems are playing very, very quietly in the background. It smells like dewy fresh fields. Very natural, very green. This is going to be perfect for me for summertime -- I can get overwhelmed by the heat (and yeah, I know what we get in New England isn't exactly heat, but it still overwhelms me!) and this is so soft and fresh. I can picture dabbing it on first thing in the morning, when I'm being quiet and peaceful with my morning coffee, and I bet it would layer nicely under a number of things later on in the day. Also -- it is the perfect scent for when you're stepping out of the shower and want something refreshing and light. Just gorgeous, Mara! Thank you so much!

This is the one I was most excited to try and wow! In the vial, it's extremely naughty to my nose, very dark and steamy, but as soon as it goes on my skin the honey gets smoothed out with a marshmallow cloud, and the anise both diffuses in intensity and warms the whole thing up. It's a very light, golden scent when it dries -- definitely perfectly named, it's totally whipped honey! It is very quiet on me, but I too wonder what aging might do to it. Definitely full bottle potential here!

OMG enormous box of squee!!! The bag IS gorgeous, it would look amazing being held by naked men, which is the next best thing, right?

I am sitting here poised for delivery.... had to call in sick today which is a bummer but the upside is I should be here to sign for delivery! And remembering previous postal shenanigans I taped a huge sign on my mailbox telling him to make sure he knocks on my door and waits for me.... not that I'm obsessed, or anything!

Oh, I knew you would love it!! And since you did.... have you tried Valerie's Misty Melon Patch? While the scents are quite different -- the melon in MMP is much more sheer, and more tart than SB-- it is another wonderfully natural garden-fresh melon musk.

Just got it!!!! PEs and sampler (fingers crossed!) should be in the house early next week. I CANNOT WAIT!!!!