Black Cat

What's especially funny is that I had been intending for a few weeks now to try Feliway on them again, the kitty pheromone product, to see if I could get them to calm down. Apparently I just need to slather LPs!

OK, a brief report from my first Heart and Soul outing, which has me laughing hysterically. I put this on and wore it out, and I noticed that it had subtle but strong self-effects -- I found myself much chattier than usual, except that chatty is the wrong word. I had a lot to say, but but it wasn't small talk. I ended up in two different conversations, one in a group of friends (men as well as women) and one with just one other woman friend... and we were all going deep, in a really good way. Not overly intense, but getting immediately and comfortably to the real stuff. These are people I talk well with anyway, but it felt like H&S did exactly what it's purported to do -- amplify the bonding and sense of trust, and just open up the flow. Then I came home. And it's been a long stressful week, and I had nothing urgently requiring my attention. I went up to watch a bit of TV and ended up sliding down for a long nap -- a few minutes in, my little black cat came and curled up in my arms. Which is typical. Then my ginormous Siamese came in and got behind me... also normal. But then the Siamese reached out and curled his paw tightly around my neck, kind of a cat's version of "spooning", and stayed there for THREE HOURS, and whenever I woke up briefly I'd hear him make a little groaning noise and feel him tighten his grip on my neck/shoulder and rub his head against my back and purr! It may be a total coincidence, but that's a new behavior. I can only imagine how useful this would be with husbands.... :-)

OMG, Mara and all the lovely people at LP! I tracked down my package at the postal annex.... and let me tell you, it was totally worth the drive! First of all, I couldn't believe it when I opened the box and discovered all 3 of my orders together... I can't believe how quickly you processed everything! If all I had gotten was what I ordered I would still be over the moon, and rightly so, but I can't believe the generous gifties! You are truly amazing and I cannot say enough good things about this company. Love love love you guys! BTW, I also can't believe you paid all that in postage.... and given what's happening with those rates, I will completely understand if at some point you need to start charging for shipping. As it is, that is another enormously generous gift. Thank you so much! And Vladmyra -- I had to chuckle, your description captures what is happening here perfectly!

Interesting distinction! I think it makes some difference with diffusion of the scent. I can't speak so much to the phero aspect; I'm pretty inexperienced with them in general and also, I have been on break from my main job and not going out in the world that much the last few weeks, so not much opportunity to look for hits! It's more the staying power with which I was really noticing a significant improvement. I was finding myself putting on scents that were simply gone within a few minutes, and with the serious moisturizing job, things are lasting for hours again.

I'm also VERY relieved to hear I'm not the only one!

This is really helpful and echoes advice I just got in another thread. I tried it today, slathering coconut oil on all the places I wanted to apply perfume, and so far, knock wood, it seems to be making a real difference.

Oh, you enablers, you! I was already leaning towards the bottle....

OK apparently I should just realize that any cops cover is something I should just go full bottle on right away..... This is amazing. I had a lot of trouble picturing this one as a perfume -- even though I am a TOTAL coffee ho in real life. This is smoky, strong, mostly coffee with an initial chocolate note that drops very far back for me almost immediately (which is great for me, not so much for the chocolate scent). It's interesting to compare this to Cops and Robbers -- I get the same coffee note in both, though obviously it dominates in TT and is more of a subtle harmonizer in C&R. I'm tempted to layer them but I'd be afraid to leave the house wearing that much in cops! ETA: And it looks like it just sold out! Ah, well. Good to be saved from myself, I guess!

Not sad so much, as maybe futile? ..... :-) I really wasn't drawn to this one when I read the description.... I thought, floral, nope, tea, nope, light and sheer, nope nope nope. And then once I put it on I just could not stop huffing my arm. It's not at all my usual type of thing but it's just haunting (and promptly expanded my sense, once again, of just what "my type of thing" can be!). The complexity others have alluded to is definitely there, making it a very subtle and sophisticated scent. At the same time, this one has a huge emotional resonance for me, somehow. There is something in there-- and I can't ascribe it to any single note -- that is just extremely evocative and nostalgic to me. It both brings up such strong memories of what it feels like to very young, while still staying very centered in my present day self (but a wiser, more centered/grounded self than I think I actually am). So just to warn you, NuTrix, I was very confident I wouldn't need a bottle of this, and then I tried it, and it turned out I did!

You know, that's a really good point. I've been starting to piece it together that my skin is a lot drier and that may be affecting my experience with scents--I'm having issues with so many that I think it might be me rather than the LPs. I also somehow hadn't pictured this one as a warm weather scent, but now that you've put that picture in my head of heat.... warm gentle moist air ... and cherry vanilla smoky goodness.... oh, my! I'll definitely try again in a few months. Thanks!

Well, this was a really interesting skin chemistry moment! I ordered this because I really love LFN. And when I opened the vial and first applied I was very hopeful -- got strong cherry and creamy banana, along with gorgeous sweetness and a little depth from the tobacco. But it disappeared almost instantly! Reslathered -- and poof, again it was gone. So this is a gorgeous scent, but for some reason my skin really doesn't hold it. It's interesting -- even though the scents are different, this one read to me initially very like Petit Four Your Thoughts (that strong almost medicinal fruit note that quiets down and smooths out to something really sexy and gorgeous). But somehow PFYT lasts and lasts while this evaporates. Very interesting!

Welcome, Absinthe! This is a wonderful forum experience; can't wait to read your reviews!

This is not one I thought I would be drawn to -- I just couldn't imagine lemon and maple working together. It's really lovely! Initially it's like lemon candy -- very sparkly, with a true sourness rising above all the sweetness. This has got to be the brightest scent I've ever encountered -- I get such a strong visual sense of really bright light, like sunshine reflecting off a crystalline ice-sheeted snowbank. Then the maple -- which is definitely a creamy maple -- starts to eddy around all that central brightness. I also find that while the scent quiets down pretty quickly, later throughout the day I'm suddenly surprised by heavenly little wafts of maple goodness. Definitely a winner! Congrats, Celrynnya!

Thanks, Stacy!

I can't believe I haven't reviewed this one yet -- it's stealthily working its way up my favorites list! Fresh on, I get raspberry jam and the softest hint of coffee and coconut. As it dries down and settles, the doughnut aspect really starts to emerge, and the jam -- I swear, I don't know how Mara does this! -- morphs to jelly. It's quite distinct from some of the other pastry scents I've tried, definitely jelly doughnut (I'm guessing it's the guava that gives it that particular sweetness). As always, the cops put me in such a good mood that I'm inclined to like smelling whatever I have on, but this is a surprisingly delicate scent, one I wouldn't be afraid to wear out and about (as opposed to OCCO SLF or my copped Eye of the Moggie!). Yummy in every way.

Amazing, this is one of the truest cookie scents I've ever smelled! First impression is very much of oats, or something like that, even though that's not an ingredient.... I definitely get the butter and the cream, but absolutely as ingredients blended into bakery goodness, not as stand-alone notes. The rose is so subtle I can hardly detect it. If I didn't know it was there I would be hardpressed to name that final, fleeting waft of floral that I catch at the end of my inhalation. This is truly lovely! And I'm filing away coconut cream as a note to watch for in the future...

I've been intrigued with this for a while and finally snagged a sample.... it's interesting, a true green scent for me, like a handful of grasses and plants hanging from the ceiling in a wise woman's cottage deep in the woods, and being dried for various magical and medicinal uses.... it's wonderfully earthy and herbal. It feels more like something I would use for intent, rather than wear as a scent, but that being said, it's very intriguing blend. I don't have the nose to pick out individual notes, so very nice to have the Potion Master divulge some ingredients here!

I can't quite believe it, but I was able to get Lisa's Lady Lavender and Lady Victoria's Buttercream Rose, the two PEs I was so sad to have missed! I'll look forward to your Mayberry review, Amalthea! That's one I've been eying for a while, but it never quite makes it to the top of the list.

I apologize if this has been answered elsewhere, but is it possible to order bottles off the Artfire site and have them boosted and/or made into sprays?

This is one I've been wanting to try for a while, and then the lovely Molls sent me a sample with my last trade! This is really intriguing -- it's definitely unisex, rather than masculine. It's a very soft scent, but billowy rather than powdery. It's cloud-shaped, but it's got a solidly substantial feel to it; it's not a vapor or a completely whispery skin musk. I think the balsam is really giving it legs. So it's soft but strong. There's an herbal tang, but once again it's very softened by the vanilla. This is not like any other LP I've encountered! I'm home alone today, but I look forward to trying out the phero with others very soon.

Hmm, I just don't know what to make of this. Initially, it's been a disappointment: the raspberry does not like my skin and smells a bit plasticky, and to the extent that I get the rose, it is for me (as Luna mentions above) very reminiscent of the rose in Pizzazz, which makes the whole vibe much more alcoholic beverage than foodie floral. I get an almost citrus-y scent. In the description, I was really drawn to the buttercream factor -- I've suddenly fallen in love with the Buttercream Rose Hydrating Water and was looking for that kind of thick creamy sweetness. Instead, I get the pointy. And yet, just sitting here typing, I just got a whiff of something different. It's gotten much quieter and softer, and I might reconsider. Maybe it will be like Petit Four Your Thoughts, which always goes on super pointy and softens to creamy incredibleness?! I will report back later.

Interesting! I forgot to add in my review: as a single lady who is wearing this to bed, I cannot yet attest as to whether it lives up to its name, but you tempt me to try it out for daytime use!

I came. I spent. I am going to bed because there is NO MORE MONEY!! :-) But what a treasure hunt! Yay, thank you, Mara!

I confess, I tracked this down because I was completely won by the description -- Luna, you could sell me anything! I had no idea HOW these things could work together, but I took a leap of faith. And this is currently one of my very favorites -- very hard to describe how the lavender and the foodie goodness work together, but they do. I get a big blast of sweetness right out of the bottle, then the pumpkin pie starts emerging and doing its thing, and THEN the lavender and the raspberry take it to a whole new level. Raspberry has not been the greatest for me, but here it's a delicate dollop of fruity sweetness. I just love this one, and it's become one of my staple bedtime scents -- it sits quietly on the bedside table between Lorien's Skelly Tart and Sweet Dreams and Comfort Potion.

This was a surprise hit for me -- I felt like I was all set with the peach scents I've got on hand, so I couldn't imagine needing another. I love the fizziness in this! I could almost feel the bubbles tickling my nose. I agree with what Celrynna said about the citrus tang. I don't get grapefruit from it, but it creates a similar vibe for me to the grapefruit in Glamour Puss -- although this has a more energetic upbeat quality, as well as a slightly darker texture. I'm going to have to give this one serious consideration for summer!