A Testing Day--Possets Void, Curve, 3:5:8, Spirogyra

There are times, when I get several different bottles from a release, that I try little dabs in a sit-down test session. Instead of focusing on one specific perfume, I'm taking you to the "back room" so you can get an idea of what it's like to be in my house when I do a hodge-podge day.

Today, I'm finishing up my last few bottles from the Possets Sacred Geometry release for Spring 2013. Since I do a quick test on my hodge-podge days, you won't get many final dry down notes, unless I like something so much that I go back to it. If you like my initial notes, feel free to request a full review so I can go through the whole profile for you another day. I also reference some other perfumes that I may not have covered on this blog. If you'd like the notes/comments for the fragrances I reference, let me know and I can post them for you.

I'm covering Void, Curve, 3:5:8, and Spirogyra.

Void description from Possets: "Void--The heart of cold proud springtime. Deceptive simplicity. Sandalwood acts as a seductive and earthy base for a bed of grapefruit and refined grapefruit expressed oil to lie down on. Very cerebral seduction going on here, where foody actually provides the cold logic, and unusual task and aspect. White and pink grapefruit, a concentrate of grapefruit which is meant to make it last longer than the lilt of fleeting topnote. Sharp and insistent but loaded with charm. I constructed Void to mimic the vacuum of deep space where Sacred Geometry begins. Without the void, there can be no geometery. Foody, resinous, dark, almost unbearably sophisticated."

Void reminds me of Point (from this release) in the bottle, but a tad more grapefruity. On the skin, helloooo grapefruit. Ooohhh do I like you. But then, I like grapefruit. I eat it like oranges, and people watch me in horrified disbelief, and I tell them they are missing out on a lot by being so picky. This has such a pretty under-note rising up right now. Very perfumy. At the moment, this is all grapefruit made into perfume. I'm getting...hmmm...what is it...sandalwood? *Looks up notes* Yep! Sandalwood. Oh my. The way those two blend is seeeexxxxy. There's something in the grapefruit (that I found with Point) that is skin but better. This one almost has a sweaty skin quality that I find particularly alluring. Bright, happy, perfumy. I'm glad I have this. Definitely bottle worthy, but it's not making me scramble to beg the perfumer to change my vote. Having smelled Point and Line (the review for Line is here: Line Review ), I really like how these all seem to be natural progressions of each other--just as the geometry they are based on is a natural progression. This seems to be on par with Line in terms of vibe, but on a softer level, and I get that skin-but-better-than-skin note from Point.

Curve description from Possets: "You have the void, you have the point, you have the line, now bend it into a graceful bow and you have the curve. Beautifully feminine, classic, the perfect celebration of being a woman. Abstract purple lilac essence mingles with the theme-sign for the elegant classic shapes. Grapefruit (pink only) with an extra does of the zest. A drop of Hidecote lavender which has been aged and this becomes a fundamental piece of adornment for your wardrobe. Versatile, yet unique; this gem can stun and delight you alone or as a layering device."

Curve in the bottle is pure springtime and lilacs with a heady undernote that is reminding me of...hmmm not sure yet. On the skin, this blooms beautifully in the grapefruit and lilac. So far (crosses fingers), the way it's sitting on the skin is making me think this just might be the lilac scent I have been looking for. The lilac seems like the perfect companion to the grapefruit. I'm shocked at how much they compliment each other, blend, merge, play. Who knew? I'm wondering if it's the lavender, but something in here (very small, down at the bottom) reminds me a LOT of one of the other perfumes from this release--it's almost the nectar of Dodecahedron, but not quite. Or maybe it is. Hmmmm. Ahhhh now about five minutes in, the lavender is coming forward a hair. Delicate, soft, almost Arc of Venus (scaled down a lot) femme. Curve is definitely pretty springtime femme. If this holds, without going soapy or funky (as many lilac scents do on me), this would probably be in my top five from this collection (or maybe top six). So far, the grapefruit seems to be holding the lilac in line. I don't get much lavender from this, but what is there is baby soft and lurking way down on the bottom with occasional spikes for attention.

3:5:8 description from Possets: "The darkest of all black musks which I have ever used (very special and only obtainable in small quantities (and I have been aging it carefully in my aging cabinet). A gleaming DRY smokey vanilla which almost is something other than vanilla, it is so complex. Finally it is all finished off with a very light dusting of precious jasmine, but the kind I use is not stinky at all*. Finally a light version of night blooming cereus and a wild incense which is like the lovechild of nag champa, high and dark.

A deep sexual Tantric fragrance.

* I grow jasmines and know which ones are the varieties I like and which ones are the overly aggressive, stinky, or unpleasant types."

3:5:8 in the bottle is Helloooooo jasmine and black musk! I recognize you black musk, oh yes I do. Hah! On my skin, this becomes an almost grape-y jasmine (full and rich), with the black musk adding its comments. This one reminds me of the Valentines releases in the King Henry line (specifically Catherine of Aragon): a bit weightier, a bit more depth, having a more exotic tone. So far, I'm not sure if we're going to come to an understanding or hate each other. *Sulk Gaaaaah! As it continues to dry, I'm catching a whiff of dryer sheets. Is it that incense? Nooooooo! No, no, no, no, no! Aghhhh! Incense, why do you hate me so?! *Weeps bitterly. (Note for followers: some incense goes straight to Mexican Tienda dryer sheet aisle on me--which means I get a hint of the dryer sheets, a waft of the corn tortillas a few aisles over, and sometimes a smidge of chorizo from the meat section at the end of the aisle. I love it in the Tienda--not so much on my skin. Not all incenses do this to me, which makes trying perfumes with incense a continual adventure.) The jasmine and black musk are lovely, but that incense is destroying the whole thing for me. Booooo! No "deeply sexual Tantric fragrance" for me!

Spirogyra's description from Possets: "Lime, lemon rind, grey musk, and African Musk, a small touch of fir and a few drops of geranium. This is a bright blend which creates an aura of freshness. Great for anyone who has to work with the public or who likes to work out and wants to project freshness without projecting a harsh kind of clean. This is a versatile and winsome perfume. I love the way the musk and citrus played in the final version. Named after a beautiful algae which arranges itself into the neatest spirals and is green."

Spirogyra in the bottle is fresh and spa-like. A touch of green, a smidge of creamy coconut (although that could be sage, because the sage in Line felt like creamy coconut and it was gorgeous), a little floral, a little touch of wood. On my skin, this is very much like taking a day at the spa. Very soft and fresh herbal green, citrus (I get more lime although I can see the lemon rind also playing around), and a teeny tiny bit of geranium. (I love Mrs. Murphy's geranium hand soap, and this geranium slightly reminds me of that one. Very pretty and soft, and not overtly floral.) The musks are a bit heady, but this is (so far) a very public-safe scent. It rides nicely on the skin, projects a clean and soothing throw (without being a soapy clean--just a fresh clean), and minds its manners beautifully. It does seem to have some of the clean and classy aspect that I really liked in Line--a bit of wood (in Line, it's cedar, but this is supposed to be fir), and it also has the same creaminess rounding out all of the stronger edges and turning them silky. This could very easily be masculine or feminine. As this continues to sit, I get an almost aquatic tone from this--a little salty sea air mixed with the green. This is fresh, soft, happy, and glowing scrubbed-skin from a high-end spa. Pretty without being femme. Soft without being powdered. Smooth and refreshing. It's not what I would normally wear, but I could see it being just the thing on blah days where a mini-vacation is needed.

Final notes:

Void is a lovely comparison to Point and Line. I can see how those two came to be from this.

I'm still really liking Curve. The lavender has come out to play, and is soft and almost powdered--no spiky lavender here any more. It merges beautifully with the lilac and grapefruit. Believe it or not, I could see this being absolutely gorgeous on a man, although the notes would indicate more femme. The lilac is still holding as lilac (wooohooo!). Yep, this would be in my top five from this release (although, it's usually about an hour out when things can go funky with lilac, and I'm not there yet, so who knows).

Spirogyra is clean, clean, clean although the musks seem to be adding to my sinus headache that I woke up with (every time I sniff that particular spot, my head goes WHOMP), so this will probably find a better home. I'll try it again on a non-sinus headache day for a final verdict.

And 3:5:8? Incense, why do you hate me so? Whyyyyyy? Gah! I can see this being loved by a lot of people. I just won't be one of them. *Pouty stompy feet