I'll start off by saying I ordered on a Friday afternoon or evening and it was shipped out MONDAY. All of these perfumes were rested for a week or so before I tested them, because I was out of the state when they arrived. Probably necessary as it had been extremely hot and I know that can have an effect on how oils smell. My wear time for these was all about 3-4 hours, which seems to be standard for me. Everything seems to fade too quickly on my skin :( Here are my thoughts!

Ghost Fire- A luminous attraction of ethereal white ambers. Hauntingly beautiful. Lol the description reminds me of that "tragically beautiful" tumblr meme from a few years ago. Anyway. I wasn't even planning on ordering this, but when I learned that you got to choose a free sample, I picked this so I could compare it to Foxfire, which I was already ordering. I'll be honest, as someone newish to perfume I wasn't really actually sure what amber or white amber smelled like. I'm still kind of figuring it out. This to me smells reminiscent of vanilla. It is so comforting and warm and delicious and "neutral" in the sense that I can't imagine anyone not liking it or finding it offensive. It is so, so wonderful. I've been just slathering it on and sniffing myself constantly. I adore it. I've seen many reviews that describe it as somewhat fruity but I don't get that at all. It's kind of like if Bath and Body Works warm vanilla sugar got grown up and sophisticated. Worth the hype.

Foxfire- Our special Ghost Fire blend of ambres blanc infused white sugar with sexy swirls of jasmine aldehydes, and night flowering nardo. Why is Ghost Fire two words and Foxfire one? I thought I would looove this one because of the jasmine and sugar, but what I've learned from trying jasmine-centric perfumes from Alkemia, DE, and NAVA, is that I don't actually like jasmine that much. It ends up smelling a bit like baby wipes or air freshener on me. This one was ok to me. It is basically Ghost Fire but lighter and sweeter. It really does smell just like the description. I could see wearing it once in a while for spring. If you do like jasmine you will probably love this.

Tuesday in Trieste- The essence of a lazy summer afternoon idling at a piazza cafè - a sparking cocktail of prosecco and elderflower wine, fresh apricots, green fig, citrus, mandarins, and effervescent summer musks. I totally get the "sparkling" aspect of this, which is great. I get all the fruit smells too. If this perfume was a color it would be both emerald green and gold. It's like a beautiful late summer day. I love the smell in the bottle, but sadly when I put it on it just turned into a slightly masculine soapy smell. :(

Carmen 7- An indecent proposal of succulently spiced pear, exotic lychees, decadent french pralines, bourbon vanilla, and crushed almond blossoms leads to a ménage à trois of gardenia, star jasmine, and magnolia illuminated by the afterglow of a sensuously musky amber. I can't really tell any of the individual notes in this, but like others have said, it smells very expensive. However, I think it smells expensive in a slightly older lady way, and an older lady I am not. It turns a little funky on me too, which is maybe the jasmine. Pass.

Les Chant des Sirenes- An enigmatically alluring sea song of beachgrass, oceanic ozone, white musk, Rock roses, white patchouli, sea salt, and magnolia blossoms... This is like, the straight-up definition of aquatic floral. It's funny because the perfect aquatic floral is part of why I started into indie perfumes, but now I'm kind of over it. If I had gotten this a few months ago I would have loved it. I can't describe it better than just aquatic floral, honestly. By the time warmer weather rolls around next year I will probably want to wear it every day, lol.

Calliope- A beguiling divertissement of piquant clementine, orange blossoms, white orchid, sugared currants, tonka, and vanilla musk whirled with flirtatious teases of billowy cotton candy floss and kisses of saltwater taffy. It smells like Pink Sugar, bur orange. Orange Sugar. In the bottle it definitely smells like the clementine and cotton candy. I didn't think I would like oranges/clementines/mandarins in perfume, but I'm pretty sure I actually love them, and orange blossom. In a bummer twist of events, it totally morphs when I put it on and ends up smelling like the perfume section of Sephora. Just that general "perfume" smell. It makes me SO sad. If it smelled on me like it did in the bottle I would buy a full size immediately.

Arcanum Experiments 25- Aquatic, peaches, cyclamen, champagne. This one sounded like a dream (I love peach) and for $6 I couldn't pass it up! It smells, to me, exactly like my Calvin Klein Eternity Summer 2007 perfume. I used to just go online and buy the 2007 edition every time I ran out, because if I recall correctly they changed the formula up periodically and I liked that one the best. It's a little suntan lotion-y, a little aquatic, a little floral. So beachy and summery. I don't really pick out champagne or peach notes, but that's alright. I love this one.

Arcanum Experiments 23- Burned driftwood, anisette, cotton candy. The only one of those notes it smells like at all to me is the driftwood. I do NOT like it. The smell just reminds me of any vintage store. Kind of old and musty and like all their incense sticks. My girlfriend LOVES it and thinks it smells like some of the little shops she went to when she visited Key West. "The fancy ones, not the trashy ones". Tough noogies for her because I am destashing this as I will never ever wear it!

I really would have liked to try more of the Arcanum experiments, since they were so cheap, but at least half of them were already gone by the time I ordered. I am really interested in trying out some of the fall scents- Vixen, Autumn, and Autumnalis. Trick or Treat seems to get a lot of praise around here, but since it's not listed I'm assuming maybe that'll come a little later in the fall? I also really want to try Ambre Carmelise (sounds so yummy), Bohemiens en Voyage, and Desiderata. It seems another sample order will be necessary :) With 5 samples for $12 and only $12-13 for a full size, I can't go wrong.