Sarawen

I really can't remember how I came across Etsy store, Sarawen perfumes, but wow, these perfumes impressed me! 
Described as "Unique perfume oils inspired by all things Literary, Magical, Historical, Gothic, and Geeky!" There's bound to be a fragrance to appeal to all tastes.
I prefer to try before I buy, especially when it comes to perfumes. Thankfully, most indie perfume stores sell samples, Sarawen is no exception. The hard part was xhoosing from the range, without trying everything!

As you can see, I was quite restrained with my order. I've really had to try and rein in my spending, so a I figured that a small number of samples wasn't going to hurt.
Currently on the website it appears that the sample vials have been replaced by tiny jars with screw top lids. To be honest, I don't mind either.

The perfumes that I tried are as follows:


Vanilla Vamp: *Rich, sensual, musk-laced vanilla topped with tropical fruits and almonds over darkened myrrh. Hard to resist, but oh so good! A unique and dark vanilla scent.
This is one of my favourite vanilla scents. It is creamy, slightly fruity with a touch of woodsy spice. I adore this scent, as it holds no resemblance to a fake, too sugary vanilla. I find this fragrance to be quite comforting and warm. It is quite a subtle scent on my skin, as it develops an appealing powdery scent, wafting nicely throughout wear.

RAVISH: *A delicious blend of summer raspberries and decadent chocolate over incense and amber. Sultry, sweet, and indulgent! Beware, an innocent little nibble could quickly turn into love bites!
Raspberries and chocolate, so delectable. Fruity, syrupy, warm and tart. I would love this scent in a moisturiser.

CAKE OR DEATH: *When you -must- have your cake or die! Decadent buttercream frosting and vanilla cake with a touch of spice over a darkened amber base. 
On my skin I get honey. Gorgeous warm sweet honey. Not too sweet, as the touch of spice grounds this fragrance beautifully. It is delicious, yet grown-up and sexy. Very appealing.

PIXI DUST: * What would Pixi Dust smell like? I would say oodles of vanilla butter-cream and cake, honey and orange drops. Now think of happy things, and away we go!
This one is a gorgeous citrus scent. It is more complex than just oranges or lemons. It is zesty, yet remains smooth with a vanilla scent to it. The fragrance has a whimsical feel to it, playful and very appealing.

ABSINTHE SOLIEL: *Similar to Absinthe Noir, but lighter and fresher. Pure anise lightened with notes of orange, chamomile, and neroli, then whipped with a touch of sugared honey and mint. Go on, dance with the Green Fairy! 
I like absinthe scents, and this would have to be the best one that I have tried so far. Citrus, anise and mint blend perfectly, the honey seems to give it a candy scented side. Just these elements would be nice, but what makes it great is how it's grounded with a smokiness that just takes it from gourmand to grown-up and sexy. Divine!

VAMPIRE PRINCESS: *Withered snow-white jasmine and ylang-ylang flowers layered over rich honey, a whiff of musk and darkness creeping beneath. A hypnotic and sweet floral scent perfect for a fanged princess!
At the start, I get lovely florals mixed with sweet, warm honey. Upon drydown, the earthy notes emerge, balanced beautifully with the musk. It is quite an alluring scent, if only it would last longer on my skin. 

MIDNIGHT KISS: *A forbidden kiss at midnight tasting of honeyed red ripe fruits while the air is scented with hints of roses and musk. An alluring, feminine, yet bold fragrance with red fruits, roses, and dragon's blood. A word of warning: you may be devoured by handsome vampires when wearing this perfume!
Very sweet tart berries mixed with dripping honey. Upon drydown, a slight bitter scent with a hint of rose is noticable. Sniffing my skin gives me the gorgeous subtle fruity notes, sweet and inviting, unfortunately I can only smell it on my skin. Would love this stage to be stronger.

CLEOPATRA: *This sexy floral begins with musk-laced honey, then blended with night-blooming jasmine, fresh roses, and frankincense. A sweet note of vanilla and citrus-y bergamot lightens and balances the richness of this fragrance inspired by Cleopatra VII. Although this scent is created for ladies, a man in love with the Queen of the Nile could easily wear it!
I love this floral, rich, sweet with honey scent. It is regal, yet sensual and utterly desirable. It softens with a powdery quality that just wafts beautifully throughout wear.

EMPRESS: *A throne room, fragrant with the scent of blood-red roses strewn on the marble floors and the aroma of musk and spices. A dark spicy blend of roses with hints of musk and amber.
Spicy and a little bitter herbal at the start. Upon drydown, the sweet floral emerges, making this a lovely spicy blend. I didn't get a lot of throw with this one, it was a subtle scent on me.

MINA VAMPIRE: *The freshest blooming rose, cut down and corrupted with the taste of sinful depravity and wickedness. A seductive scent flushed with decayed roses, notes of myrrh, musk, dragon's blood, and dark temptations!
This perfume contains every element that I adore in a rose scent. Sweet, dark, rich florals. Heady, but not too heady, a hint of spice. Feminine, sexy. I must have a full size!

There is a master list of Sarawen perfumes here, I'm not sure whether everything listed is still available, but it is a great guide when ordering samples.
The perfumes that I must have are Vanilla Vamp, Cake or Death, Absinthe Soliel, Cleopatra and Mina Vampire. Actually, I'm surprised that I have not ordered them as yet, but I need these, along with some other perfumes that I'd love to sample...ok, so the rest I'd love to sample, but that might mess with my low-buy a little, lol.