OneArt's BPAL

Manila

2008-12-27T16:56:00.000-08:00

a faint echo of Pacific breezes, jungle blossoms, and deep wet woods. Sampaguita blossoms, banana leaf, palm, and narra.

Starts out bananna and softens into a tropical and slightly earthy scent. It's light and not cloyingly fruity. It does seem wet and lush and is really pretty neat.

4/5

Leanan Sidhe

2008-12-27T16:52:00.000-08:00

Her perfume is a crush of Irish herbs and flowers, Gaelic mists, and nighttime dew.

At first, it's aggressivly clean. Once it dries down, it becomes quite pretty. It is a bit like a nice fabric softener. I find it less piercing and more pleasant than Dirty.

3.5/5

Blood Countess

2008-12-27T16:23:00.000-08:00

Corrupted black plum, smoky opium and crumbling dead roses covered by a deceptive veil of Hungarian lilac, white gardenia and wild berry.

This is surprisingly light and seems mostly like berry and opium. The rose and gardenia are certainly subdued, and I only get a hint of lilac. It's really nice, since I like berries and plums, but it doesn't pack much of a punch. Maybe in the summer.

3.5/5

Wings of Azrael

2008-12-27T16:17:00.000-08:00

Warm myrrh swirled with a bittersweet blend of violet, Lily of the Valley, juniper, cypress and cajeput

Well I love myrrh, like juniper and cypress and sort of hate violet. If I had to choose a violet blend, this would be it. It opens on a green note, probably the juniper, becomes powdery violet and then dries down into violet and myrrh. I really don't get any Lily of the Valley.

2.5/5

Desire

2008-12-27T16:12:00.000-08:00

bittersweet neroli, black patchouli and black musk, gilded by apple, bergamot, blood red rose, teak, and vanilla.

My mom picked this out for me in a imp pack she gave me for Christmas. I didn't think I would like it, as neroli is the first listed note, black patchouli and rose can be a bit strong, and vanilla can go plastic.

Wet, it's mostly ROSE, which makes me a bit nervous. However, it dries down into a really complex combo that makes it hard to pick out any notes. It does seem like fruity rose and musk with a bit of vanilla. It got approval from the whole family at Christmas dinner, and that's a diverse group.

Soft, complex and feminine

5/5

Juke Joint

2008-12-27T16:07:00.000-08:00

Kentucky Bourbon, sugar and a sprig of mint.

It's only a little sweet, so it's not heavy on the sugar. I also don't get a lot of mint. There's probably amber, since it does go a bit powdery. I don't know what bourbon smells like, but there's a hint of something that might be alcoholic. My mom smelled it and said it smelled like vanilla and sandalwood. That's actually a fairly positive comment from her, so it must have pleasant throw. Okay, if a bit powdery.

3.5/5

Snake Charmer: Resurrected

2008-12-27T16:03:00.000-08:00

Arabian musk and exotic spices slinking through Egyptian amber, enticing vanilla, and a serpentine blend of black plum, labdanum, ambrette, benzoin and black coconut.

Well, I'm not a huge Snake Oil fan, but I'd heard so much about this that I had to try a decant. Fortunately, I find this much easier to take than SO. It starts out with a fairly strong blast of black patchouli but eventually dries down to a musky fruity vanilla. There's a bit of plum and I thlnk the coconut lightens it a bit. I'm still not sure about a bottle, as ageing SO makes no difference for me.

3/5

Wood Phoenix

2008-12-27T16:00:00.000-08:00

Chinese musk and five woods with newly budding bamboo shoots, hyssop, chamomile, pink clove, magnolia, walnut, and fig.

Wet, it's rather sweet and a bit like nice soap. As it dries down, though, the woods come out a bit more. It's still a rather sweet, light blend. It's very pleasant and would be good for the office. I can't imagine it offending anybody. It also has an extra touch that makes me like it- probably the pink clove, if that's really carnation.

4.5/4

Fire of Love

2008-12-26T18:49:00.000-08:00

A catalytic, potent love oil used to spark (or rekindle) the flame of desire between lovers.

Can't speak as to its properties, but as a perfume it seems to me like Hunter Moon 2007 plus a huge wallop of ceder, and maybe a hint of something tingly, like eucalyptus. Since I like Hunter Moon and cedar, I really do like this. It really doesn't seem like a 'perfume' scent, which is good for me, but I might feel a bit odd wearing it outside the house.

From the way my nose is glued to my wrist, I'd say there's a good amount of black musk. So, strong, slightly powdery blend of black musk, cedar, and maybe a hint of eucalyptus.

4/5

The Piper at the Gates of Dawn

2008-12-26T18:44:00.000-08:00

terebinth pine, patchouli, brown musk, linden blossom, honey, mallow, blood orange, heliotrope, and golden amber.

It smells very fuzzy to me, like cloth. Perhaps it's the blend of the linden blossom and the brown musk. The orange stands out, and for the most part it's a lighter scent. I don't think my nose quite knows what to do with the combination of cloth, orange and pine. It's okay, but a bit odd to me.

3/5

The Gaoler's Daughter

2008-12-26T18:43:00.001-08:00

Gardenia, neroli, and white peach with vanilla amber, cream, and honey.

I picked this up for a friend, so it's not really my kind of thing. Very sweet peach and gardenia- if you like those two notes, you'll love this.

2/5

Snow Bunny 2008

2008-12-26T18:39:00.001-08:00

Soft white powder snow with a touch of youthful girlie perfume.

There's a chilly note with a bit of soft pine and something that sweetens it up a bit. Fortunately, the girlie perfume seems to be more of a berry and grapefruit variety, as opposed to white florals. I wore it to work, and about halfway through the day I started wondering why it smelled like Christmas and if someone used a room freshener or lit a candle. Then I realized, of course, that it was me. This would be an amazing room scent. I'd like to have a bottle.

5/5

On Darkness

2008-12-26T18:19:00.000-08:00

black poppy, lavender, thick black incense, black amber, rose geranium, Brazilian rosewood, and benzoin.

This one was a surprise. I just threw it into my decant order because I don't dislike any of the notes. None of them are my favorites, either, but somehow this is my favorite yule scent. At first the lavender is a bit strong, but as it dries out, the blend is dark purple and fruity. It's hard to describe, but it's very lovely and easy to like. I've got a bottle already.

5/5

Midnight Mass 2008

2008-12-26T18:17:00.000-08:00

This perfume is a traditional Roman Catholic sacramental incense, most often used during a Solemn Mass.

It starts out very pine and becomes mainly pine and frankincense. I just love the warmth as it wafts around me. Of course, I love almost every incense blend, but this one is very nice.

5/5

The Magi

2008-12-26T18:15:00.000-08:00

frankincense, gold, and myrrh, with coriander, cumin, ambergris, white wine grape, and vanilla bean.

It is a lighter fizzy scent. It's hard for me to know what to make of it. It's pleasant and I do like that hint of coriander. The grape is apparent and the vanilla is very smooth, not foody. I'll have to play with this one and see if it grows on me.

3/5

Lines Written Among the Euganean Hills

2008-12-26T18:11:00.000-08:00

Skin musk, white sandalwood, balsam fir, frozen black berries, cedar, winter rose, and white amber.

It's an interesting scent and definitely gives the impression of being chilled. It settles into the skin as woods sweetened by the berries and amber. I don't get much in the way of rose. It's different enough to keep the decant, but it's only so-so for me.

3.5/5

Jacob's Ladder 2008

2008-12-26T18:07:00.000-08:00

golden amber, galbanum, benzoin, ambrette, rockrose, costus and tonka.

It's thick, golden, a bit sweet and slightly powdery. It's a scent that seems very comfortable to wear in spite of it heaviness. Like a soft blanket. I've already upgraded to a bottle. I think it will age very well.

5/5

Earth Phoenix

2008-12-26T18:02:00.000-08:00

Chinese musk, dark musk, and moist soil with black cherry, opopponax, night-blooming jasmine, plum, woodland tobacco, snakeweed, and cypress.

I'm starting to think that I can't smell the soil note, since I couldn't detect it in Death Cap, either. It smells like musk and cherry with a bit of jasmine and grounding notes. The cherry is fruity, but not cloying. The jasmine is also well behaved. It's deep, feminine, and a bit different. I really like it.

4.5/5

Fire Phoenix

2008-12-26T12:04:00.000-08:00

Chinese musk and red musk with hyacinth, cactus flower, cubeb berry, galangal, tobacco, pink pepper, and sarsaparilla.

Starts out pretty spicy- as it dries down, it's a slightly spiced woody musk. I'm not really sure where I'm getting the woods from. It's a lighter scent and perhaps a touch masculine. I really like it, though not enough to get a bottle.

4/5

To review

2008-12-26T11:56:00.000-08:00

Ones I need to review:

Voodoo
Wood Phoenix
Snake Charmer
Wanton
Juke Joint
Roadhouse

Desire
Wings of Azrael
Blood Countess
Kyoto
Leanan Sidhe
Bordello
Manila
Fire of Love

Sed Non Satiata

2008-10-12T15:41:00.000-07:00

demonic passion and brutal sexuality manifested through myrrh, red patchouli, cognac, honey, and tuberose and geranium in a breathy, panting veil over the darkest body musk.
Oh, I love this one. A strong, unique, feminine scent. Let's see, I love myrrh, patchouli, cognac, honey and dark musk, so I was only worried about the tuberose and geranium. I've still no idea what geranium smells like, but I can make out the tuberose. It's present, but not overwhelming to me. The notes blend to together in a really nice way, although it's a bit hard to describe. A darker sweet floral, somehow.

5/5

Anne Bonny

2008-10-12T15:37:00.000-07:00

A blend of Indonesian red patchouli, red sandalwood, and frankincense.

I was a little afraid that the frankincense would get out of control on this one, but the sandalwood is the main note. It smells powerful- I like to wear it when I suspect my work day will be a tough one. Sweetened spicy sandalwood scent, good throw and lasting power.

4.5/5

Cathedral

2008-10-12T15:30:00.000-07:00

A true ecclesiatical blend of pure resins.

I'm a huge fan of resins, so I hoped to at least like this one, and I do. It does start out pretty woody- cedar, but the resins sweeten it up enough in dry down to make me like it. It is the woodiest resin scent I've tried yet. But, if you like cedar and resins, a sure hit.

4/5

Lady Macbeth

2008-10-12T15:28:00.000-07:00

sweet Bordeaux wine, blood red currant, thyme and wild berries.

I'm a fan of berry scents, esp. currant, so I like this one. The sweet Bordeaux does take it into almost candy territory, but the thyme keeps it a bit more interesting than that. There are other berry scents I like better, but there's nothing wrong with this one.

3.5/5

Herbert West

2008-10-12T15:21:00.000-07:00

Aftershave, embalming fluid, and splatterings from a panoply of reanimation reagents.

Well, I like Embalming Fluid and I like this one, too. It doesn't have the same muskiness or sweetness as Embalming Fluid. It has a drier feel to it. I don't know which of the two I prefer, since citrus isn't a category I'm strongly drawn to. I'll use up the imp, for sure.

3.5/5

Queen Mab

2008-10-11T19:53:00.000-07:00

black orchid, sandalwood, night-blooming jasmine, osmanthus, Somalian rose, and Chinese musk.

I wasn't sure what to anticipate with this one. It seems so floral, but I usually like orchid and jasmine. It's hard to describe what it is like on my skin. It's very light, but there's something in there that seems different enough to draw me to it. I think it might be the Chinese musk that gives it a different twist. So- light musky floral, but definitely not in a white musk sort of way.

Eternal

2008-10-11T19:49:00.000-07:00

Stephanotis, cyclamen, heliotrope, white rose and gardenia.

This is a frimp from the lab that I am completely shocked to like. I'm really usually not a floral person, and that's all this is. I have always sort of liked jasmine, though, and the stephanotis is smelling very similar. I think maybe I can smell gardenia in there, too. The rose seems subdued. Anyhow, this is a light, sweet tropical floral, which is evidently the sort of floral I've been looking for. Who knew?

4/5

Dian's Bud

2008-10-11T19:46:00.000-07:00

This one is clean, watery melon with florals. I think it's okay- more what I expected Dirty to smell like actually, but with fruit. My mom loves it as a fresh everyday scent, so she's got the imp now.

2.5/5

Kabuki

2008-10-11T19:35:00.000-07:00

cherry, red musk, and star anise.

Pretty much what you imagine. Starts out musky licorice, then musky cherry licorice, then musky cherry, and finally sweetened red musk before it fades off completley in about 3-4 hours. I like it, but it doesn't last very long. It's sort of comforting, though, for bedtime or a quiet day.

3.5/5

Schwarzer Mond

2008-10-11T19:26:00.000-07:00

opoponax, Tunisian black amber, night musk, antique patchouli, zdravetz, terebinth, myrrh, and Pimenta racemosa.

First time I've ever bought a scent unsniffed, but I just love resins, esp. myrrh. So, this does seem sweet and almost coca cola/rootbeerish at first. A little odd, but still pleasant. As it settles into my skin, it just gets smoother and deeper. After it's been on all day, it almost seems vanilla-like, but less foody. I can imagine this aging really well. It's sort of deep, sweet and fuzzy and lasts all day with slightly less than average throw.

4/5

The Obsidian Widow

2008-10-11T18:59:00.000-07:00

Pinot noir, dark myrrh, red sandalwood, black patchouli, night-blooming jasmine, and attar of rose.

Dangit. This one just goes odd on my skin. In the imp, it smells like rich wine. Once it hits my wrist, it's very strong rose. In another half an hour, it's all but vanished. I really wish the wine would stick around and the myrrh and sandalwood would emerge. I do think there's a brief but intiguing stage where I smell patchouli and jasmine. I think this could be nice if it would only balance out a bit more.

2/5

Troll

2008-10-11T18:53:00.000-07:00

vetiver, pine pitch, troll musk, black basil, clove smoke and scorched cumin.

Frimp from the lab. Considering that I can't stand vetiver and strongly dislike clove, I'm surprised I didn't hate this one. I wouldn't wear it, but I'd like it alright on someone else. I think the pine and basil combo is really interesting and the musk is pretty nice. I'd recommend it to someone who likes vetiver in smaller doses and wants a DARK green scent.

2/5

Master Wishlist

2008-08-04T18:54:00.000-07:00

More of:

Alice
Dee
Himerus
Lust
Morocco
Tintagel

Imps:

Absinthe
Aelopile
Aizen-Myoo
The Antikythera Mechanism
Antony
Anubis
Athens
Aureus
Baghdad
Baneberry
Baobhan Sith
Bastet
Bordello
Brisingamen
Burial
Cairo
Caliban
Calico Jack
Carnal
Casanova
Cordelia
Croquet
Dance of Death
The Deep Ones
Delphi
Desire
The Dodo
The East
Endymion
Envy
Event Horizon
Fascinum
Florence
Galvanic Goggles
Gaueko
Glasgow
Hades
Haunted
Havana
Hellfire
Hell's Belle
Hetairae
Hi'aka
The High Priest Not to be Described
Intrigue
The Jersey Devil
Juke Joint
Kali
Kathmandu
Kitsune-Tsuki
Kumiho
Kyoto
La Petite Mort
Lear
Lilith
The Lion
Loup Garou
Love-Lies-Bleeding
Lurid
Lysander
Mag Mell
Magus
Maiden
Manhattan
Manila
Mary Read
Medea
Megaera
The Mock Turtle's Lessons
Nefertiti
Nemesis
Nosferatu
Nostrum Remedium
No. 93 Engine
Oberon
Ochosi
Odin
Othello
Ouija
Oya
Ozymandias
Penitence
Phantom
Phoenix Steamworks
Pontarlier
Port Royal
The Red Queen
Regan
Roadhouse
The Robotic Scarab
Rome
Rosalind
Rose Cross
The Sailor's Den
Santo Domingo
Shadow Witch Orchid
Shanghai
Shango
Shattered
Silk Road
Siren
Skuld
Slippery Poppy Tincture
Spellbound
Squirting Cucumber
Sri Lanka
Stimulating Sassafras Strengthener
Strangler Fig
Sudha Segara
Thanatopsis
Titus Andronicus
To a Woman
Twenty One
Tzadikim Nistarim
Vechernyaya
Velvet
Wanda
Wanton
Whitechapel
Windward Passage
Yew Trees
Yggdrasil
Y'Ha Nthlei

Unimpables

Alone
And There Was a Great Cry in Egypt
Bezoar
Carceri D'Invenzione
Cloister Graveyard in the Snow
Daiyu
Dionysia
Doc Constantine
Death of the Grave Digger
The Death of Sardanapal
Eshe, A Vision of Life in Death
Fairy Market
Fairy Wine
Famine
Fox Fires on New Year's Eve at the Garment Nettle Tree at Oji
Heavenly Love and Earthly Love
The Illustrated Woman
Lady Una
The Lantern Ghost of Oiwa
The Isle of the Dead
Isaac, The Living Skeleton
Itaso Kansei Nenkan Joro No Fuzoku
Judith and the Holofernes
Lot and His Daughters
Maltese Cross of SG
Mama-Ji
Marianne
The Masque
Meskhenet
Mictecacihuatl
Mr. Jacquel
Nanny Ashtoreth
Pepper
The Phantom Calliope
Philosopher in Meditation
The Pit and the Pendulum
Pollution
The Premature Burial
Prospero
Pulcinella and Teresina
Silence
Sunrise With Sea Monsters
The Witch Queen

Pharmacopoeia- Wishlist

2008-08-03T07:21:00.000-07:00

Nostrum Remedium
Slippery Poppy Tincture
Stimulating Sassafras Strengthener

Steamworks- Wishlist

2008-08-03T07:17:00.000-07:00

Phoenix Steamworks
Aelopile
The Antikythera Mechanism
Galvanic Goggles
No.93 Engine
The Obsidian Widow
The Robotic Scarab

Tabula Smaragdina

2008-07-12T19:49:00.000-07:00

Rosicrucian incense.

Pretty much what it says, very heavy on the rose. I like roses in the right dose and I esp. like them with resins, but the incense still turns into rose powder on me. Not really my thing.

2.5/5

Shrunken Heads

2008-07-11T20:12:00.000-07:00

Leather tanned with the pulp of Amazon ferns and rainforest herbs.

Great leather scent, combined with greenery. Fairly strong, prob. a bit on the masculine side. I wouldn't wear enough to warrant a bottle, but it fits the image so perfectly.

4.5/5

Hand of Glory

2008-07-11T20:05:00.000-07:00

Beeswax, dry leather, black pepper, saltpeter, nutmeg, Mysore sandalwood, and oak bark.

Oh, this is cool. I get mostly the beeswax, oak, nutmeg and leather, in that order. This is my first time trying a scent with beeswax as a note, and it really does smell like wax (and then more like honey as it dries). So, waxy sweet wood with nutmeg and a bit of leather. It's really unusual and a bit strong. I keep on going back and forth and whether to get a bottle. On one hand, it strong enough that it would take forever to use up. On the other hand, it's so unique and strangely compelling. Hmmm.

4.5/5

The Blasphemare Reliquary

2008-07-11T19:57:00.000-07:00

Ethiopian myrrh, Damascus rose, boswellia, galbanum, and copal.

I love, love, love this scent. The rose is just sort of in the background tying it all together and there's tons of wonderful resins. I think it might be the galbanum that actually makes it smell a bit earthy/woody. It's a really nice touch for a roses and resins scent. Could be my favorite BPAL so far.

5/5

Inez

2008-07-11T19:46:00.000-07:00

Golden amber, vanilla musk, myrrh, cedar, carnation, and red sandalwood.

Nice, but a little sweet for me to want a bottle. The woods are really soft, it's more about the vanilla musk and amber, although I do get a bit of carnation. It's kind of like a cross between Morocco and MLST.

3/5

Clemence

2008-07-07T18:46:00.000-07:00

Patchouli, Kashmiri tea, cardamom, black pepper, carnation, and clove.

So I got this hoping that the clove wasn't too prominent, since I love all of the other notes. No such luck, but she's growing on me anyway. The clove does soften out after about an hour and the scent seems a bit creamier. At that point, I can pick out the carnation. But yeah, the first hour is a strong battle between the patchouli and the clove. Since patchouli and clove oils work well as insect repellants, I've been layering her over pure patchouli oil to soften the blow a bit. It really seems to work.

3/5

Aeronwen

2008-07-07T18:40:00.000-07:00

Fig, dark myrrh, amber, redwood, nutmeg, tarragon, black musk, and sweet orange.

It's hard to describe this one, since all of the notes blend together so seemlessly. It starts out light and fruity, mostly fig and orange. As it dries, the musk and myrrh really seem to blossom on my skin and give it a mysterious depth. I can get hints of the tarragon in there, too. It's not like anything else I've ever smelled before, and I really love it. I'll have to get at least one bottle. I'd call it sort of fruity-resinous, gender-neutral, average throw, good wearlength.

5/5

Kubla Khan

2008-04-24T15:55:00.000-07:00

Through sunlit caves of ice, roses unfurl amidst dancing waves of serpentine opium smoke and amber tobacco, golden sandalwood, champaca, tea leaf, sugared lily, ginger, rich hay absolute, leather, dark vanilla, mandarin, peru balsam, and Moroccan jasmine.

Starting out, it seems astringent and sharp, but as soon as it hits my skin, it starts changing. It seems minty as it dries. Then there's a jasmine-vanilla combo on my wrists; the inside of my elbows are all about the leather. If the thoroughly dried down stage, my arms smell of jasmine-leather and my wrists smell of vanilla-sandalwood-incense. The jasmine leather is a little odd, but not unpleasant. The smell on my wrists, though, is heavenly. It reminds me of Morocco.

4/5

Black Forest

2008-04-24T15:45:00.000-07:00

Thick, viscous pine with ambergris, black musk, juniper and cypress.

I like this one better than I expected, since I'm not that wild about the idea of pine. I do love black musk and juniper. When it's wet, I enjoy the throw and it has a bit of freshness. As it dries down, the juniper fades and the pine seems to get sweeter and sweeter, until I'm sick of it. I think it's the pine that goes sticky-sweet on my skin. It's just not something I'd enjoy all day.

2.5/5

The Spell of Amorous Love

2008-04-24T15:39:00.000-07:00

Red currant, plum flowers, sake, green tea, and cherry blossom.

Wet, it smells sharp enough that I'm convinced I won't like it. I think maybe that's the combination of the sake and the plum flowers. Once it dries down a bit though, the sake dies back and the currant and the cherry blossom come out. It had almost no throw, but it clings to my skin all day. I feel like my skin has the scent equivalent of a fresh pink glow. After a year into BPAL, this is the first bottle I've purchased. I love it and it goes so well with the upcoming seasons. It's going to be perfect for spring and summer, so I think I'll make it my signature scent for a few months.

5/5

Harikata

2008-04-24T15:19:00.000-07:00

Osmanthus, honey, golden musk, vanilla flower, and ginger.

Wet, it seems fruity, almost melon -like. If that's the osmanthus, I love it. As it dries down, it gets sweeter and sweeter and the honey gets a bit powdery. I still like it, but it was too sweet in the end for me to get a bottle. I'm going to have to look for more osmanthus scents, though.

3/5

The Clod and the Pebble

2008-04-24T15:13:00.000-07:00

Rose otto, clove, patchouli, Indian sandalwood, nutmeg, and cedar.

This is harsher than I expected. I like cedar in several other scents, but it really takes over here. The sandalwood makes it even woodier and the nutmeg makes it slightly medicinal. The rose seems to sit along side it. Just too much for me.

1.5/5

Valentine of Rome

2008-04-24T15:11:00.000-07:00

cypress, olive blossom, frankincense, myrrh, and blood accord.

This one just about gives me a headache. I like frankincense, but if it's combined with the wrong notes, it gets to be too overwhelming for me. In this case, I think the olive blossom and the frank get a little out of control. Once it all calms down, I like it, but it takes a couple of hours to get there. I'll probably pass this along.

2.5/5

Parlement of Foules 2008

2008-04-24T15:07:00.000-07:00

White rose and soft resins.

I like this one quite a bit. It's just what it says- roses and sweet resins. I'm not a huge floral person, but the roses don't seem too sour or powdery. It is a soft scent, though, and it fades off my skin after a couple of hours. I already have Hymn and that lasts on my skin, but I'll use my decant of this one.

4/5

Luperci 2008

2008-04-24T15:01:00.000-07:00

raw, down and dirty patchouli, Gurjam balsam, and essence of Sampson Root sweetened with the heightened sexuality of beeswax, virile juniper, oakmoss, ambrette seed over honey and East African musk

I like this scent okay- I expected it to be a greater love. I love patchouli, juniper and musk. And I quite like honey. It's the oakmoss that turns it into a meh scent for me. I don't know if I amp it or if my nose is just sensitive to it for some reason, but it's becoming almost a big a no as vetiver is.

For the scent, I mostly smell honeyed moss with a bit of patchouli.

2.5/5

Vampire Tears

2008-02-04T19:11:00.000-08:00

wisteria, white grapefruit, neroli, green tea, jasmine, white ginger, honeysuckle, iris, and tonka.

So with all of the florals and the general 'whiteness' of the scent, I figured there was no way I needed to try this one. Then, of course, the lab scent me a frimp. I still don't like it enough to get a bottle, but it works a lot better than I thought. I do like grapefruit and that seems to be at the center of the scent to me. The green tea and the jasmine also stand out. It's a warmer scent than I expected and the florals don't bother me, but I often like jasmine. Somehow it centers around grapefruit without seeming citrus.

3.5/5

Samhain 2007

2008-02-04T19:05:00.000-08:00

damp woods, fir needle, and black patchouli with the gentlest touches of warm pumpkin, clove, nutmeg, allspice, sweet red apple and mullein.

Wet, I smell a lot of the fir, apple and clove. Seems vaguely medicinal. As it dries, I think the woods, patchouli and other spices begin to come out. Then it takes on a chocolate-like scent: not dead-on, but surprisingly similar. It lasts a really long time- nearly 24 hours. It's really unique and the way the scent morphs throughout the day makes it a lot of fun to wear.

4/5

Urd

2008-02-04T19:01:00.000-08:00

Muscadine, black and red patchouli, cereus and nag champa.

I love patchouli and I love grape, so I figured this couldn't go wrong, and I was right. It's very heavy on the patchouli and nag champa. The grape sweetens it up a bit, but it's still very earthy. It blends right into my skin and I love it!

5/5

Laudanum

2008-02-04T18:58:00.000-08:00

Nutmeg, sassafras, black poppy and myrrh.

Hmm, burning rootbeer. I've never considered what that would smell like before, but I think it would be like this. Not a bottle, but cool enough to keep the imp.

3/5

Loviatar

2008-02-04T15:53:00.000-08:00

The slap of slick, hot leather punctuates the warm, sensual embrace of black amber, red musk and dark, lascivious myrrh.

I'm glad I ordered this before I knew much about the notes. I like leather, but amber and myrrh can get too sweet and red musk can take over everything. But none of that happens with this scent and I love it! I'm one of those that can have an imp I like for a year and still not use it up. This one, though, I used up in maybe a month or two. That 's pretty heavy usage for me. The leather note is prominent and sort of smoothed out and sweetened by the other notes. It strikes me as a feminine leather scent, which is awesome.

5/5

Plunder

2008-02-04T15:32:00.001-08:00

tea leaf, cassia, cinnamon bark, clove, allspice, sandalwood, tobacco, peppercorn, and nutmeg.

This smells mostly like clove tea with cinnamon. It's not a red hot cinnamon, it's a lot smoother than that. The other notes blend into the background, to my nose. It's pretty nice. I think I prefer the sweetness of Bengal, but if someone's looking for non-sweet spices or spices + tea, then this is the scent.

3.5/5

Tweedledum

2008-02-04T15:27:00.000-08:00

Green mango, fig, patchouli and green tea.

It smells very fruity at first, but as it dries down the patchouli deepens the scent and keeps it from becoming candy sweet. It's not as heavy on the patchouli as Imp is, for example. Imp smells more like incense whereas this remains a fruity scent. It's very pleasant, a slightly atypical fruit scent.

4/5

Frumious Bandersnatch

2008-02-03T18:47:00.000-08:00

Bandersnatch musk, redolent of spicy carnations, wild plums and chrysanthemum.

Definitely more fruity and less musky than Bathsheba. I like Bathsheba better, but this is pretty nice and it also lasts longer. It does remind me of being in Hobby Lobby- I don't know, are there a lot of chrysanthemum scented things there? It's not exactly what I expected, but it's a nice spicy plum scent.

4/5

Sundew

2008-02-03T18:43:00.000-08:00

A carnivorous enchantress: diverse, lovely and graceful, emitting a sticky, glowing golden, sweet and terminally inviting scent.

I really wise that I could pinpoint what this smells like. It seems really familiar. Anyhow, this does smell fresh and plantlike, a little sweet. It's not usually the kind of scent I go for, but there's something appealing about this. It's not so green that it induces any of my allergies and it's not so sweet that it seems cloying. I really like the way it smells fresh without being clean or citrusy.

4/5

Severin

2008-02-03T18:39:00.000-08:00

dry black teas, Earl Grey, leather

Yep, tea and bergamot. The leather is surprisingly soft in the background. In fact, this is an even lighter scent than Embalming Fluid. Unfortunately, it doesn't last very long on my skin at all. Maybe a couple of hours. Otherwise, it's a very nice scent. A must-try for tea lovers.

4/5

Oblivion

2008-02-03T18:28:00.000-08:00

Dark musk, wood spice, labdanum, patchouli, dark African woods, and saffron.

Very mellow and well blended. Smooth and dark is how I'd describe it, which fits the concept. The patchouli seems more subdued to me than usual. It's hard to pick out specific notes. It has great staying power and just smells bettter and better the longer it's on.

4.5/5

Queen of Sheba

2008-02-03T18:21:00.000-08:00

Her scent is a bounty of golden honeyed almonds and a whisper of African and Middle Eastern spices.

It is a honeyed almond, not bitter. The spices support the almond note. There's not any heavy cinnamon or anything. I just don't care for the smell of almonds, so this doesn't really appeal to me. I bet there are plenty of people who would like a slightly spicy honeyed almond scent, though, and this is as advertised.

2.5/5

The King of Hearts

2008-02-03T18:08:00.000-08:00

Rosewood and black cherry with white musk, red rose, red musk and a spark of lavender.

This smells like powdered laundry detergent. I think the lavender really takes over on my skin and combines a bit oddly with the other notes (perhaps the rose?). If the cherry was stronger, that would fill it out. It's not unpleasant, but it's also not what I was going for.

2.5/5

Rage

2008-02-03T18:04:00.000-08:00

Black amber erupting with a dark volcanic surge of fiery dragon's blood and a burst of melati, rose geranium, mandarin and black currant.

It's a nice fruity floral. Perhaps a little too floral for my tastes. The mandarin really does add a citrus zing and the black amber doesn't seem as sweet as other types of amber. At least on my skin, it seems more subdued. It's a fresh scent, average throw and staying power.

3/5

Penny Dreadful

2008-02-03T17:59:00.000-08:00

Soft perfume evocative of noir heroines over rich red grave loam.

Wet, it smells like vaguely spicy loam- very nice. It doesn't seem to have any moss in it, since I usually amp that. As it dries down, the perfume comes out and floats on top of the loam. Ultimately, it gets a little too perfumey to be one of my absolute favorites, but that loam base is really nice. A warm, feminine, spicy scent.

4/5

Pumpkin II, 2007

2008-02-02T20:05:00.000-08:00

Pumpkin with tobacco, champa flower, carnation, and tonka.

So, as it turns out, I don't really care for pumpkin. Too buttery. Out of the pumpkin ones that I've tried, though, this one is the best. The spicier, smokier notes give this more of an incense vibe, which means that I don't mind it as much. I'd say that the pumpkin and tobacco are the strongest notes. The other notes sweeten it up.

3/5

Osun

2008-02-02T19:43:00.000-08:00

Her ofrenda is thick with honey and herbs of love, passion and desire.

This does smell like honey and herbs, but it never really settles into my skin. The honey and the herbs seem to be separate and not really blending. I wish I had a better nose and could tell what the herbs are. I don't think I like honey as the focus of a scent.

3/5

Bewitched

2008-02-02T19:39:00.000-08:00

blackberry, sage, green tea, wild berries and dark musk.

It smells like blackberry tea! Wet, the sage is a little strong, but it mellows out as it dries down. I think the musk keeps it from becoming too sweet, but this is very much about the blackberries. Works for me! It's a softer scent, not a lot of throw, average staying power.

4/5

Alice

2008-02-02T19:33:00.000-08:00

Milk and honey with rose, carnation and bergamot.

Oh, I love this one after all. Honey is an iffy note for me and I used to think that I hated rose, so I didn't really expect this scent to work. Neither the rose nor the honey overpower the scent and it really balances out into a soft feminine scent without being cloying or even very floral. It doesn't have a lot of throw, but it lasts for awhile.

In summary: soft, creamy carnations. Bottle, please!

Imp

2008-02-02T19:28:00.000-08:00

white peach, amber, golden musk and patchouli

I like this one a lot more than I expected to. I don't usually like peach scents and sometimes amber+fruit smells really strange on my skin. Somehow the patchouli and musk save it all. It smells a lot like incense, which I love. Definitely for patchouli lovers.

4/5

Vixen

2007-12-31T16:54:00.000-08:00

orange blossom, ginger, patchouli

Woah, this stuff is strong. I'm discovering that I don't really like the strong, unchanging scents- I get sick of them. I really love patchouli, but here I can see why some people are so against it. Something about combining it with ginger is just off-putting for me. As I've said, very strong and sharp scent.

1.5/5

The Great Sword of War

2007-12-31T16:49:00.000-08:00

Mandarin, tonka, saffron, black tea, cocoa, tobacco leaf, sanguine red musk and five classical herbs of conflict.

This starts out promising. In the imp, it's mandarin and cocoa with the rest of the notes floating intriguingly in the background.

If only it stayed that way on my skin. Once it dries down, it got a bit of mandarin with saffron and red musk. The make strange partners and turn rather powdery. :(

2/5

Tombstone

2007-12-31T16:45:00.000-08:00

A rugged, warm blend of vanilla, balsam and sassafras layered over Virginia cedar.

I really like the slightly salty cedar smell, and I think I get a bit of the sassafras in the beginning. As it continues to dry down, the vanilla becomes the dominant note. Since vanilla and I don't get along that well, this isn't for me, but I could see it working for a lot of other people.

In summary: warm, non-foody vanilla scent.

2/5

Texcatlipoca

2007-12-25T09:19:00.000-08:00

Deep cocoa laced with patchouli, leather armor, ritual incense, and a touch of Xochiquetzal's flowers.

I love this one so much- it's going to be my first bottle purchase. At first, I wasn't even sure I liked it. I was pretty new to BPAL and the scent was difficult for my nose to decipher. After a few times wearing it, though, it really grew on me.

Wet, you can smell the cocoa. Even after it's dry, I get a bit of a cocoa scent, but it's not the least bit sweet or foody, which is great for me. The leather and patchouli blend in well, and don't dominate. The incense is in the background. The flowers are a bit stronger while it's wet, but fade back during dry down. I'm not a huge fan of most florals, but these don't bother me.

Somehow, this combination is just perfect and fierce.

5/5

Maenad

2007-12-25T09:15:00.000-08:00

sweet strawberry and orange blossom distorted by carnation, black poppy and hibiscus.

This is definitely a fruity, girly scent, but doesn't get too sugary or sweet for me. At first, it seems very scratch-and-sniff strawberry, but it gets deeper and fresher during the drydown. It also lasts a surprisingly long time on me. Not a bottle, but I'm keeping the imp for when I'm in the right mood.

4/5

Seraphim

2007-12-25T09:12:00.000-08:00

calla lily, wisteria, white sandalwood, Damascus rose and frankincense.

This one reminds me of Hymn, but lighter on the incense and heavier on the white florals. I prefer the heavy feeling of Hymn, with the strong rose, frankincense and myrrh, but if you're looking for something a bit lighter, this could be for you.

2.5/5

Blood Kiss

2007-12-25T09:09:00.000-08:00

Lush, creamy vanilla and the honey of the sweetest kiss smeared with the vital throb of husky clove, swollen red cherries, but darkened with the vampiric sensuality of vetiver, soporific poppy and blood red wine, and a skin-light pulse of feral musk.

Vetiver, vetiver, vetiver. That's all I can smell from the imp. I tried it on anyway, but had the rubbing alcohol ready. I needed it, too. I want to try everything I get from the lab, but I should really just give up on anything with vetiver.

0/5

Miskatonic University

2007-12-25T09:03:00.000-08:00

The scent of Irish coffee, dusty tomes and polished oakwood halls.

I tried this scent in a soap- the soap was great, the scent not so much. As an oil, I would probably find it too strong. The combination of coffee and wood doesn't appeal to me to begin with, though, so it's not much of a surprise.

1/5

Pumpkin V

2007-12-24T18:54:00.000-08:00

Pumpkin with benzoin, bourbon vanilla, lemon peel, neroli, blood orange, and red ginger.

As it turns out, pumpkin is just too buttery for me. I can pick out the ginger, and I like it, but it doesn't redeem the whole scent for me. It does seem a bit lighter than Jack, and has more zing to it.

2/5

Ogun

2007-12-24T18:50:00.000-08:00

heavy and dark cigar tobacco, gin and juniper, melon, chili pepper and a touch of honey.

Wet, I can smell the melon, but once it hits my skin, that note fades into the background. It smells mostly of juniper and honey on me, which I like. It's not to often I come across a scent that's fresh and sweet. The tobacco is there, but doesn't take over. I like this one pretty well- it's masculine, but with some unique twists.

4/5

Lampades

2007-11-26T16:03:00.000-08:00

Their scent is the crisp, inviting bittersweet tang of cranberry with smoky dark lilies, heady, sensual musk, a tingle of ginger and a brush of Mediterranean spices.

I can smell the cranberries and the spices, with a touch of lilies. It's a very warm scent, but it doesn't last very long at all. It has medium throw while it lasts. It's good for a quick pick-me-up. I like that I can smell the lilies without my brain screaming "floral".

4/5

Himerus

2007-11-26T16:00:00.000-08:00

juniper, sandalwood, rosewood, red musk, orchid, bergamot and lilac.

This one a a really nice, balanced blend. The lilac lightens the scent but doesn't become cloying. The juniper and bergamot add freshness. The woods and red musk add some depth. I don't like sandalwood that's too strong, but it's not a problem here. Also, if you don't usually get along with red musk, you may find that it has a surprisingly light touch here.

4/5

White Rabbit

2007-11-26T15:55:00.000-08:00

Strong black tea and milk with white pepper, ginger, honey and vanilla, spilled over the crisp scent of clean linen.

I got this with my first order, so my nose was very new. My perspective might have changed, but I think the honey really overpowered this. The only other scent I could detect was the pepper. So it ended up smelling like funky honey. I don't know where the tea and milk went.

2/5

Undertow

2007-11-26T15:48:00.000-08:00

lotus and juniper with a hint of mint

This one smells a lot like turpentine, esp. when it's wet. It's certainly a strong, fresh scent, but really not me.

1/5

Snake Oil

2007-11-26T15:43:00.000-08:00

A blend of exotic Indonesian oils sugared with vanilla.

I had to try this one, since it's so popular, but there's just way too much vanilla. Unrelenting oily vanilla. It's not just me, my best friend and mom don't get this one either. I guess we're the lunatic fringe.

1/5

Shub-Niggurath

2007-11-26T15:39:00.000-08:00

The lust incense of a corrupted Astarte. A blend of ritual herbs and dark resins, shot through with three gingers and aphrodisiacal spices.

Wet, this smells exactly like gingersnaps. If only it stayed that way! My chemistry turns it into a strange combination of resins with a good whiff of Play-Doh every now and then. It's not awful, but it's too heartbreaking to lose that fresh-from-the-imp smell.

2/5

Scherezade

2007-11-26T15:35:00.000-08:00

Saffron and Middle Eastern spices swirled through sensual red musk.

I hoped for something spicier. I like red musk, but it does have a tendency to make everything smell the same on me. It seems very dusty and eventually dries down to a fairly nice saffron scent. It sort of reminds me of Morocco, expect Morocco really works on my skin.

2/5

Exclusive Salon

2007-11-24T19:16:00.000-08:00

Alone
Heavenly Love and Earthly Love
Judith and Holofernes
The Masque
The Pit and the Pendulum
The Premature Burial
Prospero

Hunger

2007-11-24T19:09:00.000-08:00

Black narcissus, orange blossoms, and vanilla.

This one has an odd smell to it at first, possibly the black narcissus. After some time, I really did start thinking about orange cake. I don't think I've ever had orange cake, but it was starting to sound like a good idea. I'm not really into foody scents, but at least the vanilla didn't turn to plastic. It has pretty good throw and lasted longer than average.

3.5/5

Midnight Kiss

2007-11-23T14:25:00.001-08:00

red musk, cocoa absolute, Nepalese amber, red sandalwood, aged patchouli, nicotiana, and blood wine.

This one ends up as a bit of a mess on my skin. There's not any particular note that ruins it, it just seems blurry and odd. My skin chemistry also seems to help it smell a bit mossy. With these notes, it ought to be perfect on me, but I guess you never know.

2.5/5

Tristran

2007-11-23T14:18:00.000-08:00

redwood, tonka bean, white sandalwood, lemon peel, patchouli, rosewood, coriander, and crushed mint.

I like this one, especially the fresh scent of the redwood. The lemon peel adds an interesting twist and the mint makes it fairly sweet. It ends up being a little to light and sweet compared to some of my favorites. I much prefer Bow and Crown of Conquest. Still, if those types seem a little heavy to you, this makes a good alternative.

3.5/5

Tenochtitlan

2007-11-23T14:15:00.000-08:00

Amber, hyssop, coriander, epazote, Mexican sage, prickly pear and Mexican tulip poppy.

Well, this one's hard for me to describe, since I don't know what any of the notes smell like. I really should remember, thought, that amber+fruit= cleaner, at least on me. That's all I can pick out for sure, is the amber and the pear. It's not a scent that lasts very long. It just didn't do much for me.

3/5

Blood

2007-11-23T14:12:00.000-08:00

Essence of dragon's blood resin, thickened with myrrh and cherry, with a trickle of clove.

The cherry is a short lived note. It disappears almost instantly upon hitting my skin. This does smell almost exactly like dragon's blood incense. I can't quite decide how often I will have this need.

3/5

El Dia De Reyes

2007-11-23T14:06:00.000-08:00

Hot cocoa with cinnamon, coffee, and brown sugar.

This one is foody enough that I'd only want my imp, but there's something about it that I like. Mostly, it smells exactly like hot cocoa powder. Maybe a bit like coffee. The cinnamon is very light. I could use for certain moods.

3.5/5

Gingerbread Poppet

2007-11-23T14:02:00.000-08:00

Warm, cozy gingerbread spiced with nutmeg, clove and cinnamon.

This one really didn't turned out like I'd hoped. And I had pretty high hopes, since Shub turned to Play-do on me. This has a strong maple syrup smell for the first 3 hours or so. Then it smells like smoky maple syrup. I should really learn to leave the foody scents alone.

1.5/5

Krampus

2007-11-23T13:59:00.000-08:00

Sinister red musk, black leather, dusty rags, and wooden switches.

Woah, this stuff is strong. The dusty rags aspect doesn't worry me as much as I thought it might. Once it settles in, I really do enjoy the wood blending in with the other notes. I liked this a lot better until I did a side-by-side comparison to Loviatar. If the amber in Loviatar is too cloying for you, though, then this scent could be the way to go.

3.5/5

Midwinter's Eve

2007-11-23T13:52:00.000-08:00

The perfume of sugared plums over a breeze of winter flowers.

The surprise hit! I love the plum in Bathsheba, but I was almost sure sugar and white florals would make this too cloying. Fortunately, I was wrong. When wet, it does smell like bubblegum, but as it dries, the plums add a depth and a sharpness that makes this scent really beautiful. It also has a goodish amount of throw and lasts just about all day. It's the first LE I'm going to purchase.

5/5

The Shivering Boy

2007-11-23T13:49:00.000-08:00

The scent of frozen, dormant vineyards, bitter sleet, and piercing ozone, hurled through labdanum, benzoin, and olibanum.

This was one I highly anticipated because it sounded so unique. And unique it is- I get a bit of grape, but not nearly as sweet as a typical grape scent. The part about bitter sleet is very true. As it dries, the ozone gets a bit stronger, as do the resins. I'm not sure, but I think I'd like the scent better without the ozone. It's never a strong scent, or a long-laster. I do like it well enough to keep the imp. It's so different, it's hard to know what to make of it.

3.5/5

Snow White

2007-11-23T13:45:00.000-08:00

flurries of virgin snow, crisp winter wind and the faintest breath of night-blooming flowers.

Really, I should have known better, but this one is so well-loved I had to try it. Wet, it smells a bit like Play-Dough, though that does fade as it dries. I get fairly strong coconut and almond, some white florals, and a hint of mint. It's very strong and lasts quite some time. It's just too cloying for me and I'm not a fan of coconut, almond, or mint.

2/5

Serpent's Kiss

2007-11-10T20:00:00.000-08:00

Dragon's blood, vetiver and spice.

I got this one to see if dragon's blood and vetiver work on me. Dragon's blood can: vetiver does not. I hated it so much in this scent that I've avoided everything else with it. Otherwise, I think the dragon's blood and spice would have been nice. The spice seems to be primarily cinnamon.

1/5