A shot of pure, self-indulgent euphoria! A scent that is very, very wicked in its own way: the serotonin-slathered scent of pure milk chocolate.
Reviewed 09/14/2008
In the imp: Chocolate, and nothing but.
Wet: Melted chocolate. Yum.
Drydown: This is gobs of milk chocolate. Not the expensive dark chocolates of Candy Butcher or the sticky rich chocolate of Lump of Coal, but pure milk chocolate, like a handful of Hershey Kisses. There's not much throw, this is definitely one that you have to be close to sniff.
The pinnacle of wealth, luxury, self-indulgent pleasure, voluptuousness and sensuality. Bright violet with sweet clove, Mediterranean incense notes and tonka bean.
Reviewed 09/14/2008
In the imp: Violet! This smells a lot like Faith.
Wet: Violet, with a hint of clove underneath.
Drydown: The clove and incense take over and smash down any other note that tries to come out. If I were an incense and clove fan, this would be a favorite.
Yet mark'd I where the bolt of Cupid fell:
It fell upon a little western flower,
Before, milk-white, now purple with love's wound,
And maidens call it love-in-idleness.
Reviewed 09/14/2008
In the imp: Creamy fresh, sweet floral.
Wet: Chemical flowers.
Drydown: This smells like flowery toilet bowl cleaner. Thankfully it faded very, very quickly. This definitely does NOT love my skin.
Terminal sugar rush. A little goblin's candy bag, upended.
Smushed candy corn, rock candy dust, marshmallow gunk, strawberry goo, spun blue sugar, globs of salt water taffy, and lint.
Reviewed 09/02/2008
In the bottle: Barely there berry and sugar.
Wet: Thick, sugary syrup, strawberry, and glittering candy. This is strong.
Dry: This is like Strawberry Moon and Treat #1 with a drizzle of Karo syrup on top and just a hint of a linen note to keep it from being sickly sweet. Lots of throw on this one, to my surprise.
Reviewed 07/29/2008
CCXXXIV (234)
In the imp: Spearmint, and nothing but.
Wet: I could have sworn I just swiped some perfume on...where did it go?
Dry: Oh, there it is. This got very faint for a few minutes then came back. This is pretty much a spearmint single note. It's got a much stronger throw than the normal lab mints, and it lasts a good, long time.
Verdict: I should have known from the number (I love sequential numbers like 234!) that this would be lovely. I think I'd like to layer this with MB: Tokyo Stomp or one of the Lick It line.
An irrelevant, disturbing, and surreal scent: red currant, green tea, red musk, Hawaiian ginger, benzoin, vanilla, coriander, squash blossom, and blueberry.
Reviewed 07/29/2008
In the bottle: Lots of lovely blueberry candy, something sharp and clean (the tea?), and a hint of flowers.
Wet: No! Go away soap, go away! *sob*
Drydown: This turns into a perfectly lovely blend, the soapiness fades away and leaves a crisp, clean blend that reminds me of freshly laundered linens with flower petals pressed between the sheets. But that sweet blueberry candy scent never comes back, and that's what I really wanted. Wahhh. I hate you, body chemistry.
Reviewed 07/28/2008
CLXVI (166)
In the bottle: Delicious fruit punch and a champagne note.
Wet: Yummy, red fruits and champagne, mixed together.
Dry: There's definitely cherry and strawberry in there, possibly grape. This *sparkles*. It's sweet and super-fruity. Medium throw, loooong wear length for a fruity scent.
Verdict: If I had a signature scent, THIS WOULD BE IT. Dearest Lab Staff, you are absolute geniuses and I love you dearly.
The only downside to my bliss is that this is the only one of my CT4 bottles that wasn't full past the neck. This one is barely to the shoulder, and therefore must be jealously hoarded and guarded. SOB!
Reviewed 07/28/2008
CLIII (153)
In the bottle: Holy pine and eucalyptus!
Wet: Eeek! Pine!
Dry: Pine, eucalyptus, some kind of dark berry, and that note from Crypt Queen that goes all to Vicks on me. After grabbing my CQ bottle and testing these side by side, they smell VERY similar to my nose. Pretty strong throw.
Verdict: I can't wear Crypt Queen, and this isn't working for me either. I think I'll try to swap this for a different CT4.
Reviewed 07/28/2008
CXLIII (143)
In the bottle: Fruity musk, a hint of something dry and dusty that makes my nose twitch.
Wet: Fruity and spicy. It's a tart fruit, but not pomegranate, maybe cranberry?
Dry: There's definitely a musk under the tart, juicy fruit. My nose is twitching if I sniff too deeply, the way it does with Shango, so I think there may be some chili. Medium throw.
Verdict: I love this! The spiciness gives it a fall feel, but it's not overpowering and could be worn year-round.
Reviewed 07/28/2008
CXXXIV (134)
In the bottle: Very light, something green and a hint of vanilla.
Wet: Green and a light floral that reminds me of moonflower.
Dry: Light and springy, the floral note is being tempered by the softness of vanilla and possibly a skin musk. Very light.
Verdict: There's so little throw that it would be perfect for an office with scent-sensitive people. It's cool and light, like a spring day. Very nice.
Reviewed 07/28/2008
CXXXIII (133)
In the bottle: Chocolate maple syrup.
Wet: I smell like pancakes!
Dry: Pancakes and syrup, sprinkled with cocoa; not the burnt-sugar note of Sugar Skull. Light throw.
Verdict: Ultra-foody and yummy, but it's definitely a cool-weather scent.
Amber, cream accord, white honey, apple blossom, skin musk, caramel, and teak.
Reviewed 07/21/2008
In the bottle: Honey and apples. Mmm.
Wet: Caramel apples and soft amber. So far so good, the teak hasn't come out to play.
Drydown: The skin musk comes out and makes this much less foody. The apple and caramel fades out almost completely, but the honey lingers as a very soft sweetness. I get a hint of the teak at the very end of the wear, and it does give me a bit of the sawdust that most wood notes do on my skin. This fades out quickly, but has a good throw while it lasts.
A fine confection for discriminating trick or treaters: a fig meat, coconut, and buttercream bonbon rolled in orange rind, mint leaf, cardamom, clove and ginger, dipped in milk chocolate.
Reviewed 07/21/2008
In the bottle: Orange, chocolate, a hint of ginger.
Wet: Lots of orange, with a strong coconut note and a bit of chocolate.
Dry: There's still quite a bit of orange on top. I'm not getting any mint or spices, and the ginger note that was hinted at in the bottle has disappeared. Most of this is wonderful, but the coconut is a bit too strong for my tastes and I probably won't wear it often. Medium to light throw and medium weartime, if I were inclined to wear this for a whole day it would likely be a slatherer.
A sweet reward for a worthy deed: caramelized sugar and sweet cream.
Reviewed 07/21/2008
In the bottle: Butter creamed together with sugar and vanilla. Cue Homer-ish drooling now.
Wet: Butter and vanilla, strongly. It's verging on that plastic, play-doh note of Beaver Moon '05, which makes me nervous.
Drydown: This dries down to creamy, soft, sugared vanilla. It's lingering close to my skin, but it has lasted for hours and hours. It came very close to that play-doh note for a while, but backed down and stayed lovely. A foody dream come true.
Lovely, dangerous, slick, and bitterly cold: chilly white sleet-like notes with a hint of vetiver, a breath of smoky asphalt, and winter wind.
Reviewed 07/18/2008
In the imp: Something earthy I don't recognize, a breath of a spicy mint that reminds me of Nuclear Winter, and that distinctive 'cold' note.
Wet: I'm getting a cool, herbal scent with a swirl of mint.
Drydown: Spicy yet cold, herbal, minty. Low throw, but long lasting. This isn't what I expected, but I like it. I was expecting something a little more aloof, but it's very sexy.
Crystalline, glassy ice whipped by a snowstorm. Piercing ozone, winter darkness.
Reviewed 07/18/2008
In the imp: Light and chilly, with a hint of citrus.
Wet: Still light and cold, and I'm getting a distinct lemony scent. This is very nice.
Drydown: This reminded me a lot of Delousing Powder in the beginning, and I liked it very much. Unfortunately, after about half an hour this turned into very strong soap and gave me a headache.
Deep herbs and apple with black amber.
Reviewed: 07/13/2008
In the imp: Apples and spice, like fresh spiced cider.
Wet: Fresh, juicy apples and spice.
Drydown: This has a great throw. It lasts a good while, too, but the apple eventually fades out, leaving the spiciness to dominate. I never got anything herbal from it, just spicy apples with very little morph. I like this very much on my skin, and I think it would make a wonderful room scent. It seems to be a fall scent to me, so I'll tuck this away until the weather starts to cool down again.
A sophisticated traditional gentleman’s cologne, with just the slightest taint of patchouli’s passion, tonka bean’s decadence, the philanthropy of bergamot, moss’ cynicism, the sharp wit of lavender, and the hopeless romantic longing of jasmine and thyme.
Reviewed: 07/13/2008
In the imp: A fresh, clean, men's cologne.
Wet: Sharp and clean. I can definitely smell the lavender.
Drydown: I keep looking around to see the good-smelling guy, but it's me. It's very fresh, no patchouli to speak of and the florals are light. I'd like to convince my SO to wear this because I think it would be amazing on a man, but he says it gives him a headache. I'm not particularly looking to smell like a guy, but I could probably layer it well with some of my other oils.
Monoi de Tahiti, vanilla, white coconut, tuberose, ylang ylang, white musk, red hibiscus, and neroli.
Reviewed: 07/08/2008
In the imp: Flowers and...pixy stix?
Wet: Still flowers and pixy stix. What a strange combination, but it works so far.
Drydown: The candy scent has completely faded out, and left a bouquet of tropical flowers behind. I don't get any coconut or vanilla, just pure, fresh florals. It's not my usual style, but it's pretty and I can see myself wearing it out often. Good throw and wearlength.
Pumpkin with white chocolate, caramel, pomegranate, and cream.
Reviewed: 07/08/2008
In the imp: Caramel, then an undertone of something bitter that I can't identify but makes me wrinkle my nose.
Wet: That bitter undertone I noticed in the imp rears its ugly head again, but smooths out pretty quickly as the caramel and cream take over.
Drydown: The caramel is gone, and that bitter note (which I'm assuming is the pomegranate, but it isn't like any of the other pomegranate notes I've tried from BPAL) hasn't come back. This has settled into a spiced cake with a hint of chocolate. I don't get actual pumpkin, but more like the spices you use for pumpkin pie. Not a huge throw. This would be wonderful in the fall, but it's a bit overwhelming for these hotter months.
The Babylonian Goddess of Dreams, who bestows the power of Oneiromancy onto her priests. This blend opens up psychic sensitivity during sleep and aids in the understanding and correct interpretation of portents and symbols.
Reviewed: 07/07/2008
In the imp: Sharp lavender, bright citrus. Very strong.
Wet: Crisp, bright lemon, with something spicy lingering underneath. It's still very strong.
Drydown: The lavender has been completely overpowered, and it's a spicy, bright lemon. This has one of the strongest throws I've ever found. Since I have to wear a CPAP mask that covers my face while I sleep I can't speak to any dream properties, but it's quite lovely anyway.
A stirring yet gentle perfume. The scent of love and devotion mingled with an undercurrent of heart-rending sorrow. A bouquet of white roses, labdanum, and wild orchid.
Reviewed: 07/07/2008
In the imp: Sharp, strong florals.
Wet: Sharp floral, an undertone of something soft and powdery.
Drydown: The sharpness has faded, and only the soft florals remain. This is pretty and feminine; it 'feels' very gentle and spring-ish. It has decent throw but fades relatively quickly. I think it would be interesting to put it in a scent locket and my skin at the same time, so that the locket would retain the sharpness but it could take on the softer scent on my skin.
TP'd Trees! -- Cypress, oak, and pine covered in 2-ply!
Reviewed: 07/06/2008
In the imp: It's not the pine scent I expected. It smells like something labeled "mountain spring fresh" rather than anything piney or woody.
Wet: Wow, is this subtle. Not at all what I expected. It's aquatic and light, slightly powdery.
Drydown: Still very subtle. Not much throw, but it lasted a decently long time. There's a skin-musk-and-powder scent here that reminds me a lot of Enraged Bunny Musk. I've been putting off testing this one because wood notes are so awful on me, but I really, really like this. It's very light and fresh and cool, a perfect scent for the dog days of summer.
Blue and white musks, moonflower, rose, magnolia, lemon verbena, and lychee.
Reviewed: 07/06/2008
In the imp: Very sharp. I can definitely smell the lemon verbena and lychee.
Wet: I'm not just clean, I'm Zestfully clean! This smells just like Zest soap.
Drydown: I'm getting a bit of rose now, and a small amount of that citrus freshness that lychee gives, but it's overlaid with a strong soap scent. This is definitely not for me.
Smut! Smut! Smut! Three swarthy, smutty musks sweetened with sugar and woozy with dark booze notes.
Reviewed 07/05/2008
In the imp: MUSK!
Wet: Wait, where did it go?? There's nothing, literally no scent at all. Did my skin eat it in the 15 seconds it took me to swipe, cap the imp, and sniff? How *weird*.
Drydown: Powdery, faintly spicy musk, with absolutely no throw. What little I do get smells like it could be very sexy but it disappears the moment it touches my skin no matter how much I slather. I have to practically drown myself in it to get a whiff of anything at all, and used nearly 1/3 of the imp just to properly test it. This has the potential to be really wonderful, but my skin drinks it down faster than someone guzzling water in the desert.
