I am bowled over by this update! The scents this Yule are amazing. Instead of last year's predominantly icy/snowy theme, this one contains scents of all different kinds. There are icy/snowy ones, but there are also foody, floral, resinous/incensy, woodsy, spicy, old and new, drawing from traditions the world over, including Jewish, Greek, Icelandic, Indian, Mexican, Italian...there are scents based on poetry, history, mythology, or just plain tongue in cheek humour (lick me baby one more time! I can't wait to see what the label for that one looks like!) and that's what I love so much about this update. I am getting loads of decants, and I've bought a few bottles too. I'm glad that the LEs in this update are all long term, so I didn't feel pressured to order. I think the Lunacy order will be a big 'un. My mum will be enabled with Sag (depending on notes), and I can't wait for new Gaiman scents!
Now. The rant. I FUCKING HATE POSTAL STRIKES. Ok, they may be over, but so many of my packages have been held back in the backlog chaos that ensued from about five days of strike. And I get the feeling there are still strikes going on. The packages that made it through so far are: BPAL, Nocturne Alchemy, Heaven and Earth, the Atrocious Attic decant from Tramp, and my Mythos Mixtures Halloween decants from Evil Enablers. But there's a whole lot of stuff that hasn't arrived, I'm still waiting for packages from:
-Mythos Mixtures
-Silk Road Soaps
-Magical Omaha
-Blooddrop
-Cobalt Blends
-Heaven and Earth (I made two orders, this second one may not be sent yet, so it's early days)
-Love Potion
-Possets
-Callisto
-Aeaea decant received!
-October and PPIII from Aevalin
-Chilling Cellar and Forbidding Foyer from Nursekins
-PPV from LJ
-Perilous Parlour
-Bonfire Night recieved!
-All souls 07 from LJ
-Death of Autumn
-Massage oil decants
-Decanting vials
-Queen's Salon decant
-Pumpkin Cheesecake and Spiked Punch decants (it's still early days for these)
I may be missing some things. I'm also expecting tickets for the Tut exhibition but I have no idea when those will be sent. I'm just listing my pending orders and swaps to keep track of what has gone MIA and fear will be lost in a strike-induced black hole never to be seen again. Some are replaceable, but others (like the Caffeinated Death in the MO package) are not. I am not blaming the companies or swappers/sellers for the losses at all so don't worry. I am blaming all this crap on the shoddy postal service and the postal workers who decided to go all on us these last couple of weeks.
I'm slowly sorting out my collection of BPALs and seeing what imps/bottles I still like and which ones to sell. And I've discovered that some of these are aging gorgeously. I tend to notice the difference when I haven't worn a certain scent for a while, though I'm sure scents I wear regularly are also maturing gracefully as well. There are some scents which don't change much and still smell the same as before-which, if it's a scent I love, is a very good thing. Here's my list of scents that are even lovelier now:
Et Lux Fuit (aged about 1 year and a bit)-the oddly soapy scent it had when fresh is fading, the amber is getting stronger, and the honey! Now this reminds me a little bit of Al Araaf and Spirit of the Komachi Cherry Tree.
Alone (aged about 2 years)-OMG! At first I was worried this would be a bit too sweet but then the patchouli, richly matured, shines and mingles with cardamom, labdanum and sandalwood in the most amazing way. The floral notes in here are also prettier.
Berenice (aged about a year and a bit)-it's lost it's 'designer perfume' scent and turned into a feminine Mr Ibis.
Svadhinaopatika (since February)-OMG!! The amber in here has become wonderfully rich and golden and magnificent. This now smells like a honeyed version of the Lion. O ain't got nothing on this unspellable stunner!
Hope (since February)-the sugar/vanilla musk really becomes richer and more beautiful, softening the rose.
Meskhenet (since February)-the frankincense has become stunning, and that odd 'gardenia' note it had when fresh has faded considerably. Now it smells like Nefertiti. This oil is now thicker and there is residue at the bottom-a scent to roll.
13, the original (since June 05)-ohh! The chocolate has become richer, the sharp tea note is mellower, the iris pops out more and there's something almost honeyed to it.
Haloa (since December 06)-oh wow! Now this smells like mulled wine and incense with sweet cakes! So festive! It's lost the odd 'sherbet' scent it had when fresh.
Lotus Moon (since summer 06)-the amber has become richer and the scent has more oomph now.
Black Pearl (about a year old)-the musk and iris have become much richer.
Dee (two year old imp)-DAYUM this ages magnificently. I can't wait to see how my bottle gets.
Hymn to Proserpine (about a year old imp)-I swear this gains Snake Charmer nuances when this ages. I get plum and cherry as well as the pomegranate/currant and amber now. Have a bottle, hopefully it will age like this. My new bottle of HtP smells spicier/sandalwoodier than my imp.
Penny Dreadful (at least two years)-when I last tried it, my imp was a year old. The notes get richer and more floral and it smells stunning, though not as earthy-foody as when fresh. There's a vetiver note which really shows up with age.
Anubis (two and a half years)-the sharpness this had when fresh is much calmer and the resins are much richer, more honeyed.
Bastet (almost three years)-like a cat, this one's personality changes, each time I wear it. (but it always smells good!) But the myrrh note gets much stronger over time.
Zorya (at least two years)-richer, stronger, more beautiful and well mixed floral. One of the few 'plain jasmine' scents that doesn't turn stinky on me.
Nefertiti (at least two years, maybe more)-the woodsy incense notes become richer and smoother, loses it's greenness. Aged Nefertiti is amazing.
Queen of Sheba (about 1-2 years)-I swear there's Egyptian amber in here. I get a lot of something that smells like it under the spiced honey and almonds now.
Black Lily (1 year)-loses that odd metallic coldness and becomes pretty much all lily gorgeousness.
Magdalene (2 years)-the rose and orchid just mature so beautifully.
Snake Oil and Charmer-what can I say that hasn't already been said?
The Lion (about 2 years)-the amber just gets more intense and lovely with time.
Great Cry in Egypt (since summer 06)-the red musk is really intensifying in the best way, and so are the resins.
Regan (2 years)-I swear there's honey in here. It's been a year or so and it smells really, really honeyed now, like floral O. Not complaining-I love this honeyed orchid scent!
Bengal (1.5 or 2 years)-OMG this becomes like a more intense and spicier version of the Lion when aged. I'm sure there's amber lurking in here.
Queen Mab (2+ years)-gets more intense and rich and full bloomed with time.
Haunted Palace (since late 05)-who says citrus notes degrade over time? The orange in here has become creamier and softer, if anything. Beautiful amber-rose-orange-musk.
It's been ages since I've written in here huh?
But I need to announce the arrival of two darling new additions to the family...my long awaited new kittens, Serafina and Smurfette. I got them via a shelter from someone who wanted to sell his kittens-and I was not expecting the almost dangerous level of CUTE I saw when I met the kittens. it was so hard choosing two kittens from a litter of six adorable little fluffy bundles of joy. I ended up choosing eventually and I think I chose well-the kitties are so sweet and playful and are always chasing each other and jumping about and just doing the sort of cute kitten stuff that makes me all wobbly inside. Sera is the grown up one with more black than white on her face, and she is also the more mature and and clever kitty, whilst Smurfette is the energetic, playful, mischevious little rogue who has one eye in black fur and the other in white, almost like an eyepatch (mum calls her the little pirate).
I am so pleased to have these wonderful darlings in my life-I haven't been this happy in ages!
I will post pics asap!
This update was much more my thing than the last one...lots of amber, musk, witches and fairies and Good Omens too? I like that! My prediction for this update bringing hot, sunny scents was correct, as was my prediction for Leo containing amber. I'm now regretting buying second bottles of both Red Moon and Leo...Fairy Market looks so amazing, as does the Witch Queen, and Aziraphale and Crowley are coming home with me when I order on the 13th.
My Saturday evenings will be boring again now that Dr Who is over...
And I wish the weather could warm up a bit, it's almost July and it feels like October, but without the prettiness of autumn leaves. And the rain won't stop. I think the pizza and pasta cravings will return by next week, but the question is, will UK versions satiate them now I've tasted the real Italian stuff?
Oh, and I need a job. Now. Not just for the money but for something to keep me busy during the holidays. It's nice being lazy but it gets boring just lying about doing nothing after some time. I need routine and something constructive to do. And some money would be nice.
...in rainy London. I suppose it's nice to have a break from +100 degree heat but I do miss the nice weather.
I had a wonderful time. One of my favourite holidays for a long time, it's been memorable and eventful in many ways. Oh, and the food has been stunning. I should have put on weight with all the pizza and pasta and ice cream I wolfed down but all the walking I did (climbing Etna!) must have burnt it all off. Here's a little summary of how it went:
Highs and Lows:
-as I said, the food! I am very pizza and pasta-ed out now but the pizzas here, and my mum's tomato sauce, are nothing compared to the pizza and pasta I had in Sicily. Don't get me started on the ice creams.
-Cefalu, the town I stayed in, is possibly the most charming little Mediterranean town I've stayed in so far. Lots of lovely little alleys and wonderful restaurants, and it seems pretty untouched by the full tourist thing (ie, no McD's or Starbucks yet), and with a great beach.
-the mozzies treated me like a pizza and I ended up looking like one thanks to their feasting. I've never had bites so big and itchy!
-the heat was unreal. I mean, 47C? (not sure what it is in fahrenheit but I know it's over 100) Even on the beach? It was truly Saharan out there. There were wildfires aplenty, followed by blackouts and even water shortages. (As my 'doomsday dad' would say, that's a taster of what's to come for the UK in 20 years time!) I also got a sunburnt arse, which is pretty hurty.
-climbing Etna was amazing! It was sweltering at the coast and yet there was snow at the top of the volcano, right alongside hot steaming vents. It looked like another planet. And it was so gusty and dusty. But so worth it.
-there was one tour guide we had who was a total bitch and treated the English speakers like shit whilst she was all favouritist with the people who spoke German (and when we asked for translation into English she said 'I already told you this already' really rudely), and her English was crap anyway. At one point the tour guide's 'friends' ganged up against us English speakers and it got really aggressive. I've never had a guide so bad before.
-there are some fascinating historical sites all over the place-from ancient Greek temples and theatres, and wonderful Roman and Byzantine mosaics...my favourite though had to be the Palermo mummy catacombs. That place has an amazing collection of dried out dead guys that outrivals the British Museum, I think...
So overall this was a wonderful holiday (despite the mozzies, the fires and that guide) and I really do miss being there-I definitely want to return though.
Now I'm back from hols, I can't wait for the UPDATE!!!
It's really bad that this occurs on the day before I head off to Sicily. I was going to write a little entry about how much I looked forward to tucking into real Italian food, the best pizzas with the thin crispy crusts, pasta cooked in the best tomato sauce, and the finest ice cream in the world. But then I hear some truly saddening news.
My aunt passed away today. The melanoma which I thought was being cured successfully with chemo (in the last phone call I had with her, she was so optimistic) finally claimed her life. It is really terrible, I didn't know her that well have haven't seen her much, I wish I'd seen her more. Now it's too late...cancer is a horrible thing and it has claimed many of my relatives, my aunts, uncles and grandmothers. It frightens me and has made me a little scared to go out in the sun (and I'm going to Sicily of all places) even if my skin tone is more sun-resistant than hers.
I wish I got to know her better in life, and I did say some things about her in life which I regret a little now (mainly jokes about her obsession with Cliff Richard and her phone calls where she constantly went off at tangents about friends of her friend's boyfriends mothers...) but nothing too serious. It's bad timing that it happens before I leave for what should be a relaxing holiday, but life and death like that-full of bad timing, sadly. I suppose the good thing is that now the pain and sickness really is over, she's free from it, in a better place.
I completely forgot that Paris was being banged up until I saw today's wonderfully unexpected update. I think it is fantastic, myself. I love the way that Beth is doing something new with fragrance...parody by perfume, satire by scent. I've always admired the way Beth can excel with both her serious and intellectual fragrances, and her light-hearted, sillier scents.
I also love the way that Beth appears to be taking the piss out of the whole 'celebrity perfume' thing as well (among other things-most notably, the farce that is Paris herself). I've never been into celebrity scents and I just get fed up when every tabloid-hogger and reality TV star releases their own brand of cat piss perfume with a pretentious name and a stinky scent. I think Privilege is the closest I'll ever get to owning a 'celebrity scent'. It's got a pretty name too which I don't need to associate with that vacuous attention seeking airheaded twit when I wear it (despite this being the scent description). And it's got some winning notes-tiare, rose, lemon blossoms, armoise, linden and vanilla? I think it will smell perfumey, but in the best way possible.
Pruno on the other hand...with a description of 'toilets', 'droppings' and 'ketchup', I honestly thought that wasn't a real scent for sale! But it is...and I'm getting a decant just to see how Beth turns that into a wearable scent! I'm wondering if it will be a joke scent with a foul fragrance or if it will be wearable...from Beth's comments it may be the latter. And of course, Beth's an alchemist, it seems she's highly able to turn any smell that should smell like crap into gold But I do have a viable skin-chem reason not to get it: scents that are much too dominant on the apple turn bizarre on me, and it sounds almost Punkie Night-ish, wasn't keen on PN.
But major kudos for Beth updating with these hilarious scents and donating the money to a good cause. I had to order some Paris to go with it-I've been meaning to buy a bottle of Paris, now I have an excuse
I am so glad my exams are over! No more revision to burden me, I can now do things like read lots of non-study books, get back to doing arty things like drawing, sketching, and maybe even painting. I have plans to get boxes on Ebay for my BPAL (my collection has got to the stage where shoeboxes-yes, shoeboxes-are being used to store bottles) and to paint them.
The Thunder Moon update was the first in a long time where almost every scent had 'big dealbreaker notes', ie ones that could turn the blends nasty on me. Things like ozone, sea notes, sweet pea, thunderbolts and lightning, very very frightening. First time that I've not ordered directly from the Lab for the full moon. I have a feeling the next moon will be much better, and maybe will bring lots more scents-CD and Gaiman stuff? It's funny how Cancer brought about lots of aquatic scents, lots of water and rain and dewy floral notes. Just like how Taurus had cow/bull themed scents (Minotaur and Milk Moon). Hmm. Maybe Leo will bring fiery, spicy, regal and sunny scents, maybe cat-themed scents (I want KITTIES!!!), which are much more up my alley. Maybe a therianthrope which is feline, or African, or Egyptian? (Sekhmet would rock, but the therianthrope scents tend to not to be deities.) I have no Leo in my chart but I have a gut feeling it will be wonderful-I wonder if Leo will be packed with amber? (thinking of the Lion here) and I wonder what the next moon will be?
I'm going to the uni's summer do tonight. I've been having a dilemma over which BPAL to wear...Blue Moon, Midnight on the Midway, or Snake Charmer? I chose those three because 1) it's the full moon 2) there's a funfair at the summer ball which will be open all night, so it really will be 'midnight on the midway' and 3) Snake Charmer is my all purpose special occasion/empowering/on-the-pull/sexy/exotic scent. I chose Snake Charmer in the end. For the first time in ages, I'm in the mood to pull! And it may sound silly but my choice of perfume does affect my mood and SC is one of those scents which makes me less introverted. I'm in the mood to have some fun, let my hair down, party hard. So hopefully Snake Charmer will work like a charm.
From: http://www.paulsadowski.org/BirthDay.asp
5 April 1985
Your date of conception was on or about 13 July 1984 which was a Friday.
You were born on a Friday
under the astrological sign Aries.
Your Life path number is 5.
Life Path Compatibility:
You are most compatible with those with the Life Path numbers 1, 5 & 7.
You should get along well with those with the Life Path numbers 3 & 9.
You may or may not get along well with those with the Life Path number 8.
You are least compatible with those with the Life Path numbers 2, 4, 6, 11 & 22.
The Julian calendar date of your birth is 2446160.5.
The golden number for 1985 is 10.
The epact number for 1985 is 8.
The year 1985 was not a leap year.
Your birthday falls into the Chinese year beginning 2/20/1985 and ending 2/8/1986.
You were born in the Chinese year of the Ox.
Your Native American Zodiac sign is Hawk; your plant is Dandelion.
You were born in the Egyptian month of Paony, the second month of the season of Shomu (Harvest).
Your date of birth on the Hebrew calendar is 14 Nisan 5745.
Or if you were born after sundown then the date is 15 Nisan 5745.
The Mayan Calendar long count date of your birthday is 12.18.11.15.16 which is
12 baktun 18 katun 11 tun 15 uinal 16 kin
The Hijra (Islamic Calendar) date of your birth is Friday, 14 Rajab 1405 (1405-7-14).
The date of Easter on your birth year was Sunday, 7 April 1985.
The date of Orthodox Easter on your birth year was Sunday, 14 April 1985.
The date of Ash Wednesday (the first day of Lent) on your birth year was Wednesday 20 February 1985.
The date of Whitsun (Pentecost Sunday) in the year of your birth was Sunday 26 May 1985.
The date of Whisuntide in the year of your birth was Sunday 2 June 1985.
The date of Rosh Hashanah in the year of your birth was Monday, 16 September 1985.
The date of Passover in the year of your birth was Saturday, 6 April 1985.
The date of Mardi Gras on your birth year was Tuesday 19 February 1985.
As of 4/5/2007 7:03:40 AM EDT
You are 22 years old.
You are 264 months old.
You are 1,148 weeks old.
You are 8,035 days old.
You are 192,847 hours old.
You are 11,570,823 minutes old.
You are 694,249,420 seconds old.
Celebrities who share your birthday:
Agnetha F„ltskog (1950) Colin Powell (1937) Frank Gorshin (1934)
Roger Corman (1926) Gale Storm (1921) Gregory Peck (1916)
Bette Davis (1908) Spencer Tracy (1900) Booker T. Washington (1856)
Top songs of 1985
Say You, Say Me by Lionel Richie We Are The World by USA for Africa
Careless Whisper by Wham! Can't Fight This Feeling by REO Speedwagon
Money for Nothing by Dire Straits Shout by Tears for Fears
Broken Wings by Mr. Mister I Want to Know What Love Is by Foreigner
The Power of Love by Huey Lewis & the News Everybody Wants to Rule the World by Tears for Fears
Your age is the equivalent of a dog that is 3.14481409001957 years old. (Life's just a big chewy bone for you!)
There are 366 days till your next birthday
on which your cake will have 23 candles.
Those 23 candles produce 23 BTUs,
or 5,796 calories of heat (that's only 5.7960 food Calories!) .
You can boil 2.63 US ounces of water with that many candles.
In 1985 there were approximately 3.7 million births in the US.
In 1985 the US population was approximately 226,545,805 people, 64.0 persons per square mile.
In 1985 in the US there were 2,425,000 marriages (10.2%) and 1,187,000 divorces (5%)
In 1985 in the US there were approximately 1,990,000 deaths (8.8 per 1000)
In the US a new person is born approximately every 8 seconds.
In the US one person dies approximately every 12 seconds.
In 1985 the population of Australia was approximately 15,900,566.
In 1985 there were approximately 247,348 births in Australia.
In 1985 in Australia there were approximately 115,493 marriages and 39,830 divorces.
In 1985 in Australia there were approximately 118,808 deaths.
Your birthstone is Diamond
The Mystical properties of Diamond
Diamonds are said to increase personal clarity to help one see things clearly as well as be straight-forward and honest. Supposedly, the higher quality the diamond, the better it is supports these qualities.
Some lists consider these stones to be your birthstone. (Birthstone lists come from Jewelers, Tibet, Ayurvedic Indian medicine, and other sources)
Opal, Quartz, White Sapphire
Your birth tree is
Rowan, the Sensitivity
Full of charm, cheerful, gifted, without egoism, likes to draw attention, loves life, motion, unrest and even complications, is both dependent and independent, good taste, artistic, passionate, emotional, good company, does not forgive.
There are 264 days till Christmas 2007!
There are 277 days till Orthodox Christmas!
The moon's phase on the day you were born was full.
This BPAL perfume is just perfect for the eclipse. I find the scent really matched the maroon, dark amber and russet shades that the moon took on as it slipped behind the earth's shadow. I could also have worn Blood Moon as that also is a very suitable eclipse scent, but tonight I felt like slapping on the Schwarzer...and it was a good choice.
It was one of the best lunar eclipses I've seen, especially in binoculars. My camera was playing silly-buggers with me so I only took a few photos...I'm not even sure how good my camera is with night images...I'll upload some on Monday if they are any good!
My gorgeous little kitty cat has just gone to the other side now.
She had to leave today-I just got a call that she was so weak today that she couldn't eat, sleep or move much. A neighbour had to take her to the vet where the only option was to put her down. Now the house where she lived is so empty. I'll never hear those odd clicks and 'rrrrr' noises she used to make instead of meows. I'll miss her purrs and her soft fur and those bright white whiskers against a black face, her flashing green eyes, her elegant mannerisms-she was so expressive and intelligent, and so gentle-she'd never hurt a soul. Now without any feline presence in my life, I feel so lonely.
The death of a pet is unbelievably harrowing to go through. It's the second time I've had this now. At least I still have her memories and I know she's still there, albeit in a place that I cannot reach for now-it almost feels like my departed loved ones are on the other side of a plane of existence, another dimension or universe that feels so close that I could touch it, and yet is physically inaccessible. But they are not gone completely.
RIP my beautiful furry friend. You're with your sister now, in a happier place.
eta: I just heard from my mum's friend who was looking after kitty as she slipped away. She mentioned seeing a pink glow in the conservatory where the cat used to sleep. It was probably a sunset reflection but I think it was more than that...I think she was saying goodbye as she followed the sunset, to join her sister among the stars. I think she's truly happy now.
I am wearing BPAL Bastet in her honour, as she was always a true divine feline to me.
She's still alive, but I've never seen her so weak before. She's got stomach tumours, just like my other cat, but not as painful so we're not putting her down just yet. They're eating away at her life though. She's so old anyway, I knew it would be the end soon, I just didn't expect it to be that soon...I just hope I can see her again next weekend. It will be so sad to no longer have that feline company I loved so much.
I'm really worried about my kitty Tingle now. She's not been eating or drinking and she's worryingly thin and frail. I went to the animal hospital and she was given a checkup and put on a drip because she just won't eat. The vets think it may be a kidney infection, I hope it's curable (and not too expensive) but I'm just worried it may be something worse. I just don't need my only other kitty passing away at this time, not when I'm already bogged down with study stress and loads of coursework. I'm actually a little scared for her-I know she's old but I don't want her to leave me now.
Anyway, my idea. I'm toying with the idea of writing an article for the uni newspaper about BPAL, I'm sure there are many people at my uni who'd be interested (and I'm getting bored of the stink of Lynx spray and Eau de Chav that I often smell round my campus). I'm also a little nervous about having an article and having it published since I've never been involved with the uni paper at all, and I'm also a little scared about being 'a little bit famous', and having people at uni-even friends-suddenly come up to me and ask about the article...I know that sounds really stupid but I am terribly shy with subjects that I don't normally talk about outside the internet (my talk about BPAL is strictly online, with the exception of meet-n-sniffs) I think one idea would be to wear BPAL to uni and note any compliments/comments, I'd take that as interest, and maybe I could get writing. I also need something else...lots and lots of TIME. Which I have none at the moment, with coursework and all.
Holy jumpin' Jesus on a pogo stick. Beth has pulled out all the stops yet again with another bank breaker! The worst thing about these last two updates? Too many scents have been 'must get bottle NOW and don't bother with decants'! It's bad for my student loan, really. But it's so good to see so many wonderful scents that grab me either through notes, descriptions, names, associations or artwork (in the case of CD). Now this new Gaiman series has enabled me in the reverse, so to speak...in other words, I need to read his books. Even Beth herself enabled me to read his stuff on the NA Lush forum! If I still have enough money left, then it's off to Amazon to get American Gods...
(Maybe this is a sign of obsessive fangirlishness but I get goosebumps when Beth replies to one of my posts! She's more of a celebrity to me than any of the losers on Reality TV ever could be!)
CROW MOON
Love! notes: white musk, possibly winter wind
Like notes: violet, cedar, evergreens
Huh? notes: wintersweet, green-barked dogwood, primrose, snowdrop, and lenten rose hellebore bouquet
Iffy notes: verbena (though I think vervain is different to lemon verbena?)
I really like the way this is mysterious, dark and wintry, but with hints of spring flashing through it. A lot of these are notes I don't recognise, but this could wind up smelling a little bit like the Raven. I just hope that this foresty-wintry scent doesn't go the way of Carpathian Mountains, but it may well go the way of Snow Moon, Skadi etc.
OBOROT
Love! notes: frankincense, earth
Like notes: fir, pine
Huh? notes: Greek mountain tea flower, sandarac, ravensara
Iffy notes: sea spray, moss (if it's the Spanish kind)
This blend looks so atmospheric, so dark, when I read the description I got an image of some kind of ancient ritual taking place on a dark stormy coastline, wild animals peering out of the woods and strange incantations. I have no idea how this will smell apart from maybe dark, wild, moody, and a tad incensy. Hopefully not soapy or uber-mossy.
FIRE PIG
Love! notes: lychee
Like notes: peony, bamboo, tangerine, orange, pine, kumquat, quince, narcissus, mandarin
Huh? notes: pussy willow (think un-dirty thoughts, think un-dirty thoughts...lol)
Iffy notes: plum blossom, dragon's blood
I just love the concept of a Chinese New Year scent (I'm looking forward to the Ox!) and this looks like a bright, glittering firework of a scent, sparkling with yellow, peach, orange and pink shades of citrus and flowers and sweet delicious lychee, with a red sheen of dragon's blood. It looks fun, vivacious and celebratory.
ENRAGED GROUNDHOG MUSK
Love! notes: cardamom, vanilla, musk
Like notes: chocolate, caramel
Iffy notes: cherry
How can I refuse? Is the lil' fuzzy hog pissed off because he can't find his shadow? Or because the same day keeps repeating itself-well, that would make anyone enraged! Naturally, cardamom and vanilla sold me, and I hope the chocolate cherries behave, and that the musk is along similar lines to the Bunny or the Buck...
BILQUIS
Love! notes: honey (crossing fingers that it will be the honey from Queen of Sheba), myrrh, rose, ambrette, musk
Like notes: fig leaf, almond, apple
Iffy notes: lily of the valley
Swoon. I love Beth's exotic middle eastern orientals, blends that evoke seductive desert queens and sand dunes in the sunset and all that...and I adore those 'opulent rose orientals' where rose and loads of golden/sweet/resinous/musky notes mingle so harmoniously. I'd be interested to see if this resembles the Love Potion blend, Queen of Sheba, as it seems a few of the Gaiman scents seem to be variants on similar-named/themed scents in the rest of the catalogue. I think this will be QoS made even sexier and more delicious-in fact, this looks like the lovechild of Queen of Sheba and Les Bijoux. Hopefully the lily of the valley won't soap this scent out of what looks like perfection.
MAD SWEENEY
Like notes: oak
Iffy notes: whiskey!
I'll try a decant of this just for the experience but if Beth says this is almost pure whiskey, I'll take her word on that. I'm sure it's a great conceptual scent but smelling of pure strong booze ain't my thing. It's definitely not a scent I'd wear on a driving test!!
MAMA-JI
Love! notes: cardamom, spices, nutmeg
Like notes: flowers (depends on what type)
If I wasn't br0ke I'd get a bottle of this STAT. I can't resist cardamom, and with nutmeg and spices? Me wantee. I'm intrigued by the flowers. What kind of flowers will they be? Probably Indian ones (but hopefully not champaca, aka Banana Blossom of Doom) but my guess is that they could be similar flowers to the ones in Kali, as this is a Kali scent too. (I get the feeling that these different scents with similar names/themes/alternative names evoke different aspects or characteristics of the person/deity/creature/character, and I love that.) I loved the flowery drydown of Kali, so that with added spice sounds fantastic. And if it's in Beth's favourite list, that's got to be a good sign!
MR. IBIS
Love! notes: papyrus, vanilla, Egyptian musk
Like notes: sandalwood
Huh? notes: aleo ferox, African musk
Oh yeah. Egypt, baby. And Thoth! As if adding Egyptian Freaks to the CD was bad enough for my finances, now she had to go add Egyptian gods to her Gaiman line! Thoth is one of my favourite gods, I have an affinity for him, what with his connections to science and writing...and I've been waiting for Beth to make a Thoth scent and now she has! And it has papyrus! But I adore the smell of Egyptian papyrus paper, the golden, reedy, dry aroma that I smell on my countless gorgeous papyrus paintings. If Beth captures that scent in here, I will die of happiness. And I've also been waiting so long for another scent with Egyptian musk-as Beth's E-musk note is one of the best, especially the stunning musk in Debauchery (which would have been a favourite were it not for civet) and I hope that musk, or the one in Bastet, shows up here. I'm also curious about the aloe (hopefully it's like the fresh green aloe note I like) and vanilla is always good. This was a no-brainer-instant bottle purchase!
MR. JACQUEL
Love! notes: amber, patchouli, spices
Like notes: hyssop
What the? MORE EGYPT? *paypal goes splodey-boom* And it's an Anubis-inspired scent! Oh my dog god!! I get the feeling this is going to be even better than the Excolo Anubis which I adore but it's not really an everyday scent-this one looks delicious. Amber is a favourite, as is patchouli (I wonder what North African patch is like) and I adore the combo of amber and patch, I'm wondering what those embalming spices will be like-will they be like the herbs in Anubis, or more spicy? This was another instant bottle purchase. I now wonder if there are more Egyptian god characters in American Gods...I've heard there's a Horus based character and someone mentioned a Bastet character too (correct me if I'm wrong)? I can't wait to see what else is added to the Carousel!
MR. NANCY
Love! notes: cookies
Like notes: tobacco, lime
Iffy notes: bay rum
I wonder if the Sugar Cookie note in here will be like Sugar Cookie 04, which was the most wonderful cinnamon biscuit ever, or like SC05 which was a more buttery, less spicy, boozier affair (which went burnt on me though)? I'm hoping for the former, but it could be a completely different cookie note...I have faith in Beth to make a delicious lime cookie scent which will smell fantastic on my skin. The addition of tobacco is intriguing, and the bay rum may or may not make this smell too masculine.
SPIDER
Like notes: ginger, nutmeg, mandarin, bergamot, lime
Huh? notes: artemisia
Iffy notes: vetiver
This one looks very masculine as a scent, like a citrus cologne with that gritty vetiver base. That's one of the notes that could be too much for me, depending on whether it's good vetiver of EVIL VETIVER OF DOOOOM. However, the nutmeg, mandarin and artemisia (wormwood? mugwort? tarragon?) remind me of Winter of our Discontent, which I loved, and the ginger could add a little kick. I'd be willing to try a decant but I think this is more of a man's scent.
So I bought The two Moon scents regardless (I have a feeling I might not like them but they could be miraculously good on me, who knows?), the Egyptian American Gods, Bilquis and the Blazin' Piggy, and they all have to put up with the Grumpy Groundhog who's also joining them on their transatlantic flight.
Talking of which, I think my Hunger Moon/Spicy KitTea has landed at home! I am really, really looking forward to trying the, along with my Mummy and Vulture, and my Salons! A great week for BPAL all round!
On non-BPAL related news, my coursework is nearly finished! I'll get more, no doubt, but I'm not procrastinating as much as I used to
My half-sister gave birth to a beautiful little boy today!
I haven't seen him yet or seen any pictures but I hope to see my little nephew soon. I've been waiting for the birth for a long time since the baby didn't want out (too warm and cosy inside mummy's tummy!) and was a week overdue, I was worried for my half-sis...but not any more! From what I've heard, both mum and baby are healthy and happy, and I'm now an aunt! (or step-aunt, really, but still, it's so exciting!)
Happy New Year to all of you! I really hope 2007 is a kick-ass year, in more ways than one-in my studies, my social life, my creativity and my hobbies. I want to make resolutions but it seems just calling them 'New Year resolutions' means that they will be broken ten minutes later. Call it a jinx, if you will. But anyway, my goals for '07 include:
-Studying harder and much more than last year, especially in maths.
-Looking for jobs early so that I can save up money to help when debt-time really hits me, and also for nice things like holidays, gifts, and indulgences like BPAL.
-Putting more money into savings, though that's hard, especially considering today's Wallet Armageddon...
-Selling off the stuff I really don't need on Ebay, like that pair of jeans that I got one Xmas and never fitted me, they're as good as new...
-Trying to get my writing and arty muses back so I can write and sketch loads more than I did last year.
-Socialise a little more, especially with guys. I'm pitifully shy in real life, and I need to get my arse off that computer chair and get mingling a little. And go to more student union clubbing nights or go to the union bar more.
-Keeping that temper under control, and those uber-emotional/panicky moments need to be restrained too.
-Do more active stuff, like swimming, dancing, or even gym...
Now, let's get to business. BPAL style...
BEST START TO THE YEAR EVER! Wow, what an update! The mother of all updates. The update to end all updates and the road to sweet-smelling debt...I thought the first CD instalment was amazing. I thought the Order of the Dragon and Halloween update was breathtaking. But this just blew my socks off and blew my mind and my Paypal all at once. It was just so good...and there's so much that I WANT RIGHT NOW, no decants, give me bottles! But alas, with Xmas and all that, my bank account is crushed...but these scents are up for ages!
I just had to get Bakeneko since I love all things kitty-shaped and I want one of the Japanese scents to become a top ten scent. It has cherry blossom which can ruin a scent on me but hopefully that will be cancelled out by the wonderfulness of cinnamon, cardamom and tangerine tea with amber and musk!
I love the concept of Faces of the Heroine, even if I can't pronounce or spell the names! But I love the combinations of exotic notes present in that series. In fact, I really like the whole Indian theme that many Lupercalia scents have this year, the incense blend Chintamani-Dhupa sounds particularly interesting with so many notes I've never encountered before!
But the best bit of the update of course was the Freak Show itself. I knew it would be good but I wasn't expecting it to be so magnificently, gargantually, fantastically wonderful! I adored the previous lot of CD, most scents there were hits on me. But these new scents look even better, more complex, more unusual, with loads of unique notes and combinations.
And then there are those Snakes. I'm so intrigued as to what Snake Oil with mint tea will be like. Or SO with acai berry and cardamom, or SO with teak and bamboo, or SO with aquatic moss, or SO with tropical flowers and tangy fruits...and I can't wait for cinnamon SO and mandarin SO and chocolate SO. And I wonder what that Anaconda will smell like?
Hope and Faith were destined to be mine from the moment I discovered that they were Londoners like me and that they contain sugary flowers, and I can't wait to get my hands on them. And Priala the Human Phoenix looks like it will be divine, like Chimera's cinnamon-myrrh, but better. And what would a Black Phoenix carnival be without a phoenix?
And of course, the cherry on the cake was the fact that two freaks are from You-Know-Where, and one of them is a MUMMY! (Must hoard loads of bottles of them!) That was probably what made this update not just wonderful, but utterly perfect, well for me anyway. But it goes to show that this Carnaval series is truly incredible and epic, and it's for everyone. Be you a foody fan, or mad for musk, or even a flower fanatic. It's for vanilla whores and spice girls. It's for incense addicts and aquatic adorers. It's artistic and beautifully told. It appeals to everyone, no matter where your interests lie. It even hits our fears-of clowns, or snakes, or spiders, or death itself, what lies in the shadows, the unusual and disturbing and mysterious...and it makes us confront those demons through means of scent-and perhaps, through this, to discover what could be their inner beauty. It is truly all encompassing, the whole world-and then some-within a travelling fair, all within little bottles of beautiful fragrance...
I can't wait for Carnaval Diabolique-The Movie! (I can dream...but you never know!)
Currently smelling of: Snow Flakes for that whiff of idealised festive weather (we never get snow these days-not until January anyway), plus a dab of Sol Invictus, because he's the real reason for the season...
This year I had the smallest amount of presents so far. Mainly because my main present was an iPod. Yay! Finally I get my very own antisocialising machine (that's what my dad calls it)! I'm very pleased with my iPod and can't wait to put all my music onto it.
Apart from that, I also got chocolate, a lovely knitted hat (usually knitted stuff at from relatives at Xmas is a bad thing but not this!), a little bit of money, and the compulsory gift of underwear.
This year, it's been a very relaxed Dec. 25, no rows, no stress, just a delicious non-traditional Xmas dinner (turkey and sprouts? No way.), generous amounts of wine, and the Best Mince Pies In The World made by my mum-no other mince pies will do. Now I'm looking forward to the Doctor Who Christmas special, which will make this day end very nicely, I think.
Merry Christmas/Yule/Hanukkah/(insert winter holiday here), Seasons Greetings, Happy Holidays, whatever you celebrate (or have celebrated) at this time of year, make it a good one and enjoy yourselves! *hands out more of the Best Mince Pies Ever to all*
It's funny how the older you get, the more stressful this time of year becomes. As a child, the Christmas season was a time of perpetual happiness and gifts and fun. Now this innocent perspective is tainted by batterings to my bank balance (well, some of those batterings are inflicted for slightly selfish smelly reasons ), the stress of wrapping, cooking, decorating, writing cards etc, the ordeal of dealing with shops, streets and tube trains heaving with crowds, the dilemmas of what to buy for people (I have a lot of 'hard to buy for' people in my family), hoping that the presents my relatives have in store aren't too embarassing, the fear of accidentally embarrassing myself in front of relatives (but gone are the days when I had to sing for my presents. I was forced to sing what I sang at school choir. Without accompaniment, totally solo, almost in an X-Factor style. Thank goodness there aren't any Simon Cowells in the family. But that was the most cringe-making part of Xmas for me) and so on.
But even so, I still love the festive season for many reasons. The sparkly lights everywhere-even the tacky displays can induce smiles, the fact that putting baubles on the tree is quite fun (straightening it, on the other hand, is a bitch of a job), writing cute messages and giving little gifts with cards, the cheesy songs that always get me singing along no matter what, the smell of satsumas and roasted chestnuts all around, chocolates always seem to taste better at this time of year (I know, I probably have weird taste buds, but I think it's true), learning the fascinating pagan background behind many beloved Xmas traditions and customs, fragrancing the house with spicy incense and oils and wearing gorgeous Yule BPALs to really get into the mood, generous alcohol consumption, scoffing loads of home made mince pies-and only home made ones will do, and of course, prezzies. I'm getting an iPod this year. Yay for expensive toys. Thank goodness I don't have to sing for it...
...my cat passed away because of a tumour.
I know some might find it odd still mourning the death of a pet long after it happened, but to me animals are just as important as people to have as company, my cat was like a sister to me, a warm, fuzzy, purring companion, and cats don't have the emotional complexes that humans have.
It was also the closest experience I've had with death for a very long time. I can't really remember when my grandfather and aunt passed away as I must have been five at the time, but my kitty's passing is so vivid. That last stilted purr she gave me at the animal hospital was such a sorrowful sound, the way she looked so pained and couldn't move made me cry, and will haunt me forever.
My mind still sometimes thinks she's not 'dead', but she's just moved on to a place that's inaccessible to me, but where she'll be happier. I'm still not clear cut on my ideas of what happens after death but when she passed away, that came to mind almost intuitively, that she's in a place that's intangible to the living, but still there, in a way. I also believe she's still visiting me in spirit, in dreams, in some of those dreams she actually protects me from anything malevolent. And one thing's for sure, the memories will stay alive for a very long time.
Excuse what might seem like a rambling incoherent post, as I'm half asleep, my mind is blurry and I'm premenstrual at the moment. I have enough RL drama in my life, such as my mother falling out with my godmother and me being caught up in the middle, and I come to these forums to unwind. I just really hope this doesn't get me flamed.
The reason I am feel a little unsettled by these posts is because recently I bought the 'custom scent pack' from the company in question, and I was really looking forward to getting my own scent blended for me. But all these recent posts have me worried and my mind is conflicted. I love the scents this company makes, no matter what people say. I will get the custom scents done and will buy my own bottles but whether I should make my custom scents available to the public, I don't know.
All I will say for now is that I love good quality, ingenious, beautifully crafted and just damn good smelling perfume.
BPAL is obviously my favourite of the lot, making up about 75% or more of my collection, and Beth is one of my role models and I admire her ingenuity, skill with scents and originality, but I do love many others, be they etailers or ones bought from shops (though not mainstream designer ones), and I don't want to be judged for it. I don't want to be seen as weak, an unwise shopper, or easily led by pretty names and concepts, cute labels and tempting note combinations. I don't want others to think I have a 'poor taste in perfume' (I can't help it that my olfactory tastes being so wide or my skin chem being so good-mannered) or to be seen as a bad person just because I like buying and enjoying other non-BPAL scents.
Ok, this last sentence may be an exaggeration of what's going on (a lot of people on this forum do buy other perfumes and they state that they buy other brands, and no-one minds) but I don't want all this to boil down to the banning of other perfume oil threads in the Retail Therapy forum. I mean, there are loads of etailer threads there that haven't recieved any drama, like Arcana or Possets, and a few others I think. So just because one (or two, if you think back to last year's AC kerfuffle, or three if you count Femaledictions, though that was well founded due to actual bad CS and missing orders and so on...that's another story) perfume thread becomes a drama magnet, doesn't mean they all will. I could say more but I am so dumb when it comes to legal matters and business matters so I won't let my stupidity in these fields show. But I love scent of all kinds and if a scent works with my skin chem and makes me feel good wearing it, then I'll wear it and love it, no matter where it comes from.
I know right now a that perhaps some people will disagree with me but this is my opinion of it all right now.
Again, my paypal falls victim to the fragrant black hole that is Beth's ingenuity. Here's a little analysis of the scents offered today, what I got, what I want, what I might want in small doses etc:
I bought:
13 (revisited)
cocoa and vanilla beans, Mysore sandalwood, star fruit, orange rind, red amber, fig leaf, mimosa, rooibos tea, bourbon geranium, rose otto, nutmeg, and lavender.
I hoped that I would avoid 13 if it was the same white choc orange scent (which I love, but I don't need more for now) but then Beth unleashes something that tops it. I love cocoa, vanilla, sandalwood, amber (red amber's a new one-I need to try H&E's version too), rose, nutmeg and bourbon geranium...and I'd love to see what Beth's starfruit and rooibos notes are like. And how all these notes mesh together in this scent!
SOL INVICTUS --
A radiant blend of solar oils: golden amber, saffron, heliotrope, hibiscus, citron, frangipani, frankincense, tangerine, mock orange, and orange blossom.
Oh yes! I want to smell like a pagan sun-god on December 25 (that's where the date for Xmas originates, after all). I'm also hoping this would be what I hoped Et Lux Fuit was on me. It shares some components but hopefully the tropical florals and the saffron and frankincense will make it richer, warmer and lovelier than ELF was on me. I'm also reminded of Ra, which I love. This looks ideal for anyone who may get SAD in winter, I don't suffer from it too badly but the long nights-and the cold-sometimes give me winter blues, this is the perfect cure.
YULE -- It is Yule, and the Holly King has slain the Oak: blood red holly berry, mistletoe, wild thyme, verbena, cinquefoil, hemp, winter rose, evergreen, frankincense, juniper, and myrrh.
I'm collecting the pagan sabbat oils (well, the ones that are easy to acquire as bottles!) and this sounds gorgeous, wonderful, evocative...I wonder if it will be the scent opposite of Litha? (They do share some notes...) Not sure what holly berry, cinquefoil and mistletoe smell like but the other ingredients are pretty awesome. This sounds like an amazing mix of evergreen forest scents, resins, herbs and rose. This looks even better than Yuletide, which smelt like a Yankee Candle on me.
LILIUM INTER SPINAS --Hibiscus syriacus, white sandalwood, lily of the valley, apple blossom, and green fig.
I have no idea what the hibiscus note is like but I'm curious...LotV can go soapy, apple blossom is so-so, green fig can be sharp, but this could go either way-the poem is beautiful as well...so I got an imp.
HORREUR SYMPATHIQUE -- blood musk, golden honey, thick black wine, champagne grapes, tobacco flower, plum blossom, tonka bean, oakmoss, carnation, benzoin, opoponax, and sugar cane.
Holy shit, this sounds magnificent! Look at all these wonderful notes-blood musk, honey, wine, champagne, tonka, carnation, resins, sugar...this looks like one of those amazing complex and fantastic BPALs, reminiscent of the Masque or Sed Non Satiata...I just had to get an imp. Should have got a bottle.
LOVE-LIES-BLEEDING -- The velvet flower. A lush, thick, luxuriant bloom, bold and red.
Ditto Devil's Claw, but the name is gorgeous. I used to call those plants 'monkey tails' when I was little. The real name is much more evocative. But what will it smell like-blood? Something fuzzy, perhaps? Imp.
THE TEMPTATION -- attar of rose, calla lily, palmarosa, peach blossom, wisteria, rice flower, and black musk.
This sounds like a fascinating floral-I'm intrigued by the rice flower. Not sure about wisteria (can go off on me) but the other ingredients are promising-love rose, peach and black musk. Imp.
MANIA -- Screeching white musk collides with a howl of red musk, with sharp white grapefruit and pale strawberry leaf.
Musks! I adore red and white musks. I've never smelt strawberry leaf, would be interesting to see if it smells like greenish strawberries...but the musks! I'd love to see how the grapefruit comes into it as well. Imp.
HALÔA -- Wine grapes, myrrh, frankincense and olive leaf, and the warm scent of offertory cakes.
CAKE!!! The description reminds me of All Souls with wine, or Cockaigne with resins, which sounds so delightful. mmm. But the olive leaf worries me-does it smell like olives? I think it did in Alecto, but I love Tzadikim Nistarim, which has olive but doesn't smell of it. I've bought a bottle because...CAKE!!
Will get eventually:
BLACK LILY -- Breathtaking darkness, a vision of grace in shadow.
I've tried the prototype and I'm torn, because it veers from stunningly beautiful to metallic and weird on my skin. It's a 'locket scent', for me. I might try an imp of this to see if it's changed.
DEVIL'S CLAW -- A yellow-bright and smoky brown-black scent, horned, pronged and strange.
I have no idea what this will smell like. Brown and yellow? Smoky? I have no clue, will wait for reveiws. Maybe imp.
SLOBBERING PINE -- Dewy, wet, whiplike and sticky.
Hmm, the name's great and a little bit gross, but if it smells like pine resin...I love the smell of pine sap. It's messy, sticky stuff but it smells gooooood, not Xmassy or disinfectant-y at all.
THE REAPER AND THE FLOWERS -- A funereal bouquet laid on cemetery grass: longiflorum lilies, white rose, chrysanthemum, and carnation.
This reminds me of Santa Muerte and Sepulchre, which I quite like. Very flowery and traditional, maybe a bit mournful, but it could be beautiful. Maybe an imp.
And now for y00ltide goodness!!!
BLACK ICE -- Lovely, dangerous, slick, and bitterly cold: chilly white sleet-like notes with a hint of vetiver, a breath of smoky asphalt, and winter wind
Asphalt? I don't really like the idea of smelling of asphalt...and vetiver can be scary at times. The icy and windy notes sound so interesting though...Beth is amazing at conjuring up weather scents, despite me not getting on with storm ozones or seaspray, they are still so evocative. Decant.
THE DARKLING THRUSH --
Snow, darkness, and icy air illuminated by the thrush’s song: warm amber, soft orris, and melancholy violet.
This sounds beautiful. Snowy and wintery airy notes? Yum. Amber? Oh yeah. I quite like orris and violet too. Decant for now, but it sounds promising.
HERR DROSSELMEYER 2006 -- Pipe smoke, sweet leather, woods and linen.
Tried it last year, think it's ok but don't need more. Too manly and smoky-in a nice way, but not on my skin.
JACOB'S LADDER 2006 --The meeting of Heaven and Earth: golden amber, galbanum, benzoin, ambrette, rockrose, costus and tonka.
I adore this scent, maybe I'll get more? I already have two 05 bottles, but I might want to see if this has changed.
JÓLASVEINAR --
Their scent is a mishmash of snow, dirt, Icelandic moss, marsh felwort, and the smushed petals of buttercups and moorland spotted orchids, with the barest hint of the scent of pilfered Christmas pastries.
I like snow, dirt and moss, have no idea what marsh felwort, moorland spotted orchids or buttercups (well, vaguely) smell like but previews say this smells like a real Xmas tree, with soil. But it's the Christmas pastries that grab me. To me, that means MINCE PIES!!! If this has even a slight mince pies scent to it, I'll need more, but for now, it's a decant.
KNECHT RUPRECHT -- The snow-covered foliage of the Black Forest and the fruit and woods of apple and almond trees.
I wonder if this will smell like Black Forest+snowy notes? Or maybe BF sans musk, but with snow in it's place? If so, this sounds really interesting with apples and almonds...decant.
KRAMPUS -- Sinister red musk, black leather, dusty rags, and wooden switches.
Oh, this sounds so fun! Like Spanked for 06! I'm not sure about the dusty rags though-but red musk and leather, like Loviatar! Decant, maybe bottle.
LICK IT AGAIN -- Every holiday season should be full of lewd suggestions and filthy double entendres, right? This is a new take on last year’s Lick It – a peppermint candy cane with an extra jolt of sugar.
I adore Lick It, have 2 bottles, love it's minty coolness and it's vanilla-musk drydown. But if this is a new formulation with more sugar...I might need to get this too!
MIDNIGHT MASS 2006 -- see Jacob's Ladder 06.
THE SNOW MAIDEN -- Ylang ylang, osmanthus, spring berries, and daffodil cloaked in hoarfrost.
Not sure what hoarfrost smells like (cold, obviously) but the floral/berry/daffodil notes look gorgeous. This scent sounds beautiful and ethereal, delicate and icy, and I need to add more to my 'snow' collection, but it's a decant for now.
SNOW-FLAKES -- The radiance and desolation of winter.
A vague description huh? I have no idea if this snowy scent will be like the Skadi/Snow Moon/Bunny snow, Snow White snow, Cloister Graveyard/Ice Queen snow, or something completely different...I'm intrigued though, plus it's another one for my snow collection. Decant.
STARDUST 2006 -- This scent reflects the futurism, self-indulgence and excess of the Glitter 70’s: champagne, hyacinth, tuberose, ylang ylang and flashing white musk with jonquil, tobacco flower, white sandalwood and a pale poppy.
See Jacob's Ladder 06.
THE WINTER OF OUR DISCONTENT -- Embrace your villainy: balsam, myrrh, mandarin orange, bitter clove, artemesia, rosewood, nutmeg, dark musk, smoke and cypress.
This sounds very interesting. I love myrrh, orange, clove, nutmeg and smoke, have no idea about artemisia, the other notes sound good, but this may be a little masculine. Decant.
This was a spectacular update of course-lots more ice and snow than expected, none of the old faves back (well, some of the 05 faves are there) but a very interesting direction for Beth to go in...I don't know if there'll be a Yule part 2, would be cool if that was the case though.
I had such a great time at the London MnS (spelt like this because it resembles CnS...spelling it M&S makes me think of Marks and Spencers!) with twistedcoil, storme and ellemir. It's wonderful to chat BPAL-to actually talk, exchange and try out BPAL-with real human beings, makes a change from typing behind a grey box. And they were so nice! I enabled twistedcoil and got enabled-now I am hooked on Loviatar. It smells like a feminine Doc Constantine with a wonderful musk-amber going on behind the leather. I have an imp of it on the way but now I want a bottle. Mmm. We spent about two hours talking about our BPAL and loved every minute of it. It's great because my uni friends seem to be so absent these days so I had very little social contact with others during summer hols, so this was such a refreshing change. I hope to do another MnS with them again some time.
I have to say that the CD update has been one of the best my nose has ever experienced, both CD and GC scents. Stars of this round of new stuff include Moriarty, CD, Midnight/Midway, Lyonesse, Cockaigne, Three Brides, Gennivre, Candy Butcher, Uruk, Les Bijoux and much more...I'm amazed. Now that I know that my loan will come next week, I have some big orders planned...
I hope this post doesn't sound grouchy, as the it's that time again, rampant hormones control my brain, and my cramps feel like someone has placed a concrete slab in my tummy, and this slab is swelling. Ugh.
My maths resit is over, thank goodness...I now have about three weeks and a bit before uni starts. A part of me wants to start uni asap (one reason being STUDENT LOANS! MORE WONGA TO SPLASH ON SMELLIES!! ) another part of me wants to relish in the delicious, lazy, no-coursework, no-study days, the days of staying at home away from those awful flatmates I had last year...ah, bliss.
Seems like I've been getting a taste of autumn as September arrives. Makes me wonder...am I, and my mother and RL friends, the only ones who like warm summery sunshine? Ok, so I don't mind wind and rain-provided I'm not out in it. I'm one of those people who tolerates heat much better than cold. It does make me feel less guilty to be inside, I must say. Perfect 'curl up with a cuppa and a kitty by the TV' weather. Perfect 'lazy weather', the time for lie-ins, especially now the nights are drawing in. I suppose the rainy, gusty days have a bright side when I think of it in those ways. Plus, rain is seriously needed after the desert-like conditions of summer we've had.
However, I do like the autumn. I like those balmy September days that are warm and sunny but not unbearable like summer days are, just pleasant enough to go out with a t-shirt and enjoy the few days before the cold kicks in. I also love the dry autumn days, especially at sunset when the colours of the sky and the leaves match-and the nights. Oh, those cold, crisp, clear, smoky-scented autumn nights, always with the crackle of fireworks in the air in this country. Not as bitter as winter but those nights give a hint of the winter to come. I remember such a night last year, it was out at the observatory where I study, and the night was magical...cool, but not too cold, and with the most magnificent full moon illuminating the countryside all around (and yes, at the time, I was wearing Hunter Moon. It's a sign of true addiction, remembering what BPAL you wore on a random day a long time ago...). Not ideal for astronomical observations of course but just so beautiful.
It's also the perfect time to crack open the autumnal BPALs-tonight, it's Devil's Night, which seems to have aged fantastically, with the smoky note much more pronounced, like a fragrant bonfire wafting over airy fresh musk...so beautiful. Hopefully the new DN will be the same...I need more!
I just knew it would happen but Beth has outdone herself yet again. How does she do it? I'm amazed and flabberghasted. It looks like the updates are going to become even more devastating (financially, that is) over these next few months...
So, what do I think of Halloween 06? There are some that really call to me, but luckily most of them are only decant-worthy for now. My bank account is safe for now-at least until Kindly Moon...
Bought:
ALL SOULS -- An incense blend that invokes the higher qualities of mercy and compassion, mingled with the soft, sugared currant scent of offertory soul cakes.
As soon as I saw 'sugared currant' and 'cake' I immediately thought of Eat Me, which I adore. And it has incense, which I also adore. Bought a bottle.
SHOGGOTH -- white amber, green coconut meat, iris, palmarosa, Chinese peony, lime, water lily, snowdrop, muguet, lemongrass, osmanthus, wisteria, glassy musk, and hinoki.
White amber? I've not seen that in BPAL. I have no idea how it smells (lighter and softer than other ambers?) and I love the coconut meat note in Obatala (better than just plain coconut), so green coconut really intrigues. And it's good to see waterlily in a scent-there are too few waterlily scents. This scent description seems to bring to mind the words 'iridescent pastel technicolour', a mix of white and pale-coloured notes.
Will definitely get when I have money/next update:
PUMPKIN QUEEN -- The Glorious Grand Dame of the Pumpkin Patch! Regal Egyptian Amber, red ginger, orange peel, mandarin, cardamom, fig leaf and warm pumpkin.
This is where the two consciences in my head argue. The little devil says 'get a bottle! it has Egyptian amber and cardamom, and I know how much you loooooove those notes, and you know it's going to be lovely with pumpkin! BUY IT NOW.' but the little angel says 'not so fast! Your skin turns red ginger-or at least the one in the SN-to rubbery asphalt! and that's not a good smell! You have a decant on the way, and if you like it, only THEN you can get bottle(s)!' but then the devil beats the crap out of the angel with a pitchfork...
THE BRIDES OF DRACULA -- gleaming skin musk, honey and white amber, plum blossom, osmanthus, sandalwood, calla lily, and a light, sensual blend of Eastern spices.
More white amber-now I'm very curious about this. All the other notes-skin musk, honey, sandalwood, osmanthus and Eastern spices look gorgeous too. Especially Eastern spices-this seems like a softer, floral equivalent to Snake Charmer? It's the plum blossom that may go odd on me but it didn't in Peony Moon and there are loads of winning notes here. Will grab bottle!
COUNT DRACULA -- black patchouli, neroli, tonka, cinnamon, bitter clove, leather, black musk, coffin wood and fiery ginger.
This really does seem like bottled sex. Cinnamon, clove, and ginger? Yum. Leather, patchouli, rich black musk and delicious tonka? I'm there. And it's Dracula...how can I ignore a Dracula scent-and such a sexy one at that? Now I need a man to rub these oils all over...
LUCY WESTENRA -- A wanton beauty, corrupt, hypnotic, seductive, and feral: magnolia, iris, Moroccan rose, frankincense, crushed jasmine blossom, blood orange, tobacco flower and white musk.
This to me looks like one of those fantastic, complex, rich, resinous and heady rose-based floral scents which I love so much-it does seem to remind me of some favourites of mine, the likes of the Haunted Palace and LitA, the resin-rose scents like Rose Cross and Magdalene, and also Three Brides which I am coveting fiercely. And I want to collect all those wonderful rich musky/resinous rosyscents so I need a bottle of luscious Lucy asap!
MISKATONIC UNIVERSITY -- The scent of Irish coffee, dusty tomes and polished oakwood halls.
So glad to see it as a GC. Coffee and old books and Baileys. I love it. I don't need a bottle urgently though but this is my favourite BPAL coffee scent so far.
Decants and imps:
THE HIGH PRIEST NOT TO BE DESCRIBED -- Monastic incense, blood musk, black leather, cypress, pimento, white pepper, and Roman chamomile.
Ohh, this looks intriguing. Incense, blood musk and leather are all favourites but this scent may be a little masculine. Worth an imp, for now.
THE MUSIC OF ERICH ZAHN -- A ghoulish and tortured scent, suffused with the blackness of space illimitable: ajowan, vetiver, black musk, opoponax, mimosa, and tamarind.
I have no idea what ajowan smells like but apparently it's cuminy/caraway-ish which seems interesting, and vetiver is either nice or too much, and I'm not keen on tamarind (hate drinking tamarind juice) but I'm still interested in trying this, just for the opoponax and black musk.
NIGHT-GAUNT -- something akin to yuzu, white grapefruit, and kumquat mixed with the snow-dusted flowers of Mount Ngranek.
Mmm, sharp citrus! this sounds like a kind of Aizen-Myoo type scent which might be fresh, tangy and light. A tangy, pretty floral with a load of citrus. This will be one for next spring, I think.
Y'HA-NTHLEI -- A swirling, lightless, effervescent scent: the deepest marine notes with bergamot, eucalyptus and foamy ambergris.
Hmm. suddenly my skin has become quite the aquatic-hater (turns them to soap) but not all of them. This looks very unusual-eucalyptus and ambergris? I have no idea what this will be like-very piercingly cold and nose-decongesting, probably.
ALL SAINTS 2006 -- Based on a venerable French pontifical incense blend: monastic frankincense and myrrh, Damascus rose, Russian gardenia, cassia, and lily of the valley wafting on a chill Autumn wind.
Love the 05 version, may consider getting the 06 just to see how different it is.
CREEPY -- This season’s Ridiculous Scent! As creepy as Spooky was spooky, this is the scent of butterscotch-kissed, caramel-smothered red apples spiked with a blast of coconut rum.
Mmmm, this looks yummy. Toffee apples and coconut rum? I still want to try a decant since some rum scents can be a little dusty or a little too boozy on me. I want a toffee apple scent that works on me...
DEVIL’S NIGHT 2006 -This is the scent of autumn night, fires in the distance, with a touch of boozy swoon, playful sugar and thuggish musk.
Love DN 05, may want to see how different this year's version may be-and to have another bottle of DN! To me, it's my Guy Fawkes firework watching scent, so evocative of dry autumn night air and gingery musk.
DIA DE LOS MUERTOS 2006 -- dry, crackling leaves, the incense smoke of altars honoring Death and the Dead, funeral bouquets, the candies, chocolates, foods and tobacco of the ofrenda, amaranth, sweet cactus blossom and desert cereus.
Hmm, it seems the Dia scents do vary wildly from year to year but since I liked 05 I might get a bottle of 06, maybe this one won't be overtly floral? The 05 version was rather too heady at times, but very pretty.
PUNKIE NIGHT -- apple orchards, bright cranberries, and a touch of warm cider.
This looks very apple-y indeed with the orchard and cider notes. decant. Sometimes apples can be nice but sometimes they can be too sharp on me. But orchards sound lovely-this may be a very natural apple scent.
SAMHAIN 2006 -- Truly the scent of autumn itself -- damp woods, fir needle, and black patchouli with the gentlest touches of warm pumpkin, clove, nutmeg, allspice, sweet red apple and mullein.
Worth trying to see if it's different/the same and for another vintage bottle of this iconic LE. And it smells gooood.
SAMHAINOPHOBIA -- The fear of Halloween. Menacing Haitian vetiver, patchouli, and clove with a shock of bourbon geranium, grim oakmoss, and dread-inspiring balsams pierce the innocuous scent of autumn leaves.
Vetiver...now that's either too much for me or just bearable. I dunno but Haitian vetiver, I think, is the strong stuff. I'm reminded of Baron Samedi's vetiver which overwhelmed the scent. But it's got bourbon geranium, which I love! And clove! And autumn leaves! I'll try a decant.
SUGAR SKULL 2006 -- Vibrant with the joy and sweetness of life in death! A blend of five sugars, lightly dusted with candied fruits.
Ditto with the other '06' scents-I don't know if I need more SS but I'll try a decant and see if it's the same or different. My 05 has turned to deep, boozy, rummy sugar, but sometimes it's a bit too much to handle.
THE BLOODY SWORD -- dragon’s blood, myrrh, black pepper, labdanum, benzoin, leather, fire, and steel.
Steel in perfume? and fire? This I must smell. How it will do on my skin I don't know but it has some lovely resin action going on as well-love myrrh, pepper, labdanum and benzoin, and leather usually smells good on me. It may be verging towards the masculine though.
CARFAX ABBEY -- The scent of abandoned places, of desolation and emptiness: heavy woods and thin dusty herbs touched by the wafting incense of a nearby chapel.
Looks very gloomy and grim but this might be really nice-decant. I have no idea what this will be like apart from dismal and dusty and maybe quite lonely-it may be nicely evocative though.
THE CARPATHIAN MOUNTAINS -- Mountain air and the scent of crisp snow blanketing the mountain’s flora: Scottish fir, beech, cembra and mugho pine, rhododendron, currant, honeysuckle, raspberry leaf, dwarf juniper, sedge, meadow grass, snowdrop, rose bay, lily of the valley, starwort, lichen and mosses.
This looks quite stunning, I must say. A complex mountain forest scent? If the snow is like Skadi...mmm. I have no idea what cembra, sedge, snowdrop, rose bay (is it like rose, or bay?) or starwort smell like but I do like fir, woods, pine, currant and if the honeysuckle is that new honeysuckle note like in Litha and BatWoman, then this looks very promising.
THE CASTLE -- A distant whisper of pine, wet moss and dry leaves passing through vast halls and winding dungeons whose scent bears the memory of blood, faded splendor, imperial elegance and stunning violence.
This looks intriguing enough to warrant a decant, though it does seem very gloomy (rightly so, though) but it might be really atmospheric. There's also a degree of mystery and vagueness after the moss and pine-the smell of dungeons? Interesting.
JOHNATHAN HARKER -- A respectable gentleman’s scent: lavender, iris, white tea, verbena and white sandalwood.
Hmmm, I'm reminded of Usher and Villain when I see this-could be really nice but also too cologne-like, or too manly? I'll try a decant.
QUINCEY MORRIS -- Rough on the edges, but possessing the true essence of valor and nobility of spirit: tobacco, vanilla, white pear, cedar, rugged musk and saddle leather.
Mmm, this looks very nice-it seems to be Tombstone/Dead Man's Hand-esque. I might want to try a decant since Tombstone's vanilla did go crazy on my skin. I hope the 'saddle leather' isn't too rawhide-like though. How the pear will fit in intrigues me...
WILHELMINA MURRAY -- Tea rose, white sandalwood and a flurry of pale, virginal blossoms, smeared with a smoky, blood-soiled blend of myrrh, hyacinth, Daemonorops resin, dark musk and blackcurrant.
Another interesting scent, but aren't they all? A dark floral…I love rose, myrrh, hyacinth, sandalwood, not sure about Daemonorops (dragon's blood apparently?). Decant first.
R.M. RENFIELD -- Unhinged: moss, cumin, patchouli, Balsam of Peru, and neroli.
Looks reminiscent of Dracul. I do like most of the notes but I want to get a decant first. I'd love to know what Balsam of Peru is like-is it that note that turned to lovely amber in Dracul? Mmm...
DR. JOHN SEWARD -- poppy smoke, champaca flower, tonka, sandalwood, ginger, white pepper.
Poppy/opium can be nice or nasty. But all the other notes look so tempting. Champaca, sandalwood, ginger and yummy tonka? One to try a decant of for sure.
Don't need:
AL AZIF --A sinister, sinuous incense of summoning, a herald and paean to the Primordial Gods of Darkness, Chaos, Madness and Decay.
I adore this scent and I'm so glad it's now GC! But I have a bottle so I don't need more for now,
ARKHAM -- A shadowy, unapproachable forest of maple, birch, dogwood, cypress and pine softened by a garland of New England wildflowers: bergamot, columbine, rue anemone, blue violet, creeping phlox, bloodroot, toadflax, and pixie moss.
Not so keen on this-something in it went too sweet, and something else made it smell like some old designer moisturising cream my mum used to wear. Something in it screams 'department store body lotion' and the phlox is over-sweet.
AZATHOTH -- tangerine, saffron, vetiver, black amber and cedarwood.
Way too masculine for me. Scaaaaary vetiver.
CTHULHU -- A creeping, wet, slithering scent, dripping with seaweed, oceanic plants and dark, unfathomable waters.
Ditto Azathoth. Yes, this has scaaaaaary vetiver as well.
PUMPKIN PATCH REVISITED
Don't really need more PP-I only liked the apple cider one enough to keep and I have a bottle of that, which is enough for now.
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Ok, that's done and dusted. I now can't wait for Kindly Moon (I imagine that will be a tiny update of just the moon, like CM was). And then the BPTP updates...I swear that Puddin' hinted at incense going live (a little mention of 'stuff you can set on fire') and if that's the case, I really hope this incense ain't LE, since I have been looking forward to BPAL incense since it was mentioned last year and I want to buy it all! I have a feeling the next Wallet Armageddon big update to look forward to, BPAL wise, is on October 13th. I predict that the CD Thirteen in One freak show scents will go live, along with 13, and...Yules!!! Since the Yule scents went up in mid-October last year, so it seems reasonable. And if this Halloween update was huge, then it's possible that Yule will be even bigger and more mind-bogglingly amazing...
I think I'll use this blog to blather about BPAL and smelly stuff. My LJ needs updating but my life has been so unexciting it's unreal. Seriously. Apart from little perks like my cousin and her children staying over (little Claire is the sweetest thing ever-I've never seen such a well behaved, helpful, and ever so polite 5 year old girl!) and massive lows like my impending maths exam not much is going on, apart from the little pleasures and indulgences, like BPAL...
This Black Moon update, though small, looks fantastic. Here's a little detailed breakdown:
BLACK MOON: BETH'S CREATION
The absence of light: motia attar, black orchid, mugwort, English pear, cucumber, blue lotus, jonquil, massoia, calamus and crystal musk.
I've never smelt motia attar but if this smells like my jasmine attar that I have, I will be so happy-I think motia attar is jasmine perfume distilled in sandalwood *swoon*. Black orchid is the note that grabbed me in Queen Mab, that beautiful sweet rich floral. But it's the blue lotus that grabbed me most. I thought 'no way, not the famous blue lotus, perfume of the pharaohs?' I have a bottle of blue lotus perfume from Egypt and also a BL absolute-I love this stuff. However, I've heard there's an Indian blue lotus as well which I've not smelt, not sure if Beth will use the Egyptian or the Indian variety but either way, it looks stunning. Crystal musk looks like it will be beautiful. And massoia...I need to try Lost for Words (by Arcana) to see what that's like. All in all, this looks like it will be even better than Blue Moon (omg that sounds like blasphemy! )
SCHWARZER MOND: BRIAN'S CREATION
The keeper of secrets: opoponax, Tunisian black amber, night musk, antique patchouli, zdravetz, terebinth, myrrh, and Pimenta racemosa.
Ohhh RESINS!!! I love opoponax, myrrh and amber (Tunisian amber? If it smells like my Attar bazaar stuff...) and the zdravetz looks intriguing-geranium resin with supposed hormone balancing qualities? That I must see! I'm very curious about terebinth and what that smells like. And I'm also wondering if the pimenta will smell like bay rum or like allspice. But it's the antique patchouli that grabbed me. I'm a huge fan of another perfume etailer's AP (hint, it's the one with the 50-year old patch) but I have a feeling that AP done BPAL style will blow them out of the water. Ohhh. And the night musk? That brings to mind all the gorgeous night-time musky scents, will it be a Buck Moon musk (insert nosegasm here) or a Nuit musk? I can't wait to find out.
I am coveting these scents like nothing else. The Black Moon scents eclipse (geddit? Eclipse? ) my previous covetings of CDs!
