Originally reviewed: Dec 27 05
In the Imp: Yup. Just like the reviews previous to mine have mentioned - smells like roses and dirt.
Wet: More roses and dirt, only stronger. I can feel my nose wrinkling - some other scent is swirling into the mix and taking precedence, something...metallic? Mineral-y? It's sharp and kinda yucky smelling - though strangely familiar - whatever it is.
Drydown: Roses. Faint dirt and/or moss. Something else I can't place. Something...stinky.
Overall: I'm too much of a zombie fan to let one test decide whether or not this blend will work on me. I'll give the imp another go in the near future, but will admit that I'm not exactly digging the smell currently wafting up from my wrists.
In the imp: Sharp, almost bitter perfume - the kind you'd expect little old church ladies to wear.
On wet: It's sweetened up slightly - I can smell the lilies and the lightest brush of rose...but there's still a sour/bitter edge running underneath.
Drydown: Wow, this is *definitely* not my cup of tea - it reminds me of scented garbage bags. There's this weird burnt-plasticky scent clinging to my skin, and a layer of sharp, generic floral perfume sitting on top of it - the overall result is so sharp, it's almost acrid.
Overall: Traditional, intensely floral blends don't seem to work very well for me, and this one is, unfortunately, no exception. It started out unpleasant, and didn't morph much beyond a cloying floral sheet pulled over hot erasers. Aside from that tiny glimpse of roses and lilies in the wet stage, I wasn't able to pick out distinct flowers at any point. Not a good scent for my chemistry. 2/5
CDLXVII - 467
In the bottle: Light caramel, possibly some kind of wood, a fruit - maybe apple - underneath.
On wet: Caramel-dipped fruits! (Plum? Apple?)
Drydown: PLUM! Lightly glazed with the most delectable caramel-tinged syrup. There's still a hint of incense/wood underneath, some musk (red?) - maybe even the tiniest smidge of patchouli. I smell incredible right now, and I can't *wait* to see how this scent ages!
Overall: I'm not a foody person *at all*, so I was a little scared when I opened this (extremely full!) bottle, and got a whiff of caramel. Thankfully, it's not only the lightest caramel I've ever smelled, but the plum/musk/woods are strong enough to keep this blend firmly out of the foody category. An amazingly warm, sweet, *sexy* scent - another winner!
Originally reviewed: Mar 31 06
In the imp: A soft, barely detectable fragrance - the first word that springs to mind to describe it is 'clean'.
On wet: Interesting blend of notes I'm picking up - definitely lily in the forefront, something pale, watery, and greenish just underneath (the aloe?), followed by a vaguely unpleasant sour sliver (the linen note? the amber? I'm guessing amber, 'cause it usually smells funny to me), and finally, the sweetness of the white musk.
Drydown: Mmmm.... Wow, this fragrance has really come together. The source of that initial sour tang I was first able to detect (and was scared would ruin the whole blend for me), has either dissipated or been overpowered by its better-smelling buddies. Now all I can smell is a gorgeous combination of white musk, lily, and whatever's providing that faintly greenish/aquatic "freshness" - again, I'm assuming it's the aloe.
Overall: This scent scared me for the first 5 minutes - I was *sure* that weird stab of sourness was going to stick around and screw me over. Thankfully, that didn't happen, and now I've got yet another bottle to add to my next order - and order I must. This is just the kind of fragrance I know I'll be wearing often during the warm summer nights that are just around the corner: fresh, soft, and skin-huggingly sexy.
In the imp: Sweet, sweet apricot - almost fake fruity-sweet, like gum or candy.
On wet: Yummy! Deep, rich apricot - the blindingly ripe, perfectly fuzzy kind - with just a hint of musky perfume underneath.
Drydown: This is such a wonderful mix of musk and fruit. The apricot has melded with the plum (not getting any hint of the pom, but it could be in there, too), and the musk is sweet and heady and feminine. If there are any roses in here, they're well-blended, 'cause I can't smell 'em at all.
Overall: Really lovely scent - and versatile, too. The sweet n' fruity angle covers everyday wear or fun/casual events, while the perfume-y side makes it appropriate for work or an evening out. It's a *titch* too heady for me, personally, but I'll definitely be keeping - and using - my imp. 4/5
In the imp: Wow - it really does smell like gingerale!
On wet: Ginger, woodiness, a touch of sweetness, and something else - something almost powdery underneath all the other notes.
Drydown: Boo...it's gone to pure soapy powder! Soap flakes with mixed with dusty plastic, at that - reminiscent of the icky drydown I get from orchid scents.
Overall: I've had this decant for almost two years now, hanging on in the hopes that it would age into something that liked me ('cause I rather liked it!), but, sadly, this has not happened. It's STILL not for me.
Originally reviewed: Dec. 16 05
I'm getting nothing but pure wintergreen - like Wintermint Lifesavers. No cinnamon, no fruits, maybe a hint of woodsiness on the drydown, nothing but pure, light, pale green mint.
I actually quite like wintermint, but I was hoping for the spicy fruity fragrance all those previous reviewers raved about. Maybe I'll try for a new imp in my next order...
In the imp: A fresh, sweet scent - there's an almost dry sharpness to it that reminds me of the white sandalwood in Kuang Shi.
On wet: Mmm...a soft, sweet, unassuming citrus cream.
Drydown: Wow, has this ever gone perfumey! It's reminiscent of a scent I used to wear in high school, but I can't recall which one - Volupte? Tresor? I'm still getting whiffs of fresh orange cream underneath that intense headiness, though.
Overall: Quite a nice blend, even though it's completely different from what I expected. Not something I'll wear very often, but I'll definitely be hanging on to my decant. 3.5/5
In the imp: Mmm...smells like buttered rum lifesavers!
On wet: Lightly buttered rum. Coconut. A dry, almost herbal bitterness that I'm thinking is the tobacco. Strangely enough, I'm also getting a hint of something...minty? Weird - and yummy!
Drydown: The caramel-esque rum and sugary coconut are both deliciously straightforward. I'm not getting tobacco (or that phantom mint note) any more, but I'm sure it's helping cut the sweetness and ground the other two components.
Overall: Edible! Drink Me and Obatala's love child. Definitely a warm weather party scent - also perfect for those cold days when all you can think about is escaping the snow by jetting off to the Caribbean. Elegba is that 'one sniff and you're there' scent. 4/5
In the imp: Sweet, almost soapy clean musk, vanilla - very much like Dorian.
On wet: Dorian, but with a much more aggressive undertone. Maybe the jasmine? The fougere? Hmm...
Drydown: Still registering as a more butch Dorian, and I'm pretty sure it's the jasmine giving it that dark, floral edge. It's more perfumey than Dorian, and, oddly enough, kinda...smoky? Something smells burnt - weird! I have no idea what that is!
Overall: I really liked the opening stages of Theodosius - I love the Dorian-esque feel, and I love scents with white musk and tea - but the drydown was very, very strange! I was expecting creamy, musky, gorgeousness, and I get burnt, somewhat powdery florals instead. Such a shame. 2/5
In the imp: Sweet candy, lemon, and coconut - yum!
On wet: Lime and coconut, a titch of floral goodness - mostly the iris, which I love.
Drydown: The lemongrass has emerged. It's very distinct from the lime (which is still very present), and they're both sitting on top of the iris and coconut. There's something dusty or powdery hanging around, too - I'm thinking it's one of the florals I'm not very familiar with (snowdrop, wisteria), possibly the amber, which doesn't tend to like me. I don't normally care for even the slightess bit of dust/powder, but it doesn't seem to last very long, and all the other notes are pleasantly distracting.
Overall: Definitely a wild - but lovely - scent! It's bright and warm, sweet and sharp, saved from being too fruity or foody because of the florals, and not too floral thanks to the coconut and citrus! A gorgeous summer or party blend, suitable for a wide range of ages, too. I feel like I'm wearing a rainbow on my wrist! 4.5/5
edit: Needed to upgrade my overall score from 3.5 to 4.5 - I haven't been able to stop sniffing myself all day! I smell freaking *awesome* - like lemon-lime, sweet-tart, glittery coconut musk. LOVE!
Originally reviewed: Jan 02 06
In the Imp: Pine and something faintly sweet.
On Wet: PINE TREE. Super crazy pine-aliciousness. I concur with many of the reviews previous to mine: this is the freshest, most realisitc evergreen smell I have ever come across. It's positively gorgeous.
Drydown: The intense pine mellows slightly. If I put my nose to my wrist, I can smell a vaguely sweet undertone mixing beautifully with an almost effervescent, Sprite-like bubbliness (the pop, not the fairytale critter.) I actually get the same aquatic-bubbly-sweet combo in Talvikuu, though it's much more pronounced in that blend. It's the evergreen that dominates *this* scent, and that's certainly not a bad thing, imo.
Overall: This is 99% tree, 1% something fizzy, and zero berries or anything else. I think it's a perfect holiday fragrance, most definitely suitable for wearing or burning. As for me, I'll be using my imp for the former - I rather enjoy smelling like a Christmas tree.
Originally reviewed: April 19 06
In the imp: Sweet, soft, buttery coconut.
On Wet: Same as above, though with the addition of a refreshing, aquatic undertone that cuts through the creamy sweetness.
Drydown: Over an hour later, I'm still getting delicious whiffs of gorgeous, milky, sun-warmed coconut. If I close my eyes, I'm back in Mexico - reclining by the pool under an umbrella, slathered in suntan lotion and downing pina coladas, soaking up all that steamy heat and inhaling the scent of the ocean...aaahhhh....
Overall: Obatala stirred up vivid memories of childhood summers and amazing times spent abroad. With the exception of Sleepy Moon (which reminds me of how summer evenings used to smell when I was a kid), this is the only BPAL blend to hit me with such an intense wave of nostalgia/remembrance/"being there". In short: Pure love. Destined to become my signature summer scent, and a definite 10ml purchase. A well-deserved 5/5.
In the imp: A damp basement full of beets and wet herbals.
On wet: Wet, mineral-y, a touch of something sweet, and a dry grass/vaguely spicy note. So very complex!
Drydown: The dampness has faded, the beets have been shipped to market, and the spicy, honeyed herbals have risen up. Mmm...wow, so much better. *huff-sniff-snort* Mmm! I'm also picking up on the slightest hint of warm fruit! Delicious!
Overall: This is utterly fantastic on the drydown. I wasn't expecting much from this after the initial sniffy test (beets!!!), but WOW, does it ever morph into something glorious. I already have the shirt (the design blew me away), and now I might just have to hunt down a bottle. Such a pleasant surprise, and an easy 4/5.
I likewise got this as a frimp from the lovely shelldoo!
In the imp: almost identical to my much beloved Bunny Musk - sweet, clean, and slightly powdery.
On Wet: Mmmm...so delicious - like I've dabbed my wrist with liquid candy. Again, incredibly similar to EBM (the same base, I think), but with an extra dash of powderiness. I'm not detecting anything overtly lemony, but there is a light citrus vibe going on.
Drydown: Still clean, sweet, and pleasantly powdery. There's a hint of that same light spice that I get from EBM. This lasts for ages, too, and the throw is perfect - just enough for me to catch a whiff every once and a while, reminding me of how fantastic I smell.
Overall: I'm a huge Bunny Musk fan, so I'm not surprised by how much I'm enjoying this scent. It's fresh and feminine, sweet and sunny - it's absolutely lovely. I think I prefer my gorgeous bunny blend more, but only by a...hare? (Hardy-Har-Har!!! ) An easy 4.5/5.
Originally reviewed: July 01 06
In the imp: Extra lemony lemon!
On wet: Sharp lemon, a sliver of what I'm thinking is grapefruit, and the barest whisper of white musk lurking underneath.
Drydown: The musk has risen up to form a partnership with those incredibly bright, yet slightly tamer citrus notes. It's become a sweeter, faintly powdery scent, reminiscent of those hard lemon drops you'd get in a tin, all dusted with icing sugar. Very straightforward, but also very yummy.
Overall: I'm a huge white musk fan, so this blend was destined to please. It's uncomplicated, fresh, and lasted for *hours*! Especially gorgeous in this disgustingly humid weather. A strong 4/5.
Originally reviewed: Dec 26 05
In the Imp: I smell something light and green, something fresh.
Wet: The fresh foliage smell intensifies, immediately evoking images of new spring leaves dripping with cool rainwater. Equally dewy rosebuds sprout from my wrist seconds later - but phew! Are they ever *strong*!
Drydown: This scent settles down both quickly and dutifully, coming together with just enough rose, just enough green, just enough misty freshness to impress even a non-rose fan like myself.
Sniff.
Sniff...sniff.
SNIFFFFFFF!
Uh...did I say impress? I meant astound - amaze - make my eyes go all sparkly with surprised delight. This is what the center of a living, rain-spattered rosebush smells like. Seriously. I'm a florist, I would know.
Overall: I was convinced this would smell like a granny perfume at best - a granny bathroom at worst - and likely wouldn't have even tried it had I not stumbled across a half imp's worth in the swaps section. I'm VERY glad I thought to toss it into the mix, and that it proved to be such a stunner. Extremely bottle-worthy.
In the imp: Dirt...something faintly sweet...an almost spicy underbite - taken all together, I'm reminded of pickled beets!
On wet: Beets in a cellar! The dirt note is still very strong, and there's also something that totally reminds me of what the basement in my childhood home smelled like.
Drydown: A dry, almost burnt woodiness and a soft vanillic undertone has taken over. There's still a hint of beet dirt lingering, but it's in the backseat now, more than happy to be chauffeured around by its fellow notes. Hmm...strangely enough, I'm reminded of hot erasers! That smell you'd get after furiously scrubbing your pink-tipped pencil butt against an incorrectly answered math question? On my skin, Death Cap Drydown IS THAT SMELL!
Overall: Well, I like the scent of dirt well enough, but I'm not much of a beet fan (I'm the only non-beet eater in my family, actually), and this blend is seriously screaming BEEEEEETS!!! - when it's not reminding me of one too many nightmarish math exams, lol. Too bad that woody-vanilla drydown wasn't more intense! 2/5
In the bottle: Clean, fresh, grassy...with just a *hint* of something sweet-tart underneath.
On wet: Pale, pale green aquatic, with the vaguest touch of watery fruit around the edges.
Drydown: Mmm...the sharp aquatic-ness has died away. Now it's insanely fresh smelling - like a garden, comprised of nothing but carnation and big, green, leafy plants, all dappled with cool water after a good rain. The heather is sweet, the carnation is lightly spiced cream, the green things stay green - really, really lovely.
Overall: I had to have this scent purely because of the poem - it's been a favourite of mine since childhood. I was incredibly fortunate that none of the notes were dealbreakers (though moss and ivy *can* be troublesome), and doubly lucky that they all decided to play nice on my skin - I would have been heartbroken if this hadn't worked. But here I am, smelling deliciously fresh and spicy and green all at the same time, anxiously waiting for warmer weather to arrive, as this is definitely going to be one of my go-to spring scents. A delightful blend - 4.5/5.
In the imp: Sweet, sweet flowers.
On wet: HOLY Florals! Like I've just tromped through a wet garden at night - a garden FULL of uber heady blooms. Nothing 'purple' to speak of - this is more a damp, greenish scent so far. It's somewhat overwhelming, but not wholly unpleasant.
Drydown: Jasmine. Maybe moonflower. There's a high-pitched sweetness - candy-like, almost - that usually means violets to my nose. I think I've located the plum peeking out from between the flowers - it's that same deep, more-crimson-than-purple sweet-tartness I got from Frumious Bandersnatch and Bathsheba. The light lick of incense underneath everything is almost nonexistent, but it's there when I inhale and concentrate, nicely grounding all those rioting flowers and swirly plum fumes.
Overall: Perfumey. Sweet. Rich. Heady. Definitely an evening/cold weather scent (for me, anyway). Floral-heavy blends are definitely not my bag, baby, but this one, thanks to the plum and incense, has quite a bit more depth than a typical, straight-up floral. There's a tempering warmth that adds both interest and a somewhat addictive quality - I keep huffing my wrist to seek it out! Not a fragrance I can see myself wearing, but a very classy, elegant composition, to say the least. 3/5
In the imp: Straight-up cocoa beans - powdery and almost bitter.
On wet: Chocolate. Then the sandalwood tries to peek through - not enough to be distinct, though, so I currently smell like a Reese's PB cup, lol!!
Drydown: Mmm...starting to get a little sweeter (vanilla), a little woodier (sandalwood), a little smokier (myrrh). Hey you - myrrh - yeah, you! I think you need to calm down a bit, buddy - you're getting to be a tad too acrid for your own good. We really don't want to pull another Priala-fiasco, now do we? I want to amp choco-vanilla-sandalwood, darnit - NOT smouldering erasers.
Overall: I still smell...burnt...and somewhat sweet. I am a blackened campfire marshmallow - my charred exterior is hiding all that perfectly edible vanilla goo underneath. Not what I was looking for. I blame this unsatisfying result on wonky-PMS-skin chemistry, and will keep my imp to test again when I am *not* all hormonally unbalanced. At the moment, though, this ranks a majorly disappointing 2/5.
Originally reviewed: Dec 21 05
In the Imp: Very faint smell of sweet, pine-tinged snow. Incredibly pretty - I can't wait to try it out!
On Wet: Uh-oh...I'm getting flashes of that burnt plastic/chemical scent that others have mentioned, and prepare myself for disappointment. Will this be my first bout with wonky skin chemistry?
Drydown: Thank goodness - that horrible burnt smell completely dissipates after only a few seconds! I'm finally getting exactly what I smelled in the vial - delicate, creamy sweetness, tinged with a hint of fresh pine. Though aside from an undercurrent of vanilla and that smudge of greenery, I don't get any specific notes from this blend - no coconut, almondy marzipan, or pina colada. Not that I'm complaining, mind you - it's delicious just the way it is. It's both subtle and complex, and my nose is delighted. I can't stop sniffing myself!
Overall: Snow White is a totally gorgeous fragrance, and a nice departure from my usual spicy preferences. I'll definitely be ordering a bottle (or two) before the Yules go away.
In the imp: Sharp, almost bitter sandalwood, and the lilac air freshener scent that is dragon's blood to my nose.
On wet: Sharp and bitter is duking it out with woody, almost peanutty sweetness. Ah, and here comes the detested DB...
Drydown: The sandalwood's totally taken over (yay!), and I smell divine! I'm getting the sweet, pink-gold sandalwood that's present in Tushnamatay, another that's dry and woody, and another that's almost spicy - although I suppose the dragon's blood could be contributing to either of those effects. DB's only ever made me smell like a bathroom spray, so I can honestly say that I'm absolutely clueless as to what it might be doing at this point, lol!
Overall: I fully expected the dragon's blood to kill this blend for me (because it hates me with a fiery passion), but thanks to my beloved sandalwood, I smell fan-freakin'-tastic - something I *never* thought possible where DB was concerned. I am positively delighted at finding my first wearable dragon's blood scent. 4.5/5
In the imp: Uber Almond! Yum!
On wet: Nothing but almond at first. A few seconds later, there's a tinge of darkness from the myrrh, a lighter sweetness that I'm attributing to the mandarin, and a delicate slither of snake oil. Mmm, I smell like a complicated amaretti cookie!
Drydown: Snake Oil + something smoky + a weird herbal peanut butter (wtf? where did *that* come from?) = a very strange, almost savoury version of my favourite GC fragrance. Not what I was hoping for, and not a scent I'm enjoying at the moment. It's actually kind of turning my stomach...
Overall: Well, I've found the first Snake Pit scent that doesn't work on me. It had to happen sometime, I just wasn't expecting it from one of my most anticipated combination of notes. A disappointed 2/5.
Originally reviewed: May 27 06
In the imp: Sweet with a faintly woody undertone.
On wet: Mmm...sweet and incense-y - but kinda dry? (If that makes any sense, lol.) A tiny hint of spice underneath the prominent notes tickles my nose.
Drydown: Still sweet and incensey, complimented perfectly by a much more instense spiciness than before. Extremely pretty - I can't stop sniffing myself!
Overall: It's lovely and warm and kinda reminds me of the deliciousness that is teh Smut. How could I not love this?
