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Wow- this is the first dragon's blood resin scent that I've experienced that isn't overtly dragon's bloody and red. In the bottle it's a bit cologny. Initially, on the skin, it's very herbal, the lavendar and peppermint pulling together with the green cedar (which is nice and a bit different from the lab's standard cedar note). There's something hovering a tad medicinal, and I'm suprised that a patchouli note isn't listed, as this is the way it hangs on my skin. There is also something sharp and astringent, like a leave of geranium, crushed between the fingers. Then a rich spiciness of the multiple resins develops alongside the apothecary chest of herbs. Hours later, Dragon Moon has settled down to a powdery-sweet cloud of herbs and spice, nothing standing out alone. The throw is initially rather profuse, but dries down very soft and subtle. Something about this reminds me of the scales of Pisces 2007.

In the bottle, this is very spicy-sweet dragon's blood. On my skin, the dragon's blood is joined by that something that is like a good commercial style perfume, of the spicy, woodsy variety. I really wanted to enjoy this alot, but after wearing this for an hour or so, th poppy reared its head and resulted in a headache.

The Clod and The Pebble from the Valentine's Day poems LE's is completely clove for me. Maybe you could find a bit of that floating about, to try?

I worried about trying Seraglio- and I found that I should haveworried, but for a different reason than I expected. I got Seraglio as a frimp a few months back, but put off trying it due to the almond note ( I figured it would be the someone that made me nauseated when I tried Vampire Tears). Instead- I should have feared the clove! In the imp, this was all that incredibly sweet almond that is quite like cherry-flavoured lollipops. As soon as it hit my skin- POOF!! Cloves. Incredibly strong cloves with an underlying linimentiness. I feared that it would stay this way, as it pretty much does with The Clod and ThePebble, on my skin. After a bit of drydown, the clove is still extremely dominant, but I can detect a bit of the rose and perhaps some orange peel. I'm afraid I don't feel very sexy- more like a pomander. Or a cloak closet. I think I've learned my lesson: my skin amps clove something ridiculous; from here on out, if clove tempts me, I'll smoke it, or bake a ham or something!

I never thought I'd be a fan of sweet scents, but "flavours" like "O" and "Defututa" are quickly changing my mind! I got this as a frimp with my locket order, and was really happy because I've read so many wonderful, sexy things about "O". In the imp this was all, crystal-sugary honey. On my skin, the amber immediately came to the foreground, and for a little while had a bit of a powderiness that was a bit on the deodoranty side, but that left after an hour or so. What lingered was extremely sweet amber with a touch of that honey-ed edge and vanilla warmness. Not terribly sexy on me, but soft and inoffensive enough for an everyday sort of scent. I think I may need a 5 ml of this, to switch on and off with Defututa. This isn't as complex, but definately friendly and girly without being floral!

I was really excited to get this as a frimp, a couple of orders back- I'd read a lot of glowing descriptions and I've seen many beautifully created icons. In the imp, my first impression was citrusy and institutional, like kitchen cleaner. Thankfully, on my skin, it took on a salty, slightly sea-weediness, like the end of a day at the shore, that covered most of the citrus. As the day wore on, the saltiness left, leaving a slightly powdery, slightly lemony white floral, and from time to time I caught a whiff of sweet. Pleasant, but I think this imp will last me a long time. I don't think aquatics wear well on this Pisces!

I was hoping to love this mushroom, and saved it for a grey spring day. In the imp it was sweet and green like cut stems of roses. On my skin, this quickly became extremely sweetly "Old Spice" and really, really, sharp, wet mud. I hold my wrist to my nose, sniff, the brain first said "ok", them pulls back and "Ewwwww". I hope this fades very quickly. I think I smell like a dry, musty old man!

I never would have ordered this for myself, as I tend to get nauseated by strawberry-scented anything. But hooray for frimps, because my nose can not detect even a whiff of pinkness, or the equally offensive marzipan that seems to be a common perception! Wet and shortly after drying, this reminds me of Blood Rose, but lighter on the rose, and heavier on the Dragon's Blood Resin. I was actually really suprised not to see DBR listed as one of the notes. As this dries down, the amber makes its appearance as a mellow base. Pleasant, but I think my frimp will be enough for me!

As soon as I opened the imp, I understood what people were noting about the "lemon pledge" essence. On my skin, I soon sensed the mintyness, followed by rose. At this point, I tried it out on the 2 resident black-and-white cats, and they both got upset and backed up away from my wrist, acting very offended- this from 2 kitties who lovingling sniff and rub against the new BPAL boxes when they come in the mail! About 45 minutes after applying, the lemony-ness was mostly gone, but a linimenty-ness lingered under the rose and mint. Really doesn't smell very "cat" to me. As for it's magically properties, I'm still in the shitty, shitty mood I was in when I decided to try it out. Happy to get this as a frimp, not something I think I need in the future.

First, some questions: why is it Pisces 2007 when it's out in 2008? What did I miss here? 2nd- why so much earth for the wateriest of water signs? (sigh........) And what the hell does gentian smell like? And which kind of gentian are we talking about? And what perfume is it that it reminds everyone off? So many questions..... Anyways.... In the bottle, I thought, mmmm fresh and clean and a bit linen-y. But like wet sheets on the clothes line on a cool day- and full of fabric softner. Wet, on my skin, I had the most absurd impression of an herbal gin- but only if the gin was non-alcoholic. (Exactly- how absurd). But when this dried down on my skin, terribly ordinary things happened: all the blue-greeniness faded away to greenish grey mist and powder. And that weird yucky cough cough in the back of my throat thing happened, with the weird headache (and I've been thinking it was the cedar in other blends.... oh well...). One of my fellow pisceans also tried it out (she'd been waiting in anticipation for me to get it) and that O'Doul's gin thing happened on her, but lasted and lasted. Her friends told her she smelled "like grandma". I thought it was pretty, but they're teenagers, and I, alas, am not. Conclusion: lovely in the bottle-ordinary and disappointing on me! Added: I tried this in the oil warmer, since I liked it so much better in the bottle. Light and fresh; perfectly lovely for the bedroom! Also, after doing some research, wondering about all the earthiness and herbals for a water sign, I think it really clever of Beth to include so many notes from plants growing in "marshy" or wet conditions.

The Clod and the Pebble is a big morpher, for me. Wet, in the bottle, this was full and spicey with the clove and nutmeg and sandlewood and patchouli playing nicely, without anybody winning out over the other. Wet on my skin, this quickly erupted as a giant slap in the face of cloves and patchouli! It was ok for a while after it faded out a bit, the patchouli a little like The Coiled Serpent without being so dark and leathery. But after several hours it washed out to the strange, woodsey, mossy, headache-bringing scent that I find in the back notes of November or Queen Mab. Could it be the cedar, though it doesn't smell like any actual cedar that I've ever met? After the sticky sweet of the clove passes, this one is all man!

I took a gamble on this one because I'm not familiar with most of the listed notes. However, I found it to be quite pleasing, though perhaps not the show stopper that the inspirational poetry suggested. In the bottle, a barely there, sweet floral. Wet, on the skin, sweet jasmine (but not the usual BPAL jasmine that goes plastic on me), some other floral (perhaps the olive blossom), rounded out by sweet, beeswaxy honey. On dry down, the florals nearly go away, leaving the sweet honey, maybe a hint of sandalwood and the merest suggestion of soft jasmine. Reminds me a bit of the "Lush" Silk Underwear solid perfume I received for an X-mas gift (which I cannot wear, as the jasmine in that immediately goes plastic), but definately better. No cinnamon, no smokey vanilla, though, at least as far as my nose goes. This is perfect for Valentine's day- it's a little bit reminiscent of candy hearts and candy necklaces... A pink scent, if I ever sniffed one! In an edition: I've been wearing this one lots since I got it with my V-day order (and am waiting, with baited breath for my Pisces) and am more and more in love with it every wearing. It's not what I expected at all, probably not that sexy on me, but I'm finding it somehow comforting and yet alluring at the same time. Maybe it'll rub off on me, and make a sweeter, nicer, pinker, me. Very glad this is GC!

This one is sweet and fresh and clean, all at the same time! It was wonderful in the bottle, didn't seem to morph at all on my skin and very little in dry down, changing only to become a bit less tart, and a bit more soft. Definately wishful of spring! That said, it was really green apple and the bubbling champagne grape: imagine really nice shampoo at the salon. It's the kind of fragrance that men love- like when they won't stop smelling your hair because it smells so good!

Wet on the skin, this was extremely black peppery, wafting to patchouli and settling down into something mildly reminiscent of Catholic church incense. The more this dried down, the sweeter and waxier it got, until all rich peppery spices were gone. The lingering, faint scent reminds me of cheap tea lights and paper candy. I don't know, but a cathedral needs some Murphy's Wood oil soap and that weird un-watery scent of holy water hanging out in the founts too long, besides the hints of lingering incense...

Simply put, Rosewater. Concentrated. This hangs around a while, without being overbearing. Clean, pure rose blossoms without the stems or leaves or dirt or any kinds of spices. A handfull of deep pink rosepetals, stolen from the garden. I'm editting to add this note: I've worn PQ several times since I got it. But for some reason today, after wearing it all day, with a touch up about 3 hours ago, I am getting that dusty, urea type smell of roses that you've preserved by hanging them stem side up to dry. Strange. Maybe the Queen is "allergic" to Work...

I really wanted to love you, Archangel Winter! Alas, all I got, in the bottle and on the skin, were Tilex, with moments of cat piss! In the back of my mouth, I tasted metal and chemicals all day- this one really hangs around. I subjected my study hall students to a sniff test. They felt more kindly towards our angel: "really flowery, but for an old lady." Maybe this one will get better with age. Off to the bottom of a basket somewhere!

The best way that I can describe 2007 Mistletoe, is that it's a sweeter, more feminine version of 2007 The Snow Storm- very green and piney, but with a sweet, almost fruity edge. If you like Yankee Candle Mistletoe as much as I do, I think you'll be pleased with this. I may use this in the oil burner well into February- it's a very pleasant, happy smell, strong, but not overwhelming with not a long of morph on the skin.

Wet in the bottle and on the skin, this was all brown leather and black pepper. As it dried down it became patchouli and black suede. Definately masculine in a "dirty hippy" sort of way; I think this would smell great on a man or be great for a woman to use to help tap her masculine qualities. Jim Morrison must have smelled something like this. It reminded me immediately though of someone I hadn't though of in years, a guy from Ghana who was in one of my grad school study groups. He always wore a thick, almost indecipherable accent and a brown leather bomber jacket. He spoke so softly, that you could barely hear him, and was always surrounded by a cloud of strong scent that I could never decide if I really liked or really abhorred. I would sit around, trying to understand what he was saying, and inhaling him, trying to figure it out whether I like the smell or if I was disgusted by it. I dediced that I still haven't decided....

In the bottle and wet on the skin Rose Red is fresh rose, overpowered by smashed green stems, and dare I say, freshly turned earth. After dry down, the green stems and dirt disappear, revealing a true, clean rose. Light and fresh, but not long lasting. Pretty, but not as exciting or sexy as my favorite rose blend, Blood Rose.

I just got this in my Mirror Mirror three-pack. I'm not a big "foodie", so I knew it was a risk. One sniff, immediately : PLAY-DOH. I shoved the bottle under my sister's snout and said "what does this smell like?" Her answer: PLAY-DOH. I don't think I can bear to even touch this to my skin, it is so narsty. But I hear people like it. Really really like it. Guess I need to go figure out how to work a swap or something...

First of all, what are rhododendrons supposed to smell like? I grew up with a yard full of them in all sorts of colors, and they never smelled like anything! That said, in the imp, Danube was all hyacinth. Purple, white, Easter hyacinth. It stayed that way, on my skin, for hours, before softening and sweetening a bit, to something a bit more muted, maybe more generically white spring floral. This wasn't very complex or interesting to me. If you would have told me it was a single note, I would have believed you. Hyacinths smell very very pretty, but as much as I aesthetically like them, the scent will always remind me of funeral parlors. Especially funeral parlors on Easter Sunday. Wish I could wear this without such melancholy...

I was delightfully suprised by Mr. Ibis. After reading a bunch of reviews, I worried that it would dry down really sweetly, but I shouldn't have feared. Wet, in the bottle, this was very much a very dry, old fashioned cologne, with a ginger ale-ish bubbliness to the nose. Immediately, on the skin, it morphed to something softer and more in kind with it's literary description. On me, the Egyptian musk is the most standout note, holding the sweetness of the aloe and vanilla flower. It really reminds me of the flavour of licking envelopes from crisp linen stationary! I could also imagine it as though Narciso Rodriguez for her (in the black, square bottle) had a younger sister (which would be bottled in a frosted white glass bottle). This is very clean, but not necessarily like soap or fabric softner. Think brides in raw white silk with bouquets of white flowers. My only complaint: this doesn't have much throw and it doesn't stick around for very long. As lovely and fresh as it is, Mr. Ibis is likely only to be enjoyed by yourself and the person having the privilege of snuffling your neck!

This one totally faked me out! I got is as a free imp and thought it was pleasant on first try (after sniffing a bunch of others), but I put it away for another day. I decided that today was the day to give it a shot, since I didn't have to work a full day and wouldn't mind as much, if it gave me a headache. Immediately, upon opening the imp and dabbing it on my wrist I caught a note that I hadn't noticed before and which I can only describe as excremental. I said "Oh shit (literally)! I can't go around smelling like poo and roses, all day!" But then, as quickly as it developed, the nastiness was over (anybody have any clue what that note's about?) and the most beautiful, tangy, tart dark red rose developed! Absolute joy! It reminded me of these super-dark-red roses that my grandmother grew next to her wrought iron porch and which stained my fingers purple when I crushed them in my fingers. I ran a wrist under my mom's nose, and she said "Provacative!" Which is quite fabulous, considering that she usually hates the BPALs I run past her. After twenty minutes or so, most of the tang is gone, leaving a dusky, warm, spicy rose. I wish more of the tang would remain, and that this would last longer in general, on me. I'm not usually a fan of sweet, and florals usually don't work for me, but this blend is deliriously gorgeous, dark and mysterious. Gotta go order me a bottle!

I can't decide whether Snow Storm or Fruits of Paradise is my favorite from my Yule order; they're completely different, but both fabulous! Snowstorm is definately more masculine, to me. My initial reaction to my first whiff from the bottle was "Wow! I wish I had a big warm man to slather up with this and then appreciate voraciously!" After I calmed myself down a bit, I sniffed again and got an initial, Vicks-ish though pleasant, hit of menthol and lots of winter woods. This toned down on my skin and I was left with a fresh, woodsy blast. The initial throw was pretty nice though it diminished quickly. A male co-worker walked into the library where I'd just reapplied about 10 minutes before and announced "Wow! It smells yummy in here!" This faded down further to a pleasant "just showered with something like Irish Spring-ness". Hours and hours later, I'm left with a residual bit of clothes-with-fabric-softner-pulled-in-from-a-frozen-clothes-line, with a bare touch of something sweet. I could really live without the sweetness, but otherwise, am in Love!

When I took a first sniff of this in the bottle, it was garnet red pomegranate, sweet, but with a sharp tang. Actually, I wanted to run over to my favorite martini bar and yell "Barkeep! Make me somethng that tastes exactly how this smells!" But when I put it on my wrists and it started to warm up, it strongly shifted to spiciness, like a mulling blend, on top of a very gentle floral. Unfortunately, most of the juciness and tang vanished on me. After about 6 hours, I still get a very soft, sweetness with a hint of winter spices. I'm enjoying this one, but wish it didn't lose so much of its vibrance.