VioletChaos

I adore both the Lab's Carnation note and also their Hay note. It would never have occurred to me to put them together, so that alone made me want to try Mouse. In the bottle, I mostly get the carnation plus little bits of vanilla and cream to soften the spicy edges. Once on the skin, the scent blooms with the full chorus of all listed notes playing a part! (this is a rare thing for me- like many folks, my personal chemistry usually pulls some notes forward and others linger in the background. More often than not a note or two won't show up for me at all! So this really was an interesting turn of events.) In the dry down and for several hours after, everything but the hazelnuts stick around, creating a warm, cuddly scent that's a perfect transition from later summer and into early fall. Given the richness of the notes, it's a surprisingly low throw scent and sticks close to the skin. Test sparingly at first, of course, but don't be surprised if you need to top up beyond your usual amount. In all, the scent is a fine addition to my "summer hay" scents and glad I snagged a bottle!

This scent is *lovely*. For me, part of what makes it so is that there's something about this blend and the unusual nature / juxtaposition of the notes that gives this scent a real vintage BPAL vibe. It's what I'd been hoping for when I read the description and my gamble paid off! In the bottle, I get a deliciously odd melange of the lemon rind, tonka and patchouli. On the one hand, these elements seemingly shouldn't work together, and yet they somehow doo- the patch slips under, providing a rumbling base, the lemon is indeed pithy, not icy, so while it's got that citrus aspect one would hope for, the rind gives it a slight bitter edge, which is balanced by the sweet resin of the tonka. I was hooked! Wet on skin, the other notes all start to come into play, but the way it warms up, different aspects come in and out at different times- and stick around at different rates. So there was about 30-45 minutes where the scent was intriguingly all over the place, sweet, sappy amber and bergamot and lemon one moment, the bergamot slipping away and the tonka and patch becoming more present, tonka fading and vanilla coming into dance just as lemon heads out the door, cacao showing up and bergamot re-emerging at the same moment...and on and on. I huffed my wrist repeatedly whilst walking around my neighborhood, marveling at every twist and turn, each one a slightly different but equally compelling mix. Upon full dry down and for several hours after, the scent eventually settles down into a sultry mix of all the base notes- patch, cacao, vanilla, tonka and a bit of the amber. Unsurprisingly, the citrus notes by this point have all left the building for good, alas. Citrus typically doesn't hang around for the long haul (on me, at least) unless it's basically the totality of the scent (like lemon in Happy Baby In A Long Dress or orange in Kingdom of Sweets, for instance) so I was prepared for this to be the case. But that assortment of deeper notes is really gorgeous just the same, so I'm not even mad. Interestingly, I had to REALLY slather this scent to get it to stay put. I mean, like, re-application three times in the space of ten minutes, because the first two times were just eaten by my skin in their entirety. But the third time really was the charm for staying power. So, take that as you will- maybe you'll only have to apply the usual one time, but don't be surprised if more is required to be merrier. That said, the scent remained quite close to the skin and had a surprisingly low throw given some of the usually-heavy hitters in the mix. I end this review as I started it. In all, this scent is *lovely*. It's completely its own thing, but also makes me delight in some of my oldest BPAL treasures all over again. ❤️

Of the July 2024 releases, I admit, this was the one I was MOST excited for! In The Bottle: All coconut aspects accounted for! I definitely can individually pull out the husk from the meat from the milk, even at this early stage, and it is SO good! Wet On Skin: Milk and Meat are coming out to the fore. I hope this is transitional, cause that husk smelled *really* good in the bottle. Dry Down: The husk *does* come back! Hooray! If the frond is meant to be a bit of a "green" note, I don't get it here. But I'm not at all mad about it, because this is so beautiful as is with the coconut milk, meat and husk. It's got a bit of that "cool" coconut note I remember from Obatala, but this is definitely its own thing. It's NOT suntan lotion and it's *also* NOT candy coconut. This is the scent of sitting under a coconut tree surrounded by fallen, dry fronds, basking in the gentle warmth, protected from the direct sunlight by the tree's shadow. It's ridiculously beautiful and may, in fact, require at least one backup bottle.

In The Bottle: There is something surprisingly...watery...about this combination. 😳 I'm really surprised, because neither of these notes has EVER given me even a hint of such a thing! I think there's something about these two together that lends itself toward a whisper of petrichor somehow, and I definitely don't mind. Wet On Skin: As with this month's Deer Moon itself, it starts to shift fairly dramatically shortly after it begins to warm up. The notes are separating themselves out into the very recognizable beeswax note I've known and loved in other BPAL blends and a less-prominent tobacco that smells more like the soil note in Penny Dreadful than any tobacco notes I've encountered from The Lab previously. For me, it works, cause I usually love earth and dirt notes. Dry Down: It stays largely the same from first touch to dry down, so not much morphing. It's a warm "skin" scent, definitely stays close, not alot of throw. Always test carefully, but don't be surprised if you have to slather a little Layered with Deer Moon, as intended: I get it. If Deer Moon didn't have such forward Blackberry, adding in this Duet might be overkill. But these two notes add some warmth with the sweetness making the layering a really beautiful cuddly scent. In All: F or the remainder of this hot, hot summer, I'll likely keep this Duet for separate use from the Deer it's paired with. The *moment* we get a cool, autumnal day, though, the layering will be ON

In The Bottle: A surprisingly light combination of the cacao and musk, with a little blackberry and oak bark bitten off at the end. Wet On Skin: It warms up and starts to shift quickly, becoming more rich and strong- basically more in line what I'd expect from the scent profile for this. The musk is warm but not super dark, like a brown or black musk. I'm frankly relieved as those both tend to go wet cardboard with my chemistry suuuuuper fast. The blackberry continues its upward climb, becoming a near-predominant note. It's fascinating because I've generally experienced it in blends that are foodie-forward and really support a fruit as the star of the show. But this is an instant where the note plays against type and it's really working at this stage. Dry Down:The blackberry, oak bark musk and a hint of the cacao all come together in the blend at this point where it's a bit harder to pull out the individual notes. (given the density for most of them, I anticipate this will only get stronger with age). That said, I want to make clear that in spite of a few prominent notes, I would *not* call this a foodie or gourmand scent. If anything the combination, once settled and released by the skin, becomes a little reminiscent of a high-end masculine cologne. Alas, I get no blood or sandalwood at any point in the process, but it's a really interesting scent that I think will come into its own with a little bit of aging.

If I had to compare this scent with another, for me what comes closest is Australian Copperhead from Carnival Diabolique's Snake Pit. It's the combination of Snake Oil and the Acai Berry in that one that I recall as I sniff the strawberry / Snake Oil mix in this one. Full disclosure, I am one of those for whom fresh SO doesn't really work. For me, fireworks don't really kick off for, at the *very* least, a month. Six months is better, a year is far better and a decade or more is best. (Not kidding: slowly working my way currently through a 10mL bottle of Snake Oil from 2006 or so and it's just about the love of my life!). I mention this because there's a way that Snake Oil needs time and patience to settle into itself. Fortunately, this strawberry is NOT going plastic on me! It's retaining its sweet, fruity self in much the same way the fruit is forward and sweet-tart in Copperhead. And because of that, I have every reason to believe that this latest iteration of Snek is going to be a fine addition to my collection. In all: if you love all the Snakes OR you like your SO blends with a bit of fruit, you will likely want to snag Serpent in the Berries sooner rather than later!

I've been on a bit of a musk kick recently, and was both intrigued by what "silvered" might mean and also by how it might in fact layer with Strawberry Moon 2024, which I already knew I was going to purchase. As with some of the duets, the perfume on its own is fairly simple and straight forward, which is totally the point. The currant is one I've encountered in other Lab blends, and is slightly tart and gently sweet and fruity. The musk took me by a bit of surprise. For some reason I'd anticipated that it would be similar to a white musk, and it's not at all. That said, it's not a rich musk either. The closest thing I can point to is that this is sort of a water-musk. As in, the note I'm getting from it reminds me of other water / rain / ocean notes I've encountered (no salt, though, so don't expect any!). Metallics can go weird on me, as can water notes, so I was leery of what would happen next. What happened next, is that I tested it all by itself and it scarcely stayed on my skin, other than as a ghost of a scent. BUT, what was *actually* surprising, and delightful, is when I layered it with Strawberry Moon as it was designed for- and THAT was a lovely surprise! Perhaps because in the composition of this year's SM there's richer, grounded notes like Laudanum and incense, it seems to have given these delicate notes something to hold onto, so it definitely increased the staying power for sure. AND it shifted the Moon out of its thoroughly dark aspect and into something more far-reaching and expansive. This is my first official foray into the Duets that are meant to be layered with specific Moons but it won't be the last based on the success of this one!

This is a perfect counter-weight to the Strawberry Moons of the past. What I mean by that is that the previous SM's that I've personally adored have been bright, tart affairs, they dazzled because they were that magic thing of smelling unbelievably Real. I still hoard my beloved SM '09, with its juicy berry and tart, green sap notes. It's beautiful as a mild, very sunny summer day. This Strawberry Moon? Is most decidedly NOT any of that. I was excited to try this new iteration because of the pairing of potentially lighter elements (berry, tea) with emphatically darker ones (notably my always-favorite indigo musk plus plum incense and laudanum). And it's a HUGE win. This, to me, is primarily an incense-heavy scent. And one might see "strawberry+incense must therefore = headshop", but fear not, gentle folk, it's not that! The incense quality gives it that 'dark' quality from the Lab description of the scent, though I concur with the above poster that this doesn't come across as ominous. It's definitely a summer scent, but again, the opposite of the "bright/sunny/mild" aspects- this is both for those oppressively hot days when the air is so thick it feels like we should swim through it rather than walk. And it's definitely for gloomy, rainy, overcast days as well. The strawberry isn't quite real, or if it is, it's less to me reading as over-ripe and more like dried berries, in the same way that fresh roses, when dried, go from being envisioned in a vase or on the stem to being in a crypt or a Victorian parlor. And in spite of all elements, the scent has surprisingly low throw, so start gently, but don't be surprised if you feel the need to slather, at least a little. In All, likely going to pick up a second bottle, after it's confirmed that this ages as well as I suspect it will! (PS, I *did* layer with one of its intended Duets, Silvered Musk and Red Currant, and yes, it is a worthwhile activity as it shifts the scent quite a bit!)

Frost-dappled night-blooming petals, Oman frankincense, champaca orchid resin, and opium tar accord. Oh. Oh MYYYYYYYY. To be honest, although my interest was piqued instantly when I read the notes, I also was concerned. Frost? Is that going to be like water or ozone? Because those notes almost never work with my skin chemistry. And the champaca could go either way. But the opium tar and night-blooming petals had my hopes up. And it paid off! In the bottle, I noticed right away that the scent was lighter than I'd expected given some of the notes but also given this was a Bloodmilk scent, since many of the ones I've tried tend to be very dense and rich and moody (just like their jewelry!) but this really was quite light, and even slightly powdery. As the scent warmed up and then fully dried on my skin, it just got better and better, those florals mixing gorgeously with the tar and resins to create this dreamy encounter, reminding me somehow of a passionflower incense I adored in high school. I have not been able to stop huffing myself and it's literally hours and hours later. Total, beautiful, win.

A Victorian bathing beauty: wisps of vanilla cream, caramelized tobacco absolute, white opium poppy, summer honeysuckle nectar, effervescent white mandarin, apple blossom, and green cognac. In The Bottle: The first thing I notice is the "effervescent" part- I don't know how Mistress Beth DOES that, but here's another of those brill scents where one can nearly feels the bubbly going right up the nose! In short, it's amaze-balls. Anyway, after that neat introduction, I get a fruitiness, courtesy of the mandarin and perhaps some of the apple blossom in a back-up roll. the vanilla cream is also coming through, and I'm vaguely reminded of the original release of Cheshire Moon, that fruit-and-cream combo thing. I'm getting curiouser and curiouser! Wet On Skin: The apple is coming out more now, though for me it's sans blossom. I'm also getting a deep crispness that I associate with the green cognac. At this stage I don't get much of the tobacco note, though it might be there, mitigating the vanilla cream, adulterating- corrupting - it, if you will. Dry Down: Wow- this changed a LOT in the dry-down. This now seems far more akin to Tattered Lace , which makes sense, as they both have variations of Cognac, Vanilla and Opium. The fruit has pretty much vanished and what's left is a slightly-dusty, gently-sweet reverie for hot summer days strolling beneath the canopy of a parasol and a stand of trees. In All: Low throw and rather fine for the upcoming Dog Days. I had initially said to myself that one bottle would surely be enough, but now I'm not so sure...

Blackened cacao, black sandalwood, coconut, and dark, sweet musk. In The Bottle: Rich, chocolately chocolate. Like Bliss, if it were dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate. Wet On Skin: I can see the comparison to the original Candy Butcher for sure- it's like a very dark melted Belgium chocolate cut through with a dollop of cream. YUM! Dry Down: On dry-down, the chocolate becomes slightly more like a powdered chocolate- like a dark hot cocoa mix. It's warmed up a bit, too, scent-wise- I suspect that's the black sandalwood adding some depth to the mix. I might detect a *sliver* of coconut, but this isn't a Mounds bar or anything, so don't expect that. In All: Chocolate scents can be hit/miss on me. Luckily, this appears in the same family as Bliss and Candy Butcher and so it's pure win. Low throw, warm and gorgeous. I will treasure this now and anticipate more glory with age. <3

Golden-brown and sugar-dusted, plump with sweet blackcurrant jelly. Full disclosure: I am an enormous fan of the Sufganiyots of Yules past, so I blind-bought two bottles of this year's Black Currant variety, because I felt *certain* that I'd want backups of this one, too. And I was NOT wrong. In the bottle, and when first applied, this has the familiar -and delicious!- strong fried-dough scent of its siblings. And, as with raspberry and strawberry before her, black currant starts to come into her own within the context of the scent as it warmed on my skin. This years' version is perhaps a little sweeter than its predecessors, which I believe has everything to do with the chosen fruit. Both raspberry and strawberry have a bit of a tangy undertone. But black currant is more of a pure sweetness with nothing tart to counteract. It's not cloying, don't misunderstand. This is the epitome of a full fried doughnut stuffed to the gills with thick and sweet black currant jam. It's delectable! If you loved the other two, you'll be delighted to add this one to your collection. If you missed out on previous years, definitely give this one a try. I would only say proceed with caution if you're a foodie that only likes your food scents to have a little edge- you might need to tread lightly with this. Or possibly layer with a rich non-food, like sandalwood or vetiver, or layer with a spice, like the newly released Indonesian Clove SN. Now to decide if I need *another* backup bottle...

The dry, musty wooden scent of a crumbling cedar trunk dusted upon a gleaming swath of black Byzantine silk taffeta: opoponax and opium tar, Chinese geranium, smoky patchouli, bourbon vanilla absolute, and lustrous black and white musks. In The Bottle: On first whiff, I get a hint of the mustiness that's so prevalent in Crypt Queen. On second, deeper sniff, I'm getting a mix of the bright, sweet note that is geranium and the bourbon vanilla in equal measure. I'll admit, it's a strange pairing, but I'm intrigued... Wet On Skin: Okay, this is now blooming into something far more complex. the geranium and vanilla are both still holding their own, but now the opoponax and the white musk are in the picture making this scent, at this point, surprisingly round and soft- without becoming powdery, which is great. Dry Down: Yes, this is indeed like a length of silk. Sweet, without being cloying; resiny without being overwhelming. This scent is really something special. Even as it sit on my skin, it seems multi-faceted. Unlike some other scents I've tried where there's a high morph factor, this is almost like it depends what quarter-inch of skin I'm smelling to determine what notes I get (over by my thumb, there's more vanilla/patchouli; closer to my wrist there's more of a geranium/musk vibe happening...) In All: Medium throw, a little goes a long way. Heady, sweet and sultry: I can already tell that this is going to become *sublime* when aged for a while- and it's a fabulous addition to all the "Lace" scents right now. I may need a backup bottle...or two

In the bottle, that sweet oakmoss is right at the front. I have to sniff a few times before I pick up anything else, but eventually I notice an edge of the orchid in there. Wet on skin, the scent immediately starts to shift, with the benison coming out to play almost immediately. As the fragrance continues to warm, further layers start to unfurl, blossoming outward- the ambers sweetening the scent, and the balsamic in particular is adding an interesting twist, in the same way that balsamic vinegar adds sweetness without being at all sugary (this is precisely what I was hoping it would do, so I'm delighted that it has come to pass!). Eventually the narcissus peeks out adding an interesting acrid undertone that keeps the scent from veering into cloying territory. Strangely, in spite of the name and ingredient list, I get no hyacinth on me. I've used pure essential hyacinth oil, so I'm familiar with that version of the scent- if it's in here it's either buried by the other notes or else my skin ate it. Anything is possible! However, even without the Princess Herself showing up for me, this scent is really, really lovely, one of those perfumes that's so well-blended that the individual notes blur entirely, creating a melange that's just its own beautiful, singular entity. And just in time for spring! This scent is low throw, but dense, so I'd still go easy on application until you see how it plays with your personal chemistry. Pure resin-filled love! ❤️

No. 10 Neilson place, Mercer street. This is a ladies boarding house apparently of the first class; but, as the landlady can never be seen, it is impossible to tell who is head of the house. The door is guarded by a grouty old dame, whose assumed dignity is so overpowering that most people suppose that she runs the establishment. Sweet labdanum, clove, and piquant Italian bergamot. I tested this today and it was an unfortunate miss on me. I had been hoping for a heavy hand on the labdanum and clove combination but the clove and bergamot did this thing where they combined on my skin in such a way that smelled only like floor cleaner. I had high hopes, but this was just not meant to be for me

Dusky plum oudh casts a pall over frayed strands of green cognac and tobacco leaf. This tangle of threads is stained with a smear of patchouli and opoponax and intertwined with vanilla cream lace. In The Bottle: The plum is sweet and bright right out of the gate, followed by a hint of that green cognac. That's all I get at first. Wet On Skin: The oudh settles into itself, becoming a bit more rich, but not incense-y as I had expected. The vanilla cream lace is juuuuust beginning to peek out! Dry Down: Siiiiiiigh. This is everything that I hope any in the Lace series to be: filling me with a painful nostalgia that haunts my longings and releases all my beautiful ghosts. It's sweet and dusky and gorgeous, no one note standing out, all working in gorgeous symphony. Like stepping into a sitting room full of silver print photographs and dried flowers in cut crystal vases.

I'm a fan of violet, (if you couldn't tell from my screen name) and that alone grabbed my attention here. The addition of vanilla and bergamot plus the intrigue of..."what exactly does porcelain smell like?!" and I knew I had to snag a bottle. the scent in the bottle is deceptively floral, with that iris singing lous and clear- don't be fooled, she runs off upon contact. That's when the changes begin. First, the trickle of red musk here seems to be the same variety that stole my heart in Random Brothel, and I'm definitely not mad about it. Second, that violet leaf is more violet flower from what I can tell (the leaf tends to be quite 'green' smelling, whereas I'm definitely getting violets in this mix. The bourbon vanilla bites back the acrid note of the musk before it can get too intense or stuffy. And the porcelain? Well, several minutes after application, I kid you not, there was a moment where the scent smelled mostly of...wet clay. Yep. Straight up, 'throwing on the wheel' clay situation. It was strange and, as an artist that has played with ceramics, strangely comforting. And then it was gone, to be replaced with the violet / musk combination. Chalk it up to one of Beth's genius "how does she DO that?!" moments, and marvel for a moment. Then enjoy the rest of what the scent has to offer

The mango comes on strong in the bottle but starts to fade upon contact with the skin. The scent changes rapidly, passing over the orange blossom completely, alas, and ending up a lightly spicy, vaguely incense-y pink musk, reminding me very much of the phlox-heavy Pink Moon. I'm in love with the Lab's mango note, but unfortunately for me, apart from in the bottle, it's nowhere to be found 😢

I splurged on two from the Roses and Pearls line, and this is one of them (the other being Rubies). Neither had disappointed, but Roses, Pearls, and Sapphires may prove to be my favorite, not just of this mini series, but Lupercalia 2024 as a whole (apart from the triumphant return of Glowing Vulva, but c'mon. That's a whole other realm.) In the bottle, the lavender rose (the 'rose' is a formality- this reads as lavender to my nose) and blueberry play elegantly together in a surprisingly delicate dance. Not that either note is known for being so aggressive, but I've certainly encountered scents where one of these two could be quite loud given the chance. Wet, then warming, on the skin both notes blossom and unfurl some, with lavender gently edging blueberry out for top spot, for a spell, until the coconut husk comes to reign lavender back in. "Husk" is important here: this is NOT coconut-coconut. Not the candied coconut or suntan lotion coconut you might be anticipating, so you must do away with such notions immediately. This is the scratchy, earthy bit outside of all that and here it has the not-insubstantial task of grounding this scent, to keep it from all floating away, too high, into the stratosphere. Only after husk and fully done that task does the cerulean musk stroll in, and not a moment too soon. I've been on a big ol' blue musk deep dive for about the past year, and it was THE note that made me snatch up a bottle of this here elixir and it does NOT disappoint. Every blend I try a blue musk variant in is wildly different than the last, so there's no direct comparisons here, except to say that I continue to feel vindicated by each new exploration into this lesser-known entry into the musk family. It's not a mistake that nearly all the notes in a scent with "Sapphires" in the name would have a blue allusion, but here its especially overt, a sparkling blue gem of a scent, it has a shine and hardness that align it with the crystalline icicles of late winter, but there's also a warmth here that slinks in once the scent has settled in completely, something to snuggle into when the ice outside all seems a bit too much.

The red wine is strong with this one! When sniffed in the bottle, all the way through to complete drydown, the red wine note is front and center. The note itself is one I've adored in the past, in the old-time Yule treat, Glüwein, and so I can only hope that this will age just as magnificently as that one has. There *is* quite a lot to hope for with this blend, notably the oakmoss and mandarin notes, which both play the part of insuring this scent is not a one-note wonder, even if they are working more or less behind the scenes. (I've tried one-note wine scents and they come across more or less as fussy grape juice, which is definitely NOT what's happening here, by the way.) Oakmoss is a note I personally love, adding a rich, vaguely sweet and unusually spicy depth. The Spanish mandarin is not here to lend a foodie tone, but rather a bit of tart acid, which brightens the scent and keeps it from getting lost in a sticky haze. Hours later, and it's still going strong: a little goes a long way, both with staying power and with throw, which is definitely one of the highest I've encountered: dab lightly until you know how it'll bloom on your skin. The end game is a languid and sultry drift into sweet oblivion, whether you leave enticing traces behind you during a leisurely stroll, or on a silky pillowcase after a decadent sleepover. Whichever path chosen, you'll leave them wanting

BANSHEE BEAT A tousled, sexy mix of patchouli, vanilla, and hemp. I just got my bottles (yes, bottles. I'm convinced I will love this enough to hoard, even before smelling it!) about 5 minutes ago from the freezing hands of the freezing UPS driver. I know I should wait to test this oil, but I just can't. Let's hope for the best, shall we? *Crosses Fingers* In the Bottle: a sweet, woodsy mix. the hemp is strong and reminds me of the sandalwood note in Tombstone, which i love. the sweet is all about the dark vanilla, but it's hanging back. the hemp is really the star at this stage. Wet on Skin: it's still a mix of the hemp and the vanilla, with the patchouli not really present. i'm surprised because the patchouli in Mme Moriarty and Ravenous are *very* prominent on my skin. but the hemp/vanilla mix is lovely, and if it stays this way, i won't be disappointed. Dry Down: *there's* the patchouli! it's NOT like the usual BPAL patchouli note, though. this is much, much closer to an actually patchouli root than the oil. it's lends a depth and a complexity to the hemp, supporting it, making it richer, more earthy. the dark vanilla is indeed dark, but also sweet in a rich resin way. these three notes work in perfect balance, with none overshadowing the others, all coming together in a really special way. In All: the S15Twenty site describes this scent as being "hippyish" and while it's not inaccurate, it's also not what most people are going to expect when they think of "hippy+hemp+patchouli". Yes, this is a scent that i would wear to a Rainbow Gathering. but it's also a scent i will wear to the beach, to a cafe, with my favorite silk skirt, in my hair, to a sexy dinner out with my sweetie. with a medium but not overpowering throw and all warm, sexy, earthy and cuddly, Banshee Beat is the kind of go-to scent BPALers of distinction come to cherish, whether or not it becomes the Next Covetable Thing. stock up- this is only going to get better with age! :wub:

If you took the yummy baked goods note from my most beloved Crumpet Rebellion and added in a healthy chomp of rhubarb, you come pretty close to getting the gourmand delight that is Rhubarb Custard Muffins. In the bottle and freshly applied, this scent is VERYY heavy on the tangy, tart rhubarb. It takes w while to settle into anything more balanced, and frankly, I'm glad for it, because the fresh, sharp aspect is a lovely surprise as we ease out of the darkness at the end of winter and into lighter, brighter spring. Once settled in, the scent takes on a lovely second stage, joining the ranks of other great baked goods fragrances for those of us that like to sometimes smell like we are completely edible. If you are looking for a foodie scent for daytime wear, or if you have a special place in your heart for the old BPAL greats like the afore-mentioned Crumpet Rebellion or Blackberry Jam and Scones, then you will be quite excited to add this to your repertoire.

Full disclosure, as soon as I saw that rhubarb was in the mix, this bottle fell directly into my shopping cart, but I also was definitely worried in equal measure about rose being a dominant force in this blend, as roses and I have an a tumultuous relationship over the long years. so now you know. Onward! In the bottle, I am immediately surprised, pleasantly, with the dominance of the red amber and labdanum. At this stage its not overpowering as labdanum can sometimes be. Instead it's sweet in a non-sugary way, and resinous but not overly intense. Once warmed up and dried down on the skin, the scent becomes more of a melange: the labdanum is still the front, but even less aggressively than before. The rose peeks out, but it's the incense aspect that is actually more present than the floral here. I get little whiffs that indicate the dried strawberries here, the tang of the rhubarb there. (Side note: not mad about the subtlety of the rhubarb here, partly because the slivers of tartness feel appropriate in this blend overall and partly because I picked up a bottle of the Rhubarb Custard Muffins which are GLORIOUSLY and INTENSELY an ode to rhubarb and flaky pastry, so I feel both ends of the rhubarb scent spectrum have been thoroughly satisfied with this Luper update ). Once the scent had fully and completely settled into my skin, the scents has morphed a bit further, becoming, in the end, a spicy sexy scent that has a low-medium throw that allows, with careful wear, to use during the day, like a smexy chastity belt secreted away under a corporate suit but, worn with a touch more reckless abandon, transforms easily into nighttime debauchery at the drop of a hat...or any other clothing item your devious heart desires

Favorite pastime: skulking under dining tables, waiting to abscond with unsupervised food bowls. Don’t blame the dog! Dregs of cinnamon and cocoa. In The Bottle: Oh, YES. Right off the bat, this is Mexican Hot Chocolate. Wet On Skin: The hits just keep on coming. There are two basic types Lab chocolate notes- the yummy cocoa-y ones, and the ones that turn to weird, waxy plastic on my skin. The ones that work on me are found in scents like Bliss, Boomslang and Gelt. The ones that don't work are the ones found in the Box O Chocolates and most '13' scents. This scent, fortunately, has the former. And it's *glorious*. Dry Down: This is a nice, "grownup" cocoa scent. Less foodie and, believe it or not, I would call this scent kinda sexy. The chocolate becomes this dusty, understated warm note and the cinnamon gives just a tiny amount of spice- this is NOT an overpowering spice scent, so those fearful, give it a try. In All: Not just bottle worthy, possibly hoard worthy. I predict this will be quite popular.

On January 7th, I announced that I was preggers to the forum, and pregnancy scents like Irrelevant and Disturbing Surreal Crawdad Dream soon followed. While I was giving birth to Lilith, Brian pulled the trigger on her two birth scents Lady Lilith and Lilith Victoria so they could come to life just as she was entering the world. This began our annual tradition of commemorating each year that we spend with Lilith with a scented scrapbook. We love you, Lilith. More than you can possibly know. The Shunga debuted for the first time, including Dream of the Fisherman's Wife, Men Ringing Bell With Penises, and Glowing Vulva at Ryogoku Bridge. This year also marked the first time that Frederic inspired by Gilbert & Sullivan began appearing every February 29th, and hes been our Leap Year guest ever since! At the December Lunacy event, we began the first of our annual toy drives. In 2008, Black Phoenix Trading Post hosted the Miskatonic Valley Junior Baseball Associations Spring Training Teds vision of little league in Lovecraft Country which ushered in a decade of our ridiculous Lovecraft-meets-Norman Rockwell serials and rotating exhibits in Arkhams Pickman Gallery. I don't have words for how much I love working on our campy Miskatonic Valley scents; how else could I experience a life filled with pancake breakfast summoning circles, demonic art openings, pre-pubescent softball-loving fish people, suave cultist tailors, and goat-headed burlesque dancers? Lilith's beloved lavender coated with sugar crystals, crawdad-bright grapefruit, and a pop of iridescent, loathsome Mi-Go musk. In The Bottle: Sugared lavender. Like TKO's daytime sibling! Wet On Skin: Same, but with the slightest edge of juicy, tart grapefruit. But only slight! Dry Down: Same. This scent stays true from first sniff to dry-down. It reminds me of Lilith's Hair Gloss and also Daybreak, from this year's batch of Lilith scents. As such, I am happy to have it! If you're a fan of those others, or if you're looking for a daytime equivalent to TKO that won't put you to sleep in the middle of the day, this scent is for you!