voodoobaby

A splort of honey in a pile of snow. In short, this is pretty much Snow White with a prominent honey note, from what I can remember of Snow White. At the very least, it's very similar. The honey works nicely -- a sweet second skin scent reminiscent of Christmas goodies and cold air. It's not something I would normally wear, but it will make a nice cozy Christmas scent. Also of note: I had my husband sniff it blindly and he described it as "some kind of citrus leaf?" I don't get that, but it was cute and might be worth mentioning.

Note to mods: I did do a search before this, but if I missed a similar thread, do alert me. OK, this is a bit of a silly story. I have this male friend who I've known for a few years now. Ever since I met him I've noticed how gorgeous he always smells. However, it always kind of smelled like a natural skin smell mixed with some sort of deodorant or something. Due to my thinking it's his BO that smells good, I've always been too averse to asking him what he was wearing because it just seems like it would be weird... Me: *leans in* "Mmm, you smell gooood. Is it cologne, or your sweat?" Him: *backs away slowly* So anyway, I saw him the other day and again caught a whiff of him. That's when I realized what that glorious scent was that always wafted off of him--amber! It all makes sense now. So with this in mind, I have this urge to get BPAL scent with some major amber action in hopes of smelling just as good. I have tried a few scents with the note in it, but amber hasn't been really prominent in any of them. The ones I've tried are Black Lotus, Imp, Coyote, Loviatar, and O. Can anyone recommend any others? Oh, and I'm sorry I'm so long-winded tonight. That happens when I get bored.

I was 100% not expecting to like this since I'm not a big floral fan, but BPAL proved me wrong. It smells a bit acrid out of the imp, but on the skin it's actually beautiful. To me it's a green woodsy aquatic with a mix of sweet floral notes. Something about it reminds me of a cheap gas station incense I used to love to burn when I was much younger; I always thought it smelled like candy, and I get that from this scent as well. As for the wood/aquatic notes, I definitely get the New England association. It's reminiscent of walking along the seaside wooded paths of Peddocks Island in Boston Harbor, which is something I've wanted in a perfume since I went there. It's more natural-smelling than perfumey. I think this is going to be my springtime scent. I have plenty for fall in winter but not enough for warmer weather, and this fills the niche nicely.

Call me crazy, but apart from the strong leather note (not unlike De Sade), I get what smells like black cavendish pipe tobacco. Maybe it's an association with the leather note or an expectation I had, or maybe it's the candle smoke or chocolate notes playing tricks on me, but I definitely get a nice smoky vanilla scent that I associate with my best friend's pipe. At the very least, I get that slight hint of plastic that I normally get from BPAL's vanilla note, so...I think it's likely. The longer this sits, the more I get sweet chocolate, but it's very mellow and it blends in well for a warm, cozy effect rather than screaming CHOCOLATE at me. The leather remains dominant and keeps the chocolate from smelling too sweet. Overall, I like it a lot, despite the plasticky smell. It's like a cozy, fluffy blanket next to a fireplace. I got a copy of Congo with it. Can't wait to start reading!

I giggled when I saw the description and immediately knew I had to have it. My husband has the most glorious, well-kept beard I've ever seen, and I'd be lying if I said we didn't exhibit plenty of hipster tendencies. SO... This is a really great blend. It's calm and quiet and earthy, but it gets sweeter the longer it stays on the skin. I get hints of Egyptian musk deep in the background, but mostly it's leather and patchouli and sweetness. It reminds me, conceptually, of a couple of hipster boutiques near where I live that sell overpriced succulents, party supplies made of kraft paper, vintage kitchenware, quirky stationery, minimalist geometric art prints, and (appropriately) beard oil. It's one of those shops encapsulated in a scent, and I love it. I would call this a masculine-leaning unisex scent. It doesn't reach out and strangle you with its manliness. It's gentle and pleasantly rugged, and in my opinion a woman or nonbinary person could easily pull this off if they were so inclined.

I bought both cemetery scents on impulse because I have good memories of both. Burying Point is absolutely evocative of old Salem in the fall. At first I mostly get patchouli, to an almost overpowering degree. Eventually it mellows down to a supremely earthy dead leaf scent with an incensey background (probably the sage). It's a bittersweet, warm, masculine fragrance. Despite all its earthiness, of all the BPAL oils I've tried, this one smells most like a literal campfire. There's a smoky, woodsy, sweetly decayed quality here that reminds me exactly of gathering wood and kindling to build a fire, and then setting the whole thing ablaze in a stone-lined pit. But I could definitely also see this being reminiscent of the eponymous cemetery, if only conceptually.

I just about had a heart attack when I saw the Faith & the Muse reference, so I had to try this one. The first thing I noticed was that there was a decent amount of glitter in this one. It's hard to describe. Mostly it's shimmery, but there are little irregular flecks of iridescent, translucent sparkles mixed in. It's more subtle than it sounds. That aside, the color of the polish looks like a very dark, very desaturated teal. It's pretty, but it might not be flattering on everyone. I had to use two coats to get good coverage with this one, but it does dry quickly.

The color is a super dark bluish violet. I used it on an accent nail, and the contrast actually wasn't noticeable compared to the black polish I used on my other nails. It's very spooky. I was just hoping for a brighter, more violently purple shade. It lasted quite a long time, and I only needed one coat for full coverage. Not bad at all.

I got Oriental 114. On the first sniff it's very, very fruity -- I'm thinking either mango or guava. It smells like a delicious tropical drink. It doesn't seem to change much on the dry down. There's a bit of complexity from what smells like a pepper note and perhaps some distant woods, but for the most part it's tropical fruit. It's pleasant, but this wasn't what I was hoping for from an oriental fragrance, and I'm not big on fruity scents. I would much rather drink something that tastes like this blend smells than to smell like it.

When I first sniff it I get a really nice patchouli and musky floral scent. It reminds me of a more unruly Medea, which is one of my favorites. But there's also this kind of sharp, almost ammonia smell behind it that reminds me of urine. o_O Baba Yaga is very much redolent of witchcraft and all things wild. Urine is not out of place in that description; it smells like the witch is simultaneously brewing a healing potion and creating a witch bottle. I can't make up my mind on this one.

It smells very hot, in a vital, nonspicy way. It does remind me of warm blood (the concept, not the literal smell). I get a lot of honey/beeswax, a lot of geranium and a fair amount pepper. It's sort of like a (much) less sexy VILF, which I love. Someone used the word "prickly," and I get that. Prickly and warm, and more of a "skin scent" than one might expect. Unique and oddly pleasant.

Upon opening the bottle, I had an utter nosegasm. It starts kind of herby (sage) and a little dark smelling, but the coconut and plum soon step up to the plate. After a while I just get a creamy, sweet, delicious scent that is still just a tad bit dark; half an hour later I can't identify any particular note over the others. It's feminine and pretty but firmly grounded. Perfectly balanced, perfectly blended and just beautiful. This is probably a new top 20 scent for me.

Out of all of the metallic, steampunkish blends I've tried, this is the only one that has smelled like I thought it would smell. After trying Galvanic Goggles and Kroenen I was a little afraid to try this one, but I'm glad I did. It's not at all acrid like those two were. It does smell mechanical, but in a pleasant way. It's masculine and leathery and oh so good. I really like it on me, but I would LOVE to smell it on a guy. I'll probably attack my current interest with it next time I see him.

It smells deep and dark with just a faint touch of sweetness. It's a smooth dark rather than a sharp dark, though. Underneath there's a hint of bitterness as well, but it's barely detectable. Definitely smells corrupt. I can't pinpoint any particular notes. It's certainly interesting, but I don't think I really want to smell like it.

Even if there isn't lime here, it definitely smells like lime. It's very sweet, tangy and tropical to my nose. I like it, but I'm still deciding if it's a "me" scent.

Pretty and fruity. The plum blossom is detectable in the background but isn't overpowering; it just adds to the prettiness. This blend is very sweet! Some patchouli and frankincense make themselves known later, and that is an almost relieving break from the sweetness. I like this and would like to smell like it, but I can't help but thinking that it smells a little superficial. Underneath that pretty face, Dionysia seems to be a little vacuous. That's alright, though. It would be really nice in the springtime when deep scents can be a little heavy for the warm weather.

Light plums with sweet, tart flowers and a teeny, tiny hint of cream. Thank gods the cream isn't strong, because usually I can't do that note. I'm also glad that the flowers don't overpower the plum; mainly, they add a new dimension to the plumminess and give it a pleasant, candylike quality. It's very pretty and girly without being overpowering or smelling like a stupid teenage girl. I really dig it, but then again, I'm a big fan of plum. (Edited for elaboration.)

In the bottle, it smells dangerous and alluring. It's much more than the scent of a plant, which isn't quite what I was expecting. On the skin, wet, it smells fruity and green in a way that reminds me of Christmas. I can smell a quickly developing spice. The more it sits, the spicier and muskier it gets. Now it smells very smooth and subdued; there is no sharpness left. It's just spices and fruits and woods and musk. It smells expensive, and I really tend to love those types of scents. This is BEAUTIFUL and not at all what I was expecting. In fact, I didn't expect to like it all that much (let alone love it), but the description was tempting. It's perfectly unisex; in the context of my own arm, it smells somewhat feminine, but on a guy I think one might say it was masculine. Really glad I went ahead and put this on my wishlist!

Old Lady Christmas, the sweet, smiling wife of Finland's Joulupukki. Her scent invokes the comforts of Christmastime and the warmth of love and cheerful companionship: a glowing hearth, luumukiisseli, riisipuuro, and sima. Oh my God. Want to eat. This smells delicious. The spiced plum/prune smell is amazing and backed with the warm fireplace scent and a touch of sweet cinnamon. Let me just say that the hearth smell is perfect. This is what I wanted the two Hearth blends to smell like. It's so comforting, and it really does smell like the real thing. Luckily, the foodiness doesn't turn weird on me like a lot of creamier blends do. Cockaigne turned into unwashed crotch on me, and various other vanillas end up smelling like burnt rubber or weird plastic. This does none of those. It's just sweet, warm, spicy goodness. This is a perfectly comforting cold weather scent. Mmm.

This was a lot cleaner and more pungent than I was expecting. Odd! It's kind of musky and cologne-y at first with some sort of airy quality, and I'm not sure if I feel comfortable wearing it. It doesn't seem like a "me" kind of scent. A vague sort of leathery smell (probably parchment) starts coming out after a while, and this is rather nice, though it is backed by that quite masculine muskiness. Still undecided on whether I would wear this. I think, however, I would LOVE to smell it on a guy and cuddle up with him. It's kind of comforting and just a tiny bit sexy, in a nerdy, quiet professor sort of way. I think I have the right guy in mind, too; now to convince him to wear it for me.

Contrary to popular opinion, I really like this one. It starts out with a touch of that motor oil-esque scent that a lot of the more steampunkish scents have (Kroenen, Galvanic Goggles, etc.). It's not unpleasant here, though, and it fades quickly. I'm left with a sexy berry/wine scent. It's fruity and dark and mysterious. This is totally what I was expecting it to be. It's very pretty in a quite dark way, and is vaguely reminiscent of sort of a less funky/strange-smelling Horreur Sympathique. Maybe it doesn't smell a lot like it, but it has that same "feel" to it. Definitely keeping the imp.

This might actually be the sexiest thing I've ever smelled. It's all half-sweet honey and leather and makes a wonderful second-skin scent, if your skin is made of sex. Would be amazing on either gender. It's perfectly unisex and not too sweet. Delicious! A new favorite.

It smells wonderful when wet. All sorts of nutty, clovey goodness, with the juicy pomegranate brightening things up. It does turn out a bit dry-smelling after it sits for a while, but the goodness before that stage makes up for it. It's complex, but not too complicated, and just the right balance of sweet and bitter. Tasty!

I mostly get rose at first, with a touch of sweet aquatics and a bit of green. It's kind of sharp and sweet and not exactly my taste at first. I was about to put it in the swap pile. However, once it starts drying, the amber comes out, and it's very lovely. Amber doesn't always smell amazing on me, but this does. The pretty rose/amber combo is what I'm left with. I did note that this smells a lot like P.S I Love You from Bath and Body Works. I really like that one, so it figures I would like this too.

To me this smells similar to Brotoloigos, only a little friendlier and less sharp. It has that really weird powdery feel to it -- maybe it's this particular tobacco note. I can't really dig it, sadly.