Ms. MSGirl

I just put on Maiden, and oooh! spicy spicy! THE most innocent spicy I have ever smelt. It is so delightfully carnation-y on me, I really love it, I hope it doesn't fade away into pure rosiness. Have to put some on my clothes instead of skin. I think this is so well blended, I can't really smell the rose or the tea but it doesn't smell like pure carnation either, it's sweeter. It's not powdery on me at all which I love. Ok, as it is drying down the rose is coming out a bit more on my skin, and it really is lovely. I do like the softness of it, or greenness -- must be the "mossiness" of damask rose that someone else referred to. Wow, this is beautiful! Not sure if I'm dying for a bottle but it really is an amazing, gorgeous scent.

Out of the vial, I couldn't figure out what was up, this smelled nothing like the creamsicle oranges I'd been reading about here. I tried it anyway... first on, this was way too sharp for me, I don't know what that first strong smell was but it was just too much. But on my skin, after I've worn it around, it is getting sweeter and sweeter, the flowers coming out and just starting to soften, and I am starting to really like it. (it does stain, though, cause of the strong oily color so be careful!) ADDED March 20: So, after taking Hunger with me for a whole week on a trip (tested it out right before I left by dousing my bra with it, then taking the bra on the trip in the suitcase with other clothes and wearing it a couple of times -- so it was basically all I smelled the whole trip) I have to say I don't care for it as much as I did before. I smelled of orange-blossom-and-baby-powder-flavored incense the whole time, and for some weird reason it made me motion sick... I didn't think it was possible for a scent to be too sickly sweet for me, but I think it's just the particular kind of sweet this is -- like an evil enchanted incense a malevolent witch is trying to lull someone to sleep with in a fairy tale, overpowering. Oh well, first one I have really disliked! I am amending my order to include more scents that smell _like_ recognizable foods/things (vice, swank), since I think they'll be softer than this one.

I just put this on and couldn't resist putting it all over! At first it's a very sweet soft floral, a sweet pea like scent, and I can smell the water blossom ivy making it even sweeter and softer. On my skin it is already mellowing into a more complex scent and I can smell more rose developing out. It gets less sweet as it dries. After several minutes I can hardly smell anything but the rose any more, and it's an extremely pretty, light, appropriately watery rose (wow, I haven't worn rose perfume in years, this makes me feel 13 again! but in a good way, when putting on a dab of perfume and a touch of blush to go out to dinner with your family made you feel so sophisticated). I liked the initial extreme sweetness of this one better than the pure rose, but I still love it. And now, even later, I can smell it getting all aquatic and lily-full (new word, but that's how it smells) and soft and sweet again. Perfect. I'm going to go put more on.

first, in the vial, a juicy raspberry smell, then I smeared about a TON on me , then it started to smell like one of the Lush soaps or bath things I really really love, though I can't place which one -- maybe Snowcake! I didn't *think* that yummy "lush" smell I recognize was Potion, but judging from what everyone else says it might be (I've always thought I was immune to the smell of Potion and can't pick it out from the other things in a lush shop). edited to add: it's definitely snowcake. The middle of the drydown period of this on me is a gorgeous soft almond candy smell. This is YUMMY -- SO sweet and not at all sharp, I want to eat my arm!! It's mainly the initial burst of berries and then the warm kind of candy/almondy smell on me. I love it! I'll say more about it when I'm not sick. After this has been on a while, some warmth comes through -- but it's still so beautifully blended with the berries and the soft sweetness. To me this is a very round scent -- none of the notes sticking out at all, all blended into a perfect spherical red candy aura. I felt surrounded in yumminess all day.

*my first-ever BPAL review. when I sniffed it out of the vial, it was one of those smells that brings back an overpowering association: It reminds me of being in a beauty salon, having all kinds of yummy treatments put on your hair. It smells like facial cleaners or moisturizers or shampoo or some beauty product that I have smelled before, you know the really good smelling ones that you just sit there sniffing and wish that they would use more and more on you? On my wrist, at first I'm getting the same floral-y cleanser fragrance. After a few minutes it mellows out to a softer, more golden-y smell and it reminds me of perfume I've smelled on elegant women -- it has that vibe all around, that this is the perfume of someone who gets her hair done by a professional, wears designer suits and soft designer sweaters, no one's ever seen her without without perfect makeup (i see flawless powder and chanel lipstick) and classy gold earrings. After a bit longer on, it's fresher and sunnier, less sweet, and I like it more and more. This is the scent of supreme girliness, of getting all done up at the beauty parlor... It's a classic boudoir table with all the mysterious little glass bottles and pots (bought in Paris in the old school gold and crystal packaging, this is the original ) I guess that would make it powdery? floral? I'm sorry I have no idea what any of the notes actually smell like to pick them out. I'm also sick AND just started my period, I'll try this one again when I'm back to normal and I'm sure it'll smell differently. It's rich, classy, and elegant, yet at the same time fresher and lighter the longer it stays on, so not in the least stodgy or oppressive. Prettiness itself. Edited to add: after a bit of dry-down, it's a lot younger and less "perfumey", even a little bit hippie shop -- the coolest, unexpected turn from this elegant lady smell, like you look closer and she's wearing an annointed crystal or some sandalwood beads under that blouse...

I have the same exact question, inkdarkmoon and gothabillywench!! I have no idea what address I should use to PayPal the Lab folks for my order, or how I should contact Elizabeth to inquire about the amount for the order in the first place. Can they not take PayPal right now? Can they not accept international orders right now, since international orders aren't possible through the website yet but the paypal addresses are dead? So I just wonder what is going on regarding new orders, and I wonder if anyone ever even received my email... I really hope I didn't do something out of line... I'm so uncertain of when to send emails, when to follow up, etc. etc. and I just hate to add to Elizabeth's burden at all, and I feel so bad knowing that I am adding to it just by ordering... Has anyone else made a successful international order (requested total, sent in money, and had money received by Elizabeth) in the past few weeks (since they got back from vacation?)? I just think there must be something wrong with my email, or hers aren't getting through to me, or something!

Does anyone know how we in the UK can best make an order at the moment? I have been waiting for everything to get back to normal before I make my first order, but I fear if I don' t make it soon, it won't be delivered within the month of March and I'll have to pay more than 5% in import tax. So I thought I would go ahead and send it in, IF the lab is taking new orders -- are they? Should I send an email, a PM on the boards to Elizabeth, or something else? I would just wait for the website update to come through with international ordering, but if we still have the option of paying through PayPal instead of by credit card that would actually be preferable to me -- is that option still going to be available? If it is, I guess I could just email in my order, but I've never had any luck with Elizabeth getting my emails. What is the best thing to do at this point -- Elizabeth, what would you prefer?

woo hoo!!!!!!!! my first order might be in the foreseeable future!! would you be able to take orders right away, or is the shop still closed for the time being?

Hi, Brian! Elizabeth, thanks for the update and keep taking care of yourself!

Dear Elizabeth, Just let me add my sympathy and reassurances and pleading not to let this affect your health, physical or mental! I haven't even officially had a chance to make my first order yet (don't know if any of my emails to you or the PM I sent went through) but already I am so obsessed -- I dream about the fragrances you make and imagine what they're going to smell like. I check up on this forum every day to see what state you're in and hope you might be ready for another order before too terribly long! It is obvious that your product is beyond worth waiting for -- it appears to be truly life-changing for soooo many people. I cannot believe the run of trouble you've been having lately, especially with the people whose job it is to deliver your freaking packages! for the USPS. But no one on here confuses what they've done with anything you've done. I would wait a while, too, before repacking and reshipping the ones you think are lost -- sometimes it takes over a month for a package to make it from the US to Europe. It's ridiculous, but it does. Whenever you're back up and running and think you've figured out how to get an international order delivered, I will be eagerly waiting to order from you. You aren't going to lose any business over this -- people are joining this forum every day and posting that though, like me, they've never sniffed a BPAL oil, they are already hooked. I know I am. So hang in there and take care of yourself! love, Ms. MSGirl

I am hoping Carnal will work well with Figs and Leaves, my all-time favorite Lush soap... I don't mind a mixed-fruit riot, and fig is so yummy... Just have to get my order! poor poor Elizabeth...