tinyvulture

Frederic is too masculine for me to wear, but smells good on my husband. It’s a strong cologne, heavy on the patchouli and woods. And if you like the plentiful bay rum of Baron Samedi, this could be the LE for you. I don’t notice the rose or currant at all; there’s really nothing sweet about Frederic. At first I thought he was too strong, but now I think he’s growing on me.

I took my first big sniff and sighed contentedly, “Honey!” This is a gorgeous exotic floral bouquet of champaca and jasmine, liberally laced with honey. The vanilla adds even more sweetness and there’s just a sprinkle of cinnamon to add complexity without the fire that cinnamon sometimes brings. And the olive blossom, often bitter on my skin, seems to have gone missing completely, so I’m very happy. I love the combination of the two strongest notes, honey and champaca. Champaca sometimes turns “banana” on me but it’s showcased beautifully here, and smells heavenly. Light, summery, and sexy.

The sourness of olive blossom combined with… candy hearts? I had to laugh when I smelled this, thinking, “How appropriate!” There’s something sweet and sugary, dry and powdery, that really reminds me of those little Valentine’s hearts with sayings on them! I think it’s just the mixture of all those sweet resins because I can definitely pick out the frankincense and myrrh. This is one of the sweetest myrrhs I’ve ever smelled. But I just don’t care for that olive blossom; it always turns bitter on me.

I’m not sure what many of these notes are, but I assume they are various Hawaiian flowers. Few particular floral notes stand out, that I can discern anyway. I’m a fan of orchid, so I can pick it out, and that’s about it. I don’t really notice the ginger. Other reviews say it smells like fresh flowers, but it’s quite dry and powdery on my skin. Light, sweet, feminine and tropical. Pretty, but too “powdery floral” for my liking.

An indulgent scent – rich and foody. It reminds me of Gluttony or Cockaigne, but more complex and sophisticated. I love the combination of sweet vanilla and buttery caramel. There’s also something slightly sour, which makes me think I’m smelling pineapple although it’s not listed in the notes. There’s the barest hint of dark patchouli and spicy carnation, but they’re easy to overlook because of all the caramel, caramel, caramel!

As BPAL “dirt” scents go, this is in the same family as Penny Dreadful and Zombi – dark, moist earth combined with soft, mournful flowers. I’m not sure what rose geranium smells like, but I definitely smell florals. There’s also something wet and salty, like the sea. Maybe the moss causes this slightly aquatic note. I like it, but the sweetly perfumed Penny Dreadful remains my favorite dirt blend.

I think The Dormouse is similar to Shanghai, which I just tried. They both have that lemony tea scent that is so refreshing and cooling. There are floral notes in the background, but nothing I can really pick out. The lemon note is pretty strong but not overpowering. It’s a light, crisp, clean scent, the perfect antidote to a hot and muggy day. Although, I think I prefer Shanghai with its honeysuckle sweetness. The Dormouse is tart rather than sweet.

This blend is very clean and stimulating; it really clears the sinuses. It smells like green plants (fern, mostly) and grass, with touches of mint and lavender. I’m not sure what herbs are in this, exactly. It's like burying your nose in a freshly-cut front lawn. The lavender adds sweetness. I like it more than I thought I would (I received it as a frimp), but I’m not sure how often I'll wear it, as mint blends aren’t really “me.” But it might be good to have on hand for its cooling and head-clearing properties, when my allergies are acting up.

a gorgeous vanilla floral combination, breezy and romantic, ginger is sometimes too sharp or astringent on my skin, but it’s delicate here, and sweetly spicy. this makes me think of sudha seghara plus a large dose of vanilla. it's light and creamy and sure to be in heavy rotation all summer.

i got this as a frimp and i wasn’t sure about it, since lemon scents are usually too strong on me. but i was pleasantly surprised. at first, it reminds me of a cologne a preppy boy would wear -- crisp and clean. but soon, the soft, powdery honeysuckle makes its appearance and now it doesn’t smell so masculine. the sweet honeyed floral combined with the lemon and tea makes me want to drink it up. a perfect, refreshing springtime scent.

just like a cold, sparkling root beer on a hot summer day, SSS has arrived at my door just in time to help combat the texas heat. light woodsy and incense notes make the Strengthener a little darker, a little more complex, but really, they are so faint that i hardly notice them. just think of a tall, bubbly, chilled glass of root beer and you have this scent. i will be slathering this on for the next several months.

what i smell most is the moss – it smells wet and herbaceous and somehow old, but not dank or mildewy. it’s a clean, masculine scent. the green sandalwood is dry and woodsy. i expected a lot of sweetness from the tonka but it’s very mild. i can’t smell the rice wine, but the black tea is lovely. a wonderful springtime scent, like a japanese garden after a good, cleansing rain.

this scent just screams “spring!” i’m not sure what cherry blossom, ume blossom or wisteria smell like on their own, but Hanami is fresh, clean florals. it could be a commercial perfume or shampoo; it's got that broad appeal. it’s light, cheery and feminine, but not sweet or powdery.

oh. my. god. no exaggeration -- at first sniff, this became one of my all-time favorites. it goes perfectly with my skin chemistry. the amber is so warm and gorgeous, and the velvety cream accord is a perfect match for the bright, fruity lotus. the teak adds a dry, resiny woodsiness without smelling like pencil shavings (note to self – seek out more teak blends.) it’s one of the sexiest bpal scents, right up there with my beloved O. i agree with other reviewers who say it’s the scent of contented afterglow. gorgeous.

this blend is herbal and woodsy, with just a hint of aquatic sea-spray. it’s masculine, like a crisp, clean aftershave. there’s a green grassy note that really stands out, with a bonfire wood note in the background that reminds me of Hexennacht. i’m not really sure what meadowsweet, hellebore and Irish lady’s tresses are, but i’m assuming they are various herbs or grasses. a cool, outdoorsy scent, like an early fall evening hanging out in the woods, not too far from the water. i'm thinking i will love this one on my husband.

There’s a whole lotta pumpkin in this, and a good amount of spicy red ginger. I’m not very familiar with red ginger, but it seems less astringent than the white ginger I’m used to. It’s got a deep spiciness that is almost savory. (Note to self – seek out other red ginger scents!) I thought this would be similar to Pumpkin Queen but it’s nowhere near as sweet. The vanilla isn’t adding noticeable sweetness and, although citrus usually amps on my skin, I’m having a hard time detecting the lemon peel or mandarin orange. Honestly, this is like a pumpkin curry or something. Maybe it’s just my weird skin chemistry, but most pumpkin blends end up smelling like pie on me, I think this is extremely cool and different.

as a perfume, Black Cat is a strong blend of mint (or perhaps eucalyptus) and lemon. it’s quite medicinal, and has a “Mr. Clean” aspect to it whenever the lemon amps too strongly at first. i prefer it when the lemon dies down a few minutes later and the mint is in the foreground, because then it’s invigorating and refreshing. i also smell rose petals, but they’re faint and a little soapy. to me, it’s not really a “sexy” scent, but because it’s so cool and astringent, i can see how inhaling this would stimulate your senses and provide a burst of energy.

orange blossom is one of the few citrusy notes that doesn’t amp all crazy on me. it’s really sweet here, reminding me of those jelly orange slices covered in sugar. it’s evenly balanced with the rose. i’m not sure what type of rose this is, but it’s really the perfect rose note, as far as i’m concerned, deeply floral and just a little powdery. and then the honey adds a layer of golden sweetness over everything. i’m not noticing the sandalwood at all. it’s taken me a long time to get around to trying this scent, and i’m glad i finally did. it’s soft and glowing and feminine, not too heavy, perfect for spring or summer.

Three deep, dark myrrhs, smoke, and cinnamon bark. this is so smoky and warm. the myrrh just wraps you up in its powdery sweetness, its dark resins intertwined with the thick smoke. the cinnamon bark is there, but it’s not as strong as straight cinnamon and it lingers faintly in the background, adding a gentle touch of spice. this scent is sexy, but not in an over-the-top way. it’s not a raging inferno; it’s a small fire in the fireplace on a romantic evening that keeps on smoldering all night.

the rich, powdery cocoa is so strong that it takes a minute to pick out any of the other notes. i smell something green and creamy -- i'm guessing it's the massoia. the honey and vanilla add gorgeous sweetness, and the peach provides a hit of juicy, fresh fruit. i can't find the orchid, clove, or ginger. although there are a lot of notes, the resulting drydown is mainly chocolate and peach, a lovely combination.

what a bright, fruity, happy scent! the sweet lotus and syrupy pomegranate wine are the standout notes. in fact, i can’t smell anything else. sometimes lotus is too cloying, but not here. this is my favorite lotus blend i've tried so far. it’s strong, with lots of throw. it's the essence of pomegranate -- red, ripe and juicy.

when i first apply this it’s minty/medicinal and spicy, like cinnamon mouthwash. i’m surprised there’s no cinnamon listed in the description! i guess the white pepper and spicy pimento are what i’m smelling. the herbal chamomile is vaguely noticeable. soon it warms up and i'm inhaling all that lovely blood musk. it’s sweeter now, too – gorgeous incense resins. i’m still not smelling any leather, but there’s so much else going on that i don’t miss it. a mysterious blend, indescribable indeed – like a rare incense you’ve never tried before, yet you still recognize and feel comforted by the scent.

i smell a ton of jasmine, combined with heady tropical flowers. i’m not picking up anything that strikes me as “volcanic gas”. no greenery or smoke, either. it’s a lush, heavy floral scent -- reminds me of new orleans or bayou, only i like this a lot better. i think it’s the black musk that i love. it adds a layer of lovely warmth and sweetness.

krampus is mostly red musk on me. that’s a good thing – i love this warm, heady ingredient. here, it smells almost fruity, like grapes. it combines nicely with the leather. there are similar notes in loviatar, but it didn’t work on me. so i’m quite pleased at how well krampus does work. even with its crisp, clean linen note, this blend is mischievous, dark, and sexy.

Heliotrope, amber, almond flower, frangipani, cedar, and calamus. A warm, glowing mix of resins and soft florals. I smell dry cedar, a touch of tropical frangipani, and layer upon layer of sweet, powdery amber and heliotrope. It’s really pretty, but not quite strong enough to be a favorite.