tinyvulture

From now on, I’m going to buy a bottle of any BPAL scent containing chocolate. They are all so well done. I love that they start out foody, as the pure chocolate is most dominant. But then the other elements come in, and it’s no longer foody. The chocolate becomes part of the blend, of the perfume. That’s how 13 is. First it’s all chocolate. And oranges. But not fresh, juicy citrus. More like those chocolate oranges that come wrapped in orange foil… chocolate flavored with orange liqueur. But then light, pretty florals come in, and the foodiness disappears. Now it’s a lovely, complex perfume with chocolate as one of its many components.

to me, this smells like jasmine and nag champa incense, warmed by musk. i can’t pinpoint the saffron. incense scents are always winners with me and this is no exception. it’s feminine, sexy, and exotic. it also reminds me of Smut, only less sweet and not quite as strong.

woodsy and spicy. deep sandalwood (pencil shavings!) and cedar at first, and then the umistakable scent of sweet frankincense creeps in and takes over. very dry and slightly smoky. seems like something a wise and powerful old man would wear. one who is still physically strong, just getting on in years. there’s something aged and familiar about it, like a cedar chest in the attic filled with mysterious old artifacts.

green herbs and grasses, with tart red berries. vaguely waxy, like a berry-scented candle. very clean and outdoorsy, like a shampoo, when first applied. sweetens up after it dries.

i expected this to be darker and more incense-y, but i mostly get spicy florals with a touch of citrus. no patchouli or vetiver to be found. also, it’s pretty faint. i wanted something more sultry and heavy. i’ll probably use this as a room scent, because it is pretty.

not having read the scent description, i smelled pear, vanilla with a touch of coconut, and light florals. i guess the vanilla is from the tonka, and i’m not sure where the fruitiness comes from. to me, this scent does not seem somber or dark; it seems like a light, fresh, summery floral. pretty.

i was surprised at how cheerful this scent is. it smells of sweet booze, citrus fruit, lush flowers, and dirt. the way the dirt is mingled with sweet perfume so that it becomes something beautiful reminds me of Penny Dreadful. in comparison, however, Jazz Funeral is a more complex scent due to the addition of the bold florals. i normally don’t like happy floral scents, but this one is just right.

soapy lavender. this is a very weak scent on me. i really had to slather it on, and what I got was soapy lavender. clean and calm, a good bedtime scent perhaps, but i’m really surprised at how subdued it is. the other reviewers seem to get a lot more out of it, so maybe it’s just having an odd interaction with my skin. oh well, off to swaps.

This is the first TAL I’ve had the pleasure to try. I see that they are not meant to be applied in the usual way as a perfume. That’s good, because the scent that comes to mind when I smell this is… dill pickles! Very sour. Then it turns into a mixture of something metallic and maybe some kind of Indian or Ethiopian spice that I can’t put my finger on. I read a quick explanation of chakras and it seemed my solar plexus was the one giving me trouble re: shyness in social situations, so I dabbed some BB on my tummy before going out to what I knew would be an awkward social occasion. I'm not well-studied in this stuff at all, but I do consider myself open-minded. So this is what happened: it felt like I immediately stood up straighter, had a larger ‘presence’ if you will. I felt optimistic rather than a bundle of nerves (as I tend to be in these kind of situations). Over the course of the evening I was quiet (as usual) but at least I didn’t feel self-conscious. It’s like I was taking in my surroundings with a relaxed eye rather than worrying about how I came across to anybody. My husband didn’t comment on me acting particularly different. I think it was more of an inner thing. I’ll try this again and be curious to see if there are noticeable effects.

When my husband wears this, I keep saying, “you just smell so rugged!” A truly masculine scent, not a typical men's cologne. The leather and fir are most prominent. The musk and amber are what makes it deep and warm and balance well with the sharpness of the fir. The cedar smoke comes out after drydown. Woodsy and outdoorsy, perfect for autumn. I love the lab’s leather concoctions and this one is the best yet, in my opinion.

Chocolate. Not the milk chocolate of Bliss. This is a dark chocolate, sweetened with creamy vanilla (not like vanilla extract...like the vanilla cream center of a fine chocolate). After it dries, it goes a little bit banana. Chocolate-covered bananas are certainly carnival fare, but not what I was expecting from this scent. That phase doesn’t last long, though. It once again morphs into dark cocoa and cream, slightly nutty, very rich. Long-lasting and addictive.

Creamy almond. Heavenly, rich, creamy almond. It’s a perfect balance -- mouth-watering foodiness, but also a sophisticated masculine scent (but not overly masculine – it smells great on my man but I love wearing it, too). I can’t wear most almond scents because they go bitter on me, so I’m thrilled to find one that suits my skin. As it dries, I can smell the pine, which adds a lovely complexity. I have been slathering this one and will probably need another bottle before the Carnaval departs.

when i first applied this, i thought there was lotus in it because it has that strong fruity, kool-aid scent. as it dried, the scent sharpened and i realized it was apricot. very juicy and sweet! the white musk and orange blossom add to the warmth, sweetness and fruitiness of this scent. it is pleasant, but not for me – i prefer the darker notes of Depraved.

from the start, the neroli is most dominant on my skin, and as i don’t care for its citrus scent, i will most likely be swapping this one. it’s also got a green/herbal thing going on. i can’t pick out the patchouli or amber like i was hoping for.

like its name suggests, this is sweet, innocent, youthful, and feminine. the white tea, carnation, and fresh dewy rose are all very “pure” notes -- by that i mean i can easily pick them out individually. it starts out kind of gentle and faint, but grows stronger as it dries. i’ve been scrubbing tiles all morning in grungy clothes, and after a shower this will be the perfect scent to make me feel refreshed, clean and pretty.

a spicy, warm scent. the cassia and tobacco really stand out, the red musk is lovely, and sometimes i get whiffs of sweet plum. can’t smell the mandarin at all (which is good) nor the patchouli (which is bad). it kind of reminds me of walking into a candle/potpourri store, but i don’t mean that in a negative way at all. i find this scent very comforting and it would make a great room scent around the holidays.

on application, the tobacco stands out as the strongest note. i also get incense, honey, something that smells like candle wax, and a hinty of spicy florals. it’s such a rush of different notes, i am having a hard time picking them out. i can’t smell the clove at all, for sure. this scent seems masculine to me. if i close my eyes i could imagine being in some rich old lord’s study, surrounded by plush furniture and decadent tapestries and statues, cigar smoke lingering in the air, leafing through manuscripts by candlelight.

at first, it’s so minty – like spearmint gum! then i get tart lemon, which combines in an intriguing way with the mint and the licorice-y anise. i am not sure what wormwood smells like, but i do detect something kind of like dry sandalwood. overall this scent is medicinal, slightly sweet, and complex.

this has what i call a “general floral” scent – because i’m not exactly sure what the notes are. the rose is easiest for me to pick out. and it’s kind of sweet (fruity, like melon), and the amber makes it really soft and light. that’s about it – i can’t smell any patchouli at all, sadly.

vanilla, booze, and musk. sweet, warm and sexy. like snake oil but not as resinous. love it. i feel flirtatious when i wear it. i really missed the boat not getting a bottle of this.

This is my new favorite, #1 scent. It smells exactly like church incense, with a touch of mint. Underneath the woods and resins there is just a hint of sweetness. A warmer, richer version of Cathedral. Amazing!

the sparkling brightness of the citrus is tempered by soft, powdery amber and hints of spicy jasmine and fresh rose, and the result is a warm, sophisticated, regal scent. my only complaint is that the orris comes along later and kind of dries everything out. so, while i love how this blend starts out, the dusty note means that it will go in the swaps pile.

this is rich, fresh, moist earth (as opposed to the dryness of Zombi) blended with sweet, slightly spicy florals (roses, mostly). if you don’t want to go around smelling like dirt all day, it’s ok -– the soil scent fades after awhile and you’re left with just a hint of earthiness combined with the lovely floral perfume -- just enough to keep it interesting as you sniff your wrist over and over, as i am doing now.

A paean to all the Wicked Queens, Evil Stepmothers, and other misunderstood villainesses throughout history and lore. Lends an aura of majesty, refinement, strength, and a deep, brooding malice. A sophisticated, womanly scent: rich myrrh and jasmine draped in the subtlest rose. this reminds me a lot of Malice. there you have ylang ylang and myrrh; here it’s jasmine and myrrh. i'd say this is softer, more understated than Malice. a soft hint of rose combines with the powdery myrrh and the result is a gentle, almost delicate woman’s perfume. probably my favorite jasmine blend.

an orange/herbal scent. the acidic citrus and astringent rosemary combine to make a fragrance that is quite tart -- not sweet at all. there is some powdery rose in the background that mellows it out just a little. bright, bold and not overly feminine. a good, energetic spring scent.