donnatron

Imp: This is quite complex. I mainly get the tea rose with a faint hint of dragon's blood. The light florals are present as is a little furry edge of the dark musk. Wet: Sweet, candied tea rose with an undercurrant of musk. Light hint of currant. The sandalwood and musk are balancing each other out as they can be... odd on my skin Dry: I don't think I quite appreciated Lucy Westenra fully until I smelled Wilhelmina Murray. The two work together fabulously as a set. Both are ethereal floral musks but Wilhelmina is a little more grounded and earthy from the black musk and dragon's blood. Lucy is sharper and juicier from the blood orange and a little more feral, despite the dark ingredients in Wilhelmina. Wilhelmina's scent is very dark but not brooding, more languid. The rose and dragon's blood are the top notes backed by the sandalwood and musk with the faintest tart bite of the blackcurrant. It's very sweet and warm and very feminine on my skin. Throw: Mild. Overall: I'm glad to have tried it because it really is a beautiful companion to Lucy Westenra as well as a beautiful scent on its own. The light throw and minimal wearlength makes me think I probably don't need a bottle of this but I'm happy I got to try.

Imp: The BPAL snow note. Eucalyptus, a light mint and... snow. Yeah. Wet: On the skin this acquires a creaminess that reminds me strongly of Snow White. In fact, this is very much like Snow White without the florals. It's a little unpleasant at first. Definitely makes the skin tingle but there is also a nose-tingling sharpness here. Dry: A non-floral Snow White. Huh. It's actually a little creamy and warm on my skin. A nice skin-close sort of scent. Not cold but not overtly warm. Just a simple, clean sort of scent that I could wear anywhere. Throw: Mild. Overall: I'll stick with Snow White for my chilly perfume needs. This is nice but too similar to merit hunting down a bottle. It might be a viable option for people who want to like Snow White but find it a little overwhelmingly floral.

Imp: A spicy, warm amber. Wet: I get really excited at first because this seems like almost a dead ringer for Mr. Jacquel but a little spicier. Starts out as a warm amber with a hint of saltiness and some warm, exotic spices. The wet phase is absolutely glorious. Dry: And then amber does as it will. Or at least this variant of amber does as it will. Dries down to an identifiable amber scent but there is also a hint of playdough to this. Overwhelms the spices. Amber playdough. Not my bag. Throw: Moderate. Overall: I've always been nervous about trying the Lion because I just don't know how it will react with my skin. Turns out my apprehension was well founded.

Imp: Ferns. Endless green ferns. And some sugar... okay. Wet: Ferns love my skin like nobody's business. This is all ferns. Dry: Ferns still dominate. This dries down to a pleasant green fern scent with a hint of lilacs, rose and sugar. This is only when I'm sniffing up close and concentrating on the scent. Otherwise it is all ferns all the time. My skin has gone mad with power and love for ferns. Throw: Moderate. Overall: My skin is really into ferns. There is also something odd and nostalgic about this scent. I'm catching hints of the throw and although I can't think of a memory this evokes, it makes me feel a little ashamed. I have no idea how or why it's doing that but this is bizarre! I've never had an emotional reaction to a scent I was just testing out new. How strange.

Imp: Currant and myrrh. Wet: The mandrake dust is very similar to the dirt note and acquires some of that dark, acrid sharpness some of the dirt notes have on my skin on the drydown. This is softly fruity and smells a bit like an orchard or a garden. Dry: Oh... dammit. This is pretty gorgeous. Currant and myrrh dominate with a bit of bitter mimosa and a dark, woodsy spiciness that defies description. Masabakes is gorgeous. And unattainable. Throw: Moderate. Overall: Dangit. I'd love a bottle of this. Unfortunately that's probably never gonna happen. Oh well, it's BPAL. A new shiny object will come along to distract me.

Imp: Mint, caramel and tobacco. Wet: Sweet fancy Moses. This is... ungodly. I amp caramel like nobody's business and that is not an exception in Incubus. This is downright gross. Amped up caramel with furry musk and a little mint. It smells like a dog dipped in caramel. Yikes. Dry: Good news for some... maybe... This smells exactly like Red Lantern on my skin. Because it smells like amped up super sweet caramel and a little tobacco. This is funky. Tooth achingly funky. I wasn't really expecting the world from this blend but I was expecting it not be so... there aren't really words for what this is. Just kind of gross. Not working with my chemistry at all. Throw: Huge, of course. Overall: No. This is just... no, basically. Does not work at all on my skin and the combination of notes is so weird and wonky that I really have no suggestions or ideas on similar blends or ways this would work. An epic failure on my chemistry.

Imp: Musk and light woods. Wet: A very strong, cologne-y sort of scent upon application to the skin. What I would classify as masculine. Dry: A clean, light musk. I don't think it's white musk. Maybe blue? Or a combo? Soft wood and a hint of paper. It smells like a less aggressive Dee. I like my Dee aggressive so this is a little too light and discrete for my tastes. The musk is really the dominant note. I almost wonder if there's skin musk in here. The scent altogether is very light and fresh and clean. Like a handsome, well scrubbed man. Throw: Mild. Overall: This is clean, bright and light. It would smell lovely on a man or a woman and is very professional. The woods are very light so if that's scaring you off, don't hesitate to try Aziraphale. Luckily he's not my favourite part of the book so I'm not too disappointed he's not more of a hit on my skin.

Imp: The citrus scent of lotus and That Rose. The weird pink rose that goes wonky on me. Wet: The rose gets sour and icky and combines with the citrus-y tang of the lotus to make this resoundingly unpleasant. There is an extra kick in the pants because I can smell the other roses in this and they are gorgeous. Dry: Some of the sour rose dries off and I get a basic rose scent with some lotus. This smells a lot like Lady Luck Blues on my skin, weirdly. The longer it sits on my skin the more a sweeter rose comes out to play. It's a bit more velvety but there is ultimately something very cloying and sour to this scent overall. Throw: Moderate. Overall: Eh. It's not playing nice on my skin and I'm not fussy about it in general. There's a lot of potential here, I'm just not playing nice with one of the ingredients.

Imp: Frankincense and... herbs de provence? I'm not getting any of the listed notes other than a little bit of frankincense and some aquatic notes. Wet: Sweet fancy Moses! I smell like cooking! This goes sharp, herbal and a little salty on my skin. There is a background note of dryer sheets. Dry: It's not as horrific as the drydown suggested but Eanach Dhuin underperforms on my skin. Flat, weird aquatics and a little frankincense and white rose. The white rose is not horrific and I think I have undergone a chemistry change because white rose has worked in the last few white rose blends I've tried and it used to be horrific. There's a hint of sweetness from the blackberry leaf. It's okay. Not something I'd look for more of. Throw: Mild. Overall: A little boring on my chemistry. It gets better on the drydown but not good enough to really wear again.

Bottle: Chocolate, lavender and an astringent edge that I think is coming from the sage and birch tar. This one settles easily and requires a lot of agitation to blend up properly. Wet: Cocoa overload! Cocoa and birch and lavender. This is a totally bizarre scent. Dry: Earthy, dark cocoa with a touch of astringency and a nice lavender/vanilla combo. This is a bizarre scent but it's so... right, cuddly. The sort of scent you wear on cozy weekends and turn off your phone and just relax and enjoy life. It's lovely and warm and a little languid and lazy. The birch and sage cut the sweetness and the vetiver lends the cocoa an intensely dark edge. Throw: Good. Overall: Wulric is lovely and I'm glad to have the bottle. I have concerns re: aging since I rarely get to have the lazy sort of weekends this scent requires. But it's a very beautiful, interesting scent and definitely the sort of perfume you're not going to find at your local department store.

Bottle: I don't think I've ever smelled oleander. In the bottle I get a sour sort of floral over magnolia... oh, magnolia. How I love and hate you at the same time, magnolia. Why must you be the Heathcliff to my Cathy, magnolia? Wet: So much magnolia, strong, strong rush of magnolia. And this smells almost exactly like Sacred Whore. A little less biological than Sacred Whore but at least now I understand what that dominant note from Sacred Whore I could never place was: magnolia! Dry: Still almost a single note magnolia with a little trace of dark musk. This is nice. It's a scary sort of threatening woman sort of floral but I think it works. It's sweet in scent but the perfume as a whole is a little kick ass and take names. It's definitely not for a wilting flower. Throw: Strong. Overall: I have a tempestuous relationship with magnolia and it's fitting that the magnolia scent I settle on is the one that I'd wear to, well, kick ass and take names. Perhaps magnolia is more the Cathy to my Heathcliff.

Bottle: Very light. Definitely metallic. A touch of blood musk. Wet: I'm not getting much incense at all. This is a very light blood musk with a hint of metal. It reminds me of a gentler High Priest Not to Be Described. Dry: I do love the blood musk. When this dries more of the blood musk comes out to play and this is light, a touch tangy, a touch dragon's blood-y and slightly incense-y. Pretty and definitely still. Throw: Mild. Overall: Sometime High Priest is a little too much man for me. On days that happens but I'm still in blood musk mood I've got that covered.

Three year old Voodoo is incredibly similar to Raven Moon on my chemistry. The vetiver and pine give it that same slightly searing edge I get from the chili and benzoin and then the patchouli/vanilla is just divine.

Bottle: Sweet vanilla and jasmine with a bit of violet bite and darkness. Wet: The jasmine/vanilla combine to go almost... banana-y? Not quite banana but almost in that range. Odd. The violet disappears and probably takes the mimosa with it. The dark musk goes dark and furry and sultry. It's quite lovely at this point. Dry: The vanilla and jasmine dominate with the musk holding down the fort. I don't smell any mimosa but smell a faint hint of violet. It's very pretty and a little dark. The black musk makes this very, very interesting and prevents it from being a sort of harmless, floofy floral. It's still sweet but there's a dark edge to it. Throw: Good. Overall: Man, the Carnaval just keeps getting better. This is gorgeous and I am considering a back up.

Imp: Hey, watermelon! That's not a happy thing. I don't really like melon scents and yet feel compelled to try them every time. At this point I should just admit that I'll never learn. Wet: Freaking crazy sweet melon. And the faintest hint of strawberry. No woods. I wish there were woods. I have a feeling that woods would really save this puppy. Dry: Melon with that lovely tart blackberry note, a hint of strawberry and a very, very faint gardenia. I still don't like melon, apparently. It's odd because I love eating melon, just not smelling like it. I think that minus the melon I would find this a lot more appealing. As it is, there is a sticky sweetness here that makes me feel like I am 12 years old and taken away by Calgon and it's a little creepy to be honest. This is way too young for me on my skin. Throw: Good. Overall: I think I just have an instinctual aversion to anything that smells like something I would have worn in junior high. This is very, very young on me and makes me feel kind of weirded out just by wearing it. I don't like smelling like I'm in junior high so this one is not for me.

Imp: Lotus and citrus. Lotus is already kind of citrus-y to me so it's kind of a citrus overload. Wet: So much citrus! The drydown isn't unpleasant but it's totally not my style. Citrus and lotus with a lot more citrus than lotus. Dry: The drydown is actually quite pretty. Soft lotus and the citrus calms down with a touch of amber. Not getting any spice but it's all quite pretty. I almost smell an apple scent here. This is extraordinarily girly and light. I am neither and it doesn't necessarily jibe with my personality, although it does seem to work on my skin chemistry. The more I smell this the more I like it. Throw: Mild. Overall: I really like it. I just think it doesn't exactly work with my personality. It's the sort of scent I could wear to work... until they ask what it's called.

Bottle: Woods and smoky. Quite bracing and masculine. Very gentleman's club-y. Wet: On wet this is all pipe smoke and I am okay with that. There's an almost marshmallow-y quality to it which is a little offputting but it's still lovely. Very, very masculine but also a little stuffy and dressy. Like a dapper older man in a suit. The incense unfolds slowly and the woods are really just a backing base. Dry: The incense and woods strengthen considerably and there is definitely a boys club feeling here. It's an elegant and refined and probably slightly wicked gentleman's club. Skull and Bones wicked. The woods are the base and what I smell in the wrist close sniff. The throw is all tobacco and incense and a little touch of... musk, maybe? Something that makes this a proper cologne rather than smelling like I've been hanging out in an antique chest and smoking a pipe (kind of like extreme sports for agoraphobics or something). I really like it but also know it's not really appropriate for every day. Throw: Good. Overall: I really like this. It's a slightly wicked man's scent. Overall just very elegant and refined with a hint of roughness that makes it that much more interesting. I think this is a weekend sort of scent. It's so evocative and masculine that I think I would feel really uncomfortable wearing it to work or to a more formal occasion. Love it, however. I think I just need to cede that there are woods and tobacco scents for me out there, they just don't have coffee.

Imp: Strong almond and rum. Wet: Straight up buttery almond. Very strong. Dry: Oh, clove. I rarely win with clove. This turns into a slight almond scent with an overwhelming rust aura. Very metallic and dirty. And then a weird marzipan quality. Like eating marzipan in a mechanic's shop. Really not working with my chemistry. Throw: Mild. Overall: Unfortunately my chemistry does not jibe.

Bottle: Pink pepper and vanilla. Faint whisper of florals. Wet: The wet phase has a really promising hint of the pine pitch tempering the rest of the ingredients. This is a sweet, warm, honeyed vanilla-floral. I get the pink pepper the strongest with the rose following. Hint of citrus. Dry: A lovely, warm, feminine floral. The pine pitch disappears unfortunately but I get a warm swirl of rose and citrus backed by the pink pepper over a base of honey and vanilla. It's complex but it pops. A very bold scent. Throw: Strong. Overall: I love it. This is a really unique scent unlike any other in the BPAL oeuvre.

Imp: Pimento and cypress? Wet: This goes on very light. Very crisp and green with a bit of a fruity scent from what I think is a pimento/apple combo. A hint of something darker--probably musk/vetiver? Dry: There is something a bit sharp and nose-stinging in here. Benzoin, maybe? It's a sharp, woody, semi-floral, semi-fruity scent. Very complex and a little maddening. Whenever I think I've pinned down what's in here it morphs a little more and leaves me confused. Very sharp on my skin. Throw: Mild. Overall: An interesting experiment in skin chemistry but ultimately not my style.

Bottle: Sweet lemon to the extent that it almost smells a bit like rotten lemons. Wet: Minimal improvement. No it smells like a dead ringer for the lemon-honey flavour of those semi-gummy lozenges that come in the gold pouches and are wrapped in gold foil. Dry: The lozenge scent never really leaves. It calms down a bit and I get a warm sort of lemon candy flavour with a bit of cubeb bite over a honeyed base. This reminds me a lot of Mead Moon but a little less medicinal. It's quite nice, I just can't shake the association with being sick. Throw: Good. Overall: If not for the unfortunate dry stage I'd probably like this more. As it is, if you are running low on Mead Moon or are desperate to try it, you may want to give Crib Girls a try.

Imp: Really light, fresh, probably black patchouli. Hint o' musk. Wet: This almost disappears upon impact. Very, very light patchouli. Dry: Eh. A light, sort of swirling black patchouli with the faintest hint of white musk. Mostly I'm psyched that the poppy hasn't amped up to gross proportions. Pleasant but not my style. Throw: Minimal. Overall: It doesn't really work on my chemistry like it's supposed to and the scent itself just isn't my style.

Bottle: Vanilla and dragon's blood. Wet: The dragon's blood comes out to play a bit more and gets a bit lilac-y. The vanilla is present and the honey kind of sexes this up. Dry: This dries down to just a perfect sweet, resinous, playful sort of blend. It's sexy without being overt and sweet without being saccharine. The dragon's blood is the dominant scent supported by a bit of sweet vanilla and then the perfect sultry bit of honey. I definitely can smell why this would be called fae. Throw: Good. Overall: It's... cute, is actually the best word for this. This is good. It's a really playful, fun, interesting blend without sacrificing a bit of sultriness. A lovely, lovely blend.

Imp: Vetiver and opium. Mostly vetiver. Wet: You know, opium works on my skin, it just dominates the hell out of scents. This turns to almost single note opium. Dry: Opium and the teensiest hint of honeysuckle. This is all opium all the time. Throw: Moderate. Overall: I already have my opium scented needs taken care of. I don't think Anathema is for me.

Imp: Plum and a soft, brownish musk. No carnation. Wet: This is very light and mild. Soft, slightly plummy. almost plum blossom-y. Dry: Well this is a wtf? It smells like bananas. Like... well, not so much bananas as fake banana flavoured things. It's utterly bizarre. It's not necessarily unpleasant but kind of... weird. And not what I was expecting. And weird, mostly. Throw: Mild. Overall: I am not a fan of smelling like bananas. Sadly, Bathsheba is not for me.