donnatron

You might want to try Roses, Pearls and Diamonds from the Marchen line. I have both it and Pink Snowballs and while I wouldn't say that they are direct dupes of each other, they both have that cold, rosey quality. Pink Snowballs is a little sweeter and has that unique lily musk quality I get from Snow White. RP&D is a little more refined and ethereal--like the foggy spring night version of Pink Snowballs. Although we don't know exactly when the Carnaval is coming back, you can also look around for a decant of L'Heure Verte. It's a creamy rosewater scent with a bit of an icy edge from the addition of absinthe.

Bottle: Resinous rose and beeswax. Wet: Hmm. I'm really not sure about the wet phase of this one. The rose and wine seem to get into a bit of a spitting match and it becomes very, very high pitched and overly sweet. I cannot smell the frankincense at all and the beeswax is... flat? Dry: This dries down to a strong beeswax base with the rose/wine floating overtop. A hint of frankincense lends a nice bit of resin but is not the major note. It reminds me a lot of a creamy version of Blood Rose. It's lovely but... I just can't think of a lot to say about it. Throw: Strong. Overall: I really like this, but I've been wearing it on a regular enough basis that I have the tail end of a bottle left and won't be overly saddened when it's gone. I feel like it's a spin on Blood Rose but a little more daytime friendly.

Bottle: Dusty oranges and patchouli. Wet: The dustiness prevails and I can smell little bit of the orange and lavender underneath. The patchouli persists. It smells a lot like Masquerade but less sensual. Like an antisocial Masquerade? Dry: Okay. Still, this reminds me of Masquerade, but it sufficiently distinguishes itself from the latter to explain why I still have stashes of both on hand. This is the clean, bright, daytime version of Masquerade. It is a beautiful bright orange/lavender scent lifted by the benzoin and then grounded by a patchouli/parchment combo that is decently sexy but not UNSPEAKABLY DIRTY as most patchouli blends go on me (in a good way). It's interesting and unusual without smelling too headshoppy. Throw: Hooboy. This one be strong. Overall: I like Clio but always think of it as "Masqueerade but less so." Either way, I've hung onto the bottle this long and will wear it until the last drops run dry. It's a perfect blend for being a little rough around the edges and unusual without getting almost aggressive in choice. However, it is a VERY, VERY strong blend and will require a dab hand for polite quarters.

It's funny--I feel the same way about Spawn of the She-Demon. It's okay on my skin and I certainly don't dislike it but it reminds me a lot of Dragon's Musk, Bloodlust and a few other darker red musk blends. However, a few of my friends ALWAYS KNOW when I'm wearing SotSD and absolutely love it on me. Apparently it's "my scent." They can distinguish between it and other red musk/black musk blends on me, even though I can't really, and I'm usually pretty good at identifying subtle differences and notes in blends. Just one of those weird things. I guess it's nice that despite my constant bpaling, I have somehow found a signature scent?

Defututa is similar in tone. It lacks that strange cleanliness you get from the Arabian musk in Anactoria. Tested it and Defututa with a little dab of Bathsheba is a reasonable, but not identical, dupe.

Paduan Killer Swarm is like a combination of Perversion and O on my skin. I get very little anise/licorice from it, and mainly a dark, spicy tonka and strong honeycomb note from PKS.

Bottle: Ethereal is the best descriptioin that comes to mind. I can definitely pick out the cypress (boo! hiss!) and the cucumber. The blue musk is fairly strong in this. Wet: The wet phase is pretty weird. The woods are fairly strong and the orchid acquires this weird molasses-like scent that has happened in other scents. Dry: The green tea and cucumber come out stronger and battle the cyrpress and orchid into submission making this a cool, semi-aquatic floral/resin. It's darker in tone than my beloved Blue Moon 07 and clearly not the same animal while maybe still hanging out in the same genus. Throw: Moderate to mild. Overall: I like it and tested it out again because I found it languishing in the swap box. I can see why it wound up there, because it is pretty and accessible but doesn't have the same wow factor my Blue Moon 07 does. The cypress really brings it down for me.

2010 version. Bottle: There is something about patchouli and honey that is just... funky to me. Or, at least, one of the honeys in this is rather funky. There is something like fresh sweat in this. Wet: The honey takes a while to calm down. It's really sweet/tart and high pitched for a while. There is a very faint hint of Snake Oil at the bottom of this. Dry: It dries down to a subtle honey/Snake Oil combo. The honey never really loses that high pitched quality. It really... underwhelming on me. Throw: Medium. Overall: I'm not that jazzed with it. I've had the bottle for almost two years and haven't really made a dent. I think I should just accept that O and Snake Oil work on me separately, but never the twain shall meet.

Bottle: Mainly wood (likely cedar) with a hint of dragon's blood in the background. Wet: The wet phase on this is so... cedar-y. Seriously. Just put it on, went to do some laundry. Spent about five minutes thinking about why I never wear this--because pure cedar is like the inside of a hope chest. After a while, secondary notes start to peak out. A very light dragon's blood and a warm greenery sort of scent. Dry: I think the green scent is myrtle. Which is odd from a male/female herb perspective, but I can't really think of what other ingredient is distinctive in this way on my skin. This dries down to a cedar/dragon's blood scent with a warm green background. It started out as a pretty aggressive woody scent and it wound up a softer, warm dragon's blood scent. It reminds me of warm spring/summer days and would probably be great when the weather is warmer. Throw: Moderate. Overall: I really like this, and it is a good scent for being interesting without overwhelming. Probably won't wear it to work because that will be an awkward conversation if anyone comments on my perfume.

As sweet as death, as deep as the grave: pomegranate, raspberry, gardenia, plum, and rose with patchouli, black pepper, rose musk, and a hint of blood accord. Bottle: Primarily pomegranate and plum. Little hint of the florals and almost no patchouli or pepper--both of which are usually easily identifiable to my nose. Wet: Crypt Queen goes on high pitched, tart and fruity. The pomegranate and plum are definitely the top notes and a hint of raspberry starts to develop. Creamy backdrop of rose and gardenia. It reminds me of a darker version of Blood Countess. A bit more tart in nature and more complex. Dry: The pomegranate calms down some but this is still primarily a fruity scent. It's grounded and made more adult by the warm florals, the skin warmth of the rose musk and the dark combo of patchouli and pepper. The blood accord is just that perfect touch of sweet saltiness over the rest of the notes. It's a fun scent to wear throughout the day because it changes throughout the day, starting out sweet/tart and fruity to more of a creamy floral until the end of the day when it is a lingering spicy patchouli touched with pomegranate. An unusual and sexy scent. Throw: Strong. Overall: I freakin' love Crypt Queen. It's like the perfect merger between Blood Countess and Mme. Moriarty. I wear this one a lot and like the way that it is commanding, incense-y and attention grabbing without seeming sleazy or off putting. I love, love, LOVE this scent.

Bottle: Sweet, honeyed jasmine and a bittle of bite that is either the ginger or thyme. It's present but not particularly strong. Wet: Like most honey scents on my skin, the wet phase is kind of funky. One of the honeys goes very high pitched and sharp--almost a little BO-ey. Thankfully, this phase is mercifully short and it's saved by the gardenia of all notes (normally, gardenia is not a good thing on my skin. It can get whiffs of eau de banana about it). The gardenia is subtle and strong, grounding the florals and honey and making this smell like a cohesive scent. Dry: A warm mix of jasmine and honey, super close to the skin and warm and sexy. It might partially be the jasmine/honey/ginger combo reminding me of my youthful staple of Calgon Hawaiian Ginger, but it does seem like a very young and flirty type of scent. Seems appropriate for summertime, as its sweet and fresh without being cloying and would benefit from body heat and humidity. It also seems like a good scent for transitioning from work into date night. Throw: Mild. Overall: I've always been super curious to try this and am stoked that I tracked down a bottle and it works on me. Will be wearing this a lot as the weather warms up and spring and summer start to appear.

Bottle: Astringent. A strong combination of birch, musk and what is most like davana. Wet: The secondary notes warm and become a little creamy. It's a semi-vanillic scent but... not totally. The jasmine is very subdued, which is unusual on my skin. But the primary scent is that very identifiable birch, which is just perfection. Dry: Sometimes I totally get this scent and sometimes I find it completely offputting. I think it's the davana interacting with my chemistry. It dries down to a really soft, subtle shimmery grey sort of scent. It's not really a scent where I can discern a lot of notes, other than it being a soft, fuzzy sort of silver scent with a very distinct birch note. Throw: Moderate. Overall: I get the hype over this one. It's a really pretty and subtle scent without being generic. It reminds me of a cooler version of Pollution or a warmer version of Blue Moon 07. Will enjoy my bottle and wear the hell out of it at work when I want to smell unusual and pretty without being offputting.

Blue bottle, no label. I forgot I had this, and I think it's the res version but I could be totally wrong. Bottle: Creamy cinnamon and clove. The cream has a weird undertone that reminds me of some of the Conjure Bag oils do. It's a strange almost animalistic musk scent in addition to the spice. Wet: The spice amps and I mainly smell cinnamon. The clove is faint and a little bloody. Minimal pepper. The strange musk is still present. It doesn't really work together at this phase. Dry: Although the wet phase is awkward, the dry phase is a pretty and warm spice scent. There is a creamy/gourmande quality that reminds me either of a musk or possibly a light cream/milk note? The spice is dry and husky, sort of like sniffing spices in a spice store. They're nice, true, dry scents, not candylike or fake on me at all. Also, big bonus, the cinnamon oil is not cassia oil (I know this because Tyler knows this I haven't broken out in a bright red rash). Throw: Moderate. Overall: I think this is a gorgeous oil once it dries down. It's a little foody without being a strong pastry scent and the spice is just right. The longer it wears, the more the pepper comes out and adds a really unique sharpness to the blend. The wet phase is kind of funky for the first five-ten minutes, but definitely wonderful.

Bottle: Strong citrus with a backing of palmarosa and patchouli. Wet: Smells like peeling a mandarin in a headshop. The palmarosa is really, really strong in this. A few more of the elements are creeping around the edges, but nothing really distinct. Dry: This is super crazy headshoppy on me. It's still mainly citrus and palmarosa very faintly grounded by the patchouli and sandalwood. Hardly get any myrhh. It kind of reminds me of a dirty version of Bio Oil--that oil that comes in the pink bottle for scars and stretch marks. I really like the scent of Bio Oil so this is a plus. The longer I wear it, the more the ylang ylang comes out. It's kind of interesting in a way because it's actually one of the more clearly aromatherapy-oriented blends I've ever smelled from BPTP or BPAL. The combo of palmarosa and ylang ylang reminds me a lot of previous aromatherapy oils I've used in the past. In terms of texture, this is a fairly silky oil and actually smoothes into my skin very quickly. I use it usually during the dryest, coldest months, so that may just be an environmental side effect, rather than a commentary on the actual nature of the oil. Throw: Really, really strong. Overall: This smells kind of theraputic to me, but in a hippie-ish sort of way. My boyfriend loathes strong, patchouli-based scents so the sheer idea of giving him a massage with this is more giggle-inducing than anything. I use it as a moisterizer during the cold, dry months on days when I know I'm going to be at my place and sleeping alone. It reminds me of summer vacations in the southwest US or Vancouver Island. I think it's neat, but since I can't really use this for its intended purpose, I don't think I'll need a second bottle.

My favourite "red" floral is Blood Countess: Corrupted black plum, smoky opium and crumbling dead roses covered by a deceptive veil of Hungarian lilac, white gardenia and wild berry. Some other recs for floral scents that are red in impression: Blood Rose: voluptuous red rose bursting with lascivious red wine and sultry dragon's blood resin. The Witch Queen: Wild plum, red musk, tuberose, calla lily, heliotrope, pimento, ylang ylang and beeswax beneath a dark haze of sinister purple-hued incense smoke. Kali: This perfume is a blend of the sacred blooms of cassia, hibiscus, musk rose, Himalayan wild tulip, lotus and osmanthus swirled with offertory dark chocolate, red wine, tobacco, balsam and honey. Les Bijoux: Skin musk and honey, blood-red rose, orange blossom, white peach, red apple, frankincense and myrrh.

The Caterpillar is a great incense/wood/citrus blend. The florals are fairly well behaved and might mimic the violet without being obviously floral. The notes are: Heavy incense notes waft lazily through a mix of carnation, jasmine, bergamot, and neroli over a lush bed of dark mosses, iris blossom, deep patchouli and indolent vetiver.

Imp: Buttery pumpkin, a touch of sugar and... dust? Like... drywall? Weird. Wet: The wet phase is a weird mishmash of buttery pumpkin and a harsher, almost chemical sugar smell. Like a drugstore brand knock off Calgon spray. Very alcohol-y. Dry: Pumpkin Hard Candy is exactly what I expected it to be. A strong pumpkin that is true to form but not my style, over a boiled sweet sort of citrus smell. It smells exactly like a pumpkin flavoured boiled sweet. Throw: Pretty mild, especially for a pumpkin scent. Overall: I am not a pumpkin lover. I feel like this is a perfect approximation of what this scent is supposed to smell like, but I can't get behind wearing it myself. It will go on to live with someone who will love it more than I ever could.

Imp: I'm surprised there's not amber in this. I must be smelling the musk. It's a soft lavender/rose with musk. Very gentle and sweet. Wet: The lavender in Sophia is very similar to the lavenders used in the sleep blends. It's not a harsh lavender, but rather a soft and sweet lavender that blends well with the creaminess of the star jasmine. Very little rose. Supporting musk. Dry: This is very pretty. It's not a loud scent, nor is it going to break any records for originality, but it's a very feminine and pretty sort of classical scent. Close to the skin, mainly lavender and jasmine with a faint whisper of rose. I have no clue what delphinium smells like and so can't comment on that. I don't get any spiciness from this, but that's okay. It's just a very nice, womanly scent and I can see wearing it in situations where I want to be elegant but discrete. Throw: Skin close. Overall: I quite like this. It's similar enough to other GC mainstays that I won't bemoan its passing, but it's a lovely fragrance and I will use of the rest of my imp.

Imp: Juniper and a hint of fruitiness. Smells like a nice sippin' gin on ice. Wet: Juniper is definitely the dominant scent. It combines with the bayberry/general berry scent to make this smell a bit like Christmas pot pourri. The snow/ice scent is still there, however. It keeps this from being a bit to "Christmastime at Michaels". Dry: I like the cool, menthol-y drydown effect this has on my skin. Seems like it would be a good call for hot summer days The drydown is unremarkable on my skin but still pleasant. It reminds me of a lighter version of The Jersey Devil, although it is a bit more aggressive/earthy with that strong juniper note. The berries seem a bit too sweet on my skin in comparison to the deeper forest and snow notes and the sweetness brings down the overall effect of the scent. Throw: Good. A few inches from the skin but not overpowering. Overall: I think it would be an incredibly interesting perfume if my skin didn't turn the berries ungodly sweet. A nice addition to the cold/snow scents the lab does so well.

Imp: It's a strange scent in the bottle. Mostly orange blossom with a hint of jasmine and red musk. A bit fruity. Wet: I'm starting to think that opoponax just is not my friend. This goes on sickly sweet and a little propane-esque. It actually smells like red musk/opium combos usually do on my skin. None of the warm delicious incense I was expecting. Dry: Boo-urns. I don't know if I've undergone a chemistry shift or just having connected the dots after these years of bpal-ing, but opoponax is not good on my skin. It becomes syrupy sweet and dominates ALL THE OTHERS NOTES. Giallo doesn't seem like the most reticient of blends, but none of the other notes are really identifiable here. Maybe a bit of red musk if I huff. It's all sweet myrrh, all the time. Kind of disappointing but more the fault of my traitorous skin than anything else. Throw: A few inches of opoponax. It's so syrupy and thick on me that I'm glad it doesn't throw more. Overall: Seeing as how the opoponax completely overpowered the rest of the (normally pretty strong) notes here, I don't think I am the best judge of Giallo.

Bottle: In the bottle scent is thick and buttery with a little hint of something that smells like skin musk. Maybe a bit of citrus bite which is probably the ginger. Wet: This has aged into a pretty cream-heavy scent. It's nice, one of the better creams on my skin and it seems to be tempered by the leather and frankincense. Both are present but not dominant on my skin. Dry: Dries down to a... weird scent. Skin close cream and leather with an incense-y ginger-frankincense vibe. Very light and clean and... odd. Not particularly dirty but still kind of inappropriate for work. A very salty sort of scent. Throw: Mild. Overall: Weird but good. I feel like this is a good example of a scent that reacts differently to everyone.

Bottle: Damn. That is PATCHOULI. Deep, dirty and pretty intense. It's unusual compared to my usual patchouli-heavy blends (more rooty and earthy than, say, Masquerade or Depraved) and I'd be intrigued to know what variety it is. I also have a layer of cocoa at the bottom of the bottle. I have rolled this bottle for probably a total of 45 minutes and the cocoa is still mainly separated from the blend. Hmm :/ Wet: Okay. I freaking LOVE patchouli and this goes on a little too intensely patchouli for my taste. It's really, really dirty patchouli with the faintest hint of tobacco overtop. A little ashy. Dry: The wet phase is thankfully brief and it dries down to a deep, incense-y patchouli with a very faint warmth from the vanilla and tobacco. The cocoa is pretty absent. It's still a... interesting scent? A really intense patchouli scent with some supporting elements from the vanilla and tobacco although neither are identifiable as such. Throw: Strong. Lasts for freaking ever as well. Overall: This is my Sunday afternoon scent. It's too dirty for wearing at work and my boyfriend absolutely hates it. It's a love it or hate it kind of blend and I think it's best for me to wear it when I'm just going to chill out and enjoy it on my own.

Osun is almost a dead ringer on my skin, although slightly cooler without that lemon-y note that I sometimes get from Mead Moon. Another LE, although much easier to find, is Honey Mone. It's more of a dripping, thick honey, whereas Osun is light, cool and sweet.

I'm in love with Mort de Cesar and Valentine of Rome. I have it bad for the blood accord. On me it dries down to an almost metallic, but still palpably "alive" scent if that makes sense. I did a search and blood accord is only really used in select LEs. Does anyone know of any scents that are GC or more widely available LE that have a scent similar to the blood accord?

Bottle: Very high pitched and a little citrus combined with the musks (skin musk is in here, yes?). A little dusty. Wet: The red musk is definitely the standout of the scent and it dominates on the drydown. However, it's a very muted, subdued musk and at this point in the game, the wormwood and saffron are at their strongest, adding a woodsy, dusty quality to the overall scent. Dry: I am... beyond suitably impressed. I bought this as a sort of replacement for my all time favourite "every day" blend, Brides of Dracula (the names beind similar is kind of a bonus. Both are sexy, skin-oriented scents with exotic but muted supporting ingredients). This is a beautiful blend. The red musk quiets down to lend a subtle, grave (heh) base to this scent with the darker elements adding that same needed gravitas. The tea and volet leaf are present, giving this some higher, piercing notes and adding that needed "icy" quality. It's a very sexy scent, but it's not lusty or sleazy. It's alluring and I quite like it. Very warm, strong enough to be noticeable but definitely has a bit of that ideal skin-but-better quality you would want from a lighter blend. Throw: Close to the skin but long lasting. Overall: This could be a sleeper hit. I'm certainly pleased with my bottles and will be eyeing them with trepidation as the Weenies go away.