britgeekgrrl

In the imp: mostly amber with a generically fruity undertone. Wet on skin: rich dark cherry, with the amber retreating a little, but still fighting for dominance with the fruit. Something else underneath it (red musk, I think) that I wasn't entirely sure if I liked it. One hour dry down: *SWOON* Warm dark cherry, amber, a hint of vanilla and deliciousness that I can't describe. Love it! It's surprising, in that I'm still not *entirely* sold on the undernotes to this one - I think it's the red musk and strawberry in this case, but I still really, really like it, despite that slight doubt, if that makes any sense. Another reviewer on this thread mentioned that it reminds them of Blood Kiss and I agree with that - I'm getting a similar 'vibe' to my three or four dragon's-blood-dominated scents, but without the tendency to go powdery that DB does to me (sigh). This scent went from 'meh, not sure' to "Must have a bottle, NOW!" so it's a hit. - Johanna

In the imp and wet on my skin, all I could smell was amber - fortunately a variety that I liked (I've smelled some amber and not liked it at all, others I've loved) As it dries down, it gets more complex, and the rose starts peeping out after about ten minutes, and the musk manifests. Over time, the scent becomes more complex, and quite well balanced. Amber is still very much the dominant note, but now it's got something supporting it, and doing so very well. Definite staying power too - unlike some wonderful-but-short-lived BPAL scents I've tried, this one is in for the long haul - great, it's something I can wear when I go clubbing! Maybe it's just me, but I find this one particulalry sexy! With that in mind, I think it's a bit too heavy for the daytime, but great for the evening - particularly date night! - Johanna

At first, I thought "Why would I want to smell like tea? I drink enough of it as it is!" But then I was amused by a thread over on "suggestions" talking about Harry Potter scents which suggested Severin for Snape. I'm an HP fangrrl and easily amused, so I picked up the imp out of curiosity. In the vial: bergamot doing it's best "No, really, I'm a lemon!" impersonation. Citrusy, bright and green. Wet on the skin: the bergamot continues trying to act like a citrus fruit, but the disguise is slipping. 15 minutes: Ahh, there's the bergamot, and the leather is manifesting, too. 30 mins: a nice, crisp balance of bergamot and leather and that little hint of citrus - very crisp and clean. It very much matches the description given by the lab. I don't know if this is meant to be gender-neutral, but I'm going to sneak this onto my husband and see if I like it on him, as I think I might - I like it when fellas wear crisp scents so... My only complaint is that this scent doesn't last very long on my skin - almost totally imperceptible after an hour - so I might follow the suggestion offered by others and make a lotion with the oil, and see if that helps matters a bit. Even if this one isn't a hit with the hubby, I think it's going to end up on the 'buy a 5ml' list. - Johanna

This scent has thrown me for a loop. I bought it as I was intrigued by the description and sort-of wondering if it might be something I could wear at Renn-Faire/SCA-type events, given its supposed-historical origins. It's complicated. I'm not used to rosemary in a perfume, but it definitely works. At first, the scent of rosemary was very strong but, as the perfume dried down, the rose manifests and they just about balance each other out. It's herbal, dry, slightly sweet - a very 'mature' scent, it's way, I think and one that could put one in a hell of an ass-kicking mood (I think that's the rosemary, hmm...) I like this scent, and I think it would be a good daytime scent. I'm just not sure if it's a good daytime scent for ME. I'm going to try it again in a day or two when I haven't been testing multiple imps simultaneously - a sure way to confuse the olfactory senses - Johanna

In the imp: fruity bubblegum, VERY sweet. wet on skin: still sweet, but there's something a little wicked peering out from underneath. drydown: the honeysuckle has manifested itself with a veangance, and so it remains a very sweet scent, but not as candy-like as it was in the imp. It's juicy-sweet and, in a way, a little bit mouthwatering. It's definitely not a scent I'd associate with myself (or, er, the mental image of myself, I guess) but I rather like it. In fact, I think I like it because it's different from what I think I'd usually wear. It's bright and sweet and juicy, with just a hint of lushness - a very aptly named scent, I think. Another reviewer mentioned this scent made her think of a young nymphette trying to act grown-up and I think that's a very apt description. I don't know if this will become buy-a-bottle material, but I think I'm keeping the imp as I can think of some occasions when a juicy-nymphette scent might be just what's needed. - Johanna

In the imp: cheap, floral perfume. Strong and sweet. Wet on skin: much the same. Half an hour dry: Oh my god, I want to marry this stuff. It's amazing what a little dry down time does for a scent! I read the description but, honestly, all I can smell is a warm, sensuous mix of jasmine and what smells exactly like sandalwood but can't be because (from what I can discern) sandalwood isn't in this particular scent. Just a hint of rose, too, but it's hiding behind the jasmine. Definitely a good scent for a date night - sexy but not overpowering. But I like this one so much, I'll probably be wearing it to the grocery store and perishing from sheer delight the entire time. This one VERY much surprised me and proved that you shouldn't judge a scent by how it smells in the bottle. This one's going on the "get a 5ML ASAP!" list. - Johanna

I'm not sure I'd recognize patchouli if it bit me on the leg, but the overwhelming impression I've gotten from my imp of this is a very sharp scent of wet soil. Lovely, clean, fresh-turned soil populated by happy worms, but none the less, it's dirt. On my skin after 15 minutes, it warmed up a little, but it still smelled like I've just spent an hour in the garden after a rainstorm. It's sort of sharp in that 'climbs high into the back of my nose and stays there' way, hich tends to make me sneezy, which can be a tad problematic. As the scent continues to dry down, it's becoming less aggressive and a little more 'welcoming', but I think it's just a bit too much for me. I think I could like patchouli in a scent in which it's not THE dominant note, but I don't seem to be falling in love with this one, which is a shame as I've been reading about chakras and kundalini yoga, and had rather hoped that I could incorporate this oil as I go about doing what I've gotta. - Johanna

In the imp: sharp and green but quite light. So green as to be a bit intimidating. Immediately after application: the sharpness recedes - to my relief - although that green-and-floral tone remains and gets a bit more complex and assertive. 15 minutes dry: I have no idea what's in this, but it's coming together as a slightly powdery, green scent with a hint of sweet flowers. I like it, but it's not knocking my socks off. One to keep the imp of, perhaps, but not "omgwantabottle!" I think this would be a good 'daytime' scent for someone who likes lighter florals. - Johanna

In the bottle: YOW! Sweet candy smell! Maybe too sweet? Let's find out... Wet: Some of the sweetness faded immediately, and a strong spicyness (cinnamon?) became apparent. Uh-oh. I'm not real keen on cinnamon. But it's not too strong, and there's other things going on that suggest I should wait a bit... After an hour: Oh. My. God. I love this. I can't quit inhaling my own wrist. It's dried down into a warm, rich, very sexy scent. Spicy leather (but not TOO leathery) and almost fruity (I guess that's the 'mulled wine' bit kicking in) I really like this one, once it's dry on my skin. Unfortunately, my cat loves it too. Like, really, really loves it. Like licked my wrist raw and started nibbling on my skin. Have the BPAL folks come up with a substitute for catnip? I'm not entirely sure how often I'll be able to wear this scent - not wanting to be eaten by my cat, and all - but I'm definitely going to hang on to my imp and do my best to wear it again... - Johanna

I received an Imp of this as a freebie with some others and felt a bit trepidatious after reading the description on the website but, what the heck, I'll try anything once... To my surprise, I like it. I really like it. It smelled a little rosier in the imp than it does on my skin, but the rose note is still perceptible - if more subtle, now - and nicely balanced with the moss and damp-earth smell. However, it's not very strong, and (on my skin at least) smells like it'll make a good (if slightly incongruous) daytime scent. This one's going on my get-a-5ML list. - Johanna