twistygirl

Wet, this is a very musky/incensey smell on my skin. As it dries down, the sweet tobacco scent and the slap of leather come out, and it's really exquisite. Dry, subtly sweet, and smoky, and even though it's got tobacco in it, the smokiness is not that of tobacco smoke... it's an incensy smoke smell; the tobacco is most definitely the smell of tobacco *before* it has been lit. I received this as an extra, and even though I love incensy, exotic scents, I would have never thought to order this, because it sounded so severe, so masculine, that I was almost frightened to think of what this would smell like - I was certain it would be horrid. Needless to say, I was very, very wrong. Although the notes in this are definitely masculine, and this would smell sexier than hell on a man, I feel very comfortable wearing it myself, and I generally stay away from anything traditionally "masculine" smelling. This is sexy but a very subtly sexual scent. It's very sophisticated and understated. It reminds me of somebody who comes from old money and "good breeding" and is genteel and mannerly and very proper on the surface but who is lecherous as hell underneath it all. It has good staying power, but it does stay close to my skin - not much waft. I tried Ebonykawai's suggestion of layering O on top of this and the lecher underneath just unleashed itself. I want to lick my wrist, the combination is so potently charged with sexuality.

When first applied, this had a very, very strong, sharp green note that disappeared almost immediately - could that be the initial whiff of labdanum? It was very unusual and I was most pleased that it disappeared so quickly, because what lies underneath is really quite lovely. A tinge of greenness remains, but a much nicer green than the first-five-seconds punch of green. There's a definite complexity to this one, as there is creaminess (not sure if that's the orchid or the white roses), there is a touch of sweetness, and there is also a woody note hovering in the background that adds the sorrowful dark touch to the sweet creaminess (that woody note comes from the labdanum - not being very familiar with labdanum, I looked it up, and it is a resin). This is one of the more unique florals I have smelled... it is very mellow and yet very mournful at the same time. This is a woman who has experienced pain and grief and has emerged stronger and more beautiful from the experience. Not certain that I'll be buying a larger bottle, but I'll definitely use up the Imp, and will put this on my list of bottles-to-consider.

I got this one as an extra in my last order, and as usual, Beth's intuition is totally on target when she picks out those extras - I would have never thought to order this one myself, as I am definitely a heavy, spicy, exotic-smell kinda girl, but I *love* Szepasszony! The particular floral notes aren't anything I can identify, but whatever they are, they're just stunning. Not at all cloyingly sweet like I often find white florals to be. This is, as others have said, the ultimate perfect hot weather scent. It's so fresh and clear and watery, and it's clean without being the least bit soapy. It's aqua, perfect refreshing aqua, and though it is very light and clean it does have some power and ooomph behind it. It wafts from my skin beautifully and has good staying power. Although aquatic scents are pretty much gender-neutral, I also find it to be very, very feminine. It sort of reminds me a bit of Tommy Girl without the mass-market chemical overkill. I can NOT stop sniffing my wrist. This is yet another one that I will need a bottle of.

Wet, I didn't like this at all. It's my jasmine problem. Anything with a good amount of jasmine in it just smells rank on my skin - it reminds me of a very old woman who doesn't shower enough and puts perfume on to cover up the fact. It almost smells a bit urine-like on me. HOWEVER... once this dried down, it's wonderful. The jasmine softens up into more of a deep, creamy scent, and the rose and myrrh blend perfectly. Not sure that I'd get a large bottle of this, because the initial jasmine stage is hard for me to get through, but it is very, very pretty when dry.

This is a really lovely, demure scent. As much as I generally prefer the spicy/vanilla/resiny sort of scent over anything floral, I love both rose and lily of the valley, so the initial wet phase, which really is strongly floral, was lovely to me. As it dried down and some of the depth of the resins came forward, I found myself falling in love with this. It feels very pure and angelic. It might be a bit too gentle and pure for me to wear in the evening, as I prefer something that screams sex, but I could see myself wearing this as a daytime fragrance.

On my skin, there is nothing at all lemony about this. Wet, the vanilla predominates, with a bit of a resiny, dry warmth - I have no idea what teak smells like, so maybe it's the teak. As it dries down, it takes on an added touch of something lightly gingery, which I am guessing might be the apple tempered by bergamot and neroli. The final dry-down is a spicy-rosey-powdery scent which smells incredibly sexy on my skin. This is really a complex scent - I put it on before I read what the ingredients were, and I would have never guessed that this contains apple or bergamot. Bergamot often smells horrid on my skin, but this smells like heaven. I find this to be incredibly feminine, sophisticated, and sexy. It definitely lives up to its name. I want more of this. I *need* more of this.

This is the first of Brian's creations that I have tried, and I must concur with Tygher... the man is a genius. As Jenny said, this is a most untypical floral. This is a creamy, buttery-smooth scent with a bite, but it's not a *sharp* bite... the creaminess of the oleander and the slightest tinge of sweetness that the ylang-ylang adds (and it's the *perfect* amount of ylang-ylang - I often find ylang-ylang to be too sweet, but this is just ever-so-slightly-sweet) blend in absolutely perfect harmony with the gorgeous neroli and patchouli. This is a spicy smooth floral that is really unique and totally intoxicating. It doesn't seem to waft very much at all - like Hollie, I have to really press my nose up against my wrist to get a good sniff. It really evokes images of secrecy and contradiction, it's feminine and wicked, and it's totally fantastic. Yet another new masterpiece that I am adding to my get-a-big-bottle-of-this list.

Wet, this smelled exactly like Doublemint Gum on my skin for about the first two or three minutes. It quickly dried down to a lovely soft green scent with just a touch of mint. The moss really predominates on my skin. The minty stage of this was very, very cool, almost icy, while the mossy stage of the scent is a very different kind of cool... more like shade on a hot day rather than that sharp, icy coldness. This is a great scent to wear on a hot summer night. I find most green scents to be a bit masculine for me, but this is something that both men and women could wear easily. I would love to smell this on a man.

Damn, this is one yummy fragrance. Wet, it is very, very peachy... a wonderfully juicy real peach scent, nothing fake or synthetic smelling about it at all. It really smells like fresh peach juice. On me, the dry-down was rather rapid and after about five minutes it morphed from fresh peach juice into an absolutely glorious slightly spicy peach-with-ooomph scent. The amber, musk, and patchouli come out in a perfect blend and it turns into a very sophisticated, unique scent with just a hint of fruitiness. If smell is a color, this is my favorite MAC eyeshadow, Amber Lights... that's the best way I can describe it. Not exactly golden, not exactly bronze, not exactly rust-colored, but a bit of each. I definitely need a larger bottle of this.

When I first read all of the notes that comprise Kali, I couldn't imagine what it could possibly smell like. I also feared that it would smell dreadful on me, as I have had no luck with oils that contain red wine (it turns sour on me). This, however, is anything but sour on my skin. Wet, the chocolate predominates, but not for long... as it dries, the wine comes out very subtly, as does the honey. Further along in the dry-down, this scent is so complex that I honestly can't pick out any single ingredient... it just blends fabulously into something totally unlike any fragrance I have ever experienced. I have no idea how to classify this other than to say that it's exquisite.

Once again, Beth has outdone herself. Although my tastes run more toward heavy, spicy, gourmand scents, this light, fresh floral is just stunning. This is the *perfect* summer fragrance. It is incredibly smooth and creamy and light. I can't stop smelling my wrist. This may be the first white floral fragrance I've ever liked, and I don't just like it, I LOVE it. It's really a perfect blend, none of the notes are too overpowering, and although I've never been to Hawaii, this is so evocative of what I imagine when I think of Hawaii. Yet another oil I will be purchasing in a large size.

Oh, YUM. This is heavenly. Creamy honeyed lillies. This is so smooth and clean smelling, not in a soapy way, but in a lovely, fresh, warm, delectable way. It reminds me a bit of Lush's Alkmaar without the jasmine. I can't get over how wonderfully creamy the honey and lillies blend together. A gorgeous, gorgeous subtle floral fragrance. I want a big bottle of this one.

Gorgeous, simply gorgeous. I love the smell of neroli, and the addition of sandalwood makes this so damn smooth and just yummy. I suspect that the amount of ylang-ylang is rather small, because I can just detect a trace of it. It's a very feminine scent, very sophisticated, and would be wonderful for spring and summer nights. One of the best non-rose florals in the BPAL catalogue, I'd say. I'll buy a large bottle of this, to be sure.

Wet, I found this to be somewhat overpowering, a very, very strong floral scent, very much predominated by the jasmine (and I am another person whose chemistry reacts to jasmine differently at different times). However, once this dried down, it has morphed into a lovely, lovely floral bouquet. I can smell the rose, tuberose, and jasmine just about in equal amounts, as I can another floral that I can't identify which must be the frangipani. This is truly lovely. I am always on the hunt for a jasmine scent that I can wear, and this one seems to agree with my chemistry quite well. Another lovely unique floral creation from Beth.

I love, love, love this! I adore resin scents, and this is a divine fragrance that doesn't change all that much (at least on me) from first application to dry-down. It's a somewhat dry but sweet scent - the thing that it most reminds me of are those fabulous maple sugar candies that they sell in Canada, although not quite as sweet. It's a subtle maple-y smell, candyish but not overtly sweet or cloying at all. The main change from wet to dry-down is that it loses a touch of the sweetness and takes on a bit more of an incensy tone. Definitely another one that I will be buying a larger bottle of.

I LOVE this. I don't find it to be particularly masculine at all, which thrills me, because my body chemistry does not get along with anything that I perceive as a masculine scent. This is another of Beth's drop-dead-gorgeous rose scents. Like Ishtar said, there is something about it that reminds me of YSL's Paris, but it has a spicyness and a subtle muskiness that marks it as less of a pure floral than Paris is. The rose is very predominant in the first few minutes of wear, but the other notes soon come out and don't overpower the rose, but blend with the rose in perfect balance. The spicyness is not in-your-face spicyness... nothing about this scent is in-your-face... it's just a lovely, lovely, wonderful blend of gentle spicyness and gentle muskiness and gentle rose. This could definitely be another rose scent for people who don't care for overtly florally scents. It's very subtly sexy and yet clean and sophisticated at the same time. VERY sophisticated.

Yet another fabulously gorgeous creation of Beth's. The almond predominates upon first applying it, but then it blends gloriously with the honey and the spices. This is, as has already been mentioned, somewhat reminiscent of Old Morocco (but without the carnation note that I think makes Old Morocco quite unique in the spicy-vanilla range of scents) and can also be seen as Dana O'Shee's older, more seductive sister. I find Queen of Sheba to be very sexy and will be purchasing a larger bottle of this as well. This does waft quite well, and doesn't stick to the skin... it envelops you without ever seeming overpowering. This is a near-perfect scent.

Ah, I love this. I haven't had great luck with Dragon's Blood in other scents, but in this one... OOOH, it's just amazing. Further proof that one shouldn't necessarily dismiss a scent because of one particular note. Anyhow, back to Dragon's Milk specifically... it's so creamy and warm, but light enough that it could be easily worn in warmer weather (here in Seattle, it's never too hot to wear "warm" scents, really). It does have a slight tinge of almondy-marzipany yumminess, which I am guessing is unique to the blend of Dragon's Blood with vanilla? This is another oil that will go well with Lush Snowcake. There is also just a wee hint of something woody underneath the surface which adds something very, very sexy to the creaminess of this scent. And this one LASTS, at least on me. It's going past the nine-hour mark and still smells divine. This definitely goes on my get-a-big-bottle list.

Every time I receive a new batch of BPALs, I know that I'm going to find some new favorites, but I don't necessarily think that I am going to find my new *ABSOLUTE* favorite BPAL of all time... after all, how can I possibly love something more than Haunted? Old Morocco is officially my favorite BPAL fragrance as of today. This is just absolutely perfect and glorious. It's sexy, warm, exotic, it's everything I look for in a fragrance. It takes about 5 mintues for the notes to really blend to their true potential after putting it on... when it's very wet, it seems a bit of a sweet, creamy fragrance to me... but when it morphs into its' full-on scent, I can detect the sandalwood, I can detect just a *tinge* of the sweetness of carnation, I can detect the touch of musk, I can detect the gorgeous blend of spices. All of the notes in this just blend perfectly into an amazing, lightly spicy blanket of heaven that transport me to places I've never been. As I've been sniffing my wrist all night, I keep trying to figure out what fragrance this reminds me of... it's something that I used to love that is not made anymore... and I finally figured out what it is. It's somewhat reminiscent of Cher's "Uninhibited." There are definitely some of the same notes, although this is a much richer, smoother version. I'll be getting a 10 ml of this with my first paycheck.

I haven't smelled one of Beth's rose scents that I would consider overly sweet. Spellbound, Harlot, and Black Rose are rose scents that are sexy as hell and not at all cloying. As for a jasmine scent that's not cloying, you might want to give Siren a try. It's yummy and also not sickeningly sweet. Very sexy.

If she likes Spellbound, she would probably like either Black Rose or Harlot. While neither of them smell just like Spellbound, they're both deep, rich rose scents with a twist... Harlot's got a shot of cinnamon that makes it just fantastic.

I think your car is screaming out for a taste of Loviatar.

Tamora smells very golden to me, and that is great, for I love fragrances that smell "golden." Peachy vanilla-y amber... oh god, I knew I would love this one. The sandalwood and amber give the peach a drier tone rather than a juicy peach note... it smells like some heavenly peach-based cocktail. This is just amazing. It doesn't smell at all candy-like on me, just a wonderful, dry-fruity spicy scent. Definitely need a larger bottle of this one.

This is incredibly, undeniably sexy. The leather note doesn't scream out "leather" - but, as so many others have said, it does remind me of a dominatrix, a naughty girlie... it's something that could be easily worn by either sex but is not in any way genderless. I think this is an unabashedly womanly sexy smell when worn by a female, and I'll bet it's equally unabashedly manly sexy on a man. This is bringing out the Inner Tart in me, and I am going crazy over it. The balance of the oils is perfect, nothing is too strong or overwhelming, and the scent has stayed true over the course of several hours. I will definitely need a larger bottle of this.

This is so yummy and juicy. The apricot is a very good, true apricot, and the patchouli tempers it just enough so that it's not overwhelmingly sweet. The apricot has stayed true on me for several hours now, but it's a mellow, spiced apricot that is just divine. Highly recommended.