PurringPulsar

Earth Ox In the bottle: I smell melon, even though it’s not listed, as well as plum and other fruits. Wet on skin: melon, bamboo, some citrus, and lovely lychee, and plum. Dry on skin: if the plum blossom ruins this I will cry, because for now this is a gorgeous fruity scent, bright and lively and sweet, juicy and joyful. I smell plum fruit, a light plum like the one in Prunella, as well as the quince and lychee. I smell these fruits more than the citrus, though I do catch a hint of sharp tangerine every now and then. There is something floral, which makes this scent very springy. I think I also smell the moss and even a hint of smoky tobacco which seems to make this scent more grounded than the previous two Chinese year scents. After a while: ok, so it seems that the plum blossom is behaving! I hope it stays that way because it’s a PB note that could potentially do the doom-blossom thing on me but for now it’s stable. I smell a lot of lychee in here actually! Even more than in Moon of the Terrible. This is a sweeter lychee, it’s got an almost fruit-salad feel to it, like lychees soaking in fruit syrup made from plum and orange juice. I also smell more of the moss too. The scent doesn’t seem to go completely bad on me even after a few hours. Either my skin tolerates plum blossom more or it works well in this combination of notes. But even though I prefer the wet stage, it’s actually a really pretty floral scent at the end with sugar plums and powdery moss. Verdict: I think this is my favourite of the Chinese New Year scents, and I’m not surprised, as I am an Ox. It’s growing on me a lot and smells like a springy, joyful floral-fruity grounded by moss. The plum is very pretty, a sugary pale plum as opposed to a deep black plum, and it merges nicely with the plum blossom-which, in here, is actually really nice! My skin doesn’t mutate it into bananas as usual. The scent starts off with that bright fruity citrus, with melon-y plum here and that wonderful lychee note, and then turns into a springtime floral with moss and tobacco to ground it. It’s not spectacular…but I have a feeling I will appreciate this a lot more once the weather warms up and the trees burst into bloom-it’s so springy, after all, incredibly pretty and cheerful. I’m keeping my bottle. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? yes. If you like this, try: Earth Rat, Fire Pig, Moon of the Terrible, Prunella, Kitsune Tsuki

All They Had Seen and All They Had Lost In the imp: roses and honeysuckle! Or frangipani? A heady yet delicate floral scent. Wet on skin: so pretty! Delightful rose and a sweetish floral. Dry on skin: now the rose develops crisp, sharp tones, but that’s not a bad thing. I have no idea what the yellow blooms are, but I can smell them in the background and they are gorgeous. They smell like a mix of gentle blossoms with heady sweet exotic flowers. I don’t smell anything leafy, I have no idea what aspens smell like. This is an incredibly pretty and luminous floral. After a while: tuberose! I think there’s tuberose in here, maybe that’s one of the other floral notes? It reminds me of another tuberose scent, maybe La Primavera. This is a lot headier now, the rose has settled and the sweetness of the other flowers comes out. There’s a very sophisticated feel to it too, reminds me of expensive perfume…this reminds me of the Heroine scent with the rose and orchid now. I also smell something a bit green and earthy-the aspen? Verdict: my decant and bottle smell slightly different…I prefer my decant greatly (which is what my review is based on), as it really does make me think of sunlight gleaming through translucent yellow petals. It's a warm yet ethereal scent. I smell tuberose and other heady yet delicate blooms mingling with roses and a soft hint of something green and leafy underneath. The scent is sophisticated yet airy and light, certainly not obnoxious. Though unfortunately, my bottle has floral notes so faint that they disappear quickly on my skin, leaving a strange green note underneath. I was a little disappointed by the bottle scent-I think it has a bit more of the aspen note. But I will cherish my decant. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? the decant. If you like this, try: Epitaph, Magdalene, La Primavera

Uncertain Horror In the imp: sweet yet dark, heavy tobacco and patchouli, with polished woods. Wet on skin: this is unusually sweet, but overall this is heavy and doleful, dark wood and smoke. Dry on skin: tobacco is the dominant note. A blend of sticky pipe tobacco and dry cigars with a hint of smoke. Underneath it is dark wood, smelling less like sandalwood and more like mahogany or ebony, as well as spicy oud. I also smell that wonderful tea note from Lunar Eclipse. The sage is there but it is faint. There’s an intriguing, if unsettling, sweetness to it all, almost like a resin. And the patch underneath is like the darkest of shadows. After a while: money? Yes, this smells a bit like money now. Like old paper notes all crumpled up and mixed with coins inside a worn leather wallet-I don’t smell the leather but I do smell the lining of a purse here. I still smell cigars too, as well as the polished sandalwood and that heavy, heavy patchouli. It reminds me of the GOP scent, but I prefer this-I found GOP too smoky and boozy for me, but this has that feel to it…I get the impression of men with untold riches, cigars and dollar bills aplenty, but the shadow lurking behind the scent of decadence tells of a gloomy future…eau de recession? Verdict: overall this scent gives off vibes of doom and gloom and reminds me of the scents of the demons of Good Omens (Hastur and Ligur), and yet also has something gentlemanly and sleek to it, reminiscent of the Dogs Playing Poker scents. I thought to myself that the names of the Yet To Come scents could be headlines relating to the recent economic crisis…and interestingly, this scent does have something money-like to it at times, like paper notes and worn coins in a leather purse, as well as the scent of cigars and glossy furniture made from expensive woods hinting at past riches, now clouded in darkness. This scent seems to fit so well with the times, a little too well I think. Even so, I find it too dark and masculine for me, and the tobacco is too much for me here. So not one to keep...but very well crafted. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? no, but this scent really does capture something unsettling and uncertain, and I’m in awe of that. I just wouldn’t wear it as perfume.

L’Heure Verte In the imp: sweet rosewater with a volatile hint of absinthe. Wet on skin: is there mint here? My skin is tingling! The scent is sugared roses and absinthe. Dry on skin: ooh, this is very pretty. Faint, but very pleasant indeed, for now at least. The rose is dominant, and it has a sugared quality reminiscent of Hope, though not as vanilla-sweet. over it, I smell the anise-dominated scent of absinthe, cool and icy and ethereal. I smell just a hint of lilac but surprisingly this lilac isn’t amping like it usually does-it’s so quiet here. I don’t smell any opium for now. After a while: soft, sweet, gentle rose. I’m surprised as to how gentle and dreamy this scent is. The absinthe still lingers but it too is soft, and it’s not a soapy absinthe. The scent is now reminiscent of slightly fruity roses…in fact there’s a Turkish delight thing going on here. Yup, this smells like Turkish delight served with absinthe-an interesting combination! Verdict: I have tried a decant and a bottle of this-and both were quite different. The review above is for the decant-which I greatly prefer. It smells of roses softly kissed by the Green Fairy. The roses are sweet, gentle and cool, sugared lightly, but it does have a rosewater quality to it. the absinthe is subtle, the cool clear green scent goes really nicely with the roses. I especially loved it when the rose turned to Turkish delight. Unfortunately the bottle I got didn’t have this enchanted rose scent, but was heavier on the lilac, which then went bad on my skin, and the scent wound up smelling of sour roses and wilted lilac with opium. it’s a shame really…I’ll definitely keep the decant of this with the sugared absinthe and rose scent though. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? the decant, not the bottle. If you like this, try: Hope, Pontarlier, Absinthe, Margeurite, Two Five and Seven, Victoria

Pumpkin I 08 In the imp: pumpkin, brown sugar, and mango. Wet on skin: pumpkin with smoke and another fruit note which is probably persimmon. Dry on skin: interesting. I smell a bit of mango, and not too much pumpkin. What I do get a lot of is persimmon (it reminds me of the fruitiness of Tanuki) and also the myrrh, which is doing intriguing things to this scent…it smells smoky and dry, this myrrh. And, unusually, it also has a hint of brown sugar or treacle to it, or even roasted butter…the pumpkin makes this a buttery myrrh, but it’s not a cloying scent, this is definitely incense. in fact, it smells like myrrh resin gently smouldering as incense, and I love that. The fruit notes are bright and tropical-smelling, especially with that hint of coconut that pops up now and then, but the incense and pumpkin add a surprising twist. After a while: buttered myrrh and coconut! This reminds me a bit of my Chaos Theory, which has mango and coconut in it, but with added pumpkin and myrrh. The mango isn’t too obvious, now this scent is a really nice toasted coconut scent with a smoky, dry myrrh undertone and a hint of melted butter…but it’s not a sickly, overwhelming butter note. There’s a dryness to the scent as well, a hot crumbly and almost sandy dryness, the juicy aspect of the fruit is now gone. The scent then gradually turns into buttered coconut and toasted myrrh, the smoky aspect in this scent is a foody smoke, almost nutty, reminiscent of roasted chestnuts or walnuts, or the foody smoke in some Yule scents…like overcooked butter, but not as acrid, and not unpleasant. Verdict: I can’t decide whether I like this or not. It changes a lot on the skin, I think…sometimes I love it, when it smells of juicy mango and coconut and then turns to incense. But then it goes into stages I’m not sure about, when it smells like burnt butter, sometimes the fruit in here smells a bit odd as well, a little sharp, a little artificial? I love myrrh, but in here this note has a strange buttery smell, probably from the pumpkin. I also get a bitter nut smell like walnuts. The coconut at times is lovely, but at other times it’s a little too dry and scrubby. It’s not a bad smell but I don’t think the notes are meshing well together on my skin. It’s a very unique and intriguing combination though! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? not sure. If you like this, try: Tiki King, Goblin, the Dodo, Tanuki, Spawn of the She Devil

Shrunken Heads In the imp: spicy leather with herbal accents. Wet on skin: mmm, this is a nice leather, like the one in Hand of Glory. Dry on skin: ooh, I like this. The leather is strong and pungent, hovering somewhere between the aged leather of the likes of Dee and Hand of Glory, the black, slick De Sade leather, and with a hint of the strong rawhide of Quincy Morris. In here, I also smell the fresh greenness of the ferns, a rich scent of greenery which is mossy and herbal, warm and damp, not a fresh grassy dampness but a dense jungle canopy, with hints of spices and smoke. After a while: the spices, herbs and ferns fade and this turns into pure black leather. Now this smells like the black ‘kinky’ leather from De Sade and Loviatar…the kind of leather that my skin amps and which drowns out all other notes. However, this isn’t going into the burnt/rubbery stage that those leather notes sometimes get to, it’s softer, and it still has that spiciness to it. Verdict: of the ‘shiny black leather’ scents I’ve tried, this one is really nice. I prefer the worn, old, bookish leather to the shiny black variety (which I smell in here-I was expecting something a little more raw, I admit), as that kind of leather tends to amp on me. And it does so here-but I actually don’t mind it. it has a scent reminiscent of new shoes, and I quite like that! It doesn’t go into the slightly burnt/asphalt stage I get with some ‘new leather’ scents. the herbs are really interesting, they add a nice green scent, somewhere between dry herbs and wet grassy/leafy mush, but at times I also smell something like incense or smoke to it. it gets very, very leathery at drydown, almost like De Sade or Spanked, but there’s a cosy quality to it, like the smell of a leather jacket. But I wish the herbs and ferns stuck around. I’m unsure as to whether I’ll keep this for now…I like it, but will I wear it much? Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? not sure yet. If you like this, try: De Sade, Loviatar, Nanny Ashtoreth, Pirate Moon, Black Tower

The Goblin Rider In the imp: gorgeous pine sap and sweet resins! Wet on skin: pine and opoponax! This is lovely! Dry on skin: mmm, this is beautiful. This is the kind of pine scent I like-a pine scent that smells of resin, enhanced by yet more resins. This smells of a mix of crushed pine needles and sap, with sweet opoponax and a hint of frankincense, a touch of cedar too. I don’t smell much ozone/air yet, just rich resinous pine. It reminds me a bit of Geek, but without the smoke and leather, and I prefer it to Geek. There’s a touch of sophisticated (and sexy) manly perfume to it, but it doesn’t distract from the resinous loveliness. After a while: the initial burst of pine and opoponax then tones down and mingles with the distant incense. now the scent turns into something else as equally delightful as the wet stage…it reminds me of the Illustrated Woman but not as smoky, and with more of an incense slant to it, not a tobacco one. This now smells like wafts of incense smoke in a dark forest, a touch of autumn smoke (reminds me of the subtle smoke in Devil’s Night) and pine, and though the scent is warm and almost inviting, there’s a hint of something chilly and crisp, the night air note perhaps? Verdict: this is a more wearable Geek, a darker Hexennacht, a masculine yet sexy pine and resin scent. at first I get a lot of sap and resins, and I love that. warm pine resin dripping down pine needles with a fantastic base of incense resins smouldering gently. I love that! the drydown is a little more perfumey and masculine, the resins losing their edge and the pine turning into something a little like cologne, but I still like it. it’s one of those ‘if I smelt this on a guy I would shag him senseless’ scents, really dark and sexy, shadowy yet approachable. I’m glad I bought a bottle. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yup. If you like this, try: Piper at the Gates of Dawn, Illustrated Woman, Black Forest, Pickled Imp, Stranger in Camp, Capricorn 07, Geek

Nostrum Remedium In the imp: a sharp, almost greenish ginger smell. That’s probably wasabi, it reminds me of That! Wet on skin: soap? No, please don’t tell me this is going the same way as Slippery Poppy Tincture? Dry on skin: I get hardly any tea, and virtually no honey, but this scent really shows off the wasabi note. it smells very much like the biting green smell I got in That! But this one is a little bit less complex, I don’t get the citrus and the mint etc…I just get the crisp green spicy and ginger-ish scent. However, this note has aspects of bitter burnt stems and soapy grass to it, and even a hint of lemon verbena-ish soap that I don’t like. After a while: soap, soap and more soap! This is what turned That! into soap. It wasn’t the green musk, it was the wasabi. It smells like a strange ginger-scented soap. It’s got something in it that reminds me of cleaning products. For some reason, it reminds me of a couple of TAL oils…maybe Ourobouros? (Not that I’ve worn that as perfume, but it does remind me of the smell.) Verdict: this scent has taught me that I cannot do wasabi. I suspected that this was the case from That, but I wasn’t expecting this note to be so bad on me until I tried this. It’s total Soap City on me. I get hardly any tea or honey, but lots of soapy green bitterness which is a bit like burnt grass, ginger and washing up liquid. I think that’s the wasabi, and I don’t think I like it. This also reminds me of Slippery Poppy, similar in it’s soapiness and lack of honey, seemingly overwhelmed by biting and cruel green soap. Not my thing at all! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? no. If you like this, try: Slippery Poppy Tincture, That! The Terror from Over There!

Lines Written Among the Euganean Hills In the imp: like a fizzy berry drink, with ice cubes. Cold, effervescent and sweetly fruity. Wet on skin: I can smell the pine now, and the cold notes, the berries and maybe the amber. Dry on skin: ooh, I like this. If this is blackberry, then it is being very nice on me, not turning to cat pee. In fact, this reminds me, as expected, of my beloved Winter Maiden. Not identical-I’d say this is colder, it has a bit more of that snowy note to it (in here it almost reminds me of a kind of melon sorbet) but underneath I smell that wonderful, sophisticated scent reminiscent of WM, a blend of blackberry and amber and rose. This smells a lot wetter and has a feel of ice to it-I actually find WM a warm scent (maybe due to aging) and this smells of ice. After a while: the ‘ice’ melts, as in, the cold wet notes fade away, and this becomes even more beautiful. It now smells more and more like Winter Maiden! The blackberries are not turning bad, and the amber-rose-berry-musk combination has gone all warm and rich and has gained nuances reminiscent of expensive perfume. This smells really grown up and dressed up. It’s almost identical to WM now but with one difference-there’s still a hint of wintry pine and a bit of sweet snow. But the WM scent seems to get stronger with time, the amber really showing off as it merges with the cedar and the pine (which now seems to smell like pine sap). The drydown is a wonderful, lighter version of WM. It’s an airier WM, lots more ice to it, I think the skin musk is acting almost like white musk, adding that gentler, fresher feel to it. Verdict: this, and it’s sister scent in the bath oils Winter Maiden, are to me the most elegant winter scents. The scent of a beautiful ice princess, rich and complex and expensive-smelling, very mature and classy. This is the perfect winter ‘evening out’ scent. But even though this has a cold aspect, from the snowy evergreens with frozen berries and chilled musk, there’s a warm heart to this blend too, from the richness of rose, amber and sandalwood. These get stronger with time but the ice never really leaves this scent, meaning this is a little more chilly and fruity than Winter Maiden, but the two scents are so close, they could almost be twins. I would love to layer these two scents. I love the way this smells like-and makes me smell like-a million dollars, it’s so well blended and sophisticated, almost regal, but not at all stuck-up, not too mature for me to wear. One of my favourites of the Yule scents. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes! anything similar to Winter Maiden is always welcome. If you like this, try: Winter Maiden, There’s a Certain Slant of Light, Moon of Ice, Old Moon

Ho Ho Ho In the imp: is there red musk in here? I swear I smell it, under the thick festive spices and apples and mulled wine. Wet on skin: yup, there certainly is some red musk here. As well as evergreens, mulled cider and pears. Dry on skin: cinnamon! Now I smell lots of dry, hot spice in here. This is a really sexy twist on the traditional Yuletide theme. You’ve got your spices-pomanders of orange and clove with cinnamon sticks and some ginger. You’ve got hints of pine/fir and the embers of a burnt Yule log. There’s something sweet here, like vanilla (though this isn’t very foody). There’s something fruity and boozy, somewhere between apple cider and pears cooked in mulled wine. And underneath it all is a sexy, almost incense-y red musk reminiscent of Marianne or the Grindhouse. Mmm. It also reminds me of Shango, but instead of a tropical fruit scent you have a festive winter fruit and spice blend. After a while: ok, this is doing weird things. It smells more like Shango now…right down to the banana. Yes, I smell banana in here. And I’m not sure I like it. The musk scent has also gone really dry and gritty in scent, and reminds me of nag champa-which I like sometimes, but not in here. I love Marianne, but this seems to lean towards smelling like the Grindhouse, which I was not crazy about. i think one of the fruit notes, and the musk’s dryness, isn’t working out on me. Verdict: I’m a bit glad that this one doesn’t work on me, because I don’t need to hunt down more of this, but on the other hand I’m a little saddened by how this didn’t work. At first I liked it and it was very promising-red musk and festive notes! Naughty smoky red musk with berries, apple cider, mulled wine, evergreens, sweet spices, pomanders…it’s a very sexy Christmas scent, and very aptly named! But unfortunately something in here goes wrong-the musk goes very dry and peppery (not in a good way-more like a ‘bad skin chem reaction’ way) and the fruit notes turn to overripe bananas! What a let down, after the lovely Yuletide-themed notes from before. Oh well, at least I won’t need to track this one down in swaps and Ebay! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? sadly, no.

Ethereal, somber, and woeful: Chinese musk, wisteria, white grapefruit, calla lily, violet leaf, orange, gaiac wood, balsam of Peru, and Florentine iris. Mourning Moon In the imp: orange, grapefruit and something a bit floral. Reminds me of Schrodinger’s Cat. Wet on skin: glittering citrus and wisteria. There’s orange here and it’s such a gorgeous orange note. Dry on skin: interesting! The floral notes have the potential to go funny on me as they smell a bit bitter. But other than that this is, for now, very pretty. Orange is dominant, and it is swiftly followed by wisteria, iris, hints of grapefruit and violet. A hint of soft white musk. If anything, this is uplifting and pure, not sombre or woeful-but it does smell ethereal, a bit pale and ghostly. The floral notes seem to hint at the Ars Moriendi scents. The orange smells so happy though! The citrus scents remind me of Schrodinger’s Cat. After a while: I knew it. The floral notes have turned bad. The lively citrus notes have faded, and sadly the flowers-lily and wisteria-are starting to smell off on me. Like wilted flowers. No soap yet, but they do smell bitter and wilted. There’s also something else in here that smells strange, like a kind of oily green scent that’s gone rancid. However, I like the musk here, it reminds me of Nuit for some reason-it has the same light sparkly feel. But everything else is failing badly. Verdict: I liked the start of this scent-it was a zingy and bright sparkling citrus. Seems a little strange, for a scent called Mourning Moon! But it does have that ghostly and ephemeral feel to it as well, especially with the flowers. it reminded me of Schrodinger’s Cat crossed with the mournful floral scents. Lots of orange and grapefruit with a pale base of flowers and musk. But then the flowers reared up and turned bad on me. I think it’s either the lily or the wisteria, maybe both. They turned to what I usually get with such flowers, a wilted soapiness, and there was a kind of musky funk (as opposed to a pleasant musk) that popped up as well. Not a Lunacy scent I’m crazy about, I’m afraid... Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? No. If you like this, try: White Moon, Psyche, Schrodinger’s Cat, Oberon

On Darkness In the imp: this smells of sweet fruity lavender musky incense. Wet on skin: this is glorious. It smells like fruity lavender and berries (huh?) with incense resins. Dry on skin: now I smell beautiful geranium! I love geranium, and this smells strongly of it with it’s rich rose-herbal tones. It’s blended with lavender and benzoin and a hint of rosewood. Underneath I smell the amber and resins. This seems to have almost blackcurrant like nuances, as well as a kinship with Penumbra, Event Horizon and the Emathides. It also reminds me of a non-BPAL scent: NA’s Gold Isis-it’s probably the lavender and benzoin. This is much darker though. This scent evokes a deep rich purple. After a while: hmm, not sure if I love this as much now. There are some odd things in this scent that seem to distract me from the loveliness. Something in here smells like overripe fruit? A bit like berries that are a little too ripe-possibly strawberries. Another thing I get a lot of in here is a burning smell. Not a pleasant incense burning smell or a full on vetiver burning smell, but a bitter charred wood smell, or something like charred flower stems. I think it’s the opium-not all opium notes do this but some do. Or maybe it’s a component in the black incense-it reminds me of the one myrrh note from BPAL that I didn’t agree with. it also reminds me of Black Lotus. It’s a little less sweet and more complicated. I do love what the lavender, geranium and sweet benzoin are up to in here. This seems to waver between smelling burnt, smelling like overripe strawberries, and a luscious blend of lavender and amber. but it’s a bit muddled on me. Verdict: I had high hopes for this-pretty much every note in here should work. I was expecting a wonderful dark sultry resinous lavender scent. but sadly, it didn’t quite work out. I loved the wet stage, a geranium-lavender scent with a delightful resinous undertone and a hint of something almost fruity. It smelt as dark and intriguing as I hoped. But as the scent developed, it went oddly burnt (and not in a good way) and I got something almost like overripe fruit or even strawberries. I still could smell lavender and amber and incense, but I think that maybe the rosewood or something in the black incense, or maybe the opium, made this one a bit incoherent on me. I think I’ll stick with the likes of Emathides, Event Horizon etc when I want dark purple-tinged incense. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? No. If you like this, try: Moon of the Terrible, Event Horizon, Emathides, Penumbra, Lunar Eclipse, Darkness, Black Lotus, Lurid

Toad Hall In the imp: masculine perfume with a wet, swampy scent. I get a visual of moist amphibian skin. Wet on skin: redwood and teak, this smells woodsy now. I also smell more freshness. Dry: interesting. This smells sophisticated, classy, reminiscent of polished halls of fragrant wooden floors and tables buffed to a shine with a fresh scented polish which may or may not contain lemon (reminds me of Delousing Powder). I smell something like cologne to this as well. And yet I also smell the ‘toad’ element of the scent-not unpleasant at all! It’s a wet smell of greenish water and pond weeds (but no yucky/stagnant smells), decaying vegetation (dead leaves and rotting wood) and marsh plants-I get reeds here, maybe some water lilies. It’s almost like the watery/weedy/damp element in Shanghai Tunnel, but not as mineral, not as mossy. After a while: now I smell something fresh coming through, a fresh floral note which I am pretty sure is a water lily of some kind because it reminds me of Dunwich (along with the woods and reeds). Something about the woods now smells a bit damper, and yet it also smells smoky, almost like vetiver. though I’m inclined to say it’s more like tobacco, the more I smell it. a slightly burnt, ashy but gentlemanly tobacco. it’s not the tobacco note I like much but it’s not too intrusive here. I still smell the wet mushy leaves and pond plants and the cologne. Oddly, I also smell cucumber in here? it fits in with the wet, fresh feel of the scent, and contrasts with the ‘traditional’ elements here. Verdict: I think this is much more toady than the actual Toad scent. There’s a wet, swampy, ready scent which evokes ponds and pondweed, there is something very amphibian about this scent, a mix of muddy reeds and water lilies, lilypads and a hint of decay, something evocative of the damp greenish-yellow-brown colour of toad or frog skin. And yet there’s also the dapper, gentlemanly scent of polished wooden floors and furniture and linen and a touch of cologne, with a hint of tobacco which is less sweet and sticky than Toad. So it’s very fitting to the theme, but a little too masculine at times, especially at drydown when the tobacco note goes all burnt-smelling on me. I’m glad I tried it though. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Probably not.

Independent In the imp: 7Up. Yes. This smells just like 7Up or Sprite. Fizzy limeade. Wet on skin: fresh lime! Lime overload! Dry: fresh fizzy lime and soda water. This is probably the most lime-y BPAL ever! it smells like a blend of lime Jelly Babies and Sprite. It’s bright, zingy and effervescent-very, very effervescent. That’s because it also smells like Perrier. You know how sparkling water has that odd sharp taste? That’s what it smells like…incredibly carbonated. It also smells a bit like champagne. Though it seems to veer away from fizzy drinks (alcoholic and non) to another type of fizz, that of an aspirin. Hmm. After a while: now it seems to be a contradictory mix of fizzy aspirin and a cocktail! It’s lost that initial sweetish lime scent from before but does have something vaguely citrus-like. I do smell a lot of gin though, the martini gin scent from 21. Or maybe Swank without the pomegranate. It’s boozy and clear, but also refreshing, and also oddly chalky. Strange combination. The drydown of this is a kind of cleaning fluid smell. Not like the rankness that Pruno turned on me, this is cleaner and shinier. But I like my citrus smells to smell like fruit (or even drinks), not bathroom cleaner! Verdict: this one is interesting-first it smells just like a well known brand of fizzy lemonade or like sparkling mineral water. I quite like that. There’s a nice lime scent to it too. But then the scent goes into a strange aspirin stage and then turns to gin, and then goes soapy. I really liked the bright, bubbly, sometimes champagne-ish scent I got at first but I’m not keen on the drydown. So this is not my sort of scent overall. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Not really. If you like this, try: Te Po, Blue Fire, The Hamptons, Swank

Spawn of the She Demon In the imp: sweet red musk, very similar to Smut, but sweeter. Wet on skin: red musk, and now I smell drier tea and black musk, and a little mango. Dry: red musk and tea! This is an intriguing but very endearing blend. The musks are dominant, sexy smutty red deepened with darker sweeter black. The tea note is dry, a little grassy, but is definitely rooibos-it reminds me of a rooibos vanilla tea I love drinking. The mango is also there, not as ripe and sweetly juicy as usual, this is a sharper, less ripe mango. The red musk reminds me of Smut, Snake Oil and Marianne. It does remind me fleetingly of the Dodo but not in a bad way-it lacks the dry, overbearing cassia. I’d say this is closer to Corazon, without the sage. After a while: this then turns into a lovely scent of contrasts. On the one hand there’s the bright, tart, intriguingly dry scent of the rooibos tea, and then there’s the rich, deep, dark, vanilla-tinged sexiness of the musks. These two layers contrast but don’t clash. They seem to fit really well together-the fruity tea lifting the deep musks, the musks adding a sensual, dirty-sweet aspect to the tea. It’s the musk that wafts though, all around I get clouds of sweet sexy red musk but close to the wrist, it’s mango tea. Verdict: this and Reindeer are my favourites of the recent DD scents. this is full of that wonderful red musk that Beth does so well, and it’s the sweet, almost vanilla-y red musk that I love. The dry and warm scent of the tea goes well with the vanilla-ish scent in the musk, and the mango is really gorgeous. I wasn’t keen on the Dodo, I liked Corazon, but this is even better than those two. I love what this does at drydown, when the musk really wafts and shows off, mingling nicely with the scent of mango tea. I generally love it when red musk and fruit are combined, and this is a perfect example. I’m glad I managed to get a bottle of this sexy scent! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes! If you like this, try: Smut, The Dodo, Corazon (if you can get it!), Mme Moriarty

That! The Terror From Over There! In the imp: sharp kiwi and crisp greens. Not as bitter as other stem/grass greens. Wet on skin: a blend of green notes ranging from grass to mint to lime! Along with kiwi and a hint of spice (wasabi?) Dry: this smells very citrus-y on me, actually, a bitter green citrus like unripe grapefruit (or yuzu) blended with bergamot and lime. It’s bright and zingy! Underneath it I smell cut stems and grasses. This is the questionable side of the ‘greens’, this could turn soapy but for now it behaves. The scent also tingles coolly on the skin, which to me indicates the presence of mint. there’s also some ginger. I’m not sure what wasabi smells like so maybe it’s that, or there’s also some ginger? It reminds me of a bitter, greener version of Hungry Ghost Moon actually. The kiwi in here is not sweet, it is a sharp scent. I also smell something reminiscent of 51 and Pollution, I think this is green musk. After a while: hmm, interesting. This has gone all sweet and floral! More floral than sweet, I must say. Like wet wildflowers, wet from rain or dew, among thick grasses. The citrus and mint, as well as the gingery spice, have calmed, the kiwi, fresh crisp musk, and floral-green notes remain. It does seem to veer into almost soapy territory now, and reminds me of Green Phoenix, but this one’s a little bit nicer than GP. But then the scent moves between pleasant green musk and soap and I’m not sure what to make of it. Verdict: I liked this quite a bit at first, it smelt like a bright, vivid green mixture, almost a luminous or unearthly green at times, but with plant-like notes too like leaves and stems, as well as mint, and citrus (quite a lot of it) and also the kiwi and wasabi. The drydown was a little disappointing and it turned a bit soapy-flowery, and developed a not so pleasant bitterness. From trying Nostrum Remedium, I think it is the wasabi doing the soap thing, and that this note doesn’t like me much. Shame really, because I love the name and saying it loud, in a kind of cheesy-horror movie style manner! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Not really. If you like this, try: 51, Green Phoenix, Envy, Pollution, Hungry Ghost Moon, Night Gaunt, Nostrum Remedium

Proserpina In vial: oh, this is pretty. It’s like Winter Maiden, but crisper and less sweet. On skin: oh, I love this. This has the same pomegranate note that Mme Moriarty has! And I love that! This is, however, a lot lighter and sharper, a lot crisper in feel, like a frozen pom. It doesn’t have the heavy musk and patch of Mme. The scent also now seems to have an icy, crystalline juniper note to it, as well as a backing of fresh clean flowers and a hint of something Winter Maiden-ish. For a while the pom-juniper reminds me of Swank, it’s a bit boozy, but this is so much better than Swank on me-it doesn’t have that fake-smelling sweetness to it. This is much more sophisticated. It smells perfumey, in the best way possible. Eventually this turns to a lovely Mme Moriarty-style tart pomegranate with cool, icy juniper on top and a hint of floral perfume. It’s a very wintry yet also quite classy pom scent. I really like this one as a skin scent, it’s the kind of scent I wanted Swank to be. The flowers also don’t go all soapy-in fact, they are so subtle, I hardly smell them, other than a hint of something snowy and perfumey (the flowers in here are more like the Macabray than Snow White, if I was to compare them). I may have to track down a little more of this one!

Crimson Christmas In the imp: I don’t smell resin, but I do smell red berries, something a bit pine-y, and smoke. Wet on skin: blood accord, holly berries, ozone, pine, a faint hint of mint, and some coal smoke. Dry: what a strange but intriguing mixture. The first thing I am reminded of is Tintagel. It reminds me of the mix of mulled wine, dragon’s blood, evergreen and berries in that scent. This though has a less dragon’s bloody note and more of a fruity-metallic blood accord. Also, this has a fresh scent which is partly from the peppermint, and partly from the snow, which in here, is a lot more ozone-y and pine-y, a tad more masculine and harsh, than the usual snow notes. More like Black Ice or Ice Prince, or maybe L’Inverno, and less like Snow White or Ice Queen or Skadi. And then there’s the smoke…it does have hints of vetiver, but also a dark dusty coal scent. I don’t get any resins, other than a little pine/fir sap. After a while: drat, this seems to do the same thing as Blood Moon 08. Instead of smelling like that lovely snow note, or resins, or berries, or candy canes, this winds up smelling of metallic ozone and soap! The blood is sharp and iron-y, like blood but also like steel blades, this scent does have a hint of something unsettling about it. But it’s the soap note that disappoints me most, as I don’t want soap in here! Verdict: this one was a little disappointing. I was hoping for mint sweets. Or resin. Or the snow note. But I get a weird scent which at times reminds me of Tintagel, and at other times of a colder version of Blood Moon 08 which I didn’t like. The cold, cutting ozone with it’s metal and blood does seem to fit in with the theme, it has a hint of that same violent vibe I got with Blood Moon, and in here it works with the concept, but I don’t like it on me. And it turns rather soapy on me at times, which isn’t good at all. So this one isn’t one for keeping, I’m afraid. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? No. If you like this, try: Blood Moon 08, Tintagel, Black Ice, Black Tower

Le Pere Fouettard In the imp: the same lovely sweet anise as Huesos, but with sweet waffle instead of orange cake. Wet on skin: whoa, here comes the leather, and it’s strong! Dry: leather with sweet liquorice whips and a gorgeous sweet waffle scent! I love the gaufrette note here, it smells like those thin wafer-waffles, and it’s one of those sweet notes that doesn’t cloy or turn funny on my skin. the anise note is very pleasant as well. the anise with the gourmand sweetness reminds me of Huesos, but this smells very different. The leather, for one thing, seems to be amping on me (it’s the De Sade leather), and I fear it’ll overwhelm the gorgeous gaufrette note! After a while: the sweetness of the waffles, that delicious cosy sugary warm scent, wafts beautifully. The anise is a little fainter. But close up, it’s all leather with a bit of sweetness. I’d rather this was gaufrette with a hint of leather, not the other way round. But that’s the nature of the ‘kinky whip’ leather note, it amps on me and goes a little burnt…though that’s enhanced by the coal dust. Verdict: I wish my skin didn’t amp the ‘whip’ leather note so much because the waffle note in here is so delectable! My skin seems to dislike a lot of foodies these days but this is one gourmand note that does work on me. It smells like waffles, or caramel wafers. Sweet and delicious, not cloying at all. I even like the liquorice note here. But sadly the leather completely takes over. I’m not as keen on this leather note because it smells a bit burnt and rubbery, very overpowering too. I prefer my leather notes to be bookish, not whippy. So this isn’t one I’ll wear much, despite the appealing sweetness. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Not really. If you like this, try: Huesos de Santo, Krampus, De Sade, Loviatar, Nanny Ashtoreth

Banana Peel in a Graveyard In the imp: yes, it smells like banana. And graveyard dirt. Wet on skin: bananas in the dirt. The banana note is sweet, but authentic. Dry: an odd but strangely appealing mix of sweet, soft banana (I smell a lot of the fruit as well as the peel) with earthy and mossy notes. the banana doesn’t smell fake at all, but it does smell a little overripe, like it is decomposing, but that seems to be fitting. It reminds me a bit of Manila, it’s got a humid, warm smell to it. The earthy, dirty notes here do remind me of other graveyard/Ars Moriendi type scents, but I find this dirt note to be different to Graveyard Dirt-to me it’s mossier, a little more decomposed/decayed. I think I smell some valerian in here, something a bit pungent, a little musky, a bit like mushy dead leaves. There may even be some kind of mushroom note here? It’s a bit more pungent as a dirt note than the usual wet soil. It’s more like compost, especially with the banana. After a while: once the banana fades, this now actually smells very much like Luperci! There’s none of the incense and honey notes, but the moss and dirt-and now a strong patchouli note-reminds me of Luperci. And Greed too. but with a hint of banana. The scent then becomes a patchouli-moss scent, the dirty darkness of the patch with the light green mossy powder on top. Verdict: this smells exactly like what it says it should. Bananas and graveyards. The banana note is a realistic one, both like the fruit and the peel, with a fitting feel of decay to it. the graveyard note is dirty, earthy, a tad stone-ish, but this is not as light and damp-soil as Graveyard Dirt, but a heavier and deeper note with a lot of decomposition to it, and a lot of Luperci-esque moss and patchouli as well. It works brilliantly as a conceptual scent and it’s very unique and original-how many other perfume companies have something that smells of dirt and bananas? It’s not something I’d wear as perfume though, but I’m glad I got to try it. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Not really. If you like this, try: Graveyard Dirt, Manila, Luperci, Greed, Zombi, Deep in Earth, Burial

In the imp: powerful mens cologne, alright. I smell anise in here as well. Wet on skin: whoa, pungent or what? Its strong musky manly cologne. Dry: very pungent mens cologne. The first thing Im reminded of is Toad. This is like Toad x10. Much stronger, more masculine, a little bit aggressive and unsettling. As for what I smell in this cologne? I smell honey/beeswax, anise, lots of tobacco, possibly some petitgrain or bergamot-one of the cologney citrus notes. Some ozone/clean linen as well. There are possibly some woods and herbs and flowers too. But theres also something very unpleasant too, that reminds me of, well, saliva? Or that bad breath/morning mouth smell. Its musk, but more animalistic than usual. Maybe there is some civet here too? And something reminiscent of something rotting, like rotting fruit. After a while: that unpleasant note, the civet-ish one, doesnt fade. It does linger, at times getting stronger, and it still has that saliva like smell to it. I really dont like it. I still smell rotting fruit too. However, by now I also smell smoke, almost like a tobacco smoke note. Before I could smell cigars and pipes, now they are being lit. it also now smells mossy and powdery, a bit sweet too. Verdict: I knew this wouldnt be my thingIm not so keen on the overly masculine aftershave-ish scents (though I do like unisex scents). This is very much a masculine mix of colognes and manly scents. I smell sharp, butch colognes and thick, heavy tobacco. But the thing that I find unsettling in this scent is the musky aspect. Normally I love musks, but this one here is really animalistic. Its like civet, or along those lines, and smells a little unclean and feral on me. I think this one will be passed on to someone else. Emoticon rating: style_emoticons/#EMO_DIR#/00000132.gif Is it a keeper? No. If you like this, try: Toad, Famine, Casanova, Vicomte de Valmont, Hellfire, Wilde, Black Annis

E Pluribus Unum In the imp: surprisingly lemony and candied for a floral scent! Wet on skin: beautiful bright flowers with lemony and herbal tones, and sweetness. Dry on skin: this is gorgeous! Really beautiful! it’s a glorious bouquet of flowers, mainly wildflowers, but I also smell some heady white blooms and roses in there as well. The scent is not all ‘floral’ though, I also smell herbal notes in here, almost like dry sage, I’m guessing scents of the states which have a desert climate, and also something resinous-yes, resinous-like pine sap or some kind of evergreen. And there’s something sweet, almost fruity. The best thing? No soapy, sharp, wilted or off floral notes in here-this, at least for now, works wonderfully. After a while: wow, this surprises me…in a good way. Because now it’s lost it’s herbs, sap and lemon, and smells very floral and blossomy…and yet, I smell no soap or overripe/rotting flowers at all! All I smell are bright, happy, dewy flowers, delicate spring blooms and wildflowers, with hints of grassiness and herbs. There’s something almost like melon to it as well, a juicy sweetness. The scent then turns into the sort of thing I wished every wildflower and blossom scent smelt like…fresh dewy petals, tinged with cool morning air, and totally undamaged by errant skin chemistry. Verdict: this is for wildflowers and ‘uber-floral’ scents what Dog Days is to grass scents, ie, this is what I wished all floral blends could smell like on me! It’s a wonderful and harmonious blend of fresh bright blossoms all mingling together so beautifully, with hints of stronger flowers like roses and tropical blooms and a tinge of fruitiness (like lemon) and some greener herbal/sap notes to make this a little more interesting than just a floral scent. The drydown is wildflower perfection-like a field of fragrant blooms covered with dew. Stunning and delightful, and a very cheerful scent too. This is the floral scent that all other flower scents wish they could be…many notes that blend into one perfect scent: dare I say this is a ‘united scent of America’? Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes! If you like this, try: Flower Moon, La Primavera, Al Araaf, Prague, Fairy Market

Nowhere in Particular In the imp: that autumn leaves scent which smells like cologne. A bit of pine too. Wet on skin: soap? Noooo! Dry on skin: soapy cologne and men’s aftershave! With a dash of washing powder. This is unbelievable heartbreak. But this really does smell bad on me. actually, this doesn’t just smell of generic fresh perfume, but of bathroom cleaner! Either Mr Muscle, or Viakal. Something I’d use to get rid of limescale, not as perfume. Where’s my moonlit night air and dewy apples? I smell nothing like it except a vague whiff of October-ish autumn leaves macerating in aftershave. It also reminds me of the scent of bathroomy apples that was Pruno, except without the ketchup. After a while: the bathroom cleaner scent has faded, thankfully, but what I’m left with isn’t much better. It’s the apple scent that I disliked in Snow Glass Apples. That apple note turned overripe and banana-ish, and reminded me of how some plum blossom scents smell on my skin, and I smell that here too. A weird mushy overripe floral with bad apples. Verdict: I had such high hopes for this. The description was vague yet so beautiful. I love scents evocative of the night, or night air, and the idea of a scent inspired by dusty night breezes in a moonlit orchard seemed so intriguing, so poetic. And I generally get on so well with Beth’s night air scents. But this scent let me down in a big way. dare I say my skin turned this scent to epic fail? It smelt of all the things I dislike most-soap, harsh ozone, bathroom cleaner, men’s cologne, artificial apples and rotting flowers. I think it’s the apples and a particular ‘autumn leaves’ accord in here that made this turn bad on me. needless to say it’s not a keeper at all! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? No. If you like this, try: October, Harvest Moon 07, Snow Glass Apples, La Vita Nuova

Metal Phoenix In the imp: sweet and very pleasant white carnation! No metal so far. Wet on skin: a little bit of metal now, but this is actually incredibly pretty. Dry on skin: this is what I wished Kataniya and Torture Queen could have smelt like! This smells predominantly like white carnation, but with a delicate sweetness to it which is almost fluffy, and I’m tempted to say marshmallow-like. Is this rose mallow? I do get sharpness from both metal and verbena, but the metal notes in here are not as harsh or grating as I expected, and not as ‘generic men’s perfume’ either. The honeysuckle note is also behaving nicely. It actually reminds me of the Blockhead, but lighter, gentler. I’d say the metal note here was like the ones in Magi or Robotic Scarab, the more pleasant, unobtrusive metal notes that don’t turn to sporty cologne. After a while: this still stays surprisingly lovely. It’s still heavy on that delightful carnation, which now has sweetness to it, almost like Morocco. I wasn’t expecting this to smell like a metallic Morocco, but it does, in a way. It’s the same sweet carnation and musky scent, but with the sharper edge of metal (and this metal is, again, not too bad!) I think the mallow may be adding more sweetness to it too. The scent then winds up smelling like the most gorgeous sweet powdery white musk with a hint of floral. Of all the Phoenixes, this scent showcases the Chinese musk most…I can recognise it here, it smells just like the musk in Queen Mab (a favourite of mine). Verdict: I wasn’t expecting to like, yet along love, this phoenix. Metal notes? No thanks. Honeysuckle? That’s a soapy culprit. But against all odds, this is wonderful on me! The carnation is surprisingly strong, and that’s a good thing. It adds warmth to this scent, a bit of sweetness too, which helps to stop the metal notes from overpowering, but even they are very agreeable in this scent. The musk is also gorgeous in here, it’s a soft sweetish white musk scent, a skin scent, a little bit powdery in a nice way, and it goes nicely with that flush of carnation and the white metal notes. This in all is a lovely pale musk and carnation scent given a fresh, zingy feel by the metal and verbena. It’s a bright, clean (but not soapy) scent that I feel is perfect for the transition between winter and spring, because of the blend of cold white notes, with the rich warm flowers. An unexpected winner in this year’s phoenix series! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? I may have to cave in and get a bottle of this! If you like this, try: Blockhead, Kataniya, Torture Queen, Pink Moon 07, Queen Mab

I can't remember where I heard this but someone mentioned baking soda? I haven't tried it though...I'm very curious as to what will get rid of the smell of the extra clingy vetiver notes!