PurringPulsar

Parthenope In the imp: mossy wet flowers, smells like a cross between Roux Ga Roux and Banded Sea Snake. Wet on skin: mossy flowers…and it seems the honeysuckle and jasmine aren’t turning bad so far! Dry on skin: mmm, this is very pretty! It smells primarily of moss and honeysuckle with jasmine, which is veering on smelling bitter but thankfully isn’t smelling too bitter, this is actually quite nice. It reminds me primarily of Roux Ga Roux, the mossy scent is very similar, like a thick green Spanish moss scent, a damp moss boosted by the gentler, more powdery oak moss. Amazingly the flowers aren’t soaping on me as they normally do. The scent seems to quickly lose that bitterness and turns to a powdery mossy sweet floral. After a while: whoa, this scent has throw! And the floral notes still haven’t turned bad on me, yay! Now this smells like a sophisticated powdery moss-musk scent, like a kind of moss scented dusting powder, with hints of soft sweet flowers. It smells like what I wanted Tupapau to smell like. I think I now smell a hint of sweet benzoin here. It’s not as wet as it was before, but the scent brings to mind a pale greyish green colour like that of oxidised bronze, or like the green of Parthenope’s skin in the picture. The drydown is not too different, still that powdery green moss and soft musk scent with a hint of gentle flowers and even a hint of resinous benzoin, which is doing really lovely things here, like it did in Thalassa. This isn’t too aquatic, but at times it hints at it. Verdict: another Grindhouse scent containing jasmine that I can wear! She’s not as instantly loveable as Daiyu but this scent is so intriguing and wonderful in the way that it contains jasmine and honeysuckle, hints at aquatic, and actually works on me very well…so rare is this occurrence, I wound up buying a bottle. this is moss, musk, and a hint of floral. it’s almost swampy in a Roux Ga Roux way, but much too soft to be considered truly swampy, this scent is a soft powdery green scent, like green skin musk with hints of benzoin and jasmine. Almost like Thalassa’s quieter sister. It’s gorgeous but because of the fact that there are times when this turns to extreme powder on me, I have to be in the right mood to wear it. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes. If you like this, try: Roux Ga Roux, Thalassa, Banded Sea Snake, Eos, Tupapau

L’Autunno bath oil In bottle: molasses! This smells of cinnamon and treacle. Very caramelised. On skin: I applied this to skin after showering, and I like it a lot! On first, it smells like cinnamon sugar and molasses with a nutty undertone. Not sure why I smell nuts here, but there’s definitely an almond/hazelnut thing going on, which reminds me a bit of Ventriloquist’s Dummy. I also smell cedar, a lovely woodsy scent mingling with dark smoky patchouli. Something in here is going beautifully smoky, like a subtle hint of bonfire wafting over the spicy sweetness. I fear this will turn too caramelised/treacly over time. But thankfully it doesn’t…in fact, this gets even nicer at drydown. It’s all cinnamon and brown sugar (very similar to El Dia de Reyes, without coffee) with an undertone of cedar and patchouli, a gorgeous smoky note wafts over it all. I also smell a lot of myrrh at this point, it’s the myrrh that smells just like the resin, and has a slightly musky/golden feel to it. There’s also a similarity to Devil’s Night by now, and I love DN so this makes me very happy. This, after L’Estate, is my favourite of the bath oils. Spicy, earthy, woodsy and smoky, it’s another gorgeous autumn scent that will layer very well with many of the Halloween LE scents.

L’Inverno bath oil In bottle: a chilly champagne/white wine scent with a hint of something soapy and clean. On skin: I applied this to skin after showering, once on the skin, the floral notes bloom. I can smell white lily and jasmine now. The citrus notes of citron and sparkling grapefruit also show up. the grapefruit is chilly and effervescent, giving an impression of champagne here. I can also smell the fir, which gives the scent a cold evergreen touch. This is quite different to the perfume, which had a definite snow note to it, this lacks the snow note, but has a different kind of icy tone to it. the scent is very clean in tone, almost soapy. At one point it resembles Spiked Punch, which I disliked, and goes all sharp and almost smells like toilet cleaner. This stage is thankfully short lived. The scent then turns into a pleasant soft floral with white musk and cold fir. Almost like flowers covered in frost, delicate beauty with a piercing sharpness, like shards of ice. But ultimately, this scent isn’t for me, as it returns to that sharp soapiness a bit later. Not my thing, I’m afraid.

La Primavera bath oil In bottle: tuberose and plum blossom. On skin: this is very pretty! The tuberose is dominant, followed closely by the plum blossom and the rose. The PB in here is different to the one in the perfume, in that it’s not the Hanami-like one, but the one that is in Earth Rat and Peony Moon etc. This PB usually turns bad on me but in here it’s behaving, maybe because it is not as concentrated. I can smell hints of violet and orange, a little bit of sweetness from the sugar cane, a touch of green from the dandelion, and underneath there’s a rich white gardenia note. but this scent is dominated by the florals. And it’s very pretty. Though sadly over time, the PB note does gradually turn on me. not turning downright bad on me, like it usually does, but smelling a tiny bit cloying and wilted, and overwhelming the other flowers. I can smell traces of rose, and still a decent amount of tuberose, but the plum blossom is a little too much for me-even if I were to use this in the bath. I much prefer the more crystalline-smelling PB in the perfume, and the scent of the spray.

L’Estate bath oil In bottle: beautiful peachy amber with something almost lemony or tea like. On skin: this notoriously leaky oil has scented my whole house with the most wonderful mix of peach, amber, beeswax and carnation for some time now. And now I try it on my skin…and it is just as gorgeous! I’m a bit surprised at the strong lemony-herbal note I get on my skin-is that honey myrtle? It’s nice though, smells a bit like bergamot, a tea scent even. And then I realise that I am smelling cardamom, and I love that note. Underneath that I smell sweet peach, sweet vanilla, glowing amber and the most delicious beeswax. Over time the cardamom and bergamot-like note calm down and the scent gets even better…now I smell the rich vanilla and amber, and more of that glorious beeswax. This scent really does glow off the skin, it is warm and luxurious and also mellow, evocative of that golden hour before sunset when the air is balmy and the gold light of the evening sun shines beautifully over everything, a blissful time encapsulated in scent. This is a beautiful bath oil which I could gladly use as a bath scent or after-bath moisturiser. I’m glad I have two bottles.

Daiyu In the imp: like a chilled acai and green tea infusion. Wet on skin: acai and tea! This smells like the berry in Australian Copperhead, but sharper and purer. Dry on skin: now I smell the jasmine, and it’s a nice jasmine like the one in BiggerCritters, which is heady and strong but not bitter and acrid. The scent is mostly jasmine and acai now, with just a hint of tea. This is such a pretty fruity floral! the berry is sweet and bright with hints of apple, pomegranate and currant, the jasmine is rich and flowery, the tea adds it’s green tanginess, the white musk binds everything together. I don’t smell any chrysanthemum. After a while: this gets even nicer! The jasmine here is so pretty, not sharp at all, just how I like my jasmine to smell. It’s also sweet, or is that the berry? It smells like softly sugared berries and jasmine, but also like a cool refreshing drink made from tea and berries. I think it reminds me of an iced green tea from Whittards, which is berry flavoured. There’s a pomegranate-like feel to the fruitiness here (it reminds me of Flower Song at times), but a little bit lighter. This doesn’t smell like it, but there’s a similar feel here to Cheshire Cat and Xanthe, that mix of fruit and floral and gentle white sugar. The scent then fades into a lovely berry-tea scent, sweet and pink with a touch of tartness from the tea. It still has that ‘iced fruit tea’ scent, I still get that pomegranate like note, and also some cherry blossom at times. I could see myself wearing this a lot in summer. Verdict: this scent really took me by surprise-a jasmine scent I can wear! I love the smell of jasmine flowers but very few BPAL jasmines work on me-this one does. This is jasmine-heavy, but it’s such a lovely jasmine note, I fell for it immediately. The scent overall is a fresh fruity floral. the acai note is crisp and sweet, a berry with a hint of pomegranate. I don’t smell much chrysanthemum, but the tea adds to the tangy freshness, it’s almost like a fruity chilled tea drink. The jasmine adds it’s heady floral to the delicate fruit notes but doesn’t weigh it down. This scent smells cool, refreshing, and delightful. I wasn’t expecting to love this so much but this one is a big hit-one of the best BPAL jasmine scents. Perfect for warm, sultry summer evenings. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? I think I need a bottle. If you like this, try: Australian Copperhead, MB BiggerCritters, Xanthe, Cheshire Cat, Flower Song, Spell of Amourous Love

Faeu Boulanger In the imp: fresh mint and something almost reminiscent of cucumber! Wet on skin: lime? I swear I smell lime here…or something citrus-y. now this smells a bit aquatic. Dry on skin: ooh, this is very pretty indeed! This smells like a soft minty mist mixed with a hint of something like wet autumn leaves and dewy greenery, and a touch of citrus and ozone (gentle watery airy ozone, nothing stormy here) too. This scent really does evoke mist and dew. It smells wet, cool and humid, amazingly evocative of a cold dewy misty morning. The violet isn’t very strong for now. There’s something almost reminiscent of one of the ice notes Beth uses, the one that smells a bit like cucumber and sugary evergreen notes, except this lacks the sweet evergreens and the frozen feeling-this just feels cool and wet. After a while: the mint and wet cucumber-y smell does tone down and the violet becomes a bit more apparent. This bog violet note is very different to other BPAL violets, not sweet or dusty-powdery, I’d say this is more like the violet in Crow Moon or City in the Sea. All around this violet note, I smell soft airy ozone. The scent then develops a strange waxy white petal scent, something I usually get in scents with certain lilies or sweet pea, but those notes are not listed. The ozone also starts to go a bit ‘tumble dried’ on me, which I’m not keen on. Verdict: this was so gorgeous when freshly applied. Mint and mist! Ethereal and delicate wisps of wet, cool vapour with greenery, dew, violet and citrus with the extra freshness of mint and cucumber. No mushrooms. It was pretty much a spot-on mist scent and I was in love. But sadly, this stage was short-lived. Then it turned into a generic violet-y soapy floral with squeaky-clean ozone. Bah. I wanted bottled fog! I loved the start of this scent and thought it was a shame that it turned slightly disappointing at drydown. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Sadly no, despite the lovely first stage. If you like this, try: Roux Ga Roux, City in the Sea, Crow Moon, Sea of Glass, Dian’s Bud, Squirting Cucumber

Sir Hugh Ockram’s Winding Sheet In the imp: I can smell something green and herbal which must be the hyssop, and sandalwood. Wet on skin: now I smell clean linen and dust. Dry on skin: a clean, lightly floral-white musky scent of clean white linen. And yet, this clean smell is very old-smelling too. Like linen that’s been clean, but also dust-covered and eaten by moths. It smells aged, yet also fresh. Interesting contradictions here. I also smell the dust note which is so realistic, I’m surprised I’m not sneezing yet. The sandalwood enhances the dryness of the scent and the hyssop adds a hint of dry herbal to it all. The linen reminds me of Dirty, and I’d be inclined to call this one Dusty because of it’s old dust-covered feel. After a while: there’s a moment when this veers dangerously close to smelling weird, developing a sourness which is a bit funky on me. but then the scent turns into a really lovely sandalwood-linen-floral scent which, unsurprisingly, reminds me strongly of Shroud. The linen note here is much more pronounced whilst in Shroud it was just hinted at, and Shroud had a smoky note which this lacks. But the sandalwood is lovely now, a little bit spicy as well. Verdict: an intriguing scent. it smells of laundered linen, but with a coating of dust. Like a decades-old tablecloth with a vase of flowers on top, that hasn’t been cleaned or dusted for many, many years. Old and worn, but oddly clean, almost soapy, too. It’s almost like Shroud, but even more cloth-like. There are moments when the scent turns strange and sour, and I’m not so keen on that. But other than that, this is a pleasant linen fragrance-not sure if it’s me, but it’s unusual enough to warrant keeping the decant. I do prefer Shroud though, when it comes to ‘cloth’ scents. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? The decant, but not bottle-worthy. If you like this, try: Shroud, Zephyr, Veil, Dirty, Eshe

The Maltese Cross of Sanctus Germanus In the imp: blood orange and amber! ohh, I love those notes… Wet on skin: oh no, lilac, please don’t ruin this amber-orange, please… Dry on skin: it seems the glorious amber and orange aren’t letting the lilac ruin this. This is predominantly amber and orange, which I adore. Blood orange is one of my favourite orange notes and this shows it off to the full. And of course lots of amber makes everything good. I can also smell the ambergris, and maybe a hint of frankincense. The lilac is lingering, it smells a tiny bit bitter, and I fear it will jump in and smell wilted as it sometimes does, and I hope it doesn’t because the golden citrus-resin scent, reminiscent of Three Gorgons, is wonderful. After a while: it seems this scent is going faint on me, sadly. Though when I smell it close up, the amber (and ambergris), orange and lilac are the most obvious notes. This reminds me slightly of Bruja, only not as sweet or heavily resinous. The amber-orange combination is still as lovely as ever, and the blood orange now reminds me of Kunstkammer. The ambergris has added a slightly salty skin-scent to the amber which is lovely. But that lilac note…it seems to be turning wilted, which I really hoped wouldn’t happen in a blend so full of resins and bold citrus. The amber is desperate to shine, as is the orange, but the pesky lilac in here seems to get in the way. it’s the only note that’s preventing this scent from being complete love on me. however I absolutely adore what this turns into after a few hours. A golden scent of amber and ambergris, rich and resinous and edged with hints of frankincense and orange. Verdict: this was another lilac-y CD I wanted to love-I mean, it has gorgeous golden resinous notes in it, and my favourite citrus note, blood orange! And I could smell the incense and the orange and the amber in the bottle…but once on skin, lilac suddenly goes mad on me! And it’s not a nice, discreet lilac, but the kind that smells bitter, acrid and wilted. It keeps itself restrained for a little but then it almost ruins the scent-though not quite, not with all that wonderful resin and juicy orange in here. Only after a few hours wear does this become the perfect citrus-resin. But sadly, the lilac means that this isn’t one I’m jumping for joy over. I may have to retest my decant to see if the resins get stronger with age, or I’ll have to stick to Three Gorgons for my orange-amber fix. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Maybe... If you like this, try: Three Gorgons, Haunted Palace, Kunstkammer, Ecstasy of St Theresa, Lucy Westenra

Ashultum In the imp: a gorgeous rich jasmine/gardenia like floral. this is beautiful and tropical-scented. Wet on skin: lilac and a white jasmine-like floral. The lilac is turning a little bitter now. Dry on skin: I don’t know what to make of this. The lilac note is really harsh and piercing and bitter for now, like it was in White Moon. But underneath I smell hints of vanilla and coconut and musk, a bit of smoky tobacco as well. I also smell a white floral, which, when mixed with the coconut and vanilla, reminds me of Tiki Queen. I’ll see what the lilac does and then make my mind up. After a while: ah, that’s better. The lilac has toned down a bit (still lingers though) and now the sweet white floral musk scent is much more apparent. Is this mysterious floral Babylonian musk? If so, I want to see more blends with it. I can also smell the coconut note, which is gorgeous and reminiscent of Eden. The vanilla note doesn’t smell tea-like to me but it smells wonderful, probably enhanced by the tonka. There’s a wonderful summery ‘beachy floral’ scent to this, exotic and fresh, but not as heavy as other ‘island flower’ scents. It actually smells like a variety of jasmine, or like how I wish most jasmine scents could smell on me. The scent eventually loses that lilac sharpness and turns completely into that wonderful white floral scent edged with coconut. It smells like a cousin to Black Pearl, a similar pale musk, coconut and floral combination. The scent then turns into a much more floral scent, losing that rich vanilla-coconut and becoming more lilac-centred, a tiny bit powdery, though the lilac now is a lot nicer than it was at the start. Verdict: I really wanted to love this scent but I’m still not sure about it. I will need to retest my decant (now aged) because I really love the white floral, sensual musk and tropical coconut aspects of this scent, almost like a sister scent to Tiki Queen, a sultry exotic floral goddess scent. but then there’s the lilac. A tricky note. especially this lilac, which goes all harsh, screamy, piercing and brash on me, before going wilted-smelling. It stays like that for about an hour before becoming more tolerable as a floral-musky-coconut scent. I really love that feminine, summery floral scent, but the lilac seems to get in the way. will need to try this one again-I don’t want to give up on it. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Not sure. I want to love it, despite the lilac. If you like this, try: Tiki Queen, White Moon, Night Thoughts, Upa Upa, Black Pearl

Pickled Imp In the imp: smells like Christmas! Pine and cinnamon and vanilla sweetness. Wet on skin: now the clove comes out! So now it smells of spiced pine and festive cookies. Dry on skin: oh, this smells like the perfect Yule blend I’ve always wanted the Lab to make. Cinnamon and clove and pine trees, with vanilla to evoke delicious festive baked treats. The spice mix is very, very similar to Three Witches (the original), with the clove mingling nicely with cinnamon, and with creamy chai nuances to it. The pine note is fantastic-it smells a bit like Christmas tree but it also smells resinous, which I adore. I smell all the notes here in equal measure. After a while: the pine does fade a bit, but what I’m left with is the perfect spicy vanilla chai scent. it reminds me of Sugar Cookie 04, but this is much nicer (SC04 now turns a bit sour on me and this doesn’t). it also has amazing throw and I get little wafts of cinnamon and vanilla every now and then. The vanilla vaguely reminds me of Love’s Philosophy in it’s creaminess, but without the plastic undertone, and with the spices adding warmth and interestingness to it. this is the ultimate comfort scent, perfect for rainy days in front of the TV, perfect for the cold winter months. The drydown is a slightly smokier clove with that lovely creamy vanilla and cinnamon. Mmm, this is really lovely. Verdict: this is wonderful! It reminds me of the original Three Witches, but with more creamy sweetness, and with a delightful hint of pine. The just-dry stage is like bottled Christmas to me, all festive pine and spices and comforting sweetness, I could see myself wearing this a lot come December. It’s like the Yule scent of my dreams! The drydown is less pine-y and smells more like a cup of vanilla chai with a swirl of whipped cream on top and an extra dusting of spice-just as delicious as the wet stage, in a different way. this is such a cosy, warming, fun scent, and the perfect blend of sweetness and spice. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes-and I got a backup…maybe I need another backup. If you like this, try: Three Witches, Eclipse, Plunder, Bengal, Chimera

The Illustrated Woman In the imp: sweet rich pine. Wet on skin: pine and patchouli and some spice too…this is a gorgeous resinous pine. Dry on skin: mmm, this is really good! It’s dark green pine needles, but now I can smell vanilla, patchouli, tobacco, maybe some resins too, lots of smoky and spicy notes swirling around the pine. It’s wonderful and unusual, and the pine has that needle-y aspect to it which I love (not like pine cleaner at all!) I also smell hints of honey and pale musk peeping out of the dark earthy smokiness. After a while: now it’s melded into something I’m not quite sure about. It smells nice, but something isn’t quite right…it doesn’t seem as complex and sweet as before. The vanilla has vanished, and there’s something vaguely medicinal to the scent? The pine isn’t as sappy as I hoped it would be, and now it smells a tiny bit greener. I’m not sure if the tobacco here suits me much, it’s starting to go a little bit burnt on me like the Black Lace tobacco did (though it’s a little bit milder here). I do love the hint of something resinous here though. Ah, now I get what’s going on. It seems my skin is eating all the other notes now, save for the patch and tobacco. There is a nice Luperci-like thing going on with the patch and honey and evergreen notes and resins, but it’s also very faint, save for a touch of smokiness which seems a little bit more masculine than expected. I’m undecided about this now…it looks like it has potential, but I’m not sure if it’s me yet. It’s not sitting right on my skin but it doesn’t smell bad either. It does, however, remind me of Devil’s Night at times. I do wish it were sweeter though. Where’s that vanilla gone? Verdict: I think I need to retry this…though this is a lovely scent, it’s not the ‘wow’ scent I was expecting. It smells a little bit like Hexxennacht on me but I prefer Hex. It starts off nicely with a mix of pine and vanilla and honey and spicy tobacco, but then it turns a bit flat and the sweeter notes seem to fade off, the smell overall goes a little bit masculine and burnt on me. it’s not bad and I think it has potential but on me it seems to be missing something. It’s a shame because I really wanted to love the Shelldoo scent! I have a decant of this which is a few months old, and will need to retest to see if age has worked wonders. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Maybe… If you like this, try: Hexxenacht (any), Capricorn 07, Stranger In Camp, Luperci, Goblin Rider

Marguerite In the imp: a very sharp wet floral. This does not bode well for me. Wet on skin: cherries? Why on earth do I smell cherry in here? It smells of bitter cherry cough syrup and sharp soapy flowers. Dry on skin: a weird mix of pleasant notes (the geranium here is lovely, as is the rose) and very unpleasant sharp acrid flowers and cherry Strepsils, and oddly, something almost like dragon’s blood or vetiver. This is not working for me at all. The notes seem to be at odds with each other. I think it’s either the palmarosa or ylang-ylang, or maybe the gardenia…actually I think this is the gardenia at work, sometimes it works, but when that note goes wrong, it goes very wrong indeed. It’s a shame because I really, really love the geranium here. After a while: the sharpness does go and the scent then turns to a fruity, but slightly overripe, floral scent. the geranium is a lot stronger and the rose reminds me of Two Five and Seven, but the gardenia has a hint of fermented banana to it which I’m not keen on. But I really like the scent after about 3 hours. By then it smells like sugared roses with undertones of geranium and a hint of myrrh, as well as white gardenia. It reminds me of 2 5 and 7 meets Victoria. It’s very pretty. There’s a violet-iris like feel to the powdery paleness that covers the rich rosy scent in here. At times it smells almost like there’s a hint of honey or musk to it as well. Verdict: at first I didn’t like this at all-it was a screaming floral with harsh chemical/medicinal tones to it. no roses, but lots of acrid white floral notes and a strange cherry note. it was really messy on my skin, clashing and soapy, despite hints of geranium. However, at drydown, it changes character completely, and becomes very pretty indeed-a fruity, white-musky rose with geranium and gardenia with a bit of iris and honey. I really liked that drydown, but I don’t think it’s worth me waiting through an hour or two of floral doom to get to that stage, so I swapped/sold off my decant. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? No. If you like this, try: Madame Tracy, Gwyneth, Two Five and Seven, Victoria, Hope, Monna Vanna

Gwyneth In the imp: rose and orchid. Very, very similar to Magdalene. Wet on skin: I smell warm green sage now, and a touch of lily and sweet musk. Dry on skin: this is very pretty and it reminds me of the Atrocious Attic. The rose and lily combo remind me of that. The lily isn’t a sharp soapy one for now. The orchid is very strong, a white fresh orchid as opposed to a sweeter black orchid. I can’t smell coconut or tonka yet but I do smell the skin musk and the greenness of sage. This is a feminine and rich floral scent-for now it is behaving and I hope the orchid doesn’t turn weird on me. After a while: thankfully the orchid and lily are not turning weird on me. the scent is still pleasant, though not as rose-rich or complex as before…it’s a bit flat and sharp, but not bad. I do wish it was sweeter though. I am not getting any coconut or tonka here, not even that much musk, just the floral notes. It reminds me of the Heroine scent, Ahbisharika (I spelt that wrong, I know) but not as musky. Eventually though the orchid turns sharp and soapy and the scent fades away too fast by then. Verdict: this is pretty, but it didn’t wow me in the way other rose scents can. I think it’s because the drydown went all soapy and bland and I wasn’t so keen on it. but the wet stage is very pleasant. It’s a sweet rose-lily with a lot of orchid, a womanly scent, a full bodied floral. if it had stayed like that, it would have been nice. But sadly this stage is short-lived, and the orchid isn’t the one that likes my skin, but one that turns bad on me after a while. Nice, but not a favourite. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? No. If you like this, try: Magdalene, Atrocious Attic, Gemini 07, Oberon, Abisharika

The Two Headed Goat In the imp: spicy masculine dark musk cologne. Wet on skin: petitgrain really pops out now, that’s where the cologne note comes from. Dry on skin: spicy orange blossom and musk. This smells just like the smell of crushing a leaf from an orange tree, mixed with a spicy sharpness, and an undertone of dark sweet musk. The overall smell is like cologne, sharp and tangy and quite manly, with a touch of moss. It’s a little too sharp for now but the scent is really interesting. I do get a hint of Schwarzer Mond, but that’s just from the musky pimento…it doesn’t have the resins from that scent. After a while: the sharp pimento and cologne have calmed dramatically. Now the musk, moss and birch are dominant. The dark musk is the sweet, slick and oily type, the moss adds a hint of powdery-dusty greenness, I think I smell a hint of birch tar as well, smoky and woodsy. It reminds me slightly of Luperci’s musk-moss mix, but without patchouli and beeswax. There’s a stage when the musk here goes all amber-vanilla and it smells wonderful and wafts like crazy, but it’s fleeting. The drydown after that is dominated by the moss, a soft green powder with the remains of the musk lingering. Verdict: this was an interesting one. It started out as smelling very masculine on me, like a classy cologne, lots of petitgrain and dark, manly musk. It’s also got an orange blossomy smell to it, tangy and bright, but with that sweet dark musk underneath and a bit of pimento spice. The drydown is a lot nicer-when the cologne calms and smells a bit like a sibling to Luperci, thanks to the moss. It’s a pleasant scent but ultimately too much of a man scent for me to pull off. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Not really. If you like this, try: Omen, Dance of Death, Luperci, Greed, Titus Andronicus

Bezoar In the imp: it smells a bit medicinal, a bit like ho-wood…is that the hiba wood? I also smell cardamom. Wet on skin: oh, this gets better! Now a vanilla-benzoin sweetness pops out! Dry on skin: mmm, this smells really gorgeous! It reminds me of something, but I can’t say exactly what, but I think it reminds me of an incense or herbal blend of some kind. It smells of benzoin-like balsam with a soft vanilla aspect, which I think is the tolu or copaiba balsam. Ah, now I know what those mysterious balsams smell like. The hiba adds a slightly medicinal twist, whilst the hay adds a gorgeous golden dryness. The cardamom completes the scent with it’s warm, aromatic spice. After a while: ah, now I know what this reminds me of. Ages ago I went to Brighton, visited a wonderful new age/pagan bookshop, and bought a room scent oil, I think it had an Egyptian name but I can’t remember what. I still have it…and this smells very similar, if not better! The warm, round sweetness of this scent gets even more pronounced, the woodsy scent fades but I also smell more of that wonderful hay note. It really does smell like straw warmed by the sun, but with those warm balsams surrounding it with sweetness. There’s a gorgeous amber-like nuance to the scent too, but it’s unlike any amber in BPAL. This scent is unique and fabulous. The scent is quiet, but I can’t stop sniffing it, it smells approachable and gentle, it is very comforting, especially after a few hours when it’s sweet amber and hay. It makes me think of summer evenings, soft and balmy and golden. Verdict: this scent is really wonderful, a gorgeous and golden scent which really shows off the wonderful hay note and enhances it with cardamom and some wonderful balsams that smell both unusual and different and yet oddly familiar. It’s almost like an amber scent, but very different to other BPAL ambers. It’s also very vanilla-like but, again, so different to other vanilla scents. the scent also reminds me strongly of benzoin. The cardamom is wonderful but other than the balsams, it’s the hay that wins me over with this scent-warm, golden, dry hay that I can’t stop sniffing. A surprise winner from the Wunderkammer, I think I need a backup of this unique scent. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes. If you like this, try: Hay Moon, Dog Days, Viparalabda, The Lion, Gunpowder

Aelopile In the imp: bright verbena-boosted citrus and warm cedar. Wet on skin: verbena and lemons, cedar and a hint of amber. Dry: mmm, this is lovely. It’s mainly lemon (fruit and verbena) and cedar, and the lemon has a candied, almost fizzy feel to it. This does remind me of Fascinum, but this is brighter and juicier, I think. I can smell the resinous warmth of amber and labdanum enhancing the scent’s golden aspect and the solid woodsy cedar binding everything together. It also reminds me of Mag Mell, but without the ozone/rain. There’s something to the scent that’s almost brassy or evocative of brass without smelling blatantly of metal. After a while: the citrus tones down a touch, doesn’t last as long as it did in Fascinum. Now I smell more of the amber and cedar, and it’s gorgeous. There’s a soft, sawdusty scent to the cedar which I find pleasant, and the amber note is sweet and glossy, the remains of citrus giving it a tangy feel. There’s also something vaguely herbal, like dry wild herbs warmed by the sun, which I love. Maybe it’s the labdanum doing this? It reminds me of that ‘summer holiday evening air’ scent that I love so much. And the brassy note is still there. After an hour or two this smells like a really lovely soft cedar varnished with amber, and a hint of something almost metallic to it like brass cogs, but there’s nothing perfumey or unsettling about this brassy scent like some metal scents can be. the cedar gets softer and turns to an almost sandalwood like scent, with the amber also sweetening. And finally, it turns into an effervescent and spicy amber which reminds me of Leo 07, which I love, but this time with a woody base. Verdict: this is such a lovely mix of citrus, amber and cedar! Evocative of shining brass and it’s scent but without that sharp, electric metal note, the citrus makes this bright and sharp, the cedar is a gorgeous fragrant wood but not overly masculine, and the amber is fabulous as usual. It’s not as incense-y as Fascinum (which to me had an almost joss stick type scent), this is a purer amber-wood scent. At times it gains herbal tones which are lovely, and the labdanum adds a bit more oomph to the amber. It’s perfect for summer because of it’s zingy citrus notes and sunny, warm amber, and very unisex. Another winner from the Steamworks line! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? yes! I have a bottle now. If you like this, try: Fascinum, Mag Mell, No 93 Engine, Arcana, Chintamani Dhupa, Leo 07

Ether In the imp: a fresh zingy citrus-herbal-floral. I think that’s the davana I can smell. Wet on skin: there’s gardenia in here, and a citrus blossom (neroli or lemon blossom) too. Dry: this is very pretty floral cologne. There’s a hint of that gardenia note that often turns bad on me, creating just the barest hint of smoky petals, but in here it is such a small amount that it is bearable. The main notes however are citrus blossoms. I think both orange and lemon blossom are in here, as this scent is very citrus-y and cologne like. It smells perfumey and fresh. There’s a tiny hint of what might be frankincense to this as well, a smoky resinous tang, and that herbal note from before. But it’s mainly sparkly orange blossom cologne. After a while: the scent then turns to a papery, wispy and soft smoky floral. It almost smells like there’s a hint of poppy or opium to it, it’s a smoky floral which is light and incense-tinged. I now smell something like narcissus, in addition to the orange blossom and davana, and I think there’s a hint of white amber here as something about this reminds me of Pollution. It evokes dry, papery petals floating in the breeze, mixed with a hint of smoke. Verdict: I was expecting this to be a bit like 51, which I adore, and whilst there’s a resemblance, there’s also something in this scent that I’m not keen on. One of the floral notes is most probably ‘evil gardenia’ and it turns very sharp and burnt on my skin. there are other flowers here though that are quite pleasant. the drydown is a soft white floral with hints of smoke and cologne, and some of the resin notes come out at this point. It’s a very ethereal (of course!) scent, wispy and airy and luminous, otherworldly at times, but it doesn’t quite work on me as well as I hoped it would. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? not really. If you like this, try: 51, Pollution, Angeronalia, Kindly Moon, Languor

Ethiopian myrrh, Damascus rose, boswellia, galbanum, and copal. The Blasphemare Reliquary In the bottle: a slightly masculine but gorgeous dark resin scent. Wet on skin: mmm, myrrh! This is a beautiful dark sweetish resin! Dry on skin: this is gorgeous! This is myrrh that makes me purr! It’s predominantly myrrh but there’s a greenish and sappy gloss from the galbanum, a touch of frankincense and copal too, and just the barest, barest hint of rose (nowhere near as strong as Tabula Smargadina). The myrrh in here is slightly similar but also unlike any other myrrh in BPAL. It smells rich and dark, a tiny bit masculine but not in a bad way. It smells aged, with a hint of almost amber-like sweetness. It is wonderful. This reminds me of something though…maybe not another BPAL but maybe a scent memory of some kind. All I know is that this is magnificent. After a while: oh, this gets better. The myrrh becomes richer, darker, deeper and more complex. So does the galbanum, which really gives that deep green aspect to the scent. the myrrh here is incredible, it develops these amazing tones of smoke, moss, leather, ambergris and even wet cold stone. Now this smells like incense burning in a cave, there’s a surprising mineral aspect to this scent which I love. It also smells a bit more like a masculine scent, but in here that’s a good thing. It’s a manly aspect that I love-I tend not to like the sharper manly scents but the dark and smoky ones? Mmm. The scent becomes more and more myrrh-y over time and I think this myrrh is one of the nicest myrrh notes I’ve ever smelt. So rich, dark, haunting and multifaceted, it smells ancient, it smells sacred, I can’t stop sniffing it. it smells like nothing else in BPAL, it is such a unique resin scent. Verdict: this is one of my new favourite myrrh scents! this is another example of how Beth excels with resin/incense scents, and never fails to surprise me with innovative new resin combinations that are unique, like this one…it smells so different from other BPAL resins and contains one of the best myrrh notes ever. It’s a dark and slightly greenish, murky and mysterious, haunting incense scent. the rose is subtle, and I love the way the copal and galbanum enhance the myrrh, which on it’s own seems to have so much complexity to it. smoky, earthy, deep, unusual, arcane and intriguing, this scent is amazing and I bet aging will make this even more incredible. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes! I need a backup-maybe two! If you like this, try: Minotaur, Priala, Parlement of Foules, King Cobra

Tabula Smargadina In the bottle: rose and sandalwood incense. Wet on skin: the rose blooms on my skin, resins come out, and this smells like a mix of Rose Cross and Pulcinella. Dry on skin: mmm, this is gorgeous! It smells of rich full bodied roses surrounded by incense-mainly frankincense, but also some myrrh and labdanum. I also smell some sandalwood here too. This greatly resembles Rose Cross (not surprising) but it is more complex…it’s almost like the white rose of Parlement, but Parlement was heavier on the myrrh than this. After a while: the scent doesn’t morph too much, but I think more frankincense comes out after some time. I also smell something that may be myrrh, or mastic perhaps…that and the ever present scent of rose. Now this smells like a lighter version of Parlement, a more ethereal Rose Cross, it’s a bright, golden rose incense with a definite dryness to it. almost like a desert rose scent. The scent becomes a dry, golden and delicate resinous rose at the end. Verdict: I am a proud rose lover, I adore the combination of rose and incense resins, such as Rose Cross, Parlement of Foules, All Saints, Magdalene, Pulcinella etc, and this is another one to add to my collection. It’s rose surrounded by sacred incense resins. This to me is the lighter sibling to Blasphemare Reliquary, whilst that scent was heavy on the resins with a hint of rose, this is rose-dominated with an undertone of resin, and whilst BR was a dark, murky resin, this is a golden, frankincense-centred resin. I also smell hints of sandalwood and other fragrant incense woods adding a dry, ashy feel to the scent, like just-burnt incense. a beautiful rose incense scent that can only get better with age…one to get a backup of. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Definitely. If you like this, try: Rose Cross, Parlement of Foules, All Saints, Pulcinella and Teresina, Magdalene, Hymn, Blasphemare Reliquary

Eisheth Zenunim In the imp: honeyed peach, like Cupid Complaining to Venus. Wet on skin: right away, I can smell the patchouli. This now smells like Ecstasy of True Love. Dry on skin: this is very, very similar to True Love on me, but in here the patch is a bit darker and dirtier, very much like the patch in Clemence, or even Luperci. This also bears a resemblance to Angeronalia, with the neroli taking the place of the citrus notes in there. The honey is very pretty, a light and nectar-like honey very much like the one in Itaso or Harikata. I can’t smell any cocoa. After a while: this scent seems like a fight between patch and peach! Though it’s not an aggressive fight, it’s very pleasant to smell…for now it seems peach is winning but patchouli is desperate to get back into the spotlight. The neroli now bears it’s floral side, and the honey is a lot subtler. I smell something vaguely salty, probably the ambergris, but still no cocoa. The scent then turns to a dry, dusty peach scent, the patch smelling like dry earth, with just a hint of ambergris lingering. It reminds me more of True Love now as well, though not as dark. Verdict: this is a very nice fruity patchouli scent. it is, I think, the easier-to-acquire version of Ecstasy of True Love. It starts off heavily peachy but with a strong patchouli undertone and a drizzle of honey. The patchouli and peach do eventually dominate over the other notes, earthy and dirty peach is the overall theme of this fragrance, but I do wish I got more of the cocoa. I have other honeyed peach scents that I prefer. Also, unusually for a patchouli scent, it fades pretty fast on my skin. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Not sure. If you like this, try: Ecstasy of True Love (if you can find it), Cupid Complaining to Venus, Angeronalia, Thaleia, Luperci, Itaso Kansei

13 (June 08) In the bottle: a thin milky chocolate scent with spice, like a mix of El Dia de Reyes and April 07’s 13. Wet on skin: I smell apple. Please apple blossom, don’t mess this scent up like you did with Agrat! Dry on skin: apples dipped in chocolate, but there’s also a sharp hint of floral. For now, this is not bad. It’s an unusual mix of notes and I’m not sure if they well blend well or clash. The apple blossom seems to want to veer into ‘apple-floral air freshener’ territory but for now the chocolate is stopping it. I really love the chocolate here, it’s both darkly cocoa-rich and yet sweetly creamy at once. I smell hints of nutmeg and allspice adding some delicious warmth, this is slightly reminiscent of the April version but not as spicy. The apple gives it a fruity aspect like the July 07 version. I think I smell tea, but where are the frankincense and tonka? After a while: this gets better! The apple blossom is stopped short of turning to air freshener and instead turns to dried apple tea, like an infusion made with tea and bits of dry apple. The chocolate and spices though are incredible now. The dark choc, allspice and nutmeg have really merged and this now smells like something that a niche chocolatier would make, dried apple slices covered in nutmeg flavoured chocolate. Actually, I think the Chocolate Alchemist makes something like that…I think I can smell the tonka at this point, enhancing the chocolate’s sweetness and making it sophisticated. And now I also think I can smell the frankincense! The apple is a dominant when smelt at the wrist but the throw is mainly spicy chocolate. The apple does fade completely and what I’m left with is the most gorgeous spiced chocolate scent. Warm, exotic, not too foody but incredibly comforting, it’s like the April 07 version’s gentler cousin. The frankincense and tonka really enhance this delicious spicy cocoa. Verdict: this version of 13 was a pleasant surprise! I thought I wouldn’t like it at first, but the drydown is irresistible. At first it was chocolate and apple blossom with a hint of spice. Not bad, but the apple had the potential to go totally bad on me as it usually does. Thankfully the chocolate, spices and resins beat the apple into submission and the end scent is the most wonderful sophisticated spiced chocolate scent. Dark chocolate delicately spiced with nutmeg and allspice, deepened by tonka, and with a fantastic frankincense note. I’m glad I was patient with this scent, and I really love this new, creative take on the chocolate theme. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes! If you like this, try: any of the other 13s but especially April 07 and July 07, Tezcatipoca, Bliss, Agrat Bat Malaht, Boomslang

The Chapel In the imp: deep rich mature wine. And woods. No vetiver. Reminds me of the rich boozy smell of the wine cellar I visited when I was in Spain. Wet on skin: oh, this smells just like the deepest, richest red wine. And I mean spot on like wine. Dry on skin: holy crap it’s like I’ve spilt red wine on my arm! I mean, this smells just like a rich merlot (it’s very much like Wanda), or maybe stronger, probably a port. I can smell the alcohol here, so much so that I wouldn’t wear this for a driving test. For now, no blood or incense, but I do get a hint of something like polished mahogany or ebony. It smells like red wine spilt on a fine wooden table. After a while: mmm, this smells even more like wine now, but I also get hints of incense. in fact, now it smells like mulled wine! For some reason I get a hint of clove in ‘blood accord’ scents, and it shows up here. I still smell that ebony-like woodsy base (this reminds me of Riding the Goat), and at this point, I am getting lots and lots of myrrh too. The incense notes are dark, like rich black resins, but they don’t smell charred…they smell aged. Like ancient resin, like what you’d find on a mummy. Blackened by time, not fire. The scent gradually changes, the wine note tones down and the incense comes forth. And what gorgeous incense. It’s the same blackened myrrh but now I smell frankincense too, and something almost like beeswax church candles, a soft scent of smouldering and some of the incense turning to ashes. I love incense, so this stage has me huffing my arm like mad. I don’t really get much vetiver-just a tad maybe but it is subtle-but then the scent smells a little bit less like resins and more like bonfires, probably the brimstone note. I also smell more of the ‘blood’ at drydown, which in here is a wonderful fruity-musky-clove accented with raspberries and red wine, and a touch of metal. Verdict: this scent first started out as single note red wine, but then turned into one of the most gorgeous wine-soaked incense scents out there. The wine note is so genuine at the start, boozy, the kind of scent that goes straight to your head! I am impressed at it’s accuracy, but wonder if it’s drowned out the other notes. Thankfully, these other notes then surface, the incense really comes out and mixes with the wine. I love how old-smelling the incense is in here, rich and resinous with a hint of wood. The wine and incense are enhanced by the blood and brimstone respectively. The blood accord with it’s fruity red/metallic/spicy/musky tones plays very well with the wine, the smoky smouldering brimstone mingles with the incense. A wonderfully dark, sinful and intoxicating incense and wine scent, which I imagine will age wonderfully. Emoticon rating: and Is it a keeper? Mmm, oh yeah. At least two bottles please. If you like this, try: Wanda, Parliament of Monsters, Ligur, Valentine of Rome, The Contract of Theophilius, Mort de Cesar, Blood Garden

Hand of Glory In the imp: honeyed leather and…sweet mint? Wet on skin: ohh, the beeswax in here is gorgeous! And now I also smell smoke! Dry on skin: honeyed beeswax, subtle leather, nutmeg, dry woods and smoke. Oh boy, this is wonderful. It smells warm and gently fiery and woodsy and aromatic, a bit like incense, a bit like candles, a bit like bonfires, all at once. The leather is the aged kind, like Dee, a real ‘library leather’ scent. the pepper is not obvious but adds a wonderful crackling heat to the scent, along with the nutmeg which is stronger. I can smell sandalwood and oak, but the star of the scent is the beeswax, which smells both like sweet honey and ancient candles. All around these notes, smoke gently swirls. After a while: oh, this gets even better. The beeswax becomes even smoother and a bit sweeter, and the scent lightens a touch, develops a musky aspect, and a resinous aspect. Now this is a beautiful harmonious mix of beeswax, leather and sandalwood, smooth and gently smoky and spicy. This is what I hoped Nanny Ashtoreth would smell like-this smells like honey, leather and amber (not sure where I get amber from but I smell a bit of it here) to me and the leather doesn’t amp. The scent gets sweeter and softer and turns almost into honey and a skin musk, which is surprising, but rather fitting for a hand scent with just skin and bones remaining…the smoke adds a nice shadowy accent to this sweet, smooth, and surprisingly bright scent. Verdict: this scent is wonderful, unique, fascinating, a smoky scent like no other, a spicy, incense-y, honeyed scent like nothing else from BPAL. At first it’s a wonderful smoky beeswax, like honey wrapped in bonfire smoke, with an undertone of worn leather. Then the spices and woods come out and the scent smells magical, spellbinding, and a tad dangerous. Makes me think of Hogwarts, for some reason. Hogwarts at the time of the Marauders, to be specific. It improves even more as the beeswax really shows off and sweetens, developing musky and amber-like tones, and the whole scent morphs into a wonderful honeyed incense with a skin musk and leather undertone. Utterly gorgeous and intriguing-I myself don’t find the actual scent scary at all…this is one to stockpile! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Oh yes. If you like this, try: Nanny Ashtoreth, Dee, No 93 Engine, Luperci, Buggre Alle This Bible

The Torture Queen In the imp: clean sharp perfume. Must be the metal note. Wet on skin: whoa, strongly perfumey and ozone-y! Dry on skin: very perfume-like. Almost mainstream. This is sharp, cold, clean and crisp. The dominant note is the chrome, which smells like the perfumey note in Door 13, or the ozone in Parsifal, a very high pitched sharp perfume. The perfume-sprayed metal scent is enhanced by the tangy scent of white tea and pale floral gardenia, and I smell just a hint of the sweetness of white amber. This is the white amber in things like 51 and Pollution. In fact this smells very similar to Pollution, with added metallic ozone. It also seems like a feminine version of Thunder Moon (though not as electric). After a while: the chrome does not tone down, like I hoped, if anything, it seems to have become more metallic and more electric-smelling. Also a bit salty, like a stormy sea breeze. I don’t smell as much tea and gardenia, the amber has toned down in sweetness, but now smells a bit powdery. And where’s the vanilla musk? Or the ambergris, for that matter? In here, it’s the damn chrome that gets in the way. The amber does pop out a bit more every now and then, but then the powdery aspect of the amber merges with the ozone and turns this to washing powder. Verdict: this is the CD’s House of Mirrors, a sister scent to Kataniya, and one of the cleanest metal scents I’ve smelt. All the silvery metal notes give off a clean (sometimes soapy) scent but sometimes they have a slightly rusty/oily scent too, which this lacks. It’s clean to the point of being sterile, it’s a bit cold and calculating, not approachable. This is shining, sterilised chrome needles with a tingle of electricity, with a whiff of fresh, modern perfume. The scent is all metallic to me but at times I smell the crisp white tea and gardenia. What I don’t smell are the amber, vanilla musk and ambergris (my favourites in the note list), or not very much until the very end. I’m not too crazy about the grey-coloured metal scents (much prefer the ‘brassy’ or golden scents myself) and this is a little too perfumey for my tastes, so not a keeper for me. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? No. If you like this, try: 51, Pollution, Kataniya, Parsifal, Thunder Moon, Lightning, House of Mirrors, Archangel Winter