PurringPulsar

Moon of Ice In the bottle: cold pine with a hint of cold soapy flowers…reminds me of Sleet soap, but sweeter. Wet on skin: crisp and icy, reminds me of a cross between Ice Queen and Long Night Moon. Dry on skin: mmm, this is quite nice! There’s a snowy/icy note to it that chills the nose, it’s slightly reminiscent of Long Night Moon, but fresher and colder. There are snowy flowers here, almost like those of Snow Flakes maybe like Ice Queen, but the pine and eucalyptus make this one a little bit different. The pine seems to linger the boundary of smelling good and smelling like disinfectant, and the eucalyptus here doesn’t smell too strong, but it does add to the clear ‘winter wind’ scent this has. After a while: oh, this one confuses me. At times the icy florals in here are gorgeous-a gentle sweet cold floral scent with a hint of something almost like chilled melon to it. It reminds me of Ice Queen, there’s a hint of that icy white musk to it, also reminds me of Nuclear Winter. But then I smell a bitter scent underneath that I’m not keen on, a bit like salty olives? It’s probably an evergreen note because I get a similar reaction in Old Moon, but in here it’s not as strong. The scent gets sweeter and more delicate, almost losing that bitterness and turning to that sugary snow scent that I love. It’s like Ice Queen or Talvikuu’s younger sister. And I smell something that I’m sure is white amber! And I do love white amber…but then that bitter green note returns. Dammit. The scent fluctuates between icy sweet flowers and that strange bitter note every now and then. Verdict: this is another one of BPAL’s icy scents, with that cracking icy/snowy note that I love. This isn’t my favourite (that position is still ruled over by the likes of Snow Flakes, Wolf Moon 07 and Ice Queen) but it’s actually quite similar to Ice Queen at times. There’s a pine note that seemed a little soapy at one point but then faded, and a fresh, clearing note of eucalyptus which doesn’t smell at all medicinal. There’s also an odd bitter note that sometimes pops up and prevents me from truly enjoying this scent. but the scent I love most in here is that of the flowers, covered with cold sugariness which is white, fluffy, sweet and cool. It’s like sweet Snow White like flowers crystallised with frozen sugar, with a hint of something like mint to add more coolness and a bit of a watery note, like cucumber. This is what I love about the BPAL ice/snow scents, that sweet floral and sugared ice scent, but that annoying, bitter green note (probably an evergreen note gone bad on my skin) that I get in here at times does detract from the scent’s overall chilly beauty. I think I’ll stick with my other ice scents, but I’m glad I gave this a try. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? I’m unsure. I like it but I think I prefer some of the other snowy scents to this. If you like this, try: Old Moon, Long Night Moon, Snow Flakes, Cloister Graveyard, Archangel Winter, Hunger Moon

The Dream of the Fisherman’s Wife In the imp: honeyed sandalwood incense and murky aquatics? This smells so intriguing! Wet on skin: incense and flowers? I have no idea why I smell those in here. Dry on skin: now this smells really perfumey but also like sandalwood incense and honey. It reminds me of the honeyed dark sandalwood incense in the Masque, believe it or not. But I also smell something heady and floral, or even musky. And lots of ambergris too, which is a much stronger ambergris note than usual, and it smells like expensive perfume in here, like something my mum would wear! I also smell the scent of aquatic notes, seaweed and a bit more…I smell salt and a bit of the sophisticated aquatic note that was in City in the Sea. I don’t smell any mint. After a while: still perfumey and rich. I really like this one because it smells very grown up and sophisticated now, and rather sexy, I must say. The honey smells like dark honey incense. There’s definitely more to this than seaweed, honey and ambergris…I swear there’s a musk note, reminiscent of Arabian musk (or is it Egyptian musk) in here. And something floral too. Either that or the ambergris in here is particularly strong. There’s a salty and fresh overtone to it, an aquatic note that isn’t soapy but deep and mature, almost like an expensive sun lotion scent, with a hint of the scent of the beach. I’m surprised as to how much this smells like an exotic-themed high-end perfume, but with a hint of something marine to it. Call me crazy, but the drydown smells very similar to Arcana’s Queen Crossbones! Yes! that honeyed exotic musk scent! Only in here there’s seaweed instead of coconut. Verdict: this scent was not what I expected at all. I had no idea what a honeyed aquatic would smell like on me. there’s honey in here, oh yes. there’s some seaweed, though it’s more of a sea scent as a whole. And I do smell ambergris, lots of that, and it’s a lot more amber-y than usual. But I wasn’t expecting this to smell like ‘oriental’ perfume, of all things…but it does. I smell sensual musk (or something like it) undulating through this scent, mixed with sandalwood incense and spices, mingling effortlessly with the honey and the sea notes. It smells a bit like the Masque, but with a marine feel to it. It’s a really unusual scent but it works. It smells grown up and classy, and very sexy. It makes me think of a mermaid belly dancer (that’s the best way I can describe this). It does smell a bit too perfumey for me at times (I think that’s the sea note-but it’s one of the nicest sea notes in BPAL) and it reminds me so much of Arcana’s Queen Crossbones at drydown which I prefer. But I am definitely keeping my decant of this wonderfully different take on the aquatic theme. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Just the decant for now. This is really unusual. If you like this, try: The Masque, O, Sea of Glass, Aeaea, Skuld

Ebisu Making Love as Two Octopuses Look On In the imp: really sharp nectarine! Wet on skin: very sharp nectarine, not a sweet nectarine scent. Also, a hint of moss. Dry on skin: whoa, this nectarine bites! I was hoping for a sweet peachy scent but this is very tangy, tart, dry nectarine, too sharp for me…it’s almost acidic. It’s got a really high-pitched feel to it, a little too shrill. It reminds me slightly of Angeronalia’s nectarine but I much preferred it in there, tempered by the other notes in that scent. In here, I barely even smell the musk, and the moss is very quiet as well. After a while: still the same, that shrill nectarine note which smells a little perfumey now. I smell a hint of the powdery skin musk or moss, but it’s not changed much from before. Maybe it’s a bit drier, lacking the juicy scent that came before, and it’s a bit fuzzier (like a peach). The scent becomes very perfumey at drydown. It’s now a skin musk-nectarine scent but there’s no sweetness to it at all, which, I think, is what this scent needs. It’s much too strident and shrill on me. Verdict: I thought I liked peach and nectarine notes, but this one has the sharpest peach scent I’ve ever smelt, in BPAL at least. It’s all nectarine, all the time, and it’s such a tart, sour note, almost like an unripe peach, no sweetness here whatsoever. It’s so sharp it almost shrieks, it is a piercing note. And it also has a perfumey tone to it which I don’t like. I get hardly any moss or musk here. this scent, despite promises of octo-porn, was a disappointment on me…at least Dream of the Fisherman’s Wife is a keeper! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? No. If you like this, try: Angeronalia, Tamamo No Mae, Butterflies and Plovers, Croquet, Silence

Men Ringing Bell with Penises In the imp: a lovely lush green tea and moss scent. Wet on skin: tangy tea with a green mossy woody scent, and a hint of rice wine. Dry on skin: a scent reminiscent of a lush Asian landscape of bamboo, and a tea ceremony. The tea is strong here, it smells more like green/white tea than black tea, with that astringent freshness. I agree with the comparison to Tamamo. The green sandalwood is really interesting, as it smells like young wood, fresh cut timber, still green and sappy, and I smell the moss growing on it’s bark. The rice wine is very similar to Hungry Ghost Moon, only this scent is simpler and more about the greenness. I don’t smell tonka yet. After a while: the moss now becomes much stronger. Less like light powdery oak moss, this is a thicker, wetter, more humid moss smell now, a bit like Spanish moss. The tea isn’t as strong now, at this point the scent is all about wood and moss. Green moss covering a tree. Maybe just a hint of rice wine but no much. Not much tonka either. This is a very warm moss smell, like a humid summer’s night, close and a bit steamy, almost like jungle greenery, or a swamp. I must be having a nose-hallucination because at times I swear this reminds me of Whippoorwill. I think it’s the moss and the almost bamboo like scent this has. The scent does seem to fade fast, leaving just a trace of moss on the skin as it fades. Verdict: this is a lovely scent, and I love the name (I call it ‘Men Dinging Bell with Dongs’!) it’s not my favourite of the tea/moss scents, but it is very pleasant. It starts off as tea and rice wine with a hint of moss. Incredibly green but in a different way to the grassy scents, this is the kind of greenness I prefer. It’s one of those classic Asian scents, fresh and well balanced with notes of tea and bamboo. I really like the sandalwood here as well. I hoped this would develop a sweetness though, especially with the tonka, but it doesn’t smell sweet on me, and it gets a little bit too mossy at the end, when the moss seems to take over all the other notes, with it’s damp swampy scent. It doesn’t last long either. I like it but not enough to get a bottle. At least I have Glowing Vulva as my naughty Japanese scent of choice. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Not really-I like Ding-Dong but I have other favourites. If you like this, try: Faiza, Hungry Ghost Moon, Tamamo No Mae, Habu, Roux Ga Roux, Cathode

Glowing Vulva at Ryogoku Bridge In the imp: patchouli? I have no idea why I smell patch in here but it’s a woody sweet creamy scent. Wet on skin: gorgeous sweet cream-nothing sour at all-with a deep woody amber base. Dry on skin: oh wow, this is beautiful! The amber is just GLOWING off my wrist (sorry, couldn’t resist it) with a golden aura, softened by a sweet, almost vanilla-scented cream, the kind of cream scent I love. In fact, it’s a similar amber to Sea of Tranquillity, which must be because of the lotus. It’s gorgeous. Underneath it I smell teak, a rich exotic wood, but I swear there’s a smidge of patchouli here, it’s too deep and musky to be just teak. Or maybe it’s musk? This does remind me of Haloes, not as ethereal and floral-fruity but the woody creamy amber is similar. After a while: this gets smoother and more sophisticated. The amber and cream have merged beautifully and rest on that warm woody dark base, and there’s something to this that reminds me of tonka now, almost like a classy vanilla with a very rich sweetness that isn’t foody. The amber just gets better and better in here. At the end it smells like the most amazing mix of glorious sweet creamy amber with a shadow of woodsy patchouli (yeah I know, it’s not listed, but I smell it in here), and it’s amazing, very feminine with a hint of lotus adding floral lushness. This then dries down to a lovely mix of wood, cream and amber and an amazing sweetness which is almost like vanilla, almost like tonka. Verdict: this is my favourite of the Shunga series, and one of my favourite of this year’s Lupercalia scents. this is one of the most stunning creamy amber scents ever, with an undertone of deep sweet wood. The amber in here is magnificent-golden and luminous, and made even more sublime by the cream which, in here, is not sour at all. The perfect creaminess married with the perfect amber. not just amber, but amber and lotus, a combination I adore. Underneath that I smell not only teak but hints of patchouli and vanilla or tonka. The result is a glorious scent which smells incredibly luxurious, feminine, voluptuous and perfect. Could this be the new Underpants-like scentsation? I wouldn’t be surprised-considering the name this scent has! And the name will make for some fun layering combos, double-entendre filled sentences and aghast faces when I tell people what I’m wearing…I have a bottle coming and want another one! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes! I need a bottle or two of Vulva! (that sounds so wrong…) If you like this, try: Haloes, Sea of Tranquillity, Bastet, Dana O’Shee, O, Underpants (if you can get it!)

I Married a Vampire from Planet X In the imp: sexy amber-myrrh with spices and musk. Reminds me of Count Dracula, but smoother. Wet on skin: gorgeous spicy amber-musk! Dry on skin: now I smell the lighter ‘space’ notes, the white musk, the sage, hints of citrus, all forming an ethereal layer over a wonderful dark scent of amber, myrrh, musk and spices with a hint of leather and a sexy sweetness. This is a stunning scent! The lighter notes, at times reminiscent of 51, don’t clash with the dark ones, they add a glowing, fresh dimension to the deeper notes. The spicy dark musky-resin scent is breathtaking stuff. The black amber reminds me slightly of the Emathides, the spices are warm and delicious, and the sweet, almost vanilla-tonka sweet, leathery musk is reminiscent of Crowley or even Smut. After a while: the dragon’s blood, normally a note I dislike, is really good in here. In fact, it reminds me of the DB in Red Moon, which I love. I think it’s the combination of amber and DB that does this. Over time this reminds me more and more of Red Moon 07, but this is both darker and also fresher than that. The white musk and black musk contrast and complement each other and at times they smell like red musk. The citrus is gone but the sweet melon is there, as is the sage. The dark sweet amber and DB are fantastic together, I don’t get as much obvious spice now but the cinnamon and clove are still around…the Crowley-like leather underscores it all. At drydown it goes into another leathery stage before returning to it’s Red Moon-like scent at the end, a darker version of RM, dragon’s blood and musky amber with a hint of smoke. Mmm. Verdict: mmm, smelling like a vampire with laser beam eyes from outer space is more wonderful than I expected. The two different aspects of this scent-the light musk paired with fruity and green notes and the rich musky resinous leather-go together surprisingly well. I love the smouldering shadowy notes of this scent, with a dragon’s blood note that actually works on me (yay), a totally irresistible black amber and musk, and sexy leather and a spicy kick, but hovering over the top is the citrus and white musk and tea which at times takes the edge off the dark notes and adds a very interesting contrasting layer to the fragrance, at other times it merges nicely with the base notes and makes this scent sleeker and adds a silvery-green sheen to the spicy deep notes. At times this reminds me of Red Moon 07 with hints of Crowley, which is a very good thing. I could see this as being devastatingly delicious on a man, but I love it on me…this spaced-out sexy scent is really out of this world! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Definitely! I have two bottles! If you like this, try: Crowley, 51, Smut, Red Moon 07, Count Dracula, Sin, Priala, Emathides, High Priest Not To Be Described

Diary of a Lovestruck Teenage Cannibal In the imp: sweet creamy buttery ginger and citrus, reminds me of Pumpkin V. Wet on skin: now I smell the pink pepper, which reminds me of Hermia! Dry on skin: mmm, this is wonderful! This smells like Hermia’s sweeter, younger, feistier (and more cannibalistic) sister. The pink pepper is the dominant note, a sparkly, bright and lively pepper note, along with spicy ginger giving it a kick, and a hint of lemon and grapefruit. Underneath I smell clotted cream (like the stuff served with scones, slightly buttery but not sour cream at all) and sweet candyfloss sugar, as well as some pear. I think the lily keeps all the gourmand notes in check, stops this from smelling too foody. But this is spiced sugar at it’s best! After a while: the pepper in here is gorgeous, a very multifaceted pepper with slight incense-like tones. The ginger doesn’t turn to rubber on me. Now I smell more of the pear, a sweet pear dusted with sugar, with hints of cream and a lily note that doesn’t turn to soap or sharpness on me. This is truly delectable! Then the sugar becomes warmer and it seems the spices melt into the sweet notes, and everything mixes very nicely together so no one note stands out…it’s just a gorgeous warm spiced sweetness which is actually not as foody as one would expect, despite it smelling very sugary. The drydown is very much like Treat 1…but better. It doesn’t have the cloying note from Treat 1 (I think it was strawberry) and is beautifully tempered by the remaining spices. In fact it smells like a pink lemonade ice cream float! Verdict: this is my new favourite foody scent! This is a really fun and cheerful fragrance, and it’s also a very balanced gourmand scent, not cloying or over-sweet. It’s full of sassy spices like ginger and pink pepper (fast becoming one of my favourite spice notes) with a gorgeous mix of youthful candyfloss sugar and soft vanilla cream, and a lovely fruity scent of grapefruit, lemon and grapefruit. I think the lily is what stops this from smelling too foody, but it’s a lily that behaves very well on me (no soapy reaction). And I love what the spices do to the sugary notes in here. It then dries down to spicy candy floss with a hint of ice cream and lemonade, and I love that. I am so glad I was able to get a bottle and backup because I know I will be wearing this a lot. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes! I’m glad I got two bottles! If you like this, try: Hermia, Pumpkin V, Xanthe, Bloody Mary, Pumpkin Queen, Shub Niggurath

Cheshire Moon In the imp: a soft scent of cake, fruit and flowers. Slightly creamy. Wet on skin: now it smells much more floral…there’s a strong note that’s almost like bubble bath? Dry on skin: oh, this is lovely! This smells like summer! I can smell cherry blossom, some guava (though not as sweet as Xanthe), and a note very similar to fig leaf, like the fig in Uruk. I think I also smell hibiscus, and for some reason I also smell bamboo…there’s something very lunar indeed, like Gibbous Moon or Blue Moon, to this, along with lots of bright and fresh and youthful fruits and flowers. This makes me happy and brings to mind summer holidays, it’s a really multicoloured scent (that’s the best way I can describe it!) After a while: the fig leaf-like note, I’m guessing the banyan, is really strong now! As is the cherry blossom, which is gorgeous in here, a soft sweet pink floral. This reminds me of the good bits of Tanuki without the notes that went bad on me, as well as a hint of soft lunar flowers and plants which cast a calming silvery glow over this colourful, zany scent. Over time I smell more of the guava, and the scent changes from green-pink to a purer pink, with hints of bamboo-like lunar notes and fig leaf. It sweetens very nicely now, the greenness isn’t too prominent and the scent is now really soft and pretty. The drydown is oddly woodsy (in a good way) and is actually like moonflower and bamboo with cherry blossom and exotic jungle greenery. This one is quite the morpher and for a scent that’s so light in feel, lasts for ages! It still smells lovely the next morning. Every time I sniff this, I love it more. Verdict: this has grown to become one of my favourite moon scents! It starts off smelling strongly green but also fruity and floral and sweet, it smells lively and youthful thanks to the grapefruit and guava, but not too sugary-there’s a background of fresh, bright and cool notes, I think they are lunar herbs, as they remind me of the base of the likes of Blue Moon etc, they seem to ground the scent. Then the cherry blossom note comes out and really shows off. This note, in the right scent, can be so pretty, as it is in here. The gentle pinkness of the cherry blossom and guava with that silver-blue background of moon-themed notes is wonderful, and it’s such a cheery, carefree scent. I will be wearing this so much once the weather warms up. This scent makes me grin like a Cheshire cat-and I think I may prefer this to the Cheshire Cat scent! I’m so glad I have a bottle, with another on order! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes! This is one of my favourite ‘lunar herbs’ scents! If you like this, try: Cheshire Cat, Schrodinger’s Cat, Blue Moon, Gibbous Moon, Uruk, Xanthe, Lantern Ghost of Oiwa, Tanuki

Ignis In bottle: ylang-ylang and patchouli with a bit of mandarin. On skin: mmm, this is a very warm scent, warm and soothing, not hot and flaming, not full of spice, but a flickering, seductive flame, entrancing and pulling you in. the ylang is the dominant note, not a sharp ylang but a soft, sweet one with a hint of sexy headiness. It reminds me of Seduction, but here there are other notes to deepen and enhance the ylang. I can smell lots of myrrh now, smells just like my myrrh essential oil, and also a hint of patchouli. I smell a hint of citrus from the mandarin, and a lemony-herbal palmarosa scent, and a lovely warm soft spice from the clove. Over time I get a hint of smoke-not too much but just enough to add a hint of incense to the scent, but the mandarin note also becomes brighter and more sparkly, a zingy citrus over a seductive floral-spice incense. Gorgeous! I don’t feel the need to use this oil for it’s seductive purposes right now (I have no man to give me a sensual massage at the moment…) but it is my favourite of the oils. Probably because I’m a fire sign. But I love the spicy-resinous-citrus scent and the way the oil makes my skin feel.

Terrae In bottle: vetiver? The patchouli is very similar to the patch usually paired up with vetiver in other BPALs. It’s dark and dirty. On skin: whoa, this is amazing stuff. Now the spikenard comes out and, along with the myrrh, gives the scent a wonderful incense feel, mixed with a hint of dirt and musk. I smell the moss and patchouli, the patch here being much more intense than the one in Ignis. There’s a surprising light sweetness that I can smell here, I also think the myrrh here is sweeter and deeper than the one in Ignis (which is a little smoky). It’s also a little powdery (in a good way). This reminds me of the BPAL Dance of Death, and also reminds me a little bit of Lush Tramp (I think the two scents will layer fantastically) but with a bit more sweetness. I love the spikenard in here, and the slightly amber-like scent I get from the myrrh. This definitely is an earthy, grounding scent. As usual, I love the texture of the oil as well. a great accompaniment to the earthier, dirtier BPAL scents and a nice scent to unwind with.

Cardinal earth: the essence of control. Solomon's Seal, pine, amaranth, ambrette, cypress, wild tobacco, and hemp. Capricorn 07 In the bottle: deep green pine with a bit of sweetness. Wet on skin: mmm, pine needles and resin! Smells just like crushed needles in a summer forest. Dry on skin: I like this! This is the kind of pine I hoped to get in TPd Trees. This is similar to Stranger in Camp, ie, a pine scent that is wonderfully sappy and doesn’t smell of disinfectant. It does have a hint of Christmas tree to it but it’s also got hints of warm summer pine, needles and resin. I can smell a bit of cypress too, I think the ambrette may be what’s making this smell sweet? Or is it the amaranth? I can’t smell the tobacco or hemp yet. After a while: now the tobacco comes out, and it’s the lovely tobacco that I love from such scents as Hastur, Mr Nancy and Red Lantern. Not a sticky tobacco, or a heavily masculine one, or a burnt one, or one that smells of cigarettes, but one that smells of dry soft ashes which smell less like ashtrays and more like incense, and dry cigar tobacco. The tobacco note that I love most of all in BPAL, combined with that lovely pine note. Something about this almost reminds me of the smoky-musky forest scent of Hunter Moon, though with added evergreen notes. There’s a hint of soft, almost fuzzy sweetness to it as well. Softly smoky and earthy but not dirty. Verdict: after Stranger in Camp, this is my second favourite pine scent from the Lab. This is a stunning pine scent, warm needles crushed underfoot and sticky sap oozing and exuding a resinous scent, and the cypress sap scent enhances that feel of evergreens on a summer evening, a scent that reminds me of many summer holiday memories. It’s one of those scents that transports me to a calmer place whenever I smell it. And it gets better, as the musky-sweet ambrette and the soft tobacco come out and mingles with the pine, at this point it reminds me of the smoky forest-musk scents, with a stronger emphasis on the forest scents than the musk, but with that same warmth and comforting base and a hint of almost incense-like smoke to it. I don’t have much in Capricorn but there is a Capricorn woman who plays such a big part in my life, this scent makes me think of the grounded, controlled and earthy aspects of the sign-I’m not sure she’d like this scent but at least I love it and will keep the bottle. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes! This one surprised me so much, it’s lovelier than expected. If you like this, try: Stranger in Camp, Mistletoe, Yule, Nocnitsa, Hunter Moon 07, Ivanushka

Holiday Stress Relief Elixir In the imp: omg…GERANIUM! Beautiful gorgeous strong geranium! Whoever said this smells like Aura Suavis is dead on. Wet on skin: geranium and mint! Yes this is Aura Suavis, BPAL style! Dry on skin: geranium and mint, and maybe some violet too? This is fantastic. I love geranium but in BPAL, in general, that note isn’t strong enough or doesn’t show up through the other notes. But this is the most geranium-y BPAL of all. I wonder if this is Bourbon geranium, my favourite geranium note of all? My mum has a huge bottle of the essential oil and it smells like this. The mint adds a freshness, I also smell something herbal which might be sage, or clary sage perhaps? I think this will work wonders on monthly problems… After a while: the mint has faded, and the warm herbal-floral scent of geranium remains, with hints of sage and some other notes I can’t name, but which add to the calm herbal feel this scent has. It smells a little bit balmy at the end, almost like there’s a smidge of resin at the base of this scent, but it’s not frankincense, myrrh or any of the usual resins. It’s more like a plant sap. Verdict: I’ve been looking all over BPAL for the holy grail of geranium scents, and this is it! The purest and richest Bourbon geranium scent accented beautifully by other soothing herbal notes, I’m guessing mint, sage, coriander and others I can’t quite place. It reminds me strongly of Aura Suavis, and every time I smell it I am in geranium scented bliss. I could see this working wonders on stress, and I’ve also heard that geranium is good at soothing the more womanly kinds of stress and hormonal ups and downs. I am so glad that I managed to get 1 ½ bottles of this because I know I will be using it a lot. And I would love to see more geranium scents like this! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes! and I managed to swap successfully for bottles of this.

Lucifer In the imp: whoa, lots of deep dark vetiver and patchouli here! Wet on skin: vetiver and woods, but mainly the heavy patchouli that’s also in Goblin. Dry on skin: patchouli and woods, brushed with vetiver, amber and fig. I don’t get sun lotion here, just a scent of rich earthy notes with dry woods and a gilding of amber. Not evil, but definitely dark, but there’s a glimmer of light to it from the sweet, gorgeous amber. But it’s the patch and woods that rule supreme here. It reminds me of Goblin mainly, with a bit of Ventriloquist’s Dummy, and maybe Death of Autumn too. It’s quite sophisticated too. After a while: this gets a lot lighter, drier, and more golden. There’s sandalwood here, for sure, maybe some cedar as well but I’m sure the dominant wood is oude. There’s a spicy exotic-ness to the wood that reminds me of the oude scents. The patchouli has also become much stronger and now I get a hint of something almost like coconut…but that may be because the patch here smells almost identical to the one in Goblin. This is a more grown up Goblin. The fig is gorgeous and sweet and dark, and the amber adds that lovely glowing halo over what would otherwise be a shadowy scent. But underneath it, the vetiver growls (yes, to me, vetiver has a ‘sound’, and it is a growling note!) and then seems to go down the same tarry route as the vet in the Great He Goat. Verdict: this is a more sophisticated-and more sinister-version of Goblin with fig and amber on me. It’s got a very similar patchouli note but there’s also something that’s almost like coconut, maybe one of the woods? Initially it is really nice, with a great fig note and a sublime amber glow to it all. The woods are rich and exotic, with something almost like oude to them. The vetiver is strong, though not fir the first hour or two when the gorgeous figgy amber and woods are dominant-but when the vetiver takes over, it does so with a vengeance! And then it smells like asphalt on me. A shame really because I love what this smells like before the vetiver turns rather evil on me. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Not really but all in all, it’s not a bad scent! If you like this, try: Goblin, Great He Goat, Strangler Fig, Lunar Eclipse, Death of Autumn, Ventriloquist’s Dummy

Tanuki A scent of hedonistic, uninhibited joy: bamboo reed, plum blossom, persimmon, magnolia, black pine, sweet osmanthus, flowering cherry, mandarin orange, wisteria, and yuzu. In the imp: fruity and fun! I smell the mandarin and also a spicy pine undertone. Wet on skin: some gentle floral blossom notes come out now, along with bamboo. Dry on skin: now I see where people get melon from this-I definitely smell something like melon, as well as lots of floral notes (mainly plum blossom-for now this is behaving) and mandarin. The yuzu is a lot gentler here than it usually is, and I don’t smell as much pine now, just a faint hint. The wisteria isn’t turning bad on me either. The plum blossom may go soapy though but for now, this reminds me of Fire Pig but not as citrus-y. After a while: damn you plum blossom, why must you turn to overripe fruit and dead flowers on me? I smell something fun and fruity which is succulent and delicious, a note I think may be persimmon, but the plum blossom is turning weird on me as it usually does. The same thing happened in Budding Moon, Fire Pig and Kiyohime. Then it turns into pretty much all plum blossom, which smells all wilted, cloying and a little soapy in here, it’s also a little bit flat now. Verdict: this sounded like such a lively fruity-floral scent, and how could a scent inspired by giant golden balls go wrong? Sadly it did go wrong. Thanks to one of my doom-flowers, plum blossom. I really liked this at first when it was the fruity-floral fun that I expected from this scent, a carefree and joyous scent with a similar vibe to Fire Pig, citrus and blossoms all playing nicely together. But then comes big bully plum blossom, which totally ruins the scent by doing the ‘sickly-sweet wilted flowers with a hint of bananas’ thing. My skin does bad things to this note, even though I love the plum fruit note. So I had to pass on my decant of this. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Sadly this ballsy little scent doesn’t agree with me. If you like this, try: the Spell of Amorous Love, Fire Pig, Budding Moon, Habu, Peony Moon, Aizen Myoo

Peacocks In the imp: sweet floral pear. Very sweet and bright. Wet on skin: something gets a little bit sharp, but not in a bad way. Smells bright and fruity and floral. Dry on skin: lemon? Why on earth am I smelling verbena? That, along with the jasmine and fruitiness, reminds me of Vampire Tears. This is a little softer and less biting (ha!) than VT. I smell bamboo, lots of bamboo, and sweet sugar cane, and also a gentle plum note and some mossy white musk. It’s a very pretty floral, the jasmine is of the nice variety, it is a cool white-purple scent to my nose, with an almost Asian feel thanks to the bamboo. It’s not over-sweet though. After a while: when the odd verbena note goes away, the scent becomes so beautiful! I thought it was going to become a nice but a bit meh fruity-floral scent, but this is exquisite. It’s mainly white musk, moss and bamboo with a little violet, but the jasmine, freesia, pear and sugar cane just enhance this soft downy whiteness with a wonderfully well balanced mix of fruits, flowers and gentle skin-scent. It’s sweet but not cloying at all, a little powdery in the nicest way, and subtly flowery but not heady. Everything is just so well blended here. I swear there’s a hidden vanilla note in here because I keep catching wafts of vanilla, and I have no idea why but when I smell my wrist, this mystery vanilla seems to be coming from the Peacocks. The beautiful sweet musk stage doesn’t last long and then the scent seems to disappear, leaving a trace of moss and bamboo and musk behind as it leaves…but I miss the sweet warm sugar stage! Verdict: this is a surprise hit! I knew it would be either gorgeous or so-so on me, but this was even more beautiful than expected. An oddly lemony beginning then turns into a fruity floral with fresh bamboo. It’s lovely but it’s not screaming ‘I want more’. But then the scent turns into the loveliest fragrance of soft white musk and moss with touched by a well blended scent of flowers, plum, pear, and white sugar. It’s even got something warm and vanilla-like to it. It’s a delightful and delicate scent and lasts for a good long time, though that endearing sweetness does leave after a few hours, with the mossy musk remaining. This is a very well-mixed collection of notes, a perfect floral-fruity musk. I may get a bottle once my decant is done. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes-this is gorgeously pretty. Maybe I’ll get a bottle some day. If you like this, try: Vampire Tears, Habu, White Phoenix, Belle au Bois Dormant, Thalia

The Flower Song In the decant: oh, this is gorgeous. Sweet pomegranate and lotus! Wet on skin: now I smell barley water, and is that papyrus I smell here as well? Dry: mmm, this is so beautiful! It’s hard to describe really, but I do smell pomegranate, barley and lotus with a definite undertone of golden papyrus-and as I love the smell of those papyrus paintings imported from Egypt, this is a good thing. The pomegranate is sweet and juicy and light but with a tart undertone, almost effervescent or candied but not cloying. I think it’s the lotus sweetening it up nicely. The barley, I must say, actually reminds me of sweet barley water, but without the fruit flavourings. Or maybe if Robinsons made pomegranate flavoured barley water, it would smell like this. It’s a grainy and soft sweetness, almost like oat milk. After a while: for a scent that seems quiet at first, this now has a lot of throw! Now I smell more pomegranate, which now reminds me of Fruit of Paradise, but sweeter and without the spice. If Fruit of Paradise was red, this is pink! The barley’s grainy and golden scent is also stronger, and the scent is a little more wine-like at this point. Kind of like white wine with pomegranate. I still smell the reeds and lotus. It’s a lot drier in scent now and I see where the rice wine comparison comes from, that’s probably the barley giving that impression? The scent then turns into a scent very much like the juicy pomegranate from Aquarius, but this is a scent of pomegranates scattered on sand…a mix of juicy sweet wetness and golden dryness. The pom note lasts for a surprisingly long time, and it smells, at the end, like dry pomegranate seeds and a hint of reeds and grain. Verdict: I love New Kingdom love poetry, the beautiful odes scribbled on shards of old pottery at Deir El Medina that are on a par with the great English poets that would come thousands of years later. So as an ardent Egyptophile I had to get this. And it is fantastic! It’s got that totally addictive pomegranate note that Beth’s been using a lot lately, similar to Aquarius and Fruit of Paradise. This makes me think of ancient Egyptian festivals, where pomegranate wine is served with a narcotic/aphrodisiac spike of lotus to make the party a little more exciting, if you get my drift. And there’d be lots of beer too, which the barley evokes, but thankfully the barley here doesn’t smell like beer at all! All in all, a wonderful pomegranate scent framed with sweet lotus and with dry golden notes of grainy barley and a hint of papyrus paper, possibly where an ancient romantic song would be written. Beautiful scent with a beautiful inspiration, this is my new favourite pomegranate scent and I need lots of bottles of this! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Of course! If you like this, try: Fruit of Paradise, Aquarius 07, Madonna, Persephone, Mr Ibis, Meshkenet, Nefertiti

Prospero In the imp: smells like grape flavoured sweets (not grape juice), more so than Blood Phoenix. Wet on skin: now it goes really sharp…a bit sour, actually. Not sure if this’ll go the nice wine way or turn nasty on me. Dry on skin: ok, this isn’t too bad now, but I’m not sure what to make of it. It’s a very dry red wine scent, so dry that it’s almost sour, and I can also smell something woody, like the barrels the wine is kept in. There’s also a sour and slightly wilted flower note to this, and I have no idea what that is, because champaca hardly ever turns sour on me (usually it becomes too sweet). I don’t smell amber or musk here, but there’s a little hint of plum, but oddly this doesn’t smell like fresh juicy plums like BPAL plum usually does, in here it smells like prunes! Oh yes, now I see why this smells so sharp and a bit unpleasant-it smells like prune juice! After a while: now it smells less like prune juice (which I quite like to drink, but it’s what the juice does to me that makes me feel uncomfortable about smelling like it) and a bit more sophisticated now. It smells like plum pudding, cooked plums soaked in wine, with a hint of champaca…but it also has the super-sweet ‘fruity pie filling with too much sugar’ scent I got in Bloody Mary and Blood Phoenix. I get that here too. No amber or white musk, just a cloying fruit pie filling with a hint of caramel which makes me a little nauseous. It could be that the champaca is making this a tad too sweet for me. Verdict: this one was really bad on me, I’m afraid. I used to think all wine/wine grape scents would work on me but recently Blood Phoenix turned too sweet on me, and this does pretty much the same thing. Only in here the plum also goes bad (which is odd for plum) and the whole thing smells like sour prune juice. The champaca adds a cloying aspect, and as for the amber and musk, which I love? They don’t even make an appearance. So all in all, not my kind of scent at all. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? No.

The Oval Portrait In the imp: honeyed honeysuckle. This may turn soapy. Wet on skin: strong honeysuckle and white lily. Very pretty for now but it seems to be veering in the soapy direction. Dry on skin: honeysuckle and lily. This is a light and delicate floral scent with the barest whisper of vanilla musk and a hint of honey. There is a slight soapy scent to it all that I’m not sure about though. It reminds me of rose-less Victoria, and also actually reminds me of Et Lux Fuit, for some reason. I think the vanilla musk in this and ELF and Victoria are similar. Victoria isn’t soapy though, probably thanks to the rose. But for now it’s a soapy honeyed floral with a hint of musk. After a while: I was hoping the other flowers, especially the carnation (and I’m curious as to what bluebonnet smells like) but they don’t…all I can smell is honeysuckle and lily and a faint hint of watery musk. It’s ok, but it is very soapy. Usually stargazer isn’t too soapy on me, I love it in Victoria, but in here it is a little too soapy and so is the honeysuckle (which I prefer when it is weighed down with sweet or resinous notes and spices-like in Chimera, Hony Mone and Hermia) which is going waxy now. The vanilla musk is too weak in the face of these floral notes. Verdict: this seemed the most promising of the new Poe scents, and I took a gamble with this, hoping the carnation and vanilla musk would make the potentially soapy flowers into something beautiful, but sadly, the soapy flowers won out. Despite the pleasantness of the vanilla musk, a surprisingly fresh musk with a white and breezy aspect, the honeysuckle turned into full blown soap on me. So did the lily, I suspect. It is pretty, clean and light and ghostly, but I am not keen on what the floral notes do to my skin in here. So this one is not for me, ultimately. I prefer Victoria when it comes to floral vanilla musk and lily. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Not really.

TP’d Trees In the imp: sweet fresh pine…which smells a bit like toilet cleaner (not paper though!) Wet on skin: pine, pine, pine…and a hint of clean soapy floral. Dry on skin: green pine, a hint of woody cypress and oak, and that sweet, slightly soapy and clean floral note (cotton blossom?) underneath it all. I smell something dusty, white and fluffy which hints at Andrex, but I must say that this does smell like a toilet. Not in a bad way, like Pruno which smelt like a public toilet at it’s cleanest, this smells like a clean bathroom with pine cleaner in a pristine loo, and hints of bath cleaner (something reminiscent of lemon Jif or Mr Muscle) and bubble bath. It reminds me of the creamy lemon cleanser note I got in Delousing Powder, actually…but with pine. It smells too much like bathroom cleaning products to me, but at least it smells clean! After a while: still reminds me of bathroom cleaner, but it’s actually more pleasant now. It’s a little bit more floral and it reminds me of clean fluffy towels. It also reminds me of air freshener, which isn’t as nice. I don’t get the Buck Moon similarity…maybe a slight hint of the musk from that, but it’s not as lovely as the Buck, and far too soapy and with floral notes that are too loud and a bit fake-smelling. Verdict: I was hoping this would smell like Buck Moon, like some people said it did. But it didn’t, and I’m not too surprised that this one ended up smelling like a toilet on me. A very clean toilet, thankfully! And a much nicer toilet smell than Pruno. Cleaned with lots of pine disinfectant and lemony limescale remover, with copious amounts of floral air freshener and a hint of flowery scented toilet paper (or wet wipes). It’s very soapy at times, the pine note smells too much like cleaning products (unusual since BPAL pine is usually so lovely) and the floral aspect of this smell is too artificial and cloying for me. I’ve not had a BPAL that smells of Glade yet but this is the closest it gets. So yes, it is very evocative of TP and clean loos, but not my kind of scent at all. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? No.

Pumpkin Smash In the imp: sweet buttery pumpkin with a golden aspect, like Pumpkin Queen. Wet on skin: pumpkin and something sweet and malty which isn’t too beery yet. Dry on skin: mmm, I like this! The pumpkin here is lovely-a sweet, almost amber-tinged pumpkin with hints of spice, very much like my beloved Pumpkin Queen. I also smell the beer, which is lovely. I never thought I’d say that but the beer here doesn’t have that blatant hops note that makes me smell too much like a pub crawling student. This is a light, sweet brew. I also smell the beeswax, which is lovely and honeyed and golden, less like candles and more like honeycomb. The pumpkin pulp is a bit more cooked and buttered in scent than I expected, but it’s one of the nicest pumpkin notes. I smell a hint of smoke, but no asphalt. After a while: this smells like Pumpkin Queen’s pumpkin with beeswax instead of amber, but it has the same mushy, almost jammy sweetness I got in the Queen, and that same golden incense-resinous aspect. This is an incense-y pumpkin, and I love that…I think the smoke only enhances that incense like scent, as does the candle note. The beer is so pleasant in here-it’s not at all like the beer in Roadhouse, but sweet and grainy without smelling of lager! It does get a little smokier and grittier at drydown, I smell a hint of tar (or vetiver) coming out now, but it’s very subtle. Verdict: from the notes listed, I thought that this would smell pretty bad. But then I smelt Bonfire Night, which also has beer and tar, and that was lovely, which raised my hopes for Pumpkin Smash. But this scent is even prettier than expected…in fact, this reminds me of the amber-sweet pumpkin scents (Pumpkin Queen and Pumpkin V) but darker and smokier. It’s an almost resinous-incense pumpkin, and the beeswax candle note in here is gorgeous. The beer adds a hint of sweetness and the asphalt note I get is more like vetiver than actual tarmac, and enhances the smoky drydown. This is a really pleasant scent and it’s a lovely dark pumpkin scent. It’s not my outright favourite but it’s one of the pumpkin scents I like better than most. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Just the imp, maybe.

My question. Are the lab still having problems with Yahoo Mail emails? I have an order that is missing and I emailed them about it through Googlemail just in case the Yahoo problems haven't cleared...I hope that Googlemail isn't one of those problematic web servers either.

Lunar Eclipse In the bottle: musky and dark and smoky. I smell the tea and tobacco, and something herbal-maybe lavender. Wet on skin: whoa, here comes the vetiver! Holy crap that’s a strong, nutty-incensey vetiver. Dry: ok, now the vetiver calms down a little and…wow, this now smells like beautiful dark incense with a touch of fruit tea, exotic spices, lavender and a throb of red musk. I also smell something earthy and shadowy (that makes sense!!) to it, thanks to the vetiver, myrrh and moss. The lavender then leaps forward for a while, but doesn’t overtake. The frankincense and myrrh here are gorgeous, and the tobacco and Moroccan spices actually give a hint of ‘hookah bar’ to this scent, which I love! After a while: mmm, I adore red musk, incense and fruit combinations, and now that’s what I smell! The fruit gums, which smell like blackcurrant and plum and pomegranate (but not Wine Gum/Fruit Pastille sweets) and has a hint of Mme Moriarty to it. I also smell more of the musk (mmm) and the gorgeous smoky frankincense and myrrh and spices. I don’t smell much moss but there’s a hint of tea. This is such a gorgeous scent and I just love the mysterious incense scent it has. The lavender pops in and out every now and then, and the scent then goes back to fruity musk and then the myrrh comes in. this morphs gorgeously! Then this turns to incense and tobacco, and then to tea, then to herbs and musk…wow! I can’t stop sniffing this! This reminds me of Great Cry in Egypt at times, with the honey replaced with tobacco and vetiver. The vetiver, myrrh and musk are the notes left behind at drydown. Verdict: this is one of the most stunning dark scents from the Lab, and now my favourite vetiver scent. A perfect perfumed interpretation of a lunar eclipse, this is shadowy and evokes shades of blood, maroon and crimson with an umbra of smoke. This has a fantastic feel of incense to it, as well a s a sensual musk, a black tea note that smells just like black tea should, a hint of fruitiness just to add a hint of sweetness, and the most exotic spices. Something in here imitates the depth of patchouli, even though this note isn’t listed. The tobacco is dry and smoky but not heavy. The resins are wonderful and there’s even a herbal hint of lavender at times. And the vetiver is there, but it’s a lighter, incensey vetiver, like khus. Beautifully complex and changeable, this perfume is breathtaking, and I am glad I have two bottles because this will age wonderfully, I’m sure! And yes, I am wearing this to watch the eclipse by (weather permitting…) Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes! Can’t wait to see what this is like by the next lunar eclipse (in 2010!) If you like this, try: Mme Moriarty, And There Was a Great Cry in Egypt, Dark Delicacies, Death of Autumn, Scherezade, Cracked Bell

Hony Mone In the imp: chocolate (where’s that coming from?) and almonds with an undertone of honeyed jasmine. Wet on skin: honeyed jasmine (reminds me of Honey Moon!) with almonds, tonka, chocolate and apricot. Dry on skin: oooh, this is pretty! The jasmine is strong, and I fear it will turn, but for now it is nice, it reminds me of the jasmine in Bigger Critters. I also smell lots of honey, and yes, it does remind me of Honey Moon. I also smell the almond (nutty as opposed to cherry-like) and maybe some honeysuckle, and I think it’s the tonka that’s making this a little bit sweet and almost chocolaty. I also smell some honeysuckle which may or may not turn to soap, a little bit of carnation and a creamy fig note reminiscent of Sagittarius. For now it is a lovely scent but there’s something there…can’t quite put my finger on it, but it’s not quite right, it smells a bit funky, a bit sharp, a little soapy. Maybe this scent will stabilise a bit more. After a while: ah, that’s more like it. Whatever that weird funky note was before, it’s now gone and all the components of the scent have now merged nicely. The dominant scent I get is honey-gilded jasmine and honeysuckle, and now I get no horrid bitterness from the jasmine at all, and the soapy impression I got from the honeysuckle has faded. Now this reminds me of the original Honey Moon, and the honeys in here are very similar. This though is a bit heavier, a bit more decadent, a little sweeter thanks to the fruit and tonka. The drydown reminds me more and more of Honey Moon, which is fantastic because I love Honey Moon and I haven’t found another honey scent like it. This one is a little bit stickier and richer, and also has a more ‘voluptuous’ feel to it than the summery herbal honey of Honey Moon. It’s also a creamy scent, creamy flowers and honey…the drydown reminds me of Euphrosyne. There’s nothing sharp about the honey in here, it’s just sweet and soothing. Verdict: yes, as I expected and hoped, this is like Honey Moon, but it’s also very different. At first I’m not sure about it-there are loads of wonderful notes, but there’s also something that smells funky that I’m not keen on. This does disappear, and despite threats from jasmine and honeysuckle wanting to turn soapy, this doesn’t turn to soap like I fear, and it turns into one of the most gorgeous honeyed jasmine scents ever! Think BiggerCritters with added honey! The honey is very similar to Honey Moon (and I love that honey note), only less summery and outdoorsy and much richer and more luxurious, thanks to the fruit and tonka, which also keep the honeysuckle in check. Overall, I still prefer the lighter and sunnier scent of Honey Moon but this is a fabulous fragrance, both in scent and inspiration, and I definitely want to keep a bottle. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes-one bottle will do for now but I’m not sure if I need a second yet… If you like this, try: Honey Moon 05, Eos, Mad Kate, Peitho, MB: Bigger Critters, Euphrosyne, Diwali, Bilquis

Sea of Tranquillity In the imp: ohhh, this smells like a gentler Lotus Moon! Wet on skin: soft sweet lotus surrounded by a pale amber and a hint of opium. Dry on skin: this is gorgeous! This is beautiful lotus and gentle amber. I can’t smell the rose but I can smell the sandalwood and a bit of poppy, giving a hint of gentle incense to the scent. I think there’s just the barest scent of passion flower, but this is mainly a beautiful sweet lotus enrobed with a soft amber. Something about this reminds me of Fairy Market for some reason, but it also reminds me of one of my Egyptian themed scents…maybe Blood or Black Lotus? That’s definitely the lotus and maybe the white amber giving this impression…the white amber in here is fantastic. After a while: now this smells very similar to Lotus Moon, that same mix of amber, lotus and opium, except this is paler, more ethereal, probably because this is a white amber, not a golden one. There’s a gently glowing feel to this scent, a soft warmth, it’s also slightly powdery, and surprisingly sophisticated. It’s sweet but definitely not bubblegum sweet, and there’s a hint of smoke that gently weaves through it all. It also reminds me of Bastet, another favourite of mine. Over time this reminds me of Black Lotus, but not as dark…silvery is a fitting description. The drydown actually reminds me of Neptune, that mysterious, wispy scent of sweet, otherworldly lotus in a haze of narcotic smoke. This resemblance to Neptune is the closest this comes to smelling aquatic to me. I also smell more of the white amber at this point and it is such a delightful amber. I love white amber in NA scents, and this is the first BPAL where this lovely note really stands out and is well defined. Just before the scent goes, there’s a slight resemblance to Hermia, thanks to the passion flower. Verdict: this is the most beautiful combination of amber and lotus I’ve smelt so far. This is a haunting and enchanting scent of silvery moonlit flowers warmed by amber light, touched by sweetness and wrapped with a hint of smoke. The opium here is perfect-a light incense that is truly dreamy. The white amber is so gorgeous and the lotus is sweet and ethereal but not bubblegummy at all. I don’t smell much of the rose but the sandalwood grounds all the notes, passion flower adds a hint of something fruity. This becomes a truly stunning amber-lotus scent at the end, and then becomes dominated by amber, and as I’m an amber-holic, that’s a very good thing. To me, this is Bastet’s silvery cousin. Definitely one I want a backup or two of. One of the loveliest lunar scents and one of the few ‘sea’ scents I can wear! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes-this is stunningly beautiful. If you like this, try: Lotus Moon, Bastet, Neptune, Black Lotus, Blood Lotus, Hermia, Fairy Market

Midway Resurrected In the imp: mmmm, like the original, but sweeter, more cotton-candied! Wet on skin: candy floss, fried doughnuts, marshmallows…all the sweets of the fair. Dry on skin: oh yes. This is just like original Midway…but stronger. And I love that. I loved the first Midway, but I found it much too faint. This one has a lot more presence, a lot more waft, and doesn’t vapourise when it hits the skin. I smell all the gorgeous sweet goodness of fried doughnuts and candy floss here, maybe a hint of toffee apple and coconut ice too? I think this one is heavier on the spun sugar. But it’s a very gentle, non-cloying sweetness. After a while: still going strong, usually by now the original scent would have been eaten by my skin. But this one gives off an aura of delicious soft sugar. Almost like a glow of sweetness radiating off my skin, this one seems to have a lot more vanilla to it as well. I also smell a hint of funnel cake but thankfully this doesn’t smell greasy, just sweet and yummy. I want to gnaw on my wrist. I’m also amazed at how long lasting this is-I still get a sweet waft of vanilla doughnuts covered in sugar after a few hours. At times, the vanilla in here smells like birthday cake! And I love the smell of birthday cake! No buttercream but definitely with icing on it. Verdict: this is like Midway, but better! It’s everything I loved about the original (the sweetness, the candy floss, the fried doughnuts and other fair treats) minus what I didn’t like about the original (the faint plastic/cardboard undertone), with a bit more vanilla. And the best thing is that it is a lot stronger and has much more throw. Now that’s the fairground scent of my dreams! It brings back all kinds of happy memories, takes me to a happy place when I smell it. There’s a truly divine vanilla to this which I’m sure was in the original, but it’s much stronger in here, and smells like cake. Mmm, this is delicious. I’m so glad I’ve got a backup of this scent, an improvement on something I loved and didn’t think could be bettered. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes and I need at least one bottle! If you like this, try: Midnight on the Midway, Xanthe, Egg Nog, Snow White, Beaver Moon 07