PurringPulsar

Wezwanie/Hold In the imp: mmm, nutty honey. And yes there is something vaguely Storyville-ish to this. Wet on skin: gorgeous! Now I smell sandalwood and nutty honey and vanilla! Dry: this is wonderful! The sandalwood is dominant now, and it’s nice and strong, a warm solid wood with a comforting undertone. It’s fused beautifully with the vanilla, and there’s something almost like Storyville to this combination of wood and vanilla. I also smell the hazelnut, which doesn’t smell like syrup or caramelised nuts to me, just like a lovely sweet nutty accent to the sandalwood and vanilla. And there’s a layer of honey on top. I think I can just about make out the amber. This is decadent and delightful. After a while: mmm, now the honey has gone up a notch and this now reminds me of the ‘honeyed Heroine’ with the name I can’t spell…that’s probably due to the combination of the amber, sandalwood and honey here. I love that honeyed Heroine, so this makes me very happy…and instead of the tart currant note, I get sweet sugary nutty vanilla, a scent almost reminiscent of hazelnut meringues, sprinkled on this gorgeous honeyed sandalwood. This then goes back into that lovely nutty vanilla and sandalwood, not as honeyed now…but now I can smell amber! Gorgeous glowing golden amber joining in with the sweet woodsy loveliness. The scent moves between the soft woodsy vanilla to amber and honey and back again. It’s such a lovely scent! Verdict: this is one of the best honey blends out there, as honeyed-vanilla-amber scents, this is much, much better than O on me! This smells golden-brown, decadent and luxurious. The honey is runny and sweet, the hazelnut adds a perfectly nutty richness, the vanilla is sublime, the sandalwood and myrrh add a nice grounding touch and the amber, especially after some time, really makes this scent glow. It’s gourmand, but thankfully the amber and sandalwood prevent this from being fully foody, and this scent doesn’t cloy at all. I can’t wait to see how this ages…I bet the amber will really pop out and the notes will be richer and even more delicious. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Oh yes, now I want a bottle! If you like this, try: Séance, Svadihnopatika (I know I’ve spelt it wrong), Mouse’s Long Sad Tale, O, Sed Non Satiata

Noche Buena In the imp: floral sage. Like the sage in Corazon, but with flowers instead of mango. Wet on skin: sweet, sweet floral nectar with green sage. Lots of plumeria and tuberose here. Dry: this is very pretty! It’s very floral, and the flowers here are very sweet and have the potential to turn cloying, but for now this is a lovely scent. the sage adds a green, herbal edge to the scent, but isn’t as dry and desert-like as I expected, this sage note gives a scent more like the leaves and stems of the flowers with a hint of herbs. I don’t smell much of the incense, but I can smell the plumeria, tuberose and a hint of chrysanthemum. After a while: this gets drier and greener and the sage note smells less like the balmy, herbal, warm sage I expected and more like the bitter scent of dried flower stems, with a hint of something lovely and balsamic behind it which may be the incense. I’m not sure what I think of the bitter greenness though. The floral notes have also toned down-it’s now less dominated by the heady plumeria and tuberose, and now I smell more of the chrysanthemum, which enhances the dried plant scent this has. I think I also smell lily at this point, the kind of lily with a strong stem scent. It reminds me of Allison Gross now, but a lot more pleasant than that scent-it’s not as soapy. Eventually this settles into a gorgeous, but slightly faint, herbal incense scent. It reminds me of something else, probably a mix of elements from Coyote, Tzidakim Nistatim and Ahathoor. It’s a round, soft, balmy and very slightly resinous incense edged with sage. I get little to no flowers now. It reminds me of the slight hint of chrysanthemum I got in Death of Autumn mixed with dry warm notes. Now I get more of a desert sage feel from this. Verdict: even though this feels more like a spring scent than a winter one, I like this one a lot. It starts off as being very green, almost grassy, with fresh flowers that smell just like a florist’s, except these flowers are much richer and headier. Though this certainly isn’t as headily floral as Dia de los Muertos. It’s a gorgeous bouquet of a scent, and thankfully, the flowers don’t turn too bad, the greenery doesn’t turn too bitter, and the drydown is really lovely, even nicer than the just-dry stage. That’s when the incense comes out, a soft, subtle but warm and gently resinous scent mixed with a drier sage note. I love that stage but I wish it were stronger, with more oomph to it. I still prefer Midnight Mass as my festive incense scent, but I’m keeping the decant of this to age and hopefully the incense will come out more. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Just the decant. If you like this, try: Dia De Los Muertos, Swan Maiden, Hi’iaka, Allison Gross, Thalia, Coyote

Green Phoenix In the bottle: crushed stems and bitter grass. Has the potential to go soapy…here’s to hoping it doesn’t. Wet on skin: dandelions, sweet grass and lilies? I smell just a hint of lime and mint. Dry on skin: hmm, this is interesting. For now, it is very pretty and agreeable. It smells like Envy, but it’s a lot nicer and less bitter than Envy, this is soft and springy. The sage is a green, fresh variety, not a dry one. I also can detect a hint of fruity-sweet papaya. I don’t get much mint or cucumber yet…maybe just a hint of cucumber. There’s some lime there, and a little bit of tea. But the crushed grass is the dominant note…it’s like fresh stems, or dandelions, in here. This is lovely right now and I hope it stays like this. After a while: now this has become a little bit soapy. There’s a floral note in here, even though it’s not listed, and it’s one of those white lily-like florals that turns to soap on me. Dammit. Despite the fact I can still smell papaya, cucumber, maybe a little bit of amber too, it’s a white, waxy, soapy floral with hints of bitter greenery that I smell most of all. It’s not bad, but I was hoping for no soapiness at all. However at times it does remind me of Squirting Cucumber, with it’s cucumber and grass with a hint of white floral underneath…it’s a light, breezy summer scent. Eventually the scent becomes all cucumber and floral grass, no amber, papaya or musk now. It’s a little flat now, which is a shame. However the musk does finally appear after a few hours. Verdict: I’m funny with grass scents and green scents. whilst I adore the smell of cut grass, some BPAL grass/green scents turn bitter and soapy on me, and sadly this is one of them. But it’s not a bad scent, especially at the start. It smells fresh and spring-like, like grasses and herbs and crushed leaves dappled with dew, cucumber and sweet fruits and even dandelion. I was hoping it would remain lovely and cool and dewy and that the amber, musk and papaya would come out, but sadly that wasn’t the case. The grass note suddenly took over and turned bitter, and something really soapy came out, like a hidden floral note. The scent also lost the other interesting elements of herbs and tea and fruit and went a little bit blandly green on me. I do prefer it to Envy though, which was too bitter for me, this is a softer take on that theme. But sadly this isn’t my thing-and I was hoping for a lovely green scent for spring that would work on me! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? No…not so keen on the thin soapy drydown. If you like this, try: Envy, One to Tie Two to Win, Squirting Cucumber, Aeval, Allison Gross

Ice Prince The scent: in the bottle, it’s a strong, cold pine scent, with a definite twist of Beth’s snow note. It is definitely reminiscent of Skadi, Talvikuu etc. On the skin/in the bath, the scent becomes very menthol-y, a chilly pine note with an even colder aspect of wintergreen or camphor or even eucalyptus. It’s such a powerful scent, filling the whole house as soon as I pour it in the bath. I keep thinking that I should have waited to bathe in this when i get a bit sniffly-this will work wonders on colds, with it’s fresh and clearing scent, like a winter wind, and combined with the steam from the bath, I’m sure this stuff would be more effective than Vick’s, and with a nicer smell. It also has a skin cooling effect, which is very apparent once I get out of the bath. Maybe there’s mint in here too. The scent, once the initial hit of menthol passes, is very much like Talvikuu or Old Moon or Snow Moon, I can smell the snowy evergreen and something fruity and a hint of floral, but it’s the frozen forest notes that dominate. The oil that remains on the skin after bathing then reveals more of the plum note, and the scent then starts to remind me of the Shivering Boy. The oil: like Winter Maiden, it seems to dissolve and disperse nicely in the bath. No foam, no colour…just scented bathwater. The texture: the water feels silky and moisturising but not slippery or oil slick-y. It absorbs into the skin but not as much as the massage oils-this one feels like there’s a bit more extra moisturisation going on. My skin felt very soft after leaving the bath. In fact, I love the smooth sensation of this oil that I used this, post-bath, as a moisturiser. The verdict: I prefer Winter Maiden to the Prince, as sometimes this scent is a little too mentholated for me, but as a whole, this is another wonderful bath experience-I also love the cool tingle that this stuff gives my skin after bathing. It also will layer very well with other BPAL snow scents.

I saw some pics of the Love Poem labels, they are very minimalist, with just the poem against white as a background and the name of the scent.

Krampus 07 In the imp: very similar to 06-red musk (this time a little more Crowley-esque) and leather, with a slightly soapy pine wood note. Wet on skin: whoa, this red musk is a lot darker than last year’s! Here it is Smutty! Dry: holy crap, this is the Christmas Crowley. This one is heavier on the musk than last year’s, not as heavy on the wood and that slightly soapy rag note, this red musk even takes over the leather. this is the same musk as that of Smut and Crowley, a sexy, feral musk with just a hint of kinky rubber to it. there is a hint of something like pine or clean linen to it though, and this also has none of the sweetness that I got in Crowley and Smut. Just the raw musk with leather and woods. After a while: the musk becomes deeper and darker and a little more animalistic, still with that hint of rubber, but there’s a strange soapy-clean or fresh note, a fresh green scent like evergreen scented powder, which clashes with the dark, moody musk. I got this in the last version of Krampus, only this time there’s more musk. Then this soapy scent then morphs into a masculine perfume scent, one of those traditional men’s scents of greenish woods and moss, but with leather and heavy musk, and something that reminds me strongly of patchouli. It’s actually a smooth patchouli-musk after a while. Verdict: this smells very similar to the old Krampus, only this one has a lot more musk…and it’s musk of the Smutty kind which also reminds me of a certain Queen-loving demon. Musk and leather with a background of manly woods and something almost like evergreens…but oddly, there’s a soapy note to this that I don’t really like. And the musk, like the one in Smut, turns to rubber on me. At least Crowley has the vanilla and incense-like notes to calm the musky leather down a bit. A little too intense and manly for me and I’m not keen on the powdery (dusty rags?) drydown. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? No…I prefer Crowley. If you like this, try: Crowley, Smut, Loviatar, De Sade, C Auguste Dupin

The Shivering Boy In the imp: soft winter pines with a sweetness and resinous warmth. Wet on skin: like the Snow Storm, but warmer and sweeter and with more fruit and resins. Dry: mmm, this is lovely! It actually reminds me of Skadi, but this one is warmer-it’s not as cold and shivering as I expected. There is a hint of coolness but it is more like sleet than full on snow. I also smell hints of clean ozone, slightly citrus-y, as well as notes of vine leaves and pine, but no grapes. But those resins are fantastic-they add depth and warmth to the scent. After a while: now I get more in the way of fruit. This isn’t a deep red wine or a sweet sugary grape juice scent though. I smell lots of green vine leaf here. This now smells mushy, it’s hard to describe but it’s like crushed, slightly fermented white grapes in slushy wet snow which is melting. I also smell the frankincense note underneath, a soft golden scent, and the sweeter benzoin. This scent is still surprisingly warm, a comforting winter scent edged with a hint of pine or fir. I like this but I wish it was a bit colder in feel and that the fruit note was more defined. At least it’s not smelling overripe and oversweet, even if it smells like it’s fermenting. Sadly, this scent melts away and fades fast from my skin! I get traces of gorgeous pine resin and vines left behind after a few hours, but it’s so faint now…no more sweetness or fruit either. Verdict: after seeing gushing reviews and swooning fans of this scent on Lush NA (you know who you are!) I had very high hopes. And I like this a lot…but it’s not outright love. I like the notes here…the ‘vineyards’ smell less like grapes and more like vine leaves and squashed fresh white grape fruit, some of which is fermented, it’s a green-fruity mix. The snow notes are lovely but I was hoping they’d be much colder and more obvious. It definitely is more sleety than snowy though. the resins do add a little depth, sweetness and contrasting warmth to the scent, but I was hoping those resins would pop out a lot more. They are too faint for this resin lover’s tastes in here. I smell evergreens here too. the biggest disappointment is that this scent faded too fast, melted away, lost it’s coldness…disappeared and left a ghost of scent behind on the skin. I am keeping my decant, just in case age brings those resins out a bit more, and hopefully I can give this Boy some love. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Not sure yet…I’ll keep the decant for sure. If you like this, try: Death of the Gravedigger, Snow Storm, Haloa, November, Old Moon

Parsifal In the imp: mainstream cologne! This is very perfumey indeed… Wet on skin: this still smells like generic perfume, but now with a citrus zing. Dry: whoa this so sharp, it’s almost like there’s a hint of alcohol to it! The ozone is dominant, it’s a brash, harsh, sharp and perfumey ozone, thankfully not electric, but a bit soapy. I also smell a citrus note, I’m guessing that’s the petitgrain. I also smell hints of narcissus underneath this overpowering ozone, but no rosemary. I have no idea what cyclamen smells like. But this reminds me of a mainstream perfume I smelt once…this is a lot more like designer perfume than BPAL tends to be-even more so than the other ‘perfumey’ BPALs! After a while: that sharp, piercing scent does die down and the scent actually becomes a lot more pleasant. Something about it reminds me of Amsterdam, that same grassy-watery scent, but with narcissus instead of tulip. This floral note is deep and rich and a little bit like opium, actually, on me at least. It still smells like fresh ozonic perfume, but it’s not as unpleasant as before. Verdict: I’m not keen on this at all, especially the first hour of wear. I don’t mind the ‘perfumey’ BPALs, in fact, I love quite a lot of them (51 and Archangel Winter come to mind) but this one is much too brash, too piercing, reminiscent of those perfume smells that makes me wince whenever I step into a department store. It feels like it’s drilling through my nose, and I fear that it will give me a headache. Yup, the ozone here is of the bad variety, and the petitgrain makes this smell even more like cologne. It does calm a bit at the end, when it smells more like a cool narcissus scent with a touch of something fresh and crisp. But I really can’t stand the sharp, perfumey scent I get from this overall…I feel like the only one here who doesn’t like this one, sadly… Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? No. If you like this, try: Lightning, Dirty, Archangel Winter, Tempest, Privilege, Amsterdam

El Amor Y La Muerte In the imp: spicy clove and patchouli with a perfumey undertone which is sophisticated, mature, and almost masculine. Wet on skin: dark dusty patchouli and sandalwood incense with clove. Dry: mmm, this isn’t bad, but I’m quite surprised at how much it reminds me slightly of Mama Ji! There’s a dry sandalwood-rose-spice incense to it which reminds me of Indian incense, there’s something almost hippy like about it but it’s more sophisticated. This one smells quite classy as well as smelling mysterious and exotic. It’s also a very dry scent, dusty and woodsy, but I like that. I can also smell hints of those gorgeous resins. After a while: oh, this gets better. it gets richer, loses that slightly masculine-perfume scent it had before, the incense becomes less dry. The patchouli and clove are now rich, dark and sweet, the combination reminding me of the Smiling Spider. I can also smell the resins more now, which I love. There’s still a hint of dusty wood, but now this smells rich and deep and gorgeous. It’s beautiful but oddly for a scent full of patchouli and resin, it’s a little bit faint after a couple of hours, closer to the skin than expected. I think aging will improve it’s staying power. Now I smell something a little musky, or maybe like labdanum or ambergris, in here. Verdict: this is a gorgeous and rich scent of oriental sandalwood incense, deep patchouli and velvety rose bound together with resinous notes and warmed with clove. It’s almost like Wanton, but more complex. There’s a feel of something classic yet mysterious and also grown up about it. It feels old, like it’s been aged, and I bet that aging this scent will make it even lovelier. The scent is more incense-like at the beginning, but the resins and clove (and what lovely clove!) come out more at the end. The only complaint is that I wish it lasted a bit longer on the skin. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? I may get a bottle one day. If you like this, try: Wanton, Mama Ji, Goblin, Baghdad, Coiled Serpent, Smiling Spider, Malice

Christmas Rose In the imp: fizzy flower water! A tiny bit soapy, but promising. Wet on skin: sweet soft flowers floating in soda. Dry: this is very pretty! This is not rosy at all, of course, but smells like a delicate frosted fairy flower, glittering in the moonlight. It’s a sweet flower with a watery feel which is almost dewy but also frozen. There’s also a powdered sugar sweetness dusted over this flower. The scent is clean, a little soapy but in a good way, and definitely has an effervescence and a sparkling candied feel to it. this smells magical, whimsical, the scent of winter fairies. It also reminds me of Archangel Winter’s clean frosted floral scent, but whilst that had a blue feel, this scent is very pink to me, a pink tinted sugared flower. After a while: eventually I get a hint of the hellebore scent from Black Hellebore and Crow Moon, though this is more like the latter. It’s not as ‘perfumey’ as Black Hellebore, though it does have a tinge of the earthy, dirty undertone I got from BH, as well as the bright, cool dewy scent from CM. this one is a lot sweeter and sugary than those scents, it’s gentler and more approachable, and the snowy touch is very pretty. The scent becomes sharper, a little bit more earthy, and more perfumey over time as the soft sugared snow melts and I smell the darker notes of the flower. Now this smells more like Black Hellebore, right down to the almost vetiver-ish undertones that scent had. Verdict: at first, this smells like an enchanted fairy drink brewed from enchanted blossoms, with a touch of pixie dust. One of the prettiest and most enchanting florals ever! it’s wonderfully effervescent and bright and it glitters with a dusting of sugar or snow. it is a little bit soapy but not in a bad way. The scent gets darker and dirtier though, losing the lovely ‘fairy flower’ scent and turning into an earthy scent, a lighter version of Black Hellebore but definitely with that tobacco/vetiver like undertone and a similar perfumey feel to BH…only this scent is a lot cooler. It’s nice, but I prefer Archangel Winter as my icy floral scent...and I wanted more in the way of a sugared flower scent. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Not sure. If you like this, try: Black Hellebore, Crow Moon, Archangel Winter, Snow White

Blood Phoenix In the bottle: grape flavoured sweets. Not wine or sweet grape juice, but purple grape flavouring. Wet on skin: now I smell almonds, and with the red fruitiness, get a strong impression of cherries. Dry on skin: cherries, marzipan, and a gorgeous fruity red dessert. A moment of Fruitcake, but no more grape sweets. This reminds me of Bordello but richer and more jewel-like in tone. I think I can smell the resins slowly peeking out as the almond fades. The grape scent has now matured into a sweet red wine, and I can smell the carnation, and maybe tonka as well. No flowers though. After a while: now I can smell the musk! And also, a little bit of the dragon’s blood, but it’s not the kind of DB that amps on me, it’s the one from Scorpio and Red Moon that I really like. But the scent now has become very, very, very sweet. And I mean SWEET. Now I get a return to the grape sweets scent I got before-though not very artificial, it is very sweet, almost toothache-inducing. Though the sweet wine is reminiscent of Haloa, which I love, this is a lot sweeter, maybe because of the tonka? It reminds me of the sweet cherry sugar scent of Bloody Mary, which I found too much to handle. It’s a shame really because I catch hints of gorgeous resin and red musk and carnation under all that sticky sugary fruit. The sweetness (which is almost caramelised and sometimes nauseating) does seem to tone down a tiny bit and that’s when the musk shows up a lot more. But at other times, the fruity sugary sweetness returns. It’s odd, because normally wine scents don’t turn cloying on my skin, but this smells almost like excessively sugared berry pie filling to me. But it seems to fluctuate between red musk and myrrh (love) and pie filling every so often, so I’m confused as to whether or not I like it! It does seem to settle into a floral red musk scent after a while, like a darker version of Red Moon 07. Verdict: this is lush, rich, deep and complex, and I was hoping to love it…but sadly it isn’t really my thing. It starts off almost foody, like some kind of decadent cherry and wine based dessert, but then the musk and resins kick in and it becomes really luxurious and dark. I should love this, but I don’t…because it is much too sweet and foody. Normally I love wine notes but a couple of recent wine/grape scents have become much too sweet on me-Prospero and this one. It smells not like wine or even grape juice, but like a really sweet, almost caramelised cherry pie filling, like that of Bloody Mary. I really do smell cherry sauce here even though there is no cherry note listed. But it’s too cloying, it almost makes me feel nauseous. Maybe it’s the combo of the grape and tonka and dragon’s blood? It’s a shame because I love the musk and resins in here a lot, but can’t handle the sickly sweet pie filling scent. There are other similar scents I prefer where I can get boozy, red musky incense goodness without the overly gourmand tones. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Not sure. Probably not-there are other wine scents I prefer. If you like this, try: Scorpio, Midnight Kiss, Bordello, Purple Phoenix, Haloa, Philosopher in Meditation, Chilling Cellar

White Phoenix In the bottle: cotton, lavender and osmanthus. Very pretty, but it could go either way. Wet on skin: lavender and magnolia…this reminds me of Yvaine! Dry on skin: this is very pretty! The combination of lavender, magnolia and crystalline musk instantly brings to mind Yvaine (a favourite of mine). I can also smell the osmanthus, a crisp clean white scent which might be cotton flower (reminds me of washed cotton), and also a hint of the spice others mention, which I'm sure is the sandalwood (white sandalwood SN had a mild spice to it which I love). I think I can also smell the woodsy-neroli scent of petitgrain. This is a white, pure, clean scent, fresh and sparkling but also warm. After a while: now that the lavender's gone, this scent is now very white indeed…though not snowy-cold, this is warm whiteness. Clean and almost hinting at washed linen but not quite. The osmanthus is there but doesn't amp, nor does the magnolia, or the other flowers-in fact, all the floral notes are very well balanced. The musk and sandalwood ground this scent beautifully. It's not long before a bit of sweetness appears, undoubtedly the sugar cane. The scent also becomes a lot crisper, drier and breezier at this point. Feathery and white. Verdict: this is my favourite of the 07 phoenix scents. Still doesn’t hold a candle to Priala, my favourite BPAL phoenix scent of all, but this is a gorgeous scent of purity, cleanliness and light. It reminds me of a brighter version of Yvaine, with it’s crystalline lavender, and then turns into a scent of brilliant whiteness which smells a little bit woody, floral and white musk with a hint of white cloth. It's like warm sheets of Egyptian cotton, so soft and luxurious. There's a very clean scent to this that is dry, makes me think of clean clothes but doesn't smell like the other laundry/clean/aquatic ozone scents. the drydown is sweeter, a bit more of the musk and sugar cane comes out now. This is quite a beautiful scent and it makes me feel calmed and uplifted. It’s a luminous, bright and lovely fragrance that’ll be perfect for summer. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? yes! This is my favourite of the 07 phoenix scents. If you like this, try: Yvaine, Kindly Moon, Brides of Dracula, Zephyr, Dirty, Mr Ibis

Black Lace In the bottle: rich, sweet, smoky vanilla. Mmm. Wet on skin: oohhh…this is sweet vanilla with smoky incense and a little bit of booze! Dry on skin: oh yes, this is gorgeous. It is like a dark Antique Lace, but so much more than that. the vanilla is so delectable, and it actually reminds me more of the vanilla-amber of Mouse's Long Sad Tale than anything else. I also smell the tobacco and cognac, which add a dark, corrupted smoky-boozy feel to the scent, adding an edge to the sweet fluffy vanilla without making it too masculine. I also smell the same fantastic incense that was in Lurid Library. All in all, this is a fabulous combination! After a while: ok, this is a bit odd. Now I can smell the musk (which is a good thing because the musk here is delightful! Sensual and sweet and deep but not too heavy) but I also smell something like charred woods. I don't mean wood smoke or fragrant wood incense, but smouldering woods or dry leaves. Maybe it's the tobacco, or a kind of myrrh? I'm not sure, but I only smell it close up to the wrist. And other than that I still smell the gorgeous 'lacy' vanilla and incense. But the burnt woody/tobacco-y note is a tiny bit off putting. But away from the wrist, sexy vanilla-musk wafts around me. the vanilla-musk seems to strengthen though…there's still that burnt wood scent, but now it really does remind me of Antique Lace veiled with smoke, this scent is very fittingly named! I also get the Underpants similarity, with a slight hint of something like sandalwood underneath the vanilla. The scent then turns gorgeous again, a delightful vanilla-musk with incense swirling round. It’s very sensual and dark and alluring. It also lasts for ages on the skin! Verdict: mmm, definitely worth the hype, this has some winning notes and some moments when it is truly glorious, even though it’s not quite the perfection I expected. Whilst Antique Lace was a pretty frilly petticoat, this is sexy slinky black lingerie. This isn’t innocent and young, this is heady and sultry and smouldering. At first I get the most gorgeous vanilla scent, kind of like a mix of Mouse’s Long Sad Tale and Antique Lace, but with added incense and tobacco and sensual musk. But I’m not so keen on the middle stage of this scent, when one note, probably the tobacco, smells much too burnt on me, like charred woods, a bitter and harsh smoke as opposed to a gentle incense smoke. That is what stops me from truly loving this scent. A few hours later the scent becomes much nicer, a smoky vanilla musk that lasts for ages, a sexed-up Antique Lace. And this lasts for ages on the skin. this is a really beautiful scent and I would love this to bits were it not for that ‘burnt’ stage! Even so, this is a classic. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? yes! But I'm still unsure of whether this is a two-bottle scent. If you like this, try: Antique Lace, Lurid Library, Forbidden Foyer, Mouse's Long and Sad Tale, Perversion, Hastur

In the imp: like the Forbidden Foyer, but overgrown with moss. Wet on skin: thick Spanish moss and damp woods with dark, wet soil. Dry on skin: now I can smell the roses. Yes, this is very similar to Zombi. It's almost like Zombi in the Forbidden Foyer…I smell the thick, swampy scent of moss, very much like Spanish moss, with a rich red rose note, and lots of wet, loamy soil. On top of that is the scent of rotting floorboards with just a tinge of what reminds me of the cognac of Forbidden Foyer, or maybe some incense? it smells just like an abandoned house in a swampy environment, and the swamp has come to reclaim the land the house stands on…it smells very humid, rotting and rather oppressive. After a while: now this smells a bit sharper, less wet, and I think there may be a light myrrh note to the incense in here, as now it smells like charred wood which is what I get from the light myrrh SN. I also smell more of the wood, which smells less soft and rotted now. it's also not as mossy or earthy. The strongest note now though is the rose-it's a powerful, perfumed and rich rose, reminiscent of the one in Whip. Yet there's something old and bitter about this scent, aged and dusty and forgotten, but also a bit sinister too. It’s rather unsettling. I also fear that one of the notes here will go a little sour on me…the moss here may not be as strong but I think it's turning sour like it did in the Black Swan. This then turns into a slightly wilted rose scent (the moss turning into something vaguely like vase water) with burnt woods. Not sure if I like it much. It then turns into a thin wilted rose scent with woods at the back and decayed moss. Verdict: this is nice, but not as wonderful as I expected. It smells very much like Thanatos meets the Forbidden Foyer, actually, but with lots and lots of humid moss added. It evokes an abandoned house in a swampy area, decaying and mouldering, it’s very evocative of abandonment and rot, but with a melancholy note of wilted rose. I was hoping for more incense though, and the drydown is a little bit too much like stagnant water and sour roses for me. I prefer the dry rot of Forbidding Foyer when it comes to smelling like decaying wood. And I prefer Madeline, which is similar. I’m glad I tried it though-it certainly feels atmospheric and oppressive. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Not really. If you like this, try: Forbidden Foyer, Zombi, Thanatos, Bayou, Madeline, Parlement of Foules

Egg Nog 07 In the imp: Baileys! I kid you not. This smells like Irish cream. Yum. Wet on skin: still boozy cream, but now I also smell a sugary soft vanilla, like that of Perilous Parlour. Dry on skin: mmm, this is delicious! It doesn't have as much of the marshmallow scent of the original, and has a touch more booze to it, so it smells closer to eggnog than the 04 version. However this does have a gorgeous fluffy vanilla note which smells just like the vanilla in Snowblind, Perilous Parlour and the original Beaver Moon. In fact, it reminds me of Snowblind without mint and with added Irish cream. It's also a little bit like Midway. But what I like best about this is that it is stronger than the original Egg Nog, which smelt a little bit faint on me. After a while: now I smell marshmallows! Yum, creamy vanilla and marshmallow goodness-it's all the marshmallow goodness I hoped to get in the Poof. The booze has receded a lot now. this smells creamy and delicious and I want to bite my wrist. Verdict: oh yes, this is like the original, but improved in terms of booziness, creaminess, strength and duration. This smells like creamy brandy and rum and Baileys at the beginning, sprinkled with nutmeg. The cream here doesn’t turn sour at all-it smells like cream should. And the sweetness isn’t cloying. The drydown is the most wonderful creamy marshmallow and vanilla scent, almost like a winter version of Midway, and it was this vanilla marshmallow scent that I loved so much from the original, but it was too faint and faded fast-but in here it is stronger and lasts longer. I love this and I’m glad I have a bottle of this yummy scent. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes! If you like this, try: Midway, Beaver Moon, Perilous Parlour, Grog

Jolasveinar 07 In the imp: buttery mince pie crusts (mmm!) over flowers and cold pine. Wet on skin: chestnuts roasting, pie crusts, sweet pine and sugary snow. Dry on skin: mmm, this is lovely! I think I like this better than the 06 version. it smells very similar, but I think this one is heavier on the snow note, which is a sweet chilly citrus-pine scent here, and the pastry note is a bit stronger too, but it doesn't have the heavy buttery smokiness from last year (yet). I also smell the moss and the floral orchid, and a bit of dirt. I also smell a chestnut-flower mix reminiscent of Judith Victorious. After a while: huh? Now it smells all masculine, a little ozone-like, a weird mix of aftershave with smoke from baking. It's very perfumey now, reminds me of the dark green cologne scent of Bad Luck Woman Blues, but with soft ethereal florals (very reminiscent of magnolia) and roasted chestnuts. It does remind me of the 06 version, but a little more perfumey and aftershave-like. like there's a manly woodsy note in here…maybe it's the moss? Verdict: this is very similar to the 06 version, actually. It has that same unusual but pleasant mix of foody buttery pastry notes (though not caramelised sugar) with snowy, mossy notes and pale floral notes. The difference with this version, to me anyway, is that there’s more of a woodsy-green-pine scent to it, not as floral, and with a hint more spice to the foody notes. However, one note turns this into a really manly scent, reminiscent of aftershave. It’s odd, because a few of the recent foodies have had this odd aftershave reaction (Chanukkiah and Sugar Skull in particular, and also Bad Luck Woman Blues) and I think the pine/snow notes in here seem to amplify that a bit more. I also find the foody chestnut smoke note a little too cloying on me. A fun scent, but not my thing. I think it would smell scrumptious on a man though! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? No. If you like this, try: Bad Luck Woman Blues, Judith Victorious, Old Moon, Snow Storm, Channukiah

Peacock Queen 07 In the imp: a rich, voluptuous rose with a hint of thorny sharpness. Wet on skin: huh? Where's the rose gone? Now I just get a trace of rose and a lot of sharpness. Dry on skin: what on earth? Now I smell rose, but it's a faint rose. and it smells like rose petals floating in dishwater. No, really. There's something here, slightly lemony and green, which smells like washing up liquid mixed with scummy water. That, along with rose petals. There's a hint of waxy calla lily too. And to top it off, underneath it all I get something that's vaguely sulphurous. Like the faintest whiff of brimstone (and I don't mean that vetiver or lovely incense note that Beth uses in her brimstone blends) underneath the roses and scummy warm dishwater. What have I done to deserve such a skin reaction? Even the old PQ, even though she smelt a little too sharp a rose for me, didn't go so awry on me. After a while: the scent stays as this 'rose gone wrong' for a while before that weird sulphur and dish soap scent retreats and the scent left behind is a sour rose. An improvement over what it smelt like before, but still not very nice. Verdict: I didn’t mind the last version of PQ, I thought she smelt a little sharp and haughty, a little bit too tart on my skin but not unpleasant, definitely fitting the description. But the 07 version totally bombed on my skin. It reminded me of the harshest reviews of Imp of the Perverse (which incidentally was pleasant on me), in that it smelt of sulphur and vase water and washing up liquid and other unpleasantness with just a hint of rose. And it smelt so nice in the vial too…and I think I’m the only one who can’t stand this scent, I feel bad just writing this when the other reviews are so glowing. I don’t usually get this with pure rose scents, they tend to just turn to gorgeous pure rose, but this scent broke my heart. Oh well, at least Rose Red 07 is fantastic and more than makes up for it! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? No! If you like this, try: Rose Red, Pride, Lucy’s Kiss, Madeline, London, Rose Cross

Midwinter's Eve 07 In the imp: this is very different to the last two MWE scents. This smells like the plum in Bathsheba, not the one in Bordello. Wet on skin: out come the floral notes, now it reminds me of a gentler version of Witch Queen. Dry on skin: mmm, this is gorgeous! Very different to the sweet 'visions of sugar plum fairies' I got from the 04 and 05 MWE versions, which was sweet and sugary and pink, but a richer plum scent which matches the description better. This scent is a lot less happy and sparkly, and a lot more poignant and deep. The plum note is a fresh, not too sweet plum, which is also dark and juicy…like a wild black plum. And the floral notes are soft and velvety. There may be some tuberose in here, possibly some daffodil or orchid. In fact, this smells like the Witch Queen, but without that screaming harsh floral note that put me off it. It also reminds me of Bathsheba and Morgause. This is an enchanting scent. After a while: the plum sweetens a little, but doesn't become cloying. it even becomes a little smoother, creamier…maybe a little bit musky? It reminds me so much of those musk-plum scents now that I wonder if there's a touch of musk here too? The floral notes are gorgeous too-they add a lush, voluptuous scent to the plum but are not the kinds of flowers that turn bad on my skin. Now I get a resemblance to Blood Countess here. The scent stays as this sweet, sophisticated plum touched with flowers, it doesn't turn sickly sweet, and it smells just like what I hoped to get from Kitsune Tsuki. Verdict: the old MWE, though pleasant, was a little too cheerful and reminiscent of Aunt Caroline's Joy Mojo for it to be a melancholy scent. This one is much more fitting to the description, and also smells a lot nicer, less sugary, more sophisticated. The plum note is deeper and a fruitier, less like sugar plum fairies dancing in frilly tutus, sweet and sparkly, and more like a classy plum-floral-musk along similar lines to Bathsheba and the Witch Queen. In fact, this is the kind of scent I hoped to get from the Witch Queen. I really like this scent, and it’s certainly my favourite version of MWE, and I’m keeping the decant but don’t need a bottle as it reminds me so much of Bathsheba, which I prefer. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? The decant, for sure. If you like this, try: Bathsheba, Witch Queen, Morgause, Blood Countess, Kitsune Tsuki

Winter Maiden The scent: in the bottle, it’s a wonderful frosty blackberry. Here’s to hoping it doesn’t turn to cat pee, but I feel it might not because it’s not as concentrated. Once poured in the bath, the scent absolutely blossoms-just 2/3 of a 5ml decant makes the whole bathroom smell amazing, like Beth’s snow note and pines and berries and a little bit of rose. In fact, the entire corridor smells of Winter Maiden after a little while! When in the bath, the scent got even better…I smelt more of the fig and berries and also the amber. and then I applied the oil into my skin for extra scent…and I can safely say that the blackberry in here is not of the cat pee variety at all! In fact, this smells like the perfect blend of amber, rose, blackberry and possibly fig too, with a twist of winter evergreens (probably some balsam in there) and just a hint of the famous BPAL snow note, and a little bit of citrus from the bergamot. Such a gorgeous scent to slather all over my skin! I’m even considering using this as perfume now… The oil and texture: seems to dissolve and disperse nicely in the bath. No foam, no colour…just scented bathwater. The water feels silky and moisturising but not slippery or oil slick-y. it absorbs into the skin but not as much as the massage oils-this one feels like there’s a bit more extra moisturisation going on. My skin felt very soft after leaving the bath. In fact, I love the smooth sensation of this oil that I used this, post-bath, as a moisturiser. And that made the scent even better as well. I think this will make a wonderfully indulgent ‘lotion’, especially after a bath or shower. My skin feels so soft now, but not greasy, it doesn’t feel like there’s a film over it. The verdict: I am so impressed with this stuff, how beautiful it smells, and how versatile it is. I can use it as bath oil, moisturising oil, and perfume. Plus the scent of snowy berries and amber is to die for. I can’t wait to try more BPAL bath oils!

Here's a question. Am I the only one who pronounces BPAL as a word (Bee-Pal), but pronounces TAL as initials (Tee-Ay-El)? Somehow, pronouncing TAL as 'tal' sounds odd...

Fruitcake In the imp: holy crap this smells like my family Christmas cake. Marzipan, booze, and dark fruity cake. Wet on skin: now I smell more of the fruit, less of the almonds, more of the booze too! Dry on skin: there's a very sharp note, probably a fruity booze, I'm guessing sherry or brandy, that is very strident in here and threatens to take over. It reminds me of that odd fruity sharpness in Chanukkiyah that I wasn't keen on, but I can tolerate it better here. Underneath that is the smell of moist, fruity, rich and incredibly alcoholic Christmas cake, just like the one my mum makes. I smell the cake itself. The cherries. The raisins. The candied citrus. The brandy-and lots of brandy. A touch of port. And a marzipan topping which smells like crumbly almonds…exactly like home made marzipan that I am so familiar with. I'm not crazy about the strange bitter fruit note on top of it all, but the scent overall is pure festive fruitcake. After a while: that bitter note disappears altogether and now the scent is even more delicious! it now smells like moist, mushy cake filled with fruit. There's also a hint of plum pudding here but it's mainly Christmas cake. There's still lots of booze here, and I also smell more cherries and raisins too, as well as hints of spice and brown sugar. I want to bite my wrist off. It gets richer and more sugary over time, and it has tons of throw! The drydown is reminiscent of Vice without chocolate, a delicious mushy cherry cake scent with marzipan and spice. I think I get a hint of icing now, a light sugary scent. Verdict: in my family, Christmas isn’t complete without the Christmas cake. Made with fruit soaked in various boozes for months, this cake is incredibly moist, incredibly heavy, incredibly rich, and incredibly alcoholic-you don’t drive after eating even a morsel of this stuff! It is covered in marzipan made from almonds that have been freshly blanched and ground, and icing. It is also really yummy. So I was very pleased that my BPAL Yuletide was made complete when an imp of this appeared in my order. And yes, it does remind me of the family fruitcake. From an almond intro suggesting a marzipan topping, to a scent of glace cherries, raisins, candied citrus, all covered with cake and dark sugary notes and liberal splashes of brandy and port. This then softens up into a gorgeous spicy cake with cherries, icing sugar and marzipan, not as intensely alcoholic, more like fruity gingerbread, but still lovely. Like the real thing, this is very rich and sweet and boozy and I don’t think I need more than one imp of this, but I will cherish my imp for sentimental reasons, and because it smells delicious! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Of course!

Rose Red 07 In the imp: crisp, icy, fresh rose. Very much like 05. Wet on skin: now it turns a little sharp…but still retains that dewy, crisp, cool rosy scent. Dry on skin: oh, this one is lovely! Whilst I find 05 a little sharp, this one is closer to 04, which was the perfect frozen rose scent. This has that hint of almost lemony-geranium type scent that I got in 05, mixed with the pure, icy rose scent I got in 04, making a gorgeous rich red rose scent with a nice chilly watery aspect. This is truly the classic BPAL rose. After a while: oh yes, this is much nicer than 05. It's not sour at all-a bit tart, but not nose-piercingly sharp and wilted. The icy scent from before has toned down, and now the scent is a bit fainter, but it smells like a pure fresh rose…and not just the flower. I smell the stem too, maybe the leaves. A graceful, elegant, long stemmed rose, with a hint of dew. It does fade away very fast from the skin though, in about 2-3 hours, there’s little trace of the rosy goodness left on me. Verdict: oh yes, this is Rose Red in it’s best incarnation! I have fond memories of how lovely the 04 version was, then I swapped that off, and bought 05, which was nice at first but a little bit too tangy, and then became really sharp on me after a year or so. This reminds me more of RR04, and I love it. The perfect frozen rose, petals on ice, long stemmed and sophisticated, fresh and very genuine. I get hints of stem and leaves as well as the flower. This is rose in it’s purest and loveliest form. The only disadvantage is that it fades too fast, but is beautiful while it lasts. I need a bottle now! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? yes-I'm getting this one for sure! If you like this, try: Peacock Queen, London, Hope, Lucy's Kiss, Rose Cross, Empress

Gingerbread Poppet 07 In the imp: warm, baked, spicy gingerbread. I want to eat this up. Wet on skin: gingerbread with a hint of brown sugar. Dry on skin: mmm, now the ginger veers in a Shubby direction, which I like very much. It becomes hotter, a little more fiery, and even a little less foody than I expected, but the scents of warm treacly cake mixed with ginger and other spices make this incredibly comforting and delicious. This is a little more varied in spice than GP04, maybe a little more cake-y, and the best thing is that for now it doesn't have the burnt undertone I disliked from 05. After a while: hmm, now this becomes even more interesting. The ginger has toned down a little, and now not only does it smell like gingerbread, but like fruity gingerbread! Like there are raisins, plums, figs or apricots in the gingerbread…it reminds me of the dried sweet fruit note from Sugar Skull, but covered in cake instead of caramel. It is delicious! It actually reminds me of those German gingerbread biscuits with a jam filling, but without the chocolate those biscuits have. Then this turns from mere fruity gingerbread to a Christmas cake spiked with booze! Oh yes, this is good stuff! There's a cheeky addition of sherry or port to this gingerbread! Verdict: mmm, this is so delicious! I love the gingerbread scents, and was a huge fan of GP04, but GP05 smelt like burnt gingerbread, which really disappointed me. This is more like 04…but I think it’s even better! I think this is my favourite Poppet so far! Warm ginger with a slight hint of something like Shub Niggurath to it, this starts off as a foodier Shub and then transforms into true gingerbread filled with dried fruit and topped with a shot of booze! It smells less dry than 04, this one has a nice moist feel to it, probably thanks to the slight fruity/treacle note I get here. I think I need to get a bottle…I want to bite this stuff off my skin! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? definitely! If you like this, try: Shub Niggurath, Cockaigne, La Befana, Saw Scaled Viper, Bengal, El Dia de Reyes

Rozpustnica In the imp: lemon verbena and maybe a hint of white/blue musk. Wet on skin: lemon verbena and a hint of white floral musk. Dry on skin: lots of verbena here! For now this is very lemony, a bit cologne-y, but underneath that I smell pale flowers and a little bit of musk. I smell lilies too, even though that's not listed. But I definitely smell ethereal moonflower and blue musk notes…a bit like a lemony Long Night Moon. After a while: soap? Now the lemon has faded, I get a vaguely soapy lily scent now lingering on my skin. It's actually not bad though, as soapy florals go…this smells soft, clean, and subtle. I can smell moonflower and magnolia here too, as well as a touch of ozone-like blue musk. However, the notes I hoped to smell most-the rose and lychee-are nowhere to be found. The scent then turns into a pure white flower scent-just a bit of musk, but mainly magnolia and moonflower, and something a little bit sour underneath-the remains of the verbena perhaps? I think now I make out some rose, but the scent is a little waxy and soapy now. It reminds me of Gibbous Moon, but not as crisp and clear as that scent was. Verdict: this is very pretty…but I’m not sure if it’s my thing. It starts off smelling very lemony, with just a bit of musk and floral. The verbena then burns off to leave a gentle floral scent with a little musk. It’s a bit soapy though, a bit waxy, which isn’t normally what I get with magnolia or moonflower. It’s more like a lily note. I was hoping for more rose and lychee but they are not discernible here. This isn’t bad, but isn’t really my scent, and it does fade fast…so not a keeper for me. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? not really. If you like this, try: Long Night Moon, Vampire Tears, Phobos, Swan Maiden, Gibbous Moon

Fairy Wine In the imp: mmm, this smells like honey and elderflower cordial, a drink I call 'fairy juice', funnily enough. Wet on skin: now I smell dandelions and redcurrants, along with sugar plums and honey water. Dry on skin: ooh, I love this. This really does smell like what I'd imagine a fairy drink to smell like. It's not boozy, but it's a very juicy smell, wet, fresh and fruity-floral. The honey is delightfully sweet but with a watery quality reminiscent of honeyed herbal tea, especially with the hint of dandelion (not as strong as the dandelion in One to Tie). And the currants are perfect-they are sweet, but not too sweet. I also smell other fruits here, like sweet red grapes and something that could be plum. After a while: mmm, this one gets better. It gets fruitier, and I also smell more of the honey. It also smells richer and fuller. This is like Roadhouse, but much, much nicer. It doesn't have that nasty beer smell, that's replaced with a classier wine note. Nor does it smell like tobacco, but the honeyed dandelion is similar. This also reminds me of that wonderfully festive (that's festive in a summer festival way) honeyed sweetness I got from Litha, though this one is a lot more fruity and sweet. I now want to drink something that tastes like this one smells. It sweetens more and more over time, but doesn't over-sweeten. The scent moves between smelling of a honey infusion to a delectable fruit juice mix and back again. this scent will be absolutely perfect for summer. Verdict: I should have known…I might as well get a bottle of every scent with fairy associations because most of them are fantastic. This is no exception. I still think Fairy Market is the best thing ever but this one is a gorgeous scent too. I think this is my favourite dandelion scent in BPAL…most of them go either bitter or soapy on me but not this. This scent smells just like what I’d imagine fairy wine to smell like. It’s not boozy, but it is fruity, juicy, refreshing and joyful in feel. I smell the currants and honey, the honey in here is sweet and non-cloying, the currants aren’t too sour, and there may also be a little bit of grape here too, or some other red fruit? The dandelion is subtle but adds a ‘wildflower cordial’ scent to this wine. It doesn’t last long on the skin but it is wonderful while it lasts. I’ll need a bottle for the warmer months. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes! If you like this, try: Bordello, Fairy Market, Sagittarius, Midwinter's Eve, Litha, Roadhouse