PurringPulsar

Spiked Punch In the imp: fruity boozy punch, with a slightly worrying undertone of Pruno. Wet on skin: fruity booze, wine and cleaning products. Dry: hmm, I’m not sure about this. This smells of fruit punch with white wine, fruit juices, orange and apple and red fruits, but it also has that artificial fruit flavour scent I got with Swank and the Hamptons, and there’s a sharp, cutting scent which is a cross between a ‘perfumey’ note, apple scented washing up liquid, and bathroom cleaner. It’s sharp and fake smelling on me. There’s a ‘sour sweets’ note, an apple note that is turning to soap on me, and also a lemon note that smells just like the stuff the cleaners in my flat use to clean the microwaves! And it reminds me of Pruno. After a while: microwave cleaner! Yeesh! This no longer smells like fruit punch, it now smells EXACTLY like microwave cleaner, that harsh, fake lemon scent that reminds me of the horrid taste I get on my baked beans whenever I warm them up in a microwave that’s just been treated with that cleaning product. I also smell hints of the exact same washing up liquid I use, I think it’s Tesco brand ‘Spring’ washing up liquid? This reminds me too much of my campus kitchen-though it smells clean, it certainly doesn’t smell like my kitchen when it’s not cleaned, ie, most of the time! It stays like that until the end, when hints of apple creep back in, and I smell a hint of juniper (gin?) as well. It smells like the Hamptons meets Pruno now. Verdict: I’m funny with BPAL booze-some I adore (the wine scents, a few spirits), but I’m generally not very successful with the cocktails or lighter fruit booze scents. This punch smells like it’s been spiked, but not by pleasant boozy notes, but by truly toxic amounts of household cleaning products! I thought Pruno was nasty but this is Pruno x100 with added microwave cleaner and washing up liquid-it’s uncanny how much it smells like the stuff used to clean my flat’s kitchen! I really don’t like saying this about BPAL and I’m usually quite tolerant about scents that aren’t my thing, giving them a chance to develop on the skin…but this is one of those ‘get it off and get it far, far away from me now!’ scents, and it’s not often I come across scents like that! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? No!

Dia de los Muertos 07 In the imp: very similar to the 05 version, packed with heavy jasmine-like floral notes. Wet on skin: yup, there’s something like jasmine in here, because it turns rather bitter on my skin. Dry: whoa, it’s an attack of the flowers! There’s something like jasmine in here, which teeters on the brink of smelling bitter but right now isn’t quite nasty, and a sort of lemony-perfumy floral which smells like some lily notes, maybe lily of the valley or calla? I think there’s ylang-ylang here too. I get hints of the sweetness and dry leaves and tobacco, but no obvious chocolate or smokiness. just lots and lots of heady, powerful flowers. It’s like the 05 version, but I thought the jasmine/ylang in 05 was nicer, even though that was a heady floral. After a while: this gets better, sweeter and smoother, losing that sharp floral edge. There’s still a hint of slight bitterness but the sweeter notes, possibly vanilla and other foody notes, comes through. There’s even a little bit of butter now, I’m not sure I’m keen on that. I think I also smell a little more tobacco or dry leaves now. It’s still very floral, but along similar lines to the sweeter jasmines like Peitho. This develops a really odd olive scent at times, but when this scent behaves, it’s a lovely sweet vanilla jasmine scent, like a festive and complex take on BiggerCritters. Verdict: this is very much like the 05 version, in that it is very, very floral. Packed with jasmine, or something that smells like it, and other heady blooms. But this is a much nicer jasmine on me than usual-I think the complexity of this scent stabilises this fickle floral note. but I was hoping the other notes-the chocolates and sweets, and the incense, would come out, I get very little of those notes save for a hint of vanilla-this is dominated by flowers. It’s a lot better than the 06 version, but since I have enough of the 05 version, I think I’ll pass this one on. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Not sure yet. If you like this, try: Perfumed Garden, MB BiggerCritters, Peitho, Kali, New Orleans, Kubla Khan, Zorya

Sugar Skull 07 In the imp: slightly buttery but very light and gentle sugar. Not the heavy treacle of previous years. Wet on skin: slightly boozy but not overwhelmingly caramel-y sugar. Dry: mmm, this one’s got potential! This is brown sugar and a dash of rum, but it’s not burnt sugar, heavy treacle or ‘I am caramel, hear me roar!’ this is a much gentler sugar scent. I smell a touch of alcohol, which breaks up the sweetness, and a mix of white and brown sugars. I also smell spices here, and possibly even the fruit notes, which to me are either berries or plums. I’m sure there’s citrus too, maybe lime, and some vanilla. There’s something almost masculine to the rum note, maybe its bay rum as opposed to the usual dark buttered rum? It reminds me of Mr Nancy, actually. This one is possibly the least cloying of the Sugar Skulls. After a while: this gets more and more like an odd mix of masculine perfume and sugary rum as it dries. Gone is the potentially wonderful sugared fruit and a hint of vanilla, and now I smell a manly caramel cologne with dark green-brown notes in fact, this reminds me of Bad Luck Woman Blues now, but without the vetiver and herbs. It has a similar feel of booze and brown sugar though, and it’s heavier on the caramel now…and there’s dark musk here? It’s unusual but I swear I smell a dark musk, or other non-foody and slightly ‘manly perfume’ note to it. The odd, almost aftershave-like scent still lingers, a kind of bay rum-tobacco-moss scent with sugar on top. For some reason, it reminds me of some perfume I remember smelling in an airport duty free shop! I’m not sure about that really masculine caramel scent, it’s also very treacly now…but then I smell something almost Al Azif-like peeking out…a resin perhaps, or dark amber? I love Al Azif and it’s sticky dark resins that almost hint at brown sugar, but this one smells a little too much like burnt molasses and sophisticated men’s perfume, which dominate the hints of resinous notes. but eventually this turns to pure treacle, with a hint of maple syrup, which most of the heavy caramel scents tend to do. Even the ‘aftershave’ notes are consumed by the treacle toffee scent. Verdict: this is the least foody of the Sugar Skulls so far. It has hints of the caramel, maple syrup, rum, treacle and brown sugar of previous years, but this one is interesting in that it also has hints of white sugar and even some non-foody, almost masculine-perfume notes. At first it’s a mix of caramel and candied fruit sprinkled with white sugar, but then the scent turns into a sweeter, less earthy version of Bad Luck Woman Blues…it has that same base of dark green notes with tobacco and cologne and bay rum, and the drydown after a few hours is slightly ambery-resinous, a brown sugar incense, like Al Azif with more sugar and the dark manly cologne underneath. It’s a fascinating scent, not as cloying as the other SS scents can be, and with some unusual nuances to it. But overall it’s a bit too masculine and I much prefer Al Azif if I want to smell like dark sugary incense. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Not really but it's a really interesting take on the SS theme. If you like this, try: Mr Nancy, La Befana, Cockaigne, Drink Me, Bad Luck Woman Blues, Al Azif

Sugar Slathered Candied Apple In the imp: apple covered in rum-spiked treacle! This is even more caramelised than Creepy! Wet on skin: now the apple comes out in force, a crisp tart green apple with sugar. Dry: ok, now this is a bit different to Creepy. In fact, this is a fusion of Creepy and Punkie Night. A sharp, crunchy and almost fizzy apple scent, a green apple as opposed to a red one, fresh and ripe but with an effervescence like an appletiser drink. Underneath that is the caramel, treacle, brown sugar, rum and other sweet notes. In here, the apple is dominant, in Creepy it was the other way round. But this apple is almost certainly the apple note that disagrees with me. After a while: ok, the apple is doing weird stuff on me. It’s turning a little floral, a little sweet, a little mushy and, dare I say it, a little bit plastic. In fact, this seems to be hinting at air freshener, just like the apple in Possets Pippin did. Only this one has sugar added. Now I think Creepy, which I thought was over-caramelised, is the lesser of two evils when it comes to toffee apple scents that I’m not keen on. Then it goes into that odd polystyrene and paper with apple air freshener scent I get with scents where apple really dominates, only this time with a hint of butterscotch or toffee popcorn. This actually smells like Possets Spook now, only much stronger-Spook was a bit weak on me, but this isn’t. Verdict: apple, especially fresh green apple, is such a tricky note on me. Too much of it and the apple reacts badly with my skin and smells fake. Just the right amount and it can add a delicious fruitiness and another angle to a complex blend. Sadly, this is the former. Not even the caramel, another dodgy note on my skin, overtakes the apple. On a person with apple-friendly chemistry this would smell like gorgeous fresh green apples dipped in melted toffee. But I get an overpowering Styrofoam and fruit-floral scent with just a scraping of butterscotch. Not my thing at all. I prefer baked, spiced apple scents if I want something that’s apple-dominated. I’ll be swapping this off. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? No.

All Souls 07 In the imp: tart currant and gardenia? That’s odd, but it does remind me of the incense I get in Midnight Mass 05. Wet on skin: now it smells less like gardenia and more like burning frankincense with fresh currants. Dry: mmm, interesting. This is a lot less cake-like than last year’s version. There’s a sweet currant jam scent and just a hint of baked sugar, but none of the slightly buttery, strongly Eat Me-ish scent from 06. Instead I get a very strong, burning frankincense note, piercing and smouldering and sharp. It smells like the frankincense from Meshkenet actually, slight greenish and tinged with a hint of floral. That’s no bad thing because I am very fond of the Vulture Maiden, and this is like an offering of currant cakes for her. It’s not as soft as last year’s. After a while: the sharpness that I got before has toned down a lot. Now this smells like frankincense resin with sweet currants. Golden, piercing, slightly peppery resin, and the currant even has a feel of resin to it. I don’t smell cake here very much-at least, not as much as with the 06 version. Just a hint, but not as much as last year’s. This is drier, there’s none of the sweetish, ashy, woodsy, nag champa scent I got last year-this is resin, frankincense and maybe a hint of pine, both in it’s burning and unburnt states. The currant note does smell a tad medicinal now though. Then I can smell a bit of myrrh-it’s not the dark myrrh that I get in things like Minotaur and Priala though, but the golden-green myrrh of Anubis. That and frankincense and currants. The scent still has that golden, warm yet sharp incense scent to it, and I think I smell a hint of brown sugar at this point as well, a touch of caramel. Then the incense goes into an odd stage which is almost like olive or pickles? I don’t often get pickles with incense scents, only occasionally, but even then it doesn’t distract me. I wonder now if there’s a little bit of rosewood here? It’s not as sweet now, it reminds me of the olive-incense-wood of Riding the Goat now. Verdict: this version is totally different to a bottle I have from last year which smells of sweet ‘Eat Me’ currant cakes with soft resinous incense which then mellows down to nag champa and sugar, a soft mix of crumbs and ashes. This one has a sharper, more piercing incense note and a more bitter currant note-this isn’t as gourmand, there’s no butter, and there’s even a hint of sharp floral to it. The scent is dominated by a sharper frankincense than usual. I like this scent because I love incense, but I prefer my bottle from 06…this also reminds me of Meshkenet with added fruit notes. I wish the currant note was a little sweeter though, in here it smells a little bit like sore throat pastilles at times, and I'm not sure about the olive like drydown. I don’t need a bottle but I may keep the decant. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Maybe. If you like this, try: Meshkenet, Midnight Mass, Eat Me, Haloa, Anubis, Penitence, Riding the Goat

Pumpkin Cheesecake In the imp: sweet spicy pumpkin with aspects of butter, spices, vanilla, maybe some citrus too? Wet on skin: now I smell a hint of the cheese? It’s a lot cheesier (that’s cream cheese, not stinky cheese) than Beaver Moon 05 though. Dry: pumpkin and sweet fromage frais. This does have an element of the original Beaver Moon to it, the spicy crust and filling, but this one has a little more of a creamy scent to it. It initially smells disturbingly like real cream cheese though, a bit like pumpkin pie topped with Philly cheese or mascarpone. There’s a hint of the delicious spicy-exotic pumpkin of Pumpkin Queen to it (could there be cardamom here?) as well as cinnamon and ginger, but this scent is much more heavy on the pumpkin than even the Queen was. There’s a strong vanilla note to it as well. After a while: as expected, this becomes original Beaver Moon with pumpkin. The strong, sweet, warm, cinnamon-laced vanilla I remember from the Beaver is now strong, the heavy pumpkin scent still hangs around as well, and it still has that slight creamy smell but it’s not as cheesy. The scent is smoother now. The odd thing about this pumpkin, which I don’t really get in other scents, is that it has an almost sweet potato like scent to it at times. I’m not sure if I’m keen on that. But then the scent goes into spicy vanilla again and it’s lovely. It’s almost like the Perilous Parlour’s vanilla with an extra shot of cinnamon, and with pumpkin instead of pear. And then I read that there’s carrot in here, which explains the oddly vegetable sweetness I get from here that isn’t pumpkin! The drydown is a warm, spicy, toasted vanilla scent, a scent of cake, but not very much pumpkin. It’s very cosy, and very much like Beaver Moon. Verdict: I can see why this is so loved! It’s a gorgeous gourmand scent, the epitome of foody pumpkin. I get the spicy cinnamon and warm vanilla crust from the original Beaver Moon here, but here I also get creamy pumpkin, and a lot more cream cheese. I’m not so sure about the cheesiness I get here (it smells too much like mild cream cheese on me-not a cheesy cheese scent but a rich, slightly tangy, very creamy-dairy scent…I’m not keen on cream cheese) or the slightly vegetable-like scent the pumpkin sometimes gets, thanks to the carrot note. But I do love the spicy vanilla base the scent has. It’s a nice scent-indulgent and comforting and quite delicious. It’s not my favourite pumpkin scent though. I may keep my decant of this, but thankfully for my bank account’s sake, I don’t feel the need to search for more of this. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Maybe. I do prefer Beaver Moon 05, Pumpkin Queen and Pumpkin V though.

I get the winter blues when the weather is grey and damp with that horrid wet rainy coldness, like recently...I highly recommend Schrodinger's Cat! Full of fun citrus notes, this one is so cheery and perky and makes me smile. I also highly recommend Sol Invictus. That's my bottle of liquid sunshine for the winter months, it just seems made for SAD. Fire Pig is another good one.

The Death of Autumn In the imp: vetiver, saffron, spiced autumn leaves and amber. Wet on skin: hot saffron and possibly galangal, oud and and autumn leaves. Dry on skin: mmm, this is really quite beautiful! I smell a much truer autumn leaf note than that of October, along with dry, hot saffron, a little bit of clove, dry woodsy notes of oud and galangal, a gorgeous amber note and just a hint of vetiver. This is a dry, spicy and haunting scent, which is dusty, almost sandy. Imagine autumn in a warmer, drier climate-this is the scent of autumn leaves dropping in the unexpected heat of an Indian summer, or leaves dried by desert winds. I smell nothing floral here-just woods, spices, incense and leaves. After a while: is there sandalwood in here? I smell something very much like that here. The scent becomes drier and more arid, and also a little hotter as well. It's not as amber-y as before, now it's more woody and leafy and dusty, but also golden. Then the scent becomes saffron and oud wood, that rich and complex wood that I remember smelling in the Heroine scent beginning with S (don't ask me to spell it). I also smell the galangal, which is spicy-woodsy, I can pick it out because there's a note here very much like the dusty woods note I got in Magical Omaha's Haunted Mill. The vetiver has also returned, occasionally popping up among the woods and arid spices. The vetiver is definitely there but it's a gentler version than most-it's more like the vetiver in Wulric, which was drier and a bit woodsy, not sticky and tarry and heavy. Eventually the amber returns, and damn, I love amber. It glows like a sunset among the woods, leaves, dry vetiver and saffron, this brings to mind a caravan of spices and exotic woods and resins travelling across golden sand dunes. The scent fluctuates between vetiver and amber, and sometimes the vetiver is a little too strong, but then the amber comes in and makes it gorgeous. Verdict: this is, as I anticipated, an exotic, oriental take on the autumn scent theme, and it's lovely. The best way I can describe this is autumn in the desert. This isn't a damp autumn scent like that of Samhainophobia, or a foody one (Samhain), or a musky one (Hunter Moon) or a cool one (October), this is a warm autumn, a hot wind full of dry leaves. It's gorgeous and spicy and woodsy with a delightful amber base. I really like the khus note, it's a vetiver that works very well on me-not a light vetiver, but not one that lingers for an eternity either-this strikes a balance between the light and heavy vetivers. However, I swear my bottle smells different to my half-decant (the latter of which I based my review on), as my bottle has more of a scent of October's cologne notes to it, the decant has less. I hope it's a matter of aging and that maybe the bottle will smell as wonderful as my sample! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? yes! If you like this, try: October, Three Gorgons, Hunter Moon 07, Cleopatra Testing Poisons, Mr Jacquel

The Twisted Oak Tree In the imp: a surprisingly sweet, almost minty-wintergreen scent of oak and moss and ivy. Wet on skin: wintergreen or eucalyptus with deep green ivy and a hint of oak bark. Dry on skin: ok, this is odd…but it's almost all wintergreen on me, with hints of pine and eucalyptus. It's the kind of mix of cold and evergreen notes that just about hints at snow and sleet, but is more of a cold rain scent, or maybe sleet. It is wet and chilly and green, and under that slashing rain, I smell the oak wood and it's bark. This is a dry, rough wood, a grey-green wood, with hints of moss and ivy. But the dominant note here is that cold, harsh wintergreen, which thankfully isn't as bitter as the one in Carpathian Mountains, but is almost reminiscent of it. After a while: eventually this turns to pure wintergreen. Pure, piercing, cold and very medicinal, it overwhelms all the other notes-I still smell the greyish woodsy scent, but the more delicate mossy notes and hints of sweetness and ivy are smothered by the wintergreen. Eventually, something unexpected happens. The wintergreen finally recedes (after at least two hours) and there's something oddly sweet. Now I wasn't expecting sweet, almost resinous notes here but that's exactly what I smell under the wintergreen, glazing the oak wood, and it's a kind of amber-like scent. Now I heart amber, this is reminiscent of that fantastic amber in the Emathides, and also the forest-amber nuances I got from Stranger in Camp. And that tempting, teasing glimpse of amber has me sniffing my arm continuously. Damn. I was going to trade this off…the wintergreen is still there but I can't resist the siren's call of amber. Verdict: oh, this one has me torn! I really don't like the first few hours of wear-a harsh, medicinal, cold and bitter wintergreen scent. very little of the oak wood, the moss, the ivy…just loads of wintergreen that amps and takes over. It gives the impression of a hard frost on this twisted tree, but also has that intensely medicinal feel to it that makes me recoil. I think 'yes, this one's a swapper for sure'. But then after a few hours? I get amber? And that's a note I do love! And I can't stop sniffing myself. Ok, so what's it to be, keeper or swapper? I lean towards the latter because I just can't handle the first few hours of wear, even with that gorgeous amber drydown, it's not worth it. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? not really. If you like this, try: Hamadryad, Carpathian Mountains, Pumpkin 5 (05 and 05), Ulalume, Talvikuu

The Phoenix In the imp: a clean soapy sea note, this could go either way. Reminds me of Thalassa and F5. Wet on skin: tangy lime and…dammit, washing powder and stormy ozone. Dry on skin: now this smells a little bit smoky, probably due to the gunpowder. It also smells woody, like the salty woods from Jolly Roger or Calico Jack. But for now the dominant note is a sharp, clean, ozonic sea air, which is a little bit soapy/detergent-like on me. There's an electric, crackling feel to the ozone like in the stormy scents that potentially could ruin this scent. However, this sea note also reminds me of Thalassa, which I liked, it is a little bit sweet and has a hint of kelp. So this really could be a hit or miss…will the Snake Oil come out to save the day? After a while: it's still predominantly that clean, crisp, ozone-aquatic, along with the dry solid ship woods and peppery gunpowder smoke, but I think it's growing on me. It is like Thalassa's slightly sweetened sea note, that's probably why it agrees with me better. It still smells a little bit soapy but it's not as 'OMG I smell like a laundrette!' as some of the other sea scents. I think the Snake Oil may be the thing that makes this work. I don't smell much of the SO after a few hours, but the surprisingly agreeable aquatic has faded to a soft salty-sweet cleanness, with a hint of wood. Not jarringly soapy, but nice and clean and fresh. Verdict: ok, this isn't as fantastic as Pirate Moon on me but I really like this one more than I expected. Yes, it is an aquatic, and one of those sea scents that has that soapy feel to it…but it's not 'soap of doom' or that horrid washing powder smell or that ozone scent that reminds me of static-covered tumble-dried clothes. This is the nice 'clean linen and ocean spray' scent that I find quite agreeable-and it's backed up by woods and spices and smoke, and I think the Snake Oil rounds it nicely. This is a more unisex version of Thalassa to me. This is what I was hoping to get from Jolly Roger. I was hoping for more of the Snake Oil, but for now, I think this is one sea scent I will keep-I think it may get better with age (anything with Snake Oil should, I think!) Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Maybe. It's one of the nicer aquatic scents on me. And I think a bit of age will bring out the Snake Oil. If you like this, try: Port Royal, Calico Jack, Jolly Roger, Mary Read, Thalassa, F5

Pirate Moon In the imp: a faint, but attractive scent of grasses and pale woods. Wet on skin: now it sweetens a little, but it still smells of dry sandy woods, beach grass and palm trees. Dry on skin: oh yes, this is beautiful. Really beautiful. I can smell the woods, and the coconut palm, the greenish notes of grass and balsam, a tang of lime, a lovely dry golden tobacco, and a bit of rich depth from the musk and ambergris and leather. It doesn't smell aquatic but I agree that it smells beachy. It smells like swaying palm trees, warm sands, a hint of salty air, tough beach grasses, the polished beams of a ship made from the finest fragrant woods, and hints of gentle coconut (not suntan oil coconut though) enhance the tropical feel of this scent. This is really beautiful yet also strong and sexy in feel. After a while: the scent becomes even smoother and well blended, and now I see what others mean about it being hard to distinguish what this smells like, other than it smells wonderful. It's just a lovely warm woodsy dryness with a subtle red musk (this musk is much gentler than the usual red musks in BPAL) and a golden sheen of ambergris. I still smell the palm fronds and the sand and salt and grass and a touch of black leather. This scent is one that stays close to the skin. Eventually this becomes deeper and muskier as that sexy red musk note comes out, along with the remaining woodsy notes. Mmm, this is good. There's also something reminiscent of the patchouli and frankincense of Anne Bonny to this…resin-polished ship wood and musk. Verdict: oh yes, this is fabulous. It smells grassy and balmy, but it also smells a bit smoky and leathery, and woodsy, and beachy, and a bit salty and sandy and with just the barest hints of something marine. And it also smells a little bit musky and resinous too. Overall it smells warm and sensual but it's also surprisingly gentle. It's a mix of all kinds of scent families except floral and foody, I think. But it does really evoke standing on the prow of an elegant ship, moored on a tropical island, watching the sun go down in the arms of your loved one (very fitting for the occasion it commemorates). I think this may be my favourite pirate BPAL scent! I'm glad I have two bottles-this is a gorgeous, unique scent which is unisex, sexy and lovingly crafted, and I'm so glad Beth decided to share this wonderful wedding-inspired creation with us. Another reason why I love the lab. Emoticon rating: (this forum needs a pirate emoticon!) Is it a keeper? Aye! If you like this, try: Havana, Anne Bonny, Caliban, Intrigue, Ile de la Tortue, Krampus

October In the imp: whoa, strong masculine cologne, petitgrain, and a mossy autumnal smell reminiscent of the Cobalt Blends Devil's Night scent (not the BPAL DN scent). Wet on skin: the cologne like aspect really comes out, sharp and perfumey. It's a citrus-petitgrain sort of scent, with moss and green sap. Dry on skin: autumnal cologne. The manly, sophisticated yet sharp cologne scent is dominant for now. It doesn't smell ozoney like most windy scents, but it is a cool, tangy note, like a splash of citrus aftershave with petitgrain or neroli. It reminds me of the citrus-neroli top notes I get in scents like Clio, Destroying Angel and Rat King. It almost reminds me of a kind of traditional man's scent, clean cut and classy. Underneath that I smell the more 'natural' notes- moss, tree bark, leaves and sap. There's a lot of moss here, and I'm guessing that there's galbanum here because that smells very much like green sap to me. I don't smell any smoke though and I don't smell much of the leaves either…it would smell more like autumn if it weren't for that sharp, powerful cologne. After a while: the harsh cologne has toned down quite a bit now, some of the petitgrain still lingers but now I smell a lot more moss and dry bark and trees and leaves. Mmm, this is not bad. I think there's a soft musk underneath it as well. The moss is now the dominant note, it reminds me of tree bark covered in thin dusting of green lichen, a dry moss scent as opposed to a swampy one. I also smell a passing hint of dry leaves-but it's fleeting, like a drifting leaf on the breeze. There's also a nice coolness to the scent, it is airy now, not as piercing as before, it is now a smoother scent. The scent then moves into a chypre-like scent of smooth moss and greener notes, along with hints of autumn. It smells very sophisticated-not a perfume that evokes being out in the autumn air, but one that hints at it, and is laced with more classy elements. The scent does seem to fade fast though, which is another disadvantage…all the promised autumnal elements are just swept away, leaving a trace of moss on the skin. It's not bad though. Verdict: this isn't my thing…I was hoping for the crisp scent of an autumn breeze mixed with smoke, earth and crunchy leaves that I know and love and that I've been smelling recently whilst in the park, but whilst this hints at it, it's not quite there. I'm not keen on the pungent cologne-like scent at the beginning, it smells a little too much like traditional men's perfume and it is very sharp and piercing. After this fades I get a hint of woodsy leafy moss and then poof, it's gone. Or very faint. Not for me-I have other autumn scents I prefer. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? it's too sharply perfumey, and doesn't smell exactly like the autumn scent I hoped for. If you like this, try: Clio, Destroying Angel, Ulalume, Hunter Moon 07, Death of Autumn, Rat King

Samhain 07 In the imp: sweet mulled cider! Very similar to previous Samhains, but with more apple. Wet on skin: yeesh, doll heads and eucalyptus? Now this smells weird on me. Previous Samhains never did this to me! Dry: ok, this is bizarre. This smells like past versions of Samhain, watered down a little, and with the smell of plastic doll heads and Vicks Vapo-Rub. Very bizarre. I don’t know what note is doing this but I suspect the mullein. I’ve not smelt that note on it’s own but I’ve heard it smells medicinal, like eucalyptus. Maybe this year’s version is heavier on the mullein and possibly the fir. I smell the spicy cider and sweet baking pumpkin that are so familiar from past Samhains, but that plastic, medicinal note is ruining it. After a while: sadly, unlike eucalyptus notes, the medicinal note doesn’t fade. It reminds me of wintergreen now, but not as piercing. It still smells like doll heads though. I still smell the other Samhain notes but it still smells plastic and a little bit weak, not strong like previous versions. It doesn’t change much at drydown, doesn’t turn into the rich spicy-fruity scent with that hint of earth and booze to it which I loved in past versions. Verdict: I loved the previous versions of Samhain, from the outdoorsy, darkly autumnal 05 version to the foody, comforting 06 version…but this one is disappointing on me. This smells like I’ve smeared Samhain on a Barbie doll. It smells of plastic with just a faint hint of the lovely mulled cider and pumpkin with woodsy patchouli I love from previous versions. It also has a very medicinal, piercing eucalyptus scent to it that I don’t like in here. This seems weaker than past versions as well, fading fast from my skin. I’m swapping this one off…I have enough Samhain 06 to keep me happy. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? No. If you like this, try: Samhainophobia, Pumpkin Patch scents (any from this year and previous years), Czernobog, Twisted Oak Tree, Jabberwocky

The Forbidding Foyer In the imp: polished mahogany with a hint of almost resinous varnish. Very much like Riding the Goat. Wet on skin: mahogany, and now a hint of booze comes out, and also a hint of rotting mortar? Dry: oh, I like this. It smells of old wood, dusty stone, a hint of booze and even a touch of incense. Mahogany is the strongest note, a deep brown and rich wood scent. A touch of cognac adds a deep boozy touch to it which is not sweet but also not too alcoholic. There’s also a hint of that dusty stone note I got in the Chilling Cellar. I’m not sure what brimstone smells like (other than sulphur) but I smell no sulphur here, nor do I smell the burning vetiver of the GC Brimstone. In fact, there’s something to this that reminds me of frankincense, and I do love that note so this makes me happy. This incense note also brings to mind Riding the Goat, but without the sweet sticky myrrh I got there. After a while: now the wood has rotted completely. Surprisingly, this isn’t a nasty smell at all-but a pleasant, soft, crumbling wood scent with a hint of moss to it and a feel of slow decay. It smells crumbly and powdery, no longer the solid, strong mahogany of before, but of damp walls with flaking mortar and worm eaten wooden floorboards which could collapse at the slightest footstep. It’s very evocative and dusty and old, but surprisingly wearable. The cognac and incense notes, golden and smooth, still stick around. There’s something to this which reminds me both of the Lurid Library and the Chilling Cellar…it’s a mix of woods and dust and incense ashes and mortar, I think. The scent gets more and more mineral in nature, a dusty, crumbly scent. I love Beth’s mineral notes, so I really like this stage. There’s a feel of something crypt-like to it at times, then it smells like a creaky corridor, and that library scent creeps in every now and then. There could even be a hint of musk…and then I smell dry autumn leaves (like those of Hunter Moon 07), probably swept in through the front door from outside. And then it smells really woodsy once more, but this is a faded, dust-covered wood. It reminds me of the wood scent I got in the Magical Omaha Haunted Mill scent, funnily enough. And then after a few hours drydown, just before the scent fades off, I get the unmistakeable scent of patchouli under the woods. Verdict: this is the scent that defines the Haunted House series-it smells like how I’d imagine a haunted house to smell, all parts of it-hallways, rooms, studies, lounges, cellars and indeed, foyers. Think Riding the Goat’s mahogany lounge scent, but in an older abandoned house that hasn’t been cleaned for centuries, dust gathered everywhere, floorboards rotting and ominously creaking underfoot. Another scent that evokes sound as well as images, this scent ‘sounds’ like the creak of the floor and thudding footsteps getting closer. This smells of gently decaying wood with dust and hints of stone and mortar, with a little bit of cognac, a patchouli undertone and even a hint of incense wafting through. Wonderfully atmospheric, eerily evocative, and it smells surprisingly good as a perfume! I love this one-not as much as the Library but I prefer it to the Cellar, I definitely need more. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes! I think I need a bottle or two. If you like this, try: Riding the Goat, Red Queen, Chilling Cellar, Lurid Library, Hunter Moon 07, Aziraphale, Carfax Abbey

Pumpkin V In the imp: mmm, smells almost identical to my beloved Pumpkin Queen, but with a tad more ginger. Wet on skin: PQ, but with more ginger and with blood orange. Dry: now it’s not as obviously like the Queen, but it certainly has a similarity. This one is heavy on the ginger, but thankfully this red ginger doesn’t go rubbery on me, it just smells hot and spicy, a crackling scent. I also smell beautiful blood orange, a fuller, redder orange than PQ. Lemon adds a brighter citrus tone, as does neroli which adds a hint of floral, whilst the gorgeous Bourbon vanilla (my favourite vanilla) and benzoin add a lovely sweetness, almost mimicking the Egyptian amber from PQ, but this one is sweeter and creamier because of the vanilla, and not as golden and glowy. After a while: this sweetens and becomes less spicy over time. the ginger now smells dry, still warm but not as fiery as before. The neroli also gives this a slightly floral aspect, but the blood orange still goes strong. The vanilla is delightfully creamy and smooth, not as golden as the amber in PQ, but a little bit sweeter and fluffier. The pumpkin is there, but isn’t the dominant note, it just plays nicely with the other notes. There’s something reminiscent of Australian Copperhead to it, no doubt the neroli and vanilla, but with ginger, orange and pumpkin instead of Snake Oil. This smoothes out even more, there’s a lovely soft white petal like scent to it now, the orange blossom with a touch of sweet vanilla and dry ginger powder. This is gorgeous and feminine, sweet and approachable. And then after a few hours, I get blood orange once more, and again I am impressed at how long lasting this citrus note is on me. It smells like rich ruby red orange juice with vanilla and just a touch of sweet baked pumpkin-just a hint of it. Verdict: as I thought, this is the Pumpkin Princess, the sassy, youthful version of the regal and golden Queen. Could this fiery, lively, fruity-floral-vanilla-spicy pumpkin scent dethrone the Queen as my favourite pumpkin scent? I still am in love with the Queen’s amber glory, but this one is equally good in a different way, which means it is a two-bottle worthy scent. It’s not often I fall so in love with pumpkin scents but this one has stolen my heart. I just love the creamy sweetness of the Bourbon vanilla, the spicy heat of a very agreeable red ginger note, and the bold and rich citrus of the blood orange, with a very pleasant-buttery, yes, but not annoyingly so-foody pumpkin note. my favourite of the 2007 Patch by a long shot! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Oh yes. I need at least two bottles. If you like this, try: Pumpkin Queen, Australian Copperhead, Akuma, Haunted Palace

Pumpkin IV In the imp: buttery pumpkin with a hint of sweet greenness. Wet on skin: buttery pumpkin, sage, and greenery. Maybe a hint of floral. Dry: hmm, this is really interesting. There’s that familiar pumpkin undertone (not as buttery now) but I also smell a lot of herbs and greens. There’s something here that smells almost fruity, like lemon perhaps, or like dried berries or even roses? I’m guessing that’s cactus flower, it does remind me of something I smelt in Santa Muerte. I smell a lot of dry, balmy desert sage in here. It’s a really unusual combination, the foody pumpkin really contrasting with the dry, scrubby herbs and that strange floral. After a while: now the butter returns, moving away from the pumpkin, which I don’t smell as much any more. Now this smells like buttered sage, and it reminds me of herbs used in my mum’s cooking. It’s borderline savoury, but it also has that lovely warm dry herbalness that smells like summer evenings, which I love. The butter note is distracting though. There’s also that dry floral note, which at times smells like an intriguing mix of blackberries and dry rose petals, and at other times, it smells almost like air freshener. Don’t know what to make of this yet. Then the butter fades, and it smells like sage and sweetgrass. This is actually quite nice now. It’s the most atmospheric of the pumpkin scents, it makes me think of an evening in the Southwest US desert. It’s a very dry herbal scent, with just a smidgen of sweetness. The cactus flower has settled into an agreeable fruity floral now. Then the scent gets an odd oily scent which is almost sour, it’s like rancid pumpkin. It’s a shame because I really like the sage in here, but that pumpkin note is being a bit weird. And then it goes back to nice warm sage-this blend can’t make up its mind, and I can’t make up mine regarding whether I like it or not! Verdict: this is a strange one, and I’m torn about it. At times it smells warm and herbal, with a lovely desert sage note, it’s a scent evocative of a warm summer night. But at times this smells bizarre on me-the floral note does weird things and the pumpkin’s buttery scent sometimes turns rancid. This is the most unique pumpkin scent and there are times when the combination works, and times when it just smells wrong on me. I think this one will have to go, despite it’s pleasant sage note. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Not sure. This fluctuates between nice and not so nice…I may swap it. If you like this, try: Santa Muerte, Coyote, Antony, Pumpkin II

Pumpkin III In the imp: my decant has a slight brown residue…maybe cocoa absolute? That’s promising. The scent is chocolate covered pumpkin, like the old Pumpkin 2. Wet on skin: creamy sweet chocolate and caramel covered pumpkin. Dry: now I smell the pomegranate. Mmm, this is delicious. It reminds me of the 13 scents, there’s a similar chocolate vibe going on here. The scent is of pumpkin (not too buttery here) with chocolate (which smells like a mix of milk and white chocolate), caramel (which doesn’t amp on me!) and smoothed with cream (no sour milk here!) and the pomegranate counteracts really nicely with the sweet notes, a bite of tart juicy fruit that prevents the scent from going into cloying territory. After a while: the chocolate and pumpkin have merged, along with the caramel, and this now smells like a chocolate pumpkin pie drizzled with a caramel sauce. It’s thick and foody and calorific, very indulgent indeed! The pomegranate still lingers, with that tart, crisp scent which adds a sharper edge to the heavy sugary notes, and gradually starts to turn to an almost wine like or boozy fruit scent. However, the pomegranate eventually gets smothered by the stodgy and incredibly gourmand pumpkin pie and chocolate toffee sauce scent, and the scent gets more intense and foody over time. The chocolate now doesn’t smell like white chocolate any more, but like moist dark chocolate cake. Verdict: whoa, this is the foodiest of the pumpkins this year. Almost like a variation of the pumpkin scent from last year with the cocoa and nuts, this is very similar-packed with chocolate and sweet sugary richness, but with a bite of pomegranate. Like a chocolate pumpkin pie served with a glass of pomegranate juice. Out of the 07 PP scents, this is my second favourite! But it is so strong, with tons of throw, and it’s heavy, intensely gourmand. A little too much after a while, actually. I think it’s the caramel note. I’ll keep a bit of it because I like this a lot, but nothing will beat Pumpkin V (or Pumpkin Queen) as the best pumpkin scent of all. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes…I’ll keep the imp, still wondering whether or not to get a bottle. If you like this, try: 13 (any version), Pumpkin #2 ‘05/06, Jack, Pumpkin #3 ‘05/06, Vice

The Perilous Parlour In the imp: a soft, sweet pear scent. more like a pear flavoured sweet, but it’s very nice. Wet on skin: a very pretty sugary pear scent. Dry: mmm, I like this. Now I smell more vanilla, and it’s a creamy vanilla, not a vanilla like Underpants or Snake Oil though, this one is softer and more gourmand, I’d say this vanilla is more like the one in Snowblind or the original Beaver Moon. It makes the scent smell like a pear cake or pear ice cream. There’s a slight toasted/baked aspect to it though, in fact, it smells a little bit like vanilla biscuits or cake batter (this isn’t a buttery scent though). The pear is gentle and a little bit tart, it smells more realistic now as well, though more like cooked pears than fresh ones. This is a very gentle scent. After a while: there’s an intriguing, almost smoky aspect to this vanilla, and yet it also reminds me of custard or sponge cakes. The pear is still hanging about, but it’s pretty much all vanilla, but such a lovely, delicate vanilla that smells almost biteable. It’s a whisper of a scent-clinging to the wrist, rather shy, a little coy, but so lovely. It’s a very innocent, youthful vanilla…though it does remind me of the vanilla in Golden Priapus, without all the ‘man woods’. It also reminds me slightly of Dana o’Shee. This gets a little smokier, a little warmer and les sweet, and I swear I smell something almost woodsy to this, reminiscent of GP, but not as evergreen and masculine. The pear does disappear but the vanilla-wood scent, with a hint of something almost like tobacco smoke (not like cigarettes, but like the smoke in Devil’s Night) is very inviting and intriguing. Maybe there’s a little musk now? It’s not as foody at this point. It starts to smell even woodsier and smoky and even starts to veer towards smelling a little bit masculine, but thankfully it stays more unisex on me. Something about it reminds me of Dorian or Theodosius without the tea and lavender/lemon/bergamot notes, with a hint of the vanilla woods of GP. Then the scent regains it’s fluffy vanilla sweetness again, and at this point there’s something about it that’s reminiscent of Fairy Market, which I love. Verdict: this is a very pretty and uncomplicated scent, a soft vanilla mixed with pair, quiet and shy but quite delightful. from it’s fruity start to it’s vanilla stages to it’s sophisticated end of gentle vanilla incense or woods, this is a gorgeous fragrance all round. Not one to hoard, but definitely one to get a bottle of. I think this will get stronger with time. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes-I’ll get a bottle, I have a feeling the vanilla will get better with age. If you like this, try: Thalia, La Belle au Bois Dormant, Golden Priapus, Dana O’Shee, Dorian

Pumpkin II In the imp: rich ‘Pumpkin Queen’ pumpkin with a hint of extra sweetness. Wet on skin: pumpkin, with maybe just a hint of champaca, but it’s mainly a sweet cooked pumpkin. Dry: now I can smell hints of champaca (very sweet but not cloying yet) and tobacco (softly smoky and dry), and maybe some tonka too. There’s something spicy about this which I’m guessing is the carnation, but it’s not an obvious carnation like that of Pink Moon. It’s still dominated by pumpkin though. it reminds me of Dr John Seward, with the opium note replaced with pumpkin. Here’s to hoping the champaca behaves! After a while: champaca has a habit of amping and it does so in here, but it doesn’t turn cloying like it can do. It smells like the champaca in Temple Viper now, strong but not overwhelming. The pumpkin is still there, and it and the champaca are the dominant notes here. the tobacco and tonka play background roles here. The champaca gradually turns slightly incense like, maybe because of the tobacco, it is sweet but I’m surprised that it’s not turning oversweet, especially with the pumpkin there. This is actually a really interesting scent, almost like floral pumpkin incense. It is smooth and gently smoky and warm and foody, the pumpkin adding a hint of something gourmand and slightly buttered to the scent. it’s like Hellion, but not as dark and smoky, and with foody aspect. It doesn’t morph too much and the drydown is a pleasant pumpkin and champaca scent with a hint of tobacco. Verdict: another unusual but surprisingly good take on the pumpkin genre. This reminds me of the strong but not cloying champaca from Temple Viper, but with pumpkin instead of resins. I really like the smokiness of the tobacco and the spicy carnation. Combined with pumpkin this makes for a unique combination! It’s good, but I still prefer the resinous incense vibe of Temple Viper if I need a champaca fix. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? I like it but it’s not a favourite, so I may pass this one on. If you like this, try: Temple Viper, Khajuraho, Hellion, Dr John Seward, Pumpkin Queen, Vaskakajja

Thanks so much for the clarification Beth! So willcall pickups are still allowed after all-provided the person doesn't pay the lab, but the person picking them up! Glad that's been made clear.

So does that mean that pickups of any kind-even ones where you pay the person picking them up-are no longer allowed? I usually pay the person who's willing to pick up something for me from willcall-only once have I been told to paypal the Lab for a willcall CP.

That was my interpretation of it, yeah. I take it as meaning you can't send payment to the lab for something before will-call then have a different person pick it up; you have to paypal the person directly for them to get something for you, or you have to come pick it up yourself. I really, really, really hope that is the case! I'd be very sad if will call purchases for people who can't attend are no longer allowed...

I posted this somewhere else, and I'm not sure if it's too early to ask, but... I'm curious as to whether the new, non-Poe exclusive at DD will be GC or LE? And indeed, are the DD-exclusive Poe scents going to be GC or LE? I also noticed on the announcement that 'no third party orders' will be allowed...what exactly does that mean? Does it really mean no more WC pickups for people who can't go to WC?

Vampire Tears In the imp: lemony green tea, verbena and sugared grapefruit. Smells bright and fresh. Wet on skin: it's not listed, but this definitely smells of verbena, not just tea and grapefruit. Dry on skin: now it smells more grapefruity, but it still reminds me of verbena. This is quite nice actually-it's a crisp citrus tea, with astringent green tea, a bite of ginger, some tart citrus notes and just a hint of something sweetly floral. It reminds me of the likes of Phantasm, Baobhan Sith, and Kumiho. It's not bad but for now it is very heavy on the verbena or lemongrass-I know it's not listed but that's what I smell here. After a while: I still smell lemongrass but it's not as powerful as it was before. Now I smell more of the tea itself, the ginger is a lot more prominent now, it smells slightly spicier now thanks to that note, it smells of dried ginger root or ginger powder, reminds me of Asian food. I also smell the iris, and the jasmine and wisteria-thankfully the last two notes aren't turning to evil acrid stank on me like they can do. There is a dryness to the flowers though, like they are no longer freshly bloomed, but they also don't smell wilted. This isn't a strong as it was before. I smell a hint of tonka and honeysuckle at times. The scent gradually becomes dried ginger and hints of lemony dried petals and dry tea leaves. It's a very Asian scent, I think, with that dry ginger and tea aspect. Eventually it turns into just dry ginger and green tea. Not bad, but it's not very complex…it's a little bit flat on me. There are whispers of floral notes but it's mainly just a dry ginger tea mix. After a few hours it turns a little bit bitter and green, the reaction I get with the lighter jasmine/honeysuckle/wisteria scents, but it's not as bad as usual, maybe because of the ginger or tonka? Verdict: this one is pretty, and nicer on me than I thought it would be, but not a scent I truly love. First it starts with a burst of LEMON that to me smells more like lemongrass or verbena, along with grapefruit…this lasts for a while before the flowers and the ginger tea come out to play. The ginger here is a strong one, but it's a pale, dry ginger, hot, but dusty and parched, brings to mind dried ginger powder. It turns into a nice ginger and green tea scent with a hint of floral, which is not bad, but it does fade fast. It's also a little flat on my skin too. The good thing about this scent is that the flowers in this scent didn't turn horrible on my skin. Jasmine and wisteria tend to do this…maybe the tonka was calming them down? So whilst it's not spectacular, it's not a wilted, bitter, flowers-turned-evil mess on me either. It reminds me slightly of Mi-Go, but I prefer that one because of the fruit, this one is a little bit bland on me despite the spiciness of the ginger. not my thing really, so I didn't keep my bottle. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? not sure. I like it but it's not wow-inducing. If you like this, try: Phantasm, Yuki Onna, Baobhan Sith, Gennivre, Kumiho, Embalming Fluid, Mi-Go

Scorpio 07 In the imp: mmm, deep rich resinous musk, reminds me of Minotaur. Wet on skin: musky resins with a twist of basil and dragon's blood. Dry on skin: I like this. It's heavy on the opoponax, something I was hoping would pop up in Aries, and for now the dragon's blood isn't taking over (though I can definitely smell it, and in here it's quite metallic). I also smell the basil, which in here smells a little bit like green anise…or is that the wormwood? I'm not familiar with the scent of wormwood itself but there's something absinthe-like over all the musky resins. A slight greenish, ghostly whisper of herbal anise over the dark musk, which is sweet and viscous and dark, and merges nicely with the opoponax. After a while: the herbal absinthe note does fade by now, and I now smell more of those fabulous musky resins. The dragon's blood is incredibly well behaved here, like the DB in Red Moon was, only here it's a lot more obvious but it fits in with the other notes. The mix of opoponax and musk is fabulous-rich, dark, this is mysterious, sweet and deep and enticing. It's like a dark room, a dark cave, something unexplored and shrouded in shadows, tempting you, there's that same feel that I got from Minotaur of wanting to discover this scent and get lost in it. It is a thick and almost oppressive sweet darkness, but it smells really nice. The dragon's blood does get strong and does threaten to take over…and in here it smells bloodier, with that bite of iron to it, and less floral. Now this smells like the Cracked Bell and the Telltale Heart, a metallic resinous musky affair, with an ominous, foreboding vibe to it. It then stays like this until the end, remaining that blood-stained sweet musk with a hint of sinister incense. Verdict: this one really took me by surprise! This looked like it would be like a musky-herbal Aries, which sadly, despite being my sign, smelt weird on me, but this smells far better than my own sign's scent! The dragon's blood, which I usually amp to high heaven, is subtle here, and the opoponax, which I adore, is nice and strong, boosted by the musk. There are hints of dark herbs at the start which are really nice, but they fade, and the scent then becomes dominated by that fantastic resinous musk. It reminds me of a blood-tinged Minotaur or Schwarzer, with that same blood note that I got in things like the Cracked Bell. This also reminds me of Dragon's Musk with a bit more oomph and a bit less dragon's blood. This scent is gorgeously dark and full of depth and mystery, and it smells both dangerous and sexy, and I love that. This is one I'm definitely keeping my bottle of. I think having my sun (and Mercury and Venus) in the Scorpio-ruled eighth house might explain why this is really good on me. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? yes! If you like this, try: Dragon's Musk, Telltale Heart, Cracked Bell, Blood Amber, Event Horizon, Minotaur