PurringPulsar

Beaver Moon 07 In the imp: yes, this is strawberry cheesecake! Mmm, creamy sweet strawberries. Wet on skin: now I smell a more sour cherry base, cutting through the creamy strawberries. Dry on skin: cherries topped with strawberry cream. The cherry note isn't as super sweet as Bloody Mary, not that sweet cherry pie scent, this is a little bit more like a sour cherry sauce. It's very nice though, but I fear it will go medicinal like the cherry in Jailbait did. The strawberry note isn't as cloying or sour as it can be, probably softened nicely by that vanilla cream which reminds me of the base of the original Beaver Moon, a cheesecake base with just a hint of spice, but not as spicy as the original. It also reminds me of Tokyo Stomp. After a while: mmm, the sour cherry has sweetened completely and is definitely not like cherry throat drops. Now it smells like a sweeter Bloody Mary, but with a delicious creaminess. And yes, I do agree with the comparisons to strawberry ice cream and cheesecake. It smells like strawberry ice cream with cherries and little bits of meringue and white chocolate, actually! YUM! Like the sort of delicious ice creams I've eaten in Italy. Oh yeah, that's the stuff. This is way better than Bloody Mary actually, and it's the kind of scent I was hoping to get from old Pink Moon and Pink Phoenix. Eventually this smells like the same delicious vanilla from Underpants, but with added strawberry. Oh yeah, this is good. And the strawberry isn't turning to that sharp-sweet scent that I am not crazy about-the vanilla softens it up. There's also a sprinkling of sugar over it all, just like in Bloody Mary, but not as super-sweet and lollipop-like. The sugar note gets stronger, sweeter and pinker with time. I still have that ice cream scent and it also smells strongly of white chocolate, which I love, and it's so hard to find a white choc scent that actually smells genuinely like it! But this one nails it, and I want to lick my wrist. The drydown is a sweet white chocolate flavoured ice cream with strawberries and liberally sprinkled with spun sugar. Verdict: when I went on holiday this year, I had the most delicious ice cream…a scoop of white chocolate ice cream with whole white chocolate Easter eggs in it, with a scoop of strawberry ice cream made with fresh berries. This-or at least the drydown-smells just like that fantastic gelato. This has the same fun, gourmand feel as the Monster Baits with a cheeky hint of the old creamy vanilla cake scent of the old Beaver Moon. It starts off smelling very cherry, and I fear it will go down the Jailbait route (that smelt medicinal on me) but luckily it doesn't, and turns to creamy strawberry and white chocolate. Some strawberry BPALs have an odd scent to them which is sweetly cloying and very sharp at once when they hit my skin-not this one, thanks to the vanilla cream. This also has, on me, the most genuine white chocolate scent, and as a lover of that stuff, this makes me very happy. This scent is definitely worthy of being described as scrumptious. This is truly scrumptious stuff-just as wonderful as the original Beaver and my favourite strawberry BPAL scent. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? yes! I think I need more. If you like this, try: Bloody Mary, Pink Phoenix, Marshmallow Poof, Bon Vivant, Mania, Eat Me

The Atrocious Attic In the imp: a gorgeous sweet floral lavender. Almost like Antique Lace or Hope with lavender. Very promising! Wet on skin: mmm, sweet lavender and gentle floral notes. Dry on skin: oh, I like this a lot more than I expected. The lavender is soft and sweet, like the one in TKO (but without the weird plastic smell I got there) or Yvaine. I smell a lily note, but it's not the cutting, harsh soapy scent I usually get with calla. I also smell rose and a gentle violet, and a hint of dusty sandalwood grounding the flowers. Over it all is a sweet, sugary vanilla scent-the child's perfume perhaps? Whatever this is, it is beautiful, not at all the stuffy, musty old-fashioned scent I was expecting. This is sweet, very much like Antique Lace. After a while: the lavender is gradually taken over by violet, but this violet is not a dusty old violet, but a sweet, candied violet like Faith. The rose is gorgeous and the lily has gained a soft cleanness, but doesn’t smell soapy. I also smell more of the sandalwood. But it's the sweet vanilla sugar scent that I smell here that really makes this scent very endearing. It reminds me of a younger and more ghostly version of the Salon scent Monna Vanna. The scent becomes powdery as time passes, but this is a good powdery scent, and it fits in with the theme of the scent, the dustiness and antique feel, but there's still that gorgeous vanilla perfume, which has now merged with the flowers. The sandalwood is also getting stronger, makes me think of the wooden beams of the attic and boxes that have stored perfume, vanilla pods and flower petals. Eventually this becomes a beautiful blend of Hope and Faith with a hint of Fairy Market, with a touch of powder and sandalwood, and a delicious vanilla extract scent running through it. Fans of Possets Frou Frou should try this, as I get a similarity here to that scent. After a few hours it reminds me of a sweeter Bearded Lady. Verdict: I wasn't expecting to love this, I feared a scent of dusty violet and dry roses with screaming lilies, but this is actually one of the most beautiful floral blends ever. Fans of the sugared roses or sugared flowers perfumes need to try this! It is a beautiful, soothing scent of soft, rounded florals with a delicious vanilla topping. The scent is dusty, but not in an unpleasant way-it's a gently dusty sandalwood, a soft powder that pops up every now and then. It's the kind of dusty smell I love, evocative and adding a feel of age. The lavender is gorgeous, the lily doesn't go sharp and horrible, and the violet smells like it's coated with sugar, and the rose binds all the flowers together so nicely with that vanilla perfume. It's a wistful vintage scent to me, there's a lovely feel of nostalgia, happy memories stored in the attic, now covered by dust. It's traditional but also smells quite youthful and also comforting. It's almost like a more floral take on Antique Lace. I love this one so much that I need at least two bottles of it. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? yes, and I want two bottles! If you like this, try: Antique Lace, Hope, Faith, Bearded Lady, Monna Vanna, Versailles, Victoria

Pumpkin I In the imp: buttery pumpkin lightened by something sweetly floral and fruity. Wet on skin: pumpkin soaked in sugary sweet grape juice! Dry: pumpkin and Glitter! Yes! This smells very similar to the candy sweet fun goodness that is Glitter, but with a note of baked pumpkin added! The grape and pear are giving me the Glitter resemblance, they are sugared to the max and are almost like bubblegum, and I think the jasmine is playing the part of the lotus (and this jasmine, so far, isn’t turning to evil sourness on me!). The pumpkin is sweet and rich and warm, with that buttery tone to it which is like pumpkin pie. This is a fun scent! After a while: eventually the scent’s juiciness does tone down a little and it turns into a scent I associate more with grape flavouring than true grapes. Most BPAL grape notes don’t smell like that on me but this does. It still smells like Glitter, and now gains bubblegum tones just like Glitter did, though there’s always that pumpkin note smelling buttery and pastry-like. There’s also a harsh bitter scent, almost like something chemical to it, which I’m not keen on. Hopefully that’s not the jasmine note going bad. I don’t smell any jasmine tea to this though. The bitterness gets stronger as the grape soda or jasmine comes out more. However at times it smells a little bit like nag champa, which seems odd but that’s the same smell I get with aged Glitter. It is a little bit chemical, reminiscent of some kind of hair product, and bubblegum like (this smells more like bubblegum than lotus does!) and I’m not so sure about that. I don’t smell as much pumpkin now. The scent becomes sugary again and loses that bitter note at drydown, when it smells like a soft, fruity pink sugar scent. Verdict: at first, this is incredibly pretty! It’s Glittery pumpkin-a sweet buttered pumpkin mixed with Glitter, the pear and grapes and bubbly floral notes of that scent smelling lovely with the foody, warm pumpkin. This is girly and youthful and candy-sweet. but then the scent goes a bit odd on me and smells more like bubblegum. Not good bubblegum (like the scent I get with lotus) but fake grape-flavoured bubblegum with a bitter chemical aspect which I am not keen on. It still remains very sweet but a little too fake for me. I really wanted to smell jasmine tea here since I love that stuff, but I get nothing like that here-just fizzy grape bubblegum and neon-coloured pumpkin covered in brightly coloured sugar, but it’s not the kind of sweet scent I like-mainly because of that odd chemical note. I’m picky with my pumpkin scents, and this one just isn’t for me. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Not really. If you like this, try: Glitter, Pumpkin Queen, Jack, Thalia, Perilous Parlour

The Chilling Cellar In the imp: this certainly doesn’t smell of vinegar, this smells of sweet red wine, berries and pastry? Wet on skin: sweet wine and berries and a sugary, crumbly, almost floury mix… Dry: mmm, I like this! I’m surprised as to how gourmand it initially is, it smells almost like a fruit crumble! The wine note in here is gorgeous-rich and red and sweet, with hints of berries. Under the wine I smell powder which certainly leans towards being mineral in scent, like plaster or cement, but it smells sugared too! However, there’s also something about it that reminds me of Crypt Queen. I think it’s the blood note? It doesn’t smell of dragon’s blood, it’s more like a metallic-fruity dark red depth to the scent. After a while: the mineral and metallic notes do gradually move the scent away from the fruit crumble introduction. It still smells sweet and fruity, but now I smell more of the crumbling stone and clay, and the blood. Now the stone/mortar notes smell very similar to Black Opal-cool, sweet, stony, and powdery. There’s a hint of cement to it which is surprisingly nice-it fits with the theme and adds atmosphere. The blood note is dark and deep and has a definite tang of metal to it-I wonder if there’s also a smidge of the ‘Mme Moriarty’ patchouli, or maybe pomegranate, to it? I’m thinking it’s pomegranate because of it’s redness and juiciness. Then I smell the powdery orris/violet I’ve seen mentioned, but also more of the blood. And then the sweetness comes back. It’s almost back to the crumble stage again, but the powdery, dusty, metallic notes prevent it from being too much like a warm autumnal dessert. This is really fascinating. Then I smell a tinge of vetiver at the very base, and the scent over that is a lovely crumbly stone and clay scent with hints of dust and a bright stain of red fruits. There’s definitely a feel of something subterranean to it-that coolness and chilly, slightly decayed stone and mortar of a cellar where sweet red wines and liqueurs are stored and matured. It’s such a strange scent but I really, really like it. I can’t stop sniffing it and trying to make sense of it. It reminds me of a fruity, incense-less Cracked Bell. The note disappears after a few hours, and the scent is that of vetiver with a slight metallic tone under a dusty, slightly sweet and stony scent, with a hint of powdery orris. Verdict: this is a really unusual scent-smelling like a dusty cold cellar with oddly gourmand fruity tones to it. I’m really surprised at how strong the wine note is here. Thankfully it’s nowhere near vinegar, this is like a really sweet dessert wine. There are berry tones to it, fruity and red and rich. Under that I get crumbly powdery notes, definitely mineral in nature, like the cool stone of Black Opal, with a blood accord reminiscent of Crypt Queen and a metallic bite (a good metallic scent). the most unnerving thing? This smells just like a fruit crumble at times. I wasn’t expecting that…it’s almost like the comforting scent of an autumn fruit crumble made with the sweetest wine wafting from the kitchen down into the cellar. I wasn’t expecting this in this sinister cellar scent but I really like it, as I love fruit crumble. The dessert scent does tone down and the blood-stained cellar scent becomes stronger, and it makes me realise that I really love Beth’s mineral notes, and the blood note is good too, like a fruity red musky scent with a hint of vetiver or patchouli like Mme Moriarty. I do prefer the Foyer to the Cellar when it comes to the more ‘mineral/atmospheric’ HH scents, but I’m getting a bottle of this one. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes! this scent is so unlike any other and I need a bottle. If you like this, try: Crypt Queen, Lady Macbeth, Black Opal, Cracked Bell, Carfax Abbey

Hi’iaka In the imp: a very pretty watery floral. A little faint, a little crisp. Wet on skin: green! This has a slight ‘crushed leaf’ scent, along with something almost like banana. Dry: a sharp, slightly bitter green, like the crushed stems of flowers from the florist’s. There’s a sweeter floral underneath that tangle of wet greenery, possibly the orchid? I also smell something which is like banana-I think someone mentioned that one of those floral notes is banana flower? That explains why I smell it here. But sadly one of the notes seems to be turning a little icky on me…either the green or the banana note. It actually reminds me of Poisson D’Avril, but with tropical blooms added, even though I also smell something reminiscent of bluebells or lilac here. After a while: ack, that bitter green scent is taking over. The sweet floral scent that I got before, even the banana which threatened to turn cloying, is trampled by this all-consuming greenness, like some kind of mutant weed growing through the scent and killing the flowers. The only flower that remains is a pretty hibiscus, a tart and crisp bloom, and maybe one of the orchids. But apart from that, the weedy bitter greenery has overgrown. Eventually this just turns very sour and acrid on my skin, bitter and wilted. It smells like all the promised tropical blooms have died, there’s even a hint of ‘stale vase water’ to it. After that, it fades away fast, which, in this case, is a good thing. Verdict: I was hoping this would work-Pele was a weak disappointment on me and I hoped that her sister’s scent would fare better. sadly, tropical flower scents are incredibly hit or miss, this one being a miss. To me this is Poisson D’Avril, Hawaiian style. And Poisson didn’t work on me-it was a mix of bitter grass and soapy flowers, which I also get here. The green sharpness here also reminds me of the bitter green weedy grass of One to Tie. There’s also an odd banana-smelling note here which I’m not crazy about. The scent has the potential to turn beautiful but then the greenery takes over and it’s not a nice greenery, but a suffocating scent of bitter plant stems which then turns to vase water and wilted blooms. I was hoping this would be a bright, summery, tropical scent but this ain’t my thing. I much prefer Ile de la Tortue as my island jungles and exotic orchids scent. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? No. If you like this, try: Pele, Love in Idleness, Midnight, Asphodel, Manila, Poisson D’Avril, One to Tie

Bonfire Night In the imp: whoa! Burning vetiver! Like Djinn but without the spice/resins, sweeter than Agnes Nutter. Wet on skin: vetiver, vetiver, vetiver…and smoke. And a hint of beer! Dry: oh yes, this does smell like the 5th of November. It’s not as obviously vetiver now, because the wood smoke is now the dominant note. And it’s an amazingly realistic smoke note-like charred woods on a blazing bonfire, and a hint of peppery gunpowder from the fireworks lighting up the autumn sky. It smells just like the smoke that lingers on my clothes when I stand too close to a bonfire, and I love that scent of burnt leaves and smouldering wood. Of course the vetiver enhances and deepens the smoke. I also smell a hint of sweetness, but it isn’t the heavy treacle I was expecting. I also smell the faintest hint of beer, but it doesn’t smell like ‘student on a pub crawl’ on me, it adds an interesting touch to this smoky, earthy scent. After a while: the smoke is still there, it doesn’t change much, though I do smell more of the vetiver. it smells very tarry indeed, but in a good way. Normally I’m not keen on the asphalt-smelling vetivers but in here it works well with the smoke. It’s mainly smoky woods and burning though, the perfect bonfire scent, with the faintest touch of sugar to it-but not full blown treacle. For a tarry, burnt, vetiver-heavy scent, this isn’t bad at all. It is very evocative for me. The scent becomes a surprisingly pleasant and soft sweet burnt wood scent (I think there’s sandalwood here now) with vetiver. It’s like the gently glowing embers, warm and ashy and with smoke lingering. This is growing on me-I’m very surprised. It is the perfect bonfire scent. Verdict: here in the UK, the 5th of November is a bigger deal than Halloween, and I am so pleased that Beth made a scent for it. I thought, from the notes, that I would hate it, but this is the surprise hit of the Halloween series. This scent is incredibly evocative of its namesake night. It’s the BPAL that evokes so perfectly the scent of bonfires. The charring woods and scorched leaves, the gunpowder smoke hanging in the crisp air, the bang and crackle of fireworks, a sweet hint of sugar gently softening it all. One of the smokiest BPALs, don’t wear this scent too close to a smoke alarm, it’s bound to set it off. That’s how authentic it smells. The beer and treacle are very subtle but add a little more atmosphere to the smouldering scent. And the tar…well, on me, that’s vetiver, a strong vetiver, but in here I like it because it really enhances the bonfire scent. the drydown is almost like an incense-tinged pyre, with the wood notes becoming more aromatic in nature, with a touch of ash to it. This is too smoky for everyday and I still prefer Devil’s Night as my more wearable smoky scent, but it’s the most accurate-and my favourite-autumn bonfire scent from the Lab. This is what I wanted to get from Agnes Nutter and Brimstone. I’m certainly getting a bottle. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes! Surprisingly good. Need a bottle. If you like this, try: Djinn, Agnes Nutter, Brimstone, Mad Meg, Devil’s Night

Midnight Kiss In the imp: I don't smell anything like cherry coke or grape soda here. It smells like patchouli, dark chocolate and dry wine. Wet on skin: now the red musk comes out, along with amber, and the scent sweetens. Dry on skin: mmm, oh yeah, this is good. This is very good. It reminds me of the likes of Hollywood Babylon, Spellbound, and Lust, it's a sexy sweet red musk enhanced by fruit, amber and incense notes. The cocoa in here is not too sweet, it's a dry bitter cocoa, and the wine note is sweet but not too sweet. The red musk is wonderfully rich, a tiny bit floral in here (maybe from the nicotiana? I smell no tobacco here), and the amber just bonds with it in the most perfect way. Red musk and amber are a match made in heaven. The patchouli adds depth and there's some dryness from the sandalwood, but for now it's a fruity-floral red musk with amber, patchouli and cocoa winding through it. Mmm. In fact, to me, this smells like the autumn version of Red Moon 07. After a while: the intense patchouli-cocoa scent I got retreats a little, I now smell more of the musk and wine, with an emphasis on the wine. I must be one of the lucky ones because it's not amping to grape juice proportions in here. But it definitely smells like sweet yet slightly tart red wine on me, mixed with red musk, and the wine enhances the musk's fruity redness. The amber is still entwined in the loving arms of red musk and the floral scent is a little more prominent now. This is a very voluptuous scent, sensual and entrancing. The scent then becomes very gentle, as far as red musk scents go, this one is surprisingly soft, a sweet fruity musk with a hint of earthiness and amber to it, gorgeous but it sticks close to the skin. I smell a faint hint of chocolate once more, but it is fleeting. But I can't stop sniffing that divine mix of musk, amber, patchouli and wine, it is moreish and delicious. The only disadvantage is that the scent does seem to fade a little fast, with just a trace of musk and patchouli lingering. It's a lovely scent but I'm a little surprised at how my skin is eating it, especially with aged patchouli, which generally sticks to my skin like vetiver does. Though in the end it does stick around, even if it is just a whisper of scent. Verdict: I love BPAL musk, and Beth is masterful with her red musk scents, and this one is another classic BPAL red musk scent. Very similar to some of the finest BPAL RM scents, the musk here is a sensual, sweet, full bodied and exotic one, not too feral though, it really resonates beautifully with fruit and resin notes, in here the wine and amber mix with the musk and boost it's sexy fragrance. The patchouli adds earthy depth, there's also a hint of floral to it which also bonds nicely with the musk, and then there's that lovely cocoa note which adds just a hint of sweet chocolaty goodness to it all, makes it a little bit different. This is a very romantic scent-the sort of thing to wear for Valentine's Day and any hot date. I love this one loads, but I'm not sure if it's my absolute favourite red musk just yet. At times it smells very similar to a few of my other beloved RM scents, and sadly it seems to fade faster than most RM/patchouli scents do. I think this scent will improve with age. If I let my bottle sit around for a year or so, I bet it will get richer and deeper and longer lasting. I'm still debating whether to keep my backup bottle, but I'm certainly keeping one bottle. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? oh yeah. One bottle for sure. If you like this, try: Hollywood Babylon, Spellbound, Scherezade, Red Moon 07, Blood Lotus, Lust, Velvet, Tezcatipoca, Smut

Black Widow In the imp: mmm, an intoxicating wine and roses scent with a hint of incense and jasmine. Wet on skin: now I smell the patchouli and jasmine a little more amongst the sweet wine and rose. Dry on skin: whoa, the jasmine has amped a great deal now, but isn't turning bitter like it can do. This is quite nice-it's like Glasya, but not as animalistic. The rose, jasmine and sweet juicy wine are dominant, but patchouli, sandalwood and myrrh add an intriguing incense like base to the scent, dry and a little bit smoky, the myrrh in here seems to be the 'light' variety which smells a little burnt. It also reminds me of Lilith, and I wonder if there's a hidden ylang note. After a while: I love the incense-y, almost nag champa like, slightly spiced scent of the sandalwood here. Despite this the myrrh, a note I normally adore, smells a bit burnt in here, this could be because of the jasmine as well. I smell a hint of rose, but it's much drier in scent, I don't smell the sweet juicy wine that came before. It smells a bit more charred as well, almost like a rose incense stick burning, actually. It becomes less floral-boozy and turns to charred myrrh and sandalwood joss sticks. It's not bad but I'm not too keen on the burnt bitterness I get. Verdict: I like this one, but more at the start. At first I get a wonderful burst of juicy wine spilling over roses and jasmine blossoms, with an undertone of exotic dry sandalwood incense sticks gently burning. I love the rich sweet juiciness of the wine here and the fact that the jasmine in here works nicely. I also love the spicy, incense-like feel of the sandalwood and patchouli. But then it develops an odd burnt scent, not a nice burnt/smoky scent, but a thin, charred, bitter scent that I'm not crazy about. The scent loses the juicy rich floral scent and turns oddly flat and bitter, but then becomes incense-y again. I like this, but oddly it's not as spectacular as I hoped it would be. I do love a lot of the notes in here, but it's not wowing me. There are similar scents to this that work better on me. Ultimately it's more of a scent that I like than one I dislike, but I think I'll swap this off. At least it's not a rarity I will lust for more of! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? not really. There are others in this genre I prefer.

Door 13 In the imp: a chilly, masculine, metallic, perfumey, citrus-herbal ozone. Wet on skin: ack, generic man's perfume! Dry on skin: I should have known…it's a metallic scent, so naturally it turns to sporty deodorant on me. This smells much too generic for my liking, I'm afraid. It does remind me of a man's perfume-not sure if it's Cool Water or CKOne or something-but it's very cologne like, a fresh scent of green masculine notes and ozone. However, I smell this more and it becomes more interesting…it is chilly and cold and I do get the 'feel of icy metal upon skin' feel from this, and I also get something almost like that shuddering feeling of biting metal foil. It is like clean steel with a hint of electric ozone to it, but I still smell manly perfume here. After a while: now this smells like Lightning. Maybe a little more perfumey, a little less crackly, but definitely with a touch of harsh, metallic, electric ozone to it. it still smells of generic sporty body spray, but now the 'electric' side of the ozone is starting to surface, and that is not good news. It doesn't go into the fully electric 'office appliances' scent that I dislike so much, but it does still smell like men's cologne with a little hint of steely ozone…maybe also a hint of washing powder. But definitely perfumey. It now resembles a less floral version of Kataniya. The scent goes into a clean laundry scent at drydown, which isn't bad. Verdict: this is not my kind of scent at all. It seems there are two types of metallic scent in BPAL, the metallic notes which are nice on me (a lot of them are the 'bloody' metallic scents, actually) and some that turn to pure generic sporty perfume on me. This is the latter. It smells just like one of those sports deodorants, with an added spark of electric ozone, another one of my nemesis notes. The drydown is a lot more interesting, that's when I smell the metal note smelling more metallic, cold and almost threatening, with a tingle of electricity. The scent smells mechanical and chilly, and very clean. There are hints of floral and citrus to it as well. but overall, I'm not keen on this, it smells too mainstream at the beginning, and winds up smelling too ozoney. I sold this one off. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? no.

And you know, there's a Whole Foods in London now.... I thought it was Asda that was bought up by Walmart, not Morrisons...and Asda's the closest supermarket to my uni *hides* I shop there out of necessity and student budgets, not choice! I dunno, I'm cool with the idea of exclusive scents even if they are way out of my league...to me, this is like the Dark Delicacies exclusive, except there's more than one scent. Although DD is available online (not sure if they ship overseas) and these are not. But I don't think I'm being cheated, or that it's greedy, or that the Lab are purposely making some blends to tease the people who don't live nearby. I don't think it's like that at all. I like Myth's reasoning about it. They seem easier to obtain that the Convergence/Bat's Day/Intergalactic exclusive scents and I suppose swaps, decants, CPs etc can be made. And the retailers will benefit hugely. Is there official word over whether these are GC or LE?

Oh my, those look beautiful! I'll probably never get my hands on them though, being in the UK and all that but still, I can gaze longingly at the descriptions...some of them look good! No wait...all of them look tempting. Maybe I should stop lusting over more unobtainables. They are not LE though, right?

Aeaea In the imp: a fruity yet fresh and very blue watery scent. Different to other aquatics. Wet on skin: now I smell woodsy notes and a little sweetness. Dry: mmm, this is surprisingly good! I’m not getting anything soapy or detergent like so far. What I am getting is a wonderful scent evoking the deepest sea blue. I smell woods, dry cedar and cypress, like driftwood or a wooden ship, with sweet berries and white flowers, maybe a hint of aloe as well, with a wonderful deep blue oceanic note which is so different to the other sea notes in BPAL. It smells watery, clean, blue and a little salty but not soapy so far. Something about this smell reminds me of summer holidays, actually. Makes me think of the Mediterranean sea, with it’s rich blue colour, I think it reminds me of holidays on the Greek islands. I think it reminds me of a sun lotion or aftersun cream or something? I don’t know, but I do like it. After a while: the strong woods have now calmed down, and now I smell more of the deep juicy currant-like berries and that lovely blue aquatic note with a little hint of floral to it. Still no soap or washing powder, a rarity with marine scents. Could this be the BPAL sea scent I’ve been looking for? I soon get a hint of crisp ozone, but it’s a very nice ozone, no ‘tumble dryers and photocopiers’ like I usually get with ozones that are described as electric. This is anything but…it’s a smooth warm sapphire-coloured sea and a refreshing breeze with hints of fragrant wood and fruits and flowers. It smells like a perfect summer holiday. A soft aquatic floral is all that remains, and the scent hasn’t turned soapy on me at all throughout it’s duration. Now it is just a warm, smooth, slightly salty flowery scent. It is so different to all the other sea-themed BPALs, I can’t compare this to anything because it is unique. Verdict: probably the biggest and most unexpected BPAL surprise of the year, I think. I thought I would hate this. I thought it would be death by ozone on me. But this isn’t at all…in fact, this is the BPAL sea scent I’ve been looking for, the one sea scent that actually works on me! No soap, no washing powder, no dryer sheets, no static electricity. Instead, I get a gorgeous watery-salty scent accented with floral, fruity and woodsy notes which evokes the clearest, most vivid, bluest blue sea. Deep and alluring, azure waves that tempt you to dive in, with sea breezes scented with gentle flowers, balmy woods and a hint of sweet fruit. It smells like the perfect summer holiday, it reminds me of wonderful summer memories, it makes me think of the Mediterranean without smelling of herbs and citrus fruits, there’s nothing electric or poisonous or sinister here, just the scent of water so blue and inviting, like something from a wonderful dream. I’m so glad I claimed a bottle of this from the forum sales. I think this is my favourite BPAL marine-aquatic scent now. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes! One of the few sea-themed scents which works beautifully, I’m getting a bottle from the forum sales. If you like this, try: Roux Ga Roux, Selkie, Sea of Glass, Thalassa, City in the Sea, the Phoenix

Cauldron Gunk This is a lovely soap! It’s my first experience with BPAL soaps, as I really wanted to try the unique fragrance that’s only available in this soap…and I’m glad I did. The soap: it smells quite strong-not too strong but definitely not faint or ‘soapy’. The scent is enough to make my little ensuite smell lovely. It’s a pale green colour from the parsley, a nice gunky Halloween green. The texture: a very smooth lather, a little gritty but I don’t mind that. this doesn’t dry my skin at all-I don’t have to apply lotion after washing. The scent: mmm, a gorgeous fresh green tea and floral mix, I can smell the herbs and a little guava, and jasmine too-but this jasmine isn’t bitter or acrid like some jasmines can be-I think it’s because it’s in soap, as opposed to a concentrated oil. This is a fresh and jaunty scent, tangy and green and flowery and a tad spicy, it’s the smell of a cup of herbal tea. Reminds me of Phantasm, Vampire Tears and 51. Refreshing and awakening. And thankfully, I don’t smell any of the eye of newt and lizard’s leg and all that! The scent clings to the skin when dry, but not too much, just a hint of that fresh tangy tea scent, it doesn’t smell intrusive, it doesn’t clash with my other BPAL oils. Overall, I am very pleased with CG as my first BPAL soap, and definitely want to try more of these soaps, they are fantastic quality.

Hunter Moon 07 In the decant: a dry, boozy, slightly perfumey, slightly musky scent. Wet on skin: smoky but perfumey? This reminds me of a masculine perfume with a hint of strong booze and smoke. Dry: mmm, now I see where the Buck Moon comparisons come from! This now smells like a grown up, sophisticated Devil’s Night. Whilst DN was full of sweet playful spice and a youthful musk, this one has a mature musk to it, as well as a bit more booze, a hint of masculine perfume (not generic aftershave, but something classier) with dry notes of crisp autumn leaves and heady smoke. Underneath it all, that soft, furry musk that Beth does so well, capturing the softness and warmth of fur on a living animal without smelling gamey. I swear there’s even a touch of incense to this…but that may just be because this one resembles a coconut-less Brown Jenkins. It gets lovelier by the minute. After a while: this gets better and better. Now there’s a soft earthy-sweet-musky scent to it like Death Cap, but without the wet soil. I wonder if there’s tobacco here since it reminds me of Bachelor’s Dog…mainly because of the musk. But overall, it smells like sandalwood incense now, with musk and smoke and autumn leaves! Mmm! There’s a nice ashy, crumbly quality to the incense note in here, like incense that has finished burning, along with it’s smoke. There’s not as much booze as before-it’s a lot drier in scent now. In fact, this now resembles an incense version of aged Devil’s Night 05 (the 06 version being sweeter and with more of a sugary ginger aspect, which this lacks). I don’t get anything chilly to it. This sweetens over time, almost like there’s a hint of vanilla or amber underneath. It also softens, the soft ashy scent growing, and the furry aspect of the scent becoming more prevalent. It also reminds me of that wonderful dusty incense musk in the Lurid Library. Damn this is growing on me. Then the scent develops a soft powdery aspect (which is almost like a development of the ‘ash’ stage) and I smell a definite undertone of sweetish black musk, in addition to the furry musk and incense/smoke. Verdict: this is much nicer than the previous Hunter Moon…whilst I liked that, I love this one a lot more. At first I wasn’t sure because it smelt very masculine, like a sophisticated men’s perfume. A smoky and smart perfumey scent which then turned gorgeously musky, with that same furry, gently animalistic without smelling like civet. It was soft and I wanted to snuggle up to this fuzzy fragrance tinged with smoke. And the smoke notes in here are gorgeous-there’s a hint of bonfire and crunchy autumn leaves, but then it turned to a wonderful autumnal incense scent, smoky and woodsy and almost resinous, with the same dry quality as Lurid Library, only with a leafy scent instead of a papery one. This gradually resides into a scent of powdery incense ashes and darker musk, and a hint of cosy sweetness. I really like this scent-I love Beth’s furry, warm ‘mammal musks’ and with that fabulous fragrant smoke note it is even more delicious. Definitely a keeper. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes! one bottle, maybe two. If you like this, try: Brown Jenkins, Death of Autumn, A Bachelor’s Dog, Devil’s Night, Death Cap, Lurid Library

The Queen's Salon In the decant: a sleek, soft, sweet, sophisticated floral. There's an almost honeyed nectar to the scent. I think it's a kind of lily. Wet on skin: now I can smell rose! And maybe a soft musk, or amber, or vanilla…maybe even gardenia (the good kind that doesn’t turn to nastiness on my skin). Dry on skin: this is gorgeous! This reminds me strongly of the Haunted Palace, which I love-it's that same decadent floral with sweet opulent base notes. I smell red roses here, maybe a bit of orange or a citrus note-not the blood orange of HP but maybe a softer orange-some creamy gardenia and possibly lily as well. Maybe even night blooming jasmine, magnolia or tuberose-there's a heady sweet white floral to this. I'm sure there's amber here because I get a sweet golden undertone to it all. I also think there may be vanilla and/or musk. After a while: the scent now becomes more faded and dusty in feel. It's not as rich and full bodied/fruity as HP now, I still smell roses, white flowers and amber perfume, but this now has a scent to it reminiscent of antique cloth. It's almost like silk, in fact, but it's dusty and it's a cloth that has absorbed the scent of fragrant woods, flowers, spices and perfumes. I definitely get a 'boudoir' scent to this, but this is an old boudoir which still remains the same way after many decades, all the perfumes and cosmetics and dressing tables covered in dust, nostalgic, and definitely ghostly. However this doesn't smell stuffy or frumpy at all. This is a really lovely 'old fashioned' scent. I think there's a hint of chrysanthemum here…it does smell a little bit like Chrysanthemum Moon but without the incense, opium, or that 'potpourri' note. Then the scent becomes even sweeter and more floral, and now it reminds me of a much more full bodied version of Schaflende Baigneuse. I'm pretty sure there's skin musk in this scent-it has that powdery, pale tone to it. Maybe there's honeysuckle and honey here? I still smell red rose and amber and rich floral notes as well as that 'antique cloth' but the florals are more defined now. After a few hours, an intriguing papery note comes out, or maybe it's a woodsy note? It reminds me of old paper though, and seems to fit in nicely with the dusty, haunting, old tone this scent has. Verdict: damn, another rarity that I'm in love with. I was hoping this would smell like Lydia (which was soapy on me) simply because it's so hard to find, but no! The queen has to smell good enough to lust for more! This is a beautiful, sophisticated and wistful blend, starting off with an almost Haunted Palace-like mix of amber, rose, musk and a citrus note, maybe some soft white florals. Gorgeous and glamorous, a feminine and classy scent which speaks of luxury. The scent then turns a little dusty (that's a good thing) and there's a scent of old fabric to it, like curtains and bed covers and evening dresses all covered with a tinge of that lovely rose-amber perfume and dust. It's a faded and antique scent that seems to evoke the memory of a boudoir of a rich, smart, classy lady, and her perfumes and powders and vases of flowers. This is a wonderful and womanly scent and I wish I could get more. I'm glad it smells similar to the Haunted Palace because I have quite a nice stash of that scent, but I love the Queen's Salon enough to crave more of it (hopefully without trading my organs!) Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? yes-and I want more! I fear being involved in Ebay wars for this…

Aeris In bottle: mmm, soothing lavender, with herbs and something sweet. On skin: I smell more citrus when it's on the skin, specifically orange blossom. It's a lovely sweet lavender and orange blossom scent with a hint of cypress and grass. This is really nice-it's relaxing yet also stimulating, it calms the mind yet also makes me feel alert. I think the green/woodsy notes help to ground it a little, but the blend feels light and fresh, it has a kind of almost cologne like scent to it, it reminds me of those French lavender soaps/perfumes my mum likes, which is no bad thing. Eventually the scent turns to a lovely dry grassy scent, I'm guessing that's the sweetgrass. I get hints of lavender and orange blossom, but it's mainly woodsy cypress and grass, but it's a light scent. I get the impression of a breeze blowing through a meadow from this scent now, grasses and wild flowers swaying in the wind. It's a very agreeable scent, and I'd like to try this for it's properties of stimulating the mind-I think this would be a nice oil for a pre-exam massage, I think! It seems to be a scent for soothing and sharpening the mind at the same time. The oil texture is wonderful! It feels smooth and silky but not greasy at all-the skin absorbs it really well, my hands don't feel sticky or oily, and my skin feels so moisturised! Since I don't have many people to massage me most of the time, I'd use these oils as a moisturiser.

Aquae In bottle: mmm, rich bold geranium and a hint of camomile. On skin: the geranium turns a little more herbal now, less 'rosy' as before, I also smell more of the camomile, but there's also something sharp here that I'm not sure about…it's almost bitter, and vaguely reminds me of hair dye? I was tempted to say ylang-ylang but there's none in here, it seems. However, this odd note is short lived and disappears within five minutes. Now that's gone, I really like the mix of geranium, sandalwood and lavender I get here…it is soothing. I don't know if it smells watery to me, though it does remind me of a herbal tea or a herbal bath-so more of a warm water smell, which is an interesting and different direction for a water scent. Eventually the lavender fades and the sandalwood really comes out and mixes nicely with the geranium, which now smells balmy and a little rosy, a bit more floral. I also smell that golden herbal scent of camomile, but I don't get too much frankincense-just a hint, but not too much. This is very soothing, I must say. It gives the same impression as taking a nice hot bath and just letting the tension float away, without getting wet. So that's the water association. So now I know what to use when I'm in my halls room, where I have no bath, and feel like I need to take one-I just slather this stuff on. As I said with Aeris, the texture of the oil and the way it absorbs into the skin and moisturises it is fantastic.

nevermind, it's off topic.

I am bowled over by this update! The scents this Yule are amazing. Instead of last year's predominantly icy/snowy theme, this one contains scents of all different kinds. There are icy/snowy ones, but there are also foody, floral, resinous/incensy, woodsy, spicy, old and new, drawing from traditions the world over, including Jewish, Greek, Icelandic, Indian, Mexican, Italian...there are scents based on poetry, history, mythology, or just plain tongue in cheek humour (lick me baby one more time! I can't wait to see what the label for that one looks like!) and that's what I love so much about this update. I am getting loads of decants, and I've bought a few bottles too. I'm glad that the LEs in this update are all long term, so I didn't feel pressured to order. I think the Lunacy order will be a big 'un. My mum will be enabled with Sag (depending on notes), and I can't wait for new Gaiman scents! Now. The rant. I FUCKING HATE POSTAL STRIKES. Ok, they may be over, but so many of my packages have been held back in the backlog chaos that ensued from about five days of strike. And I get the feeling there are still strikes going on. The packages that made it through so far are: BPAL, Nocturne Alchemy, Heaven and Earth, the Atrocious Attic decant from Tramp, and my Mythos Mixtures Halloween decants from Evil Enablers. But there's a whole lot of stuff that hasn't arrived, I'm still waiting for packages from: -Mythos Mixtures -Silk Road Soaps -Magical Omaha -Blooddrop -Cobalt Blends -Heaven and Earth (I made two orders, this second one may not be sent yet, so it's early days) -Love Potion -Possets -Callisto -Aeaea decant received! -October and PPIII from Aevalin -Chilling Cellar and Forbidding Foyer from Nursekins -PPV from LJ -Perilous Parlour -Bonfire Night recieved! -All souls 07 from LJ -Death of Autumn -Massage oil decants -Decanting vials -Queen's Salon decant -Pumpkin Cheesecake and Spiked Punch decants (it's still early days for these) I may be missing some things. I'm also expecting tickets for the Tut exhibition but I have no idea when those will be sent. I'm just listing my pending orders and swaps to keep track of what has gone MIA and fear will be lost in a strike-induced black hole never to be seen again. Some are replaceable, but others (like the Caffeinated Death in the MO package) are not. I am not blaming the companies or swappers/sellers for the losses at all so don't worry. I am blaming all this crap on the shoddy postal service and the postal workers who decided to go all on us these last couple of weeks.

I'm slowly sorting out my collection of BPALs and seeing what imps/bottles I still like and which ones to sell. And I've discovered that some of these are aging gorgeously. I tend to notice the difference when I haven't worn a certain scent for a while, though I'm sure scents I wear regularly are also maturing gracefully as well. There are some scents which don't change much and still smell the same as before-which, if it's a scent I love, is a very good thing. Here's my list of scents that are even lovelier now: Et Lux Fuit (aged about 1 year and a bit)-the oddly soapy scent it had when fresh is fading, the amber is getting stronger, and the honey! Now this reminds me a little bit of Al Araaf and Spirit of the Komachi Cherry Tree. Alone (aged about 2 years)-OMG! At first I was worried this would be a bit too sweet but then the patchouli, richly matured, shines and mingles with cardamom, labdanum and sandalwood in the most amazing way. The floral notes in here are also prettier. Berenice (aged about a year and a bit)-it's lost it's 'designer perfume' scent and turned into a feminine Mr Ibis. Svadhinaopatika (since February)-OMG!! The amber in here has become wonderfully rich and golden and magnificent. This now smells like a honeyed version of the Lion. O ain't got nothing on this unspellable stunner! Hope (since February)-the sugar/vanilla musk really becomes richer and more beautiful, softening the rose. Meskhenet (since February)-the frankincense has become stunning, and that odd 'gardenia' note it had when fresh has faded considerably. Now it smells like Nefertiti. This oil is now thicker and there is residue at the bottom-a scent to roll. 13, the original (since June 05)-ohh! The chocolate has become richer, the sharp tea note is mellower, the iris pops out more and there's something almost honeyed to it. Haloa (since December 06)-oh wow! Now this smells like mulled wine and incense with sweet cakes! So festive! It's lost the odd 'sherbet' scent it had when fresh. Lotus Moon (since summer 06)-the amber has become richer and the scent has more oomph now. Black Pearl (about a year old)-the musk and iris have become much richer. Dee (two year old imp)-DAYUM this ages magnificently. I can't wait to see how my bottle gets. Hymn to Proserpine (about a year old imp)-I swear this gains Snake Charmer nuances when this ages. I get plum and cherry as well as the pomegranate/currant and amber now. Have a bottle, hopefully it will age like this. My new bottle of HtP smells spicier/sandalwoodier than my imp. Penny Dreadful (at least two years)-when I last tried it, my imp was a year old. The notes get richer and more floral and it smells stunning, though not as earthy-foody as when fresh. There's a vetiver note which really shows up with age. Anubis (two and a half years)-the sharpness this had when fresh is much calmer and the resins are much richer, more honeyed. Bastet (almost three years)-like a cat, this one's personality changes, each time I wear it. (but it always smells good!) But the myrrh note gets much stronger over time. Zorya (at least two years)-richer, stronger, more beautiful and well mixed floral. One of the few 'plain jasmine' scents that doesn't turn stinky on me. Nefertiti (at least two years, maybe more)-the woodsy incense notes become richer and smoother, loses it's greenness. Aged Nefertiti is amazing. Queen of Sheba (about 1-2 years)-I swear there's Egyptian amber in here. I get a lot of something that smells like it under the spiced honey and almonds now. Black Lily (1 year)-loses that odd metallic coldness and becomes pretty much all lily gorgeousness. Magdalene (2 years)-the rose and orchid just mature so beautifully. Snake Oil and Charmer-what can I say that hasn't already been said? The Lion (about 2 years)-the amber just gets more intense and lovely with time. Great Cry in Egypt (since summer 06)-the red musk is really intensifying in the best way, and so are the resins. Regan (2 years)-I swear there's honey in here. It's been a year or so and it smells really, really honeyed now, like floral O. Not complaining-I love this honeyed orchid scent! Bengal (1.5 or 2 years)-OMG this becomes like a more intense and spicier version of the Lion when aged. I'm sure there's amber lurking in here. Queen Mab (2+ years)-gets more intense and rich and full bloomed with time. Haunted Palace (since late 05)-who says citrus notes degrade over time? The orange in here has become creamier and softer, if anything. Beautiful amber-rose-orange-musk.

Goblin In the imp: vetiver? I have no idea why I smell vetiver in this sweet, dark, patchouli scent… Wet on skin: ok, not vetiver, but it's the same patch from Malediction, with a hint of sweet coconut. Dry on skin: dirty, earthy, autumnal patch and crisp, dry, grated coconut husk. Maybe a hint of vanilla like sweetness from benzoin. The patch in here smells just like autumn soil on my skin…wet earth full of dead leaves slowly decaying, with an undertone of the distinct patchouli scent. This wet leaves and soil scent does fade quickly to leave pure patchouli with sweet sugared toasted coconut on top. The coconut is a desiccated scent like grated coconut shavings that you sprinkle on cakes. This is really nice, actually. It's patchouli and coconut, simple as that, and it's a combo that works. After a while: I think this, and the patch in Smiling Spider, is the most definite patchouli note in all of BPAL. A lot of BPAL patch notes do that autumnal musk/old dusty paper/incense-y earth thing on me but they don't smell too obviously like patch-but this one does. And that's no bad thing, this is a lovely rich patch note which feels like it has aged for a while-a very mature, robust patchouli. The coconut sweetens this shadowy note, adds a dry, snappy, toasted and sugared feel to the dirty patch. The benzoin adds a lovely sweet vanilla scent with a hint of amber to this earthy-nutty scent. The scent gets sweeter and more coconutty, reminiscent of those little coconut sweets, but the patch also gets darker and fuller. I think I also smell more of the benzoin now. It's also one of the few scents that seems to get stronger and more intense over time, instead of fading. The coconut retreats after a couple of hours or so and I'm left with sweet patchouli, almost like patchouli with a sprinkling of vanilla sugar on top. Lovely! Verdict: a simple yet effective combination, this smells just like what it says-patchouli, coconut and benzoin. The patch in here is powerful stuff, and it is definitely patchouli. It's not the BPAL patch that smells like autumn soil or earthy musk. This is 'Hello! My name is PATCHOULI!' patchouli. No mistaking this patch note-it is strong, potent and dirty (in a good way). It smells almost like matured patchouli, a little darker and less 'hippie' than you'd expect. The coconut contrasts nicely with this dark patchouli, it's a dry, husky and sweet coconut, nothing like tropical coconut but definitely like coconut shavings. Very desiccated in scent, but approachable. On top of that is the vanilla-like benzoin adding a lovely sweetness. The scent overall is sweet and mischievous but with a shadowy undertone. It's definitely not for patchouli haters because that note is very obvious in here. Because of the intensity of the patchouli here, the scent lasts for a very long time on me. I like it, but not enough for a bottle-I like my scents to be a little more complex, but I'm keeping the imp, I think this will age really nicely. I also think this will be fantastic for layering. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? maybe-I think aging will make it really good. If you like this, try: Depraved, Smiling Spider, Malediction, Brown Jenkins, Black Pearl

Kubla Khan In the imp: a sweet vanilla-tinged, almost buttered, jasmine-centred floral. Wet on skin: gorgeous jasmine and vanilla, very much like Peitho or Bigger Critters, but more exotic. Dry on skin: this is so pretty. It is very floral, but it's a lovely sweet floral tinged with smoke and spice. This reminds me strongly of Peitho, one of my favourite jasmine/lily scents, and one of the few scents where the jasmine doesn't turn acrid. This bodes well. I smell jasmine with rich vanilla and a hint of pale opium, and sugared lily (sugared in the same way as the florals in Hope, Faith and Pink Moon are sugared, yum!) and a hint of dry golden hay and tobacco. There's an interesting mix of slightly dewy, cool (icy?) sweet flowers contrasting with a dry base of hay and smoky notes. This is also reminiscent of the Perfumed Garden, that same jasmine, but with a different layout of notes. I don't smell roses yet. After a while: the floral notes blend together really nicely by now, and merge with the sugar and vanilla to create a scent of sweet glorious flowers-there's something luminous and otherworldly about this floral scent. I am reminded of another BPAL now but can't say which…maybe Midnight on the Midway? All I know is that this smells so beautiful. There's a touch of opium to the flowers and a hint of sun warmed hay, and maybe just the barest hint of rose, but I don't get leather here. The champaca is being very well behaved here, it's not amping to that overripe cloying fruit scent, it's adding it's sweetness to the floral notes but not taking over. I think I know what this reminds me of now-Vaskakajja (sp?), but I think this is much, much better than that scent. Ok, call me crazy, maybe my nose is being odd, but I've finally worked out what this reminds me of…Mr Ibis. I know, there aren't many notes in common apart from sandalwood and vanilla, but that's what I get here, that same pale, cool Egyptian musk scent, only this one is sweeter (there's that fantastic 'sugared flower' note to it) and more floral and smoky, but I definitely get a resemblance. The scent gets smoother, creamier, there's a lovely light musk aspect to it. It eventually turns into a well blended mix of vanilla and ethereal flowers with a glow of musk and a haze of subtle smoke, hints of hay and sandalwood grounding it nicely. Nothing soapy, nothing acrid, just a seamless blend where everything works together. I swear that I get a little bit of amber popping up at the end. Verdict: if anything could sum up the idea of 'poetry in scent', this would be it. This has a mixture of notes I love (rose, vanilla, sugar) and notes that can turn bad (lily, champaca, jasmine, opium) and the note list was so diverse and contradictory that I thought this could either be spectacular or messy. Thankfully it's the former, and it is so beautiful. The jasmine is perfect-not a bitter flower but a heady sweet one, and the lily is sugared with that fantastic sugared vanilla musk that I love from the Twins and Pink Moon 07. The opium is subtle yet exotic, the vanilla is decadent and rich, and there's a hint of hay and incense, but it's mainly a hypnotic sweet floral. All the notes blend harmoniously. But then the scent gets even better-the notes merge together and a luminous musk appears. I have no idea why I get this glowing pale musk but I do, and it reminds me of Mr Ibis, with added sugared flowers and a hint of poppy. I love Mr Ibis so this is a very good thing. The scent just continues as a smooth well-blended floral sweet musk until the end, and I love it. Along with the likes of Peitho, Perfumed Garden (06) and Bigger Critters, this is one of my new favourite jasmine scents. A truly spectacular fragrance. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes, and I need a bottle asap! If you like this, try: Peitho, Monster Bait BiggerCritters, Kanishta, Perfumed Garden, Midnight on the Midway, Languor, Vasakasajja, Mr Ibis

Libra In the bottle: like Lady Luck Blues, but with added cherry. Honeyed rose with black fruit. Wet on skin: now I smell almond-like notes from the cherry, and geranium? Where's that coming from? Dry on skin: now more of the fruits come out in full-I smell sweet plum, black cherry, tangy currant and fig. I also get something vaguely lemony-I have no idea why-and also rose geranium, along with regular rose and honey and spicy carnation. In fact, all the notes are present (along with a few which aren’t listed) and are very nicely balanced. This smells gorgeous, very feminine, luxurious and rich. After a while: now I smell more of the plum and honey, warmed by carnation, along with currant, the rose (and geranium?) and at this point, it really does smell like Lady Luck Blues meets Rose Moon but with more fruit. It also reminds me of the currant and roses of Knave of Hearts but without the ultra-gourmand notes. It's surprisingly herbal-lemony, almost soothing, like honeyed herbal rose petal tea. Then the scent becomes a lot more even, the notes merging and the scent of honeyed rose becoming more apparent, backed by the plum and currant. I also smell something airy and powdery to this, almost like violet or orris or sandalwood, even though they aren't listed. The honey is gentler than in Lady Luck but a little stronger than in Rose Moon. I still get that hint of geranium. The airy scent becomes a little green/herbal, almost like palmarosa more than geranium now, but still the honeyed rose and fruits remain. It's not a sticky heavy fruity honey scent though-this is light and the notes have merged even more nicely. The plum comes out a little more on drydown. Verdict: I have my moon in Libra, so I'm very glad that I like this scent. It reminds me of other scents in the honey-rose genre, like Rose Moon, Jezebel, and Lady Luck Blues, only this one is fruitier, and also has an unexpected herbal aspect as well. at first there's a load of cherry but this backs down to reveal a luxurious blend of flowers and fruit, which seems very womanly, voluptuous, a true Venus scent. There's a hint of something like geranium to it, and the notes are very nicely blended and nothing stands out too much. The scent changes very slightly into a fruity stage, then goes back to honeyed rose and then it develops a herbal airiness, which is very pretty-not as rich and fruity as before, but lighter and smoother, maybe even a little more herbal. This is really good-I love honey and rose scents, I do prefer Rose Moon and Lady Luck but this one is very nice indeed and it works a lot better than many of the other zodiac scents have done so far. Definitely a keeper. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? I'm keeping my bottle. If you like this, try: Lady Luck Blues, Rose Moon, Bordello, Alice, Knave of Hearts, Jezebel

The Lurid Library In the bottle: a soft golden musk with incense and dusty paper. Smells very promising! Wet on skin: dusty books and the shelves they rest on, as well as a manly, leathery musk. Dry on skin: mmm, this is gorgeous. Golden incense smoke, old books, a hint of wooden shelves and musk. It reminds me both of Aziraphale and Dee (more like Dee, in fact, but gentler) a lot less cologne-like and less woodsy than Aziraphale, and less leathery and tonka-y than Dee. This reminds me of something from Dogs Playing Poker-maybe the incense from Riding the Goat, but this is more like the lingering scent of incense clinging to yellowed pages instead of mahogany panelling, there's none of the tobacco. The musk is smooth, warm, and almost fuzzy. It reminds me of another BPAL but I can't say which one. It's a dusty scent, but in a good way-it feels powdery, old and worn, and ancient. This is what I was hoping Clio would smell like. After a while: this has become a lot fainter, but not in a bad way. I see what the other reviewers mean about this scent being ghostly, spacious, or a scent that can just be glimpsed from the corner of the nose. It's very ephemeral, soft, muted. Now I smell less of the musk and more of the dusty, faded papery book notes…I'm amazed as to how much this does smell like old books! I still smell the incense smoke, which is now even more like a faded yet distinctly resinous-woodsy scent (there's definitely frankincense here) which now seems to cling to the dust that covers the room. I also get a hint of leather, and this is like a less intense Dee. This does seem to get fainter, not as throwy, but that glow of golden musk and papery incense still lingers. It's still gorgeous and it's one of those nuzzly scents where my nose is glued to my wrist and doesn't want to let go. And then just as soon as it threatens to leave, the scent returns, this time with more musk, that lovely warm snuggly musk which is tinged with incense. This is powdery, and that's a compliment…there's a crumbly feel to it now, a mix of ashes and dust, still with that papery undertone. Now I am reminded of the dusty incense from Carfax Abbey, but without the strong herbs and violet notes from that scent. The drydown of this scent is that wonderful bookish musk (a softer version of Devil's Night's thuggish musk) and wispy incense…I think I'm having another nose-glued-to-wrist moment! I don't get anything remotely floral in this scent, other than perhaps the faintest hint of orris for that powdery old feel? Verdict: this is amazing. I liked Aziraphale and love Dee, but this one tops them when it comes to smelling of books. At first the old books and a musk note are prominent in here, with a hint of incense which lingers in the room, and I also catch a hint of leather binding of the books, and centuries of dust gathered on the shelves. I get the impression of a room with a faint hint of ghostly scent as opposed to a full on perfume. I find the scent very inviting…it makes me want to open those books that haven't been opened for so long, blow the dust off the pages, and discover the secrets that lie within these tomes. It's a quiet scent, but this quietness works here… libraries are quiet places after all! The incense note is gorgeous-soft and smoky and a little ashy, like resins that have just burnt. The dusty papery-woodsy notes of the library itself are spot on. And the musk is gorgeous and comforting, a gentle and slightly golden warm musk. Oddly, though this smells gentle close to the skin, it has surprising waft! the more I wear it, the more I love it. it's very unisex-I think a man would smell wonderful wearing this (imagine smelling this on a sexy bookish guy, I'm drooling at the thought) but it also smells beautiful on me. the perfect scent to wear when curling up on a rainy day with a good book. This is love. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? yes-and I need more! If you like this, try: Dee, Aziraphale, Clio, Mr Ibis, Mr Jaquel, Riding the Goat, Carfax Abbey

Sorry if this is a dumb question, but...the Emathides. I say it 'emma-thids' in my head, but I have a feeling that because it's Greek, it should be e-math-a-dees. Which pronounciation is correct?