PurringPulsar

Schrodinger's Cat In the bottle: sparkling citrus, soft lavender, and Spanish moss (not oak moss). Wet on skin: fresh mint and fizzy citrus, with herbal lavender and green moist moss. Dry on skin: mmm, this is wonderful! It smells primarily of citrus and mint (no chocolate yet) and it reminds me of Arcana's Each to Each, which is also a citrus-mint scent, but with lavender and moss replacing the vanilla, this isn't as sweet. For now I get a lovely sweet grapefruit and lime, like Croquet, the citrus notes are lively and energetic like a little kitten, but there's a contrasting sedative lavender note that attempts to add some calm to the scent. The tangerine is lovely and orange-y. I smell the mint and moss (which is wetter than expected, but very nice), and there I get a resemblance to Cathode. After a while: the grapefruit is lasting for a surprisingly long time here! That and the tangerine are the dominant notes now, with that undertone of green soft moss underneath. It still smells bright and playful as it did before, not as hyperactive, but still lively. I think I also smell a hint of what could be zdravetz-it's herbal but it's not lavender, but I can't say for sure. I still don't get the chocolate note. The grapefruit fades slowly leaving behind a mossy-herbal base which is very pleasant. I'm amazed as to how long the citrus notes last in here-usually only blood orange and yuzu last this long on me, but the grapefruit is sticking around for ages, as is the tangerine. I still smell moss, but it's not as squishy and swampy as before, it's now more of a fuzzy (furry?) base for the citrus notes. Once the citrus is gone, there's a very, very faint moss scent, so barely there, like a hint of green. So yes, it fades quickly but is one of those rare citrus blends that lasts longer than average on me. Verdict: I've been waiting so long for this scent to come out and this quantum kitty has really surpassed expectations. I currently have the most playful, mischievous little kittens who are even more hyper than toddlers high on e-numbers, and this scent brings to mind their antics-with all that effervescent citrus, it is full of energy and exuberance and zing. One thing's for sure, this cat is very much alive! It does fade fast, but for a citrus scent, it's one of the longest lasting of it's kind. the happy tangy notes, especially the grapefruit, stick around for at least two hours. There's a hint of lavender and a pleasant mossy undertone, which is green and soft, slightly mossier than expected, but very nice and Cathode-like which seems fitting for a physics scent. The drydown is a barely there moss with the grapefruity ghost of the playful kitty that came before, lingering like a Cheshire Cat's grin. (Indeed, with that grapefruit and possibly the concept too, this scent is definitely a sibling to the Cheshire Cat scent.) I love this scent and I adore the cute label on the bottle which makes me doubly glad that I bought a 5ml. This really is citrus purr-fection! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? yes! This paradoxical puss is mine for the keeping! If you like this, try: Cheshire Cat, Croquet, Fire Pig, Cathode, Tweedledee, Night Gaunt

Event Horizon In the bottle: deep, rich Schwarzer Mond-ish incense with smoky opium. Wet on skin: opium and wonderful black orchid mingles with sweet, dark resins. Dry on skin: oh wow, this is good stuff. This is like Opium Poppy meets Schwarzer Mond/Minotaur. The opium is very nice in here-not too overwhelming but definitely fitting in, adding it's smoky incense scent. The orchid adds a little bit of floral, and the resins are just fantastic, with dark, sweet, myrrh like opoponax taking the lead. This is the kind of opium I like. After a while: now I get a little more smoke, a slightly burnt aspect to the scent which increases the dark, pitch black feel this scent has but doesn't smell too charred. It smells like the burning myrrh note I've smelt in Black Lotus. It smells like the incense resins in here are now smouldering along with the opium, but there's still that sweet benzoin/opoponax note. Contrasting with the blackened notes I smell orchid, which is ethereal and delicate, like the last glimpse of light being sucked into a black hole. At this point it reminds me of Eshe, another favourite of mine, but without the herbs or dust. Something about the papery yet heady poppy note in here reminds me of the paperwhite note in Eshe. The scent loses it's brief burnt note but still smells smoky and hypnotising. It also smells sweeter, a little more floral-resinous now. The opium and resins become strong again after a few hours, before the scent ends as a wonderful amber-like smoky opoponax drydown with a hint of opium. Something about it reminds me of Oblivion even though the scent is different, the feel of the scent-the dark, shadowy depth of it-is similar. Verdict: I'm picky with my opium scents so that note concerned me, but as an astrophysics student who recently did a group project on black holes, I couldn't resist the name, and had to get a bottle of this scent, and I'm pleased I did. It is heavy on the opium but this is an opium scent which works…dark poppy smoke wrapping around black orchids on a base of beautiful, dark incense. The resins are the same wonderful sweet deep resins as the likes of Schwarzer Mond and Minotaur, thick and rich and gorgeous opoponax and benzoin with tones of amber and myrrh. Damn, I love resins. At times the opium gives the impression that the resins are burning dryly, and the orchid adds a floral smoothness and a resemblance to the Emathides. I love this blend of absolute darkness, it lures me into its blissful black hole of scent and I can't stop sniffing it. I think this is my new favourite dark opium scent (with Kubla Khan being my new light opium favourite) and I am so glad I bought a 5ml straight away. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? of course! If you like this, try: Emathides, Opium Poppy, Minotaur, Schwarzer Mond, Eshe, Medea, Oblivion

Crypt Queen In the bottle: rich and fruity and earthy, with wine like tones. Reminds me of Mme Moriarty and Trick #2 with more fruit. No bubblegum whatsoever. Wet on skin: oh yes, this is like Mme Moriarty, with the pom, plum and patch, but this is fruitier and also floral. No evil gardenia yet. Dry on skin: mmm, this is gorgeous. I can smell pepper now, adding it's dark heat to the scent. This is earthy and gritty with rich red fruity floral tones to it. The patchouli is the same as Mme Moriarty's, that woodsy-smoky-incensy scent, though the pomegranate and plum may also be helping to make this smell like that. The pepper adds a spicy bite, I smell tangy raspberry, whilst I get a faint hint of something metallic-the blood note? It's not blatant, and it's not dragon's blood either. The floral notes are not as strong as the fruit, but I can definitely smell the rose in here. It reminds me of Trick #2 with it's fruit, patch, pom and pepper mix, and there's something almost like Blood Countess to this as well, though not as plummy… After a while: this gets stronger-the throw increases and the fruit notes (especially pomegranate) become richer and redder in feel, crimson coloured, and the patch also strengthens. This is now like Mme Moriarty without the Snake Charmer-ish background, with rose instead of vanilla. I really love the combination of fruits and pepper in here, it reminds me of a chocolate bar with raspberry/strawberry and pepper, which I love, only this time there's no chocolate. There's also a metallic feel which in here also really works, it's like the metallic scent in Cracked Bell. This scent is darkly decadent and gorgeous. The scent gets smoother, a little sweeter, and even lovelier as it dries, with the patch and fruit merging wonderfully, with the pepper still adding it's crackling warmth. It becomes more and more like a peppery Mme Moriarty (without vanilla) as it dries, and I love that. I think I'm getting a little bit of musk now. Verdict: I am so glad I got a bottle of this, because this scent is wonderful! I was worried by the blood and gardenia but luckily, in here, they both smell good, and the scent is a delightful mix of dark juicy fruit and fragrant flowers interred in earthy, smoky-incensey patchouli and sprinkled with pepper. It seems that Crypt Queen is the lovechild of Mme Moriarty and Trick #2. This is like Mme, the same pomegranate, plum and patch, but with flowers instead of vanilla, and a bit of spice and even something pleasantly metallic/gritty. It's almost like a fine red wine in feel, it is mature and robust. It also reminds me of Persephone with darker nuances, indeed, this scent is Persephone in the underworld. I love this luxurious and sinister scent, it smells confident as well, full of oomph, a delicious femme fatale fragrance which is just perfect for autumn, and it turns velvety and smooth over time as the notes blend. I bet it will age wonderfully too. I love this fragrance so much, and I love the little coffin! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? of course! This is fantastic. If you like this, try: Mme Moriarty, Dark Delicacies, Blood Countess, Persephone, Trick #2

Agnes Nutter In the imp: holy crap! Vetiver, and lots of it! This is probably the 'evil' variety that smells of asphalt/rubber on me… Wet on skin: smoke! now I smell lots and lots of smoke, like standing next to a bonfire. And vetiver. Dry on skin: ok, now I get the nails, a fresh metallic airy note which is borderline perfumey. But the dominant note is SMOKE. Fire and burning woods and bonfires and gunpowder, this smells like the 5th of November. The metallic note almost smells like cool damp autumn wind here, and rain too, but even the rain won't put out this fire. I'm amazed as to how genuine the burning woods note is in here-it smells like I've been standing next to a wood fire and the smoke is clinging to my skin. After a while: the 'rusty nails' note has taken over now, and like other metal notes, now turns to sporty perfume on me-it contrasts dramatically with the smoke. It still smells like it's smouldering, and it is still very vetiver-y (now more so than before), but now there's a spritz of generic cologne to it which I'm not crazy about. Eventually this becomes almost ozone like, but with vetiver. The cool, fresh, bracing metallic perfume is very strong now (reminds me of Macbeth and the Witches with added smoke now), but there's still the burnt wood, and the vetiver, which is almost like tar in here…and I think this perfume will stick to me for days… The drydown of this scent is men's perfume, pure and simple. A smoky sports cologne. Verdict: I love the character of Agnes Nutter so I was hoping her scent would work-but sadly, it turns into men's deodorant with smoky vetiver on me. It starts off really well though, as a roaring bonfire of smoky and charring woods, so genuine that I fear that I may set off smoke alarms with this scent! The vetiver fits in well here, really enhances the smouldering scent of burning wood and thick black smoke from a huge bonfire, with a hint of chilly rain like ozone. Sadly, as the fire reaches it's peak, I don't get anything explosive like I hope I would. The vetiver and metallic 'nails' notes turn bad and the scent goes very wrong on me. The vetiver smells like burning rubber, but it's the metal note that really lets me down by turning into a really generic sports deodorant smell-like something I'd expect young boys to wear, but it's not something I like to smell in my BPAL. and this perfumey scent clashes with the charred, tarry vetiver in a way that I'm not keen on. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? no. If you like this, try: Djinn, Brimstone, Malediction, Devil's Claw, Macbeth and the Witches

Tristran In the imp: rosewood and greenery. This reminds me of something, maybe a shop I've been to, but I can't say what or where. Wet on skin: coriander leaves (mmm) and lots of woods. maybe a bit of lemon. Dry on skin: whoa, this is really, really woody. Like walking through a forest woody. I smell redwood and rosewood and a lovely sandalwood note (smells just like the White Sandalwood SN). The coriander note, which smells of the green coriander leaves as opposed to the pungent, spicy seeds, adds a very green aspect to the scent, hinting at the forest where the trees came from. There's something almost sap-like to this, like breaking a twig off a tree and smelling the green sap inside, it has a slight spice to it. I also smell a hint of sweet tonka and patchouli. After a while: the woodsy, greenish scent gets stronger, it's almost like pine resin or some other kind of sticky sap oozing from a tree. So green! In fact, it reminds me of galbanum. At the same time, this also gets drier and smells more like very exotic wooden furniture, sculpted from rare and fragrant woods, in a dusty store where incense has been burning. It almost makes me think of a furniture store in Camden Market-woods and incense. Maybe not the smell of the shop itself, but the feel of the scent, reminds me of that. The sandalwood really shows off now, boosted by the redwood, and the rosewood isn't as 'pickled' as it can sometimes smell-this is a good rosewood. This is nice but it does seem to be turning a little bitter at drydown, and a little masculine. it's very different from most manly scents out there-it's now very green and woodsy, like fresh timber. It goes between exotic wooden furniture and forests every now and then. Eventually I smell moss? Yes, moss, almost like Spanish moss, growing on wood. In fact, this now smells like Roux Ga Roux or another one of those cypress-moss scents. Verdict: this is definitely a man's scent, but not in the traditional sense. I love the way this smells both very natural and also a little exotic. The woodsy notes, combined with the green notes, give the impression of walking through a forest of tall trees, but not in the usual 'pine/evergreen' sense, this is more like a deciduous forest, green leaves and sap, the smell of strong, powerful tree trunks and bark with moss. There's a feel of adventure to this scent, makes me think of hiking through the woods. at the same time though, I get a nice spicy scent to this, the sandalwood is gorgeous in here, and the coriander smells delicious. I even get a hint of incense at times. it's a very lovely and different take on the usual woodsy theme, and I think it would smell fantastic on a guy. It's a little too manly for me at drydown though, so I probably won't keep it, even though I love the incense-meets-outdoorsy scent I get for the first hour or wear. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? maybe the imp. If you like this, try: Jupiter, Yggdrasil, Winter of our Discontent, Carceri D'Invenzione, Séance, Stranger in Camp

Shadwell In the imp: tobacco cologne with a bare hint of milk. Surprisingly perfumey and a little caramelised. Wet on skin: a thick, rich pipe tobacco with a hint of Mr Nancy's foody-sugary scent to it. Dry on skin: now I smell the 'mildew', which thankfully doesn't smell like true mildew, but more like moss, with a cologne like aquatic to it which is slightly rainy and fresh in feel. Under that I get the tobacco, smelling less like ashtrays and more like a sophisticated pipe tobacco with a hint of treacle. I also smell the milk, which is a light, soft, cool milk note which thankfully doesn't turn sour. But the dominant note is the manly cologne and tobacco, a perfume a lot more sophisticated than I'd expect from Shadwell (though I'd expect the real Shadwell wouldn't smell so good-this is a pleasant scent!) After a while: after that intense blast of cologne and sticky tobacco, this now fades into something even nicer…a gentle sweet milk (still nothing sour), almost like coconut milk but not quite, and a hint of lighter tobacco. Now it smells more like roll up cigarettes, but in a nice way. this is like Mr Nancy, but gentler, less sugary, and fresher. It seems to go between smelling like men's aftershave and cool milk every now and then, the tobacco always present. I much prefer the milky stages to the 'raincoat' stages, but the tobacco does seem to be veering towards ashtray territory now, which is apt for Shadwell, but not so good for me! The ashtray stage does fade and the scent ends up as a kind of milky tobacco cologne with a hint of sweet coconut to it. The condensed milk note smells very true now, almost like the condensed milk in kulfi (which I adore) but without the spices, and with aquatic-sporty perfume, powdery moss and dry caramelised tobacco (think Red Lantern and Mr Nancy). Verdict: Shadwell's scent is unique, interesting and contradictory, a mix of opposing notes that seem to work well together. There's an aquatic component which is lightly mossy, a smart manly perfume, a tobacco note that moves from pipe to cigarette, and a gorgeous sweet milk note which isn't remotely sour. That's my favourite thing about the scent, in fact-the condensed milk note is so nice, comforting and sweet. however, the scent does have moments when it turns a little too masculine for me. the 'mildewed raincoat' note, a mix of moss and rainy aquatic notes, does turn a little bit like a manly aftershave, and this is accentuated by the tobacco which at some points smells a little too much like cigarettes for me. but I like it. it's a lot more agreeable than I expected a Shadwell scent to be, that's for sure! I also love the way that Beth makes such unusual mixes of notes, some of which sound really off-putting (who'd have thought mildew could smell so good?) work really well together, like in here. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? not really, but it's a very interesting scent! If you like this, try: Incubus, Mr Nancy, Ogun, Red Lantern, Elegba, Obatala

I can has Schrodinger's Cat label pics nao?

War In the imp: savoury, potentially rubbery red ginger and pepper, with sweet musk. Like a sweeter Aries. Wet on skin: savoury ginger (no rubber yet) but underneath that is a beautifully creamy musk note. Dry on skin: whoa, this ginger is hot stuff! There's a hint of hot rubber to it, but this is appropriate, it brings to mind War's motorbike speeding down the motorway at the end of the world…I even smell a hint of asphalt. But this doesn't distract from a gorgeous creamy soft musk at the back. This is the same wonderful red musk from Red Moon 07, and also some of the floral red musk scents-it's almost like Blood Lotus with honeysuckle instead of lotus, and a lot of spices added. I also smell the blood musk from Blood Moon and Cracked Bell in here, very sensual and warm but with a bite of metal. I smell black pepper as well as ginger, maybe even some black cumin? These aren't cosy spices, they are edgy, fiery and gritty. But the floral musk contrasts this beautifully. After a while: the spices tone down and the rubber disappears completely. Seems that now all I smell is Carmine Zuigiber's feminine beauty rather than the way that she brings conflict wherever she appears. That wonderful creamy red musk, floral and voluptuous, is the dominant note. I don't smell popcorn here at all, like I have seen mentioned in other places, but I smell the same grainy undertone that Red Moon (and Blood Moon) had. There's a hint of spice, but it's mainly musk now. There's still a hint of dryness, but the scent becomes creamier, more floral and lush. It's like the musk is mixing with the honeysuckle in the most amazing way, there's something magnolia like to it. this then becomes almost lotus-like and this really does smell like Blood Lotus. I think I smell dragon's blood too, but this isn't the 'evil DB' that amps on me. I also smell the variety of patchouli that smells like autumnal soil on my skin. Verdict: this is so much better than I expected. This is what I wanted Aries to be like-in fact, this should be my Aries scent from now on. The red ginger worried me but in here it's not too bad-it's gingery and dry, but not too rubbery. The spices are nice and dark, as is the patchouli. It's the musks that are the stars of this scent. I love red musk, so a triple whammy of red musk is three times more awesome. I can actually differentiate between two of the musks in here, there's a 'floral-creamy' red musk and a 'bloody' red musk. Those remind me of Red Moon 07 and Blood Moon respectively, two of my favourite moons, so this makes me happy. The floral-creamy musk does the most amazing thing on drydown-it lifts the honeysuckle (which doesn't smell soapy in here at all) and makes this flowery note smell rich and strong, with a silky, sensuous sweetness underneath. It reminds me of other floral-red musk combinations, like Blood Lotus and Unheavenly City. This scent is fitting to the character-beautiful yet dangerous, indeed. A floral musk which is feminine yet powerful and confident. I will need to buy more of this some day! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? definitely the imp. Maybe a bottle, but not now. If you like this, try: Red Moon 07, Saw Scaled Viper, Chrysanthemum Moon, Aries 07, Blood Moon, Blood Lotus, Cracked Bell

Victoria In the imp: a crisp, sharp tea rose. Almost like the Peacock Queen. Wet on skin: oh, now the gorgeous vanilla musk comes out! This is going all Hope-like now. Dry on skin: this is gorgeous! Now I smell lily in there, but it's not a soapy lily, or too sharp. This is a delicate white lily and rose fragrance softened by an exquisite vanilla musk. Yes, it does remind me of Hope, but it also reminds me of something else…maybe Kindly Moon, or Peitho, because of the lily? Or Et Lux Fuit, because of the vanilla musk? Maybe Dolce Stil Nuovo? Yes, probably Dolce, without the lavender. There's also something here almost reminiscent of honey, or honeycomb/beeswax. The musk is ethereal and airy. After a while: this is a very pleasant floral white musk now. This is what I hoped to get from Dolce, but that turned to brine on me (such a heartbreak). This has a fresh saltiness but it's not brine…this is more like a sea breeze blowing over roses and lilies. That's what I hoped to get from those aquatics. It's not as sweet now, but it smells fresh and sophisticated but also youthful and carefree. The slightly salty phase does eventually back down and it becomes a crisp floral, roses and lilies, with that fresh white musk. I also smell the vanilla now, it's like powdered white sugar over roses, so pretty. The scent soon turns into a gorgeous mix of Hope's rose and Kindly Moon's floral musk, only this time with a less complicated floral aspect. I have no idea why I smell something almost honeyed which gets stronger over time, but I like it. A honeyed vanilla rose, like a lighter version of Lady Luck Blues, is what I get at the end. Verdict: this is such a pretty rose scent! Definitely related to Hope, only not as sugary, this one is more mature, reserved and delicate, not so much sugared as subtly sweet. The stargazer lily is just right in here-not soapy, this lily is pale and demure, and mixes nicely with the crisp, youthful rose. The vanilla musk is fresher and not as sweet as expected-at times it turns a little salty, but it is lovely. I'm reminded of the lily and musk in Kindly Moon. This is a light, feminine and gentle scent, airy and dainty but also grown up. There's even a little hint of honey at the end. This is the sort of scent I was hoping to get in Dolce Stil Nuovo…it reminds me of that scent, but this one is nicer. I might want to get a bottle one day but not yet. I'll keep my decant, but I'm definitely buying some for my friend, whose name is Victoria! That'll be her pathway to enablement… Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? yes, the imp. Maybe I'll get more… If you like this, try: Hope, Kindly Moon, London, Dolce Stil Nuovo, Bearded Lady, Berenice, Lady Luck Blues

It's been ages since I've written in here huh? But I need to announce the arrival of two darling new additions to the family...my long awaited new kittens, Serafina and Smurfette. I got them via a shelter from someone who wanted to sell his kittens-and I was not expecting the almost dangerous level of CUTE I saw when I met the kittens. it was so hard choosing two kittens from a litter of six adorable little fluffy bundles of joy. I ended up choosing eventually and I think I chose well-the kitties are so sweet and playful and are always chasing each other and jumping about and just doing the sort of cute kitten stuff that makes me all wobbly inside. Sera is the grown up one with more black than white on her face, and she is also the more mature and and clever kitty, whilst Smurfette is the energetic, playful, mischevious little rogue who has one eye in black fur and the other in white, almost like an eyepatch (mum calls her the little pirate). I am so pleased to have these wonderful darlings in my life-I haven't been this happy in ages! I will post pics asap!

The Witch Queen In the imp: very much like Morgause- plum, sharp flowers and a hint of incense. Wet on skin: oh no, I think the calla lily is disagreeing with me! it's going very sharp…this reminds me of Purple Phoenix now. Dry on skin: is there wisteria here? It's not listed but it's doing what most wisteria scents do on me-smells sharp and acrid. It reminds me of the way the gardenia really sharpened up Morgause for the first hour or so. Either that or it's the lily, because I really like the other floral notes here. I also smell the plum, it's a tangier plum than most, lots of ylang, and a rich, smoky, purple-musky undertone. All this would be lovely if it weren't for that sharp, screaming floral note getting in the way. After a while: that shrieking calla has calmed down a little now. At this point, it's dominated by ylang, a little bit of plum, and a hint of spicy pimento as well. The purple incense now reminds me of nag champa, a dry and spicy scent, but this time it's a little fruity, like the grape note in Purple Phoenix. The musk is discreet but adds that sensual undertone. it's not bad, but I was expecting something a little nicer…the floral notes don't seem to gel very well together with the plum incense. And the more I smell it, the more I start to get something that reminds me of shampoo, or even the harsh chemicals of hair dye…the throw I get from here reminds me of the smell of a hairdressers, and not in a good way. After a moment of that disturbingly hair dye like smell, the scent then turns into a pleasant musky plum, very much like Bathsheba. Maybe almost like Nahemoth without all the 'Snake Charmer' goodies that scent had. But it's a floral musky plum with a heady ylang base, almost like Lust, but not as musky, this one is fruitier. The floral notes do tone down a little more and the musk and plum, sexy perfumed fruit, are the dominant notes at the end. It's a very pretty drydown but I was expecting more beeswax and incense. Verdict: I'm surprised and let down by this one…from the notes, I was expecting a hit-but there was that pesky calla lily in there, and that's probably the note that ruined this scent for me. where I was expecting a musky plummy incense scent along similar lines to Snake Charmer and Hellion, I got, for the majority of the scent's wear, a screeching acrid floral and a nasty undertone of hair dye! That's what I disliked most about this scent-the part where it developed a nasty chemical sharpness just like the hair dye/shampoo used at my local hairdresser's. the drydown is much nicer, a musky plum with ylang ylang, but I much prefer Bathsheba, which is very similar to this scent's drydown, but doesn't have that horrid screaming flowers drowning in hair dye stage. so this one's being passed on. Sad really, because there were so many good notes that it should have worked…but my skin wouldn't let it. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? no. If you like this, try: Morgause, Purple Phoenix, White Moon, Bathsheba, Nahemoth, Lust

Macbeth and the Witches In the imp: ozone, ack! It's not too bad, but I smell something like wax or plastic too. Wet on skin: sweet wax, steel, sporty perfume and something lightning-scorched. Dry on skin: ok, this one is unusual. Not bad though. The steel does it's usual thing and turns to sporty perfume on me, along with the leather and myrrh this smells very much like the Bloody Sword, sweet 'trendy' perfume with leather. I also smell something herbal-possibly the mugwort? I also smell rosin! Yes! Brings back memories of when I used to play cello. I also get something like sweet candle wax. I really like the smells of rosin, leather, wax and myrrh in here but sadly the sporty steely cologne and the ozone make this smell like men's deodorant. And of course, the ozone is the evil, stormy kind. The ozone is rumbling away in the distance for now but it won't be long before it strikes back in an attack of electrified tumble-dried clothes and photocopier air. After a while: bad ozone! yup, it did the inevitable thing and turned to crackling static-covered tumble dried clothes placed in an office full of electrical appliances. I still smell the resinous notes, which are gorgeous and deep, and the herbal mugwort which, in here, reminds me of thyme, along with a spicy, curry like note which must be ajawon. It reminds me of Indian restaurants-I'm sure this note has been used extensively in the recent batch of Chaos Theory, because a lot of CTIII scents I tried smelt of curry. And I smell the generic men's perfume smell of the steel note. Ick. The scent then turns into a drier, warmer, and spicier version of Thunder Moon or Kataniya, it's a bit floral by now, but still has that crackling ozone I dislike, and that smell of sports deodorant. Verdict: I really dislike thunderstorm inspired scents because they have an ozone note that always turns evil on my skin. I was only willing to try this because of the colophony, which apparently is rosin, and that scent does have very fond memories for me. I do get rosin here, but like all other electric scents, the ozone takes over and turns nasty. The steel note also turns to mainstream men's fragrance. Shame really because I love the resinous undertone which at times reminds me of candle smoke with a hint of warm spice, but one of the notes begins to smell like Indian food after a while. So eventually I smell of curry, stringed instruments, sporty aftershave and photocopiers with lightning flashing. Nice. I think that combination is random enough to be almost like some kind of modern art piece, or something. It's weird and conflicting and harsh, and it's evil ozone, which immediately warrants a 'get it off and get it away from me' reaction, so this isn't one I'm keeping. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? no. I don't like stormy scents, or steel ones. If you like this, try: Thunder Moon, Kataniya, Bloody Sword, Lightning, Tempest, Nyarlahotep

Virgo In the bottle: earthy, green and wet and lush. I agree with the 'vegetable garden' comments. Wet on skin: I smell green fern, a hint of carrot…and some fennel, though it's not blatant anise. Dry on skin: this is really interesting! It smells like a fresh, wet garden or a crisp salad made with wild salad greens and carrots dug straight from the ground. The fennel adds a coolness to it-a scent that almost hints at liquorice but doesn't smell like it completely, it just has the spicy coolness that I often get with anise scents. This blends nicely with the slightly bitter green fern, carrot seed (which smells like carrot covered in soil here) and the herbal myrtle. It's a very herbal-green-earthy scent, but very different from the usual herbal and earthy scents. It feels like a garden at the start of autumn-the summer's greens being harvested as the weather cools. It seems to go nicely with Singing Moon, both are unconventional herbals and have that cool, wet aspect to them. I smell something earthy, maybe that's valerian? It's not stinky valerian at all. After a while: ooh, now there's a gorgeous sweetness that wasn't here before. It's a smooth, earthy sweet scent underneath all the green/herbal notes, it's almost mossy, almost like a light patchouli, almost like tonka or maybe musk? I'm not sure what it is but it's lovely, and smoothes out all the notes. The green note here now reminds me of the lettuce in Cancer. I also smell the honeysuckle now, and it's very strong. In fact, this scent now brings back vivid memories of my holiday in Devon a couple of years ago. I remember the smell of the honeysuckle through the rain, mixed with the smell of earth and grasses and damp leaves. This smells just like that. The honeysuckle becomes the most dominant note after some time, but sadly, it seems to be turning soapy on me…a little waxy and soapy, not as lush and wet as before, and the greenery is retreating too. It's not bad, but I like my honeysuckle notes grounded with rich, sweet notes like resins (like in Chimera or Hermia) or it tends to soap out on me. It now smells very clean and neat, the way Virgo likes it. Verdict: this is a lot nicer than I expected from the notes, especially at the start. The valerian isn't stinky at all. the fennel doesn't turn to evil liquorice. This actually smells like a fresh salad harvested from an allotment patch-there's still soil on the leaves (though a true Virgo would wash the nasty dirt off and make sure the salad is spotless! But I digress), it is earthy, rich, wet and green. I smell carrots and salad greens, with a touch of herbs. And then it goes into a beautiful fresh honeysuckle and greenery stage…a scent which reminds me strongly of summer rain soaking the fragrant blooms and vines, and I love that stage. shame it doesn't last because sadly, some honeysuckle scents turn soapy, and this turns out to be one of them-the green fades away and the honeysuckle remains and doesn't smell as good as it did before. I like this a lot better than I thought I would but I'm surprised, considering my Virgo ascendant, that I don't love it. I'll keep a bit though-I want to keep amounts of all the signs. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? a decant-I would have loved it more if it didn't turn to soap. If you like this, try: Singing Moon, Asphodel, Garden Path with Chickens, Eos, Cancer 07

Bat In the imp: wet, sweet, nectar filled night blooming flowers. Very much like Chiroptera. Wet on skin: I can smell sweet phlox, crisp moonflower, maybe honeysuckle too? Dry on skin: mmm, not bad! This is very similar to Midnight and Bat Woman. It's not as sweet as it was before, now I smell more of the moonflower, the honeysuckle, and a little touch of green ivy, and some herbs. I think I also smell a musk note, which is pale and ethereal like white or blue musk. This now smells very much like Bat Woman without as much of the heady jasmine-type notes…this is fresher and crisper. This is what I was hoping to get from Chiroptera. After a while: the floral notes start to become more herbal, less dewy, a little warmer and a tiny bit more musky at this time. The grey musk now smells less airy and wispy now, and smells a little bit furrier…like a bat. I'm not sure, but I think the orchid may do the same thing as it did in Gemini-ie, it seems to be developing that odd, dirty smell I wasn't crazy about. I don't smell any amber. Then it does what I dreaded it would…turns into dirty sweat. I think that's the orchid-some orchids work, others don't, the one in here really disagrees with me. I now smell that odd lemony-soapy-green scent mixed with that that slight hint of sweaty foot smell that the 'bad orchid' note often does to me. Nothing else-no more moonflower, musk, honeysuckle or greenery. Verdict: this one was disappointing on me. I was hoping for a lot more floral complexity, with a rich amber musk base. It starts off promising, with a lovely dewy night time floral mix reminiscent of Midnight-a cool nocturnal bouquet bound with ethereal musk. but sadly it doesn't last. The scent becomes a little bit flatter, but also muskier…and then comes a note I'm not keen on. I'm guessing it's a type of orchid note since I got the same reaction in Gemini…soapy lemony florals and a dirty sweatiness. No amber to be found, just this flat, sharp, sweaty orchid note, and the other flowers had disappeared by then. Not a favourite I'm afraid-I have nocturnal scents I prefer to this. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? no. If you like this, try: Midnight, Bat Woman, Midnight on the Midway, Gemini, Oberon, Black Moon

Singing Moon In the bottle: sweet and watery. It smells like cool, sugared, floral-grassy water. Very pretty. Wet on skin: I see where others get the 'mint' reaction, but to me it's like icy cool water or wind, with sweet floral-herbal-leafy notes. Dry on skin: oh, this is a fascinating scent. The note that first pops out is the scent of wet autumn leaves. I can really smell the rain-soaked leaves and the soil and damp tree bark. I also smell the autumnal smoke-that reminds me of Hunter Moon (but not wine-like or musky). Then I smell the 'stone' note that others mention, and I love that scent…it's a very underground scent, like being in a cool dark crypt, or cavern by the sea, not as drippy as Shanghai Tunnel, but damp and slightly salty. Now I smell the Atlantic winds, bracing and cool and salt-tinged, but not soapy or ozonic like in Selkie. I also smell dry sea grasses, soft herbs, thistles (I think), a variety of wildflowers (one of which smells like camomile), all underscored with a sweet gentle floral, maybe that's meadowsweet? It reminds me of something, maybe another BPAL, but I can't say what, other than it is familiar. (Someone mentioned Jezirat Al Tennyn, and there is a similarity here, but this is sweeter and grassier.) After a while: grains! Now I smell a grainy, grassy note which makes me think of wild oats or wheat, it's a mix of dry grasses and seeds, with that sweetness, and the salty autumn wind, cold and filled with fallen leaves, and a hint of bonfire smoke. I also smell something that reminds me of damp wood chips, like the ones I have in my garden soil…this scent moves between smelling like a cliff top meadow and an autumn forest all the time. Then the scent starts reminding me once more of Hunter Moon, but with the wine and musk and darker spices replaced with airy floral and grassy notes, but there's a very similar smell of autumn to it…it's like an autumn day. The sweet floral is more apparent now at this point, it reminds me of the mallow note from Cancer 07. This one is a morpher, and a very atmospheric scent indeed. After some time the smoky note seems to veer into vetiver territory, but not in a bad way (this is subtle, for now) before turning to grains, dry leaves and that sweet floral note again. The drydown is the remains of the autumnal notes mixed with that sweet-salty, beach-like, gorgeous floral-mossy and almost vanilla like scent I get in things like Cancer 07 and Lyonesse. I love this stage of the scent. Verdict: I'm glad I got this on a last minute whim because it's my favourite of the recent run of Celtic themed lunacy scents. Like music made into fragrance, haunting, melodic, a siren's song of scent. It's also like a journey in a scent, I feel as though I am exploring this scent and it's scenery always changes. The scent evokes many outdoor environments vividly, I feel as if I'm on an adventure, walking through forests with the smell of autumn leaves and wet loam underfoot, then going into a damp cave and then a cliff top meadow filled with wildflowers and grasses waving in the sea breeze, then moving through more forests and beaches, the air cool and brisk, the changing of seasons is tangible here. And all along, the fragrance accompanies me, and it feels like an olfactory version of a film score, a smell-track (as opposed to a soundtrack) if you like. There's something dreamlike to it as well. This is such a unique, fascinating fragrance, so different to anything else I've tried, this really is scented artwork. I'm so glad I got this despite the listing of unknown notes and the potential for it to turn into a soapy aquatic-it did none of these and the result is an ever-morphing, lyrical masterpiece of a scent. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? yes! This is what I wanted Selkie to be like. If you like this, try: Jezirat Al Tennyn, Ulalume, Selkie, Phantom Queen, La Bella Donna Mia Mente, Cancer 07

The Emathides In the bottle: ohh, sweet amber lavender. Like Old Scratch, but even nicer. Wet on skin: smoke? now I get a hint of something smoky, almost foody, but also almost like bonfires. Dry on skin: how intriguing. this is, for now, very heavy on the lavender. I also smell the cedar, and that smoky note which seems almost autumnal but almost caramelised. Here's to hoping that smoke doesn't turn too foody. I think I smell a fleeting hint of something floral? This is the darker side of the Agony of Loss-that same smoky lavender and cedar. Whilst that one was bright and airy, this one is dark, moody and sweeter. I can smell the amber here and it is gorgeous, though more apparent when smelt further from the wrist. After a while: after the lavender tones down a little (it doesn't go completely at this stage-unusual for lavender) I smell more of the orchid, the currant, the violet and the ethereal blue musk. The currant gives a tart, fruity bite to the scent. The amber is also more apparent-a gorgeous, dark amber which is deeper and less golden than most, but with an entrancing, incense like resinous sweetness. There's a lovely, balmy herbal scent to it, warm and haunting. This scent is deep blue-purple-black in feel, glossy and shining yet dark and mysterious. It reminds me of Lurid, but much darker, heavier and more hypnotic. This is the scent I was hoping to get from Love and Pain. I'm amazed at how the lavender in here sticks around, it still adds that almost sleepy scent to the whole fragrance, giving it a very nocturnal feel. I still smell the currants and flowers, the amber is still wonderful, and the cool, pale notes of violet and musk giving the impression of a moonlit sheen to this fruity-lavender amber blend. The amber just seems to grow and strengthen gently over time, by this point it is magnificent and rich, it smells golden now, and reminds me of other amber scents which I love. With the currant, I get a slight resemblance to that Heroine scent beginning with S that I can't spell, but without honey. Now the lavender is gone, the contrasting yet complementary scents of deep amber and airy musk are dominant. Verdict: now this is the kind of 'purple' scent I like! A scented rendition of deep indigo-purple black, like a twilight sky, I really love this deep, alluring, haunting scent, and mysterious. It's quite a feat for lavender to last so long and in here, it sticks around for at least two hours. The scent is a smoky, herbal sweet lavender with a shadowy, velvety undertone and a glint of lighter musk. It gives the impression of herb-scented summer night air filled with incense smoke. Then the currant slowly replaces the lavender as the dominant 'purple' scent in here. There's a very pretty violet (not a powdery old lady violet) and a ghostly blue musk over all the sultry dark herbal woodsy fruit. Underneath it all is the amber, slowly growing and then really blossoming at the drydown as a wonderful full-bodied golden amber-it blends magnificently with the currant and is nicely contrasted by the musk. I love the amber in here-I love Beth's amber-heavy blends in general, and this is a new favourite of mine-it’s my favourite in the sweet smoky lavender genre. I bet it will age wonderfully. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? yes! I'm glad I have two bottles. If you like this, try: Lurid, Old Scratch, Yvaine, Gaueko, Kalahantrika, Love and Pain, Svadhinopatika, Khephra

Crowley In the bottle: OH BABY! This is sexy, Smutty vanilla-patch-red musk, the kind that Beth does so well, but with leather! Rrraawww!! Wet on skin: now it smells Smutty, I fear the rubbery smell but it seems to be replaced by leather. Dry on skin: mmm, this is good. This is the lovechild of Bow and Crown and Smut, with a dash of lilac cologne to it. I smell the musky patchouli sweetened by dark vanilla adding it's sexy, feral deliciousness to a lilac and lemon cologne with a hint of moss, with a raunchy black leather undertone. I see the Dee comparisons, but this to me is more like the Bow and Crown of Conquest, with a red musk and patch base to make it darker and sexier. After a while: ah, now this smells a bit less like Smut, and more like Dee. The deep musk and patch are still lurking around, but now the slick leather takes centre stage, backed by mahogany and moss. It now smells smoky-though less like Crowley's blazing Bentley, and more like occult incense. This smells very suave and rogue-ish, I can just picture this scent as one that wears a cheeky, devilish smirk. This also seems to be a manly take on Mme Moriarty. The woodsy leather gets stronger and smokier, and merges beautifully into the musk. This reminds me of Loviatar now, that musky leather goodness but here there's vanilla sweetening it up. It still smells smoky, smouldering and sexy. I want to do very naughty things to my wrist right now. Interestingly, near the wrist I smell more of the masculine leather and moss, but further from the wrist, the patch, vanilla and red musk waft around me seductively. The drydown is a wonderful sweetened leather, very much like Perversion or Count Dracula, with the vanilla taking on Snake Oil and tonka-like properties. It reminds me of Western Diamondback meets Tombstone. Mmmm! Verdict: the total opposite of Aziraphale, when I first smelt it I though 'Smut for guys!' but it turns out that it smells very nice on me as well. I think Beth's leather scent is the height of sexiness, and this is like all my favourite leather blends mixed together with 'Beth's Special Shaggable Red Musk and Vanilla' (think along the lines of everything Snaky or Smutty). Talk about an incredible combination! And the scent perfectly fits the namesake…this scent is hotter than a burning Bentley speeding across the M25. Sleek, smart leather, rich patchouli, a feral and demonic yet sweet and approachable musk tempered with vanilla, a touch of cologne and a waft of hellish smoke! Perfect for this loveable rogue of a demon-I knew that Crowley was sexy but this scent surpasses expectations. I especially love the drydown when the musk tones down and the vanilla really comes out, and Crowley shows his softer side. That's when the scent becomes almost like Snake Oil meets Dee. Ohh. this is so good. And it's another example of Beth's finest musky-sexy perfumes, it makes me want to do naughty things to myself or anyone wearing this, preferably whilst listening to Best of Queen albums. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? HELL YEAH! If you like this, try: Smut, Bow and Crown of Conquest, Dee, Mme Moriarty, Loviatar, Krampus, His Station and Four Aces, Western Diamondback

Aziraphale In the imp: woodsy papery men's cologne. My nose is weird but it reminds me of something from Lush, possibly even Ginger perfume?? Wet on skin: oh, this is pretty…and papery! I also smell the woods, they are almost tobacco-like. Dry on skin: interesting! I really smell the dusty Bible here! I'm amazed at how much this smells like old worn pages of books, dog-eared and faded, on dust-covered wooden shelves. To make it even more biblical, I even smell a dash of church incense in here. Yet despite smelling like a library, it also smells like a neat, dapper manly cologne with a little hint of dry, pale woods and a glowing, fresh musk which is almost citrus-y. There's something almost Ozymandias-like to it, in that it is dry, dusty, airy, and has a 'vintage perfume' feel to it. It also reminds me of something from Dogs Playing Poker, maybe the 'men's cologne' element of New Year's Eve in Dogville? After a while: the papery smell is a little less now, it's not as dusty, and now I smell the musk a little more. It's a feathery, shining white musk, very evocative of angel wings, but with a citrus-like freshness reminiscent of aftershave (in the best way possible), and a nice woodsy base. I even smell some tea in here. This blend does smell very handsome, very sophisticated, and now I almost smell something floral to the musk (but not blatant flowers). It still reminds me of DPP-maybe a lighter version of the incense of Riding the Goat meets the cologne of New Year's Eve? At this point, it almost reminds me of Mr Ibis-maybe it's the papery scent? This is a little more cologne-like though. This actually becomes more floral as time passes! It's not a girly floral, more of a gender neutral one, but the light, glowing musk note has a lovely crisp floral aspect, like orange blossom or hibiscus, to it. The wood is noticeable now, it smells like sandalwood and cedar/teak, dry and solid and pale. I also smell a little more of the books, and a waft of angelic incense. There are points when this is WHOA WOOD and it veers dangerously close to smelling of pencil shavings and furniture, but the musk keeps that in check, the scent becomes a balance of wood and musk at the end with that tea-like note returning to add freshness. Verdict: fitting its namesake character perfectly, this is a studious, clean-cut yet luminous fragrance. First I smell that collection of Infamous Bibles, a yellowed papery dusty note which has soaked up the smell of burning frankincense. Then the ethereal musk comes out, a gentlemanly and fresh white musk with a touch of classic cologne, a musk note that is luminous yet neat. This scent really smells as if it wears a halo…there's something classically angelic to it, but it's all grounded by a solid, dry base of dusty woods. There are moments when this smells incredibly woody-more so than most, and it's the only BPAL which so far has brushed close to smelling like pencils, but this does get toned down by the gorgeous, almost floral, shining musk and that fantastic papery note with a hint of incense. It really does smell like I'm in Aziraphale's bookshop in Soho, I smell it all-the books, the shelves, and the pleasant perfume of the angel himself, sipping a cup of tea. A scent which is sophisticated, handsome and studious, and reminds me of the Dogs Playing Poker scents, and despite it sometimes leaning towards masculine, this is very unisex, and I love it. I love those old library scents, and this is perfect for when I'm feeling all bookish and intellectual. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? definitely! A lovely counterpoint to Crowley, and I do love smelling of old books. If you like this, try: Cathedral, Carfax Abbey, Ozymandias, Mr Ibis, New Year's Eve in Dogville, Dragon's Bone, Isaac, Parliament of Monsters

Ok, I'm dense, but I looked through the thread and I still can't see the Stardust pics. Where have they been posted?

13 (July 07) In the bottle: mmm, this smells almost like a chocolate milkshake, it's a cool chocolate scent, and I smell the white choc, which I love. Wet on skin: what the? Now it's gone sour? No, please don't do the sour milk thing…please! Dry on skin: noooo…this was really promising before, but now it smells a little bit sour. I've had a few other chocolate scents do this, from Arcana and Possets, but this is the first time I've got that reaction with a BPAL chocolate scent. Chocolate milk gone rancid. It's a shame really because I smell honeyed peach and maybe a hint of spice too, as well as the creamy chocolate I got before. I have a feeling the starfruit may be responsible for the sourness, it is a very sharp-tasting fruit, but I didn't get that reaction from 13 Oct 06, which also had starfruit. After a while: ok, the sourness seems to be retreating, thankfully. It's still sharp, but it's more of a peach like sharpness now. I also smell the honey, which is a sharper honeycomb scent and not a sweet sticky honey, as well as the creamy base of vanilla and white chocolate, and something that may be massoia. The ginger is also strong at this point, warming the scent up gently. Now this makes me think of a chocolate milkshake made with Sudha Segara, or a chocolate lassi with peach instead of mango. It seems that the sour chocolate milk is retreating and the scent is turning to a very nice spiced peach. After about 30 mins-1 hour, there's nothing sour here. It's a gingery peach with a touch of something almost like brown sugar, and a hint of chocolate. There's also a honeyed orchid scent, reminiscent of Regan. Then it becomes a gorgeous honeyed peach with a touch of creamy spice. This is a lot nicer than I thought it would be! After a very interesting and pleasant dry yet creamy peach stage (I smell a dry, almost papery note there-it must be the massoia because it reminds me of Arcana's Lost for Words), it then becomes milky again. It also becomes nutty, but in an odd, salted nuts way which I'm not crazy about. This is almost rancid and threatens to turn sour again, despite the sweet peach trying to prevent this. Verdict: this version of 13 has me so torn! It's got some beautiful moments which I love, moments of peaches and cream spiced with ginger, but it also has moments when it doesn't smell very good at all. it veers so dramatically from these stages of 'omg yum!' to 'wtf? Nooo!' I was saddened by the way this turned to sour milk as soon as it hit my skin, a sharp, rancid chocolate milk smell, but I decided to wait it out. And I'm glad I did because the sourness did leave, and the moved through pleasant stages of spicy peach, honeyed fruity milk, and gingered chocolate cream poured all over peaches topped with honey. and then it turned into salted peanuts (which was really random and not very nice at all) before turning to milky spicy peach again, and morphing constantly through varying stages of spice, fruit, sweetness and weirdness. So I do like it, but not as much as I hoped. I'll keep it because when it is good, it is very, very good, and it may get better with age. but it is my least favourite 13 so far. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? maybe one bottle. If you like this, try: 13 (all previous versions), Sudha Segara, Milk Moon (any), White Rabbit, Bliss, Cupid Complaining to Venus

The Crumpet Rebellion In the imp: caramelised currants, just like Knave of Hearts, but without rose. Wet on skin: mmm, this smells like blackcurrant jam mixed with treacle now! Dry on skin: oh yeah, this is good. Blackcurrant jam sprinkled with brown sugar with warm oozing butter underneath, a drizzle of honey and syrup, and just a hint of something bread like, most probably a crumpet. It has the vanilla currants of Eat Me, the caramelised currants of Knave of Hearts, the buttery toffee and cherry scent of Drink Me, and the treacle of Queen Alice. It also has the spicy honeyed fruity cake scent of Cockaigne, with the wine replaced with berries, but with that same caramel and honey scent, and a Sugar Skull-like boozy brown sugar scent. This is extremely gourmand, like I could put on weight just by smelling it, it's indulgent and delicious. After a while: whoa, this is some very heavy treacle! Like in Drink Me, Cockaigne, and Sugar Skull, the dark, almost roasted caramel scent is beginning to take over. The fruit notes are still rich, I smell currants and blackberries (good blackberries! No cat pee here whatsoever!) with strawberry jam and a pastry base. There's a 'burnt butter' aspect to it reminiscent of Mitzvah, it's a really butterscotch-treacle heavy scent. So heavy and richly sugary it almost gives me heartburn to smell it. It's very nice though, I do want to nibble my wrist! The scent goes very smoky over time and at one point gains gingerbread like nuances. Then it calms down a little but still smells like smoky caramel and fruit, a very baked scent like a fruit tart covered in brown sugar which has burnt a little. Verdict: this is a fun, delicious foody, very much like the Mad Tea Party foodies, it has that wonderful light hearted and gourmand feel to it. It has Beth's heavy, darker caramel note, smoky and treacle-like, mixed with blackberry/blackcurrant jam, melted butter, and a hint of something pastry-like which is half way between smelling like a crumpet (bread-like) and a pie. Then it gets washed down with buttered, spiced rum at the end. It's a lot more 'this smells like a million calories' than Eat Me (which was gourmand in a more sophisticated way) and is a sister to Cockaigne and Drink Me. I like it a lot, and I think it would be wonderful in cooler weather thanks to it's warm, filling, smoky and indulgent fragrance, but I do find this heavy butter rum/treacle/caramel note to be a little too much, most of the time. It smells so sweet, a little burnt, and a bit cloying on certain days. And it amps on my skin. I was actually hoping this would smell more like a jammy-buttery crumpet than a treacle-coated one, because I love crumpets. So whilst this is a very pleasant scent, there are others in this foody-fruity genre I prefer-like Eat Me and Knave of Hearts, which are easier to acquire. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? yes, but I don't need more. My wallet sighs with relief.

Jailhouse hooch. Distilled in toilets, this vintage is comprised of chow line droppings, including oranges, apples, ketchup, and sugar. Pruno In the imp: mmm, not bad! This smells like a cross between buck's fizz and those 'appletiser' soft drinks. Very fizzy! Wet on skin: fizzy apples and orange, and a hint of tomato leaf? Dry on skin: ok, now this smells odd. I smell the toilets. Not dirty toilets, thank goodness, but this smells like toilet cleaners, air fresheners and the stuff they use in public loos to get rid of the stink. It smells of apple, but no longer the boozy fizzy drink apple scent that seemed promising, but a fake chemical-smelling apple that reminds me of those little green clip-on air fresheners you put on the toilet seat. I also get the ketchup-a slight salty scent with a little spice and tomato, reminiscent of tomato flavoured crisps, it's borderline vinegary. Makes me think of tomato crisps floating in a disinfected toilet bowl. This smell is disturbing on me. After a while: ew. I rarely say 'ew' about BPAL, but now this really does smell like public bogs and ketchup! Still clean, but now it smells more like toilet water stained green/blue by one of those 'cubes', with a spritz of apple air freshener. It smells a lot more water and now smells a little bit more disturbingly toilet like than before…there's even a hint of something almost stinky to it. And that ketchup note is now turning to vinegar on me. Not strong vinegar but the tang you get in ketchup, with a definite saltiness, and processed tomatoes. I also smell something like potatoes. Altogether this scent brings to mind the totally unhygienic image of eating chips in the loo. The scent becomes a watery soapy scent of clean toilet water and salty ketchup with hints of appletiser drink and cheap white wine. Now I smell more of the booze, but it's not sophisticated booze at all. The scent becomes just a tiny bit nicer after about 4-5 hours, when a hint of sugar comes out, along with the crisp apple soda note that I smelt when wet. Verdict: well, I must say this scent is frighteningly like it's description. I've never smelt real pruno, so I can't say if it smells like that, but it does smell like some kind of home made alcoholic concoction gone wrong, mixed with the smell of clean toilets and ketchup. from smelling like an apple/orange spritzer, this quickly smells like something brewed in the loo…no really horrid toilet odours, but it smells just like apple air freshener (ie, a fake apple scent) and a hint of something watery and soapy. Then the ketchup surfaces, and it smells like the real thing-tomato, vinegar and spices, the vinegar being the most disturbing smell (I really can't stand the smell of vinegar) and even something potato like. Like flushing chips covered in ketchup in the loo with apples and cleaning products, and making some kind of beverage from that-definitely not something I would drink! So whilst this is a fantastic novelty scent and really fits the concept very accurately, it's a little too accurate, and I would never wear it again! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? no-I don’t like smelling like of apple Toilet Duck and ketchup, sorry! If you like this, try: Punkie Night, Hesperides, Twenty One, Swank, The Hamptons

Allison Gross In the imp: a green, grassy, bitter, dandelion-y scent like One to Tie, but with more floral notes. Could potentially turn soapy. Wet on skin: the oil isn't red, despite containing dragon's blood. That's a good sign. The scent becomes a dewy, herbal, slightly soapy but not as bitter scent now. Dry on skin: hmm, interesting. Now it smells like a bundle of dried flowers mixed with a bouquet of fresh ones. I can't recognise the notes but I definitely smell lily, chrysanthemum, muguet, bluebell and maybe rose. The sad thing is that the whole thing smells suspiciously like potpourri to me. It's almost an 'old lady floral' with a green note that I'm really not crazy about, reminding me of the green-floral-dragon's blood scent of the Great Red Dragon in the Salon. And it still has the potential to turn to soap. After a while: the soapy aspect of the scent seems to fade but the potpourri scent and bitter greenness doesn't. There's now a hint of something sharply sour, and almost dusty, to this-dusty as in, a bunch of wilted flowers in an old house that hasn't been cleaned for years. It smells stuffy now. I don't get any musk here, just old fashioned and bitter wilted flowers. It gets more and more stuffy and old as time passes, it reminds me of a non-BPAL (maybe Madini?) perfume that changed into the mother of all granny-florals and I had to scrub it off. This is getting dangerously close to that stage. Eventually I did scrub off the old, acrid floral scent, and it's very rarely that I scrub off BPAL. Verdict: pardon the pun, but this is just gross on me. It's a musty, soapy, harsh and really unpleasant green-floral on me. It's alright when it's just dry, a mix of flowers, but these flowers then wilt and start to smell really stuffy and potpourri like. And not good potpourri either. There's a greenness to it which I'm not crazy about, it's over-green, and very soapy, almost like washing up liquid. This greenness fights against a mix of floral notes which, sadly, despite containing some notes which potentially could have been wonderful (rose, moonflower, sunflower) merged into something really old-fashioned smelling. Not a pleasant 'vintage' scent but something really reminiscent of a perfume/air freshener of an old lady who never dusts her house and never removes those bouquets of dead flowers. It smells sour and wilted, faded and choking in dust. I had to wash it off because it didn't smell like real flowers at the end, but like artificial floral room fragrance. Not my thing I'm afraid. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? no, it smells too potpourri-soapy for me. If you like this, try: The Great Red Dragon and the Woman Cloaked with the Sun, Chrysanthemum Moon, Dragon's Eye, Poisson D'Avril, Nosferatu, One to Tie Two to Win

Yvaine In the bottle: clean lavender with something airy-ozonic to it, but in a gentle way. Wet on skin: lavender and a cool, clear scent. maybe a hint of magnolia. Dry on skin: now something almost smoky arises, not sure what it is but it now smells like lavender incense burning on a starry night. This is a gentle lavender for now, with that softly smoky scent of a summer night behind it-a clear, almost dewy, airy scent. This is lovely! Once the lavender fades I'll probably smell the night air notes much more but for now it is very lavender-y. After a while: as the lavender starts to retreat, this now reminds me of Lurid, the same lavender-ozone combination. I really liked the ozone in Lurid, it was an airy scent as opposed to a stormy one, and that's what the starry night air is like in here. It also reminds me of the night air in Bat Woman and Urania. It's a clean, fresh, bright and breezy scent, it seems to sparkle gently. The magnolia is also there, adding a hint of lush floral to the scent, but it is distant, like the air is scented with flowers. This has an almost herbal hint to it that reminds me of summer holidays in places like Italy or the south of France. The freshness of the night air gets stronger but never turns soapy. The lavender lasts a surprisingly long time in here-it did that in Lurid too, maybe the ozone is preventing it from fleeing? It still has that lovely lavender incense smoke to it, wafting in the starlight. The scent is ethereal but not as wispy, cold and fragile as some of the other night scents, this one has warmth to it, herbal and rich, and soothing. A summer night scent. Once the lavender goes altogether, the drydown is a beautiful, delicate airy pale floral/pale musk, like a classic fresh perfume scent. I think there may be some blue musk, as it reminds me of Nuit and Kindly Moon without as much floweriness, and it has that scent of 'good ozone' to it. Verdict: I love the starry night scents, and I love Beth's night air note, so it's not surprising that I love this one. It is very beautiful and evocative, it brings to mind being somewhere in the Mediterranean, the warm-yet fresh-night air scented with herbs and lavender and a touch of flowers, on an August night filled with shooting stars. It's not as fresh as Urania, not as floral as Nuit, this one is warmer, balmier, with a soft lavender note. This isn't a 'herbal chloroform' lavender that knocks you out cold with it's heady punch of scent, but a lavender that gently soothes without overwhelming. It's also unusual because despite it’s softness, this lavender sticks around, staying on my skin for about an hour before fading to give a gorgeous, haunting, sparkling blue musk and floral scent, which is sophisticated and glimmering, but also evocative, airy and ethereal. A new favourite of mine-this works well both as a lovely 'evening out' scent, and as a sleep scent. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? of course! Another delightful starry scent to add to my collection. If you like this, try: Lurid, Bat Woman, Psyche, Urania, Nuit, Twilight, Gemini 07

Fairy Market In the imp: *keels over* ohh, this is beautiful! A sweet pink fluffy floral with hints of marshmallow and lotus! This reminds me of a perfume from Egypt that I once tried, and adored, and still pine for. Wet on skin: this becomes creamy and greener once it hits skin. Dry on skin: oh, wow, this is so beautiful! It still reminds me of that wonderful perfume, sweetly floral like a sugared lotus (is this the wind flower?), but this one is now markedly different. Now I smell more of the other notes…the grasses, the bluebells, and the candies. The sugared notes are smooth, creamy, almost milky, like some kind of fairy ambrosia in which marshmallows float, surrounded by candy floss. It is like a pink, sugar scented mist of scent. I don't know if I can smell the incense, and I can't smell lavender, but this is so beautiful! The bitter grasses and bluebells add a contrast to the sweet, fluffy notes. After a while: the wonderful marshmallow mist of sweetness wafts off my wrist beautifully. Close to the wrist, I now smell that the bitter grass note has toned down, and now I smell something grainy like Red Moon, it also reminds me of the grainy sweet milk of Dana O'Shee at this point. This is delicate and ethereal and as light and floaty as fairy wings. Ohh, this is so beautiful, so gorgeous. This brings back all the memories of my childhood where I dreamed up wonderful stories of fairy realms and enchanting fairy markets selling sweets and flowers with magnificent fragrances, places I would escape to when reality got too boring. I swear I even had a doll that had a smell like this (but this one smells even more beautiful than that doll!) If those imaginative moments of childhood have a scent, this is it. I feel like I'm seven years old again, and I love it. The scent becomes just that wonderful pink fluffy creamy sugary marshmallow floral candy that smells truly enchanting, and I love it. there's no sharpness, no bitterness, just smooth, round, and so approachable. It's so well blended at this point that nothing sticks out. Maybe there's a light musk which smoothes this scent so nicely. Verdict: I am in love, totally infatuated with this scent. I have fallen in love with a lot of Beth's stuff but this one has stolen my heart and kept it captive, and won't let go. I love fairies, so it's no wonder I love this one to bits. Not just because it's a beautiful fairy scent which fits the description perfectly, smelling otherworldly and enchanting, but also because it reminds me of an Egyptian perfume called Isis that I once tried and fell in love with (but sadly, because of it's price, I never bought it. I still covet that Isis scent like crazy) this one isn't identical to that perfume, but it smells very close, with something almost lotus-like to it, with added notes of grass and sweets and sugary cream and marshmallows and candy floss! This is the scent of the wondrous fairy fairs that filled my imaginations as a child. This is so beautiful it seems to have come out of the world of dreams, something that smells this good can't be real, can it? This wonderful fragrance is very unique-there's nothing quite like it in BPAL. It's a nose magnet, my nose is glued to my wrist and won't get off! In fact, this scent seems to have shot to the top of my list of favourite BPALs ever, and it's GC! A more expensive GC, but so worth it. I think this is the closest I'll get to having a signature scent! LOVE IT! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? yes! I want a vat of this! If you like this, try: Midnight on the Midway, Leanan Sidhe, Al Araaf, Dana O'Shee, Poisson D'Avril, Aeval, Cancer 07