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PurringPulsar

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  1. PurringPulsar

    Jólasveinar

    Jolasveinar In the imp: dirty snow! It's the famous pine-menthol-citrus 'snow note' but with some earth added. Wet on skin: mmm, now I start to smell pastry and smoke in the snow. Dry on skin: this is lovely! It's a wintry scent of forests covered with snow, but with hints of dirt scattered on what would be a pure white surface, this dirt note is less wet and loamy than the usual, it's drier and dustier. I smell inviting hints of cooking pastry (or maybe since I made mince pies today, I have pastry on the brain? It's definitely reminiscent of the smell that came out of the oven) and wood smoke, with the barest hint of a pale floral note, probably the orchid, and some frozen moss. After a while: the spicy, smoky, foody note, like cooking buttery pastry (not too overpoweringly buttery, but just right) gets stronger, I smell hints of what could be mince pie filling and roasted chestnuts, but the snow, dirt and mossy orchid notes still linger. This is like Skadi or Ice Queen, but dirtier and more mischievous, a little ogre with grubby fingers and bits of pastry sticking around his grinning mouth. Eventually I get the slightly burnt, smoky, almost caramelised note I get in a lot of Beth's foody scents, but this one isn't as sugary as most. It reminds me of the smoky note in Trick #1. The icy orchid and dirty snow are still there. This is such an unusual fragrance, with dark, smoky, warm foody scents contrasting with the cold and ice that surrounds it. this then fades into an icy floral-aquatic surrounded by smoke and dirt and silvery moss. Verdict: this is an unusual and different take on a winter scent-though it has the familiar snow note, the addition of dirt, flowers and a hint of food give it some unique dimensions. The pastry note here, especially at the beginning, is spot-on. Not sugary, not too spicy, with a subtle, barely detectable hint of butter, it's like barely sweetened pastry concealing sweet fillings, which develops a smokier tone at drydown. The orchid note is pale and chilly, mingling well with the slushy snowy scent, and the dusty dirt note darkens it all. The moss really comes out at the end and thankfully it's not like Spanish moss which amps madly on me, this is gentle and powdery like oak moss. It's a fun scent full of contradictions, and fascinating to get to know. It's festive and wintry but ever so different from the usual. I'm not sure if I'll get more though-I need to test the other icy-themed Yule scents before I decide which ones are the ones for me. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? yes, for the decant. Not sure if I need a bottle yet. If you like this, try: Kumari Kandam, Jezirat Al Tennyn, Hearth 05, Oberon, Niflheim, Dia De Los Muertos 06
  2. PurringPulsar

    Purple Phoenix

    Purple Phoenix In the bottle: grape bubblegum. This smells like those grape-flavoured sweets, but with a hint of plum…and Calpol-or is it Tixilyx? One of those brands of children's cold medicine that I loved when I was a kid. Wet on skin: out of the fruity base, flowers spring to life, like lilac, wisteria and violet. Dry on skin: what the? There's a sharp, screaming note here that I'm not keen on at all. It's probably the same lilac-wisteria-violet combination that disagreed with me in White Moon. It's piercing and loud, like a screech of scent. Around this almost metallic razor sharp scent, is a base of boozy fruits, grape flavoured sweets (or cough syrup) and a hint of the paler notes of orris and plum blossom. I don't think this is agreeing with me much. After a while: finally, that scary sharp metallic scream of scent tones down a lot. The scent I now get is of dried lilacs, soft powdery orris and violet, plum blossom and fig. There's still a hint of something medicine-like about it, like cough syrup, that bitter aftertaste. I like the initial lilac-orris-plum scent but I'm not keen on the undertone this scent has, reminiscent of (clean) public toilets. I get none of the myrrh. But it's not as bad as the just-dry stage. There are times when this smells like pure violet, with hints of lilac and cognac. Other times it smells of plum fruit and blossom with orris and wine/cognac. I quite like those moments, but there's still a hint of the medicinal-metallic scent I'm not keen on. The drydown is much more acceptable after a few hours-a soft plum with cognac, violet and orris, a pale, powdery purple. Verdict: this one makes me sad. I was taking a gamble with this scent anyway since half the notes there don't work on me but I was hoping for the nicer notes to redeem this scent. But it wasn't so. The purple bird doesn't like my skin…especially at the beginning, where this phoenix's scented song comes about as a dissonant screech of metallic sharp floral notes, probably the lilac and wisteria misbehaving on my skin, with undertones of cough medicine and bathroom cleaner. There are some stages of this scent, especially at the late drydown, which are quite pleasant, nice plum and violet moments, little hints of cognac and orris, but even they weren't enough for me to like this scent enough to keep it, this blend fluctuates from 'ok' to 'yeesh, get it off!' quite a lot. I think I'll be passing it on to someone else. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Probably not. if I want purple plummy goodness, I'll stick to Bordello/Blood Countess. If you like this, try: Bordello, Horreur Sympathique, Blood Countess, White Moon
  3. PurringPulsar

    Bitter Moon

    Bitter Moon In the bottle: mmm, blackberry and sage, similar to Bewitched. The blackberry here actually smells a bit like dewberry, and there's lavender as well. Wet on skin: blackberry, sage, lavender and…is that hibiscus? It reminds me of hibiscus tea. Dry on skin: this is gorgeous. I smell bittersweet blackberries and something akin to grapefruit, mingling with soft green sage and lavender, a hint of dry-sharp hibiscus (there is, indeed, something blue to this scent), a little bit of rose, maybe even the smoke from poppies. I can't smell tonka, lotus root, peony or vetiver yet. I get a 'dewberry' effect from this scent at times, but this is greener, more multifaceted, and more interesting. This is a crisp, dry (as in, fruity-dry like wine, not arid-dry) dark yet glittering scent, rich black-purple and indigo wrapped in soft green and glints of yellow, pink and blue. After a while: the blackberry note seems to be ripening and sweetening nicely, and warming up, like sun ripened, black, juicy berries with the scent of the brambles (probably the sage) all around. I even get the impression of the thorns here, which fits the name and theme. I think it's the tonka that's coming through to sweeten it all. I smell roses now, much more than I did before. A haze of opium covers the scent. The rose-berry scent I get is similar to Santa Muerte, maybe also because of the vetiver (which, so far, seems to be very discreet). The scent never sweetens too much, which is good, but the tonka undertone is gorgeous, smooth and almost vanilla like under the scent of hibiscus tea, smouldering smudged sage and poppy smoke, roses and ripe-to-bursting blackberries. The vetiver is perfect-not strong or pungent, but enough to add a gritty greenness to the scent. Eventually the pale, soft powder of lotus root comes up to lighten the scent a little, and the scent has moved from bitter to sweet, in an almost poetic way. Verdict: what a fascinating fragrance, and the kind of bitterness I like! A complex scent, first this has a definite bitter feel, like the sharp recoil you get after biting into unripe fruit. It's blackberry dominated-a true blackberry still growing on it's thorny bramble, the sage gives an incredible greenness, the hibiscus adds a tart dryness. It softens and becomes less bitter upon drydown, when the tonka and lotus root appear, the rose grows a little stronger, and the berries appear to become darker and sweeter, and the scent becomes almost velvety and smoky. All the notes in this scent work beautifully and the result is a unique and masterfully blended fragrance which is quite a work of art, beautifully emotional and stirring. Truly stunning, this is a fantastic example of how Beth can make masterpieces for the nose. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes. This is a beautiful, unique fragrance. If you like this, try: Bewitched, Glasgow, Rosalind, Pontarlier, Santa Muerte
  4. PurringPulsar

    Mania

    Mania In the imp: sweet, sugary strawberry, sharp grapefruit, and red musk. Gorgeous! Wet on skin: melon? There’s an almost melon like fruitiness to this, along with grapefruit and musk. Dry: oh, I like this. Fruit and red musk are always so good together, this is another example of excellent fruity musk. The sharp, bittersweet grapefruit comes first, and then a hint of sugary strawberry which has turned melon-like and green (is that the strawberry leaf?) with the soft freshness of white musk and a wonderful depth from the red musk. There’s only one problem here…there’s something popping up in this scent which reminds me of plastic doll heads. I really hope this plastic note dies down-I have no idea what’s causing this. After a while: the ‘plastic doll head’ note still hangs around, and it distracts what would have been a gorgeous mix of musk and fruits. It does add a ‘cheerfully synthetic’ feel to the scent, young and pink and reminiscent of toys and childhood, but it does get in the way, when at the back I smell the wonderful red musk mingling with strawberries and white musk and that unexpected melon note. The scent seems to move through phases of delicious fruity musk, odd ‘doll plastic’, and cool strawberry juice with ice cubes (I like the way the white musk adds fresh coolness to the scent). The drydown is less plastic but I do get watermelon, in fact, it’s a similar strawberry-melon-sugar scent to that of Treat #1. Verdict: this is a mad little scent! There are aspects of it that drive me crazy in both good and bad ways. I love the depth of the red musk, the coolness of the white musk, the sugary fruit notes and the way the musk and fruit bond with each other…but there’s a nagging little note which smells of plastic doll heads in here and it’s really bugging me! it pops up regularly and tries to spoil the lovely fruity musk, and it’s the only thing that stops me from enjoying this scent. There’s also another strange note that pops up here which is much nicer-melon. I have no idea where the melon comes from but I smell it here, it’s like watermelon sweets. So I think, due to that maddening ‘doll head’ note, I’ll have to pass this scent on. I prefer Hollywood Babylon, which has a similar feel but is more complex and rich. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Probably not. If you like this, try: Hollywood Babylon, Bon Vivant, Shango, Blood Lotus
  5. PurringPulsar

    The High Priest Not To Be Described

    The High Priest Not To Be Described In the imp: warm, red, spicy and crackling incense. Mmm. Maybe a hint of camomile here. Wet on skin: spicy pimento and pepper mingles with something reminiscent of frankincense, and blood musk and leather. Dry: mmm, this is lovely! This has a fantastic crackling spiciness to it, warm and sparkling, like fireworks and a bonfire. There’s definitely something red to this. It’s smoky and dark too with a hint of dry, pale camomile. The leather and musk bond beautifully, and there’s a lovely sweetness to it. The incense note is wonderful, like burning resins and spices. Dark, fiery ritual incense. After a while: this gets better and better! The incense, musk, spices and leather have all merged into the most sublime scent ever. It’s smooth and sweet and dark and rich and mysterious and wonderful. It reminds me of the creamy spiced blood musk in Blood Moon but without the cinnamon/cassia note. Smooth and almost sexy, this reminds me of Loviatar’s musk-leather mix, but spicier. Over time, it gains a sweetness which reminds me of the tonka in Dee and Perversion. This is so good! Verdict: this is a wonderful, delicious winter warmer of a scent. Spicy and crackling, it starts as a red, fiery scent of spiced resins, flickering flames, occult rituals, similar to Dee but hotter and a tad more sinister. But then the scent gets softer and gentler over time, the leather smoothes out, and a sweet musk merges all the notes together. This makes the scent comforting and protective, it’s like sitting by a fireplace on a comfy leather sofa whilst getting a hug, a smooth spiced leathery musk. This is gorgeous and unisex fragrance which is perfect for the colder months. I might need more of this stuff. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Oh yes! This is a perfect winter scent. I might get a botttle soon. If you like this, try: Loviatar, Dragon’s Hide, Blood Moon, Bow and Crown, Count Dracula, Telltale Heart, Dee
  6. PurringPulsar

    The Temptation

    The Temptation In the imp: sweet peachy flowers! For some reason, this reminds me of Queen Mab, but with a hint of Fae. Wet on skin: sweet peach with rose, and a hint of wisteria. Dry: now I smell fresh, dewy, sharper flowers moving through the rose and peach. A hint of green, herbal, grassy palmarosa (this note seems to give an impression of dry grass and herbs on my skin) with white wet calla and a twist of wisteria. This smells like a rich, heady mix of spring blossoms upon grasses. I don’t know what rice flower smells like and I don’t smell black musk yet. I love the peach blossom and rose combination though. After a while: the peach blossom has serious throw! All around I get a wonderful, wonderful sweet dewy peach scent, but closer to the wrist I get a greenish-pale scent which strikes me as quite Asian in feel, it might be rice flower. It smells almost like sake/rice wine in here, actually. I also smell dried wisteria blooms. It’s unusual and pretty, but not as nice as the peach-rose scent which wafts all around. And I can’t smell any black musk, which is odd because this note is usually very strong on me. This scent remains the same all through the duration of the fragrance, with the peach being stronger at times and coming out more over time. Verdict: this is a very pretty, peach-dominated scent. it has the fruity-scented peach blossom note which I am very fond of, in here it bonds very nicely with rose. This scent smells more peachy the further away from wrist I smell it…close to the wrist, the scent is more unusual, a mix of dry sharp grassy/greenness with a hint of rice wine and wisteria, different but quite pleasant. I was hoping for more of a musky oomph to the scent but the black musk is unusually quiet. I like the way it’s quite unusual compared with other floral scents, but there are other peach/peach blossom scents I prefer so I might pass this one on. I did enjoy it though. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Dunno, maybe. I have other peachy scents I prefer. If you like this, try: Fae, Queen Mab, Tamora, Silence, Aglaea
  7. PurringPulsar

    Thunderbird

    Thunderbird In the imp: tangy, wet, soapy ozone over deep green pine. Wet on skin: Thunderbird is go! (that is, like, really bad grammar…) The pine notes start to strengthen and so does the ozone. Dry: ozone, ozone and more ozone, as well as pine. It’s not as bad as I feared, as stormy ozones go. This does smell soapy and does smell a bit like detergent but it’s quite pleasant, along similar lines as Dirty or Kingsport (there’s an almost fruity-floral sweetness to it, as well as a hint of salt), a hint of wetness evoking rain, and an electric feel. Underneath is the scent of pine, fir, many evergreens. After a while: the pine scent retreats to the background whilst the scent of ozone lingers. For storm ozones, this one is quite nice. It doesn’t smell like the usual thunderstorm ozone, this doesn’t even smell that stormy…it smells more like a fresh April shower. A cool refreshing rain falling on pretty springtime blossoms. There’s also a hint of tangy fruit and marine air wafting through, the electric scent that I usually get in stormy ozones is at the back here. This also reminds me of the unreleased Toxin, but with a pine background. There’s one problem-the ‘fruity’ aspect of this scent does turn a little cloying, almost like overripe banana, on me at times…the drydown of this is clean laundry with very ripe fruit. It’s pretty but much sweeter than I imagined…a little too sickly sweet for me. Verdict: I’ve never been the biggest fan of thunderstorms and stormy ozone turns nasty on me, usually. But this is actually not bad! Of all the stormy scents, if I was forced to choose a favourite from them, it would be this. Smelling more like a short springtime cloudburst than a full-blown electrical storm of doom, this smells like rain falling on sweet blossoms with a hint of fruit and a darker undertone of pine and fir. Fresh and light, with hints of clean laundry and sea air. It does become surprisingly sweet and the fruit (or whatever smells like fruit) becomes almost too much like bananas on me and the scent loses its pretty spring shower scent. As ozones go I much prefer lighter, non-stormy ones like Lurid and Urania but I’m surprised at the fact that I like this a lot more than I expected. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Not sure yet. If you like this, try: Lightning, Tempest, Dirty, Olokun, Pool of Tears
  8. PurringPulsar

    Love-Lies-Bleeding

    Love Lies Bleeding In the imp: velvety chocolate with a hint of red flowers. This oil has a gorgeous blushed pinkish colour, maybe hinting at the presence of dragon’s blood. Wet on skin: chocolate-dipped cherries, a hint of booze, and flowers. Dry: chocolate cherries and a bunch of sweet red and white flowers, and a glass of wine. Whoever said this was the scent of Valentine’s Day is spot on. It reminds me ever so slightly of that oil ‘Sweet Patootie’ from AC, only this one has a spike of dragon’s blood running through it, and the flowers (lily? There’s something almost reminiscent of Black Lily here) are sharper, though with that hint of sweet nectar. And there’s chocolate dipped, liqueur soaked cherries here. After a while: there’s either honeysuckle, calla lily, or lily of the valley here, or maybe even jasmine, because one of the floral notes has gone very sharply green on me. It could be lilac and/or wisteria as well. Probably wisteria. The sweet fruitiness of the scent has become a little sickly sweet, a little overripe, but it’s not too distracting. The cocoa seems to still be there but it’s more muted now. I’m not as keen on this scent now as I was before. The scent becomes a sharp green soapy white-red floral scent with chocolate on top and dragon’s blood. Weird. Verdict: this has a romantic name and a romantic scent to match. This is bottled (or imped?) Valentine’s Day. A bunch of rich white lilies and fragrant red flowers, petals, nectar and stems. Chocolate covered cherries. Glasses of wine and boozier spirits for later. A sheen of passionate redness cast over the scent by dragon’s blood. It’s very gorgeous and evocative for the first 15-20 minutes but then it just goes weird on me. The chocolate cherry scent which I really like seems to conflict with a slightly aggressive, sharp green floral scent, one or more of the floral notes here goes very sharply green, and not in a nice way. It reminds me of what White Moon did-started out wonderfully, ended with screaming sharp flowers. This one’s sharpness is accentuated by dragon’s blood. It’s a shame because I loved the just-applied scent. Maybe this is one for a locket, or for swapping. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Maybe the imp, but I’m not sure. If you like this, try: Vice (I haven’t tried it but it is chocolate and cherry, like I get with this), Velvet, French Love, Black Lily, Red Queen
  9. PurringPulsar

    Essence of Sunlight - What's the sunniest scent?

    Other scents I find 'sunny': Jacob's Ladder-I haven't tried the 06 version but the 05 version struck me as warm beams of sunlight playing on dust motes, or a subtle sunset. It's very ambery, like the Lion, but with other resins/incense notes. Cairo-this has a bright fruit-incense sunny dry sun scent but it's got a lemony aspect so may not be for you. Eclipse-starts off dark/almondy but the drydown is a wonderful vanilla-heliotrope-cinnamon which is warm and sunny. Hymn to Proserpine-another amber scent, this has red/purple fruit tones, another warm sunset/sunrise scent to me. I'm sure there are more but I highly recommend Hymn to Proserpine and Jacob's Ladder.
  10. PurringPulsar

    Essence of Sunlight - What's the sunniest scent?

    Also, try Ozymandias. It's like desert sunlight, dusty and golden and with hints of amber, incense and musk, a hint of warm breezes too. Some find it a little perfumey though, but I find it dryly sunny and gorgeous. Lyonesse is golden and sunny, sweet vanilla musk with a hint of summery 'beach skin' to it-it's a very luminous, golden vanilla-amber-musk scent.
  11. PurringPulsar

    Essence of Sunlight - What's the sunniest scent?

    The Lion is very sunny, golden spicy amber.
  12. PurringPulsar

    Halôa

    Haloa In the bottle: cheesecake! Yes, it's just like Beaver Moon, but without the cinnamon-vanilla scent. This one strikes me as more golden. Wet on skin: once it hits skin, the cheesecake dies down, out comes the wine and frankincense/myrrh. Dry on skin: mmm, this is lovely! The wine is the strongest note-it smells much more like wine than grapes, and it's a blend of dry red and white wines-crisp, sharp, with the piercing scent of frankincense. The myrrh adds a rich resinous depth, and there are hints of buttercream lingering all around even though the cake note is much more subdued (it smells like cake soaked in wine). This is quite boozy as a scent-surprisingly so (smells like brandy/sherry and port at times), and there's something festive about it. There's even a hint of something reminiscent of mince pies here. The olive leaf adds a slight oily green tone without smelling like olives. After a while: this seems to turn to a lovely scent of aged, wine-macerated myrrh, which gives the scent a real 'ancient incense' scent. This smells like wine-soaked resins burnt and offered in an age old temple in a sacred ritual, with offerings of fortified wine on the side. It also reminds me of a loose incense blend I have-the myrrh resin really stands out here. However, at times, I detect a lighter, sugary scent over the wine and myrrh, almost like a dusting of icing sugar-it's powdery and pale, with a hint of fruit cake soaked in strong booze. Then I get the powdery incense ash with sugar-dusted fruit-stuffed cake scent from All Souls, but with a huge hit of red wine and with a fantastic myrrh backing which smells just like myrrh resin burning gently, but not charring. In fact, this powdery scent actually reminds me of the 'orange sherbet' I got in Treat #2, despite the lack of chocolate and orange in this scent. The drydown is indeed like grapes more than wine…but dried grapes. This smells like raisins! I know there was something here I recognised but didn't identify-now I know that it's raisins. Maybe even prunes, as a previous reviewer noted, but not in a bad way (poor prunes get such a bad rap, it seems…I like them!) and it smells like Christmas plum pudding. Verdict: this is such an interesting fragrance. I suppose a short description of this scent would be 'raisins and resins'! At first I thought it would be very foody, but it’s actually boozier than I expected. The wine is very strong here, especially at first when it is dominant, smelling of wine soaked cake and resins/raisins with buttercream, before settling down to wine-soaked myrrh resin with a dusting of icing sugar and fruitcake notes. It's unusual but I really like it…the wine-incense combination smells aged and ancient, sacred and ritualistic, but the cake/sugar scents here add a light hearted dimension. There's also something 'winter holidays' about it, almost comforting, almost like festive spicy-boozy baking, it's easy to smell why this is a Yule scent. As foody-incense scents go, I do prefer All Souls, but I adore the wine-myrrh note at the base of this scent-it's so intriguing. This is a scent that will grow on me with wear, I think. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? mmm, yes! If you like this, try: Athens, Delphi, All Souls, Cockaigne, Eat Me, Wanda, Death of Sardanapal, Beaver Moon
  13. PurringPulsar

    Whitechapel

    Whitechapel In the imp: lemon, lime and lilac! Citrus fresh and bright. Wet on skin: lime, lemon and lilac. At this point the lemon note actually smells like verbena. Dry: citrus and lilac. I really like the lilac in here, smells like the real thing, and the lime note is lovely and strong. Like sipping a margarita under a blooming lilac tree. I smell lemon verbena here as well (or is it lemongrass? It smells more like a herbal lemon than a fruity one). I can’t smell the musk yet. After a while: the citrus does tone down as expected, and the scent remaining on my skin is a very pretty lilac and white musk fragrance. Very light, still slightly lemon-tangy, not very strong, but very pretty. At times it smells almost like pure lilac, especially because the musk here is so subtle. And at the end, it’s all lilac, soft dried lilac blooms, with the faintest trace of musk. It’s pretty, but hasn’t got as much throw as it did when it was full of citrus. Verdict: this is a very nice citrus musk-very citrusy and tangy at first when the lime is very powerful. This sharpness does tone down (unfortunately, that’s the way with most citrus) making way for a gorgeous and genuine lilac note. The musk is barely there but the lilac is so nice, it doesn’t go wonky on my skin. The problem with this scent is that it’s not got much throw, it hasn’t got the presence and complexity I like, and it doesn’t last long either. Not sure whether to keep it-it’s a very pretty scent but I’m not sure I’ll wear it much. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Not sure. It’s nice but doesn’t stick around much on me. If you like this, try: Villain, Cordelia, F5, Jonathan Harker
  14. PurringPulsar

    Lightning

    Lightning In the imp: tangy ozone, salty, rainy, and almost grapefruit like. Wet on skin: this smells like an aquatic, fresh, sporty cologne now. Dry: once dry, this gains the ‘static-covered dryer sheets with photocopier air’ scent I got in Tempest now, only with a citrus-like spritz of fresh cologne to it, like those unisex citrus-aquatic sporty scents you get at department stores. It’s fresh and zingy, electric. It’s not too bad, it’s not as dry and ‘office ozone’ like on me as Tempest though, there’s definitely more rain and sea-spray to this, and it is cooler. After a while: eventually this turns to pure dryer sheet and static electricity on me, with that whiff of photocopier. The sporty perfume lingers as well, but it’s less ‘wet’ now, it now resembles Tempest more, but with an added ‘mainstream perfume’ aspect. It’s not very nice now. It gets more and more like Tempest’s ozone over time, losing the citrus-cologne edge. And I really don’t like Tempest’s ozone. the electric, gritty, grey scent this has just becomes more and more grating at drydown. Verdict: I knew I wouldn’t like this-hate thunderstorms, stormy ozone usually hates my skin. And guess what? It turned to the ‘electrified laundry by the photocopier’ scent I get from other stormy scents, only this time with a little hint of sporty eau de cologne added for a fresh zingy effect. That fresh cologne was nice when it lasted, despite it’s mainstream scent, but this faded to leave the nasty storm ozone on my skin. Oh well, I’m not disappointed, I knew this wouldn’t work. Bye bye Lightning, you weren’t striking enough for me (ha ha). Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? No. If you like this, try: Thunderbird, Lightning, Tempest, Pool of Tears, Sea of Glass
  15. PurringPulsar

    Destroying Angel

    Destroying Angel In the imp: earthy, gritty cologne, very much like the Rat King or the sharp parchment of Clio, but with more greenery and soil. Wet on skin: much more dirty and earthy, the soil note is stronger now. Dry: damp, dirty parchment. This is indeed papery and pale, but also very earthy and with lots of wet soil. There’s some greenness as well, like sharp green herbs, and also something almost cologne like, which is almost masculine…it smells like neroli or even petitgrain. It’s an unusual scent. After a while: very masculine and sharp citrus-cologne-green scent. The fresh wet earth has vanished but the scent does have a fresh, almost wet feel to it, but it’s like men’s perfume here. There might be a patchouli note here adding darkness to this scent. There’s also a scent like citrus peel mixed with tree bark and parchment, and a less floral variant of orange blossom, possibly also a pale sandalwood or cedar note, maybe a hint of moss. This scent becomes much too sharp over time, there’s a sourness to it that reminds me of aftershave at best, and at worst, it smells a little bit like…vomit. Not good. The scent becomes very bitter and bile-like at the end. Verdict: at first this is very much like a damper Rat King, like decomposing paper thrown on rain soaked soil with a hint of green, fresh cologne. It wasn’t too bad, a little manly, but not offensive, and I really liked the wet soil note. It seemed like the masculine mushroom scent in RG, whilst Death Cap seems more feminine to me. But once this soil scent faded, the fragrance gradually started to disagree with my skin. It became too masculine smelling at first (like RK but greener) but then started to develop a sharp bitter-sour scent which smelt sickly, it smelt like vomit on my skin, I’m afraid to say. This scent is certainly not for me, but I’m not too worried because there are many other earth scents which I love more than this. One for the swap pile. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? No. Death Cap is my ‘mushroom’ scent of choice. If you like this, try: Clio, the Rat King, Death Cap, Penny Dreadful, Zombi
  16. PurringPulsar

    I Died For Beauty

    I Died for Beauty In the imp: mmm, gorgeous frankincense with a hint of herbs (hyssop?) and flowers. Wet on skin: the flowers of ylang and violet come out more and mix with the frankincense. Dry: this is so pretty! The floral notes are soft, gentle and powdery, almost dusty in this scent, with the violet smelling slightly like iris at times. But the frankincense is gorgeous-in here it smells quite spicy, and I think the hyssop just enhances that spicy-herbal scent, and it contrasts nicely with the powdered floral scent. I also get hints of the grave loam, which in here does smell mossier than expected. It also seems like there’s white musk here but that could be just the pale flowery-mossy scent. After a while: the powdery scent really increases but the herbal-mossy frankincense still remains underneath. the violet smells like it’s been dusted on my skin as a fine, pale powder, a traditional, old fashioned scent but thankfully not too ‘granny-ish’, this one is ethereal and ghostly. There’s an oakmoss note here, it seems, which enhances the powdery scent. This powdery, mossy scent gets stronger over time, but I love the warmth the frankincense offers here. The scent ends on pure pale powdery violet and light moss, with an almost orris like feel. Verdict: this is powder, but powder done well. Though this does have a more traditional and mature feel to it than most scents I like, I think this is quite a beautiful scent. It reminds me of a dusting powder at times, like something added to old fashioned silky gloves. Elegant and refined. Yet this scent also has a dusty, aged, faded and wispy feel to it, pale and dry. However, there’s a beautiful, almost spicy, frankincense note which adds another dimension, warm and golden, to the scent, this is especially strong during the first hour of wear. The loam is actually more like moss (like the poem says) than the dirt/soil note I expected, but it’s also lovely. It’s not something I’d get a bottle of but I’m keeping the imp of this exquisite, gentle and grown up fragrance. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Just the imp. If you like this, try: Carfax Abbey, Ephemera, Faustus, Veil, Resurrection of the Flesh
  17. PurringPulsar

    Spice me, baby! The spiciest BPAL blends

    Give Great Cry in Egypt a try. It's very similar to Scherezade with it's saffron and red musk, but with added woods and resins. I second Hollywood Babylon if you'd like a sweeter red musk. I also second Sin which, though not listed, smells like there's red musk in it. And maybe Bastet, which is spicy amber-musk with almonds, less spicy than Schez though.
  18. PurringPulsar

    The Sephiroth and Qlipoth blends - Recs and Discussion

    My favourites: Nahemoth is my favourite of the lot, it smells like Snake Charmer to me, or like SC without vanilla. Same sort of plum-musk-amber-incense vibe. Thagirion is a lovely and springy, reminiscent of the likes of Sundew and Empyreal Mist but with a creamy drydown. Sathariel is like Al Azif with dragon's blood and possibly a cinnamon or chocolate note to it. Gamaliel is unusual, it has all sorts of aspects to it-lemony, peppery-spicy, woodsy, musky, incensey, mossy at the drydown. Ghagiel smells like carnation musk with spices and something heliotrope-ish, and with a drydown very similar to Morocco.
  19. PurringPulsar

    All Saints'

    All Saints 06 In the imp: rose! lots of rose…like dried rose petals. This doesn't have the resinous background of 05, yet. The rose here reminds me of London. Wet on skin: now the frankincense comes out and mixed with the rose. Dry on skin: crisp, tart, blood red rose petals with a hint of resin. This is much, much heavier on the rose than last year's, which had definite frankincense and myrrh tones to it. The frank 'n myrrh are here too but not as obvious. This actually reminds me of Hymn, as I get a little hint of lily of the valley too. But the rose is actually like London's rose, or the rose in Pride or the Peacock Queen, a dry, traditional rose scent, but there's a hint of cool freshness-the chill autumn wind, maybe? After a while: rose is still predominant, and I get a hint of something almost moss like, as well as smoke. But there's an undertone to this which I'm not keen, it's almost like (don't take my word on this!) civet, but of course that might be my skin screwing with this scent. it's a cold, almost muddy scent, with a hint of rose and moss. It reminds me of a lighter Zombi, in fact. After this brief 'weird' phase, I start to smell more of the resins under the scent of dry rose petals. It smells a little like Rose Cross or Thanatos now. The scent moves between pure dried rose to rosy resins to earthy mossy rose all the time…can't make up it's mind what it wants to be right now. Verdict: this is the scent of the roses that bloom in the autumn…they didn't manage to bloom in the height of summer so they bloom at a cooler time of year and the cold gets them and they soon die. A scent of roses covered in hints of cold rain, dried rose petals mingled with autumn leaves and wet, mossy soil. This is a darker, less resinous, more earthy version of All Saints, much more rose-dominated and even a little decayed on me. Unfortunately it lacks the really resinous-incense scent I got in 05, which was a well balanced mix of rose and resins on me, this one has a stage to it which smells really weird on me. It also reminds me of other rose scent which I prefer. I might keep the decant but I don't think I need a bottle. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Maybe, but I have many other similar rose scents. If you like this, try: Rose Cross, London, Lucy's Kiss, Thanatos, Zombi, Hymn
  20. PurringPulsar

    Devil's Night

    Devil's Night 06 In the imp: mmm, the same gorgeous gingery spice scent I got in DN 05. In fact, this verges on almost Shubby ginger, it has a slight lemony tang. Wet on skin: yup, it's ginger and booze, like 05. Dry on skin: it's so similar to last year's, only this one has a sharper, lemony aspect to it which isn't there in 05 (may be an aging factor). There's a ginger scent to this reminiscent of Shub, fresh cut ginger root, with a hint of sugar, booze and smoke, and that same fresh, airy musk scent I got last year. After a while: after about 10 mins, the ginger's bite reduces and the scent is now a gorgeous, sweet, spicy, smoky and surprisingly creamy light musk. It's similar to last year's but the smoky note isn't as strong, but there's a scent to this almost like pepper, which is lovely. Eventually this mellows into a wonderful velvety musk scent, fringed with hints of smoke and spice. It's not as smoky as 05, in fact the musk here is like Buck Moon's musk! Mmm! It also smells quite foody-sweet at times, almost like coconut or almonds (not bitter cherry-almond, more like sugared almonds served at weddings) with spices. It reminds me of the foody scent in Death Cap mixed with Bastet's spiced musk with peppery smoke on top. It's not a thuggish musk at all, in fact, it's beautiful…I smell a hint of wood underneath, like smouldering sandalwood. It definitely smells like incense. Verdict: this is almost identical to 05's version, which is a good thing because I adore DN 05…I think I love DN 06 more though! I think this has more ginger, to begin with. This tones down to reveal a sweet and spiced smoky creamy core. It also has less smoke (although the smoke did strengthen with age in 05), and the smoke is like bonfires on the breeze with exotic incense. And, best of all, it also has a fabulous musk note which is much softer, more rounded and warmer than 05's which verged on masculine (but didn't smell too manly for me). This makes for a velvety and sublime autumn skin scent with spices and smoke, a warm and approachable fragrance that's perfect for those bracing autumn nights. I don't find this version of DN to be devilish at all, in fact, it's heavenly. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes, I have a bottle on the way! and I'm tempted to get another… If you like this, try: Samhain, Death Cap, Bastet, Djinn, All Souls, Port Royal (I swear the gingery note in there is like DN)
  21. ...my cat passed away because of a tumour. I know some might find it odd still mourning the death of a pet long after it happened, but to me animals are just as important as people to have as company, my cat was like a sister to me, a warm, fuzzy, purring companion, and cats don't have the emotional complexes that humans have. It was also the closest experience I've had with death for a very long time. I can't really remember when my grandfather and aunt passed away as I must have been five at the time, but my kitty's passing is so vivid. That last stilted purr she gave me at the animal hospital was such a sorrowful sound, the way she looked so pained and couldn't move made me cry, and will haunt me forever. My mind still sometimes thinks she's not 'dead', but she's just moved on to a place that's inaccessible to me, but where she'll be happier. I'm still not clear cut on my ideas of what happens after death but when she passed away, that came to mind almost intuitively, that she's in a place that's intangible to the living, but still there, in a way. I also believe she's still visiting me in spirit, in dreams, in some of those dreams she actually protects me from anything malevolent. And one thing's for sure, the memories will stay alive for a very long time.
  22. PurringPulsar

    Sugar Skull

    Sugar Skull 06 In the imp: like last year’s treacle like scent, but sweeter, softer, less boozy. Wet on skin: a fruitier version of last year’s. Dry: mmm, this is nice! Whilst last year’s had a big shot of rum to it and now smells very boozy indeed and very heavy, this is a lot gentler, and I can smell the fruits better. It still smells like the darkest brown sugar, caramel and treacle, but it also smells like Christmas cake! It smells very similar to the fruit cake mixture my mum makes every Xmas, which is soaked in rum. There’s a definite ‘rum and raisin’ scent to this, and I smell dried apricots, prunes and maybe some glace cherries too. After a while: this stays pretty much the same, its caramelised dry fruits with a hint of rum. It now smells a little more ‘cooked’, the sugar notes are deeper and darker, much more like treacle or maple syrup now. Eventually this develops the treacle pudding scent I got from last year’s when it was fresh, but despite it being less overwhelmingly boozy, I smell rum soaked raisins here-only with more raisins than rum. Maybe a hint of port wine. Yes, this is home made Xmas cake alright. It even smells spicy. This lasts for ages. I still smell caramel and fruit lingering on my wrist the next morning. Verdict: this bears the brown sugar and rum similarities of last year’s, but this SS has much more a fruity feel to it. Overall this scent reminds me of home made Xmas cake, soaked in rum and port (but not smelling too heavily of it), made with an assortment of dried fruit and with the darkest, richest brown muscovado sugar, along with a dollop of thick dark treacle-or a serving of treacle pudding on the side. It seems that the 05 version has become a little too overwhelmingly boozy for my tastes, and therefore I prefer this-yes it smells like rum as well, but much more complex and with spiced fruit nuances to it. It’s perfect for winter, wonderfully reminiscent of festive baking, and I’d love to get more, though I’ll have to compare it with 05 to see if I need more-Sugar Skull is too heavy for everyday, but it’s perfect as a winter baking scent with it’s cosy, boozy sweet warmth. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? I might get a bottle once I compare it with 05 and if I prefer this. If you like this, try: DdlM (any year), Creepy, Cockaigne, Gluttony, Drink Me
  23. PurringPulsar

    Dia de los Muertos

    Dia De Los Muertos 06 In the imp: sweet, chocolatey, sugary gardenia like florals. Wet on skin: a sharp, dry tobacco note comes out, along with dry autumn leaves. Dry: mmm, not bad. This seems to have a gardenia like note to it, I get the same sharpness that I get from some ‘evil G’ scents but this is mellowed out and camouflaged somewhat by the tobacco and autumn leaves. I get lots of sugar, syrupy and sweet, I don’t get as much chocolate but I do smell sugary bread like scents, like lightly spiced, sugar coated bread rolls. And I smell the flowers and smoke as well, and something almost alcoholic like rum. So far, this is more autumnal than last year’s After a while: the sharpness fades away and now I get a pretty, soft, floral scent wrapped in the smoke from tobacco and burning leaves. It actually reminds me of another autumnal floral, but I can’t remember which one. This certainly doesn’t have the heady floral punch from last year. In fact I find it a little faint… After about 2-3 hours…what the? Where’s it gone? The scent has faded away pretty much, leaving only a trace of smoke lingering where it once was. After 3-4 hours…all gone. Poof. Disappeared into thin air. Verdict: this was such a disappointment. I’ve heard loads of wonderful things about 04’s version, and I liked the 05 version despite it’s almost overpowering floral moments. This on the other hand has hardly any staying power on me whatsoever. The scent to start with is an odd one, a sharp, almost acrid gardenia like floral with syrupy breads and tobacco and burning leaves, eventually the gardenia fades to leave a pretty ‘sweet autumn flower’ scent, a pale nectary floral with a waft of smoke over it. and then it disappears completely within about 3 hours. It’s a shame this scent didn’t last, or develop and hang around like last years. It just vanished in a puff of smoke, literally. I’ll probably swap this version. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Not sure, I prefer last year’s… If you like this, try: Sugar Skull, Devil’s Night, Samhainophobia, Ulalume
  24. PurringPulsar

    Samhain

    Samhain ‘06 In the imp: has the same honeyed spicy apple scent as previous Samhains, but with a much more buttery pumpkin note. Wet on skin: the pumpkin’s buttery scent settles a little and the scent becomes sweeter. Dry: mmm, this is lovely. A lot less earthy and pine-y than last year’s, this one is heavier on the apple and the pumpkin, it’s also a little spicier. This is a much lighter Samhain, without the sweet darkness of ’05, this has a crisp sharp apple cider note to it as well as prominent pumpkin nuances. It smells a little like Pumpkin Patch #1 meets Punkie Night’s apple mixed with Samhain. It’s lovely. After a while: this sweetens and lightens a great deal, this smells like various autumnal delicacies-pumpkin pie and spiced baked apples, caramel apples and mulled cider. The patchouli, soil and woods are there but not as strong as 05. This smells so pretty after about an hour or two-like sweet baked apples and pumpkin with spices, but it’s not as strong as 05 was, doesn’t have as much depth and it’s a little faint. But what little scent I have now is really delicious. It also lasts longer than expected considering it’s slight faintness. I really love the brown sugar coated spicy pumpkin apple scent that lingers at the end, along with a softly woody base note, it’s a lighter Samhain with an almost Harvest Moon 05 feel to it now. Verdict: this does smell similar to last year’s but it also has it’s differences. This is a lot sweeter, foodier, more buttery, fruitier and more ‘baked’ in scent whilst last years had a deep, earthy scent, a hint of pine and a definite autumn breeze note to it-last year’s Samhain was outdoorsy, this scent is much more like an indoors celebration with lots of lovely baked apples and pumpkin pie, lashings of spices and brown sugar-it’s more light hearted and less intense than last year’s version, and I love it. it doesn’t have the same throw as 05 but that might improve with age. I love this version and I’m glad I ordered a bottle. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes, I have a bottle on the way which I will keep. I like collecting ‘vintage’ Samhains. If you like this, try: Pumpkin Queen, Jack, Pumpkin Patch scents, Punkie Night, Samhainophobia
  25. PurringPulsar

    Katharina

    Katharina A strong, willful blend with a soft, utterly lovely soul: white musk with a trickle of bright, sharp apricot and orange blossom. In the imp: apricot! So pretty, it smells like sweet apricots in sugar syrup. Wet on skin: apricot and the barest hint of orange blossom. Dry: this is to apricot what Fae is to peach. A pretty, dainty apricot note surrounded by a frilly scent of white musk. The orange blossom adds a slightly bitter bite but doesn’t detract from the gorgeous delicate scent of apricots and white musk. Sweet and juicy yet smooth, almost powdery, and clean. After a while: this smells so similar to Fae now, and also resembles Aglaea. It’s not as complex though as those two, this is a nice uncomplicated white musk and apricot scent (however I do agree with many other reviews/remarks that the apricot smells peachy here). The white musk note is lovely but there’s an odd bitterness/sharpness to it which I’m sure is orange blossom. The white musk gets stronger over time, and the apricot note gains an effervescent, airy feel. Verdict: I like this dainty, delicate and pretty fragrance, a nice balance of apricot and white musk. Usually apricot is very sweet and though this starts off as sweet and apricot dominated, over time it starts to smell like peach, a lot more tart and tangy and light. The scent ends very nicely on a white musky apricot with more musk than before. The orange blossom isn’t too noticeable but does add something slightly bittersweet to the scent. However, it is so similar to Fae to my nose, but without all the other notes that made Fae a little more complex, and though I like this, I prefer Fae. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Might swap the imp off. If you like this, try: Fae, Yerevan, Aglaea, Imp, Tamora, Thaleia, Depraved
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