PurringPulsar

Red Musk In the imp: mmm, red musk. Deep, dark, slightly fruity, spicy, a tad feral. Mmm. Wet on skin: this gets darker, and a tad resinous, with a hint of Smut. Dry on skin: gorgeous! Gorgeous red musk-this is the beautiful rich musk note in some of my favourites-Scherezade, Hollywood Babylon, Spellbound, I'm sure there's some in Blood Lotus, Sin and Shango. This is the dominant note in Smut…and it's just so lovely on it's own. Rich, dark, deep, mysterious. Spicy. Definitely incense like. Something almost patchouli like. And with an underlying sweetness which has the potential to turn creamy. A twinge of something animal but nothing civety whatsoever. This is wonderfully complex for a single note, and it's very sexy. After a while: this sweetens a little, and I now get a delicious creamy undertone to this sweetness, under the spicy sexy musk scent. This is still such a stunning scent! It's not as strong now but it clings nicely to the skin, begging me to come closer… Before I think it will fade, it becomes darker once more, deep and dark and inviting, but still sweet. Verdict: red musk on it's own is such a wonderful scent. I love red musk in blends but alone its just as fantastic, it's very complex and delicious, exotic, warm, sexy as hell. Deep, rich musk, mixed with soft incense tones, spices and a creamy sweetness smoothing it all out. This musk is to die for. Now I really wish Beth could release single notes again, even as LE scents-I love this and want mooooore! Emoticon rating:

Chaos Theory III: CLVIII (158?) In the bottle: what is that? It's a sweet, dark almost drink like smell-maybe booze. It smells a bit like raisins…it's almost a fizzy drink smell as well, maybe it's root beer? Root beer and raisins? Wet on skin: now it smells like Coca-Cola, maybe a dash of Cherry Coke! It's a soft drink alright! Sweet, dark, and fizzy-yup, it smells fizzy. Dry on skin: fizzy Coke. I'm amazed at how this one smells so much like Coke (or Pepsi), complete with carbonated effervescence. There's a hint of spice lurking here, warm spice…maybe some root beer as well, but it's all Coke for now. After a while: sugary Coke still lingers but the scent is much drier now-I smell something now almost like dry grass, or hay, or grain, or some kind of dry golden note. Warm dusty dryness with a hint of Coke, there's also an airy, hot, shimmering hazy feel to it which makes me think of heat hazes or mirages over the desert. Like having a refreshing Coke at a desert oasis café. I then get a little vanilla at the base-well either that or an incense note, even a sort of musk. it reminds me of the darker base note from Queen of Sheba, one of those mysterious spice notes underneath the honeyed almonds of that blend. I can't tell, though it still smells like lightly spiced Coca-Cola in the desert. There may be a little bit of cardamom here actually… Then, suddenly, I get a hint of resin incense smoke wafting through-as in, frankincense. How unusual. Coca-Cola and incense. It gives an even more golden, sunlit tone to the scent. It's also sweeter, but I think the sweetness may be more of an amber sweetness, not vanilla…omg it really is amber! I love amber. I still get hints of cardamom. The frankincense/amber scent is a lot stronger after about 3 hours…it now smells less like a drink, and more like spiced resin incense. I really like this stage…it's mysterious incense with a hint of amber and spice, almost like a lighter, less heavy, less intense mix of Great Cry in Egypt meets the Lion. Gorgeous. Verdict: what an unusual scent…first it smells so much of Coke! Sweet, dark, fizzy, it's the real thing! It's a little bit more unusual than just plain soft drink though-I get spices, sweetness, incense, notes like frankincense, cardamom, amber, vanilla and dry grasses/grain notes. The scent is very warm after a while, it's a hazy, shimmering warmth, a heat haze, a hint of dust, and desert heat. The drydown is much nicer, a resinous amber-incense-spice. Such a strange and quirky fragrance-that's why Chaos Theory is so good, because you get unlikely combinations that really work. It's not a favourite but I do like it enough to keep it-and I love the resinous amber-tastic drydown. Emoticon rating:

Brimstone In the imp: not sulphur, thank goodness. Instead I get vetiver, ginger (I hope this isn't the nasty red kind that turns evil on me) and incense. Maybe patchouli. Wet on skin: vetiver of doom with ginger… Dry on skin: ginger, deep, heavy vetiver, and a twinge of incense, dry earthy patchouli, autumn leaves, with a hint of sweet resin to it-maybe frankincense. This is an earthier, less spicy, vetiver-based version of Djinn. It's intense and very much dominated by Vetiver of Doooooom, but it's not bad. It's dark and ashy, like wet charred wood that was once part of an autumn bonfire, with dead leaves on top. After a while: I'm sure I'm getting a slight hint of burnt rubber…yup, the ginger here is probably red ginger. Dang it. it's not overpowering though-because vetiver is still king here. Smoky, incensy, gritty, dark, sweetish vetiver, with a scent to it reminiscent of damp, decomposing bark chips. And then the scent becomes nothing more than rubbery red ginger and evil smouldering vetiver. It'll take ages to scrub off, this will. It does remind me of the vetivery drydown of a TAL/voodoo scent, but with a burnt rubber scent that I'm not into at all. The scent does have a feel of something ritualistic about it which seems fitting. Verdict: whilst it seems appropriate for the description and is a very good representation of brimstone without any sulphurous tones, I wasn't very keen on this scent. Dark, smouldering, gritty, ashy, burnt, destroyed, almost apocalyptic. It has the heavier, darker vetiver that can either be very nice or can ruin a blend, and worse than that, it has red ginger, which, from experiencing the SN, turns to rubber on me. This scent was all burnt rubber ginger and vetiver. Occasional hints of patchouli and resinous incense try to lift the scent at times, make it more bearable, but are scared off by the dominating presence of these two evil notes. If I want a burnt scent, I think I'll stick with Djinn-it has a slight similarity, with ginger and vetiver but also spices and a whole lot more incense to make it lovely. This is going to swaps. Emoticon rating: If you liked this, try: Djinn, Sloth, Hurricane, Muladhara, Umbra

Dragon's Hide In the imp: leathery dragon's blood. Wet on skin: dragon's blood and warm, dark leather. Dry on skin: red leather. This is crimson red leather in a scent-the dragon's blood makes this smell red, and the leather is warm, rich and delightful. I also get smoke wafting through the scent, a hint of smoke lingering around the resin and leather notes. After a while: the d-b fades over time, leaving smooth black leather and smoke. It's like De Sade, only less like 'new shoes' and more worn, and with smoke clinging to it-not cigarette smoke, but bonfire smoke. The last stage of the scent is pure, smooth, aged leather. Verdict: at first this is very much dragon's blood and leather, but eventually this fades to a very pleasant leather single note-well almost, since there's a smoke component. But the leather here is much softer, warmer, more comforting than De Sade, and has a nice 'worn' feel to it, like a leather chair. This scent is comforting and I think of a sleepy dragon, dozing away, each little snore making some smoke come out of his nose and it passes over his smooth, leathery hide as he dreams. It's a nice scent but I prefer leather in more complex blends such as Bow and Crown or King of Clubs. Emoticon rating: If you like this, try: De Sade, Dragon's Blood

Block Buster The scent: totally different to the voodoo oil-this doesn't smell like cinnamon apples, but of patchouli and mint. Scent wise, I prefer the voodoo version, but this one might pack more of a punch where efficacy is concerned. The intent: I wore this for my first job interview-it's for a part time job, which I need. Opening up options in my life, opportunities, success, flexibility and adaptability are just what I need for my summer job-I'm hoping to work as a courier. I applied some to the back of my neck so that I could have the oil's influence working on me as I went to the interview without interfering with my perfume. It seemed to work very well-the interview went by easily, the interviewer was very good, and told me I have a very good chance of getting the job. Review may be updated if anything else of note occurs.

Crucible of Courage The scent: a gorgeous rosy-lavender version of Lionheart-that same amber-musk-heliotrope scent but with extra floral notes. The scent is beautiful, reassuring, and warm. It calms and soothes. The drydown is very similar to Lionheart, which I love. If this weren't ritual oil, I'd wear this as perfume. The intent: I think this oil might come in handy for me because I tend to panic a lot. And when I panic I lose control of myself and my confidence shatters completely, and I feel weak, not in control, scared. I hope to use this in a situation that might weaken me with panic, and also for smaller, scary things-I will wear this on the day I get my exam results because that is one thing that is terrifying me at the moment-what my results are and whether I have passed or failed. I also wore this in conjunction with Block Buster for my first job interview because I was losing sleep over it and it makes me feel jittery. I don't want to break down and mess up the interview. It worked…but it also helped me to feel confident, less intimidated by the everyday things as well-I live in a dangerous neighbourhood and the guys nearby make me feel uncomfortable but not today. I think I might use this when I have to do something that I don’t normally have the guts to do. Whilst Lionheart is more of a day to day confidence booster, this is good for when situations are a little more difficult and uncertain and when I am faced with a crisis.

Hungry Ghost Moon In the imp: gorgeous candied grapefruit. A bright, happy, sunny grapefruit. Wet on skin: fresh grapefruit with aloe and fresh cut ginger. Dry on skin: fresh, tangy, sharp and very citrus-y. This has so much grapefruit, but that's a good thing-it's tangy and bright, and I think the aloe is there too-I get a bit of something like Berenice from the aloe-white musk combo in here. Maybe rice wine too? This smells like cologne on me-very fresh and almost perfume like. I don't get any vanilla or resins for now. After a while: still grapefruit-aloe sharpness with clear white musk, but the scent seems to become 'broader' and not as tangy-I can now make out ginger. Not candied ginger, but fresh ginger root. I think I can also smell some vanilla and perhaps some resins and woods…yup, I smell a delightful vanilla note now, underneath the grapefruit-ginger. This scent is just perfect for summer and for some reason, it makes me feel nostalgic. Maybe it reminds me of a close relative's perfume, a holiday somewhere or a good friend but I can't tell right now-all I know is that I am reminded of happy summer memories which are hazy now but still make me smile. The scent becomes a bit greener after an hour, not as blatantly citrus-y but still fruity and juicy. It's now more of a greenish-aloe-musk with a hint of sandalwood and vanilla that seems to have impressive throw. This scent is becoming even more unique and complex. And then, about two hours later, I get the most wonderful scent…hints of aloe surrounding a delicious, moist, juicy scent of sugar cane further sweetened by vanilla. It's both fresh and green but also rich and creamy and sweet with a hint of musk…it's gorgeous and so unique. Then I get a woodier drydown-the sugar cane remains but I'm getting more wood now. Verdict: this is one of the most complex and wonderful-in fact my favourite-of the Asian moons. It starts off with a sharp, grapefruit dominated blast, zingy and zesty, with fresh ginger and aloe, it had an almost cologne like feel. But the drydown was even more amazing-the most incredible fresh-sweet/foody scent ever. Green aloe and clear musk with herbs and 'juicy' notes contrast with wet sugar cane (it smells like fresh sugar cane, the stuff I used to chew on) and creamy vanilla against sandalwood. It's beautiful and I've never smelt anything like it in BPAL or anywhere else for that matter. The scent has excellent throw and is delightful as a summer scent. I love the way it slowly morphs and has many facets, it's complexity fascinates me, it's sweet-fresh scent so much nicer than I expected. I should have bought more of this. HUNNNNNGGGGGGRRRRRRYYYY!!! Emoticon rating: If you like this, try: Berenice, Manhattan, Holiday Moon, Aizen Myoo

Et Lux Fuit In the imp: soft pale musk and powdery florals, with a little hint of lemon. Wet on skin: gorgeous soft powdery pale floral notes and now more lemon… Dry on skin: lemon! This is very lemony, and very fresh as well…I am reminded of La Fee Verte and Zephyr-it's almost soapy but not quite. It's a clean, fresh, warm scent. I can make out the honey, mingling with the lemon, sharper notes against a background of white musk and soft flowers that are as pure and white as clean linen drying in the sun. This is a very luminous scent, very pure, very bright. No amber or vanilla just yet. After a while: this gets whiter and more powdery. The lemon still remains a bit. Still has a less-herbal LFV scent to it-as in this is LFV with lemon fruit instead of lemon herbs. This is the scent of powdered white light, if there is such a thing. I hope the amber comes out soon-I can't smell any heliotrope or spicy carnation yet or vanilla-just pure lemon-touched musky clean floral whiteness. I do like it though. After about an hour or so, I do get something sweeter and deeper filtering though the soft powdery scent-it could be vanilla or amber. The musk-vanilla combination here now reminds me slightly of other vanilla musks such as Antique lace (though not as strongly vanilla-y) and of course La Fee Verte. This seems to be improving nicely. Then I get a scent of sharp-ish honey, a hint of amber, and a lemony-waxy white floral powder…it smells so much like LFV but with a hint of amber. I wish that amber was a bit stronger…a slight greenish tone appears at times-is that the daisy? Verdict: this, to me, is the lovechild of Zephyr and La Fee Verte. It has Zephyr's powdery, clean, almost 'washed linen' lemon musk and LFV's lemon-honey sharpness. It's a pretty scent-luminous and white-it's sunny at times but to me it's more like sunlight diffused in white cloud, or hazy sunlight, than pure golden sunlight. It's pure white light, powdery and soft, in perfume form. I do like it, but I'm a bit saddened to say that it didn't blow my mind. I thought from the stellar cast of notes that it would be incredible but it didn't wow me as much as I thought it would. The amber doesn't show up as much as I'd hope, nor does carnation or vanilla, and the first half of the scent smells so much like LFV without the herbs. it's just a pretty, almost soapy-clean white powder, a clean linen scent. It's nice and I will keep the bottle-it may get better with age or wear or maybe I'm just having a bad skin day. I have other sunny scents I prefer-like Litha, Ra, Ahathoor, The Lion and Aureus. Emoticon rating: If you like this, try: LFV, Zephyr, Lyonesse

Lolita In the imp: sweet, lemon-tinged orange blossom. Wet on skin: orange sugar fizz! This is an effervescent, candied citrus scent. Dry on skin: so pretty and ever so bubbly. This is a youthful, bright scent, a citrus-floral sprinkled with sugar…I smell the orange blossom, made even more tangy by lemon verbena, giving a cute lemon-orange combination, and I'm sure it's the heliotrope adding that sweetness to it all…I can just detect it, that soft, powdered sweetness. I love me some heliotrope. After a while: the orange blossom fades slightly and the lemon verbena loses it's lemony scent, and turns a tad olive like (I've had that happen in other scents, but not all) I can smell the heliotrope a bit more now, and just the barest, barest hint of honeysuckle. The drydown is a very pretty heliotrope (though in here it's a lot more cherry like than usual), but with an odd greenish scent to it which I'm not so keen of-I think it's the honeysuckle going a bit dry as it can sometimes do on my skin. And then, after a couple of hours…all gone. Poof. Vanished. Verdict: at first I was so pleased with how pretty and lively this scent was-a very youthful scent of tangy citrus notes dusted with sugar. It was reminiscent of orange and lemon sweets and it was such a fun scent! But I'm not so keen on the drydown. The verbena goes odd on me and the scents becomes a dry green scent which I'm not really into. And then it disappears. If there was a musk or a deeper note to ground these evanescent notes I might have preferred it, since I love the wet stage, but unfortunately it's not really my thing, so off to swap it goes. Emoticon rating: at first but then becoming If you like this, try: Glitter, Phantasm

Has No Hanna In the imp: jasmine and…oh dear, it must be my nemesis, Evil Gardenia. Wet on skin: erk! Evil Gardenia on the rampage! Dry on skin: this scent is almost all dominated by the gardenia note that hates me with the fire of a thousand suns. It has turned green, pickled, celery like, acrid, sharp and almost burnt on me as usual. Bugger. I do get hints of something else green, and a hint of jasmine and honey…but it's almost all gardenia. This may do like Hanging Gardens or Sacred Whore, which both smelt scary for about 15 minutes before turning lovely, so I'll give it a chance. This does, I must say, resemble the scent of the TAL oil, Lucky #20, which makes sense because this is a lucky oil too. After a while: after 15 minutes, it still smells like burning celery with jasmine. As for it's effects…I'm not sure. It's not doing the Felix Felicis thing on me just yet and the scent isn't uplifting on me at all. The drydown is a sharp, green, almost 'rotten flower' sort of smell. It's less like gardenia and more like one of the Lab's jasmine notes that goes odd after about 2 hours on my skin. Verdict: it's a shame, because the description made this seem like an oil I'd like-luck and happiness? Yes please! The reviews mention roses, amber, vanilla, spices, musk, apricots and all sorts of wonderful things. But this scent on me is a full on attack by my arch-enemy, Evil Gardenia. Now there are some BPAL gardenia notes that I adore (like the one in Euphrosyne, which is beautiful) but not this one. It comes up, bites my nose and doesn't let go. Vicious little flower, how dare it take over and spoil this. The scent on me is green, acrid, celery-like, pickled petals...definitely not a scent I'd wear as perfume-this may be more for purpose though. I want to swap this because the scent on me is just so bad, but I might give it another test for efficacy. I think there are other lucky oils in the TAL section that I prefer for effect and scent to this. Emoticon rating:

Strangler Fig In the imp: deep green and figgy sweetness… Wet on skin: honey? there's something almost honeyed about the sweetness in here… Dry on skin: mmm, this is nice. I think the best description for this is a darker version of Eden. It's fig leaf, but darker, deeper, less astringent, with a deep, rich, earthy fig note which is riper and sweeter than most fig notes I've encountered in BPAL. In fact, it's like honeyed ripe brown figs covered with torn fig leaves. This is deep green with a hint of leaf juice and a hint of earth to it, and a whole lot of ripe fig. After a while: eventually the leaves take a back seat and the scent is like a lovely honeyed-fig paste. Ripe or dried figs, deep and sweet, all mashed up with honey, maybe some almonds thrown in for good measure. Sun dried honey figs bought from a market stand in Greece. A fig filled dessert, like a tart or a stewed fig compote or a fruit cake made with figs. It's decadent and gorgeous and is has the truest fig note ever. Eventually, I'm sure I can smell sandalwood in here too, or maybe cedar. And that's a good thing…it really goes nicely with the fig. Darker Eden, indeed, with a hint of Hetairae. Maybe some spices mixed in too just to make it even more yummy. This smooth honey-fig-wood scent lasts until the end, and I love it. Verdict: this really is like Eden's darker side. Less green and more figgy on me, this is probably the most genuine smelling fig scent ever. I was a little let down by the Fig SN because that smelt a bit like unripe figs at times but this smells like ripe-to-bursting, sweet, plump figs, or a fig paste made from sun dried figs. And I also smell honey in here, delicious sweet sticky honey, and then I get a wood note (cedar or sandalwood), making the scent earthier and richer. I love this scent a lot more than I was expecting-it's delicious honey-drizzled fig scent and beautiful sweet warm wood drydown, I'm impressed by this. In fact, this does to figs what Death Cap did to mushrooms and soil. I might get a bottle one day-not yet, but the imp is mine for the keeping. Emoticon rating: If you like this, try: Intrigue, Death Cap

Marie In the imp: rose and sweet violets. Wet on skin: rose and violets. Dry on skin: rose and violet, pure and simple. The darker, richer, full-bodied scent of red rose contrasts nicely with the soft, pale, powdery and pretty scent of violet. This scent really does have an old fashioned feel to it-it's a fragrance that does seem to belong to the era of Marie Antoinette. The powdery aspect of this scent does bring to mind her powdered wigs, and the rose is haughty and and full of itself. After a while: still rose and violet. This scent doesn't morph much-maybe the violet is a little bit more powdery, but this is an uncomplicated scent which is very stable on me. Verdict: another simple and effective rose-with-one-other-note scent. Rose and violet, the two notes blend very well, both equal and contrasting nicely. This really does seem a scent straight from the 18th century, this grandiose and proper scent is sophisticated and traditional. It really seems fit for Marie Antoinette-but if there was a bit of cake (as in, let them eat cake) and the metallic sharpness of a guillotine, it might have been even more appropriate and maybe nicer smelling on me. It's nice, but I have many other rose scents I prefer, this is a little bit too old fashioned for me though-it's a nice scent but I feel too young to pull it off, unless I were going to a French Revolution themed party or something and even then I'd choose Versailles as my scent. Swap. Emoticon rating: If you like this, try: Versailles, London, Lucy's Kiss, Peacock Queen, Pride

Magus In the imp: woods and incense. I smell cedar and sandalwood very easily, a hint of frankincense, and something sweet. Wet on skin: sweet sandalwood and cedar with a little bit of frankincense. Dry on skin: dry, dry, dusty woods. This is so woody! It's like planks of cedar and sandalwood polished with resin-it's a very nice scent, warm and almost like incense. I get a sweetish note to it all-not sure if that's high John or galangal. This is quite a pleasant scent. After a while: eventually it's a gorgeous cedar scent-pretty much all cedar, which is lovely, with a hint of sandalwood's warmth and frankincense's golden accents glistening through it. There's a slight spicy scent to it-almost like ginger, which may be galangal. There are times when this reminds me of Shadow, but without the lemon. Then the end drydown is a lovely sweet sandalwood-the two wood notes like to swap places in here, each one showing itself more over time. Verdict: I really like this scent-it is very, very woody but pleasantly so. It's a warm, dry, dusty scent of cedar and sandalwood and I really like the incense feel of the scent. There's a hint of sweetness to it all-not sure what's causing it, but it's predominantly woody. This is also a good, but non-lemony, substitute for the discontinued Shadow. Not one for a bottle but the imp's a keeper for now. This may be good to wear when reading Harry Potter or other wizardy/magician themed books. Emoticon rating: If you like this, try: Arcana, Shadow

Voodoo Queen In the imp: spicy, herbal incense. Maybe some musk. Wet on skin: now I can smell smouldering incense with spices… Dry on skin: this is gorgeous. Now I can smell a clear, golden resinous scent which must be amber. Sweet, delightful amber but it's a different amber to the usual BPAL golden or Egyptian amber I'm used to and I love. This one is sweeter and has a smoky incense like twist to it-it's a heavier amber, maybe it's black amber or ambergris? I also get lots of spicy, herbal notes-I'm not sure what spices but I'm thinking a little bit of pepper and ginger, maybe some saffron and clove. I also have that incense scent which may be a wood note-possibly sandalwood. I think I smell tobacco too. And there's musk. Probably two musk notes-a clear, light, fresh white musk with a smoky autumnal feel which reminds me of Devil's Night, and also a sweeter, deeper musk note which is just about noticeable. This scent does have slight resemblances to Devil's Night and Doc Buzzard but is also very, very different to anything I've smelt. After a while: a light, clear, sweet golden scent interspersed with spices, smoke and strong light musk. This brings to mind the image of real amber fossils-golden and clear with bits of insect and darker flecks suspended in the resin. This is, like others have said, is a more feminine counterpart to Doc Buzzard. Eventually, an almost oily scent appears-as in it’s almost like vegetable oil for cooking, it's a tad salty as well. This oily scent doesn't last, and then I'm left with a lighter, less sweet, more golden resin scent-copal perhaps? It ain't frankincense-this is lighter and does remind me of Greed, a bit. Around this resin scent, the herbal/spice notes still remain. Then the amber scent makes a comeback, sweetening the scent up again. I now detect the slightest hint of gentle vetiver. Verdict: what an intriguing and unusual scent! this is very much unlike many other BPALs-despite having passing similarities to Doc Buzzard and Devil's Night at times, most other times this is something quite unique. It's got an amber note that I've not smelt before-or maybe it's this amber combined with the unusual spices and incense notes that I've not encountered. It's a gorgeous amber though, and I smell a blend of herbs and spices that I can't really identify, a veil of smoke and a hint of wood, some musk notes, a hint of other resins and maybe some tobacco and/or vetiver. It's a complex, haunting, mysterious blend, it fits the name very well. It's so unusual and such a rarity and I am glad to have some-even if it is only half an imp. Emoticon rating:

Rosalind In the imp: dewberry! Yes! It smells very much like the Body Shop's Dewberry, which I used to wear a lot. Wet on skin: still dewberry, with a hint of grapefruit and a hint of green. Dry on skin: yup, still dewberry. Which shouldn't come as a surprise since the description mentions both dew and berries…but this is a little more complex despite it's similarities to the TBS scent. I get something like grapefruit, or citrus at least, it's a tangy fruit scent, it's very fresh. I also get grass notes, green and tangy, surrounding the berry. It's a very wet scent, dewy and moist, and also very refreshing and alive, a real springtime or summer morning scent. After a while: I think I'm getting flowers now…very soft, gentle, fresh spring blossoms…I can't say what flowers they are but they are very pretty. The dewberry-citrus scent is still very strong-in fact, the citrus note seems slightly like yuzu now, I get a slight Aizen Myoo similarity at times. The drydown is all dewberry with a hint of flowers, but I'm really surprised at how long the 'citrus' (if that's what it is) is lasting-it got remarkable staying power in here. Eventually this becomes a sharp white floral-citrus that fades away quickly. Verdict: I used to wear dewberry lotion and wash with dewberry soap a lot as a kid/pre-teen. This smells just like the TBS dewberry, or the Boots dewberry which smells identical to me. This is, as far as I know, the only BPAL which smells of dewberry (Cheshire Cat had a hint of something like it at the end, but not like this) however, this scent has a little bit more to it. I get lots of citrus-grapefruit or yuzu, sharp and crisp. I get a little greenery, and just the faintest hint of white spring flowers. Oh, and the dew? I'm amazed at how Beth can make a scent smell wet without any blatant aquatic notes-she gives the impression of dew amongst flowers and fruit. Despite the incredible longevity of the citrus note here (if it is citrus) the scent as a whole doesn't last long on me. I might keep the imp-no bottle yet-because this is a fresh, zesty, happy and light scent, great for summer, and because of the old dewberry nostalgia. Emoticon rating: If you like this, try: Cheshire Cat, Aizen Myoo

Dragon's Musk In the imp: mmm, a soft scent of sweet, Snake Oil/Smutty musk… Wet on skin: gorgeous black musk with a slight tinge of dragon's blood. Dry on skin: wow, this is really good stuff. It's surprisingly light, at first, a close-to-skin scent of sweet black musk and red musk, there's also a Smut like scent to it which must be the legendary Siberian musk I've heard so much about. I get a lighter, slightly tangy skin musk over it all. The dragon's blood just adds a red, slightly metallic scent to it all, it goes very well with all the musk notes without taking over. This is a subtle scent-but a very sexy one, I must say. After a while: eventually all the other musk notes seem to fade a bit, and the scent I'm left with is extremely subtle. But when I sniff my wrist, I get a hint of something very much like vanilla, very reminiscent of Snake Oil or toned down Smut…I'm wondering if this is Siberian musk sweetening up? It could also be the remains of black musk. I also get a slightly tangy, translucent, very barely there, 'glowing sun warmed skin' scent which to me, is Egyptian musk. This really is a skin musk, enhanced and deepened slightly, sensual and despite its subtlety, I occasionally catch wafts of it away from my wrist-wafts of vanilla-esque musk and darker musk appearing from nowhere. After a period of barely there, the musk is a bit more noticeable now, soft, smooth and sexy. Slightly feral and animal but in a good way-this doesn't veer into the forbidden civet territory where very few scents should tread. But it's still very subtle. After another period of incredible subtlety, it then strengthens a touch to become a delicious, sexy and sweet dark skin musk with a hint of incense…oh yeah, this is good stuff. Verdict: this is like the soft porn version of the very X-rated Smut…but that's no bad thing. This is much more subtle, sophisticated and gentle-not full on and hardcore. At first I get lots of deep complex musks but then the scent retreats and becomes a very barely there scent. More like a flush of scent, momentary and evanescent but beautiful. Wafts of soft, vanilla like musk with hints of flushed skin and deeper, more feral tones rumbling gently underneath. This scent pulses, it moves between periods of deep, soft but noticeable musk to times when it's almost non-existent and seems to disguise itself as the scent of my own skin, but I get hints of it that catch me by surprise. This scent is unbelievably sexy, sensual, gorgeous and a real masterpiece of the musk scents…in fact, this is my favourite Ars Draconis now. I don't know if I'll get a bottle yet because there are parts when it's a little bit too faint for me but I'm definitely keep the imp and get more some day. Emoticon rating: If you like this, try: Smut, Snake Oil

Bloodlust In the imp: dragon's blood, patchouli and that heavy-as-lead vetiver. Wet on skin: I can smell a little bit of cinnamon, but this isn't the nice, sweet stuff, this is a drier, more brutal cinnamon with intense red notes behind it. Dry on skin: whoa, this stuff is powerful. It's almost like Serpent's Kiss meets Wrath. Tons of dragon's blood, earthy patchouli, dense vetiver, a spike of cinnamon…no musk yet but I'm sure it will appear soon. This is such an intense, red, and seething scent! More angry than Wrath or Rage, in fact. After a while: metallic dragon's blood and spicy vetiver. This now reminds me of Umbra, but with lots of dragon's blood…it's dark, growling, still seething away but not lashing out as before. And yes, this vetiver has the potential to last several showers. I was hoping for some red musk, but I can't smell it-the vetiver just rampages through this blend destroying everything in its path. It's all vetiver vetiver vetiver on me with no sign of letting up. Verdict: this is probably the angriest smelling BPAL ever on me. Rage was too wussy for me. Wrath was too anger-managed. The Enraged Musks, so far, smelt lovely but didn't smell enraged to me. This on the other hand, is absolutely furious. The dragon's blood and vetiver are really crazy in here, eating all the other notes alive. At first I got a little bit of cinnamon and patchouli but then it's all dragon's blood and it's psychotic partner in crime, Vicious Vetiver, dominating the scent, fuming and growling. The red musk is much too scared to even show its face. It certainly fits the name, I must say, and Beth has really captured primal rage excellently. I just wouldn't wear this as perfume. I'm an angry Aries, this may make things worse. I much prefer Blood Kiss for if I want bloody-vetiver. Emoticon rating: If you like this, try: Wrath, Mars, Blood Kiss, Rage, Brimstone, Umbra

Greed In the imp: whoa, patchouli! Another scent that's got a whopping punch of patch to it. no bad thing though-BPAL's patch is earthier, drier and more incense like than blatant 'essence of hippy'. Wet on skin: now I get some golden resin appearing-must be the copal! Dry on skin: this is lovely stuff! Patchouli and copal! Like patchouli incense, but more golden. I've always wondered what copal smells like and I couldn't really make it out in other scents but I'm certain I can pick it out in here-a golden, sharp resin, slightly green and dry, almost herbal. Not as intense and piercing as frankincense. Come to think of it, this is definitely what I smelt in that oil beginning with X that I can't spell. I can also smell the moss as well, but no heliotrope, yet. After a while: there's a lot more moss at this point-that smooth, powdery, verdigris scent. I'm still getting lots of copal here, and patchouli as well. Still hardly any heliotrope though-where is that soft, sweet, almost cherry-vanilla scent hiding? It may be adding to the powdery scent, but it's not sweetening it as I hoped it would. I do get a Luperci-lite vibe from this scent as well. Verdict: I really like this earthy, patchouli-heavy blend, and I also like the way it has familiarised me more with copal. I can really pick it out here and it's lovely, all golden and resinous but not too piercing. This is a scent of earthy, mossy ground with sunlight shining on it. The patchouli is nice and strong, the moss adds a soft, powdery feel to it but the only disadvantage about this scent is that I can't smell the heliotrope-a note which I love. I can only barely make it out at times but it's not adding it's sweetness to the scent as usual. But even so, this is a pleasant scent-not sure if it's a keeper yet though. Emoticon rating: If you like this, try: Dance of Death, Luperci, Urd, Omen

Lurid In the imp: soapy lavender, but not a bad soapy scent. I can totally get where the Lush 'It's a Date' comparisons are coming (thanks, Lush NA forumites!) from because I get a similar scent here. Wet on skin: oh yeah, it really is a cross between It's a Date and Twas the Night Before Christmas. And that's a good thing. Dry on skin: I like this a lot. There are some soapy-ozone scents that I don't like but there are others that are lovely-and this is one of them. I love this because, as I expected from the notes, it smells like Lush Black Pearl (not BPAL Black Pearl) or Twas the Night, with a little bit of It's a Date/Sugar Plum. It's an effervescent lavender-currant scent with airy musk and fresh ozone-I swear there's some citrus here too. maybe some sweet resins as well. After a while: yup, it still smells like Twas the Night, or maybe Blackberry Bomb. It's a lovely 'purple' scent of blackcurrant (but surprisingly, it seems the lavender is still sticking around) with a very pleasant, clean ozone and light musk note…I think I'm getting some resin underneath, maybe it's benzoin? It's a sweet resin note. The only problem with this scent is that it fades very fast…it's so faint after a short time, leaving just a trace of currant-musk. Verdict: I really like this a lot-despite it having a definite 'soapy ozone' scent to it. I like it because it reminds me of so many Lush products-including one of my all time favourites, Sugar Plum, but it's lavender-blackcurrant-resin-soap scent does make it smell like Lush Black Pearl as well. a very purple scent, fizzy and lively, fruity, very clean and refreshing, with that delightful white musk smoothing it out. I wish it was a bit stronger and lasted longer on me, because I like this a lot better than I expected. I'm not getting a bottle yet but I'm keeping the imp thanks to it's resemblance to Sugar Plum. Emoticon rating: If you like this, try: Villain, Ode on Melancholy, King of Hearts

Blood Kiss In the imp: honey, cherry and wine…maybe a little vetiver? Wet on skin: whoa, this is the vetiver of doom, the stuff that sticks to my skin for days…along with honeyed wine and black cherry, maybe some opium smoke? Dry on skin: wow, this is intense! Dark, dramatic, very theatrical, I think. Deep red fruit notes (cherry and wine) covered with a beautiful honey note, possibly sweetened by vanilla, a hint of clove to spice it up, and a lot of vetiver, adding a dark, ashy, sinister backdrop to the scent. There's something metallic to the scent-probably the vetiver and clove doing this-which really fits the name and works very well with the scent. I really like it. After a while: the sweeter, fruity notes have gathered together to make a delicious honey-wine scent smoothed out by sugary vanilla and a little bit of red musk, whilst there's a definite separate layer of smouldering, incense like vetiver underneath it all. This is a very nice scent-I quite like what the vetiver is doing here and how the honey wine and vanilla is softening it a little. Verdict: this such an interesting scent because it's sweet, sexy and fruity but has a dark side-the vetiver lurking underneath it all. I love the sweet honey note here-it mixes so nicely with the wine and the cherry is very nice as well. It's sweetened further by vanilla, and I get the lightest hint of musk and clove. But underneath that gorgeous, decadently sweet layer is a sinister, brooding note of vetiver-the 'evil' kind-the type that will take ages to fade and smells deep, dirty, gritty, smoky, and almost like incense. It has a metallic twist to it, which is fitting for a blood scent, and I think the poppy may enhance the vetiver's smoky scent. This is a very well crafted scent, dramatic, sinister, voluptuous and very well named-not a favourite but certainly one of my preferred heavy vetiver fragrances. I'm keeping the imp. Emoticon rating: If you like this, try: Blood, Bloodlust, Death of Sardanapal, Voodoo

Olokun In the imp: hmm, there's some dark residue at the bottom of the imp. The only other scents where I've seen that is Bliss and Virgo. The scent on the other hand…smells like Kingsport with melon! Wet on skin: melon, but now with a bit more of the salty aquatic notes coming out. Dry on skin: this smells of fresh honeydew melons and the sea. This is very similar to Yemaya (both GC and TAL) only with more of an emphasis on the marine notes, therefore making this slightly more gender neutral or masculine. There may be a bit of cucumber in here as well, but it's mainly melon and aquatic, salty, fresh notes, the scent of sea spray, maybe with a little bit of algae? Possibly some white floral notes too. I was expecting this to smell like Cthulhu but it actually smells very similar to Kingsport on me, it has that same sweet-salty thing going on. After a while: yup, it's turned to Kingsport on me. Which is a good thing since I quite like Kingsport. It's slightly more melony and tropical though-like a sea breeze from a warm sea with delicious refreshing melons. It also has a resemblance to Dirty, thanks to the floral note I detect in the background mingling with the marine ozone. Verdict: if you love Kingsport and are looking for a good GC alternative, then Olokun is for you. This is a bright, summery, breezy sea scent with a lot of melon thrown in for good measure. It has a very similar fruit-ozone, sweet-salty scent to Kingsport to it, there may be some floral notes as well, white and smooth, under that fresh, marine scent, and the melon note makes this scent very similar to Yemaya as well, though less sweet and melon-centred. This scent is refreshing and clean, almost effervescent and to me, this isn't the dark, unfathomable depths, but the breaking of waves and spray on a tropical beach. I don't know if I'll keep the imp since, as I said, it resembles Kingsport and Yemaya, but if I run out of the former I'll get more, this scent is another one that just screams 'summer'! Emoticon rating: If you like this, try: Yemaya, Kingsport, Sea of Glass

Dragon's Reverie In the imp: a little bit of opium, a lot of ylang-ylang, maybe some amber. Wet on skin: deep, heady smoky flowers with the barest hint of dragon's blood. Dry on skin: wow, this is gorgeous! Rich, sweet and heady, I smell strong floral notes of ylang and poppy covered with sweet, sticky amber the dragon's blood is detectable but not too invasive-it adds it's distinctive, almost lilac like note to the scent. This is a heady flower-amber scent that is deep and soporific, almost perfume like but with resinous touches. After a while: whoa, this has become even more balanced, rounded, richer and warmer. I can smell the dragon's blood a bit more, it's metallic redness mingled with lilac tones, but this scent takes d-b and enhances and sweetens it with that gorgeous amber scent and a huge dose of ylang. It does also have the feel of a sophisticated perfume to it. It's very beautiful, I think, warm and sultry like a summer's night, and I get a little bit of smoke at the end-the remains of the poppy/opium? There are parts when this scent reminds me of Blood Amber (which is understandable) and also, to a smaller degree, the Cracked Bell. Verdict: this is an enchanting scent-very heady and rich, it draws you in, a cloud of heavy fragrance that feels soporific, dreamy, with a hint of smoke from the poppy, and a lot of ylang and amber. I do get dragon's blood but this is enhanced dragon's blood, dragon's blood from a dream, more beautiful than reality. It is feminine and mature, a grown up and sophisticated scent, sultry and exotic. This scent is one for the night-be it for an evening out, or for sleeping with-I wonder if it will induce nice dreams? I don't know if I want a bottle yet but I'm keeping the imp around because this is one of my favourite Ars Draconis scents, along with Milk and Claw. Emoticon rating: If you like this, try: Blood Amber, Blood Kiss, Cracked Bell

I stink of: Tulzscha, and sweat...ick. Well, maybe step-aunt is more accurate. I just got some wonderful news from my older half sister-she's pregnant! I'm so pleased for her, I always though she and her husband would make wonderful parents. The baby's due January. This is so exciting! Anyway, it's the hottest day of the year-so hot that even my BPAL ultimate heat-beater, Tulzscha, isn't working. Maybe I should apply some Lick It, since that worked wonders in Crete. I love sunny hot weather, and it's the same temperature here as it was in Crete and I coped with it ok there, but for some reason, it's much more unbearable in London. Maybe because it's not coastal or dry heat, or simply because there are no decent pools in the vicinity to dip in-I'm craving a dip in an outdoor swimming pool right now, or a dip in the sea... And I think I might be getting a job come August-I've had a lot more offers for some simple courier jobs, market research/telesales and even a job at Lush. I hope that I can get at least one of those jobs. Although maybe not when it's too hot, since the Tube is treacherous at this time of year...

#20 Love Oil In the imp: almonds and sharp, almost pickle like, 'voodoo spices'. Wet on skin: spicy, peppery almonds. It's a very unusual scent, like a whiff of a spice cupboard filled with arcane, mystical spices and herbs used for potions-not the usual kitchen spice. Dry on skin: whoa, this tickles the nose. This scent just crackles-it's like pepper but with other, unfamiliar spices that crackle and sparkle like fireworks. However, come to think of it, nutmeg might be in here, or maybe even chilli or paprika? I get a little bit more almond-though not the cherry scent, more like a raw nut scent, and also some rose at the back, which has the potential to grow stronger. After a while: rose! Now a lot of rose has surfaced. The scent now has similarities to TAL Amor, Red Devil, Harlot and Seraglio, only this is much more spicy, pungent and unusual, it has a real voodoo/potion feel to it-a brew of hot, smouldering, fiery spices and unconventional herbs. I do get cinnamon now, I think. Eventually, this scent is less spicy and much more of a powdery rose…and now I smell sandalwood. this really does resemble Seraglio now. Verdict: this really does smell less like perfume, more like the sort of scent I could expect to waft from a cauldron where a potion is brewing and simmering. Full of unusual spices that I'm having real trouble identifying-but I'm certain that there's pepper here-several varieties, possibly including chilli-but the note I recognise most is rose-and lots of it. There may even be a touch of orange and cinnamon here too. This hot, crackling scent also brings to mind the image of fireworks-quite apt for an amorous, passionate scent, I must say! The drydown scent is nicer and more perfumed-lots of sandalwood rose. This is very intriguing and different and almost confusing at the start, the drydown is pretty, but I do prefer Seraglio, Harlot and Baghdad to this-they are very similar and smell much nicer on me. Emoticon rating: If you like this, try: Red Devil, Seraglio, Harlot, Baghdad, Lucy's Kiss

Elegba In the imp: buttery rum, slightly caramel like, very similar to Grog. Wet on skin: like Grog with tobacco. Dry on skin: lots of butter rum, it's almost caramelised and has that same dusty scent to it (which I think is a skin thing), only this has a deep, rich cigar scent to it. It's a smoky, dark, dry, almost gritty tobacco scent at the base but I really like it. I get a desiccated coconut scent to it-like dry, grated coconut, not the creamy coconut of Obatala. I've just seen PotC2 so my mind is filled with Captain Jack Sparrow asking why the rum is always gone…this is very much a darker Grog or a less incensy Red Lantern. It's warmly spicy as well. After a while: the throw to this is a gorgeous caramelised coconut, soft, smooth and summery. The scent closer to the wrist is more tobacco-y, darker and drier, much smokier, with shredded coconut and the remains of the sugary rum. After a few hours, Elegba takes a break from rum and starts to smoke a cigar. the tobacco is much more pronounced and a lot smokier-but it doesn't smell like horrible cigarette smoke (not many BPAL tobacco blends smell like that anyway). This is good tobacco, like the crisp, deep burn of a cigar or pipe or even burning autumn leaves and bonfires-it's like a waft of smoke in the air, it's a lovely scent. There's a hint of sweetness, almost vanilla like, and coconut to it. It now reminds me of Arcana Soap's Devilish, only more coconutty. Verdict: I really like this scent-to me, this is Grog's grown up, chilled out brother. This starts off very similarly to Grog, with the exact same caramel-butter rum scent, swaggering up to my nose like a certain well-known pirate from a movie, but the drydown is what distinguishes Elegba from Grog. That's when the tobacco comes out-warm, deep, gently smouldering and leaving a scent that makes me think of bonfires in the autumn, with a hint of coconut-sugar sweetness lingering. I love the way that BPAL has changed my mind about rum and tobacco scents-this is such a pleasant scent, with elements of summer and autumn to it-not one for a bottle but I'll keep the imp around for the gorgeous smoky drydown. Emoticon rating: If you like this, try: Grog, Ogun, Spooky, Red Lantern