PurringPulsar

Delphi In the imp: herbs! This is very, very strongly herbal, almost savoury. That's definitely the bay. It reminds me very slightly of another Greek-themed scent, maybe Temple Greek? Wet on skin: what the…cheese?! I kid ye not. I smell parmesan here! Herbal parmesan cheese! Dry on skin: goodness me, this is strong, strong stuff. Very herbal and intense. It's not as cheesy as before but I still get hints of mature cheese here and there. But now the scent is predominantly bay (ie super-concentrated uber-bay, not just a nice herbal sprinkling of the stuff. Something that would smell nicer in food, not perfume!) and I am getting a little bit of honey wine, reminiscent of Tum. I'm hoping this honey sweetens the overall savoury scent I'm getting! After a while: it hasn't morphed for the better, it seems. It still has that sharp, savoury, slightly cheesy feel to it, despite the presence of the honey wine. In fact it's a dirty cheese scent, like foot sweat! Ick. This honey didn't strengthen much to overpower the intense herbal scent. After a few hours? Still herbal, sour, sweaty/cheesy honeyed wine. Verdict: I have no idea what went wrong here. I really wanted to love a scent named after Delphi. I normally love incense and honey-wine scents, and I don't seem to have a problem with bay. I also love Mediterranean herbal scents that remind me of those balmy evenings in Greece. But this turned to something truly awful on me…rotting sweaty cheese! I'm serious! It's a sharp, powerful, savoury scent, herbal and overwhelming, and foody, but in a savoury sense. It's bay leaves on steroids. Even the gentle honeyed wine scent behind it won't temper it. And it has a cheesy tone to it which just won't budge…and it's a sour cheese, almost like sweaty socks. I don't know what component turned evil in here but I'm afraid this is going straight to swaps. To sum it up in a smiley:

Rage In the imp: currant with a hint of dragon's blood, and tangy mandarin. Wet on skin: whoa, this is intense, almost medicinally sharp…I smell dragon's blood and currant, predominantly. Dry on skin: after that sharp spike of scent, it smoothes out a bit once dry. I think I smell the geranium now, I think that's what's calming the scent a bit. Oh yeah, that's geranium alright…and I loves me some geranium! The currant is there, adding it's darkly juicy tang to the scent. The dragon's blood isn't as strong now, and I think I get sweet, dark amber at the back. After a while: it's not long before this smoothes out even more into one of those well rounded autumnal fruit scents with a hint of spice, and in here, with geranium. I also get something almost vetiver-y, and with the dragon's blood, this brings to mind a more toned down Serpent's Kiss. And the currant is gorgeous in here, I think it's merged nicely with the amber. Over time, I still get that soft vetiver tinge to the scent. It's a lot smoother now, with the currant, geranium and amber all very nicely merged, there's also a warm, smoky feel to the scent. Verdict: it's funny. Considering my fiery temperament, I was surprised to smell that when Rage hit my skin, it became 'anger managed', so to speak. (but then again, it seems to be that way for a lot of the reviews here too!) It's sharp and intensely red when freshly applied, but mellows down so nicely when wet. I also love the geranium note in here-this is one of the very few BPALs where I can really pick this note out, and that's good, I love geranium anyway. It adds a smooth, warm, floral-lemon-herbal tone to the scent, mixing nicely with the juicy, plump currants and the sweet dark amber. the scent becomes rounder and more coherent over time, but I do get an unexpected surprise-a vetiver note. it's not in the note description but my vetiver locating and magnifying skin picks it out…it's not a strong vetiver but it adds a darker, gritty undercurrent. I like this scent a lot more than I expected, but I was sort of hoping it would smell 'angrier' on me, like it's name implies! To sum it up in a smiley: it should be but it was more

Hunger In the imp: the almost sharp floral scent of narcissus and orange blossom, with a hint of sweet, deep vanilla. Wet on skin: the tangy note of the orange blossom is more apparent. There's something almost animalistic about this scent-but in a good way. Dry on skin: oh my. Is there a hidden civet note in here? I'm getting an almost civet like animalistic tone to this scent-but not in a bad way. I think it may be the narcissus…something in here adds a dry, slightly bitter and feral musky scent to the orange blossom's sharpness and the vanilla's sweetness. There's also a hint of something reminiscent of tobacco, smoky and ashy. This is very raw and carnal, indeed! The vanilla is surprisingly discreet here, only apparent after the initial shock of the smoky, musky florals. After a while: ah, this is a lot smoother now. The scent is now a lovely smooth deep vanilla musk, in the same vein as Snake Oil, but without the spices. There is something odd though…I get a vetiver/tobacco note. It's not listed in the components, but I get something vetiver like in this scent. Verdict: this smelt totally different to what the listed notes implied, but certainly fitting with it's description. It's got vanilla, narcissus and orange blossom alright, but I think there be more to this than meets the eye (or the nose) once this hits skin. It's a feral, animalistic vanilla floral with almost civet like tones to it-raw and carnal, it is sharp and intense and not for the faint hearted! After a while, the 'civet' tones down into a deep musk scent, merging with the vanilla to form an almost Snake Oil like scent, but with an undertone of something vetiver or tobacco like, again, unexpected. It's not a bad scent, I quite like it, but it's a bit too much at times and I do prefer Snake Oil and other scents in that sexy vanilla category to this…but it's very well crafted and much more complex than one would expect. To sum it up in a smiley:

Hakkotsu In the imp: sandalwood and tangy bergamot. Very nice. Wet on skin: I love the sandalwood in here, it's so warm and lightly spicy, the bergamot is also in here. Can't make out the lily of the valley yet. Dry on skin: I like this! This blend has a very strong sandalwood note, and it's gorgeous…a dry, warm, smooth and lightly spicy scent, with the bergamot adding a light citrus touch. It reminds me of one of my sandalwood perfumes. The lily of the valley is surprisingly light here…but I can smell this delicate floral note gradually 'growing' out of the dry sandalwood. It's very pleasant, but it's also a very dry and pale scent…very fitting with it's skeletal inspiration. After a while: it's a bit more floral now, but the sandalwood is still going strong, with a delightful lily of the valley adding a little something extra. It's also a good lily of the valley note-it doesn't go soapy on my skin like it's been known to do at times, but it is slightly greenish. Verdict: this was a lot nicer than I was expecting…I love the sandalwood in this. It's a good strong sandalwood, warm, dry, smooth and lightly spicy. The bergamot adds a gentle citrus aspect to it, and the two notes together give an effect reminiscent of one of my sandalwood scents, which has a lemony feel to it. But the most surprising thing was how well the lily of the valley worked with the other notes. At times, this floral note can either be too strong or too soapy, but in here it was nicely discreet, adding a soft flowery undertone to the sandalwood, rounding it off nicely. The scent is dry, pale, and ghostly, but it's also warm and well blended and uncomplicated. I don't need any more of this but I'm definitely keeping the imp of this rare scent. To sum it up in a smiley:

If you hadn't guessed, that's the Doctor Who theme tune! I'm so excited because the new series has returned and is starting tomorrow! I love the new Dr Who, and I really want to track down some of the older episodes now. Dr Who fans may want to check this silly link out for a laugh! From time travelling doctors to real ones now...I think those sleeping pills my doctor prescribed me are really working. I needed something to reset my sleeping patterns into something a bit more normal (I go to sleep at 2am and get up at 11am-something induced by the drunk and stoned flatmates from hell at campus) but now thanks to those pills, I'm going to be early, and getting up early and feeling bright and awake (which is pretty incredible since I'm not usually a morning person at all!). I think that little ritual with TAL Determination helped a great deal with me getting my coursework done-it's not finished yet, but it just gave me the impetus to get going and do some good solid work without distraction. I love getting those challenging questions done...they are daunting at first but when I get them done, I feel good! I'm also excited because my Peony Moon order is winging it's way to me! I hope it gets to me before I go back to uni!

I second Leanan Sidhe as a perfect spring scent! Other spring staples of mine include Regan, Spirits of the Dead, The Unicorn, Empyreal Mist, Berenice, Perfumed Garden, Fee, Fee Verte, Fae, Nefertiti and Al Araaf.

Chris was an awesome Doctor, I agree! But I'm also aware that they replaced him with David Tennant, since I saw the special Christmas episode with him in it. I think he's going to be good as well, but I'll have to wait and see!

Dracul In the imp: a real 'tree sap' scent! Sweet yet fresh, almost pine like, but also dark. I smell mint, fir, and black musk, maybe a bit of tobacco. Wet on skin: a deep, rich, smoky forest scent with black musk and fresh mint and fir, with the tangy tinge of orange blossom and spices. Dry on skin: mmm, this is gorgeous! Rich, deep, spicy, smoky, dark, with a definite 'forest' feel to it and a light freshness as well. It's complex and grown up, and rather sexy! Sweet, slick black musk is the base note, anchored by smoky tobacco and spiced by cumin and clove-I'm wondering if the Peru balsam is in here as well (I have no idea what it smells like but I've read that's a sweet resinous scent). In between is the orange blossom, adding a slight fruity-floral scent which is also sweet and rather gentle. And on top is the fresh fir and the (now fading) mint. I think the orange blossom is getting stronger, it's sherbet-citrus tones becoming more apparent… After a while: the black musk in here is almost sweetly resinous or vanilla-like. It's very sweet. It's now balanced against the orange blossom with the tobacco underneath it. Very pleasant. The only unfortunate thing about this scent is it's not lasting long on me. The black musk sticks around but most of the other notes, apart from the tobacco and the orange blossom, have gone away. It's not long before I get a lovely amber like scent. I'm not sure if this is the black musk, or maybe the balsam? Verdict: this started out really nicely-a deep, rich, sweet musky and forest-y blend reminiscent of Black Forest, but deeper, smokier and more complex with spices and orange blossom, mint and tobacco. It's a unique and delicious scent, very unisex and pretty damn sexy as well. it does fade fast on me-the black musk and a bit of tobacco are the only notes that remain after a few hours, along with a mysterious (but very pleasant) amber like note…but they are a bit faint. I like this a lot but I just wish it lasted a bit longer on me because it's very well blended and well crafted as a scent. To sum it up in a smiley:

Joy In the imp: milky orange! This isn't the uber-citrus sunshine zing of Energy, this is creamier and gentler. There's a definite milky/creamy smell to this orange, like orange milkshake (which doesn't exist, oddly, but that's what it smells like!) or orange ice cream. Today I will apply this to the skin, but I will use this on a candle when I feel a big bout of the blues coming on as well. Wet on skin: oh, this is lovely. There's something about this that smells so comforting and reminds me of summer…probably because it's very slightly reminiscent of a suntan lotion (but not a coconut one)? Dry on skin: very pretty. At first, this really does make me think of a certain brand of sun cream. Not sure which one, but those sun cream scents always remind me of holidays, and thus, they make me feel happy. This is a creamy orange scent with a hint of green to it, but the orange fades slightly when dry on skin, and it gets interesting…there's something gently almondy/vanilla like but also powdery and delicate (heliotrope?) and also something which I'm sure is sweet pea. Yeah, I think there's sweet pea in here. Either that or a kind of lily, maybe calla lily? It has that waxy white petal quality to it which either means sweet pea or calla lily. After a while: after a short while, whilst still retaining that sweet pea/lily scent and with the orange lingering there in the background, I now get the summer holiday scent back. There's something slightly salty, reminiscent of the sea, a bit of greenness, and a floral 'whiteness/cleanness' which reminds me of clean beach towels. There's a hint of suntan lotion (the non-coconut variety), a smidge of ice cream, a little bit of chilled orange juice, and a definite sunny warmth with a cool breeze over it. Yes, this is what my skin smells like on the beach! This reminds me of being somewhere warm and sunny, where I can let all my worries go. Now that's enough to make me feel joyful-but in relaxed way, as opposed to a hyper and bouncy way. Over time, this summery scent still lingers, but a hint of tangerine (or is it more orange?) starts to creep in, which just makes it nicer. It's also a little bit sweeter. And yes, I do feel more cheerful now. The final scent lingering on my skin is pure orange/tangerine. I'm impressed at how tenacious these TAL citrus scents are, more so than the normal BPAL ones! Verdict (scent): in the vial, it's more like a milky orange, oranges with cream. But on the skin, it's like liquid summer holiday. I smell like I'm at my favourite Mediterranean beach resort, slathered in sun lotion, with hints of salt from my recent dip in the sea, dried off with a clean beach towel, the remains of ice cream and fruit juice lingering on my lips. I can even 'smell' the sun and the breeze here. it's pure summer in a scent, and the drydown is a smooth floral tangerine with lingering hints of beach. Very evocative and definitely a scent that induces happiness. Verdict (intent): another one that works. At first, I think it's a more relaxed kind of joy than what I was expecting. The kind of blissed out happiness you get when on you're on holiday, free from the stresses of everyday. Chilling out on the beach, away from it all. But then, I realise that I'm acting a bit more chirpy than usual. Maybe because it's Friday and I've eaten too much chocolate, or maybe it really is the Joy. I'm skipping round the house, singing silly songs I heard on the internet (songs about underpants and Daleks and so on…) without thinking that I'm making a fool of myself, and I'm just in a really happy mood. Which makes a change because most of the time I'm depressed by stress, but not today. I like this oil a great deal, and I love the way it makes me feel, but I don't know yet if I need a bottle (when it's released), since I also prefer Bastet's Laughter as my happy TAL, and Anthelion as my pick-me-up. I'll use the decant, for sure, and will see how it works on a candle. To sum it up in a smiley: (for scent), (for intent!)

Dreams are fantastic! I've been having some good dreams recently-the sort of dreams you don't want to wake up from. I have these dreams where I'm reading a book or watching a movie, and I end up inside the story or the movie, and then I'm told by the characters that i'm going to be shown somethings that will bring great wisdom, or I'm about to see something that will change my life, or will look into the archive of the world's ancient knowledge...or see clues as to what will happen in the future. And then of course I wake up. The only dreams I hate are the end of the world nightmares. I had one recently where the earth's crust totally disintegrated and volcanoes erupted everywhere and I saw it happen and was terrified. That was nasty. I've had a lot of apocalyptic nightmares-especially ones where I (and sometimes my family and friends) either survive the cataclysm, or I somehow bring it on because of some stupid mistake...

Determination In the imp: I think I'm going to do the candle thing with this one, my first proper candle ritual! I need a bit of determination to do my coursework, as I'm slacking these days, so I'm hoping this oil can get me going. The scent in the decant is earthy and intense, mainly patchouli and vetiver. Wet on skin: ooh, this sweetens nicely, so it's a sweet patchouli-vetiver. I anointed a candle with this oil whilst focusing on having the determination I need to do my coursework and revision-as I did this, I could feel some sort of energy in my hands-a light tingling sensation, which seemed like an indication that the oil was working... Dry on skin: the scent is actually quite nice, a sweet, but deep and earth patchouli-vetiver. There may be a sweet musk or a vanilla/tonka/amber note in here, it's very pleasant. But it does have a kick to it, a kind of strictness that says 'get to work! put your back into it!' though not too strictly, thanks to the sweetness. So right now I'm going to see what happens, intent-wise. After a while: over time, the scent of this oil gets drier, and also slightly powdery. I detect a woody undercurrent-maybe sandalwood? The vetiver note is deep and rich, and there may be tobacco in here as well. There's a powdery, light sweet scent to this reminiscent of violet or iris, it's probably a floral note. It's not bad as a scent…but that's nothing compared to what it's doing in terms of purpose! It seems my candle ritual is working and whilst I was burning the candle with this oil, I was getting so focused on my coursework, I was working so hard and nothing distracted me! Verdict (scent): this is of a deep, rich, earthy vetiver based scent with a sweetness to it which may be from a resinous note, or some vanilla, and also some patchouli and a sweet wood note. there's also a powdery aspect to the scent which may be floral in origin, maybe violet or iris? It's a pleasant scent, but not one I'd wear as perfume (but then again, that's not the point). It's a bold, solid, stern scent but with something sweetening and softening it. Verdict (intent): whoa. This stuff is incredible! I don't know if it's the oil, the scent, the action of doing a ritual or what, but I did a candle ritual with this, dressing a white candle (I had no other colours at the time, and I don't know what colour is good for determination so I thought all-purpose white will do) whilst concentrating on doing well and working hard on my coursework. Now the coursework I need to do is an absolute bitch, it is maths relating to my degree, and it's HARD. I had tried to do it before but kept getting distracted. But as soon as the candle was lit (and I had a bit on my wrists), I was incredibly focused. I was determined to do those questions. I didn't chicken out by looking at them and thinking 'shit, this is so hard, my brain hurts!' I worked hard on them and tried my best to work them out without stopping, without a distraction, for one whole hour. And that's pretty amazing for me because usually it's just five minutes of maths before I get distracted by something else or drift off. I'll have to try this again to make sure it wasn't a fluke, and if not, I'm getting a bottle for sure! (Next time, I'm going to try this with Concentration!) To sum it up in a smiley: (for scent), (for intent!)

Severin In the imp: sharp, almost perfume-y and citrus-y tea. Wet on skin: now the leather comes out with the fresh tea and bergamot scent on top. Dry on skin: mmm, not bad! This smells almost like manly cologne spritzed all over a leather jacket. And this jacket and cologne belong to a very hot young guy. Quite a sexy combination! The scent is masculine yet youthful and fresh, and also quite sophisticated. The tea and earl grey/bergamot are nice and tangy, and the leather is deep and rich and wonderful as usual. After a while: now this also reminds me of something…I think it also smells like new car seat leather? Yeah, something about this reminds me of cars or transport of some sort. Probably a memory of scents of leather and fresh perfume in a car or train/plane? It makes me think of travelling. Yeah, the more I smell this, the more it reminds me of being in someone's car. Freshly cleaned, perfumed pleasantly, and of course with leather seats. I can't work out whether it's a good memory or a bad one (ie one of those journeys where I ended up being car-sick!) but it really does remind me of cars! Over time, this becomes pretty much all leather. Not as intense as De Sade, it's a softer leather with just a tinge of fresh tea. I don't have the car association as much now, since this now smells similar to other lovely leather blends. It then gradually becomes a soft leather single note. Very nice. Verdict: this is a very nice leather scent, which is both deep and fresh at the same time. The tea and bergamot notes add a hint of youthful cologne to the scent, almost like a man's perfume sprayed on a leather jacket. But there's a point in the scent that reminds me of that new car smell-a new or just-cleaned car with leather seats, and it reminds me of a journey in such a car, but I'm not sure if the memory is a good one. (Most of my memories of strong smelling cars are of the journeys where I've felt a bit sick and the scent of the car-however pleasant-aggravates the nausea.) That's the only thing that bugs me about this scent. but after a while, it returns to a soft leather scent, almost like a softer, gentler De Sade, a leather single note which smells comforting to me. Not a favourite for reasons already listed, but I do like it. To sum it up in a smiley:

The Vortex In the imp: pure lemongrass. Nothing else for now, just lemongrass. Wet on skin: still pure lemongrass. This reminds me of TAL Concentration. A piercing, intense lemongrass scent. Dry on skin: pure lemongrass oil. I can't smell anything else so far, apart from the lemongrass, which is very strong and powerful. It reminds me of Thai restaurants (both the food and those little refreshing serviettes they give out) and the oil my old physics teacher used to burn in class…it's a scent which clears the mind and awakens me. After a while: over time, the lemongrass scent becomes 'dirtier' and grittier, almost earthy, slightly herbal, but still piercingly lemony. As the lemongrass tones down after a while, I detect a little bit of pepper underneath, maybe some ginger, but mainly pepper. Maybe some herbs too. It reminds me of lavender-less Nanshe. I'm surprised at how long the lemongrass in here is lasting on me-usually it fades pretty fast, but not here. It sticks around for a very long time in this. Verdict: this starts out as a pure lemongrass single note. Almost like wearing lemongrass essential oil-which is incredibly strong stuff (I've not done this with the e.o. in it's neat form, but I've made an e.o. blend with lemongrass, and dang, that's one powerful oil! One drop took over the whole scent!) so it's all piercing and intense lemongrass and not much else, and it lasts a long time…but after a while, it gets grittier and a bit dirtier in scent and something spicy/herbal appears, probably pepper. This is definitely not something I'd wear as perfume (but it's not a bad scent!) this to me seems more like a working oil. I would like to know exactly how to work with this oil in conjunction with the Chakras, but I also think this oil would also help with keeping the mind focused, an aid for concentration…since it smells very similar to the TAL of the same name (but without the mint). But I would like to know how to use the Vortex with the other Chakra oils. (I'm also wishing I got vanilla from this…I get none whatsoever.) To sum it up in a smiley:

Hehehe. Squee. I don't know the comic, but just by the name, it's such an appropriate choice, since it's something us BPALers say a lot

Energy In the imp: whoa! Zingy orange sherbet! It reminds me of a soft drink of sorts… Wet on skin: I think there's lime in here as well…and lemon and orange. It's a citrus cocktail! Dry on skin: I love this! This is a zesty, perky scent that really screams 'WAKE UP!' every time I sniff my wrist…it's a fizzy, sunny, sparkling mix of sweet and tangy citrus, I think orange, lime and lemon are the main ones. It has a sugary tone reminiscent of those fruit pastille sweets and also some soft drinks, but that's a good thing-this is a fun scent and it really seems to work! After a while: oh my goodness…this smells like tangerine peels now! I have been looking for a BPAL with a prominent tangerine note that smells just like the scent you get on your fingers when you peel a tangerine/satsuma/clementine-and it's in here. Mmm, the smell of tangerines always reminds me of Christmas…but the presence of other citrus notes make this smell more summery and sunshine-y. Over time, the sweet tangerine becomes the dominant scent, and though it's a bit fainter, it's lasting a lot longer on my skin than I expected it would! However, like most citrus scents, it does fade away pretty fast. Verdict (scent): I've found my perfect scented energy booster! I didn't like Moxie because that had a note that reminded me of asphalt and rubber, but this has none of that. This is pure citrus, zingy and alive. It has sugary undertones that make the scent even more cheerful, and I get dominant notes of the peels and juices of lime, orange and lemon, and also tangerine! It makes me want to drink a healthy fresh squeezed orange juice, and get out into the sunshine (well, if there is any sunshine, which at the moment, there isn't…) I love this! Verdict (intent): yup, this works. Another example of scent aiding intent, this bright citrus fragrance is the sort of scent that awakens and perks me up when I smell it. I was feeling rather lethargic earlier on but this stuff really seems to get rid of the laziness. It works very well on the skin, but I think using this as a room fragrance or on a tissue will work equally well. And I must remember to sniff this whenever I have an early morning, when my brain refuses to get out of sleep mode… To sum it up in a smiley:

Fortunato In the imp: my goodness, this really does smell like sherry! I get a fruity booze, but with an earthy scent to it like damp soil. It fits the description. Wet on skin: I get a bit of bitter orange now (and it's a very bitter orange indeed), but it still smells like sherry. Dry on skin: now I'm reminded of something from Lush! No, seriously…although it still smells of sherry, I'm now getting a hint of something from Lush about this-and I think it smells like Blackberry Bomb crossed with Angel's Delight/Miranda. I like this a lot! It's a fun scent, fruity and bubbly with sherry, berries, hints of orange and booze, and a little bit of earth and patchouli at the back to darken it all very slightly. It really is a scent of drunken glee. After a while: this stays the same…still reminiscent of Lush but I think it's getting boozier and darker. The true sherry scent seems to be returning, and the scent becomes less sweet, and more bitter. And indeed, the scent gets less and less cheerful and bright, it becomes a deeper, darker sherry scent over time. After a few hours, a slightly greenish woody note turns up…dry and dark, it's almost like a vetiver note and not really patchouli on my skin, which is unusual. The sweet fruit still lingers but is fading away. The final scent on my skin is a sweeter wood, with a hint of fruity booze. Like a just emptied sherry barrel. Verdict: let me just say that this scent fits the description and inspiration behind it very well. it does indeed start off as a gleeful, carefree, giddy scent, fruity bubbly berries and orange with a boozy hit of real sherry. It also reminded me of what would happen if Lush Miranda or Angel's Delight had a drunken one-night stand with Blackberry Bomb…but then the scent becomes less cheerful and darkens. The boozy sherry increases and the woody, earthy notes are more apparent, before becoming the dark scent of a gloomy barrel or wooden cask of sherry that has been emptied with hints of the drink still remaining against a woody backdrop. It's not a favourite of mine-if the just dry stage of Lush fruity fun had stayed that way for a bit longer, I would have preferred it. But it's very well made and fits the description to a T, so I'll keep the decant I have. To sum it up in a smiley:

Sahasrara: the Crown In the imp: lotus! Sweet, fruity, creamy lotus…I think I detect a little bit of frankincense too. Wet on skin: sweet lotus with a peppery undertone… Dry on skin: wow, this is an interesting scent! A colourful, firework like explosion of bright sweet lotus and possibly some sweet juicy fruits or sugary notes as well, with the spicy, piercing and brilliant resin scent of frankincense, with a crackling scent of pepper and 'chakra spices' underneath. And maybe just an undertone of Indian incense, reminiscent of joss sticks and new-age shops, I think it's either sandalwood or nag champa. A very complex, multi-layered scent with many aspects, but it's very well blended, full of light, and very uplifting. After a while: eventually all the notes-the lotus, the spices, the sandalwood (and maybe nag champa) and the frankincense all merge together nicely. No longer separate notes, they are all balanced and all at one, making for a unique and glorious fragrance which is candy-sweet, warm, spicy, fruity, floral, fruity and incense-like. It's cheerful and summery yet also profound and much more than a sugary sweet lotus scent. At times, I get some drier notes coming through…I'm pretty sure that's sandalwood, as it reminds me of other sandalwood scents. I also get something almost like coconut-but that may be lotus, as the SN sometimes goes a bit coconutty on me (which is a good thing!) After an hour, though the fruity lotus scent has great throw, close to the wrist, the scent is more like dry, spicy sandalwood incense, which is very nice. There's also a moment which reminds me of the Hanged Man, that purple lotus with other florals scent. But then after a few hours, the sweetness returns to the scent, it's sweetly fruity and quite creamy. I know it's lotus causing the fruity sweetness, but at times I get nuances of peach and mango in here as well. I think there may be vanilla in here as well, adding that extra creamy sweetness, and I get a golden feel to this scent which makes me wonder if there's a little bit of amber here too. Verdict: another favourite in the Chakra collection. This scent puts into my mind a strong visual-a colourful starburst: a firework exploding into multicoloured sparks, one of those lotus mandala pictures, or a kaleidoscope…a glorious and complex lotus based scent with dashes of spice and incense, I'm thinking frankincense and sandalwood, as well as the peppery base common to all Chakra scents. The scent morphs from sweet, fruity, sugary lotus to dry spicy incense and back, it's very complex and with many facets, a unique scent which is uplifting and full of light. There are moments which remind me of the Hanged Man, and others that remind me of good quality joss sticks with nag champa, and by the end, the scent smoothes out into a delicious fruity lotus scent with lingering traces of incense. All in all, a wonderful scented experience and one of the most unique perfumes I've ever smelt-there is nothing else quite like this. To sum it up in a smiley:

Ajna: the Third Eye In the imp: mint! In fact, this smells like Moroccan mint tea that has gone cold, with a hint of anise and eucalyptus. Very refreshing. Wet on skin: still mint tea. This smells so much like mint tea (not just peppermint candy or gum) it's uncanny. It even cools the skin! Dry on skin: mint with eucalyptus, and maybe a dash of anise. It's a little bit more medicinal now, not as mint tea like as before…but underneath the slightly medicinal, cool, fresh scent of menthol and eucalyptus, I'm getting a dry spice scent…almost like curry powder, I'm thinking it's either turmeric or saffron. Maybe with ginger as well, or pepper. I've noticed that all the Chakra scents have a background of Indian spice. And as I sniff, I get the smell of those little sugared aniseeds they serve at Indian restaurants. A scent both fresh and cool, but with dry spicy warmth. It's a scent that clears the mind, that's for sure…and still feels very cold on my wrist. I will be using this a lot come summer. After a while: as the mint fades, the scent gets warmer, the spices are more apparent. The dominant note is now aniseed on a background of spices, either turmeric or saffron, maybe both, and possibly some coriander and cumin as well. It reminds me of being in a spice market, where you have huge piles of yellow, red and orange coloured powders in huge mounds around you and the scent of spice fills the air. I'm reminded of being in Tunisia and Morocco, in spice markets like that. Only, with this scent, it smells like I'm chewing aniseeds whilst I browse the piles of sunset-coloured powders, wondering which ones to buy. But there's still a coolness there, possibly eucalyptus, which adds a refreshing breeze to this otherwise heated scent. Over time, the scent becomes more and more like anise/aniseed, with hints of faint savoury spice. The final scent I get after a few hours is of a something herbal which I recognise, but I cannot name…I have smelt it before but I don't know what it is! Maybe sandalwood? It is kind of incense like and very exotic... Verdict: this is such a unique and fascinating scent! It smells of cool, fresh mint and eucalyptus, with a twist of aniseed (less like liquorice, and more like the sweets you get at Indian restaurants) and the dusty warmth of savoury spices. There are parts of this scent that remind me of holidays in Morocco and Tunisia, those are the stages when I smell spice markets and mint tea on my wrist. At first the scent is very cooling-even cooling the skin, but it warms up and the spices and aniseed come forth even more over time. I think the spicy mix consists of turmeric, saffron, coriander, cumin, maybe some ginger or pepper…it's a blend of Indian spice like in the other Chakra scents. This isn't a scent I'd wear as perfume, but it's so unique and it seems like one of those blends that will really work-it wakes you up, clears the mind and cools the skin (it will be perfect for summer!). I can't wait to try this on my third eye and see what happens.

...but the tart doesn't smell of cherries! I burnt a tart for the first time yesterday-it was Alternative Breeding's Einstein-and I'm very impressed. They are stronger than scented candles-so strong that not only did my room smell nice, but the whole house did! The smell is lovely too-a refreshing herbal cucumber. And a very appropriate scent to revise my physics work with! I have loads of tarts to try out but since tarts take longer to burn away than candles, I'll have to wait until this one is done... I am so busy trying out new imps that my bottles don't even get the attention they deserve! So today I tried out my bottles of Seraglio and Cairo for the first time. (I bought Cairo in August.) I'm glad Seraglio doesn't have the 'soapy almond' note I got in a recent bottle of Queen of Sheba (which I usually adore) and an imp of Port au Prince-I think that was a certain batch variation that went a bit awry on my skin when the usual almond notes don't do that. But the sandalwood is more pronounced, and I love that. And my bottle of Cairo isn't as lemony as the imps I tried, this one smells more like sweet red wine with myrrh and other fruits, and also a hint of papyrus and lotus, and a dry note that makes me think of hot sand, which is fitting. To be honest, I don't feel bothered to do my coursework. The procrastination bug kicks in again, it seems. I'm getting through it veeeeeery slooooooowly. But maths is an absolute beyatch. Thank goodness I can go and see my tutors every now and then, when they are not at any conferences... My tastes in chocolate are getting more and more expensive. Sure, I love my Cadbury's and have been eating more Creme Eggs than is healthy, I just want something a bit more luxurious for Easter this year. I love all those yummy cinnamon and cardamom chocolates or the ones with strawberries and cracked black pepper and coffee beans and lemon peel and so on. I have my eye on one particular choccy egg or two but they are very pricey...about the price of a BPAL LE bottle each. maybe I shouldn't bother with chocolate and just buy more BPAL-especially if it smells of chocolate.

Vishuddha: the Throat In the imp: spicy herbs, warm and soothing. Wet on skin: now a sweet, resinous note peeks out, but I don't know what it is…I also get a herbal note which I think is thyme. It's still spicy. Dry on skin: ooh, this is gorgeous. I think I can now smell smoky frankincense here-or myrrh? Maybe both? I get a dry smoky note here that may be opium but I'm not certain. The scent is sweet and deep, yet with tangy/piercing accents of herbs-I can smell thyme and rosemary here, maybe some fennel or anise. I think there's lavender here but I'm not sure if it's lavender now…it may be a lemon herb (lemon balm?) or geranium. It's a mixture reminiscent of La Fee Verte. There's a definite incense feel to it though, but it's herbal incense, which is interesting. A warm hint of peppery spice-which I think is the special 'secret spicy chakra blend' common to all the Chakra oils, is also in here. It's hard to tell exactly what's in this, because it's very well blended! After a while: ah, I think I get amber now. Sweet, golden amber punctuating the deep, smoky herbal scent. It may be benzoin or ambergris too, which sometimes smell amber-y. It's also a lot lighter and sweeter, which may be due to the amber or another sweet note, possibly vanilla, heliotrope or tonka? Wisps of smoky incense still linger with the sunny herbs around the edges. Over time, the amber scent gets replaced by the sharp, dark, aged, smokier scent of myrrh. It's not as sweet but it's wonderfully resinous now, almost like one of the BPAL resin-incense scents. However, it's a dry incense as opposed to the slightly sticky feel this scent had before. I still get herbs at the edges of the scent. However, at other times, the sharpness of the myrrh smoothes out and I get the lemony note the other reviews mention…and I think it's lemon balm-as lemon balm is the lemon scent that lasts longest on me without fading or going soapy. Then there's a final stage where it has a sweet creamy smoothness, before turning into a lovely frankincense-herb scent with a hint of creamy, smoky musk at the back. Verdict: I like this a lot. Although I can't tell exactly what's in here apart from 'herbal spicy incense', I love the feel and scent of this. Well blended, deep, mystical and meditative is what this smells like. I get herbal notes (lemon balm, thyme and rosemary are clearest) mingling with resins-amber and myrrh, most probably- and a sweet note. I also get a spicy pepper-based undertone which I have noticed in other Chakra scents. It's a very complex scent-and it's also very mercurial in the way it morphs and shifts constantly, but the notes are very well balanced though so nothing stands out, so everything is blended well. I also think this will be brilliant as a meditation aid, it has that 'feel' to it, very calming, soothing and centring, and warm, like a sunny herb garden, but also a unique scent to wear as perfume. I think this is one of my favourite Chakra oils so far.

Les Infortunes de la Vertu In the imp: dark, masculine, orange blossom cologne. Wet on skin: leather comes out now, deepening the tangy orange blossom. Dry on skin: mmm, leather! This reminds me of Bow and Crown's leather, a soft, rich, sexy leather-only this time it's with sophisticated fresh orange blossom cologne instead of vanilla musk, and also has a soft mossy base. I don't get too much rose or floral notes here, but I'm getting hints of amber and smoky incense coming through. It's a complex scent, but very nice. After a while: despite the scent's many notes, this stays very consistent on me. It's still delicious black leather with moss, and also hints of orange blossom and dry incense smoke, and a hint of something woody reminiscent of the cedar in Bow and Crown. I don't get any rose here at all, which is a shame but I like the scent as it is anyway. The leather now reminds me of a lighter De Sade, but slightly more grown up and a little bit dusty (in a good way). The scent is masculine, indeed…I think this will be very, very sexy on a guy (I need to get one soonish, even just for experimenting with smellies!) After about 5 hours or more, a sweet, gently powdery scent appears and softens the deep leather. I'm wondering if that's one of the floral notes. It's not as masculine now…and I think now, the rose finally shows itself. Verdict: I am very fond of Beth's leather scents, and this is no exception. Although not my favourite of the leather scents, I really like this sophisticated, smooth, dark leather freshened by orange blossoms, deepened by incense, and softened by oak moss and, by the end of the scent's drydown, the rose and other floral notes. Despite mentions of florals, this scent is very unisex, veering towards masculine, and this is something I'm sure would smell delicious on a guy. I like this a lot, but not as much as some other leather scents like Dee and Bow and Crown…but I think I'll keep the imp.

Anahata: the Heart In the imp: lavender, and possibly jasmine or lily. A pleasant moist floral. Wet on skin: lavender strengthens nicely, with hints of herbal green notes around it. Dry on skin: oh, this is pretty…and I find it similar to Dove's Heart (no surprises, this is also a heart themed scent!) and also Sophia, but this is lighter and fresher, yet also warm and 'sparkling'. It makes me think of a summer garden with lavender and herbs and other dewy florals which I can't identify right now (I'm guessing jasmine is one of them though, and maybe a lily, possibly even rose). I also detect a hint of spice underneath it all. It reminds me of a more complex, daytime equivalent of Twilight. After a while: once the lavender fades, I'm left with a very pretty jasmine scent. It's heady, sweet, humid and dewy, yet slightly green around the edges (maybe there might be honeysuckle there as well), with a little bit of spice, so now this stage reminds me of New Orleans without the lemon. It's now more of a sultry summer day in a garden full of blooming jasmine sort of scent. At times, the scent goes a bit olive like on me-I think there's one jasmine (or similar floral) note that does that on me. It's not bad though… But most of the time, the scent is still a pleasant warm green jasmine, mellow yet heady, but not dry. It does become a bit sour/sharp at times though, but only very occasionally. The final scent after a few hours is a lovely, slightly tangy jasmine, almost like a lemony jasmine. and it hasn't gone all green and harsh. Verdict: I quite enjoyed this scent…at first it was a lavender based floral scent with hints of herbs, warm and gentle. Eventually the lavender faded and was replaced by jasmine, a note that was both heady and sultry, and also dewy and fresh and a bit green, with a hint of light spices warming it up nicely. This scent is very similar to New Orleans and Twilight, but without that harsh green drydown I got from those. Although this jasmine does turn a bit 'olivey' at times, and there are fleeting moments when it gets sour or sharp, I really like this jasmine scent. At times, it makes me think of lazy summer evenings, and at other times, it resembles Dove's Heart somewhat, so it seems like quite a compassionate scent which seems fitting. I probably don't need a bottle but I'm keep this decant.

The Premature Burial In the imp: fresh wet soil. I love that wet earth smell, like the garden after a hard rain. I also detect a hint of sweet orchid. Wet on skin: wet, deep soil and a gentle floral, and a hint of wet wood. Dry on skin: oooh, I like this. The main notes here are the soil, wet, rich and fresh, with the sweetness of orchid and a hint of wet, grey wood which is starting to decay. I don't get much patchouli or cypress-I think in here, they are all blended into the general earth scent. I get a slight hint of greenness though which is almost like moss or decayed leaves. The soil note is light, like that of Penny Dreadful or Graveyard Dirt as opposed to the thick, heavy, decomposing soil of Zombi. It smells exactly like my garden's soil. After a while: over time, the green note seems to get stronger. It's a decayed, dark green note, and reminds me of warm mushy leaves saturated by rain. It may be the cypress as it's also quite woody. The soil and orchid notes are still there though, and I like the way the orchid lightens the whole scent-in fact, I think orchid is becoming a new favourite note of mine… After two hours, the scent loses its wetness and now becomes a dry, green, almost harsh woody smell with wisps of orchid streaming through. This woody scent is a bit reminiscent of the 'pale burnt reeds and wood' reaction I got from a few random BPALs, and smells almost like the wood is drying, but not burning…it's also a little bit hollow, empty and ghostly as a scent. This does fade, leaving a gorgeous soft orchid drydown. Verdict: even though the story that inspired this scent, and the concept of being buried alive as a whole creeps me out big time, this scent is very pleasant indeed…I adore the dirt and orchid notes in here. the soil note smells just like my garden after a summer shower or after it's been hosed on a hot day-moist, fresh, earthy and lovely. The orchid is beautiful-it reminds me of Queen Mab's orchid and Shadow Witch Orchid, both favourites of mine. It's a full, rich, sweet floral scent. there is an odd note here that stops this from becoming a bottle purchase-I'm not sure if it’s the cypress or teak or a combination/reaction of several notes, but I get a hollow, dry, almost harsh green woody note here which is a bit dissonant…but I suppose it's also quite fitting. It also adds a sense of emptiness and something ghostly to the scent. but it was a strange scent…and I usually like woody scents. If this scent had been more on the soil and orchid and less on the green/wood notes, I may have bought a bottle.

Manipura: the Solar Plexus In the imp: pepper! This smells very spicy, and almost citrusy or tea like. Wet on skin: still black pepper, and a hint of something bittersweet like citrus peel. I think there's saffron here as well? Dry on skin: mmm, interesting! The predominant note here is pepper, but I also smell other spices, almost like a dry chai tea scent. I think there may be a little bit of saffron too? Underneath that I also get some citrus notes like orange and lemon and this smells like citrus peel in here, quite bitter, and possibly a little bit of amber or something sweet which reminds me of other solar themed oils. I also get a little tinge of greenish vetiver, and a gritty wood note. This scent is very dry, and also very warm and fiery. It makes me think of the sun's fiercer aspects. After a while: eventually that bitter edge that the scent had before tones down a lot, and sweetens nicely. The scent I now get is of candied citrus peels lying on a bed of vetiver and either cedar or sandalwood (I'm thinking it's the former here) sprinkled with spices like saffron, pepper, maybe a little pinch of cinnamon and cardamom or cloves, all lying under the midday sun. It's a dry, hot, greenish-yellow-orange kind of scent. Almost like a sunnier version of Muladhara. Over time, the vetiver note strengthens with remains of sweet sherbet lemons skimming on the surface of the scent. It's also a little bit soapy, which makes me wonder if the lemon note is verbena (which sometimes goes soapy, but not always.) By the end of the scent, the scent of vetiver is all that remains, and it's a particularly lemony variety. Verdict: this was another interesting and surprising chakra scent. To me, this is the sunnier equivalent of Muladhara, it has that same woody-vetiver-spice background, but this one is warmer, spicier, and with citrus accents. It's like sun warmed vetiver and dry spices (pepper is the main one, I'm also guessing saffron and possibly an aromatic spice like cinnamon or cardamom) on a wooden background, with hints of sweet and bitter orange and lemon juice, peel and lemon-herbs scattered throughout. A very unique scent-it definitely has a feel of heat to it, it's almost a more intense, and also more grounded, variation on the solar oil theme. It's not something I would wear as perfume though-there are times when it goes soapy on me…I'll stick to Ra as my solar themed perfume, but I think as a meditation/working oil this scent will be very effective.

It's my 21st today, and I've found the PERFECT BPAL for the occasion! Namely, Twenty One! And what's better than smelling of booze on a birthday! I am getting a digital camera. I am going to have so much fun with that little toy. I also got £100-and I may get more. A part of me says 'put it in the savings account' and another part says 'SPEND IT ON SMELLIES DAMMIT!!!' I know which of my head-voices I'll obey this time I'm getting my hair done and then I'm off to the bar for a celebratory piss-up little drink. I still can't believe I'm 21 though. I certainly don't feel it! I don't think your spirit ages though-just the body. Inside, I can be whatever age I want to be!