PurringPulsar

Venus In the imp: a traditional rose scent, slightly green, but very soft and pink. Wet on skin: gorgeous soft rose. A very true, gentle rose, it's a very pink rose scent, but not tart and dry like some roses. Dry on skin: oooh, I love this! Rich, full, sweet rose, pink in tone, with hints of greenery. If Rose Red was a winter rose, this is a fresh rose in blooming in June, petals covered in dew, touched by sunshine. There is a tiny amount of mint here-but it's not peppermint, spearmint or any fresh mint-this is garden mint, or salad mint, a green mint as opposed to a cool one. There's definitely greenness to this scent, surrounding the lush pink rose blooms. This is even nicer than Two Five and Seven as a fresh outdoor rose scent. After a while: mmm, soon this blend starts to develop the tart, crisp aspects of London's tea rose note. And that's a good thing. It's still as lush and full bodied as ever, but now it's got a nice bite to it as well. After about two hours though, this tartness fades and the rose softens to a gentle sugared rose scent with a hint of violet or sandalwood. Verdict: this is one of my new favourite rose blends. I'm always amazed at how genuine and how fresh Beth's rose notes are-like sniffing straight from the bloom itself. This one is no exception. If Rose Red was a frozen red rose captured in ice, this is a pink rose blooming at the height of summer, dewy yet warm, rich, luscious and even with green accents to lend authenticity-one of the green notes being a salad mint note. Over time, it develops into a light tea rose with green fringes, before turning into a rose dusted with icing sugar. This is gorgeous, feminine, romantic, very appropriate for Venus. This is also my new favourite out of the planetary scents.

Budding Moon In the imp: a pale, slightly powdery, sweet floral. I get something orris like which must be lotus root, and maybe musk too. it reminds me of a Chaos Theory bottle I have. Wet on skin: a slight fruity sharpness comes out, probably the plum (blossom). Dry on skin: oooh, this is very pretty. A pale, slightly powdery (but not in a bad way), slightly greenish and floral scent. The plum note in this is fruity and sweet, but also a lot lighter and 'greener' than other BPAL plum notes, and there's something blossom like about it-it reminds me of other BPAL blossom notes. I also get a fruity-sharp 'lunar oil' scent, and I agree with Belladonnastrap about the Fee comparison, it does have something Fee-ish about it. The scent is cool, soft, youthful and has aspects of tree bark and new leaves that, interestingly enough, seems very much reminiscent of buds-it's the scent of flowers that haven't yet bloomed, still waiting in their cocoons for the first touch of spring that lies around the corner. The Chinese musk and lotus root adds a nice, light powder base for the scent and hints of peony emerge here and there. After a while: now the fruitiness of this scent is more apparent…it's almost banana like at times, sometimes it's like sweet melon, and at other times it is like plum. Now this scent also bears a resemblance to Flower Moon, but with a musk and powder background-a lighter, floatier version of Flower Moon with a bit of Fee mixed in. The scent is now a lot sweeter. After about two hours or so, the scent becomes a sweet peony fragrance on a soft bed of musk. Hints of plum remain but the scent is now of a huge pink peony flower. Verdict: this is a very pleasant, graceful and delicate spring scent. a cool scent reminiscent of the first stages of spring, it combines fruity, floral, green and pale-musk-powdery notes into something delightful. I get the peony, the orris-like lotus root, the soft Chinese musk, and the plum scent which at times resembles buds and blossoms, and at times is fruity. The scent also has elements of green and something that reminds me of tree bark, it brings to mind young buds on trees, waiting to burst open as soon as spring arrives. This bears a slight resemblance to Fee and Flower Moon and yet is quite different to both. I'm also sure this blend has a 'lunar oil' background. I'm not sure of what to make of the stages when it turns very sweet and almost banana like, but I am very fond of this, I'm glad I got a bottle and I think this will be a lovely light scent to wear in springtime.

Night's Pavilion In the bottle: a slightly sharp and slightly spicy/smoky aquatic floral…it seems to veer towards something gardenia like, which worries me as many gardenia and gardenia-variant notes are my skin's nemesis! It's lovely in the bottle though. Wet on skin: ooh wow, this is lovely, it is a gorgeous 'blue' floral scent now, with the almost pine-like resinous scent of frankincense. And nothing gardenia like in here, of course. Dry on skin: this is beautiful! The sharpness is gone completely now, and I'm left with a wonderful scent of 'glittering deep blue'. That's the only way I can describe it. It has the same 'feel' as the Evening Star, but is different in scent-this is a gentle, soft powdery white musk, with a gorgeous aquatic floral note…is that Nile Lily? If so, then it is such a wonderful note! And yes, it does bear a slight similarity to Pacifica Candle's Nile Lily and to that Egyptian lotus perfume I have, and also resembles hyacinth meets waterlily/white lily with a touch of smoky incense (that could be the frankincense though) with a gentle powder scent accentuated by white musk. I can also smell the sharp bright scent of osmanthus here, I recognise that note from Ouija. There's a nice contrast of watery coolness and also a background of warmth. I agree with other reviewers that this is the scent of a summer night, warm yet with a cool breeze, and a night sky glittering with stars. I also think this scent evokes the image of a still pond at night, full of blue waterlilies that bloom like stars as the water reflects the glittering heavens above. After a while: after a while this settles into a delightful scent that reminds me of a combination of Nuit, Urania, Evening Star, Dreamland, and my Egyptian Lotus perfume. At times this really resembles the latter, which must be due to the Nile Lily. (also still resembling the candle of the same name!) I also really get the osmanthus here, which lends a slight perfume-like quality, but in the best way possible. I'm impressed at how 'blue' this scent is-in fact it brings to mind lapis lazuli, deep blue flecked with starry speckles of white and gold. That's what I smell in here. After about 2 hours, the scent becomes almost all osmanthus with a hint of smoke, but then it seems to settle back into fragrant lily with hints of musk and osmanthus after that stage. The drydown is a nice mix of all the notes, the frankincense strongest (probably osmanthus too) with musk and lily lingering in the background. Verdict: this seemed the most underrated of the Lupercalia scents, but I had such high hopes for it, mainly since I was intrigued to know what BPAL's Nile Lily note smelt like. And thankfully, this lives up to expectations-it really is as good as I thought it would be! This is, in my opinion, a sister scent to Evening Star and Urania/Nuit, as in it is a beautiful pale floral that evokes images of a star filled night sky. It's also the BPAL that, to me, evokes the colour blue more than any other scent. Deep royal blue with slivers and ripples of white and gold, like a lapis stone, or a blue diamante gown. There's a lovely blend of notes here, such as lightly smoky and resinous frankincense, a downy coat of white musk, sharp bright osmanthus…and the enigmatic, watery, gorgeous lily note. This lily is a light, gentle and slightly aquatic floral scent with a hint of something hyacinth like and something slightly smoky and incense like to it. It's a complex note, and at times it smells very similar to a perfume I have from Egypt, funnily enough. The overall scent is cool yet warm at the same time, a lovely and unusual contrast and feeling that only can be found in scents as well crafted as Beth's. It's like standing by a pool of luminous waterlilies on a summer night and looking up at the stars whilst the scent of incense mingles with the smell of the flowers and wafts by on a gentle breeze. A truly beautiful scent, haunting, ethereal and breathtaking, yet very wearable, sophisticated and refined-it would be perfect for classy nights out when you want to surround yourself with an air of mystery. I adore the label of this bottle-deep blue with swirls and constellations of stars-and this label fits perfectly with the scent.

Fire of Love In the imp: patchouli! Or more precisely, patchouli with a hint of embers, smoke, and smouldering resins/incense, very fitting with the name. Just a faint undercurrent of civet-and I hope this civet doesn’t go crazy on me! Wet on skin: oh oh. Here comes the civet! It’s not too bad yet though…but I can also smell resins, polished woods, and patchouli, and possibly some ginger as well. Dry: yup, civet. This scent is definitely animalistic, but it’s not the smell of un-wiped arse or cat piss on me (thank goodness)-though it does have a hint of farmyard/horse about it, though it’s more like a country breeze than a full on dirty stable stink. With that, I get something that could be frankincense and cedar, with patchouli and perhaps a touch of ginger or pepper. I like the resin-wood-incense vibe this has, it seems to be balanced with the civet, and it’s also quite masculine in feel. After a while: whoa. The civet in here is strong, oh boy. But it’s not making me recoil in disgust either, in fact I keep sniffing it…I’m intrigued by that beastly little note! There’s something ‘equine’ about civet, to me, reminiscent of the smell of the horses when I went riding last summer. It rests on its polished wood and incense base quite nicely. With its similar fiery lusty name and civet note, I think this scent seems to be the more masculine version of the TAL Flame of Desire. The more I sniff this, the more it seems to grow on me. It’s not something I love, but I am becoming more accustomed to civet with each sniff, it seems. This note seems to have mellowed out nicely, blending with the resinous wood underneath. I don’t think it’s something that everyone will enjoy the smell of though-I know that my mum or friends will probably gag with a scent like this! After an hour or two the civet strengthens again and patchouli returns to the scent. But then, just when I think civet is playing nice with my skin, it then turns to a smell that reminds me of...one of my university lecturer's bad breath. Dangit. There's also a smell of smoke which I think is now tobacco. So it smells like my uni tutor has taken up smoking now... Thankfully this doesn't last. The final drydown of this scent after a few hours is less civety, and amber has suddenly appeared, which is nice. Verdict: I was a bit scared about this because I’ve read the civet horror stories on the reviews of the more civet-heavy blends, including this. But it seems the civet beast is quite tame on me, because this isn’t as bad as I expected! It’s definitely animalistic, very feral, quite farmyard-ish at times but not as yucky as I feared. Along with the civet, I get cedar, patchouli, possibly some hot spices (ginger or pepper?) and maybe some incense/resins. It’s definitely fiery. This is, to me, Flame of Desire’s more masculine counterpart. However, though the civet scents aren’t too bad on me, they aren’t my favourite scents either (the drydown smells too much like bad breath!), and I don’t plan on using it for its purpose yet so this one’s going to swap. I’m glad I tried it though. Maybe I shall give Czernobog or Satyr a try next!!! (well, I do have a Puck decant on the way, so I’m less scared of trying that!)

Les Fleurs du Mal In the imp: lilac and wisteria. Wet on skin: a moist rose note comes out now, under the dry lilac and wisteria. Dry: mmm, not bad. This is a nice floral scent, with a crisp, dewy rose note (it’s a very cool, true rose, at times, almost like Ouija and also, dare I say it, like Rose Red…) with the lilac and light wisteria on top. I like it, though the lilac note smells a tad dry in this, and slightly wilted. After a while: the scent hasn’t changed much after 30 mins but the throw has improved and the rose has warmed up nicely. The rose in this has a lot of throw, more so than the other notes. Closer to the skin, the lilac and wisteria are more apparent. This is a traditional floral scent, slightly old fashioned in feel, but the scent is fresh and true (especially the rose note), and the lilac is nicer now. After an hour, it’s suddenly become faint! It’s just a soft, light lilac-rose scent now, very gentle, very close to the skin, all the throw it had before is gone. Verdict: this is a traditional but pleasant floral blend. Rose, lilac and wisteria are all noticeable in here, the rose note is crisp, bright and dewy, almost like the rose in Ouija at times. The lilac in here, however, at first it smells dry, almost like the flowers have wilted (that’s with my skin) but it does seem to fit the theme…this gets less as the scent develops though. Soon after, the throw is tremendous and the rose note wafts (which is a good thing!), but this only lasts an hour or so, then the scent suddenly becomes a whisper of rose and lilac, clinging close to the skin, a quiet floral fading away. It’s a nice scent but I do have other florals/rose blends that I prefer to this.

Shroud Dry white sandalwood wrapped in thin woods, soft grasses and the lightest white flowers layered over cajeput and the warm, deep scent of embalming herbs. In the imp: a dry, herbal scent, like dry woods and sun dried grass. Wet on skin: dry sandalwood with dry grass and a hint of herbs. This scent is surprisingly warm. Dry: hmm, interesting. I get more floral notes now, I think it could be geranium or rose in here, maybe both. The scent is warm, almost like it’s bathed in sunlight on a hot, dry summer’s day. This is the scent of the warm afternoon after the scorched heat of midday. I smell grasses that have turned to straw and a solid and grounding wooden backdrop. I’m surprised at how this scent is almost comforting, its warmth is laid back, but there’s also a sense of barrenness, stillness and emptiness here, it makes me think of the desert…it’s very interesting. After a while: there’s a note in here that I’m very fond of that comes out after a while, a soothing herbal-floral which may be, or may be a combination of, lavender, geranium, sage and/or thyme, with the aromatic, almost mildly spicy quality of the sandalwood. It’s a calming warm scent…this shroud seems more like a blanket, wrapping you with a comforting herbal fragrance. After an hour or two, a pleasant sweetness develops. This scent is very gentle now, and I get more of the dry grass note, as well as good, strong, exotic sandalwood. I think there may be saffron here too? This is what I hoped Scarecrow would be on me (that turned to a vegetable oil smell on me, for some reason!!), it also makes me think of a cloak that has been lying on top of herbs and aromatic woods and has absorbed the scent. There’s something meditative about this, it’s calming and very, very silent. The final drydown is something I love. It smells identical to an 'Egyptian Sandalwood' scent I tried from another etailer...it's a warm, exotic sandalwood. Verdict: this scent was a very pleasant surprise for me. I was expecting a harshly dry, lifeless scent, but what I got was a delightful, comforting warmth, a gentle, soothing and pleasant scent. It’s dry-almost barren and silent at times, but not in a bad way-to me, it evokes the solitude of the desert. Soft herbs and dried flowers and fragrant sandalwood with sun dried grasses…the scent is reminiscent of being in the desert in the afternoon just before sundown, when the sun is no longer fiercely hot, the heat is now very bearable and you want to bask in it, lying in a bed of golden straw and soothing herbs. It’s not a shroud of death, this is a protective cloak, a warm blanket which has been lying on sun drenched woods and grasses and has absorbed their fragrance, wrapping round you and surrounding you with it’s gentle scent. This scent is quiet yet moving and with subtle poignancy. That’s what I get from this anyway. I think this is a keeper.

Those a truly gorgeous labels! I'd love to see the Luperci and Perfumed Garden ones too...and the other Smuts!

Caligostro I got this in a swap with Ultraviolet. In the imp: black musk! I agree with the other reviews mentioning this, what I get is a sweet, dark, glistening black musk, probably with amber and/or myrrh. Wet on skin: gorgeous, rich black musk, with resinous incense notes. Maybe a fruit note as well? Dry on skin: this is amazing. Swirling, dark, mysterious, it's intense black musk, maybe with some black amber…and now I think I get frankincense-a lighter, golden, piercing resinous note. I think there may be myrrh in here too. There's also a sweetness to this, which may be from the amber, but it could be tonka or benzoin as well, or possibly something fruity. It makes me think of smoky, nebulous blackness with a sheen of gold, it's like an occult incense scent, filled with mystery and ancient magic. It resembles Haunted and maybe Black Phoenix as well. After a while: this stays the same-but probably smoothes out a bit more, it's still a rich, exotic, sweet and dark musk scent with probably some amber and smoky incense/resinous notes. I wonder now if there's vanilla in this-something about this reminds me of Snake Oil now. A very intriguing scent. The scent lasts for ages on me, after about 5 hours, the scent has become a lovely vanilla/tonka with Egyptian amber and a hint of smoky musk still lingering. Verdict: I'm glad I got to try this out-it's a fascinating scent. It's predominantly a deep black musk, that dark, sweet, sleek, glistening scent, sweetened by amber and possibly some resinous notes, I'm guessing frankincense and/or myrrh. There's a sweetness here-maybe from the musk and/or amber, but I'm also thinking maybe tonka or vanilla, or something sweet like that. To me, it's reminiscent of Haunted, Black Phoenix and even Snake Oil/Charmer, only this is darker, deeper, and more complex. It's a scent that swirls and lures you into its mystery. I don't know much about the alchemist Caligostro that this scent was named after but I'm intrigued and I'd now like to find out more. I also wish this scent could be released some day-as I wouldn't mind getting more!

Danube In the imp: grapefruit?!?! Yup, that's what I get here…grapefruit! Not something I'd associate with the Danube, but still, it's grapefruit. (and thankfully other reviews mention grapefruit, so yay, my nose isn't crazy!) Wet on skin: now a gentle watery floral creeps out of the 'grapefruit' scent. Dry on skin: I like this. I still get hints of grapefruit, but the scent is more complex, interesting and truer to the description. I'm not familiar with the scent of rhododendron and bellflower, but I get a soft floral scent now, with a slightly tart (thanks to the hint of grapefruit) but fresh and pleasant aquatic note. It's almost ozone but not salty-it's a freshwater scent, but it is a bit citrus-peel like, a very moist, crisp and clean note, and it's not soapy. After a while: eventually the 'grapefruit' fades leaving behind a lighter aquatic note. It now smells clean, fresh and cool, very watery, and with a little bit of floral-like petals floating on water. After a few hours, it is still that same cool aquatic, only paler (like a white floral note is in here as well), and fainter. Verdict: the most surprising thing about this scent was the fact that, to me, it smelt like grapefruit! However, on the skin, the floral and aquatic notes come out more and the scent becomes truer to the description. It's a lovely scent too-a fresh, calm aquatic note-crisp, moist and clean, almost like ozone but not salty or oceanic at all (this is a river after all) which grows stronger until the odd 'grapefruit' note disappears altogether. The drydown of the scent is a gentle cool aquatic scent with a hint of white floral. A very pleasant, laid back watery scent, evocative of petals floating on a stream, this isn't one I need a bottle of, but I think it will be lovely for spring.

Dove's Heart In the imp: a gentle dewy floral-I think lavender is the main note. Wet on skin: lavender and a soft dewy floral note-probably lily or lily of the valley. Dry on skin: mmm, not bad! This is a gentle, soft, floral scent. The note I identify most is a subtle lavender, but I think that I also now get rose as well…yup, it's rose! A deep, rich red rose note. There's also a floral note which I think could be lily of the valley, or calla lily, it's a dewy white floral scent. Maybe some green notes in there as well. After a while: eventually this becomes a dry rose scent. the scent now on my skin is that of deep, dried rose petals with perhaps a hint of geranium, and maybe some lily of the valley or hyacinth as well. The scent becomes drier after a few hours, like a mix of dry petals. It's nice, but I preferred the wet-just dry stage. Verdict: this is a pleasant floral scent-in here I smell lavender, rose and lily of the valley. It's a gentle scent, soft and soothing, but the rose adds a depth and richness to the scent, whilst the lily is dewy and pale. As for effects-I haven't got a broken heart at the moment nor have I fallen out with a lover, but I found that I felt very emotional shortly after wearing this-not sure if it's the oil doing it's thing or what, but I felt quite sensitive, almost tearful, and I wanted hugs. It's a nice scent but I think I'll be swapping this off because purpose wise, I don't really need it just yet, but one day it may come in handy.

Phantom In the imp: rich, dark, heady and musky myrrh and rose and ylang. Reminiscent of Wicked and La Petite Mort. Wet on skin: whoa, the dark musk in this is strong, it's like black musk! It's a sweet, dark, intense scent, with floral and myrrh notes. Dry on skin: mmm, I like it. This is a refined, dark, feminine scent, very much like Wicked and a little bit like Arabian Nights but darker and with a twist of deep musk-bonded with the myrrh it makes for an intensely dark, shadowy, sleek and sweet background for the heady florals of rose and ylang ylang. It's a scent that's domineering, and powerful, yet also exotic and sensual. After a while: the musk has really taken over…I quite like the musk in this-it's intense, no holds barred, black musk, sweet and slick, slightly smoky. The rose and ylang add their powerful floral presence, the myrrh adds more of a dark and viscous sweetness to the scent. There's a real sense of swirling, enchanting and dark mystery to the scent-this is the scent of a sorceress, I think. Verdict: this is an incredibly potent and heady mix of rich floral notes with sweet, sticky myrrh and a swirl of powerful dark musk. This scent is mature and confident, very feminine but in no way girlie-this is the scent of a grown up, powerful woman who holds mysterious secrets. Sensual, alluring and sleek, but with a definite feel of something more occult, hinting at dark enchantments. It has a similar scent/feel to things like Haunted, La Petite Mort, Wicked and Arabian Nights. I don't think I need a bottle but I really like this scent and I will keep the imp.

Lump of Coal In the imp: BROWNIES!!!! This smells exactly like home baked, rich, chocolatey, delicious dark fudge brownies. I hope it smells like this on my skin…I adore brownies! Wet on skin: it still smells of chocolate brownies, but now these are brownies made with milk chocolate chips-the scent is lighter. Dry on skin: mmm, yum! There's a hint of that odd dusty note I get in other foody BPAL scents, including Bliss, but this is richer and more rounded than Bliss. It's not the pure brownie hit I got in the imp, but now it smells an assortment of other chocolate goodies-like double chocolate cookies made with cocoa powder and Cadbury's Dairy Milk chocolate chips, with perhaps a hint of vanilla and marshmallow! But sometimes when I sniff, I also get sugary chocolate fudge, or even sometimes hints of rich dark chocolate. This is what I wanted Bliss to be-a full, satisfying chocolate experience. After a while: ah yes, this is exactly what I hoped Bliss would be-after 30 mins it smells like pure milk chocolate. Like Galaxy or Cadbury's. There are hints of doughy scents like brownie and cookie in here, as well as sugary fudge, but these are now covered with lashings of sweet milk chocolate. Verdict: this is what I wished Bliss was…unfortunately that particular scent went flat and bland on me. however, this scent is much more satisfying and well rounded, a richer, fuller chocolate scent. The scent in the imp is PURE ESSENCE OF BROWNIE. I wish it stayed like that on the skin-as it does develop the slight dusty smell I get from some foody BPALs, but the chocolate scents that develop are equally delicious. Chocolate fudge, cookies, chocolate sauce and 'rocky road' ice cream with marshmallows, before it becomes the scent of pure milk chocolate with a hint of fudge, decadent and delicious. I want to eat myself! This is the perfect scent to wear when I get chocolate cravings-it's all the brownie decadence, with none of the calories!

Shanghai In the imp: green tea-slightly lemony green tea, thanks to the verbena. Wet on skin: fresh lemony green tea. Dry on skin: this is very nice-it's a tangy, refreshing, tart green tea with lemon. A very oriental scent, I think, it's like sniffing a cup of fresh green tea in a traditional Chinese tea house-and the honeysuckle is in the background, adding it's gentle, clean floral touch-but it's a very barely there note. After a while: it still smells like green tea…I think the verbena enhances the lemon-like scent but it's pretty much all green tea now. It remains pure green tea for the duration of the scent, but doesn't last long on the skin. Verdict: this is a nice scent-a light, fresh, tangy green tea enhanced by verbena which makes it a little bit more citrus-like in scent. The honeysuckle in this is very subtle but I can just make it out in the tea. This is an uncomplicated blend, a bright and refreshing scent, green and tart. It's a great blend for the warmer months and good for everyday. However, I have many other tea scents I prefer to this, like Spirits of the Dead and Holiday Moon, but I do like it. I may swap it off though.

Bastet. that is all...if you like musk and can handle a bit of almond, it's purrfect! Also look out for Jacob's Ladder for a dignified, earthy amber. And I got amber in Aureus, along with woods, patchouli and resins like frankincense.

Holiday Moon In the imp: clean, slightly lemony, a tad soapy, green tea with…something floral? Smells like spring…and oddly enough, like green apples. Wet on skin: the crisp tea notes come out more now, it's a very fresh scent, still oddly fruity-floral, and now with bamboo. Dry on skin: this is lovely! It's not soapy now. I get a bright, tangy tea scent, like true green and white tea, but it's not all tea-in fact the tea note in here is more muted than, say, Shanghai, Spirits of the Dead and the Dormouse. I also get the moist, pulpy bamboo, it's fresh green scent is softer and smoothes out the sharp tea notes, but there's also something else. Slightly floral, slightly woody, a little bit spicy (at times, almost a savoury spice), a bit fruity and with a depth and a green scent that is different to the greenness of the tea and bamboo…I'm guessing this is the enigmatic oude. I think I can now see why oude is legendary-because it smells very unique and complex, and quite breathtaking-something about it also reminds me of something in the 'lunar oils' that were in some previous Lunacies. I see why some reviews compare this to Blue Moon too-it does have a similarity but it, one is tangier, and is green in feel. It's a springtime scent like the first green leaves bursting from their buds, the first spring plants growing out of the soil. After a while: just when I thought the oude was veering into 'savoury cooking spice' territory, it goes back and turns to a scent of fresh green wood-like new wood that has just grown, but with a hint of the first blossoms of spring nearby. It also has a gorgeous depth reminiscent of resins or stronger woody notes, and a warmth that is almost spice-like. I still get a mild, gentle green tea scent with the bamboo, the scent is moist and dewy, and has a lovely, calming, 'zen' feel to it. It's also a very light smell but I love the dimension the oude gives it. There's only one problem with this scent-it seems to be fading fast on me! after an hour or so, the tea is gone, all that remains now is a lovely fresh bamboo with hints of floral and fruit and green, which now has developed a creamy aspect. It's a bit faint now. It's interesting because it doesn't fade altogether-the scent sticks, developing a sweetness, and some intriguing floral like aspects-at one point it's almost a 'clean linen' scent, and then it becomes sweet creamy bamboo. Verdict: this is a gorgeous lunar oil, vividly green, evocative of early spring, and with a bright festive sparkle, yet also with a calmness and inner stillness to it. To me, this paints a picture festivity of renewal, after the slumber of winter, the earth stirs into life, awakening with green leaves and blossoms and shoots bursting from buds and bulbs like fireworks, it's a scent full of vitality and life. It's awake; it's youthful, with the scent of the greenness and moistness of the first days of spring. Yet it is also calm and serene, like moonlight sparkling on the drops of a gentle waterfall, it has a subtle depth and complexity to it. The tea notes in this add brightness and a tang to the scent, yet they are mild. The bamboo is lush and moist, but the note that I think adds the complexity and an enigmatic touch is the oude…at times it is floral like new spring blossoms, or sometimes fruity. At times it is deep like rich woody or resinous notes, at times it is warm and slightly spicy, and at other times it has a deeper green feel to it. I think this oude is what makes this a very interesting lunar oil. The only disadvantage is that it seems to fade away and the throw lessens, but the subtle scent that remains on the skin is very pleasant-at times, it's like a clean white floral bamboo scent. I will definitely be wearing this for Chinese New Year, and also it seems fitting for early spring and shaking off the winter blues.

Mercury Expanding The Intellect - Quick Wit - Mental Agility - Communication - Travel -Calculation - Analysis - Learning - Teaching - Gambling - Study - Creativity -Magickal Acumen - Good Conversation - Chance Happenings - Adaptability In the bottle: deep lavender with a hint of warm spice (cinnamon?), and possibly some other herbs? it's like a soothing aromatherapy scent, very nice. Wet on skin: here comes the cinnamon, peeping out of the lavender-herb scent… Dry on skin: mmm, this is lovely-it reminds me of the Hierophant and, perhaps not surprisingly, TAL Hermes. It's lavender with a sweet, slightly fruity cinnamon note (maybe there's orange here too), and possibly a wood note-maybe cedar or sandalwood? There may be some other herbs and spices in there too, but it's mainly lavender and cinnamon. After a while: the lavender has faded and now I get a pleasant spice scent on my skin. There's cinnamon in here, as well as some more savoury spices-I think there may be some pepper now, or nutmeg. It now smells a bit like AC's Money Draw, only milder and possibly with a woody note. It doesn't smell too much like Hermes any more but it still reminds me of the Hierophant. One thing's for sure-this smells like a magickal blend, a ritual scent, it has that 'secret voodoo spice' blend I've smelt in other magickal BPAL oils, and it's pretty fitting for Mercury's more hermetic connotations. There are also times when this smells a bit like a more herbal-spicy Sol, which makes sense considering that Mercury's the closest planet to the sun! The drydown is a warm, sweet, slightly fruity-floral-herbal spice. Verdict: this is another one of my new favourite Celestial blends. It reminds me at the beginning of TAL Hermes (which isn't a surprise!) but the drydown is reminiscent of the Hierophant, but with that almost savoury spice scent that I have found in a few TAL blends (the so called 'voodoo' blend I've heard about). At first, it's lavender, but on the skin, a sweet cinnamon note comes out. I also get something like sweet orange sherbet mingled with the cinnamon, and other herbs and spices, and possibly some woody notes. whilst I still prefer Hermes, I really like this scent and I would like a few 'mercurial' qualities in my life right now, and I think Beth's captured the planet's attributes well, for example, it has a scent and feel more like a ritual oil than a perfume, which is fitting with Mercury's more esoteric, hermetic, magickal aspects. Even so, the scent is very enjoyable, cheerfully spicy and warm, and I'm very fond of it.

Luna In the imp: jasmine and almonds…and maybe cherries too. I get maraschino cherries on first sniff, but second sniff reveals almond with jasmine. Wet on skin: the jasmine gets stronger, and it's heady jasmine! Dry on skin: oooh, the almond has faded and now I get a rich, strong jasmine scent. at first it reminds me of the jasmine notes in New Orleans, but then I sniff deeper and realise that the jasmine is deeper and richer, more exotic-it's more like the jasmine in Cabaret, which I adore. I also wonder if this jasmine is of the Tunisian variety, because it smells like Attar Bazaar's Tunisian Jasmine, which I love! I think there may be some other things in here-maybe a lily, tuberose or honeysuckle note, maybe a smidgen of gardenia (if there is, it's a very small amount)…it's like a heady bouquet of white, nocturnal blooms under dazzling summer moonlight. After a while: I think there may be gardenia here because I get the slight dry sharpness I get from some gardenia notes, but in here it's pretty much overpowered by the rich jasmine scent, which to me, smells like the real flowers I smelt in Tunisia. This scent, along with Cabaret, has the richest, truest and fullest jasmine note in BPAL, I think. I think there may also be some moonflower in here-which isn't surprising at all! After a few hours it smells drier and greener, similar to the drydown I get from some honeysuckle scents. Verdict: I wasn't keen on Tarot: The Moon (the gardenia killed it for me), but I really like this. It is a gorgeous, lush, heady and nocturnal floral scent. At first it's almond, but this fades to reveal a full, rich, true jasmine note, reminiscent of the blooms I smelt Tunisia. This is a white, glowing, night-time floral scent, very appropriate for the moon, it's feminine and luminous. I think there are other floral notes here, like lily, honeysuckle, tuberose, gardenia and moonflower (no surprises there), but it's mainly jasmine. It does smell a bit dry and not as nice as before upon drydown, but I like this a lot.

Laudanum In the imp: opium! I get a smoky dark opium scent with a hint of savoury spice-the nutmeg, I think. Wet on skin: smoky opium incense…the myrrh in this gives a slight ‘church incense’ feel, but with opium-there’s some interesting contradictions here! It also smells a bit medicinal. Dry: whoa, this is dark! Really dark and very medicinal now. I am not too familiar with sassafras so I can’t comment on that, but this now smells like a strange, macabre, and possibly contradictory cross between the fumes of a potent (and probably quite lethal in large doses) old fashioned medicinal tincture/elixir, church incense, and opium smoke! The scent is dark, shadowy, a tad sinister…it brings to mind underground passages and darkened crypts filled with thick, choking, narcotic smoke from some bizarre and forbidden ancient rite taking place nearby, something about it smells dangerous but you want to explore the shadows…there’s something behind the smoke that’s sinister and yet so tempting. After a while: I love the way the myrrh note makes this smell so much like incense, and that’s enhanced, darkened and twisted by the poppy/opium. I think the sassafras may be giving the scent its medicinal edge, as this sometimes smells like the contents of an old fashioned medicine cupboard…and there’s also the nutmeg, spicing up the fragrance a bit. Verdict: this is a really dark, dense, smoky and thick scent, reminiscent of intense incense, opium smoke and the vapours of some medicinal (and probably a bit poisonous) concoction you’d find in some old apothecary. It’s very intriguing, it brings to mind exploring some dark, shadowy, ancient crypts where you can smell fragrant, narcotic smoke, you try to find it’s source even though your instincts tell you that there’s danger lurking round the corner and that the mysteries you seek are not meant to be seen by the un-initiated. A fascinating and very evocative-and somewhat disturbing-fragrance, it was an intriguing scent experience but unfortunately not a perfume I’d actually wear. I’m glad I tried it though.

Siren In the imp: sweet vanilla jasmine. This smells really nice. Wet on skin: here comes the ginger-it seems this is a spicy ginger as opposed to floral white ginger. It adds a warm, spicy bite to the floral-vanilla scent. Dry: I like this! The ginger in here is surprisingly strong, almost overpowering the sweet jasmine-vanilla with it’s dry, almost savoury, hot spiciness…but underneath the jasmine can be smelt, with perhaps a little bit of vanilla. And soon after, the apricot also starts to emerge, but it’s not too strong. After a while: after 5 mins, the ginger retreats and all the notes are well balanced, and it smells delightful. Heady rich jasmine, sweet vanilla and fruity fresh apricot (as opposed to the apricot jam note I get from other apricot scents) with a bit of spicy ginger. A lovely combination. About 30 mins later, the jasmine note becomes a bit dry-I think that may also be the ginger’s dry spicy note, but there’s the vanilla-apricot background that keeps this smelling full and sweet. The dry scent is only when I smell my wrist, away from it, I get clouds of heady sweet jasmine and vanilla and I love that! Verdict: this is a very pleasant sweet floral with a nice ginger edge. I get a heady, full on jasmine note with sweet vanilla and a bit of apricot, but the ginger adds warmth and a spicy twist to the scent. The scent has good throw and surrounds me with clouds of jasmine and vanilla. I am very fond of it-I’m not sure if I want a bottle yet but I really like and will consider maybe getting more some day. Apparently it’s even nicer when aged.

Jester In the imp: juicy, moist, tart-sweet berries. Almost like strawberry, or cranberry, reminiscent of something from the Body Shop. Wet on skin: this sweetens, becomes more like candy than the true fruit smell in the imp, I think the neroli’s adding a bit more sharpness to the scent though. Dry: mmm, interesting. The scent’s now gone very much like a soft drink or fruit candy/chewing gum sort of smell, and dare I say it’s a bit synthetic smelling, though I get a slight greenness from this scent. There’s a definite tangy, almost fizzy aspect to the scent, but with a lot of sweetness as well. It’s quite a fun scent. After a while: it’s still keeping that ‘fruit gum’ scent. It’s not bad, but I wanted more of a real fruit scent from this, but all I get is purple candy with an odd plastic feel and a growing sourness-it reminds me of those sour bubble gums! After an hour, the scent becomes a more genuine and less candy-ish scent of crushed currants. It’s juicy and a bit sharp, like red currants should be, but it’s really now all currant and not much else. I prefer this to the sour candy scent I got before. Verdict: at first, this seemed to have promise-a juicy tart berry scent which reminded me of something from the Body Shop, but more like real berries as well. But on the skin, it turned to fake fruit candy. Now, I do usually like candy scents and bubblegum scents but this one doesn’t do it for me. I dunno, it just smells a bit fake on my skin, and also quite sour by the end-it reminds me of sour fruit bubblegum-I think with a synthetic grape-berry flavour? However, it does turn to a more natural currant scent upon drydown. But I’m afraid I’m not keen on this, so it’s up for swaps.

Snow Angel In the imp: gorgeous, sweet lemon and peach ice tea! Wet on skin: this reminds me of something-either a drink or a perfume-but I can’t remember what! It’s a slightly sharp, but nicely sweetened peachy-lemony-floral tea. Dry: I like this! It’s a very fresh, bright, cool scent-it smells like that peach-lemon iced tea, but instead of it being made with normal tea, it’s made with green tea and flower petals. And there’s lots of sugar in here, but the scent also has a tangy aspect which contrasts nicely with the sweetness. There’s an effervescent note to this, like fizzy tonic water-come to think of it, I now know what this reminds me of…it smells EXACTLY like this peach and elderflower flavoured sparkling water drink from Waitrose! I adore that drink, but it’s uncanny to find a perfume that smells just like it, but with ice tea added! The peach note is indeed, a sparkling one. (I also wonder if the ‘floral tea’ note has an elderflower component to it?) After a while: I’m getting a real ‘fizzy tonic water’ note from this-I have no idea where this comes from, but I like it! The sugary peach note has also increased, the lemon note has faded, as has the tea, and now the scent resembles that peach and elderflower drink more than ever! This scent will be wonderful in summer. After an hour or two, the scent flattens out a bit-it’s almost like the fizz the scent originally had has gone flat, but not in a bad way. It still retains it’s sugary and peachy scent, and there’s definitely a soda water (which now is a bit like grapefruit) scent to this, which is unusual but nice. It sort of reminds me of the cold-fruity scent I get in Snow Bunny….come to think of it, I think the ‘soda water’ has become a ‘snow’ note! It’s a frozen aquatic with a bit of citrus like all the other snowy scents, but without the pine note from Snow Bunny/Skadi etc. It now smells icy and cold…like I’ve just put ice cubes, or real snow, in my peach-elderflower drink. Now there’s where the ‘snow’ in Snow Angel is! Verdict: this is a very pleasant, bright, cool and effervescent fruity-sweet scent which I really like-but the thing I like most about this is that when wet, it smells like lemon and peach iced tea, and when dry, it smells identical to this sparkling peach and elderflower drink that I love! It smells just like it-it even smells ‘carbonated’ like tonic water, which is unusual but it works in this, it’s a really fizzy, bubbly scent. It makes me think of summer and picnics when you’re sitting out in the garden, sipping on cool peachy drinks and lemon iced tea in the sunshine. By the drydown the scent isn’t as bright and fizzy any more but it does retain a coolness, an icy fruity scent reminiscent of the snowy fruit cocktail scent I got from Snow Bunny but without the pine. I really like this one-though not as much as Fee (I don’t think I need to rabidly hunt down a bottle yet, thank goodness) but I find this scent very enjoyable and fun to wear, and I think it will be even nicer in summer.

Glasgow In the imp: I think I can smell heather-it’s a cool, breezy heather, slightly floral, slightly herbal-almost like fern or moss, with the blackberries underneath. Wet on skin: very pretty! It’s a purple scent, and it’s very cold in feel, like a mountain breeze. Dry: I quite like this! I’ve never been to Scotland but this is what I’d imagine a cold wind blowing over the Highlands would smell like if bottled and concentrated…here’s another example of how these Wanderlust scents even capture the climate of a place-the scent is bracing and cool, quite damp as well, and windy. Very much like Scottish weather! It has this earthy, almost ferny or mossy heather scent, with a deeper undercurrent of tangy-sweet blackberries. It’s a bit soapy but not in a bad way-the scent is clean. I’d imagine there might be an ozone note in this as well, which would account for the airy freshness the scent has. After a while: this stays very much the same, except it loses that fresh feel it initially has and the berry and heather notes merge. Sometimes it gets soapy, but it’s not in a bad way. It reminds me of a pleasant soap I’ve smelt before, can’t remember where. Overall, this blend doesn’t have the strong berry note that Bewitched has-I get heather more in here. After about 3 hours, the scent has faded quite a bit, I get a slight heather scent on my skin. Verdict: while not what I’d imagine the city of Glasgow to smell like, this scent is very evocative of the moors and mountains of Scotland-right down to the cold, blustery damp weather! This scent is bracing and fresh with a feel of moisture, like rain and wind, the heather note reminds me of moss or ferns with a hint of wet soil, only fuller and more floral and with a definite ‘purple’ aspect, enhanced by the juicy tangy scent of blackberries. The scent is clean, and at times a tiny bit soapy, and I wonder if there’s a bit of ozone in here as well. I’m not sure if I need a bottle but I’m keeping the imp as this is another one of those wonderful examples of Wanderlust scents that really transports your nose to another place in the world.

Terpsichore In the imp: sweet neroli. It’s the scent of orange blossom sweetened with vanilla. Wet on skin: neroli, vanilla, carnation and sweet pea make for a pleasant tangy-floral sweet scent. Dry: hmm, that’s unexpected. I now get a green, dry, herbal note-could that be the palmarosa? It doesn’t smell as sweet, it’s now greener and warmer though, and I still get the neroli and vanilla, and a nice amount of carnation and sweet pea. This is a very pretty scent, it’s lively and youthful, with a warmth that brings to mind pleasant afternoons in late spring/early summer. The green dry note is a bit strong now though, reminds me of dry grass or hay. After a while: after about ten minutes, the neroli and the herbal palmarosa tones down, and a gentle floral note comes to the fore-a combination of sweet pea, carnation iris and stephanotis, possibly sweetened by vanilla. After 30 mins, sweet pea takes centre stage, with hints of vanilla and carnation and dry palmarosa on the side. It’s a very dainty scent, reminiscent of another sweet pea scent which I can’t remember right now… 1 hour later I get a scent reminiscent of dried flowers. Interesting…and there’s also a scent like golden hay or even camomile (where did that come from??), with the sweet vanilla backdrop and a hint of pale iris and sweet pea. She’s morphing a lot on me, this little muse is. I do get a wonderful throw from this though, sweet vanilla wafts around me-I kept thinking ‘what is that wonderful vanilla scent?’ and it’s my Terpsichore, it seems. That only happens far from the wrist-close up it smells like sweet pea, carnation and dry flowers on a bale of hay, which is also very nice. Verdict: the air is fragrant with flowers and herbs and the sun is shining, it’s a pleasant spring day, you want to frolic and dance in the garden because it’s such a lovely day. That’s what this scent brings to mind-it’s a jaunty, dainty scent, lively and light hearted, full of warmth and with interesting complexity…at times it’s sweet, at times it’s tangy (thanks to the orangey neroli), and I also get a dry herbal note reminiscent of hay, which could be the palmarosa, as well as lots of floral notes. it seems to morph on the skin, like the muse it represents, it dances, and I get a different scent each time. I really enjoy this scent and what it represents, I’m not sure if I’ll get a bottle yet but I’m definitely keeping the imp, because it’s a lovely and joyful fragrance.

Fee In the imp: melon! Sweet honeydew melon juice! Wet on skin: sweet melon juice and a hint of tea, and possibly some carnation and vanilla under the melon. Dry: oh, this is pretty! I can totally see the resemblance to Dorian-there is a hint of Dorian’s vanilla tea here, but the tea is brighter and tangier, and it’s sweetened with moist melon and possibly a hint of lychee, and perhaps some peach and carnation. There’s a nice contrast of sweetness and tartness here, it’s not too cloying and not too sharp-it’s in between. This scent is fun, bouncy and summery. After a while: (30-45 mins) whoa, this wafts like crazy! I have my arm down by my side, and I get this amazing vanilla tea and melon throw. Beautiful! The scent is still pretty much the same as before, but with more of a tart tea note and not as much sweetness. The melon’s sweetness has toned down but it still retains that moist quality. I think I get sunflower at this point-I think that’s what it is, it’s a dry, non-sweet scent, slightly floral and slightly like sunflower seeds maybe? I also get moss now. (1 hour or so) this settles back into a creamy smooth vanilla-tea scent, like a lighter, fruitier Dorian with some moss. There may even be a little hint of light musk here. There’s also a freshly tangy ‘light herbs’ note here that reminds me of the ‘lunar oils’ from older Lunacy blends, for some reason. I also get the peach note-along with the moss, it reminds me very, very slightly of Fae. It’s a clean, crisp, light-hearted scent. Verdict: I was looking forward to trying this Inquisition scent most of all, and I was not let down! This is a wonderful scent-light, fruity, bright and sunny, cool and sparkling. It’s got aspects of Dorian and Fae (which doesn’t come as a surprise), but with melon and an assortment of other wonderful things. This is a fabulous and complex fragrance with lots of throw, and many dimensions-sweetness, tartness, moistness, lightness, fruitiness, etc. I adore this scent, its fairy-ish name, and the clouds of fragrance that waft off my wrist and surround me when I wear this. I will need to scour Ebay extra hard, because I need a bottle!

Clio In the imp: this smells more like dry orange blossom than orange fruit-maybe a ‘petitgrain’ scent? I also get a very slight hint of lavender, orange fruit, and something dry which may be parchment. Wet on skin: dry and smoky, and herbal. It now smells like petitgrain with wet soil and parchment…I can now see where the Rat King comparisons come in! Dry: ooh, interesting. This is like a less masculine version of the Rat King. I get the woods, the parchment (lots of parchment), a dust/dirt note, a very small amount of lavender, something reminiscent of neroli or petitgrain, and maybe a little bit of patchouli, and a hint of a sweeter, deeper (benzoin perhaps?) base. It’s an interesting scent, very unusual, and I like it. After a while: holy moly, the Rat King comparisons don’t stop there! After a short while, I even get RK’s cologne like note? It’s a tangy, fresh, and citrus like scent. It’s also a tad masculine. I was hoping for some amber in this… The drydown I get from this scent is that almost manly cologne scent, with a dry, and dusty background of woods and parchment. It’s quite nice though…and even a little smoky, almost like a faint whiff of incense smoke is weaving through the scent. I like what happens after a few hours. I get a smoky, woody amber scent-now there's the amber! I think that could also be the benzoin as well. it's sweeter and deeper now. Verdict: I totally agree with the reviews that compare this with the Rat King…it’s very similar, but it’s not musky, and has a note which reminds me of petitgrain essential oil (which is a kind of orange blossom/leaf oil, darker and woodier than neroli). There’s a definite parchment scent here, like old books, and it’s slightly dusty and very earthy-that could be the patchouli doing this. I also get the dry woods and cologne like scent of the Rat King in here, and a tiny bit of lavender too, and after a while something smoky arises, and by the end of the scent the amber and benzoin show up. It’s a fascinating and different scent, it gives off a serious, studious air. I imagine this muse working hard in an old crypt-like library where incense has been burnt, sorting out and documenting ancient scrolls and tomes. However towards the end, it smells a bit too masculine for me. It’s nice, but I was expecting something a bit sweeter, fruitier and less dry and woody-dusty. I think I might keep the imp though because I do like it, and it seems to fit the muse’s character, and I might keep it for that-I think it’s a nice scent to study with. I would like to smell this on a guy though!