PurringPulsar

Nocnitsa In the imp: fir, moss and earth. Wet on skin: green fresh fir, with moss and wet soil. I quite like this. Dry: mmm, this is not bad! I like the fir note this has, it’s fresh, sweet and sap like, and almost Christmas tree like…the mosses have retreated to the back of the scent now. I’m getting a hint of earth-not as strong as Zombi’s earth note, this is much lighter. I’m also getting the night air…though to me, this is a summer night scent, humid, sticky, with a hint of freshness-almost like the air before a summer thunderstorm, but without the ozone. Really quite oppressive. But the fir note is really, really dominant on me in this…it’s also reminiscent of pine. After a while: the fir note sweetens even more, it smells like viscous sap now, and the earth and moss notes have returned, adding even more of a damp feel to the scent. There’s a sense of decayed sweetness to the scent, but this isn’t a bad thing-it’s really atmospheric in this. It’s like decomposing evergreen plant matter in rain sodden mossy soil. This reminds me of Hexennacht without the smoke. I love the drydown of this scent. It’s a very smooth, green scent of soft moss and fir. It’s like a soft coat of green velvet, like sleeping on the forest floor. Verdict: this is a really evocative and unique scent…it brings to mind an evergreen forest at night just before a thunderstorm. There’s no ozone or rain yet, but the air is oppressive and close…is that just the weather, or is that the feeling of something more sinister, lurking in the shadows? You can smell the fir trees, their bark split, sap oozing out, needles scattered on mossy damp earth, rotting into sweet decay. There’s something creepy out there…you can feel it, you can smell it. That’s what this scent smells like to me. A really fascinating experience-and a very nice scent too…the drydown is especially nice, it’s not as oppressive and sinister, it’s soft, gentle and velvety, green and mossy. Not one for a big bottle yet, but I’m certainly keeping the imp.

Belladonna In the imp: the oil is green! Nice colour…the smell itself is sort of like pine, or an evergreen scent. Maybe camphor, menthol or eucalyptus. Wet on skin: I think there’s also juniper in this-as well as either pine or fir. It’s a nice, yet sharp and cold, evergreen scent. Good for colds! Dry: hmm, this is interesting. This really is an almost medicinal evergreen scent, cold and piercing. I’m sure there’s juniper and camphor in this-and pine, and/or fir. It’s a very fresh scent…though I must say that reminds me of winter forests more than deadly nightshade plants. After a while: the fresh medicinal pine scent has faded but still lingers, but I’m now left with a green scent like crushed dark green leaves, and a hint of moss and possibly patchouli and vetiver. This seems more apt for the poisonous plant fragrance, and yes, now it does bear a slight similarity to Tramp. After a while it turns to, believe it or not, vetiver. My skin has this uncanny ability to locate and magnify even the tiniest amount of what should be non existent vetiver in a blend, and it has done so here. Not that I mind though. It’s earthy, dirty, dark green and sinister in scent now, like a sunless woodland full of shadows and venomous plants. There’s also a bit of blackened pine resin here as well. Verdict: this is another one of those ‘chameleon BPAL’ scents that smells so different on everyone. I get none of the sweetness or berries or florals or Snake Oil that other reviewers get…I do get the medicinal scent though. Pine, juniper, eucalyptus, camphor, maybe fir and wintergreen scents, but it’s a piercing (and sinus clearing) blast of sharp, cold, harsh scent at first, reminiscent of winter forests. But then…it changes. It becomes greener and earthier, at one point it smells like Tramp, before changing to dirty dark vetiver with hints of pine sap and evergreen left behind. It’s a very interesting scent, quite sinister in fact, but not something I would wear much.

Malkuth The Kingdom, Olam Yesodoth, Shekhinah, God’s Presence in the World, the Throne of Glory. In the imp: mmm, cinnamon! Maybe frankincense too. Wet on skin: omg! This smells just like those German Christmas biscuits with cinnamon, chocolate and jam! Dry: as I said, this smells like cinnamon, dark chocolate, and something sweet and fruity. It reminds me so much of those delicious German heart shaped biscuits I eat at Christmas-they are spicy and cinnamon flavoured, filled with jam, and covered with dark chocolate. I think I get fleeting notes of resins, woods, smoke and autumn leaves, but it’s predominantly German Christmas biscuits to me! After a while: holy moly this has undergone another foody-spicy transformation! This doesn’t smell as much like German biscuits, but it now smells like cinnamon scones with strawberry jam! I was in Devon where I ate a delicious scone which was cinnamon flavoured, and it was spread with strawberry jam. This smells just like that. I want to eat myself so much. I also smell something creamy here…like vanilla ice cream, or the cream served with scones…dang, this stuff is so delicious! In fact, I may be having olfactory delusions here but I swear that I’m getting mince pies here too! Verdict: my skin is very nice with Malkuth because 1) I get no burning or welts from the cinnamon, and 2) it turns this scent into something so yummy...this is without a doubt, the best Sephiroth oil ever. I'm not familiar with the meaning of the Sephiroth, so I can't comment on how this scent relates to it, but scent wise, I'm getting the urge to gnaw my wrists off. Spicy, sweet, delicious, and reminiscent of all sort of spiced baked goods-German cinnamon Christmas biscuits, cinnamon scones with jam, mince pies…it’s delightful, indulgent and so yummy. I will need to get a bottle-this is fabulous for autumn and winter!

Wheel of Fortune In the imp: sharp, herbal, medicinal…really medicinal. Is that camphor? Wet on skin: I think I know what this is…its juniper. I may be wrong but this sort of reminds me of an essential oil which I have, and I think it’s juniper, maybe with camphor too. Maybe pine or another woody scent? It’s a blast to the sinuses, that’s for sure! Dry: this is very strong stuff…it smells more like some sort of old fashioned medicine, antiseptic even! I get this strong scent of juniper, or maybe wintergreen and menthol/camphor, but there’s also something sweet in the background, almost fruity-it reminds me of blackcurrant! Like a berry ‘after smell’ hiding behind the medicinal notes in front. This seems more like a ritual oil than a perfume. After a while: holy moly, I smell like Ribena! This has gone totally blackcurrant on me. The juniper is gone, leaving behind a tart, yet sweet and juicy blackcurrant scent on me. Now this smells a little bit like Lush’s You Snap the Whip, or cassis liqueur. Verdict: this one was really unusual. At first I get a harsh, medicinal scent, very piercing, maybe with camphor, menthol, and juniper. But then it slowly but surely morphed completely…into blackcurrant! Yup, it’s almost Ribena like, but more tart, almost like a cassis liqueur scent. It reminds me of You Snap the Whip. It’s a strange scent, I’m not sure if I like it because I’m not keen on the wet/just dry stage because it smells too medicinal for me…but the blackcurrant drydown is quite fun! Having read the reviews, I think I’m the only person getting blackcurrant here, which is quite surprising…it’s one of those oils that’s so different on everyone, it seems…one of those ‘chameleon BPALs’.

Chiroptera In the imp: lavender, herbs, and a soft floral which I think is evening primrose, since it reminds me of an evening primrose lotion I smelt once! Wet on skin: more of the lush, moist flowers come through, with the greenness of the herbs and the soft fuzzy scent of lavender still lingering. Dry: this is really nice…it’s the scent of a warm, humid night in a tropical garden…you can smell the moist green of leaves and bright florals here and there. It’s a very nocturnal scent, reminiscent of Midnight, but more herbal and green, much warmer and sultry, and with lavender. I think I can make out the moonflower here, and possibly the sweet phlox. I’m amazed at how humid this smells though-but it’s not uncomfortably so. After a while: the lavender has faded, and the scent has become lighter, and it smells a bit like damp, almost decaying. It’s not bad though. It’s now more of a waxy white floral scent, but not sweet at all…there’s still that humid green scent to it as well. There’s just this damp, ‘chalky’ note to it that I’m puzzled by. I’m also getting something like cucumber, which is bizarre… Verdict: I really liked the wet-just dry stage of this scent. It evoked a tropical night, humid, damp, green and fragrant with nocturnal blooms, but also with herbs and lavender, which aren’t exactly tropical but still...and I liked that a lot, I found it very soothing. However, it develops this odd note that I can’t really put my finger on but it reminds me somewhat of decay in the dampness, and something chalky or papery. It’s a shame really because if it had stayed the way it was when it was wet, I would have loved it more. I’ll keep the imp though.

Carnation SN In the imp: what the? This doesn’t smell like carnation…I’m getting a sharp, alcohol like scent here, smells like dry flower petals soaked in some really strong, dark alcoholic spirit. Wet on skin: I think this is improving…when wet it still smells a bit like something boozy, but there’s something spicy there as well…maybe a bit floral? Dry: it smells a bit more floral, but it’s not the carnation scent I was expecting…that familiar sweet floral clove scent that I get in things like Potion. The scent here is interesting though. It’s spicy, that’s for sure, and yet, it’s also quite dark, as a scent, but trimmed with frilly edges of red and pink, something flowery is in here. I like it, but it’s not really carnation yet. I’ll wait a bit to see if this becomes the carnation scent I know and love. After a while: well, now that’s much more like it! This is a carnation scent-a really intense one. It’s spicy and fiery, clovey and peppery, with a red-pink floral-ness to it…to me, it smells like very concentrated carnation essence…it has a piercing scent to it which is partly spicy, partly boozy, partly green…there is now something slightly green to this scent-like the stem of the flower. It’s also very rich and deep, this isn’t a fluffy light flower scent in the least. Verdict: ever since trying out Lush’s Potion, I’ve become hooked on the spicy-floral scent of carnation with its clove like scent. I also happen to love a lot of BPAL scents with carnation (Morocco, Alice, Brisingamen etc) however I did notice that the carnation note in those wasn’t very strong or recognisable but you could just about smell them there (which is no bad thing either)…I was a bit taken aback by the single note though. In the imp, it was so strong, so intense, so dark and almost booze like, like an uber-concentrated carnation essence, instead of ‘the Potion carnation’ scent I was expecting. It does improve on the skin though, but it’s so different to other carnation scents I have tried. It also makes me wonder if Beth uses different carnation notes in her blends…that note smells much softer in blends than in the SN. I will keep the decant I have, I think this will be great for layering. I really wish I got what the reviewers got…everyone else loves this…maybe it will grow on me? edited to add: the drydown of this after about 30 mins-1 hour is lovely...NOW it smells like a proper carnation! No longer intensely spicy and fiery, now this is soft, sweet, floral and genuine, with that hint of clove-like spice, and a little greenness. Yay!

Libertine In the imp: violet and camomile. Wet on skin: still violet and camomile, and now the bergamot comes through, and possibly the rosewood too. Dry: I like it! Now I smell more woody notes coming out, but the violet, bergamot and camomile are still there. This is a light, dry, sweetish scent, very pleasant and unisex. I think I’m also getting a bit of musk, a sweet, deep musk scent which adds another dimension to the scent. Sometimes Arabian musk turns ‘perfumey’ on me but not so much in here. After a while: I know rosewood isn’t related to rose, but in here, it smells slightly rosy! Or maybe that’s the primrose-even though that isn’t related to rose either (and I don’t know what primroses smell like)? Maybe the combination or rosewood with the musk gives it that effect, but no matter-I like it! There’s also a good strong violet topping to this scent, and the camomile and sandalwood are still there. I think the musk is giving it a nice depth. Verdict: I like this fragrance a lot, though it did surprise me by suddenly developing a rose note out of nowhere…this is a nice little mix of dry sweet woods, dusty violets, camomile, bergamot and a musk note that adds depth and a richer sweetness. I’m also getting a rose like scent from this which is unexpected but rather pleasant-this also makes the scent more feminine than I expected. Nevertheless, this is a sophisticated and grown up scent which I really enjoy-not so much for a bottle, but I’ll keep the imp.

Xiuhtecuhtli In the imp: orange and perfumey flowers. This reminds me of a scent called ‘Mayan Gold’-no, not the Green and Black’s chocolate bar, but the MMU scent. Wet on skin: tangy orange and lush, slightly greenish floral notes, and something sweet. Dry: this is a very nice scent-and it really does remind me of MMU’s Mayan Gold! There’s a golden scent to it, definitely resinous, but it’s not a resin note I’m familiar with-so I’m guessing that’s the copal. There’s also the orange, which is very prominent in this, and some floral notes-I’m wondering if it’s the plumeria that gives this scent a creamy sweetness? Or maybe there’s a vanilla or chocolate note here-despite them not being listed? I also get something lush and slightly green, which might be the jungle blooms. There’s something ‘perfume-like’ about this, as in, it bears similarities to designer perfumes, but that’s not a bad thing. The overall scent is golden, bright, tangy, refreshing and slightly sweet, with a hint of the exotic about it. After a while: this stays pretty consistent throughout-the notes don’t morph too much. It’s still that bright, golden, perfume like scent, with a hint of something dry and green or resinous. The orange note is surprisingly tenacious in this, which is a good thing. I’m also getting grapefruit, which is unexpected. I swear it’s also got a chocolate or vanilla note too. In fact, as other reviews have noted-it does remind me of Angel, but with added citrus! Verdict: this, to me, is BPAL’s version of Mayan Gold. (Though for this, 'Aztec Gold' would be more accurate.) It smells almost identical to the MMU Mayan Gold lotion I tried, but this one is a bit more interesting…there’s something more natural about this, and more complex. It’s a bright, tangy scent with golden tones, a hint of something green, and with a smooth, sweet undertone. Orange is strong in this, and this orange note seems to last a long time. I think I also detect copal here, as well as the floral notes, and a sweet note that makes me think of vanilla or chocolate. This scent is also very reminiscent of sophisticated designer perfumes-it does have something ‘Angel’ like about it-with added orange, but that’s not a bad thing. I do like this, but I’m not sure if I’ll get a bottle, but I’ll keep the imp…I get the feeling this will really grow on me.

Sweet Almond In imp: marzipan! This is pure, sweet marzipan, it’s truly almond. On skin: now, almond usually fades so fast on me, so I’m expecting this to vanish, but for now it’s a soft marzipan scent, a very true almond…slightly smoky, and with a bit of something nutty that I don’t normally notice in almond blends. But yes, it’s fading quickly. Though whilst the initial almond blast evaporates quicker than you can say ‘macaroons!’ I get a scent that lasts on my skin which is the true nutty scent of almonds, like raw, blanched almonds. Like the ones used for baking as opposed to an almond liqueur. Now it reminds me of homemade marzipan as opposed to the shop bought stuff-my mum makes hers with freshly ground almonds, and this smells very similar to that! Yum! It’s a very soft scent though, very close to the skin, and I think it would be better for layering-I’m tempted to add vanilla to this scent!

Languor In the imp: smells like white flowers with a hint of something sharp, dark and smoky-the opium? I’ve never tried an opium scent, let alone a BPAL one. Wet on skin: smooooke! Damn, this is a smoky floral! Dry: smoke and flowers. I’m getting two sides to this scent. First what hits you is the dry, dark, shocking and sharp smoky scent, almost dusty. I don’t really know the smell of opium, but I’m thinking that is what that smoke is-it’s not cigarette smoke or tobacco of any kind, but it’s something along those lines-almost like incense, but heavier and more narcotic in feel-a musty smoke that clings to you almost chokingly. Underneath that is a wonderful soft floral scent, white and dewy-sweet tuberose, lily and dry, crisp narcissus. I love that aspect of the scent-but I’m really not into the smoky opium scent…it smells a bit too smoky for me. After a while: the smoky scent does seem to tone down a bit, letting the floral notes shine through. The flowers in this blend are heady and sweet-but that’s a good thing. I really like this floral scent that I’m getting now, it’s like a bouquet of lilies and narcissi scenting up a room. After a few hours, the smoke is gone and the floral scent goes a bit dry, but is nice none the less. Verdict: another unusual scent from the lab…I’m not sure what to make of this. Whilst I really love the floral scent this has, I’m not so keen on that smoky, dry, dusty and dark scent I get at the beginning-I think that’s the ‘opium haze’…I dunno, but that note freaked me out a bit when I smelt it. This does go down a bit though as time passes and the flowery scent becomes clearer and lovelier-it’s a really heady floral, but I like that. But I’m not into the wet/just dry stage of this scent. I may give this another try, another time.

Ice Queen In the imp: fresh, cool spruce and sweet musk. Wet on skin: this smells so cold…it’s the scent of a winter forest, but with a hint of sweetness, a slight fruitiness. Dry: this scent brings to mind one thing…Narnia! It’s cold, snowy, and with hints of frozen flowers and berries. I can smell the spruce here, it adds a real cool feel to the scent, and the musk note in here is gorgeous, soft and velvety. The scent is white and gentle like the first fall of snow, but with a cold heart warmed by something sweet and almost candied. This fragrance is magical…when I wear this, it’s like I’ve stepped through the wardrobe into another, wintery world. After a while: though this fragrance is cold, the smooth and soft musk brings to mind the image of a great white fur coat, warm and comforting against the chill outdoors. I also get something that is almost like an aquatic scent-a sharp, frozen aquatic, an ice or snow note, contrasting with the gentle and slightly sweet musk scent. The spruce note is fresh and chilling like a winter wind, and there are hints of fruit and flowers here and there. Verdict: I love this wonderful winter scent. It has a similar feel to Skadi but without that spicy warmth that I got from that scent. This one is much colder, more icy, but so nice…it’s a fabulous white musk scent with cool, green spruce and with little hints of berries and flowers here and there, frozen under a snowy coat of this soft musk. It’s an enchanting scent, and I know I’ll definitely be wearing this when I go and see the Narnia movies! I wish I could get a bottle though I don’t think I ever will…but I will cherish the decant I have.

La Bella Donna Mia Mente In the imp: pomegranate! Tart, moist pomegranate with peach and aquatics. Wet on skin: this is probably the most realistic pomegranate scent I’ve tried, it’s like splitting one open and smelling the juice inside. I also smell peach or possibly peach blossom and rose. Dry: now I smell the autumn leaves, and something herbal which I think is myrtle. This is a gorgeous scent-a mix of moist and dry, tart and sweet, fruity, floral and herbal. It has an aquatic scent to it which is lovely, but also a dry note. Interesting contrast. The pomegranate and rose are still there…everything is nicely balanced making for a delightful scent. After a while: this scent has smoothed out so nicely. It’s now a soft, light scent of green myrtle, roses and peach blossoms, just a bare hint of moist pomegranate and the autumn leaf note. It’s now a lot drier in scent, but that’s no bad thing. Verdict: I really like this a lot, it’s fresh, light and gentle. It also has many aspects to it-it’s fruity, floral, herbal/leafy and aquatic, dry, moist, slightly sharp and slightly sweet. It brings to mind the end of summer and the beginning of autumn...as a bright and breezy scent, it’s a good everyday perfume, yet there are many different facets to the scent which makes it interesting and unique. I think I may want to get more.

Tzadikim Nistarim In the imp: I can see why people say this smells a bit like pineapple…it’s quite fruity and light, which is a surprise. Wet on skin: this smells so sweet and juicy as opposed to the resinous olive scent I was expecting. There’s a bit of greenness there too. Dry: ah yes, now the green scent becomes more apparent. This might be hyssop. The frankincense in this blend is very light, bright, and sweet. This isn’t a heavy resin scent. The olive can just about be detected, but thankfully doesn’t smell too much like, erm, salad oil. I’m puzzled as to what the pineapple/tropical fruit like smell is-maybe it’s galangal? Apparently that has a fruity-gingery scent and there is a very light hint of spice to this. It’s a totally unexpected scent to what I was thinking it would be, and very pleasant. After a while: it’s just become sweeter and fruitier! I wonder what’s making it smell like that? I don’t know, but I love it! It reminds me of something I’ve smelt before…I don’t know what but it reminds me of this fruity-floral perfume I tried ages ago and fell in love with, I think it was a lotus perfume. Although this scent shouldn’t have any fruity or floral notes in it…the mind boggles…though I get the olive (which is surprisingly pleasant and not savoury at all) and I think I can smell a little bit of spikenard at the base of the scent-that deep, green, slightly dirty/earthy note. It’s just a tiny amount underneath the bright sweetness of the overall scent. This smells like golden sunkissed fruit with a hint of something oily (in a good way) from the olive. Verdict: this is one of those scents that really, really took me by surprise. I was expecting something austere and incense-y, herbal and dark with a savoury olive note. I know what spikenard smells like thanks to sniffing the e.o. in an aromatherapy shop…there is a little bit of that here but the overall scent was fruity, and sweet-almost candy like or floral, bright and sunny. It smells like summer fruits with a little bit of something oily from the olives, and a hint of green herbs. This does indeed smell hopeful, and holy too-but in a positive, warm sense. This is a delightful scent and I think I might need to get more of it.

La Belle au Bois Dormant In the imp: a gorgeous, light, sweet and dewy floral. Wet on skin: ohh, this is so lovely. It’s a delightful floral scent with a bit of pear. Dry: now the rose comes out, adding depth to the scent. The magnolia, tuberose and plumeria are gorgeous here, with juicy pear notes and yes, a bit of dew. There’s a wonderful moistness to this scent, fresh and lightly watery. It’s not as sweet as it was when it was wet, there’s tartness to it now. This is another example of those lovely multi-faceted floral scents from the Lab, it’s not flat, and it has many sides to it. After a while: I absolutely love the wafts of scent I’m getting from this-it has amazing throw, and the air around my wrist, quite far from it, has a sweet floral scent to it, light, sweet, almost lotus like (I think that may be plumeria though-is that the same as frangipani?) but close to the skin, the rose and pear are more noticeable. Verdict: this is another glorious and delightful flowery scent which I have fallen for. It’s light, floaty, ever so feminine, and beautiful. It has a mix of gentle dewy flowers, sweet and delicate (there’s something here that smells almost like lotus on my skin-which is a good thing!) with juicy pear and a deep rose base. It has tons of throw and I can smell these wonderful sweet wafts of fragrance when I wear it that take me by surprise…I love this and I will need to get a bottle!

Black Opal In the imp: a light vanilla musk with a strangely dusty or mineral scent to it. Wet on skin: blimey, this really does smell geological! Like a soft musky rock scent, slightly earthy and wet, reminds me of caves. Dry: wow. I don’t know how she does it. You know about the phrase ‘squeezing blood from a stone’? Well it seems Beth has squeezed scent from rock! This is a very unusual scent-it’s almost ozone, almost aquatic, but most of all-it’s mineral, like damp rocks and caves, glistening polished gems…with a sweet, clear musk scent and vanilla. It’s ever so soft, but so mesmerising and unique. It’s almost a second skin scent. After a while: I think I’ve worked out what this smells like…Egyptian musk. The musk note in here has a certain clarity, a subtlety, a slight freshness or sharpness and a second skin quality that reminds so much of other Egyptian musk scents that I’m pretty sure that is what the musk is in this scent. Anyway, the scent is stronger now, has more throw, and the vanilla note is stronger and sweeter. And it still has that mineral scent to it. This is like Antique Lace, only more mysterious and beguiling, with a dark and seductive smokiness about it. Verdict: this is one of those wonderful, unique and different scents that Beth does so well, and it’s also a scent that really grows on you. The uniqueness of this fragrance lies in it’s mineral, rocky scent-I’ve never had something like that in perfume before, but it really works! Then there’s the musk-which I’m sure is of the Egyptian variety-which at first seems to be barely there but then warms up and becomes a delightful skin scent…and the vanilla note which rounds off and sweetens the scent. Black Opal is the darker and more intriguing sister of Antique Lace, she lures you into a dark cavern of fragrance, a scent that swirls and teases, spellbinds and leads you into it’s mystery until you cannot resist it…this is a true gem (ha ha!) of a scent, another example of the vanilla-musk scents that are the classics of BPAL, and one I will need to get a bottle of soon!

Zombi In the imp: rose, and deep, decomposing earth-but not yucky decomposition…this is the decay of plant matter and moss growing on it… Wet on skin: whoa…the rose in here is really strong, as is the soil note. Dry: this smells of heady, rich rose, wet soil and leaves, and MOSS. And I mean, lots of moss. This is a very intriguing and unconventional fragrance, a very unique spin on a rose perfume…this isn’t just the scent of planting a rose bush, these are roses laid on a freshly dug grave, the earth, the tomb moss, the funereal blooms can all be smelt here. The earth note is almost mushroom-like, it really does have a feel of decay to it. After a while: the rose note in here is delightful but I’m not really digging (geddit?) the soil note…I love a lot of BPAL wet soil scents (Penny Dreadful, King and Queen of Clubs etc) but in here, it smells a bit, erm, too decayed, almost like mushrooms…which is interesting but it makes me smell like, at best, I’ve been gardening and planting a rose bush, or at worst, things are growing on my skin…however it is very true to the name, if anything! Verdict: this is another example of the uniqueness of BPAL…this smells like fragrant rose petals strewn on wet soil and damp, decayed leaves and moss. It’s a very interesting scent-and freakishly authentic. A bit too realistic for my liking-though I enjoy the smell of wet soil and moss most of the time, in this one, it’s a bit too much…a bit too much death and decay for me to wear as perfume, but very evocative of the name, that’s for sure! I do think it would make a great room scent though, and I’ll stick with Penny Dreadful, Queen of Clubs and even Graveyard Dirt (which to me is a much lighter dirt than this) whenever I want to smell earthy and dirty without smelling like I’m, well, dead!

Loralei In the imp: tangy and moist orange blossom with a strong sandalwood background. Wet on skin: this is really nice…the neroli and sandalwood really complement each other well. Dry: this is a lovely scent. Tangy, lightly floral neroli with dewy and headier ylang on top of a good solid base of sandalwood, which is good and strong in this-it’s a dry, warm and very lightly ‘spicy’ variety of sandalwood. The notes in here are very well balanced and they complement each other nicely. I like this a lot. After a while: holy moly…this smells gorgeous now. It’s a bit fainter and has the potential to evaporate to nothingness, but now the neroli, ylang and sandalwood have fused to create a wonderful scent-warm, smooth, lightly floral, gentle and ever so delightful. Sometimes neroli/orange blossom can amp up on my skin and/or become quite sharp and tangy, but not in here. In here it smoothes out so nicely, giving a soft cologne effect. Verdict: I was surprised at how nice this was. At first the neroli and sandalwood stand out, but they are distinct…and the floral notes have ‘moistness’ to it contrasting with the dry wood scent. But upon drydown the notes all bond together to create a delightful scent, very well blended and balanced, warm and soothing, and gentle too, a real ‘close to the skin’ scent, light and perfect for everyday wear. I like this a lot but I have a feeling it is fading pretty fast so I’m not sure if I’ll get more.

Aureus In the imp: patchouli! Maybe some sweet resins, amber perhaps? Wet on skin: now this smells like church incense, I’m sure there’s frankincense here…it’s like a lighter Anne Bonny or Cathedral. Dry: this is amazing stuff…a bit darker than I was expecting for a ‘golden’ scent, this is a patchouli-amber-incense scent. I can now make out sweet golden amber poking out of the smoky patchouli, and it may have a light spice note to it. I think there are also some other resin notes here, as well as possibly some sandalwood or another woody scent? It’s a really fascinating scent, like a smoky gold scent rather than a luminous one, to me anyway. After a while: this now reminds me of a mix of Anne Bonny, Sin, Cathedral/Penitence and the Lion…and I like that a lot! I get wonderful, glowing spiced amber with shadows of patchouli, possibly some bright frankincense and woods too, it’s a really nice warm resinous-incense scent, lovely for the cooler months, I think. It’s really growing on me. Verdict: this one was really intriguing and has grown on me. At first, I was puzzled by the presence of smoky patchouli in a scent that should be ‘like golden light’ but I like patchouli and so I tried it…when wet/just dry, this seemed more like a smoky gold, the scent of deep patchouli with resins and a lovely sweet amber that was slowly rising to the top of the scent…and then this amber becomes centre stage of the scent, a delightful sweet and lightly spiced amber, with possibly some sandalwood and frankincense, with the remains of the patchouli around the edges. It brings to mind the image of the sun breaking through clouds, or a sunrise…it also smells like sacred incense wafting through a holy building-be it a church or a temple-with beams of sunlight illuminating the incense-clouded smoky darkness. This stuff is amazing and I think I might need more.

Ace of Cups In the imp: maraschino cherries. Maybe with almond and lotus? Wet on skin: yeah, this is lotus alright, with just a little bit of cherry-almond. Dry: this is lovely…it’s a fruity, bright, sweet, cherry-lotus scent. It reminds me a bit of Glitter, I think. This is a very nice scent, sweet and candy like, pleasant and youthful. There’s a hint of another floral in there that I recognise but I can’t place. After a while: this now smells less like cherries and more like sugar coated flowers. It’s sweet but not tooth aching or cloyingly so…the flower notes are very nicely bonded now in this scent-I’m not sure what’s in this but I’m pretty sure that lotus is the main note. Am I the only one who gets uber-lotus here? (that's a good thing, I love lotus, because this floral is lovely on me and lasts aaaaaaages) It seems apt for a card that’s so connected to water to have a lotus scent. Verdict: this is such a lovely scent! At first it’s like maraschino cherries, but then the lotus comes out and the scent becomes a sweet, bright floral, it has a candy like feel to it without being too sweet…it reminds me of another lotus BPAL, probably Glitter. This is a gorgeous feminine scent, light, youthful and sparkling.

Yggdrasil In the imp: sweet, woody, and sap like notes. Possibly pine in here. Wet on skin: mmm, woods and herbs! Dry: this smells quite nice-like dry woods, tree sap, and green herbs. I’m not sure what’s in here, but I’m thinking oak bark, maybe pine, thyme, sage, fir, cedar, cypress? Lots of woods and herbal notes in here. It’s like dark wooded forests and shrubs, very nice. It’s also a very warm woody scent, a tad smoky without smelling like a bonfire of woods. After a while: this scent has now become quite scrubby, very dry and gritty. This is a ‘wild woods’ sort of scent, it’s dark and deep, yet also warm and with a feel of strength and earthiness. I can smell the bark of this tree and possibly the leaves…it’s quite autumnal, and I think it would also make an amazing ritual scent. Verdict: this is a scent which brings to mind the sturdy trunk of a great tree that seems to have absorbed the power of the earth itself, strong and almost protective. An intensely woody scent, dry, scrubby, warm and deep, with hints of green herbs and tree sap, bark and leaves. It’s a great scent for autumn, I think, and it’s very unisex. I do like it a lot, but I have other woody/forest-y blends which I prefer to this. This is very nice though, and it does have a feel of being more of a ritual or meditational oil than a mere perfume…it feels powerful.

Temperance In the imp: sweet greenish florals, like the scent of a florist’s shop, or a spring meadow! Wet on skin: ohh, this is lovely! It smells like honeysuckle! Pure, greenish, damp and dewy honeysuckle and maybe lily of the valley. Dry: holy honeysuckle Batman! This reminds me of a lighter, brighter Asphodel. It’s predominantly honeysuckle, with possibly a lily note, maybe lily of the valley. It’s also got a greenness, and also a moistness that brings to mind dew or rain. It’s like the scent of spring or early summer… After a while: it’s lost that lovely dewy aspect it had before and now smells a bit dry and sharp. It’s still quite nice, but I much preferred the original, just dry stage. This dry stage doesn’t last…and now I smell, oh my goodness, could it be? I think its hyacinth! Yes! I’ve been looking for something with a smell of hyacinth and this is it. Yay! Verdict: this is the scent of spring and early summer encapsulated…fresh dewy flowers and greenery is what I smell here. First I get a big hit of honeysuckle, and possibly lily of the valley, covered with raindrops and with green notes like grass or leaves. Then it goes through a phase I’m not so keen on-where it smells dry and sharp, but this doesn’t last long. The scent then makes a final transformation into the smell of hyacinths…and I’ve been looking for a BPAL with hyacinth (other than Stardust) and this is it. This is another lovely tarot scent, and another lovely ‘moist flower’ fragrance that will be great for springtime.

Vanilla Bean In the imp: very light, but sweet, slightly liqueur-ish vanilla. Wet on skin: this smells like a very light but strangely alcoholic vanilla, like a vanilla liqueur. I’m hoping that this doesn’t turn plastic like other vanilla SNs do… Dry: still a creamy vanilla liqueur…it reminds me of Baileys, the variety with vanilla added to it (I think it’s called Glide?). It has a very slight, oddly sour or sharp aspect to it, reminiscent of milk, but underneath is the smooth vanilla sweetness. It’s really quite soft, but I’m pretty sure it’s got the potential to get stronger. It didn’t turn to plastic, but it’s not what I expected either. After a while: after about 5 minutes or so, the odd sour note goes away, and now this scent becomes a smooth, dark, sweet vanilla scent which I love. This is more like a base note vanilla, a scent that only truly hits you only a few seconds after the initial sniff. It’s like an ‘after-sniff’, a soft, sweet, creamy, rich but not cloying scent, a true vanilla without the icky plastic scent that I’ve experienced with (mainly synthetic) single note vanilla perfumes from other companies. This is the real thing. However, this is not a light vanilla as such, this is a darker vanilla scent, like the one in Velvet and Snake Charmer etc, as opposed to the one in Antique Lace and Dorian etc. This gets better and better as time passes, the vanilla becomes a wonderful, velvety scent, soft, smooth, deep, comforting. Verdict: I adore vanilla as a component in a blend, be it with BPAL or many other companies, but when it came to looking for the perfect vanilla single note, I was disappointed that most of them turned to plastic on me (probably because they were mainly synthetic) so I thought I’d give BPAL’s a whirl, thinking ‘if Beth doesn’t use synthetics, this certainly won’t smell of plastic on me! Could this be The One?’ So I tried it…and first I was a bit puzzled. No, it didn’t smell plastic, but it had an odd note to it that at times, reminded me of alcohol, and at other times, reminded me of milk…it was strange, but I was patient…because then that odd note faded and the glorious vanilla goodness came through-a deep, rich, sweet, dark vanilla scent, a real base note that seems faint at the first instant of smelling but then hits you a few seconds after. And a very true vanilla note at that…reminiscent of my mum’s vanilla pods. I also realised that Beth uses different vanilla notes in her scents-this is the darker variety, as opposed to the light, fluffy vanilla scent. So whilst I’m unsure if I’ve found my holy grail of vanilla SNs, this comes very close to it, and it is one of the best-and most natural-vanilla notes I’ve tried. I can’t wait to layer with this!

Grandmother of Ghosts In the imp: pepper and sweet fruit! A light sprinkling of pepper with a herbal note (laurel maybe) and mandarin. Wet on skin: is that stargazer lily and peony I smell, rising to the surface? Dry on skin: wow, this is such an incredible scent. there's a deep, rich, musky floral scent of lily and peony-and for some reason, the white musk scent is almost red in this, probably from the flower scents-and there's also a bit of pepper and herbal laurel and possibly a woody base to this. The overall scent is fruity, sweet, deep, slightly herbal-spicy and headily floral, so complex and very nice. After a while: I'm pretty sure the musk in here is red…it's too deep and fruity to be merely white…or maybe it's bonding with other notes to cause this olfactory illusion? Whatever it is, I love the effect it has. The floral notes are very sweet and rich, and the laurel and pepper add a very interesting edge to the scent. I think there may be sandalwood in here as well. Verdict: another one of those unique and unusual scents that Beth does so well. this scent has many aspects-spicy , herbal, woody, floral, and musky…heady blooms of lily and peony with the edge of pepper and laurel and woods and musk…and for some strange reason, the musk note in here is almost like red musk more than white musk. this scent is deep, rich, full and complex, quite different from anything I've smelt before. I like it a lot-not sure if I want a bottle but I do want to keep the imp.

Penny Dreadful In the imp: soil! Lovely damp soil…and cocoa? Maybe woods, or nut notes? Sandalwood maybe? Wet on skin: this is lovely! I'm getting earth, and also a scent that reminds me of Velvet-cocoa and sandalwood? Dry on skin: wow. This is quite similar in feel to Queen of Clubs-damp earthy notes, like rain soaked soil, but with gorgeous scents bubbling underneath. I'm thinking vanilla now…I'm pretty sure it's vanilla or amber that's causing this gorgeous sweetness. I think sandalwood is in here. And for some reason, I keep thinking cocoa…or maybe a fruit or floral? Whatever's in here, it's absolutely gorgeous. After a while: the earth has faded and now I get a sophisticated womanly perfume scent which has amazing throw…I kept getting whiffs of this wonderful sweet vanilla like scent but close to the skin, it's reminiscent of a really grown up, well made perfume. I'm thinking there's amber here, vanilla, maybe a bit of musk? Sandalwood or rosewood maybe? Maybe a dark, smoky grounding note-like myrrh, tobacco or even vetiver? I can't tell, but I really like this. Verdict: I never thought I'd be into the scent of soil, but thanks to Beth, I can't get enough of it…her earth/dirt note reminds me so much of my garden after it's been watered. This scent has that earth note in front, and has a similar feel to Queen of Clubs. The scent under all that earth is gorgeous, intriguing, and sophisticated…I'm not sure what's in it but it's sweet, rich, and grown up in scent. I'm thinking vanilla, amber, maybe sandalwood, or something else-possibly even cocoa? Whatever it is, it smells lovely and as the dirt note fades, it smells like a really posh perfume (that's a good thing). It's a gorgeous scent and I love the concept of taking a mature perfume scent and spiking it with soil-only Beth could pull it off so well! Fantastic stuff, I may consider getting a bottle.

Golden Priapus In the imp: pine and juniper, fresh and ahem, woody. Wet on skin: whoa, a fresh blast of pine and juniper, possibly rosewood too, and a hint of the warmer golden notes underneath. Dry on skin: this is really nice. The bright woody/sappy notes are dominant, this gives the blend a nice masculinity without being too butch, and I'm getting a lovely vanilla undertone too. Mmm, vanilla. It's fresh and piercing, and with a nice, ahem, hit of wood (ha ha) but with a golden sweetness underneath it all. It really is a manlier version of O. After a while: the pine and juniper fade away and retreat to the background, letting the amber and vanilla do their background. now the scent is a soft, warm, sweet vanilla scent with just a hint of the pine lurking there, adding it's sparky edge to the scent. Verdict: for a scent geared for men, this is surprisingly nice on a girl like me. It starts off with a hit of pine and juniper, bright and piercing fresh notes which are very nice and indeed, quite masculine. But over time, these fade, and the vanilla becomes the star of the scent, a warm, sweet, velvety soft background, with a bit of golden amber with the remainder of the woody notes on top. This is lovely smelling stuff, although I'm not sure I'd want to wear a scent with phallic connotations in the name. The better-educated friends of mine and older relatives or people I know will definitely give me funny looks if they ask me what my perfume is! But I may want to get an imp of this, because I really like this scent.