PurringPulsar

Catalyst Courtesy of the TAL circular swap. In the imp: this smells odd. A bit like dragon's blood, though it can't be as the oil isn't red-it's clear. It smells clear too, and metallic-the scent is hard to describe, but it smells almost like alcohol-like a clear booze, maybe vodka like scent? Wet on skin: still the same, that clear alcohol like scent, and I think there could be cloves here too, or maybe it's anise? I now also smell something rather lemony coming out, maybe verbena? Dry on skin: now it smells like fresh cologne! It smells quite lemony and bright, piercing-but not lemon fruit, this is more like a lemony herb, like verbena or citronella. It's not the same piercing lemongrass scent of Concentration though, this one is more bright and cold, slightly distant, fresh like a spritz of cologne and a gust of winter wind. It has an airy, metallic, almost ozone like feel to it. That and something spicy, but only slightly. It's unusual, I can tell you that! After a while: it still has that fresh lemon-ozone scent, but it's now starting to remind me of freshly washed laundry. It smells quite soapy now, and very clean, but still with a hint of cloves or anise. Verdict: this is one of the strangest smelling TAL oils I've tried. At first it smells oddly chemical, almost like alcohol, or metal. Then, on the skin, it smells like cologne, fresh and zingy, and lemony. There's also a metallic, or airy ozone scent in this, it feels cool, even cold, clean and bracing, with a dark spicy scent, possibly anise or clove. Purpose-wise, this is an oil that I need, because I am looking for a bit of creative impetus, determination, and the drive to finish projects or start new ones. I might need to get more of this oil.

Mantle of Venus Courtesy of the TAL circular swap. In the imp: floral cloves. Mainly cloves, but with a hint of something floral, not sure what. Wet on skin: still spicy-there may be some pepper in here as well as cloves, and I think there's lavender here as well. Dry on skin: mmm, this is a very soft, gentle scent. it's still spicy, but mildly spiced now. It's become more herbal now. I think it could be lavender, and possibly camomile, or something herbal and soothing. It smells very relaxing and unthreatening, and the cloves add a nice warmth to the scent. After a while: violets. I think there's a very soft violet scent here. But it also has a slight cherry-like aspect that reminds me of heliotrope flowers, so maybe that's in there too? but it's a soft, purple flower scent, gentle and quite sweet. Verdict: this is a gorgeous scent. at first it starts of spicy, with cloves and possibly some pepper. Then it dries down to a soothing herbal-floral scent which could be lavender and/or camomile, then changing to violets, or something else. It's a very soothing scent, calm and approachable. I have yet to see whether it brings love or money my way…I hope it does though! I wouldn't mind getting more of this.

Temple: Greek Courtesy of the TAL circular swap. In the imp: herbs and honey. There is something very Greek/Mediterranean about this scent. Wet on skin: yup, still herbal honey. I think it's thyme, maybe some rosemary and sage, soaked in honey. Dry on skin: this is lovely!! It's herbal honey, but it definitely makes me think of Greece. I have been to Crete and Corfu on holiday, and I remember the evening air being scented with thyme and other herbs. This is very much like that, but with sweet Greek honey, and something that reminds me of grains or bread. I think I can also smell olives. After a while: I think there's a hint of wine here as well, and something smoky, like burning incense, and something woody, perhaps pine or juniper. The scent darkens as time passes, becomes more mysterious. Verdict: I love the way that the temple blends can transport you to the places evoke, helping you enter that state of mind for ritual. I've only tried two so far-this one and Egyptian. Temple Greek really does evoke Greece, I think. It's like a warm breeze of herb-scented evening air, mingled with sweet honey and olive oil, and a hint of smoky incense, maybe some wine. It reminds me of holidays in parts of Greece, or even ancient Greece. Whilst I haven't got as much of an affinity for the Greek pantheon as I do with the Egyptian, it is one of the most familiar and the one I first learnt about (I used to be obsessed with Greek myths when I was a child). This is a wonderful blend truly evocative of that time and place, fit for the gods of Olympus.

Uranus In the imp: cloves! Yup, it's cloves, but with something else-not sure what though. Wet on skin: still cloves, with something else that I think could be ozone. But mainly cloves. Dry on skin: fresh cloves. Possibly cinnamon too. This has the warm, sweet spice of cloves, but it's fresh and airy, or liquid rather than flat out spicy. I can't actually tell what the scent is, but I think it's ozone of some sort. But it's mainly sweet festive spice on me. After a while: I think there's cinnamon coming out now. Dry, hot cinnamon bark, with whole clove buds, but still with something salty and fresh. After a few hours it changes to...leather? Yup, I'm getting leather here! Verdict: Uranus is, to me, a planet full of surprises, and this scent was a pleasant surprise. The scent is predominantly cloves and maybe cinnamon-that strong, sweet, spicy scent, but it's coupled with a slight saltiness, which I think could be ozone. This isn't as sweet as Three Witches because of this strange salty angle, it's an unusual combination but it seems to work. I love the smell of festive spices anyway, and this is a very nice scent. The ozone like salty scent makes it more interesting than just plain spice though. I like it a lot.

Helping Hand Courtesy of the TAL circular swap. In the imp: mint! This smells very minty, yet sweet. It reminds me of a cold remedy, it's a menthol-mint scent. There's also a resin or sugary smell in the background, or maybe some pine? It's hard to tell… Wet on skin: oh I know what this is-I think its vetiver! And mint, of course. And possibly some camomile? But it's sweet mint with vetiver and a dark sweet scent-dark chocolate or syrup maybe. Dry on skin: very piercing, camphor-like mint, vetiver and something dark, sweet and deep, something herbal, something smoky. This is an unusual, yet pleasant scent. It smells quite medicinal, healing even. Like an old fashioned herbal remedy. After a while: there is a hint of something herbal and soothing here, as well as the prominent vetiver. I think there's a little waft of tobacco smoke there as well. And it reminds me of After Eight mints now!!! Like After Eights in a smoky lounge after dinner, and some vetiver oil is being burnt to fragrance the room. It's the scent of relaxing and lounging out, and makes me feel calmed. Verdict: this is a very unusual scent. At first, this smells powerful, medicinal, and you can tell this isn't a perfume. And yet, it's pleasant-there's a fresh mint scent with a soft dark vetiver base, possibly some pine or camphor, maybe some herbs, something smoky-possibly tobacco, and dark, dark chocolate-at one point, it even smells a bit like After Eight mints! It's a very interesting scent, and it does calm me down. I am not involved in any rocky relationship, but I do need some peace of mind…so maybe one day I shall get more of this.

Oshun Courtesy of the TAL circular swap. In the imp: fruity rose. yes, it does remind me of Persephone, but more 'grown up', like there's wine in there as well. Wet on skin: fruity rose, with a twinge of tartness, like the petals of the rose are dried, and the fruit juice has fermented into wine. Dry on skin: this is nice! Very rosy, with a bit of fruit. Not sure what-possibly pomegranate, or grape maybe? This is a very feminine scent, it's fresh and moist, yet has a tangy bite to it. The roses in here smell drier and crisper than most rose blends, and there's that fruit note too. After a while: I'm wondering if there's lotus here too, as this is now starting to remind me of Kurukulla. There's a sweet, candy-like scent in this now, which could be lotus or maybe that fruity note. It's also got that tart, tangy, wine like scent balancing out the smooth sweetness. It's very pleasant. Verdict: I'm not too familiar with the Orishas, but I do have the story of Oshun in one of my old children's story books…it states that Oshun is a goddess of love, wealth and beauty. (and indeed, the description given above confirms this.) And this scent is very appropriate for such a deity. It's a feminine, floral-fruit scent, rich and full, juicy and tangy. It's similar to Persephone and Kurukulla, however, whilst those two scents are youthful and girly, this scent is more grown up, more mature, very womanly. The dominant note in this is rose-and lots of it. A good thing, since I adore rose. There's also a fruit scent I cannot place-it seems almost wine like. This is a lovely scent, which resonates with wholesome, plentiful femininity. If this wasn't a magical oil, I'd get more of this.

Snake Charmer In the imp: spicy, sweet and exotic. A bit plummy as well. Reminiscent of Snake Oil (yup, it's Snake Charmer all right!) but more exotic and fruity. Wet on skin: still a gorgeous scent of plum, spices, amber and a bit of musk. It's like Snake Oil, but upgraded. Dry on skin: omg, this is so beautiful! It's so sensual, sexy, and exotic! A heady sweet scent of all sorts of wonderful fragrances mingling together. There's juicy plum and dark vanilla and just a hint of coconut, sweet glowing amber and a sexy musk scent, plus an assortment of warm spices-I swear that one of the spices is cinnamon, as this reminds me a bit of Sin as well as Snake Oil. After a while: the blend has sweetened and smoothed out a lot-but the good thing is that the vanilla isn't amping up to cloying levels in this-it stays stable and mixes nicely with the amber, musk and coconut and also hints of the spices. Verdict: this is like Snake Oil, but updated and improved. A wonderful, magnificent scent, so exotic, spicy and slinky. There's a great assortment of notes here-from fruity plum to sweet amber and vanilla, warm, precious spices and musk. This is so beautiful, complex and rich. And another good thing-with Snake Oil, the vanilla took over all the other notes. The vanilla in here doesn't do that. All the scents are so nicely balanced to create this sexy, mysterious scent. Fantastic work, Beth!

The Lovers In the imp: mmm…it's orange blossom/neroli. Possibly with some orange fruit/peel mixed in. Wet on skin: still orange blossom and citrus fruits. Maybe a twinge of something spicy or woody. Dry on skin: now it develops a herbal note, possibly lavender or rosemary, or perhaps thyme. Maybe some lemon verbena as well. There's a cologne like scent to this. It's fresh and zingy. There may also be something spicy here, warming the blend up. Possibly pepper or cinnamon? it's not obvious though, under the loud orange blossom/herbal scent. After a while: this eventually dries down to a much more floral scent. Hints of herbs linger, but now the scent is predominantly lily. Lots of lily, with a slight green note. Verdict: this was very different to what I was expecting from a blend called 'the Lovers'. I was expecting something more floral with a bit of fiery spice, something slightly aphrodisiac smelling. This scent is, actually, very fresh and bright. A cologne like blend, with a strong orange blossom note and herbs, a bit of citrus and maybe a tiny little bit of spice. This then dries down to become a lily scent. It reminds me of Santa Eularia and Calliope. This is a nice scent, but it's not my favourite of the tarot blends.

HOLY SHIT MACHA! *keels over* Now I am even more impatient for that bottle to arrive!

Umbra In the imp: dark, dark patchouli. Maybe a hint of vetiver. Wet on skin: oooh, cinnamon! Now the cinnamon comes out to play, amidst the dark patchouli, vetiver and possibly a hint of cedar. Dry on skin: mmm, the cinnamon adds a very nice spiciness to this dark, shadowy scent. I can smell all the notes in this clearly, and they are all very well balanced. It's a very deep, rich, sombre scent, mysterious and quite earthy. But I like it. After a while: at one point, the vetiver strengthens, adding a dirty, more earthy and mulchy green feel to the scent. That could also be the patchouli, but it's a deep green scent, so it's mainly vetiver. Then it becomes more balanced and the notes settle down nicely. Verdict: this is a very deep, dark scent. Very shadowy, befitting to the name. I can smell all the notes in this, the cedar, patchouli, vetiver and cinnamon are all nicely balanced, and the cinnamon adds a lovely warm spicy touch to this scent. This is an interesting scent, certainly unisex, not sure if I'll get a bottle yet, but I will definitely keep the imp.

LOL! I have that problem too! I say Ba-o-ban Sith too...I am also rusty withGaelic/Celtic names too. I need to stop saying 'leanne-an-sid' in my head whenever I see Leanan Sidhe! Samhain is similar-in my head, I say 'sam-hayne' as well. And Aeval. Is it pronounced 'ah-eh-val'? or 'e-val', or something totally different? I, on the other hand, have no probs with French names. I'm half French, so names like Grand Guignol don't bother me. (it's pronounced 'graahn gee-nyol', with the 'gee' having a hard G.)

Aztec names are pretty damn hard...I have real problems with pronouncing/spelling the X oil too. Yup, I'll have to copy and paste it if I ask for an imp of it. Same with 'Bloody Bunnies' (you know the one), but it's not as tongue curdling as the X oil looks. Is Tezcatlipoca (sp?) pronounced tez-cat-lih-poker? I say that, but I could be wrong...

Freak Show In the imp: cocoa, fig and pomegranate! A strange, but not unpleasant combination. Wet on skin: still cocoa, fig and pomegranate, but now the lemon is coming through. Dry on skin: this is an interesting and unusual fruity combination. It's sweet cocoa and vanilla with sharper fruit notes like fig, pomegranate and citrus. It's compelling, but so different to anything I've ever tried. It's a very soft scent, clings to the skin with its tart fruitiness contrasting with the smooth vanilla-tonka scent. After a while: after an hour it smells like juicy ripe fig, a hint of pomegranate, vanilla and/or tonka, cocoa and a delightful honeyed musk. It's really nice now. Chocolate covered fig with pomegranate and vanilla honey. Sounds weird, but it smells yummy. In fact, I've noticed that scents with both pomegranate and vanilla have the most gorgeous drydown. Queen of Clubs had that, and so does this. Verdict: this is one of the most unusual, unconventional perfumes I've tried. It's a complex scent of contrasts, sweet and tangy, smooth and sharp, with fruity scents (fig, pomegranate, lemon) contrasting with a very soft background of chocolate, vanilla, honeyed musk and tonka. This sweet, velvety background smoothes the tart fruity notes and adds another dimension to what could otherwise be a purely fruity scent. It's compelling to sniff, strangely addictive. It seems to fit the name well, because it is so different and quite bizarre, yet oddly mesmerising. And the drydown of chocolate fig, honey musk and pomegranate and vanilla is wonderful. I'm not sure if I'd get a bottle, but I am keeping the decant because it is really quite lovely, especially the drydown, and it really grows on you.

I wish I could, but I can't access the forum where I found it...it seems to be down.

Horus (Many thanks to UltraViolet for letting me try some of this. You seriously rock, girl!) In the imp: frankincense. Definitely frankincense with a sweet resinous scent, possibly amber. A golden, glowing fragrance. I am unsure of the exact magickal purpose of this oil, but I do know a lot about Horus and what he represents. Wet on skin: a radiant, warm golden resin scent, with a hint of spice. Frankincense and something extra. Dry on skin: oh, this is so beautiful. This is a sweet amber with frankincense and spice scent. It reminds me a bit of the Lion, in fact. There is something definitely solar about this scent, it has the same vibe as Tarot: the Sun and the Stations of the Sun, it reminds me very slightly of Ahathoor as well. It has a golden, shining, luminescent feel to it, which seems apt for the god it's named after. I'm wondering if there's also some heliotrope in this as well, as there's a hint of sweet, golden floral. And there's a lovely spicy aspect to this, adding warmth to the fragrance. After a while: now a sweet, sun warmed skin fragrance starts to come through- possibly a light musk, and there's a hint of something floral, possibly even some sandalwood. Still the golden resinous fragrance dominates. It's complex and multifaceted, glowing and luminous. As time goes on, I'm pretty sure there's a sandalwood scent coming through, with a hint of something floral, and still more amber, and maybe some 'sun warmed skin scent' musk. It's slightly powdery but it's no bad thing at all-it’s good powdery smell, soft and smooth. In fact, it reminds me somewhat of the drydown of Baghdad-it has that dry, dusty, warm scent that seems antique and familiar. And then, a few hours later, it switches back to that wonderful translucent spiced amber scent. (I wouldn't be surprised if it was Egyptian amber…) The effects: as I said before, I am not sure what the exact purpose of this oil is, but this is how it makes me feel…something about this smell makes me feel so positive and yet calmed inside. I have been suffering form terrible depression recently and I have been feeling ill, but this scent has lifted me out of both my depression and has made me feel a lot better. It also has given me inspiration and the impetus to stop me feeling lazy and lethargic, and I feel more assured and confident about myself than I have been in the last few weeks. Verdict: I feel so honoured to have tried this beautiful fragrance. Recently I have been feeling quite drawn to Horus, I have always had an affinity for him but it's grown a bit stronger these days. And this oil is truly wonderful. It's a sweet golden resinous fragrance full of complexity and various notes- amber, frankincense, spices, sandalwood, something floral, and even a hint of a skin scent. It reminds me of the Lion, Tarot: the Sun and Ahathoor, but is even more magnificent than those are. It is the fragrance of golden solar light, filled with positive energy. It is a scent that feels sacred, divine, and ancient too. It is a scent truly appropriate for Horus, it feels right for him. I also had high hopes for this scent, and guess what, I absolutely adore this fragrance and how it makes me feel, and would be so sad if this was discontinued, or not made any more…I want a bottle! But for now I will enjoy the little 1/8th of an imp that I do have of it! HAIL HORUS! :D

OMG. If anyone has LitA, please take a picture of it. The label is squeeworthy. I saw a photo somewhere else of it. And...the Carnivale label is a CN themed label.

Sea of Glass (Note: this review may be a bit inaccurate since the imp I got of this was actually diluted-don't worry! The person who gave this to me warned me that she diluted it to tone down the scent which she thought was too strong, and anyway she had tossed it in as a freebie in a swap.) In the imp: sweet and salty! A definite marine scent, with a hint of something a bit floral. Very fresh. Wet on skin: yup, it's still that fresh marine scent with a hint of green or floral, or fruity-melon or cucumber. It's warm, yet cool at the same time. Dry on skin: omg. This scent reminds me of summer holidays! It smells like something I took on holiday with me once, either an aftersun cream or a shower gel, or sun lotion. With a hint of sea breeze wafting through. But it smells just like something that automatically reminds me of holidays in Mediterranean resorts with sandy beaches and clear blue seas. Such memories make me smile, and give me beach cravings! After a while: it stays pretty consistent on me, that mix of sweet and salty water, sitting by the pool wearing a sarong whilst watching the sun setting over the sea. The scent of a warm, salty breeze at the end of a beautiful day. Verdict: this scent is absolutely perfect for summer. It's fresh, marine, with a hint of something floral. But the thing I really like about this is the pleasant memories it evokes of summer holidays. It reminds me of something I used on holiday once, possibly a sun lotion or aftersun lotion…you know how the smell of something you used on a holiday somewhere instantly brings back memories of that time? This makes me think of a warm sandy beach on an island resort, either in Mauritius or somewhere Mediterranean, with the scent of the sea wafting on the breeze, I've just been for a swim in the delightfully clear, clean, warm sea waters and the scent of sea salt and suntan lotion is mingled on my skin. This is the perfect scent to evoke memories of the best summers of my life, even on the rainiest, dreariest day. Now I have a serious beach craving, I want to go for a swim in the sea. But I can't because I live in London, and the sea in Brighton or Bournemouth isn't exactly the Med or the Indian Ocean, is it? Bear in mind that this is the diluted version. I need to try the undiluted scent, but for now, this imp will be my summer scent.

Bliss In the imp: mmm, chocolate! *drools* This actually smells like chocolate brownies, with a hint of nuts. Or Cadbury's Whole Nut chocolate. Wet on skin: now it smells like cocoa powder, or drinking chocolate in powdered form. It's not as yummy as it smelt in the imp. Dry on skin: yup, it's chocolate. It's not the 'chocolate bar' scent I was expecting, this is more of a dry scent, or like cocoa powder, but quite yummy none the less. After a while: this fades pretty fast. All I'm left with is a little hint of cocoa and sweet milk. It is, I'm afraid, a bit flat on me. I hate my stupid skin and my stupid hormones! Actually, this doesn't fade-it returns, but still remains a flat cocoa smell. I'm even afraid to say that I even detect a bit of plastic there. Verdict: in the vial, it is truly delicious. Yummy, nutty chocolate, sweet and rich, indulgent and yummy. But on the skin, it's not as nice…something in my skin sucks out all the rich chocolate goodness and leaves a slightly flat cocoa powder and a hint of sweet milk scent. Like a hot chocolate drink-but slightly watered down, and slightly plastic. It's not bad, it still is quite an edible scent, but I actually prefer the chocolate notes in 13, Velvet and Gluttony, they are fuller and richer. But this is nice as a single note chocolate scent and maybe for layering possibilities-I just wish that on my skin, it smelt as delicious as it was in the imp! Maybe I should try this again when I'm not having that monthly crisis, or as a room fragrance.

Peitho In the imp: a soft, sweet floral. Jasmine, lily and vanilla. Wet on skin: mmm! This is delightful, that soft vanilla floral scent. It's mainly a gorgeous lily note with gentle jasmine and vanilla. Dry on skin: this is so nice! It's a very gentle scent, it clings close to the skin, but the scent is a wonderful blend of vanilla, soft musk, lily and jasmine. The vanilla in here is truly delicious, mingled with a fabulous stargazer lily scent, just like those huge pink lilies with their beautiful fragrance, with freshly bloomed jasmine and a lovely musk note. The more I sniff, the more I fall in love with this. After a while: oh my word, the bourbon vanilla and lily become even more pronounced, richer and so genuine smelling, it's like I'm sniffing my mum's vanilla pods in a room with a big vase full of lilies. The jasmine softens the blend along with the musk, and the throw has improved greatly, it's like the scent has warmed up and blossomed wonderfully on my skin. It's also a lot sweeter now. Verdict: wow, this is one of the loveliest, softest vanilla florals. It's sweet and flowery without being too heady, cloying or overpowering. The notes in here are truly magnificent-lily, jasmine, gentle musk and a divine vanilla-and they all combine to create a beautiful, feminine scent that enchants and desires and is compelling and addictive to sniff. I need a bottle!

Vechernyaya In the imp: fresh, light musk and dark patchouli. Wet on skin: oh, this is nice. The musk and the patchouli contrast each other nicely, and there's another scent there that must be the poppy. Dry on skin: this is lovely. I love the white musk note in this, it's fresh, light, airy and sparkling. The poppy adds a sophisticated aspect to this, sweet and heady, whilst the patchouli grounds the scent. It is like a really well made perfume, sensual and mysterious. After a while: now it smells like very posh perfume! This isn't a bad thing-this is a really well crafted perfume scent. It's very heady as well-I think it's the poppy that's doing this. I can't really smell the patchouli any more, but the musk is still there. Verdict: this is an intriguing and mesmerising scent. The musk in here is light, sparkling and gentle, the patchouli adds depth, and the poppy adds a sweetness and rich floral scent reminiscent of sophisticated, expensive perfume. This is a mysterious scent, sensual and very heady. It's a very grown up scent. I don't find this masculine at all-indeed, this is incredibly feminine to me-and not girly, but very womanly. I'm not sure if I'll get a bottle as this may be a bit too heavy for me at times, but it seems very appropriate for evenings out, it's sexy with an air of mystery. I'll certainly keep my imp.

Whippoorwill In the imp: very green, with a hint of sweet spice-no doubt the cardamom. It's also a moist green scent. Wet on skin: a moist, green scent. Very nice, very herbal, or like crushed leaves with spices. Cardamom and bamboo are the dominant notes here, I think, as well as moss. Dry on skin: oh, the cardamom in this is wonderful! So pronounced, and mingling nicely with the scent of bamboo shoots, dewy moss, freshly cut cedar and juniper woods, crushed leaves, trees, spices and reeds, and a little hint of pepper. It's a scent of refreshing, vivid greenness, but there's a tiny hint of something darker behind it. After a while: this stays pretty consistent. It's still a fresh, moist green scent with spicy warmth in the background. Verdict: this is an amazing scent of intense and complex greenness…it's herbal, woody, leafy, mossy and spicy. It's got aspects of sweetness, moistness and a hint of warmth but with a refreshing, watery coolness. The cardamom note is delightful, enhancing the scent of bamboo leaves and shoots, cedar and juniper trees and moss. I was worried that the woody-mossy notes would make this rather masculine, but it's not at all, it's certainly a unisex scent. A fascinating blend of woodsy and marshy scents, it's a lovely scent and I'm glad I have an imp of it.

Neo Tokyo In the imp: fresh and almost lemony. It's also a bit salty-that could be the ozone. Wet on skin: yup, still fresh and lemony, like lemons soaked by rain-maybe that's part of the 'wet fruits'? There's also that metallic, electric, slightly salty ozone tang. Dry on skin: I think I can just about make out the orchid in the ozone scent-I can smell lots of citrus fruits and greenery, and that fresh, almost rainy/stormy ozone scent which gives this fragrance an interesting edge. Tokyo in the rain? It's a very zingy scent, it's refreshing, I think this would be nice in the spring or summer. After a while: I think there may be a tea note in here too, or bamboo. It's green, that's for sure. Now it reminds me of Blue Moon as well, but more ozone-y and fruity. There's something quite Japanese about this, it makes me think of a traditional geisha looking over the modern skyline of Tokyo as the rain drenches the blossoming trees and bamboo. After about 30-45 minutes, this really does get metallic. How on earth does Beth do that? Now it really smells like rain falling on steel, bright neon signs crackling, the tang of electricity in the air, and still that fruity-green scent wafts through. Verdict: this is an interesting fragrance, ozone is the predominant scent here, and it's a very refreshing scent, almost like a sea breeze, with a salty, metallic bite, it feels rainy and electric. There's also the zingy scent of citrus fruits-I think lemon and grapefruit? And there's a nice orchid background with possibly the cherry blossom. It's a very refreshing scent-it's almost like cologne, it would be perfect for summer because it's light and breezy and fresh and full of energy. Not sure if I'll get a bottle but I like it none the less-and it really does fit the description.

Gluttony In the imp: holy yum…This smells edible. No, that's an understatement. Caramelised sugar and butterscotch. Chocolate and nuts, biscuits and cake. I'd imagine this to be what Willy Wonka's factory smells like. Wet on skin: buttery, sweet, indulgent, chocolatey and a tiny bit boozy… Dry on skin: yummy! This is a very sweet and rich blend, and there's definitely a booze note. Maybe it's the hops? There are nuts, chocolate, caramel-there's a definite sweet butter note, like butterscotch, buttercream, and maybe Butterbeer-hehehe that's what happens when you read too much Harry Potter! In fact, I think this is what Butterbeer served at Honeydukes would smell like! After a while: now I want to eat myself. It's getting even sweeter. It smells like caramelised sugar with toffee swirled through it, sprinkled with brown sugar and topped with chocolate and nuts. It's sweetness overload! Verdict: this is the sort of scent that would make Homer Simpson drool. This is the most devilishly indulgent and sugary foody BPAL I've tried. It smells like a tiny drop of this scent contains 1000 calories and even sniffing it will make you put on weight! It's got all the most sweet and rich dessert smells in it-chocolate, vanilla, caramel, nuts, praline, chocolate truffles, biscuits, cake, and a booze note to make even more sinful. This really does epitomise gluttony. Delicious as it is, I'm not sure if I'd get a bottle as this really is a very heavy and rich food scent and can be a bit too much at times, but I'm keeping the imp for those moments I get chocolate or dessert cravings.

King of Clubs In the imp: sweet almonds! It's a very mild almond note with something sweet and resinous in the background. Wet on skin: now greener notes start to peek through-probably the sage. There's a smoky scent-possibly tobacco, and amber and perhaps some musk. It's a complex but lovely mix. Dry on skin: holy moly, this is nicer than I expected! It's a combination of moist earth, sweet amber and ripe fig, green sage and oak moss, and smoky tobacco and possibly a sensual leather-musk scent. I'm surprised at how lovely this is, considering I was apprehensive about the tobacco, earth and leather! After a while: yup, it's smoky! But not in a repulsive cigarette scent (yup, I'm not a smoker), but more of a really sophisticated tobacco, or even like burning incense, with leather. There's a lovely mossy green and earthy scent on top of the smoke, and a sweet, rich depth lent by amber and fig, and a bit of musk. This is sexy. Verdict: this was a wonderful surprise! Like the Queen, this is a complex scent, multifaceted and detailed, and filled with a gorgeous selection of scents-earthy, deep, sensual, smoky, sweet, fresh and green. I was worried that the tobacco and leather would smell awful on me, but no. In here, they are lovely and work in harmony with all the other scents! It's a scent with depth and richness, and is definitely unisex-if I had a boyfriend, I bet this would smell uber-sexy on him! Now I am kicking myself for not buying bottles of the King and Queen of Clubs!

Decadence In the imp: almonds, amaretto, slightly boozy almonds. Wet on skin: mmm, smells like Christmas cake with marzipan! There's even a hint of what smells like brandy-which is what my mum puts in her Xmas cake! Dry on skin: this smells boozy! It's not strong booze, but I think it could be brandy. There's something here that reminds me of cherries, and there's candied citrus peel, and there are spices in here-not sure what sort though. It does smell like brandy soaked fruitcake or Christmas pudding. After a while: now the citrus peel note gets stronger, it smells like lemons or oranges! There's still a hint of alcohol in here as well. But now, it's very citrus-peel smelling. I was hoping the Xmas cake smell I got when it was wet could have stayed longer. There is a bare hint of something spicy, but it's predominantly candied fruit peel. As time passes, the spice seems to creep slowly into the citrus scent! Now it starts to smell like a bit like an orange pomander. In fact…I swear this is turning into mulled wine as well! The only problem is that it seems to be fading quickly. Verdict: this might be the closest to the 'Christmas cake' scent I was thinking BPAL could do as an LE. I wouldn't be surprised if this one was released as a yule LE because it really does smell like the ingredients of Xmas cake-almond marzipan, brandy, and candied fruit, especially citrus peel. First you smell the marzipan, then a hint of booze and spice and fruits, which then becomes a purely citrus scent, which is nice, which then becomes orange pomander meets mulled wine. And the alcoholic note isn't too strong smelling, which is good. The only problem is that it fades fast on me. I'd probably wear this more around Christmas, but I'm not sure if I'd get a bottle (when it becomes available) yet.