PurringPulsar

Hanging Gardens In the imp: gorgeous mix of fruit and florals, with a hint of something green or woody. Wet on skin: there's a clear floral, but also a harsh woody note there that's sort of scaring me…it's a sharp, grating note, hot and uncomfortable! What a shame…there's something underneath that's nice but that smell scares me. Dry on skin: that sharp note is still there; it gets greener though, and there's a sweet smell underneath that will hopefully redeem this. And after a minute, it's softened out into a green note that for some reason makes me think of the trunk of a palm tree? Maybe it's the dry, rough aspect this note has. And there's a soft floral there, it's an exotic scent-gardenia, perhaps. This is a very hot, dry scent, and yet it seems like a garden with palm trees and exotic blooms. It's quite fitting for a garden in a desert country. I'm hoping the fruity notes come out, because now, it's really just dry woods and gardenia. Which is quite nice…I wish the smell was a bit stronger. After a while: oooh, the fruits are coming out! Under the dry woods, a sweet moist smell of fruit starts to surface. I'm not sure what fruit, but there's a fruit there, with the gardenia. I think there could be fig or plum there, it's a sweet fruit. Now the scent becomes more lush. There's a nice mixture of woody, green, floral and fruity now. I think some of the fruits are dry fruits, like dates and dried figs. I can't distinguish notes, but it brings to mind a sun drenched, exotic oasis like garden in a great palace. There's a dry bite to this, which really makes me, think of the desert, but the sweet fruits and flowers redeem the fragrance. And there's a contrast to the dry scent-the fruity note is moist, almost aquatic. It's a very gentle, close to the skin scent though. And the throw improves dramatically. After about half an hour, the smell develops a tartness, probably the fruits. I just hope it doesn't turn too sharp. I'm amazed at the sheer number of scents simultaneously showing up now. The tart stage doesn't last...after about an hour the smell becomes truly gorgeous. There's a juicy, fresh fruity scent that i love...not sure what fruit, but it's lovely! Verdict: this is so fascinating…an extraordinary and unusual blend of scents that put strong mental images in my head…picture a beautiful garden oasis in a burning hot desert land…that's what the smell reminds me of. There's a rough note that seemed almost off putting at first, but this then mellowed, and this scent reminds me of dry palm woods, dried fruits and fierce desert sun. But then there's a cool, moist blend of lush florals, ripe fruit and greenery with a hint of aquatic. It's such an interesting and intriguing blend, full of complexity, it takes your nose on a journey, and does befit the image of the hanging gardens. I'm not sure if I'll buy a bottle, as this is not your usual perfume, but as an olfactory journey to ancient Babylon, this can't be beat. How does Beth do it? It's awe-inspiring. I bet this will be even better as a room fragrance. Now I'm hoping more of the Seven Wonders get BPALed.

Kurukulla In the imp: holy moly, sugared roses, rose and lotus overload! Those are two of my favourite florals, so I'll love this! Wet on skin: yup, this is gorgeous. Crisp, sophisticated rose coupled with sweet, delicate lotus. What a combination! Dry on skin: still simply rose and lotus. The rose here is surprisingly tart, like dried rose petals, gives this an interesting bite, whilst the lotus smoothes it out and adds sweetness. After a while: the rose becomes smoother and lovelier. The lotus is there in the background, but now it's the rose that takes centre stage. This rose is bold and ain't afraid to show it! But lotus adds a gorgeous, smooth sweet undertone that is just sublime. I think the lotus does strengthen with time and mingles nicely with the rose, enhancing it, similar to how the frankincense enhanced Rose Cross. Verdict: this is an uncomplicated blend, but simplicity is good…it's a combination of two of my favourite notes-rose and lotus. Both complement and contrast each other. The rose is tart, crisp and dry but with a ladylike feel to it. The lotus is smooth, sweet and sugary, delicate and innocent. The rose tempers out the sweetness of the lotus, the lotus does the same to the tartness of the rose. I really love these notes individually, and fusing them together works well and makes me smell like a goddess. I love BPAL rose and lotus blends, as you can imagine, this one is another favourite for me.

Harvest Moon In the imp: it's sweet, like berries or sweet wine, but there's also something that smells a bit like wheat, but also a hint of cheese? Smells like what my mum eats-those French meals of bread, cheese and wine. But the cheese is more like sweaty feet! Oh well, never judge a BPAL by it's imp! Wet on skin: still a bit cheesy (ick!) but there's also a leafy smell here, like vine leaves, and wheat, and something sweet and fruity. Luckily that cheese smell fades away, thank goodness. Dry on skin: oh, this gets better. Now there's a full leafy, herbal smell, like vines or maybe ivy, possibly sage. I can smell grains, sweet wine and possibly pumpkin, there's apple there, fresh green apple, and berries. I can't really smell the flowers mentioned, possibly because they are not heady, highly scented florals. This is such an interesting, unusual smell, it's just like the scent of a country harvest fair. After a while: I'm quite amazed at how this blend morphs. I suppose it's typical of lunar blends, but that's why they are so fascinating. About 10 minutes after application, the scent is predominantly pumpkin and apple, with berry wine, and that smell that reminds me of ripened wheat. About 20 mins later: the ivy and sage return again, adding the deep green note back to the scent. About 30 mins later: the wine and berries are predominant, with still a bit of ivy. This blend swings back and forth over waves of complex notes. About 40 minutes later: wine and pumpkin, with grains. About an hour or so, wine, berries and grains, apple and maybe just a floral hint. Verdict: This is a unique blend which seems to epitomise the fruitful start of autumn. I love those pleasantly warm, calm and gentle days of September, this is what this scent seems to encapsulate. I'm not sure if I love it though-there was a sort of cheesy note that really put me off at first but that fades fast. It's one of the most unusual blends I've tried, so different from the rest. The notes in this are so complex and so fascinating. I'm not getting florals or 'commercial perfume' like some others noted. I'm still unsure as to whether it's a 'me' blend, but I think I'm enjoying it's warm, early autumn vibe. And I cannot help but be fascinated and intrigued at the way it changes scent all the time. Quite an experience!

Cathode In the imp: cool, minty and mossy, but with an interesting depth that reminds me of something but I can't put my finger on it-could this be the ambergris? Wet on skin: this is a cool, chilly scent, like cold salty water…there's mint and moss there, but there's this deep, strange note that is a bit salty. Interesting. Dry on skin: the mint comes up again, bright but cold. There's also a fresh 'sea breeze' sort of scent which is very interesting. It's ozone, it's marine, it's almost electric. There's an element to it that reminds me of a perfume I've smelt before, but with mint. This is a very fresh, clean scent, quite clearing for the mind. I think this will be the perfect blend to revise physics with, thanks to the name associations. After a while: the mint fades but still remains in the background and something like a cross between moss, sea air, ozone and cologne but with an unusual, almost leathery depth comes through. I'm pretty sure this is the ambergris, it's got a smell I'm sure I've smelt before, on someone else or in some perfume shop. The mint which remains though, adds a bright touch, lightens the scent. Verdict: this was a very interesting experience. It's a very unusual perfume scent, but it works. It's minty, it's cold, it's clean and bright. It also has this deep undertone and a slightly ozonic scent, almost marine. It's got a strange energy to it, a cool, gently charged aura of scent on my skin. It also reminds me of something I've smelt before. It's a very intriguing, fascinating scent, and I'm addicted. I think it would be great for summer because it also has this aquatic vibe going on. I really like it, and it really appeals with the scientist in me.

I say 'Briz-ing-arm-en', that could be very wrong though.

Binah In the imp: deep incense, resinous with a hint of spice-cloves? I'm sure there's myrrh there too. Wet on skin: there's a smooth, sweet note, like amber and myrrh, but there's also a sharp, astringent green note there, but it's not too clashing yet… Dry on skin: this reminds me of Black Lotus, but without the lotus and with the sharp wood/green/smoke note toned down, so it's adds a bit of kick without being dissonant. This could be sandalwood? This is very incensy, very sweet, deep, mysterious. there's a slight hint of warmth, maybe some spice there. It reminds me not just of new age shops, but also of a middle eastern/Egyptian market stall selling all sorts of wonderful incenses, it's so exotic. After a while: the sweetness of this blend develops and warms, this becomes an enchanting sweet myrrh-amber with a warm ambience-there's possibly some carnation here too, a spicy sweet scent. It's got an almost sacred feel, like this scent would be wafted through some ancient temple. It makes me feel almost meditative. I'm not getting heavy florals like others are, just resin, spice and maybe a hint of floral but it's so well blended and all the notes merge into one. After about an hour, there's two aspects to the scent-one a light spicy and perhaps floral sweetness dancing on top of an undertone of dark, mysterious scent which I am pretty sure is myrrh. It's really nice. Verdict: this is such an intriguing blend, it's sweet, and mysterious, and almost sacred. Like an offering of burning incense. It's an exotic blend of resins and maybe woods or spices. At first I was scared it would clash with my skin, but it sweetened out to become a lovely sweet resin blend, heady and deep, but very nice. This would be a nice scent to wear at night, it feels calming and meditative. It's my first sephiroth blend too. I don't know if I'll get a bottle but this little imp I have is a keeper.

I've heard one person at an Egyptian lecture on mythology pronounce it 'New-it'. I've heard that's an occult spelling for Nut. I prefer it because it sounds less like a kind of food (no offence to the great sky goddess!!!) and is spelt the same way as the French word Nuit, which my mum calls it with the French pronounciation (she's French). It's not the only time BPAL have favoured a more occult/arcane spelling of an Egyptian deity's name for their oils, there's also Ahathoor...an alternative spelling for Hathor, which I have never seen used anywhere else.

Beltane In the imp: fresh, green and with a hint of light florals. Very 'springy'. Wet on skin: this reminds me of a perfume I sometimes wore when I was younger. This is so green and bubbly, with light spring florals. It does smell a bit soapy, but this isn't too bad, for now. Dry on skin: this is such a green scent, but more of a spring green, like buds and new leaves on the trees. There's a scent of blossom here, adding a gentle floral note. It makes me think of a sunny spring day, it's cheerful and playful. But now it mellows out and I can make out jasmine and maybe some rose and loads of spring flowers. It gets less soapy and more floral now, but still with a crisp green note, which is also quite aquatic. This brings to mind meadows, and blossoming trees growing by clear streams. After a while: this reminds me of little bit of the wet stage of Nuit, but it's a greener, sunnier and moister daytime equivalent, I think it's the jasmine. It really does remind me of a perfume I wore when I was younger though. Verdict: this is a lovely, light scent which is the essence of spring. It makes me want to go skipping in dewy meadows and then lying under blossoming trees and letting the petals fall on me. It's bouncy, it's fresh and green, with blossom and jasmine scents, and possibly rose. It's slightly soapy, but in a pleasant, 'child's soap bubbles' kind of way. There's something youthful and playful about this scent. However, I do prefer Nuit or Queen Mab as my jasmine scent, but this is really nice. Edit: I was hoping to love this scent. But after an hour, it smells just like Raid fly spray, and stays like that for ages. It's a nice sweet flowery scent but it reminds me too much of insecticide for me to love it

Ra In the imp: fresh, sweet and quite herbal-floral with citrus. I'm not sure but there's something in this I can recognise, but I can't remember what it is! It reminds me of cologne? Wet on skin: oooh, this is nice. It's very zingy, slightly citrus, with some thing floral or herbal, backed up by warmth. It's gentle though, and quite sweet too. Dry on skin: this gets better! There's a lovely sweet herbal mixture here. I'm wondering if there's geranium or carnation here? I'm not sure, but this is a sweet, warm smell, like the gentle warmth of sunrise as opposed to the full heat of noon. I can't tell what the notes are in this though…I think that it's either amber or honey that provides the sweet note, and there are herbs in this-maybe lavender, or sage, or rosemary? There's also a prominent citrus note giving this a nice kick. I think it could be lemon, or lemongrass/citronella. I think there's frankincense too. And some spice, cinnamon and/or pepper maybe…damn, it's complex, but so nice! After a while: I think there's apricot in this. But it's not a sickly sweet apricot, but a gorgeous spiced apricot that blends so nicely with the other notes, it isn't dominant or overpowering. It's a bit like my mum's apricot jam, in which she adds cinnamon and vanilla…I'm not sure if that's what's in this blend, but it is slightly reminiscent of that. There's also a spicy-herbal smell that gets stronger with time, this adds an element of 'heat' to overall scent, adds a bit of oomph. Then it has this lovely sweet-spicy smell, similar to Eclipse but with more of a spice kick, and probably something herbal too. The smell is similar to Ahathoor as well, but stronger with better throw. Verdict: I love the Stations of the Sun, and this one, the one that, as the name suggests, is the most 'solar' of them all, blew me away. It's got a gentle yet powerful energy to it, bright, youthful, warm and golden, the morning sun captured in scent. It's sweet, herbal, spicy, fruity, floral and resinous all at once. It makes me feel warm and positive inside. This could be the scent that will turn me into a morning person. Another favourite, and yes, another Egyptian scent I have fallen in love with! Ra Ra Ra!!! Now that I've tried and loved every SoS oil, I'm considering buying a Solar Collection pack

Skadi The Snow-Shoe Goddess, Giantess, the Norse embodiment of winter. Frost-rimed winter berries, crisp pine needle, and a slush of bright snowy notes. In the bottle: wow. This is one of the loveliest festive scents. There are berries there, with warm spices, cinnamon and cloves, with a chilly menthol/pine scent, which smells less medicinal, and more like a winter forest. On skin: this smells more medicinal now, but also with a warm spiciness. It smells like pine, menthol, cloves, but with sweet berries and mulled wine there too. It also reminds me of a remedy my mum dropped on my pillow when I had a cold-it came in little capsules and smelt similar to this. But that's no bad thing. It's like a biting winter wind, but with an undertone of heat, like a log fire in a forest cabin, sheltered from the cold. Very interesting! After a while: this doesn't morph much, but the smell is quite complex as it is-an explosion of hot and cold notes, very clearing to the head and nose, making me feel chilled and warmed simultaneously, which is seemingly impossible, but there it is-a paradox in scent! But it does tend to get sweeter, similar to Midwinter's Eve but not as sweet, because of the spice and pine. Verdict: this is an incredible scent-it has the amazing capability of smelling both hot and cold at the same time. There's pine and menthol-similar to a cold remedy but more pleasant-adding a chill to this scent, but the spices and berries bring a gorgeous, comforting warmth. It brings to mind a snowy forest, and your looking into a welcoming log cabin with a warm fire and the smell of mulled wine is wafting from the cabin, inviting you in. this would be fantastic as a room fragrance. Please bring it back this December! This is much better than Midwinter's Eve, this is the best Christmas scent!

Midwinter's Eve In the bottle: sweet berries and watermelon? Not a scent I would associate with the Yuletide period, but with summer. It's very pleasant, but very sweet-like candied berries. Wet on skin: very very sweet berries. Reminds me of a soap from the Body Shop. And yes, there's still watermelon, it's got a coolness to it. Dry on skin: sweet berries, candy and ice. This is very sweet but quite pleasant. The scent is cool, like chilled cranberry/blackcurrant juice-I think I can smell cranberries in this, but without their distinctive dryness. There's probably plum in this too. It smells just like fruity sweets, so edible. I want to lick it off. After a while: the scent gets more tart. It still retains it's sweetness, but there's a fruity tartness, like cranberry juice, that comes through. in fact, now it smells similar to the Body Shop's Cranberry scent they released last December. However the tart note also reminds me of white wine or champagne! But there's still that cool, almost watermelon like, background scent-gives a feel of ice or snow. Verdict: this is really nice, but incredibly sweet. This is just like chilled fruit juice with fruit candies sprinkled with icing sugar. A nice cheerful, delicious sweet scent, bright and bubbly, an antidote for winter, and quite nice for summer too, strangely enough. I think this will be fantastic as room fragrance. Edit: This fades too fast on me-and changes from crisp berries to plasticy scented candle wax.

Rapture In the imp: whoa, posh French perfume! Rose and musk are dominant, but there's a tartness that must be from the citrus notes in this. Wet on skin: wow, rose, musk, jasmine, and other fruitier notes blended into a sophisticated mix. Dry on skin: this reminds me of Othello, but much nicer. It reminds me of something my mum wears, or my godmother wears-it's very perfumey. Very mature and posh, quite sexy. The jasmine adds a light floral touch, white the rose becomes more defined and the musk and possibly the myrrh adds a decadent depth. After a while: this doesn't change too much, it just remains a sensual and sumptuous blend of deep musk and rose and jasmine. Verdict: this is really nice, gentler than the other 'perfumey' BPAL blends, but very sophisticated, floral-musk mix which is both subtle yet sexy-the rose and jasmine are defined, yet well blended with the musk-I think the myrrh adds depth but is not as prominent as the florals. However the fruit doesn't really show up. This is a very mature blend, the sort of thing to wear to make me feel posh and ladylike-and this is a great scent for hot dates and romantic evenings out. Not one to get as a big bottle, but I really like it as an imp.

Forbidden Fruit In the imp: fruit bubblegum!! bubblegum, but there's also a soft floral aspect…must be the lotus. Wet on skin: this reminds me of something I smelt at the Body Shop-either their new lotus and frangipani bath cream or the monoi oil-I wonder if there's gardenia and/or frangipani in this too? This is so sweet and yummy, soft florals and candy like fruit. It's an innocent and cutesy smell-no bad thing. Dry on skin: the florals become prominent…this is a gorgeous blend that reminds me of lush tropical blooms and sweets. This is so light and so sweet, but more than just bubblegum-I think this blend is bringing out the floral-ness of the lotus as well as the candy sweetness. It also reminds me of a lovely sun lotion my mum bought some time ago. After a while: I'm wondering if there's jasmine here as well. This isn't really 'fruity' as the name suggests, but it develops into a beautiful exotic floral blend. I'm guessing there's frangipani, honeysuckle, gardenia or jasmine in this, or all of these, or maybe there's something that brings out a more developed lotus scent. Verdict: this makes me feel so girly and young, it's a lovely and innocent feminine scent of sweet fruity candy, which then changes to a beautiful and more sensual exotic floral smell-lotus with probably some other flowers, this becomes stronger as time goes by. This reminds me of sun lotion, but in a good way-it reminds me of summer holidays, and would be perfect for summer. Apart from Black Lotus, I love BPAL's lotus blends, this one's no exception.

Calliope In the imp: sweet almonds with fresh green herbs and something lemony or citrusy. Wet on skin: the almond begins to fade and the herbal citrus smell comes forward. It's lemon verbena, just like the one growing in my garden, and some mint and perhaps orange and thyme. Dry on skin: the almond is gone, as usual, and it's verbena, thyme and lavender that are now strong on my skin-a herbal lemony scent with the warm and fuzzy lavender and thyme, and I think I can make fresh mint. It's like a Mediterranean evening, when the sun goes down and you can smell the herbs all around. After a while: thyme and possibly lavender are dominant now-this is so herbal, like my mum's herb cupboard. Smells like dinner. There's a hint of something savoury in this, probably the thyme, but it also reminds me of olives or sea air…yes, this is the scent of an evening in Greece. This also reminds me of herbal tea-that could be the bergamot aspect, which is probably why I'm thinking of tea, because that's the smell of Earl Grey. Verdict: this is a lovely, potent herbal blend. It starts off almondy, but then becomes very herbal and warm, and soothing. I love the way the smell reminds me of holidays in Greece, those warm evenings with the scent of herbs in the air, ah, pleasant memories…or like my mum's herb cupboard. It's a nice blend, because of the lavender, it's more of an aromatherapy blend than a perfume to me, and it smells like something I'd add to season my lunch thanks to the thyme. It's calming, warming and medicinal in a good, old fashioned herbal remedy kind of way.

Pink Moon In the imp: holy moly, strawberry milkshake! *licks lips* this smells just like fresh strawberry milkshake with something flowery in the background. Wet on skin: the sugary sweetness is still there, but there's something darker there…almost like burnt wood? What is my skin doing to this? It's bizarre, and slightly worrying. Dry on skin: oh this is interesting…this doesn't smell very strawberry-ish any more, there's something crisp and green, or crisp and woody in this. With a hint of warmth. Reminds me of sandalwood, but crisper. It's underscored by a lovely sweetness…maybe this is the scent of strawberries with their leaves. And it improves as time goes on…the sweetness gets richer, but still with that biting green woody note to start with, but the sweet smell underneath is quite delicious-and the strawberries return. After a while: after about 5 minutes, the sharp green note fades away leaving a wonderful sugary sweet note on my skin, like warm syrup, like strawberry juice left in the sun, like candy floss that's melted, like pink flowers in the springtime. But there's an interesting bite to this, like a twist in the scent, it's spicy and intriguing. It's not sickly sweet at all. After ten minutes, the sweetness develops again. I swear I can smell banana in this? Strange, but pleasant. Maybe that could be the honey reacting with another note. There's a floral quality to this, added to the squashed strawberry and sugar smell. There's a lot of sweetness in this, including sugar and honey, plus strawberry juice, plus a green note like spring flowers or grass or leaves. I have no idea what dogwood, muscari and phlox smell like, but maybe that could be it. After fifteen minutes, the smell becomes ever sweeter, the fruity and sugary notes get stronger. After 20-30 minutes, this smells like strawberry fudge or candy floss!!! Yum! As time goes on, it gets sweeter and pinker, and there's a light floral note there that also seems to intensify. Verdict: like Chaste Moon, these lunar oils are unbelievably complex, they morph so much and reveal great assortments of notes. I was hoping this would smell of pure strawberry milkshake when I applied this, but it changed so much…at first I didn't like it because it had a scary astringent note, this quickly faded to a wonderful sweet fruity-floral with a hint of something spicy or green and woody. This smell is like a sunny April day, with sugar and honey mingling with warm strawberries over spring flowers and foliage. It's gorgeous and delicious, so girly and springy, and yet so interesting with it's complexity.

Val Sans Retour In the imp: cut green grass and pine. Like a lush green valley. Wet on skin: omfg I've been wondering if BPAL would ever make a cut grass scent, and this is it. This is like a freshly mown lawn in the summer sunshine, with pine. But the pine note gets stronger as it dries. Dry on skin: it's faded and the smell has softened, but the smell is of overwhelming, unadulterated GREEN. Grass, mint leaves, pine needles…it's like a grassy valley with pine trees growing on it's slopes, but it's gentle, soothing, slightly sweet, but a bit too faint…I have to go right up to my wrist to smell it. But wait a minute, as this fades, I smell a hint of floral? Or is it honey? Or maybe fruit? It's something sweet, that's for sure. After a while: I have a feeling the sweet note could be apple. I'm uncertain, but that's what it reminds me of. But then I smell it again and it reminds me of a floral note of sorts, and then I smell it again and I swear I can smell herbs, maybe rosemary, sage or thyme. But pine is still a dominant note. This scent is intriguing, it's changing, releasing more scents, teasing me… Verdict: this is the scent of true green. Mint, pine, grass…it's like summer in a lush fairy valley, but unfortunately it's a bit faint on my skin, but it’s amazing…it's got that mown lawn note, with pine, but also something more mysterious, a collection of assorted notes that show themselves as the smell dries. It's really interesting and intriguing and if it was a bit stronger, I'd love it.

Magdalene In the imp: very powerful heady floral. Rose and a greenish floral that must be the orchid, with a sweet honey like note. Wet on skin: wow! The orchid is awesome in this, blending with the rose and the sweet resin-honey note, it's a very sweet floral. Dry on skin: this is really lovely, very feminine with a blend of heady and exotic florals-it reminds me of the tropical orchid garden at my aunts…and there's a sweet note in the background, sticky and resiny, like honey or amber. I'm assuming that the labanum although I have no idea what that smells like. It's really lovely, and has amazing throw, but I mustn't apply too much as it is very intense. After a while: the orchid is still there but is pushed to the background by a scent I can only describe as 'honeyed rose' or resiny rose blooming on my skin. The rose in this a lot of oomph! Verdict: this is another gorgeous blend that to me is just so feminine and mature, but sweet and sumptuous too. It's a heady rose mingled with a tropical green floral smell of orchids, with a sticky sweetness in the background. It's an almost overwhelming sweet floral, but that's no problem for me because I love florals, and I love the poignant 'honeyed rose' smell in this. This blend smells wonderful and womanly, yet very powerful-it's not 'sad' but it does have emotion.

Glitter In the imp: light, sweet florals and fruits. No doubt lotus, heliotrope and pear. Wet on skin: sweeeeet!!! This smells like a sweet shop! Pear drops and bubble gum and wine gums! Yummy! Dry on skin: now the smell is more defined and refined. There's a sparkling tartness from the wine (champagne!) and the pear adds a nice juiciness, I think the lotus and heliotrope adds to it. It's light, sweet and glitzy. After a while: the wine becomes drier and crisper without being sharp, boozy or 'cheap and chavvy' lol and the lotus is distinctive as a background note, which gets more and more prominent as time goes on. Verdict: this is so sweet and light, it's perfect for summer. It's got the lovely lotus which adds it's delicate sweetness to a crisp white wine note with juicy pear. It's sweet without being sickly, it's an effervescent, playful and girly sweetness, and it really does sparkle. This would be perfect to wear when I go to Chessington (a UK theme park) tomorrow…since Carnavale Noir isn't out yet, and I don't have Midway, so this is the next best thing, because it smells so FUN!

Wicked In the imp: this reminds me of Kheprha, but more floral. Must be the myrrh and jasmine and rose. Wet on skin: wow…this reminds me of heady posh perfume, but nicer. I love the depth and resinous sweetness that the myrrh gives to the florals. It darkens it nicely. Dry on skin: the notes in this blend really nicely-it's an intense scent but not overwhelmingly floral, but trapped under the myrrh I can make out the jasmine and rose, these become stronger over time. After a while: pretty much the same, the same mix of sweet myrrh and heady florals, but it gets darker and darker. It's got really powerful throw, so next time I only need apply a little. Verdict: this is the sweet resinous smell of Khephra (which probably contains myrrh) with flowers. It's a gorgeous, sumptuous scent, with a dark side. It's floral, but the myrrh keeps the rose and jasmine back and adds a mysterious depth, however it's very intense and only a little bit needs to be applied. I love this scent, it feels mature and sophisticated but with a touch of the sinister. It's wicked!

Kostnice In the imp: freshly cut waxy flowers, with a background of green or wood. Wet on skin: fresh, green, with something bright and a hint of wood. I think I can smell the lily, it's a crisp, moist smell, with the leaves as well as the flowers of the lily. Dry on skin: sharp and crisp, with hints of green. A bit too sharp, but not off putting just yet, but this sharpness does get tempered quickly. It reminds me of a bouquet of flowers in a church, or white lilies touched by raindrops…I can make out the rose wood underneath. An interesting mix of smells, but it seems to give off a solemn and meditative, perhaps even quite sorrowful feel, but with a lightness and reassuring calmness. After a while: I think I can just make out the geranium? To me geranium is a 'warm' floral whilst the lily is cool, I think I can make out the frankincense adding a distinct, bright tart resinous note to this, blending with the powdery lily, with geranium and rosewood at the bottom, grounding it and adding a warm depth. There's something calming and peaceful about this scent. After a few hours this becomes pure lily. Not soapy lily, but freshly cut lily, even the smell of the leaves. Verdict: this is an intriguing one…it's green, fresh, quite astringent at first, the sharpness was slightly too strong, but it does mellow out, bringing out a woody and incensy depth and soft fresh white florals. It's a contemplative, yet quite mysterious, even melancholy fragrance, yet with a soft warmth and peaceful lightness beneath it all. A lovely, interesting blend. I think it will be one of those scents that will grow on me.

Rose Red In the imp: wow! Pure, fresh, crisp, frozen rose. And a hint of green. Wet on skin: whoa…this is not just rosy perfume, this is a fresh cut rose bud, but chilled, like it's growing in winter. But it's pure rose. Beautiful. Dry on skin: now it's got warmer and fuller, and less green, now the rose is showing its beautiful bloom, the petals have opened. This is a fresh, crisp rose, and such a magnificent scent. After a while: it softens out and fades a bit but still retains that gorgeous, gorgeous fresh cut rose scent, now lingering close to the skin. I am worried that this will fade away though...I hope it doesn't! Verdict: I am hooked on BPAL rose scents. London was dried English rose petals, Rose Cross was pure and sanctified rose, and this is the fragrance of rose petals on ice. This is chilled rose, frozen for eternity and captured in perfume. And so beautiful-you can even smell the rose leaves, the buds, the dew (or frost)…it's crisp, it's pure, it's beautiful. And it truly 'blooms' (hehehe) when it hits the skin, becoming warmer and richer. I sure hope this is being released again this Chrimbo-I'm getting a big bottle, or three. (Now I'm looking forward to 2 5 7!)

Aglaea In the imp: peachy! This is more a bright, crisp peach, with a hint of sweet amber. Wet on skin: still sweet peach, I think there's amber there too and something herbal and earthy-that could be myrtle? There's also a hint of musk. But I'm worried the peach will turn to 'air freshener' peach… Dry on skin: same as above, it's very bright and welcoming, and now it's pure sweet peach-right down to the deeper tart smell that peaches usually have, with bit of powdery musk. Something in this reminds me of summer holidays, or summer in general. It's very cheerful as a scent, and quite edible, I must say… After a while: the tartness of the peach is much more apparent now, but I was hoping for more amber, not just full on peach. But there's still the light musk attempting to tone down the peach, but not really succeeding...it's still purely peachy. Verdict: when it was wet I was worried it would smell like air freshener but when it's dry, it's like a real, ripe juicy peach. It's sunny, cheerful, optimistic and so sweet, with a bit of tartness. I think the amber adds to the peach's sweetness, and there's a hint of musk there. it's a wonderfully summery, joyous scent, but I'm not sure if I would want a big bottle-I prefer Fae as my peach scent. But this is lovely as an imp.

Dana O'Shee In the imp: honeyed almonds!!! I can see why people compare this to Lush's Snowcake. Wet on skin: soft, creamy, honey and almonds. This is gorgeous and soft, quite yummy, in fact. Dry on skin: oh no…the almonds have faded and the smell is ever so faint…just the barest hint of creamy honey, but it's a really nice smell, none the less. It is reminiscent of Snowcake but mush more honey and creamy smelling, and very gentle. But the throw is very weak…the fragrance has the strength of a body lotion than a perfume. Mind you, it does get gradually stronger and more apparent as time passes, but never gets overpowering, which is good. After a while: this really is so gentle, luckily the smell gets a bit more apparent…but the sweet smell is so lovely-there's still a hint of almond, loads of honey, maybe some vanilla too. It smells like a yummy dessert, like ice cream, I want to lick it off. (It also smells like I could replicate this scent by mixing Lush's Smitten and Afterlife together as there are notes in there from both scents!) After a few hours, the smell is just like Snow White's was after a few hours-creamy vanilla, only this time with honey. Verdict: I love the smell of this-so gentle, soft, sweet, gorgeous, delicious. Honey and almonds and milk, yum yum,…but the problem is that I have to go right up to my wrist and sniff really hard-it's a 'barely there' smell. This might be a good thing though, because it may prevent the smell from becoming sickly or cloying. I love it, and there's something about this smell that reminds me of childhood…makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I'm not sure if I'd want a big bottle as the smell is not very strong on me, if it had a teeny bit more throw, I'd be in love.

A raven-haired Fairy Queen of Ireland. One of her eternal duties dictates that she must hold a midnight court every season and hear the pleas of married Irishwomen. The court serves only to determine whether or not husbands are adequately serving their wife’s sexual needs. A judicious yet powerfully sensual blend, a mingling of justice and sexuality: sage, sweet pea, bold pale musk and warm tonka. In the imp: sweet and light…must be the tonka and sweet pea. There's also a hint of something green and herbal, maybe the sage. Wet on skin: fresh and green, light and sweet. I think the sage is becoming more apparent, it's herbal smell is prominent, but the tonka sweetens it. There's a light floral, which must be the sweet pea. Dry on skin: interesting…it's more herbal and green now, it's a tart, crisp, fresh greenness but there's that sweet tonka note, and white musk. It reminds me of a garden in springtime after being watered...or a fairy garden? After a while: the green note is less strong now, now the tonka and musk are apparent, adding a warm, soft, powdery (in a good way) sweetness, it is almost like a baby oil or glowing skin like smell…wow! Verdict: I could just imagine a fairy queen smelling like this it is very green, very herbal, yet with something sweet and magical in the background. It's a very nice, fresh, very 'outdoors' sort of smell, like an enchanted spring garden, but there's a light sweetness, and a soft hint of musk, warm and comforting, that becomes more apparent as the minutes pass by. Another lovely fairy themed blend! I like it, not sure if I'll get a bottle, but an imp of it is fine for now.

Salome In the imp: almonds! Sweet almonds, and maybe a hint of musk. Wet on skin: almonds with a sweet undercurrent, I think I can smell jasmine in this now. And maybe musk too. Dry on skin: as usual, the almonds fade fast, and now I can smell the musk. Lovely Egyptian musk, reminiscent of Bastet's musk, but with jasmine instead of amber and spice. I think I can smell the sandalwood in this too. This smells sexy! It's a dark deep smell as opposed to a light golden aroma, I'm wondering if it's the oak moss deepening the blend? After a while: there's something spicy and incensy about this-the musk strengthens, and I think the sandalwood does too. It's a warm, slightly sweet, yet dark fragrance. Verdict: I'm a huge fan of these exotic blends that BPAL concoct, and this one is really nice-sensual, mature, gorgeous. There's a deep rich musk and sandalwood note in this (a bit like Morocco but more 'feminine'), and it's lightened by jasmine. It's a very indulgent smell, and it's also very sexy, very grown up and sophisticated, with a hint of darkness. I love it.