PurringPulsar

The Wild Hunt In the imp: oooh, a sexy, slightly masculine, woodsy musk. Wet on skin: this is gorgeous. It’s slightly resinous now, a bit spicy too. Dry on skin: this is lovely! It’s a spicy, deep, woodsy and very musky scent. This is a very sexy manly musk but it doesn’t feel too masculine for me to pull it off. It’s almost like, and yet very different to, the furry/animal musks in other wildlife/hunt themed scents, this one is a little more rugged and yet also rather sophisticated-there’s something almost like expensive perfume to this musk. There’s a wood base too, as well as spices and sappy resins. And a smokiness pervades the whole scent. After a while: interesting. I suspected an animalistic undertone to the musk, and now this shows up a lot more. It’s borderline civet, but it’s not a pungent civet-it’s less Black Annis and more like Allegory or Morella. Subtly feral. And of course it fits the name of the scent! The woods have becomes spicier and smoother-I can’t say what woods are in here, but they are very rich and almost exotic, and yet also quite outdoorsy. The scent now has something fresh to it, and I begin to smell hints of moss. Verdict: this is a gorgeous masculine scent to me, sexy and suave and rugged all at once. As far as musks and forest/hunt/animalistic/furry scents go, this is really unique, there’s nothing else like it in BPAL. The musk is deep and wild, a little more civet-y than the usual masculine musk, but not in an unpleasant way. And it’s backed up with woods and spices and maybe some smoke or resins. But I’m not sure I like it on me…maybe it’s a little too animalistic and manly for me? I am very glad I got to try it though. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? I like it but I swapped it off so other people could share the love of this very rare scent!

The Deserted Village In the imp: this reminds me of something…Jacob’s Ladder maybe? It’s golden ambergris and bergamot/neroli. Wet on skin: sharp neroli and bergamot with currant and a resinous-earthy background. Dry on skin: I like this a lot. It reminds me of elements of Anactoria, Luperci and the Masque. It’s now very currant-y, and this is a tart crisp currant, not so much a sweet musky one. I think the citrus notes give it an edge. Underneath it is the ambergris, golden and slightly perfumey, then there are the powdery notes of oakmoss and orris, and underneath, the grounded notes of patchouli and either musk or labdanum. This is earthy yet glittery and very layered. Quite fascinating and very appealing. After a while: this turns a bit weird after a while. I was expecting the ambergris, labdanum, musk and currant to do something wonderful like they did in Melainis, but instead this goes a little sour and flat? There’s a strange metallic scent to it like worn coins, the scent of money and the lining of an old purse. The currant, which I thought could do no wrong, has gone sour in here, and it’s not doing the sweet rich musky-resinous thing I was expecting. It’s as though the glitter has faded. The scent becomes dirty and one dimensional on me and then fades very fast. Verdict: this one started out with so much potential, but sadly went flat and dull on me. I loved the just dry stage when it was a wonderful earthy and golden mix of currant, neroli, patchouli, moss, musk and ambergris. It was complex and intriguing and resinous and dark, intriguing and with a lot of layers. But as the scent developed, it lost its sparkle. I don’t know what went wrong but the scent went from that stunning earthy-golden-fruity scent into a muddled and muddy mess, and I felt a little let down by that. a bit sour, without the complexity from before, I found it to be rather lacklustre. Though it does seem to fit the theme quite nicely, I just wish it had retained the glorious scent of the first stage. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? no. If you like this, try: Man with Phallus Head, Greed, Luperci, Anactoria, The Masque

Velvet Cthuhlu In the imp: soapy green wasabi, with a resinous-smoky undertone. Wet on skin: wasabi is turning to green washing up liquid, but I smell resins, cedar and tea. Dry on skin: lemongrass? I now get a strong, piercing scent of lemongrass from this scent. as well as lots of wasabi, which has a soapy scent that I am not at all keen on. It’s a shame, because I do like the other notes. The green cedar has a scent of young wood, green wood that’s just been cut, green and sappy. The teas are green too, a tart crisp tea scent. I don’t smell much obvious frankincense and myrrh but I do smell hints of them, warm incense smoke with sage, under the fresh watery greens. The vetiver note is surprisingly absent, but the coriander is lovely, a blend of coriander seed and leaves. It reminds me vaguely of Silk Road, not as spicy but with a similar fresh green scent. But I am surprised at the sharp lemon verbena scent I get here, and not pleased about the soapy wasabi. After a while: soap soap soap! The evil wasabi has eaten all the other notes-no more frankincense and myrrh, no more spices and herbs. Maybe a bit of tea, but the scent that lingers is that of washing up liquid, aka wasabi gone bad. Verdict: this has confirmed that even a little wasabi can turn a blend to fail on me-pure and utter fail. Even the vetiver didn’t get a say in which note would amp, wasabi dominated and exterminated all the other notes in the scent with its EVIL GREEN SOAP OF DOOM scent. And there were some stunning notes in here-frankincense, myrrh, sage, coriander, smoky teas…but I didn’t get any of them thanks to that wasabi note. It was even more aggressive in here than in Nostrum Remedium or That, despite the heavier notes. I’ll have to pass this one on. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? no way! If you like this, try: Nostrum Remedium, Sri Lanka, Silk Road, That!

Lady Lilith In the bottle: tea and mandarin. Surprisingly tangy. Wet on skin: mandarin, tea and white musk, with a hint of poppy. Dry on skin: very pretty, lighter and fresher than I expected. This is white tea with mandarin, it smells a little bit like the white tea and orange blossom scent from Tweedledee. This one has added white musk and a bit of poppy as well, and also a touch of fresh crisp rose. I can’t smell the deeper sweeter notes yet like the red musk, vanillas and opoponax, but this is very nice for now. After a while: the mandarin note in here is gorgeous! Most BPALs with this note don’t really smell like mandarin to me, or the mandarin fades fast. This one smells like that smell that lingers on the fingers after peeling a tangerine, or like tangerine juice. It’s wonderfully citrus-y. Playful and cheerful, a youthful scent. This citrus is enhanced by the white tea and rose (which also reminds me of Maiden). There’s a slight hint of smoke from the opium note but it isn’t heavy at all. The vanilla and red musk are incredibly subtle here…though as the scent develops, I smell more of the red musk. Trying this again a few months later and the scent is even nicer-stronger vanilla, stronger musk, and a definite Dorian-y vibe coming through. Verdict: this scent has really grown on me-all it took was a bit of aging. First up, this one has one of the most wonderful mandarin notes ever. For once, it is the dominant top note in the scent, bright and orange-y, joyful and zingy. Underneath it are endearing musks with rosebuds and vanilla and a drop of tea. But the mandarin really shows off with its sweet orange/tangerine peel scent. In fact something reminds me fleetingly of that ever-so-elusive rare scent, Orange, which makes me very happy as I love that scent but it is impossible to find. And the drydown (which, when I first tried this, thought was too faint and light) is utterly delightful, a little like Dorian, but with a lighter tea note and added rose and mandarin, though the combination of vanilla and white musk make this such a cosy and approachable scent. I don’t get much of the deeper notes, but I don’t mind-I see myself wearing this a lot in summer. And I’m so impressed by how long the mandarin here lasts. I’m so glad I gave Lady Lilith a chance-she’s stunning. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? of course! If you like this, try: Tweedledee, Maiden, Monna Vanna, Victoria, Dorian

Fearful Pleasure In the imp: autumnal cider and fizzy apples. Wet on skin: the apple note goes a little sharp on me, but there’s a nice spicy sweetness underneath. Dry on skin: mmm, this is quite nice! It’s cider, very very apple-y. My skin tends to dislike apple notes so this may not be so good but I like it for now. The apple note is a bit crisp, not the baked apple scent I prefer, but there’s a wonderful mulled smell to it all, spicy warm cider with hints of orange and a lovely sweet woodsy scent underneath. I also smell a hint of beer, but it’s really pleasant, it adds character. I don’t smell much smoke, for now this is all about the cider and spices. This has a lovely ‘cosy autumnal’ feel. After a while: this gets even lovelier as it dries down! The sharpness fades away and is replaced by a gorgeous sweetness. It’s almost like vanilla, actually. I still smell very little of the smoke, but I don’t mind because the cider note is, for once, doing wonderful things on me. It smells like sweet spicy baked apples now, warm and inviting. The wood notes ground the apple very nicely. This may be the apple scent I’ve been hoping for…one that works on me and smells deliciously autumnal and spicy. Verdict: this scent is cider perfection! This is the kind of apple scent I’ve been longing for. Up to now, many apple scents didn’t work on me and I thought this would go the same way. But this is wonderful. It starts off as sharp spicy cider and is borderline sour at times, but then after a few minutes it mellows into something stunning. Sweet warm baked apples topped with spice, mulled cider, warm autumnal smoke and sexy sweetness and a strong woodsy base. No apples gone bad, no plastic apple or over-sharp apple notes here, just perfect spiced apple. It’s a lot nicer than Autunno was on me. Even the boozes in here, the beer and sassafras (which usually turns medicinal on me) are pleasant. I think this is one of the nicest autumn apple spice scents out there. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? definitely. If you like this, try: Apple of Sodom, L’Autunno, Harvest Moon 05 and 06, Samhain, Hesperides, Verdandi

The Blood Garden In the bottle: there’s that same pungent note from Mort de Cesar, only this time with more wine. Wet on skin: mmm, now I smell something almost like saffron, as well as more of the blood note. Dry on skin: this is actually really nice! The dominant note is the wine grape, sweet and red, followed by the blood, which is that lovely blood accord with it’s nuances of red fruit, red musk, spices and a bit of iron. There’s a hint of pungent spice, almost savoury, like cumin. Maybe it’s the ginger. I also smell currants and the blackberry here is not turning to cat pee. I don’t smell leather, oak or ivy yet. This reminds me of the clove wine from Madrid meets the currant wine from Lady Macbeth with a dash of blood. After a while: now this reminds me of Crypt Queen, only without the floral notes and the strong patchouli. This scent really shows off the blood accord and it’s complexity, all it’s facets. The blood smells drier now, and a bit earthy. The scent is crimson-toned and the grape has now become a dark red wine, the currant is tart yet also dry, I now smell what could be the oak and the blackberry underneath. The clove is smoky and accentuates the slightly metallic spice of the blood note. There’s something here almost like saffron, or the spices from Scherezade. Verdict: this is a really intriguing one. It works surprisingly well on me, despite containing blackberry and leather notes, I hardly smell them in here. I’m not crazy about the start, when it smells pungent and a little funky, but after five minutes this turns really lovely-a deep bloody wine with a smattering of metal, with warm exotic spices, deep fruit notes and something almost musky. It’s a little bit like Crypt Queen but with hints of Madrid and Mort de Cesar, and the blood accord is strong, but quite pleasant. Not an everyday scent, but certainly one to keep the bottle of. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? yes. If you like this, try: The Chapel, Mort de Cesar, Madrid, Lady Macbeth, Blood, Chilling Cellar

Motley In the bottle: unsettlingly medicinal fruit. Wet on skin: sweet currant wine and porcini mushrooms? This one is odd! Dry on skin: it’s not really medicinal, but it’s very strange! I do get a slight resemblance to Masabakes, which I wasn’t crazy about, and I get a slight to resemblance to Prospero, which I also didn’t really like. This is made even weirder by that mushroom note! It’s not the earthy soily scent I expected, but something that reminds me of the mushroom stock used in mushroom risotto! Sort of like porcini and Portobello mushrooms maybe? I also get rhubarb, a sharp red fruity note. Unfortunately there’s also a strange burnt wood scent that I don’t really like-I think it’s the myrrh. Normally I love myrrh but there are exceptions when this note doesn’t really work out…maybe the champaca is working against me? After a while: this does seem to settle into something a little more coherent. At first I couldn’t make sense of this. But now it’s become a more defined smoky deep fruit scent, with the currant and rhubarb notes, and the myrrh has calmed, but I think the champaca and mushroom just aren’t working at all. The champaca has a weird plastic smell to it, a strange plastic-floral, and the mushroom still reminds me of the risotto/vegetable stock smell-which I love to eat, but not as perfume! Indeed at times I even get fruity Marmite (wtf??) from this scent! Very strange! Verdict: this is one of the weirdest BPALs ever! The notes are unusual and it smells very bizarre on me. though unfortunately in this instance, it’s not a good thing. I was hoping for an earthier thing with the mushroom, but instead I get a very savoury mushroom scent, like vegetable stock or something, very salty and pungent, not at all pleasant. Sadly the myrrh-usually one of my Notes of Win-didn’t work in here, turning to burnt wood. The champaca turned sharp and acrid as well, and I’m not sure if the rhubarb also turned on my skin? But this scent was a bit messy on me. It really is a motley assortment of notes, but sadly not one that my skin could handle. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? no…for quirkiness that works, I’ll stick with Marotte. If you like this, try: Masabakes, Prospero, Urd

Velvet Tiki In the imp: oh, this is wonderful tropical coconut, pineapple, and monoi. Wet on skin: sweet vanilla, coconut milk and flesh, frangipani, pineapple, and ‘beach skin’. Dry on skin: this is gorgeous! It reminds me of the best of last year’s Tiki blends all mixed. I smell lots of pineapple, but it’s a really nice pineapple, not too sweet or pina colada, but not too sharp either. I also smell tangy passion fruit. I also smell a crisp fresh floral which I think is the hibiscus. The frangipani is lovely, a soft sweet yet heady floral which is the primary note here, and I can also smell the coconut, which doesn’t go too dry, but smells like coconut milk or coconut oil. And the vanilla notes are lovely, a blend of floral vanilla and sweeter sugary vanilla, and there’s something here that reminds me of sun warmed beach skin. It doesn’t have the monoi that characterised Tiki Queen-instead it has a fantastic frangipani. After a while: the scent dries down to a really interesting tropical floral-fruity skin scent. It almost reminds me of sun lotion, but not the really coconutty cliché sun lotions, but something a little more sophisticated, because of the addition of the other flowers and fruit. None of the floral notes are turning on me-not even the orchids. The pineapple/passionfruit are a little sharper at times but I quite like the slightly powdery yet lotion-y skin scent I get under it all, and the sweetness from the vanilla. The drydown is a gorgeous skin scent of frangipani with a hint of coconut and vanilla and pineapple. The frangipani note in here is just stunning. Verdict: I think I’ve found my two perfect tropical scents-Tiki Queen and Velvet Tiki. Whilst the Queen highlighted the beauty of monoi, this scent really highlights the glorious frangipani. This golden and heady floral note is the dominant scent here, but all the other notes complement it beautifully-the pineapple and passionfruit’s tangy fruit accents are just perfect, the coconut smells sexy and oily, the orchids and hibiscus stay discreet, the vanilla boosts the sweetness. This is one of those ‘summer holiday in a bottle’ scents, it doesn’t matter if it’s pouring with rain and it's freezing cold, I wear this and I’m whisked off to an island paradise-it’s fantastic. (I wore this when watching the stunning BBC documentary South Pacific, it went really well with the wonderful imagery in the programme and was the closest thing to actually being there…) Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? oh yeah. If you like this, try: Tiki Queen, Tiki King, Upa Upa, Black Pearl, Ashlutum, Hi’iaka

Marotte In the bottle: juicy pear with an odd mineral note! Wet on skin: pear is strongest, but I also smell the metal-mineral scent, and some moss and musk. Dry on skin: this is a really interesting scent! The pyrite note is a strange one but it’s kind of what I expected it to smell like, in that the scent evokes the visual of glittery fool’s gold. It’s halfway between metallic (iron and gold) and mineral, but pleasant too. It reminds me of the metal in the Steampunks. The pear is dominant, and it smells fresh, juicy, and genuine-no fake pear scent at all. Far from the wrist I smell more amber (mmm) but close up, I smell pear. I also wonder if the metal note may be from ‘bronze musk’? I do smell a musk note that is slightly sweet, oily and shimmering, and brown-the best way I can describe it is that it reminds me of sun warmed-and tanning-skin (though this does not smell like coconut sun lotion at all, it does remind me of some kind of lotion). I also smell a dusting of moss and a hint of mahogany as well. After a while: the scent then dries to a really pleasant and unique scent of copper (the only way I can describe this-it’s metallic but not iron, it’s brownish too) with a bit of pear, moss and a little bit of amber. It’s very nice-and incredibly unique. And very balanced too-all the notes play really well together in this scent. Verdict: this quirky little scent is an unusual blend of notes that works extremely well! It looks odd on paper but on the skin, it all blends very nicely to make a gorgeous scent which is a bit fruity, a bit sweet, a bit musky, a bit woody, a bit amber-y and with a cheeky mineral hint to it. It’s very different to anything else I’ve smelt and yet the metallic brightness, the fruity sweetness, the warm musk and amber, almost seem familiar at times. I’d say this was closest to the Steamworks scents but even so it’s very different and unusual as a perfume…and yet it doesn’t smell too strange to make me think ‘what the?’, it smells fresh and light enough to wear any time. I really love it. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? yes! If you like this, try: Phoenix Steamworks, Aelopile, Titania

Velvet Nudie In the bottle: perfumey lemony-floral skin musk. Like a lighter version of Giant Vulva. Wet on skin: perfumey and tangy skin musk. Dry on skin: surprisingly lemony? I wonder where that’s coming from? This is also very perfumey. It reminds me of Giant Vulva but without the depth of the copal and beeswax. It’s got the same skin musk, though right now I can’t really smell the sugar cane. This does however smell very pretty. It’s the smell of clean skin that’s just been showered with a lemon or orange blossom soap. At times I smell powder too. It does smell very faint though, clinging close to the skin instead of wafting. After a while: this is not as strongly lemony but it does still have that hint of lemon blossom I love. however, at this point, it also has something soapy or soap-powdery that I’m not crazy about. where’s the sugar cane? I don’t smell much sweetness to this scent really. It’s quite a tart clean skin scent. and the musk is very pretty-and indeed, it has a velvet quality! But I’m not really keen on the hints of soap. I wish this were a little sweeter, or had a little more defined citrus, and then I’d like it. And my skin eats it up. all that’s left is a faint skin scent, like skin washed with something lemon scented. Pretty, but too quiet for me. Verdict: I was a tad disappointed with the Nudie. She’s very pretty, I must say, but a little too clean and perfumey for me? I was expecting more of a white musk and, most of all, a sweeter sugar note. The musk is unusually lemony, almost soapy but not quite. I quite like the lemony intro, it’s like lemon blossom or lemon leaf, very pretty and springy, and fresh. The scent then turns a little soapy at drydown and becomes really faint, like the softest clean skin scent. it does really smell like showered skin, but I was hoping for less soapiness with the musk-and most of all, more sugar cane. I really wanted this to be a little sweeter and juicier, but I think my skin picked up the ‘flowering’ bit of the sugar cane more than the ‘sugar’. I think I’ll stick with Giant Vulva for skin musk. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? I like it, but not enough to keep. If you like this, try: Giant Vulva, Ebisu Making Love, Harikata, Itaso Kansei

June Gloom 04 In the imp: a very clean lemon soap. Wet on skin: interesting, it’s almost like lemon incense now? Dry on skin: hmm, this is a strange one. I am reminded of Delousing Powder, though this is a lot soapier, a lot fresher, and less powdery and more like ozone. The lemon note is the most dominant one, and it’s lemon verbena. Or maybe lemongrass, but to me it’s too soft to be lemongrass so I think it’s verbena (it’s not lemon fruit). I also smell something powdery, a little soapy, and some ozone too. Oddly, I also smell something like olive to this? Almost like olive oil. As well as a hint of something like sandalwood incense. there is something pale and floral here too, flowers of the soapy, sharp kind. After a while: this then turns to bathroom cleaner-specifically, the creamy Cif/Jif cleaner. It has that oddly creamy, oddly chalky smell with the soapy lemon. It does though have an interesting herbal-mossy background to it…but this almost leans towards smelling like mildew at times. Oddly, I still get hints of sandalwood incense too, or even nag champa…it smells like a light thin incense. At this point the smell is very similar to Delousing Powder, but it lacks the warm sweetness and amber-ish scent I got in DP, and I prefer that scent. Verdict: not my kind of scent at all. It smells like lemon soap for most of the time, a fresh and tangy soap with lemongrass or verbena, and turns to bathroom cleaner on me. The flowers only amp up the soapy scent. Oddly, I get incense at the drydown, and it turns quite nice at the end but also fades very fast after a few hours. So this really isn’t my thing. I hope the 09 version of JG works out better on me. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? no.

Strawberry Moon 09 In the imp: freshly picked strawberries sprinkled with sugar, and a hint of greenery. So beautiful! Wet on skin: erk, this is becoming very sharp and bitter now…though I still smell strawberry. Dry on skin: why hello there dandelion, you’re a little bit of a show-off aren’t you? Trying to get in the way of the strawberry? The dandelion has amped up and now threatens to overtake the delicate strawberry note, which in here is so gorgeous. I thought it would be too sweet yet sour, but the strawberry in here is very authentic in scent, it smells like the real fruit, complete with leaves. I can also smell some grasses, both fresh green and dried. There’s something in here that smells just like the scent of English meadows on a summer’s day, a kind of hay and dry grass and pollen scent, and I love that. But the dandelion is a little too strong and is stomping all over the strawberry! After a while: oh strawberry? Where are you? Gone into hiding from big bully dandelion, I presume? That’s all I smell now. No strawberry, or at least, very little, maybe more of the strawberry flower than the fruit. Loads of dandelion and grass though. This dandelion isn’t gentle and softly green, this is an aggressive little weed that tramples all over the strawberry and vanilla and takes over completely. That said, it’s not a bad scent. A bit bitter and slightly soapy, but not bad. It’s just that I was hoping this would smell like strawberries! And then this turns to an indistinct green-fruity-sour mush on me, like grass clippings and weeded-out dandelions with just the barest hint of squashed strawberry trodden into the grass. I am heartbroken. Verdict: if the dandelion were just a tad softer, this would totally smell like nostalgia. Like the strawberry picking that was a highlight of every June. The scent of the greenery and the dry grasses and the sunshine, the cheeky thrill of eating the picked strawberries instead of putting them in the basket. But sadly, the dandelion amps to high heaven and gobbles up the strawberry. And this strawberry was not the bad variety! It was, for once, a lovely fresh natural strawberry that smelt like the real deal and brought back happy memories of childhood, but the dandelion completely overtook it, just like the gin note did in Velvet Pink Kitty. I think I’m the only person who doesn’t like dandelion notes (with the exceptions being the sublime Dog Days and Fairy Wine), and that’s all I get here. It’s a shame really, I was hoping this would be the ultimate strawberry…I passed my bottle on to someone who may love it more than me. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? sadly not. If you like this, try: Velvet Pink Kitty, Strawberry Moon 05, Beaver Moon 07, Bon Vivant

Bat of Wealth In the imp: pomegranate and patchouli, mmm! Wet on skin: now I smell blackberry, but it still smells predominantly of pom ‘n patch. Dry on skin: oh dear. Once dry, blackberry does the thing I dreaded. It gives me the ‘bad kitty’ reaction. It’s like a tomcat has approached my wrist and is spraying all over the gorgeous pomegranate and heliotrope notes! The patch doesn’t help, it seems to make the cat pee scent even more pronounced like it did in Agony of Heartache, whilst the bergamot, a note I usually like, does the same thing-enhances the blackberry-gone-bad on me. what’s more, something in here seems to be turning to soap? After a while: the cat pee fades a little and the scent remaining is back to pomegranate, and in here it reminds me of Penumbra, but a bit soapier. Not sure where the soap comes from. But it’s a deep purple pomegranate-patchouli scent with a bit of berry, but overall I do prefer Penumbra, with its smoky resinous depth. This one smells a bit tinny and strange. Verdict: as expected, this didn’t work, thanks to blackberry, aka ‘bad kitty berry’. And yes, this berry did the cat pee thing here too. a shame really because I loved what the pomegranate was doing, especially when it mixed with the patchouli. However when the blackberry interacted with the patch, it seemed to make the ‘territorial tomcat’ scent even dirtier. And there was also a soap note, not sure where from, that I didn’t like. Not for me…I’m glad I don’t need to track any more down. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Nope.

Pumpkin III 08 In the imp: buttery pumpkin, sharp citrus, green herbs. Wet on skin: the bitter scent of yuzu, grapefruit and parsley now pop out. Dry on skin: whoa, yuzu and grapefruit! This smells like bitter citrus rind on me now, with hints of parsley and pumpkin. I find that yuzu is like grapefruit on steroids, especially when paired with grapefruit, like in here! This scent is dominated by those two citrus notes, with a hint of sparkling lime and verbena. The parsley adds an interesting bitter herbal note, but I don’t get much mint, and even the pumpkin has gone quiet now. After a while: the intense bitter peel scent does tone down and the citrus notes now turn into a softer scent. though now the scent seems to take on an oddly soapy feel, with a hint of something almost like wet cardboard? Not sure what’s up with that. I do like the sweet, almost floral and sugared scent that this now has. I can also smell more the pumpkin. It reminds me of Aizen Myoo, but with pumpkin. Verdict: this was very, very citrus to start with, what with hyper-grapefruit yuzu with grapefruit and lime, not much pumpkin. I quite liked it, even if the yuzu was a little too loud for me as it can be. But then the scent goes really odd, and soapy too. The citrus dies down but whatever’s left turns strangely floral and also sugary, but with that strange soap and cardboard scent which means this just doesn’t work for me. This may be the pumpkin scent I like least out of the 08 patch. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? No. If you like this, try: Aizen Myoo, Night Gaunt, Pumpkin I 07

Velvet Panther In the imp: mandarin cologne. This is sharp and snappy but has a darkly sweet undertone. Wet on skin: citrus, cologne, anise, musky vanilla, vetiver. Dry on skin: this one is intriguing. I can smell liquorice, from the anise note. Combined with the dark musk and vanilla I get a liquorice laces note, the kind of scent I wanted from Humbug. I also smell the mandarin, wonderfully strong. Something in here reminds me of manly cologne, but in here I quite like it. I also smell a hint of violet. Overall this brings to mind a glossy black, with hints of silvery violet and bright orange, and a growling undertone of vetiver (which is subtle but I sense its presence). Though oddly this reminds me of something from Lush as well, but I can’t say what. After a while: this moves through stages of sweet sexy purring cologne with a masculine edge but then dries down as violet and musk, and then at the end the vetiver comes out. It’s not as strong as the Tiger’s vetiver, but it’s a little too much and it seems to take over the more delicate violet note. even so, the scent isn’t wowing me as much as it did when it started. It’s too masculine by then and also smells a little flat? Verdict: of the two Velvet big cats, this is my preferred scent. It smells sleek and dark and warm, and I really like the beginning when I smell the sexy black musk mixing with anise and vanilla and citrus, it’s very appealing and the sort of scent I want to snuggle up to. It’s not as nice to me at the end though when the vetiver gets a tiny bit stronger (though not as strong as Velvet Tiger) and the violet comes out a little, and the musk becomes a little more manly, the vanilla also fades away too and it’s the vanilla that I found nicest in this scent. but ultimately it’s not one of those ‘must have more’ scents even though it’s one of the nicest vetiver scents. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? not really. If you like this, try: Mad Meg, Silas Ruthyn, The Great He Goat

Glukupikros In the imp: a masculine blend of woods, moss and lavender. Wet on skin: clean fresh moss and woods, but I also smell amber and sweetness, and musk. Dry on skin: I like this. It’s manly, but I still like it…there’s a very classic feel to it. It makes me think of a well-crafted chypre/fougere based cologne. The lavender leads the way but it’s beautifully backed up by a warm, golden amber and vanilla-caramel (no cloying caramel foodiness though). I can smell woods, pale musk (a very clean ‘just showered skin’ scent) mosses and the earthy touch of spikenard too. This reminds me a bit of the Emathides, but more masculine and fresh. After a while: this then seems to go into a stage that reminds me of a cross between Old Scratch and Emathides, and one of the sweeter spikenard scents-maybe Diwali? The blend of cedar, spikenard and sandalwood reminds me of the incense base of Diwali. The amber and lavender and musk and moss are very appealingI seem to be getting powder from this as well, from the moss and musk. This gets more and more amber-vanilla over time, and I love that. it smells like a sort of amber chypre in the end, sweet moss with an amber base. Verdict: this is masculine, but not overwhelmingly so, I feel this is unisex and I really like it. It’s a very nice blend of lavender and woods and moss with a clean musk and delightful amber-vanilla warmth behind it. I feel as though I can pull it off without smelling like aftershave, though I’d love to smell this on a guy. I find this very sexy and approachable and it’s got a very sophisticated, mature feel to it as well, classic but also quite contemporary. It’s not a favourite-there are other lavender-wood-amber scents I prefer, but it’s a lot nicer than I expected. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? not really but it’s very nice! If you like this, try: Emathides, Old Scratch, Casanova, Bat of Longevity, Gaueko

Planting Moon In the imp: greenery, but a much deeper green note than usual. Not at all grassy, not sharp, not floral, but it is wet and earthy. Wet on skin: oh, this is nice. It smells like tomato vines! Dry on skin: deep green leaves and vegetables. This is quite incredible! It really does smell like green broad beans and tomatoes, not just the leaves but the fruit too. I can smell squashes, courgettes and marrows, and fresh spinach. So many vegetables, but not a salad-this is growing veg and a hint of soil, and also some weeds. The greenery is very different to other BPAL greens, much deeper and mellower than the grass notes, not a dry balmy pungent green like herbs, it is fresh but not as wet as the lettuce and cucumber notes, this is much warmer, it evokes summer. I swear I get a hint of basil too at times. It’s also not a soapy or sharp floral green. After a while: this now reminds me of another scent from another etailer (hint-it’s a seasonal themed changing scent!) which, in it’s early stages, smelt very much like wet earth and spring greenery. Though this lacks the floral element of that scent-it’s still all about the deep green tomato leaf and bean vines, and something that reminds me of peas-or those climbing plants with the spirally bits coming off the main stem? It reminds me of gardens, and gardening. There’s a hint of something wet, more like dew than rain, or maybe a little bit of watering from the hose, but it still smells like sun warmed vegetation. Something here also reminds me strongly of fresh spinach and rocket. Verdict: by far one of the nicest green-planty smells I’ve come across, this smells like an allotment! It reminds me of the wonderful babysitter I had who looked after me and took me to her allotment where she grew all sorts of vegetables, such as the most delicious tomatoes, and this smells just like it, the warm sunshine and the smell of the growing vegetables. It also makes me think of mum, one of her hobbies is gardening, she takes comfort in it, and that makes me think of her finding calm and grounding herself by working in her garden. There’s nothing soapy, nothing bitter, nothing unpleasant or anything that goes awry on my skin chemistry, just the smell of well tended vegetable patches in the summer sunshine. It’s so lovely, and very different from any other green scent from the Lab, not to mention a unique perfume all round! Very glad I have a bottle, and not just because of the Isis label… Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Definitely. If you like this, try: Jersey Devil, Green Party, Virgo 07

Pontia In the imp: a blue haze of lavender-halfway between Yvaine and the Somnium blends. Wet on skin: lavender and bergamot, pure and simple. Dry on skin: lavender and bergamot. I can smell both notes. Usually I don’t detect the bergamot in BPAL but I do here, a little hint of deep citrus underneath the lavender. Of course the lavender is the dominant note, and it’s reminiscent of the lavender in Yvaine, a scent that’s quite heavy, smoky and nocturnal in feel, yet also with a hint of starry white musk underneath. After a while: the lavender here does last a bit longer, but as this scent is made of notes that don’t last very long (lavender and a citrus), this scent does fade considerably and becomes faint after a short time. That being said, I can smell a waft of something lavender-y and herbal lingering. There’s a clean powdery-white, sweetish background, almost like a hint of white musk, or maybe iris/orris, holding on to the remains of the lavender and bergamot. Verdict: this is an uncomplicated blend of lavender and bergamot, with lavender being the strongest note. It’s a smoky and deep blue lavender scent. the good thing is I can also smell the bergamot, usually a quiet note on me, I smell its distinctive tea-ish tang under the lavender. There may be a hint of something else, maybe a white musk? But not surprisingly, lavender and bergamot do not last long on me so this blend fades very fast. But it was nice when it lasted…though to me this is more of an aromatherapy scent as opposed to a perfume-it would make a wonderful base for a bath product or a massage oil. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? not really. If you like this, try: Yvaine, the Somnium blends, Psyche, Pain, Mad Hatter

the imp: a pretty ‘pink musk’ sort of scent, almost honeyed, and sugary. Wet on skin: very nice! I now smell heliotrope and pear and maybe some lily too. Dry: the heliotrope is surprisingly strong-usually this note is a background player but it’s very much a leading note here. The pear is also very strong in here. Overall this is vanilla (a vanilla that reminds me of shortbread biscuit dough!) and heliotrope with pear and it’s very appealing. There’s something to it which can only be described as a kind of ‘pink musk’. It hints at sugar and candy, but doesn’t have that sometimes oversweet edge. It smells almost honeyed, but not quite. It smells powdery, but in a pleasant way. I sometimes smell a hint of sweet lily-the sweeter aspects of the Black Lily blend-in here. After a while: the scent becomes floral-vanilla pink musk now, and I really like it! It’s almost like there’s a hint of creamed honey to it, something in here reminds me of Alice and Dana O’Shee. The vanilla still has that soft doughy feel to it, and the heliotrope is delightful. It also reminds me of lip gloss, or lip balm, and that’s not a bad thing here. It smells sticky and sweet but not cloying or oversweet. I think I even detect a hint of stargazer lily-and I mean the real deal, pink heady blooms. Verdict: this one has really grown on me, and it’s one of the prettiest pear scents ever! The vanilla and pear blend remind me of the Perilous Parlour, but this is much nicer because the other flowers here add depth and new dimensions to the vanilla-pear theme. It’s good to smell strong heliotrope as well, as this note tends to keep quiet. The lily is surprisingly lovely-sweet and rich but not at all soapy. And underneath it all is something which to me is a pink musk of sorts-the only way I can describe it is that it reminds me of lip gloss, sweet and sticky and pink, almost fruity, but not gourmand, though it does almost remind me of honey-though it’s undeniably pink in scent. I wonder if this is the rose reacting with another note? This scent is what I’d imagine the Teenage Cannibal to smell like once grown up (and out of her cannibal phase?) and I love it. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? yes-I’m very glad I bought a bottle. If you like this, try: Perilous Parlour, Marotte, Black Lily, Eclipse, Dana O’Shee, Teenage Cannibal

Butter Rum Cookie In the imp: mince pies and Christmas cake (with marzipan) and a shot of booze. Wet on skin: almond liqueur and nutty festive sweet treats. Dry: mmm, I love this. It reminds me of mince pies at first, but then seems to go into a really almond-y stage, and then I smell a little bit of spiced orange. It reminds me of Fruitcake and Decadence, but it is a lot drier, less boozy, less rich. It does smell more like a nutty spicy biscuit than a rich cake, a cookie served with strong festive booze-not so much rum, more like a blend of mulled wine, amaretto and sherry, and interestingly there’s a smoky aspect, like wood smoke, to this too. After a while: this completely changes after about 15 minutes-and it’s not a nice change. Gone are the scents of mince pies and cookies, and now I smell something weird…like a mix of burnt paper, sweet plastic, and strong booze. But overall it smells like burnt cardboard covered in flaming rum and plastic vanilla. it reminds me of the bad reaction I got from Pancake Breakfast. I smell the rum now, but it smells harsh and a little fake on me. however this swings from that disjointed sweet plastic/paper smell to a more pleasant spiced rum, reminiscent of the Tiki bar scents. But then the cloying caramelised plastic smell returns… Verdict: I’m shocked as to how this turned from smelling so nice to smelling so bad. At first I wondered if this could smell like that mince pie scent I crave for. It smelt a bit like amaretto too, and spicy oranges, and biscuits served with booze by a warm fireplace. So delicious! And then it did a complete 180 on me, and turned to plastic, burnt cardboard, and a strong, screaming alcohol note with cloying caramel. My skin turned this one to epic fail…and I really loved the first stage! it’s a little disappointing because my skin isn’t as tolerant to foodies as it used to be…this one was passed on to a new home. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? no. If you like this, try: Sugar Cookie, Pancake Breakfast, Kill Devil, Te Po

Windy Moon In the imp: fresh autumn leaves and pine, and something ozone-y and almost masculine. Wet on skin: cologne! This smells like some kind of men’s deodorant scent now. Dry: this reminds me of a cross between Nowhere in Particular and October or Meditation in Autumn. I didn’t like NIP at all, but this lacks the soapy scent I got there. What I do smell a lot of in here is masculine cologne or aftershave. It’s a very sharp and slick ‘sports deodorant’ scent, very piercing and cologne-like. However, I do smell some outdoorsy notes, something very reminiscent of tree bark as well as some pine or evergreen notes, and autumn leaves. Though I was expecting more of a cool bracing feel for the wind, I don’t really get that other than piercing ozone. (this ozone doesn’t smell soapy or electric.) After a while: the scent loses that initial biting sharpness, but doesn’t lose that cologne scent. It does become woodier and I can smell dead leaves-this seems more fitting for autumn than early spring. It doesn’t have that same mossy scent that I got in October, but it’s very similar. It does have that ivy or vine-like scent from Meditation in Autumn, as well as the perfumey aftershave-ish scent. Though now I also smell something smoky, a little bit ashy, in here, as well as something dirty and earthy. Verdict: not my thing at all! Instead of smelling like cool March wind blowing across bare trees, it smells like the scents I try to avoid in BPAL-masculine cologne, aftershave, and sharp, though thankfully not soapy, ozone. It does smell fresh, that’s for sure, fresh and bright and invigorating-but in a sporty men’s deodorant way, not a wind gusting through forests, though it does become more outdoorsy at drydown when I smell distinctly autumnal notes of dead leaves, tree bark and smoke. But I really don’t like the generic men’s perfume scent I get from here. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? No. If you like this, try: Visiting the Temple, Nowhere in Particular, Meditation in Autumn, October, Thunder Moon, Parsifal

The Sea Rat In the imp: oh, exotic incense and amber! This smells potentially gorgeous. Wet on skin: wow, just like a spice market, by the sea! Dry: this is magnificent! This is the exact kind of scent I wanted to get from Port Royal! This smells like beautiful oriental spices and herbs wafting from a sun baked eastern market, mingling with a sea breeze and a dash of dapper and musky cologne. I smell lots of amber here-which I’m guessing is the ambergris. This reminds me of a spicier version of Dream of the Fisherman’s Wife. I also smell something fruity, and a very pleasant waft of salt (but no soap or ozone!). but overall, it’s incense, exotic spices and herbs with ambergris and some furry musk. After a while: this does go into a more masculine stage, but it’s still gorgeous. The musk is warm and velvety, and there’s still that wonderful incense, now smokier than before, the berry note, and the spices and ambergris. Now it reminds me of Frederic, but I much prefer this. It’s also got a salty/sea air/salty wooden beams scent which isn’t at all soapy, and I love that. It smells like ship’s woods and pirate’s plundered booty-spices and perfumes and glittering treasure. Verdict: why can’t all the spicy pirate sea blends smell like this on me? This has the perfect incense note, a blend of spices that smell just like an oriental souk, and the sea note is also perfect. This smells how I’d imagine the exotic spice markets of the Sea Rat’s home of Constantinople to smell. Wonderful and exotic incense with bazaar spices, amber resins and musk, mingling with charming masculine perfume and a waft of sea air. I think the spices and incense in here are some of the nicest, most evocative and exotic I’ve ever smelt in BPAL and I’d love more scents with this kind of souk thing going on. Another brilliant thing about this scent-no soap or ozone from the sea notes! And though this does have a slight hint of something like manly perfume, it’s subtle enough for me to pull off. Probably one of my favourite sea-themed scents. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes! my favourite of the WitW set! Now I wish I’d bought two bottles… If you like this, try: Port Royal, Dream of the Fisherman’s Wife, Frederic, Calico Jack, Pirate Moon

Couple Consulting an Enpon In the imp: cherry? I have no idea why, but I smell black cherry, not blackberry, in here. Wet on skin: cherries and almonds! And patchouli? I smell things in here that aren’t even listed! Dry: ok, now it smells a bit more like blackberry. I still smell cherry and almond, but not as much. I also now smell the sandalwood, and it’s a very dry, gritty wood, not as subtle and smooth as usual. I can smell the freshness of mint and a touch of bright orange blossom, but overall this is a dark blackberry which seems to have something patchouli-ish to it. no cat pee to this blackberry! After a while: this does something very weird. It doesn’t turn to cat pee, thankfully, but it smells strange and very plastic on me…it smells like doll heads? Like doll heads with a hint of orange blossom and berry. Almost like blackberry scented dolls? It also smells a little medicinal too, like some kind of antiseptic. This is not working on me at all. Verdict: this really didn’t work. I wasn’t expecting to as usually blackberry scents turn bad on me. however this didn’t do the usual trick of turning to cat pee, but it turned to plastic, which I really didn’t expect. It smells surprisingly deep and dark at first, not in a blackberry way, but in a patchouli-fied way! I also smelt cherry in here which was just as strange. No amber, no sandalwood, very little orange blossom and mint, and blackberry pretending to be something else…and then it turns plastic and medicine. My skin chem made this fail. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Nope. If you like this, try: The Oblation, Lysander, Lady Una, Blood Garden

Velvet Dogs Playing Poker In the imp: sweet caramel latte! Wet on skin: now I smell the woods and the tobacco mixing with the coffee. Dry: this now smells quite sophisticated, as something slightly perfumey steps in-maybe from the wood or tobacco, maybe the tonka? I’m not sure but I like it. It is similar but not identical to Pinched. The coffee for one thing is sweeter, it’s less of a smooth creamy coffee and more of a caramel latte with brown sugar. It actually reminds me more of El Dia de Reyes than Pinched, it has that dry biscuit/macaroon quality. I also smell the woods (I’m guessing mahogany or ebony, maybe teak) and tobacco, and the pipe smoke is very nice-not the cloying and overpowering Hearth one, but a subtler one, and definitely smoky, more like bonfire smoke at times. After a while: at times I worry that the woods/tobacco may go all burnt on me, but thankfully that never happens. This then turns into a really lovely, very sweet, coffee cake scent. The deep dark intense sweetness of the tonka amplifies the caramel of the Irish coffee (I now smell a bit of whisky here) and this becomes very gourmand. I think of a very sweet coffee served with macaroons, or a coffee flavoured cake sprinkled with brown sugar. It still reminds me of El Dia de Reyes, but with smoke and woods added. I think I prefer El Dia though. Verdict: well, it’s not Pinched, but it’s not bad either! I wouldn’t say it’s a poor impostor to Pinched either because it seems like it’s a scent of it’s own as well as a tribute to the DPP range. There’s the sweet coffee-tobacco thing, as well as a darker tobacco and a pipe note and some more woods that hint at other DPPs. The coffee is more caramelised to me, also a bit drier at times, with a biscuit-like dry crumbly background. The woods are deeper and the tobacco is definitely pipe, not cigar, and a little too pipe-like for me (I sometimes find pipe tobacco notes too cloying). This doesn’t have the gentle cinnamon (though it seems a little spicy at times) or the smooth creamy vanilla base of Pinched. It’s lovely but I’d rather the tobacco was more of a dry cigar type, and the coffee a little less caramel-scented, then it’d be a keeper. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Not really but it’s a very agreeable coffee scent. If you like this, try: Pinched, Riding the Goat, Antikythera Mechanism, A Bold Bluff, Miskatonic University, El Dia de Reyes, Ventriloquist’s Dummy

Bony Moon In the imp: really gorgeous warm sandalwood! Wet on skin: sandalwood and a little bit of cedar and something green. Dry: this is a really lovely white sandalwood scent! The sandalwood is the dominant note here, and it’s gorgeous-warm, slightly sweet, even a little spicy, but with that pale and dusty dryness which fits with the bony theme. The cedar is there too, a deeper and harder wood note under the sandalwood. The herbs are subtle, but I can smell hints of fresh greenery here too. After a while: this becomes very faint after some time, and turns to pretty much single note sandalwood. But that’s no bad thing, as I do love white sandalwood, and this scent really shows it off. That warm dry wood, now a bit sweeter than before, with that bony white dusty scent to it which almost reminds me of orris, but not as powdery. It is very faint though, the sandalwood isn’t as strong as it could be, and it’s a whisper of woody scent. I do love how sweet it is now, a gentle sweet warm wood which actually becomes a little resinous at times. Verdict: this is fantastic sandalwood. A warm, dry, rich sandalwood with hints of spice, a little depth from the cedar, but mainly sandalwood. Makes me realise I love this note a lot. However, this scent does fade fast, which is a shame, because it goes through some nice resinous stages before it does. Though I do love sandalwood, I was hoping the herbs would show up a little to add another dimension to this woody scent, make it a little more interesting? It reminds me of the White Sandalwood SN (which I have a bit of, and I love), so I don’t feel like I need this one. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? It’s nice but I’m not sure I feel it’s a keeper. If you like this, try: Mole, Dragon’s Bone, Isaac, Dragon’s Claw, Magus