changeling

In the bottle: Interesting: honey but not cloyingly sweet Wet to dry: A warm honey with an initially bitter note. As the oil dried on my skin, the bitterness faded, giving place to an herbal note that nicely balanced the sweetness of the honey. I received this as a frimp from the lab. I had assumed that the scents from Rappaccini's apiary would be too sweet or too pale on my skin but this was a nice surprise. Thanks, lab!

My friend and I discovered that standard hand sanitizer works well for removing unwanted scent. She tried one of my BPAL scents and began breaking out--I tossed her a bottle of hand sanitizer, she rubbed that on, washed it off, and quickly recovered. Just to save BPAL's reputation, this friend is allergic to a panoply of items, and this was back when she seemed to develop a new allergy every month (I wish I were kidding about that). Anything that removes other oils, such as poison ivy, should also work--Dawn dish detergent, for example. You know, I'm sure I could put this more diplomatically, but it's late and I'm tired. Thus, my apologies to the Lab. I love the Lab, it's my sole supplier of scented delights. I would never intentionally draw invidious comparisons without disclaimers, so please consider the appropriate riders attached to this reply. Thanks.

I second "Death on a Pale Horse" for the Ringwraith, but what popped into my head immediately on reading that was "A Countenance Foreboding Evil".

This was a frimp from the lab (thank you!) In the bottle: A cool, penetrating scent Wet: Cool and masculine Dry: This scent warms as it dries. For a few minutes, I was worried that I had chosen the wrong scent for a workday--it seemed too much like cologne. Then the scent changed. It was warm and bubbly. I smelled something I recognized. It seemed gritty or granulated, and pleasant, with a woody overtone. Hours later, I came on the forum and read the scent description. It was the tobacco. The smell of the tobacco in my grandfather's pipe, as I blew bubbles on their sun-warmed deck. This scent (as you may have noticed) has a nostalgic value for me. The tobacco and vanilla blend very well (not something I thought I would ever say), and the woody note comes forward just enough to provide variety. I wouldn't say it smells of ancient Greece, but it certainly has a steampunk flavor. I like it.

In the bottle: floral but not, for my taste, overwhelmingly floral Wet: I'm surprised. The first time I tried this scent it turned to powder. Now, for the moment at least, it is a fine mixed bouquet Dry: For over twelve hours, the scent remained a smooth mixed floral. I tell myself I can pick out the moonflower but I don't think that is accurate. The notes are too mixed for my poor nose to discern. Above all, this scent is smooth, finished. I never caught a hint of a sour note.

According to legend, the birthplace of King Arthur. The scent of a castle's great hall in the midst of joyous feasting. Spicy mulled wine flowing through the musky heat, warm leather and bright clash of armor, the damp branches of Cornish hawthorn, blackthorn, juniper, English elm and bayberry, and the magical tingle of dragon's blood resin. In bottle: Warm, bright and berry Wet: Warm berries--not fresh berries, but berries in jam or wine Dry: Spicy and sweet, juniper and smoke This is a great deal milder than when I first purchased it. At that time, I would not have worn it on my skin. Now it has the same notes, but 'tame' enough to wear, more smoothly blended. It can still be detected on my skin nearly twelve hours after application. I can't say how strong the throw was during the day because I was in a lilac-filled office (brought them myself, only myself to blame that I couldn't smell me). Perhaps worth acquiring another to age.

In the bottle: Strong, familiar scent, though I can't clearly identify notes. It is a strong sweet spice. Wet: Strong sweet spice but with a new, almost smoky undertone Dry: The warm sweet spice remains after nearly 12 hours, though it is only detectable near the skin. This scent did not change much on my skin. It reminds me of a piece of amber. It's too bad this one was discontinued--it has aged well.

Word of caution: this review pertains to a bottle of aged Seraphim In bottle: lilies Wet: Lilies and sandalwood Dry: This continued as a fine white floral with low throw. The scent is long-lasting, still perceptible near the skin after about twelve hours of wear. I wore it because I needed to calm down this morning. While a fine scent, it is not one of my regular choices.

I found this in my stash. In bottle: A cool herbal citrus Wet: Cool herbal Dry: Low throw, the herbal citrus continues. It lasts a few hours (three or four). This scent doesn't change much on my skin. I like that. It's quite different from the first time I tried it. I would say that aging has made it more true to its description--or perhaps it is just alterations in my skin chemistry from that time. A fine summery scent.

In the bottle: Cool mint Wet: Cool mint Dry: Softer, powdery mint Hours later: Soft powdery mint with very low throw. I could see this being a nice scent for a day when it just isn't cool enough. It might be better slathered (I tend to use scents lightly).

Disclaimer: this is aged White Rabbit In the bottle: Tea with a kick--I surmise the kick is the pepper and/or ginger Wet: Tea and pepper with a little something sweet and soft. I don't recognize it as vanilla; honey, perhaps. It's rather nice. Dry: The spicy note is dying away and the scent is turning powdery Two hours later: A lightly scented powder If White Rabbit hadn't morphed, I would have enjoyed it. As it is, this scent was not particularly successful on my skin. A carrier oil might help.

In the bottle: Flooded flowers on a hot day Wet: Wet cut flowers--a very strong floral scent with strong throw Dry: The strong floral continued for at least an hour. After that, the aquatic notes started to come back into the picture. In the middle of the day, I wondered why I was smelling a salty backwater in the office. Bayou. Right. The salty aquatic tone lasted for hours. Bayou never became a strong deep green aquatic, at least not when I was paying attention. Still, I suspect that it might, given different body chemistry. I will have to try this periodically.

In the bottle: Earthy, grounded leather Wet: Leather, a hint of what I imagine to be the balsam note. At this stage, it came across as too masculine and I began to regret wearing it on a work day Dry: The scent is less masculine now. I could try to describe the individual notes, but I think the best description would be to say that if you want to smell like someone who has been out for a long ride on horseback, without actually taking the ride, use this scent. Speaking as someone who now has access to horses again, I doubt I will wear this much, but there were times in my life when it would have been perfect, just to allay the homesickness. It could also be useful at a Renaissance faire or an RPG/LARP, for characters who have come a long way on horseback.

In bottle: This is a complex scent, dominated by the sandalwood, coconut and chocolate notes. Wet: The chocolate note comes out first, followed by the sandalwood. From a short distance, the base note is a warm woody chocolate with undefinable extras. Dry: The sandalwood predominates as the scent dries, and something like coconut (or am I fooling myself?) starts to appear. For me, the imagery this conjures up is petals scattered over wood. This scent is a surprising interpretation of The Last Unicorn. The more I smell it, the better it seems. It's best from a short distance away, which is appropriate. I've tried this twice, and I can safely say that my body chemistry has a strong impact on my skin's interpretation of the scent. I feel like there is a note missing, but on the whole, this complex, warm scent will see a lot of use with me. *edited for typo*

Ageless trees, everblooming flowers, brilliant grass, and soft shadows. In the bottle: Strong lilac Wet: Strong lilac Dry: As it dries, the wood notes appear. By mid-day, this seemed to be a lovely green floral. It's spring here and I've worn this scent several times over the last two weeks. Over that time, the scent has stayed consistent: lilac, followed by a woody lilac, followed by a softer, green floral. It's lovely.

In the bottle: Swirly, blue-purple citrus Wet: Amber! Dry: A warm, fuzzy woody tone with enough bright notes to fill a chord. I can actually catch a glimpse of the fragmented, storied world of the Butterfly--it's safe, brown center and the strange, sometimes dark things that trail behind it, caught in its wings.

In the bottle: A warm, golden scent--mostly vanilla Wet: A creamy vanilla, twining around a delicious amber note Dry: The vanilla is still prominent but the blend is a little more powdery now and the sandalwood has come to add a bit of a kick to the blend. This scent has low throw but good staying power.

In the bottle: Sweet with an edge Wet: Milk and honey and flowers. Light and a little sweet but fun. Dry: Alice veered toward soap but steered away as the spicy carnation note came out. It is a lovely, honeyed milk-and-spicy carnation blend now, with the rose note taking a back seat. This blend is a delightful surprise. Some time ago, I tried Alice and found only soap. Now, I keep stopping my work to sniff my arm.

In the bottle: Citrus and flowers Wet: A strong citrus scent Dry: As the oil dries, the tea steps out and mingles with the citrus. After a couple of hours, the citrus continues to dominate but the tea is detectable and the ginger gives the blend an edge. This is a bright, sharp citrus with low throw. It is a fun blend alone, and could be used to 'liven' up a darker scent or to balance a strong floral.

In the bottle: A sweet and smoky smell Wet: A tangy rose-and-leather combination. Dry: A rich, floral blend with deep leather and smoky notes that keep the florals from being too sweet. While rich, Highwayman does not have a strong throw. I only dabbed on the oil, and full potency lasted a couple of hours. After that, it grows more "powdery", but the main notes are still distinguishable.

In the bottle: Light floral Wet: A light floral. It doesn't fade out immediately, it doesn't turn to powder as it once did. Interesting. I can make out something like lily--apparently the gardenia. As I smell it, I find myself thinking, "Now, what is that note? The orris, of course" I have no idea whether I'm right about that. I think I can distinguish the sandalwood, too. Dry: This blend has a low throw, but not "your nose must touch my arm" low. The sandalwood comes out more strongly as time goes on and adds a nice dimension to the floral. I am willing to bet that it was the sandalwood that caused Veil to turn to powder on my skin when I first tried it. The lilac becomes more noticeable too, a benefit for me, as I love lilacs.

In the bottle: Dark rose Wet: Intense dark smell--this isn't rose I'm smelling. It's dark, powerful musk--too powerful. At first, it seemed more like burnt tobacco than anything. Dry: Thank goodness, it tames down. Now the powdery amber is coming up, but it's still a dark, powerful smell, with little to no rose about it. I'm going to have to wash this one off. Sorry, Lab, this one is obviously not for me. But judging from the reviews, this is not a typical reaction, so read more before you give up on it!

In the bottle: Cake. Wet: This is an honest-to-goodness fruitcake. It's one of the most realistic perfumes I have ever smelled. Brandy, almonds, cherries, damp, moist cake--it is all there, in the perfect blend. It doesn't morph on my skin. It doesn't leap out and yell "Alcohol Ahoy!" It just stays fruitcake. Dry: Still fruitcake. I like this scent. It is straightforward, and very nicely blended.

Mine is an older bottle, so please keep in mind that age may be a factor in my review (the. bottle's. age. ). In the bottle: A sharp, clean scent Wet: Sharp, minty and green, with a light overtone--ordinarily I would describe it as "misty", but in this case, I think "fuzzy" is more appropriate. Dry: The sharp note has nearly swamped out the rest; only hints of a warmer undertone remain.

I have tried this imp before--about three times since I purchased it some years ago. It stubbornly fails to work, every time. Before I finally pile it in the "de-stash" pile, I wanted to give it one last chance. In the bottle: Clean green scent with a familiar high note Wet: OMG is this what it is supposed to smell like? Blossoms and thick, close-growing herbs and a dash of sparkle. I am shocked. I am stunned. It works on my skin! It is a very light, wispy scent, a sweet thin green scent. Dry: Chewably green and softly white Conclusion: I am now wondering whether the aging oil melds better with me, or an aging me melds better with the oil. Either way, it works. As a note, try this mixed with Dragon's Eye. I have one on each wrist, and the combination hitting my nose is oddly well-rounded.