EdenIris

Vetiver, I take back all the nasty things I ever said about you. After sitting around for a year, The Balcony is fantastic. Cool and warm, sweet and tart, and very, very heady. The blend also manages to keep the rose hanging around for more than a few minutes, which never happens for me -- my skin eats rose. I don't smell honey, not sure if I can identify helichrysum, but the patchouli and vetiver balance each other perfectly, and the rose is more of a green, spicy note than a floral. This is a powerful, passionate scent, not for the nervous and probably not safe for work, unless your workplace is a very sexy place.

Soap! And more soap! This is surprising; orange blossom doesn't usually do this to me. Perhaps it is the trifecta of spikenard, lime, and peppermint. I can smell a very nice musk and petitgrain trying to get out from behind it, but they are losing the battle. I will hang onto this decant to see if I was just having an off day chemistry-wise, but sadly I don't think it's going to work for me. Oh well, that's why we have decant circles!

Mmm, jelly donuts. The initial smell of sufganiyot was a little alarming at first, but it segued nicely into a sweet, slightly sugary, warm scent. A few hours later, there's just amber, beeswax, and olive oil. No fruit to speak of. It's a close to the skin scent, very mild mannered and comforting. I will use up the decant of this, but I don't think I need a bottle. ETA: This is the 2010 version.

Big wash of lavender to start off, but as it dries I get something soft, dry, and sweet. This is the opopponax at work, I think, with maybe a little support from the patchouli and myrtle. I don't get any distinct berry or olive, but I think I might get a whiff of cognac, although it doesn't smell boozy, more like leather and old leaves. This is oddly comforting to me, and I could see myself acquiring more of it.

2010 This comes up very sweet, almost fruity, on my skin. After an hour or so, it's mostly sweet candle wax, no smoky incense or wood at all. I will give it another test because usually the resins and I get along fabulously.

Wow, this is a potent one. (Must remember to test unknown oils after taking kids to school so as not to scare other parents.) In the vial: Medicinal. Wet and drying: Medicinal with a little dust. Oh, there's the myrrh, with a vengeance. It took about 20 minutes for this to calm down on my skin, but when it did, it was very nice. This is not a bitter, burnt vetiver. It's more like the green, steamy-jungle vetiver in Anathema, and it gets along beautifully with the myrrh. The blackcurrant is in the background adding just a touch of tartness. I like this a lot.

Not pooch, but Oblivion smells exactly like fluffy kitten to me. If you can track it down, try Ivanushka -- it's a clean, furry type musk.

This is my new favorite scent. I've worn it a few times before and never thought much other than, "This is different," without examining why. Today, for whatever reason I decided, "This is different and GOOD!" In the vial and wet it is sharp and herbal, reminding me of orange blossom or rosemary (I assume this is the petitgrain or maybe the combination of that and cassis). As it dries, the benzoin emerges, mild and sweet. I adore patchouli, but it really doesn't show itself here, except as a sort of mortar for the others. Not sure what rose otto smells like, but there is no discernible rose in this scent. This imp will be most definitely replaced with a bottle; it is a remarkable change from my usual resin/peach/wood/earth preferences and something that could be worn anywhere in any weather.

Hamantaschen. Or baklava. Some sweet, spicy, buttery pastry is what I get. Don't ask me how my skin is turning these notes into butter -- it just is. Wet, it's all maple syrup with a dash of sassafras. Clove comes out in the drydown. I love clove generally, but this is a little too foody for me, if that makes sense. I had hoped Spicebush Swallowtail would be something like the brilliant marriage of Sugar Moon and Clemence, but it was not meant to be.

Vetiver almost never works on me, and I've tried lots of scents. Anathema is a notable exception and, apparently, so is Common Jezebel! Wet, I get ripe, juicy fruit, although I smelled pear more than apricot. The vetiver blooms almost immediately, smoky and charred. Dry, it's more of the same, the apricot become a little dustier and the vetiver is a delicate balance between green and smoky. I don't get much in the way of lemon or currant, and the coconut is just barely there, cooling down the vetiver. It's very refreshing, a great scent for a hot day. I'm tempted to buy a bottle just because it's a successful vetiver blend, but other than that it's not impressing me that much and the apricot fades quickly. Maybe I can pick up a few more decants from other people's FAIL piles.

This is very subjective; you may find that you like traditionally heavy or wintry scents in the hot, humid weather. I live in Northern California, where it is sort of perpetually autumn, and I don't bother trying to code my scents to the weather. Experiment! One thing you might consider if you do find that the woody, earthy scents are too strong for your climate is to dilute them with a carrier oil and make a body spray.

I second Brisingamen, and also the Salons, particularly Ecstasy of St. Theresa. This is an incredibly complex and gorgeous perfume that could stand alongside anything from the fancy French houses. I would also suggest Tamora and Belle Vinu. What initially brought me to BPAL was the total absence of preservatives and nasty-smelling, throat-closing additives found in those upscale brands, so you might want to mention that to any snobs out there. (And then I stayed for the awesomeness.)

Many years ago, I visited Florence, and one of the strongest memories I have of that city, along with waiting in line at the Uffizi for like four lifetimes, was the overpowering smell of leather goods from the outdoor market. As much as I enjoyed Florence, I do not want to smell like this, and that is exactly what Hunter turns to on me. No amber, clove, or sage, just new leather warmed by the sun. Hunter will be going off to the swap pile, where I am confident she will find a good home.

In vial/wet: Sweet and fresh, almost like pear; this must be the fig leaf. Not at all what I was expecting. Drying: Something sharper, almost burnt like vetiver, and something plasticky. I always wondered what people meant when they said an oil smelled like bandaids, and now I know! (Don't give up now, it gets better.) Ten minutes in, there's the grimy leather, but it fades. After about 15-20 minutes, the patchouli comes sauntering in, but the top is still quite fresh and sweet. I don't know if it's the fig alone or if the lemongrass is helping out. Maybe the drop on my ankle is finally wafting up, but I do get the odd sense of something ratty, but definitely not stinky -- sleek, brown creatures on the floor with shiny eyes and very sharp teeth. Verdict: Since Neverwhere is part of the permanent collection (it is, right?), I'm going to set the decant aside for a few months to see how it ages. As of now, it's a pleasant enough, fresh patchouli blend, but it has the potential to become something really amazing. Patchouli connoisseurs, you should check this one out.

For me, the 80s smelled like Opium and Poison. And you have to bathe in it, don't forget that part. And smoke a clove cigarette on the way to the dance.

Fae is another one you should try. Also Vechernyaya, if you don't mind a bit of well-behaved patchouli along with your white musk.

If you can track down any Hod, to me that is the perfect definition of a hug scent. If not, Alice is a decent GC equivalent.

Tamora is my favorite peach, but Aglaea, especially aged, is amazing. I highly recommend getting some and forgetting about it for at least a year.

Eight hours in, this starts to smell exactly like copper! How's Beth do that? Wet, it's a floral amber. As it dries, the spices and patchouli start to come out, along with some sweet orange. The amber and honey never go to powder. It's a very pretty scent, not something I'd need a bottle of, but I'm happy to have a decant.

I have an imp of indeterminate age -- the label is taped, so I can't tell if it's the old version. Anyway, I mention this because what I am getting is nothing like the previous reviews featuring summery, fresh peaches. Nope. I get a dusty and woody bottom note, almost patchouli-like, golden amber, and something just faintly sparkly, like mead. And it is gorgeous. My new plan is to buy a bottle of this and lose it in the linen closet for a year or so.

Sigh. Orange candy turning to soapy floral, then just a breath of gorgeous sunshine followed by powder. I had so hoped this would resemble the amazing Labores Solis, but the citrus wins again. Off to update the swap page. This is the '09 version, btw.

Wet: Cocoa, smells a lot like Boomslang. Drying: Fierce musk comes roaring in. Black musk is generally very well behaved on my skin, so this is new. It's not bad, just a bit stronger and more feral than I expected. I'm also getting a sort of lemony scent, which I think is the early stage of tobacco. Later: Musk has settled down, and the cacao has faded a bit to let the tobacco shine. This is the pattern for the next few hours: the cacao and tobacco take turns. The formula is deceptively simple, and the results are lovely. This is gorgeous, especially for a rainy day. Definite bottle, maybe two.

Wet: Herby, medicinal, almost peppery. Smells red somehow. Drying: Really lovely and different than what I expected. I get a lot of clove. Dry: Sweetened redwood, musky fruit, and still very clovey. I think I want a candle that smells like this. Not getting any hemp or tobacco, and I think the currant is blending with the peach blossom. After some time, the sweetness (tonka mostly, I think) fades, and I get more wood, and maybe there's the tobacco coming out. Mild throw. Verdict: This is unlike anything I've smelled before, but not something I would wear regularly. Will keep the decant for occasional use (or maybe put a few drops into tea lights). Thank you, Lab, for always surprising us!

Favorite woods? Fenris Wolf Oblivion Habu Boomslang Cathedral Kathmandu Anne Bonny Aeronwen (which isn't all that woody on me, but it does fit) Nemesis Belle Vinu (see Aeronwen) Yggdrasil

Of those three, Bon Vivant says flapper most to me. Twenty-One or Swank would also work if you have access to those. Back on topic, the husband person, who is noncommittal on most of my BPAL, seems to really like Bathsheba. Maybe I'll try him on some other plum scents.