melrose

The Coil smells like energy. Don't ask me to explain that.

First on, I'm sitting on my father's lap, feeling not only safe and happy, but smelling the loveliest scent - warm, leathery spice. As it dries down, more fresh herbal scents come out - I don't like this part as much, but it's still lovely. Bottle-worthy.

No good on me at all. First on, very sweet, wet florals. I was thinking if the sweetness backed off a bit, it could become nice. Unfortunately, as time passed the sweetness did fade, but was replaced by something gag-inducing. I had to scrub it off.

In imp, and on, wet: Gardenia, perhaps the strongest gardenia note I've encountered in BPALs. Obnoxious. Drydown: Violet tries to emerge, but gardenia puts on the smackdown. Far drydown: Same thing, except vanilla puts up the futile struggle. Overall: nasty gardenia.

In imp and first on: Grape Nehi from my childhood. I am instantly back in my grandparents' neighborhood, going up the old brick steps of the general store, pushing open the screen door, pulling a cold Grape Nehi in a glass bottle from the large bucket of ice next to the cash register, and charging it to my grandfather's account - what a sweet memory. I might get a bottle of Wanda just to relive that. Soon, the grape changes to wine rounded out by soft florals and a hint of something that must be the leather - this stage is lovely. All too soon, my skin drank it all up.

I adore Hades for the 30 minutes it lasts on me. So sad. It's tobacco, spices, a hint of florals, and awesome. Sigh.

Rake, scoundrel, demon in a frock coat. Devilishly seductive, ultimately tragic; a villain undone and redeemed by love. Based on an 18th century gentlemen’s cologne: ambergris, white musk, white sandalwood, Spanish Moss, orange blossom, three mints, jasmine, rose geranium and a spike of rosemary. Overwhelmingly pine at first; dries down to sharp pine with a bit of sandalwood and sweetness underneath. This stage is yummy, but very faint. Not bottle-worthy, but definitely imp-worthy.

In the imp: wet, green herbs. On, wet: laundry detergent. Drydown: something incredibly sweet slapped me in the face along with an undercurrent of something hard. I know ''hard'' sounds weird, but whatever this scent was, I involuntarily clenched my jaw and got an instant headache. I raced to wash it off. I always try to leave scents on a while because there's a good chance they'll change into something wonderful, but this was just too horrid. I really wish I knew what's in this.

The Coil - it's electric and clean and energetic and hard to describe, but definitely NO musk.

BPALs don't last on me, either. One exception is Spellbound - it's overwhelmingly strong, and lasts forever. You have to LOVE rose though - really, really love rose.

Please try Dee! I thought I hated tobacco until I tried it; now, it's my favorite BPAL by far.

First on, wet: Wow, this is really sweet! Not what I expected from an Ars Draconis blend. Near drydown: too sweet for me, but okay, nothing exciting. Far drydown: it smells an awful lot like Ysatis, a perfume that is really awful on me. I have next to no experience with poppy, but I suspect it's no one note, but a combo that's causing the problem.

I apply and start to grin - spot-on amber, woods, and sunshine. Next thing I know, it has sunk into my skin, and no amount of slathering can make it more than so faint it's just barely there. My skin just drinks it up. Sigh.

Remember the perfume Opium that was a big hit in the 1980s? This smells like that with a little bit of cedar. Upon slathering, I get to enjoy this wonderful fragrance for about 10 minutes, until it fades away completely. Worst lasting power of any BPAL I can recall.

An expression of love, adoration, and desire, of beauty that transcends mortal desire and piques the interest of hell itself: attar of rose, calla lily, palmarosa, peach blossom, wisteria, rice flower, and black musk. Temptation? Yes, because it sinks into my skin immediately/ I get absolutely nothing after 5 minutes - my skin eats it up. Sigh.

If this combination of flowers was strewn across my bed, the result would be projectile vomiting. So very horrible. I used to love the scent of frangipani, but the jasmine has defiled it. What did I ever do to make jasmine hate me so much?

At first, something evil and lemon. Unfortunately, the lemon fades quickly, and I'm left with gardenia and jasmine slugging it out. I get no tea rose or vanilla, both of which I love. I wound up with a headache from this.

It's a dead ringer for caramel popcorn. I would love some popcorn right now, but I do NOT want to smell like it.

I tried on Port Royal right after scrubbing off Knave of Hearts, which was making me sick. I hope that didn't color my feelings about PR, but it smelled amazing! Beth really caught the feel of a seaport, with a bit of salt, a lot of fresh air, wood, and just a tiny bit of something sweet. I adore manly scents, but this may be a bit much even for me to consider buying a bottle. I'll enjoy the imp very much, though.

In imp: Very heavy scent, foody and sharp. First on: the blackcurrants are overwhelming. This doesn't smell good at all on me, but I'll wait a while, hoping for roses to appear. Drydown: The blackcurrants faded slightly, and I get a whiff of fresh roses. Not bad. Far drydown: The roses went away, the blackcurrants are back, and there is a stong smell of nutmeg overpowering everything else. VILE. I had to scrub it off; it was making me nauseous.

Kabuki!

I tried this without checking the components: First on: wonderful smoke and disturbing motor oil. It faded so fast I can't believe it. If I bury my nose in my skin, there's a faint, sweet vanilla. I AM impressed and slightly in disbelief that I didn't amp the jasmine.

I gazed at the imp for the longest time, because the color was gorgeous . . . First on: mint, eucalyptus, something a little sweet - please, please let me not amp the eucalyptus. Near and far drydowns: bathroom cleaner. A very expensive, fresh bathroom cleaner, but nonetheless . . . I'd love my bathroom to smell like this, but, on me, not so much.

I was looking forward to this one, but I, too, got no vanilla from this. Vanilla loves me, but I got cake that's been non-refrigerated too long, and is starting to mold.

Not like any other BPAL, and I've tried my share - not even close. I was leery of the ozone and aquatic notes, but, first on, this was mint, fresh air, and an undertone of flowers - then, wham! I was surrounded by - energy, freshness, electricity, and it was whirling around me. I could NOT sit still - don't wear this if you have to be seated!I can't even begin to describe the drydown except to say it evoked more of a feeling and an energy than a scent. Beth, you are made of awesome!