darkling

I was mesmerized by Hemlock because it is the only scent I have ever tried that is green. A bright, toxic green. In the vial, I got the Vicks Vapo Rub. On my skin, I got a bit of something herbal along with the continued Vicks Vapo Rub. This scent remained largely artifical on my skin. It smelled like something unnatural and manufactured. Hemlock is not for me.

I imagine Wrath as being created by setting a pile of red hots on fire. This was burning, violent cinnamon. There was a hint of something smoky underneath that was likely the black pepper. This was a smoldering scent and was a cinnamon scent with throw. I can't see myself wearing Wrath a lot because I felt like there was something angry and vicious about the scent. Whether this was the power of suggestion or the mood evoked in me by the blend, I don't know.

Temple of Dreams smelled largely like lemon and lemongrass to me. It was very bitter and made me wrinkle my nose at the scent. When I inhale the scent deeply, I get a whiff of something that smells strongly like lemon cleanser. I wasn't fond of the smell but I wore it to sleep. I had an upleasant dream and did not feel rested when I awoke.

In the vial: Hades is dark, woodsy, and spicy. On my skin: The dark woods and spice remain. There is an odd herbal element that reminds me of the unique scent of Masabakes. It is not exactly the same but it is bears a striking resemblance. Drydown: As Hades dries, I experience a strange effect. It as is though I am smelling the scent through a barrier between my nose and my skin. I could still pick up the same notes but as if through a long distance. Very peculiar!

In the vial and on my wrist, Hecate is rich almond with an edge of sweet cherry. It is juicy and dark. Hecate fades quickly as it begins to dry and a plastic scent becomes prominent.

In the vial: Penitence is sweet myrrh so enticing that I could sniff it all day and never tire. On my wrist: The sweet myrrh deepens and is joined by smokey frankincense. There is something jarring and suffocating about the combination of heavy myrrh and the smoke. I love this in the bottle but not on my skin.

Wildfire is warm dragon's blood and rose while it is wet on my skin. As it begins to dry, the scent intensifies. A hint of smoke or incense enters into the mix along with a faint fruity edge that is likely the juniper. This is a passionate and electrifying scent. It has a lot of throw and lasts hours without needing reapplication.

In the vial and on my skin, Gomorrah was sickly-sweet fig and date as if the fruits were just about to spoil. It was incredibly strong for a fruity scent. I didn't get a hint of currant or black herbs.

It really does smell like dirt. My first thought when I put this on was "it smells like earthworms." I didn't like Graveyard Dirt in the wet stage. The dirt was overpowering. When it began to dry, a more musty note crept in that I enjoy. It became reminiscent of the earth in Zombi and Nosferatu. I am not sure if I like this dirt note plain without any rose or wine. I will have to try it a few more times.

This is the most fluid BPAL scent that I have ever tried. Even in the vial, I catch whiffs of changing scents . . . one moment a light rose, the next fig, then gardenia, then sweet plum. It goes through a less pleasant phase on my wrist as it is pure, heavy gardenia. Thankfully, this only lasts about two minutes. The Hanging Gardens then reverts back to its shifting beauty. It vacillates between lovely flowers (and I tend to dislike floral scents) and fruits (primarily fig and plum on me). I don't get any hint of pear or fir trees. This is an exquisite scent. It fades quickly but that just means I will have to slather on some more

I had a lot of trouble figuring out exactly what Santo Domingo smelled like to me. It was largely floral and heady in the vial but was a tropical, green scent on my skin. Santo Domingo smelled like large, green, waxy leaves. I didn't get any hint of rum or anything I recognized as tobacco. I feel very neutral about this scent. It didn't remind me of Santo Domingo (the place) which disappointed me. Also, the scent disappeared very quickly.

Katharina was nothing but light musk when she first touched my skin. I am not a fan of musk but her musk was almost pleasant. It is the apricot and orange that make this scent. There is not a hint of artificiality with these fruits and they blend together exquisitely. The light musk remained present underneath but served to temper her more than command the scent. I didn't expect to like Katherina but I couldn't stop sniffing my wrists.

In the vial: Malkuth is dark, ripe fruit and just one shade from being sickeningly sweet. On my skin: The syrupy sweetness fades away and leaves a lovely spicy scent. It reminds me strongly of the spiciness in Yuletide. However, the spice is tempered by very sweet plum. This is a lovely scent as the sweetness of the fruit and the underlying spiciness blend together perfectly. Malkuth is definitely my favorite of the Sephiroth that I have tried so far.

The Native American Creator / Trickster God of Chaos and Change. The warmth of doeskin, dry plains grasses and soft, dusty woods warmed by amber and a downy, gentle coat of deep musk. To my nose, Coyote smelled the same in the vial and wet on my skin. It was a rich blend of amber and warm musk. I could imagine a Coyote having this scent. It was sun-drenched and animalistic simultaneously. Once dry, it began to have a herbal undertone that reminds me vaguely of Yggdrasil. By the end of the day, the amber and musk have faded into the background and the herbal scent is prominent. This is a long-lasting scent. It has been almost 10 hours and it is still going strong!

Brisingamen is the scent of liquid gold. It is pure warm amber. There is a hint of floral notes underneath but the amber remains prominent in all stages of the scent. It became a bit powdery at one point but not in an unpleasant way. This is a lovely scent and a must-have for anyone who favors amber notes.

In the vial: Orunla smells like deep mint. Underneath, I think I can smell patchouli and anise. On my skin: Orunla is a blend of patchouli and anise. It ate the mint and continues to gain strength. Let me add here that patchouli and anise are the two notes that I hate most of all. The scent was very unpleasant for me at this point. Drydown: Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, Orunla changes to the scent of burning plastic. I had to wash it off as best I could and mute it out with another scent. This scent had a lot of throw and the potential to last a long time. It was very strong. If you love patchouli and anise, you would probably love Orunla. If you don't enjoy those notes then steer clear.

I went with Tzadikim Nistarim for the seder. It is one of my favorite scents and somewhat festive. We also didn't have an orange so we substitued a mango

This is the heaviest BPAL scent that I have ever tried. It has a lot of throw and it lasts a long time. Faustus is dark frankinsence on my skin that blots out any lighter notes. There is something burning underneath that smells like black pepper. This scent is very gloomy and too masculine for my tastes.

I can't believe that I never posted a review for Dissipation! While this scent is not in my top 10, it is definitely in my top 40 and I am grateful that I had the chance to hoard some before it was discontinued. In the bottle, Dissipation has a light cucumber scent with a darker edge of wormwood underneath. Wet and dry on my skin, Dissipation takes a darker turn as the wormwood comes to the forefront adding a touch of bitterness to the scent. It has a green warmth to it although I would not describe this as a green-smelling scent. Overall, Dissipation is how I imagine something called wormwood would smell. It is dark and warm and lingers for a long time.

In the vial: Bright lemon with a touch of bold juniper. On my skin: LEMON! The lemon scent is extremely intense and has a lot of throw. There is something spicy underneath (perhaps the nutmeg or even the cypress?) but the lemon is predominant. The juniper note is gone. The scent has a manic feel to it during this phase. Drydown: A strong spicy lemon. This scent lasts a long time. I could smell it about 10 hours after application.

What a great thread! I hadn't even thought about what BPAL I am going to wear to the Passover seder that I am hosting. I love the idea of Tzadikim Nistarim particular because of the warm fruity scent. I also find this blend incredibly strengthening which would fit well with the theme of overcoming suffering. However, I think that voodoobaby's suggestion of Blood is fabulous. What a way to commemorate the plagues! *giggle* It would be morbidly entertaining to have scents for each of the plagues. We already have Blood and Darkness. Wolf's Heart could fill in for beasts. There is mantis so locusts aren't too far off. Although, I don't think I want to know what cattle disease or boils would smell like;)

In the imp, this had a bit of a green herbal smell and something musky that was off-putting. Come to Me was more soothing than enticing as it was a mellow floral. It has a hint of lemon and the floral aspect seemed to be a delicate blend of honeysuckle and rose. I am not a fan of florals but this is a lovely Spring-time scent.

An olfactory serenede. A somber, contemplative scent -- dreamy and subdued. Deepest violet touched with lilac and tuberose. I have no idea what was in this scent that reacted so poorly with my body chemistry. The Nocturne that I tried does not at all resemble the lovely blend described by others. On me, it smelled oppressive like a perfume store and actually had a sharp, green tang to it when first applied. This vanished but was replaced by the soap smell that is caused by some flowers on my skin. I wish I could figure out the flowers responsible but the notes in the soap scents are largely different. I remain baffled but this phenomenon made Nocturne unpleasant for me

In the vial: Very sweet light floral. On my skin: Strong lillies. This is a heavy perfume scent. The honey is already turning powdery at this stage. Dry: The Play-Doh smell has arisen in earnest although the lillies are still strong. This was a freebie from the lab that I dreaded because of the lillies (I don't like florals) and the honey (turns to Play-Doh). Tiger Lily is not a scent for me.

This was a freebie from the lab, so I had to give it a try even though I know that honey = Play-Doh on my skin. In the vial: Alice was very sweet. I could smell light milk and could already sense the powdery note that turns into Play-Doh. On my skin: Wow! No Play-Doh yet! Alice is a lovely blend of milk and honey. Drydown: A spicy scent intermingles with the milk and honey. I am not sure if it is the carnation or the bergamot. I don't pick up any rose from Alice at all. The spicy scent is able to stave off the powdery note for about ten minutes beore it morphs into Play-Doh and destroys Alice. I can see why so many people love this scent but it just doesn't work on my skin.