MCS4096

I've wanted the Torture Queen for years, and when the Carnival went dark I was worried I might have to wait a long time. I jumped right on a bottle when it went up on Etsy, and I'm glad I did! Upon application I get the white tea and chrome most prominently. Boy I love the chrome! The gardenia is hovering in the background, but the blend doesnt feel like a floral blend to me-- it just gives a bit of moisture and warmth to counter the coolness of the chrome and the crispness of the tea. The amber and musk arent obvious to me here, they are just rounding and grounding the whole scent I guess. I never smell any saltiness from ambergris, so it must be far back there. This does have a sort of "traditional" perfume smell.. which usually is code for "well blended" in my opinion. The overall impression is not one of notes, but rather of an entire feeling.. and this one is a study in compliments, as others have pointed out: the cool with the warm, the feminine with the masculine. It's clean and crisp while still sexy without being suggestive of sex or bodies.

I just bought a new bottle of The Red Rider and it smells heavily of vetiver My previous bottle is straight leather.... I'm super sad, I might have to email the lab. While I'm ok with vetiver when I'm expecting it, this bottle smells nothing like I've come to expect. Edited to add: and red musk, definitely red musk and vetiver-- I don't even smell *leather* in this bottle

I typically can't do bpal "snow" blends because they go super plasticy on me It makes me really sad because I looove Snow White and Pink Snowballs, and I love that snow note.. but alas, I must be content with the Snow White atmo spray. Where was I. THIS blend I can do for some reason! It starts as a fairly nondescript citrus (I can't smell any one citrus in the blend) with a blast of cooling mint and sweetness. When it dries down it's a lovely spicey, piney snowy thing that I love. I dont get a bit of plastic

I swear this has honey in it. How does this not have honey listed? It's got that sort of sour but sweet body smell that is totally bpal's honey note. I love all the notes listed, but somehow this doesnt smell like I'd expect them to smell.. I don't really get any leather, and the ambergris barely registers. I guess I'd describe it as sweet dry tobacco... This totally has honey. I do like it, and find myself sniffing it in an effort to decide what I'm smelling, but it does have a slightly sour tinge that I dont mind really, but might make me leery to wear this in public.

Ooooooo leather One of my all time favorite notes, a note that never fails me, a note that I never expected to like as much as I do (I'm vegetarian). HighPriestessIce made some really good recs.. there are a couple I havent gotten around to testing that sound really awesome (mmmm Western Diamondback!) The Red Rider is amazing. It's pretty much a leather SN on me, (speaking of... hoping so hard we get at least one leather SN!) whereas a few of the other recommended blends arent really leathery enough for my tastes. But that is of course the fun of testing. But yeah, that is probably my favorite GC leather blend! Hunter has a white leather, similar to that in the White Rider, but I personally like it better. Hunter - Leonine amber, tanned hides, clove, and clary sage. Aaaand I do hate to do it to you, but you might want to add Rivet.goth to your casual holy grail search. It is a rich dirty leather that is in my top 5 bpal blends ever.. I just love it to death.

As I recall I bought this blend off the forum when I couldnt find any Humbug ( ). It's perfect in the bottle-- almost all creamy black licorice with a barely discernible hint of coconut and bay rum rounding it out. Once it's on my skin the licorice amps like woah, then quickly burns off and after that initial stage I'm left with a slightly spicey coconut, which is very lovely but not nearly enough licorice for me. I would still love to get my hands on some Humbug, as I tried it once at a M&S and it was divine. This probably smells pretty similar to that blend on many people though.

Thank you to my lovely enabler and fairy for hooking me up with this blend I wish I got the creaminess that some people are mentioning. I thought I would too, what with the orris and amber, but I must be amping the musks because this starts out waaay high pitched and soapy on me. It's very white, very pure (so that imagery works) but very very perfumey. Makes my nose go a bit stuffy. I do start getting more of the other notes as it dries down-- oh hello sandalwood and tobacco. Still not getting a lot of orris... which is weird because I love orris and have many blends with orris, so I'd think I would notice it here, but this *is* a well blended perfume. I dont looove it, but I'm going to hold on to it for a little while to see how it ages

I bought Crowley from the lab last year after seeing so many people describe it as a leathery scent. My bottle was straight citrus and red musk. I aged it for a year and never got even a hint of vanilla or leather. So you're not the only one there. And yeah.. maybe you'd be better off trying to buy an old bottle from the forum rather than another new bottle As for selling bottles that seem weird, I can really see it either way-- if you sell it 'as is' it IS what came from the lab and it's not necessarily different than someone buying direct and getting something slightly unexpected. On the other hand someone out there might LOVE to have a bottle of Crowley that has less leather and more lemon, so you could always try selling that way. I don't think either is inappropriate. I've had a few bottles turn up smelling different than imps I've tried, but nothing devastatingly different yet.. Some that come to mind: My bottle of Zephyr is more high pitched than all the imps of it I've ever received (they're more creamy and well blended) My two bottles of The Arabian Dance have more coffee and leather and less sweet creamy spice than the decant I tried first. I've ordered bottles of Zarita the Doll girl on a couple occasions, years apart, and they have that weird celery note I encounter sometimes while the decant of it I have is perfect and sans celery. Edited to add: I also agree with animalcule's assessment.. I think the main issue is inconsistent mixing + decanting. Even with oils that are miscible, who knows how much the lab actually agitates the mixture before decanting, and how quickly oils of different densities mix/unmix. And while I'm fairly ignorant of the processes involved with making single notes, and very ignorant of any quality control parameters the suppliers have, it seems to me that oils could subtly change seasonally and yearly based on the quality of the starting materials.

I'm kind of obsessed with the idea of the moors... but my romantic fixation is more of the Hound of the Baskervilles variety than Wurthering Heights Unfortunately I don't really get anything that resembles what I imagined the notes in this blend to smell like.. I generally like the lab's grass and moss notes, but they seem more earthy usually, and I'm ALWAYS up for mud and stone. But this... is high pitched, slightly sickly sweet, soapy generic ozone perfume. No where near grassy, earthy, or firey enough for my liking. Boo!

I'm a huge sucker for atmospheric scents, so I absolutely had to try this one. I don't know why I didn't get around to reviewing it earlier as I purchased it when it was first released. As others have said-- it is perfectly evocative and just as described. I don't personally get an ozone note exactly, the "fog" is more of a slightly sweet aquatic, and it's the predominant note on me upon application. Dry, not musty or mildewy, wood is next. There is just the smallest hint of smoke (again, light and clean not bbq-ish or heavy) that wafts through the whole thing. This is one of the lightest and shortest lived bpals I've ever tried. It fades to nothing within 15 minutes, then as melange said the fog note somehow returns, but stays extremely close to the skin. It's difficult for me to smell even with my nose pressed against my skin.. the very definitely of a skin scent I guess! I'm really torn on this one because it is such a work of art, but is no where near a practical blend for daily wear on me: it fades much too quickly.

Not unpleasant at all, but definitely the most soap-like bpal I've ever tested. The creamy lavender (definitely from TKO) is lovely, and up close I can pull out the individual notes and appreciate them, but the throw is all generic soap.. and that's not generally the scent impression I prefer to give

Of course I had to have The Monster Cat in my collection The tea and spices (even the cinnamon) are well blended and fairly subdued here. I don't get anything floral. This is a very balanced blend-- musk and a low-pitched amber in equal measure, with the other elements fading in and out of the throw. The overall effect for me is, somehow, a bit like my favorite cinnamon toothpaste Good thing I love that toothpaste, and I love the imagery of the Bakeneko!

It's my very favorite musk-- that warm snuggly animal musk that's also in my top blend ever, Ivanushka, as well as Coyote. It's almost all musk on me.. there is only a hint of clean pale leather and coconutty tobacco around the edges. Fairly strong on the skin, but with a close throw. A perfect blend in my opinion.

I love this in the decant, it's a soft and comfy floral musk. A definite blue feel to it. Once it's on my skin it undergoes a horrible transformation however-- SOMETHING goes super high pitched and me and my two cats are sneezing like crazy. I don't know which note is the culprit, because none of these notes have given be trouble before.. although I don't have experience with morning glory. Anyway, I wish it would stay as it is upon application because it's lovely, but my skin just went nuts

Almost entirely lavender for me.. my nose searches for the lemon and gets a hint of it, but no sugar. As it dries down it does eventually sweeten a bit, but it's still pretty in your face. I love lavender however, so I'm ok with that.. I just wish it had more lemon-sugar like I was hoping for!

Super strong, heavily wafting rose that eventually dies down and goes through a sour milk phase after about 30 minutes, it then becomes a not unpleasant doll's-head scent. Always smells a little off to me, like the notes arent blending quite right to my nose, but I do like the final scent once everything settles... problem is I have to live through the rose and sour milk phase to get there, and once I do the throw is so light I have to sniff my wrists to appreciate it.

Fairly effervescent upon application. I've only sniffed SGA once so I can't draw comparisons personally, but I have Glittering Apple of the Stars, and I agree that this is a simpler version of that one. This is moist green apple with a definite musk base.. it begins to amp once it dries down and the effect is just kinda funky.. I love musk but the effect here is more like a muddying of each note, rather than the whole being more than the sum of the parts. Disappears quickly. Nice, but a bit too simple for me.

Just got my bottle today from the restock I'm immediately reminded of the Solstice Scent "Black Leather and Red Lace" if anyone else is familiar with it... That's probably because I get deep black leather and warm vanilla (the good kind that doesnt go plasticy on me) with nary a hint of almond husk. There is a little bit of oak leaf and patch rounding it out, but I'd say it's primarily a leather and vanilla blend So happy there was a restock! ETA: I'm also reminded somewhat of Haloes I think it's the vanilla and oak warmth

This is the strongest BPAL I've encountered in quite some time! I can't tell if it really is potent, or my skin just amps it like mad. It has tons of throw for me, and lasted through a shower. So it's a good thing that it's so amazingly wonderful As others have said, ambergris is a complex scent, and it's sometimes hard to describe. My description is just a reiteration of what has already been said really.. It's aquatic without being watery-- it's musky and ambery and deep while still having a distinct airy saltiness to it. When first applied there is a definite "masculine aftershave" quality while the wood and salt is strongest, this is followed quickly as it heats up by a feeling of traditional womens perfumes and toiletries.. sophisticated and soapy. Once it has melded with your skin oils, the musk and amber notes show up.. it becomes deep, warm, and slightly animalistic. This is a beautiful scent, and I plan to buy a back up bottle as I can see myself using it very often. If you are a fan of musks, amber, and clean scents you'll love this.

I get a LOT of almonds, followed by frankincense, with the other notes rounding it out (I'm not really getting a ton of cinnamon). It's very nice.. mild and pleasant, the throw is almost a baby shampoo kind of smell-- a clean skin scent.

My first impression of this blend was that it smelled like Carmex Now that I see the notes I guess I'm able to discern sandalwood, peach blossom and vanilla most. It's incredibly light, but pretty pleasant and I always enjoy those weird scent associations

I would swear there was clove in Peter Quint. There is something here that combines to smell within the same family as my beloved Velvet Bandito (anyone else here waiting impatiently for a sweet clove SN? ) It's spicy and dry, but I actually don't find it that masculine because it's very warm (which feels unisex to femme to me personally) Anyway, I get mostly this clove scent and leather.. a nice soft leather, not harsh in the least (of course I love leathers any way I can get them). Which is a delightful surprise being that clove and leather are a couple of my favorite notes. The throw is not great, but that means this will be a delightful slathering scent. Quite happy I snagged a bottle unsniffed-- thank you to my fellow reviewers, above, for leading me to this blend!

Every note is a huge win for me, so I confidently purchased a bottle unsniffed. LOTS and lots of orris (swoon)-- that dusty, feathery, warm, purple note that I love. Behind that some salty ambergris, resinous amber and a touch of what I would have said was Egyptian musk for it's bright, clear quality. As it dries down the amber and musk become less noticeable and the throw is almost entirely orris with a hint of ambergris. Not really a mind blowing blend, but for people who like these notes you can rest assured this will be an easy to wear and comforting scent.

A complex single note accord that melds pure bourbon vanilla with the scent of fermented molasses. The scent is dark, thick, sweet, heavy and rich, with a slight spicy smokiness. Drat. Bought a bottle unsniffed, knowing full well that many of the lab's newer vanilla blends don't do well on my skin, but hoping against hope that this would work. First on it's strong boozy vanilla, and I'm thinking this is what Paduan Killer Swarm smells like (or would smell like if it had any throw at all... Anytime I wore it I thought I could just be *imagining* I smelled something). However, very very quickly this turns into dusty, dirty, plastic. I'm dreaming of an "old" bpal vanilla.. like whatever it is in Dorian, or Antique Lace.. those are perfect on me.. present vanillas only lead to heartbreak

I could try and describe the notes I smell, but others have already done so. I wish only to add my own super strong scent association that took me by surprise when I first tried Bub-- This is the way my sphynx cat's skin smells right after a bath with the cat shampoo I use for her. Isn't it amazing, and strange, how our brains do this? Once I sniffed it and that wonderful familiarity occurred, I had to have the blend. Wearing this is like carrying her with me all day-- rubbing my nose against her skin when we snuggle. It is a comforting, warm, musky, clean-animal scent, and it has a fairly decent throw for me while still feeling intimate. Bub was the big ParaNorman winner for me and is everything I had hoped Papow would be