Bluestocking

In the imp: Dark and bitter cocoa powder over strong patchouli, with maybe a whiff of old leather. It's an odd combination, and at first it smells kind of funky, but it works—I think. Extremely earthy and powerful, with only the barest hint of sweetness. It smells dry and almost dusty to me, sort of ancient. On, wet: Bitter dark chocolate and patchouli with some warm, worn leather… extremely earthy, but really strong and virile and appealing. This so longer has the dry sort of quality that it had in the imp. I'm getting a little curl of incense smoke as this warms up on my skin, and it sweetens and balances this just enough, while adding a smoky edge. This scent is strangely magnetic, because I can't stop sniffing it. On, dry: Smoky, spicy-sweet clouds of incense with gorgeous, humid, jungle blooms, backed by the dark, delicious leather and very, very subtle patchouli. The cocoa isn't prominent now, but it's still there, giving this a dark, rich feel. The floral is blending beautifully with the incense, and the leather keeps it from being at all a typical floral. There is something powerful, really grounded and ritualistic about this—earthy, in the sense of feeling connected to the earth. Excellent throw on this one, too. Later: Warm, sweet, spicy, cocoa-ed incense, with a touch of smoke and leather. Overall: I got this one mainly as a curiosity, but after the initial weirdness of chocolate-covered patchouli, I like it MUCH more than I would have thought possible. Actually, I love it. It was quite sweet and gorgeous after the incense and florals came into play, and the leather/patchouli combination grounds this perfectly and keeps it feeling very strong and… masculine isn't the right word, but it's as close as I can come to it. In other words: Tezcatlipoca can and will kick your ass, even if he does smell like pretty incense and flowers. After the dry down it really smells quite rich and resinous, with a smoky, ancient vibe—sort of like Anubis in feel, even though they smell quite different. The cocoa gives this a very dark and velvety feel as it develops, too; it's a stronger presence here than it was in the Great Sword of War, though it isn't remotely foody. Moderate wear length, with a potent throw. Gender neutral, though it would be glorious on the right man.

A soft, sensual, luxuriant blend with a wicked bite: hazelnut, buttercream, honey mead, rum and sweet almond. In the imp: HUGE blast of buttery buttercream frosting at first. Further sniffs reveal honey and a deep, rich, boozy, almost butterscotch-like sweetness—it's like Cockaigne and Grog had a baby. A drunk, sticky, buttery baby. I think this is a combination of the rum and honey mead. To be honest, I get little if anything of either nut here… maybe a touch of Seraglio-esque sweet almond, but it's almost hidden behind the buttercream and heavy booze. This smells delicious, but super-strong and unrepentantly foody. (Then again, with that note list, what else would you expect?) Deep, creamy golden scent, very luxuriant and self-satisfied. Nom-worthy. On, wet: Interesting! Much less boozy on my skin, and the butterscotch-rum quality is seriously toned down. The almond is most apparent now, blending with the buttercream to make me smell like yummy marzipan, or maybe almond frosting, with just a trace of sweet-tangy honey mead beneath. It isn't nearly as heavy or overtly foody as the imp smell, but I like it. On, dry: Closer to the imp smell, but thankfully not as heavy or sugary. It's mostly honey mead now (very close to Cockaigne's honey and wine combo), with a twinge of buttery rum, some creaminess from the buttercream and just enough almond to keep this from getting too overbearingly sweet. The honey's taking on an almost floral quality, which is interesting, and it keeps me from smelling too much like a dessert tray. Later: Honeyed-rum almonds, with maybe a smidge of buttercream. Overall: I'm not sure Hellcat is a villainous scent to me, unless maybe you're talking about the fearsome menace of butterfat and potential tooth decay. But it is a tasty scent, very decadent and strangely sexy, like buttercream-smeared sex. It's also both more nuanced and less heavy than I thought it would be. The honey note is similar to Cockaigne, but it's much better behaved, and the buttercream provides a nicely creamy, if unusual, base for the booze and almond. The hazelnut never really showed up for me, which is mildly disappointing, but not a big deal. The throw is also moderate to light, which makes this a very wearable foody scent and keeps it from delicious, instead of cloying. This is the first totally foody scent that I'd consider for a big bottle!

In the bottle: Dark, moody and smooth, but so complex that it's actually difficult for my nose to interpret this! There's an overall smoky quality, which might be the smoky vanilla plus tobacco, although this isn't especially sweet. There's a citrusy, tangy, nearly sharp quality, which seems like it's the orange blossom/mimosa/mandarin, and beneath it, there's the silky, slinky red musk. I get a whiff of opoponax, and… the patchouli doesn't stand out at all, but I get some kind of sense of it in here, deep down. The same goes for the amber, which is subtle. On, wet: More astringent and less sweet. It's tobacco, mandarin and mimosa, with opoponax and some very subtle patchouli beneath and the smoky vanilla (more smoky than vanilla) over the top. Red musk ties it all together and makes if smooth. Oddly, something about this reminds me of the early phases of Kubla Khan. It's a very difficult to describe scent—a bit cool, a bit musky, a bit citrusy, a bit smoky. Very mysterious and ominous. It's weird… but I think I like it. (Also: "Giallo" is totally an appropriate name, because the oil turns my wrists yellow.) On, dry: WOW! Seriously, wow. This got really, really gorgeous on the dry down, as the vanilla and amber have warmed and the florals have bloomed. It's a richer, sweeter perfume, although it still has a very dark, dangerous, smoky edge to it, and the opoponax deepens it. Still, it's a gorgeous balance of flowers, fruit and resins, with just a little bit of tobacco. The patchouli is totally undetectable to me now, and the plum is also surprisingly subdued—just enough to blend with the citrus, but not taking everything over. Also? I finally get what so many people seem to love about red musk, because it's wonderful here, very smooth and sensual. Later: Fainter, but basically the same: dark florals and warm, sweet resins with a whiff of smoke and red musk. So well blended that it's almost impossible to distinguish individual notes. Overall: For me, this completely lives up to the hype. I hoped that I would like it, but I actually love it. It's sexy and feminine and it's also very well-balanced, in that no one element dominates, even with a list of heavy-hitters like jasmine, plum, patchouli and red musk. It also really fits the inspiration: dark and mysterious, sleek and sexy, a little bit over-the-top… although thankfully not as over-the-top as a typical Giallo movie. Best of all, I suspect this is going to age wonderfully.

In the bottle: (I'm unfamiliar with a few of these notes, so bear with me.) Clean, pale, lightly sweet bouquet of very white flowers. There's something chilly and dewy, almost very lightly aquatic about them, like they've been misted with water. The resin is faint, almost barely detectable, but among the flowers, the vanilla orchid stands out. This does smell like Christine Daae to me: lovely and fresh, still a bit innocent, glowing with youth. On, wet: Frankincense is much more apparent now, though it's still the grounding note. It keeps these pale, pretty white blossoms from getting too sweet or wispy. Still very clean and graceful, still predominantly orchid—but it's a beautiful orchid note, very white and cool. On, dry: I'm at a loss to identify it, but another sweet white flower has moved ahead, while the orchid has backed off and the frankincense is still subtle. Whatever this flower is, it's gorgeous, although maybe closer to traditional perfume for some. (After some Google-fu, I have decided that this is the Hoya, which is repeatedly described as smelling like "fine French perfume.") Extremely feminine, with a posh, luxurious feel. Rally, really well blended. Surprisingly great throw, despite this remaining a light, soft scent. Later: Orchid, with an aura of frankincense and vanilla—not at all a foody vanilla, but just a bit of sweetness along with the clean, white orchid note. It retains that misty, lightly aquatic quality throughout. Overall: I bought a bottle of this one unsniffed when I saw it was still available, and I'm SO glad that I did, because this is love. I'm a sucker for orchids, clean white florals, and pale, ethereal blends, and this delivers, along with a nice boost from the frankincense. I can see how this one might be a little bit "perfumey" or traditional for some tastes, but I think it has a youthful, dewy elegance that makes it irresistible. All that, and it fits the inspiration, too; I can easily imagine this as the scent of Christine's perfume. Because of its lightness and cool, misty/aquatic feel, this is going to be a great summer floral.

I'm a big, big honeysuckle fan (I have some really great memories associated with that smell), and the scent that does it best for me is Eos. It also includes jasmine, buttercup and "softly glowing skin" (skin musk?), but to me, it smells like a warm, sweet Summer breeze scented with honeysuckle. New Orleans is similar and also mostly honeysuckle on me, but there's an undertone of... decay, for lack of a better word, that makes it atmospheric but not necessarily the pure honeysuckle you're looking for.

In the imp: Wow, that's a powerful cherry! Really red and juicy and dark and very, very cherry, darkened further by an undertone of… vetiver, is that you?!? Who invited you to this party? Seriously, there's something sharp, dark and bitter-earthy paired with the cherry here, which is how vetiver smells to me when it behaves. I could also believe it was bitter cocoa, but I'm betting it's the mahogany. The dark red earthy-cherry-ness reminds me of both Blood Kiss and Love-Lies-Bleeding. On, wet: Very red, very fruity and sort of dangerous. The red fruit is out in front, but the mahogany note is just beneath, darkening this considerably, adding a touch of sternness. There's still some sharpness here. It is a rich and regal sort of scent, and the more I sniff this, the more I keep getting the image of dark, well-oiled wood, glowing with polish. On, dry: This turned so lovely! It was interesting before, but now it's gleaming and sleek—deep red and elegant and sweetly woody. It doesn't smell at all like Blood Kiss or Love-Lies-Bleeding now, and that trace of vetiver is totally gone, as the mahogany and polished woods have smoothed out and come front and center. There's still a lovely tinge of deep cherry and currant, but it isn't overpowering at all; it's just accenting the woods. Very well blended, almost satiny. Later: Glossy woods, with a touch of cherry. More dry and woody than fruity, but pleasantly sweet. Very pretty. Overall: I love cherries and currants and woods, but the imp scent of this is so strong that it's almost a bit scary—it struck me as almost slightly medicinal, so I can understand why some people were scared off. But after applying this, I really really like this one and the way it develops into that shining wood scent, glazed with a hint of red fruit. It's very much worth waiting a bit after applying and letting Red Queen shine when she's ready. It's elegant and dark, but really smooth and polished. It's the sort of scent I associate with a very smart, classy and capable woman--maybe a little strict, but then, strict women can be sexy, can't they?

In the imp: Fresh, fruity, but very clean and tart, not sweet. It's nice and bracing, actually, and very citrusy with a pleasant undertone of bitterness, like grapefruit rind. Zingy and invigorating. The yuzu (grapefruit-like) and kaki (persimmon) dominate in the imp, but I do get a hint of the tea, which blends nicely with the yuzu, and there's something here that softens this, which must be the cherry blossom. It reminds of Clinque Happy (the original), but better--more complex and sophisticated. On, wet: Still bright, clean and briskly citrusy, but a little bit sweeter and juicier, as the cherry blossom blooms and softens things up a bit more. The yuzu and kaki are still strongest, but the pale, sweet cherry blossoms balance them really well, and the tea makes for a nice, sturdy base. The mikan (Satsuma or tangerine) tends to blend into the sharper citrus scents, but what I get of it is really, really nice. This is fantastic! On, dry: For the first time, this is slightly more cherry blossom than citrus, but it's a lovely blend, and the cherry blossoms are sweet and feminine without being cloying or girly. (No artificial cherry scent, either!) Still a really nice fruity floral, very clean and sophisticated, but now it's tilting more towards the floral than the fruit. The tea is subdued, but it grounds everything well. Later: Sweet cherry blossom and black tea, overlaid with a faint whiff of the citrus. Still nicely balanced and fresh, but graceful. I could swear there's some white musk in this, too, giving it a nice, clean, slightly shimmery quality. It actually reminds me quite a bit of Croquet at this stage, even though the notes are only vaguely similar. (This is a good thing.) Overall: Clear, clean, bright, tart-sweet citrus/floral. Okay, I'm not sure how much this makes me think of Aizen-Myoo, but I really, really like this one, even more than I hoped. Like another one of my favorite citrus scents, Croquet, this is a perfect combination of tart, juicy citrus and fruits balanced by sweeter flowers. To my nose, Aizen-Myoo is the more sophisticated blend, because of the nicely astringent tea and the pleasantly sharp yuzu and persimmon notes—which, by the way, are awesome. It's soft and well blended, and the lightness and fresh citrus make it a wonderful summer scent. Now I'm going to have to have a sniff-off between Croquet and Aizen-Myoo, to determine which one is worth a big bottle! Anyway, this one is total love for me.

For what it's worth, Titania isn't remotely candyish on me. I would say it's a very feminine, dewy, fruity floral, not too heavy and kind of perfect for summer. I'm wearing her a lot these days.

Fall under the spell of our Green Fairy! An intoxicating blend containing wormwood essence, light mints, cardamom, anise, hyssop, and the barest hint of lemon. In the imp: Airy and green, light and refreshing. Wonderful, dead-on smell of pastis/absinthe, with the anise and mint out in front, followed by the cardamom and a nice, bright squirt of lemon. I'm not getting the wormwood bitterness or hyssop per se, but this is really well blended, so I'm sure they're in here, in a subtle way. It really does remind me of a chilled, licoricey glass of pastis. On, wet: More lemon, bright and tart, paired with the sweeter anise and mint, although the more herbal wormwood and hyssop are beginning to show up. It's a nice, light lemon, enough to be refreshing, but not enough to take over or bring to mind any cleaning products. On, dry: So nice! The anise, mint and cardamom are at the center of this now (as it should be), sweet and green and slightly spicy, while the lemon is still hanging around in the background, a little bit tart, and the hyssop and wormwood are herbal and slightly bitter beneath, holding the sweetness in check. Really cool and surprisingly complex (but light). Throw is light, but I'm getting nice whiffs of it. Later: The same, but very faint. Stays in balance, though. Overall: Fizzy, light, green and refreshing as a cold glass of pastis (or absinthe!) on a hot, humid day. I wasn't sure I'd like this one, but it brings back a lot of good memories of sipping pastis during a really hot summer, and it really nails the concept. It's very smooth and well balanced, with no one component taking over… although if you can't stand/can't wear licorice-type scents, then this is one to skip. But it's fresh and light enough to wear in hot weather, and between the citrus, mint and anise, I'm thinking I just found a great new scent for the summer. Thanks for the frimp, labbies!

I have to admit that I still sometimes wear heavier scents in the summer, just because I love them, but I do find myself gravitating to certain scents, now that the weather is warmer. Embalming Fluid, Croquet, Titania, Prunella, Shadow Witch Orchid, Phantom Queen, Obatala, The Host of the Air, Velvet Tiki, Hermia and The Unicorn are all getting repeated wear, and I'm using my Aphrodites pretty regularly, too. (That'd be Dia, Symmakhia, Epistrophia and Pothon Meter.) Citrus, light fruity florals and coconut are where it's at in summer, at least for me. Also... I know this is weird, but Lady Macbeth totally smells like summertime to me, with all the berries and grassy thyme in there. I smell it and think of checkered picnic tablecloths, instead of murderous Scottish noblewomen.

In the imp: Sweet, clear floral, with that clean, lightly aquatic quality that orchids have. Yup, this is pure orchid, just the way I like it. It has a silky quality to it, and it isn’t as dark as the Black Orchid in Phantom Queen… but it isn't quite as light and airy as the orchid in some other blends, either. If this has a color, it would be a pale, pinky-lilac. On, wet: …Wow, I can actually smell the tuber part of the orchid tuber! Seriously, this has an almost rooty quality at first, which reminds me of the first stages of Florence. It's like a greenhouse filled with cultivated orchids, so you get flowers, but also the planty smells. It's also surprisingly powerful, and yet still floaty and light, if that makes any sense. Like, the throw is wonderful, but it's not going to punch anybody in the nose with ORCHID. On, dry: The rooty smell went anyway quickly, so now it's just clean, silky, very purple orchid, sweet and somewhat fruity, almost plum-like. I recognize this orchid! It's a similar note to the one in Epistrophia, and I love it there, too. This is beautiful, very elegant and cool and feminine. Later: Unchanged. Slightly softer and less fruity, but basically the same. A bit ethereal. Overall: Thoroughly gorgeous! This isn't a morpher, but it's a wonderful pure orchid scent, with a slightly watery, silky quality, and just a hint of darkness and mystery. It's perfectly purple, and extremely feminine. I imagine that for some, this might seem a bit "perfumey" for their tastes, but lovers of orchids would like this one. The throw was excellent but not overpowering, and as a bonus, it appeared to lure all sorts of male attention! Guess there was something to all those witchs' love philtres after all… Anyway, almost certainly a big bottle purchase, and a nice GC alternative to Epistrophia--not a twin, but close.

In the bottle: Fresh, tropical and fruity. This smells like a delicious cocktail, one of those colorful sorts that you sip out of a coconut shell—sweet, but with a little bit of juicy tartness. The pineapple, passion fruit and papaya are strong, with a very light, green, smooth coconut floating over everything. The flowers are in the background here, but of them, the hibiscus definitely stands out, a little bit tangy and bright. On, wet: Less fruity, more plants and flowers. Close up, I can smell tropical greenery, along with the frangipani and a whiff of orchid. The throw, though, is still a YUMMY vanilla-coconut-pineapple haze, slightly creamy and sweet, like a great pina colada. Slowly but surely, the vanilla is revealing itself, but it isn't taking over. On, dry: The fruit is back on top, blended with the vanilla and backed by the more subdued flowers. The pineapple, passion fruit and coconut are still fresh juicy-smelling, but now the vanilla lends them a sweet creaminess, so it's kind of a glorious tropical milkshake. Beyond that, I get heavenly little whiffs of frangipani and hibiscus from time to time. The orchids are really subtle here (especially for my skin!), but I like that they're just adding that sweet, soft, clean/rainy aspect to the blend, without taking away from the fruit or other flowers. Throw is much better than expected, too. Later: Lovely, surprisingly light vanilla, tinged with coconut and tropical fruits. There's a teeny tiny hint of the flowers, but the fruit and vanilla linger the longest. It's a particularly good vanilla, too, smooth and slightly floral, not too powdery or too heavy/foody. It blends beautifully with the fruits. Overall: This is the tropical scent of my dreams: fun, sunshiny, fresh, fruity and light, but smooth and slightly creamy. I could bathe in this! It strikes me as a pale yellow and pink sort of scent, absolutely perfect for Summer and warm weather, all the more because it isn't heavy. The vanilla and juicy fruit notes are delicious (esp. the pineapple and coconut), but the overall effect didn't strike me as foody; the florals aren't the focus of this perfume, but they're strong enough, and the scent is well blended enough, to keep this from going into foody territory. The throw was great and not obtrusive, and it lasted a moderate amount of time for me (6 hours) before starting to fade. A must-sniff for lovers of coconut or tropical scents.

Obatala is pure, white, coconutty love. Wearing it feels like getting a big, warm hug that smells of amaaaaazing coconut and shea. Eden is wonderful for coconut, too, but it fulfills a totally different coconut need for me, because it's so toasty, nutty and brown. I like having each of them, because they're different sides of coconut, and I like them equally. I also adore the coconut in Dia and Snow White, both of which smell very white, clean, sweet and glowing to me, but I know that not everybody gets the coconut in Snow White, depending on skin chem. (Not sure about Dia.) But they're both amazing. Dia, in particular, has become more overtly coconutty as it has aged, because when I first got it, the coconut was faint. Now, when I wear it, the coconut really stands out, and it's beautiful. Believe it or not, Velvet Unicorn smells somewhat coconutty on me, too. I can't speak for Velvet Tiki yet, because I haven't done a test sniff yet, but in the bottle, a really fresh, green coconut comes out. Can't wait to see if it shows up once it's on... EDIT: Okay, now I've skin-tested Velvet Tiki, and I can highly recommend that one to coconut lovers, too. It's not very creamy, but it is silky smooth (velvety?), lighter, greener and fresher than some coconut blends. It's nicely mixed with other tropical fruits and flowers, but the coconut never wavers, without being too heavy or sugary or in-your-face.

Well, Purple Phoenix is a pretty obvious choice. It's intensely deep, velvety purple on me. The same goes for Morgause, which is a dark and dusky purple. Violet Ray, Prunella and Epistrophia are lighter but still profound purples for me, and the lilacs in Les Fleurs du Mal make me think of that scent as... um, lilac. Earth Phoenix also strikes me as purple for some reason... something about the way I get the black cherries and plum blossoms. Glasgow is a rosy pinkish purple for me, and so is Kitsune-Tsuki, thanks to the asian plum. Basically, anything with plum smells purple to my nose! EDIT: That includes Suspiro and Bensiabel. Don't know how I left those off! I get a purple vibe from Venice, too, although that may just be my strange nose. ETA again, because I has the morning stupids: Also Dragon's Reverie is very lilac/purple to me, thanks to the fact that Dragon's Blood is distinctly lilac (and cherry) to my nose.

In the imp: Sweet, very fruity floral. I can pick out almost all the elements here, actually, but the plum is definitely strongest in the imp, followed by orchid and jasmine. It reminds me a little bit of Suspiro, but not so high and floral. Strangely, there's also something here that reminds me of Titania, even though this has none of the same notes—I think it must be the soft flowers and juicy fruitiness. On, wet: The orchid and plum are still the strongest notes, but they've traded places, so now the orchid is in front, backed by the still sweet-and-juicy plum. The daffodil and jasmine are adding some interest, but not influencing the scent too much (this is not a bossy sort of jasmine), and the white musk is very delicate, combining with the orchid to give this a very clean, refreshing vibe, despite the sweet fruit and flowers. It's girly, but playful and not fussy. On, dry: Basically unchanged, just blended so well that it's difficult to pick out the notes from each other. It's sweet and fruity, but light and relatively fresh, a spring or early summer sort of perfume. It's also a youthful scent. Later: Very soft, gentle fresh-fruity floral with a little bit of musk. This one faded fast! Overall: This one does remind of Suspiro, but given a choice between the two, I think I prefer Kitsune-Tsuki. It's a very juicy, fruity, unpretentious sort of floral, cool and light, and the combination of the orchid and white musk gives this a very fresh, clean feel that you wouldn't always expect in something this sweet. It's not a scent that morphs, but it does blend very nicely, particularly the florals, so that no one element pokes out or steals the show (though the plum is the heart of this one). My only gripe is that this one really doesn't last long at all (I'd say four hours, tops), and when it fades, it's a very dramatic fade. Still, I like the playful, slightly flirty, girly feel of this one, and it's an especially good spring/summer scent, so I'll keep the imp and see how it works out.

Spun sugar, sparkling rainbow candies, strawberries, merangue, and cherry fluff. In the bottle: Total and utter pinkness. Very sweet and creamy. There are different layers of sugar scents here, but overall, it smells like soft cotton candy to me, with a welcome bit of tartness from the gorgeous strawberry note. I can't pick out cherry fluff, but I do get something that's almost… coconutty. I suspect that's the meringue. It's so ridiculously girly, and I love it. On, wet: Ooh, so there's the cherry. It's a bright red, candied cherry, blending with the strawberry to be front and center, all fruity and juicy. It's still shrouded in the cotton candy and puffy meringue clouds, though, keeping things nice and candyish. I would still swear that this has coconut in here somewhere. On, dry: Sugary, creamy, fluffy pink heaven. This is now strawberry-scented marshmallow fluff and meringue, very sugary and creamy, but light. The cherry has blended into the strawberry, but the strawberry is still dominant, and it's delicious. I know some people have said that this one is low throw, but it has huuuuge throw on me, so I'm walking around in a glittery cloud of pink candy awesomeness. Later: A little bit drier and less creamy, but this is still sparkly strawberry cotton candy. I almost get a bit of something like heliotrope, but I suspect that's from the meringue. Still sugary. Still emphatically strawberry. Still awesome. Still hanging around, almost twelve hours after application. Overall: Total, utter, instant love! Like some others have said, this really IS a Lisa Frank unicorn, bright pink and glittery and unapologetically girly. It's an intense and yet squishy-soft sugar rush, with a fantastic strawberry note and some deep creaminess. This is a perfume that suggests Velvet Unicorns and sparkly-eyed anime heroines, and it's a must-sniff for anybody who loves candy or strawberry scents. Bonus: massive throw and incredibly long-wearing on my skin.

In the imp: Very pretty, feminine and opulent. I get primarily iris, but there are definite suggestions of berries in the background, and the spices are evident. They remind me of the incense-like spices of Scherezade, and they blend nicely with the iris here. Later sniffs actually make me aware of a sweet/earthy combination of scents very strongly reminiscent of Love-Lies-Bleeding, but with berries instead of the cherry. On, wet: There really is a deep, earthy, rooty, woody quality to this iris when it's first applied. There's sweetness here, but it's in the background, while the iris and spices up front make this smell almost woodsy, with a touch of incense. Hmmm… very, very nice, but not quite what I expected! It does have a soft, silky quality to it, though. On, dry: Not woodsy now, and quite a bit sweeter, thanks to the amber and berries coming forward and blending with the iris. It's by no means too sweet or sticky, but it's still a sweet, rich, luxurious sort of scent. It's very subtle and womanly, and above all, it's smooth. The spices are fainter now, but they're still giving this a just slightly incense-y vibe. Not head shop-like, but just enough to add some spark and depth to the sweeter elements. Later: Silky, graceful floral amber, with a pinch of incense from the spices. Very faint, but pretty. Overall: Sweet, velvety-smooth and luxurious, but in an understated way. At times, this one reminded me of both Scherezade and Love-Lies-Bleeding, but I have to admit that I like it better than either of them, probably because of the exquisite iris note here. It's a scent that doesn't go out of its way to attract attention—the throw is relatively low and it disappears entirely within four hours—but it's elegant and well blended, and it suggests exactly the kind of refinement, luxury and good taste that I'd expect in a perfume named for Florence. Very evocative!

In the imp: Honey! The honey is really big to start, but after a whiff or two, it comes across as warm, pleasantly spicy honey, with ginger up front and an astonishingly good pepper note behind. The milk and vanilla seem blended together to me, just sort of adding some creamy sweetness, while the tea grounds it all and ties it together, cutting the honey's sweetness. Don't get the clean linen yet, and I would almost swear there's a squirt of lemon in here somewhere. This is a clean honey, not the lab's sexy, smutty honey. On, wet: Lot of strong, dark tea, sweetened with spiced honey. Like a really fragrant, lovely cup of chai, lightened with milk and set on a fresh linen tablecloth. Awesome! It's much less sweet now, as the tea is in the forefront, but still, all the notes seem to be coming out and playing well together. The linen note is perfect, very crisp and clean, hovering all around the edges of the chai-scent. On, dry: Delicious, clean, gorgeous, and sweeter, but never too sweet. The tea is still the base, but it's softer now, and the ginger and pepper have blended into a single uniquely warm and spicy note. The milk and honey and vanilla have also combined, and they soften this and sweeten it up to just the right degree. All around this is the soft linen note, clean and fresh, but not obtrusive or soapy. My nose keeps insisting that there's a twinge of lemon in here somewhere, but I think that's just my silly brain insisting that any proper cup of black tea must have a slice of lemon in it. Anyway, it's mostly unchanged, blending seamlessly together into a scent where all the components just work. I can see why I hear so much about the blend. Later: Okay, now this is unexpected. The milk and spice and vanilla and linen are here, along with… something light, sweet and floral? I'm not complaining, though. It's very pretty, elegant and delicate, not an overpowering or soapy sort of floral at all. It reminds me of the semi-floral taste and aroma that you get from a great cup of tea, only it doesn't really smell like the black tea note. If that makes any sense. In any case, it's still amazing. Overall: White Rabbit is honestly not like any other BPAL blend that I've smelled, and it's wonderful. Initially, I wondered if any of these notes might take over the blend, like the clean linen or the honey, but everything here is restrained. This is smoothly blended and perfectly balanced, with just the right mix of sweetness, spice, warmth and crisp freshness, all grounded by the lovely black tea note. The throw was good while it lasted, but alas, my only complaint is that this one lasts only a few hours for me. But reapplication isn't a big deal, and it's worth it for the unique spice-tea-linen combination.

In the imp: A high, soft, slightly Victorian floral, but one with a definite dark twist. Violet is the first scent that hits me, but it really is entwined with the gardenia, as the description says, blended so well that they sort of melt into one another. The gardenia is sweet and light, and the violet is adding that touch of darkness—a little bit like the violet in Bluebeard. Vanilla is much fainter than the flowers, just sort of rounding out the trio. This isn't a sugary violet but a spicy one, and there's a faint grassiness here that could almost make me think that vetiver is involved. On, wet: Vanilla gardenias, fresh and fragrant, shadowed with the darker violet. This is headier now, very sweet and gardenia-centric. Still, the violet adds some chill and an unsettling aspect. Super powerful throw, so don't slather this one! On, dry: Basically unchanged, with the gardenia and violet still strong and sweet, bordering on the edge of too sweet. (And I write this as one who likes sweetness!) The vanilla is still almost an afterthought to the blended gardenia/violet, though I wish it weren't; it might provide some much-needed balance and sensuality. As it is, the sweetness here seems very one-dimensional, just sort of high and shallow and aloof. Later: Finally, this is becoming the scent that I hoped it would be! Hours after first applying this, the vanilla is warming up and balancing the high sweetness of the florals, making this a much rounder, fuller, warmer scent. Very well blended, elegant floral. Overall: I wanted to love this one, and when the vanilla got going, it was so close to my hopes… but two hours is a long time to wait for the perfume to reach its potential, and in the meantime, it's just a bit thin, sharp and one-dimensional for my tastes. It's reminiscent of Veil, which also didn't wow me. If the vanilla were stronger and more assertive, I think it would tie things together and be both better balanced and more to my taste, but as it is… not really my thing. However, I'm holding out hope that I can make it work by layering it with a stronger vanilla scent. If not, I'm sure I can pass this imp on to somebody who will love it more than I do.

In the imp: Strong, almost overripe jasmine, backed by a lighter breath of honeysuckle, a squeeze of lemon and a suggestion of something green. This is most definitely a humid scent, and I get the faint air of decay, maybe even mildew and damp. On, wet: The jasmine is still there, sweet and almost about to rot, but the lemon and honeysuckle come out much more on the skin, making this a bit fresher. It smells like a sister to Eos, but it's more sensual, tarter and tartier. Where Eos is clean and hopeful, New Orleans is heavier and sweeter, with a sharper, more insistent jasmine. On, dry: Sweet jasmine gilded with honeysuckle, but right underneath it, there's a definite and strong undertone of rot and/or mildew. I realize that this sounds gross, but it's actually very atmospheric. Very hot, heavy and still, and very sweet, in the way that things are when they're just on the edge of going bad. Later: Basically the same: jasmine, honeysuckle vine, old house and decaying garden, in that order. The decay is a bit less strong now, and it's a drier scent, but it's essentially unchanged. Overall: New Orleans is incredibly atmospheric, and it's right on for the inspiration. This might not be exactly like the real thing, but it is exactly the literary New Orleans that you find in so many stories, novels and movies, and it conjures up thoughts of genteelly crumbling, once-grand garden district mansions, covered in flowering vines and concealing dark family secrets. Somehow, I think all Tennessee Williams plays must smell like this. As I said above, it has enough in common to be a sister scent to Eos, but I have to admit that I'd rather wear Eos. That air of decay is what makes New Orleans so atmospheric, but it's not necessarily something I want on my skin, you know?

In the imp: Smoky, dark, slightly astringent floral. Not overly sweet at all. I get mostly the gloomy myrrh and fresher narcissus, with an overlay of the smoky quality from the opium. It is a deep, dark, majestic sort of scent, very womanly. It also has a tinge of something funereal about it, which certainly fits the category. On, wet: Tangy, very true-to-life narcissus with an undertone of the myrrh, but it's all wrapped in the gauzy, dark smoke of the opium, which makes this both sensual and just a little bit sleazy or dangerous to me. It really is a lightless fragrance (how does Beth do that?), and it makes me think of black and white and noir. On, dry: The narcissus is sweeter and more perfumey now, but it's still backed by the gloomy myrrh and opium, which have blended together into a dark, smoky, slightly incence-y haze. The opium is also slowly, surely turning sweeter on my skin. It really is a noir perfume to me: the scent of a tough-but-high-class dame's floral perfume, mixed with the aroma of exotic illegal drugs and a gumshoe's cigarette. Later: Smoky-sweet opium and narcissus, with just a bit of bite from the myrrh. It's a really thick, sweet, dark perfume now—I can practically see the clouds of opium smoke. By this point, it's really something more than the sum of its parts, really well blended and sexy. Overall: This one just gets better and better as it evolves. It's striking when first applied, but when it all comes together in a smoky, darkly floral whole, it's beautiful. It's a cool, dark, sexy and mysterious sort of perfume—maybe a bit too cool and dark for my personal preferences, but I admire this just the same. It's very classy, very feminine, but it has a no-nonsense, powerful edge to it. Like I said, a dame's perfume!

In the imp: ~swoons~ Smoky, creamy vanilla-honeyed-floral goodness! Right out of the imp, there's a wave of silky vanilla and honey, heavy on the vanilla, followed by some more delicate florals (primarily jasmine) to add complexity. There's nothing that screams "cinnamon," but there is something warm in here that might come from either that or the sandalwood. The honey is of the thick, rich and golden variety, and the vanilla takes it right over the edge to intoxicating. It's definitely decadent and sexy! It almost feels like Antique Lace, after her wedding night. On, wet: More floral when it hits my skin. Now it's champaca and jasmine, with a radiant aura of honeyed vanilla cream. Underneath it all is the sandalwood, providing a drier, slightly exotic, warm/woody backdrop for the sweeter scents. It's really satiny and well-blended, heady and very sensual. It makes me think of damp skin and tangled sheets and come-hither looks. On, dry: Jasmine, blended with champaca and what must be the olive blossom—soft, sweet floral. It still has a smoky-rich vanilla aura, although the honey is much more subdued. It's incredibly feminine and voluptuous, warm and just slightly spicy from the cinnamon and sandalwood. There is no sharp or off-putting jasmine in this blend; it's just pure, creamy, perfect sweetness. Later: Warm, lightly spicy vanilla floral—soft and sweet, but still very sexy. It feels like the ghost of the perfume that you wore the night before, if you know what I mean. The flowers are no longer distinct from each other, but the vanilla and sandalwood have blended together beautifully. Overall: I have a soft spot for really decadent, sensual scents, and that's exactly what Defututa is. It's soft, light and satin-smooth, but also warm (almost humid), rich and unabashedly sexy… not really dark, but probably candlelit. I worried about the cinnamon before trying this, but it works amazingly here, adding just the right amount of warmth and spice without this poem ever striking you as a particularly spicy blend. It's blended extremely well, and it has such a creamy, smooth, glowing feel that it makes me feel like a sex goddess just wearing it. Love at first sniff!

In the imp: With that note list, I'm as nervous about trying this one as I am excited. Lots of unknowns here. So, first sniff… wow, this is much sweeter and less lemony than I imagined! But it's great. Frankincense and white sage are strongest, reminiscent of Scales of Deprivation, followed by benzoin and balsam of peru, with touches of the lemon balm and saffron (a little bit like Kathmandu). Very spicy sweet and incense-like, both resinous and woody—a golden, glowing, almost honey-syrup-like kind of scent that does make me think of polished brass and well-oiled gears. I don't get any of the hyssop. On, wet: As incense-heavy and spicy-sweet-aromatic as Cathedral/Kathmandu/Scales of Deprivation, but much warmer and more vibrant, with a nicely herbal quality developing out of the lemon balm and white sage, to balance all the sweet frankincense, benzoin, balsam and galbanum. It's a beautiful blend of the smoky-sweet-syrupy resins and woods with the tart, citrusy herbs. On, dry: Not much changed, just smoother and mellowed and slightly sweeter. For a moment, the resins almost went really, really sweet, like the lotus/incense combo in Kathmandu, but the lemon balm, beeswax and sage held it back. It's still a nice balance of the spicy-sweet, exotic woods and resins and those fresh herbs. I keep getting images of gleaming brass—really right on for the concept. It's such a warm, complex and yet comforting scent, and it has great throw, too. Later: Much lighter and drier, and the lemon balm and herbs have nearly disappeared. The frankincense, balsam and benzoin remain, woody and smoky and spicy. It's very sweet now, but it's not cloying, and it's still very golden and warm. Overall: I know the note list for this one looks bizarre, but I was astonished at how well all these elements blended and worked together—sort of like all those gears in the description, working in perfect balance. It's a rich, sweet, complex scent, but there are so many layers that work so well—the herbals, the beeswax, the resins and woods. The benzoin here is particularly mellow and gorgeous, which is maybe the first time I've ever said that about benzoin. It's also a dynamite perfume for frankincense lovers, as it figures prominently, at least on me. If there's one thing that didn't quite live up to my expectations, it's that I might have liked a little bit more beeswax and more oomph from the lemon balm and sage—but then again, everything is so beautifully balanced here that I'd actually be hesitant to change any of it.

In the imp: Fruity dirt and dark wood. Dark date and fig, with an even darker, heavily woody-earthy undertone from the black herbs. Really earthy—one of the black herbs must be patchouli. This is… actually, thinking about it, this smells very weirdly similar to the early stages of Death on a Pale Horse! (Must be the patchouli.) If this turns out even half as well, I'll be a happy camper. On, wet: Dark and gritty is a very good description of this one; this has a wicked vibe to it. There's also something very dry about this scent to me, which suggests the desert. The patchouli is way out in front, though it's slightly less earthy and more woody now. Behind the aromatic patchouli, I'm getting brighter hints of currant, but they're fleeting. Still, there's a promise of fruitness to come. On, dry: Full, dark and fruity, with a strong woody/smoky patchouli accent—sort of a deep, dark, eggplant-y purple kind of perfume. The currant and fig are slowly sweetening this a bit, becoming the heart of this scent, but the patchouli makes it really interesting and complex. It works much, much better for me than the last fruit/patchouli combo I tested (Masquerade); unlike in that blend, the fruit and patchouli complicate each other, but they aren't in a cage match or clashing with each other. I'm especially impressed by the patchouli note here, which doesn't have the dirty aspect that a lot of people dislike. Later: Fruitier than ever, underscored by the woody patchouli. The date is just about gone, or else it's hiding, but the currant and fig are nice enough that I don't mind. Overall: Definitely dark and gritty and sordid, and true to the concept. The big surprise is that patchouli is so prominent in this one, even over and above the fruit, but it is a particularly nice earthy/woody patchouli, so I have no complaints. My only quibble is that every now and then, the combination of fruit and patchouli produces the oddest beeswax smell! It's very fleeting, though, and probably just my chemistry. I'll have to try it again to see if this was just a fluke.

In the imp: Exactly what the description promises: honeyed lilies. It is a very golden, warm, sweet fragrance. The honey is thick, sticky and out in front, while the floral is fainter. Still, it's really feminine and beautiful. On, wet: Ooh! Now this is primarily lily, and it's a vibrant, fresh, true-to-life lily. I grew up with a backyard filled with tiger lilies, and this is exactly the scent of them. The honey's off in the background, just making this a bit rounder and sweeter—you might say, "gilding the lily." This is the same sort of lily note that I get in Dole of the King's Daughter, and that's just fine by me. On, dry: Less ultra-realistic lily, and more like perfume. That is, this is the difference between me smelling like I just deadheaded the lilies in my garden and smelling like I put on some classic, feminine scent. The honey and gentle lily have blended together in a sweet, light, elegant perfume. It reminds me a bit of Skuld at this stage. Later: Soft, sweet, honeyed lilies. It's very well blended and warm, with relatively little throw. Still, if anybody else gets close and sniffs, they'll be impressed. Still very reminiscent of Skuld, only with lily in place of the ylang-ylang. Overall: This really delivers on the promise of the description. It's a very pretty, feminine, distinctively lily fragrance, with some sensuality from the honey. In the early stages, the lily note is maybe the truest lily I've ever smelled, next to real life. If you're a fan of lilies, especially natural lilies, then this is a must-sniff.