Bluestocking

In the imp: Light, fruity floral, sort of gauzy and pale. I actually don't get a lot of the lotus at first sniff (it's just sort of soft and sweet in the background), but I'd swear that one of the "lightly scented flowers" is night-blooming jasmine. After a few sniffs of the imp, though, the lotus becomes more obviously the heart of the scent, with a subtle streak of lemony citrus to cut the sweetness. It is very fresh and subtle and innocent, sort of the anti-Lolita. On, wet: A light, very sweet, pink-tinted cloud of bubblegummy lotus, with bright, rich hints of the citrus and amber beneath (which together smell just a touch like Aelopile). It's a very springy, soft floral, definitely an ingenue's perfume. Huuuuuge throw, even though this remains a very gentle scent; I've had a ton of comments about it, even though I only dabbed it on the wrists! (Luckily, the comments are along the lines of "Ooh, that smells nice," and not, "Ewww, what is that?") The peanut gallery has repeatedly told me that this smells like a garden filled with the scent of heady, just-bloomed flowers. On, dry: The lotus is less obvious and "OH HAI, I'M LOTUS," blended pleasantly with the citrus and amber. This isn't a scent that morphs on me, but it has developed into a lovely perfume, much better balanced between the sweet lotus, rich amber and (very slightly) tangy citrus. There are hints of round fruitness and other flowers, but they're very light and difficult to pick out. Later: Again, basically unchanged: lotus and amber, with a citrus tinge. If the Lotus note from Paris and the amber-citrus combo from Aelopile had a baby, it would smell like this. Overall: Innocent, sweet, gentle and soft. There isn't a single sharp edge in this perfume, as least not once it's on the skin, but there is a ripe, humid sweetness here that does make this fitting for the concept. Even though citrus and amber can be assertive on me, they're very well blended and subdued here—almost as if that sweet, airy lotus has wrapped everything up in a shimmery haze. It's a dreamy and romantic sort of scent, and I like it. However, the lotus is the star of the show here, so if you hate lotus for its sweetness, then it's unlikely this blend will change your mind. If, however, you (like me) love lotus and are looking for a blend that really shows off its potential, then Forbidden Fruit might be just the thing.

In the imp: Sunshine and sweet flowers—a glowing, pale yellow scent, and very, very springy. This is so pretty and feminine! I get mostly the jasmine (softer here, with not a hint of pointy sharpness), and then a strong golden undercurrent of honeysuckle. It's like sitting outside on a warm day, soaking up the sun and smelling the sweet scent of flowers on the fresh breeze. On, wet: Softly sweet, fresh, beautiful floral. Fresh jasmine and honeysuckle are still the standouts for me, but I am getting a third flower now that must be the buttercup. It's such a pure-hearted, wide-eyed sort of scent, very hopeful and bright. I want to wear this and skip around like a child. ;-) On, dry: The jasmine has mellowed out and moved back, letting the honeysuckle and buttercup take center stage. It's lighter and less overtly sweet—not candyish, anyway, although there's still plenty of natural, nectar-y sweetness. It does have that quality of warm, absolutely clean skin, and also a light-as-air, soft "fresh spring breeze" quality that reminds me of the floral side of Host of the Air (which is a good thing). Later: Blended, soft, floral--clean and sweet and gently beautiful. The florals have all melded together and are basically indistinct. If pressed, I'd say that the honeysuckle is the most prominent, which is just fine with me. Overall: Eos is amazingly gentle and graceful for me, despite featuring at least two flowers that some (not me) would describe as cloyingly sweet. On me, with my nose, this isn't cloying or overly sweet at all; it's just a light, soft, beautiful spring/summer floral, youthful and unpretentious. I'd especially recommend it to people who often feel that jasmine is too sharp, because this is a very soft, user-friendly jasmine. Eos reminds me of France and the house that I lived in there, which featured a garden covered in honeysuckle vines. When the weather was warm and the soft breezes were blowing, the wind would be perfumed with the scent of that honeysuckle… and that's exactly the memory this perfume captures. Yup, this is a big bottle for me. Bonus: this has amazing throw for something so light, and it lasts.

In the imp: Mmm! This is foodier than I anticipated. It smells like marzipan, sweet and creamy and almondy, with some bright neroli. Beneath that, there are the warm spices and a soft hint of the rose. The sandalwood doesn't pop out at me here, and I can't tell if it's just faint, or if it's masked at the moment by the strength of the other notes. Anyway: foody, citrusy, sensual and feminine. On, wet: The rose immediately pops out on my skin, blending with the almond and neroli. The sandalwood is a distinct but subtle undercurrent now, and there are still hints of the clove, adding some nice warmth and interest. The combination of the rose, neroli and sandalwood brings Jezebel to mind, just a little bit; it has the same kind of sensuality, but not as sweet and candy-like. This is no longer foody to me. On, dry: Rose, sandalwood and neroli, with some subtle creaminess from the almond and just a hint of the spicy-sweet clove. It's sort of like the lovechild of Jezebel and Winter of Our Discontent: spicy, exotic and sweet, but a bit mysterious and dark. (I think cloves automatically strike me as dark.) Later: Sweet rose and sandalwood, with a trace of the almond. It's drier now, woodier and more subtly spicy, but it's still a very womanly, seductive sort of perfume. For all that, it's not hugely powerful—you aren't going to be knocking people over with this one as you pass by—but it's definitely a "come hither" scent. Overall: Exotic, sensual and generally delicious, making me think of lush fabrics, glowing skin and candlelight. This definitely fits the concept, and in its early stages, it isn't just luxurious and sweet; it's damn near edible. It becomes less foody as the roses and sandalwood come out, but it's always very rich, sexy and hedonistic. At times it reminds me of Jezebel and at others, it seems like a more feminine Winter of Our Discontent, but it's definitely its own unique blend. Glad I have a few imps of this one; I'll put it on when I feel especially sexy.

In the imp: RUM! Wow, that is really strong and really rummy. Very boozy, but more foody and creamy-sweet than I expected. It smells like buttered rum or a cake laced with rum, rich and very warm and sugary, with a hint of spice. It's very golden and butterscotch-y. On, wet: Still buttery, sugared rum. It actually reminds me of butterscotch candies, and not in a bad way. It's powerful, too; don't slather this unless you want everybody to think you're an alcoholic. Or you have a purse filled with rum cake. On, dry: The buttery quality is gone, and while it's still very sweet rum, it's less like baked goods or sugar and more like molasses or honey. It's a darker, drier scent now. Later: Much lighter and drier, and though it's still rummy, it isn't particularly boozy. It's developed a woody sort of sweetness. A cask of rum, perhaps? Overall: Boozy, foody, sweet and buttery. Straight out of the imp, it smells like buttered rum sauce, delicious enough to eat. This was foodier than I expected, but it was enjoyable. To be honest, it made me think more of delicious baked goods and candies more than it did pirates, but that isn't a bad thing. Even the dry down is pleasant; as it takes on that woody tinge, it reminds me a bit of the later stages of Miskatonic University, with the wood/books/booze scent. I haven't tried any of the other rum scents yet, so I have no basis for comparison, but I'd wear this again. I'd just be sparing about it, because it really is very strong to start.

The velvet flower. A lush, thick, luxuriant bloom, bold and red. In the imp: Very, very red and lush and sweet, though not as floral as I expected. It smells like red candied cherries and roses, with an undertone of... chocolate? Strangely, my nose can't seem to decide if it's dusty chocolate or garden dirt. Either way, it's a welcome counterpoint to the rich, red sweetness of the flower. On, wet: Bright red cherries with hints of spicy rose and berries, enriched by that chocolate note (most definitely luscious chocolate now, and NOT dirt). You could have told me this was a chocolate-covered cherry plant, and I'd believe you. It's very bold, luxurious and sensual, and not at all a stereotypical floral. Strong throw. On, dry: Chocolate roses and red berries, with only a little bit of the cherry aroma from earlier and a touch of something that's almost like coconut. It's much less bright red now, though still smooth and heady and rich. Later: Chocolate, with just a touch of the sweet red berry/rose scent from earlier. It's pale and smooth and sweet, but not a very sugary sort of chocolate. Overall: "The velvet flower" is right on target, because this is an intensely smooth, velvety scent, very rich and bold. It's much more foody than I expected it to be, but that isn't a bad thing. All in all, this smells like Valentine's Day to me: silky, chocolaty, with lots of red, red cherries and berries and roses. Medium wear length, strong throw.

In the imp: Purple fruity-floral. The only two notes that stand out distinctly at the moment are jasmine and plum… possibly a touch of violet, but it's very subdued here. It's feminine and powerful, dark and mysterious. On, wet: Heady dark floral with a very ripe and fruity aspect. It's a deep, intense purple, a majestic sort of perfume. After a few minutes, a swirl of incense smoke comes out, a haze over the violets, jasmine and plums. It's not as sweet as you might expect, because the incense really cuts a lot of that sweetness. Perfect for Morgause. On, dry: Smokey, winey, voluptuous dark plums and incense, with a backdrop of flowers. It's a bit sweeter now, but still very dark and intense and complex. It's not overpoweringly floral, and not completely fruity, either; this is something in-between, and it's very well blended. Later: Plummy, very incense-y, smokey, with a bit of sweetness from the flowers. It's drier now, not as juicy, but it's blended beautifully. Much later: Incense, with a hint of plum. Overall: A deep, dark purple scent, womanly and regal but shadowy and mysterious. It's quite fruity (specifically, very plummy) but not overly sweet, and the incense is the perfect touch to bring the flowers and fruit together. I'll wear this one when I'm in the mood to smite somebody.

In the imp: Yum! Sweet and a bit foody, with some definite light, fluffy spring floral from the sweet pea. The vanilla and ambers blend together so well, and I already want to slather myself with this. On, wet: Surprisingly, I get a LOT of sandalwood out of this. (White sandalwood is usually very faint on me!) But this is woody-sweet, with a pale floral backdrop and added depth and a richer, warmer, almost caramel-like sweetness from the vanilla and amber. Not as foody as I thought it would be from the imp smell, but that isn't a bad thing. This isn't cloying at all—sweet, yes, but light and delicate and lovely. On, dry: It's foodier now, as I'm getting more of the vanilla and amber, and together with the sandalwood, it smells like… pound cake. Delicious, awesome, slightly lemony pound cake, next to a bouquet of fresh sweet peas. I love it! It isn't woody anymore, but it's not entirely foody or floral, either. It's just a lovely combination, surprisingly subtle for a scent with some of these notes. Later: Vanilla, sandalwood and amber beneath. It's warmer and creamier now, and a lot of the sweet pea is gone, but there's still some dry sandalwood to balance it and keep it from being totally foody. Overall: Pure and absolute win. This one is foody without being cloying, with enough dryness from the sandalwood and floral from the sweet pea to be complex and interesting. As always, I love the vanilla, but it's a different vanilla from the golden vanilla of Lyonesse or the dark, smoky vanilla of the Antikythera Mechanism. This one is a sweet, very lightly floral vanilla, soft and creamy but not too rich. Another one for my vanilla collection!

In the imp: I took a sniff when this first arrived, and it was nothing but LEMONY verbena, so I put it away for some time. This time, the imp scent is much more complex: still bright and lemony, but with a sweet, creamy quality from the honeysuckle and heliotrope that makes me think of sugary lemon candies. The orange blossom is much fainter, but it's also there, blending with the lemon verbena. It's a pale yellow, nearly edible scent. On, wet: Tart lemon and softer orange blossom, with a sweet, wispy background from the honeysuckle to keep the lemon in check. It's a very playful, bright-eyed, flirtatious scent. It doesn't necessarily give me the hyper-sexualized vibe I'd expect from Lolita, but it is very young and pretty and flirty. On, dry: So beautiful! This is the perfect balance of tart, sassy lemon, creamy heliotrope and sweet honeysuckle. It's voluptuous and fresh, neither too sweet nor too citrusy. Now I can see why this is for Lolita, because there's youth and sass here, but also something ripe and sensual in the sweet flowers, and it's a potent combination. Innocently sexual, I'd say, and maybe a little bit candyish. Later: Mostly heliotrope and honeysuckle, with a haze of orange blossom to add some spirited citrus. Soft and quietly gorgeous, though still with decent throw. It won't knock anybody over, but if they get close enough to talk to you, they'll be enticed to come closer. Overall: I wasn't prepared for how much I liked this one, but I think this is easily one of my favorite citrus scents (along with Croquet, which has the same playful vibe, but not the sensuality). Everything is in balance here, with just enough sweetness (honeysuckle), creaminess (heliotrope) and bright, tart citrus (lemon verbena and orange blossom), which all blends together in a flirty, irresistible way. The throw is excellent but not overpowering, and the staying power is good. I don't think I have a thing in common with Lolita, but I want a big bottle of this stuff now.

In the imp: Ooh, high, sharp, sweet floral—a big whiff of jasmine and lily of the valley, which makes me think of dewy youth and virginal purity, sort of bridal bouquet-ish. I'm a floral person, and I'm fairly certain that I should/will love these notes, but this... makes me a little nervous. Although with a deeper sniff, I think I'm picking out the juicy, fruity plum, and that seems to be rounding this out a bit and adding depth. Still, I'm mildly surprised that I'm not getting any orchid or calla lily. On, wet: And right on schedule, my skin brings out the ylang-ylang the instant I put this on. Holy wow, this is STRONG. The jasmine and lily of the valley have backed off a respectable distance, though, which is nice, and the plum is most definitely there beneath the flowers, ripe and fruity. This is pale and sweet but not overwhelming or shrieky, and it's surprisingly complex. There's a definite muskiness here—probably lily and ylang-ylang—that gives this a sensual feel. On, dry: Oh! During the dry down, this became exactly the fragrance I hoped it would be: clean and white yet ripe and fruity, innocent and yet lush. The plum, orchid and calla lily have blended together to form the heart of this perfume, while the airy, sweet jasmine and ylang-ylang dance around in the background, adding their own sort of sweetness. The plum keeps everything grounded, undercutting the sweeeeet flowers and bringing out the fruity aspects of the orchid and calla lily. Taken together, it's just… ~swoons~ The name is right on, because I keep wanting to huff deep breaths of this. ;-) Later: Plum and orchid, for the most part. Faint but sweet and fruity. Overall: This one was a little scary in the imp, but it was glorious on my skin. It's a big bouquet of clean, sweet, floaty flowers with lots of juicy plum to center it. The overall effect is very lush, soft and ladylike and beautiful, and I can see how it fits in with the idea of being so rapturously in love that you're sighing with longing. I love it and will definitely wear it again... although I'll probably not put on as much, because the throw is massive, especially during the earlier stages.

In the imp: Honey and ylang-ylang, with labdanum and maybe a hint of spicy musk. It's surprisingly warm and exotic--sweet, but not as heavy and thick as some honey blends can be. The ylang-ylang adds a floral touch without making this a genuine floral. Very pretty and softly sensual with an almost fruity or bubblegum aspect. On, wet: YLANG-YLANG. Oh, and some musk and labdanum. But the ylang-ylang is loud and clear at this stage, and the honey is much fainter—unusual, because honey usually loves my skin. It's still very sensual, but much more floral now, with an undertone of musk. Thankfully, I like ylang-ylang, and it's not amping so much that it drowns out the other notes. However, this is powerful stuff, and I'm afraid I'm leaving a cloud of ylang-ylang wherever I go. On, dry: The honey came out again during the dry down, smooth and sweet, and now it's merged with the ylang-ylang to form a very sweet, honeyed floral over a base of the musks. There are faint touches of labdanum, but the ylang-ylang and honey are the heart of this. As far as color associations, this is a yellow fragrance to me, though I couldn't tell you why. It just is. Later: Basically unchanged, although the ylang-ylang has died down a bit and allowed some of the labdanum to come through. The musks make this nice and warm and a bit exotic. It's surprisingly light now, given how strong it was initially. Overall: This is one of the few ylang-ylang blends I've tried in which the ylang-ylang didn't burn off within minutes of application, so it gets extra points for that. It is very sweet, but surprisingly, it isn't really heavy, and the combination of musks, resin, honey and flowers actually comes out to a very smooth, sophisticated, quietly sensual scent. I wouldn't recommend it for those who hate ylang-ylang, because the first several minutes with are very strong, but otherwise it's quite nice. I might not rush to get a big bottle, but I'll definitely keep the imp.

In the imp: A very fresh, pale rose with a soft, sweet, wispy quality to it. It's a dewy rose, not fully opened and not candy sweet, either. It also isn't quite like any other BPAL rose that I've tried, though there's something fresh air-like here that makes me think of the linden blossoms in The Unicorn. On, wet: Young, dew-covered white tea roses, with a tiny touch of green stem. Behind the rose itself is something a bit softer and sweeter, in a way that almost makes me think of Antique Lace. I guess that's the moonflower? It's very pretty, feminine and ethereal, and it makes me think of a moonlit stroll in a rose garden. On, dry: The moonflower (?) note is becoming more prominent and blending with the dewy rose, making the whole thing very light and soft and sweet—again, it makes me think of Antique Lace, but with white roses instead of vanilla musk. As light and almost… translucent as this is, it actually has decent throw. Later: Perfect blend of the rose and the moonflower note, although I think this is more moonflower than rose on me. In any case, it's light and clean and it does have a certain glowing quality that does make me think of moonbeams. Overall: If ghosts wore perfume, this would be it. This is more Moon Floral than Moon Rose on me, because the dewy rose note eventually softens and fades into the sweeter moonflower, but it still does have a moonlit, glowing, lustrous quality to it, and I think it's lovely. It's sweet and feminine without being sugary and light without being a skin scent. I suspect it would be an especially nice choice for hot weather, because it isn't heavy at all.

In the imp: It's funny, how many different ways people have interpreted this rose! For me, it's sweet, young, pink rosebuds, youthful and fresh, with a softer undertone of what I would swear are purple violets to give it a dreamy, romantic, Victorian aspect. This does seem very much like pre-bite Lucy to me: young and pretty and full of promise. On, wet: These are fuller, more lush roses now, deep pink with a subtle kick of spice. The violets haven't totally disappeared, but they're definitely second-fiddle here, just adding a little bit of sweet purple to the mix. The blooming roses and spice do make this more seductive than it was in the imp—innocently seductive, if that's possible. Very Victorian. On, dry: Equal parts roses and violets, with just enough spice to keep this young. Sweet, charming, old-fashioned floral with unexpectedly amazing throw. I didn't slather this at all, and I only applied to my wrists, but I keep getting wonderful whiffs. There was a brief dry-almost-powdery stage during the dry down that made me afraid this would go old-ladyish, but now it's ripe and lovely and… honestly, quite gorgeous. Later: More beautiful than ever. The roses and violets and spice form something more than the sum of their parts, and I can't get over how pretty and voluptuous and appealing this is. If Lucy smells like this, then it's no wonder every man in the book, including Dracula, wants her. Overall: This was a frimp, and I was fully braced for this to be all faint and shrill and powdery. But it really wasn't anything like I expected. Instead, it's a vibrant, lovely, feminine blend, a perfect marriage of pink rose and purple violets and spice. It's vivacious and summery, a perfect scent for Lucy, and unlike some other rose blends I've tried and liked, it has great staying power and throw on me. I've already had several compliments on this one, so I'm pretty sure it's a keeper.

In the bottle: This is like springtime in a bottle! Bright green, sweet, fresh and clean, yet complex, too. I get sweet, fresh cut green grass with a little bit of dandelion, sharper peat, and a haze of soft clover and heather. There are hints of the other flowers, but they're subtle. I'm actually getting a little bit of spark from the juniper berry, too—faint, but it's there. On, wet: More green, less flowers. I get all the complex, green, earthy smells: green grass, peat, and something with a touch of bark that must be the "cross-leaved heath." I can still smell the flowers, but they're a very light, airy sweetness in the background. On, dry: Flowers, fresh air and greenery. I get a big, soft, light-as-air bouquet of all the flowers here, clover and heather and dandelions and bluebell, supported by the deeper green scents, particularly the peat. There's also something here that's round and sweet-tart and sort of fruity, which I suppose might be the cloudberry. It's extremely clean and breezy and refreshing. Later: Soft flowers and fresh air, with just a hint of moss. Overall: This is SO lovely. My hopes were high for this one after looking at the note list, but it's even better than I expected. It's lush, refreshing and green, but not at all sharp—more of the naturally sweet, dewy green scent that comes with springtime, accented by the soft smell of a clean breeze and all the flowers. It brings back memories of sunny spring days in the backyard in my mother's flower garden. It's not at all a heavy scent, but it has surprisingly good throw and longevity. I suspect it's more floral for me than it has been for other people, but my skin looooves flowers, so my experience might not be typical. In any case, think I'll be reaching for this one a lot during the springtime, especially on casual days when I just want to smell good but not necessarily perfumey.

In the imp: Sweet, fresh, clean-but-dark floral, with an almost fruity aspect. I definitely get a nice balance of the black orchid, apple blossom and clover, but the other notes are harder to pick out. This is really well-blended, feminine but strong and clear, and it definitely has a Celtic feel. On, wet: Again, sweet, fresh blooms, dark and purple and somewhat fruity—mostly that gorgeous orchid, but I can sense the other flowers, and the green moss beneath. There is something definitely wild about this, despite the gentleness of some of the notes. I feel like I'm in a damp meadow after a large, cleansing summer rainstorm. Unless this one goes seriously funky on the dry down, this is instant love. On, dry: More of the apple blossom and red clover now, with the orchid hanging out in the background. Still basically the same: stunning and intimidating at the same time, with some sensuality from the orchid and apple and a fresh, natural feel from the other notes. Later: So well blended that it's difficult to pick out any of the notes. I want to say that the apple blossom is on top, but this is really one of those cases where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. It's just really lovely, to the point where I keep sniffing my wrists. Overall: I was right: instant love. This is a drop-dead gorgeous blend. I always love orchid notes, but unlike some of the orchid-centric scents I've tried, it doesn't take over the perfume here, but matches very nicely with the fruity apple blossom and clover, while the other, greener notes round out the florals and support them perfectly. It's beautiful, very feminine but not at all frilly or girly. It's a lush, confident, womanly perfume, and it's extremely well blended. So glad I have two imps of this!

In the imp: Green, tangy-sweet herbal at first—not grass, but it could be clover. With a deeper sniff, I can pick out some sweet white flower, possibly white clover (or white rose?), along with a metallic tang (I assume this is gold), some earthy leather and something sharper, mossy and dark green beneath—possibly peat. On, wet: Very green and sharper than the imp smell—clover and the dark green peatmoss note. This still has a strong, tangy metallic note, and far off in the distance, I do get something that might be resinous, faint and sweet—but that could also be the floral note, because it's really light. On, dry: Warm leather and shiny gold, with just a hint of that sharp green peat. That's a really masculine combination, but it's softened by that resin note, which is giving this a definite sweetness. Definitely cologne-like, but still with a refreshing green bite. Later: Leather, gold and the sweet resin note (it isn't frankincense, but what IS it?). Basically unchanged, just softer and sweeter than before. Overall: This one is on the masculine side, even for my skin, which has a tendency to make even macho scents come out girly. Yet it's lovely, and it really captures the concept, what with the metallic twang and the fresh greenery and that fabulous leather note. I'm not settled on what the sweet, sometimes-floral note is here—it could be clover, could be white rose, it could even be some kind of resin—but it's perfect for balancing out the metallic gold, fresh greens and earthy leather, giving them just enough sweetness to be light and appealing. It does indeed make me think of sunny green fields and rainbows and pots of gold. Really fascinating and appealing. I'm so glad I got to try this one! ETA: It's definitely a resin note adding the sweetness, which became apparent many hours later, as it lingered the longest. My guess would be some variety of amber, although not a heavy, sticky-sweet variety.

In the imp: Slightly sweet floral, but definitely ominous, as promised, with just a tinge of something like decay. This is mostly violets with a touch of iris, with the dark, shadowy musk underneath. I don't really get neroli here, and I expect the sandalwood will come out later. On, wet: This is somewhat deeper on the skin. The neroli comes out with a slightly bitter tang, with the iris and violet just behind, just slightly powdery. The musk is strong and dark and a little sinister underneath it all, grounding the flowers. On, dry: Musky violets with some biting neroli and a haze of sandalwood. It's sweetening up a bit, but still a very shadowy scent thanks to the musk. Really surprisingly faint and pale. Later: Very light, mostly crumbly violets and pale sandalwood with a shadow of deep musk, as the iris and neroli have all but vanished. That makes this a much lighter, drier perfume, sweet and fleeting. By now, it's very much like Veil. Overall: In the imp, this is a grassy-sweet, almost green sort of violet--almost, almost a little bit vetiver-ish, as in the lighter, cucumber-like vetiver in Bluebeard. It deepens on the skin a bit as the musk and neroli come out to play, but it never had enough presence for me; I love violets, but I like round, full, profoundly purple violets, which this is definitely not. It's suitably shadowy to start, but it dries down to a very light, dry, almost ghostly violet perfume with just a little bit of musk and not nearly enough sandalwood. Maybe it's because my imp is of indeterminate age, but I definitely didn't get the deep, dark exotic floral that others have mentioned. If anything, this is high and shallow and sharp for my tastes, even though I like florals a lot—exactly like Veil.

In the imp: Orange patchouli, with a distinct undertone of ambergris. It's a warm, orange-red scent. The patchouli is making the orange blossom and ambergris funkier than they normally smell to my nose, sort of acidic and earthy at the same time, almost a little bug-spray-ish. When I really sniff, I get a little bit of spice from the carnations, but not much On, wet: A whoosh of orange and spicy carnation, and then the patchouli leaps out again. It's strong and really earthy, and it's keeping the flowers and ambergris from getting sweet or rich. The orange is still strong, but the patchouli is gunning for it big-time. It's… actually almost creating a kind of dirty, salty, BO-type scent, so I'm not getting an image of a grand, glittering ball so much as two people who snuck out of the ball and are now rolling around in the gardens outside, getting their costumes dirty by doing dirty things. Or maybe they just don't practice good hygiene; I don't know. On, dry: Whew! The stinky dirty BO stage passed really quickly, thank god. Now it's spicy-sweet orange blossoms and slinky ambergris, with a much more restrained base of patchouli to make it a bit musky, mysterious and smoky, almost debauched. This is a masquerade ball filled with plotting and intrigue—lots of faces hidden behind glittering masks and feathery fans. Later: Spicy floral—primarily carnation, with a tinge orange and ambergris. The patchouli is almost gone, just adding a little bit of dark smoke. Overall: Aside from the brief funky BO stage during the dry down, this is nice, if not spectacular for me: bright yet dark, a spicy combination of floral, fruit and smoke. Having said that, this one just isn't really particularly me, even though I generally like orange blossom and carnation and ambergris. For the citrus-carnation combo, I'd prefer Moscow, and for dark-orange scents, I'd rather have Winter of Our Discontent or The Great Sword of War, so… yeah, not something I love, but I think it would be great for those who love orange and/or strongly earthy patchouli.

In the imp: Sweet, candied fruit. It's actually more difficult to pick out individual notes than I expected, but I definitely get the spicy-golden amber adding depth, the sweet-tart strawberry and cherry and the red musk and heliotrope. The vanilla isn't as prominent as I expected. It's bright, extremely sweet and intoxicating, a bright pink or red scent. On, wet: Lots of sweet heliotrope and creamy vanilla, scattered with very juicy, fresh strawberries, though the black cherry has disappeared. The amber and red musk ground everything, giving this a sensual undercurrent, although this is still very young feeling. I am surprised at how relatively light this is for me; I expected that with so many sweet components, overkill might be an issue, but not so far. On, dry: Heliotrope with strawberry and light vanilla, with more of the ambery red musk—less creamy than before, but still sweet and fruity-floral. I appear to amp heliotrope, because it shows up strong in just about every blend I've tried with it—it smells good and it doesn't drown out the other ingredients, but it's definitely the major player here, assisted by the strawberry. The throw is actually stronger now than it was wet, which is a pleasant surprise. Also a pleasant surprise: the amber and red musk are restrained, providing a nice, steady base. Later: The heliotrope finally reined it in a little, and now the strawberry is out front, still with some vanilla and red musk. The strawberry and red musk combination actually smells a lot like yummy strawberry incense, candy sweet but with some depth. Overall: This is sexy in a girly, young, flirty way, and it's a lot of fun--not completely floral, not completely fruity, not completely candy, but some combination of the three. It's much lighter than I expected, sweet but not cloying or overwhelming. In its early stages, it's mostly bright heliotrope and fruit for me, with a dollop of vanilla for creaminess, but later on the strawberry really takes center stage, combining with the musk and amber to create something that's still sweet, but more sensual and less candied. I think a big bottle of this one might be in my future.

In the imp: OMG, this is exactly the smell of my Grandmother and her house: rosy and woody and sharply, pleasingly herbal. (Note that this does NOT mean "Old Lady Florals"--Grandma was an eccentric artist who collected exotic wood sculptures from all over the world and had a huge rose garden in her backyard.) I get the green, faintly sweet rose leaf over everything, amazingly true to life, with some mellower rosewood beneath. It's a little bit dusty, but the rose leaves add freshness. On, wet: Dry, burnished rosewood furniture in a dusty, cluttered but not decrepit house. (Rosewood never smells as totally rose to me as it seems to do for other people—for me, it's always a wood with hints of rose.) The rose leaves disappeared for a moment, but they're already back, drier and more crumbly than they were, still providing some nice sharpness in counterpoint to the softer, sweeter rosewood. It's warm but mysterious, slightly sweet and—for me—incredibly comforting. On, dry: The rosewood and rose leaf have blended together so well that it's difficult to separate them; they're just a woody-sweet/herbal-sharp whole, pleasantly dry and just a little bit rosy. The hazel has come out beautifully—it's very subtle, but it just gives this a warm, sweet, almost buttery quality that softens the dry wood and green leaves. Later: An actual smell of rose—as in the flower itself—has finally bloomed, further softening the wood and the greenery. It's a lovely, slightly faded rose, sweet and natural and dry but not at all powdery, warmed with the hazel. It sticks very close to the skin—sort of a second-skin scent. Overall: It's hard to emphasize just how much this reminds me of my grandmother—this is like the distilled essence of her and her home in a bottle: woody, a bit dusty and dry, overlaid with the sweet-sharp smell of a rose garden and greenery. Naturally, I love it. For me, it's a slightly bohemian, unpretentious scent, warm and comforting but still reserved and sharp enough to be sophisticated. It would be beautiful as a room scent, but I think it's also very nice as a perfume, the kind of blend you reach for when you want to smell nice but not like you're wearing perfume. In other words, it's a perfect everyday blend.

In the imp: A very deep red scent--sweet, fruity and sensual, but with a definite dark, almost earthy edge. First sniff is strong honey and clove, followed by very red cherries and wine, with a subtle but distinct undercurrent of vetiver that suggests dirt--a bit like Earth Phoenix. Beneath the sweetness, this one feels menacing and sexual. On, wet: This is so weird. On the one hand, I'm really attracted, and on the other hand, it's so… ominous. Strange. Disturbing. But I'm fascinated. Less cherry and honey now, but more spicy-sweet clove and bold red wine (mulled, sort of), while the vanilla and poppy are blooming now and adding a different sort of sweetness… but underneath it all are the vetiver and musk, adding this subtle undercurrent of corruption and aggressive sexuality, undercutting the sweetness. And yet, the smell reminds me of nothing so much as... Athens? Huh. Figure that one out. It must be the honey and red wine together. On, dry: Blended into a unique scent now: smooth, spicy, dark red, sensual and sinister. It's so well blended, in fact, that it's difficult to pick the notes apart. It's like smoky, musky mulled wine with dark cherries floating in it, sweetened by honey. The heavy poppy makes it a bit languid. Later: Smoky, musky cherry-vanilla, spiked with spicy clove. The vetiver has totally disappeared into the mix, and the honey is all but gone, although there's still a trace of red wine beneath the sweetness. It's dark and delicious and sexy, but surprisingly faint. Overall: I wasn't crazy about the smell of this in the imp or when very first applied, but it's one of those blends that has to be on your skin to be fully appreciated. Once it's on my skin, it morphs very rapidly into a complex but silky, sexy, well-blended perfume—very dark, very red, very confident. I'm not sure it's really me, but I like what it does for me. It's sweet but extremely seductive and wicked, perfect for a vampire's kiss. I'd say this is an especially good one for those who fear unrestrained vetiver, because it behaves itself well here, and it's a good example of how it can give a blend an unsettling edge without ever taking over.

In the imp: Vanilla musk! Oh, this is so much prettier than what I expected. It's a soft, sweet, milky scent—if I had to give it a color, I'd say ivory, because it does make me think of antique clothes and the way they yellow a bit—that's definitely the "aged linens." Yet it isn't musty or old-lady-ish at all, just warm and comforting. There are florals here, but very well-blended and almost impossible to pick apart. On, wet: Still musky, soft vanilla sweetness with a touch of clean linen and equally clean, sweet white flowers. I agree with the reviewers who compared this to mallow flowers, because it definitely has that round, soft sweetness. There's a little touch of something almost dusty here, but it's faint. I keep picturing a carefully preserved antique wedding dress handed down over time and Victorian dressing tables and yellowed, well-loved love letters, still holding a trace of perfume. On, dry: The vanilla has become stronger over time, and there's less of whatever it is that smells like mallow flower, but otherwise, this is unchanged and as gorgeous as ever: clean, soft, sweet, feminine, vanilla floral with a very slightly powdery edge. It reminds me a little bit of the Vanilla Fields perfume that I used to adore (along with every other girl in my high school), but this is so much better. Later: Unchanged. Graceful, sweet vanilla goodness. There's maybe a bit more of the dusty/powdery note, but not a big difference. Still good enough that I want to do nothing but sit and sniff my wrists. Overall: This is so beautiful, and I know without hesitation that I want a big bottle of this one. This imp is just not going to last long, given how much I love this. It's sweet and light and soft, in every sense—not obnoxiously, sugary sweet, not loud at all, but just subtle and warm and terribly comforting. It's very feminine and a little old-fashioned, maybe, but in the best possible way; this is the kind of nostalgia that makes you feel good.

Bittersweet yet powerful: salty aquatic notes and bursting with dragon's blood. In the imp: Aquatic floral, with some definite salt and a hint of dragon's blood. It's not as powerfully dark-blue-green-aquatic as The Sea Foams Blood, or as flowery, but the salt isn't dominant either. Instead, the combination just smells very clean and a bit bracing, like a sea breeze. On, wet: Dragon's blood at first, all red cherries and lilacs, but the aquatic note warms up quickly and balances out the sweeter resin—just enough salt to give it some tang, but not enough for me to sniff and think "Hmm, salty." It's still very clean and surprisingly light, considering that this is a Dragon's Blood aquatic. I don't get any bitterness here. On, dry: Mostly the aquatic now, a bit of salt and mineral tanginess, with a faint aura of the lilac-y Dragon's Blood. It's still light and clean, very fresh but not soapy. Later: It's extremely faint, but otherwise unchanged: salt spray, minerals, fresh air and lilacs. Overall: I wondered how this one would compare to The Sea Foams Blood, given that they're very similar combinations (Dragon's Blood plus aquatic notes). They're similar, with the salt and minerals of the aquatics balancing the sweet Dragon's Blood, but they're definitely not identical—Dragon's Tears is lighter for me, not as heavy or dark or potent. In fact, Dragon's Tears is a very subtle and quiet fragrance on me, the kind where you sort of have to have your nose buried in my cleavage to notice it. (Not that this is necessarily a bad thing… ) As I said, it's a very clean, cool scent, a good choice for hot, humid weather, and I'd recommend it if you just found The Seam Foams Blood to be too much—too much floral, too much darkness, too much throw, whatever. This is the same thing, but softer.

In the imp: Herbal but sweet and grassy, a very light, cool, pale green floral. I smell the white mint above all, along with the palmarosa and osmanthus. There's some tart delphinium, too. No rose or violet yet, no sandalwood. On, wet: The mint is less overtly minty now; it's just adding coolness and shimmer to everything. I'm getting mainly palmarosa, delphinium and osmanthus and almost none of the violet and rose. Again, it's very grassy and fresh and tangy-sweet in a natural way, not at all cloying. It really feels like a field on a summer morning, when the sun's coming up and all the plants are covered with dew and there's still some chill in the air. On, dry: Everything it was wet, but the violet and rose bloom softly on the dry down and they just make this scent something… more. Fuller, rounder, more complexity, more depth. There's still grassiness from the palmarosa and a cool herbal bite from the white mint, but this is really becoming something very pretty, delicate and unique. The sandalwood hasn't come out by itself; it's just holding everything together without being a distraction. Later: Very faint but completely blended. None of the elements are distinct; they've all blended into a lovely, herbal-sweet, fresh fragrance that's more than the sum of its parts. Overall: This is not like any other blend I've tried, from BPAL or elsewhere; it's really beautiful and very true to the inspiration. It's a cool, fresh, luminous scent—floral, but light as air and quite natural. This isn't an "O HAI I'M WEARING PERFUME" scent, but an elusive, magical, "come and sniff me" scent.

In the imp: Lots of sweet honey and strong, tangy red wine, with a dark undertone of myrrh. It does seem almost exactly what I imagined it would be, sweet and astringent at the same time, a little bit like Cockaigne without the sweet, buttery cake. Actually… somebody earlier compared this to a Greek marinade and I can sort of see it. The sweetness of the honey and the sharp wine make me think of balsamic vinegar! On, wet: A whoosh of dark red wine, and then the myrrh really blooms, dark and majestic—definitely not like a marinade now. The honey's out of the spotlight, as strong as it was in the imp; now it's just taking the tart edge off and sweetening this up. I get some blooming flowers here, too, though I couldn't tell you what they are. Maybe just wildflowers, but they're very pretty with the myrrh. On, dry: Deep red wine and warm, smoky myrrh, just sweetened by a drizzle of wildflower honey. This is much more complex than I expected, and much less sweet. The honey is really restrained; the main focus is definitely on the wine and myrrh, which makes this luxurious. It smells like an Athenian noblewoman's perfume. Later: Mostly myrrh, with a lingering hint of the wine and wildflower honey. It's surprisingly delicate, very graceful. Overall: I really didn't expect much from this one, because the wine/honey combination was underwhelming to me in Cockaigne, but Athens works for me in all the ways Cockaigne didn't. The honey never takes over this blend, because the dark wine and myrrh more than balance it out, but it's just enough to give this a golden quality and keep the wine from getting too sour or acidic. Those unnamed flowers add some nice complexity, too. It's a rich, regal sort of perfume and it does have a Classical feel to it. Very nice--strong, though, at least when first applied. I wouldn't slather this one.

The End of All Things: empty white musk and mint seeped with solemn lavender, doleful patchouli and vetiver, scythe-sharp yuzu and lime, with geranium bourbon, white sandalwood and calla lily. In the imp: Yuzu, lime and mint, with a weedy, earthy undertone of patchouli and vetiver (thankfully restrained here). It's hazy and pale, yet herbal, green and tart. If this scent were a color, it would be a pale, translucent grey-green. I know that he has his own scent over in the Good Omens section, but this actually makes me think Pollution, rather than Death. On, wet: Crushed green mint, yuzu and lavender are bright and sharp and in the forefront, while the patchouli and vetiver back off and sink down to the bottom, giving this an earthy base. The lily, geranium bourbon and sandalwood are very faint, but they're starting to warm up and sweeten everything, taking the sharp edge off the greener elements. White musk gives the whole thing a hazy quality. On, dry: WOW. This is almost all lily, sandalwood, geranium bourbon and white musk, freshened up with a spritz of the citrus and lavender. The vetiver is totally gone, and the patchouli is really subtle, giving this depth. It's a very complex scent, but it's smooth and sweet and beautiful, actually sort of creamy. (I could almost swear this had vanilla in it.) It's pale, yes, but… I would call this peaceful, not empty. Later: Drier, but still a very pale, pure scent. It's lily, sandalwood and white musk, with a sweet, woody tinge to it. Overall: It's official: I love the "Come and See" oils. I was doubtful about this one from the imp scent, which was very sharp and herbal, but on my skin, it's actually amazing, and I'm now as nuts about this one as I was over The Bow and Crown of Conquest. The early stages are sharply green and earthy, but once the lily, sandalwood and geranium bourbon kick in, it becomes gorgeously complex, sweet and clean and peaceful over an earthy base. Excellent throw, too.