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BPAL Madness!

zankoku_zen

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Everything posted by zankoku_zen

  1. I think I might have to wear Severin for this. .... I can't believe I admitted to it...
  2. zankoku_zen

    Blue Moon 2007

    This is a scent that I've been waiting to own forever. I do have a sniffie of Blue Moon 2004 In the bottle: Wet, green, sharp, very complex On Skin: Really complex again. I get a 'lunar' feeling amongst the swirls of something lightly floral, a whiff of something woody, a whiff of an aquatic. In general though, it's a lightly herbal tinged floral with an aquatic, airy tone to it. And I truly suck at picking any distinctive note on this. And yes, I do think there is a slight asian feel to it and perhaps my mind is incorrectly correlating it to the oude, but I think that might be it. And yes, I do smell a certain similarity to the Evening Star, and I think that's the moonflower note. On Drydown: A fragrant clear floral Verdict: Really, this is nothing like I've ever smelled before. When I put it on and made my husband sniff it even HE said that you can just SMELL the complexity and that was mindblowing to him, like how all these smells were packaged into this teensy wheensy little bottle (at what he thinks is a bargain price). It doesn't smell anything like Blue Moon 2004, in which the cucumber and mint were very prominent on my skin and that was a clean aquatic in comparison to this complex floral scent. But I have to say that I'm not disappointed in the least because I really do love this incarnation as well. The husband and I went shopping today and as we walked by a department perfume counter a sales lady asked me if I wanted to try some perfume on. I shook my head and kept walking. I looked at my husband after we were out of earshot and said "Even if they could get something that smells THIS complex without the alcohol, I doubt they could get it for under $35 bucks". And yeah, for what we're paying, this is a phenomenal product.
  3. zankoku_zen

    Kumiho

    Another empty sniffie. In the imp: Ginger On Skin: Ginger and tea On Drydown: Lemony sort of asian floral Verdict: Hum... I don't quite think this is for me. But it was nice to try it out!
  4. zankoku_zen

    Cold Moon

    This is just an empty sniffie In the imp: I smell ozone and something that almost smells like varnish, but very green. It's sharp On Skin: I think there is enough residual oil on the wand to swab at my wrist. On the skin its sweeter and yes, I do smell the slushy snow note from the lab in there. On Drydown: Sweet florals Verdict: This is pretty. I don't know how feasible it is to try and get some but it's a pretty scent. I'm glad that I got a sniffie to try it! ETA: So I swapped for a bottle of Cold Moon 2004, and tested side by side with Ice Queen. They smell almost identical except that Cold Moon has sweet spices, and a certain warmth as opposed to Ice Queen which smells more berry/snowy to me. It's like a warmer version of Ice Queen. Very interesting, but I actually like Ice Queen better.
  5. zankoku_zen

    Job Interview Recommendations

    I was thinking perhaps something to smell beforehand to calm the nerves/boost confidence? I've got rescue rememdy, but it diesn't seemt o do much for me... Haha. For me, that is totally High John the Conqueror. It makes me into a superhero. Things just don't faze or scare me when I wear it. Maybe its a placebo effect but I don't care. Plus, it smells grapey and I found out, I really enjoy that smell.
  6. zankoku_zen

    Quietude

    In the imp: Chinese cooking sauce. Soy, salt and something else. Perhaps the saltiness is coming from the lavender? On Skin: Limey/lemony, a tinge of lavender, and again... something that smells like soy sauce to me. Drydown: Soy sauce. Verdict: No lavender/lime goodness for me. Instead, my skin chemistry does not like Quietude at all. Maybe it likes to be frenetic and crazy and stressed. I don't know. SAD.
  7. zankoku_zen

    Pride

    In the imp: Roses On Skin: Rose soap On Drydown: More rose soap. Verdict: Alas, roses continue to love me. I, however, can't be in love with them. It is really a sad state of affairs when my skin seems so amenable to them. *Sigh* It is however, a very lovely rosey scent. Clean and pure. Pretty.
  8. zankoku_zen

    Job Interview Recommendations

    Man, I totally forgot to post about my interviewing experiences this fall. High John the Conqueror rocks. I usually put just a teensy bit on around my chest area so I'm the only one that can smell it. Others: Anthelion (TAL), Horn of Plenty
  9. zankoku_zen

    Job Interview Recommendations

    There is a thread here: http://www.bpal.org/index.php?showtopic=8518 That is all about job interview recommendations (about 6 pages long) . A mod will probably end up merging your thread in there. Most people suggest not to wear something in case your interviewer is allergic. However, if you insist on wearing some, something light and discreet is preferable. Also, it should probably be applied somewhere where only you can smell it (ie - like a little bit in your cleavage, etc).
  10. zankoku_zen

    Virahotkantita

    In the imp: Sharp and sour like floral, and something that I think smells like crocuses On Skin: Still a sharp floral, I can definitely smell the iris note but can't distinguish anything else On Drydown: Iris, frankincense and cedar. And by cedar, really cedar. Verdict: This doesn't work for me. At all. SAAD. Since this Heroine I was looking forward to.
  11. zankoku_zen

    Johnathan Harker

    In the imp: Citrusy/lemony... must be the verbena On Skin: Verbena is very predominant, I get a small hint of tea and something else. Drydown: Verbena, tea and something slightly musky, and very masculine. Verdict: I wouldn't be able to wear this one... but I'm going to try it on the husband. I think he might enjoy it. Will edit later with his impressions. ETA: On the boy, it starts out as a very stringent lemon blend and then turns into a funky musk. There is something component wise that doesn't work with his skin chemistry. I think he would have liked it better if it smelled on him what it smelled like on me. Neither of us is a fan of how it smells on him.
  12. zankoku_zen

    Zombi

    In the imp: Citrus and rose On Skin: Sharp citrus like smell and ROSE!boom! Drydown: Smells like roses... not the fresh kind but the preserved, potpourri kind. The kind that grandmothers like to buy and keep in sachets. Verdict: I wish I got some dirt smell from this. Instead, I smell like roses, old ladies and old ladies that like to keep dried roses. Definitely not for me.
  13. zankoku_zen

    Jacob's Ladder

    I received a 1/4 decant from someone as a frimp. I don't know the year In the imp: Smokey incense On Skin: Smokey incense Drydown: Sweet smoke Verdict: I really, really like this. I would have never tried it, based on the notes and the description because it's not the type of scent I usually go for. BPAL strikes again, thereby proving you really need to try it out because you don't know if it will work. I don't know if I would ever use much of this, but I will definitely cherish the small amount I have, and perhaps, just perhaps, try to find a full decant of this. Again, not a scent I'd reach for during the week, but it is warm and comforting... and yes, I agree with the person that said this is what Aureus should have smelled like (Aureus went horribly wrong on my skin). ETA: spelling check.
  14. zankoku_zen

    Moscow

    In the imp: Rich cologne, as well as a sharp note On Skin: Floral and rosey with a hint of tangerine On Drydown: Imperial. Rosey but not overwhelmingly so and this definitely smells kinda 'perfumey' but it smells Russian. Verdict: I can imagine Russia smelling like this. A bit grandiose, a bit melancholic, a bit brooding, regal, imperial. This is one of the more evocative Wanderlust scents I've tried. I really like it for that reason. But this is not something I'd be comfortable wearing. It's an incredible olfactory experience but I don't see myself reaching for it. Maybe I'm not Russian enough in my soul.
  15. zankoku_zen

    Vinland

    In the imp: Sweet flowers On Skin: Grassy note is very prominent, sweet yet delicate flowers On Drydown: Very sweet flowers Verdict: I don't know which of the flowers turn extremely sweet on me (maybe the maple leaf) but this is a sweet flowery blend. Not my style but it's a sweet blend without being foodie, which is always good to keep as a reference.
  16. zankoku_zen

    March Hare

    In the imp: Apricot On Skin: Apricot and clove. On Drydown: Apricot and clove, and kinda smells like generic potpourri. Verdict: Out of all the clove scents, this is the one that I like the most. Unfortunately, it sort of turned into a pleasant but generic potpourri smell on my skin. Curses.
  17. zankoku_zen

    Milk Moon 2007

    In the bottle: Fruity On Skin: Fruity pina colada On Drydown: Fruity pina colada, I get mild hints of fig. Verdict: So. Not. Me. It's a pretty foody scent... but I'm not a pineapple fan at all. I was hoping for some the milky creamy goodness others were getting. Apparently, this was like "moon on the beach" for me, complete with a little umbrella. Tropical.
  18. zankoku_zen

    Sybaris

    In the imp: Violet and clove On Skin: CLOVE!boom and violets On Drydown: Clove and something that smells sharp like... pee... After an hour: Clove!boom Verdict: Clove, clove and more clove! This kinda reminds me to the clove cigarettes I used to smoke. On the other hand, the sharp 'pee-like' note, which coincidentally does remind me to the sharp note in Oneiroi is very prominent. I wonder what it is. Bah, this so doesn't work for me.
  19. zankoku_zen

    The Isle of the Dead

    In the imp: floral and wood On Skin: Green shoots and something that smells almost like varnish On Drydown: Woody varnish Verdict: There is something in this blend that my skin doesn't like. Big time. Sad, because I had the notion that this would be nice and woody on my skin.
  20. zankoku_zen

    All Saints'

    This is a sniffie for All Saints 2004 In the imp: Incensey On Skin: Incensey and a sharp floral On Drydown: Sharp floral with a hint of honey. After an hour: Smells very rosey right now, with a hint of incense. Verdict: I'm glad I got to try this but to love it I'd have to love roses and incense, which I don't. But it's a pretty scent.
  21. zankoku_zen

    Monster Bait: biggerCritters

    In the imp: Vanilla and something floral that smells kinda musty. I think it's the gardenia. On Skin: Vanilla and a graham crackery floral Drydown: Musky vanilla and a hint of wet wool Verdict: I've always suspected that BPAL gardenia does not play well with my skin (ever since the incident with Lady of Shallot), but this confirmed it. Which makes me sad because I really wanted to like this. Really. Oh, the heartache.
  22. zankoku_zen

    One to Tie, Two to Win

    In the imp: Dandelions! Woo. On Skin: Dandelions and grass. How does the Lab bottle this stuff? There's something about the sharpness of the dandelion that reminds me to Szepasszony On Drydown: Dandelion, grass and soap. It turns into a soapy, breezey sort of floral. Verdict: Oh, if the soap hadn't arrived, I'd be extremely delighted. Again, it does remind me of Szepasszony, which is one of the reasons I like this scent. But the soap. Ah, the soap slays me.
  23. zankoku_zen

    Shoggoth

    In the imp: Citrus and a caramel like scent On Skin: Citrus, very strongly a lime citrus, and coconut. On Drydown: The lime edge flitters a bit away and I get more of a floral coconut. Verdict: I think the lime is a little too sharp for my taste. And I was hoping that the coconut would not take over. Unfortunately, it seems the BPAL coconut wants to smother me in its goodness but I don't appreciate the smothering. There is some very light, cheery, summery and tropical about this blend. It's as if Shoggoths went down to a Brazilian beach for some suntan time and margaritas. I don't think that's the image Lovecraft had in mind.
  24. zankoku_zen

    Chrysanthemum Moon

    Her scent is bewitching, almost intoxicating: a sensual incense of crushed mums, red ginger, and pulsing musk ... and the air is thick with leaden brown opium smoke that hangs thickly over a seductive mixture of red musk, body-warmed perfume, and hypnotic Eastern flowers. In the imp: Incensey florals On Skin: Smokey florals, I think there might be some dragon's blood in this. It sure smells like it! On Drydown: Warm florals, incensey. Verdict: Very pretty, but I don't do incensey florals. I don't think the ginger ever made an appearance. Sad.
  25. zankoku_zen

    Night-Gaunt

    In the imp: Smells like the pith of a grapefruit. On Skin: Juicy, delicious grapefruit. It's got a touch of the bitterness associated with the pith but it smells like a ripe, just split grapefruit On Drydown: I get a tinge of florals with the grapefruit. After several hours: The grapefruit is gone. It's a pretty floral, with a touch of yuzu, which is sweet and fruity. Verdict: When it comes to grapefruit, this gives Baobhan Sith a serious run for it's money. The main difference is that this is really juicy fruit, whereas the grapefruit is much more muted and perhaps sharper in BS, and it's more of a white floral blend. The wet stage of this however is absolutely heavenly, like I smeared myself with grapefruit juice.
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