Balame

It's been around for a long time, but my favorite aquatic is still Y'ha-Nthlei from the good ol' GC. It seriously smells "magical" to me and has this sparkly quality from the ambergris. It's simultaneously foamy, warm and reminiscent of the sea. You might like Lyonesse. Despite having many of my favorite notes, it got too powdery on me and the salty/sweet combo just turned weird with my chemistry. A lot of people love it though, so it's worth a shot. Oh, and definitely Silence! In my opinion it's more on the fruit/musk side rather than purely aquatic, but it has watery qualities (blue musk, lotus root, teas). It's a really soft, soothing scent. It's tough to find these days but I cherish my bottle and think tracking one down is totally worth it. Cthulhu in Love is great but it's not as watery as the others. More incense/chocolate/kelp to me (which is actually really good, I swear), so there's at least a hint of the sea in there. Lastly, Vial of Holy Water. I haven't gotten to try this one yet, but it sounds really clean and lovely. People seem to describe it as white musk, ozone, mint and cucumber.

No Caliban (The scent of the salty seas, bittersweet wine, palm and tropical ferns) yet? It does have the sea angle, but it was marshy to me. Dunwich (Dry, skeletal woods and moist marsh, dripping with the perfume of bog lilies) is good but it's pretty old at this point, not sure how easily you'd find it. I think Montauk Project (Hagbark hickory, sassafras, black gum, bald cypress, pine, dogwood, wild comfrey, swamp sunflower, and trumpet creeper) would be very close to what you want. Urgh, and there was another great Cthulhu-based scent. Not the recent Boundless Vista one. I'm pretty sure I'm thinking of Cthulhu in Love (An amorphous mix of oppressive, piceous ritual incense, macerated kelp, sea salt, sticky dark ocean plants, and… mixed chocolates). I might be off the mark with this one (it's like an "idealistic" swamp vs a real one) but it seriously smells like a swamp that had a bunch of chocolates thrown into it. All the green vibrancy but with warm incense and the sweetness of chocolate. Not as "clean" as the others but definitely delicious.

Although that description is lovely, I found the notes online. It should help with finding similarities. Top: Tangerine, peach, rosewood. Heart: White flowers, gardenia, tuberose. Base: Vanilla, sandalwood and amber. Might need to layer to get something similar. Glancing at that I immediately thought of Haloes (Oak, tonka, vanilla, white sandalwood, lily of the valley, white ginger, amber, and apricot). It's a fruity floral (I guess I'd say heavier on the fruit) with very similar, warm basenotes. I think Fallen (Cherubic white sandalwood and golden musk with a dark halo of amber, a breath of imperial florals, unbending woods, and the shadow cast by vetiver and violet) might be deeper than what you're looking for with the vetiver and violet, but the amber/floral combo is definitely strong in this one. Aglaea (Three golden ambers, bright musk, peach wine and myrtle) might be good for layering with a heavy white floral. Same goes for Tamora (Amber, heliotrope, golden sandalwood, peach blossom and vanilla bean). I think Haloes would be the closest to what you want on its own. It does have a slight bite initially thanks to the ginger, but it dries down to something more subtle and inviting like you're after. Hope that helps!

I'm not big into florals so I can't speak from much expertise there, but I can recommend some vanillas and musks you might like. Celeste - Madagascan vanilla bean, vanilla orchid, orris root, and saffron. (LE) The Lights of Men's Lives - The wax and smoke of millions upon millions of candles... It's basically a soft vanilla and beeswax. The Girl - White amber, silver birch, immortelle, davana, pale musk, star jasmine, and ylang ylang. (LE) This is super hard to find now. To be honest it was was pretty "meh" to me but a ton of people love it and think it's the best white musk around. Lady Death: Savage - White musk, grey amber, Calabrian bergamot, vanilla absolute, French labdanum, styrax, wormwood, caraway, and bois de jasmin. Now this is my kind of musk. It's deep and feminine but warm where The Girl is cool. Lady has a sparkling quality to it that makes me smile; very well-blended, pretty yet strong. The Robotic Scarab - Polished metallic notes, glossy leather, frankincense, star anise, and thin lubricating oils. If you're liking metallics and are still curious about leather I highly recommend this. It goes on strong so give it some time, as it dries down to a stunning sun-warmed metal with a background of soft leather. Smut - Three swarthy, smutty musks sweetened with sugar and woozy with dark booze notes. (LE) The musk holy grail of BPAL, in my opinion. Sugary and sensual with the drunken lustiness of booze. It *might* be too heady for you but perhaps still worth a shot. I'm usually sensitive to "in your face" scents but Smut doesn't bother me.

Yes, I'm very excited to try all the gorgeous sounding Shungas this year. I really love tea in my perfumes, especially when it's dirtied up a bit with darker notes. I'm thinking Koito and Sashichi might hit that spot in particular with the tobacco. I have Eldritch Drunken Constellations on my wish list - it sounds lovely, especially since I have a weakness for ambergris. Another scent I'm happy to mention here: Nefarious Plan, a recent BPTP bath oil in the naughty/nice series. I wear it as a perfume and I'm *so* glad I took a chance with it because it's seriously sex in a bottle. The tea leaf is front and center. Smells exactly like the real deal but it's also warm and sugary and ugh. Amazing. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants a sugared, rich but raw sort of tea blend.

Wow, there are definitely many sides to you. I think that complexity is what makes people special. Beautiful and Adored - Rose musk, white gardenia, English pear, vanilla bean, red currant, and honey. This definitely. It's cheery, feminine and warm plus you certainly seem "adored" by your friends. Kumiho - A sharp, biting blend of crisp white tea and ginger. In my opinion the description of this sounds much harsher than it really is. It's sort of light, sweetly exotic floral with a hint of tea. Vasilissa - Creamy skin musk and blushing pink musk with soft sandalwood, white amber, dutiful myrrh, and star jasmine. I seem to be recommending this to everyone lately! It's one of my favorites. Such a gorgeous, creamy scent. I think for you it's perfect since it's gentle and soft but somehow sensual. Lolita - Glittering heliotrope, honeysuckle, orange blossom and lemon verbena. Floral and summery. Fits with your cute but sexy persona. I'm trying to think of some "darker" scents for your more morbid side as well... maybe: Lady Death - Savage - White musk, grey amber, Calabrian bergamot, vanilla absolute, French labdanum, styrax, wormwood, caraway, and bois de jasmin. Another of my favorites. It has a very fierce sort of femininity. Weird description, but it brings to mind "sparkling grey" when I wear it. It's pretty but rooted in the depth of the musk, amber and resin. Debauchery - Mingled heady civet and red Egyptian musk, thickened with opium. I don't know if you like incense-y smells but this is definitely it. Sexy and raw. Dorian - A Victorian fougere with three pale musks and dark, sugared vanilla tea. I think everyone should try Dorian, it's popular for a reason. It's lightly sweet but somehow naughty. Hell's Bell - Oleander with wet, sweet mandarin, lush magnolia, a rush of deep musk and a touch of spice. Basically a spicy floral. Kind of juicy.

Boo... Eerie billows of spun sugar, fluttering white cotton, and sheets of cream.

I actually don't like lavender (much) or consider it as soothing as many people do, so here are some oils in different note families that may help. I generally feel extra relaxed when I wear "cuddly" scents which just so happen to be some of my favorites: Banshee Beat - A tousled, sexy mix of patchouli, vanilla, and hemp. The vanilla is definitely warm and soothing, and the patch reads as chocolate-y rather than woodsy or overpowering. Morocco - The intoxicating perfume of exotic incenses wafting on warm desert breezes. Arabian spices wind through a blend of warm musk, carnation, red sandalwood and cassia. This is a very dreamy scent to me. "Warm desert breezes" is apt. Makes me feel like drifting off on a magic carpet. Atlas - Mallow, oak bark, coffee bean, hinoki wood, and khus. This is my favorite BPAL scent ever! It's lightly woodsy but backed by a beautiful, soft pillow of mallow and coffee beans. It's like how you'd imagine the ideal smores-roast. Golden Priapus - Vanilla and amber with juniper, rosewood and white pine. Could depend on if the juniper and pine amp on you; for me they start out strong then it mellows into a delicious vanilla/amber with a touch of woods grounding the sweetness. Mr. Ibis - Papyrus, vanilla flower, Egyptian musk, African musk, aloe ferox, white sandalwood. Such a clean scent but it does not smell ozone-y or like laundry detergent. The musks have what I'd describe as a "wet warmth" which is lightened by the papyrus and aloe. Very refreshing and soothing, makes me feel safe.

Mmph. This is a hot scent. "Raw" is really the right word. The caramelized sugar hits you first, so strong it almost smells burnt, but the sweetness trails after. A rough smack followed by a caress. The tea and tobacco leaves give this more weight, rounding out the sugary softness with a... I don't want to say "green" note, because it's not a bright smell. They're deep and vaguely herbal, like what crushed tea would smell like after it's been carried around in a burlap pouch for a while. I'm guessing the patchouli it what's giving it a more earthy vibe, though impressively it's not dominating like it usually does in other blends. After a while I find the tea leaf is the standout, with orange blossom dripping along its veins. As others have said it's very well blended so there's a general, drool-worthy seductiveness backing it. It verges on being incense-y but stops short. It's darkly juicy instead. I suppose that's fitting since it's supposed to be filled with twisted, clever schemes. I adore it; great to find something that worked for me after being underwhelmed by the Nice scents this year. I guess I'm Naughty at heart. I can definitely imagine an alluring villain/ess wearing this, drawing the hero to their lair to "discuss" their long-standing rivalry before stabbing them in the back. Reminds me a bit of another favorite, Satan & Death with Sin Intervening. Same sweet darkness combined with orange blossom. S&D is heavier on the incense in comparison and missing the tea/sugar.

Note: I'm wearing this as a perfume rather than bathing in it. Upon first application I want to eat my wrist. The cacao is dominant and smells amazing. It's followed by the patchouli, giving me very strong Banshee Beat vibes. I know BB doesn't have cacao in it, but I guess the vanilla/patch combo has always given me that impression. Something strange then rears its ugly head and I'm guessing it's the ylang ylang? Florals generally don't play well with me so I was hoping it would stay in the background and/or that my skin chemistry would eat it, but no such luck. The gorgeous foody mix is gone and all I get is artificial honey with wilting flowers. The amber tries to placate it but instead boosts the floral sweetness. Yuck. *edited* Due to a mishap of me mistaking oudh for another note. Sorry oudh.

Wow, this is pretty. I wasn't sure what to expect from the note combo; orange and cedar? Seemed a little dodgy, but it's surprisingly nice. Another poster mentioned A Variety of Pleasing Amusements but I don't think it's very similar (not as deep or sweet, plus no leather). For me it's close to Vasilissa; creamy sweet amber, sparkling musk and a touch of vibrant orange blossom. The cedar was noticeable when wet but disappeared after a few minutes. The honey is a pleasant addition. It's not overbearing, but makes the scent more languorous. Fairly light overall and stays close to the skin. I like it, but not enough to want more when I already have a bottle of Vasi.

This is more floral/herbal than foody/tobacco, which is not what I was hoping for. It's a warm yet bright scent. The hyssop provides a sweet white floral note, which is primarily backed by the sage and slightly medicinal smelling herbs. The honey further sweetens things up, but sadly this combination is making me think of sugary cough syrup instead of a welcoming witch in the forest. Not getting any of the acorn either.

Gorgeous. Very overdue review... Michael is resinous and airy, almost smoky. But "thin" smoke, if that makes any sense. Like a puff of incense. Not too heavy. The musk is smooth and liquid, the sandalwood gently sweet and the incense gives it a solid backbone (olibanum = frankincense, but it's not harsh here). The styrax is really beautiful and gives this a slight vanillic quality. It's very much in the same vein as White Rider and Cathedral. If you like either of those, this is definitely worth a shot. It's softer on the sandalwood, more pale white musk dominant, but retains a slightly spicy woodsiness.

The Sound of Insects from the recent Lupers (Mandarin, lime, red currant, black tea, ginger). It was almost single note lime on me!

Gwydion is right, there's a sweet floral feel in this. I'm not sure what from. I love all the notes, but perhaps it's the myrrh, which can sometimes come across as a bit perfume-y? Coupled with the powdery feel of ambergris, that's all I can think of. This is definitely in the same category as Penitence and Midnight Mass, but I actually think I like MM the most between all of them. Penitence is awesome but can be too harsh to wear daily, and this is too stereotypically feminine. Since I don't like florals, I'm not digging how it dries down. Goes a bit baby wipe on me, and sort of reminds me of shampoo as well. Dang! I tested this earlier and it was more dominant on the woods, but maybe I just hadn't waited long enough for it to dry before writing down my thoughts.

Thanks again to hlinspjalda for frimping me this! Was very curious about it since there was a major fuss a few years back when it came out, but the notes didn't call out to me at the time. I was really concerned about the brimstone, which can be overly smoky, but this is surprisingly not. Much lighter and "girlier" than I prepared myself for. I would say the sweet bay rum is dominant, supported by bourbon vanilla. It has hints of herbal/green about it from the roots, and a delicate spice that almost smells like cinnamon to me. Hyssop is related to my most hated anise (licorice scent, bleh) and there is almost a candy sweetness from it here. Nearly a hit. I do think it's the hyssop screwing things up, as I wanted this to be a boozy, spicy, softly sweet scent... but as it dries the sweetness amps and starts to remind me of a candy shop. So I dislike it for almost the opposite reason I was expecting to dislike it. Not highly smoky, but highly sugary. It actually reminds me a bit of Coca Cola. Ah well, I'm sure I'll be able to swap it off to someone who will love it!

A lot of the GC has already been covered here, but I figured some guys would be interested in hearing about more recent LEs that could work for them as well. Haitian Vetiver SN: Obviously, you should love vetiver if you get this. It is intensely dark, smoky, sexy and earthy. People tend to love it or hate it, so try it in a few different blends before tracking this down. Certainly a very distinct, unusual smell. It may come across as BBQ when you first apply it. Do not fear, for it dries down to gorgeousness. If you like BPAL's leather notes you might like this, as it has a similar vibe. Kagema: PURE SEX. This is my favorite scent on my husband. If you like woods you should like this, but be aware it is woods lite, not the in your face woods of Ranger. The bay rum is sweetly delicious and spicy, coupled with the lighter thrum of citrus and grounded with smooth tobacco. Some, including myself, feel like it is the regal scent of "sexy pirate." Antique: A wonderful pick for guys from the recent Lupers. Definitely woodsy in a forest sort of way, given warmth by the darkness of leather and richly sweet (not overwhelmingly so) amber. In His Hands All Thy Cruelties Thrive: From the new Lady of Pain Scents. I haven't tested it yet, but people are already saying it's a masculine, clove cigarette sort of smell. Luperci: A re-release of a beloved classic. Luperci is really enticing. It comes across as simultaneously slick, dry and herbal. The benzoin gives it a resinous quality, while the beeswax/honey sweetens things up and the musk makes it sensual. Voyeuristic Monkey: Very cologne-y due to the heavy musks, but the mix of notes give it a yummy, almost chocolate-y sweetness amidst the heaviness. Woodsy due to the patchouli, with a green brightness from galbanum. Noh Mask and Maple Leaves: This starts off almost astringent to me, but it calms down to a green, spiced incense. Nice warm clove in the background.

A wonderful swapper sent me this as a frimp! So glad to try it. Vetiver was one of my first note loves and continues to be today. It's funny, because I've never gotten the "bacon" reference from vet in any oil where it's part of a blend, but here as a SN, I can definitely pick that out from the decant. It's not particularly meaty, but gives off a smoked, BBQ sort of vibe. However, once I slather some on, it turns into the dark earthiness that I know and love. You know the BPAL oil named "A Blot Upon the Earth"? Well, that's obviously a different scent than this, but it could totally be vetiver's royal title. It's like a void of black. A pool of ink. In fact it literally smells inky, but with a smoky, earthy roundness behind it. I even get the slight sweetness that eventually sneaks out as Sinestra mentioned. It's very soothing to me. Like being curled up in a cave where there's a bunch of wet earth and grass husks near the opening. I also just had a weird thought association with this... it makes me think of a sith. Yes, from Star Wars. Dark and moody and likely to be dangerous if you try and get too close, but strangely alluring nonetheless. I just want to follow Dark Lord Vetiver around and do whatever he says for a moment's praise. I so need a bottle of this.

I love every single note in here except for daemonorops because I didn't know what it was. When I smelled this I wondered what was making it so icky for me, so I looked it up and apparently it's pretty much dragon's blood resin. BLERGH. No wonder I'm having issues, since that's one of my least favorite notes. Too bad it messed everything up, because otherwise this would be quite lovely. It was very juicy sweet thanks to the currant and musk, with a real warmth from the amber and honey. It actually reminded me a bit of Nag Champa incense, but more cherry-ish, cloying and obnoxious.

Yeah, like surlygirl, anise is one of those notes that typically doesn't play nicely with me. Here it's no different. While the coconut, lemon and vanilla was a really delicious combo, it was then that the anise came along and contaminated it with its gross, black licorice-y self. If you like licorice go for it, but sadly I do not.

This is so nice. The milk smells like a lighter cream accord and stays true, which I am all over. Tuberose wafts softly around, giving it a tropical floral feel. Not overkill, softly sweet. Wasn't sure about the carrot, but it's there and extremely well-behaved. It almost smells as if you dipped a carrot in yummy sugared milk, making the scent as a whole a bit fresher thanks to the brightness of the vegetable. More tolerable than if it had a list full of sweet notes alone. Quite a unique combination!

Started off like my favorite BPAL aquatic, Y'ha-nthlei. It was sweet, rich and powdery ambergris with flashes of orange citrus. Then it was all NOPE, sorry honey, I'm Y'ha's evil stepmother. Went very sharp and a little nauseating. Usually saltiness doesn't bother me but it is just nonstop like whoa. There's a bit of a woodsy/green vibe on the drydown, but in a loud/astringent way. I guess it might be the mugwort? Too harsh on me.

I liked this a lot. What a surprise! I figured it would be a heavy chocolate with lots of killer spice, but not at all. Contrary to some of the other reviews, for me this was not the "I'M MILK CHOCOLATE IN YO FACE" as in scents like Gelt, Bliss, etc. It doesn't smell like commercial chocolate at all. Instead, as yeahbutnobut said, it's a light, dusty and soft brown sort of scent. The smell of very light chocolate with something almost nutty as well. Very gentle and cuddly. Amazingly I did not get any pepper or cinnamon... this is a delicately sweet scent, but my chemistry is not amping the spice, which is great. I do get a very heavenly undertone of vanilla bean. Totally edible.

Finally got a chance to test this one! Parrot hit the nail on the head when she said it starts out sharp. I kid you not, it intially reminds me of scents like Jolly Roger (maybe more intense!), Caliban and other snappy aquatics. There's a biting salt note, like you just got hurled into ocean foam. Once you sink into the depths and the water settles, though, it's rather nice. Soft and creamy vanilla with a lightly floral aspect and the decadence of amber and ambergris. It's deepened by the musk and dusty orris, making it a little on the perfume-y side. Not bad, not great. I was hoping for more, but the different aspects of this scent are just confusing for me. It's at once vanillic, floral, aquatic and commercial. Too much going on at once. The vanilla upon drydown is lovely, but I have plenty of scents that can fulfill that role better. Banshee Beat, White Peacock, Atlas (technically mallow but it smells similar), even the recent French Tobacco SN... all lovely vanillas that don't feel like they could've come from Nordstrom.

Lighter than I expected. I was thinking of Philosopher in Meditation when I tried this, which has a very purple, richly fruity scent, but then I remembered that was from the Kyphi and not the Abramelin. Abramelin is like an incense made of resinous air. Like galbanum + balsam, so slightly green and very fresh. Almost to the point of being cleaning solution/air freshener in a blend that's already metallic and ozone-y like this. It's bright, crisp, very much gleaming. Not in a citrus way. Delicately cool and refreshing. I want to love it because resins and metal are fabulous, but I feel like this is Robotic Scarab with less warmth, comfort and friendliness. It doesn't last long either, so I think I'll have to pass. For those that enjoy pure, wispy ozone, this is for you.