Balame

I get the "scorched and charred" sensation right off the bat. Not pleasant. There's a juicy red musk behind the ashes, with a rich and sweet carnation wafting around. It's an unusual combo, simultaneously repulsing and attracting me (good for its namesake, I suppose). As the burning note dies down it morphs into Tiger Balm. YES, almost exactly. Sweet, spicy and powdery all at once. The warm scent of muscles being eased under a heating patch. So very strange to find in a perfume. I really love vetiver, but with it being it in its ashy/dry form here along with the weird musk and floofy carnation, it's not at its finest. It almost becomes candy-ish the longer it dries, which is definitely not for me. Bummer. *edit* I feel like I should add, for the numerous BPALites out there who dislike vetiver, that you may actually dig this scent. Don't let my lack of enjoyment throw you off, because it was actually the sweetness near the end that turned me off, not the "burn." The vet in this actually falls way back amongst the notes within about 15 minutes. Try and outlast it to see if you like the drydown.

Quaeris Quot from the new Lupers was a tea-like scent for me. Very bright and refreshing.

Hrm. Have you tried Velvet (Sandalwood warmed by cocoa vanilla and a veil of deep myrrh) from the GC? It's not quite the same scent profile, but it is a woodsy sweetness similar to Banshee Beat.

Some of the commenters mentioned coconut suntan lotion and YES. You are not alone, that is exactly the first impression I get. But stay with me because Al Azif is much more awesome and complex than that. It also has a spicy incense (like cinnamon with myrrh, but not the "oh my god it burns" type of cinnamon) and the wafting, airily resinous quality of benzoin. It's innocently intoxicating. It has a warm amber quality, with wisps of grey smoke mingling along the edges. Like a young Middle Eastern imam, fresh-faced and kind, but with a depth in his eyes that speaks of the darkness he's seen in man. More complex than you give him credit for on first glance, and when you look closer you find yourself entranced. It is similar to Morocco, but with more strength and intricacy. My husband's skin chemistry is killer with this; he amps up the spiced creaminess and it's just ugh. I don't know. It glows. This scent makes me think of enlightment.

Aah, Okayaki. My experience of you seems so different from everyone else's. Sniffing from the bottle I get a sweet, slightly musky powder. Like the pink poof from a compact, it's a little perfume-y but not cloying, and has a voluptuousness to it. It's backed by a rather smoky but undeniable citrus from the bergamot, giving it energy and zest. I know the "sweet powder" to be amber, but this is such a rare occurance for me. Normally amber is rich and luscious and luxuriously wet on me. But this is dry and powdery. Much closer to dusty ambergris than usual. Not bad, but different. The cardamom is also not how I know it, often green and biting as in tea. I really don't smell it at all. There's a haziness and that's it. No intense floral from the lily. I really don't get the snowball or cold reference that many do. Not sure if it's my mental associations or actual chemistry. But to me this is like a pampered courtesan sitting at her vanity, dabbing sweet puffs of powder across her silky skin while surrounded by gifts from her admirers. It's actually quite inviting and familiar, something you want to nuzzle against.

Yeah, a disappointing lack of pure cream in the GC... you might try Lyonesse. It's a creamy, slightly aquatic vanilla, though not dark. Al-Azif is super sexy, sort of like a sweet cream with incense and resins, but I think that would be too Middle Eastern for Catwoman. Vasilissa is too delicate, and the only other thing I can think of is Morocco. Which actually might work. It's deepened by the spicy carnation and musk. Are you open to buying from forumites for LE scents? I actually think the ever-popular Banshee Beat might be a good choice for Catwoman, since it has a creamy vanilla with the smoky sensuality of patchouli. Liz (A light, feminine vanilla floral perfume and a swirl of smoke and leather) also has a good mix of sweet vanilla with darker smoke and leather. Liz actually isn't even LE, but you can only buy a bottle from the Lab. I also feel like A Variety of Pleasing Amusements (Honey, leather, tobacco, and myrrh) might be a nice fit. No cream, but the tobacco has a vanillic edge and the honey combined with the rich darkness of myrrh and leather is just sexy and dangerous but inviting.

This is amazing. The leather here is unlike any other BPAL leather I've ever smelled, and I've tested quite a few of them. I guess that's because there technically isn't any. But I swear there's a sweet, worn leather pant (boot?) note here. So beautiful. I've never wanted to eat leather before, but if I could it would be because it smelled like this! I'm familiar with the notes but none are standing because they're blended so well. From the imp it was quite green but hazy, and on it's soft, a little musky and delicately sweet with a background of that fantastic brown leather. It doesn't evoke the scent of a forest so much as a sprawling field, much like the one that leads out of Wall. Except in addition to the fresh grass, there's a trade wind in the air. Full of warmth, magic, unusual herbs, sweet flowers and adventure on the horizon. It's really pretty. I get the stars in your eyes and the anticipation of something great and wonderous. Cozy yet exciting. Extremely evocative blend.

Celeste! It is precisely a light, airy vanilla. More like the thought of vanilla versus an actual, in your face extract. I'd describe it wispy, dreamy and soft. I think you'd like it a lot; worth tracking some down.

A lot of great things have already been said, but when I first put this on I was among the confused... why did it smell like incense-y grape? Then I noticed "lingering incense smoke from their Black Mass." It is TOTALLY the sweet, sexy incense from the Yules' Midnight Mass (which I love)! The powder everyone is noticing is from the ambergris. I don't generally like powdery smells, but I've always loved the delicate, cuddly sweetness of ambergris, and it's still nice here. It has never read as baby powder to me. The musk/tobacco/leather make this more of a lascivious, grownup scent (between them the leather is the least apparent). The imagery of a bunch of snooty, rich but lovable older men settled around a fire is right on. That being said I don't think this is particularly "masculine," and if anyone wants an oil that would do well at a party, I'd go with this.

I'd second The Black Rider. I like Kroenen a lot but based on Fetish.Goth reviews (I haven't tried it personally) it doesn't sound like a match. Fetish.Gosh seems resinous/spicy where Kroenen is incense-y but not very sweet. It also has an earthy aspect because of vetiver. Perhaps you should try Rogue as well? I haven't tested it yet but it seems like woodsy leather, which might channel the patchouli from Fet Goth. You could always layer it with something spicier.

I haven't smelled this unfortunately, but I wanted to mention that one of the new Luper LEs (A Mirror of Spring Pleasures on Kites) is a killer honeysuckle blend. It doesn't have lavender, but it does possess a creamy herbal sweetness. You may like it!

I haven't read Perdido Street Station, but just thinking about the Dr. from Once Upon a Time and mad scientists in general? There were some BPAL scents specifically based on Frankenstein, so I'll have to list a few of those: Pale Student of Unhallowed Arts (Fading Georgian cologne and split O3 molecules.) A Torrent of Light (Eucalyptus petals, white mint, white amber, and ozone.) A Dreary Night of November (Bone-white sandalwood, ink-black vetiver, Spanish moss, bitter clove, beeswax, and lotus root.) Workshop of Filthy Creation (Electricity-scarred cypress beams, ancient stone slabs, damp metal, the coppery tang of coagulating blood, and ozone.) I don't want to mention any spoilers, but here are a few more ideas based on Frankenstein's backstory: Blood (Essence of dragon's blood resin, thickened with myrrh and cherry, with a trickle of clove.) Deep in Earth (Rose geranium, Spanish moss, Irish yew, and graveyard dirt.) Lead Phoenix (Tobacco absolute, hemlock, plum, cypress, styrax, olibanum, and wild lettuce.) The Cracked Bell (Smoke and stillness, faded incense and the metallic tang of blood.)

I can only recommend things based on how it seems Loviatar smells (never tried it since it's become one of those holy grail, impossible to find scents now!) but I'm a big leather fan, so here we go... Black Rider (Black leather, oppoponax, tobacco, and black amber.) This is a nice, sweetly smoky oil. To me it's like incense and leather, which seems like it might be close to Loviatar since it has myrrh/amber/leather. Kroenen (Shining black leather, gleaming metal, labdanum, and myrrh.) I always recommend this guy when people are looking for sexy leather scents. Underappreciated, I think... don't let the metal worry you, it's a strong scent but also incense-y and intriguing. Iago (Malevolent, dark and shadowy: sinuous black musk, wet leather and vetiver.) A lot of people call this the male version of Loviatar. I like vetiver but I know some people are strongly opposed to it. Has an earthy, smoky backdrop with musk. I can also recommend Fighter (Leather, musk, blood, and steel) if you're looking for an almost pure, single note leather. It's a bit ozone-y but I got none of the blood, thankfully. Since it already has leather/musk, maybe you could layer it with something that has amber/myrrh and get close. Captain Cully (A cocky light musk with leather, tonka, a dusting of dry woods, and a splash of porter) also came across as fairly single note, but with a boozy touch. Good luck!

WHOA, this is good. I usually don't like many florals, but that white note from osmanthus + the strong but supple woodsiness of teak, sandalwood and patch is killer! The comparison to Cathedral is really apt. If Cathedral is the regal place of worship, WP is the beautiful young maiden that comes to pray in it. Milky white skin with a mysterious past. It definitely has a vanillic aspect to it. It's delicately sweet and grounded by the richness of creamy tobacco. I can even pick out the nuttiness some people have been mentioning... it comes across as a warmed hazelnut to me, the likes of which I've only found in my beloved Black Pearl. This is SO nice, and how exciting considering I can count the number of bottles I use with florals on one hand. Must find more!

I really like the wet aspect of this scent. When it says "morning dew," that's exactly what I smell. It's like walking in a field of beautiful flowers in the dripping dawn. It's a bit hard for me to pick out individual notes, because the overall sense of things is simple juiciness. There's a soft pomegranite, the sweetness of honey, a tea-like chamomile (not overly herbal, for those concerned) and the rose isn't crazily strong. Like a dewdrop on the tip of a fragrant petal, but not too intensely floral. Beautiful and innocent, lush, gentle.

Great sandalwood. Slightly spicy and yet it doesn't turn dry as the note often does because of a juicy, dripping red musk backing it up. I love sandalwood either way, so I'm liking it so far. I only get a tiny bit of rose and no amber. This did smell pretty strong in the imp, but it immediately softens on my skin. It's a delicately sweetened sandalwood, so if anything, it comes across as quite romantic to me. No fierce sharpness. I guess I have a knack for taming wolves. It's nice but it might be a bit too "pretty" for me.

I didn't expect to like this one (rose works rarely and I wasn't sure I'd like lead), but it's very evocative and intriguing. How to describe it? The "wet honey" is literally just that. Like you stuck your hand in the honey pot and it is fresh. So decadent and sweet. I also smell what I can only describe as a pink sugar. If you've smelled BPAL's pink musk before, it's sort of like that. Like white sugar baked in cookies, but with an extra "girly" vibe. The wine is fruity but not overly alcoholic. And the lead sort of gives everything a metallic vibe. Not getting the rose or any sort of florals. It's very unusual, and I might actually want to wear this if it weren't so intensely candy sweet.

I concur with the weirdness, this was not what I was expecting. But it's really nice! I'm not even sure what I imagined. I guess something much lighter and herbal. Instead, I'm immediately hit with a sticky sweet opium (I guess I'm not too familiar with this note; the only other time I've smelled it was the previous Pickman's). Everything comes together as a cologne-y caramel, which probably sounds gross, but it isn't. I can smell the dry sweetness of the myrrh at the tail end of a sniff, and just the slightest bit of green. Even though it starts out strong, the sillage quickly draws closer and the opium/myrrh become smaller players. Almost to the extent that I wonder if this is the same oil. Overall I'm left with a deep caramel, incense and wafts of woodsiness. It's quite dark, which I usually don't mind, but it may be a bit too sweet. Great, unique blend though.

When this first goes on I get a huge blast of green, spicy and almost cinnamon-y cardamom. It intensely reminds me of masala chai... when my husband's dad first visited our apartment he asked if I could make him this. My sister-in-law helped me simmer some milk, then we dumped a pack of herbs into it. EXACTLY like this. The milky backdrop, green herbs, sweet warmth. Very comforting and bright smell.

From the bottle this is a softly sweet musk with florals, no particular note stronger than the rest. Upon first application it stays gentle, then almost immediately amps the tuberose and jasmine. It's a wet, luscious jasmine backed by soft rose and white florals.

This is so sexy! I was rather surprised when I put this on because I was expecting a really strong leather with a lot of throw, but it's actually quite balanced and light in terms of sillage. The intensity of the leather is nowhere near what it is in scents like Fighter and Kroenen. Surprisingly, I wouldn't even say the leather is as dominant as it is in White Rider! Instead, this is beautifully blended and I get equal parts of the opoponax, which smells like a gently smoky church incense, some sweet tobacco and soft leather. But when I sniff this I don't immediately pick one note out above the rest. I imagine a warrior priest wearing this. There was a book a super kind forumite gave me about a priest that went vigilante and started killing off the most despicable, disgusting people in the world (those with too much political power and the corresponding abuses) and I would totally imagine him smelling like this. Hot. Taboo but still way hot.

Erm, really? Maybe I'm missing some small differences, but my bottle of Aziraphale pretty much looks exactly like that and I bought it from the lab about a year and a half ago. I'll have to check it out again...

There are some that have nice artwork, kitten. Aside from the Shungas of course, here's Corinna and A Thought from Propertius. Qaeris Quot also has a really nice image of two Renaissance women, but I already packed that up so I can't get a picture of it.

I wasn't going to review this because really... what else should I say when the notes are blatantly in the title? However this one wasn't what I was expecting, so here we go. As with amander, I weirdly don't get much chocolate at all. The mate seems to dominate with an unusual green, slightly spicy scent. There's just a pale backdrop of sweetness and I don't even smell bananas. I would've loved something that smelled like a banana split or such, but it's not that. I guess I'd describe it like a bland version of chai tea? Hopefully others will get more of the sweetness I was missing!

This makes me think of a satyr, but a civilized one. If anyone knows Mr. Tumnus from the Chronicles of Narnia, that's who I imagine smelling like this. It's wild but refreshing, very realistic woods. The cedar and juniper are bright but not sharp in any way. There's a background of earthy vetiver and leather grounding things, and perhaps something of a dusty quality. Fresh but dusty. Sounds unusual, but think of a well looked after attic with wood floors, and a big window overlooking an evergreen forest outside. Somewhere to get away from the world and think up new stories. Like walking along a quiet path covered with snow in the winter, wearing a pair of sturdy leather boots, surrounded by cedar trees. Nice.