Balame

This is going to sound really weird, but this is what I wanted Beaver Moon '11 to smell like. For some reason this combination of notes is reading as indulgent honey cheesecake to me! I almost smell lavender at times too. Maybe I'm losing it, who knows. But this is a foody scent to me, and it's good. I can sniff out the apricot, which gives it a nice fruity twist. But light fruity cheesecake. Hm.

Oops, Vasi has been in my Top 10 for ages and I never remembered to review it. Let me remedy that! This is a youthful fairy tale. Innocence and pure beauty given a scent. Soft and creamy, with a powdery sweetness dancing across the base notes. It's Sleeping Beauty singing in the forest, a maiden daydreaming about her true love, the glimmering shafts of light emerging between tree branches. It's very difficult to break this down into, "I smell such and such" note, because it's blended to perfection. It's an experience, and nothing dominates. The first time I looked up the notes I was surprised to see jasmine because I usually can't stand it, but again, this is the creation of a new experience rather than a combination of different scents. Vasilissa is ideal for those times when you need to revert back to a simpler mindset. Wishes made on a star and coins tossed in fountains. I love it. Despite it's purity, it has a strength to it. I suppose that makes sense. What has been accomplished without those who dare to dream?

I... want to marry this scent. It's my new addiction. So nice you can enjoy it without fear of lung cancer! Just freaking holy crap wow. I don't think I can say much more beyond what's already been said. It's super rich, deep, sweet, warm, earthy. Stunning vanilla. Like the best ever. I totally get the "caramel" quality. I want to bathe in this forever so I think I need about 20 bottles!

Much different than I was expecting. Brighter. Usually honey and even currant are rich and deep, but this is light and playful. The ginger is not spicy and harsh, but mixes with the sugar cane for a crystalline vibe. It's like fresh, slightly sweetened tea. I think it should be a must-try for anyone who loves Dorian, White Rabbit, Kumiho and the other popular tea blends. *edit* Also, the bottle art is very pretty. Two lovely Renaissance era women: one with long, curling blonde hair, and the other with red. Wearing embellished dresses with a little cherub and man in the background.

I feel kind of sad posting a negative review since I know a lot of people were excited about this one, but seriously, it smells like icky chemical hair spray. I asked my husband if that's what he got, and he said citrus cleaning solution. Like. It's not bad bad, but you wouldn't want to wear it as perfume, you know? The lime and ginger just make for a really astringent, dry combo. The ginger kind of calms down as it dries, making this almost single note lime. Pretty bland. Hopefully other people will have the right chemistry to make this nice...

This is a pleasant. Makes me think of a tropical drink, but a very light one. I get soft lemon balm and grapefruit, which are very calm in this blend. As it dries more of the airily sweet hibiscus comes out with guava. It does make me think of bubblegum on and off, but in the end it's just too natural smelling for that association (which I like). It's been rare for me to find a fruity BPAL blend that doesn't go sickeningly sweet or artificial on me, and this stays true.

I wanted to love this one so much. It's got that same beautifully aged patch as La Mano del Destino, and the resins are stunning. But the geranium ruins it. Silly as this sounds, it makes Sic Erit too "perfume-y" for my tastes. For those not familiar with geranium, it's sort of like a muskier, spicier rose. I can handle it in smaller doses, but it's just dominating this one and taking away from the woodsiness I enjoy.

Identical twin for Phoenix at Midday. Seriously, if I didn't know any better, I would've sworn these were one in the same. Everything from the "warm" smelling musk, to the golden amber and bright citrus. This is maybe a bit lighter than PaM because of the orris... gives it sort of a sparkling quality versus a heavier, hotter scent. But they're incredibly similar.

This DEFINITELY has chocolate sludge, at least in my bottle. I was in the process of decanting and the first vial I fill up has a clear, slightly yellow-ish oil. Next squeeze is pure black. Whoops! I have to disagree with amander in that I think this is foody. But it's light and wearable no doubt, and as it dries the rose makes it less like dessert. Upon first application it's a perfect match for vanilla lemon custard with a delicate chocolate syrup. Super yummy, but not as rich and overwhelming and as something like Cockaigne. Light, pretty and lickable. I'm also loving the creaminess, because it's been tough to find something that has a foody sweetness similar to Glowing Vulva without getting too intensely sugary. *edit* Now that I've worn this a few times I have to alter my notes. D&C starts off as it was in the bottle with a wonderful lemon/vanilla/choc cream, then turns almost purely into lemon. It's kind of harsh during this stage. About 20 minutes later it settles into a softer lemon with very light wafts of vanilla and cocoa. Why is it that cream notes always disappear once they've traveled from bottles to my skin!? I hate that because I adore the note. This is still really pretty, but I wish it stayed truer to its wet stage and wasn't predominantly citrus-y.

This one is a little hard for me to pin down. I do pick out the powdery sweetness of orris, osmanthus and a touch of jasmine... it's a very white floral and pure scent. "Easter" is definitely spot on, especially if you know what churches tend to smell like when they have the lilies lined up around the altar. Despite the sweetness, this is quite airy and carefree. Most definitely a spring scent. There are too many florals here for me, but I'm not recoiling from it like I do with some of the stronger oils.

From the bottle I get honeysuckle, honey and beeswax. It's a really yummy, dreamy, creamy sort of blend. The imagery I get from this is milk streaming through a field of white and yellow flowers. The hemp and amber don't really darken this in any way, and it's not rich in the heavy sense. It's both romantic and surprisingly refreshing, and like boomtown mentioned, there is a certain "green" vibe behind the gentle florals and honey. I have to compare this to Banshee Beat because of the hemp + sweetness... and it is indeed like a lighter, greener sister. Very pretty.

This is really beautiful. I was hopeful, but worried that the white mint would be a biting candy cane sort of spearmint. It's definitely not... smelling this reminds me of walking out into a forest after it rains. Extremely fresh, watery (in fact I'd say this is aquatic), sweet, with just the tiniest hint of woodsy spice from the agarwood. I'm not picking out any fruity plum, but maybe it's just contributing to the light sweetness here. Awesome blend overall!

I got this as a frimp from a kind swapper and let me say that it is a true testament to "light" scents. The cap on the decant was really weird so I ended up getting this all over my hands, but even freshly applied and slathered I had to get close to smell anything. Definitely a skin scent. Ethereal and wispy are good words to describe this. It's so delicate and has sort of a magical vibe, but in a familiar comforting way. I did not get the fruit any of the other posters mentioned, perhaps because the oil is so aged now. I got a very soft white musk, aloe and gentle vanilla. Serene but yummy. In the middle of drying I did start getting whiffs of grapefruit, but it wasn't the "in your face" grapefruit of say, Cheshire Cat or R'lyeh. Instead it was tempered by sugar cane (not candy sweet, a very natural scent) and thus it didn't come across as citrus-y. More like a sparkly sugar, if that makes any sense. Not getting spice, not getting any of the woods, but that's fine. It's a "pretty" scent, but unique enough that it doesn't remind me of anything commercial. For those that like The Girl, this is in the same vein. It's funny, it's been ages since I smelled TG and I was underwhelmed when I tested it... if anything, this has a similar musky, soft, seductive quality without any of the weirdness I got or the cloying nature of florals.

Light and resinous. I'm not getting much sweetness from the incense, but it's not bitter either. If anything, this is patchouli with a slight waxiness. Probably the gum mastic. Although it's woodsy, it's a very "clean" scent. Simply going by the notes I should love this, but it feels as if something's missing. Like Honey said, I guess it comes across as a bit boring to me. I've been spoiled by the many weird and wonderful combinations from BPAL that use all of these notes in more interesting ways. Doesn't last on me long at all, which is surprising since resins tend to cling. Stayed for about 30 min? It kept reminding me of another oil. Pretty sure I'm thinking of La Mano del Destino. But where Mano's patch had really seductive tobacco and cacao to back it up, this just kind of sits there. To me it comes across as a (lovely) wooden table versus something a human should smell like. Also similar to Aziraphale, but darker and with no musk. Would be a nice room scent.

Bengal! I know I'm a bit late to recommend this, but it's pretty much an exact match for chai. Warm, inviting, sweet and spicy. It's a GC scent, too.

Weirdly enough I haven't tried any of the oils you mentioned, and I've been a fan of BPAL for years - chalk it up to the Lab's endless catalog. I'll try and help out though! It sounds like you're into darker scents? I like vetiver as well (most people either love it or hate it) and it's likely the smoky-sweet scent you're getting from Prurience. I think you might enjoy Azathoth (Tangerine, saffron, vetiver, black amber and cedarwood). It has both the vetiver and amber you like from Prurience, and the tangerine/saffron give it a citrus edge. The Lab also released a Haitian Vetiver single note in October, so if you're open to tracking down LEs, you may want to try that. Some other recs: Silas Ruthyn (Opium smoke, opium tar, mandarin, dark musk, patchouli, tonka, vetiver, and frankincense.) This is a Dark Delicacies retail oil, but you could probably swap for it as well. Lots of matching notes between this and Prurience: the musk, tonka, vetiver. I imagine all the opium would make it nice and smoky. The Great He-Goat (Haitian vetiver, Egyptian amber, carnation, black musk, pomegranate, patchouli, and smoked ginger.) Kroenen (Shining black leather, gleaming metal, labdanum, and myrrh.) This is one of my favorites, it's just a beautiful vetiver with sweetened incense, resin and a hint of metal. Jacob's Ladder (Golden amber, galbanum, benzoin, ambrette, rockrose, costus and tonka.) This is quite a bit lighter than the things you've listed, but it has THE most stunning amber. You'd probably dig tobacco blends as well, so keep an eye out for scents that include it. Hellhound on My Trail and The Antikythera Mechanism are pretty popular.

Great taste! I love Miyazaki marathons. I immediately thought of Sarah when you said Mononoke (Unholy mist congealing into soft, white flesh, with black marble, remnants of liturgical incense, wolf's fur, and black flecks of froth); I think it's the wolf's fur. The marble and incense aren't very foresty, but the ozone in this would make me think of her on the warpath at night. I think Ivanushka (Soft, velvety fur and warm musk, brushed by forest woods and dusted by dry leaves) is pretty much perfect, though. You could also try: Jabberwocky (An earthy yet buoyant scent: pine, eucalyptus and orange.) Mania (Sreeching white musk collides with a howl of red musk, with sharp white grapefruit and pale strawberry leaf.) Loup Garou (Primeval in its raw power and insatiable hunger: juniper, cypress and galangal with the barest touch of eucalyptus.) Mischievous Spirit (Chinese peach, bergamot, cranberry, red vegetal musk, carnation, white coconut, and Nepalese amber.) There were some recommendations for Howl's Moving Castle earlier on.

I know there's not supposed to be any coffee in this, but on me this is the perfect mocha coffee. No booze, no blood. Very similar to Miskatonic U, but while it's sweet, it's not as overwhelmingly sugary as MU was. I like it, however this is obviously a foody scent. I don't do foody unless the notes are blended with something more traditionally perfume-y. For example, incense would've been a great addition to the background of this. Otherwise I just feel hungry all the time. That being said, choc lovers rejoice! This is a yummy one. *edit* AH, I knew this reminded me of something but I couldn't put my finger on it. It's a Kahlua Black Russion without the alcoholic undertone.

Interesting. You seem to have a studious/perfectionist vibe, but you're also sensitive and considerate of others. Thinking of scents that are intellectual but sweet... Mr. Ibis (Papyrus, vanilla flower, Egyptian musk, African musk, aloe ferox, white sandalwood.) Philosopher in Meditation (Smoldering woodfire embers, Galen's Kyphi, and Abramelin incense.) Celeste (Madagascan vanilla bean, vanilla orchid, orris root, and saffron.) The Bow and Crown of Conquest (Sage, carnation and cedar with lavender, vanilla, white musk and leather.) Aureus (No note description. It's pretty much cedar and amber.) Dawn: Maiden (Tea roses, honeysuckle, heliotrope, olive blossom, milk, and honey.)

Fighter - Pure leather. Powerful and unapologetic, but somehow thoughtful. Kroenen - This combo (incense, metal, vetiver, leather) is just "rawr" yet balancing as well. Dee - Conveys a strength through intelligence. Satan and Death with Sin Intervening - Sexy strong vetiver. Michael Casts Out All the Fallen Angels - Holy vengeance to be sure. BPAL's leather and vetiver are big standouts when it comes to "battle" scents for me.

Cimorene - You sound like a badass. I love that you've traveled and done nonprofit work, plus the geekiness/introversion/no babies-ness reminds me of myself. Yet you have a lot of typically feminine qualities. I think something that's beautiful, mysterious and luxurious, yet clearly intelligent, would work well for you. I recommend: Morocco (Arabian spices wind through a blend of warm musk, carnation, red sandalwood and cassia.) Mme. Moriarty (Red musk, vanilla bean, pomegranate, patchouli leaf and wild plum.) Mr. Ibis (Papyrus, vanilla flower, Egyptian musk, African musk, aloe ferox, white sandalwood.) Heroine (Nepalese amber, East African patchouli, dark musk, apple blossom, petitgrain, aged leather, skin musk, and rhubarb.) Avenger (Plush vanilla bourbon and rum accord with pink pepper, patchouli, clove, pikaki, golden amber, caraway, tuberose, and jacarandá-da-bahia.) Velvet (Envelop yourself in the soft, sensual embrace of gentle sandalwood warmed by cocoa vanilla and a veil of deep myrrh.) Ursa - Another wanderer and activist! Wow. I see aquatic blends being very comforting scents for you, considering your earlier years and the fact you live on an island now. Something breezy and laid-back, but with a powerful and entrancing depth. Y'ha-nthlei (The deepest marine notes with bergamot, eucalyptus and foamy ambergris.) Sea of Glass (No real scent description... I find it to be ozone, clean florals and a touch of citrus.) Kumiho (A sharp, biting blend of crisp white tea and ginger.) Aelopile (Glowing amber and citrus, labdanum, verbena, cedar, and oud.) Zephyr (Lemon, lemon verbena, neroli, white musk, white florals, white sandalwood, China musk, bergamot and a drop of vanilla.) Lady Death: Savage (White musk, grey amber, Calabrian bergamot, vanilla absolute, French labdanum, styrax, wormwood, caraway, and bois de jasmin. Going out on a limb with this one. It's one of my favorites. Feminine and strong, yet surprisingly bright.)

What a bummer. I love literally every scent in this except for champaca flower, and what do you know? All I get is sugary sweet champaca flower. I wish I could get more of the dryness and complexity other people are talking about, but no such luck. It's just juicy and sort of like a generic floral shampoo.

My gosh, what happened to this scent? I remember trying it a year or so ago and thought it was nice. I really like both vetiver and sandalwood, and I thought this was a smoky, sweet and earthy scent. NOPE. I hate neroli and unfortunately I'm amping it like crazy this time around. Maybe my skin chemistry has changed? Regardless, this smells like burning plastic and yes, rotten bacon. Definitely not a good combo!

THIS IS SINGLE NOTE LEATHER. And I love it! I was actually scared to try Fighter when it first came out, which is ironic as I most often play fighters/warriors in video games. The blood had me worried, as I absolutely loathe the bitter sweetness from many dragon's blood scents. I figured this would smell dirty and possibly acidic. How wrong I was. Thank you mom for getting me a bottle as a Xmas present, because I wouldn't have known otherwise! When wet I did get a hint of ozone (metal) along with the leather, which strongly reminds me of a former favorite: Macbeth and the Witches. Yet where MatW eventually went sour on me with age, eliminating the beautiful, warmed leather that I loved, Fighter stays true. This most definitely is not a dirty/bloodied fighter, this is a warrior in freshly oiled, gleaming leather and looking sexy as hell. Very supple, hot and delicious. I haven't tried Rogue yet, which is the class I most frequently associate with leather, but I imagine with the rosin it would turn out sweeter than this. I'm really happy with this scent and it's definitely a favorite now.

I'm not in love with this, but I think that's only because I'm not the biggest lavender fan (for a perfume - I like the herb in itself). This is soft lavender with a backdrop of vanilla and something airy but sweet. Almost like a minty sugar? The mint/eucalyptus/whatever it is stays calm and isn't overwhelming, just refreshing. I can see how this would be soothing to most. Ironically, lavender verges on being envigorating to me. I'd rather cuddle up with mallow, cream, tonka, vanilla... but definitely give this a shot if you need a sleep aid.