Balame

I agree with Haltija and think Stage Blood could be good for your first character. It's candyish and sweet... but maybe too innocent for a leader like her? If you can find it I think The Future Ball (Crystalline white musk, Somalian olibanum, smoky benzoin, Damascus rose, dark myrrh, sacred sandalwood, life everlasting, rock rose, and gummy bear fingerprint residue) from the Liliths could be perfect for her. It's lightly incense-y like a priest, womanly but strong, and even has the gummy bears! As for the second, there just happens to be a scent for a Wild West hooker in the GC. Lily, The Prostitute (Heady blossoms of jasmine, white gardenia, and magnolia sharpened by neroli, given a voluptuous depth by red patchouli, oakmoss, and cedar). The combo of florals on top of a woody base give it that "sexy yet adventurous" vibe. If you want to incorporate the booze then Bordello (Bawdy plum with amaretto, burgundy wine and black currant) or Hellcat (Hazelnut, buttercream, honey mead, rum and sweet almond) are good choices. Another one for her could be The Orgy (A dissolute fougere with wet honey musk, distilled spirits, rose water, white lead powder, Venetian ceruse, and Spanish leather beauty marks stained with port wine). It's LE but not impossible to find. I know it's supposed to be "Victorian" debauchery but to me it basically smelled like the aftermath of a high-end sex party... which is clearly the point. Floral, boozy, sweet, a bit druggy almost (the lead is really interesting).

I can make some recs based on the notes you list here, since I like all of those things except for ginger/spice (depends on how strong they are). Sandalwood is possibly my favorite note overall, and some blends you might enjoy are: Violens - Five sandalwoods, dusty leather, and light musk. Kit - Mysore sandalwood, a tattered and patched 16th century waistcoat, inkstained, still scented with the marjoram and benzoin dry perfumes of his youth. Following Instructions - South Indian sandalwood, amber-encrusted wood, white grains, massoia bark, and hops. Lacus Solitudinis - Meditative white sandalwood with rosewood, Roman chamomile, white lavender, marjoram, Himalayan cedar, and oudh. The White Rider - White leather and sandalwood. Post-Mortem Laureatus - White sandalwood and twining ivy. The first three are on the powerful side where the rest are softer/more neutral. Lacus Solitudinis was a sleeper hit for me. I was worried the rosewood might take over or that the other herbs might be too astringent, but nope, they all play together beautifully. The rosewood is very similar to that in Seance since it doesn't overwhelm the nice woodiness. You might like Following Instructions a lot since it's spicy... not hot spicy, but aromatic spices like those used in cooking. My husband is Indian and he says it reminds him of the incense used in Hindu temples he used to visit. It's really yummy in a dry way. Resin-wise I second Midnight Mass with the addition of Jacob's Ladder (for something a bit gentler). They're both some of my favorites and killer resin blends. The Phoenixes from last year are also super resin-intensive, so you may want to take a look at them. My favorite was Herodotus' Phoenix (A fragrant shroud: myrrh from Yemen, Oman, and West Africa with a touch of copal and frankincense) for its chewy, rich myrrh. Since you dig woods I'm going to go ahead and recommend Lear (White cedarwood, blue sage and bay leaf) too. It's the most beautiful soft cedar with some herbs backing it up. Also check out this year's Visions of Autumn series. Many woods/resins combos there. I'd look at I and VII in particular (I actually found I to be something like a darker Lear). Lastly, uhm... Kroenen (Shining black leather, gleaming metal, labdanum, and myrrh)? It's probably not a departure from your "older style" of scents being dark and on the "masculine" side, but the resins in it combined with leather are super sexy.

Is it possible for something to smell dry and tart but juicy at the same time? Because somehow this blend manages it. It smells like tart, dark pomegranate with delicious black currant jam. Even though this could be considered a bit moody, I think it would serve equally well on a bright summer day. It's refreshing and very yummy. Makes me want to lick my pillow, so purpose served.

This is so good! The vanilla “ice cream” note reads like a soft, sugary vanilla cookie on me. There’s a dribble of candle wax and delicate spices (more like the spices in Morocco vs “rawr” sprices like cinnamon or clove) and just a hint of sandalwood. It makes me think of baking vanilla cookies in some sort of fairy tale fantasy kitchen. Definitely a nice mental association! Cuddly and sweet yet romantic too.

Hmm, I was hoping for similarities to Lights of Men's Lives or (hope of hopes) Glowing Vulva, but this isn't like either of them to me. There's an odd, almost hairspray-like note that throws me off here. I guess it's supposed to be "smoke" but instead it just comes across as really sharp and chemical. I feel bad leaving the first negative review for this! Beyond the hairspray is indeed a Lights of Men's Lives sort of beeswax, which is great, but I just can't get past the smog. No biggie since another new candle scent is working wonders for me (Mini Mag)!

I should have known to avoid florals at any cost, but this sounded so pretty I had to try it... It starts off wonderfully with the most delicate vanilla you've ever smelled and just a hint of richer tea leaf in the background. Sadly, as it dries the orchid comes into play more and more. Florals aren't my friend, so what was originally gentle and soothing eventually become plasticky and gave me a slight headache. Wish it was just the absolute and tea leaf, but ah well, I'm sure plenty of others will enjoy.

Oddly floral and perfumey. If I had to guess it seems like there’s jasmine and lily in this. Sort of like a white floral bouquet blend you’d get in a high quality soap. Pretty but not my thing.

What a happy, beautiful scent. I'm a long-time patch lover but having it all on its own like this is really a wonder. Sometimes notes don't have "legs" without anything else to support them, so to speak... But SRP can definitely sashay wherever it wants to. I've honestly never gotten the "hippie" or "dirty" association with patch. Maybe I just grew up in the wrong time period? To me it's always just been lovely, rich woodiness. Here it's no different but somehow more vibrant. Almost to a "t" this smells like sun-warmed driftwood nestled in hot sand on a picturesque beach. Absolutely love it and everything it evokes.

At the base of this is a rich, wet rose and pomegranate which reminds me of the same mix I liked in La Mort! (Mon ironie dépasse toutes les autres!), though it’s lighter and not as intensely powerful. The red musk follows up with the addition of a lush amber. I’m not picking out the violet, which is a good thing since it hates me and makes me think of rotting things. Overall this is simultaneously pretty and vampy, but not my style. Still too floral overall, although the amber/vanilla/pom combo is really freaking good. If you’re a rose fan I think it’s definitely a must-try.

Very strong vetiver on first application, as the note is wont to do. Fine by me, but I like how it gets more complex as it dries. It softens a lot and the fruity/herbal side comes out. I get fresh tea leaves, a delicately sweet apricot, hints of wood. It makes me think of fresh, damp earth with a very subtle layer of fruitiness. Kind of like Awabi Divers but less sweet and more earthy.

Kind of like a cross between French Tobacco and Penitence. All the sweet richness of tobacco with a dark, incense-y background I don't smell the pepper individually, which is a good thing since it can make me sneezy. For me it's just gorgeous resins, tobacco and soft woods, which is surely a winner in my book. Sadly the longer I wear it, the more it muddles into a baby powdery sort of blend.

A cool, light cedar is most predominant at first. Definitely very “fall” and soothing. The oudh follows up with its own sort of ashy woodsiness, and the bay provides a refreshing herbal slant. The pepper and amber aren’t very apparent, but there’s some spiciness and sweetness mingling. Outdoorsy and regal. I’d recommend it for fans of woodsy blends… and actually, anyone who likes Lear from the GC. To me this is pretty much the darker, more grown up version of it. Have to admit though, as it dries something about it gets a bit high-pitched. Maybe that's the pepper? Gives a bit more of a "nice cleaning fluid" vibe.

I like heavier/warm scents when it's chilly out. My favorite blend, Atlas, is great for feeling cuddly. Other good ones are The Final Darkness, Red Lantern, French Tobacco, La Mano del Destino, Following Instructions, Midnight Mass, Banshee Beat.

I just got to test this as a frimp and it had never been on my radar before. I'm generally not a mint fan and wasn't really sure how pistachio would "read" in a perfume, so I overlooked it despite woodsy notes favoring me. Boy was I wrong! Crocodile is not candy-ish on me, or even particularly minty. It smells like a warm, almost musky vanilla backed with drier cedar and oakmoss. The mint is very subtle and adds a smooth wave of freshness. The pistachio seems kind of elusive, but the scent does come across as "toasted" somehow. It's far more mature than I imagined and actually a bit sexy. The woods take the sweetness and turn it into something special and new. Really good. I haven't had a new GC favorite in a while, but this one definitely just shot up there. Way to surprise me, Lab! If you're not normally a fan of mint but like foody scents that aren't overly sweet (or woodsy blends), I definitely recommend giving this a shot.

I'm one of the people whose experience of Mouse was/is very soft. It's incredibly light on me, but despite the fact I have to huff to smell anything, it's a nice airy vanilla. I find it sugary and gentle. It makes me think of the air in a candy store or something - not overwhelming, just pleasantly sweet. It actually reminds me of cotton candy between the wispiness and vanilla. Adding to that, sadly something about it reads as artificial to my nose. (Plastic-y?) I can't really pick out the other notes, so it's certainly blended well. Great for anyone looking for an inoffensive, almost unnoticeable skin scent.

I should put down my thoughts about this one before I pass it on, because it's certainly different. This smells like light, almost chocolate-y coffee and vanilla with herbs. It's comes across as a much softer, greener Banshee Beat to me. The addition of almost musky spices aren't heavy, but they give the blend its unique edge. It ends up quite gentle on my skin. Musky, creamy, green. A mature blend.

I'm glad I could help! MoI sounds promising with the connection to Jupiter's moons. And yes, I'd totally be into looking at some excerpts. I'll send you a PM! Thanks.

That sounds interesting! I'd love to read your story when it's finished. I think Ice (Devoted ruthlessness. This is the scent of razors, cold metal, icicles, and her diamond-tipped claws: eucalyptus blossom, crystalline musk, white ginger, mint, and elemi) would be perfect for him. A lot of people describe it as a cool, pure but aggressive cologne, so... seems it would be a fit. Other lighter scents from the GC that might fit him would be: Death On A Pale Horse - 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. Embalming Fluid - White musk, green tea, aloe and lemon. Sea of Glass - A scent of inimitable purity, crystalline grace, and limitless light. And then thematically I think of these, though they might be richer and warmer than you'd prefer: The Bow & Crown of Conquest - Nobility and haughtiness befitting the Antichrist: sage, carnation and cedar with lavender, vanilla, white musk and leather. Nephilim - Holy frankincense and hyssop in union with earthy fig, defiled by black patchouli and vetiver, with a chaotic infusion of lavender, cardamom, tamarind, rosemary, oakmoss and cypress. Faustus - Truly an exercise in megalomania and self-gratification: frankincense and cinnamon, darkened by violet. Pride - The scent of rabid hauteur: Moroccan rose and narcissus. If you're willing to track down some LEs you might also want to try: Black Ice - Lovely, dangerous, slick, and bitterly cold: chilly white sleet-like notes with a hint of vetiver, a breath of smoky asphalt, and winter wind. Moon of Ice - Frost-crusted winter flowers, white pine, eucalyptus, and traditional lunar oils. Ice Prince - As beautiful and cold as a December storm. Crystalline musk, winter lily, bergamot, plum, and frozen pine boughs. ice Prince is technically a bath oil, but they've always worked well as scented moisturizers for me too... good luck with the story and finding a scent for your character!

Hmm, maybe Death Adder (Snake Oil with vetiver, black coconut, vanilla, and opoponax) and So Below (Amber and black copal with black coconut, Sumatran red patchouli, green cardamom pod, and golden musk)? Both of them have a bit of an incense-y, darker coconut similar to how Blood Pearl has musk, BJ has powdery orris, Goblin has patch... Maybe Red Lantern as well (Golden amber, blonde tobacco, Sudanese black coconut, rich caramel, black currant, white opium and delphinium laced with a sensual blend of Asian spice), though it's pretty coveted. It's quite sweet and may be overwhelming depending on your tolerance and skin chemistry, but if it works it's a delicious caramel coconut incense sort of blend.

It seems with this blend people either amp the cedar to Crazytown or it stays mellow. Thankfully, I find myself in the latter group. The cedar is very soft and subtle, and is actually one of the gentlest I've smelled from BPAL. It reminds me of a very young wood that has a hint of sweetness about it. The sage and bay add a soothing herbal touch, but they're also very sedate. Together they remind me a bit of fresh leaves. Clean, calming, soft. It's actually so light after about 10 minutes that I can barely pick it up, but I also didn't slather as much as I usually do. I'd really like more of this. It reminds me of a dryad, sunny spring days, happy things... which is kind of funny considering the inspiration.

Aside from the cookies, it sounds most similar to Love (Marshmallows and rose sugar with whipped vanilla cream and a hint of strawberry). For a less herbal version, Sprinklecake (Rainbow sprinkles baked into rich vanilla cake with thick, creamy frosting topped with glittery candy flakes). Unfortunately both are LEs but they're not impossible to find.

I hate the majority of florals - at the top of that list are violet and jasmine. Out of the ones Haltija recommended I only like Darkness and The East (not saying her recs are bad, just my experience). Rose has an okay record of working on me, and my favorites with it are: Beauty, the Aggrieved - A white rose draped by a delicate, pale, sheer veil of vanilla, the depth and darkness of her black lace embodied by tobacco absolute, Indonesian patchouli, Bulgarian oakmoss, frankincense, white sandalwood, and myrrh. Séance - A mysterious, enigmatic blend of dry, mellow rosewood, crushed rose leaf and the slightest touch of warm hazel. La Mort: Mon ironie depasse toutes les autres! - Pomegranate accord, red rose accord, opopponax, benzoin, champaca flowers, and star anise. A Thought and a Legend Too Hideous for Sanity or Conciousness - Black rose, oudh, rosewood, and sea-kissed patchouli, and the smoke of a snuffed tallow candle.
 In all of those those the rose isn't super strong and melds into the other notes, except for maybe La Mort. It's very strong there, but the juicy pom is equally powerful so it doesn't quite overwhelm. On the paler side of things... which usually trigger headaches even quicker... You might like The Silver Stream (Bittersweet: the scent of forgetfulness, peace, and oblivion. Like asphodel petals on moonlit water). I'm a little hesitant recommending that one because nearly all the other reviewers here got very heavy white florals. Yet amazingly, for me, it was like a less floral and soapy Vial of Holy Water. Very clean, soothing and pretty. The White Peacock (Teak, ebony wood, osmanthus, patchouli, red sandalwood, vanilla orchid, tonka bean, tobacco, wild musk, spikenard, and sugandh kokila) is one of my favorite scents, and the florals do a great job playing second fiddle by sweetening the rich resins. Ditto with Who In the World Am I? (Sheer vanilla, hinoki wood, lavender, bergamot, cotton blossom, and lightly spiced oriental blossoms) except the blossoms support the lovely lavender, vanilla and cotton. I would probably be remiss if I didn't mention the ever-popular blends Morocco (Arabian spices wind through a blend of warm musk, carnation, red sandalwood and cassia) and Vasilissa (Creamy skin musk and blushing pink musk with soft sandalwood, white amber, dutiful myrrh, and star jasmine) as well. I actually used to have bottles of both of them, but while Morocco was beautiful, creamy spices for a long time, it eventually developed an unpleasant bitter bite on me (almost smelled like hairspray). Vasilissa I just grew out of. It's a very delicate, sweet scent.

Wanted to remember to write a review this before I passed it on. I love all of the notes here so it's no surprise this turned out to be a lovely, vanilla/tobacco heavy blend. The mix of delicacy from the vanilla and the rich depth of tobacco make for a smooth combo, and the other notes mostly serve to give it a background of sweetened resins. The only downside I can note is that the "bourbon" aspect of the vanilla, and perhaps the myrrh, make this a bit dry after it sits for a while. Eventually I'm left with a concoction that's gotten just a bit too sugary and "girly" for my tastes. It reminds me a lot of Solstice Scent's Manor, however, I find I like Manor more. It has "woody vanilla musk, vanilla accord and aloeswood" which creates a similar vanilla/resin combo. Still sweet and rich, but it doesn't dry out or get overwhelming as Dolly Kei did on me. So, I would recommend anyone looking for a similar scent that's more readily available (or if DK was too sweet for them) to seek that out.

Whoa, sexy. No one's picked out any tobacco in this? Because I swear it's here, otherwise the spices are coming together in just the right way to evoke it. Rich and sweet like in French Tobacco. The peach behind it is super juicy and lends just the right amount of brightness. This is almost exactly the peach version of Eastern Comma for me with the addition of a surprisingly light black musk. Gorgeous but I probably won't hunt down more since I have similar blends.

Sharp! Doesn't really read as metallic to me because it's fruity at the same time. A kind of indistinct, high-pitched apple I guess? This is pretty overwhelmingly boozy and fizzy. Too strong on me.