theseagrows

somehow i'd never tried this one in my near 20 years of BPALing...then i got a frimp, yay! it opens with a lot of the opium and something a bit sweet, almost like cherry/dragon's blood, but less sweet. i sense the civet but it's pretty tame at first. egyptian musk is sort of the background that everything else is swimming in, i think. the civet is definitely animalic on me but it's also pretty subtle, and i can really only smell it close up as opposed to wafting from afar...wafting i mostly get musk and incense. the civet is still there close up but not super strong, but it is quite animalic.

i got a frimp of this...i tend to dislike fruity notes, including apple so take my review with a grain of salt. it opens with fresh golden apples and that's all i can really sense, except for maybe a tiny hint of honey in the background. i get a slightly sharp cream in the background. primarily this is a crisp apple. if you like apple-y scents this might do it for you, because it's pretty realistic.

hmm this opens with the honey cream and sandalwood i think. it's creamy and warm with a touch of red silk i think. for some reason some honey notes from BPAL are kind of maple-y like immortelle and it's definitely happening here. after a minute or two i get the lotus which adds a pretty floral element. for me, that maple note is just too strong and overwhelms everything. i think i had it happen with a 'honey dust' note in another scent. totally different from just a basic honey note. anyway, i get no leather here and it was not really what i was expecting.

this opens with the orchid, violet and opium-it's sweetly floral and a little dusky from the opium. it smells very purple. there is a hint of green stems too. there is a soft background of heliotrope and sandalwood which props up the floral notes nicely. overall, this is mostly orchid and violet- a slightly sweet purple floral. the opium adds a bit of depth but is not super dark or heavy, just a little bit. this is a pretty purple floral that is kind of dewy, like a spring garden after the rain. very pretty and a bit lighter than expected.

like doomsday_disco i smell something sparkling, like a champagne or labdanum note at first, and not much else. then i get a bit of patchouli and maybe 'ambre noir', unless that's the effervescence (?) after awhile the deeper notes become more prominent, but i still get that light sparkling note the strongest. it's pretty but much lighter and not at all what i was expecting. i don't seem to get vanilla here and the musk peeks out later on.

a running diary of impressions of scents i haven't tried in a long time, to see how much i really want to keep them. kept here for my own reference. 8-13-13: our lady of pain: do like the orchid in this, like it better when smelled close up, but wafting around me it's mostly patchouli. swap. 8-14-13: kaidan: nice, but a bit too fruity and unremarkable on me. swap. 8-15-13: sybil: nice dusky, rosy scent, that turns very floral-oriental, but i have a lot of these. undecided. 8-18-13: dysopes tenius: a recent LE i recently tested, but i liked it better the first time. this time it's too aquatic or sweet for my tastes. i am kind of tempted to keep it because i originally liked it, but now i'm not feeling it... swap. 8-19-13: the loosening of the obi: still love this one. it's perfect for spring or summer, it smells beautiful. the rice wine isn't too sweet and the notes blend seamlessly into a beautiful pale white blend. keep. 8-20-13: peacock queen: pure beautiful rose. this smells great on me. rose, especially this rose, seems to love my skin chemistry. reminiscent of a soft tea rose once it's been on for a few hours. keep. 8-21-13: thoos: this becomes almost pure white musk on me, with a hint of cypress. only a hint of tangerine at the beginning. i like it, but it's kind of simple, at least on my skin. i'd prefer something with more elements...i tend to like my white musks mixed with florals, like pele. swap. 8-26-13: sapphics: still love this one as much as i ever did! close to the skin and so pretty in a soft, warm enveloping way. keep. 9-11-13: l'essence de l'ardeur: when i first put this on, i was kind of 'meh' about it-it was a bit too foody for me, mostly chocolate, pomegranate and nutmeg, but now that i't's been on my skin for about 2 hours, it's much less foody and more sexy, mostly vanilla and champaca. i like this, but i'm not sure if it's remarkable enough to keep. swap. 9-30-13: waltz of the flowers: another pale white floral scent. i have really come to love these. this is mostly white musk, madonna lily and vanilla, i think. really nice and soft and a bit comforting. keep. 12-5-13: motley 2009: well it's been awhile since i've done the pare down. i've been doing LEs because i have tons of LE decants, as compared to GCs. i should do some GCs too though. anyway, yeah this one can be swapped. it's kind of nice, but not remarkable or anything-kind of a soft fruity musk. swap. 12-18-13: nevar: a recent LE acquisition, but i remain very undecided whether i should keep this or swap it so i am re-trying it once more in order to make a decision. i thought about this and it is VERY nice and i very much want to keep it, but i have Too Much Perfume and more interesting scents in the same vein. swap. 12-30-13: haloes: mmm what a lovely scent. i haven't even looked at the notes yet, but this is one of those nice, close to the skin vanilla-musk scents that i love. i checked the notes and this has quite a few, (Oak, tonka, vanilla, white sandalwood, lily of the valley, white ginger, amber, and apricot.) but it's mostly vanilla, ginger and amber on me. keep. 1-29-14: a wonderful light: this scent and it's name completely slipped my mind, when i reached in the LE imp box and took it out. it's nice, a warm musky scent that ends up with a bit of plasticness after about an hour that i associate with foody scents. it's very pretty, but i have similar scents that honestly work better on me. swap. 8-2-14: yay the forum is back up and now i've been going through my small collection of GC imps and i've found i have a few discontinued scents. queen: i used to really like this but now i find it semi interesting but not really anything i would wear much anymore. swap. oya: there's something a bit sharp backing the sweetness of the plum in this. it almost gives me a headache. it's very strong and my skin is amping that sweetness so high. way too strong for me, and then the plum goes plasticky, as usual. swap. thalia: strong, sweet and fruity. my skin seems to amp up plumeria to insane degrees. much too sweet for me. swap. antony: soft lemony herbal and resiny scent. my memory may be failing me, but it makes me think of jean nate. maybe it's a more masculine jean nate? kind of nice but i'd never wear this. it goes pretty soapy. swap. 8-3-14 bensiabel: got a frimp with a recent lab purchase and thought i'd try it again. it's all lilac and leather, with the lilac strongest. the lilac note is often too strong and not my cup of tea. swap. the dormouse: i've got 2 very aged imps of this scent. it's light and pretty then after it dries gets a bit more depth. it's soooo nice revisiting these GCs because a lot of them were my first brushes with bpal i do like this but won't wear it much, so it would do better to pass it along. swap. whip: this is one of those scents that i always wanted to work on me but it never seemed to work. (wanda worked better than whip for some reason.) i am re-trying an aged imp though, to see if things have changed at all. it hasn't changed but it is a confusing scent for me. one minute the rose gets a sourness (which sometimes happens with me and rose sometimes) and then it smells just fine. i think this is one where i just have to go through a sour period to get to the good stuff. but it does continue to go back and forth between sour and not. swap the new one, keep the aged one. 8-4-14 shoggoth: an old summer favorite. similar to tarot: the star (which i have a bottle of) i prefer the star, but don't wear these types of scents often anyway. i have just an aged partial imp left and it's nice on a warm day. keep. 8-7-14 delight and consternation: yep still really like this. soft and slightly creamy, it's almost banana-y and i hate bananas but i like this. like banana creme brulee. i looked up the notes and i guess it's chocolate custard and rose/lemon. what do i know?! i don't wear a lot of foody scents. this is nice though, so keep. 8-11-14 penis admiration: this scent is so soft that my skin eats it up but it's basically a slightly sweet and woody vanilla lilac. very pretty, but just so subtle and fades fast. only have less than an imp left, so keep. 9-7-14 flowering chrysanthemums: starts out all pretty amber and mums. later on it gets a slightly plasticky thing but it's so subtle that it's not much of an issue. turns into a chrysanthemum incense scent. so pretty. keep. 9-8-14 blossoms in springtime: such a beautiful scent. i could see myself wearing this more often...maybe i need to get more (?) keep. 9-19-14 shub-niggurath: starts out fall-like and foody. not extremely foody, but still too foody for me. swap. 10-17-14 mrs. grose: i wore this today and spilled some on my dress so it was really strong. i love carnation-rose scents, but at first i kept thinking "this is too candle-y smelling for me, but then later in the day it was gooorgeous and i decided i couldn't give it up. keep for now. i should re-try maiden, klara, mrs. grose, etc all at once as i am really trying to pare down. sarah: too aquatic. kind of a novelty for me but it's headache inducing and not something i would wear more than once every 3-5 years. swap. opuhi: i should probaaably get rid of this because it's nice but not amazing. but it is a comfort scent, which i tend to like. swap. 10-22-14 chrysanthemum moon: i haven't worn this in ages. i remember loving it but i rarely wear it and my tastes have changed over time. it's a pretty and kind of ...dusty, for lack of a better word chrysanthemum, with maybe some tea? i like this but i don't love it, but it's so unique too. undecided. 2-3-15 vasilissa- a nice, soft slightly cakey/sweet scent. nice but not wonderful on me so swap. jareth- i tried this again recently and at first it was kinda masculine, but the type of masculine that i like to wear and then it turned beautiful and convinced me that i still do need a bottle of this! keep. 7-28-15: l'heure verte- i dipped into my LE decant box which is overflowing and needs to be pared down. i like this one, it smells like a soft sugary rose and incense. it is not overly anise-y, which is nice. i like anise sometimes, but prefer this kind of absinthe, i think. i am wearing this on a warm day...nice scent for a warm day, and luckily the lilac is behaving. keep and finish it off, not much left. 8-12-15: the governess- this is a yule scent, but i am wearing it on a warm summer day. it's perfect for spring or summer, and has the same feel as the mouse's long and sad tale. that soft tea and powderiness in the scent. i have less than an imp left. keep. 8-14-15: ashultum- i still love this one! so pretty and nice in all seasons. keep. 8-18-15: on the balcony- i'd completely forgotten about this one but when i sniffed it i thought of lucy, kissed so i re-tried that too, which i actually have a bottle of. on the balcony is pretty and of the few somewhat-aquatics i can wear. i saw somewhat because it's not really that aquatic...it's more of that cool marble note the lab uses. anyway, lucy kissed is deeper, darker and woodier but they kind of have a similar feel in a way. i still prefer lucy, kissed though. swap. 1-9-16: a companion of the same nature- i like this even better than the first time. it's a sophisticated amber-mum-rose and i love it. it reminds me a lot of some commercial perfumes i like...may even have to get a bottle. keep. black taffeta- this smells kind of dry, smoky and slightly head-shop at first. i guess that's the patchouli? i didn't seem to have that impression last time either. there's something almost chocolaty in this. i dunno, it's not really wowing me this time. it's ok but i have so much perfume. swap. tombeur- one of those "sexy red musk" blends that i love (but have so many of.) it's one of the lighter, cleaner red musks starting out. it has lavender and florals but it's mostly red musk. i dont think i need to keep this one. swap. cicuta- smoky rose. loving it already...yep. it dries down to a smoky, rosy candlewax. very me. keep. o love and time of sin- rose with red musk and something softly earthy-musky. i like this, but it's wowing me less then when i first tried it so far. swap. unseelie- smells like soft herbs, very soft florals and something herbal, almost minty, but less strong. there's something underlying that's a bit medicinal too. this is ok but it's so soft i can hardly smell it. swap. perchta- starts off snowy. then i get the florals. it's iris-y or orris rooty and soft for the most part. it's a pretty snowy floral but i just won't wear it much and have other similar scents i'd wear more. swap. albedo v5- i remember liking this. ok it's a coconut-lemon, in the same vein of tarot: the star but with lemon instead of lime and it's softer. then some florals come out. it's soft and tropical. very pretty but not sure i need to keep this. swap. 1-10-16: day of the skulls- hmm this is alright. it's a watery cocoa-y floral. i probably will like the drydown but this is one where the opening is just too much of something i dislike-it's cloying on me, just too sweet i think. after awhile it is less sweet but something on this is just turning bad on me. swap. tattered lace- starts off smelling very classic- dry opium i think. there is definitely a wetness to this, but not aquatic (tea, etc). it's pretty subtle, i have to really get close and i can still hardly smell it. it does bloom after this though and it's a nice scent. it gets more vanilla-y and now i love it. keep. o daughter and death of priapus- incensy orchid. this is nice and the type of scent i like but i have others that i like better. swap. the tears of lilith- cloying wine and honey. not liking this one too much. yeah it just smells like bubblegum. swap. three gorgons- starts off with soft spice and amber. it's pretty at the beginning. i love amber scents so this is doing it for me so far. after a few minutes i smell vetiver very slightly and it's even better now there's a hint of the tobacco and orange but not much. this is a wonderful amber... keep. wolf spider- starts off dry coconut/patchouli with tobacco. reminds me of petrichor with coconut! it's earthy, but has a lightness from the white musk and coconut. the white musk is a prominent backing note. though that settles down and becomes mostly patchouli-coconut. it's nice but not really something i would wear much. swap. the raptures and roses of vice- starts off as a mixed up floral scent, maybe mostly magnolia at this stage? (also the scent description is wrong on my decant.) after a few minutes, i think im getting roses, musk and coconut. honestly, i'm not really feeling this. i love rose scents, have a lot of them but this one just isn't wowing me in this combination. it does have a vintage/classic feel so i am sort of intrigued with it, but i think it's just too strong for me in a way. swap. spawn of the she-demon- one of those red musk scents but it's lighter and fruitier. smells like cough syrup for a bit, then gets better, but i'm not really feeling it. swap. 1-12-16: spirit board- i think i'm getting woods and bois de rose at first. it's nice. then the lilac and tea are getting more prominent, still nice, but at this point i'm not so sure about this being one i'd wear a lot. i think i'm clinging to the love of the imagery...at least at this point. it does get even better, more warm but i just don't know if i need this. have so many similar/better scents. swap. 1-20-16: klara- i wanted a soft comforting type scent today so i tried klara, which i haven't worn in awhile. i actually have a bottle of this, wasn't expecting to reconsider keeping it, but i am. i do really like it, but i have a lot of carnation scents and it lacks some oomph. i think perhaps it can be swapped because i still have maiden, pink moon 07. etc. swap. 4-30-16: oisin- white musk and soft flowers (like wildflowers) like the description says, but somehow more. i just like this more than i should. my imp is almost gone, so i shall finish it off soon. keep. raven moon 2012- this is smoky patchouli and vanilla with a bright blue musk type of thing. it's pretty but not amazing on me and i don't need more scents like this. swap. antique- a woody and watery scent. it's just ok and i am not really feeling this at all. though it does get much nicer later, i don't need to keep it as i have other similar scents. swap. honey moon (i think original, but don't know what year that was, 2005?)- i smell a herbal ginger-y honey. alright so far, a bit sweet and kind of syrupy. i get a slight pencil shaving thing not sure why...but this is underwhelming, swap. contemplating the moon through an open window- whoa this is fruity and soapy at first, like dishwashing soap kind of! not the usual kind of soapy but soapy nonetheless. it turns to powdery soapy, it's very odd and not that great on me, though i like it more with the tuberose, it's just kind of odd. swap. usher- light, white musky tea and citrussy. has that underlying wateriness of some older bpals which come to mind- the unicorn and some of the older tea scents. it's alright but i don't need it. swap. 5-1-16: unveil the grace in thine eyes- a pretty, soft amber and soft musk with ambergris. i love all these notes, keep. witch dance- red musky and autumnal, kind has that fruity candle smell i'm not that fond of...or it smells like cider. this is so red musky but it's just too halloween-y for me. swap. dolly kei- it starts with tobacco which smells watery, i don't know how or why but recent bpal's with tobacco all do this on me, so there you have it. i think i get some myrrh too. it's kind of dusty yet wet, hard to explain. it becomes sort of...toasty. not feeling it. swap. miss ida- ahh starts off with beeeeautiful creamy gardenia and some jasmine. mostly gardenia. if it stays like this it's a keeper. similar to fracas, which i wore today, coincidentally. it's like fracas with vanilla and no tuberose, but truly is reminiscent with that creamy thing! it's a perfect summer scent, and in fact i should probably get a bottle someday...ends up smelling just.like.fracas. keep. calligraphy practice- it starts off herbal + woody i think. kinda soapy in an astringent/irish spring way but not that strong. it gets more herbaceous and leafy. just too herbal/meh on me. swap. illustrated woman- astringent and green at first...even more irish spring than recent previous mention. it's like masculine shaving cream actually and it stays that way for the most part. eta: it gets better later but probably still not very "me". swap. buck moon 2005- the "herbs and air" are apparent first- light like wildflowers and grass. then i get that animalic thing that i remember so cleary back when i tried this...i think it's similar to what became the mushroom note (?) then it gets quite musky! i do like this but would rarely wear it so swap. drydown is actually so pretty keep. haute macabre- (i keep retrying this and cannot make up my mind on it!) here we go again...smells like a nice oaky vanilla at first, pretty. the leather comes in and is nice too, and it's a new, more masculine leather. more green patchouli later on, still nice. don't love it as much as the other HM scents i have but it is nice. it smells very similar to one of them, if i am remembering correctly. keep. drydown actually turns to sour woods. swap. 5-2-16- the grindhouse- oh wow, this is amazing at first. forgot how good this is. it's been a long time. a creamy tropical floral, kind of like the recently retested miss ida, but with the addition of red musk. intoxicating. keep. anactoria- starts out more soapy than i recall. it's a kush-y musk. it's alright but i don't like it as much as i used to. swap. i loved you at first: but afterwards your love- a nice floral but not amazing at first. blooms to a nice rose-tuberose, notes which i love but in this it seems like just too much. swap. alma venus- hay like and floral and light. no idea what notes are here. ah yes, neroli/orange blossom and a bunch of ambery honey goodness, and beeswax. keep. feed me and fill me with pleasure- ambery stuff with a hint of dirtiness from patchouli. it gets dirtier and slightly less pleasant. this should be better than it is, somehow but patchouli is hit or miss so swap. giallo- i used to have a bottle of this! this is a decant. on first application it smells like elmer's glue, wtf. then i get some florals, ok, not so bad. it's a nice floral scent now, not what i think of when i think of giallo but that's ok. i'm probably just attached to the scent for psychological reasons. it's kind of shampoo-y, then it gets sort of woody-foody? i think there are just too many notes here or something. swap. the vampire bride- i think i had a bottle of this once. it's cold and icy at first, yep. with violet leaf. fresh. wow this isn't how i remembered at all, yet again. kinda purple yet cold <--- great description i know. ok so this is pretty and nice but it's not really amazing on my skin and i am paring down greatly so swap. 5-4-16- king cobra (original)- it does that snake oil powdery thing and i can't smell much else though it does work better than snake oil on me. it's nice but i have so many like this, i don't need this one too. swap. question mark- it's pretty and orangey and a little bit foody-spicy. guess that's cinnamon. it's a bit masculine. i dunno, it's not wowing me and i am paring down so swap. blacker than the raven wings of midnight- this is starting weird. something sort of hay like and sour. also some florals i think? then i get mostly black tea which almost smells plummy but not quite. a nice tea scent but nothing i need. swap. mircalla, countess karnstein- it's been ages since i tried this. it starts off smoky and a slight weird burnt smell, almost like burning food of some sort?! combined with a cooler musk. it's red musk with a coolness now. it's warm and cold. i don't like it as much as i used to, tastes do change! swap. a moment in time- oh i remember really loving this one, as a comforting scent. the lavender and vanilla is gorgeous right off. the woodiness here is gorgeous too. ah yes a total keeper, i can tell already. keep. hope and fear set free- i sold my bottle of this because i loved the drydown but the first 20 minutes are just weird due to my skin's hatred of bpal's frankincense note. yep it's weird and pencil-shavy. i do love the bourbon vanilla note though, which is why i opted to keep this decant, but not sure it's worth the beginning just for that. swap. in templum dei- another frankincense scent. it's just kind of gold and resiny with a bit of a cola thing. again, the frankincense is just too much for me. swap. 9-22-16: cabaret goth- still amazing. last time i wore this i wasn't so sure about it, but it's a warm september day and it smells a m a z i n g. keep. 10-26-15: death and life completed- trying this for the first time in a looong time. it's a perfumy green amber. it starts with florals and greenery then some carnation, adding a bit of spice, along with amber to ground it. it actually gets very floral-with daisy being pretty prominent. i think my tastes as well as my sense of notes has changed in all the years i've tried this, back when i really loved it. possibly my skin chemistry too, but this is not how i remember it. it's much more bright/floral than ambery as my memory served. i do like this but not nearly as much as i thought i did. swap. 1-8-17 the infernal lover (non-red musk version): i get that slightly milky note this time, don't remember ever getting that before. it's either me or my skin chemistry. i am not as wowed by this as i used to be... swap. (swapped this and found out i had some watered-down version! i had no idea because i had only had this bottle. i did like the scent but am wondering what i missed out on now.) the girl: soft woody vanilla with soft floral and spicy hints. still beautiful. keep. 2-21-18: re trying tattered lace: still very pretty like i said above, but not sure i really need to keep it at this point, waffling for now. decided to swap, since not absolute love. 2-22-18: embracing komachi: oh i love this more than i remembered, it's just SO subtle. added to bottle wishlist anyhow. keep. 2-23-18: bestla: very very nice. the oudh is a bit weird at first but not too bad. the drydown is gorgeous (tempted to add to bottle wishlist but i think i have other scents that are similar.) will keep my decant though. 2-27-18: the bride: this one is ok but it's kind of underwhelming and gets mildly plasticky. i do like the magnolia, just not sure about wearing this because it's very soft and seems like mostly base notes. swap. 2-28-18: against idleness and mischief: got a frimp, so figured i'd re-try it. a dusty honey scent with a hint of green. i think the dusty/green part is chamomile. i used to not be able to wear bpal's honey note, but i am finding more scents that i love with it. in this scent the honey note works, but the chamomile seems a bit medicinal. swap 3-6-18: kneel down fair love and fill thyself with tears- this smells very floral and classic, a bit understated yet a sweeter floral. i like this but it's not a love-don't think i need to keep this one. eta: later on i began to like it more and realized it smells like natori perfume and also is reminiscent of juliet has a gun- citizen queen. i have a bottle of natori and a sample of citizen queen, but this would be a nice more understated option. still, i think i'll swap 3-11-18: the lady of shallott- received as a frimp and it's been years since i tried it. i tend to not like aquatics, but i kind of like this scent-it's sweet, subtle and clean. it would be rare for me to rare this, but i might on occasion. reminds me of acqua di gio which i wore in HS or college. also shampoo-y nice but probably best to swap. hollywood babylon- same as above, with a frimp and hadn't tried for years! it's sweet cherry candy at first. then vanilla comes out within 5 minutes. this is very sweet-far more sweet and fruity than scents i usually wear. i get strawberry and heliotrope next. i'm liking it more as the cherry calms down. still, just too sweet for me. swap. 3-12-18: received a frimp of hellfire...curious to try it again. it's kind of dank and spicy at first. i think i am mostly getting the musk? maybe some ambergris, because there is something slightly watery but not in an aquatic way at all. i think i get tobacco and that's it. swap. 4-13-18: laura belle mcdaniel- way smoky in the beginning, for at least 20-30 minutes. it is a really nice scent and i like it a lot but not sure i really need to keep my bottle, because i have similar scents i like better and it seems to fade fast. swap. 7-10-18: i've been going through my GC imp box, which i tend not to wear as my bottles and LEs for some reason in order to pare down/re-try. several days are listed here. prunella (discontinued): ok, and one of the few plum scents that works on me, but i'm definitely not going to wear this much. swap. eclipse: i thought i remember really liking this when i re-tried it in the past year, but i'm not liking it now. it gets a sort of funereal powdery thing happening on the drydown (which sounds good) but which i'm not too fond of. swap. tamora: i wanted to keep one peach scent that i semi-liked and this was it. however i re-tried and it's not compelling enough to me. swap. zephyr: eh, it's alright, i tend to not like it at first. the drydown is gorgeous, but i don't know that i need to keep it. swap. pele: way more white musk than i can handle. pele was one of my first BPAL loves, but alas tastes and skin chemistry have changed. swap. othello: ok, out of this whole bunch, this was the winner. it's so much more complex than the descrption. an absolutely beautiful rose scent...i may need a bottle someday. keep. the butterfly: a pretty scent, very nice drydown but the drydown is so similar to others, i don't need to keep it. swap. 7.11.18: ya te vo (discontinued): pretty herbal. a bit spicy. not terrible, but won't wear it. swap. 7.12.18: Tenochtitlan: kind of nice, but underwhelming and far too subtle. ok, my thoughts changed a bit on this throughout the day. this bloomed on my skin and got to be very pretty actually! still, i feel like i have similar scents. swap. 7.13.18: Love Lies Bleeding: i must say, i'm pretty underwhelmed by this and it's too sweet for me. swap. 7.16.18: hymn to proserpine: one of the few fruity scents i like. it's very unisex. just has no sillage. swap. 2.8.19 couple consulting an enpon: i smell mostly blackberry and some amber. this is ok but kind of gets like plasticky cough syrup. swap. a thousand thoughts, and hopes and joys: very soft. the freesia and vanilla are pretty. i do love bpal's carnation note a lot. after awhile it just gets so sweet. swap. the sick rose: it has that earthy vetiver quite strong at first, then mellows out to an opium/labdanum rose. i like it a lot for a 'dirty'/deep rose scent. keep. 2.9.19 gemini 07: mostly lavender. my old review for this was inconclusive. there's a hint of orchid which gets stronger over time. it's very soft but pretty, but not sure i need it. swap. two loves: a pretty musky floral. i do like this but i haven't picked it up in years. swap. mars ultor: at first almost aquatic with foodiness. definitely leans more masculine. it's a nice scent but a bit underwhelming. swap. 2.10.19 le miroir de la coquetterie: it smells woody/earthy at first, kind of damp and dank. ends up smelling kind of like habanita, very powdery. it's ok but not necessary to keep. swap. phallus parade: smoky and clean yet dusky. it's interesting at first. it turns into more of a clean masculine scent. i like it, but not as much as i thought i originally did. swap. alma venus (2nd retry): it's a primarily beeswax scent with neroli. nice, but it smells too much like a candle to me now. swap. 2.11.19 dorian CXLVI: i have no idea where i got this, and a search doesn't yield much. it smells like dorian and resins. maybe rosewood vanilla and rose? smells powdery classic + dorian. i do kind of like this. keep. 2.12.19 delightful visitor among the haystacks: smells like hay a bit. shortly thereafter i get the mildly fruity-floral of the lab's chrysanthemum note. yeah this is a keeper. keep. disastrous twilight: smells weird at first-kind of like smoky baby powder. it's got that 'classic' feel. dries down to a powdery ylang ylang, which i like a lot. keep. 2.13.19 philostratus' phoenix: smells like red musk at first. then citruses...very bright red/orange/flaming scent. the honeyed incense is very pretty, but it tends to get a candle-like smell on the drydown. 2.16.19 a kiss amongst discarded tissues: I smell the berries and something weird in the back. it's very soft, underwhelming. swap. king of diamonds: smells nutty and creamy. it's very subtle. i like it but my skin seems to eat it up and it's almost gone... swap. embracing komachi: lovely violet scent to start...still pretty, nice for spring. but i don't need a bottle like i thought i did. keep. loosening of the obi: it smells kind of like shampoo at first-fresh and a bit fruity. it's a very pretty, soft scent, i just know i likely won't wear it much. swap. 2.17.19 the devil's pet baits: almond and patchouli to start. it's a melange of spiciness and muskiness. alright but not amazing. swap. nasty woman: I remember feeling a bit mixed on this one, and have only tried it once. i am really just trying to keep absolute loves now. it's patchouli with fig. kind of foody-patchouli and yeah i guess underwhelming for me. swap. flickering lantern: powdery and a bit soapy at first, but has that creamy/sugary-floral thing i enjoy. it reminds me of hope but is more cloying and soapy. swap. 2.18.19 snaky hair'd moirai many formed- smells rubbery at first, not sure why. then i get a chewy tobacco. it's mostly tobacco, not really feeling it. swap. haloes: starts as a pretty woody floral scent. turns to a sweetish creamy apricot, verging on mildly plasticky. i find it too sweet, and not for me. swap. 2.21.19 streets of detroit: headshoppy with something that smells a bit yellow and zingy...not sure how else to describe it. swap. a nocturnal reverie: fruity musky lavender. kind of nice. i remember really liking this one , yet not wanting a bottle knowing i wouldn't wear it much but thinking it'd be interesting occasionally. pretty underwhelmed now. swap. tissue: light and pretty and floral. oh yeah i probably love this (i think?) a pretty gardenia, perfect for summer and spring. keep. 2.22.19 paysage: florals and a hint of tobacco. i really used to like this one but now it's underwhelming me. swap. the top: smells pretty musty at first, but i remember really liking this one. yes a keeper-a pretty musky rose. keep. 2.26.19 standing female nude: so far a rich red rose with resins and musk. i love it during its rose stage, but after the drydown it's just a melange of resins. ok. but swap. vivid enjoyment of the memory of rupture: starts foody and toasty then becomes a tea scent. it's very pretty but fades so much and then is a bit underwhelming. swap. 2.27.19 three gorgons: spicy amber citrus. warm...not too intrigued by it anymore. swap. unveil the grace in thine eyes: mostly amber and ambergris to start. it's pretty but so subtle. swap. 8.6.19: going through my bottles. 13 october 06: still like this in a way but i just dont wear foody scents much anymore. swap. ecstasy of passion: never thought i'd get rid of this one way back when i bought it but it's just underwhelming to me now. kinda musky and less nuanced then i remember. maybe my skin chemistry has changed, i dunno. swap. okayaki: purchased from the lab's etsy. i tested this and it sadly did not much the old decant i had so guess i must've been given the wrong scent swap. sapphics: a pretty scent but *so* soft and dries down similar to others. swap. amber and lace: a pretty amber....keeping for now. keep. paysage: just mostly tobacco. dont seem to get as much tuberose as before. swap. venus genetrix: this *is* pretty. i'm kind of on the fence but think it's best if it goes because i hardly wear it. swap. so below: way too woody on me now... swap. 8.7.19: more bottles. tissue: pretty but underwhelming and a bit too sweet. swap. lamia: woody peach....a lot of the notes just don't seem to be there. seems much simpler than i recall. still pretty in a way but too sweet for me now. swap. bakeneko: this seems more masculine than i remember. i smell musk and a hit of orange. i can no longer smell the 'fur'. which i cant believe so maybe i need to retry this later, maybe when the weather is warm. keep (for now.) 8.8.19: more bottles. delight and consternation: this one was a major love for me for a time. i still do love it but it's so soft, i can hardly smell it, but i have 2 bottles so. swap one of them. 8.9.19: more bottles. lucy, kissed: out of all my red musk blends i've re-tried lately, this one is the best...though there may still be more to try. it's very floral...a red musk floral oriental. also i really like this because it projects well. so many i've been re-trying are so subtle and just drydown notes. this is not underwhelming. keep. blossoms in springtime: starts foody and a bit floral. it's nice but another that's a bit subtle. while pretty it seems like mostly base notes. swap. 11.21.19 djinn: i haven't tried this in years! i have a very aged imp from around the time i first got into BPAL...so it is at least 10 years old but likely more. it still smells the same. it's got that burning thing but a cleanness to it too. i also get a candle-y scent after awhile which isn't my favorite thing. i think it's safe to say i can let this one go. swap. edith cushing: this is really pretty but it's so soft and i have similar scents i like better. swap. the girl: in the same vein as edith cushing but still a major love. keep. 12.15.19 storyboard: julius caesar: very resiny at first- myrrh/frankincense is strong, then i get some iris, and late the rose which is a bit sharp/sour. the rose dissipates and i do like this but can't see myself wearing it much. swap. 4.11.20 spider witch: really nutty at first, with red musk. not a fan of nuttiness/foodiness so i don't like the beginning but never have. it gets really pretty after about 10 minutes, mostly amber, vanilla and red musk, i believe. it is quite gorgeous, but i am trying to pare down scents! i need to get out all my red musks and narrow down, but this seems like a really good one that i should maybe keep. and it gets better over time. just gorgeous. keep. fulvous snow: light and almost lemony at first. it seems different than i remember. after about 20 mins it's very baby powdwery. i feel like this was more rich/vanilla and woody before but now that's not how it seems. did my perceptions change or my tastes? always a question in these situations. maybe a bit of both? swap. 7.27.20: going through the very small collection of GC imps. arachne of lydia: not sure what really possessed me to keep this in the first place? it's very subtle, can barely smell it and it smells weirdly metallic on me. swap. 7.28.20 deadly nightshade honey: really pretty honey with a hint of grassiness and florals. really beautiful scent, honestly, and i might want more some day. keep. dragon's musk: this is a nice musk, and the only ars draconis scent i like, however it's not amazing and i have plenty of musks. swap. 7.29.20 el dorado: this smells surprisingly clean at first. it's very traditionally masculine. an ok scent but do not need it. swap. famine: smells oddly foody at first (just a little) and not like any of the notes listed. i guess i liked this when i tried it before but now i find it underwhelming-it's mostly just a subtle white musk. swap. shadow witch orchid: once upon a time, in the beginning of my bpal obsession, this was one of my favorites. the beginning smells fruity and herbal. it turns to the dark purple floral i remember, a similar feeling to dior's poison. i still like it but don't love it anymore. still it's nice, if a bit sweet. keep. the rose: pure rose with something herbally sweet. a white rose i think, not my favorite, goes a bit sour. something in this is weirdly cloying. i like rose but am not enjoying this. swap. 7.30.20 anteros: i smell unmistakable red musk. it's very red. must be the red currant as well, because there is a fruitiness in the background. this is pretty strong too. a lot that i've been retrying lately have had very little lasting power, but not this one. dries down to smell like obsession perfume, i think the men's. not my cup of tea. swap. psyche: man, is this decant oooold and stained. it has been years since i tried this. this smells like a resiny floral. it's so subtle. and nice but underwhelming. swap. 7.31.20 the black rider: leather and amber and resins. nice. really liking this, even though i always forget to try layering, i think this would layer nicely. keep. 8.1.20 coyote: i remember thinking this isn't something i'd wear much, years ago when i tried it, but loved how evocative it was. this fades fast on me, dries down to a soft musk with something like hints of honey. i think i'll keep this one to wear to bed. keep. penny dreadful: another extremely oooold decant. i can't even remember this scent at all. smells like earth and sweetness. then i get something more like vanilla, i think. i actually like this and should wear it more! keep. king of hearts: this one is ok, sharp lavender then turns to soft musky cherry. it's kind of nice but i'm not sure i'd reach for it. swap. deep in earth: mossy dirt. like this and it's evocative but if i'm real honest i just don't wear dirt scents (tho i'm keeping my original bpal love zombi.) swap. la mort qui danse: smells woody and peppery. i get slight florals after a few minutes. it's really subtle but it gets better over time, so pretty. keep. 8.3.20 goblin: this is the last scent in my tiny GC imp collection. patchouli and coconut. definitely has that revenant rhythm type of thing. kind of hippieish. not my cup of tea. swap. 2.5.21 entertaining the heian court maiden: this smells kind of odd at first...it is definitely not the bpal's black oudh note. this seems almost bordering on fruity. it's ok but not amazing. swap. 11.23.22 the light of men's lives: creamy beeswax. i think i prefer BPAL's more complex honey scents even though this is nice. swap. 7.22.23 vain sorceress: i really thought this was a love for me but i haven't worn it much and retried it and i like it but not sure how much anymore...tried again, full on wear test and i still love it. smells vintage 80s to me. keep. dolce stil nuovo: the weather is probably too warm to try this right now because it smells almost savory. need to try again in cooler weather. undecided. 3.21.24 woman practicing calligraphy on her lover's erect member this one is pretty, i like the rose. the beginning is a bit rough with the ink/moss combo. goes a bit weirdly sour then balances out and dries down to a vintagey powdery rose. undecided. 12.1.24 velvet: got a frimp and decided to retry...not sure i liked it when i tried it many years ago.i get a dusty cacao now. it's woody, strong sandalwood...i like sandalwood sometimes but at other times not. this is one of those. swap. lyonesse: kind of pretty but too aquatic for my tastes.

this opens with a lot of blood musk followed by black cherry, saffron, and a hint of jasmine. the cherry leans a bit cough drop at first, but not too bad. within minutes, i am getting mostly red musk, amber, saffron along with cherry that is now subtler. after more time has passed i get a lot of rose added to the mix. now it's rose/red musk/saffon/jasmine/cherry. there is a slight woodiness from patchouli but it's not very strong for me. overall this is too sweetly red musky/cherry for me and there is something a bit rubbery after awhile that i dislike. if you love cherry and red musk you will probably love this though.

this opens with a green, cold white floral with a bit of the ink as well. it's green and earthy/rooty. despite being a spring scent, this sounds wintry to me so i am trying it in late fall in the cold and it's perfect for this time of year, though i think this really has january/february vibes and am looking forward to trying it then. this kind of seems like an iris/orris root kind of thing. there may be myrrh here but if so it's very subtle. a unique floral. really pretty.

this opens with a lot of cherry along with orange. after a minute or so i get a slightly indolic jasmine which grows stronger over time, then the tuberose. amber and vanilla are fairly subtle and this is primarily a cherryish heady floral with an amber background. dries down to cherry-tuberose. i love white florals and haven't smelled many with cherry and i like this a lot. it's heady and sweet.

this opens with rose, merlot and some effervescence (from labdanum? i think i recall that BPAL's labdanum note does that. shortly after i get honey and resins as well. it remains pretty linear and the labdanum is quite strong on me. very pretty and leans almost fruity, however i thought it'd be deeper and more resiny, but it's actually kind of bright. actually now that i think of it, it reminds me of sangria with a little champagne.

i received a frimp of this one, which i had never heard of. i get red musk with a lot of tobacco and patchouli. something here leans slightly animalic and there is a sweetness from the blackcurrant but it's not too sweet. this is one of those chewy, chocolatey patchoulis, really nice. after awhile it dries down to red musk and patchouli with tobacco in the background. one i never would think to try but ended up liking a lot.

this opens with the red musk and oud with something kind of woody and slightly nutty. not sure what that is. there is a sweetness from fig but it's not too sweet, at least at the beginning. then i get florals and incense. the ambrette adds a sort of sheer musky quality and is quite strong on me. i think next i get the indigo musk because it definitely has a murky purple thing going on, supported by the incense and fig. i guess i would categorize this as a musky, dusky incense with some florals. the fig never gets too fruity or strong, thankfully. it's mostly musks and ambrette on me. pretty!

this is a bitter, green, woody orange blossom. it's less floral and a bit more woody/masculine leaning for me. i think i get a sour orange rind too and/or bergamot maybe (?) it's refreshing in hot weather.

i think i am having a pretty similar experience to other reviewers. it's a white spring floral with hints of green and also i think a bit of rootiness. i am super into narcissus notes lately and this does not disappoint. it's a little fresher and brighter than other narcissus perfumes i've tried, i guess due to the jonquil. it gets a bit too strong after a few minutes and is slightly headache inducing though, and then leans sort of soapy. i think a bit of vanilla or amber might round this out. i don't normally blend different perfumes but i might try it with this one because i really like elements of it.

a creamy honey with amber in the background. lovely, warm and cozy. honey is the strongest note. i figured i would really like this and i do.

LE 5mls abhisarika aeronwen amber and lace as above bakeneko benevolent triple conjunction beeswax amber and star jasmine boticelli's unicorn (partial) cabbage white countermagick courtesans relaxing deathrock dia dolce stil nuovo eldritch dark eve (OLLA) (x2) fleurette's purple snails the great brocade addressee (x2) gypsy queen harper (partial) harvest moon 2013 hesiod's phoenix hope imaginer jonquil and poet's narcissus leather phoenix les origines love in the asylum lucy, kissed miss anna miss ida roses pearls and onyx (partial) the serpent in the roses snake charmer, first resurrection snake charmer, second resurrection snake skin so below this wan white humming hive vain sorceress vamp.goth venustas GC 5mls black pearl the bow and crown of conquest (on loan to my boyfriend for an indefinite amount of time) glasgow maiden neutral (RPG)

this opens with the honeyed labdanum, neroli and incense. the jasmine comes out next along with rose. i'd say neroli and incense are the strongest notes for awhile, then i get a fare amount of rose. vanilla is just hanging out in the background, not the strongest note on my skin. a pretty dusky floral. neroli lovers will like this i think.

i am loving narcissus because i am into vintage perfumes lately. this one does not disappoint. it opens with narcissus and a hint of the snow note. the narcissus has that subtle suedey feel that i love. i get something slightly smoky after about 10 minutes which is delightful and intriguing. the snow note does not go too aquatic thankfully, and is a bit more musky or vanillic. a very pretty and interesting floral!

for me this smells like an astringent green tea with lemon. i almost thought it was a mint tea at first. i smell the lilies and crepe in the background which add a floral and slightly animalic component. the crepe gets stronger over time and this smells like a green floral perfume spilled on fabric. slightly vintage vibe, which i do like but i'm not sure it's for me due to the astringency i am getting here.

this is very green and refreshing starting off, almost astringent. there is a hint of a floral but it doesn't read as lily to me. it reminds me a bit of irish spring soap with woods and a hint of florals softening things slightly. after awhile the woods turn quite sour on me. not a favorite for me.

all these years and i haven't tried this one...likely because of the pear, but i got a frimp so here goes. it opens with the pear along with florals-i think lily and sweet pea primarily. the heliotrope adds a soft creaminess which i enjoy and helps the scent a bit, but then the white musk comes through and it gets a bit sharper. a sweet pear with sharp white musk. i don't seem to get a lot of honeysuckle. this one is ok but not my style at all.

i get honeysuckle as the strongest note at first. there's also something sort of green and a bit sharp in the background. after reading other reviews, i guess it's white musk, which i don't really tend to like for the most part. i get more jasmine later so the florals are more balanced but the sharpness is not working for me.

i've been wearing BPAL for nearly 20 years and somehow i've never tried shanghai. i recently got this as a frimp from the lab and am so happy i did. this is a gorgeous hot weather scent. the temp went up the last 2 days and it's perfect for trying this one. i mostly get a green tea with a hint of sweetness from honeysuckle. it reminds me of elizabeth arden's green tea perfume. the verbena is there but very soft, not overpowering as it can sometimes be. really pretty, cooling scent with a hint of floral.

this kind of perfume is right up my alley. these are all loved or liked notes, so fingers crossed. it opens with a slightly rooty iris with a hint of amber. (melancholy, rainy) spring in a bottle with a bit of depth. it's an iris with raindrops on it. later i get some musk, amber and tolu balsam but iris is still definitely the strongest note. very pretty perfume. springy, a bit vintage and also melancholy. i kinda love this.

this starts with a very realistic maraschino cherry (memories!) along with marshmallow and a slightly urine-y milk note. i think i get this with some of BPAL's milk notes-maybe goat milk? I can't remember. it's subtle but it's there. cherry is hit or miss for me and i am not in love with sweet gourmands, but i figured i'd try this. the cherry/marshmallow are actually quite nice, but that odd milk/butter note isn't doing it for me. i think i'd like it if it weren't for that.