animalcule

I've luckily never experienced this, since I tend to buy mostly LE bottles on first release and unsniffed, and I haven't used up a bottle yet. I do have a couple backups, and they are consistent with the originals I have. But I've heard so much about it that I really think it is usually an issue with the lab's bottling procedures. I think it is difficult or impossible for them to keep certain oils evenly mixed while decanting them from the large batches into our 5mls. If they are 'hand-decanted' as well as 'hand-blended' this is almost certainly the case. Cocoa oil is a big giveaway, most every blend with this component I've read reviews on, it seems clear the components are not evenly distributed among 5mls. Some bottles have entirely clear oil, others have 1/4 inch of cocoa 'sludge' visible on the bottom! I'm sure changes based on component variations happen too, but I'm inclined to think these don't make such a huge difference. And mislabeling of scents/incorrect blending happens as well (like with Infernal Lover), but that seems to be much less common. ETA: I am also not a fan of incense and resinous blends, which are often thicker/goopier; and it seems likely that separation is more of an issue with these types of oils.

I'm a wand-cap dabber, 2-4 little drops per application. And I go through times where I wear very little perfume oil (mostly due to whiny boyfriends...) The only bottle I have made significant headway on is my first of Snow White '10, and there's still at least 1/4 left. My collection is on the smaller side but I'll probably have some of these bottles for 20 years/until they go bad. My oldest bottles are from 09 and they still smell great, even my Embalming Fluid which is half gone AND a citrusy blend. But I have tried (and swapped away) bottles from 04-08, and never had one smell bad, and most seemed true to notes and reviews. The oldest was an Alice from 2004, still smelled pretty much just like my lab-fresh imps of Alice have (and unfortunately, neither last on me!)

I'm surprised this isn't more popular, it's one of my summer favorites. But then, it contains a whole lot of personal 'win' notes, and I find that they combine beautifully in this blend. I didn't like Lemon Sticky Bat at all, found it totally insipid, but I love this. On me it's mostly iris, sugar, lemon and white musk, with detectable anise. The herbs stay in the background but give it a hint of green. I don't get any red current.

This is really fantastic. In the bottle, it's too foody and savory - all sweetened toasted nuts. But once it gets on my skin it's a delicious warm musky, creamy almond grounded by tart fruit. Golden musk indeed, this is a golden scent. And it lasts for a good long time, no morphing.

I don't understand why I like this so much, yet I do. I swapped away the bottle I bought when it was first released, but ended up using my decant so much that I bought another bottle. It's one of my go-too warm weather scents. I hate summer and need soothing, cooling BPAL to get me through it. To me, it is clean and soapy, rather than foody, despite the white chocolate being distinct. I don't get any vanilla. Just cold white chocolate with anise, lemon, and mint.

I get toasty vanilla marshmallow, a hint of cinnamon, smoke, and the same 'autumn leaves' slightly aquatic note I remember from October (the BPAL blend, not the month). This is a perfect autumn scent for me, especially when I'm outdoors - it really is like toasting marshmallows over the campfire on a cool, humid fall night. Hence me breaking it out and reviewing it. I don't wear it the rest of the year.

In the bottle and wet: smooth light pumpkin, lots of tiare and a hint of pleasant fruitiness. Drydown: pumpkin, a hint of vanilla, but mostly amber and tiare - unfortunately I am not a fan of amber, although this is the solitary perfume with amber I've tested a couple times and considered keeping. Swapped!

Jolly Rancher fake-fruity, but with a dry, bitter quality. Drydown is sour fruit soap. Did not like this at all, but that's okay because my friend did, and I sold her the bottle; and I loved two others from the Apple Orchard.

In the bottle and wet: I don't get much coffee. Buttery pumpkin, super-sweet vanilla, baking spices and a kinda weird foamy note (from the milk or sugar I assume). Drydown: similar to the later stages of Pickled Imp but not as good; mostly vanilla and cinnamon. I am swapping this bottle.

I really didn't think there would ever be an apple perfume I loved, having had bad experiences with every one I've sniffed and then making the ill-advised decision to put my imp of Punkie Night into my dog's industrial-size bottle of unscented conditioner. SO tired of my dogs smelling like a craft store in autumn.. anyway. But now I have two (crushing on Silver as well as Glittering)! In the bottle and wet: Crisp (maybe the bergamot gives it that citrus-y tang?) green, floral apple. Dry: Musks and vanilla become more prominent, florals endure, apple tones down a lot but is still detectable. I do not find this at all similar to Snow White which is a favorite, except the general 'mood' of the scent (light, refreshing, ethereal).

Sweet toasty marshmallow with the 'smoke' note I remember from October (2010 version). Several hours after drydown: less smoke, more crispy toasted marshmallow, and yes, a hint of cinnamon. I love it.

Great recs, thanks guys! The first two I haven't tried and would never have thought to be similar. Has been on my wishlist for months for this reason, hopefully I will track some down soon! Kicking myself now for not buying it at the time, I almost did...

I love Alice, but her perfection lasts about 5 minutes before she turns to carnation dust. So I'm shopping for similar scents in the hopes of finding one with better lasting power. I'd like recommendations for any scents you've tried that have reminded you of Alice!

Oh, my goodness. I love this and have been wearing the imp I just got like crazy, so I ordered a bottle 5 minutes ago (first lab order in a while). Sweet pink rose, white musk, light coconut, and I suppose that other smell I like is orris! It's clean and a bit powdery but not powdery or soapy in the way I do not enjoy. Great lasting power.

I love this and am so glad I tracked down a bottle! Once on my skin the nuts don't read as 'nutty' to me at all - they combine into a soft, sweet, honeyed-cream smell which is deliciously backed by the herbs (I love sage and thyme), lavender (which is often a problem for me - not here), slight spicey note (from the clove I guess - it's not standing out as CLOVE to me though), and the citrus feel from the bergamot. It's very much a milky tea scent, for me. And delicious!