fairestrocza

In the Imp: complex; booze…?rum; damp; caught the mushroom briefly but never again Wet on Skin: warm wood, hint of cedar While Drying: warm wood, hint of cedar After a Little While: reminds me a bit of a sauna; ever so slightly sweet (vanilla?) Later: The Boy says it smells like Me Final Thoughts: A very earthy blend, fits my style... will probably have to get a bottle eventually. Death Cap earns a 4/5 on my skin.

In the Imp: something almost port-o-potty, with incense beneath Wet on Skin: floral port-o-potty While Drying: slightly cloying floral After a Little While: like dousing myself in Grammy's perfume; heavily floral, slightly soapy & growing more soapy with time Later: too much… had to wash it off Final Thoughts: I have a hard time with some mosses and florals… this is obviously not the right combination for me. Crossroads earns a 2/5 on my skin.

In the Imp: citrus rind and something else… maybe currant? Wet on Skin: starts similar to imp, then grapefruit becomes specifically identifiable, but it is a soft grapefruit, not really tangy While Drying: no changes yet... After a Little While: florals (delphinium I think) show up - yay no soap! - with grapefruit behind, and something spicy... musk? Later: Continuous morpher (how appropriate) - florals faded, musk became prominent, grapefruit is still there (that must be the cat's grin) Final Thoughts: never noticed any lavender; scent is very subtle (low throw) after the first few minutes. I will definitely play with the imp again. Cheshire Cat earns a 3.5/5 on my skin.

Note: The imp I tested is older (not sure exactly how old, but I am guessing at least a year, maybe several)... In the Imp: sharp, perfumy/cologney scent - hiding any other aspects Wet on Skin: there is a sharpness to this scent that seems like it might not be designed that way - I would be interested in comparing this old imp to a fresh one from the lab While Drying: amber... slightly tangy... The Boy says 'grapefruit without the citrus, then apple blossom' ... smells slightly rosy to me, maybe a bit dusty - something makes me think 'little girl'... something else comes through toward the end… myrtle I think After a Little While: After this goes through the introduction stage, the scent integrates; the sharp, discordant note from the wet stages is gone Later: The Boy says it smells like a mainstream commercial scent, but he couldn't place exactly what it was; I think it may be a little too girly for me; unfortunately the carnation (one of the main draws for me) hides itself until several hours after application, and then I have to work at it to smell anything at all Final Thoughts: This one was disappointing - I had high hopes, but so far it is nothing special on me. I may have to order a fresh imp and see if that works any better. Brisingamen earns a 3.5/5 on my skin (would have been a 3/5, but The Boy likes it)

In the Imp: fairly light, non-descript Wet on Skin: public bathroom soap with a hint of evergreen way down beneath it all While Drying: hotel disinfectant with a slight hint of vanilla behind it After a Little While: vanilla with something bitter and something cloying; a very light scent; some reviews mention coconut, and I can believe that it is in here, because there is a faint hint of beach-ball Later: if I stick my nose on my wrist, I get a fairly nice vanilla - however, the air around me is tainted by that smell that is both acrid and cloying; beach-ball periodically attacks the skin-close vanilla scent Final Thoughts: Not terrible but definitely not something I would reach for with so many other great choices available... I'll have to try this on my friend with the extremely agreeable skin chemistry and see if it does something better on her. Black Opal earns a 2.5/5 on me.

In the Imp: Bright, Green Wet on Skin: a bit woody, herbal; grass note shows up in elbows While Drying: something… lemony? With a drop of eucalyptus, and a woody base note; elbows get grass, something medicinal, and straw After a Little While: lemony herbal; I like the skin scent (lemony) better than the scent wafting around me (more perfumy); a bit later, a new scent emerges - I am guessing this is the tea, because I am associating it with 'Alice.' [looking at notes, Alice does not list Tea... I wonder what is causing the scent association?] Later: still something sinus clearing when sniffed up close (maybe mint of some sort? I get a similar feeling-more-than-smell that I get with some yules); lemony scent is dying down, and tea is sweeting up a bit - lovely; still something a bit perfumy about it Final Thoughts: I put this on in the evening and could still smell faint lemony scent in the morning; nice scent, but a bit disjointed. I'd probably prefer to wear Alice for that tea scent, and Jabberwocky or Phobos if I am in a citrus mood. The Apothecary earns a 3.5/5 on my skin.

I wasn't even tempted by the lab description (this bottle belongs to a friend) but I could smell delicious peach through the closed bottle and had to try it... In the Bottle: Delicious peach, a bit spicy, a bit floral Wet on Skin: peach is lighter, more wearable; nice floral aspect; vaguely sweet, vaguely musky While Drying: a bit strong on the nose (the ho wood?); definitely getting chrysanthemum, but must be getting some jasmine too because I just compared wrists to live mums and the oil has another floral component. Wow - this will be the first time jasmine has worked on me. (though I read a thread recently saying jasmine and night-blooming jasmine smell different) After a Little While: This is _not_ the typical type of scent I am drawn to, but this is enchanting. The floral aspect is heady but not cloying. The musk is soft and plays nicely with the other notes. The tea adds a bit of complexity and keeps this from tending toward just-another-floral. Oddly, the peach has mostly left the scene. Later: musky floral, with wrists emphasizing the musk and elbows emphasizing the floral Final Thoughts: love the henna-style bottle art; definitely not an every day scent for me, and I probably don't _need_ a bottle, but I plan to happily take up my friend's offer to decant a bit for me Peach Moon earns a 4/5 on me.

I went back and forth a million times trying to decide if I should buy a bottle of Snow White unsniffed... Turns out I made the wrong decision. Snow White is So Wrong. In the Bottle: Plasticy Wet on Skin: cheap plastic baby-doll / beach ball While Drying: cheap plastic baby-doll / beach ball, with some underlying funk After a Little While: I need to figure out what note (coconut?) it is that does this plastic doom, and STAY THE HELL AWAY from it. Obatala did something similar, but to a lesser degree (that one may have been wearable - this one is not) Later: Tried this on several friends… only one of them made it anything other than yuck. Is this year's blend significantly different than the glowing-review years, or is my nose (or my bottle?) broken? Final Thoughts: I would have liked the light floral... I would have loved the marzipan... as it is, I just get that evil plastic doom, with not even a nuance of something else. I have a friend who loves coconut. We'll see if it does anything good on her. Snow White earns a 1.5/5 on my skin, and that is being generous.

I've been avoiding this review for a while, because I keep hoping that the next time I try SF something will miraculously change this from a meh scent to an omg scent... In the Bottle: vague pine, dirt, slightly soapy Wet on Skin: slightly soapy, fresh, earthy While Drying: starts to do the Stormhold Soap bit, but the dirt note tames it; soap comes and goes during the initial stages After a Little While: there is something minty somewhere, but it is more an impression than a scent ('aftersmell'?) - this is the icy/cold aspect; Comments from fellow sniffers: 'I can smell the moss and the dirt,' 'I like smelling the whole tree instead of just the evergreen,' 'It is earthy.' Later: the soapiness eventually goes away, and the scent loses its initial throw, and sweetens a bit Final Thoughts: I picked this bottle based on the concept/description/name. Fresh from the mail, it smelled WAY too close to Stormhold; letting it sit for a few days, and gently mixing before opening, made this a more integrated scent; I would have liked slightly more pine. Would be interesting layered if I can find the right complement. I am beginning to realize that I should tread cautiously near scents containing precipitation notes, no matter what the form, as they have been very hit or miss with my skin. That being said, I am not yet willing to give up on Snowball Fracas. I will be doing more layering experiments with this one. Snowball Fracas earns a 3/5 on my skin. Layering Attempts: So far I've tried it with Baneberry & Hemlock. Baneberry was nice, but still not quite what I'm looking for. Layering with Hemlock was interesting. I mixed them on my wrists, then rubbed wrists into elbows. The scent (beautiful) that I got in my elbows is how I imagined Snow White would smell (based off reviews) on people who don't turn that one into single note plastic. ETA: I brought this out a few weeks ago for a friend to try, and it smelled great on her. I decided I ought to give it another chance myself, and I am very pleased with the way this one has aged. The soapiness has decreased significantly, and the drydown has an added sweetness that was lacking before. The dirt note is stronger and more true. This may end up in regular rotation this winter.

In the Bottle: slightly burnt caramel and something kind of earthy Wet on Skin: caramelized something... something a bit astringent or sinus clearing... a faint hint of plastic (probably the honey) While Drying: plastic note goes away, thank goodness; very foody, though greener aspects are starting to emerge, along with a hint of ylang ylang and something burning; dries very fast - oil was sucked into my skin almost instantly After a Little While: major throw of caramel and smoke; much more complex close to the skin; I'd like it more if these aspects were reversed Later: caramel is dying down a bit and incense is showing up (musk? Patchouli?); much later: molasses (The Boy says 'gingerbread') Final Thoughts: My personal bpal enabler had me order this for her with my last order, and has been too busy with life and vacations to come claim it... Fortunately, she <3s me and said I could play with her smellies and give them a test run. This was not one of the scents at the top of my yule wish list, but one I was happy to have the chance to try. I liked the complexity close to the skin, and I loved the final long term dry down, however the powerful burnt caramel aspect was a bit much. At least I'll know where to find this one if I am in the mood to wear it again sometime. Now Winter Nights Enlarge earns a 3.5/5 on my skin.

Another entry in the Quest for the Perfect Lavender... In the Imp: 1st time: cheap cologne; 2nd time: beautiful lavender with a touch of… mint? Wet on Skin: minty/sagey lavender, true Lamiaceae, beautiful! While Drying: musky, Lamiaceae mostly gone, occasional whiffs of leather, citrus, lavender After a Little While: very changeable Later: gave me a HEADACHE when The Boy was wearing it, and later when I tried a very light dose (maybe a different batch would help? I didn't get this reaction when The Boy tested an old imp) Final Thoughts: This one is killing me. Wet, it is exactly the lavender I've been looking for. I first experienced it at a friends house when she let The Boy try it on - I liked it enough to order an imp for him. When he sampled the new imp, we went for a car ride shortly after... I had to roll down the windows and stick my head outside. I figured that either we had applied too much, or it was clashing with the scent I was wearing. A few days later I dabbed a *tiny* bit on my wrist, outside, and sure enough - 10 minutes later I started developing a headache. I am tempted to blame the 'leather' note, because the rest of the notes work on me in other blends. *sigh* I think I'll keep this one around and see if aging makes the difference between headache and dreamy. Cassanova earns a 2/5 for now.

In the Imp: slightly sweet, lemony evergreen, but not heavily evergreen Wet on Skin: a soft evergreen, maybe a bit of berry (juniper? Bayberry?); so far, I am liking it! I love Hemlock, but some of my friends are not huge fans of the aggressive pine - Black Forest will probably easier for *others* to enjoy on me While Drying: faintly lemony, still a more subtle evergreen than Hemlock, and an additional note (winter berry of some sort); The Boy says it changes from deep in the forest to a meadow smell After a Little While: less powerful than Hemlock; I get more of the berry note on wrists, hemlock notes in elbows Later: something very slightly Off (sour, BO-ish) and the rest is fading quickly… I prefer Hemlock Final Thoughts: This one had great potential until it hit the final stages - still a lovely foresty scent. Black Forest earns a 4.5/5 until it hits the final stages, bringing it down to a 4/5

In the Imp: grapefruit (like the scent of the spray as you peel it or freshly cut into it) Wet on Skin: grapefruit, ginger? While Drying: slight sweetness - the apple blossom?, nice delicate scent; wrists get more of the apple blossom, elbows get more of the grapefruit; slight spicy kick (ginger?); when applied over unscented lotion, I lose the apple blossom but get more tea After a Little While: decent throw, but subtle - not an in your face scent; the tea is starting to show up on the wrists; sweet (in the emotional sense); cheerful Later: citrus goes away and this morphs into subtle soft scent; fades VERY quickly Final Thoughts: This is a beautiful scent. This is what I keep wanting florals to be on me - delicate and sweet without being soapy or cloying; full of WIN; The Boy likes it a lot; I am very glad this one was resurrected. I just wish the scent would stick around longer. Baobhan Sith earns a 4.5/5 scent-wise, but 4/5 overall because of the quick fade.

In the Imp: sweet, creamy, a little bit spicy Wet on Skin: a bit spicier than it is in the imp, less creamy. If the spice is coming from the carnation, I love carnation. While Drying: I don’t smell any rose, and the honey is well hidden - maybe adding just a touch of sweetness but not nasty like it usually is on me; I think I am getting mainly carnation and milk; a friend says it smells like 'the holidays.' ETA: Coming back to this with a more sophisticated nose, the rose is there, lending a slight lemony scent while wet. After a Little While: there is a very subtle floral aspect, but more in a supporting role - the main focus is on the foody side of the equation, but not blatantly so; the spice has died down. Later: Just a subtle, mellow, creamy blend with the barest hint of spice. Not much throw. Comforting. I like it. Final Thoughts: I liked this one much more than I expected that I would. A good scent for days where I want something comforting and not overpowering. Alice earns a 4/5 ETA: I didn't think I was in love with this scent, but it got into my head... My original tests were from an imp that was a year or two old. I finally ordered one for myself, and was surprised to find an entirely different scent in the lab-fresh imp. The good news is that fresh or aged, this is fantastic. Fresh, carnations and bergamot dominate (with an emphasis on the carnation). Unfortunately, it was the creamy, spicy tea scent that I was craving. Luckily, I was able to talk my friend out of her aged imp to keep me going while I wait for my bottle and my fresh imp to age. With age, the carnation becomes more spicy and less floral, the bergamot switches from bright to tea-like, and the creaminess comes out and supports the whole in a delicious cloud.

In the Imp: light citrus & flowers Wet on Skin: similar to imp; a bit of the dryer sheet phenomenon going on While Drying: delicate... however, for some bizarre reason, I keep smelling something that reminds me of Jezirat al Tennyn (NOT what I would consider a delicate scent), but JaT-lite - is it the "aquatic" note? After a Little While: Interesting… the lab description comes through on this one… makes me want to experiment with more aquatic notes to see if I can distinguish between salt & freshwater, etc. Later: Flowers almost entirely drowned out by the tears - this is a good thing. This is about the level of floral that my skin can usually handle. Put it on in evening. Still faint beautiful scent in AM. Final Thoughts: I'll have to try more 'aquatics' and see if that is where I am picking up the JaT similarity; Definitely an interesting scent experience, but not very ME. Might want to keep this around for periodic use. I wore JaT the day after I tested tPoT, and yes, there is a note that is the same on me. Pool of Tears earns a 3/5

In the Imp: slightly sweet, slightly resiny Wet on Skin: one reviewer said this is a scent somewhere between rose and cherry, and that is accurate at this stage While Drying: slightly sweet, slightly floral, slightly incensy (but that may be because I had a roommate who used to burn DB incense, so the association is there) After a Little While: lilac is the closest scent I can think of; it goes ever so slightly soapy for a bit, but not enough to ruin it; The Boy usually doesn’t like DB but likes this Later: initial sweetness tames and more spice/resin asserts itself; I like this phase better than the sweet phase Final Thoughts: I was happy to have a chance to try this out so I can train my nose to get better at picking out individual notes in various blends. It is a nice scent all on its own, and I am looking forward to experimenting with more blends that have DB as a component. Dragon's Blood earns a 3.5-4 out of 5.

Another entry in my Quest for the Perfect Lavender... In the Imp: Delicate, light Wet on Skin: Man Smell... aftershave?... a touch of spice, a hint of lavender While Drying: Man Smell, a touch of soapiness, and a touch of musk After a Little While: Might have to wash this off; started to really bother me, slightly headachy, and not keen on the smell At All. Washed with soap, then hand sanitizer. I prefer lemony to cologney. Might throw on some Hemlock to clear my head of Vile Villain. Later: Too man-ish for me; very little lavender; might want to try on The Boy; this is the most Manish scent I have found so far, and whereas many of my favorites have been suggested as potential man scents, this one I do NOT want to wear… washing off Final Thoughts: Several of the blends that I love have their fair share of 'would be great on a man' comments in the reviews, so it did not worry me that this one seemed aimed at the masculine rather than the feminine. However, this one is just NOT for me. I want to test it on The Boy (maybe his skin will fix the headachey parts, and I have a feeling it will feel more Right on him) but I am worried that I may need to toss him in the shower if it doesn't work. Villain earns a 1/5 on me.

In the Imp: Warm; (The Boy says 'slightly soapy,' but I am not picking up on that at all) Wet on Skin: Warm, middle range. This is one of those blends that gives me a feeling, rather than throwing out particular notes. While Drying: Not floral at all... warm, golden. When The Boy got home from work, I asked him to sniff me w/o knowing anything about the scent, and to tell me what impression he got from it. His response: "Kansas. Farm Girl. Fallow fields." Yup, that is about what I am getting from it. After a Little While: Scent starts to get honeyed slightly. Later: The honeysuckle builds for a while... scent eventually turns sour, but past that phase both sweet & sour go, and the lingering scent is incensey. Final Thoughts: I seem to have had a vastly different experience with this blend than most of the reviewers. After I finished writing my own thoughts, I went back to look at the listed notes and reviews, and I had to double check to make sure I was wearing what I thought I was wearing. I ended up with two separate imps, so I did another test with the second vial, and though it was slightly darker and thicker (and thus, I assume, older) the older imp was slightly stronger, but not qualitatively different for the scent experience. I'd be interested in trying a fresh imp to see if it is my skin or the age of the oil that erases anything dark or mysterious on me. Anathema earns a 3/5 on me.

In the Imp: The oil separates into a medium yellow oil with a layer of red grit. When gently mixed, the suspended particles turn the oil to a dark or reddish orange. Smells like sweet incense. Wet on Skin: I think this is Too Much. Overwhelming. While Drying: Not bad, but maybe a bit too sweet. After a Little While: I like the random whiffs I get when I am not paying attention better than the scent that sticks close to my skin. Later: Scent stays forever - lasted through a shower (I like the lingering scent); I liked it enough later on to reapply before bed - stays through the night; I like the scent it left on my jacket. Final Thoughts: I loaned the imp to a friend, but when I get it back, I will be interested in testing this alongside the straight DB and see if I can tease out the differences. This one ended up being a happy surprise as time passed. Blood Amber earns a 3.5/5

Another test in my Quest for the Perfect Lavender... In the Imp: Fresh lavender! Wet on Skin: Herbal lavender, with a background of fennel or anise. While Drying: Lavender & fennel. After a Little While: The lavender tames a bit, and the licorice scent becomes slightly more prominent, finding a very nice balance point. Lavender is still the dominant note. Later: Doesn't seem to last too long, but is great for putting on before bed (no longer there in the morning, but fantastic while falling asleep). Final Thoughts: This is my favorite lavender blend so far. It does not strike me as a good out-on-the-town scent, but is fantastic for aromatherapy purposes. I find myself reaching for this imp quite a bit, so I think I will be needing a bottle. Baku earns a 4.5/5! Update: I got a bottle of Baku with my last order... The scent is significantly lighter in my fresh bottle - so light that I can barely smell it in the bottle or fresh on the skin. Lavender dominates, and the anise is hardly noticeable. The lavender is still the lovely, fresh scent that I fell in love with, just much more delicate. The fresh oil seems to have more lasting power than the aged imp I tried, for I can smell lavender on my skin 12 hours later. I like both the fresh and the aged varieties. I may need to decant out a bit for current use and let the rest of the bottle sit somewhere to age and develop the anise undercurrent a bit more.

In the Imp: CHERRIES! And roses! Fun! Wet on Skin: Floral soap, with a brief hint of incense While Drying: Makes my nose tingle. Too perfumy/floral for me. After a Little While: Uh oh... something in here is giving me a headache. Final Thoughts: Definitely not one I will be wearing, but I am tempted to keep the imp around to sniff occasionally. On the other hand, I have a friend who loves rose scents, so enabling might be the better option Queen of Hearts earns a 2/5 on my skin.

Hello all! I am a BPAL newbie & rapidly developing addict... In my early scent explorations, I have discovered that I am quite fond of the Eucalyptus note. I would love it if some of the more experienced sniffers could point me in the direction of additional scents that contain eucalyptus... Here is the list I have compiled so far: Scents with EUCALYPTUS listed in the descriptions: * Ultraviolet * Loup Garou * Jabberwocky * Y'ha-nthlei * The Coil LE/Discontinued Scents: * Frost Moon * J-Horror * Moon of Ice * Banshee * The Smilin' Servitors' Hyperdimensional Holiday Hits Scents in which I believe eucalyptus is hiding: * Hemlock * Jezirat al Tennyn

In the Imp: super sugary bubble gum; The Boy says "rock candy" Wet on Skin: a bit of spice, slightly medicinal cherry While Drying: cherry chapstick After a Little While: cherry chapstick, a bit of bubblegum, and some incense or spice Final Thoughts: This was a frimp from the lab. It does not work for me (I've never been particularly fond of cherry chapstick), and the chapstick note came out on the BFF, but another friend ended up with a lovely, soft, candy smell. Aunt Caroline's Joy Mojo earns a 3/5

In the Bottle: musty, sweet (The Boy says 'herbal') Wet on Skin: Sweet note dominates While Drying: Powerful scent at first; sweet note tones down and smokiness dominates After a Little While: campfire smoke, with something sinister in the background; strong smoke note when applied to hair Later: Occasional dead-on dead leaf smell; very Autumny, slightly sinister This was part of my first BPAL purchase. I ordered it with the hope that it would evoke a certain Autumny mood, and in that it is effective. I thought I wanted a stronger wet note, but after testing more of the aquatics, I might be lucky that I didn't get my wish. Not quite the crisp Autumn leaf scent I was hoping for, but nice all the same. Falling Leaf Moon earns a 3/5

In the Imp: Very light, slightly floral, fresh Wet on Skin: Too floral... soapy *sigh* While Drying: Makes my nose burn After a Little While: Very potent on me Later: Softens after a few hours, and I get occasional whiffs of the things that make me like it in the imp, but probably not enough to wait through hours of not great phases. Final Thoughts: This one was disappointing. I have two friends who got to this imp before I did, and it was lovely on both of them. Fortunately, one of them plans to buy a bottle, so I will be able to enjoy it from time to time, just not on my skin. Mr. Ibis earns a 2/5