Honey

To me, this is mainly rosewater and almond blossom. The rosewater, honey, and almond give this a very marzipan feel. To those who know it, it reminds me of the very basic Nivea facial cream (the "OG cold cream") that I grew up with as a kid. Another blend that also has a similar quality to it is Ave Maria Gratia Plena. While on the drydown, the scent gets greener, yet it is still creamy, sweet and almondy. The citrus is not very pronounced to my nose, but it is a somewhat bolder scent with a pale rose that isn't sickening or cloying. This is like a non-gourmand marzipan to me that's true to the original recipe using rosewater. You take that and mix it into a rich cold cream - and you got Monte's Harbinger. Interesting for sure, but the blend doesn't really come together as a perfume for me.

This starts off as a very peppery pine and lavender blend. It's herbal and not smokey at all on me. It mellows down rather quickly, and I think the fragrant "snow" note appears. During drydown, I get a very faint smokiness that's neither tobacco nor bonfire. It's almost a bit of ashes with liquorice, a sweetness that goes well with the soft herbal notes and resins. The tea note is bright, sweet and floral. The lavender doesn't stand out but blends in well with the rest. The pine disappears almost completely and may only be noticeable as a resinous backdrop for the "lavender tea with liquorice root" that I'm getting. I'm still debating if I need a bottle of this or not. I keep huffing my arm, and I can see myself using the scent as supporter for good sleep. It's definitely different from what I had imagined, a pleasant surprise. Very wearable - and a recommendation for tea lovers!

Fresh on, this smells like oatmeal with raisins (minus the milk). It's a bit dry, almost like a cake or something... nutty? Or even hay? It definitely has some "baked goods" quality to it, but it's not doing the weird celery thing that's normally the case with my skin. I can smell the dark fruitiness that comes across as very earthy and sugary - you know, like dried fig, not really the juicy and fruity kind that I was expecting. After drydown, I am left with a dark fruity scent that has a vague dry quality to it. If it's vanilla, then it's more of a vanilla husk than the creamy gourmand kind. If you take a bowl or dried figs and think "make that into a perfume", maybe that's what you will get from it? It's not a very complex scent and also not super interesting to smell over a longer period of time.

Interesting when wet: I get almond and fennel in a sort of greenish white swirl that feels a bit sticky. The notes don't come together well on my wrist and are fighting for attention. It smells sharper than I would have imagined. The champaca and frangipani make this quite heavy and heady, but I am missing the creaminess I thought I'd get from the rice milk and rice flower. The drydown reminds me of a soap or shower gel you would find in a drugstore. However, I cannot get rid of that fennel or even celery element that's poking into my nose once in a while. A faint almond note also remains, similar to the one (but not as good) that is very prominent in Queen of Sheba (which I adore, by the way). I had high hopes for this as two rice elements had my attention, and I wanted so badly for this to work on me, but I fear the lightness of the rice doesn't play super well with the champaca and resinous amber. Also, any scent that stays fennel or celery on me is a killer.

This is a sharp, bold and vibrant grapefruit that's rather juicy and sweet than overly tart. I guess that's the red current that gives it a more "orange" and warm, sugary feel. Right off the bat, I am reminded of Père Noël - must be the combination of citrus and lavender. I am also reminded of Carnal. Not so much because of the notes, but it has a similar quality: It's a straightforward, simply and fruity scent (if you take out the lavender, of course). After a while, the lavender wears off a bit - or maybe my nose is overpowered by the grapefruit and current? It's very sharp, and I hope it will mellow down a bit and let the musk and lavender come out to play again. The longer I wear it, the more I can smell the musk and lavender again, but the almost astringent citrus note stays in my nose. Père Noël, in comparison, is much smoother and more creamy. I cannot detect any Roman chamomile in Cheshire Cat, and that was the element I was most excited about, especially in combination with lavender. It's a bright and sugary blend for sure, but I cannot see me wearing this as a perfume. It would make a great home or linen spray, however.

Wet on, this is a very interesting and unexpected first impression: Snake Oil, dry birthday cake, fennel and a soft green resin. I can sense the vanilla and the spices, but it all has a sort of "baked goods" vibe going on - and one that doesn't turn into celery or burned plastic on me as it usually does. This definitely smells green and a bit medicinal. A bit like the "vanilla mint" vibe you get from any of the Lick It scents with an extra resinous vibe that could come from the earthy patchouli and some of the nettle leaf and dandelion. When it dries, it becomes more minty actually (although there is no mint in it). It reminds me a bit of Green Tree Viper, just not as peppery or strong on the vanilla, much softer and a tad more floral (although it doesn't smell like actual flowers, just because the scent has another quality to it). It's pretty, much I'd rather turn to my original or GTV if I needed my fix of SO or wanted an extra jolt of green with it.

This starts out very heady and strong. An intense floral that's almost soapy. I can definitely smell the champaca with its incense quality. To me, this perfume is evocative of a lady in her late 50s or 60s who puts on a very expensive skin care. I don't think the oudh is very prominent (although I'm also not entirely sure I know what it would smell like on its own). It gets a bit creamier after 30 min but also turns a bit more soapy and powdery then. Even though it's a heavy floral, I can sense a bit of a "red" quality in it as well - a similar note that I can detect in both Mme. Moriarty and Snake Charmer, for some reason. For a hand cream, this would already be a bit much on me, so a definite no as a perfume, but YMMV.

I don't think I have tried Tlazolteotl but I shall seek it our - thanks! I liked Good (definitely up my scent-alley), but it lacked some degree of sophistication. I guess there are only a few simple scents that I really enjoy. I think that Gobo might be worth a re-test. Giljagaur didn't really work on me, alas. No coconut and all weird tangy milk. Thanks so much for your suggestion! If anyone else wants to comment for me - feel free, please! <3

I have been out of the BPAL game for a while but would love to try something new. It should be something along the lines of what I like/love but not too similar to the scents I already own/wear- if that makes any sense. Here are my top five perfumes (randomish order): 1) Ava (OLLA) 2) Giant Vulva 3) Midway 4) Shub Niggurath 5) Boomslang v2 I like scents like 1-3: Light, sweet, feminine (but with a twist). 4 is great on me because vanilla and cinnamon (in a small amount) work great on me, but anything with caramel or baked goods is just awful on me.Resins are OK if not too strong - Lady Death works great one me because it combines light and resinous elements. Chocolate and dark musks work on me like in 5 or Black Temple Burlesque Troupe. I am mainly looking for scents from more recent updates. Apart from what I listed above, rose, violet and scents that are too masculine (woods, smoke, leather, juniper, pepper) never work on me. I would be really happy if you could suggest something to me!

Yes! I wanted to add in my post that it HAS to be Phoenix somehow. Yay for figuring it out! Now I can read that too! The Z I saw makes also sense as an A.

The third word definitely starts with a PH, doesn't it? And somehow, there is a Z for me in the first word.

Ohh, great thread for me! Scents that I find "herbal" are Ave Maria Gratia Plena (Rosewood with Sicilian lemon peel, red Mysore sandalwood, pale musks, sweet mountain sage and a dusting of lily, night-blooming jasmine and orris.), because I totally amp the sage and lemon, and, my favorite, Strings in the Earth and Air (White sage, white musk, honey myrtle, galbanum, lilac, and everlasting flower.), because - again! - it has a very sweet note of sage in a great combination with white/pale musk (geesh, run-on sentence much?). (Anyone know of any similar scents? I have an unhealthy craving for sage it seems..) I am actually looking for a scent with thyme, rosemary, sage, lemon, lavender and all the fragrant yet not-too-sweet herbs and spices. I find balms and resins a tad bit too perfumey and incense-like sometimes, so a pure herbal blend would be good for me to try I think. The Apothecary is high on my wishlist (and I guess it is a scent that would be recommended, right?).

I think I tested Salome a while ago and felt pretty "meh" about it. But I may give this another try - thank you!

Oh, no, that sounds fantastic! I was also thinking about Flowering Chrysanthemums...

OK, I'm gonna hijack this thread and ask for very specific recommendatons! Forum fairies, can you work your magic on me? I am looking for a floriental - although I'm usually not much of a floral scent person. I do not like rose (too soapy) or violet (makes me nauseous). Carnation is sort of meh for me, as it kinda smells like band-aids on my skin. I really love Queen of Sheba, and I like Hunger. (As far as "other" scents are concerned, I really love Snake Oil and variations of it - such as Asp Viper! - and musky blends like Giant Vulva or Xiu..ha..youknowwhatimean) I used to like Defututa, but I swapped it away because it seemed too green to me after a while, and I stopped wearing it. White Phoenix and Opuhi were TOO floral for me and both gave me a severe headache. I am not too fond of really dark scents (anything black or smoked), and I am careful with fruity notes (no apricot, peach, pom) and patchouli. Almond, spices, vanilla, lighter or oriental musks (white, skin, Arabian, Egyptian etc.) always work on me. Now.. just some florals in the mix would be great! Any ideas? Can be GC, LE, DC, whatever. I hope this is not too.. specific and impossible. (I also take floral recs that are not strictly florientals..)

Wow, this is sweeter than I expected. I can only second some of the commentors above me. I get sweet pine/evergreen and.. some sort of berries? Dark, sweet, ripe berries. And all of that is covered in a layer of mint as well as menthol. A bit "murky" at first, but it clears up to a fresh green berry smell. Reminds me of Elf somehow. No vanilla so far, hmm.

I haven't found a similar topic through the forum search, so I'm opening a new thread. In case I missed something - please be kind and just let me know! I'm currently playing Assassin's Creed (the first part in which you play Altaïr), and I am intrigued to find a scent that would remind me of the main character or, basically, the notion of the game: Damascus, Jerusalem, assassins.. you get the idea. I'm a huge fan of Queen of Sheba, but I am looking for a scent that has a bit more sandalwood and some resins or herbs in it. I am not good with scents that are too masculine, so more feminine suggestions would be appreciated! Some notes that I think could fit: sandalwood, Arabian/Egyptian musk, bone musk, incense, frankincense, myrrh, leather (but it has to be behaved), and even coffee, tea or cocoa. Oh, and lots of spices! Clove, cardamom, cinnamon. And peppermint and/or other herbs! I know this is a crazy mix, but not all of these notes would have to be in a single blend, of course. Personally, I am very cautious when it comes to leather, amber, and musk scents. But if they are just a grounding base for other lighter components, then this could be great anyway. I tried Rogue, but the smokey amber note that must have been used to recreate soft leather just smelled like cable fire on me (my bf asked me, in all seriousness, if some cables were smoldering somewhere).

Wow, Dragon's Claw sounds like a really interesting sandalwood scent! Dragon's blood is normally not something that smells good on me, but the scent intrigues me anyway. Diwali sounds like the perfect scent! Is on my wishlist now, thank you! Chintamani-Dhupa - why did I not know of this scent? Seriously.. awesome suggestions! I had feared the usual Bastet, Bengal & Morocco which all, alas, do not work on me.

Spooky 2005 smells a bit.. off. I like the coconutty note to it, but the rum just makes it smell.. moldy in a way.

I love minty scents. But I am not sure why I am not super excited about GTV. It is a rich, lovely Snake Oil with, well, tea and mint. First time I tested it I was just meh about it, second time now.. it seems more rounded and awesome. It's mostly SO with a fresh hint. I think I need to get a bottle of this anyway should it come back with the carnival!

Oh, darn, why did I have to test this? I love the Lab's cream note, and, apparently, it loves me right back! Like Love's Philospohy, this is awesome on me, and I get wafts of greatness every few seconds. Must get when resurrected! This is just.. awesome rich cocoa (not the waxy chocolate note I sometimes get from Lab blends) and the sweetest cream. It always has this "fresh linen" quality on me. Heavenly!

This is sweet citrus candy. But not just lemon and lime. No, I also get.. kiwi, watermelon.. and maybe even strawberry. It has a creamy drydown, but it's still sweet candy all the way. Fun for something I want to snack on, but nothing I want to smell like.

This is minty baked goods. The dreaded cake note from the Lab and.. sweet mint. Smells horrible on me. Pass!

Hmm. I get the same chemical vanilla note that I get from Antique Lace or SS's Cenobite. There may be a hint of saffron. But it's very.. blend and meh on me. It becomes more vanillic, but there is no rum or sandalwood or anything. Oh well.