SophieCedar

Born in the shadows of a Temple to Set, this corrupted Egyptian scent evokes images of black pyramids, river demons, and bleak, deadly desert sands. Black lotus flower, amber, myrrh and sandalwood. Got this in a swap (thanks deviolet!) In imp: candy sweet with an acidic undertone. I almost didn't dare apply it to my skin. Wet: I try it anyways because a few other scents smelled the same but opened big time. At first, I smell like Dr. Pepper. What? Then the resins start to slowly come out. Truly strange. Drydown: This is the best part. The resins bloom and it's lovely. The Dr. Pepper smell subsides. The lotus provides a nice bright sweet note in the middle of everything but doesn't scream for attention like some citruses can. Color impression: dusty pumpkin orange This is wonderful but doesn't hold very long, so you have to start the process all over again a few times. It gets better with a couple layers. I wouldn't mix with others though. Afraid the cola smell may stay around if I did.

I third Nocnitsa. It's very pure pine, moss, and dirt. Crisp dark green. It's really lovely. To lighten the mood and give it an ethereal glow, I layered with Ladon. It was divine.

This is wonderful. Thanks to the BPAL forum members for helping me at the beginning to find scents that I'd truly enjoy! I love this one and will be buying a bottle. This is perfect. First waft when wet is lemon balm, sage, benzoin, and gilead. It just gets better and better. The beeswax takes until drydown to come out but it's worth the wait. Totally smells like floral mead drank in the warm late spring evening air. Some of my favorites are the ones that can spark nostalgia. This is one of them and a total keeper.

This is a deep and true lily. I don't get that ethereal glowing-lady-of-light lily from this one. This is a true dark somber green lily in all senses. There is a dark black musky spice undertone that keeps this anchored. Now I really see why it's labeled "black" lily. Stays the same from imp to wet. Then a slight black musk comes out in the drydown to deepen it. I appreciate it however this doesn't really work well on me.

The dodo is spicy for sure. Cassia smells nice with the sugar cane and lemon peel. This is reminiscent of a hot toddy with only a touch of booze. It smells surprisingly floral on me too..? Makes my mouth water a bit. there's a hint of mango but not enough to make me recoil. As it dried down the wood came out nicely. Not bad! I'll wear this again.

In imp: ooohh intriguing. Honey and flowers. Wet: skin so soft? What gives? Why has it turned on me? Oh wait.. it's opening up now. Drydown: this is a complicated one on me. It turned out nicely. Honey and flower pollen for sure. I'm good friends with chamomile however not really picking it up. maybe that's the wine like smell in the background. This is like a powdery floral mead. Not bad but not me.

You know, I didn't have hopes for this one but got an imp anyways. This is lovely and thankfully I don't regret my decision! The hyacinth is lovely. I really didn't expect it to marry so well with the apple blossom (one of my old mischievous summer favorites from my teenage years). This is a lovely fresh, fruity, floral trifecta. I could definitely see using this when I attend a spring or summer party wearing a lovely vintage dress. What a bubbly and rich scent. Deep yet effervescent. This is definitely a "me" scent.. The dragon's blood takes a bit to become prominent. Give it a bit! Debating a bottle in January but I'm sure I'll be fiending for one by spring...

In imp: sweet milky with slight floral. I can smell the bergamont. Wet: very sweet, very milky and the carnation popped right out. The bergamont is still there. Drydown: ok so my chemistry didn't like the whole innocence idea so it morphed it into a floral. I totally lost the sweetness and it's just creamy carnation with a citrus waft at this point. Kinda soapy. Cute, but my skin had other ideas and rejected it.

This is an unusual one. I can't say I've smelled anything similar besides for Alice of course. In imp: sweet and carnation for sure. Wet: the posies and amber open up and this is sweet, spicy and I get a definite wine impression. Drydown: treacle and cider. The carnation faded into the background? This smells slightly different depending on the distance your nose is from the location of scent. Slightly stimulating scent for me because it keeps the mind active with the constantly changing top notes. There's definitely that little girl tea party trapped in a big girl world smell.

Hmm.. What do I smell... heady floral bouquet. I'm not that familiar with oleander in real life so comparatives are what I'm stuck with. Think gardenia and peony had a baby and fed it sweet milk. I like it however I envy the person that this really blossoms and thrives upon.. I'll have to age it for a bit and get back to this.

Dragon's Blood and I are great friends, so anything including it will work magic on my skin. This is no exception. This is the sweet enticing version. The vanilla is perfectly balanced and the dragon's blood is so nice, I'm sure it's producing quite a lovely aura on me right now. Smells intoxicating! I'm definitely getting a bottle!

This definitely goes in the complex category, I think. It does have that cologne smell that comes out in the drydown, but not offensive. This is a lovely aquatic blend. Quite intoxicating!

I didn't get as much of a cedarwood smell as I would have liked.. It's not bad but the vanilla smells a little synthetic on me. Maybe because of the sassafras, which I can definitely smell. not offensive or bad but just not really "me".

Like others, in the imp it smells sweet and creamy to me. Wet: the honey has a different take. definitely candle wax. These smell like the ivory pillars I used to buy in the 90's from an oh so popular cool kids urban store chain.. Drydown: I'm floating in nostalgia heaven. ( I used to and still do burn lots of candles, being the good little gothy gal that I am.. the best part was and still is: blowing them out for the smoky smell mixing with the wax..sigh) I'll be buying a bottle. This lasts however it's not overpowering on me and it doesn't morph either.

I started on BPAL with a request for suggestions. It stated that I could be swayed if violet was mixed appropriately as I usually hate it. I've been converted! This scent is lovely and I soaked my arms in it when I got my order. The mint smells so cool that it feels like this scent has a forcefield around it. The violet is so non-offensive that I'll be buying a bottle.

Olive blossom, honey, smoky vanilla, cinnamon, jasmine, sandalwood, and champaca flower. first take: Smells like the popular kid's pony figurines from the 80's.. Wet: ok, if I wasn't fully inhaling, yes it would still smell that way to me. However it becomes less synthetic smelling when it opens up. Olive blossom is very under-rated. This is nice. Drydown: it doesn't work for me. I smell like plastic pony toys again

This has an almost saccharine sweet undertone on me? I usually do fine with dragon's blood and sandalwoods however on me, it's almost like eating stevia sweetener. I can smell the dragon's blood and sandalwood but it's literally making my mouth water for no reason. Uhm.. okay?

I have other non-BPAL scents that use opium and even if they say it's mixed, it's always that "opium stench". Not in the case of BPAL's version! This is light, heart-lifting, and dreamy. Lily of the valley and opium together? I've never seen it until now I'm glad that I have. This will be my perfect early summer energized, twitterpated scent. Though wearing it in the winter works too..

Am I evil? I just say this because this scent works wonderfully on me. Nothing took the spotlight or really meeked out on me. It just smells balanced and lovely. This reduces my fear of the dreaded rose. It stayed pretty true for a long time as well!

YUM. The oil is darker than I expected..? In the imp it smells strictly of caramelly vanilla cake. Wet: the currants exploded on me? Drydown: currant settled nicely and shared space with the cake. this smells delicious. Like strawberry shortcake with a syrupy liquor drizzled over the top. WOW. No wonder it's a favorite around here!

This smells like japanese or traditional prayer incense in the bottle. Wet: incense rose and jasmine... where's the coffee? I was bummed out. Drydown: this is floral. I didn't expect much different.. the jasmine married nicely with the rose. I just wish I could smell the fig, vanilla, and tonka a little more. I smell coffee now! These sweeter notes are now working their way around but the jasmine and rose are a bit bossy. Overall I like this, as long as I'm truly in the mood for it that day.

This is a palatable everyday scent. The vanilla is the ring master on this one, as we figured. I was surprised at how nice the sweet pea complimented it however. Can I use "cute" as the one word description? I just did. sandalwood worked it's magic in the background. This reminds me of being 16.

Oooh this is the scent I'm taking with me to the Carpathian Mountains. It stayed pretty true from Imp to Drydown on me. Dark dark green medicinal herbs, fresh dark mineral rich soil, and a spill of dry earthy red wine. I feel like I'm wandering around the Maine woods drunk. This rules. I want to play Castlevania.

I know this is quite the popular scent and I saw it used as a comparative frequently. I can see why this is a BPAL staple. It has my favorite three S's: Simple, sexy, scrumptious. Very lovely amber, warm running honey, and enveloping vanilla. Perfect.

Someone else sensed BO.. I did too. Smelled great in the bottle but upon applicaton to my wrist it wreaked. I was relieved when the cocoa, myrrh, and sandalwood spread out a bit to allow a nice experience. Nice woody chocolate smell! Only 3 elements and all can be clearly identified.