FathomBelow

I got this bottle free (long story) so I wouldn't normally wear something like this, but here it goes: In the bottle: Smells like incense, strangely. No incense listed, so I'm guessing it's just a scent I associate with incense. Maybe the poppy? Wet on skin: Still heavy and incense-y. Dry: Mellows out to a thick, not too sweet floral scent. Doesn't smell like incense any more. Kind of nice. As others have noted, this is quite a faint scent and it clings to your skin (at least, mine). Overall impression: For some reason, this makes me think of fortune tellers. It's definitely too heavy for me, but tolerable and could be nice on some people.

Definitely not my favorite scent of all time, but that's expected as I don't particularly like the smell of lilies. This is very perfume-y and very powdery. I'm sad to say my nose can't distinguish any of the listed components (ginger, neroli, purple fruits, frankincense) except lily. If you're looking for an elegant, expensive, designer perfume-like scent this might be for you. It's sophisticated, urbane, and beautiful (in an Ice Queen kind of way) but definitely not approachable. It strikes me as a good work scent, especially for someone in a managerial position. Unfortunately, it's definitely not for me.

Another freebie from the Lab, thank you! Wet: this smells exactly like marzipan! A nice scent, but not what I was expecting. Dry: this morphs completely...into cinnamon. Spot-on cinnamon. That's odd. Maybe it's from the carnation? Everyone describes it as "spicy"... Overall, this is another in a slew of scents that turn really weird on my skin. I was looking forward to it so much, too! It's pleasant enough, but on me - no rose, no honey, no milk. Sigh.

Quite frankly, I can't stand this one. It's the first Black Phoenix blend ever to have produced such an impression on me. On my skin, this smells extremely herbal, almost acrid, and yet perfume-y at the same time. There is absolutely nothing that smells remotely like apples or ash (granted, I've never smelled ash in a perfume, but I have smelled plenty of real ash). It's obnoxious and overbearing, like the worst department store perfume ever gone wrong. The image this calls up is a beefy sixty-something woman with her hair in curlers, standing in a ratty mint-green bathrobe with rhinestone-studded sunglasses and fuschia lipstick. It's an extremely vivid image - I suppose intense dislike spurs the imagination. This one is definitely off to my giveaway pile. As most of the other reviewers have smelled distinct apples and/or ash, I'm wondering if my perfume could have been mislabeled. Or maybe I just have really odd skin?

My first Lupercalia order EVER has just arrived!!! Wet on skin: Boozy cough syrup. 10 min. later: Much improved. Phew! This is impossible to describe (it doesn't help that I'm not exactly sure what frankincense smells like). There's a fruity richness which must be the wine...occasionally I get whiffs of the skin-musky-beeswax, just like in Lights of Men's Lives (although hopefully this won't go all powdery on me like that did). I can't smell the rose at all, and if the frankincense is there, I am unsurprisingly unable to identify it - although it might be what is responsible for turning this into a very "dark" scent. Completely dry: Wine and beeswax are most prominent on me. Not much powder, thankfully. The only drawback is that it might be a bit too sweet. The previous reviewers were right; this is a very dark scent. If this were a color, it would be black with occasional glimmers of deep red - or red so dark it looks black.

I got this freebie as part of my Christmas shipment and just got around to testing it now because the stopper is fiendishly hard to remove... Anyways, in the imp, the strongest scent is the tomato leaf. It brought me right back to watering my mother's tomato plants on hot summer days. In the background is some vaguely sweet, pine-ish scent. On my skin, the tomato leaf disappears, which is not unwelcome because although it's interesting, I don't know if I want to smell like tomato leaves. In its place is that sweet pine scent. The cranberry is much less tart than I expect and must be what is giving this scent its sweetness. I can't really smell the cedar wood distinctly (at least, I don't recognize anything that this shares with Ochosi) and I can't smell the blackberry leaf at all...it just smells like pine. Overall, this perfume smells EXACTLY like holiday candles and wreaths, but without the spiciness of cinnamon or clove. It's a nice scent, but I don't expect to be using it much as I don't often want to smell like Christmas!

After I got my Black Phoenix shipment I was doing a preliminary sniff test of all my imps and this one induced a definite recoil response. What caused it was the really acrid, sharp smell, probably the labdanum that others have mentioned. In the future, I will be very sure to avoid labdanum... I wasn't really looking forward to trying this one out due to the nasty smell in the imp, but when I got around to it, the labdanum fortunately mellowed somewhat on my skin. It left a thick, old-fashioned floral smell that was a little powdery and definitely cloying. I can definitely see where the narcissus comes in - something in this is reminding me of Pride. I actually didn't mind the non-labdanum stage too much, but I didn't like it either. Overall, this one is definitely going to my give-away pile.

Yet another freebie from the Lab! In the imp, it smells sweet and fresh, but fresh without being tart. I don't recognize the individual components at all. On my skin, as the perfume dries, the sprucewood comes out more distinctly - it has that sweet-dry, woody, dusty scent that Christmas trees used to have when I was little. It's a little sweeter than that though - maybe from the forest herbs or shea butter? But I have to say, I don't smell shea butter at all (although, granted, my only experience of it is L'Occitane shea butter lotion). This would be great as a room scent. Overall, a pleasant surprise! Especially as the previous freebies haven't been working out for me.

This freebie is dominated by something vaguely familiar - something pungent and a bit rank...which I think is the neroli. The smoky vetiver comes in second place, with the sandalwood a sad third. I feel like the neroli (if that's what it is) is assaulting my nose - urgh. But at least now I know to avoid neroli!

This was a freebie from the Lab, thank you! In imp: this smelled very strongly of smoky, sticky, sweetish incense, which I think is from the vertiver or ylang-ylang (I don't really know what either of them smells like individually) and/or the orange. It definitely made me back away a bit, because I generally don't do that sort of thing. On skin: this quickly became much mellower than the smell from the imp suggested. First I got a smooth-nutty/woody-warm-earthy smell from the patchouli, but ask it dried the patchouli faded and the sandalwood came to the fore (just like in Rakshasa on me) and the scent became much woodier - in a good way, since I love sandalwood. I can't really smell the orange as a distinct scent at all, only a very slight sweetness, which is good because I don't especially like orange. As for the vetiver and ylang ylang, if I put my wrist right up to my nose and inhale deeply, I get the slightest whiff of sweet/sticky incense smoke. I guess my skin must eat those two up. Overall, this was a much more mellow and likeable scent than I was expecting - the sandalwood saves it for me, I think. I will probably keep the imp but in any case, I'm glad to have tried it! Edit to say: darn it. The sweet incense of the vetiver/ylang ylang (if that's what it is) has made a comeback, rivaling the sandalwood and I don't like it nearly as much as before. I will have to consign this to the giveaway box.

This is an extremely compelling scent. On wet, I could definitely smell the deep, warm, earthy patchouli that was also in Tweedledum (or was it Tweedledee?), but a lot more well blended than Tweedledum. I can definitely tell it's not pure patchouli, as it's more fragrant and a bit sweeter, but I can't identify the rose or sandalwood either. Like I said, it's well blended. After it dries, the sandalwood (I think) comes out much more on me, exactly as I was hoping for, with the rose forming the nasal equivalent of an aftertaste. This has taught me that I do not have to reject anything with patchouli in it, but it isn't the right patchouli scent for me either. I mean, it's great on my skin, but as a warm, sensual scent, it doesn't really describe me. "Haunting" is a perfect way to describe it - it sort of lingers in your mind (or mine, anyway!) and draws you back to it...I keep sniffing my wrist! Final verdict: this could be absolutely fascinating on someone else with the right personality, but I think I'll still end up wearing it some, just because it smells great.

Like everyone else has said, this scent was much sharper in the bottle and wet on my skin than I was prepared for, even after reading the reviews. It's a very sharp, acrid lavender, and nothing else. Fortunately, when it dried, it became the exact, soft, pretty, powdery scent of delicate lavender soaps that you can get from those little boutiques. In addition to being softer, it was also more complex - could have been the rose/jasmine or musk or lemon (unlikely) that some reviewers have mentioned. Whatever it is, I like it. This is not an adventurous scent (which is good for falling asleep), but still a beautiful one. I was smelling this and listening to Debussy, Yiruma, and Jim Brickman as I drifted off to sleep...and all sorts of images of lavender started drifting into my head: lavender growing in the rain, stems of lavender floating on moonlit rivers, on misty lakes...yeah, you can tell that this is one romantic scent.

I just got my BPTP order yesterday, along with SEVEN free imps! The generosity of the Lab is astounding. This is the first of the imps I tried: When this was wet on my wrist, I took a big sniff close up and got a nose-full of cherry candy and cherry cough syrup. On an empty stomach in the early morning, it was almost nauseating. When it dried, it mellowed and became much more pleasant, a kind of floral-ish cherry. Now, 1.5 hours later, it smells like the cherry version of High John the Conqueror. It's okay, but I think I'll stick to the Conqueror as I like grapes better than cherries.

This was another freebie from the lab (so incredibly generous, thanks!). In the bottle: wow, this is different. Fruit (fig, mango) combined with earthy nuttiness (must be the patchouli) with a distinct sharp-bitter green scent that I can't identify. On skin: The sharp-bitter green scent disappears immediately, leaving the fruit and the nuttiness. After an hour or two, the nuttiness disappears as well, leaving a quite nice juicy, refreshing fruit scent. It's very faint and stays close to the skin. Overall: This is a nice scent but doesn't suit my personality. I'm glad I got to try it though, especially since I've never encountered patchouli before. Now I know what it smells like!

This was a free imp from the lab that unfortunately just didn't work out for me. In the imp, it smelled unappealing. On my skin, it was like a mixture of Big Red cinnamon gum and the petroleum jelly that you get in little yellow tubes at the drug store to use as chapstick.

This smells like vanilla candles to me. And the last poster is right, it definitely does not morph. It smells like vanilla and skin musk all the way through. It smells waxy, but not like genuine beeswax candles, which is what I was hoping for. It's a wonderful vanilla and very comforting, but if you're looking for a strong beeswax or honey scent, I would say that you could do better than this.

A fast-acting, powerful scent used to overcome adversity through positive means. Attracts wealth, prestige, good health, and enhances others' opinions of you. Grants courage and steadfastness. This is one of the imps that I was looking forward to the most when I received my order... In imp: like everyone says, smells like grape - not too sweet, with something floral mixed in. Really nice, but faint. On skin: Good lord, I'm getting really strong grape candy. Just sugary grape. That's when it's wet - when it dries it turns more into the scent I get in the imp, which is what I was hoping for. I don't know about the voodoo properties of this blend (but I'm having an important meeting today, so we'll see how it goes...) but I could definitely get a bottle of it. Edit: "I could definitely get a bottle of it" has turned into "definitely get a bottle of it." I've used this twice so far, both for occasions where I need to overcome adversity, enhance others' opinions of me, etc. And it's worked (or something's worked!) both times. The first meeting mentioned above turned out really well - I was a lot more outgoing than usual, and I made some important connections. The second time was for a presentation for my architecture class. I did the first presentation of the quarter, and afterwards the teacher said that I did a great job and that my presentation was a good example for others to follow! Sorry this post is so long by the way.

This is the first 5 mL I've ever gotten, so it better be good... In bottle: This is definitely the most unique scent I've ever smelled! I don't even know how to describe it. I can smell mint or pine, like the other reviews said - something cold and airy - with a wet fruityish smell, and something sour (but not unpleasantly so). I can't say I've ever smelled snow (although I've read it smells like the taste of tin...but I've never tasted tin!), but I like this scent. I can also smell a faint something similar to Pride, very "high" in my nose, that must be the narcissus. Not love at first sight, but I'm definitely surprised and intrigued. My brother sniffed the bottle and said that it smelled like posh hotel bathrooms! So I guess I can see where a cleaning fluid analogy could come in...but I think it smells better than that. Wet on skin: I catch a glimpse of this delicious white floral smell - not narcissus - that goes wonderfully with all the other notes swirling around...but then it promptly disappears. Drat. Dry on skin: My brother and my dad both said they could smell...cinnamon! I like cinnamon, but I definitely wasn't expecting it in this scent. They said I smelled like a Christmas candle; must be the cinnamon and pine. And they have a point - this smells a lot like a Christmas pine candle, but more cold and airy and less sweet. Again, this is the most intriguing scent I've ever smelled. Despite all the domestic analogies (posh hotels, Christmas candles), the image it brings to mind is a cold wild forest, thick with snow, standing in the moonlight. Makes me feel like I'm in a fairy tale. Nice! I am editing this to say that this also lasts SUPER long on me (relative to other BPAL scents I've tried) - I applied it at 7:30 this morning and eight hours later, I can still smell it! Granted, I need to huff deeply and shove my wrist right up to my nose to do so, but I have a cold, so it's really probably stronger than that.

I got Laudanum as one of a surprising number of freebies from the Lab (thank you!). It's another really evocative scent. In imp: Exactly like the incense smoke you can smell in those cramped little Asian/African "exotic" curiosity shops. Crazy! Wet on skin: Same, but sweeter. This is really interesting. Dry on skin: Wow, it completely changed. Now it smells like a spice merchant's warehouse - rows of dusty jars containing every kind of dried spice and curry powder imaginable, with big wooden barrels of smoky black teas (might be verging on the overly poetic here). Pungent and fragrant and not sweet at all...actually, it smells just like the spice shop called World Merchants (or something like that) near Pike Place Market. Although I love this one for the clarity of the images it calls up, it doesn't really match my personality or taste in scents. I'm glad I got to try it though!

I got this as a generous freebie from the Lab (thanks!!). I would never have ordered it myself, as some of the notes - leather? oakmoss? incense? - are a bit scary. In imp: Heavy and sweet...I can definitely detect an incense-y smell. It's so heavy that it's making my stomach churn a little, actually. Definitely not something to wear on an empty stomach. On skin: The incense and the flowers dominate, with the leather/oakmoss in the background, deepening the scent. Again, it's thick and heavy and a touch sweet. It's not masculine on me, but it's definitely not feminine in the girlish, youthful sense. The staying power is above average for me at 6 hours. Strangely enough this puts me in mind of an experienced, middle-aged gypsy woman or circus fortune-teller...with oily dark skin, really heavy eyeliner, bright patterned clothes, and gold jewelry. I like it for the vividness of the image it calls up, I think it needs someone older/more experienced/more mature than me to carry it off.

This is a really nice scent that I'd love to smell on someone else but doesn't suit someone as girly as me. In imp: smells exactly like fresh cut planks and sawdust...woody and a tiny bit sharp. On skin: Wet, a nice sweetish smell is coming out that must be the Bay Rum. Once this dries it turns into a very rounded, well-blended nutty scent similar to the wood smell in the imp, although I kind of wish the Bay Rum was a bit stronger. It also seems to have above-average lasting power and strength. This is my first test of a fragrance with leather, so I can't identify it...but I can't smell anything remotely similar to a leather jacket, for instance. I also can't smell any "sea spray" but it still smells good. In the end, this would be a great scent for a guy!

In imp: old fashioned Victorian florals (but not what I associate with real lilacs or lily-of-the-valley, which my grandma and mom grow). Reminds me of old ladies - not boding well for the scent. Wet on skin: same florals as above, but somewhat sharper. Dry on skin: gets slightly more powdery. Still really old lady. Drat! In the end, this is not a scent for me. Which is disappointing because some of the other reviews have described it so glowingly. The smell in itself is very pretty, but the old lady association ruins it for me as a perfume. It's something that I like to smell, but not to smell like. I've never tried Dragon's Blood so I can't identify it in this scent, but I don't smell anything that could be described as powerful or commanding.

My brother got this one for a late Christmas present and generously allowed me to try it out... In the imp: this smelled really nasty, like some kind of acrid chemical cleaner, which fortunately in this case was deceptive. Wet on my skin: I could smell nothing but lime soda! It was fresh, fun, and unexpected and I really liked it. After it dried: I got white musk which mingled wonderfully with the lime. I don't know about the lasting time, because I had to wash it off early. Overall, I would say this is a great scent. It's definitely not feminine (I imagine a very charming but Machiavellian guy, like the description indicates), but a girl could pull it off. Very sophisticated and elegant.

In imp: This is a very full rose with a hint of green sharpness from the "stems and leaves" component. On skin: My skin amps the greenness exponentially. It's REALLY strong, and turning bitter and acrid. Dang it! The rose is still here, but it definitely takes the back seat; it's unfortunately not enough to save this scent. Final opinion: It's a pity this didn't work out - I can see how this would smell great on some people. Even though Beauty and the Beast is my favorite fairy tale and I really wanted this to work, I still like London better.

In the imp: a VERY pure, simple rose. Nothing much more to say than that! On skin: became slightly sweeter, which I normally don't like, but was also very dry, and the combination was heavenly! I could definitely imagine a crumbling, withered rose...but in a good way. Definitely not lighthearted or girlish in any way, but very delicate. This is the best rose scent of all the BPAL rose scents I've tried so far (i.e. better than Two, Five & Seven and Pride!). Plus, I love London. Of course, it doesn't last the whole day as I'd hoped it would, and its throw is miniscule (I seem to have that problem a lot with BPAL), but I would definitely consider getting a bottle.