lavenderfrost

Erm, I love BOTH of these ideas!!!! Heh - thanks. Not that I have a little cousin I was planning on doing that for or anything. *innocent look* The Disney Baddie Collection would be for grownups and older teens only: Wicked (Wicked Witches, Stepmothers and Queens) Queen of Hearts (Self-Explanatory) Voodoo (Facilier) Blood (Fits all the baddies in an abstract sort of way.) Poisoned Apple (Self-Explanatory.) Vicomte de Valmont (Gaston) Djinn (Jafar) Packaged with DVD's, vampy makeup and/or clothes, etc. (Depending on the age of the recipient.) Also, since I love Supernatural to death and am SHOCKED no one's mentioned it, there's the Winchester Pack: Roadhouse (The Harvelles' Roadhouse) Juke Joint (Every bar in every town in every state where you've ever found the boys having a drink.) Fallen (Lucifer) Casanova (Dean) Seraphim (Castiel) Deep In Earth (Grave-Digging. A favorite Winchester pastime.) The Ghost ('Nuff said.) Zombi ('Nuff said again.) Arcana (Spells and ritual - all part of a hunter's job.) Brimstone (Hell, Devils' Gates and demons with plans.) Blood (Sam.) Inferno (Mary and Jess.) Highwayman (The Winchesters.) Omen (Signs of Azazel's plans coming to fruition, and seals of the Apocalypse.) Scarecrow (*snerk*) Seance (Pamela) Voodoo (Crossroad Blues.) Crossroads (Crossroad Blues again.) Loup-Garou (Madison.) Hellfire [layered with Miskatonic University] (Bobby's house!) Packaged with complete-season DVD sets and a devils' trap charm bracelet.

Disney Pack: The Rose (Beauty & The Beast) Rapunzel (Tangled) La Belle Au Bois Dormant (Sleeping Beauty) Fae (Tinkerbell!) Water Of Notre Dame (Hunchback of Notre Dame) Alice (Self-Explanatory) With a DVD and some dolls, figurines, etc. All the scents are on the light/pretty side, since I could see this as being a gift for the young as well as the young-at-heart.

Caliban is SO amazing as a masculine blend - it's clean aquatics and sharp greenery, so great for enabling Cool Water fans and others who like that kind of clean scent. I found it so sexy that sometimes I put it on myself just to imagine smelling it on a guy. Phobos has an initial ZOMG LEMON CLEANER phase, but dries down to something that's clean, musky and interesting. I'd like to see what it smells like on a guy. Silk Road reminded me of Old Spice - nice, but what my Dad wore, so eh. I found the stages Nero went through to be fascinating, but I don't know if I'd want to smell it very long and/or often.

In The Imp: What it says in the description - it's really kind of amazing, they captured the exact smell of a bouquet of roses in a vial. Immediate Application: Same - I ordered this along with a few others because I was craving roses and wanted to find a good scent to satisfy that. This may very well be it. 30-45 Minutes Later: The ZOMG YAY ROSE BOUQUET fades somewhat - quiets down to a warmer, sweeter rose scent. Still fresh, but not as chilly-dewy-straight-from-the-florist fresh. Verdict: On the 5ml bottle wish list, and not just because it's associated with a favorite Disney movie fairy tale.

In The Imp: Ugh, patchouli. XP Immediate Application: The patchouli's still strong. It's not OMFG SWEET CHOCOLATE BABY JESUS NO, but it's noticeable. Dammit. XP 30-45 Minutes Later: The patchouli backs off, but still present enough to make me iffy on this one. I doubt I'll want a bottle. I may or may not use the imp, we'll see. It's definitely in my will-swap-if-I-see-something-exciting-enough bag. Verdict: Me and patchouli, we are non-mixy things. I ordered this because I love the smell of carnations and orange blossoms, and I hoped they'd keep it in check. They do keep it from getting unbearable, but it doesn't make it enjoyable.

In The Imp: At first sniff, it certainly smells like a party blend. What you see in the description is what you get - fizzy champagne and strawberries. Immediate Application: Same as in the imp. 30-45 Minutes Later: There was this lip gloss called Sweet Lips that I was crazy about in high school - you could say it was like a flirty teen version of Bonne Bell's Lip Smackers. Even after I got disgruntled with makeup altogether, I still hoarded Sweet Lips because it tasted great and honestly helped soften my lips. This is a dead-ringer for strawberry-flavored Sweet Lips. Not unpleasant, just a little juvenile. I'm enjoying the trip down memory lane. Verdict: Might trade with someone who has something I'm excited enough about, if a second testing later in the month gives the same result. Right now, it looks like I'll stick with Thalia if I want a sophisticated champagne-based party-ish fragrance.

In The Imp: I barely smelled anything. Had me worried at first - I read lots of reviews talking about how strong this oil is and I was wondering if I'd get the exception to the rule. Immediate Application: Like a softer version of Ophelia. I get lots of watery rose, maybe some lily? Hard to tell, my nose isn't very well trained yet. Either way, I agree on the green comments - it's a water garden of blues, greens, whites, stone-grays and maybe a touch of pink. It's slightly soapy on me, but I'm not one that minds soapy scents - just makes me feel like I smell even more clean. 30 Minutes Later: This isn't as overwhelmingly strong on me - I definitely have to use more than a dab. It's lovely, though. Effectiveness: I got this oil because I suffer from very serious anxiety issues. On good days, it's a constant low-level hum of worries that I can at least push to the side to focus or distract myself from. On bad days? Well - let's just say my nerves are shot enough that I can't do much more than just stew in it until I get sick. It may be a placebo effect, but I definitely calm down quite a bit with this oil. I've had a weekend from Hell this week that culminated in a pretty epic meltdown last night, and while this is no magical cure-all (and I wasn't expecting it to be), it helps me step back a bit and breathe through the anxiety. It also helps loosen (though not completely undo) the knots in my stomach. I'm still anxious, but it's at a more tolerable level now. Verdict: Want a bottle of this, maybe 2 or 3. I'll definitely use up the imp.

I went ahead and ordered an imp of it because the carnation and orange blossom intrigue me - here's to hoping it works! Just in case, though, I'll have the dish soap and rough scrubbing sponges ready.

In The Imp: Very sharp and green - almost overwhelming. I'm guessing I'm smelling the ferns. Immediate Application: Stays sharp and green for a minute or two, then the O HEY FERN HOW YA DOIN recedes, making way for the lovely salty aquatic. I'm sure the wine is there somewhere, but I mostly smell the sea air and greenery. It's definitely masculine, and...oh, wow. I'll be in my bunk. O_O;; 30-45 Minutes Later: Good staying power, though it definitely gets more subtle. Mental Image: It's not quite Jack or Will - you'd have to replace the wine with rum for them. It's more of a seabound-gentleman blend, so definitely pre-piratical!Norrington. Fresh, yet slightly sweaty - just enough for an 'Mmmm...skiiiin...' smell, rather than reeking b/o. Burying your face in his neck and sniffing as you get his jacket off, and... Err, yeah. Bunk. BRB. Verdict: Keeping for hypothetical future bf. It's my favorite of the mens' scents that I've tried thus far. It's every attractive gentleman by the sea ever. Ironic, considering the Shakespeare character it's named for.

Note: This was a freebie from the lab, and I knew from this forum post that this oil was pretty much patchouli, with patchouli and a touch of patchouli for variety. I have a history of not getting along with patchouli, to put it nicely. It literally makes me ill. In The Imp: ...yep. Patchouli. And I still put it on. *headdesk* This is why I'm a dumbass. Immediate Application: Oh god no. *hurk* 30-45 Minutes Later: Didn't even last 15. I ended up scrubbing my arm with dish soap and one of our rough green plastic dish-scouring sponges while retching over the sink. At least I managed to get rid of it. XP Verdict: My first instinct was spot-on with this. I read the forum reviews, went "EEEK!" and immediately put the imp in my swap pile, un-tested. I should have left it at that instead of listening to the nagging "well, maybe THIS blend will be ok..." voice in the back of my head. Patchouli has made it to my list of Mortal Enemies in terms of fragrance.

In The Imp: OMG. Wet, juicy, rosy...mmm! Immediate Application: Same as in the imp - omg I hope it stays like this! Unfortunately... 30-45 Minutes Later: Y'know those plastic "strawberry"-scented toys that little girls play with, that all at once smell like a combination of too-sweet fruity bubblegum and play-dough? Yeah. ;_; Strawberry Shortcake was awesome when I was a kid, but I don't relish the thought of smelling like her now. >.<;; Verdict: I really wanted to love this one. I love the story of Persephone and I loved the idea of pomegranate and rose blended to symbolize that story, and it even smells gorgeous when it first goes on, but in the end it just doesn't work. Granted, I always test things at least 2 or 3 times to be sure, but so far the prognosis isn't good. I suppose I should be grateful - so far this is 1 of only 2 or 3 scents that have actually gone bad on me. Most of the time they hold up, it's usually just a matter of me not necessarily digging the scents I reject.

In The Imp: OMG COFFEE. COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE. NEED COFFEE. DO YOU HAVE COFFEE? GIMME COFFEE. COFFEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! ...*ahem* Immediate Application: The coffe topnote is still very strong, but the oakwood starts to come through right away. 30-45 Minutes Later: I SMELL GEEKY. The slightly-boozy coffee is ever-present, but the wood gets stronger, and my mind may be playing tricks on me, but I'm starting to get the dusty-old-book in there too. This is almost a dead-ringer for what I imagine libraries smelled like before the 20th century. I feel like I need a stuffed leather chair by a window, and a tallow candle. And a penis, since most universities would have laughed at me and called me a silly featherheaded girl for even trying to get in back then. ^^;; Verdict: I like. Dunno if it's 5ml!like (probably is, but I have higher priorities on the wish list), but I'll definitely be using the imp. It's not a perfume!perfume - it creates a very specific atmosphere, so it won't get used as often, but I love it for its' intended purpose.

Thanks so much for the input. I don't really know what my sensitivity level to patchouli is yet - that last experience was literally my first, and there may have been other factors at play that had an effect on my reaction. Overapplication may have been what made it so horrible, or the oil it was blended with (love lavender, but UGH!), or the type of patchouli...who knows? So, yeah. Am torn. My knee-jerk reaction is usually very with it, but I'm curious about Masquerade and wondering if maybe I shouldn't let it be a dealbreaker. This time.

Ok, guys - my only experience thus far with patchouli has been...traumatic, to put it mildly. It was a lavender/patchouli blend that was literally slathered on me before I could say "Just a little dab, please!" It seriously made me sick. BUT. BPAL has done amazing things with other ingredients I don't like, and I'm REEEEALLY really curious about Masquerade. Is it a decent blend for patch-o-phobes like me, or should I steer clear?

Got this as a freebie and it's just interesting enough for me to be torn on whether to keep or swap it. For those who love myrrh and want to try florals but are wary at the same time, this is probably a good blend. Me? You can probably tell from my signature that I'm more of a straight-up florals person who likes things softer, but I definitely see the merits of this blend. It lives up to its' name - I definitely think of Wicked Queens and Evil Stepmothers. It's a good blend for when you need to give off some serious don't-fuck-with-me vibes. (Pardon the language.)

In The Imp: Sweet, sweet floral with pear. Mmmmm... Immediate Application: The first phase of this smells a lot like Thalia to me. (Not a complaint - I like Thalia.) I'm pretty sure it's the way the plumeria and pear interact with each other. It's tart, more "wakey, wakey!" than "ZzZzZz..." 30-45 Minutes Later: Gets sweeter and more languid on the dry-down. Now I can see (smell?) the Sleeping Beauty associations. Verdict: I like it. Want a 5ml - this could easily be an everyday blend.

Prague is a beautiful soft "pink" floral - more clean than sweet, so it's fresh without being childish. Juliet is sweeter, but again, less childish and more soft pink young-woman's-first-romance.

Plumeria is very...sharp. Very clean. I like it because I like clean scents, but your mileage may vary. I know Bath & Body Works has a line of Plumeria products - not as effective at finding actual blossoms to sniff, but it'll give you an approximation. I have (and love) La Belle Au Bois Dormant and the way it smells to me is a bit like strawberries and champagne - I'm pretty sure it's because of the way the pear and plumeria interact. It gives a very tart, almost sparkling and still sweet smell, and it fades to something much sweeter. Thalia is pear, plumeria and champagne - it smells very similar to La Belle Au Bois Dormant's "wet" phase to me.

This was a freebie that I was actually wanting to order for myself someday. YAY FOR MONEY I DIDN'T HAVE TO SPEND! In The Imp: Nice pastel pink floral like Prague, only less clean and more sweet, as seems to be standard for most of BPAL's Shakespearean women scents that I've tried so far. (Granted, I'm ignoring Hermia and have yet to try Lady Macbeth, so...) Immediate Application: Mmmm....gets maybe a bit powdery, but not so much that it's irritating. Stays pretty consistent overall. 30-45 Minutes Later: A bit more like Prague on the dry-down. Gets cleaner - I'm guessing that's the sweet pea fading and the lily coming to the forefront. I love Prague too, so this is a good thing. It also sticks around a bit more than most other florals so far - it's been an hour and I still smell it when I turn my head. Verdict: Buying a 5ml when I can afford it.

I don't normally go for foody scents, but I figured that since this is pretty much the Official BPAL Initiation Scent, I should at least try an imp of it. In The Bottle: Def. smell the vanilla, with an edge of something I can't put my finger on. Must be the 'exotic Indonesian oils.' Immediate Application: HOLY CRAP. NOW I'M HUNGRY, DAMMIT. 30-45 Minutes Later: After a few minutes the overwhelming flan/creme brulee smell backs off a bit, though it's still present. It's got that edge back, more of the Exotic Indonesian Oils come out and make it less foody. (I'm pretty sure some of it is frankencinse.) I keep sniffing my wrists because it's...interesting. Verdict: I know vanilla supposedly turns guys' cranks in a big way, but it personally didn't make me feel very vixen-y so much as make me crave delicious vanilla pudding or custard-type desserts. Srsly. After putting this on and sitting here smelling it for about an hour, I finally made Mom take me to get some flan b/c I just couldn't TAKE it anymore. I was CLIMBING THE WALLS. I'll re-test sometime when I've got vanilla pudding or something on hand, and I'll keep it around because it's supposed to be flat-out amazing when it's aged at least a few months. This stuff also sticks around. I put it on yesterday evening and woke up this morning still smelling like it (though obviously a bit more faintly) until I showered. The smell is all over my pj's and I think it's on my pillow and blanket too. ^^;; Why can't my skin let my pretty florals and aquatics do this?! *grr* All in all, while it's not bad, I wouldn't say count me in w/the Cult of Snake Oil. I like it well enough to keep, but not enough for a full bottle.

In The Imp: Indescribable. It's really well blended, so it's hard to tell where one note ends and another begins. Immediate Application: It almost smells less floral and more leafy? IDK. Very fresh and clean, which is good, but I dunno if I absolutely love it. The vanilla sweetens it after a few minutes, and by the time it's dry, it's pretty much straight-up vanilla with just enough of a floral edge to prevent the rampant custard cravings that Snake Oil induced. 30-45 Minutes Later: Very nice, but IDK if I want to spend the money for a full bottle. I'll just keep my imp. The smell stays pretty strong - I have a feeling any vanilla scents are going to take to my skin like a duck to water. Too bad I'm not a big vanilla fan.

In The Imp: Almost straight-up lemon. Tart, with an edge to it. Immediate Application: Lemon and...sandalwood, I think. After a few minutes the florals peak through, and mmmmmm! I like. The sandalwood seems to be behaving itself here, yay! \o/ (Normally sandalwood overpowers EVERYTHING for me - I think it's the rose balancing it out in this one? Don't know for sure.) I wish I knew what the rest of these things smell like on their own, because I start picking up other things after about 15 minutes, but can't put my finger on what they are for certain. Only that they have a sweeter smell. 30-45 Minutes Later: Another perfume that has 2 phases - the initial lemon/sandalwood rush that I was nervous about at first, and sweetness on the dry-down. It's definitely complex like the description says, and very feminine. Not "girly" feminine, though - this is definitely a grown-up perfume. Possibly make-designers-and-fashionistas-jealous perfume. Lounging courtesan perfume. And? It seems to stick around so far. Most perfumes get sucked up by my skin in less than an hour. Mental Image: A few, really. Take every Venetian-school Renaissance portrait of a woman ever - I imagine at least half of them wearing this, INCLUDING Venus of Urbino. It's Venice during the off-season, when Carnevale decorations are put away. The masques are over and the streets aren't so packed with irritating tourists that you can barely move. Verdict: Oh, man. I want a bottle. Maybe 2. O_O;; Fascinating and very evocative of a well-off Renaissance woman at first, lovely as it dries. It leaves me torn between wanting to go out and make everyone sniff me, and wanting to curl up with some of my renaissance art history books.

In The Imp: Sweet citrus w/spice. Immediate Application: Even though you can definitely smell the citrus, it turns into something not even remotely foody. Very icy, very complex, very this-is-a-perfume-and-you're-lucky-to-be-smelling-it-so-shut-up. My inner Bitch is kinda digging it - I may use this if I need to try to convey an air of authority. 30-45 Minutes Later: The amber warms it up a bit, and the florals start to come out and keep it from getting too warm. Not night-and-day different, but still pretty different. A boudoir scent, as opposed to a royal audience scent. This could be the "vixen" aspect of the perfume...if you meet someone who's not cowed by the initial "bitch" phase. Verdict: A keeper.

In The Imp: Well, hello pepper! She's a feisty one! *optimistic* Immediate Application: Between this scent and Dolce Stil Nuovo, I finally figured out what amber smells like! Yay! The ZOMG PEPPER fades pretty fast and settles into...old lady perfume. 30-45 Minutes Later: It has staying power, I'll give it that. I still catch whiffs without even having to sniff for them. Still amber with just a bit of florals and pepper in the background. It's a dead-ringer for something my grandmother would wear, and it's starting to make my stomach go iffy. Verdict: Swap pile, here we come! I had high hopes, but alas, my skin/nose just doesn't agree with something in this.

In The Imp: Tart. I almost wanna drink it. Very, very well-blended. The champagne note smells less fizzy and more smooth – like white wine, rather than champagne. The pear makes me think more of strawberries, to be honest. (Not a complaint, though!) I definitely pick up the plumeria as well. All in all, it reminds me of plumeria body products from Bath & Body Works and Champagne & Strawberry body products from Victorias’ Secret. This may be an exception to my no-foody-scents rule, though it’s less foody and more drink-like to me. Immediate Application: It settles into plumeria after a few minutes and I feel like I’m wearing B&BW lotion, though I can still pick up traces of sweetness and tartness when I sniff just right. Very pink and golden, though mostly pink b/c the body products I associate it with are/were pink. 30-45 Minutes Later: NOTE TO SELF - do not wear if there’s a chance you’ll be around brewing coffee. Ick. I like it, but I’ll have to test it again sometime for this part b/c the coffeemaker in the food bank office where I work is competing rather unpleasantly with it at the moment. Not a good work-shift blend for coffee shop employees. **ETA: SECOND TEST - 03/1/11** Mmmmmyes. Not an absolute fave, but this one's definitely a keeper. No coffee in sight, (err, smell?) so no stomach queasiness. Very serious fruit juice cravings, though...