Vega

Sniffed: An incredibly dark, full-bodied, syrupy scent, reminiscent of Medea and Wings of Azrael. Juicy berries contrast with a dry, austere amber, all grounded in dark musk. On skin: Juicy, smooth blackberry and blackcurrant are the prominent top notes, whilst the amber, musk and kewdar attar (a floral with a balsamic scent) are mingling to form a very dark, heavy yet gentle base. Luna Negra is rich, warm and full-bodied, voluptuous and enshrouding; it's in the same family of dark blends such as Medea, Hades and Wings of Azrael. I've tested Schwarzer Mond as well; both blends are different embodiments of darkness. Whereas Schwarzer Mond is an ink-black, sorcerous Moon, Luna Negra is a tender, welcoming, comforting embrace, even a sensual one. Colour impression is the darkest shade of royal purple. Verdict: While Luna Negra is a very evocative and lovely Black Moon -- indeed, a "solace of shadows" -- and I'm glad I got to test it, it's not quite my sort of scent.

Sniffed: Cold, dry, biting mint over a very deep, almost imperceptible, chocolate base. Lime is nowhere to be found. On skin: Mint is the dominant note, green, freezing and crisp. The chocolate base is so deep and dark that I don't so much smell a chocolate note, as sense it grounding the mint and giving it a lot of depth and body, much like a picture frame supports a painting, but otherwise hangs in the background. Lime never appears, so this is primarily a showcase of pure mint upon dark chocolate. Colour impression is light mint-green upon a dark black-brown background. It's reminiscent of Tokyo Stomp and Green Tree Viper, albeit more minty. I'm also reminded of After Eight chocolate mint slices. (Glad to see other reviewers have made the same observation!) Verdict: I was hoping to get a more distinctive dark chocolate scent (and any lime at all) from this blend, so I'm a little sad that mint is so dominant. That said, the mint here holds its scent truer than many other BPAL mint blends, so that makes up for the lack of dark chocolate. This would be a great layering scent; indeed, I've layered it with Bliss, to great success. I'll be keeping my decant after all!

Sniffed: A mix of heady jasmine and juicy, dark plum. On skin: Well, now it's just jasmine; I can't really smell anything else. Maybe the other notes are embellishments, but that dratted flower is sitting squarely in the middle of the scent and absolutely not going anywhere. Perhaps the other notes begin to peek out over time... I think I can make out plum, white musk and orchid, but they barely make any impression. Colour impression is shades of blushing pink. Verdict: I'm not a big fan of jasmine, and certainly not jasmine single note. Kitsune-Tsuki was most disappointing!

Sniffed: Cassia, spiced and grainy and bold. On skin: Well, this is a letdown. All I smell is cassia (a variant of cinnamon). Maybe there's a breath of sandalwood, but there's no musk, no fruit -- only cinnamon in all its spicy glory. Not much else I can say! Verdict: Since cinnamon tends to drown out all the other notes in a blend, I shouldn't have been so surprised by what The Dodo became. But it doesn't stop me from feeling rather disappointed that a blend with so many notes could only muster up a single note on my skin. And it's not even my favourite. Pass.

Sniffed: Dry, golden amber and pale sandalwood. Light, dry and golden. On skin: Amber is the dominant note: golden, light and slightly dusty amber. Perhaps the sandalwood and hay/seeds are contributing some dryness and paleness, but this is really an amber showcase. Over time the amber deepens and becomes more full-bodied and fragrant, perhaps through blending with the other notes (I recognize sandalwood but not the others). Colour impression is the pale gold-brown of hay or wheat. Verdict: The Little Sparrow doesn't claim to be much more than a simple blend, but it does simple very well. I enjoyed how it showcases the beauty of amber and sandalwood, but I generally prefer more complex blends, so I don't see myself wearing this often.

Sniffed: A dark chocolate base sweetened with tobacco, overlaid with brighter notes. On skin: Oooh, yummy! The dark chocolate is the semi-sweet base note, a delectable backdrop to the lighter notes. I smell champaca, tobacco, maybe pepper and paprika -- these slightly gritty, spiced notes contrast with smoother notes that may be red florals. The smoothness and spiciness alternate in dominance, all over the delicious chocolate. Mmm, this is lovely!... but wait, what's this? A whiff of honey! That's becoming more prominent! NO NOT MY DEATH NOTE how dare it trample over everything!! This would've been perfect if not for this dastardly honey, which shows no sign of going anywhere. Not happy. Really not happy. Verdict: Noooo... I was so delighted when I smelled the amazing chocolate mixed with all those other notes... and so devastated when honey barged in like a bull in a china shop. Oh, woe. I'm going to try 13 again, but I don't have high hopes, alas.

Sniffed: A mix of blue aquatic notes, fresh juniper berry, and dewy florals. On skin: Water Phoenix is a rainy, calm aquatic laced through with the fresh, cold green-ness of juniper berry. The latter burns away quickly with drydown, and light, watery "green" florals peek out, lily and sweet pea being most prominent. I'm pleased that the aquatic notes remain consistent over time, unlike other similar blends I've tested, where the aquatic notes burn off rapidly with drydown. Water Phoenix is a graceful, serene, floral-aquatic blend that really does evoke a calmly running river, and the introspection and benevolence of its description. Colour impression is calm blue-green touched with earthy brown, like a calmly running river. Verdict: I thought I was quite settled with all my favourite aquatic scents, so I'm surprised to discover this lovely Water Phoenix! It's a fine blue-aquatic that holds it watery scent and does evoke running water. I'll have to death-match it with my favourite aquatics, it may just displace some of them...

Sniffed: Sweet, and honeyed. Faint vanilla and fruit, and honey. On skin: Honey is one of my death notes, and what's worse, it dominates any blend it's in. Thankfully, in Pink Phoenix it blends with the other notes and behaves better than usual. I can smell a bit of vanilla, a bit of sweet pea, and a bit of fruit... and underneath everything is sticky honey that threatens to go rancid but doesn't quite get there (whew!). A thickly cloying, sweet scent, with an upbeat and bouncy vibe. The honey continues to recede over time, revealing more sweet fruit, but it never fades completely. Colour impression is a mixture of honey-gold and pink. Verdict: Fancy that: a honey blend that behaves itself and doesn't go sickly! Even so, I'm always wary of honey, and it casts a spectre over the rest of Pink Phoenix so that I can't completely enjoy the scent. Guess it's to the swap box.

The Seventh Daughter, Daughter of the Oath. She was King David’s lover, and the mother of King Solomon. Her scent is breathtakingly lovely, exotic and powerfully sensual in its innocence: carnation, sensual plum, and Arabian musk. Sniffed: Carnation dominates, supported by Arabian musk. No sign of plum. On skin: Carnation is the dominant note, a light yet full-bodied floral that smells "yellow" to my nose (that's just my way of categorizing florals). Arabian musk, soft and warm, plays second fiddle. The notes mix better after drydown: carnation softens and dark juicy plum finally emerges, although the latter is quite faint and never really raises its voice above a whisper. Overall, Bathsheba is predominantly carnation contrasted with musk. She is rich, voluptuous, soft and sensual, wholly feminine. Colour impression is rosy orange blushing with plum-purple. I smell some resemblance to Three Brides, a similar musky fruit-floral scent, although it could just be due to the prominent carnation. Verdict: Bathsheba is soft and sensual and beautifully feminine. While a wonderful Ars Amatoria blend, it's not quite a keeper for me.

Sniffed: Dewy, juicy and green: a fruity aquatic, perhaps touched with a whiff of white musk. Reminds me of Ogygia and Kiyohime Changes From a Serpent. On skin: The same -- a pulpy, melony green aquatic, with a subtle undercurrent of blowsy white musk, cool water, and light florals. 51 is simple and sweet, light and fresh, and doesn't morph. It's also a very light scent. Colour impression is the lush green flesh of cantaloupe (indeed, it smells a bit like the fruit!), and also "UFO/alien" glow-in-the-dark green. Verdict: Fascinating. 51 really does evoke little green, radioactive aliens! Or at least, the spectral strangeness of UFOs and paranormal activity. But it ends up smelling a little bit generic fruity, and isn't interesting enough for me to keep.

Sniffed: A warm, blue aquatic laced heavily with thick, heady, pale florals. Is there lily here? Jasmine? On skin: Bayou begins as an aquatic, but this burns off rapidly with drydown and gives way to hot, white flowers. They're hot and bold, but thankfully not in a screaming way. I'm not good at identifying scent notes, but I think I can smell jasmine, gardenia and magnolia. The florals dominate from the very beginning; the aquatic and other woody/mossy notes are imperceptible. Colour impression is white contrasted with saturated aquamarine blue. Verdict: Bayou definitely has the humid, warm vibe that I'd imagine a bayou would have, although I would've liked to smell more than just a pure floral blend though. Evocative, but not for me to wear.

Sniffed: Juicy red fruit drowned in sour alcohol. On skin: Oh, dear. I was SO looking forward to berries and red musk, and I do smell the deep red fruits, and smell a whiff of red musk. But all this loveliness is pickled in sour, old wine -- the brandy just ruins it all! I don't rule out that the berries may be contributing, as BPAL's cherry note sometimes does on my skin... but I just can't get past fermenting, stale alcoholic beverage. Eventually, the blend calms after drydown, the alcohol burns off, and I get the juicy, red fruit that I was expecting. But a breath of bad alcohol lingers, and the damage is done. Verdict: Berry Moon shot to the top of my wishlist when it first came out, and I almost jumped for a bottle. Now I'm thankful that I didn't, because this was such a crushing disappointment. Drat the brandy, if only it wasn't in the blend! Sigh...

Sniffed: Gentle, "yellow" florals. I smell jasmine, maybe gardenia. On skin: I'm quite at sea if I don't have a notes list, but Dove's Heart is definitely a pure floral blend of the "yellow" variety (according to my nose and colour impression). Heady, enveloping jasmine is the dominant note, but other florals are present, gardenia being the foremost. The scent stays much the same over time, with jasmine dominating but not obnoxious, and it has significant throw on my skin. Colour impression is a pleasing combination of gray, pastel yellow and powder pink. Verdict: Dove's Heart is gentle, soft and calm, and certainly embodies its name. However, I'm not a fan of pure florals, and certainly not of dominant jasmine, so this won't be staying.

Sniffed: A blast of dirt and wet brown leaves, followed by other notes -- cherry, possibly plum and cypress. On skin: Earth Phoenix is firstly and foremostly dirt and brown leaves of the damp, decaying sort: sharp, tangy and sourish. This base is softened, sweetened and rounded by the other notes; I can pick out cherry, musk, and cypress, but they are all blended into something a bit musky, dark-fruity, and resinous. Even so, this cozy fullness can't completely silence the sharp, unfriendly bite of dirt and wet leaves. This Phoenix is definitely dark and dirty, but not heavy. Colour impression is a mixture of black, brown and orange tones touched with old green. Just like a leaf litter, which was actually the visual impression I got from this scent. Verdict: Dirt and wet leaves generally offends my nose, but Earth Phoenix is one of the more tolerable blends. Nevertheless, I don't want to wear this.

Sniffed: This is woody, alright, but coloured and enlivened with something nutty that must be the fig and walnut. On skin: Wood Phoenix is a specimen of a complex woody scent. I can smell a variety of woods here (though I can't identify what they are), all harmonizing together and not degenerating into flatness, unlike what other woody blends have done on my skin. And fig and walnut add depth, body and a nutty sweetness and make it more than just a straight-up woody scent. Maybe the other notes are peeking in, but I don't smell them so much. Wood Phoenix is a rounded, full, nutty-woody scent. Colour impression is walnut brown. Verdict: While Wood Phoenix is a fine example of a woody blend, it's still too woody for me.

Sniffed: A feminine woody-resinous-herbal scent, touched with the bright clarity of iris. On skin: Dry yet light herbs mixed in with dry sandalwood, contrasting with clear, bright floral note of iris, which strengthens over time while the herbs retreat into the sandalwood base. Perhaps the barest touch of rich, deep myrrh emerges, but overall, Nefertiti is a light herbal-woody-resinous scent, dry and a little grainy, yet softened and made feminine with iris. It bears a passing resemblance to No. 93 Engine, so I think the olibanum and herbs are similar. An exotic scent, somewhat aloof and regal, yet alluring. It's fascinatingly feminine in a non-traditional way. Colour impression is the green-tinged gold of brass or verdigrised copper. Verdict: Nefertiti smells fascinating, and I'm quite taken by her! However, herbal-woody blends aren't quite my cup of tea, and I'm not sure if I'd wear this often. Will have to think about it and give this regal lady another chance.

Sniffed: Pale, spectral florals hovering over something dark and soft. I can make out iris, maybe sandalwood. On skin: The pale florals are the stars of this show. Iris, violet and neroli have historically been well-behaved on my skin, and here they are harmonizing wonderfully, blending into a floral note that is fragrant, bright, and rich yet pale. Beneath the singing florals is a dusky, velvety background that must be the discreet musk. The calm musk and shining florals evoke a raven, silent, quiet and dignified, nonchalantly sitting on a branch but keeping a keen eye on you. My colour impression is a visual of glossy, shining black feathers tinged with the darkest of purple. Verdict: The Raven is an evocative blend, elegant in simplicity. A fine specimen for the Black Phoenix catalogue, and I'm glad I got to test it... but I just don't see myself wearing it much.

Sniffed: Ugh! Rancid honey! --Possibly mixed with sour wine. This does not bode well. On skin: Sure enough, Blood Kiss is a disaster. Not surprisingly, sticky honey is the culprit; mixed with sour wine and ashy vetiver, it becomes thoroughly unpleasant. Where's the clove? cherry? musk? vanilla? I only smell my least favourite notes: clashing, chaotic and thoroughly nauseating. I can't wear this. Verdict: Honey is my dealbreaker note, has always ruined every scent it's in -- so why do I persist in testing honey blends? Hope springs eternal, I suppose. Sadly, Blood Kiss is yet another dashed hope.

Sniffed: Red musk with a nutty undertone, and hints of wine, patchouli and cocoa. On skin: Now, it's been a while since I've tested (or worn!) BPAL, and my scent memory isn't great, so... Upon first sniff, Midnight Kiss seemed to be predominantly red musk. A well-loved note, but apparently one-note. With further investigation and comparison, it actually has a certain character and distinctiveness from all my other red musk blends. For one, Midnight Kiss is brighter and lighter than, say, The Arbor, Countess Willie, or Mme. Moriarty; possibly more like Tombeur, Scherezade and War. Over time, I'm able to pick out brighter, glowing notes above the red musk base: possibly the red wine, patchouli and amber. Midnight Kiss is rich, smooth and liquid, and doesn't morph too much. Unfortunately, I am missing the cocoa, the note that I most wanted to smell! Colour impression is scarlet with a golden tinge. Verdict: I like Midnight Kiss. It's not as dark as its name suggests, and I'm sadly missing the cocoa. I'll have to test it a bit more with my other red musk blends to place the other notes I'm smelling, but I think this will be a keeper.

Sniffed: Earthy patchouli and chocolate. I catch a whiff of incense. On skin: Tezcatlipoca is dark and delicious: chocolate-y, earthy and nutty. The cocoa is a dark, velvety, bass-voiced note that actually put me in mind of a male choir singing in bass (more specifically, the Khazad-dum orchestral theme in the Fellowship of the Ring LOTR movie). The cocoa forms the backdrop to the other scents -- it's not readily obvious, but fills my olfactory landscape. The higher notes are the glowing patchouli, fragrant incense, and touches of a bright floral -- lonely yet clear voices that harmonize beautifully with the cocoa base, and continue to blend over time. Tezcatlipoca is a dark, cozy scent, slightly gritty-earthy but mostly smooth and calm. My colour impression is dark chocolate, touched here and there with deep red. I'm reminded somewhat of WILF, which is a similar dark, cozy and chocolatey blend; I have to test both together. Verdict: Mm-mmmm! Tezcatlipoca is a beautiful showcase of dark cocoa with other deep notes. A clear winner and definite keeper!

Sniffed: I smell a whiff of red rose, orange, and other florals, before they're drowned out by gardenia. On skin: Wet on skin, I can smell a well-mixed blend of clear red rose, sweet orange, dry amber, and maybe a hint of red musk. I'm really trying to get a good sniff of these, but this dratted gardenia is waving its arms, screeching shrilly, and preventing me from clearly smelling them! What a mighty shame, because that blend is something complex and lovely and good! Much to my relief, gardenia tames with drydown and now mixes with the other notes; it still asserts itself, but less aggressively than before. Now The Haunted Palace is a fruity-floral mix upon a discreet, barely discernable backdrop of red musk; unfortunately vanilla is nowhere to be found. A dry yet rich and vivid blend, faintly feminine, with a colour impression of silky crimson and vermillion. It is a dry fruity-floral in the same league as Harlequin and Columbine, and Changing the Shadows. Verdict: The Haunted Palace is perfect scent embodiment of its namesake in Poe's poem, captured in glory right before its ruin. It is also one of those unfortunate blends that would've been perfect if not for one single aspect. In this case, gardenia is the culprit: while I'm glad that it doesn't ruin the scent completely, the drydown really wasn't the most pleasant of experiences. I'll have to let this go.

Sniffed: Warm, creamy-sweet musk touched with soft resins and sandalwood. On skin: The blend opens up now: creamy, warm musk forms the sweet base, over which gentle frankincense, sandalwood, and dry amber float, all wrapped up in heady, full-bodied jasmine. I'm quite glad that jasmine here isn't dominating, but blending beautifully with the other notes to create this musky-floral scent. Vasilissa is a feminine, demure, skin-hugging scent in the same league as Tamamo-no-Mae and Eos. In fact, she is like a younger version of Eos in my review: golden-haired, pink-skinned and radiant, but more demure and innocent of the world. Colour impression is a mix of ruddy pink flesh-tone and liquid gold. Verdict: Vasilissa is a beautiful feminine scent, a young innocent maiden grown to the fullness of womanhood. Although I don't see myself wearing this often, it is a firm like and a fine catalogue blend!

Sniffed: Tooth-achingly sweet sugar that somehow manages to convey a sense of airy fluffiness. On skin: This may be an enraged bunny, but it is a ridiculously adorable enraged bunny! This is an assault on the nose -- an assault of sweetness that is airy, sugary, and fluffy-musky. Simple and bold, that's all there is to it. My colour impression is pure white on a backdrop of sky blue, like mounds of white clouds floating through a brilliant blue sky. Indeed, this scent really conveys that vision of clouds, or balls of cotton wool, or puffs of candy floss, in olfactory form. Or would that be rabbit fur flying around in the air? Verdict: Goodness me, I don't know how the Lab accomplishes this, but Enraged Bunny Musk is exactly what it claims to be! This is KAWAII!!!!! in overdrive, distilled into scent form. Well, it's ultimately a bit too sweet for me!

Sniffed: Light skin musk, slightly milky/creamy, with touches of clear florals and zestiness. On skin: Tamamo-no-Mae is recognizably one of BPAL's Asian-themed blends, but still holds its own distinctive character. The skin musk and benzoin form a gentle, sweet and creamy base, layered over with the airy clarity of florals and teas, with ginger lending a gentle, zesty bite. The blend deepens and becomes creamier as the florals and ginger fade over time. This is ultimately a discreet, skin-hugging, floral-creamy scent. Colour impression is a pale skin tone, gently flushed. Verdict: I'm discovering that while I like BPAL's Asian blends, they are simply too light and discreet to hold my attention for long. Tamamo-no-Mae is very pretty and a beautiful specimen of an Asian-themed blend, but it ultimately isn't distinctive enough and it won't be staying.

Sniffed: Mellow teas touched with floral sweetness. On skin: The Dormouse is the paragon of a black tea blend -- smooth, watery and mellow, simultaneously deep and clear. The teas are the star of the show, but they are touched with a particular, "pink-coloured" floral sweetness that I'm recognizing as peony. A lovely, light and calm scent, so elegant in its simplicity. Colour impression is a melding of brown and green teas. Verdict: Simple yet so pretty. The Dormouse is the best example of BPAL's tea notes, and I think I'll hang on to my imp.