AliBabble

We sang till almost night, and drank my good store of wine; and then they parted and I to my chamber, where I did read through L'Ecole des Filles; a lewd book, but what doth me no wrong to read for imagination's sake… and after I had done it, I burned it, that it might not be among my books to my shame. Published around 1655, this is considered to be the origin of modern pornography in France. It is a discourse between two young ladies, the elder instructing the younger in the ways of passion. This is a libertine's celebration of decadence, debauchery, and sexual freedom: orange blossom, ambergris, orris root, white rose, lemon balm, jonquil, carrot seed, and benzoin. i had to get an imp of this, for the concept alone. luckily it smells pretty good! in the imp it is light, refreshing, and almost a candy-like floral. the orange blossom is the most prominent note at first, very delicate, and very innocent. on my skin, this scent really blossoms and i can detect just a hint of the white rose and jonquil. there's something kind of earthy in this too, i want to say the ambergris, but i'm not sure. the benzoin is definitely there, but in keeping with this scent, it is gentle. any lemon balm in this, is quite subdued - no lemon pledge in sight, and in fact i'm amazed at how well-rounded and gentle this scent is. this gets a big thumbs up from me for surprising me in a good way, and for being very wearable - i'm starting to think that benzoin makes everything nice on me.

DIA DE LOS ÑATITAS On November 8, the indigenous people of Bolivia share the day with the bones of their ancestors, a custom that has its roots in pre-Columbian Quechua / Aymara spiritual practise. Each person has seven souls, and one stays with the skull after a person dies. The seventh souls can visit loved ones in dreams, grant aid in times of need, perform miracles, and are empowered to bring bounty to the spirit's descendants. The skulls of a person's deceased ancestors are cleaned, blessed, and sanctified, and are brought home to reside with their living relatives. On the Day of the Skulls, these souls are honored, and thanks is given for the blessings they have granted in the previous year. Their skulls are taken from the home altars they reside in to a graveyard in order to receive a mass blessing. They are crowned with colorful knitted caps or gorgeous rings of fresh flowers, are given offerings of food, cocoa leaves, sweets, alcohol, and cigarettes, and are serenaded by street musicians. Hydrangea blossoms and rose petals, cigarette smoke, cocoa leaves, and chichi. i think i'm gonna like this one - it smells mellow, not at all sharp, and very unlike any other scents that i own. i think i'm smelling more hydrangea than rose - it gives the feeling of a "floral water" in its mellowness. like smelling blossoms outside, by a creek, very light and natural, not high-pitched. almost an orange-y tinge, like orange blossom water, in feeling...if i had to pin it down, but it's a floral i'm not familiar with - must be the hydrangea. i get more of the cigarette smoke from the bottle, and not so much on my skin, but whatever the smoke is doing, it's not an "ashtray-ish" feeling, as much as the very faint lingering of someone's cigarette in night air, and just adds a "dusky" quality, if that makes any sense. i don't smoke cigarettes, but love the smell and idea of tobacco as an offering, and it's more of that feeling. there's also something vaguely fruity or fermented, like raisins almost - think this might be chichi. there is a faint chocolate-iness as well, blending w/ the tobacco...dunno, this one's hard to describe - it's more atmospheric than note-y, if that makes any sense - in other words, very blended into one thing - for me this will be very wearable, as it feels watery - which i love, and not sharp, but mellow in tone. really like this one!!

FLOR DE MUERTO The orange marigold, or zempasúchitl, has been one of Death's symbols since the pre-Columbian era. The yellow and orange petals are believed to represent the rays of the sun, bringing joy and light to the souls dwelling in the realm of the dead. These flowers surround Day of the Dead altars to guide the spirits to their offerings. out of the bottle this smells quite incredible - a very singular floral note, sweet and nectar-ish, golden in tone - it has a pure, light feeling to it. on my skin, i'm feeling this even more - it has a bit of spice, in the way that carnations have their own spiciness, but it's not like carnation - it really does have a sunny, uplifting quality to it, and very natural. wow. i can really smell the petals....and it's slightly dusky, but light somehow, while still having depth....this one really pulls you into it's flowery zone, it smells so realistic. LOVE THIS! it could work on a little girl or a mature woman.

She boldly goes forth to meet her lover, heedless of propriety, intoxicated by love, and radiant with youthful, innocent passion: Damascus rose, African orchid, cream accord, and Kashmir musk. i've been waiting like crazy for this one.. out of the bottle, it is beautiful, simple and mysterious. i am relieved that it is a very soft rose - a gently creamy rose-vanilla. on my skin, the other notes pop out much more brightly - the orchid becomes more prominent than the rose, and still this is rather light, and almost requires slathering. it's a little spicy while wet, with a bright, shining quality, and the feel of fresh blossoms. it takes a little bit for the musk to come out, it is subtle, as is the cream...it's like the scent has "blurry edges" from the musk and cream, rather than an obvious "cream" scent...but the longer it wears, the more musk and cream develop, like a subtle sugar-dusting... this is just beautiful...very natural, light and feminine...without any cream-plasticiness...the rose-type is slightly citrussy, a touch orange-y almost. this scent is fairly bright, but doesn't seem to go soapy, thankfully. it's light and extremely wearable. pretty!!

Ahhh, I love this! This was the scent that broke my non-buying spell...I've been into Bpal since 2005, but accumulated so much perfume, I really hadn't been buying anything lately... somehow French Tobacco called to me...it's got some of the same feel as the tobacco notes in Ninon and Black Lace, two of my favorites - but with that additional caramel quality....really heavenly. On my skin, I get a bit more "tang" at first, and a sort of peppery feeling...I suppose it is a bit cologne-like, but it does mellow out to a realistic and comforting tobacco leaf smell. I'm not a big layering person, so will probably just wear this on its own.

very light scent - smells lovely while wet...reminds me a bit of white rose, from the bptp unity set.... as it dries, it becomes pretty faint, but i can smell: something kind of feminine-florally...no idea what this is, maybe the moss?? the frankincense and tea...again very faint, and sort of dusky...a dry hint of the coconut. a very faint vanilla "feel", but not obvious. i dunno, i like this...but was picturing something w/ a little more oomph, maybe from the opium tar, which i can barely detect...maybe aging will make this stronger? i dunno...i've tried it three times, and enjoyed it each time, but still kind of struggling to smell it. when it really dries down, i get the cognac, inside a sort of soft marshmellow-like feeling. and maybe i can now smell the opium, if i sniff hard. not bad, just wish it was stronger.

I love Ninon - an instant love. It reminds me in tone of Black Lace, maybe because of the tobacco and vanilla...not quite as deep and rich, but with the same cologne-y feel...also On Darkness, because of the rich lavendar, which is also deep and potent....but lighter than that one too...also I agree w/ the Dolce stil Nuovo comparison, though it's maybe stronger than that one...all of those are favorites of mine, so I'm glad to have another one from the same camp...this one is super addicting to me...it's got that rich, deep perfuminess which is sultry, and smoky and reminds me of slinking around at night in a long elegant dress, though I would totally wear this during the day too...super feminine and classy/classic. The hay note comes out more as it dries, and just feels very natural and earthy. love it!

this was a frimp from the lab, and nothing i would have thought to try...and i love it! i smell something that is similar to a note in sagittarius 07 - i had always thought that that smell was dandelion...but i see there is no dandelion in this....i am not sure what is giving off that fresh herbal, yet creamy smell - i am not familiar with these notes....but i can maybe smell a bit of what might be the yew berries, and perhaps the foxglove...if only because "berry" and "floral" are something i could identify more readily than marsh grass or hogweed or whatever else was in this...it is definitely very herbal, and wild smelling - love it!

I think the Jungle thing has been discussed before, but years ago...and I think I suggested Manila: A tropical, humid, lush scent, with a faint echo of Pacific breezes, jungle blossoms, and deep wet woods. Sampaguita blossoms, banana leaf, palm, and narra. it's not exactly the same as Jungle, but has a little bit of the flavor...I also adore the scent of Jungle. the other suggestion I have is House of Night, which I haven't smelled in a while, but I remember it being very full of plant-y greenery, and jungle-like in that sense...I'm afraid there just isn't a real equivalent of Jungle - but you can always use it like a solid perfume.

i remember the old opium, but haven't smelled it in a while....in rappacini's garden section at bpal there is "opium poppy" - i used to have an imp, but gave it to a friend - as i recall, it was a very deep, sweet opium scent....almost too much for me, but since then i have come to love opium, so want to try it again - it was very warm, strong, and womanly - a great opium scent i would recommend is: clermont - available on the dark delicacies site...it's opium tar and rose - they blend great, and again - it's very opium-y and womanly - maybe close to what you are looking for?

Pink Snowballs for the snowstorm!

very fruity and juicy out of the bottle, it begins as mainly straight up, tart pomegranate juice. as it dries on my skin, it gets softer and more perfumey at the same time...there's a stage where it feels a bit too strong, but it settles down nicely and then i can detect the opium, which blends in nicely w/ the pom...i think i wish it was heavier on the opium, and lighter on the pomegranate, but i still like it - it's basically a rich, red, fruity scent - but the opium makes it a bit sultry and sophisticated...i guess the amber and carnation are contributing to the hazy perfuminess of the blend too, but everything's blended really well...this almost reminds me of mme moriarity in tone, though it's softer and smoother and not as aggressively sexy...still, i'd put it in the same camp, and that's a compliment.

this reminds me of 'hearth" a bit - which is what i was hoping...i smell christmas tree, out of the bottle - mixed with something buttery/foody...but heavier on the evergreen - pine boughs and holly, very realistic, like when you walk by a row of christmas trees for sale...on my skin, the chestnuts come out initially - god i love the lab's chestnut note, but it's a bit fleeting...the fruity punch comes out after that, but to me it just smells festive and cheery - not overwhelming. the plum pudding is just a slight hint in the background. this scent is very wearable and "homey" to me - perfect for christmas day.

2nd of 3 spirits, which i'm trying out for the first time - i smell like a christmas tree and chetsnuts!

I love the scent of marzipan, and maybe i just love the word "mirlitons"...it just sounds so fantasy/storybook...anyway...the scent: marzipan and softy, incense-y rose...the marzipan doesn't stick around long, i think that's true of most marzipan scents i've ever tried...it goes to a soft rose, incense-y...i think it's the rosewood i smell most...it reminds me a bit of all souls, in its combination of foody/incense-y rose...as it tries, there's the tiniest hint of the rum accord, but just a hint. i find this scent to be soft, girly and kind of romantic - it's wearable, in that it's subtle...and reminds me of swirling tulle tutus in a ballet....a very pleasant scent.

I got this one off ebay, and was glad that i saved the entrance fee to comic con, and this was the oil i was most interested in, cause i'm on a water/ocean/lake kick....anyway, now that i have it, i think it's not gonna work. It's too strong or harsh or something - and i don't usually like aquatics, so i don't know what i was thinking...i think the visual imagery appealed to me...it does smell reedy and balsamy, and that makes it pretty interesting. it reminds me a bit of halloween san francisco, but more intense somehow. it really does have a murky, sinister feeling - so - good job there, on capturing the mood...but it's somehow just too sweet (from the balsam) and intensely clean, as in laundry. it reminds me of "pearl diver" soap from villainess, which is a scent that grew on me over time....this might work better in warm weather....

ooh, this smells so nice and inviting from the bottle...i really can't pinpoint what i'm smelling, but what it reminds me most of, is tea for some reason - tea leaves, w/ a bit of lemon. it feels very watery, and plant-y - very relaxing actually, which makes sense for new orleans...on my skin, i would have to agree that it is a bit astringent and lemony - not unpleasant at all, quite the contrary - but not the heavy mossiness i was expecting. i really dig it actually, even though it's a very different experience than i thought it would be - i'm guessing the lemony-ness is the olive, and it works really well, whatever is going on here. very uplifting.

whoa, this one is intense from the bottle - wet leaves for sure, it's almost jungle-y - it does have that ozone quality - clean, bracing, invigorating - sort of wakes you up. it's a little cleaner and "sportier" than what i usually wear...could be fantastic on a rainy day, or by the beach, etc. it's not one i would put on to feel sexy or feminine, or mysterious....but it's a very well-done scent. for those more out-doorsy sporty days, i guess....

sniffing from the bottle - lotsa butter - more "bakery"-like than i expected, and less candy...almost like gingerbread (poppet) baked with pumpkin. it's heavy and i wish i could eat it, it doesn't smell like the blue "floss" i imagined, but more of a wintery, brown hearth-like feeling. on my skin, as it dries, a bit of the floss peeks out, and it's yummy. the blackberry is super subtle, just a hint. this isn't totally what i was expecting, but still yummy - it's got some cinnamon too - i dunno, i see this as more of a thanksgiving, or christmas scent than a halloween one, and i'm noticing the more it dries, the more a 'red hots" smell is taking over. hmm. strange. but still will be nice on chilly nights, w/ a sweater.

i thought for sure i reviewed this one when it came out, but apparently not. well, now it is aged - and if i was lukewarm on it before (i think i remember it being a bit soapy and nondescript...) it is incredible now! it's a bit fruity (must be the currant) but in a soft, almost smoky way...i swear i smell cucumber, though i know that none is here...that's a watery feeling, which i think is the moss - also very soft and fuzzy in feeling - the orchid adds mystery and femininity, and the whole blend just feels, shadowy and luxurious, without pounding you on the head. if anything i wish it was stronger - i don't know why i haven't been wearing this more, or maybe it just needed to age - fabulous!

i always liked midway for 4th of july - if you have that one....

first sniff from the bottle, i got straight up coconut - but on my skin, there's more going on - this smells a lot more like obatala to me than snow white - though a slight mintiness emerges (i think this is the ala ala wai nui - which i think might be in the mint family...) and this hints at the cool frothy thing, - i actually think this is a warm coconut smell, like coconut oil on skin, in the sun. the flowers are super subtle and natural. this really does have an "island" feel, in the best sense of the word - the coconut and warm island breezes, with a hint of flowers in the breeze - not perfumey or artificial - i would say though, that you must be a fan of coconut to enjoy this scent. and it's definitely in the same family as obatala.

a pleasant, sort of light scent, which deepens as it dries down. starts off fruity, as someone mentioned it smells a bit of grapefruit at first - i guess that's the pomegranate, as it's the only fruit in there...when it's dry, it gets a bit floral, almost softly musky, but not too distinct...i can't say i'm getting much amber, but the overall effect is soft and nuzzly, if a bit subtle....all in all a pretty scent, but light - fades fast....

i was craving a good opium scent, and here it is. i agree that it has the same soft, smoky opium that chrysanthemum moon had. for some reason i sold that one off, but this one is a keeper. it also reminds me a bit of sleepy moon - one of my favorite blends. it's pretty straightforward - opium and rose - two notes that i love a lot, but that don't always work on me. maybe it's the simplicity of this blend - there's not a bunch of other things to muck it up - or it could be the nice balance of the two notes, but it just works perfectly - i can slather, and (to me, anyway) it's not "too much". a sensual, dreamy blend.

if you can find a 2006 version of beltane (not to be confused w/ other years, which i can't vouch for...) it is a fantastic sunny daffodill-y scent....