erikasilverstein

I really love Dublin! But this oil smells -- gratefully -- more like the rugged landscape of western Ireland than it's most congested city On my skin: Misty, green, herbal, aquatic, and something spicy (slightly reminiscent of Samhain). I can see how some reviewers are calling this masculine. The rose is a very faint floral if I crush my wrist against my nose (good -- not a floral person). The spiciness comes out a bit more in the drydown. Can't figure out what it is (notes listed: Alder Leaf, perhaps?) I'm trying to limit my bottle purchases to 1-2 oils for each season. I think I found a good warm spring/summer scent.

Finally got my hands on an imp. For an available catalogue scent, this one seems especially horded In the bottle, it's Almond Extract. On my skin, creamy almond honey oaty. Goes a little powdery, but I really like it. Definitely a wristsniffer Wish it lasted longer/was stronger. I have -- perhaps? -- found a nice, light, tasty summer scent.

Goes on as strong chocolate lemon (?) Hoevers as a chocolate, citrusy, musky, slightly spicey scent. Warms over time. The chocolate fades fast on my skin. Not as foody as I thought or hoped, but still very nice and complex.

Wet: Citrusy, herbal, a little grassy. Getting a bit of a witchhazel scent, as well. Dry: Smells a bit soapy and medicinal for my tastes. Swaps.

Sweet vanilla/floral on my skin. Goes a bit powdery over time, and actually has quite a lot of throw. I like the sweeter honey-vanilla notes, but am getting too much floral for my taste. Good experment, but off to swaps (again -- as I received this in a swap, lol).

First of all, let it be stated that I love foody scents, and especially vanilla-based scents. In the bottle, it's all butter. Melted butter. Slightly salty, and greasy too. Like savory batter. On my skin: Stays very rich, buttery, and salty. Bit of a popcorn scent now. Also...something musty. Wafting around me, though, I catch the scent of sweeter things. Cotton candy -- maybe? I also get an occasional whiff of dough. It's a palpable scent; I can almost taste it. Gets more sugary as it fades -- a powdered-sugar smell. Really, very much like funnel cake! Lasts a couple of hours, before I can't smell it without jamming my wrists up my nose.

After a few tries -- even layering alternately with Jack, and Samhain (in the autumnal theme) -- this is just not working. On the surface, it has a warm, woodsy, herbal, and slightly berry/fruity scent. But under that -- and more prominantly on my skin -- I get a sour wine note. Bizarre. More than anything else, it reminders me of [biblically unclean] cat liter. Upon application, my nose-brain connection immediately makes that leap I thought layering would help, but the kittylitter scent just keeps wafting around me. Can't shake it. So I swapped it

I've tried this twice, because it sounded so delicious. Unfortunately, I get the same nail-polish remover smell I am getting from Strawberry Moon (which I have also tried multiple times in the hopes that it will grow on me). In the bottle, it's very sweet-sticky strawberries, with an anstrigent undercurrant. On my skin, it takes a while for the nail-polish-remover element to wear off. By the time it gets to a wearable sweet-spicey-slightly 'green' stage, it's faded almost completely. Oh well. Swaps it is.

This scent did not work on my skin, as has already been swapped, but here's what I remember: In the bottle, VERY minty. And also a passive sugar-cookie smell. Actually, quite nice. I like the mint in Cathode (mint, with grass), and was hoping to like Spooky alot because I really love foody, sweet scents. Wet on my skin, it smelled of Peppermint Patties or Thin Mint Girlscout Cookies... both of which I love to eat. Dry on my skin it reeked, unfortunately, of mouth wash. I couldn't smell any of the sweet vanilla/chocolate/cococunt flavors I was hoping for over the long haul.

I already swapped this one, but remember strongly why: In the bottle, it's all almond syrup with a light floral background. Wet on my skin, the delicious almond scent is strong, but it fades very quickly into a powdery honey-rose. Then PURE rose. As I am not a fan of florals, and particularly not a a fan of rosey florals, this went straight to a rose-obsessed forumite.

BOTTLE SNIFF: Nutella ©, with buttery note WET ON SKIN: So rich you can taste it! Butter cream dominant. Rich, nutty chocolate in the background. So far, this is the only chocolate BPAL scent that has smelled delicious on my skin. 13, Cerberus, Spooky, Bliss, Vice, etc -- none have been this decadent. DRYDOWN: As the cream fades, Gluttony turns into a dark chocolate and strong hazelnut coffee scent. The buttercream completely disappears, leaving an overall toasted/roasted smell. I much prefer this stage as a wearable scent. FINAL THOUGHTS: Very rich, very foody.

Delicious. Smells carmelized and smokey and the same time. Lasts a while on my skin and has a good throw. Makes me sniff my wrists in public.

BOTTLE SNIFF: Smells a bit citrusy, and a bit herbal (bitter note) WET ON SKIN: Turns remarkably similar to 7-Up, with a light floral underscent. DRYDOWN: Lemony fresh! Very light, lemony floral -- with a lemon-rind smell as well -- probably that bitter herbal note again. Lovely and soft, but fades very fast on my skin, and I do not typically like florals (though I am trying to broaden).

I loved this, conceptually. However. In the bottle, and on my skin, it did not translate well I'm getting a very masculine, cologne-like, rugged-scented male-deodorant smell with a touch of salt-water, and yes -- I think, a little wood (cool!). VERY strong. Wasabi strong. It does soften and become more aquatic, over time, but never settles into something I would wear. Off to swaps.

BOTTLE SNIFF: Moist hearty pumpkin bread, freashly baked -- and heavy on the nutmeg. WET ON SKIN: Very similar to bottle. It's a scent you can almost taste. DRYDOWN: Peach comes out a bit more. Not noticing the clove at all. Stays pumpkin bread for a long time before aquiring a more pulpy, raw pumpkin scent. The peach actually comes out alot more. FINAL THOUGHTS: Goes on very strong! More of a bakery scent than anything -- which I love. Very foody. And, I feel, layers very well with Samhain

BOTTLE SNIFF: Very woodsy. Getting alot of fir and patchouli. Not a fan of patchouli WET ON SKIN: Same as bottle. Smells like thick tree sap. Very incensey. DRYDOWN: Thankfully, the patchouli fades after about 1/2 hour, and the remaining scents are delicious: Apples, spices (clove?), cider, and evergreens. FINAL THOUGHTS: Complex. I wish I liked this more by itself -- I love it conceptually, as autumn is my most favorite season. And not just because my birthday's in October However, I notice that it layers REALLY well with Jack (yum). Amps up all the good foody stuff in Samhain, while masking the patchouli.

BOTTLE SNIFF: Some chocolate, but primarily a medicinal cherry scent. Very strong! WET ON SKIN: Pungent. Smells like black licorice. Making my nose itch. DRYDOWN: Someone else mentioned a bitter herbal, or sandelwoody scent. Getting the same thing. Eventually fades back to that medicinal cherry scent. I can barely detect the chocolate, though it becomes more noticable as the scents wears on. FINAL THOUGHTS: Not for me. I love foody scents, but almost every chocolate based oil has failed on my skin -- except 13.

BOTTLE SNITFF: A strange but attractive sweet-and-sour smell. Primarily lemon -- probably the ginger, and something similar to the linen smell of Dirty WET ON SKIN: Very fresh scent. Ginger and vanilla seem dominant. Then the linen (again, like Dirty). Something that reminds me of Sudha Segara as well -- probably the tea/honey combination. DRYDOWN: The vaguely sour note returns a bit, than fades over time. I think it's the milk -- I had a spoiled/diapery smell from Milk Moon as well. After that fades, the scent is lovely -- soft, sweet, and crisp. FINAL THOUGHTS: Like many of the oils I have tried so far (except Jack and Snake Oil -- whoa!), this seems light on my skin and fades to nearly nothing after a couple of hours. I think I prefer Sudha Segara. It blends more with my skin chemistry and I never get that sour milky note. Waiting to try Dorian (on the way!), so I'll see which tea/vanilla/honey/milk scent I prefer since they all share some similar notes. As of 9/4/05 -- I can officially say: Dorian is the best and definitely bottle-worthy (love the strong vanilla). Then Sudha Segara. White Rabbit is good, but my least favorite.

BOTTLE SNIFF: Rich fondue-esque chocolate. WET ON SKIN: Chocolate very prominate (smells like milk choco. to me), but the tea and iris notes are emerging. DRYDOWN: Becomes powdery very fast. I never get any of the citrus notes. It's all powdery soft chocolate and something slightly bitter, and a light floral. The floral notes become stronger, or the chocolate fades, or both, as I wear the oil through the day. FINAL THOUGHTS: Wish it was stronger...seems very wispy on me, but I like the scent very much.

Wow, this was not what I expected! In the bottle, I get a lemon-chocolate smell. On my skin, wet and dry, smells an aweful lot like Lemon Pledge. But a bit sweeter. Like lemon sucking candies. Lasts a while, too. I think I can smell the fig, after an hour or so, buried somewhere in the lemon curds. It's not a terrible scent, just so...so...not what I was expecting. There aren't ANY citrus notes listed. That I know of. I'm befuddled. Thankfully, I am not the only reviewer to have this reaction....otherwise, I would be seriously concerned about my sense of smell :-) I wonder what note is causing that reaction? ETA: I've deduced that the 'citrus' must be juniper berries...which my skin apparently amps up to 11! Juniper berries also, evidently, can small a bit like turpentine (hence the Pledge?)

BOTTLE SNIFF: Sour milk. WET ON SKIN: Very similar to bottle smell, but more cloying. DRYDOWN: Having the same negative reaction as a few other reviewers -- a spoiled milk, soiled diaper, stale sweat, sour yogurt smell. Not waiting to see how it develops; washed it off after about 1/2 hour (it didn't change). FINAL THOUGHTS: Too bad. I enjoy other milky scents: Chaste Moon, Sudha Segara, and White Rabbit work well on me. You never know, which I guess is sort of the fun part about these oils.

BOTTLE SNIFF: Sweet, citrusy ginger. A bit of floral (the ambrosia?) WET ON SKIN: Smells like sweet, milky vanilla-flavored tea. With a bit of something spicy in the background -- probably the ginger. DRYDOWN: The ginger (bit sharp, quite delicious) and honey come out more and stay prominent for a while. Then it all softens to a creamier honeyed -- almost fruity -- scent. Though that might be some leftover Strawberry Moon.... FINAL THOUGHTS: Lovely. Wish it was more saturated and wafted around me more, as I kept addictively sniffing my wrists, and people were looking at my strangely on the subway. ETA: Layers extremely well with Shub-Niggaruth. Also seems to add more wafting AND lasting power. Delicious!

BOTTLE SNIFF: Very ripe, juicy strawberries. Something vaguely bitter in the background, if I inhale deeply. WET ON SKIN: Juicy strawberries still very prominant. That darker, bitter, almost woodsy smell is stronger. DRYDOWN: I am terrible at picking out individual notes unless they are REALLY obvious. Anyway, I think that sage is coming out more. Maybe the lotus? WHatever it is, the Smuckers-sweetness of the strawberries is dampened by this new smell. In a good way. FINAL THOUGHTS: Well balanced. Fruity, but also tart and earthy. Someone else here mentioned a 'nail polish remover' odor from the bottle. Unfortunately I am getting that too, but on my skin... faint, but enough to keep me from really loving this. As I wore this all day, I noticed that while I couldn't distinctly smell the oil, I kept getting a pleasant sensation of actually tasting strawberries (like I was sucking on a strawberry candy). The oil really affected my sense of taste/smell! DAYS LATER, FOLLOW-UP: After trying this again, I don't think I can take the nailpolish remover element after all, though I like the rest of it very much. I'm getting the same effect with strawberry-based Maenad...oh well. I like strawberries, so that's too bad. I think we need a strawberry-rhubbarb pie scent

Welcome to my first ever BPAL review. INITIAL THOUGHTS: Love the description. But Milk Moon turned into a sour plasticky/diapery smell on my skin and I was concerned about the cream note they both share. BOTTLE SNIFF: Creamy, slightly floral, slightly citrus. But that same sour note I associate with Milk Moon. WET ON SKIN: The sourness happily retreats (I'm already liking this more than Milk Moon!). Smells vaguely of key-lime yogurt. DRYDOWN: Fades rather fast into a soft, creamy floral. Citrusy note very faint. FINAL THOUGHTS: Lovely, clean, soft smell. And I don't typically like floral scents (prefer foody scents). It doesn't seem to waft (applied only to left wrist, and cannot smell it while typing). Will have to slather to enjoy its potential a bit more....? Not bottle-worthy, but definitely keeping the imp. ETA: I swapped the imp, after all -- and not long after this review. Chaste Moon, did not work for me in the long run. However, Harvest Moon is another story!

Thanks to whomever put my question in the appropriate thread :-) So it seems like the imps are correctly labelled, and my nose is wonky. Well. Nothing surprising there. But I will take your suggestion, and double check with the swappee (swapper?). Just afraid of offending -- she was so generous, even gave me freebies in the swap.... Thanks again.