Rho

2011 vintage. For the first few minutes, I seriously could not tell the difference between this and Rose Red. It was just bouncy, flouncy rose, rose, rose. Before long, though, this really starts to show some personality. I'm detecting something spicy, something dark, something mysterious. It almost smells leathery in texture. It's kind of fabulous! Now, as a girly frou-frou type of perfume admirer, I would have thrown my lot in with Rose Red if I had chosen between them unsniffed, but you know: this Peacock Queen stuff is more to my liking! Haughty she may be, but I think we can get along. For an undeniably rose scent with presence, I've gotta hand it to this one. Well done, Lab.

I find this to be delightfully pretty. It's sort of like a grapefruit slushie in some ways; very iridescent, tart, fresh, and cold. I have no idea what flower notes might be in this oil, so I'm not even going to guess. They're just pretty and a little soapy. That's all I know. All in all, Cloth of Gold is clean, fun, and feminine. I like it very much.

In the imp: After sniffing literally *all* of the Yule update today, I can safely say that this fragrance triggers the most happiness in me. I smiled automatically at the yummy, sugary, spicy, cookies. Wet on my skin: Translating pretty much the same as in the decant. So cheerful! Drying: Oh no... my skin is amping a cinnamon note. I'm allergic to cinnamon, and I won't be able to wear Sugar Cookie if this is what happens. From farther away, it still smells like cookies, but my nose wrinkles in despair over cinnamon if I get close. Dry: Dang it. Cinnamon has ruined a potential winner here. If I get a little distance I can definitely smell some of the things I liked about this oil, but when my arms get close to my face I fear an allergic reaction. I can't wear this. Of course, my skin DOES amp cinnamon, and I am allergic, so this is totally my unique experience. I'm sure this is lovely on/for others.

My decant of this leaked in transit, so I'm reviewing based on what I smell out of the empty. The fragrance floating out of my decant is bright, but somehow muddled. A wispy herbal spectre. I also detect something round and sweetish; probably fig. Nothing particularly "rose" shows up. Too bad I can't skin test this oil. It doesn't smell half bad.

I accidentally smashed my decant of this and it became all leaky, so I chose to pour the remaining oil all over my arms and test this. Sadly, this will be the only test I get out of my decant. Kind of sad, because this is pretty. When this was wet on my skin, I got an herbally vibe I couldn't place. I kept wanting to say "eucalyptus," but I don't think that's it. Whatever it is, this element persists to some degree throughout wear, adding a menthol-like "kick" to the fragrance. (Later, I'm pretty sure it's white musk combining in interesting ways with the rest of the notes.) Once dry, I get clean, stiff linens, like other reviewers have mentioned. The tea rose is understated and adorable. I only get the faintest whiff of petite pink roses and I really like them in this blend. To all rose haters; it's BARELY there in this one. As for snow and skin, I think something like white musk is creating a feeling of snow. I don't pick out anything I would label as "skin," such as skin musk or anything. Overall this is cleanest fabric, tinged with tea rose, over a base of bright musk. Pretty, and a complete shame that my supply is ruined. Why couldn't I have smashed an oil I didn't like?

If there's vetiver in this, it isn't assaulting my senses like it usually does. I totally get lemon cake from Van Van. A touch of vanilla, a touch of sugary glaze; neither enough to become cloying. Something earthy is mingling with the "baked goods" vibe. Van Van is pleasant enough. I don't mind wearing it. As for its intended use, I could see this being mood brightening, and probably solidifying. Certainly not a bad way to go for when a little light is needed.

Wow, after reading the other reviews I'm convinced that Regina Erebi goes off on me more than any BPAL I've tried. I got straight toothpaste in the worst way. Clearly, my chemistry is incompatible with something here (spearmint, really?) so my experience with this oil must be a fluke. Sad!

I totally enjoy rose, so my impressions on Black Rose will reflect that. I also don't think I could ever have enough good variations on a rose themed perfume. My current favorite BPAL rose is Whip; can Black Rose compete? In the imp: Surprisingly bright rose, greenery, and a light hint of musk. Wet: Green rose! Very fresh; very sweet. Even as I sniff it, I can tell it's spreading its roots and getting deeper. This is a pleasant fragrance during this phase; it's uplifting. Dry: This is just shockingly cheerful, given the name. The rose maintains its fresh, sweetness, and there is a lovely rumbling of incensey amber just peeking out from between all the rose petals. It's undeniable that this is rose's show though; it's totally front and center. Overall: Wow. With a name like Black Rose, I was totally expecting something heavier or more serious. Instead, I'm getting this happy rose note, and some slight amber. Don't get me wrong; the combination is pleasing, just not expected. I'm starting to wonder if, in spite of my love for rose, it might warp on my skin. This is not the first rose blend that struck me as unexpectedly bright and joyful when I was expecting something darker. Even my beloved Whip smells more gleeful than other reviews make it sound. Oh well. If it is my chemistry, I guess I can live with that. These things still smell good. Keywords for Black Rose: Feminine, strongly floral, medium throw, happy. 3/5 A little too simple on me, but well worth smelling.

Red and black musks with bamboo, myrrh, bitter clove, patchouli, vanilla orchid, and king mandarin. Preconceived notions: First off, I love the artwork for this one; intellectually, I wouldn't think it's my style, but emotionally, I'm drawn to it and find it beautiful. The notes listed for the fragrance oil could be hit or miss. I love red musk, orchids, and the idea of mandarin, but bitter clove and myrrh are not appealing. I'm hoping the combination hits me in the same way the art does: with surprising appeal. In the decant: Zesty... furniture? It kind of smells like oak furniture polished with fancy oils. Potential! Wet: I think that's black musk. I'm not super familiar with black musk, but it's definitely musky! The red musk gradually edges its way into the fore as this dries down. During the wet phase, my brain is still translating Sentimental Initiation as polished furniture. Dry: The clove is here, and I don't like it. That is a personal preference; if you like clove you might like the clove in Sentimental Initiation. The effect is distinctly spicy and pretty dry. In fact, when I get my nose close to breathe in, my tongue feels dry and my mouth is gets a bit cottony. Power of suggestion? Red musk is present, and that is a part I really like. Not much to say about it; it's what you'd expect, and it's good. I'm sad that I found no orchid or mandarin. My chemistry must have cancelled them out, or else they're too well blended to pick out by themselves. My tastes run sweet, so I was hoping those notes would pull Sentimental Initiation out of bitter musk-land, but it didn't work out. Overall: This is far from an unattractive blend, but it's not stellar on me. I would classify Sentimental Initiation as a alluring, serious, mature fragrance that leans feminine. It feels solid (like furniture, ha) and is nice and spicy. Unfortunately, the combination just doesn't call to me. I think I'd enjoy smelling this on somebody else; somebody who had the personality to pull it off. 3/5 for the creativity of the blend, but 2/5 as something for me to wear.

Yep, you've got to mix up the chocolate in this oil; it's just like a lava lamp in my decant! In the decant: Smells like chocolate baking squares. There are spices and musk swirling in the background. Wet: Reminds me very much of the only 13 I've smelled (May 2011). It's unsweetened chocolate in a haze of spice and a brown musk that's furry (like the one in Brown Jenkin). Dry: Definitely like a lighter version of 13 May 2011. It's not overwhelmingly chocolate, though the chocolate is obvious. The florals and sandalwood combine into something perfumey. Batty is totally a viable, and wearable body scent for me. Overall: Interesting, but kind of confusing. It just skirts the line of being foody, but isn't firmly in any other category either. I'd wear it, but it's not my favorite. 3/5

In the Imp: Peach gummy candies. Very juicy. Very potent. Wet: Oh my! Strong peach, and gorgeous heliotrope. I can also detect bergamot. These are some of my favorite things, and this is gorgeous! Drying: Everything mellows down quickly. I can smell something tangy, as well as a base of something earthy: oakmoss? Looking for the white musk, I can't pick it out separately, like I usually can. Everything else started out distinct and is now settling down together into a very well-blended fragrance. Dry: The end result is ethereal. Fresh peach, glistening bright florals and a base of gleaming earthiness. Very pretty and special. My favorite BPAL is Tamora, so I can't help but compare this peach one to that. I still prefer Tamora for its warmth and vanillic overtones, but this is also extremely nice in its own way. Fae gives me dancing peaches in a forest, and I love it! Overall: 5/5

I got frimped with Magdalene by a wonderful seller. I love roses and orchid, so I'm thrilled to give this a try! In the imp: Green, herbal and bright. It's pretty generic; no specific note stands out. Wet: Similar to the scent in the vial. A little hint of rose is rising, and I smell something piney/minty too. Drying: The pine scent is settling into flower stems and losing its minty vibe. I can barely smell sticky roses and another element that must be orchid. This oil has a very bright overtone, but at its base it is warm and comforting. As other reviewers have said, it is not sweet. The throw is purely herbal on me. Dry: Well... it's not terrible, but this isn't for me. This is mostly green, bitter stems and herbs on me. It just doesn't work out to be complex or pretty with my chemistry. I only get a hint of rose, though I can detect the orchid if I'm smelling from farther away. Unfortunately, the mix is just bland. Overall: Just not for me, but happy to have tried it. 2/5

THE BLACK APPLE OF SATURN Dried Arkansas black apple, opoponax, cypress, myrrh, tobacco absolute, quince, black musk, and galbanum. Preconceived Notions: I wanted to try this for the apple, tobacco, and black musk. In the Imp: Unusual apple with what I could have sworn was mellow patchouli. Must be an illusion due to the combination of other notes. Wet: Whoa, apple. O_O A very juicy, quirky apple that definitely smells black somehow. Dry: Okay. That interesting, quirky apple has settled down and I can smell the earthy element that I thought was patchouli in the imp. I honestly don't know what it actually is, and I can't decide if I like it in this setting. Even Later: The apple fragrance melds and combines with the rest of the notes and it slowly loses strength. I'm having such a hard time describing this scent. On the one hand, it's lovely in a way I just can't grasp. On the other hand, it's confusing me to the point that I'm not enjoying it, if that makes sense. My favorite part of it is definitely the strange apple note; I wish I could get a bead on that and smell it on its own to really understand it. Instead, it's just jumbled up in a mix of "who-knows-what," and I can't relax with it on. Overall: While something about this scent intrigues me, it's not for me. 2/5

2011 Version Preconceived Notions: I didn't really want to put this on, because I don't think vetiver is going to be okay. Just not my cup of tea. In the Imp: Yep. Vetiver. I'll try it anyway because I want to sample anything that comes my way and give it a real chance. Wet: Pungently vetiver and clove, also fungusy. It makes me squint my eyes because I don't like this on me at all. It smells like something that I might appreciate on a man, but in small doses. Dry: It did mellow out a little bit, but I'm not enjoying it. Vetiver is screaming at me, and the rest of the notes are combining into something generically 'cologne' on my chemistry. It kind of stings my nose. A Little Later: It actually does mellow and round out into something a little better, and definitely woodsy, but that's not my style, so I'm done with this one. I think somebody with different preferences/chemistry would actually dig this. It's distinct in what it does out of all the 2011 Weenies I've tried: dark, fierce, intense. Overall: For me, 1/5 stars.

Simply the most beautiful entry in this year's Halloween update, for me. I get gorgeous, yellow apples, unobtrusive musks, and achingly lovely florals (frangipani, ylang ylang). The vanilla is so warm and attractive, and the bergamot is making my heart swoon. This strikes me as Viva La Juicy done right. It's very sweet and succulent and I could go on. The overall impression this scent is giving me once it hits my skin is warm, bubbling apple that's still crispy and juicy. Completely bottle worthy. This will be in my Top Ten scents. It's amazing.

Preconceived Notions: The lab's honey note is one of my favorites, and I love eating cheesecake as a rare treat. Lavender doesn't bother me. This should work nicely. In the bottle: Crazy strong! I'm in a closet full of cheesecakes. Lavender permeates the air! I'm going to pass out! Wet: It smells burnt. Cheesecake charred at the bottom of an oven. Pungent, high pitched lavender. Oh no... I thought I was going to love this. Drying: It's gradually sorting through its issues as it warms up and dries down. All the things that were nasty are fading away, but the scent is still not appealing on me. Dry: Ahhhh, there we go. I can wear this now. Very fluffy cheesecake and noticeable lavender. I don't really sense honey, but it's probably just melded in with the vanilla-y cheesecakey-ness. I will make up as many words as I need to describe this. ETA: The honey blooms later on for me. I can only smell it if I'm not too close to the place I'm wearing it. It's exactly the honey note that I love. The throw is decent on this. I would classify it as a womanly fragrance. It's super creamy and deep; cuddly. Not insanely sweet. I think it will only get better with age. It's better from a distance rather than sticking my nose into it. Overall: Yeah, I think I can work with Beaver Moon 2011. It's a bit quirky, but once dry nothing's a total deal-breaker. Not my favorite, but not bad. Rating: 3/5

Preconceived Notions: I've been under the impression that this would be a great scent for me for a long time. I'm a foodie, and a tea admirer. In the imp: Bitter bread, and distinct tea. Not particularly attractive. Wet: A gentler bread smell and watered down tea. I get the sugar, too. If I concentrate, I detect butter, too! This is completely "as-advertised" at this stage. Still not attractive, though Dry: It stays the same. It's totally bread - specifically the crusts, a cup of thin tea, and butter. This is a "genre" scent to me. It's exactly what it claims to be; it's foody and distinct, only mildly sweet, and pretty authentic. It's not feminine or masculine to me. Its throw is weak. Though there's nothing overtly wrong with Bread-And-Butterfly, it isn't rising above being a novelty scent for me. Rating: For a scent I figured I'd enjoy, I just don't want to smell like this. 2/5 True to its description, but just not a good skin scent for me.

Without reading any reviews, I smell this from the imp and get gummy bears. I do recognize the lab's honey note (which has never been gummies to me before), but my brain says sweet gummy bears. Wet: Still like opening a bag of fruity gummy bears. (??) The DH says no gummy bears; he smells spice drops. Regardless, it's coming off as bulk candy. --I'm going to go peek at the other reviews while this dries.-- Now that I read the other reviewers talking about a strong floral vibe, I could see my gummy bear fruitiness coming from something like honeysuckle, lotus, or heliotrope. That is to say, if I'm smelling flowers, they're the bright, juicy, sticky kind. Dry: The honey really tones down and become a faint base on this one. The strongest impression is something beautifully sweet; could be lotus or something very similar. I go out of my way to smell sweet (or like candy), so this is working really well for me. There's nothing overdone about it to me; just a shining sweet note over tempered honey. Really lovely! The throw is medium on this. It is more girly than womanly on me. It has a cheerful personality that's just woken up in the morning with an optimistic smile. Rating: Wow... I love this. 5/5

Without looking at the notes, I sniff this in the imp and think this is Hecate. It's that strong, alcohol almond note that I like. Wet: The almond note is strong like in the imp, but it's immediately plumped out with awesome, resiny amber! I love amber! --While this is drying down, I'll go sneak a peek at the notes.-- I wouldn't have been able to peg the Egyptian musk, but now that I know what I'm looking for, I can find the lotus and the saffron now. This is so beautiful, but I think it's fading away!! No! Come back! Dry: Wow, this really got weak fast. The almond burnt off first, I think, so that left the blend smelling much blander. Now the golden lotus is the top note. The amber that I love so very much is still there, but it's not as glorious as when the blend was wet. I'm really surprised because BPALs almost universally get better as they dry on my skin, but I really liked this one wet. A little more time goes by, and this gains a powdery edge, which I know is from the amber, but I like that. Even later and this has gained back a little power and smells like powdery (but still resiny) amber topped with the lotus. The almond actually came back for me, though as a bit part. This is really subtle, but complex and absolutely brilliant. There's hardly any throw. Overall: Though my favorite stage only lasted for a matter of minutes, Bastet is lovely throughout. I would wear this when I want to be unobtrusive but still classy. I think this is what I expected from O and La Petite Mort. Rating: Though I'm torn about exactly what I want to give this, I've gotta go with a 4/5 because although I loved everything that I smelled, I was disappointed when some of my favorite notes burnt away so quickly. I can live with that though - this is special! ETA: Nah. This deserves to be upgraded to a 5/5. I come back to Bastet all the time. It's heart-achingly beautiful, and appropriate for most days. What a true winner!

Wet: Kind of filthy jasmine + apricot. It's got a bit of a dirty hair vibe; the kind of smell that leaves a twinge in the back of your nose. Dry: After smelling this wet on my skin, I thought it was going to be nasty no matter what. I'm surprised that it's really pretty now. The vanilla is really obvious, and the next strongest impression is apricot. Ginger and jasmine (and dirty hair) are chilling in the background. This scent has incredible throw on me; I dabbed only a small amount on the back of my hand, and I can smell it clearly even as I'm typing this. The apricot is peppy and sweet, but the rest of the blend is more mature and womanly. It's also very comforting, and I'd think of this more of a "mom" scent than a "lover" one. Must be the kitchen-vibe that the ginger gives off. Overall: I'd wear this. It actually reminds me a little of Vixen without the patchouli. A unique vanilla mix, for sure, and I can never get enough of those. I'm starting to see that jasmine is good for my chemistry. This isn't top ten material or anything; just a sensible blend that is feminine, clever, and calm. Rating: 3/5

Preconceived notions: Oooh! Sounds complex and lovely; stoic even. This is yet another one that's probably not for me, but I'll try it anyway because it sounds so brilliantly composed. I really want to smell the saffron and red musk because I love Scheherezade. Wet: Dull muskiness with a shining, round globe of violet. Drying: OMG... it IS parsley. How did it turn into that? The hint of red musk I caught at the beginning has vanished. Dry: The parsley faded a little, but there's still a bit. I can detect wormwood and white tea. Unfortunately, all the musky, resiny things I was hoping for just aren't there. Instead, this is a simple sort of "herb garden" deal on me. It is also not translating as "icy" to me, though kinda minty. Surprising! Overall: Preconceived notions aside, The Vampire Bride is not a bad fragrance. It may not be what I was hoping for, but it's pleasant, and fresh in its own way. 3/5

My preconceived notions: I love the idea of this one. All those sweet offering notes are making my mouth water. Can't wait to see how it blends with the unusual florals! Wet & in the decant: My brain decodes the foody complexity as banana bread. Drying: There's so much going on here that I can't isolate individual notes. I'm just getting a general impression of brown baked goods, and something becoming slightly burnt. Dry: Overdone banana bread with some tropical florals (they smell edible too, somehow). Sorry my description isn't more specific, but I am unfamiliar with so many of these notes, and this is all my nose can figure out. The scent is still juicy thanks to the florals. Overall: Well, I didn't know what to expect with this one, so I wouldn't say it's a disappointment. I just don't really care for the burnt banana bread vibe I get here. It's not a bad scent; it's rich, and spiked with moist flowers, and it has a tropical feel that's relaxing with all the baked goods. It's just not one I'll rush to grab a bottle of. 3/5

2011 Preconceived notions: I am a coffee addict lover. This would have been an unsniffed bottle purchase for me if it didn't list cinnamon, which I'm allergic to. I can still wear some fragrances with cinnamon depending on how they're blended, so I still wanted to give Pumpkin Latte a whirl, but I'm nervous about the spices. Wet: Wow! As soon as I opened the decant, the espresso note is unleashed into the world. It stays pretty strong on my skin, too. Unfortunately, the only other thing I can detect right away is, of course, the dreaded cinnamon. Dry: Things get a little better and the blend's complexity is fascinating. The espresso blends with vanilla to make a sticky base to pumpkin, nutmeg, a white smelling sugar and (curse you) cinnamon... [dramatization] Cinnamon: Heh. U mad? Me: I'm sure you and I can compromise. Just let the other notes stand out a little too, and I'll find room in my heart for you somehow. Cinnamon: O rly? (AMP!) Me: D: [/dramatization] Overall: So yeah. The cinnamon kinda ruins it for me. If you don't mind cinnamon, this blend is incredible. So complex and pleasing, and particularly great for the coffee lover. Myself, I can still wear this, and I think I probably will wear it just to enjoy that gorgeous base of espresso and coffee. I'm always going to wonder how much more Pumpkin Latte would suit me without the cinnamon though, and that's a little tragic. My skewed review: 3/5

2011 Preconceived notions: I've never smelled a Samhain before, but I'm always hearing about it here on the forums, and it sounds like it must be magical. I'll give it a shot, but I'm a little nervous about all the dark woody notes. Wet: Mud! Well, it's more interesting than mud; I've never smelled anything like it. There's this weird swirl of what I think is the food elements, and they're just oddly "fresh" smelling over all this trampled mud. I'm assuming the mud is coming from the patchouli and woods, but it's different from other patchouli I've smelled. I'm confused by Samhain so far; I don't think I like this phase. Dry: Oh, it changes a lot. Things have taken a turn for the better. The mud has become smooth patchouli, and I can smell a high note of spiced apples. There is some pine and damp outdoorsy stuff in there. This is quite pleasant now; especially from far away where I get just a whiff of the cold outdoors mixing with a faint pumpkin/apple pie. Overall: Not bad! I think I'd have to wear this more to figure out whether this has the magical quality I was looking for. So far, I think it's merely nice. 3/5

2011 Preconceived notions: I was sold on "sheets of cream." I also love the lab's linen/cotton notes, and spun sugar is always welcome, so yeah! This one became my only unsniffed Halloween 2011 bottle. So long as the sugar doesn't smell burnt, I think Boo will be a solid choice for me. Wet: Whoa~ sweet! This is strong, sugary liquid; maybe like a concentrated shot of coffee sweetener. It is a little too sweet in this stage. Dry: The cottony fragrance rounds out and soaks up some of that achingly sweet stuff. I love the cotton! It seems poofy and soft. At some point, the cream also spills into the mix. It seems like the cream wants to go sour on me, and although it's right on the verge, it's been playing nice so far. Seems like we can get along. Overall: I'm definitely a foody lover, and this is definitely a foody perfume. Since I'm so used to wearing sweet/foody fragrances, this is just a natural "me" smell. It's just nice. I like the balance of the cotton and the sweets, and the cream keeps in check enough to be wearable. I don't know if this will amount to my favorite of the 2011 Weenies, but I'll keep my bottle. 4/5!