krystyn

I just got a bottle of this on my last trip to Will-Call, since I had tested it in the prototype and pretty much figured I would need a bottle's worth. Chocolate mint, with a sort of pleasant green and cedar note to it as it fades. The mint has a soothing, cooling effect, and the occasional waft of pistachio almost gives it a hazelnutty feel. Nutty, anyway. This is my substitute for Spooky - and it's nice because there's no coconut in this to overpower the chocolate at all. OM NOM NOM

Right out of the imp, taking a deep whiff, this scent smelled wild and fresh and, yes, smokey. There's a fresh aquatic note right behind some tall yellow grasses and something bamboo-like, and the brightness of fire. On my skin, I am getting some of the same surprising mellow minty drydown that others have written about. It becomes much more aquatic and much less smokey and grassy, even though there is a hint of something scorched and mineral right close to the skin. It's a lovely and complex scent, even though it's not something I'd normally wear. (oooh, wait, now the dry yellow kindling grass is coming back a little, sort of wheaty and sweet against the cool mint. nice.)

Right out of the imp I am getting a gorgeous dark rose scent. It's like red roses who've gone wilted and dead, but have that strong, sad scent still coming from the blackened petals. However, the amber note is coming up baby powdery without even hitting my skin, and as my body chemistry (and nose) do not play well with musk, I am going to pass on actually applying it. It's clear, though, even with notes that don't agree with me, that BPAL's floral blends are really well-balanced and lovely. It's odd, too, as amber normally is one of my favorite things to wear - it usually goes all cocoa-chocolatey-shea buttery-resiny on me. But this particular amber note is powdery and has a heavy lotion or moisturizer sort of tone.

Oof, in the imp it's a very strong soapy smell - Irish Spring, plus a little room deoderizer harshness. There's some beauty to this scent in its cleanness and aquatic brightness (it smells like the bright diffuse light bouncing off of ocean waves on a cold day, it does), but the soapiness makes my throat hurt a bit when I smell it. A tiny bit got on my thumb, and although it's fading nicely to a very clean and soapy scent, I can't see myself wearing it. The deodorant edge to it would bother me too much.

I didn't explore the notes in this too closely at the last two Will Calls at the Lab, but the oil smells *exactly* like its name suggests, which is pretty cool. I did not try any on my skin, but out of the bottle it was sweet and cool and light and apple-y.

I also got a chance to sniff this at Will Call, and ended up trying a few different places on my arms. It wafted cleanly and sweetly. I kept calling it "Midway Lite." On me, it smelled like waffle cone. It smelled really delicious, and I plan on getting it when it's released.

Sweet brandy, dark rum, heavy cream, sugar, and a dash of nutmeg. It took me several minutes to place it. The dry-down made me smile, like an old friend had returned to me. Oh, yes. This is like Beaver Moon (the original) all over again. I had accidentally up-ended my lone bottle of Beaver Moon a while back, leaving just a few drops for me to sniff. It was one of the saddest accidents ever, as it smelled really awesome on my skin. The only other oil to top it was Midway, which was my first BPAL love ... So, Egg Nog: on me, just like Beaver Moon. Who'da thunk it? I might have to get a second bottle.

Even though I've lurked in the forums for ages, and been a fan of the oils for over a year now, this is my very first review! In the bottle, the Candy Butcher is that first breath of dark, bitter chocolate that you smell when you fold back the fancy foil wrapper of some small square of the expensive stuff. Like baking chocolate, but more refined, with that almost fruit-like tang that nice dark chocolate can have. I am very sure that my cycle is doing CRAZY things to scents, because on my skin, this one's pure permanent marker. Not really plasticky, as others have mentioned, nor Play Doh-y, either. It is a chemical wet ink smell of addressing boxes with a big ol' marker. Fortunately for me and my co workers, this phase was short-lived. After about 20 minutes, it fades down, but I am totally confused now: what I thought was the bitter heaven of dark chocolate (the cream is hiding, apparently) is now almost exactly like Monster Bait: Underbed -- screaming cassia and all. Cassia? What the? If I sniff really, really closely, I can just about imagine the creamy undertones, but they're just not there in the throw at all. I'm gonna try again in a week or so, and then again once the bottle has settled a bit. I shan't give up on you, Candy Butcher! You seem like you might age awesomely!