OctoberGwen

This smells wonderful. Rich, dark patchouli and sweet vanilla and lots of soft leather, with a hint of the tobacco. I love this blend, it smells like a high class gentleman's club for sure. I imagine a cozy room with sumptuous furnishings, lit by tiffany lamps and a coal fire. Murmured conversation, soft laughter, and the clink of ice in cut crystal glasses. It's like something out of The Vampire Lestat. Sophisticated, lasts forever, and just a freaking amazing smell. I need lots.

What! How have I not reviewed this yet?! I love Konditorei, it is one of my top three atmo sprays. It's a delicious blend of coffee, chocolate, and nutty apple baked goods. Every time I use it, inevitably my husband comes in (it could be hours later) and very hopefully asks what I've been baking. And sadly (for him), I always answer, "Nothing." Really, this is wonderful stuff. And one squirt will do ya!

On me, Shub-Niggurath is not "gingerbread" at all, it is fresh cut ginger root - sharp and strong. There is nothing about this that says baked goods to my nose. After a bit, the ginger backs off a bit and I smell something lemony/lime, creamy-resiny, and herbal on top of the ginger. What a wonderful blend. It is definitely reminiscent of Voodoo, it has a similar lime cola vibe except it's sweeter and there's no smoky tang from the vetiver. This is delicious, but not overly foody. Fresh, enticing, and unique. It makes me want to snuggle in with my arm and just...smell it.

This is one of those scents that smells so familiar, somehow, it immediately makes me think "home." It's the strangest thing. Doom Of Beauty is like that for me, also, though in that case I know the origin: my mother's herb gardens. With Mrs. Grose, I wonder if it's deja-vu or some memory of my grandmother's house or...I just don't know. I smell something that says "rosehips" to me, and definitely black tea, and a dusty, delicious spiciness. It's like the memory of more refined times that you get faint wafts of as you tour a historic mansion. It's cozy, with an edge. I can't describe it properly, but I think I need a bottle simply for the pure evocative quality of the scent for me.

This is a gorgeous blend. For once on me, the leather is soft, not sharp and overwhelming; and the honey and vanilla do not become so sweet they nauseate me. There is no trace of plastic. It is not flowery at all. Just a smooooooooth, perfect blend. Interestingly, twice in a row my right wrist smelled more strongly of the leather, and my left had a distinct rootbeer quality from the sarsparilla (another note I generally do not care for, incidentally.) I was a bit sad that this is so nice, actually. My beautiful NYCC fairy (you know who you are) went to a boatload of trouble to obtain two other exclusive scents for me - I was convinced that Badgers wouldn't work. Ironically, I ended up swapping those two away and then really liking Badgers when I got a half decant. I thought I'd need to hunt down a bottle of this, but I think I'm fine with my decant after all. As lovely as this is, I still don't really want to smell like leather. I'll enjoy my little imp, for sure!

Nope. I am telling you to keep trying things that sound good to you. Some will work, some won't...even after you think you've figured out what your notes of doom are. And btw...the Swaps forum is your friend.

It can take a while to figure out what works and what doesn't, so don't get discouraged quite yet. Also, bear in mind that things often smell different on your skin at different times of the month, depending on your hormone levels and so forth, so always try a particular scent a few times before you give up on it. (There's also aged vs fresh vs different batches to consider.) Some components might work on you when paired with certain other components, and vice versa. It seems like every time I decide I can't wear anything with such-and-so in it, along comes a blend with that note that smells great on me! Half the fun is the experimentation.

I have not been sleeping well lately, probably because my two young sons are still in the habit of crawling into bed with us in the middle of the night. We have a King, but adding two more people and a large dog that sleeps sideways across your feet makes for a very crowded sleep space. Most mornings I wake up feeling like I haven't even slept: tired, achy, cranky, gritty eyes. I've used Nocturne as recommended for the past several nights, and I have to say that I have awakened feeling pretty damn good. I don't notice that it helps me fall asleep any faster (which isn't generally a problem anyway, but I have TKO for those occasions.) However, I definitely feel that I am sleeping better. Once applied, I mostly get rose. This stuff could smell like gasoline, though, and I'd still use it. It works. I've experienced no grogginess the next day, either. ETA: Nocturne has become a workhorse TAL for me: I use it pretty much every night. Part of my nightly ritual is anointing myself with it and I sleep like the dead. Every night. And when I wake up, I feel rested. No grogginess. It's wonderful. And here's the real kicker: last week my husband, who is the most non-magical person I know, was complaining of not sleeping well, so I anointed him with Nocturne. The next morning he said that he slept "like a rock." The next night I asked if he wanted it again, and he said yes, please. He left on a trip, came back yesterday, and last night asked for the Nocturne! So yes, people: you don't have to be a believer for it to work. And it works like a motherfucker.

On me, this is exactly like Red Lace without the redness, i.e. the raspberry, pomegranate, and red musk. (Somebody said the same thing after previewing it at a Con - was it Mellifluous? If so, he was dead right.) Since Red is my favorite of the Laces I've tried before now (I think I only have Antique and Absinthe left to go), Autumn is a total win for me. It is smoky, sexy, and sort of wistful and dignified all at once. I absolutely love the Lab's tobacco note, and here it lends its distinctive bite quite beautifully to the smokiness of the incense and musk and the sweet, slight booziness of the cognac. I didn't care for Black Lace because it seemed too perfumey; Autumn Lace has a distinctive Victorian air about it, but I wouldn't call it perfumey. And the sugar in "sugar spun lace" doesn't pose any problem for me at all, thankfully - sugar almost always turns awful on me. Autumn Lace really embodies the imagery behind it, and I can see it getting heavy rotation in both Fall and Winter, and any time the weather turns rainy and chill. I will wear it when I'm snuggled up on my couch with a good novel, when the mist is creeping along the ground outside. I know that it will only get deeper and richer with age, too. I adore this, but I have no plans to break my loose "no backups" rule because I really hope that when this gets restocked, everyone who wants it will have a shot at it. I will treasure my bottle, for sure! A million thanks to meaganola for group ordering so quickly. ETA: Oh, geez, and the label is fantastic, too.

The first few minutes of this are heavenly: pure, bracing peppermint with a gorgeous underlying creamy sweetness from the vanilla. YUM! I want to, well, lick it - and I inadvertantly did somehow get some on my lip, which actually wasn't fun at all. Anyway, after several minutes of bliss my skin does what it often is wont to do with vanilla (and in this case, the sugar is also probably contributing): it turns to plastic. The mint recedes drastically, so eventually I'm left with just a faint whiff of bandaids. It was so good at the beginning, though.

shrahlend actually described this scent perfectly upthread. This blend was so astringent at first, it almost made my eyes sting...but I couldn't stop putting my nose to my wrist. There was almost a soft leather-like quality to what I was smelling, too. After several minutes, the anise really comes out and blends wonderfully with the patchouli and whatever is lifting things up here (the neroli or mandarin, maybe?). This is a surprise hit for me, unlike anything else that I normally wear. Beautiful, interesting, unique...and super wearable. I am actually considering a bottle, though my budget probably won't allow it. I will definitely use my imp, though, and probably hoard the last drops. I really like this a lot, despite the fact that it probably qualifies as "masculine", or certainly unisex. Not my usual thing at all, but that's the beauty of BPAL.

This smells very fresh, light, and white. It's a super clean sort of fragrance - very pretty, but not my type of scent to wear at all. I think it would go nicely with the coconut/tiare hair gloss.

I bought this as a whim off ebay because I love the Lupercalia scents...and I am so happy I did. When first applied this makes me think of Fruit Loops: I get a sweet berry smell, but it isn't cloying or plasticky sweet, nor too much fruitiness: it's perfect. I can't pick out any singular notes, really; the rose and benzoin (and I suppose my dreaded nemesis, caramel) are just blending beautifully with the red berry to create a scent cloud of feminine allure. I get no booziness per se. It is just gorgeous. The kicker here, and what makes this scent utterly unique, is the pink pepper. It adds the perfect bite to all the above-mentioned sweetness. I can't stop smelling my wrist. I will treasure this half bottle, and probably wear it when I want to feel especially womanly. This is a gauzy-dress-and-heels, extremely killer underthings, romantic sort of perfume. Love it!

What an interesting scent vetiver is! Very smoky, green and brown. Deep. I think of places hidden in the earth and covered with ornamental grasses when I smell this. I will enjoy having my decant, but do not need a bottle. ETA: I put this on again today, and I have to say...I have found a whole new appreciation for vetiver thank to Beth. This now smells delightful to me: very smoky upon application, as in actual brushfire, then it settles into a mellow, earthy scent with a touch of smoky grass. I just freaking love it, and am sad that I didn't continue with my campaign to get all the single notes in bottle form.

I definitely agree with the fresh, tropical, Atomic Luau Lounge vibe. I love this when it's first applied: I get the mint and ginger for sure, with a hint of coconut and zestiness from the lime rind. I don't detect the green tea per se, but I'm sure it's adding a freshness to this scent that is quite nice. Over time, an odd chemical-like note creeps into this on my skin. I'm not sure where that's coming from. After a bit it fades and the scent becomes "island paradise" again. Pretty and fresh, but my beloved Sumai No Sechie fulfills this niche in my perfume box, I think.

The first time I put this on I got a lot of the rich woods and coffee along with the spiced pumpkin, which was very nice - I really liked the way these notes worked together. The second time I applied, it was almost all craft store spices and pumpkin, with the emphasis on the spices. I have it on again now, and it's still super spicy. I think I will enjoy this decant a lot in the oil burner, but it's not something I will wear. I wish the woods, coffee, and patchouli had been able to tame the spicy pumpkin, because that first application was really nice.

This starts out with the Lab's signature spiced pumpkin smell covered by vanilla. Rather pleasant, even if it smells like something I'd rather eat than wear. However, on my skin the triple vanilla whammy amps quickly into nauseatingly oversweet territory. Not for me.

I just wanted to give a shout-out to the Cherokee Rose Single Note Accord. It's my favorite of Beth's roses so far, because its freshness and zing! make it more wearable for me than, say, Peacock Queen. I love PQ, but ultimately I find it too rich to wear. Now I'm off to test the imp of Desire that I think I have...

Who doesn't want a monster in their pants? Sexy sugar-smeared saffron sandalwood over lickable vanilla cream with a splash of butter rum. I've been wanting to try Underpants since I first became a BPALista, but since all the other Monsterbaits seemed to have a plasticky undertone (sometimes OVERtone) on my skin, I figured it was no big deal whether I ever tried it out or not. I'm also very picky about sweet scents: sugar is awful on my skin, and things that are overly gourmand or sickly-sweet actually make me sort of nauseous when I wear them. Still, I was delighted to find a surprise sniffie included in a recent swap with the lovely Glambie - especially since there was just enough to test! Sniffing from the tiny amber vial she gave me, I got a pleasant enough vanilla smell. Okay. *shrug* I put it on, smugly waiting for the anticipated Nasty Plastic to develop so I could say, "The hell with you, Underpants." Sniff. Oh, my. Sniff. OH MY. Vanilla, yes, but a daaaaaaaark, rich, syrupy vanilla that manages to stay just this side of too sweet. The saffron and sandalwood are not identifiable to me as separate notes, but they have to be doing something here to make Underpants greater than the sum of its parts. YUM-ola. I can't stop huffing my wrists. A couple hours later I get just a faint whiff of "wow, your skin smells delicious." Oh, that's my skin. So, yeah. Underpants smells fabulous. Fortunately, vanilla isn't a note that makes my eyes roll back in my head, so I will leave the quest for Underpants to those who really do consider it their Holy Grail vanilla scent. My wallet thanks me.

This was the NYCC exclusive that I really wanted to work (Jenny was my childhood nickname), and the one that I most feared wouldn't. Sadly for me, the latter is the case. Damn you, peach! :@&*$!: I was hoping that the woods and soft flowers would dominate here, but I'm getting a lot of peach and I really, really can't stomach that scent on my skin. Fresh, ripe & juicy piece of fruit in my hand? Smells great. Peach perfume on my wrist? Barf-worthy. I had a similar nauseated reaction to Josie. I'm sure this is gorgeous on some. Not me, though.

For some reason, the combination of the overly-sweet French vanilla and the jasmine and/or gardenia does not work on my skin at all. I get no lemon verbena, either, which may have saved this for me if it had made itself known. I'll bet this is gorgeous on the right person, though.

Between this and Third Charm alone, Weenies have been a total win for me this year. I am thrilled that my two bottle purchases from this epic update have worked out so well. Witch Dance has that wonderful "Autumn leaves on the ground" scent that Beth does so beautifully, only here is it made even more wearable by the touch of red musk. There's a hint of incense when I first apply, but I'm not getting a lot of smokiness yet. I have a feeling this will deepen and be more evident with age, though. A gorgeous, evocative Fall scent - possibly my 'go to' for when Samhain or Samhainophobia is simply too much to have on. ETA: Giving this a few days to settle in has turned it into a perfect blend of incense/smokiness and Fall leaves with a touch of red musk to sweeten it up. I may need another bottle...I think Witch Dance has turned into my ideal Autumnal perfume. EATA: Samhain has a component that is just this side of too heavy for me; also, at times it turns into something pretty funky on my skin. Samhainophobia doesn't have it, but it sometimes feels like it comes on too strong, also. It's somewhat unisex, too. Witch Dance, OTOH, captures the Autumn leaves scent while remaining completely wearable for me by the addition of sweet incense, just a touch of bonfire smoke, and red musk. It is absolutely perfect, my ideal everyday Autumn scent. I need several backups, I think.

Bay rum, bourbon vanilla, galangal, hyssop, High John the Conqueror root, tobacco, life everlasting, and brimstone. Thank you, joyfulgirl, for the tester! This smells gorgeous on me. I'm often somewhat 'meh' on bourbon vanilla, but here it is perfect. It lends a rich sweetness to the smoky, spicy base; the rum is really well behaved, I get just a whiff. It's really well blended. I love this.

This Harvest lunacy combines the autumnal scents of balsam fir, cedar, sorrel, thyme, juniper berry, clove, saffron, damson plum, chrysanthemum, sage, black cherry, and fennel with dry maple leaves, golden ale, the crushed wine grapes of Dionysus, and Janus' lingum aloes. As I've mentioned elsewhere on the forum, the Lunacy blends usually do not smell good on my skin; I can only conclude that there's a common ingredient hidden in the lunar oils that just hates me. This makes me sad, as I'm all about the magic of the moon. However, being a good BPALista I do keep trying. Harvest Moon was one that I really wanted to have for several reasons, and next to Chrysanthemum Moon it comes the closest to working on me. This is a nostalgic, familiar scent and I find it very evocative of this time of year. I'm not getting any individual components (thankfully, as I was concerned about the ale and Dionysus's grapes), rather, it's a woodsy, rich, ripe scent that brings to mind a late Summer garden on the edge of the forest at night. It's not that Harvest Moon smells of decaying vegetables or heavy vegetation, but the rich backdrop of the scent somehow evokes the bounty of this time of year. There's also a hint of smokiness and perhaps a faint breath of the clove. It borders on having a perfumey quality to it, but doesn't quite cross that line. There's a certain feeling that I get when standing under the brightest moon of the year on a late August or early September night, and this scent captures that feeling. You can almost feel the wheel of the year turning. That's the best I can do, I'm afraid. I'm glad I took another chance on Lunacies with this one. The label art is just gorgeous, too.

Basic Info Birthday: October 9 Pets: a dog & a cat Children: two sons Religious orientation: Pagan Favorite Holiday: Halloween Occupation/Major in school: I’m a hausfrau. I’ve been a bookstore manager & an admin assistant in the past. Living arrangement (by yourself, with roommates, etc): I’m married and I own a house with my husband Livejournal/Blog/Website: I’ve only barely started blogging. Organizations/Causes/Activities (Things you belong to or causes you believe in): I’m Liberal, think we need to stop screwing up the environment, and believe children & animals deserve lives free of exploitation & abuse. BPAL Favorite BPAL oils: Snake Oil!, Boomslang; Lucy, Kissed; Red Lace; Banshee Beat Favorite notes: Red musk, also please see my BPAL wishlist for a more complete list. Favorite non-BPAL perfumes: None. I am a BPAL snob. Least favorite notes: Booze, leather, cold/aquatics (please see my wishlist for a complete list) Least favorite non-BPAL perfumes: All of ‘em. If Beth made a custom blend for you, what would the notes be, and what would you want the label art to look like? Oh, goodness. The label art should be gorgeous and gothic and haunting, like a misty, creepy forest and a dark house with one light in the window. Something like that. I don't know what the notes would be. I already have SO. Clothing & Jewelry Hair type: Finer than fine, and straight. I recently got an asymmetrical bob and I’ve never been happier with my hair. I color it reddish. Skin Type: Dry/sensitive. Fair. Allergies (specifically B&B related): Not really, but… Other things to avoid: …wool makes me itch. I dislike the smell of shea butter. Hemp smells yukky, too. Tub, shower or both? Both. I love baths but don’t often have time for them. Favorite bath & beauty products: Before BPAL, I was a product junkie. Now I stick with BPTP bath oils as body moisturizers. I’d like to try mixing them w/unscented body lotion this winter. I love makeup but don’t spend a lot on it. My big splurge was the Naked eyeshadow collection by Urban Decay. Love nail polish – NO glitter, though! Clothing Style/Fave garments: My style is re-evolving right now. Let’s just say “comfortable.” I love big, soft sweaters and scarves, leggings, and boots. Fall dressing is my fave. Favorite clothing colors/colors to wear: Jewel tones work best on me; my favorite neutral is grey. I dislike/can’t wear pastels and white and black do not flatter me (though I like them.) Type(s) of jewelry worn: I adore bold rings, bracelets, and necklaces. I think my pierced ear holes have closed. Ring/wrist/collar size: Ring is an 8-9 (middle or index fingers), my wrists are tiny (7?), collar…no clue. Jewelry - gold or silver? Silver!! Do you have any allergies to metal? Well, fake silver used to make my pierced ears infected. (Is that nickel?) Favorite gemstones: I adore natural semi-precious stones of all sorts. Polished, faceted, or raw. Love ‘em!! Sock/Shoe Size: Socks…7-8? My shoe size is 6. Lifestyle Style/home decoration style: Cottage Eclectic. I love items from Nature: shells, rocks, stones. I like comfortable furniture and lots of books strewn about. Cottons, linens, and velvet. Hardwood or tile floors with rugs. I love pretty things and a homey atmosphere. Favorite decorating colors: Deep blues & purples & greens. Autumn colors. Seaside colors. Things you collect: See nature items above. Tarot cards. Coins from other countries. Regional recipes. Favorite music: Celtic, folk. Some pop, some rock, some alternative. I love Dave Carter & Tracy Grammer, Loreena Mckennitt, The Fray, David Gray, Taylor Swift, Cold Play, Linkin Park, Adele...to give you an idea. Least favorite music: Anything discordant or harsh. I’m not a Jazz fan and I hate death metal or whatever it’s called. Vegetarian/Vegan?: (Please be as specific as possible to reduce confusion!) Nope! Other food restrictions: None. Favorite flavors: Chocolate, vanilla, lemon, salted caramel. Favorite foods/drinks: Italian, any sort of pie, comfort foods, fresh veggies, crunchy snacks, gourmet foods, coffee, tea, wine Favorite authors/genres: Oh Lord! I am a bookworm! I read everything except formula romances. My favorite genre is probably ghost stories. Or fantasy. Or GOOD romantic suspense, like what Mary Stewart writes. I love too many authors to list. I’m on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2991486?shelf=read I don’t keep up with it very well, but it should give you an idea. Least favorite authors/genres: I just dislike poor writing in general. Also, I’m not a big fan of Chuck Palahniuk or Bret Easton Ellis. Books/authors you'd like to read, but haven't yet: Swamplandia, the two books that come after Girl With the Dragon tattoo –oh! The “To read” list on Goodreads will help you, also here is my amazon wishlist: http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/ref=wish_list How do you feel about receiving gently used books as gifts? Awesome!! Reduce, reuse, recyle.  Favorite stores (including clothing stores): TJ Maxx, Marshall’s, Home Goods, Pier 1 Favorite online stores (including B&B stores): GaelSong http://www.gaelsong.com/ . Magazines you subscribe to: Entertainment Weekly, Allure, Better Homes & Gardens Magazines you like, but don't subscribe to: Real Simple, National Geographic, Archaeology Today Favorite movies: Last of The Mohicans, The Sixth Sense, The Crow, Titanic, Bring It On (sorry), Stir Of Echoes, LoTR trilogy, The Family Stone, The Black Stallion Favorite TV show(s): Game of Thrones, Fringe, Falling Skies, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly, Revenge Hobbies/crafts done: Um…I am so uncrafty, it’s not funny. Really. I like drawing & journalling, gardening and cooking. And reading. Wishlists BPAL Wish List (including SW/SF Help): http://www.bpal.org/topic/127-wishlist/page__st__2425__gopid__2046891#entry2046891 Other website Wish lists (amazon.com, etc): (see above), and here’s etsy: http://www.etsy.com/people/guinneth/favorites?ref=si_fav Random Questions: - On a scale of 1-5, how organized are you? 3, on good days - Where, outside of the U.S. would you love to visit? (if you're international, this can be anywhere) Scotland, England, Ireland. Then everywhere else. - Do people tell you that you act older, younger, or your age? Hmm…my age, I guess. -If I gave you a toy gun with flashing lights, would you hide and start shooting people from around corners OR would you thank me on the IGI thread and then quietly donate it (a niece, Oxfam, Goodwill, wherever)? (there are no wrong answers for this, so don't be afraid to answer honestly) My house is filled with those already (I have young sons.) So I’d probably give it to them, and then plug my ears. - What animal do you feel like the most? A cat. - Your favorite feature about yourself: My eyes. - Do you live in a neighborhood or in the middle of nowhere? Neighborhood. -Have you ever thought, "oh, I'm going to get myself one of those one of these days" but then never do? List 1 under $10 and 1 over $10. I can’t think of anything! I must be terribly spoiled. Oh! An Under $10 item would be a lodestone, for my altar. Over $10 would probably be a velvet cloak, or a leather-bound journal. - How do you feel about boi witches? What are they? They sound intriguing! - Do you like garage sales (boot sales)? YES! Flea markets & antique stores & consignment shops, too. - I like to slather my food in …: Gravy. - State fairs or carnivals? Both. - You throw caution to the wind and runaway to join a traveling circus. What job would you want ( a main performer, a side show, a behind the scenes spot, etc) and why? I would want to take care of the horses, as I love them and I love the smell of them (and their hay.) I like to play an important role, but am not big on performing. - What mythical or fantastic race of creatures (dragons, unicorns, griffins, elves, dwarves, faeries, etc.) do you most identify with? Oh…faeries, I think. But I love them all. - Imagine that you're given a shoebox-sized time capsule, and you are asked to put any number of items in the box that symbolize who you are. The items can be may be anything you can imagine, and money is no object, but they must fit within the box. What do you choose? An Autumn leaf, a library card, a drawing done by each of my sons, a polished stone, a seashell, a feather, a candle, and a pair of cozy slippers. And a bottle of Snake Oil. - Do you need storage boxes? God, yes. More than that, I need a storage SYSTEM. - The world has given you the day off. You hear that, no chores, responsibilities, or budget you have to follow. What would you do in those 24 hours? Go to the seaside and read. - Do you like steampunk & if so what kind of steampunk item would you most like to receive? Not really into that, no. Pocket watches are quite nice, though. - Do you have an etsy shop? No. - Would you like to receive baked goods, if so what kind? YES! Quick breads, muffins, scones, cookies…I eat and love it all. Seriously. - What is something totally random (yes, that thing that just popped into your head) that hasn't been covered by any previous questions? I’m kind of lazy. Dawn and twilight are my favorite times of day. Notes (Here's where you can add additional information you'd like your Switch Witch to know!): I love vintage items, handmade items, and pretty things. I don’t really care for kitsch or “sleekly modern” styles. I love rainy days. I have two ancestors that were hanged as witches in Salem, Massachusetts. I am fascinated by hauntings but would not want to live in a haunted house. I'm a Libra, through and through. I’m a mom, and I’m probably sort of boring compared to many BPALers. I firmly believe in magic. My father died last summer, and I have not yet recovered my equilibrium. Thank you for being my Witch. *hug*