Ishtar

This is a lot nicer and wearable than I expected (feared?) based on the notes listed. I can see how it would layer well with a number of other scents, as there is a bit of something for everyone in this blend: it's musky, fruity, fresh, grassy and the tiniest bit spicy, all at the same time. It may not be something I reach for often, but it is definitely fun! I also immensely enjoy the use of mastic here (and now I'm craving Middle Eastern mastic ice cream!), and what's not to like about wasabi in a perfume? Really, this is great fun. Chaotic puts me in a good mood

Very earthy at first, almost aggressively so, but it doesn't take long for it to mellow and for the patchouli to bloom, immediately followed by lashings of coconut. This is a fairly straightforward blend, craggy, warm, and bone dry. Interestingly, I would have thought it'd have more body than it does - even though it's definitely not a "thin" scent, it gives off a very white/off-white aura and has far less throw than I would have expected. The patchouli here strongly reminds me of the one in Anne Bonny. I may have to do a side-by-side comparison to see if it's worth keeping both, although the coconut certainly adds an interesting twist!

Oh, this is quite lovely. Strong - yet refined - bergamot at first, soon giving way to vetiver. I initially thought the vetiver would be too smoky for my liking, but the hay showed up just at the right time to impart some welcome freshness to the blend. After drydown, it mellows into a fresh, elegant men's cologne that feels very classic in style - reminiscent of the original Eaux de Cologne you can buy in Germany. However, there is also a very peculiar energy surrounding it. It's smooth yet restless, stolid yet full of tension. For all its apparent mature sophistication, this scent is full of contradictions. It also happens to be very wearable, and very, very nice!

Super sweet pumpkin in the imp, with just a hint of guava and tiare underneath. This a warm tropical scent, with a more languorous feel to it than I expected based on its fun, youthful notes. As it dries, the pumpkin all but disappears behind the sweetness, which results in a strangely perfumy marshmallow scent... it's a cute girly perfume, but it doesn't quite come together for me as a personal fragrance.

Another very complex scent. Right after applying, the first thing I thought of was freshly dug clay or silt - not earthy or soil-like, mind you, but rather a rich, mineral and slippery kind of substance. This only lasted a few seconds, though, and it soon gave way to a fruity bubblegum note that, on me, usually signals the presence of lotus in a blend. That stage didn't last either, as the scent deepened and darkened before settling into a faintly lemony and resiny sweetness. It's a nice scent, but for some reason I cannot seem to connect with it - it lacks emotional resonance for me, but that may well be because I am much more attuned to the traditional, dynastic Egyptian pantheon than I am to the Thelemic take on Egyptian deities. In any case, off to swaps it goes!

Ack! "Sharp" is right! While wet, the combination of lavender and mint translates into rubbing alcohol. At first, the mint is predominent, but as it dries, the lavender takes over. It still smells medicinal, but with a sour, metallic edge that brings to mind some rather unsettling images... It is an incredibly successful illustration of the concept as it does indeed smell of cruelty, but it's really, really not for me...

A flawless skin musk. The name is definitely fitting. It is so... well, neutral that I can hardly smell it at all. If I really try to analyse the scent, I can detect something clean-smelling, a little fruity, slightly sweet and perhaps a touch metallic / acidic. It's a perfectly pleasant fragrance, but so faint and close to my natural skin scent as to be a little flat and unexciting as a perfume. I would probably find it more interesting if I were into RPG, but as it is, I will be looking for a better home for it.

What a complex scent... it is far less foreboding than I would have expected based on the description. It starts off fruity, cold, and a bit musky. It could almost be one of those Yule snow blends. The iciness disappears all of a sudden, though, and Bohun Upas turns into a warm, powdery sweet scent with a pronounced "artificial" edge to it. It distinctly brings dryer sheets to mind - still a far cry from sinister, but not exactly what I look for in a perfume either Still - it may not be great on me, but it's not unpleasant per se, and the way it morphs through drydown is quite a trip! I would recommend trying it if you get a chance, as it looks like this one varies a lot depending on skin chemistry.

I remember trying Sin years ago and not liking it. I was surprised to see I had never reviewed it, so when a lovely forumite sent me some as a frimp, I thought I'd try it again, and... wow! I have been suspecting for a while that my skin chemistry may have changed over time, and this is proof positive. Whereas Chimera has been my go-to cinnamon blend for nearly 10 years, as of late I have been finding it too sweet and a bit cloying. Sin is a touch less creamy, but other than that, it is a perfect substitute for how I used to feel about Chimera. A sexy, deep, layered cinnamon scent - lovely!

Fresh and woodsy in the imp - cedar with a hint of mint, maybe? I was expecting a bitter green scent based on the description, but this is actually quite lovely. It s crisp without being sharp nor soapy. The drydown brings out a creamy note that softens the initial woodsiness. The image that comes to mind is that of a high-end clothing store, with crisp linens impeccably showcased on custom-built cedar shelves and display units. Although Wofsbane is a much more straightforward scent, the woodsy-fresh combination reminds me of Tarot: The World. Ooh, I may have to try a few layering experiments to see if I could approximate one of my favourite Tarot oils ever... how exciting would that be!

On me, the Night-Raven is a lovely floral incense. It has much more body and texture than what I expected from the notes, with quite a bit of throw at first. However, it softens considerably after drydown and eventually settles into a gentle incense/musk combination. If anyone was worried that the jasmine might be too piercing or strident, I cannot smell any in this blend. In fact, everything is so well blended that there isn't a single note is competing for predominance. It is only after several hours of wear, as it starts fading, that I can finally smell the plum and rose geranium underneath the incense. The overall feel of the scent is a dusky purple, quite feminine and almost wistful. Very pretty,

My imp of Eros dates all the way back to 2009... and either my skin chemistry has changed over the years (which is entirely possible), or the aging process has worked wonders for this blend! When I first tried Eros, I got a hint of the celery others have mentioned. My impression at the time was of a disjointed, herbal, almost savoury sort of scent. Not exactly what I was expecting based on the description! In spite of this inauspicious start, I tried it again today on a whim (same imp). Wow, what a surprise! This time, I got honey wine in all its splendour, with a touch of sweet myrrh and a lovely tea note that cuts through the sweetness and imparts a certain freshness to the whole. This is a very soft scent that stays close to the skin and melds beautifully with it. It is cuddly, warm, and sensual - I am smitten!

Given the notes - and given that I love the Lab's black musk - I was certain this was going to be a winner, especially with the almost unanimously positive reviews. Unfortunately, Panther Moon just doesn't work on my skin. Not that it's an unpleasant scent, not by any means, but it never seems to bloom. It remains suprisingly one-dimensional, a little soapy, a little powdery. Oh well. Off to a better home!

I wasn't particularly looking forward to applying this, as it did smell very dirt-like in the imp, with an underlying mustiness that was quite evocative of damp underbrush and, yes, mushrooms. Once applied, though, Death Cap immediately turns very creamy and almost gourmand. After a while, a coconut note starts peeking through, as the blend settles into a soft sweetness. It starts fading rather quickly, and the final drydown reminds me somewhat of a softer Brown Jenkins.

A gentle floral blend with a hint of spice and a slight soapiness to it. Miles away from what I expected based on the description, which is probably a good thing as my skin chemistry usually does terrible things to smoky notes. After complete drydown, the tiniest bit of smoke does appear, but it is extremely faint. On me, this ends up being a dry, rather thin scent that feels most appropriate for spring.

This started off with a very realistic rum note, sugary and alcoholic, with just a hint of blackberry underneath. For a while it seemed like the blackberry was going to stay fairly true, but once the sweet brandy came to the fore, it turned into a more generic candied fruit note. After complete drydown, I am left with... fruitcake, paired with a glass of sweet iced tea to wash it down. Not unpleasant by any means, but a good reminder that alcohol notes end up turning most anything into a novelty scent on my skin.

This reminds me a lot of YSL Pour Homme, one of my favourite men's fragrance of all times. This makes sense, as they share a lot of notes (lavender, citrus, vetiver, sage and sandalwood). Having said that, The Scales of Deprivation is light and subtle enough to veer into unisex territory. On my skin, the first stage is all about the frankincense and sage, medling into something airy, light and elegant. This is one of the most delicious incense blends I have smelled as of late. If you have always thought of frankincense as either piercing and soapy, or heavy and churchy, fear not: this is skin-friendly, eminently wearable frankincense! The citrus shows up after a few minutes, then the lavender and sandalwood during drydown. Unlike many other reviewers, I don't get any sweetness from this - on me, The Scales of Deprivation is an airy, spicy and very dry scent. In fact, I think it is its very dryness that makes it so alluring and sophisticated to my nose. If you've been looking for an incense fragrance that is a little unusual, unisex and elegant, I would highly recommend giving this a try!

I initially stayed away from Hoggle as the notes made it sound much grittier and more masculine than it really is. Thankfully, it dries to sweetened pumpkin with a hint of leather in the background - much friendlier and wearable than I thought it would be! There's a noticeable alcoholic note right after application, but it doesn't stick around on my skin for more than a couple minutes. The leather can be a tad strong up close, but the general wibe of the scent is sweet, easy-going and comforting. I'm really liking this!

A very generous forumite sent me a decant of this in a swap (thank you! ), and as an avowed lover of dark musk, iris and honeysuckle, I jumped for joy when I read the notes. The Phoenix at Midnight is indeed a nocturnal scent, soft and deep and mysterious. It's darkly sensual, not in a dangerous or twisted way, but rather in a muted, brooding sort of way. The musk and iris are most noticeable at first, then the honeysuckle starts blooming. I'm getting images of a triumphant full moon illuminating an otherwise pitch black sky. Jasmine haters don't need to shy away from this Phoenix - it's not a note I particularly tend to amp mind you, but I can't even find a hint of it in this particular blend. Really gorgeous and sophisticated!

BPAL ozone scents generally turn soapy and overwhelming on my skin, but this didn't. It's a sweet green scent. The cucumber note is quite recognizable, but not in its usual watery guise. If there was such a thing as candied cucumber, this is how it'd smell. The mint and juniper take this scent in a very interesting direction. They temper the sweetness without ever becoming piercing or upsetting the delicate balance of the blend. It's a sophisticated scent that brings to mind luxury cosmetics and spa treatments. A very pleasant suprise!

If you were worried that this might be too frumious for you, don't fret. Any frumiousness in this blend is completely hidden behind the intense fruitiness that greets you when you open the imp It's more berries than plum to my nose while wet, with a good helping of spice that I would have sworn was cinnamon had I not read the notes. After a while, the spiciness dies down and the plum does come to the forefront, with a hint of something floral in the background. I'm pleased to report that the carnation, usually one of my nemeses, is behaving itself. Hurrah! Frumious Bandersnatch is a surprisingly playful, outgoing - not to say goofy - scent. It may be a bit much for everyday wear, but I have a feeling it would be perfect as a room scent. Oil burner, here I come!

Unfortunately, The Bow & Crown doesn't really seem to open up and bloom on my skin. Compared to the reviews above, I'm getting a rather thin, flat, and entirely forgettable aftershave scent. It smells promising enough in the bottle (a lovely combination of lavender and sage). However, once on my skin it turns to pure leather for approximately 5 seconds, then the aftershave emerges and tramples all the other notes into submission. I certainly would have expected the Antichrist to wear something a little less generic and pedestrian. Goes to show how little I know!

First dirt scent I've ever tried... and I like it quite a bit more than I expected to! In the imp and for the first few seconds on my skin, Nosferatu is a perfectly clean and nice scent - then the dirt comes to the forefront, and it's quite fascinating how it changes the feel of the blend. Contrary to the description, I don't get any grittiness out of it, quite the opposite. This is the smoothest, most sophisticated dirt note I could possibly wish for. The wine doesn't show up until complete drydown, and when it does, it's a refined, light note that's more white wine than red on me. Combined with the herbs, there's almost an incense-like aura to this scent. Much more etheral and wistful than I would have thought.

One of my favourite scents in the world is the creamy, sweetly green smell of a fig tree on a warm summer day. Whenever I see a fig tree (we do have a few in Vancouver), I love to step underneath its branches and deeply inhale this beautiful scent. Strangler Fig is the closest BPAL I've found to it. It's not dead on, but it's definitely reminiscent of the green-smelling, milky sap you get when you pluck a fig from the tree, with a touch of rooty woodiness that adds to the vegetal aura of the blend. I like it a lot, and it's by far the best fig scent in the BPAL catalogue as far as my skin is concerned - actual fig notes tend to turn syrupy and muddled on me, but Strangler Fig stays green and vibrant, even after drydown when the woodiness becomes more prominent and turns the blend darker and moodier.

The Wretched Rose Window smelled really intriguing in the bottle, in a slightly sinister way. Like Dark Alice, I get a musty greyish purple out of it. Hazy and eerie in the bottle, WRW turned decidedly more pedestrian on my skin. Rose-scented cleaning product is the best comparison I can come up with. Too bad, I was sort of hoping this might be a surprise hit, especially considering how much I love the label art.