KittyHawk

Let me preface this review by saying: I love me some gardenia. I am a gardenia FIEND. I have searched high and low for my holy grail gardenia blend and have come up short each and every time. Some go bubblegummy, some are sharp, others just lackluster. I was beginning to lose hope, that I would forever be destined for gardenia mediocrity... And then I found Sweet Life. Sweet Life is practically single note gardenia on me, though I do get a touch of ylang ylang and maaaaybe lily somewhere underneath, but if it's there, it's faint. I. LOVE. THIS. It is a bit cloying (the dreaded bubblegum) at first, but it dissipates after 30 minutes or so and blossoms into a gorgeous, creamy white bloom. And did I mention that this baby has throw? Because it does. Gardenias everywhere, all the time! I've only had it on for a couple hours so I can't really speak to its longevity, but given its throw, I imagine it will be good. You'll have to pry this bottle from my cold, dead fingers. I'm going to go bask in this olfactory magnificence for awhile. This is a sweet life, indeed.

Right out of the bottle, this is sweet, woody, aquatic incense. What is this, and why does it remind me of the Maelstrom ride at Epcot? This is so strange, but I love it! I'm surprised that this doesn't get more love - it has a bit of something for everyone. It's not really a floral, nor a woods blend, nor an aquatic, but contains the best of each category. I can discern every note listed, but they're so well-blended that no single note overtakes the others. Words are really failing me here; it's just... creepy and intoxicating. I was frimped this in a recent forum sale, and I just wanted to try as many Salons as I could before they disappear; I never thought this would be something I would want to keep, let alone upgrade. This is only the third GC Salon I've tried, and it's my third love of the series. Amazing, and it totally fits the painting - brooding, dark, and exotic. In a word, brilliant! ETA: The next morning (~15 hours after application) I can still catch a bit of deep cypress. So gorgeous; I wish the cypress was stronger earlier on, but I have no complaints!

Wow, I like this one a lot more than I expected. Yep, it does bear a similarity to The Lion, as others have noticed, but Mr. Jacquel is spicier and more complex. The patchouli is very well-blended and plays well with others here, so even if patch is a bad note for you in general, don't let that deter you. This is a very hot and dry scent, like baked earth. Cinnamon is definitely among the spices, but it stays in check and doesn't go Big Red gum on me. I'm keeping my imp for cold, rainy days. If you like resinous blends, you need to try this one.

Ladon is easily one of the best apple scents in the BPAL catalog, and it gives all the LE apple scents a run for their money! The dragon's blood gives this blend a great deal of staying power, while the apple blossom and hyacinth blend together to make a deliciously sweet fruity-floral that has a charm all its own. It's a very clean and unobtrusive scent, like something you'd find at B&BW, but with a complexity that you'd never find in a commercial scent. Ladon is one of the unsung blends of the GC, I think, and deserves more love than it gets. A must-try for apple and floral lovers alike! The hyacinth really makes it something special.

Hmmm, this is pleasant but unremarkable. It doesn't morph much; from application through drydown it's a watery floral with a very light herbal undercurrent. Nice enough for a hot summer day, but all in all a bit bland. It has amazing throw, though; it's been ten hours since I applied it and it's still going strong. Impressive for a such light blend, but Leanan Sidhe is not for me.

I keep trying my little imp of Morocco, always hoping that I'll experience the scent that so many people rave about, but it's not meant to be. I love the sandalwood in the background, but it's far too sweet for my liking. Inez and Othello are in the same family of scents - warm, spicy, and musky - but both are far superior to Morocco, on my skin at least. Oh well, can't win 'em all.

I LOVE the Lab's white rose note, but for some reason I never thought to try Helena. A Midsummer Night's Dream is one of my least favorite Shakespearean comedies, though, so that doesn't help matters much either. Still, I should have paid more attention! I found a stray imp of Helena languishing in my "get out of my house" imp bag; I must have thrown it in there by mistake, because I am loving this lady. It is a bit sharp at first, what with all the high-pitched florals and all, but it dries down to a really lovely white rose with a hint of lily (the same lily in Juliet, I think). I guess the amber is the foundational note here, but I don't detect it. This really toes the line between a beautiful, full floral and a soapy, headache-inducing disaster, but it stays in the right territory for me. I wish it were a bit creamier, but it's beautiful nonetheless. If you're a fan of big, lush, in-your-face florals, you have to give this one a try. Well done, Beth.

I am SO OBSESSED with Torture Queen right now. Between the tea, vanilla musk, and the chrome, it hits all the right spots for me and doesn't feel like anything else out there. It's feminine, masculine, hard, soft, sexy, and aloof. This is one lady you'd never want to cross, but you'd do anything to get closer to her. TQ is very androgynous in feel and seems like it could appeal to a wide range of people. It has great throw and higher than average longevity on my skin. I've never been able to wear a BPAL metallic before, but the other notes cut the HI I'M A TEENAGE BOY COVERED IN AXE BODY SPRAY thing that metallic blends have a tendency to do. It's SO interesting, and keeps changing just a little bit every time I wear it so that I never really know what to expect. Sometimes I get a little gardenia, sometimes I don't. Sometimes the amber shows up, but not always. Even if you try this once and it's not your thing, put it away for awhile and give it another try; it may become a totally different animal. I can't wait for CD to return so I can stock up; this very well could become a Holy Grail scent for me. This gal can tie me up anytime.

Katrina van Tassel lovers rejoice! Schlafende is KvT's older, more elegant sister! If you've been looking for another BPAL blend with similar feel, look no further. For being such a light scent, Schlafende is incredibly complex - the soft yellow rose, cream, and honeycomb are the strongest notes, followed by amber and a bevy of yellow florals. This does have a very languid, relaxed feel to it, just as the Renoir painting evokes. The rose stays in check from application through drydown and adds a necessary refinement to the whole blend. I frakking love this. So much. My only complaint is that it's quite faint and doesn't last very long, but it's so pretty that I'm willing to overlook it. I'm so glad I got to try this before the Salon goes away; I'll be upgrading to a bottle ASAP!

I love, love, LOVE Haloes and find it perfectly evocative of its namesake art (perfectly golden and sweet with an inward strength from the wood notes), and Schlafende Baigneuse is really beautiful if you're a fan of light, yellow florals. Aside from those two blends, however, I have largely ignored the Salon until now. I am a HUGE fan of the Lab's red musk, so Great Cry in Egypt is a definite bottle purchase, but I'm also really curious about Bat, Cloister Graveyard, Three Brides, The Sailor's Den, The Ecstasy of St. Theresa, and Sunrise with Sea-Monsters. I think Bat is going to be coming with Great Cry, but the gardenia in St. Theresa is calling to me too (but I shake my fist at you, iris!)! And then there's the boozy coconutty lilac in Sailor's Den; and the perfect snow note of Cloister; and an aquatic that may actually work on me... Ahem. I still have some decisions to make. Clearly. Suffice that all to say that I'm so glad we have nearly a month to make our final Salon purchases.

For me, the rose in Schlafende is very mellow and mixes well with the other notes. Rose is also a hit-or-miss note for me, and it's lovely in that blend. In fact, if rose wasn't a listed note, I wouldn't even know it was there; the entire blend is just a warm, lush, sunny floral with a creamy backdrop. If all the other notes are calling to you, I think you'll enjoy it.

Blech, boozy almond and praline. This isn't quite as bad as Hellcat, but it's close. I was really hoping for a rich, decadent chocolate and buttercream here, but it's just a generic sickening sweetness. Obviously, since Gluttony was discontinued some time ago, I'm curious what this would smell like fresh. Better, perhaps. All the same, I can say with certainty that Gluttony is not my deadly sin. Lust it is.

There's something about this mixture of notes that screams "clove and carnation!" to me but I'm puzzled as to why. As others have noted, it does seem to me like a more masculine Morocco, and similar to Inez as well. I imagined VB would be more similar to my beloved Tombstone, but they are light years away from one another. No matter, I suppose; it's a beautiful woodsy spice on my skin and it lasts a very long time. Don't let the dark and dirty notes scare you away from the Bandito; it's surprisingly sweet, warm, and spicy - an inviting, cozy mix! I will put this into heavy rotation in the winter months.

Aww, Wembley is so much fun! This scent is seriously ALL OVER THE PLACE, but in a good way. It starts off as a very heavy, almost boozy pineapple/banana mixture. It really does seem suited to a tiki blend, but the melange of notes work as an homage to everyone's favorite wishy-washy Fraggle too. The orange blossom makes it just a bit soapy, but it doesn't overpower the other notes like it has a tendency to do on my skin. The mint just peeks through from time to time and gives the blend an edge; without it, it would be just another boozy tropical cocktail, but the mint makes it special. I don't think I'll upgrade to a bottle, but I'm so glad I got the opportunity to try it.

I really don't have anything to add that hasn't been said above, but here's my review anyway: In the decant, this is pure orange creamsicle, fresh out of the freezer. Absolutely delectable. As soon as I apply it, Gobo turns to Lemon-Scented Sticky Bat with a grapefruit edge. I don't get much vanilla at all. Throughout the drydown, it remains a near-dupe of LSSB with a slight vanilla backdrop. If you like LSSB, chances are you'll like Gobo too. It's very carefree, sweet, and bright - just like Gobo himself! All in all, Gobo is the perfect scent for its namesake, but since it's so similar to LSSB, I won't be upgrading to a bottle. Still, I'll be keeping my decant (and the rest of the Fraggles too) just for the childhood memories. Well done, Beth.

Illyria is easily my most successful category, so I'm always surprised when a Shakespearean blend doesn't work for me. I'm pleased that Hermia is yet another winner! Pepper has ruined many a blend for me (The Soldier and White Rabbit being the most upsetting), but the pink pepper here is light enough that it adds some bite without overwhelming the other notes. The amber is really lovely here, and reminiscent of The Lion and Jacob's Ladder. Unlike those two blends, however, Hermia is decidedly feminine. While I can't pick out the honeysuckle, it does add a creaminess that The Lion and JL don't have. As such, Hermia is also much more versatile; BPAL's amber-heavy blends tend to be better suited for colder weather, but I can easily wear Hermia year-round. It's got some real longevity, too. I generally have to slather myself with lotion before applying my oils if I want them to last more than a couple hours, but I swatched Hermia on dry, freshly washed skin and she's still going strong 6 hours later. Impressive and worthy of an upgrade.

Wet: medicinal lavender Dry: sharp men's cologne What a disappointment! I had high hopes for this one, but I'm really glad I didn't order a bottle unsniffed.

I've never been to Paris, but this blend does seem evocative of its namesake; it's juicy, a little herbal, and expensive. I had forgotten there was lotus here when I was making my notes, and assumed the sweet, juicy note was rose or a watery fruit. I'm surprised it's lotus, as it's usually a note that doesn't work for me. The lavender is a bit sharp at first, but it mellows very quickly and adds a really lovely pastoral background to an otherwise chic and urban blend. I like Paris more than I thought I would. I keep sniffing my test patch, so it's interesting enough to keep, but I don't think I'll be upgrading.

Wet, this has a very unpleasant herbal tinge that overpowers the pretty vanilla and turns it sour. Dry, it's nothing but beeswax with a plastic edge. I much prefer the smoky beeswax of Lights of Men's Lives to the funky wax here. I don't get the hype for this one, but I'm happy I won't have to hunt down a bottle.

If I didn't know I was testing Tiki Princess, I would swear I had Snow White on my wrists. This is not a warm, creamy coconut, but a cool, aquatic one with an almost minty undertone. Nice, but not what I was expecting. If you like Obatala and/or Snow White, this will be a winner.

I'll just sit with the rest of the peanut gallery and state the obvious: this is the most unusual BPAL blend I've tried yet. And I love it. I actually don't get much gardenia from this, which is a shame because it's one of my favorite notes. The woodsy, musky base is prominent, as are the blackberry (which is nice and jammy) and watermelon, though the watermelon fades within 30 minutes. It's such a cacophony of notes, but they work so harmoniously together! It's sweet, juicy, a bit dark, and even a bit aquatic too. I don't know if I'd wear this enough to warrant a bottle, but I want to have some on hand at all times. This is be a great blend to introduce a newbie into Beth's more novel offerings. It's not for everyone, but a triumph nonetheless. Who knew such a mishmash of notes could smell so good?

What a gorgeous delicate floral! The scent is very faint in the bottle, so it's difficult to ascertain which notes are strongest, but there's definitely lilac and a sweet vanilla backdrop in there somewhere. Wet, it's mostly lilac with a hint of coconut and tonka. Pretty! As it dries, the soft, exotic musk comes to the forefront, while the lilac, vanilla, and coconut round out the edges. This is a very wistful, nostalgic scent, and something I could see my grandmother wearing, but it's decidedly not "grandmothery." It's comforting and has a fresh laundry feel without being soapy; it has an understated, freshly scrubbed girl-next-door allure. If you're a fan of vanilla, soft florals, and coconut, this is a must-try. So glad I found a bottle.

I agree with angelamaria--there is definitely some similarity to Tombstone (which happens to be my favorite GC)! It also reminds me a bit of Crowley. The tonka and the vanilla add just the right amount of creamy sweetness to the darker, woodier notes; this is simply gorgeous. I don't think it surpasses Tombstone for me, but I'll be debating a bottle.

Nerds candies, in the cardboard box. Weird. This had very strong scent memories for me, but it's not something I want to smell like.

Many, many to the fantastic orata for the sniffie of this! Oh, this totally lives up to the hype! I'm surprised at how multifaceted Candy Butcher is given its simplicity; I get rich, deep, dark chocolate with a big glug of heavy cream, but there's another note I can't quite place lurking down in the depths of the chocolate. It's got a very slight resinous floral (I think?) edge that propels it out of the "delicious foodie" category into the "DEAR GOD WHAT IS THIS I'M GOING TO EAT MY ARM AND THROW ALL PUNCTUATION RULES TO THE WIND!" realm, which is reserved for only the cream of the crop. Intoxicating. Brilliant. Unusual. I am so, so excited that this is being reformulated! It takes a very special blend for me to seek backups, but Candy Butcher will surely be one of them.