KittyHawk

Lots of kumquat and a splash of orange soda? It smells like Cheshire Cat's cousin, only less interesting. I suppose that's fitting. My skin doesn't eat this like it does Cheshire Cat, though. I don't know why my skin is translating the orange blossom as orange soda, but there's a definite hint of carbonation in this that I don't care for. All in all, it's not bad, but it won't be a bottle purchase for me.

In the imp, the grapefruit overpowered all the other notes, but I could detect the lavender lurking somewhere in the shadows. I really liked this wet; the grapefruit mellowed a good deal and allowed the musk, currant, and chamomile into the party. It's still a grapefruit-dominant scent, but it's a sweet, almost candied grapefruit. This is surprisingly complex; I really like it! My skin ate this scent, unfortunately. About 20 minutes after I applied it, Cheshire Cat had completely disappeared, smile and all. It's too bad because it was such a nice change of pace from what I usually wear. Oh well, maybe I'll just slather what's left in my imp on and enjoy it while I can.

"Out, damned spot!" Imp: blueberries, currants, and a glug of wine. I had a strange reaction to this at first--the blueberries evoked a summer picnic, but the currants and wine made me think of holly leaves and holiday pies. Don't get me wrong, both of these are welcome thoughts, but surprising nonetheless. Wet: Mmmmm, so many berries... candied, dried, poached, raw, and any which way. Dry: The wine is coming back now; it darkens the scent considerably and transforms it from fruit galore to berries and blood splattered on a wall. Beth's Lady MacBeth is the woman herself: noble and august, with a streak of malevolence barely hidden beneath. Perfectly executed.

Mmmmm, pure, unadulterated cinnamon! This is another one that didn't change on my skin (I must have a fairly neutral chemistry... hmmmm.) and stayed true to the vial scent. I didn't get the Cinnabon note that a lot of folks have, but it is rich and sexy nonetheless! I like this on its own, but I think it would be INSANE layered with something cakey or milky, like Drink Me or Cake Smash. Sadly, I have neither, but I might try it out with my Jack and see how that turns out.

It breaks my heart that this is an LE and all I have is a partial decant. This hasn't morphed on my skin AT ALL--it smells identical in the imp and on my wrist-- it is sweet, juicy musk! The fruity note must be the plum, and oh lord is it beautiful. I get a bit of the honey and a lot of amber and sandalwood. I am going to be hoarding this like it's no one's business until I can find something similar. LOVE.

Imp: The Lady has been described by others as crystalline and translucent; it's so true--this is the gardenia she picked from the side of her boat just before she drew her last breath. Wet: I happened to layer this over gardenia body lotion, so there's a lot of gardenia going on here; still, the aquatic note mellows the bold floral, and the result is a lovely frozen gardenia. Dry: After about an hour, the musk comes out to play; what a beautiful transformation. This fragrance so perfectly encapsulates the idea of the Lady of Shalott that it nearly brings a tear to my eye. It is melancholic and hauntingly beautiful. I'm so glad I have two imps to go through before I have to spring for a necessary bottle!

Imp: Aquatic musk with a hint of amber... hmm! Wet: Do I detect a sprig of mint? I like it! The sandalwood and musk are comforting, but the "mint" gives it an edge. Dry: Sandalwood and musk love me, and the feeling is mutual. Lyonesse gets sweeter with time and it has a surprisingly good throw. This is a regal and commanding scent, but it's also very accessible, like the perfect little black dress. It's classic and sexy all at the same time. I imagine Audrey Hepburn would wear this.

Imp: This is the fairy queen herself in a bottle, alright! Titania smells like freshly picked pears and peaches floating in a chalice of sparkling wine. Wet: Juicy, delicious fruit! This is so bright and clean and fresh. Dry: The fruit dries to a musky sweetness, like there's an aura of fruit around me as I walk. The musk transforms this into an ethereal scent that makes me feel as if I'm walking on clouds. Like some other reviewers, Titania was fleeting and only lasted a couple hours on my skin, but oh my, is it a lovely scent. I was looking for a fruity scent worthy of a bottle, and I think I found it in Titania! Simply beautiful.

The Ghost is a cold, light floral both in the imp and on my skin. I generally love white florals, but the chill I get from this is different than any other BPAL white floral I've tried. The iciness must be coming from the ivy; I'm not knowledgeable enough to pick out the specific florals, but it is crisp and pretty, but there is a mournful undertone to it that makes it difficult to wear. I really like it, but it strikes such a melancholic note with me that I would feel uncomfortable wearing it in public. Beth and the crew really hit their target with this scent, that's for sure. It's dead on, no pun intended.

I purchased a bottle (and then an imp!) of Hunger unsniffed because I love vanilla and orange blossom; my first experience with black narcissus was with Hades, which, much to my chagrin, went bathroom on my wrist. I'm hoping the same doesn't happen with Hunger. Eeep! Imp: Yikes! Patchouli? Why does it smell like patchouli? Nooo! Maybe that's what black narcissus smells like? Either way, it is not good. Wet: That's better. The vanilla and orange blossom are taking a lot of the bite out of the black narcissus, but it's still a nice grounding spicy note. Dry: This just keeps on improving as I wear it. All the notes together are lovely, sexy, and mouth-watering. Hunger is indeed the perfect name for this scent! I'm glad I already have a bottle of this; I would have added it to my list otherwise!

Jack was lovely and autumn-spicy in the imp, but as soon as I put it on, it went to butter. I like buttery scents, but I was expecting more complexity from Jack. I guess this will become a burning oil or for use in a scent locket, because my skin just eats all the yummy spicy goodness. It's a keeper, just not one I can wear. Oh well, all the more reason to pick up some Halloweenies when they go live.

Add me to the Dorian fan club! It is nothing short of perfect. In the imp, I caught a faint whiff of tea and lemon, but the vanilla and musk take the floor. Wet, the musk is the main player, but the vanilla envelops it and softens it. The tea is mostly gone, but there is still a squeeze of lemon in there somewhere. Dry, this is so gorgeous, comfortable, and nonchalantly sexy. The vanilla and musk are still the main players, but the lemon is still there in the background, barely. It adds a really nice crisp dimension that I haven't found in the other vanilla scents I've tried. I still think I prefer Tombstone, but just by a hair's breadth. This is so lovely for any day, any season, any occasion. To echo so many others, this is absolutely and unequivocally a must-try.

Imp: That is a LOT of rose. I like rose but this may even be too much for me. Wet: This is so strong to my nose that it's difficult to detect all the wonderful variants of rose in this blend. Dry: Ah, that's much better. The roses have stopped shouting and now I can appreciate the complexity lurking underneath the OMG ROSE I was getting a few minutes ago. I even get a bit of the green grass! It's surprisingly fresh for being a rose scent. I like this; I'll probably wear out the imp, but I don't think I'll get a bottle. As rose scents go, I prefer Whip, but Two, Five, and Seven is much better suited for spring and summer.

I was a little worried about this one at first because I wasn't sure I could pull off wine, but here goes! In the imp: vanilla buttercream frosting. OMG, I want to eat my wrist. Wet: Sweet, cakey goodness. Dry: It must be the wine that's coming out now, only it smells like nutmeg, clove, and pumpkin pie spice mixed with the buttery vanilla cake. All together, this is my kitchen at Christmastime. I haven't worn a foody scent since junior high school because they always seemed cloying and immature, but this is WONDERFUL!!!! This is another one I didn't really expect to like but I end up loving. Adding to the bottle list.

Imp: Clove and cinnamon, yum! Wet: This is definitely dark, but in a powerful, brooding sort of way. I still get a lot of spice, but I do detect something floral in the background. It's different, but nice. It might be just a little too masculine for my taste, though. Dry: After about 20 minutes, this smelled like a public restroom. I bet it's the stephanotis. Blech. I'm going to let my guy try this; it's definitely my skin chemistry's problem. Worst case scenario, I can snag a scent locket and go that route.

Myrrh and I do not get along, but I decided to try this anyway because I love Twelfth Night and most of the other notes in this blend. I should have known better. Imp: Mostly myrhh, but I can detect a bit of wet woods and maybe some of the tea rose? I'm hoping the myrrh will subside once I skin test it. Wet: All myrrh, all the time. Dry: Myrhh. No lilac. No amber. No sandalwood. No moss. I'm not quite willing to give up on this yet, but it definitely didn't work today.

Imp: Pine and clove! Very warm and inviting. Wet: Every listed note is noticeable on my skin; this could be the perfect masculine/neutral. I get a thatched wooden cottage deep in the winter woods with a pie baking in the oven and a swirl of pipe smoke in the air. Dry: This is one of the only fragrances I've ever tried that doesn't morph upon drydown. This is so evocative of my childhood it's bringing a tear to my eye. This is such a fantastically complex fragrance; it reminds me of walking through the woods in the winter with my dad. Actually, this reminds me of my dad at Christmas. It's surprisingly comforting--the tobacco, fir, clove and light floral are a perfect combination, but certainly not for summer. I really enjoy wearing this myself, but I think this may warrant a bottle purchase as a gift for him. I never expected to LOVE this, but I do!

Imp: HI I'M A VIOLET!!! I feel like I was bitch slapped by a flower, or the glove of a very regal lady. Wet: I can tell there are other flower notes in this, but the violet is stealing the show. Dry: The violet is mellowing out now; I can finally get a hint of wisteria; I can't detect any chrysanthemum though. Queen Gertrude is about as icy as you can get. I imagine acres and acres of blue and purple flowers covered by a foot of freshly fallen snow. It is very lovely, but not something to wear casually or as a daily scent.

Imp: A light, fresh floral smothered in woody musk. I like it! It's sharp but not acrid. Wet: As soon as I applied this to my wrist, the lilac and wisteria bloomed. Lilac is one of my favorite notes, and luckily for me my skin loves it too. There's still a nice base of musk here. Dry: Lovely bright summery floral stays grounded thanks to the musk and cedar. I'm so glad flowers love my skin; it certainly is a fine line between beautiful flowers and truck stop restroom. Thankfully, my skin keeps this scent on the correct side of that line. Cordelia is a more feminine version of Lysander. I am in love with this, but I'll have to try this and Lysander together to decide which I'd prefer a bottle of sooner. Regardless, this is a definite keeper!

Imp: Lavender and light floral--cool and calming! Wet: Smoother lavender; I think there are some lilies behind that? Dry: Mostly lavender, and the floral has really mellowed out; after an hour it was all lavender on me. A nice scent, but relatively forgettable thanks to my skin chemistry. The lavender helped calm me down after a fairly tumultuous day, but there wasn't anything about this one that wowed me. I'll probably save this one for cold weather/chicken noodle soup days or nights I want to take a break from my dream blends.

Words can't express how excited I was to try Zombi. Unfortunately, I have yet to do more than sniff because it's just too much for my super-sensitive olfactory nerves. It's so strong to my nose, in fact, that I had gotten a teensy bit on my finger as I was opening the imp and it's all I could smell ALL DAY. It overpowered everything and I couldn't wash it off, even with repeat scrubbings. I can tell it's a lovely and unusual scent, but for the time being at least, my nose won't allow it on my skin. It was instantly headache-inducing. But I am a persistent lass and will keep trying! I'm going to skin test this come hell or high water. ETA--In the imp, it was a bushel of roses tossed in dirt and let to wither. I understand why many find this scent soothing.

Just a few days ago I saw at least one imp available in the Sales area; I bet if you check the swaps and sales, you'll find something soon enough. It may not be a 5 ML, but still better than nothing!

Imp: Roses, roses, and more roses. Lush and gorgeous! Wet: The leather is still in hiding, but the wet roses are all over the place! This is a sexy yet refined scent that demands to be taken seriously. Unfortunately, it's also giving me a headache. Dry: Ah, there's the leather. It's as if the leather is wrapped around the stems of the roses. This is a fantastic scent for a night out and especially a night in, if you know what I mean. A little bit goes a LONG way, though; a little too much and you'll be reaching for the aspirin. I'm not sure how often I'll wear this, but it is a beautifully-crafted scent.

Imp: Medicinal lavender, and lots of it. I don't plan on wearing this as a fragrance, but for sleep only. Wet: Lots of lavender, and maybe a little citrus? It's a lot mellower on than in the imp, thank goodness! Dry: This turned to a lovely lavender musk on me, and I don't even like lavender. I wouldn't say this made me sleepy, but it did relax me. The next morning: I remembered my entire dream from the night before, which is rare. I usually remember bits and pieces, never one in its entirety. I'm glad I purchased this; it's the first of the Somnium series that I've tried, but certainly not the last. I will probably upgrade to a bottle once the imp is gone.

Imp: Very sweet spring floral Wet: This smells just like BBW sweet pea lotion on me. Must be the lilies. Still, smells like the first bloom of spring. Dry: This is one of the only scents I've tried that doesn't smell much different on the drydown. I still get nothing but sweet pea. I like this a great deal, but it's not really me. I think my sister will love this, though. She'll be easy to hook on BPAL with this alone. Anyone new to BPAL who likes sweet florals needs to try this.