KittyHawk

Imp: A basket full of ripe, juicy fruit underneath a crape myrtle! Wet: The aquatic note adds a nice dimension to this; it keeps the fruit from becoming too sickly sweet. There is great balance to this, and the smack of rose in the background makes it more interesting. Dry: The rose comes to the forefront; as it dries, it becomes more dignified. I feel as if I've watched a beautiful young girl grow up into a striking woman in the matter of an hour. This works so well on my skin. I'll be ordering a bottle.

Imp: This smells very green and almost woodsy to my nose; I'm unable to pick out any individual notes quite yet. The greenness might be the urbane lime? My poor nose doesn't understand interesting notes yet. It might be a little too sharp for my taste, but we'll see. Wet: Wow, this is really pretty! I'm not familiar with the note specifically, but it must be the lilac musk that's coming to the forefront now. It's gorgeous and smoky; this just masculine enough. Dry: It's all lilac musk and tonka. This is warm and dark, with a little bit of smolder to it, which I assume is the benzoin. It reminds me of walking through the woods and passing a bonfire that's near the end of its life. I was planning to give this to DH but it's so delicious on me that I'm keeping it for myself. This will definitely go in my "need a bottle" pile. I'm thrilled with the uniqueness of this blend.

Oh my, this is my childhood in a bottle. Imp: Orchard-fresh apples and smashed cranberries underfoot. Beautiful. Wet: The cranberries are morphing into cider. It's very spicy, but I can't smell the apple as much anymore. Dry: Mmmm, cinnamon. I'm bummed that my skin doesn't bring out the apple, but this is still a gorgeous and evocative scent. This makes me so nostalgic for Michigan autumns. I'm so delighted I managed to find a bottle on the forums. This is all I'll wear in the fall.

Imp: Medicinal lemon and sharp sharp ginger (or maybe it's the tea? I'm not sure), yuck. This does not bode well. Wet: Hey, nice and sweet lemon! Where did you come from? I think the tea is balancing out the bitterness of the lemon that I smelled in the vial. Dry: I smell a little ginger now, but thankfully it takes a backseat to the lemon and the tea. It's got a good throw, too. I can't put my wrist right up to my nose, but it's enveloped me in this lemony aura of wonderful. I am shocked that I didn't completely hate this, as I don't have a particular affinity toward any of the notes. It just goes to show what a good blend and branching out of your fragrance comfort zone can teach you. This is a great scent for the awful humid summers here in the south. Beth is just brilliant.

Thanks for your input! "Dream of the Fisherman's Wife" sounds interesting and probably something I would wear on a regular basis! I'll keep my eyes peeled for a decant.

Imp: I can't detect any of the particular note, but that's probably because I'm such a neophyte when it comes to individual scents. Still, I like it. It's bordering on too strong, but it's not causing a headache, so that's good. Wet: Hmmm, this is nice. I wish my skin amped up the gardenia more, as I love it so. Regardless, I like this. This is a creamy but not white floral with a little sweetness to it. Dry: Just about everything dries to an amber-y vanilla on me, and this is no exception. Very nice, but I probably won't be buying a bottle of this anytime soon. I'm waiting for an OMGGARDENIA fragrance. *It probably isn't related to the scent, but I woke up in the middle of the night with my wrist at my nose and with a terrible foreboding that we were in immediate danger. I couldn't shake the creepy for several hours. Probably unrelated, but I'll be sure not to wear it to bed again.

Imp: Sandalwood and amber--nice and warm. There is no sweet pea anywhere but I do detect a drop of vanilla; it adds a lovely oomph to the amber. Wet: There's a little more amber now, but my skin tends to amp amber; luckily the sandalwood still has a foothold, which keeps the amber from getting too sappy and overwhelming me completely. The vanilla is still there, but juuuust barely. No sweet pea yet, but that's fine with me. Dry: This reminds me of Coty's Wild Musk, which my mother has worn for the better of 3 decades. I smell just like her. This is so comforting. Verdict: I need a bottle NOW. This will be a great intro to BPAL for my mom too. ETA: 6 hours later: PLAY DOH. Noooooooo!! :-( I'm heartbroken.

This is my first ever BPAL thanks to the wonderful Maljen and my very first review! I hope I can do this justice despite my untrained nose, as it is just gorgeous on my skin. In the imp, it smells very woody, but it is a very dusty wood; it is quite sharp and almost smoky. I definitely get the vibe of an Old West town when I smell this. Specifically, it reminds me of Frontiertown in Cedar Point, right near the hand-dipped candle shop where a hint a vanilla breezes against the cedar. All sorts of childhood memories are flooding back to me now. Love. Wet, it smells really similar, though the vanilla is starting to come out, as is the sassafras. This is complex, comforting, and lovely. Nose is attached to wrist. Dry, my nose is still stuck to my wrist. The cedar has calmed down a bit and had taken on a musky quality; sassafras remains in the background, but it's definitely still there. The vanilla has taken center stage now; this is so lovely.

I recently tested R'lyeh for the first time and then orded a bottle! I really love it, but it is not at all dark or evil on me. Instead, it is a very happy summer scent that smells like a beach: salty air and warm breezes. But then, I also really like Elli's Song from the Last Unicorn collection wich is described as "The horrors of entropy, death, and decay: desiccated black mosses, vetiver, olibanum, patchouli, and ashes." And my reaction is: bonfire at the beach; warm and comforting. So clearly my brain has some crossed wires. Ahhh, beach bonfires are the BEST. I may have to track myself down a decant of Elli's Song. Beach-esque is a good enough endorsement for me! It fascinates me that scents can smell so different depending on whom you talk to. It's quirks like that that make me want to try EVERYTHING, but of course that's impossible ...or is it?

What jumps out in my mind is The Deep Ones from the Picnic in Arkham collection. Aquatics go soapy on me, but if you can wear them, give it a try. Black algae, drooping seaweed, salty brine, and crushed coral. Thank you, Cali. That does sound really intriguing; come to think of it, a couple others in the Arkham collection sound like they might be good contenders too: Cthulhu: A creeping, wet, slithering scent, dripping with seaweed, oceanic plants and dark, unfathomable waters. R'lyeh: The sunken city of the Great God Cthulhu. A hellishly dark aquatic scent, evocative of fathomless oceanic deeps, the mysteries of madness buried under crushing black waters, and the brooding eternal evil that lies beneath the waves. Much obliged; the gears are turning.

Looks like I'm the first poster for Halloween 2011--woo hoo!!! I'm making an Ursula the Sea Witch costume this year (from The Little Mermaid--the movie, not the Broadway show), and I'm looking for a scent that evokes her deceptive and soulless spirit. I've searched the forums high and low for something that is slippery, dark, evil and watery, but just about everything malevolent and black seems to be too dry for my purposes. I was thinking Hurricane might be a good choice just because of the vibe it creates, but I haven't had the opportunity to smell it. Maybe one of the pirate scents? I'm at a total loss. Any suggestions? TIA!!