furygrrl

In the imp: Minty Mint and sweet violets... On wet: Oooh...herbalicious! What a lovely blast of minty eucalyptus freshness! It's great, and slightly tempered with an underlying sweetness - not overpowering at all. Drydown: Mmm...mint - it's almost vanillic, thanks to the violets. This has totally softened, sweetened, and deepened into such a pretty scent - and it's weird, but I'm almost getting a whiff of something...coconutty? Whatever it is, it smells *fantastic*! The eucalyptus is still lingering by way of a slightly dusty herbal edge - it's pleasant, almost tea-like - that I can pick up on if I really sniff around for it. I can't detect any neroli. Overall: I really like violets, and I quite like mint, too - combined, however, I thought they'd smell quite...icky. This blend - which ends up incredibly soft and delicate - has *totally* surprised me! It started off as cool and bracing, then mellowed into this almost creamy sweetness that is just SO gorgeous - I can't stop sniffing myself. I'm reminded of a lighter, cleaner version of Snow-Flakes - Snow-Flakes falling on pale, pale violets. This is a wonderful scent, and one I'd consider upgrading to a bottle! 4.5/5

I likewise got this as a frimp from the lovely shelldoo! In the imp: almost identical to my much beloved Bunny Musk - sweet, clean, and slightly powdery. On Wet: Mmmm...so delicious - like I've dabbed my wrist with liquid candy. Again, incredibly similar to EBM (the same base, I think), but with an extra dash of powderiness. I'm not detecting anything overtly lemony, but there is a light citrus vibe going on. Drydown: Still clean, sweet, and pleasantly powdery. There's a hint of that same light spice that I get from EBM. This lasts for ages, too, and the throw is perfect - just enough for me to catch a whiff every once and a while, reminding me of how fantastic I smell. Overall: I'm a huge Bunny Musk fan, so I'm not surprised by how much I'm enjoying this scent. It's fresh and feminine, sweet and sunny - it's absolutely lovely. I think I prefer my gorgeous bunny blend more, but only by a...hare? (Hardy-Har-Har!!! ) An easy 4.5/5.

I likewise got this as a frimp from the lovely shelldoo! In the imp: almost identical to my much beloved Bunny Musk - sweet, clean, and slightly powdery. On Wet: Mmmm...so delicious - like I've dabbed my wrist with liquid candy. Again, incredibly similar to EBM (the same base, I think), but with an extra dash of powderiness. I'm not detecting anything overtly lemony, but there is a light citrus vibe going on. Drydown: Still clean, sweet, and pleasantly powdery. There's also a hint of that same light spice that I get from EBM. This lasts for ages, too, and the throw is perfect - just enough for me to catch a whiff every once and a while, reminding me of how fantastic I smell. Overall: I'm a huge Bunny Musk fan, so it's no surprise that I'm enjoying this scent. It's fresh and feminine, sweet and sunny - it's absolutely lovely. I think I prefer my gorgeous bunny blend more, but only by a...hare? (Hardy-Har-Har!!! ) An easy 4.5/5.

BIG white musk fan, here - heh, I still have my (nearly 15 year old! ) bottle of Body Shop White Musk oil sitting with all my other smellies (it's still delicious!). I find BPAL's white musk wonderfully similar, and some of the blends where it really stands out (on me, anyway) are: GCs: Whitechapel (lilac-lime-white musk) Phobos (lemon-white musk) Black Pearl (coconut-white musk) Katharina (apricot-white musk) Kuang Shi (don't let the that dry white sandalwood start fool you, this is pure mango-white musk CREAMSICLE!) LEs: Berenice (sour linen start on me, but has a LOVELY white musk drydown) Antonino (lemony-plum white musk) Bunny Musk (spicy, powdery white musk) Not faves, but still with strong white musk elements: Lurid (dark berries-white musk) Nuit (cool florals/jasmine-white musk) Hope this helps a bit!

Lucky grrl - getting to meet Teh Trio of Awesomeness! I loved SotD, and the trailers for HF had me doing the fangrrl squee big time - can't wait to see it!

In the bottle: A sweet hint of pear, something a little perfumey (jasmine?), and the faintest touch of dustiness I always seem to get from orchid notes. On wet: Peaceful, soft, watery - a lovely, mild scent so far. Drydown: Still soft and sweet, but with a more pronounced perfumey edge. I'm able to smell the fruit (or perhaps it's the lotus?), what I'm thinking is the mottia attar, and the crystal musk underneath. No distinct hint of cucumber (though I believe it's contributing to that watery vibe), the orchid is either gone or smothered under the other florals, and I'm not familiar enough with the other listed notes to be able to pick them out specifically. Overall: When I closed my eyes to dissect this blend, I was immediately assaulted by some of the most vivid images any BPAL blend has evoked to date: An ornate outdoor bathing grotto filled with cool water, generous handfuls of fragrant, exotic flower petals floating on its surface, a mild breeze - faintly scented with the sweetness of recent rain and growing things - raising gooseflesh when it brushes up against naked skin, a blue-black sky overhead. I can envision a fey queen or nature-loving goddess bathing here, floating on her back, eyes closed, long hair fanning out behind her, soothed by her surroundings, completely at peace... I honestly didn't think I'd like this scent - too many floral notes, too much potential for aquatic mayhem (I can't seem to pull off watery schtuff), and while pear/cucumber-type scents are pleasing, I don't often find myself reaching for them - not with so many spicy/creamy/sexy combinations available. Now that I've actually *tried* it, though (instead of just sniffing the bottle's contents, promising to try it soon, then passing it over in favour of something else), I can't believe how incredibly pretty it is. Pretty AND wearable! It's got this softness to it that sort of mutes all the potentially louder components - almost as if each note went blurry at the edges and was bleeding into one another - like a watercolour painting. An evening, special occasion, or spring/early summer fragrance (for me, anyway), and an impressive 4.5/5. Gorgeous.

In the bottle: A sweet hint of pear, something a little perfumey (jasmine?), and the faintest touch of dustiness I always seem to get from orchid notes. On wet: Peaceful, soft, watery - a lovely, mild scent so far. Drydown: Still soft and sweet, but with a more pronounced perfumey edge. I'm able to smell the fruit (or perhaps it's the lotus?), what I'm thinking is the mottia attar, and the crystal musk underneath. No distinct hint of cucumber (though I believe it's contributing to that watery vibe), the orchid is either gone or smothered under the other florals, and I'm not familiar enough with the other listed notes to be able to pick them out specifically. Overall: When I closed my eyes to dissect this blend, I was immediately assaulted by some of the most vivid images any BPAL blend has evoked to date: An ornate outdoor bathing grotto filled with cool water, generous handfuls of fragrant, exotic flower petals floating on its surface, a mild breeze - faintly scented with the sweetness of recent rain and growing things - raising gooseflesh when it brushes up against naked skin, a blue-black sky overhead. I can envision a fey queen or nature-loving goddess bathing here, floating on her back, eyes closed, long hair fanning out behind her, soothed by her surroundings, completely at peace... I honestly didn't think I'd like this scent - too many floral notes, too much potential for aquatic mayhem (I can't seem to pull off watery schtuff), and while pear/cucumber-type scents are pleasing, I don't often find myself reaching for them - not with so many spicy/creamy/sexy combinations available. Now that I've actually *tried* it, though (instead of just sniffing the bottle's contents, promising to try it soon, then passing it over in favour of something else), I can't believe how incredibly pretty it is. Pretty AND wearable! It's got this softness to it that sort of mutes all the potentially louder components - almost as if each note went blurry at the edges and was bleeding into one another - like a watercolour painting. An evening, special occasion, or spring/early summer fragrance (for me, anyway), and an impressive 4.5/5. Gorgeous.

In the imp: An almost watery, sweet-tart freshness. On wet: Clean and vaguely lemongrass-y. Drydown: Fresh, clean, and faintly citrus. There's a green edge happening, too - something almost minty or grassy. Very pretty. Overall: Not a fan of the bamboo element (I did detect a VERY brief, polluting whiff of it during the wet stage), but this is such a fresh, clean fragrance otherwise, that I can hardly complain. I almost wish I'd sprung for a full bottle rather than a decant - this would be lovely addition to unscented bath products! 3.5/5

Bamboo pulp and oude with green and white tea. In the imp: An almost watery, sweet-tart freshness. On wet: Clean and vaguely lemongrass-y. Drydown: Fresh, clean, and faintly citrus. There's a green edge happening, too - something almost minty or grassy. Very pretty. Overall: Not a fan of the bamboo element (I did detect a VERY brief, polluting whiff of it during the wet stage), but this is such a fresh, clean fragrance otherwise, that I can hardly complain. I almost wish I'd sprung for a full bottle rather than a decant - this would be lovely addition to unscented bath products! 3.5/5 eta: description

In the imp: A clean citrus-tea scent. Slightly sweet, slightly floral, slighty aquatic. On wet: Bathroom air freshener. Drydown: Sweet, sweet floral. Faint citrus. A sharpness reminiscent of ozone - perhaps the bamboo? (I'm discovering that I'm not a fan of bamboo in certain blends.) The sandalwood's underneath everything, lending an almost incensey quality to the overall experience. Still reminds me of something you'd use to clean a public restroom, though. Overall: I heartily agree with some of the previous reviewers who mention similarities between this scent and Neo-Tokyo. Unsurprisingly, since I absolutely LOATHED Neo-Tokyo (it was the very first scent I needed to wash off immediately), I'm not exactly loving this one, either. A shame, really - I haven't been able to pull off any blends with dragon's blood so far, and this one - with all its exotic ingredients - had me hopeful.

In the imp: A clean citrus-tea scent. Slightly sweet, slightly floral, slighty aquatic. On wet: Bathroom air freshener. Drydown: Sweet, sweet floral. Faint citrus. A sharpness reminiscent of ozone - perhaps the bamboo? (I'm discovering that I'm not a fan of bamboo in certain blends.) The sandalwood's underneath everything, lending an almost incensey quality to the overall experience. Still reminds me of something you'd use to clean a public restroom, though. Overall: I heartily agree with some of the previous reviewers who mention similarities between this scent and Neo-Tokyo. Unsurprisingly, since I absolutely LOATHED Neo-Tokyo (it was the very first scent I needed to wash off immediately), I'm not exactly loving this one, either. A shame, really - I haven't been able to pull off any blends with dragon's blood so far, and this one - with all its exotic ingredients - had me hopeful.

In the imp: Something sharp and fresh - I'm thinking it's the bergamot and juniper. On wet: That same bergamot-juniper freshness, and a strangely overwhelming powderiness that I'm attributing to the orchid. Drydown: Spicy, somewhat powdery, slightly sweet. It's driving me crazy at this point, actually, because it reminds me of something I've smelled before, but I can't remember what! (Don't you hate it when that happens?) There *is* a faint soapy element underneath the other notes, but it has an airy-clean quality to it, rather than an unpleasant cleanser/detergent vibe. Overall: An interesting blend. I love white musk, so I was a little disappointed that it wasn't a stronger presence in this fragrance. This scent's not exactly 'me', but I think it may be gender neutral enough to pique the hubby's interest. Against my skin, however, it rates a 2.5/5.

Description: "Orchid, white musk, and bergamot wafting over juniper berries, with a gentle touch of soft, earthy patchouli." In the imp: Something sharp and fresh - I'm thinking it's the bergamot and juniper. On wet: That same bergamot-juniper freshness, and a strangely overwhelming powderiness that I'm attributing to the orchid. Drydown: Spicy, somewhat powdery, slightly sweet. It's driving me crazy at this point, actually, because it reminds me of something I've smelled before, but I can't remember what! (Don't you hate it when that happens?) There *is* a faint soapy element underneath the other notes, but it has an airy-clean quality to it, rather than an unpleasant cleanser/detergent vibe. Overall: An interesting blend. I love white musk, so I was a little disappointed that it wasn't a stronger presence in this fragrance. This scent's not exactly 'me', but I think it may be gender neutral enough to pique the hubby's interest. Against my skin, however, it rates a 2.5/5. eta: description

In the imp: Sweet cherry cough syrup. On wet: Mmm...cherry-almond-marzipan goodness. Uber sweet, but very yummy. Drydown: The cherry is long gone. A musky, slinky-sweet, somewhat dusty/ powdery floral is what I'm getting now - that is, until the strawberry rears its massive fruity head. Wow, not only did it just appear outta nowhere, it's surprisingly strong, too. Hmm...unlike other Lab strawberry scents, this berry blend doesn't smell fake on me. It smells darker and richer than it should - almost plum-like - making me wonder if the cherry's really gone after all... Overall: I don't care for strawberry scents. Amber is not my friend. Red musk is hit or miss with my skin chemistry. Guess it just goes to show you how the right balance of notes can work miracles - I'm finding HB not only wearable, but deliciously sexy to boot! Not certain it'll rank big bottle-love (not yet, anyway), but I'll definitely be using my imp. A surprising, but well-deserved 3.5/5.

In the imp: Sweet cherry cough syrup. On wet: Mmm...cherry-almond-marzipan goodness. Uber sweet, but very yummy. Drydown: The cherry is long gone. A musky, slinky-sweet, somewhat dusty/ powdery floral is what I'm getting now - that is, until the strawberry rears its massive fruity head. Wow, not only did it just appear outta nowhere, it's surprisingly strong, too. Hmm...unlike other Lab strawberry scents, this berry blend doesn't smell fake on me. It smells darker and richer than it should - almost plum-like - making me wonder if the cherry's really gone after all... Overall: I don't care for strawberry scents. Amber is not my friend. Red musk is hit or miss with my skin chemistry. Guess it just goes to show you how the right balance of notes can work miracles - I'm finding HB not only wearable, but deliciously sexy to boot! Not certain it'll rank big bottle-love (not yet, anyway), but I'll definitely be using my imp. A surprising, but well-deserved 3.5/5.

I heartily agree with those who've recommended Orpheus - it smells like cool, clean rain and lush greenery. Freakin' gorgeous stuff.

In the bottle: Cocoa, vanilla, lavender - yum! On wet: Mmm...the same as above. The lavender is really singing, too - such an amazing melange of notes. Drydown: A complex jumble of subdued deliciousness that is SO incredible. It's saved from the 'too foody' category thanks to the fresh zip of lavender and the rounder sweetness I'm attributing to the starfruit. As the day progresses, the scent smooths out like a river of warm, creamy goodness - less lavender, a more pronounced vanilla/sandalwood presence. And YES! This is definitely reminiscent of Underpants. Overall: I was another who couldn't wear the previous 13, so this reformulation was such a welcome surprise! Not only do I LOVE this new interpretation, there wasn't a single aspect or stage of this scent that I didn't enjoy. A most certainly well-deserved 5/5. This will likely smell amazing on the right guy, too. Not too sweet, not too feminine, that smidge of lavender that is so often found in cologne = 100% edible manflesh!

In the bottle: Cocoa, vanilla, lavender - yum! On wet: Mmm...the same as above. The lavender is really singing, too - such an amazing melange of notes. Drydown: A complex jumble of subdued deliciousness that is SO incredible. It's saved from the 'too foody' category thanks to the fresh zip of lavender and the rounder sweetness I'm attributing to the starfruit. As the day progresses, the scent smooths out like a river of warm, creamy goodness - less lavender, a more pronounced vanilla/sandalwood presence. And YES! This is definitely reminiscent of Underpants. Overall: I was another who couldn't wear the previous 13, so this reformulation was such a welcome surprise! Not only do I LOVE this new interpretation, there wasn't a single aspect or stage of this scent that I didn't enjoy. A most certainly well-deserved 5/5. And I agree whole-heartedy with shelldoo: this will likely smell amazing on the right guy. Not too sweet, not too feminine, that smidge of lavender that is so often found in cologne = 100% edible manflesh!

In the imp: Sweet, sugary rose. On wet: Sweet, sweet, *sweet* rose and an almost dirty patchouli - oh, did I mention that this is SWEET? Drydown: Absolutely. Gorgeous. The diabetes-inducing sweetness from moments before has deepened under the grounding influence of the sandalwood and patchouli (not certain what the palmarosa smells like, so no clue where it fits into the equation). It's gone from overpowering sugared rose to this sultry, slinky, exotic, lickable SEX CANDY kind of scent. Excuse me while I continue to swoon... Overall: Aside from the occasional dab of Rose Red, I don't care for rose scents - or at least that's what I thought. Wanton not only changed my mind, it seduced the anti-rose right outta me and made me her bitch. Big bottle purchase - stat. 4.5/5

In the imp: Sweet, sugary rose. On wet: Sweet, sweet, *sweet* rose and an almost dirty patchouli - oh, did I mention that this is SWEET? Drydown: Absolutely. Gorgeous. The diabetes-inducing sweetness from moments before has deepened under the grounding influence of the sandalwood and patchouli (not certain what the palmarosa smells like, so no clue where it fits into the equation). It's gone from overpowering sugared rose to this sultry, slinky, exotic, lickable SEX CANDY kind of scent. Excuse me while I continue to swoon... Overall: Aside from the occasional dab of Rose Red, I don't care for rose scents - or at least that's what I thought. Wanton not only changed my mind, it seduced the anti-rose right outta me and made me her bitch. Big bottle purchase - stat. 4.5/5

In the bottle: Slushy mint. On wet: Gorgeous and grassy - like snow melting in a garden full of wild mint. Drydown: The lovely slush-touched greenery is joined by a light, almost perfumey sweetness - a combination that makes for a fresh, incredibly unique, and downright elegant fragrance. Overall: Even though I get a little sad when the grassy note fades to make room for that drydown-sweetness, this remains one of my favourite "cold" scents, and easily one of my favourite concept blends. 4.5/5

In the bottle: Slushy mint. On wet: Gorgeous and grassy - like snow melting in a garden full of wild mint. Drydown: The lovely slush-touched greenery is joined by a light, almost perfumey sweetness - a combination that makes for a fresh, incredibly unique, and downright elegant fragrance. Overall: Even though I get a little sad when the grassy note fades to make room for that drydown-sweetness, this remains one of my favourite "cold" scents, and easily one of my favourite concept blends. 4.5/5

In the imp: Paint (I get that a lot for some reason ) and the faintest hint of something sour. On wet: The sourness is more pronounced, though there's a hint of almost herbal sweetness underneath. I'm not getting any note specifically at this point. Drydown: I smell sandalwood first. Oh, and there's the ylang - I'm becoming more appreciative of ylang ylang, so I'm glad it's a somewhat dominant presence in this blend so far. When I inhale deeply, I get a dry, almost dusty sweetness that reminds me of that orange sugar powder you'd get in in a Fun Dip (or Lik-m-aid, or whatever those things were called ). A very interesting, yet pleasing combination! Overall: This scent worried me at first - it was coming across as "generic-bought from a drugstore-old lady perfume". Now? ::sniffs wrist:: I smell like candied oranges! The sandalwood and ylang are still in the picture, too, keeping things from getting too saccharine, and really making for a nicely balanced group of notes. A very happy fragrance. 3.5/5 eta: spelling booboo

In the imp: Paint (I get that a lot, for some reason ) and the faintest hint of something sour. On wet: The sourness is more pronounced, though there's a hint of almost herbal sweetness underneath. I'm not getting any note specifically at this point. Drydown: I smell sandalwood first. Oh, and there's the ylang - I'm becoming more appreciative of ylang ylang, so I'm glad it's a somewhat dominant presence in this blend so far. When I inhale deeply, I get a dry, almost dusty sweetness that reminds me of that orange sugar powder you'd get in in a Fun Dip (or Lik-m-aid, or whatever those things were called). A very interesting, yet pleasing combination! Overall: This scent worried me at first - it was coming across as "generic-bought from a drugstore-old lady perfume". Now? ::sniffs wrist:: I smell like candied oranges! The sandalwood and ylang are still in the picture, too, keeping things from getting too saccharine, and really making for a nicely balanced group of notes. A very happy fragrance. 3.5/5

I can honestly say that I'm not sure what to think at this point. I've never been on the "other side of the fence" during one of these situations, and I'm not really one for adding to drama-fests, so even if I *did* have a concrete opinion, if it wasn't mind-blowing, I doubt I'd share it. That being said, however, I feel I must weigh in on this pervasive theme - these insinuations - that HAEE customers are being bribed with extra product in exchange for positive feedback. As one of those individuals who has both received a gift and reviewed several products favourably, I find it terribly offensive and almost slanderous, actually. Aside from a few order-related emails, I don't know Michele personally, and yet now I have to "watch what I say" with regards to what freebies I may have received or what products I may be enjoying 'cause if I don't, I run the risk of being labeled as some kind of shady accomplice, pimping HAEE in return for perfume KICKBACKS! I shouldn't think I'll be talking much in the HAEE thread anymore anyway - not after a previous poster mentioned that the constant chatter/bumping in the HAEE thread seemed "planned" - like it was some kind of concerted effort (read: CONSIPIRACY) by those of us *in* the thread to keep the HAEE topic visible. Since when did mud-slinging at other forumites - even the subtle, "wondering aloud" kind - become an accepted part of this discussion?