Ghost of a Rose

Metallic notes with Indian musk, tobacco flower, and African balsam. In the imp: Oil is a beautiful light yellowish green. Metallic, perfumey, floral, a hint to tobacco; with a clean, green mood. On me, wet: Metallic, sweet, floral, very perfumey. It is sweeter on me than in the imp. I agree with the reviewers who mentioned Irish Spring soap. I always did love the scent of that and didn't care that it was supposed to be for men. GALVANIC GOGGLES brought back memories. When I was in my early teens, my mother signed our family up to be consumer testers. We got a lot of free products to try and then answered questions about what we thought of them. Often they were things which were still in the testing phase and not yet on the market. Irish Spring soap was one of those. We got several bars in plain white wrappers. Our entire family of six (of which my dad was the only male) went crazy about the scent of it. It wasn't until the soap came out on the market that we realized it was a men's soap, but by then it was too late - we girls were addicted. As a young woman, I used to buy it for myself. So of course I love GALVANIC GOGGLES. It takes me right back to that time as well as being a wonderful scent. On wet, just dried: It loses the initial sharpness, but is still decidedly metallic and just the same. After 1 hour: Still smells fresh and clean, pretty much the same, but also has taken on some soft muskiness. After 3 hours: Same as above. This lasts well, and remains more consistent than most perfume blends once on the skin. I always like floral scents best, and this is no exception. Very fresh, light, and bright - it would be great for summer. It smells like an expensive designer perfume. I vacillate about it. At some moments, I smell this and think of it as a more feminine aquatic (due to the distinct floral presence); but at other moments I sniff it and think "men's cologne." And of course I totally get the Irish Spring references. So I guess I'd call it unisex. In any case, I love it. My rating: 5 stars

In the imp: A clear, almost colorless, oil. Sandalwood and bitter lemon. Like new wood furniture polished with lemon oil. Not sweet, maybe even a little salty. On me, wet: Same as above, with the addition of a bright, sharp, grassy note. On me, just dried: The lemon is very quickly and completely gone, as is the brightness. But the green smell of freshly-cut grass remains. That must be the vetiver. There's also an underlying hint of wood. And if I smell it up close, there is a hot spiciness that is clearly a remnant of the original bright sharpness. It makes the back of my nose feel prickly. This blend has a no-nonsense mood and discreet throw that make it ideal for work. After 20 minutes: Once dried, the green-ness soon deepens from grass to something more like a pine balsam. The scent is now mostly fresh-cut pine lumber with a little sandalwood. The prickliness is gone, but some spiciness remains from the balsamic note. After 45 minutes: The spiciness is now distinctly leaning towards a generic men's cologne as the woodiness lightens up. Hopefully the remaining wood and sandalwood notes balance that out when smelled from the distance of another person's personal space. I would like to get someone else's opinion, but everyone else in my house is asleep right now. I hope I remember to reapply it and ask them what they think tomorrow, before I wear it in out in public. After 1 hour: Fortunately, the men's cologne smell was short-lived. It's now a soft wood with a faint trace of sandalwood. It's no longer at all bitter or salty, maybe even just the tiniest bit sweet (that's the sandalwood again.) Surprisingly, there's still a piercing, sinus-clearing stab of pine balsam if smelled right up close. But the sharpness is totally absent from even a couple of inches away - there it's just the lovely clean and gentle scent of pine furniture. After 4 hours: A faint hint of wood and even fainter one of men's cologne. I agree that it is a masculine fragrance, but I sometimes do like those and will wear it. I usually prefer very feminine florals, but INCANTATION will be a pleasant way to add some variety to my scent wardrobe. My rating: 4 stars

In the bottle: Delicate rose with cinnamon. Love, love, love! On me, wet: Soft and gentle. This would be an excellent rose blend for those who don't like strong rose. The cinnamon dominates the rose, but both are present and accounted for, and neither note is at all strong. On me, just dried: Actually, this might be TOO gentle. Already most of the rose is gone (within minutes), and the cinnamon has turned vague and papery - not at all hot or spicy. It would be perfect for work because it is so subtle and not overly feminine/floral. After 2 hours: Almost completely gone. This is an utterly gorgeous blend, but unless you are at work, I recommend wearing it in a scent locket to retain the fragrance stronger and longer. My rating: 4 on my skin, 5 in the bottle or scent locket

In the imp: Oil is a golden yellow. The fragrance is 100% cherry cough drops. Ugh. On me, wet: Cherry cough drops, with the licorice scent of anise WAY in the background. On me, just dried: Most of the cherry fruitiness dissipates within minutes, leaving a much milder licorice-and-cherry scent behind. A little muskiness keeps it from smelling too much like red licorice sticks. Much better. After 20 minutes: The licorice note is now much stronger than the cherry, and the sharp spiciness of true anise has appeared. It's getting less and less like candy all the time. All three scents are nicely balanced. After 2 hours: It now has the scent of an elegant classic perfume (the same scent I noticed in the oil warmer.) The cherry is there as a faint lingering memory. I'm really loving it now! I also tried this in an oil warmer. It's not the best blend for that, as the oil is quite volatile and most of the fragrance burned off immediately when exposed to the greater heat of the burner. Not only did it not scent the (small) room, but I couldn't even smell much with my nose right up above the warmer only ten or fifteen minutes after lighting the candle. There WAS a faint scent like an elegant classic perfume that lasted for about an hour if I smelled it right up close - perhaps that is the red musk? I prefer KABUKI in the drydown, but it might be interesting to wear it in a scent locket to draw out the cherry top note if you like really fruity blends. This goes to show once again that you can't judge a perfume by the way it smells in the bottle. I never would have bought it if I had smelled a bottle of it. But as it turns out, I do quite like it on me. My rating: 4 stars

In the imp: Clear, colorless oil, as pure as spring water. The scent is sweet and floral. It doesn't smell like roses. But the carnations I've had never had much fragrance at all, so I can't really say with certainty that it smells like carnations. White tea also has a very delicate scent, so I can't pick that out either. Whatever it is that I am smelling, it is very lovely. On me, wet: Pretty much the same as in the imp, but there's also a touch of fruitiness, which doesn't make sense. It must be something my skin is doing to the oils. The same thing happened yesterday with another blend that didn't have any fruit essences in it. On me, just dried: The scent is quite consistent, but already there's a lot less throw. After about 20 minutes: now I'm picking up something that smells rather like vanilla. WTF? I think I *may* be able to detect some white tea now, too. After 45 minutes: A powdery, but pleasant, light floral scent. After about 1 1/2 hours: The sweetness has died out as drydown progressed. And by now, the scent itself is pretty much gone, leaving just a faint whiff of something that smells vaguely like old paper. I'll need to reapply this often, or wear it in a perfume locket. Verdict: I was particularly interested in the rose and white tea, but this is mostly carnation. I never got any hint of rose at all. And the white tea was so short-lived and faint that it might have just been me trying too hard to smell it. Nevertheless, this is a very pretty scent and is exactly as described. It would be a lovely choice for a young girl. (Which won't stop grandmotherly me from wearing it, too.) My rating: 4 stars (Later ETA - I tried it again, over two years later and from another batch, and I still get the fruit, which smells like a citrus, perhaps grapefruit. It was initially the dominant scent in the blend, but quickly faded to let the lovely florals take over.)

A sinister, darkly seductive scent inspired by poetry of Charles Baudelaire. Violet entwined with vanilla and gardenia. I love the concept of this blend! Thank you to the lab for the free imp. In the imp: Oil is a slightly cloudy pale yellow. Very sweet. Vanilla is strongest, then gardenia. It's hard to differentiate the violet. On me, wet: Pretty much the same, although now I can detect the violet. I really like this. I don't usually like vanilla perfumes, but here the vanilla softens the florals, with the florals retaining a strong enough presence to keep me from smelling like cake. On me, drydown: Still pretty much the same, but now the vanilla outweighs the flowers. Yet it still isn't foody. Oddly enough, I'm also getting a faint whiff of fruitiness. Maybe it's just my imagination. Or my skin doing something weird. Or have I been trying too many different scents recently, so that my nose has become confused? In any case, it's subtle enough not to bother me. I like this a lot, which is unusual for me with vanilla-based blends. My rating: 4 stars

In the imp: The oil is a clear amber. Wow, very strong. Sweet with a sharp metallic tang (perhaps from the jasmine?) Wine, lots of it. This is the first BPAL I've tried that I thought really did smell like wine. Definitely a dark scent. On me, wet: On my skin, it is distinctly less sweet, there's even some bitterness. The wine is still the dominant note. I'm not getting any rose at at all. I can pick out the jasmine, but overall this isn't a particularly flowery scent. On me, drydown: As strong as this perfume was in the imp, I'm startled at how it has evaporated into thin air in just a few minutes. The metallic sharpness has completely gone, and so has the wine. My skin is a lush, it just chugged down all that wine in seconds! What's left has morphed into a floral. There's just a soft whiff of powdery jasmine now. And it's not at all dark anymore, more like a sweet old grandmother wrapped in a white shawl. I'm waiting to see if the incense notes show up with the passage of time. After 45 minutes: Yes, they do. Now I can detect all 3 of the base notes, especially the sandalwood. The scent is now about half incense and half floral, which is no longer specifically jasmine, but a more general floral. It is a darker fragrance again, rather Oriental now, with a mysterious spiciness. This is a real morpher, which makes it fun. It would be a good one for a scent locket, to preserve the top notes, especially the unique wine scent. (Maybe not if you are going to work!) My rating: 4 stars

In the imp: The oil is a clear pinkish red. It does look a bit like real blood, but is less opaque, as well as paler and pinker. Über-sweet, 100% cherry when sniffed up close - cherry cough drops. But if I smell if from a few inches away, I get clove. On me, wet: I can pick up all three scents, with cherry strongest, then clove, with a lighter backdrop of myrrh. (I'm not differentiating between the cherry and the dragon's blood, since they smell so similar.) It will be interesting to see if the myrrh comes out more strongly as time goes on. The incensey notes usually do, on me. On me, drydown: I'm liking this a lot more than I thought I would from the way it smelled in the imp. I don't like super-fruity perfumes. But the fruitiness lightens up within the first five minutes, leaving just a nuance. I mostly smell clove now. After 30 minutes: The clove is beautifully balanced with the cherry and myrrh, so that the overall impression isn't foody, or overly hot or spicy. I like this more and more as time goes by! After one hour: Same as above, and still holding out nicely. Verdict: A sophisticated unisex fragrance. It looks a little like real blood (in the vial, not on the skin.) But it doesn't smell anything like real blood. I don't get that metallic coppery odor that other reviewers have mentioned. Which is a good thing. If it really did smell like like blood, everyone around me would probably be barfing. This is so much nicer. My rating: 4 stars

In the imp: The oil is a clear golden brown. Black tea, cocoa, and mandarin come off most strongly. On me, wet: The same as above, with the addition of tobacco. Very intriguing. A dark, brown, chocolately scent. Masculine, but I like it, too. On me, drydown: I'm now getting a sharp peppery note that I think is the saffron, with the chocolate right behind it, and then the other notes. It's like an expensive, classy, sweet-scented pipe tobacco with saffron mixed in. After 30 minutes: It has lost most of the sweetness, but otherwise is much the same. Verdict: This was clearly designed to appeal to men. But I really like it, and I've never been into rigid gender roles. I will wear it now and then. It will be an interesting change of pace from my usual flowery fragrances. Sorry, boys, I'm keeping this one for myself! My rating: 4 stars

In the imp: The oil is a very pale yellow. Jasmine is the only obvious note, but here it is soft and mild, not overpowering the other scents the way it usually does. I can't identify anything else in particular, just a general impression of incense. On me, wet: I don't believe it, I can't even smell jasmine at all right at first - mostly wood and sage. But it only takes a minute or two for the jasmine to show up. On me, after 30 minutes: From about 3 inches away, the fragrance is a very soft and delicate rose-like and lily scent. With my nose right up to my wrist, there is a subtle sharpness of jasmine along with a faint whiff of wood. After 1 hour: Faint scent of lily. Ater 2 hours, it's pretty much gone. Verdict: Elizabeth has done the impossible: created a jasmine-based blend that is indeed delicate and light. It's angelic, exactly as described. Floral, yet subtle enough for professional wear. Although the fragrance itself is elegant enough for a formal occasion, I wouldn't choose it for that, because its softness would be overpowered by the heavy perfumes of others. This would be excellent in a scent locket, so that it would last longer and hold all of the various notes. However, I particularly enjoy it on my skin after the first 30 minutes, when the jasmine has faded away. Wearing it on my skin vs. in the locket is like having two different perfumes, and I love both of them! My rating: 5

In the imp: The woods overpower everything else. The oil is clear pale yellow. On me, wet: Along with the woods, now I can also smell the flowers and the pepper. Nice! On me, drydown: Already the scent is becoming rather faint. This would be a good candidate for a scent locket. I'm feeling a tiny bit of burning sensation on my wrist, but it isn't bad enough to cause discomfort and the skin isn't reddened, so I think I can safely wear it. This doesn't strike me as tumult, although I get where Elizabeth is coming from with that description: that the opposing scents interplay and contrast with each other. But to me it comes across more as a peaceful and beautiful balance of the different kinds of scents. The florals are the most noticeable, but I can also pick out all of the other notes except for the mandarin. Which is fine by me - I don't want to smell like fruit. This is a lovely, feminine, complex, and subtle scent. After 30 minutes: The florals are still the main note, but now the woods are coming out more strongly. After about 3 hours: Only the faintest hint of musk remains. My rating: 4 stars Later ETA: I tried this in a scent locket, and wow! Even after 24 hours in the locket, it is still the most heavenly blend of flowers. This gets 5 stars when worn in the scent locket.

Love the concept of this! The four oils seemed perfect for expressing it. In the vial: The oil is a beautiful salmon pink. The scent? Ajax cleanser. So that's what Ajax is made out of! Who knew? I would never have guessed any of the ingredients just by the smell alone. Or that this combination of oils would smell like this. On me, wet: The first whiff I get is floral, which can only be from the dragon's blood. (I've seen the scent of dragon's blood described as a cross between rose and cherry.) But then - whoosh! - and the Ajax is back with max force. If I concentrate (and sniff) hard enough, I can pick out all three of the spices, though. On me, drydown: The rose-like note and cinnamon predominate now, which should be very pleasant. But it all still adds up to Ajax for me. Maybe my mind is just stuck on that idea. On me, after an hour: Now it's only clove and cinnamon, with my nose right up to it. But from about 6 inches away, I smell cherry. Very interesting, and so much more pleasant than the Ajax! I'm glad I gave it a try. Based on the scent in the imp, I thought I would hate it. But I like it now that the odor of Ajax is gone. After 2 hours: Now the spices have calmed down, and the main note is Dragon's Blood albeit a slightly spicy Dragon's Blood. Verdict: This isn't a perfume I'll reach for very often. I will keep it, though, and choose it every now and then just for something really different. And especially on days when I feel wrathful. It makes me feel powerful and abrasive! I see this as a unisex fragrance. My rating: 3 overall (4 after the first hour, when the Ajax has disappeared)

"As delicate as life, as gentle as death, and as powerful as love": I love this quote from the description! In the vial: A complex scent - it's hard to identify any particular scent at first. Then I do pick up a hint of vanilla, and then florals, maybe some coconut. It is a sweet fragrance. On me, wet: My skin definitely brings out the coconut. Otherwise, nothing I can recognize other than flowers in general. I do like it! On me, drydown: Still very coconutty, but the florals keep it from smelling like suntan lotion. It reminds me of Hawaii. That must be the frangipani (called plumeria in Hawaii) and cyclamen together with the coconut. After 20 minutes: Already much weaker. I'm betting that this is going to be a short-lived scent on me, unless the musk and incense notes show up and linger on. So far the scent is still pretty consistent - now I can smell the hint of vanilla again. About this time, too, the rose makes an appearance but on me it stays in the background. After 2 hours: Sure enough, the lower notes are now apparent. I smell mostly coconut and vanilla musk. My teenage son sniffed my wrist and (without knowing anything about what oils were in the perfume) picked up incense, rose, and coconut. So obviously the rose note is still there even though I don't notice it anymore myself. Verdict: I'm not a big fan of fruity or foody scents as perfumes, but I really like this. It is complex enough that the overall scent doesn't come across as either of those, even though coconut is arguably the dominant note (on my skin it is, anyway.) Because of the coconut, I would choose this blend most often for casual times. The floral and incense notes tone down the coconut to make this fragrance wearable for a routine workday as well. I wouldn't wear it for a formal occasion, or for times when I need to present an impeccably professional image (such as a job interview or meeting an important client for the first time.) But for a regular day at the office it would be fine. My rating: 4 stars

In the imp: I don't notice the rose. Mostly it's dragon's blood (somewhat fruity), with a bit of headiness that must be the wine, but without any sourness or fermentation. The oil is a beautiful pale brownish pink. On me, wet: Same as above at first, but the rose starts to come out as it dries. On me, drydown: Now it's so perfectly balanced that it doesn't come across as either a fruity nor a rosaceous scent, just its own lovely self. There's a bit of spiciness. It's gentle. I could probably get away with using 2 drops rather than my usual 1 for essential oils. After a couple of hours: What remains of the scent is just a hint of spicy resin. This doesn't last as long on me as most essential oil perfumes. I might want to tuck the imp in my purse for reapplications. Verdict: I wanted a rose fragrance, and I didn't get that. I can smell a little rose, but I don't think that anyone else around me would notice rose if they didn't know it was in the perfume I was wearing. But that's okay, because it is a lovely scent anyway. It's sophisticated - a designer scent that is unique to itself rather than smelling like something identifiable. I don't perceive it as sexy (as per the description); to me it is elegant and classy instead. It would be very appropriate for professional or dressy occasions. I'm really glad I got it even though it turned out to be something different than what I expected. My rating: 4

In the imp: All 3 scents are identifiable, and beautifully balanced with the amber/musk slightly dominating the rose, which makes for a very elegant floral. On me, wet: Now the amber and musk are considerably stronger than the rose, but the rose is still there. Even wet, this is more subtle than most rose fragrances. On me, drydown: The scents are coming back into balance, with the rose now equal to the darker notes. A more complex rose scent - for grown-ups rather than young girls or old ladies. Sophisticated, but in a feminine way rather than an edgy way. After 1 hour: It's now more like a classic rose scent but still with a spiciness of incense. After 2 hours: Mostly the spicy incense of the amber and musk, with just the faintest hint of rose. After 3 hours: The scent is still pretty much all incense, but has now grown very faint. Verdict: The description is right on the nail. This is a formal and elegant perfume that would be perfect for special occasions. But it could also be an option for work, because the throw is more discreet and it is less in-your-face flowery than most rose-based fragrances. It also would be a great candidate for a perfume locket, in order to preserve the beautiful balance that this blend has in the bottle. And for someone who doesn't normally like rose scent but wants to experiment, this might be a good one to try. My rating: 5

This was a frimp from BPAL. In the imp: The first thing I notice is the scent of honey, then my nostrils are hit with the much stronger and super-sweet smell of hard cherry candies. On me, wet: The same two scents, but now they are equal in strength. On me, drydown: The excessive sweetness and the candy-ness dissipate rapidly as it dries, leaving behind a much more complex and intriguing fragrance. I can still clearly identify cherry, but now it's blended in with other more sophisticated notes so that the overall impression is no longer so fruity. Is it my imagination, or do I smell a whiff of florals and an even fainter hint of something incense-ish - amber, maybe? After 1 hour: The cherry candy has come back for a curtain call, but since the scent is weaker now, its not too obnoxious. After 3 hours: 100% honey, gentle and utterly realistic - gorgeous! I must have been mistaken about the amber, since on me that's usually the longest-lasting note in a blend. Verdict: I don't normally care for fruity scents on my body (although I like them fine as air fresheners.) But this one is complex enough to not be teenybopper or overly foody. I like! I wouldn't wear it to a formal occasion, but I think it would be fine for work if applied sparingly. I never thought I'd say that about a fruity perfume! My rating: 4

What's not to love? Every one of these oils are among my shortlisted top faves. Yeah, I'm a flower child. In the imp: Oil is a clear pale yellow, the color of hay. My first impression is pure frangipani. I'm channeling a heavenly fresh plumeria lei that I was given in Hawaii on my honeymoon. My most-favorite lei ever. I've been in search of a true plumeria fragrance ever since. It's a shame that BPAL doesn't sell Single Notes anymore, because this is it. On me, wet: The frangipani and jasmine dominate. I love how perfectly balanced they are and how the sweet frangipani calms down the sharp soapy note that Jasmine tends to have. I can detect the rose and tuberose as well. I'm awed! On me, drydown: Alas, the jasmine has stolen the show and except for a hint of rose, I no longer get the other lovely flowers. At least the jasmine still isn't too sharp. After about 20 minutes: All jasmine. Thank goodness I do like jasmine. But I miss the other flowers. After about 1 hour: As the jasmine looses some of its oomph, I can now detect a hint of frangipani again; as well as a hint of the tuberose. Rose seems to be hiding. And jasmine is still the dominatrix, but things are starting to come into a more equal balance again. After a couple of hours: A lovely soft floral scent, with no specific flower identifiable. Verdict: A morpher, one that is constantly changing on my skin over the span of the first 2 hours. One of my very favorite BPAL fragrance blends, and definitely bottle-worthy. I think I'd especially love this in a perfume locket, in order to retain the wet scent in which all 4 flowers are present and identifiable. My rating: 5, would even be a 5+ if the frangipani note didn't disappear so fast on my skin.

This was a frimp; and it's almost eerie how accurately Elizabeth (or whoever packed my box) zeroed in on my personality. So far this is my favorite perfume in the box. I love it more than the ones I picked out myself and paid for! In the imp: Love at first sniff! Gorgeous lilac and rose. The oil is a medium-light pinkish gold that perfectly duplicates the shade of fine rose-gold jewelry. On me, wet: I could swear I was wearing a wrist corsage of fresh lilacs and pink roses. The scent is so real, so fresh, and so vivid that I can practically see them . . . Yet - even wet - not aggressively strong. On me, drydown: It's become powdery, but in the best possible way, like an expensive, delicate, and highly refined luxury powder for a pampered lady of the century past. Now I'm picturing a soft mink powder puff in a sparkling cut crystal powder jar with a silver lid decorated with pearls . . . On me, 3 hours later: The florals are still around, but they've now taken a supporting role to the spicy incense notes, with the amber and sandalwood in the starring roles. Verdict: Exactly as described. The mandarin is indeed light, so as to be unnoticeable as a specific note (and that's just the way I'd want it), while adding a bit of sparkle. The incense-y oils add depth and longevity while letting the florals shine on their own for a generous span of time. Some might find this fragrance too old-fashioned, but I've always thought I was born in the wrong era, so for me it's perfect. The innocent elegance of an earlier time. I'm madly in love, and lusting after a full vial. This is a "must" for those who love rose or lilac scents. My rating: 5+

In the vial: Wow, a very complex and unusual scent - so much so that it's almost impossible to identify any particular note or ingredient. Rather medicinal - perhaps due to the balsam or saffron? The spiciness of ginger is the only specific thing I can pick out - here it is hot and peppery. Or maybe that's the vetiver. There is a bitterness that might be from the black tea, although for me there is no recognizable scent of tea (and I brew and drink black tea every day, so I expected to recognize it.) In spite of the apricot and honey, there's only a hint of sweetness or fruit, and no trace of the apple blossoms. On me, wet: Much the same as in the vial, but sharper and even less sweet - salty, even. (I can relate to the person who mentioned pickles - I'm thinking: the dill ones.) The new sharpness is due to a piney scent that's probably the balsam. On me, drydown: Now I'm picking up a strange rubbery note that reminds me of new tires. The peppery note is still holding strong. After about an hour: All rubber and black pepper. Later ETA: After a couple of hours, the rubber mysteriously morphed into woodiness. Now it's a soft, pleasant, wood-and-black-pepper scent. I like it a lot better now. I'd rate it a 4 if it had been like this the whole time. Verdict: I'd definitely call this a masculine fragrance. It's the strangest scent I can remember ever smelling, so strange that I can't even decide whether I like it or hate it. I am very intrigued by it, though. I'm always fascinated by things that are very unique. Even if I were a man, I don't think I would wear it very often. But it will be perfect for those times when I get bored with my usual fragrance types and want something completely different. And I'll only wear it when I am alone, for fear that others would think it unpleasant. My rating: 3, more for uniqueness rather than actual appeal.

In the imp: In-your-face fruity and cloyingly sweet. Smells very much like maraschino cherries - on steroids. It's the amaretto that makes the fruits smell like cherries. On me, wet: Same as above. I'm getting everything but the wine - in other words, all the sweet stuff. On me, drydown: Fortunately some of the extreme sweetness has calmed down. Still very fruity and sweet, though, with just a faint hint of nuttiness. On me, after a couple of hours: The fragrance remains remarkably consistent and has lost its aggressiveness, to become much more wearable. The burgundy never does make an appearance on my skin. It seems strange that this is a clear, colorless oil. It smells like it should be a deep purplish red! Verdict: It's a pleasant scent, but too sweet and too fruity for me to wear very often as a perfume - and never ever for when I want to present a professional or elegant image. It might be fun as an occasional change of pace for casual times (note that it would likely attract wasps outdoors.) It is strong, so apply sparingly. Where it would really shine would be as a kitchen air freshener, in an oil warmer or a candle - it would make the kitchen smell like you were baking a cherry pie. My rating: 3 as a perfume, 4 as a room scent

In the imp: I mainly notice wood, lemon, and mint. On me, wet: A fine piece of wood furniture, recently polished with lemon oil. On me, drydown: Teak, citrus and orchid, nicely balanced. On me, after about an hour: Teak with a little orchid. The final note is a faint orchid, once the teak has faded away. After about 2 hours, the scent is almost completely gone. My teenage son likes this a lot on me, but thinks it too floral for a male. On me skin, it is a more subtle scent than many essential oil perfumes. I agree that it is elegant. I don't really pick up the leather or the tea. The most dominant notes for me are the wood and the floral. My rating: 4 stars

In the imp: Rose and jasmine, strong On me, wet: Mostly strong sharp jasmine, with a hint of rose and mandarin On me, drydown: Softer jasmine with a little rose On me, about 1 hour: Very soft jasmine, now with a bit of myrrh. On me, after several hours: The lasting note is a gentle incensey myrrh, with no trace remaining of the florals or the other oils. This is one of my favorite BPALS, although perhaps I should warn you that I do love strong florals and that Rose and Jasmine are among my favorites. It does settle down very quickly. I'd like to try it in a scent locket to see if the florals will last longer that way. My rating: 5, planning to buy a whole vial in the near future.

One reviewer above (tempete) said to mix well before applying - good advice for all BPAL scents. And when I tried it both ways, it did make a huge difference! I agree with tempete that, in the unmixed vial, the Dragon's Blood was the predominate scent; and that the musk was much more apparent after mixing. Unmixed, from an imp that has been standing upright for several days: In the imp: Rose-scented soap. (The rose-like scent comes from the Dragon's Blood.) On me, wet: I'm channeling Ivory soap (or is it Dove? Something like that, anyway), with a little musk in the background. On me, barely dried: The soapiness has evaporated, leaving a lovely rose-like scent. So far, I haven't gotten caught much of the musk at all. Well-dried: The musk is definitely apparent now, equal to the floral-fruitiness of the Dragon's Blood. After about 45 minutes: Only musk is detectable. After mixing well: In the imp: Musky rose-scented soap with a bit of sharpness. On me, wet: Ivory soap equally balanced with musk. On me, drydown: As the soapiness has evaporated, the musk comes out more and more. Still plenty of floral though. After about 45 minutes: Only musk is detectable. The musk is still going strong 2 hours later. I love this blend for the rosy scent of Dragon's Blood, with the musk adding depth and longevity. My rating: 4

In the imp: Rose. Love it already. On me, wet: Rose, rosewood & hazel On me, drydown: Beautifully balanced blend of rose, rosewood, and hazel, all equally prominent. On me, after several hours: The scent remains remarkably consistent over time, leaning only slightly toward woodiness as it fades out. Gorgeous and elegant, one of my all-time favorite perfumes from anyone! I've already ordered a big bottle. My rating: 5

In the Imp: Fruity and flowery. Watermelon and strawberry predominates, with gardenia also discernible. On me, wet: Mostly fruity, with the berries especially noticeable: Blackberry, strawberry, with some watermelon. On me, drydown: Blackberry, with a hint of gardenia, and some musk starting to come forward. The more time goes by, the more the fruitiness fades and the musk and wood comes out. On me, after a few hours: All incense: wood (sandalwood?) and musk. Maybe just the faintest hint of blackberry still lingering. My rating: 4