Ghost of a Rose

Bottle fresh from the lab. I've always wished for a BPAL oil with a desert creosote note, which is the gorgeous and refreshing scent of the desert after a rain. So I was thrilled to find this! Of course I had to get a bottle! I'm interested in the other notes as well. Except for the clove, all are plants that grow in the Arizona desert where I lived all my life until six years ago. In the bottle:. The first thing I notice is the sharp peppery note of clove, which gives this oil a bit of a men's-cologne vibe. Then a very sweet floral. And almost as strong as the clove, an herbal greenness. I can detect the desert creosote in the greenery if I work at it, but it is very subtle and delicate, as it is in real life. It is almost completely overwhelmed by the more assertive notes. What the green note smells like mostly, and very convincingly, is freshly cut-open cactus and split yucca leaf. On me, wet: 1:36 am. All clove, loud and clear, for the first minute or two. Then the herbal green notes tiptoe in, gaining strength by the minute. At 5 minutes: The green notes and the clove are vying for dominance. At the moment, it's a draw. At 10 minutes: . . . And we have a winner: the herbal green notes. All of the listed notes are present and accounted for at this point. (Something that doesn't happen very often, especially not all at the same time.) In this order: cactus and yucca, datura flower, clove, with a trace of creosote. At 15 minutes: The sharpness of clove has seized control again, but the other notes are still hanging in there. It is men's-cologne-like, to be sure, but a very unusual one. Clove can sometimes makes my skin burn, but that isn't happening here. At 30 minutes: Sweet spiciness, now with a touch of smokiness. Where did that come from? I like it. It balances and gentles the sharpness of the clove. The herbal/green and floral notes are fading. At 45 minutes: The scent has completed transformed. It's basically all sweet, slightly smoky, clove now. There's a hint of other things to add some complexity, but no other specific notes are identifiable. No sense of greenness at all. It's lovely in a different way, warm and comforting, dry and powdery. At one hour: Pretty much the same as above, but lighter. And almost all of the peppery sharpness is gone - the clove is very gentle now, and less men's-cologne-ish. But the smokiness and the subtle lingering nuances from the other notes keep it from being at all foody. At 1 1/2 hours: The distinctive clove scent has faded a great deal, leaving behind just a weak men's-cologne note, without its earlier sharpness. As I move around, my clothes throw off a cloud of men's-cologne. At 8 hours: As light as it was at 1 1/2 hours, I'm surprised that the scent still remains. It's men's-cologne, with a backdrop of clove. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Predominant Notes: Clove, herbal/green notes Character: Men's-cologne. Sweet. A morpher: first herbal/green, then spicy. Unisex to masculine. 5 out of 6 stars. I might like this even more without the clove, for a more authentic desert scent and no men's-cologne aspect. But Beth and the labbies know what they are doing. The green notes are pretty volatile, and the scent might be short-lived without the clove. And it does provide a beautiful drydown. Now I would love a Single-Note Desert Creosote oil!

Bottle fresh from the Lab. In the bottle:: First a whiff of peach (that actually smells more like apricot, or maybe canned peaches in syrup - Could that be the clear syrup mentioned by some reviewers?) Mixed with some light florals and a hint of things I can't identify. Then it becomes a very blended classic-style perfume with tones of flowers and fruit, especially apricot. On me, wet: Much the same as in the bottle. When the perfumey note comes in, it has a sharpness exactly like a traditional perfume containing alcohol. At 5 minutes:. Very much like a traditional perfume. The "alcohol" sharpness has mostly evaporated. It's already gone a little dry and powdery (not a bad thing, just an observation.) This is a sophisticated, formal, complex fragrance. The apricot character is faint. I have to look for it. The florals are more noticeable. At 10 minutes:. The fragrance has lightened up quite a bit already. Otherwise it is the same. At 15 minutes:. I'm finding it difficult to pick out any specific note, although I do eventually come up with apricot, and a bit later, a very faint breath of orange. Mostly it's just a light, classic perfume. There's still a trace of the sparkly, sharp "alcohol." At 30 minutes: Still very perfume-like. There's still a bit of floral, and a hint of fruitiness, but the frankincense, and especially cedar, is starting to show up. These notes are all subtle, very blended. At one hour: Same as above At 2 hours: Very light, classic perfume. At 3 hours: Very faint, virtually gone. Predominant Notes:. Apricot. Otherwise this is a very blended oil. Character:. Classic perfume. Feminine, formal. I agree with the previous reviewers that it is Shunga--esque. 5 out of 6 stars

My bottle is aged about 3 years and was purchased directly from BPTP. I didn't write a review when I first got it. Without looking at the description, the first thing I notice is a mild lemon. Within a few minutes, rose appears but stays in the background at first, gradually taking over until about an hour, when the fragrance becomes all rose. The rose fragrance lasts for a long time (2 days.) After looking at the description, I realized that the citrus note that my nose interpreted as lemon is actually orange, from the orange blossom. I wish this was a true orange blossom note (without the fruit), in which case this would be two of my top three favorite lifelong scents. No doubt that's why I purchased the bottle. But the citrus-rose scent is also very lovely. And I can never go wrong with a rose blend. They are always among my favorites (as long as I can smell the rose note.) I'm very glad I got it. Predominant Notes: Rose and citrus Character: Rose, feminine 5 out of 6 stars

For me, this is all pine and sage, with the sage just slightly stronger. The two notes are an inspired pairing. They complement each other so beautifully. I love the piney-mess of this. I have no other hair glosses like it. And it is nice and strong at first. Which is something I love personally, but it made me a little nervous about wearing it out in public. But I needn't have worried, because . . . Unfortunately, the fragrance is short-loved on me. It begins to weaken almost immediately, and is gone in about half an hour. I was especially interested in this because it reminded me of the mountaintop forests of Arizona, where I lived all my life until recently. Arizona doesn't have mountain goats - instead there are Bighorn Sheep who live in the desert. But I was thrilled to see a Ponderosa Pine note in a BPAL scent! I was hoping the fragrance might include some strawberry and vanilla notes in the Ponderosa Pine accord, to remind me of sniffing the crevices in the barks of those trees. (A traditional activity in Arizona Scout Camps. Each Ponderosa tree supposedly has a different scent.) It doesn't, but that was okay since it is such a lovely scent anyway. It also feels right for wearing here, where I live now, in the deep cool shade of the huge evergreen trees of the Pacific Northwest Coastal Rainforest. We don't actually have much pine here (it"s mostly Sitka spruce and red cedar, with some hemlock and alder,) But the foresty scent is similar, and the pine-forest mood fits right in and feels like home. And we do have mountain goats here, although they are not native to the area and are being relocated to the Cascade range on the other side of Puget Sound, where they are native. Predominant Notes: Pine and sage Character:. Pine forest, unisex, cool 4 out of 6 stars: I would give it 5 stars if the scent lasted longer. (My rating is for the scent only. But I love the hair gloss, too, especially for combing out the tangles that my hair is prone to.)

Oh my. This makes me swoon. It's one of my top favorites of the atmospheric sprays. This is a gorgeous honey scent, so rich and creamy, with accents of cream and vanilla. I don't notice any smokiness. It is quite strong, and super long-lasting, Both are assests in my book. Depending on the conditions, it lasts for three days up to a week. The notes place it in the foody category, but to me it doesn't come across as a food fragrance. I don't think of any kind of food when I smell it. It's expensive beeswax candles instead, just like its name. It's warmth, soothing, and so relaxing; a true comfort scent. Predominant note:. Honey Character: Warm, rich, sweet, luxurious, comforting, mildly foody 6 out of 6 stars

The only specific note I recognize in this is some peppery ginger. It is herbal, with some floral. But most of all, it is super sweet. There's a cloying, extreme sweetness that makes me wonder if there isn't some red musk in it. I have a major problem with red musk. My body chemistry turns it into a nauseating, unbearable sweetness, usually completely overwhelming every other note in a blend. It isn't as strong here as it is in other oils such as Snake Oil and The Starry Crown. So I'm not sure if it is actually red musk (in a very small amount) or just something that smells somewhat similar. In any case, it makes the scent unpleasant to me. Which is a real shame, because I need all the protection I can get. (If it is the red musk effect, most likely that won't happen to you, so don't be discouraged from trying this on yourself.) It is one of the most stable fragrances I've tested, remaining the same in the bottle, wet on the skin, and dried. I don't know about late drydown, because I fell asleep before that. As for the effect, I've only tried it once, but nothing bad happened while I was wearing it. So far, so good. I am reluctant to try it again since I don't care for the scent, but if I do use it again I'll update this review. Predominant note(s): This is a complex, blended scent. Nothing in particular stands out. Character: Ultra-sweet, herbal, peppery I'm not going to give this a rating, since I might wear it for the effect even though the fragrance doesn't work for me.

Frimp fresh from the Lab. In the imp: Patchouli with a touch of benzoin to sweeten it up. On me, wet: 100% Cedar Single Note. WTH? At 5 minutes: Mostly cedar, but some patchouli is starting to show up. At 10 minutes: What happened to the patch? Now it is cedar with a little benzoin. At 20 minutes: Cedar and patchouli, about equal in strength at first sniff, but quickly turns into almost all cedar. With just a vague hint of patchouli and benzoin. It's a rather odd combination. The throw is mostly cedar as well, just a little patchouli. At 30 minutes: Almost all cedar. I was getting a bit of patchouli and just a dab of vanilla from the benzoin, but those have gone into hiding now. At 45 minutes: Still mostly cedar, which has gone a little smoky. A tiny bit of patchouli. And maybe a hint of coconut husk - definitely not the sweet coconut meat - but it's so vague that I might be imagining it. At 1 hour: There's more patchouli in the throw now, but it's primarily cedar. On the skin there's a little patchouli and that shred of coconut husk mixed in with all the smoky cedar. I like the cedar more, with the smokiness. It makes the cedar note smoother, softer, and less sharp. I'm not noticing any benzoin any more. This is a warm scent. A few minutes later, some definite coconut meat has come into the scent. It's a minor player, but clearly there. I'm not normally a fan of coconut in perfumes, but I really like it in this. With all the wood and patchouli, it isn't foody. It goes so well with the other notes, and makes the overall fragrance milder and more interesting. At 4 hours: Ooh, the goblin is absolutely gorgeous now. I've been sleeping, and haven't smelled it for the past three hours. It has undergone a transformation, turned into a prince! The sharp stridency of the cedar has settled down into fine old wood, and the patchouli has gentled, becoming beautifully mild and sweet. The whole thing is tempered and sweetened by plenty of lucious creamy vanilla-coconut. But not foody, thanks to the wood, patch, and a gentle cozy smokiness. And it's no longer masculine, but perfectly unisex. If it smelled like this the whole time, this would be one of my top favorite perfumes! It is sweet, rich, warm, comforting, and so beautiful. Wow, what a lovely surprise! At 12 hours: Still so pretty, and it still has decent strength. Sweet warm vanilla and powder. Predominant Note(s): Cedar Character: Woody, Warm, Masculine to Unisex 3 out of 6 stars in the first hour or so: Pleasant, but a bit boring, and too masculine to be my thing. 6 stars, later in drydown: Swoonworthy and unisex.

Pale and lovely, with eyes belladonna-wide: hemlock blossoms and ghostly nightshade veiled by wisteria, white frankincense, black amber, and narcissus resin. 2018 version. Bottle fresh from the Lab. Florals are always my favorite perfumes, and with all the different flowers in this one, it should be an easy win. I'm not familiar with the scent of any of these particular flowers, which was one of the things that intrigued me about this perfume, but which will make it difficult for me to describe! In the bottle: Hmm, not what I expected. Definitely floral, but definitely not a typical floral. There's a sort of "off" note, that verges on the unpleasant, like the scent of those orange and white florist lilies. But this is also very fresh and real. I can practically see the cut flowers in the vase. On me, wet: On my skin it is just a tiny bit sweeter, just enough to counteract the off note some. But it is not a sweet perfume. There's also a sense of greenness, like leaves, stems, or herbs. At 5 minutes: I like how the "off" note expresses the concept of the witch bride. This is not your traditional sweet and pretty, innocent sort of bridal bouquet. There's something darker, more grown-up, some ancient knowledge here. It isn't a scent I would choose for my wedding. But it might be perfect for a sophisticated party, when you want a floral perfume that is neither little-girly or old-ladyish. Or for a Beltane circle. At 10 minutes: No change. At 20 minutes: The off note has vanished, and it's all fresh, white, not-too-sweet flowers. There's more of a bridal mood now, but the absence of sweetness keeps it more mature. Like a bridal bouquet for an older bride. At 30 minutes: It has developed some serious strength and throw. Like a whole churchful of lush white blooms. And still so very fresh and real. It's perfect for a formal white wedding now. I wasn't sure how much I liked it before, but now it is really beautiful. At 45 minutes: Something a little sweeter is beginning to peek out. Probably a different flower, because this still smells like an all-floral perfume. Whatever it is, it makes this even more beautiful. And it is still not a sweet perfume. At 1 hour: So far all of the changes have been subtle. The throw is still all gorgeous, heavy, white flowers. But on my skin, the fragrance has undergone a more distinct transition - some perfuminess has joined in with the flowers. When I compare the scent on my skin to that in the bottle, I am surprised to find that the bottle scent is much sweeter. It didn't strike me as a particularly sweet scent when I smelled it in the bottle before. Apparently the skin scent must have moved even further away from sweetness. At 2 hours: The flowers are still there, but the perfume note is edging them out. I don't detect any frankincense, amber, or resin; just a blended, classy, designer perfume kind of scent. On my wrist, the fragrance is lighter, but the throw is still rich and heavy. At 5 hours: A scent of amber and frankincense with traces of the earlier flowers and perfume lingers, with a medium-to-light strength. Still quite lovely. Predominant Note(s): White flowers of a type I'm not familiar with. Based on other reviews, it is probably wisteria and/or narcissus. Character: Heavy, atypical, non-sweet white florals; sophisticated, formal 5 out of 6 stars

Bottle fresh from the Lab. I chose this especially for the black tea. I've been on a quest for an authentic scent of black tea for years. In the bottle: One thing I'm learning from testing BPAL fragrances is how different the same oil can smell not only on different people, but even in the bottle, to the same tester, at different times. Perhaps due to the temperature of the oil, whether it is settled or mixed, chemical changes in the tester, or even the tester's mood - a hundred different variables, most unknown. The first time I sniffed this, I picked up a very masculine vibe of realistic dead leaves in piles on a lawn, and faintly smoky and bitter tobacco leaves. I thought it was much too masculine for me to wear, but I'll try it anyway. A few days later, I sniffed it again after rolling the bottle to mix the oil. That time, I had an immediate reaction; a sense of something utterly familiar. It took only seconds to identify - the bitter scent of fresh green citrus leaves. This is going to be interesting! This time, I again pick up the bitter green citrus leaves. But as I continue to sniff, I also notice a classic-perfume background. On me, wet: The citrus leaves quickly yield to something I can't identify. It's perfumey, but with an acidic sourness that reminds me of lemon, but isn't lemon. And then the citrus leaves are back. At 5 minutes: Citrus leaves, perfume, and the not-quite-lemon. This is a very fresh and green scent, not like dead leaves at all, but fresh live ones. But too heavy in mood for a springtime fragrance. It's more of a year-round evergreen scent, like citrus leaves themselves. Warm, and - in spite of smelling like leaves that stay green all year - somehow especially suitable for fall and summer. The bitterness of the citrus leaves contributes to the fresh character, and is balanced by the perfumey note. This is so different and lovely. The citrus leaves note is dead-on accurate. At 10 minutes: The bitterness has toned down some, and the background perfuminess has gone pleasantly warm, dry, and powdery. At 20 minutes: The bitterness has continued to lighten up, but is still present. The classic-perfume note is gaining on the citrus leaves. At 30 minutes: Now pretty much all classic perfume. At 45 minutes: A hint of warm, rich, pipe tobacco has joined the perfume. At 1 hour: The tobacco has acquired the slight smokiness that I noticed in the bottle, and which may be an aspect of the tea note. There is still enough perfuminess to keep this on the feminine side, but it seems to be progressing towards a men's cologne. A surprising sharpness has suddenly appeared that is almost ozone, and which usually occurs as a top note in men's cologne. At 2 hours: The sharpness didn't last long in any great degree of strength, so this never made it all the way into men's cologne territory. But it did leave behind a note of coolness, balanced by the warm richness of the tobacco which is still there. And maybe a bit of black tea. The perfume note is still around, but right now it is hovering on the brink between a woman's perfume and a man's cologne. I could see it being perceived either way. I guess that makes this unisex, at this stage anyway. At 3 hours: Lighter, and the tobacco note is nearly gone. Now cool and definitely men's-cologne-like. At 4 hours: The cologne note lightened up enough to let the tobacco note through again, warming up the scent and making it more unisex. At 12 hours: The last faint trace smells like baby powder (usually the final drydown of white musk on me) with a hint of florals - perhaps unlisted things that were contributing anonymously to the perfume note earlier, coming out now that everything else is gone. Verdict: This was surprising! Not at all the ultra-masculine scent that I expected, both from the description and from my first whiff. And what happened to the dead leaves that I initially noticed? Blended invisibly into the other notes, apparently. Ditto for the black tea, which was barely present, if at all. I'm not too disappointed, though. I've never found a realistic black tea scent, so my expectations for that were very low. I may be too picky. As a lifelong drinker of all kinds of black teas - all day, every day, and usually freshly brewed by me - I have a very precise and exacting idea of what black tea smells like. Which may not be reproducible in a perfume. Predominant notes: Citrus leaves, perfume. Tobacco is present, but only late in drydown, and much weaker. Character: A real transformer. Fresh, green, and bitter at first; next like a classic women's perfume; later almost a men's cologne 5 out of 6 stars: Interesting, lovely, and very unusual

This review is primarily for the scent. I have already reviewed the hair gloss in detail in previous rewiews. Suffice to say that I love it. It gives a lovely sheen, but most important to me, it is an awesome detangler. Since they first came out with it, I wouldn't wash my hair without spraying some on before combing. Hmm, this is a most interesting fragrance. The notes blend together so seamlessly as to create something entirely new. When I sniff it without looking at the description, I can't identify any specific note. There is something oddly fruity that reminds me of pineapple, but it is too faint to really pin it down. After checking the list and sniffing for those notes, I can pick out the rose, vanilla, and cognac. But they are very subtle, especially the rose. I would not categorize this as a rose-based scent. That was a little disappointing, as I chose it for the rose note. But of course I should not expect rosewater to smell strongly. And this is a lovely fragrance. It is unique, interesting, and sweet. A little foody but not obnoxiously so. It doesn't make me smell like I have been drinking, either. I only get a pleasing cognac vibe if I look for it. I like this very much and am glad I purchased it. It makes a nice change from my mostly incensey glosses. Strength and longevity are both about average for a hair gloss. Prominent notes: None that stand out Character: Sweet, blended, unique, mildly foody 4.5 out of 6 stars

Bottle fresh from the Lab. In the bottle: The first thing I notice is butter, loud and clear and so realistic. Then butterscotch hard candies. Lastly, a whiff of something fruity that reminds me of strawberries and cream, although it is too vague for me to definitely identify the fruit as strawberry. On me, wet: I get a strong whiff of strawberries right at first, next a brief tour of all of the above-mentioned notes. Then it settles down into caramel strawberries. Super-foody. And every note is delicious. At 5 minutes: Some coconut has appeared. Of course - the ambrosia. At 10 minutes: Strawberries and cream. Some caramel, but less than before. (I'm guessing that note is really the honey.) With coconut on top. It's an ice-cream sundae! Lucky baby Jupiter! At 20 minutes: The caramel/butterscotch/honey note is beginning to take over. And something is turning into plastic. Fruit notes have a tendency to do that on me. At 30 minutes: The note that I perceived as caramel or butterscotch is now the main event, and has become more distinctly honey. Honey and cream, with some slightly-plastic strawberries and coconut in the background. At 45 minutes: Honey and coconut. The coconut is equal in strength to the honey now. At 1 hour: Mostly coconut, with honey. At 2 hours: Suntan lotion. In other words, creamy coconut. Sweetened with a little honey in the background. Significantly lighter now. At 3 hours: A whisper of coconut-scented plastic. At 4 hours: Gone for all practical purposes - just the faintest trace of coconut. At 12 hours: I thought this was gone eight hours ago, but to my astonishment, I still clearly smell coconut. It even still has a bit of throw! . . . And at 18 hours, I can still smell coconut. And now, the honey again, too. But no throw. I'm going to try not to wash it off, to see just how long it can last! At 20 hours: The coconut is all gone, and now it's a single note honey. Light, but as clear and realistic as can be. Verdict: This is way too foody for me to ever wear outside of my home. But I enjoy sniffing it. It is delicious, interesting, and fun. I'll wear it around the house sometimes, just for fun. Although it is pleasant at all times, it is at its best during the first 30 minutes when all of the notes are present and at their most realistic. Wearing it in a scent locket would allow that phase to last longer. Predominant notes: Honey (also smells like caramel or butterscotch), coconut Character: Ultra-foody, unisex, sweet 4 out of 6 stars

Goblin frimp fresh from the Trading Post in September 2018. It is labeled "Prototype" and must be a different formula than any of the previous reviews, even Little Bird's sample. I sprayed some on an air filter, where the fragrance lasted quite a while - 4 or 5 days. The first day, it was mostly hard cherry candy (which I'm guessing is supposed to be wine); with a hint of malt (ale, or maybe whiskey), and a solid backdrop of wood (oak barrels and wood floors). I detest the smell (and flavor) of beer and ale, but the malt that represents those here is something entirely different. It's like malted milk powder, the plain kind, not the chocolate. It's lovely - subtle, comforting, and not blatantly foody. I'm blissing out on the malt and oak, but those annoying cherry Lifesavers keep distracting me. The second day, the fruity note has aged and warmed. The jarring artificial cherry has transformed into a rich grape-y scent that is unmistakably wine. The beautiful malt and oak are unchanged. Overall, the fragrance is gorgeous, no longer foody, and stays that way from then on. I love this. It makes me feel happy. It's so cozy, warm, and comforting. The labbies have totally nailed the atmosphere of the main room of a country inn, somewhere in the British Isles, in the 1600's or 1700's, back when inns had thick hardwood floors and were none too scrupulous about cleanliness. This is decades - maybe centuries - of spilled wine and ale soaked permanently into scarred wooden tables and floors, and walls lined with oak barrels. I so hope the Trading Post will make this available in their general catalog! 6 out of 6 stars

Bottle fresh from the Lab. I knew this would be masculine, but I've been wishing for a bay scent because my name means bay laurel tree. In the bottle: Just what it says. Bay and iris, with a metallic edge. I can't distinguish between gold and steel. They smell alike to me. So I'll take Beth's word for it. It's a little on the men's-cologne side, but not aggressively so. There is something that warms it up a bit (that must be the gold) to tamp down the men's-cologne vibe. On me, wet: The herbal bay note is more prominent on me, and the overall scent is a little warmer and less floral. But it is still a cool fragrance. At 5 minutes: Up close, it has already gone quite light, but I can actually smell it better a few inches away. At 10 minutes: The iris is starting to come out more, and it is losing some of the cool metallic edge. At 20 minutes: It is growing more flowery, warmer, and less masculine and cologne-y all the time. At 30 minutes: No further change. All notes are present and accounted for at all times; only the emphasis changes slightly. The overall scent is stable and consistent. It is a smoothly blended fragrance that requires some concentration to distinguish the individual notes. At 1 hour: Very light, powdery iris. At 2 1/2 hours: Barely there. Just a faint whisper of iris powder. And a tinge of the cool metal is back. Verdict: Yes, it is a little too much like a men's cologne for me to really love it. Not so much that I wouldn't wear it, though. It's quite nice. And so light and cool. It would be great for hot weather. Most prominent note(s): Bay and iris Character: Mildly men's-cologne. Fresh: Green and Watery My rating: 4 out of 6 stars

Zdravetz is Bulgarian Geranium. It is green, woody, earthy, herbaceous, and slightly floral. Sometimes compared to rose geranium, but earthier. Lab frimp aged about 6 years. In the imp: Oil is clear, pale yellow. The fragrance is lime and lavender, with some oakmoss and a whisper of something dark, almost smoky. Maybe the zdravetz? On me, wet: It smells pretty much the same on me, just a little more floral. A little like new plastic. But I like this. It's light, bright, cool, feminine, and cheerful. At 5 minutes: No change. Definitely a complex, blended, perfumy kind of scent in which individual notes are difficult to tease out. At 10 minutes: Mostly the same, but slightly warmer and without the plastic. It's a little bit classic, a little bit different. At 30 minutes: Still the same. This one doesn't appear to be a morpher. At 1 hour: No further change in character, just weaker. At 2 hours: Almost completely gone. Verdict: Very pretty. This would be a good choice for work, since it is light, classic in mood, amd not overly floral or girly. I never did get any chocolate or peppermint, for which I am grateful. I don't care for foody perfumes, and especially not mint, which makes me smell like toothpaste. 5 out of 6 stars

Lab frimp aged about 6 years. In the imp: Oil is clear and a very pale yellow-green color, pretty! Like glow-in-the-dark color. The scent is 100% single-note lemon, and oh my! It's the real deal. I've never smelled anything like this from a bottle before. It's a just-cut lemon half, not a trace of furniture polish or hard candy. I can "see" the lemon halves there, seeds and membranes and all. It smells so real that I have an odd feeling of disconnect - why can't I feel or really see this lemon that I can clearly smell is right there? I'm not normally a fan of foody scents, or lemon in particular - that tendency to be Lemon Pledge or hard candy. But I've always thought I might like it if it smelled like an actual lemon. Well, here it is. Proof that it can be done. And it's absolutely fascinating. And lemon isn't even listed in the notes. I think Beth is toying with us! My sister says she gets a faint whiff of something else, maybe florals. Perhaps the white tea? That does have a rather floral character. But to my nose, there's only lemon. On me, wet: The same. At 10 minutes: Still 100% that amazing lemon. At 20 minutes: Ah, there's the flowery white tea. But just barely. The lemon is still the star of the show. The fragrance has already gone quite light. At 1 1/2 hours: For a while now, it has been about half lemon and half white tea, with a few bubbles of ginger ale. The ginger is not hot, sharp, or spicy as you might expect. It is barely there. I have to look for it in order to notice it at all. At this point, everything blends together very smoothly. It is sparkly, light, and bright, a classic feminine cologne type of scent. Verdict: This is very pretty as it is, but it would also be a great choice for a scent locket if I want it to be stronger and last longer. 5 out of 6 stars

Lab frimp aged about 6 years. I love the concept of this, and think the notes embody it well. And I love rose and amber; and like sandalwood very much. I'm excited to try it! In the imp: Clear brown oil with a salmon-colored tint. I smell only generic wood, which oddly has an extremely salty and vinegary character that makes me think of dill pickles. On me, wet: The same. At 5 minutes: The wood, salt, and vinegar have all fled, leaving behind an odd fragrance that is neither pleasant nor unpleasant, and which smells vaguely like dill. I don't think it is supposed to smell like this. The imp was stored in a cool, dark place, but nevertheless it appears to be past its "use by" date. What a shame. I'm sure I would have loved this. At 10 minutes: I've gotten an occasional faint and fleeting whiff of rose, but it is overpowered by the main vaguely dill scent. At 20 minutes: Rose is definitely present now. But the weird note - which is now more sour than dill - is still stronger. At 30 minutes: This is definitely a rose scent now. But the off note is sticking around, still with a hint of dill. At 1 hour: The same, but getting fainter. At 1 1/2 hours: The rose has faded away and the fragrance is mostly amber. With just a trace of the off note, I'm getting a glimpse of what this scent should be, and it is heartbreakingly beautiful. At 2 1/2 hours: The off note is completely gone now, leaving a very soft and pretty rose-and-amber powder. Later ETA: After reading the reviews, I notice that another reviewer mentioned dill pickles. So maybe my imp isn't deteriorated, maybe it just smells like that to some people. I know it's not my skin chemistry, because it smelled like that in the imp, before the oil touched my skin. But I've never gotten that from any of these notes before. Maybe there is something else in this that isn't listed? Curiouser and curiouser. I want to try another imp of it to see what happens, and I do have another one. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Take 2 - Different imp, also aged about 6 years I still get the dill note, but it is not nearly as strong, and it vanishes quickly. The scent is mostly wood for the first 15 minutes, after which the rose comes in and soon takes over. At 2 1/2 hours, I get the rose and amber fragrance I was hoping for, but by now the strength of it has faded considerably. At final drydown, it is a lovely single note amber, but faint. The amber is there, but never assertive enough to be a main note in this blend. Verdict: I do like this imp much better. It doesn't quite make my Favorites shortlist, because the rose note is less strong, less fresh, and less realistic than some of BPAL's other rose fragrances. Like dried rose petal potpourri rather than fresh blooms. So very pretty, though. Predominant Notes: Wood, rose Character: A morpher. Woody for a short time at first, then rose. 5 out of 6 stars

A meditation upon death. Inspired by William Cullen Bryant’s poem. A deep, solemn earthen scent containing pine, juniper and musk. Lab frimp aged about 6 years. In the imp: Oil is clear, dark brown. On sniffing, my first thought is eucalyptus. Or something similar - sharp and camphoraceous. Some kind of evergreen? On me, wet: Oops, I swiped this on without checking the notes first. And instantly realized my mistake. This has red or dark musk in it. The Snake Oil Kiss of Death. Which I absolutely cannot wear on my skin. My chemistry turns it into something completely different and nauseatingingly unpleasant. I've got to go wash it off. I'll try it again another time, in the scent locket and wearing gloves while handling it. Seriously. I can't let this come in contact with my skin AT ALL. I hope I haven't already ruined the whole sample by touching the oil.

Egyptian iris and olibanum with red and white sandalwood, myrrh, North African herbs Lab frimp aged about 6 years. In the imp: Clear, pale amber oil. A gorgeous floral scent, slightly herbal, with no notes I can identify. Almost aquatic, but not at all sharp. On me, wet: 9:56. Pm. Deeper and greener, less emphatically floral. At 5 minutes: I still can't pin down any notes, but this is incredibly beautiful. Very bright, cool, clean, and feminine in mood. As I keep sniffing, different layers of scent waft up. No incense (olibanum or sandalwood) so far - those are the only notes I'd recognize. At 10 minutes: It has already become very light on my wrist, but is the same gorgeous scent. At 20 minutes: I get a hint of sandalwood now, so light that it is more like powder than incense or even wood. Maybe the white sandalwood. It does inspire visions of a silky and pretty, pearly white powder. Otherwise the fragrance is still much the same. At 30 minutes: No further change. At 45 minutes: Lighter, very slightly woodier and warmer. At 1 1/2 hours: Quite faint, and all powder (but still pretty.) Verdict: This doesn't evoke Nefertiti, or even Egypt, to me. There's nothing of the grandeur, mystery, authority, or exoticism of that powerful Queen. Instead, it is a little girl in a grassy meadow filled with blooms. But it does have one thing in common with Nefertiti: both are stunningly gorgeous. After the first 10 minutes, it becomes quite light, so would be a good choice for wearing in public where some people may be sensitive to stronger scents. It needs more frequent reapplication than the average BPAL oil, more like a traditional cologne in longevity. 6 out of 6 stars

Imp fresh from the Lab. I ordered this because I was looking for a watery scent that was petrichor rather than a sharp note such as ozone. In the imp: Oil is clear and golden. Nice! Bright, green, aquatic but not sharp (yes!!), flowers accenting but not dominating. The green notes do mask the petrichor to some extent (as well as contributing to the classic-perfume vibe), but it is definitely there. On me, wet: Perfumey, greenery, magnolia and/or gardenia, bright, watery. Feminine, reminiscent of a classic perfume. At 5 minutes: Much the same, but lighter, less bright, more floral. Lovely. At 10 minutes: This was heavy at first, but is now already quite light. It still has a good throw. At 20 minutes: Very beautiful florals. They are going a little powdery, but that somehow enhances it even more, makes it softer. There are still green and watery notes as well. At 1 hour: Soft and powdery classic perfume. At 2 hours: The petrichor note I hoped for is still discernable, yay! After that, I went to bed, so I don't know how long it lasted. Probably not much longer, as it was pretty faint. Verdict: An easy scent to wear - classic, bright, feminine, and (after the first 10 or 15 minutes) light. It has a cooling mood that makes it great for warm weather. This does not morph or change, but stays consistent. And yes, it does have a petrichor-like aspect, which is confirmed by the dirt note some reviewers mentioned. Petrichor and florals, how lovely! 5 out of 6 stars

I'm really only reviewing the scent. The effect depends on the situation, a person's mood, expectations, beliefs, etc., so it would be different for everyone and even for one person at different times. But I can certainly use an oil to remind me of, and give me hope for, kindness. Can't we all? Bottle fresh from the Lab. In the bottle: Pretty much exactly what it says. The only note I don't get is jasmine. I don't notice the tartness I would expect from rose hips, but that could be blending in with the other rose elements. The myrtle is interesting, a savory herb note somewhat like bay leaf, in a blend of otherwise sweet things. On me, wet: It takes a minute to warm up. At first there is no scent. But the notes quickly come up, the same as in the bottle but lighter. Mostly rose, honey, and coconut, with that edging of savory herb. Still no jasmine that I can detect. At 5 minutes: The myrtle is stronger now, almost equal to the sweet scents. It's pleasant and so intriguing. Definitely not your typical rose perfume. At 10 minutes: The whole scent is suddenly much lighter, but the same in character. The throw is heavier on the rose, but not particularly heavy overall - medium. At 20 minutes: Rose has become the main event on my wrist as well now. Very lovely. At 30 minutes: Already, this has become a rosy baby powder. But still very lovely! And if I keep sniffing, I can still pick up the myrtle underneath. At 45 minutes: Same as above At 1 hour: The same scent, but softer. At 2 hours: Rosy baby powder with . . . Um, dill pickle? Must be the myrtle summoning up a last hurrah. It isn't unpleasant in the least, and certainly is interesting! After 3 hours: Soft rose baby powder. The herbal note is gone. At 7 hours: Still a presence on my wrist. And now it's a distinctly honey fragrance, backed up with a pleasant light powder. It's a surprise finish! Verdict on scent: A very pretty and somewhat unusual fragrance that is identifiably but not aggressively rose. Long-lasting, and consistent up to the surprise twist at the end. 5.5 out of 6 stars.

So, this has been QUITE the learning experience for me. After more than 10 years of wearing BPAL oils, I learned that my skin chemistry does HORRIBLE things to red musk. I absolutely cannot wear it on my skin or hair, or even touch it. I'm going to experiment with wearing it in a scent locket, handling it with kid gloves. Literally. Well, disposable surgical gloves anyway. So what happens that's so horrible? - It kills all the other notes in a scent. Totally wipes them out. Nuclear holocaust-type destruction. - It amps to 11. - It turns into Syrup of Ipecac, without the orange flavoring. Sickeningly, cloyingly sweet. I mean, literally nauseating. As in, I have to wash it off before I barf. It was a very familiar smell, one I've noticed in several BPAL oils. I thought it was just a note I disliked. It took this one to show me that it isn't supposed to smell like that. It turns out that has been the problem with Snake Oil all along. I knew I hated it, but thought it was the vanilla. But this has no vanilla, and smells EXACTLY the same on me as Snake Oil. (And I've recently discovered a couple of vanilla blends that I actually love.) Except for tolu, I knew all of the other notes in The Starry Crown smell beautiful on me, so it wasn't them. And the info on the internet about tolu says it is spicy, which I never got from this. Also, tolu is pretty rare in BPAL oil, and this was something I'd smelled many times before. Then it hit me: Snake Oil. This smells like Snake Oil. So I checked the reviews for Snake Oil to see what was in it. By now I was pretty sure it was the red musk that was the problem. (Actually, not red musk itself but what my skin does to it.) Bingo. Musk isn't listed in the description, but numerous reviewers mentioned it. And several said red musk specifically. I've never smelled or tested red musk, or any kind of musk, by itself. That's why it took me so long to figure it out. Especially when white musk is one of my favorite notes. For some reason, my skin doesn't seem to interfere with white musk. So obviously I need to avoid any blends that contain red musk. Or wear them only in the scent locket, handling them very carefully to prevent contaminating them with my skin chemicals. It's not this perfume, it's my skin that is the problem. I got some glimpses into what this SHOULD smell like. In the bottle, if I am very careful to touch only the outside of the bottle and cap and not get any oil on my skin, I get some lovely lavender, rose, and chamomile. And on my clothes, I got the most gorgeous draft of rose. Only once, and very briefly, but it showed me what this perfume is supposed to smell like. And undoubtedly does, on other people. Apparently my wrist touched my clothes and transferred some of the oil to them before it got changed by my skin chemicals. So I am interested in trying this out very carefully in the locket. And you know what? It might work for Snake Oil too. But I'll need a new imp of that one that isn't already contaminated with my skin chemicals. My bottle of Starry Crown might still be salvageable since I only touched it to my skin once. An interesting thing: My daughter also hates Snake Oil. Which was very surprising to both of us, since woods, resins, and incense scents - basically anything warm, nonfloral and non-foody - are her favorites. I'll bet she got my skin chemistry genes. I'd love to try Snake Oil in a scent locket on her too. (This one would be too floral for her.) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Take 2 (in a scent locket): In the bottle: This time I notice the cloying sweetness of red musk first, then lavender. There may be some chamomile, and there's a faint peppery note that must be the anise, although it doesn't smell like licorice. I'm not noticing any rose. I'm not sure I will like this even in the locket - that red musk note. The oil might be contaminated from the earlier contact with my skin. In the locket, wet: I'm liking it better, because the lavender is masking the musk to a significant extent. I'm not really getting anything else at this point. At 10 minutes: I've been enjoying the almost single note lavender, but now the musk has become distinct, equal to the lavender. It doesn't have that cloying, nauseating sweetness that musk gets on my skin. But I've smelled it that way so many times that the note has very unpleasant associations for me. So I'm not liking it so much now. The throw is still lovely, though, lavender with hints of complexity from other, more hidden, things. At 30 minutes: The red musk is sneaking into the throw as well now. I can kind of see how it could smell good to someone who doesn't have have the negative associations with it that I do. And that it pairs well with lavender. But I'm afraid it's too late for me. I'll probably never like even the unadulterated (by my skin) note. But fortunately the lavender is still dominant in the throw. At 1 hour: Half lavender and half red musk, both up close and in the throw. In the throw, especially, it smells like a lovely soap. At 2 hours: Pretty much all musk. There may be hints of leather and a touch of floral, but those are subtle and blended in. At 7 1/2 hours: Almost all musk, perhaps with an undertone of leather that blends in so smoothly it's hard to detect. The scent is much lighter, and appears to be fading out. I'm glad it is light, as the musk is now just too much like the nauseating note it acquires on my skin. I never did get any rose, which is the note I had hoped for. Maybe it needs the greater warmth of skin to bring it out. Or maybe it is just overwhelmed by all the strong musk. At 8 hours, I've had enough. I take the locket off, although the scent isn't gone yet. The red musk note has definitely turned, and is making me feel sick. I need to put on something light and floral to get that odor out of my nose and brain. Verdict: This is somewhat better in the scent locket. It's wearable in the early stages, but even then I don't especially like it. The musk is too strong and too reminiscent of the mess my skin turns it into. I wonder if the oil has already undergone chemical reactions from when I touched it to my skin before. But, when I sniff it in the bottle again, it smells nice. I don't get the unpleasantness. And there is something else weird going on. The longer I wear the locket, the more the scent morphs towards that nastiness that it turns into on my skin. Could it be that pheromones floating around in the air from my skin affect the oil in the scent locket even when it doesn't actually touch my skin? It would make sense - those molecules must float around in the air in order for other people to be affected by them as studies have shown they are. I think I just need to totally avoid anything with red musk in it. I do really like the lavender stage that this went through early on before the musk came out in full force. But I have some nice lavender oils for that scent, without the musk. Now I'm thinking that I would like to smell The Starry Crown on someone else. The descriptions in the other reviews sound so lovely and interesting . . .

I wanted this partly for the concept, but mostly for the rowan note. Rowan is my totem (yes, a tree not an animal) and I have never seen this note in anything before. I am so excited about this one! Floral perfumes are really more my thing, but I can enjoy wood ones too. I won't be able to differentiate between the different kinds of wood, but that doesn't matter. I'll know the Rowan is there! In the bottle: Ooh, I'm already loving this! It isn't all wood as I had expected. It's half wood and half vanilla with some golden amber, which I love almost as much as flowers. The vanilla and amber makes this sweeter, gentler, and more feminine than wood fragrances normally are. On me, wet: Just like in the bottle, absolutely gorgeous! At 5 minutes: There's definitely some vanilla, stronger than the wood, and an animalistic undertone that is the tiniest bit unpleasant to me - the musk that others have mentioned? At 10 minutes: The wood is coming on more strongly, and I really like that. It balances the sweetness of the amber and vanilla, and warms up the scent. At 15 minutes: The animalistic undertone has gone. The Wand started out beautiful, and just keeps getting better! At 30 minutes: Pretty much the same. A little woodier, a little lighter. At 45 minutes: Mostly vanilla, with some powdery amber and a little wood. Amber always goes powdery on my skin, in the nicest possible way. At 1 hour: Same as above. At 3 hours: Some vanilla, mostly plastic. After 5 hours: The plastic and vanilla are gone. All that remains is the soft, pretty powder of amber's final drydown. Verdict: A very lovely, consistent and fairly feminine vanilla perfume with light touch of wood. The Lab has surprised me again! I hate vanilla perfumes. But this is the second one that has made it onto my "Favorites" list. The secret to that is that they are not at all foody. 5 out of 6 stars. If there was a little less vanilla and more amber, it might have been a 6. Especially if there was a lot of rowan.

Decant from a lovely forumite. In the imp: The oil is clear and a pinkish light brown. It smells like spice and patchouli, with a sharp, sweet, light, bright edge. This is darker than I would associate with The Fool. I see it more as Aragorn, in his Strider role. Even the light and brightness isn't warm or comforting. It is the cold and dangerous brilliance of glacial ice. Light that can blind you and bite off your nose and toes if you aren't careful. But it can also show you the way forward. It does fit the concept of The Stranger. Which of course is a face of the Fool. It isn't who he is, but how the people of the villages he visits might see him. We know that he is young, adventurous, naive, a little reckless, a little foolish, more carefree than is good for him. But they don't know that. As with Strider, they see him as dark, mysterious, and possibly menacing. And maybe there is a small and hidden part of him that is those things. On me, wet: I smell the same notes as in the bottle, but others as well. Some greenness - maybe the oak moss? The scent quickly warms up and loses that light bright aspect. I don't notice any florals. It is unisex to masculine. At 5 minutes: Pretty much the same. A hint of mystery floral may be starting to develop. At 10 minutes: It is very sweet, with that cloying sweetness that certain kinds of patchouli have. The florals are getting stronger and contributing to the sweetness as well. But I have to work to recognize them as floral - that note is more like soap. Clove is the strongest note. At 20 minutes: The soapy florals are becoming strong enough to compete with the clove and patchouli. I'm starting to recognize a little violet. It goes surprisingly well with the clove. At 30 minutes: The patchouli has settled down quite a bit, and I'm liking this more than previously. I have nothing against patch, but this one isn't my favorite kind. I'm finally getting that sense of purple that others mentioned. It's almost fruity, but not quite. Much less sweet now, too. And the soapiness is mostly gone. At 45 minutes: Much gentler now, in both character and throw. The notes are blending together so nicely. It is difficult to pick out individual notes, except for clove. But even that is mellowing. At 1 hour: I can just barely pick out some spice and patchouli in the throw, with a tint of violet. But it takes some effort. Mostly it's a well blended Oriental spice-and-incense unisex perfume. At 1 1/2 hours: Quite mild now. At 4 hours: It actually seems a little stronger now than last time I checked. For a while, it went powdery - like a spicy-scented powder. Now it has lost the powder and gone to a men's spicy cologne. The last thing I would have expected on final drydown! 11 hours later, I can still smell it very faintly on my wrist, and stronger on my clothing. Verdict: The Stranger is powerful, probably not something you'd want to wear to the office unless you work in a cannibis store. It is basically unisex, maybe leaning just a tiny bit towards the masculine, but in an incensey way, not in a men's-cologne way. It's not really me (I was hoping for more of a violet and lilac presence), but It is nice enough. It will be pleasant to wear from time to time when I'm in the mood for something different. 3 out of 6 stars

Decant from a lovely forumite. The oil is clear and light yellow in color. Oh. My. God. One whiff of the imp, and I immediately ordered a bottle even though I have already exceeded my BPAL budget for the month. I would order 10 bottles if I could. Seriously. This is going to be a short review because I am stunned speechless. It is indescribably beautiful, beyond gorgeous. It is my new absolute top favorite, a slot Rose has held uncontested for decades. There's really nothing else that can be said for except for how long it lasts and how well it holds up on my skin. On me, wet: The same as in the imp. At 15 minutes: The scent is the teensiest bit less fresh and less strong, but still heavenly beyond words. It is a strong perfume, both up close and in the throw. Which is awesome, because it is impossible to get too much of this. It's sweet, and the epitome of girly. At one hour, it is already going plastic. No problem. I can reapply or wear it in the scent locket to make it last longer. But for now, since I am testing, I'll leave it alone to see what happens next. After another couple of hours, the plastic wears off to leave me with the gorgeous floral scent again, only powdery and very subtle now. By 4 hours, it is mostly gone. But a very faint trace still remains and retains its gorgeous character 8 hours after application. Verdict: 6 out of 6 stars, of course!

Bottle freshly purchased from BPAL on Etsy, probably about 6 years old. Well, one advantage to my bottle being so aged is that the lemon note is probably gone from it. I'm not a fan of citrus in perfumes and would prefer a true wild rose single note. In the bottle: No such luck. This is rose and Lemon Pledge, emphasis on the furniture polish. Hopefully my skin will make short work of that. On me, wet. 10:09 pm: I smell rose right at first, but the Lemon Pledge marches up and shoves it aside almost immediately. At 5 minutes: I'm trying not to think about Pledge, to think instead about my lovely lemon-rose geranium plant. But it's not working. The Lemon Pledge is just too realistic and too strong. And the rose note is too thoroughly overwhelmed. At 10 minutes: Whew, the lemon has lightened up to let some of the rose come out again. It's considerably nicer, but still more lemony than I would prefer. At 15 minutes: Continuing to improve. The rose and lemon are about equal now. Which could be rather pretty, but the lemon is just too much like Pledge rather than fresh lemon. At 20 minutes: I'm not getting much of a green note, if any - the lemon is just too overpowering. The fragrance isn't particularly sweet. The rose note that I smelled in the bottle and right at first was very real and lovely, but it's different now. Not so realistic and with a skanky edge. That might be the Pledge influence. I doubt that it's my skin chemistry, because rose is always beautiful on me in other blends. At 30 minutes: As the lemon fades more - it finally is lighter than the rose - the rose note is edging closer to the beautiful original note. But hasn't made it there. That might be intentional, to make the scent more like a wild rose and less like a hybrid tea rose. At 45 minutes: For several minutes there, it got quite pretty, with just a touch of the skanky lemon around the edges. But now the rose note has begun to fade and the lemon is turning plastic-ish. At 1 hour: It's all plastic. No recognizable rose OR lemon. That IS my skin chemistry. This might work best in the scent locket. But that worries me - it might stay all Lemon Pledge in the locket. Well, I won't know unless I try. Verdict: I'm ambivalent about this one. I love the rose, but it has so little presence in this blend. It appeared only rarely and usually in adulterated form even when it did appear. I don't like the lemon. It is too artificial and too strong. So, maybe 4 1/2 stars out of 6.