Ghost of a Rose

Frimp fresh from the Lab. This isn't something I would have selected. I detest licorice, and naturally I don't like absinthe either. But I'll try anything once. (Or even several times, in the case of absinthe.) I was offered a sample of licorice fudge once from a booth at an artisanal cheese festival. It had three kinds of licorice flavors in it, and no chocolate. To my utter surprise, it was exquisitely delicious! The maker of it told me that almost everyone says they hate licorice, but love the fudge. And I love anise in cakes and cookies, and in Indian spice mixes. And fennel seed in Italian sausage. And fresh fennel cooked in soups or raw in salads. So, I'm game for this too. It wouldn't be the first time Beth has surprised me. In the imp: Yep. 100% black licorice. A dead ringer for the kids' Halloween candy. I couldn't stand it even when I was a kid. On me, wet: This is different than in the vial. I could swear there are florals in it, and they are as prominent as the licorice. Who'd think to pair those scents up? But it works rather beautifully! The florals really lighten up the bitterness of the licorice, and make it . . . maybe even pleasant. At 5 minutes: The licorice has already faded noticeably, and now there's a green herbal note that must be the hyssop. I love the reference to the color green, and that particular choice of herb is so perfectly fitting! At 10 minutes: I'm kinda liking this. The overall character is of a very unusual and not-too-sweet floral perfume, with a light accent of licorice, not enough to be obnoxious. Just enough to make it interesting. At 15 minutes: The florals or whatever that is, are vanishing. Which means we're back to licorice, but not solely. There are things I don't recognize in it that keep the licorice under control. The hyssop, probably, and maybe the wormwood as well? I have no idea what wormwood tastes/smells like. I've heard that it is bitter. I never noticed anything but licorice in the absinthe I've tried, although at least twice I know it was true absinthe which includes the wormwood. At 30 minutes: The fragrance is weaker. It's almost all licorice again now, but faint enough that it is mild and inoffensive. Interesting rather than unpleasant. At 1 hour: I can pick up the tiniest bit of lemon. Usually citrus are top notes that disappear very quickly on me, how interesting that it shows up now. I think the licorice had to fade a lot before the lighter lemon could be detected. Like the earlier notes, it offsets and balances the licorice to make it more pleasant. The overall fragrance is very light and close to the skin. By 1 1/2 hours, it is mostly gone. But 4 hours later, there is still the faintest trace left. It no longer smells like licorice, or any of BPAL's usual final drydown notes - none of those are in this blend. There is nothing I can identify, but it is very soft and pretty, a little powdery. I never did notice any mint or cardomom. I'm glad about the mint, as I don't like smelling like toothpaste. I'm sad to miss out on the cardomom, though. I think that would go very nicely with the anise. Maybe that's why I didn't notice it, because they blended together so well. Funny thing about the mint: Whenever I opened the shipping box, the interior smelled strongly of minty toothpaste. I was kinda dreading testing whichever oil was doing that. It had to have been this one. None of the other fragrances had any mint in them. And when I sniff the paper label on the imp, I get licorice and mint in almost equal strengths. How odd that the mint in the closed imp (which did not leak) could permeate the whole box and overpower all the other notes in all the other blends, yet I could not detect it in the actual perfume! It's not an effect of skin chemistry, either - or not solely, anyway - because I didn't pick up any mint in the open vial or on the wand. Verdict: It isn't going to make my shortlist of favorites, no surprise there. But I do like it. I won't wear it out in public. I don't want to go around smelling like candy, and certainly not like one that I, and many other people, hate. But it will be perfect for wearing around the house when I get tired of being in the same old rut and have a hankering for something really different. Or when I'm reading Oscar Wilde or Paul Verlaine. 4 out of 6 stars

2007 bottle newly purchased from BPAL on etsy. In the bottle: Rose, violet, patchouli. Very sweet. On me, wet: Even sweeter on me. Rose, mixed florals, a note of green (the woodruff and leaves?), a whisper of lemon. The rose is more understated here than in most rose blends, blended in, a face in the crowd. At 5 minutes: The rose, lemon, and patchouli have come out more strongly, but this is still a light scent (in terms of strength and throw.) In character, it is darker than most floral perfumes, perhaps due to the patchouli. That is the longing in this, I think. At 10 minutes: I'm still getting those three notes, but now also a little jasmine and some woodiness. At 20 minutes: The scent is no longer sweet. Odd, given the honey and all those florals. Rose is the front runner, but the other florals and the lemon are running closely behind. The rose is more assertive in the throw. At 30 minutes: None of the notes are particularly strong, and this has been the case all along. Except for the rose, I have to work to pick them out. And the rose is only slightly more distinct. Even the notes that tend to be aggressive, such as patchouli and jasmine, are low-key in this oil. At 45 minutes: I'm picking up on the green note and the lemon, supporting the rose. This is a very consistent scent so far. Except for losing the sweetness, it has changed very little. All the different notes I've mentioned are just me noticing different things at different times. At 1 hour: Soft rose. You can tell there are other things in there, but I cannot identify anything specifically at this stage. At 2 hours: Patchouli and wood have overtaken the rose, but rose is still a contender. At 3 hours: Baby powder, as many BPAL oils go on my skin at final drydown, including rose notes. This is an observation, not a complaint, as it is quite pleasant. Verdict: This would be a great rose blend for wearing to work, because it is complex and sophisticated, and not so girly or strong or sweet or "dressy" as many rosy perfumes are. 5 out of 6 stars

All those beautiful notes, and my bar didn't smell like any of them. Just plain unscented soap. Both when I unwrapped the bar and sniffed it, and when I washed with it. Was it the batch I got, or was my nose malfunctioning? I hope that the scent will come out when I get deeper into the soap. I've only used it once so far.

According to the internet, Ego Flos Campi et Lillium Convallium is Latin for "I am a rose of Sharon and a lily of the valleys". It is from the second chapter of The Song of Solomon and has inspired numerous musical interpretations. It's almost as if Beth is also foreshadowing The Lovers with this. I love the concept of this, and I adore floral perfumes, so I'm looking forward to trying it. I'm not sure I remember the scent of lilies of the valley by themselves. I don't know what Rose of Sharon smells like. Fresh bottle from a BPAL retailer. In the bottle: Realistic flowers, with that faint edge of bitterness that you get from some very fresh cut flowers. It may be the lily of the valley, because it is very familiar, and I don't get any type of rose note that I recognize. On me, wet: The same. After a minute, I do get a single whiff of rose, but it is gone as quickly as it appeared. It leaves behind a floral note I can't identify. After 10 minutes: This has become a more blended scent, and I no longer recognize any flower that I know. At 20 minutes: Something in this is vaguely reminiscent of orange blossom, but I don't know why. It certainly isn't orange blossom. It's quite beautiful. Heavenly, in both senses of the word. At 40 minutes, it's going a little powdery, but I don't mind. It still retains its own character, too. At 2 hours: The scent on my wrist is pretty much gone. Verdict: A beautiful and somewhat different floral perfume. 6 out of 6 stars Later edited to add: I don't read the other reviews until after I've written mine so that I won't be influenced by them. So when I did, I was intrigued to see that another reviewer also mentioned a similarity to orange blossom, especially because I had wondered if I was imagining things!

Fresh imp from a BPAL retailer. In the imp: I notice the floral first, then the honey, with some sharper-than-usual frankincense underlying it all. And something almost peppery. On me, wet: Ooh, I really love the asphodel. I haven't smelled that before. Something in this is making me think of mint, or menthol. Maybe the same thing that seemed sharp and peppery? At 5 minutes: Whatever that sharpness/pepper was, it's gone. There's still something vaguely minty, though. Mostly I get asphodel and honey. It's unusual and pretty, but fairly light already. I don't notice any frankincense. At 10 minutes: Aha, there's the serious honey. It smells different than the one in my beloved Honey Hair Gloss, but it is nice. The flower is taking a back seat. I like all of it except for that odd mint. Fortunately it is quite faint. Maybe that's something my skin chemistry is doing. At 30 minutes: Honey and asphodel. Very pretty and girly. I'm starting to get some light incense in the background. The mint seems to be gone now. This just keeps on getting better and better. After 1 hour: This honey is super realistic, even more than the hair gloss one. The flowers are fading. I'm sad to see them go, but loving the honey too. After 3 hours: It's been all honey pretty much since the 1-hour mark. Still hanging in there, still beautiful. At 13 hours, I can still faintly smell the honey on my wrist. Verdict: The frankincense plays only a very small part in this oil. I don't entirely get how this blend represents The Magician, whether the archetype, the picture, or the interpretation of the card. To my mind, the scent evokes the image of a sweet and innocent little girl. There is an "As above, so below" connection: the Magician's arms, one pointing up and the other down; the asphodel of the underworld and honeybees flying in the air above. But never mind, it's a beautiful fragrance! 6 out of 6 stars

Fresh bottle from a BPAL retailer. In the bottle: Sweet. Some lovely rose, a little bit of incense in the cap. Then in the bottle, a strong wave of almond extract and extreme sweetness that probably includes the vanilla-like aspect of benzoin. On me, wet: Much like in the bottle. All almond at first, then very quickly a bit of incense mingled with rose starts to swim up through the almond. At 5 minutes: The almond has become less aggressive - less strong, less sweet, and less like extract, more like the nuts. This allows the incense to take on a bigger role. The rose is discernable, but keeps to the background. At 10 minutes: On my wrist, it's virtually all incense now, but the throw is a beautiful rose. Very interesting! The sweetness is mostly gone, and the almond extract with it. Just a hint of nuttiness remains, and maybe a teeny drop of vanilla. At 20 minutes: Incense with a bit of rose, and a papery note that I get from benzoin on the drydown. The rose is still prevalent in the throw. At 30 minutes: Still mostly incense, but I can pick up a liitle rose and vanilla as well. And a little bit of a spicy bite. I wondered if that could be the balsam finally showing up, but there's none of the sharpness that I associate with balsam. More likely it's coming from the frankincense. The throw has lightened up quite a bit, and is showing some incense, but is still mostly rose. At 45 minutes: It's already edging towards the baby powder scent I get from many BPAL oils at their last gasp. With some rose. It's a very pleasant scent - this is not a criticism, just an observation. At 1 hour: It has faded noticeably in the past 15 minutes. But I can still smell a little benzoin, rose, and incense along with the baby powder. As an aside, I had put a drop of benzoin oil on my other wrist, to help me recognize that note in this blend. At this stage particularly, I am really loving the combined scent of both my wrists held together! Last night I put The Magician's Belt on right before bed, and could still smell it in the morning. It seems to be fading a lot more quickly today. How odd, and interesting! Maybe how active I am makes a difference? At 1 1/2 hours: I notice just a hint of cinnamon in the throw. Probably from the benzoin. That must be the faint "spicy bite" I picked up earlier on my wrist. Everything else is the same. At 3 hours: The scent is still hanging in there. It's baby powder, vanilla, and incense at this stage, and in that order of strength. It was still discernible, but weak, several hours later. Verdict: This is primarily a rose-and-incense scent, interesting and lovely. It would be excellent for someone who prefers rose blended with other notes rather than straight up. Or for someone who loves rose for when they don't want to come across as overly girly, such as at work. As for me, I adore any fragrance that has any detectable rose component, so of course it's a win for me! 5 out of 6 stars

Frimp from a BPAL retailer. In the imp: Lovely! Vanilla, but not too foody. With spices and incense. On me, wet: A flowery vanilla, about half and half. I can also pick up the musk. With spice and incense in the background. At 5 minutes: This is totally surprising me. Vanilla is my death note, but I love this! The equally strong carnation keeps it from being foody, and all the other notes - I am getting them all! - make it interesting. At 10 minutes, the carnation is winning over the vanilla. This is so smooth. Every note in this loves every other note. Creamy, too. Catch me before I swoon! At 15 minutes: I spoke too soon. Or maybe they just get along so well that they are politely taking turns. It's vanilla's turn now. I'm swooning. At 30 minutes: Carnation is now in the background, and the vanilla is lighter, but still the main event. Musk is coming out for a turn, though. At 1 hour: I am reminded of a delicious creamy rice pudding with cinnamon sprinkled on top. But there is enough musk and incense on the side to prevent this from being a foody scent overall. At 2 hours: Faded some, but still vanilla with a touch of floral, musk, spice, and incense. It has gone a little powdery, as musk always does eventually on my skin, but I don't mind a bit because it is such a beautiful powder. After 4 or 5 hours, it dies down to a soft baby powder with just a trace of vanilla lingering. Verdict: I'm gobsmacked! I hate vanilla! Vanilla in perfumes is one of my pet peeves! But here is an emphatically vanillic perfume that has made it to my shortlisted favorites list. It goes to show, there really is no such thing as a death note. Beth can always surprise us! I tried this immediately after Silk Road - Resurrected in order to compare the two, because so many people mentioned this in their reviews of both versions of Silk Road. This one is by far my favorite, but really they are so different it's like comparing apples and oranges. This is vanilla, Silk Road is cinnamon. My conclusion is that I am glad to have both! All three, actually. Because there's also Baghdad, which is orange (mandarin and bergamot.). The florals are different, too: Morocco is carnation, Silk Road is magnolia (champaca), and Baghdad is Bulgar rose. All three have Middle Eastern spices and incense. Morocco is unexpectedly soft, gentle, and feminine. It's a harem, rather than a bazaar full of men doing business and smoking hookahs. Baghdad evokes the sense of place best, for me. I think it's the orange notes. 6 out of 6 stars

Imp fresh from the Lab. If I tried the original, I didn't write a rewiew. In the imp: Cinnamon and floral. It's an odd pairing, they don't seem to go together, but fight with each other. This will be interesting. I actually noticed the floral first and stronger. It smells like Magnolia, so yep, gotta be Champaca. My fingertips smell like magnolia (from the cap) without a trace of cinnamon. Interesting that everyone else got a fiery dose of red hots, while to my nose (or with my batch) it's more magnolia. On me, wet: At first, it's just strange. Like nothing I recognize, and not entirely pleasant. I think it's that odd pairing of cinnamon and magnolia, but blended now. Still not a happy couple. Cinnamon and rose makes sense (think baclava), and there may be some Bulgar rose in this too. But cinnamon and magnolia is an odd couple. At 5 minutes: It's already quite light, or maybe just hasn't warmed up enough yet to come out. The cinnamon is strong enough now to identify, but the stronger note is that odd blending. I'm concerned that it might be too light to pick out notes. I put on the same amount I always do, upended the vial tightly against my skin. I think it's equivalent to about one drop. I'm tempted to put on more. But my skin is sometimes sensitive to cinnamon, so I don't dare. At 10 minutes, it is very faint. I'm going to put on more and start over. What I do catch is the cinnamon and magnolia sorting themselves out. Separating. It's nicer. Redo, using two drops: Now that I can smell it much better, I'm picking up some woodiness. Otherwise it is the same scent. The wood helps to pull the two discordant notes together. At 5 minutes: Again, it lightened up quickly. How odd. Again, I can barely smell it. My skin is just devouring this. That's never happened before. I think I may have to test it in a scent locket. But for now I want to just wait and see what happens. At 10 minutes: My skin is starting to burn. Uh-oh. I shouldn't have put more on. I can smell the lovely magnolia champaca on my fingertips better than I can smell the complex scent on my wrist. (I tend to think magnolia because I'm more familiar with that than champaca. But champaca is a species of magnolia anyway, so either name will do.) At 15 minutes: Although it is faint on my wrist, the throw is plenty strong, after putting so much on. I'd better stay home for a while. Both the cinnamon and the champaca are evident in the throw. All of this is so weird. My skin chemistry is obviously seriously messing with this oil. My skin still feels tingly but isn't reddened. At 30 minutes: Still very light on my wrist, but now it's a nice warm cinnamon and wood scent. The throw is mostly magnolia with some cinnamon. It is beautiful both ways. I touched my face with my scented fingertips and now that spot is burning. (My facial skin is even more sensitive.) I will have to be careful with this one. Maybe confine it to the locket. At 1 hour: With the cinnamon note faded, and the magnolia note gone from my wrist, I'm picking up a little ginger and maybe some black tea. The wood might be sandalwood. And perhaps there's some frankincense. At 2 hours: It's very light and very complex. All mixed together now, so it's hard to tease out any individual notes except for some wood and light cinnamon. At 4 hours: Nothing specifically identifable now, just a gentle breath of spice and incense. A little oriental-perfume-ish, a little powdery. Very pretty. I just went out to the mailbox, and a new order has arrived. With a frimp of Morocco! How fateful is that? Now I can compare them. Verdict: Well, it was sometimes a rocky road, but we got there. And smelled some pretty and interesting things along the way. I'll let this age a little, to marry the notes more, and hope for a change in my skin chemistry. I'll try it again this winter. It would be a great warming winter scent anyway. And I also want to try it in the scent locket. 4 stars out of 6

Imp fresh from the Lab. In the Imp: (Without looking at the notes) First there is a wave of orange. I'm not a fan of orange. I don't dislike it, just find it boring. In perfumes, it is often too sharp, giving the blend a men's-cologne vibe. And I'm strongly averse to foody perfumes. But there is something different about this one. It's not orange juice at all. I'm intrigued - what is it? And this isn't either foody or men's cologne in the least. It's warm and spicy and floral as well as orangey. Really very pretty. Something is tickling around the edges of my brain. There's something familiar about this. It's. . . it's. . . something syrupy. And nasty. Oh no!! Lalalalala, I'm not listening. But it's like trying not to think of an elephant. The elephant bursts in, loud and clear. Syrup of Ipecac! No. No. No. This is so beautiful. The lovely flowers and exotic warm spices and that unusual orange. Not ipecac at all. But the thing is . . it sort of is. It's not exactly the same, but there is a definite family resemblance. Which I can't stop smelling now that I've noticed it. I look at the notes. Ah, mandarin and bergamot, not orange. That explains a lot. I've always greatly preferred any of the tangerine varieties to oranges. And every single note in this is something I love. No wonder I got it. I've just got to stop thinking about you-know-what and give this a chance. On me, wet: No floral. Lots of mandarin orange and spice and amber. The orange note is more fresh-smelling than in the the bottle. And you-know-what. No, no. Shut up, brain. At 5 minutes: The orange is already fading significantly, which helps to move the scent farther away from you-know-what. But it's still a bit cloying like the YKW. The amber is amping up. At 10 minutes: It's mainly spice and amber now. Less cloying. If I first smelled it at this point, I probably never would have thought of the you-know-what. But having made the connection, I can still smell it in this. At 20 minutes: I'm beginning to catch some rose now, and noticing the sandalwood more. And the citrus notes are almost completely gone. It's nothing like ipecac now (so I guess I can say it now.) But the scent memory of that still lingers in my brain. Go away and let me sniff this pretty fragrance in peace! At 30 minutes: A lovely soft amber, rose, and sandalwood. And perhaps some white musk. This has completely transformed! There's just a whisper of the citrus left in the throw, none on my wrist. At 45 minutes: The same, except that all traces of citrus are gone now. It has gone dry and powdery in the most beautiful way. Hardly surprising, as all four of these notes do that on me. But it's not a bad thing, not generic baby powder. It's an elegant and expensive powder from the 1920's or 1930's. At 1 hour: The scent has lightened up significantly in the last 15 minutes, letting a tiny bit of spice and citrus back through. At 2 1/2 hours: No further change. The amber, rose, sandalwood, and musk are still predominant. Verdict: This is a lovely perfume. The orangey notes really complement the spices and incense. And it is a vivid interpretation of the place it represents. It's a crying shame that my memory associates the scent with something so unpleasant. Fortunately syrup of ipecac is no longer used or considered safe, so hopefully most people haven't smelled or tasted it and can fully appreciate this oil. And it gets even better on drydown. As for me, I will hang on to the imp. The citrus notes will gentle with age. And maybe the next time I try it, I won't remember ipecac. The way my memory is going, there's a good chance of that! And meanwhile I will keep an eye out for a blend that is amber, rose, musk, and sandalwood. My rating: 4 out of 6 stars

Imp fresh from the Lab. In the imp: Hmm, did I get the right oil? Mine seems very different from the description and the other reviews. It does fit the theme of a little girl's tears in the snow, though. And is indeed very light and beautiful. To me, it is intensely watery. Ozone. Sharp, but less sharp than ozone usually is. Which keeps it - just barely - from veering into men's-cologne territory. There's an impression of a floral, but a mystery one that I can't identity, which makes sense. It's like a classic cologne, a very pure and innocent-smelling one. So interesting. On me, wet: Pretty much the same, but a bit deeper and darker for some reason I can't explain. It must be the earthiness that a previous reviewer mentioned, and that the description called darkly rooty. After 5 minutes: Most of the strength, the sharpness, and all of the earthiness flew away almost instantly. Af 10 minutes: Now all of the sharpness is gone as well, when I sniff right up to my wrist. But there's still some in the sillage. Up close, it is a soft powdery floral with hints of aquatic and green things. And indescribably beautiful. At 20 minutes, the sharpness has left the sillage too, and the impression of water has mostly disappeared from my wrist. Without those, it is less cologne-like. It's very soft, very light and powdery in the most heavenly way. Now it does resemble the other descriptions. At 30 minutes: Same as above. This doesn't smell at all like rose to me, or any other flower I can identify. (I don't know what peony smells like.) But it is unquestionably floral. Simply stunning. At 1 hour: No further change. I was surprised to notice that there is still a whisper of ozone in the arm's-length throw. At 2 hours: Very faint now, basically gone. At 4 hours: I was surprised to discover that a trace of scent still lingers on my wrist. Even more surprising, is that a bit of the sharp note has returned to give it a cologne-type character again. Verdict: I might want to wear this in the scent locket to make it last longer. But since the early aquatic top notes and the soft powdery drydown scent are so different, I'll put it on my wrist as well. Because this is spectacularly beautiful at every stage. My rating: Well, obviously. 6 out of 6. Not just a shortlist favorite, maybe even my top favorite perfume ever. I'm kicking myself for not getting a bottle. But I have so many floral scents already. How could I have known this one would be so stunning and unusual? I looked up Black Hellebore on the internet. It actually has white, sometimes pink, flowers, and may be called black for the unusual color of its roots. It blooms in the depth of winter. The whole plant is gorgeous, with the black roots contrasting beautifully with the green leaves and pink and white flowers in a drawing on Wickipedia. So Beth's scent-interpretation is right-on as always!

Bottle fresh from the Lab. I don't know what any of these flowers smell like by themselves, so my review will have to be very general. I have daffodils, tulips, and crocuses in my yard but have never noticed any fragrance from them. Maybe there aren't enough, or maybe I need to get more up-close and personal with them when they bloom again! I definitely will recognize the amber, though, if it comes through on my skin. It's one of my favorite notes. I also love pretty much any floral scent. So this should be an easy win for me. In the bottle: All floral, but noticeably not the usual culprits. This is much less sweet than floral perfumes usually are. On me, wet: The floral aspect is the same as in the bottle. I can smell a bit of the amber as well. adding warmth to the blend. At 5 minutes: I do like this very much, although not quite as much as the sweeter, more girly, and more typically flowery scents. After 1 1/2 hours: Mostly the same, except that it has sweetend up a little. That also must be the influence of the amber, although the actual note of amber is hidden underneath the florals now. At 5 1/2 hours: The scent lingers very softly. It is primarily the amber now, in its familiar final drydown aspect of a pretty baby powder, but touched lightly with the flowers from earlier. Verdict: This blend is stable, not a morpher. It would be a good choice for when you want an unusual floral perfume, or one that doesn't shout "girly", such as for work. 5 out of 6 stars

Imp fresh from the Lab. In the imp: Strong florals with a mildly sharp green note (the galbanum, no doubt) On me, wet: Very strong, realistic, florals. I'm swooning. This is exactly the kind of perfume I adore. The green galbanum is there, but stays slightly to the background. At 5 minutes: The fragrance is the same, but has settled down a bit. I can't tell the difference between lilac and lily of the valley, so I don't know which one I'm smelling. Maybe both. (Hey, I'm from Phoenix, what do I know? All those gorgeous flowers that everyone else in the northern hemisphere have in their gardens don't grow in the desert heat. Maybe that's why I love floral perfumes so much - scents that I missed out on most of my life!) At 10 minutes: All fresh flowers with their green stems. At 15 minutes: It's a soap scent, but doesn't smell soapy. I mean, a scent that is commonly used in fine soaps. Softer now, about what you'd expect in a freshly applied perfume. No longer super strong. So beautiful! At 45 minutes: I feel Ike I've been walking around in a cloud of beauty. Even my clothes smell heavenly. The scent on my wrist has continued to lighten up. It's still all florals in the throw and at first, but if I continue sniffing right up close, there's something else too now. Probably the dragon's blood. Or maybe the drydown of the galbanum. It's difficult to separate it out from the flowers. At 1 hour: No change. This oil makes me so happy! Like leisurely and meditatively exploring an amazing garden. At 2 hours: The throw is still very floral, but less so on my wrist. There, notes of incense and resin are now full participants together with the flowers. At 3 hours: Back to all flowers. 15 hours later, I can still smell it faintly on my wrist, still the same scent. Verdict: Dragon's Eye stays pretty consistent. The changes I've mentioned are subtle ones. The only significant change is in the strength. As for my rating, this one's a no-brainer. 6 out of 6 stars.

Bottle fresh from the lab. In the bottle: Lavender and lychee. It's a lovely combo! Wouldn't that make an amazing dessert? I'm thinking of one my mom used to make, something between a cake and a cobbler, a sheet cake with islands of fruity pudding-like filling. It would be perfect for this flavor combo. On me, wet: Mostly the lavender. It's the kind I love, that made me fall in love with lavender all those years ago. Old-fashioned and gentle, not the sharp medicinal kind. At 5 minutes: Where's that lychee I smelled in the bottle? The lavender is great, but I already have plenty of lavender oil. At 10 minutes: Still mostly 100% lavender, but every now and then I get a draft of some other floral. It wafts by too quickly and quietly to identify which of the other flowers it is. And I don't know what lily of the valley smells like anyway. The others I used to know well but haven't smelled by themselves for a while, so I'm not certain I'd recognize them either. At 15 minutes: Still mostly lavender. I'm wondering if my skin eats fruity notes. I didn't smell much pomegranate in The Robe of Pomegranates either. I do hope the lychee comes out. It was so delicious in the bottle. I am still getting that breath of another flower. At 20 minutes, I did get a bit of the lychee, in the sillage at first, but now it is starting to peek out on my wrist. Come on, lychee! At 30 minutes: Ah, there you are! Now it's that interesting and lovely combination from the bottle, of lychee and lavender. And with the hint of other flowers - probably the ylang ylang or magnolia or both, because it smells familiar. It could be difficult to separate the ylang ylang from the magnolia, since they both have that tropical, sweet character. It's an inspired pairing, like the lavender and lychee. At 45 minutes: Absolutely gorgeous. I think it must be at its peak right now, because all three components - lavender, lychee, and mixed florals - are in perfect balance. At 1 hour: The lavender has gone, leaving the fruit and flowers. I love how this transitions from herbal to fruity to floral, blending smoothly between each transition. It reminds me of high-quality hand-dyed multicolored yarns, how one color doesn't suddenly change to another but instead gradually blends from one color to the next, so that it's impossible to say exactly where the change occurs. Like those, this is interesting as well as beautiful. At 2 hours: It has faded dramatically. I notice the lychee first, but the florals then come in to override it. At 4 hours: It's over, having finished up with soft florals. Verdict: 6 out of 6 stars

Imp fresh from the lab. In the imp: Flowers and sage, very pretty. On me, wet: At first, it's mostly sage. At 5 minutes: Sage and sweetpea, more of the sage. This is what I hoped Mouse's Long and Sad Tale would be (no vanilla!) At 10 minutes: The sweetpea is stronger, but hasn't quite caught up to the sage. This is so light, fresh, pure, childlike. At 15 minutes: Wow, it has begun to fade already! It's almost like a floral soap. As light as it is, other people might not even realize I am wearing perfume. They might think it was just the remaining traces of soap on my skin. This is not a criticism, just an observation. It would be perfect for wearing in public, where I might be around people who are sensitive to perfume, At 30 minutes: I can smell the musk now. It warms and deepens, and darkens the scent just a hair. Our little girl is growing up, but hasn't yet lost her innocence. I think I can detect a little tonka too, although I'm not that familiar with it, so I'm not sure. I don't think I've ever smelled tonka by itself. This is perfect for hot weather, too, because of its mildness, light throw, and impression of coolness. At 1 hour: The fragrance is almost gone. It has faded down to the familiar baby powder scent that I always get from white musk in the final drydown. But somehow it still retains the fresh feeling. Another blend that I put on my other wrist 10 hours ago is more evident than the Aeval! After 3 hours: Given how faint the scent was two hours ago, I'm surprised to find it still lingering. Barely there, though. Verdict: In strength, throw, and longevity this is more like a classic cologne than an essential oil perfume. But people have been wearing such colognes for at least a couple of centuries, and just reapplying as needed. So I can do that with this as well. And there are situations when those characteristics can be an advantage, too. Plus which, to make it last longer, the labbies would have to add different notes, and that would make it another perfume entirely. Some notes are just naturally volatile. So I'm not going to complain or lower my rating for that reason. It's an exceptionally pretty scent and should stay just the way it is! And, if I want it to last longer, I can always put it into a scent locket. 6 out of 6 stars

Bottle fresh from the lab. In the bottle: Without looking at the notes, I get caramel loud and clear. More sniffing reveals other things in the background: spice, something vaguely floral. The caramel and spice combination is warm and delicious and very sweet. Like caramels with extra sugar and a touch of spice that goes so well with the caramel. But I hope this won't be too foody for me. On me, wet: The first thing I notice is cardamom, much more defined than in the bottle. It's realistic and wonderful. The caramel - which I know now is milk and honey - is right behind it. This is also much less sweet than in the bottle. At 10 minutes: Hot milk sweetend with honey and flavored with chai spices. It makes me want to drink some. There's an odd black note, too, like licorice-y anise. No carnation that I can perceive. At 20 minutes: The honey is more distinct, less like caramel now. Otherwise it's the same as before. At 30 minutes: Ah, there's the carnation. Baclava! The carnation is very delicate, just like the rose water in baclava. With a touch of anise. Is that really in this, or is it my skin chemistry doing something weird? It's intriguing in any case, and makes this just a tad less foody. I know, that doesn't make sense. But that is my impression. At 45 minutes: Cardomom is the star (sorry anise, LOL.) So now it's chai tea. In spite of all these food associations, this doesn't annoy me as foody perfumes usually do. It's all the spice. I do like spice perfumes, as long as there's no ozone to turn it into men's cologne. Probably because spice has many other associations for me besides food: candles, air fresheners, pomanders, potpourri, camel caravans, the open-air markets of Marrakesh, and yes, men's cologne (which is nice enough, just not what I want to smell like. Same as with food.) I'm the same way about honey. I rarely eat it or use it in cooking, only in recipes where it is blended with many other things. So I don't think of it as a foody scent. I think of expensive beeswax candles, and I love BPAL 's honey note. After 1 hour: The cardomom has made a sudden hasty exit, but left its shadow behind. Which allows the sweetness of the honey to show its face again. Together with that mysterious black note which has taken on a sharpness that now is more like black pepper than anise. A faint smidgen of anonymous floral. None of the notes are very realistic anymore. And my skin has definitely done something weird now. Along with these other things, I smell . . . toothpaste. This is no longer foody, but better that than toothpaste. If I were out in public I'd wash it off. But I'm home alone, so I'm leaving it on to see what it does next. After 3 hours: Toothpaste, with a breath of honey and spice. At 8 hours: I had stopped sniffing my wrist, so I don't know when the toothpaste went away, but it did. The fragrance is still there, and it's beautiful again now! And not at all foody anymore. Soft powder with forals and a gentle touch of spice. Verdict: For the first hour, 4.5 stars out of 6. I love the cardomom and honey notes, but overall the oil is a tad too foody to make it into the 5-star category. I wish the carnation was stronger and lasted longer. After 1 hour, it's a disaster. I'm not going to rate that, because I'm pretty sure the problem is my skin, not the perfume. And the final drydown is generic but lovely. I'll wear this in a scent locket, where my skin chemicals can't get at it. It will stay very nice that way!

Imp fresh from the lab. In the imp: Pee-yoo! A noseful of decay! But within seconds, it transforms into flowers. Those white lilies with orange centers (Asiatic Lilies?) that you get from the florist. The ones with the slightly unpleasant scent, that even when impeccably fresh have a tinge of wilt and brown edges in their scent. But flowers, anyway. With lots of orange. Well, that makes sense. And lotus is also known as water lily. So, yeah. On me, wet: At first it is 100% orange. But again it quickly transforms into the lilies. At 5 minutes: The orange has donned a cloak of invisibility made of lilies. I could swear I am smelling real Asiatic lilies just delivered from the florist. Beth has nailed these. This kind of lily is not my favorite floral scent, but I'm fascinated with the perfection of the scent picture. And they are so very fresh. I like it. I know that "so very fresh" and "note of decay" sounds like a contradiction in terms, but that's just how these flowers are. And this perfume. You smell both things at the same time. At 10 minutes: The same. At 15 minutes, some of the "lightly scented flowers" are starting to come in, increasing the pleasantness of the fragrance. At 20 minutes: . . . But the lilies continue to dominate. Odd that after the first minute this is a total flower fragrance, given the name. It's not at all what I expected! I like how that tiny edge of decay fits in to the "Forbidden" theme. I think of the Biblical mythology of the Garden of Eden. How thoughtful of God to put the "off" note in to the blossoms of the forbidden tree, to warn us humans off. This flower is the perfect choice for the theme. This isn't an innocent scent to me, with that tinge of overripeness. But I don't get how "as innocent as your first time" goes with "forbidden" anyway. Maybe it's the "before" in the Garden of Eden? Innocent with that warning and forboding note lying in wait in the background. At 30 minutes: Mostly the same. The lightly scented flowers are a bit more of a presence. I can't get over how real and fresh the lily is. I keep sniffing my wrist. At 1 hour: The same, just softer. No amber yet, but it's often a bottom note so I still have hopes for it. At 2 hours: The same, just weaker. At 3 hours: The fragrance is gone for all practical purposes. Just the faintest trace of anonymous plastic-y "perfume." With a subtle tang that must be the final remnants of the orange. I never did get any amber at all. Maybe a little aging will bring it out, if the imp lasts long enough! Verdict: A most unusual and exceptionally realistic floral perfume. 5 out of 6 stars. One for the Favorites box!

In the bottle: Flowers and fruit. I was a little worried about the fruit, but so far so good. On me, wet: The same. I like it that the pomegranate doesn't dominate, so that the scent doesn't come off as foody. At 5 minutes: I get a hint of wood and incense, less fruitiness and florals. All of the notes are so well-blended and equally balanced that it is very difficult to separate out any particular note. It's just a lovely perfume, very difficult to describe. At 10 minutes: Maybe just a tiny bit more floral, but basically the same. I seem to be picking up more fig than pomegranate - it's more of a mild fruity sweetness than red fruit. The honey could be contributing to that. At 20 minutes, I get more of the oudh, sandalwood, and incense, but the honey, fig, and carnation notes are still there. I never have gotten much pomegranate in this. I agree that this is a warm, gentle, and comforting fragrance. None of the authority or sternness I'd expect from an Empress. It fits the meaning of the card rather than the title. Which seems appropriate. At 30 minutes, the carnation is beginning to take a place up front, making this even nicer. At 45 minutes: The bottom notes of oudh, sandalwood, and incense are moving up. It's less sweet, and no longer very fruity at all. There's still a soft floral presence. At 1 hour: Those bottom notes have lightened up and the scent is predominantly floral. Interesting how these two aspects of the blend keep trading places. It now reminds me of a very classic, and classy, perfume. Again, perfect for the Empress. At 3 hours: No further change in the character of the scent. It just faded away gradually and is almost completely gone now. Verdict: I'm a little disappointed not to smell more pomegranate. I was hoping for a distinct, juicy, realistic pomegranate note (while at the same time feeling nervous that this might be too fruity for me. Go figure.) I've never gotten that from any of the pomegranate blends I've tried. Granted, I haven't tried very many, given my aversion to foody perfumes. In all honesty, I'm sure I like this better the way it is and will wear it much more often than I would a fruity perfume. But it would have been interesting. But just as I said above about the gentleness of the scent, this is about who the Empress really is, rather than the appearance or title of the card. It's what her robe would actually smell like in real life. Of course it doesn't smell like actual pomegranates, these pomegranates are just designs worked in thread. The character or essence of pomegranate is something just hinted at, an impression rather than an actual piece of fruit. The concept and the way it is achieved is quite brilliant! My rating: 5 out of 6 stars

Lab frimp aged about 4 years. In the imp: Oil is clear and amber-colored. Perfume and spices. Nice! On me, wet: The same. Perfume and cinnamon, to be more specific. After 5 minutes: Now there's some wood coming out. The cinnamon is distinct, sweet, and super realistic. Delicious. But the wood and perfume keep the overall character from being foody. I'm thinking, "Potpourri!" At 10 minutes: Clove is adding to the cinnamon. This is too pretty to be a cheap whore's perfume! It's a surprisingly feminine blend, but certainly not prissy or old-ladyish. I don't smell any rum, but still, this isn't the kind of scent you'd wear to church. Not that there's anything sinful about it (where's that rum?) It's just more casual, more playful, not traditional. At 15 minutes: All cinnamon and clove. No perfume note up close, but it's still floating around on the side. My wrist burns a little, probably the cinnamon oil on my sensitive skin. But the skin isn't reddened, nor is the reaction bad enough to be painful. It won't stop me from wearing this. At 30 minutes: The scent has gentled down. It no longer burns my wrist, and the hot piercing sharpness of the spices has settled into a mild yumminess, which has allowed the wood to come out again. The perfume is very much in the background - not specifically noticeable, but still holding any foodiness at bay. At 2 hours: The perfume note has become more floral. Spices are still evident. The wood is a whisper. Everything has blended together beautifully and gone very soft. This has been lovely all along and is still gorgeous now. At 10 1/2 hours, I can still smell a trace of it on my skin. Maybe a little powdery, but still perfume and spice. Verdict: I never picked up any rum or salty sea air, but this is so pretty I didn't miss them. I've been hoping for a realistic cinnamon scent that is not foody, and in the best of all possible worlds, is on the feminine side. I wasn't sure that was possible. But this one nails it. It's perfect. And to think, I never would have thought to try it on my own. From the description, it seemed too masculine for me. What a wonderful surprise! Thank you so much, labbies! My rating: 6 out of 6 stars

Lab frimp aged about 4 years. In the imp: Almond extract mixed with some chopped real almonds. I love the scent and taste of both, so this is already a winner. On me, wet: The nuts outweigh the extract, and they are unbelievably realistic. And there's the honey, too. I'm so impressed. I have a strong aversion to foody perfumes, but this . . . this is in a class by itself. Within 5 minutes, the almond extract has floated away, leaving behind the toasted almonds and honey. There's a glimpse of something else, cardamom? And/or coriander? And maybe a drop of vanilla? Which would make sense, the touch of vanilla to provide a bit of creaminess - the milk and honey I associate with the Queen. At about 15 minutes, it's beginning to remind me of hazelnuts rather than almonds. With cream. At 20 minutes: The notes are blending together, making it harder to pick out individual ones. It's edging towards powder, only better. There may be some white musk or amber, both of which tend to dry down into a particularly beautiful powder on my skin. The spices keep it warm, although they are no longer distinguishable as separate notes. I'm sensing something floral, too, which helps prevent it from being too foody. At 30 minutes: . . . and the hint of nuttiness that lingers on keeps it from being too powdery. It's a lovely balance. At 1 hour: No further change in the scent, just a little softer. After 2 hours: Almost complete gone. This doesn't last as long as most BPAL perfumes, but I don't mind reapplying. Because I adore this in all its stages, so that's just another chance to experience the journey again. Verdict: A fabulous perfume to honor a fabled queen. I'm blown away by how much I love it - me, the avid hater-of-foody-perfumes! My rating: 6 stars ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Note: Several reviewers have been puzzled by, or asked about, the cherry note they perceived in this. You aren't weird. There's a perfectly good reason for that. It's because maraschino cherries are strongly flavored with amaretto, the almond liqueur. (Or nowdays, it's more often almond extract.) So cherries and almond flavorings or scents end up being grouped in the same category in our minds, as having the same scent.

Bottle straight from the lab, aged about 4 years. In the bottle: A beautiful floral that I don't recognize. We used to have Passion Flower vines growing in our front yard, but I don't remember noticing any fragrance from the flowers. I probably didn't stick my nose right into them, though. On me, wet. 7:08 pm: The same. Utterly gorgeous. 💖 After 5 minutes, there's an undertone of lemon. It's pleasant enough, mostly buried beneath the flower. But oh no! After 10 minutes, it has strengthened to dominate the flower with the smell of lemon hard candies. I can't fathom any reason why I would want to walk around smelling like candy. The gorgeous flower is still there, but fighting for its life. I get that the lemon adds brightness, but it could do that with a whole lot less. At 20 minutes: It's mostly lemon candy. The flowers haven't completely died, but they are decidedly wilted. I have to work to smell them. Hopefully the lemon will butt out soon. Citrus notes don't usually hang around very long on my skin. At 35 minutes, it's very strongly lemon-scented dryer sheets. Well, that's an improvement over lemon hard candy anyway. At one hour, the scent is much the same, but weaker. The lemon is not quite such a bully, which helps reduce the dryer-sheets effect as well. But it's too late, little remains of the initial floral beauty. Now it's just the generic mixed florals found in hundreds of cleaning products. Verdict: This had the potential to be a 6-star perfume, but the lemon spoiled it for me. I wish it was a true single-note oil. I'd rate it 6 stars in the first 5 minutes, deteriorating to 3 stars when the lemon seizes control at 10 minutes and thereafter. I'll have to try it in the scent locket - hopefully that will preserve the heavenly top note longer.

Lab Frimp aged about 4 years. In the imp: Incense and wood, a bit of patchouli. Total headshop! On me, wet: The same, with a smoky aspect (no doubt from the vetiver) that suits the impression of incense. It's rich, and smoother than you'd expect from patchouli and vetiver. This is a very upscale headshop, if you can imagine such a thing. The patchouli and vetiver have a natural affinity for one another and blend together so well that it's difficult to distinguish them. There isn't a trace of orange (which for me is a good thing) or ylang ylang (which makes me sad.). But I could swear there is some sandalwood in this. Maybe there is - I've heard that Beth doesn't always list all the notes. Or perhaps it is just an association in my mind: Sandalwood incense + patchouli oil and patchouli incense = headshop. At 10 minutes: The scent is the same. But when I put my nose right up close and take a big whiff, there is a sharpness that makes the insides of my nostrils tingle. Could that be from the orange? No way to know, because it's not a scent, just a feeling. At 15 minutes: The patchouli is slightly more defined. Everything else is exactly the same. This patch is either the same one that I remember from the early 1970's, or something very similar. Which is quite unusual. I wore patchouli oil all through high school, and searched for that same scent for decades afterward. I bought bottle after bottle of patchouli oil, and they were never anything like I remembered. Often they were so different I didn't even recognize the fragrance as patchouli. Then BPAL came out with the Sumatran Red Patchouli SN and . . . voilá! One whiff and I was instantly transported 40 years back in time. This is the same one. At 45 minutes: It's softer, and a little woodier now that the patchouli has backed off somewhat. But these changes are extremely subtle. It's still basically the same scent. At 1 hour: All the notes I mentioned are still there: Sandalwood (or vetiver or whatever that wood note is), patchouli, a little smoke, a little sharpness. The fruit and flowers are still MIA. They don't even contribute any sweetness to the mix. In other words: it's still the same incensey headshop. At 1 1/2 hours: The wood now dominates over the patch, but the same notes remain. At 2 hours: With the wood now more prominent, it smells even more like sandalwood. Still basically the same scent. Probably soft enough now to wear out in public. At 4 hours: Still around, more in the throw than on my wrist. Same scent. At 7 hours, I continue to pick up some faint patch and sandalwood. Verdict: The patchouli and vetiver (and sandalwood, if present) blend together so well that this has the feel of a Single Note oil. The blood orange and ylang ylang never showed up. This makes the fragrance somewhat boring, but who cares when it is this lovely? It doesn't quite make me swoon, like florals and a few other feminine scents do (it probably would if the ylang ylang showed its pretty face), so it doesn't make my shortlist favorites. But it comes close, and this is a perfume I will wear often. It's rich, smooth, warm, mysterious, bohemian, sexy, nostalgic, and unisex. I tend to believe that the lack of the fruit and flower may be due to the age of my imp. But looking now over the other reviews I am surprised to find that many people testing fresh vials had the same experience. While others detected ONLY the orange and ylang ylang. Skin chemistry is part of the explanation, I'm sure, but it doesn't explain the fruit-and-flower absence that I also noticed in the vial - it smells exactly the same on my skin as in the vial. How very odd! My rating: 5 out of 6 stars

Frimp fresh from the lab: On the wand and in the imp: Instantly, a strong whiff of cat pee. Eueeew. None of the listed notes have smelled like that before to me, that I can recall. Must be something about the combination (I'm guessing jasmine plus vetiver). Fortunately, within seconds it changes to earthiness and leather. But there's still a hint of cat pee in the background. On met, wet: I'm almost afraid to put this on. But I do. It's exactly the same. But the cat pee vanishes quickly, and this time, completely. Whew! Again I get the leather and earth. But on my skin, the earthiness carries a note of petrichor, which I love. And the florals, which I also love. Soooo much nicer than in the bottle! Quite nice, in fact. At 5 minutes: Mostly gardenia and jasmine with a bit of petrichor. Loving it. At 10 minutes: The leathery petrichor is now strongest, with a suggestion of sharp spiciness. The florals are still present. (The petrichor note I notice is actually the leather, and my nose does interpret it as new leather as well. It just depends on how I think of it. It's considerably realistic either way.) At 30 minutes: The spice continues to gain momentum - it's now recognizable as cinnamon - as the florals fade. A few minutes ago I got the tiniest hint of rose but it's gone now. The leather/petrichor note is still going strong. At 1 hour: Leather and perfume (blended notes). A high-fashion model in tight black leather pants. At 2 hours: For a while, perfume (including the flowers and spice) took center stage, but now it's mostly leather. Broken-in leather now, rather than new. At 3 3/4 hours: Tobacco is strongest, followed by perfume. It almost smells like I've been smoking pot, which is kind of hilarious since I don't smoke anything. Oh well, cannibis is legal is my state! I love how this blend veers back and forth between the different notes and lets almost every ingredient have a turn at being the star. Verdict: Given how nasty this smelled in the vial, who knew that I would end up liking this so much on my skin! It goes to show that you never know until you try it on. I'm so glad I gave this one a chance. It's definitely not a rose perfume. The rose is virtually non-existent as an identifiable note. It's not feminine enough to be on my Favorites short list, but I do like it a great deal. It isn't aggressively masculine, so I don't picture this as a Highwayman. But that's a good thing, it means I can wear it too. It's androgynous, but leaning a little towards the masculine much of the time. Occasionally the pendulum swings slightly towards the feminine, especially at the beginning. Overall, it depends on how I think of it. If I visualize the vetiver note as petrichor, ithe blend feels quite unisex. If I see that note as leather, it seems slightly more masculine. Never a "men's cologne" fragrance, though. I'm a girly girl, but wouldn't hesitate to wear it. My rating: 5 stars out of 6

Lab frimp, aged about 8 years. In the imp: Florals and spice, well blended and balanced so that I don't pick up any distinct type of either. There's almost an incense vibe which is probably the spice. My nose tends to interpret a lot of non-floral/non-foody notes as incense, probably because I must have had incense with those scents. As I type this, I notice a beautiful floral scent wafting from my hand that handled the imp. It's clearly jasmine and honeysuckle. Jasmine is not one of my favorite floral notes, because it is usually way too strong, strangles all of the other notes, and turns into Ivory soap on me. But here it is perfect, letting the honeysuckle have equal rights and smelling like the real flowers and tea, both of which I love. On me, wet: 100% jasmine at first. But the spice starts to kick in within a couple of minutes. Especially clove. The jasmine continues to calm down, and at 4 minutes, it is spice and . . . wait, toothpaste? WTF? But yes, an utterly realistic toothpaste weakly flavored with mint. The kind they make for people like me, who can't tolerate the burn of the usual strong mint toothpastes. And it's not just mint. I clearly get the paste smell, too. I don't think it is supposed to smell like this. My imp is probably long past its "best by . . . " date. (Later added: I looked over the other reviews and very few noticed anything like this. But a few people mentioned "minty", "strange and medicinal", "green and herbal." A couple mentioned "lavender", and one said "eucalyptus". I believe we are all picking up the same note, a sharp hot herb. The kind that gives you a burning sensation when it is highly concentrated. But it is not like that here. The concentration is low, which is why we can't definitely or unanimously identify it. There's just enough to provide an impression of warmth - together with the clove oil - which of course is fitting for New Orleans. So now I do think it is an intentional note.) At 25 minutes: Clove and toothpaste. With a hint of wood which is probably cinnamon. Huffing my wrist up close, I don't especially like this blend (that toothpaste.) But the sillage is absolutely gorgeous. Half jasmine and half honeysuckle. At just the right strength. At an hour: Up close, it's all toothpaste now. But the sillage hasn't changed and is still gorgeous. And since that's what other people smell - and me too, when I'm not nose-to-wrist - I love the perfume anyway, in spite of the toothpaste. At 3 hours: Toothpaste, with a little flowers and spice starting to show up again. The sillage is gone, as far as I can tell by trying to smell it. But every now and then, I get an unexpected whiff of that beautiful jasmine and honeysuckle again. After about 4 1/2 hours, it's all soft florals. No more toothpaste at all, yay! After 9 hours, my wrist still smells like beautiful flowers. After 13 1/2 hours, I can still smell a trace of flowers, and they are still beautiful! I never detected any lemon or decay, for which I am thankful in both cases. They might be subtly contributing to the impression of toothpaste, though. An odd thing happened. The first day, I put a drop on my left wrist and it smelled as I described it. The next day, I just swiped the wand on my right wrist because I was going out in public immediately and didn't want it to be too strong. That day I smelled only the flowers, never any spice or toothpaste. The third day, I put a drop on my left wrist again, and it smelled like this again. The difference was very noticeable and extreme. Like wearing two completely different perfumes. So, do my wrists have different skin chemistry? Or was it because I used less the second day? Or because I put it on the second day immediately after showering; so maybe my skin enzymes were temporarily absent; or maybe it was interacting with soap traces on my skin? In any case, that was unexpected and interesting! Verdict: 4.5 stars out of 5. I subtracted only 1/2 star for the toothpaste, since it was noticeable only when huffed right up close, and the rest of the scent was so beautuful and lasted so long.

Lab Frimp aged about 4 years. In the imp: Gorgeous and unusual florals - no flower that I can identify. (I've never smelled Angel's Trumpet or Orris root, though.) With a fresh, green note and feeling. I don't nail it as lettuce (what does lettuce smell like anyway? I've never noticed it having a scent), but okay, I'll buy it. On me, wet: I can smell the gorgeous florals without even lifting my arm. Up close, a little bit of mild green sharpness that is no doubt contributing to the impression of freshness. After 10 minutes: The mild sharpness has floated away, but left behind the green freshness. And those flowers above it all. I'm in love. It's already much softer, a gentle scent. I don't get any actual water note that some have mentioned, but I can easily visualize a sparkling crystal clear and pure stream, with watercress growing in the shallows and flowers blooming along the edges. After 20 minutes: It has softened even more; mild enough - and clean and pure enough - for a little girl. But complex enough for me, too. Turning a little plastic, though, darn my skin. I can always wear it in the scent locket if I have to. But the sillage remains just as beautiful, so that might not be necessary unless I just want to. For ecstastic sniffing. After 2 1/2 hours: Until now, the scent has been quite stable, with very little change in nature, only in strength. But as a last harrah, the bois de rose has made a distinct appearance, as a wood note rather than rose. The overall impression is less floral and more like a classic perfume. Perhaps the influence of the orris (I know it is an ingredient in many traditional perfumes) together with the rosewood? But all very faint. 3 hours later, the scent is for all practical purposes, gone. Verdict: I agree that this smells like springtime. But I am finding it so refreshing, even giving an illusion of coolness, on a hot summer day. Its gentleness is also perfect for summer, when the heat can make a strong scent of any kind seem very annoying. Bottle-worthy and then some: Swoon-worthy. 5 out of 5 stars

Lab Frimp aged about 4 years. In the imp: A strong floral. Not roses, or anything else I recognize. Must be the plumarosa. I've never smelled that, but the internet says it is a grass with a fragrance similar to rose. I'm excited to try this! I often wish foral notes were stronger, and this one certainly is. Wet, on my skin: WHOA, this is STRONG! And I only swiped the wand on my wrist. Usually I put on a drop, but it was immediately evident that a drop would be way too much. Very strong and very sweet patchouli and that unusual floral. After 5 minutes: The sense of florals has already died down to a subtle undertone, leaving behinds an extreme sweetness. A super-sweet patchouli. This isn't my favorite Sumatran Red Patchouli, but I usually like other patches okay too. There's a hint of spiciness that I sometimes get from sandalwood. I'm ambivalent about this. It is very unusual, which I like, and I love the idea of combining patch with florals, and I like the headshop vibe. It's also in-your-face aggressive, which fits the theme so well. But on the other hand, all that sweetness veers dangerously close to cloying. And the perfume is so very strong, even with the tiny amount I used. Thank goodness I didn't put on more! Wearing something this strong and this sweet for very long could become highly annoying, even headachy. And this is coming from someone who loves strong scents (I don't do them that way in public, just to be clear) and almost never gets headaches for any reason. This might be too much even for me. No point in giving a play-by-play report, as the fragrance remains the same. It lasts for 10 or 12 hours, just as you might expect from so strong a scent. Towards the very end, it settles down into a softer powdery version of the same thing. That helps, and I would probably love this if it was like that from the beginning. But it was still cloyingly sweet, and I was getting pretty darn tired of it by then. I never got the faintest hint of any rose, to my dismay. In looking over the other reviews, I have to wonder, are we even talking about the same thing?!! So many other people talk about tons of rose and how light the scent. But almost everyone mentions the sweetness and the patchouli, so I don't seem to be posting in the wrong thread. Why is my experience of it so very different? Maybe the age of my imp? Or my skin chemistry? Probably both. The BPAL rose notes don't seem to fade with age. I have BPAL rose perfumes much older than this one, and the rose note is still fresh and beautiful. Maybe timstead he patch (or this one, anyway) gains in strength as it ages? Verdict: Mixed. I like it it some ways, but don't like the extreme strength and sweetness. In any case, it is very unique and intriguing, and I like a lot of variety in everything. I'll keep it for an occasional decidedly different change of pace. Or, use it in an oil warmer. Most BPAL perfumes aren't strong enough for that, so this might be just the thing. 3 out of 5 stars