wishingwell

Vibrant yellow petals bursting exultantly through a patch of snow. Oof, first. I'll do my best. Label looks to be a crocus? My label is a little fuzzy, undoubtedly because of the printer issues mentioned by the Lab this year. Kind of minimalistic, but still pretty. In the bottle: Wow, so bright and pretty. Just slightly floral, and very, very.. yellow. I adore this in the bottle, I really do. Wet, on skin: Positively luminous, but there's an herbal undertone poking through here and the floral hint is lost quickly. Petals are replaced with an almost lemon-zest kind of smell.. not gross lemon, not Pine-Sol lemon, but freshly-cut lemon curls. Makes me think of lightning-bugs for some reason. Just a touch of some kind of pine or.. eucalyptus or something. Throw is pretty light on me.. I get wafts of scent, but I can't smell it constantly. Drydown: Very herbal and fresh, but mellowing out. Reminds me a little bit of Ricola cough drops, but not in a bad way. I've noticed that the Lab's lemon notes come out strong with me, so that might be a huge contributing factor here. After about an hour it becomes a bit more like a lemony, almost chamomile tea on my skin. Equally fresh/clean and relaxing without losing that brightness factor. Throw remains light and pleasant.. for the most part, this blend sticks close to the skin. Zero headache or sneezy feeling here. More like "I just showered!" than "cozy" and certainly not as floral as the description hints towards. (Edit: I just realized what this tea-ish smell is.. it smells quite a bit like my Earl Grey and Bergamot tea.) Verdict: It's not what I had hoped for, but I still like it. I'll probably offer it up for swaps in the end, but it's definitely not in the "wash it off" category for me. Maybe more of a scent for the end of winter and beginning of spring, as the crocus would suggest. If you're looking for something a little different out of the Yules, or if you really like fresh and clean scents, you might really love this one.

Afflicted with senki. Anise seed, furry brown musk, cypress sap, myrrh, and smoky woods. Ooh, this is nice. I was worried that it might be heavy, but it's actually quite airy. In the bottle: Definitely anise, and something like a pine forest underneath.. but more forest and less pine needles. Guessing that's mostly the cypress sap. Wet, on skin: Still anise, but it quickly releases the smoky woods. I can sense the furry brown musk now as well.. actually kind of smells like my cat, but in a good way. I can tell this is going to be a warm and comforting scent. Dry: I know the myrrh is in there because there's a hint of sweetness, and myrrh tends to go a little sweet on me.. but as this dries, it just becomes this very well-blended, comforting fragrance. On the back of my hand the anise is most prominent, but in the crook of my elbow it's more musk and myrrh. However, in both spots, it's a little bit fresh and a little bit smoky and dark, and somehow that just works so very very well. About an hour in, the anise backs off and I'm left with this scent that just makes me want to go snuggle the crap out of everything. Overall: I sort of feel like this is Oblivion's lighter, ethereal cousin. I would recommend this to anyone who likes the smoky, spicy sort of scents but wants something for spring and summer. It's so gentle and furry that I think I can even wear it to work (where heavier scents are not allowed) because the throw is very soft. It's airy, fuzzy, warm, and ever so slightly medicinal until the anise backs off. I think I might have actually liked it better without the anise, but regardless, this is a keeper for me. Really really happy with this one. It's pretty unisex, too, and I actually think this would be amazing on a guy.

You meaner beauties of the night, That poorly satisfy our eyes More by your number than your light, You common people of the skies; What are you when the moon shall rise? You curious chanters of the wood, That warble forth Dame Nature’s lays, Thinking your passions understood By your weak accents; what’s your praise When Philomel her voice shall raise? You violets that first appear, By your purple mantles known Like the proud virgins of the year, As if the spring were all your own; What are you when the rose is blown? So, when my mistress shall be seen In form and beauty of her mind, By virtue first, then choice, a Queen, Tell me, if she were not design’d Th’eclipse and glory of her kind? - Sir Henry Wotton Incomparable loveliness: the perfect rose oude. Elizabeth of Bohemia is kind of what I was wanting out of The Rose -- it's a little dark, a little playful, and pure rose beauty. It stays close to the skin (at least on me) and smells so amazingly like both dried and fresh roses at the same time. Wet is where it's really a playful, dewy scent, and as it dries the more mature, slightly dark air emerges. Three hours and it's still just as gorgeous as when I first put it on. I really adore this and could see it being worn any time of the year. While I still like The Rose very much, this one makes me think of red and white roses all woven into Elizabeth's hair like a queen's crown. If you're a rose lover, this one really delivers.

I normally wear something that is very light, especially if it has a non-floral throw. Lately, Undertow has been my go-to work scent -- on me, it's like a soft, complex mint, and very "clean" smelling. It does include floral notes, but they just don't come out on me. Stressful days call for GRR, though I make sure to apply it a half hour or so before I go in so it has time to mellow out. Sudha Segara is another one I discovered recently and really love for work.. it's upbeat, yet soft and comforting at the same time. The ginger isn't very snappy on me though, so that's a big factor. Long story short, my goal is to absolutely never ever be leaving a scent trail.. but if I am right next to someone, I should smell pleasant, not perfumed.

Oh, man. Honestly, I have a hard time describing what this smells like because it makes me sneeze -- and not just little sneezes, but huge, unrelenting chain-sneezes. Others have said it's faint, but apparently I amp something in this because it's extremely strong.. even after washing, if I sniff where I applied it I start sneezing again. In the imp, it was more green than dirt, and it made my nose tingle.. so I didn't have high hopes, but I never would have expected such a violent rejection from my sinuses. I guess I'd have to say it's medicinal, masculine, and yes, very heavy on the dirt. Kind of like a mix of clay and peat, which makes it kind of.. smoky? I suppose this might be good on a guy who wants to smell like a hard day's work. I've never had a reaction like this to BPAL before. Off to wash my hands again.

Tried out the last few drips left in my bottle from my decant circle today. As others have said, it's JUST like Rice Flower & Shea from Bath and Body Works. Which is good, because I like that scent. But it also made me a little sad, as I was hoping to have more vanilla come out once it hit my skin. I don't know if I would buy a full bottle for myself, but I'm very glad I got to try it -- it's verrrrrrry very rice flower madness, but the vanilla brings a lot of warmth and smoothness to it. If this were a shower gel or a conditioner, I'd be all over it.

Depending on how things work for her, I'd say Athens, Against Idleness and Mischief, Hermia, or Titania could be possibilities too. Athens, on me, is all honey and flowers; the wine disappears pretty quick. AI&M, Hermia, and Titania were all youthful, sweet florals on me. Oh, and I'd pick Daphne Honey from the Garden, as that was quite sweet without being high-pitched.. at least on me.

Well, I liked this better than Pink Lace, but.. for some reason, all I really get from it is clove cigarettes and, oddly enough, allspice. I'm guessing this particular combination is just acting strange for me, but I kid you not -- the throw is all clove cigarettes, but up close it smells like a fresh jar of allspice. I'm glad I got to try it, but it's just not for me.

Oh, it isn't my photo or my turtle. I just picked the first cute, size-appropriate photo I saw to illustrate my point. And it's on Imgur, a community photo site, so I'm pretty sure it's fair game. (For the record, though, that's cool of you. And I'm quite similar about animals.) [end hijack]

Can't really help with the bottles, but to post a picture.. first you need to upload it somewhere like Flickr, Imgur, Photobucket, or some other photo-hosting site. (EDIT: I forgot we have a gallery on these forums -- thanks Portalkat! But the instructions should be about the same, assuming uploads are still allowed.) Next, get the URL of the photo. Most sites will give you this information in a sidebar after you upload it, but if not, you should be able to right-click on it and choose "Copy Image Location" -- it should end in .jpg (or .gif or whatever image format you're using) like this: http://i.imgur.com/RpS1V.jpg Then click on Insert Image, the little icon at the top of your post editor that looks like a Polaroid. Paste in the picture's URL, and voila! Hope that helps.

Urk. I think I'm starting to get the idea that me and acai berry just do not mix very well. In the bottle, it's all acai berry, all the time. Wet on my skin, it turns into some sort of strange.. soapy acai berry floral. Very hard to describe, but it's very strong. It's kind of like that generic public bathroom floral soap, though, so it's not really a nice backdrop. As it dries, the acai turns a bit bitter and the Snake Oil takes over the soapiness, but the vague floral undertone stays. An hour in, and it's a very bite-y acai berry throw.. I can only pick up the Snake Oil if I snuffle my wrist. This would probably be really lovely on someone who doesn't bring out the bite in acai berry like I do. I think I will be keeping my acai berries in my yogurt from now on, instead of on my skin.

Well, it's official.. I absolutely adore this, but it doesn't last very long on me at all. In the vial, it smells.. really perfumey, which is almost off-putting. But as soon as it hits my skin, it becomes this gorgeous, well-blended scent of honey and spice with a green background to it. I cannot smell this without thinking of a pile of crystallized honey dust and emeralds. The spices and leaves are so perfectly blended into the sweet musk that I don't get any of my normal "oh god herbs no please" reaction from my nose. Not even a little tickle of a sneeze! As it dries, it becomes slightly fuzzy and softer than before but there is not a lot of morphing going on for me. But.. an hour later, and Lady Una is so faint. Two hours, she is practically gone, leaving behind the merest whisper of her former glory. Will definitely have to think about this before I get a bottle, because despite how much I love it.. I don't know if I am okay with having to use so much to wear it for a day.

I'm not sure if this helps at all, but.. does yours smell very heavily of jasmine and something a little like salty wood? Mine did not smell at all like any of the reviews of sweetness and fruity florals. However, as far as I know the person who took my bottle off my hands was quite pleased with it, so maybe there was a batch variation that didn't work as well with certain people or something like that? (If that's true, then I am sad I didn't try it again while I still could.. because it had all the possibilities of a favorite for me.) (Side note: Tee-hee, I said salty wood. Yes, I am 12 at heart.) And here's something unrelated that I noticed with Blossoms in Springtime -- I got myself a backup and accidentally reached for it instead of my first bottle last week. My first bottle is nearly clear oil and the scent clings pretty close to the skin no matter what I do. My second bottle is golden/amber in color and, while the overall scent is the same, it has more throw and amps like woah when I step out into the sun and get all warm. So instead of labeling it as my backup, I've labeled it as "strong" so I can use it when I want something a little heavier.

Violet Ray was a powdery, slightly green violet on me. But, if it's that, you have my condolences. Searching for violet at http://bpal.org/search/ comes up with quite a few scents that might fit. Maybe Bruised Violet Compound, though I don't remember if I have ever tried that one personally.

Like Numanoid said, lately the CNS system has been pretty sketchy. I've gotten orders with no CNS at all and some CNS notifications on or after the day of arrival. Because of your location and the multiple LE updates I'd probably give it another week or so before I worried too much. Sometimes the turnaround at the Lab is a little slow, too. I have placed imp orders in the past, within days of each other, and received them weeks apart. I would assume that orders with just the current LEs in them are shipping quicker because they are making multiple bottles of the same thing. Also, if you used CCNow to process your order, they tend to do wonky things like charge you, refund you, and charge you again. That has nothing to do with the Lab (except of course that they are the Lab's choice for secure checkouts) -- that is all CCNow being irritating. Here's hoping you get your smellies soon.

Alright, I'm a little confused. I didn't see this thread before and I have been thinking of going out to Harry's Farmer's Market here in GA. It was mentioned that they no longer carry BPAL, but when I called them a week or two ago they said that yes, they would have Haloes in stock. I suppose the easiest way to find out is just to go, but.. which is it? Has anyone been out there recently who can confirm yes or no? It's not a long drive all things considered but I'd rather not waste an afternoon. EDIT: Okay, I just went ahead and visited Harry's Farmer's Market and though they do have a number of bottles, they say they aren't receiving any more shipments. Sadly, there were no Haloes left. So in case anyone is wondering.. there is a decent selection (including some Vampires and GCs and the comics blends) but once they're gone, they're gone!

I opted for chocolates (Gelt 11 on pulse points and a little Bliss in my hair) last night for work since they stay light enough on me and I got to deliver my little gifts to patients, so even though I couldn't hand out chocolate it still felt appropriate. I had planned on wearing my First Kiss set today.. but since it is cold and rainy, and I have the day off, I think I'll stick with my Bourbon Vanilla bath oil and a little White Sandalwood & Fig in my hair tonight. The WS&F is too much for work, but it'll be a nice warm addition to my night in with my bestie I think.. plus I am pretty sure I can enable her some more since BPTP has so many products that will fit her low-chemical ideals.

While not an unpleasant scent, on the whole, the oddly sweet/powdery/medicinal/toiletry combination of this has an unfortunate scent-association for me. It strongly reminds me of when my former leading man was doing home health care and had to use hair/body powder on some of the patients who could not be bathed. Not for me. However! I could see how this could work for some people. It has a really unique quality to it that, as a lover of softer scents, even I can admire. It would be a good fit for someone who likes clean, fresh-out-of-the-shower scents, especially if they're not big on the green/citrus blends. I know some others have mentioned it being lemony, but it smells more like pollen to me. Sweet and soft, good enough for a honey bee. If that sounds like you, give it a try even though my above comments probably don't sound like a ringing endorsement.

On me, this isn't as sweet as others have said. It does start out as a really lovely, sweet woody scent, very well blended.. more vanilla orchid than pomegranate for me. But as it dries I lose the sweetness and it turns into something resembling dry clove and pepper. I'm guessing that's all the woods and maybe the ylang ylang (we don't always get along, Ylang and I) reminding me that I do best with simpler wood blends. Not that I'm complaining -- it's still a lovely scent. I'll wait a bit and test it again to see if maybe a little time will help me out on this one. As an aside, though.. this over the Vanilla Bourbon bath oil is wow, amazing.

I thought it would be like Catherine (or Catherine's sister, I suppose) but on me, at least, it is very very herbal. After a long time it mellowed, and while it's nice, I would say it's more like a pretty-yet-unisex scent. I don't get any real floral from Doom of Beauty whereas I got all the notes vying for attention from Catherine. **** On an unrelated note.. okay, so I have tested Glowing Vulva but it was very strong on me for some reason and I didn't really like that. However, a while back I was gifted an imp of the bath oil and I cannot believe how much nicer, comforting, softer, and mellower it is -- I now understand why you guys loved GV! So my question is.. are there any similarities in the GC or easier to find LEs for the bath oil GV? I know that Antikythera Mechanism has been mentioned, but that gets very masculine on me. I have also seen Haloes mentioned, and I plan to give it a shot if it's still carried at the store in Roswell. Any other ideas?

This is a really, really gorgeous pine. It's rich and wet and makes me think of dark green emeralds. There's also something chilly in the background, which is probably the Lab's "snow" note. Stays true from wet to full drydown and has some real staying power. Sadly, it's too strong on me. I wish I could wear it, but even a tiny test was too much. Might try it as a room scent before I decide to swap it because it really is just a beautiful Christmas/Yule fragrance.

In the bottle: Candy. Some kind of pink chewy berry candy. Wet, on skin: Still very candy-like, but as it warms up the floral notes come out and it becomes a seamless, sweet fragrance. It isn't like a bowl of berries next to a vase of roses.. it's like crushed berries and orange blossom dribbled over lush red rose petals. Throw is strong at this point. Drying: Not really morphing but the throw mellows out. No sandalwood or frankincense in the throw.. there is a bare hint of something deeper when sniffed nose-to-skin. Very vibrant and youthful. Full drydown: Well-blended berries, rose, and orange blossom with a hint of something rich behind it.. guessing that is the frankincense and sandalwood, but it is faint. Slight powdery feel, but it's the comforting kind of powdery. Sweetness is still going strong -- still reminding me of candy in a way, but I wouldn't consider it foody. Throw is a little more than I prefer, but I generally like scents that stick close to the skin. Verdict: True to the inspiration -- it really is bright, joyful, and hints at both youth (the girl) and comfort (the grandmother/angel) with just the barest reminder of Earthly life (that faint frankincense and sandalwood). On me, it's in the same category as Titania, but where Titania is ethereal this one is fuller, richer. Think I am keeping this one.. I look forward to seeing how it ages with the sandalwood.

I thought for sure this was going to be a great scent for me. Light? Check. Rose? Check. Feminine? Check. But.. for some reason, it just isn't. I can't really pick out the rose, and it is making me think of something dusty and pink from my past but I can't put my finger on it.. maybe some kind of deodorant powder or.. something. Nearly medicinal, like pink baby aspirin. I have compared it to the Snow White I picked up this year as well, and I much prefer Snow White. Something in Pink Snowballs just doesn't work on my skin. I want to love this one. I was sure I would. But.. I think I'll be putting it up for swaps.

Most of my labels are a little fuzzy on the lettering and fine detail. I suspect the print-splosion has something to do with this. Still pretty, though. From left to right: Snow White, Beautiful and Adored, Amiable and Lovely Creatures, In Brightness and In Joy, Ondurdis, Cloth of Gold, Pink Snowballs Different lighting for the three faintest labels.. Cloth of Gold, Pink Snowballs, Ondurdis. And I have closeups of all of the above in an album if you want to see them individually.

I will try to remember to take some photos tomorrow (er.. later today) but I can at least tell you that my Little Match Girl bottle (In Brightness and In Joy) is the same painting that is shown on the Lab site (little girl with the Christmas tree) with the scent name in white.