BoneBone24

Not too long at all, IMO. It's a great write-up, in fact! Lots to work with...here are my recs: For your creative side, Muse A light, invigorating floral and citrus blend. Tuberose, lotus and jasmine with a hint of lime. For your love of mythology and dualistic nature, Persephone Beautiful, radiant daughter of Demeter... her loveliness was so exquisite that even Hell itself could not resist her. Pomegranate and rose. For your Shakespeare-loving, deep thought-having side, Ophelia Wistful and vulnerable: lotus, water blossom ivy, stargazer lily and white rose. For your curious daydreamer side, Pandy Fresh white musk, honeycomb, sweet apricot, elemi, orange blossom, and mischievous pink pepper. For your modern woman side, Jezebel Biblical witch, priestess of Astarte, and general troublemaker. A true role model for today's upwardly mobile Modern Woman. A gloriously decadent blend of honey, roses, orange blossom and sandalwood. And just because I have a hunch, Love-In-Idleness Yet mark'd I where the bolt of Cupid fell: It fell upon a little western flower, Before, milk-white, now purple with love's wound, And maidens call it love-in-idleness.

Wet: Soapy orange blossom grounded by dirty patchouli. Drydown: Orange blossom always smells soapy on me and this is no exception. The carnation pairs with it, creating a soapy, breathy, floral perfume. Contradicting the florals is the patchouli, which smells especially dirty - bordering on gritty - in this blend. The duality is indeed evocative of extravagant ball gowns juxtaposed with demonic-looking masks. The two elements dance about the other in a way that feels like something is about to happen. And eventually it does when the ambergris steps forth to gild the scent and adds some much-needed body. Dry: Each note stands on its own now with perhaps the patchouli a hair stronger than the rest. There is an earthy spiciness that smells nearly like pepper and an almost-sweetness that makes me wonder if perhaps the orange blossom is starting to behave. Earthy, dry, spicy, sweet, breathy, and floral. Colorwise, this blend lives in the realms of shadowed golds and soft, pinkish browns. It’s very romantic. 7 out of 10 bones

It starts with a bright burst of citrus and herbs, courtesy of absinthe (complete with a cube of white sugar!). I think there might be another energetic note in there too. Grapefruit or ginger perhaps. After that the florals come forth, led by jasmine. There’s a touch of something sharper and soapier that I think might be violet or iris. Some orange blossom too, I think. And while I do agree there is probably a creamier, white floral in there, I don’t think it’s gardenia. My guess would be tuberose. Overall the scent is fresh and happy, with a feminine slant. The associated hue would be a creamy pale green. (Google tells me this cafe was known for absinthe and lesbians, so I think that explains the lack of coffee and dead rat notes! ) In summary: Pale, sugared florals splashed with absinthe. For me this is the perfect bathroom scent, but I imagine it working in a sitting room or guest room too. Anywhere you’d want a fresh, sunshine-y feeling, really. I hope this becomes officially released one of these days!

Wet: Sweetly spiced lemons. Yum! Drydown: Spicy, resinous laudanum and a mysterious brown sugar sweetness cuddle over lemon-laced ozone. A warm, elegant musk grounds the blend. It smells quite smart. And delicious. At this point I am thinking bottle. Dry: Much fading occurs and what remains is a musky brown sugar note. Which is admittedly nice, but I’m left wondering where my spicy lemons went. Ignoring that quandary, the lingering sweet musk is rather pleasant. It’s soft and cozy, with a touch of sea-breeze freshness reigned in by dark, caramelized goodness. It gives the impression of a warm fog covering the ground between the shore’s edge and an old-fashioned candy shop. This test was done with traces of oil from a sniffie, and I am for-sure intrigued enough to hunt down an imp now. And if the imp tests well, a bottle may in fact be in order. 8 out of 10 bones

How about Self-Portrait, Stimulating Sassafras Strengthener, or O? I'd suggest Endymion, Fairy Bites, and if you're open to something a bit darker, Tavern of Hell, which is like the darker, twisted sibling of Le Revenant.

My suggestions for you would be The Organ Grinder, Captain Cully, Phoenix in Autumn, Frank Burns, and Half-Elf. For you I would say Schmendrick, Lawful, Wings of Azrael, Bewitched, and Lamia. My top 5 are: Tavern of Hell R'Lyeh Light of Men's Lives No. 93 Engine (aged) Defututa (less cinnamon-y, more tropical)

Oooooh, what a fascinating topic! Let's see... - JESSICA: The titular character. 20s. Tomboy. Dark haired and laconic, sensual and vehemently opposed to anything girly. A natural in every sense of the word, she is equal parts babe, bro and badass. Her drink is whiskey, her t-shirts are well worn and her backbone is steel. Loyal, gruff, warm and brave. ---She sounds like she'd be into the same sorts of scents that I'm drawn to! Omen: oakmoss, juniper berry, myrrh and patchouli Juke Joint: Kentucky Bourbon, sugar and a sprig of mint Gaueko: Blackened sandalwood and misty lavender, with curling wisps of smoky tobacco, nag champa, and labdanum (LE) Torture King: Frankincense and sweet clove, mandarin and bourbon, lemon peel and leather, grasses and smoke, lime and vetiver, ambergris and deep musk - CHLOE: The heart of the operation. 20s. The human equivalent of a cupcake. Brains and beauty wrapped up in a cardigan. As girly as Jess isn't, she's got a closet that rivals Carrie Bradshaw. Jess' long suffering roommate, she exudes confidence and kindness, as well as the spirit of a humanitarian. Maiden: white tea, carnation and Damask Rose Eat Me: Three white cakes, vanilla, and red and black currants Good: Shimmering celestial musk with vanilla, white honey, acacia, and sugar cane - KINDRED: AKA "The World's Least Helpful Familiar" Gifted to Jess by an overly helpful demon. Taking the form of a man, he drinks, he smokes, he fucks anything vaguely symmetrical and human-esque. The countenance of a lush, but ultimately the heart of a lion. Is loyal to Jess and Jess alone (not by choice but by design). Snarky, sexy and sarcastic to the core. (NOTE: should ideally share one or two notes in common with JESSICA and SHAX) Perversion: Smoky rum and black tobacco with a whisper of steamy leather with a splash of crystalline chardonnay, layered over a sensual, sweet, and deceptively magnetic base of tonka Tavern of Hell: White gardenia, ambergris bouquet, lavender fougere, orange blossom, melissa, tobacco flower, coriander, ebony wood, ylang ylang, absinthe and aged whiskey Kill-Devil: Sugar cane, molasses, oak wood, and honey Incubus: Spectral white musk and the heart-stopping chill of sheared mint, fanned by caramel-touched body heat, and the diabolical sensuality of black musk, nicotiana, and sage - TIR: A former Zoroastrian god, now displaced. Soulful, intense and deeply troubled. Warming slowly to the notion of becoming friends with the strange bedfellows he's fallen in with. Regal, beautiful. A former warrior who has recently hung up his long standing decree of pacifism to assist McAvoy. Controls all things water and rain. Lyonesse: Golden vanilla and gilded musk, stargazer lily, white sandalwood, grey amber, elemi, orris root, ambergris and sea moss Dragon's Tears: salty aquatic notes and bursting with dragon's blood - TIERNEY: The reluctant member of the Boston PD assigned to act as touchstone to the "Freaky Fucking Division" AKA Jess' legal handler. A tough South Boston Irish Catholic who lapsed in adulthood. Plays hard, works harder. A skeptic. Has a file somewhere filled with excessive force complaints. Dragon's Hide: Dragon’s blood, leather and a hint of smoke Troll: vetiver, pine pitch, troll musk, black basil, clove smoke, and scorched cumin Fighter: Leather, musk, blood, and steel - SHAX: A sexy, silky-tongued demon with major boundary issues. Plays in the human world, rules over certain segments of hell. Lives to cause ordered chaos and give Jess a headache. If he had a theme song, it would be Sympathy for the Devil. Expensive looking. Kindred's technical creator, though they have a serious antipathy for one another. (NOTE: jasmine should ideally be in his blend- thank you, Key of Solomon) Vicomte de Valmonte: ambergris, white musk, white sandalwood, Spanish Moss, orange blossom, three mints, jasmine, rose geranium and a spike of rosemary Kubla Khan: Through sunlit caves of ice, roses unfurl amidst dancing waves of serpentine opium smoke and amber tobacco, golden sandalwood, champaca, tea leaf, sugared lily, ginger, rich hay absolute, leather, dark vanilla, mandarin, peru balsam, and Moroccan jasmine

Wet: Dry, dark wood and leather with a touch of creamy tonka. Drydown: Smoother now, more ephemeral even. The robustness of the wood has toned down considerably and the scent is now primarily tonka and clean parchment. Studious, refined, and perfectly suited for the librarian of your daydreams...or for attracting said librarian! Dry: Sweeter now, aided by amping tonka. The incense and rosewood are more present, on par with the parchment strength-wise. The leather and wood remain quiet but noticeable in the background. Really quite lovely and damn sexy. Masculine leaning, but suitable for all bookish types regardless of gender. 8.5 out of 10 bones

Wet: A clean, clear, and salty aquatic. It smells like the same ocean note that’s in Sea Foam’s Milk. Drydown/Dry: Deeper now, more similar to R’Lyeh (which I love). There’s definitely some ambergris and perhaps a blackened wood note of some sort. Slightly frothy. There’s a touch of greenery, most likely the seaweed and perhaps some eucalyptus too. All in all, it’s a refreshing true-aquatic with a surprising amount of depth. 7.5 out of 10 bones

Wet: Soft, crumbly cookies. Like a cross between peanut butter cookies and snickerdoodles. Drydown: Buttery (but not too buttery), nutty, salty, sweet (but not too sweet), and by some magic also soft and well-behaved. It segues from cookie goodness to a cross between fresh waffle cone goodness and gourmet pound cake drizzled with an orange liqueur-tinged syrup. Decadent and delicious, but also light and happy. Dry: I’m a bit confounded because this is the first true-foodie scent that is absolutely wearable on me! Dry, it smells a bit like pound cake mixed with orange fruit loops, and that somehow smells fantastic on my skin. Clearly some sorcery was involved in the making of this one! Magical and yummy. In two words: cookie musk 8 out of 10 bones

Welcome to BPAL! I hope you have lots of fun testing Here are my recs: Fae for your flirty, southern peach side. The Dodo for it's red musk (which I think matches your sassiness and confidence) plus a bit of humor. The Red Rider for your adoration of horses. Elf for your outdoorsy, adventurous side. Windward Passage for your love of the beach. And Morocco for your mysterious and romantic side. Fae: A brilliant, ethereal scent: white musk, bergamot, heliotrope, peach and oakmoss The Dodo: Red musk, lemon peel, sugar cane, cassia, white sandalwood, mango, and agarwood Red Rider: Red leather, red moss, and balsam Elf: Pale golden musk, honeycomb, amber, parma violet, hawthorne bark, aspen leaf, forest lily, life everlasting, white moss, and a hint of wild berry Windward Passage: Breezes blowing off of the waters of the Caribbean: marine accord, seaweed, and bladderwrack Morocco: Arabian spices wind through a blend of warm musk, carnation, red sandalwood and cassia

Wet: Cozy, robust leather. There’s something indistinct but fresh hiding beneath it. Drydown: Primarily soft leather supported by a powdery freshness. It stays consistent throughout the drydown, until it sweetens a bit towards the end. Dry: Equal parts rugged-but-worn leather and nearly-powdery lilac. There’s perhaps a dusting of dried herbs in there too. Quite androgynous. 7 out of 10 bones

Try to find some aged Defututa if you can. When it's fresh the cinnamon can be quite powerful, but aged is just perfect. Also: Haunted: Soft golden amber darkened with a touch of murky black musk (gentler than it sounds) Euphrosyne: Gardenia, tea rose, vanilla and jasmine Against Idleness & Mischief: Pollen-dusted honey, diligent tonka, steadfast chamomile, and goodly hyssop (similar to Light of Men's Lives, but lighter and softer) Good: Shimmering celestial musk with vanilla, white honey, acacia, and sugar cane Neutral: A flawless skin musk (^All GC)

2nd-ing: Floating Market and Dee Some more to consider: La Lethe: Red musk and sweat-damp golden skin musk with labdanum, golden amber, nutmeg, tobacco absolute, black orchid, and hemlock accord. Wings of Azrael: Warm myrrh swirled with a bittersweet blend of violet, Lily of the Valley, juniper, cypess and cajeput. The Caterpillar: Heavy incense notes waft lazily through a mix of carnation, jasmine, bergamot, and neroli over a lush bed of dark mosses, iris blossom, deep patchouli and indolent vetiver. Evil + Elf + Mage: Smouldering opium tar, tobacco absolute, green tea, black plum, kush, ambergris accord, ambrette seed, and costus root + Pale golden musk, honeycomb, amber, parma violet, hawthorne bark, aspen leaf, forest lily, life everlasting, white moss, and a hint of wild berry + gurjum balsam, Sumatran dragon's blood resin, olibanum, galangal, oleo gum resin, and frankincense

Wet: Gummy bears in the sky, I can fly twice as hi-igh...uhh, right... I’m smelling purple gummy bears and ozone. Drydown: The purple fruitiness softens a bit, becoming more palatable. Meanwhile, the ozone is joined by citrus and juniper. Bright, high-pitched, and slightly fruity. Dry: This is not slush or flurries, but rather an icy, crystalline ball of snow whizzing through the air. Icy, sour, chilly, and sweet. Only a barest hint of plum and cardamon color the edges, while at the core this is all ice and snow. 7.5 out of 10 bones

Wet: Whoa, this does actually smell like cucumber. So weird. Cucumber and spice. Drydown: Vegetal cucumber, spiced with something dry and woody - probably the sandalwood. Everything else is layered very soft and thin, giving off just the barest hint of leather and tonka at the top of the bottom. As it dries the blend sweetens a bit, taking the vibe from vegetal to vaguely tropical. Dry: Whispers is an apt word for this blend. The notes are all so thin. But there is an exotic edge in there too. Rather than whispers between lovers, these are whispers of danger and scandal. Each note is light but detectable, and somehow fuzzy and translucent. What I’m picking up most is vaguely spicy, sweet, and golden. My guess is that it’s the sugandh kokila, which google tells me is some sort of cinnamon berry. It’s all very difficult to describe, but I very much enjoy it. This is one that must be experienced.

Wet: Sweet beeswaxy goodness with a hint of something dusty. Drydown: Very much like Light of Men’s Lives at first, and then a dank wood note comes forward to dance with the glowing wax note, which eventually tires and leaves the dance floor. Worn leather joins the wood, giving me the impression of an old forgotten chair discovered in the corner of a basement. Not to be forgotten, the ash kicks in too, forming a small pile just beside the chair. After a moment, a few limbs of play-doh flesh climb their way into the chair, yanking the honeyed wax back into the room on a chain. Dry: As things settle, the wood takes prominence over a bed of rotting musky skin. Every so often a drizzle of wax or a poof of ash falls over this mixture, while the leather seems to remain locked in the basement. An experience in a bottle, that's for sure. 7 out of 10 bones --UPDATE-- (aged review) My decant has now aged nearly 8 years and has become more beautiful in the process. The creepier and woody notes I got when it was fresh aren't there anymore, and the beeswax has become the scent's star. It's now glowing, soft, and haunting, with just hints of dust and smoke. bone rating upgraded to 8 out of 10 bones

Wet: Bright, shimmery, crisp, and frothy. Reminiscent of Embalming Fluid, but without the lemon candies vibe. Drydown/Dry: A clean, refreshing aquatic with a touch of sophistication added by the tea. Simply delightful. I think many noses would like this. If you’re into Embalming Fluid, Herbert West, or even Dorian, this would be a good one to check out. 8 out of 10 bones

Wet: Icy and sweet. Mentholated. It smells very much like coughdrops - honey menthol maybe. Usually when I’m reminded of coughdrops it’s a bad thing, but in this case I like it. Drydown: The notes begin to separate a bit, allowing me to appreciate them outside of the coughdrop impression. There’s some incredibly chilly wind (brrrrrrrr!) and a healthy dollop of sweetness. The apple is contributing to the sweetness no doubt, but its distinct scent is buried beneath a good deal of sweet mint. No dust or burlap so far, but what I do smell is quite nice. Dry: The same but with a tiny hint of burlap. Which, by the way, is incredibly burlap-like! So cool! But overall, very refreshingly cool, mentholated, and minty, with a pinch of apple and a trace of burlap. It's perfect for the cold I'm harboring right now! 8.5 out of 10 bones

(2013) Wet: Darkly sweet. I’m not usually crazy about sweet, but this is actually quite yummy. Drydown: I can make out each note clearly, even though it is very well blended. The gaufrette is partnered with the leather at the top, with the licorice adding a certain twistedness in the middle, and a bare dusting of coal lingers in the back. As it dries the coal worms it’s way to the front, kicking the gaufrette down a peg to make room. Black and dusty and softly sweet, with a bit of a surly snap from the licorice. Dry: More dusty coal piles on top, burying the gaufrette almost completely. The leather smoothes things over and the licorice fades to a whisper. Bleak and grey and gritty and menacing. Oh! and I think I’ve found the gaufrette; it seems to have relocated to the throw, which is actually quite perfect! Dark and gritty on the wrist for me, and soft cookie-sweetness in the air for those around me 8 out of 10 bones

Wet: Salted and earthy-soft. Sort of dirty but also a bit foody too - like moldy spice cake, but in a good way! It reminds me a bit of My Mommy In a Boat. Drydown: The same but stronger, with some of the moss folding into the mix now. Chunks of sea salt spiced with resins and sweetened by a truly blackened coconut note. Lot’s of murk and sludge drizzled on top. Oh, and a touch of dizzying wormwood now too. This is the kind of BPAL scent I absolutely love. It’s completely peculiar, it’s transformative, and somehow it manages to make the scary smell good. Dry: Wormwood-laden labdanum mixed with murky saltwater, dark coconut, and what I think might be a hint of flowers. It smells authentically tropical, like you just came out of the water and have bits of seaweed and sand and a coating of grey who-knows-what stuck on your legs. Perhaps a smidgen gross, but all in all, a very cool scent. 7 out of 10 bones Edited to Add: Trying this almost a year later, and my goodness it has aged beautifully! The moldy/fungal note is basically gone now and everything else is full of WIN. The aged version gets 8.5 out of 10 bones!

Since your personality seems to have a mix of hard/concrete and creative/whimsy, I feel like Absinthe's mix of uppers and downers would mirror that duality well. Black Rider also comes to mind from your description of your style and musical tastes. Tavern of Hell has a nice gender neutral complexity that would probably suite you. And I think Juke Joint, Apothecary, Black Cat, and Penny Dreadful would fit you nicely as well. Absinthe: An intoxicating blend containing wormwood essence, light mints, cardamom, anise, hyssop, and the barest hint of lemon Black Rider: Black leather, oppoponax, tobacco, and black amber Tavern of Hell: White gardenia, ambergris bouquet, lavender fougere, orange blossom, melissa, tobacco flower, coriander, ebony wood, ylang ylang, absinthe and aged whiskey Juke Joint: Kentucky Bourbon, sugar and a sprig of mint Apothecary: Tea leaf with three mosses, green grass, a medley of herbal notes, and a drop of ginger and fig Black Cat: (no notes listed, but most reviews mention rose, spices, herbs, and mint) Penny Dreadful: Soft perfume evocative of noir heroines over rich red grave loam

Replying to myself in case anyone else is on the lookout for such scents - - Dwarf is quite reminiscent of the lithography stone grinding process! Printmakers take note (and a belated thanks for the replies this got over a year ago!)

Intent: Wrapping up/making headway on the forever long list of chores on my to-do list. I’m such a procrastinator and chore-hater that my list of things to do has gotten ridiculous over the years, so I thought ouroboros would be a good fit for completing such never-ending tasks. Other Materials: Red candle (to inspire action) , Paper (with intent written on it), Basil (to bring focus on the home), and Sarsaparilla (also to bring focus on the home). Effects: While the candle was burning, I went through all the mail and paperwork that was laying around and tucked in drawers and bags around the house. I sorted, shredded, trashed, and filed all of it that day, and took care of a few other chores around the house as well. We’re talking two+ years worth of credit card applications, bank statements, takeout menus, etc. sent to my husband, me, and several previous tenants of our house. After the candle burned down I wrapped the contents of the ritual in fabric and twine. I’ve been leaving this in areas of the house where I spend a lot of time, hoping it would subtly inspire me to stop lazing around. Since doing so there have been a number of things that I have been meaning to do for months (and in some cases years) now that at long last have finally gotten done! I finally got the hole in the siding patched. (I’m a bad homeowner and have been putting this off for over a year.) I finally cancelled our unused gym memberships. (Our last visits were in, um, last December.) My husband finally got rid of the giant-ass record console that’s been taking up precious space ever since we bought the house - 4 years ago! And I’ve had a much better attitude when doing weekly chores (dishes, trash, etc.), rather than cursing out my husband while doing them like usual - ha! While my intent was chore-focused, other areas of my life may have been affected as well. I’ve been meaning to get back into a fitness and diet routine for ages, and have finally done that. I’ve also been putting off (but rather needing to) getting my budget under control and (whew!) I’ve actually done that too! Knowing how much of a procrastinator I usually am, I’d say the level of productivity I’ve had since doing the ritual speaks volumes for its effectiveness. Scent: It smells earthy, cozy, and a bit smoky. Definitely vetiver, but softened somehow. Maybe some patchouli, spices, and woody herbs too. My husband thought it smelled like chicken.

Wet: Crispy fresh flowers in hues of white and gold. Dry/Drydown: Clean yet devilish. Creamy white gardenia and lily over golden ambrette and cognac. Dry, handsome sandalwood supports the scent beneath the florals. Very smooth and just a bit naughty. As I had hoped, this does indeed smell similar to Tavern of Hell. Compared to that I’d say this is a bit more simple and more floral, but it definitely has all the parts that count. Clean, romantic flowers with a dry, boozy kick. 8.5 out of 10 bones