edenssixthday

Tristran - This is most definitely a masculine scent on me. The patchouli is the strongest note, but all of the notes blend together to create a scent that’s almost leathery…but not quite. It’s very warm and woody and almost spicy…but not. It’s a scent that I would put in a similar category as Schwarzer Mond, Count Dracula, and Spanked. The scent has really amazing throw (a little goes a very long way) and the staying power is really spectacular. It’s a little too woody for me to choose to wear regularly, but it’s definitely something I will wear and something I really want my husband to wear. It’s very warm and outdoorsy and really wonderful.

Night-Gaunt – This is predominantly a bright, crisp kumquat on me. It reminds me of peeling a juicy little kumquat, popping the fruit in your mouth whole, and biting down on it, the sweet juices bursting and flowing over the inside of your mouth and down your throat. Yum! I don’t smell the florals at all unless I sniff my skin really close after drydown and then I smell a faint trace of pretty flowers, but can’t distinguish any particular type of flower. It's at this point that I also detect the tartness of yuzu, but again, only when I sniff up close. The wafts I catch about me are all kumquat -- which is not a bad thing at all! This is a really pretty, crisp, clean, bright summer scent. Sadly, as with most citrus scents, it fades from my skin very quickly. I only get 30 minutes of scent (tops), which means this one is really more of a scent locket or oil burner type scent for me.

Shadwell – When I sniff this in the bottle, I smell cheap men’s cologne and mildew. When I apply it, it almost immediately warms up on my skin and the cheap men’s cologne scent disappears, and what I initially identified as the “mildew” from the scent description starts to actually smell more mossy and aquatic than anything else. It’s a warm, masculine scent, slightly creamy-sweet, slightly mossy/aquatic, and slightly tobacco/leathery. I think it’s a truly gorgeous scent, and I love catching unexpected wafts of it around me. I do think it’s more masculine than not, and was hoping my husband would like it, but he only thinks “it’s okay.” Bummer. Oh well, I’ll keep on wearing it myself, then! The throw and staying power are both above average on me.

Yvaine - When I first applied this blend, I was so very sad because the lavender was loud and obnoxious and stinky. (BPAL lavender and I are not exactly known for getting along well.) I was absolutely delighted when the scent started to dry down and the lavender, while still noticeable, backed off significantly, and I could smell other facets of this blend, such as cool night air and a note that almost twinkles. The lavender becomes really pretty and blends gorgeously with the rest of the notes. I really don't think I smell the magnolia at all, which is odd because my skin usually amps it. This is a truly gorgeous scent. It represents Yvaine so perfectly that I want to pull out Stardust and read it again (but can't because I loaned it to my sister last week!) Maybe it's because of the lavender, but I can see this becoming a bedtime fragrance. Likewise, I see it being worn well on a romantic evening out. The scent is strong initially, has about average throw upon drydown, and sadly on me, the staying power is pretty short -- 90 minutes at most.

The Witch Queen – When I first opened the bottle, the first thing I smelled was the plum. Lots of crisp and juicy plum and a hint of swirling incense smoke - opium incense smoke. Likewise, when I first apply the oil to my skin, the fruitiness of the plum is the first identifiable note, although it is quickly rounded out by a gorgeous bouquet of florals – none of them individually distinct from any others (except for perhaps the tuberose which occasionally rises above the rest before it ducks back under the surface again), yet they are all sweet and pretty florals. The incense blending with the fruit and flowers reminds me a lot of Chrysanthemum Moon, although not as deep and heavy as Mum Moon. As the blend dries, the juiciness of the plum fades and the florals and incense blend together so nicely and become a gorgeous smoke-muted floral scent. It has average staying power, although the throw is below average. This is a gorgeous scent, although I have to be honest and say that the inspiration kind of surprises me because this scent is almost too pretty and on me at least, it's not remotely sinister enough to be worthy of being named after The Witch Queen.

Fairy Market - This blend opens up with the scent of gorgeous flowers, followed immediately by the scent of grass, followed immediately by the scent of marsh mallow (not the puffy white sugar-bomb you put on s'mores, but real mallow), which I’m guessing is the “exotic sugared candies” from the description. All three scents manage to remain distinct, yet compliment each other gorgeously. As the blend dries down on my skin, the incense becomes the dominant note and the grass and flowers disappear. The marsh mallow scent fades a bit, but doesn’t disappear completely, and at this point, I can smell the sugary mallow scent blending with the lavender, which is reminiscent of TKO, except it's soft and subtle like a sprinkling of fairy dust. It almost becomes powdery, without being a baby powder type of scent. This scent is gorgeous from beginning to end, despite how differently it smells at the end from the beginning. After drydown, it’s a fairly light scent on my skin, but if I take a walk outside or do something that warms my skin up, it amps the scent up again. I absolutely love it. If I could look like any scent smells, I might choose to look like this one.

The Gibbous Moon – This is a really high-pitched floral. It reminds me of what you might get if you crossed Black Moon with Berenice. Although I like lily, it completely overwhelms this blend. The moonflower and orris are in the background of the scent, but really, it’s pretty much all lily on my skin. It is very crisp and sharply perfumey. I actually do like the scent, despite it being such a sharp floral on me, but since I have another lily blend that I love (Berenice), I don’t really have much use for this one. The throw is very strong and the scent is extremely long-lasting although semi-ethereal (and I should add that at about the 8 hour point, the scent is definitely no longer a screeching lily and is more of a soft and subtle moonflower.)

Red Moon (2007) – I positively love every single note in this blend (with the possible exceptions of rue and elder flower since I don’t know what they smell like), so I had high hopes for this blend. This is a scent that is almost gorgeous, but not quite. Something is slightly “off” about it, and I can’t put my finger on it for the life of me. It’s kind of like when you sniff your milk to see if it’s sour or not and you just can’t tell. It may have gone bad, but it may still be perfectly fine, it’s just too fine of a line to tell. That’s how this scent is on me. The dragon’s blood, heliotrope, and red musk are the dominant notes right off the bat, and while I can’t be certain of it, the dragon’s blood and heliotrope may be what aren’t blending so well on my skin. Or maybe it’s the addition of the orange peel. It’s just so hard to say. It doesn’t smell right on me, yet I can’t stop smelling it because it's sooo close to being gorgeous! I think this is one that may start to smell a little better on my skin as it ages a tad, so I’m going to hang on to my bottle and try it again in a month or two and see if I have a less confusing experience with it at that point. The staying power and throw are both about average. ETA: I did let this sit for 3 months and tried it again -- still, same reaction. It's almost gorgeous, but not quite. It's still kind of weird on me. I'm going to keep letting it age and see if it gets better and if not, maybe try it as a room scent.

Leo 2007 – Until I smelled this particular blend, it had been a long time since I’d smelled a new BPAL scent that made me want to positively bathe in it. I love Leo. From the first moment I sniffed it in the bottle to the first moment I put it on my skin to the very last moment it wears off my skin I LOVE IT. Did I mention how gorgeous this scent is? The gritty, golden frankincense is the first obvious note that I identified immediately, followed by the warm, golden, and softly powdery amber. Amid these amazing, rich resins, there’s something very sweet that’s almost foody-sweet that I couldn’t identify right away. It’s not the chamomile from the scent description. I think it’s the saffron. Put it could be the combination of saffron with walnut bark, which I’ve never smelled before. It reminds me a lot of other blends with saffron in them, but if that’s what it is, there’s a hell of a lot of saffron in this particular blend! No matter what, it’s gorgeous. It’s deep and resinous and sweet and warm and golden and well, it’s so perfectly LEO! My best friend is a Leo and while this isn’t a scent she would ever wear (she’s more of a lily-of-the-valley type girl), it is positively a perfect olfactory representation of her. The throw and staying power are both well above average, but amber and frankincense always last a good, long while on my skin.

Oh! I'm so glad I found this thread. I'm wondering if anyone has come across any BPAL blends that smell like the TAL Road Opener? It smells familiar to me, like I've smelled something like it in the BPAL catalogue, but I can't place it for the life of me. Perhaps it smells like one of the Chakra blends? Or it could be something else entirely different. Any recommendations would be much appreciated!

Chaos Theory 3: DVII (507) - This starts out with a massive burst of bright pomegranate, but quickly, the scent of smoke and patchouli come to the forefront and take over the blend. It's a strange combination and at times I don't like it, but it's not entirely unpleasant, either. The smoke gives it a touch of almost-spiciness and the pomegranate blends surprisingly well with the patchouli. Very interesting. But I'm still going to give it a pass.

Love and Pain - This doesn't smell so good on me. I'm not a fan of lavender or black musk and when blended with certain notes, tobacco can go horribly awry on my skin, as well. This is one of those blends that simply does not work for me. It opens with a sharp blast of lavender, but the lavender settles down more quickly than usual, but it's definitely still there. At this point, I can smell the tobacco and the dark musk, and it just smells terrible on my skin. I don't have a clue what golden copaifera is, and I definitely don't smell any vanilla. Oh! But then, after it's been on my skin for 30 minutes or so, I suddenly notice the lavender is gone. The musk is gone. The tobacco is present, but very subtle. What's left over is a scent that distinctly reminds me of LUSH American Cream. Is that the vanilla? The golden copacabana (haha). Wow. It actually turns into something really, truly stunning...yet so faint that I can barely smell it. But still...a BPAL that ends up smelling like American Cream? ROCK ON!

Kiyohime Changes From A Serpent - This is a truly fantastic aquatic. It's definitely aquatic and full of salty ocean mist, but it's also sweet, slightly fruity, slightlyfloral, and just wonderful. It's hard to describe, but I'd put it in a similar category as the original Blue Moon and Selkie. This is definitely a great scent. While the throw is amazing, it doesn't last long on my skin.

Sunrise with Sea-Monster - Oooh! What a terrific aquatic blend! It's got a very light-green scent and despite the depth and warmth provided by both the ambergris and amber, it's not a deep-sea scent. Rather, it reminds me more of splashing in warm, light blue waters of the Caribbean. The pear isn't evident in this blend at all, but the florals lend a really nice airy touch that maintains a balance between the feeling of ocean and air. This is just wonderful and I think it'll make it's way into my repertoire of favorite aquatic scents, especially those I wear in the summer time.

Madonna - When first applied, this smells entirely of pomegranate and iris. As it begins to dry down, the sharp blast of pomegranate settles down, and I can smell a bit of sweet orchid. Then, just as it's starting to get interesting...it disappears. It's just GONE. Just like THAT. Gone. Well, maybe there's a teeny tiny hint of hyssop leftover, but it's so faint as to be pretty useless as a perfume. I'm disappointed and frankly, I'm surprised because I thought the patchouli and frankincense at the very minimum would stay with me for a good while. I guess this is one that just doesn't work with me!

Fox Fires on New Year's Eve at the Garment Nettle Tree at Oji - I'll never be able to remember that full name. Wow, that's a biggun! Okay, this is predominantly a rice wine, cherry, incense and musk scent on me. When I first apply it, the wine is really strong, almost sour, way too juicy, and almost unpleasant...but not quite. As it dries down, the wine settles into a nice, sweet-sour, soft scent that provides a perfect backdrop for the cherry and the incense. This is not an IN YO' FACE!!! ultra-sweet cherry at all. It's almost more of a cherry blossom, but again...not quite. I think it's really tempered by the musk in the blend, which I can't smell distinctly, yet I can "feel" how it's softening out the cherry around the edges. The incense is very soft and wispy, and doesn't give the blend an overall smoky scent as incense sometimes does. I may smell the tiniest drop of lilac in this blend, but that could just be the power of suggestion from the scent description. Overall, it's a really pretty blend with an Asian flair, yet it's not nearly as traditionaly Asian-scented as I had anticated from all the notes in this. It's very pretty. The throw and staying power are both below average. This would make a lovely scent locket blend.

Bat - This is a gorgeous, gorgeous floral! It is very subtle, but definitely a stunning musky-floral scent. I don't detect the amber at all in this blend. Rather, it's mostly a combination of orchid, moonflower, and honeysuckle over a spritz of musk. Of course, I wouldn't know phlox or stock or toadflax from a bar of soap, so maybe I'm smelling them, too. I really can't say. Either way, this is a lovely, ethereal musky-floral, that reminds me of twilight hours in the summer time.

Death and Life Completed - This opens up with a strong, resinous amber scent, but quickly fades into a subtle woody-floral scent. The dry, arid sandalwood comes out just a tiny bit, and I'm surprised that I don't detect the carnation or the lemon balm at all. While this is mostly a woody scent, the woods don't overwhelm. It's almost like when you're in the woods and you see a fallen tree that has been completely covered with plant life -- in this blend, the wood is there, but it's covered with flowers, yet it's the wood that gives it its form and shape. It's quite lovely, but very, very subtle and on me, very much a skin scent.

The Smiling Spider - The first time I tried this on, Shelldoo was standing right there and commented that it smells just like a fresh pack of clove cigarettes. I had The Smiling Spider on my arm, and she opened up her pack of clove cigs, so I could sniff for comparison purposes, and sure enough...she was right (of course!) When I first apply this, it really does smell like a fresh pack of clove cigarettes. However, as it dries down on my skin, the musk becomes more and more evident, as does a tiny hint of patchouli, but no other wood notes. It lasts on my skin for hours, but after drydown, the throw is about average. Overall, it's a nice blend, very gender-neutral, but it doesn't really strike me as something really amazing. I will always choose my beloved Count Dracula over this blend, but that's because I really dig the leather in Count Dracula. I think The Smiling Spider could add a fascinating touch to Mad Meg, which is my next experiment.

Mad Meg - I hate how freshly-applied vetiver oils smell on my skin, but I always suffer through it because I know that once it dries down, it's going to be TEH AWEZOME!!! Sure enough, this is yet another amaaaaazing vetiver blend *after* it dries down. When first applied, it's entirely vetiver, but once it dries down, the almond blends with the vetiver to give it a semi-sweet and meaty type of scent...yet the vetiver is still super strong and almost gravelly. The cinnamon bark is there to lend it a bit of warm, woody, spicy feel, without being all about red hot candies. I LOVE IT. Vetiver is one of those notes that is just perfect on my skin -- it always has the perfect level of throw on my skin and lasts all day long. This is one for the permanent collection, that's for certain!

Spirit of the Komachi Cherry Tree - My skin is looooving the cherry blossom in this blend. On my skin, from beginning to end, it's almost entirely like single note cherry blossom, and it's the best damn cherry blossom scent I've ever encountered. I don't smell the blue lilac, which surprises me because my skin usually amps lilac so much you can smell me on the other end of town. Likewise, I don't detect the pear at all, although there is a non-floral sweetness to the blend that may be from the pear...no, actually, I think it's the honey. Upon drydown, I think I can smell sandalwood, but really, that could just be because I know it's in there and therefore I think I can detect it, since I can't really pin it down. Overall, it's all cherry blossom, and I love love LOVE it. I mean, I really love it. Did I mention how much I L-O-V-E it? The throw is absolutely perfect and it's got above average staying power. I'm very, very happy with this one. Definitely bottle-worthy.

Schlafende Baigneuse - Very interesting...I don't think I've encountered a BPAL blend with yellow rose in it before. Still, this is very much a yellow rose scent! I just love how Beth is able to distinguish between the various varieties of rose that she uses. The scent is very much a musky-floral, and it smells vary natural on my skin. It's light and subtle, and doesn't leave me feeling like I just applied perfume. Rather, it leaves my skin smelling like I bathed with a light floral product hours ago. This is really, really pretty, but it's such a skin scent and so subtle that it isn't likely something I would choose to wear over more powerful scents. Low throw and below average staying power.

Macbeth and the Witches - Sadly, I don't smell the ozone. This is entirely a smoke and leather scent on me. The leather is rich and heavy, but it's bathed in a heavy veil of smoke -- lots and lots of smoke. It's not my type of scent and it's not something I want my husband wearing, yet it's not entirely unpleasant and I keep having to go back to my arm for just one more sniff. It is a true and accurate scented representation of the painting that inspired it. The throw is moderate and the staying power is quite long, especially for a Salon scent, as they typically wick off my skin quite quickly.

Monna Vanna - When I first smell this, I keep going back and forth between "it's rose!" and "it's violet!" As it dries down on my skin, it becomes a warm, ambergris-based rose and lily scent, and the violet all but fades into the background. I can't discern any of the other notes as unique parts of this blend, but it's obvious there's more than just rose, violet, and ambergris in this. Overall, it's a very rich and pretty floral, but I have to be honest and say that it's a lot like many other rose blends I already own, so as lovely as it is, I'm not particularly drawn to it.

Philosopher in Meditation - In the vial, this smells like wine and wood smoke. I don't really care for either of those scents on their own, but I love the wet scent of this blend. As soon as it touches my skin, there is obviously a honey note in this blend that not only stands out above the other notes, but is actually a type of honey that works on my skin. On my skin, it's mostly a smoky honey scent over a layer of rich, red wine. Somehow, the notes work together in a way that reminds me a lot of Chrysanthemum Moon -- only a richer, deeper, huskier, incensier Mum Moon. This is really gorgeous and I absolutely positively need a bottle of it! The throw is strong initially and then maintains an average level of throw throughout the majority of it's stay on my skin. It has some of the best staying power of any BPAL blend (lasting a good half-day on me), which amazes me since the Salons usually disappear on me quickly.