edenssixthday

Thaumiel - I smell a soapy floral in the vial, but as soon as I apply it, the soapiness oddly dissipates, leaving behind some kind of floral (no clue which one) that is bright yellow with a bitter of bitter green (similar to dandelion, but not). It is also just the very slightest bit resinous, like a touch of amber may be in this blend. This is a pretty common scent -- it reminds me of most of the department store fragrances that lack anything unique about them. Sorry to say, but I'm not impressed. However, on the good side, it does have a nice level of throw and good staying power.

Thagirion - Ooh, what a crisp, clean, and refreshing scent! This would make a lovely room scent. The scent is like green tea with a hint of lemon and maybe even a drop of pear. It's very green and clean and tart with a hint of sweet florals. It reminds me a lot of Beltane in its green, clean freshness. I really like this and would it if my home smelled like this, but I don't foresee myself wearing it again as a personal fragrance.

Sathariel - This is an odd scent that's very familiar, but I can't place it for the life of me. It's complexly blended, and I can only guess at what I think I smell in this blend: amber, a touch of dragon's blood, incense, and a hint of something sweet like balsam. This blend is way too sweet for me, and I find it incredibly cloying, even in small amount. The level of throw is moderate and the wear length seems about average.

Samael - Out of the vial, this is a strong floral. As it warms up on my skin and begins to dry down, the floral note becomes recognizable as wisteria, and it's quite lovely. I also can't help but wonder if there's a touch of apple blossom in this, as well. Upon full dry-down, I begin to detect the honey musk scent that other reviewers noted, and it's quite gorgeous. It reminds me somewhat of Al Araaf (as other reviewers have noted) and not similar in the least to La Fee Verte, as other reviewers have found. It sticks fairly close to my skin, but I get lovely, light wafts of it on occasion, and it's just so truly pretty. I really like this scent and was very surprised by how different it is after drydown than it is directly out of the vial. Definitely one to consider for a full bottle purchase. ETA: It's been over a year-and-a-half since I first reviewed this scent, and probably a year since I last wore it. I have worn it three times this week, and I'm having a different experience with it this go-around. I do not know if it's due to aging or changes in skin chemistry, but I don't smell any wisteria now, only perhaps the lightest touch of a fruit blossom, and honey, honey, HONEY! The Al Araaf similarity is stronger than ever, due to the heaviness of the honey. It's also no longer subtle on my skin, but quite strong and lasts a long time. I never did get around to buying a full bottle, and now I'm kicking myself over it.

Golachab - I first smelled this when I was decanting Qliphoths for my decant group. Based on scent in the bottle alone, I was positive that Golachab was going to be my favorite of the Qliphoths. It is even more lovely when applied to the skin. Both in the vial and on the skin, the scent is primarily a heavy, sweet fruit and I think it's blackberry because it smells exactly like my Philosophy Blackberry 3-in-1. Beneath that is the scent of something just a touch resinous and warm, and I'm almost certain there is a bit of amber running through this blend. I also smell something sweet and creamy like vanilla. The scent sticks close to my skin and has below average wear length, but still, it's just so lovely that I think I'll have to put it on my list of bottles to purchase. I can't get over how wonderful it is to have another blackberry BPAL scent in my life!

Gha'agsheblah - This is a beautiful scent! Initially, it's a very strong, and wet rose scent that is also a touch resinous. Once I apply it, it almost instantly gains a powdery note that reminds me a lot of Numb -- this is the rose version of Numb! There's a hint of spice in the background, and as the scent warms up and settles on my skin, I begin to believe that orange blossom is the "powder" culprit in this scent, since orange blossom always turns to powder on me in a very unique way. I love this scent and look forward to wearing it again

Gamaliel - This scent is full of light woods (but I can't for the life of me determine which wood). It's simultaneously dusty, earthy and spicy. I don't get any of the lemon scent that other reviewers detect. The scent lasts for about 2-3 hours on me, which is average, and has very light throw. I'm not very impressed by this one and will be swapping it off.

A'arab Zaraq - I can't say that I care for this at all. In fact, when I first apply it, it's all patchouli on me and it stinks. The scent of cedar soon becomes entwined with the patch, making it even more unbearable. As it dries down, it takes on a really sweet note in addition to the woody notes -- I think it's vanilla. The vanilla definitely tempers the harsh woodiness if the other notes, but it's still a scent that doesn't appeal to me in the least. I could see some men I know pulling off this scent very well -- it's highly masculine and "outdoorsy". The throw is fairly light once it has dried, although the staying power seems about average.

Wicked - When I first apply this, all I can smell is myrrh. It's thick and husky and is so gorgeous that I can't stop sniffing my skin. It is by far my favorite myrrh blend. About 90-120 minutes after I apply it, I start to detect the scent of something else, something familiar, but I can't figure out what. I look up the scent description and holy cow! It's jasmine: my nemesis. I never thought I would ever completely fall in love so much with a scent that has jasmine in it. I can't believe the jasmine isn't acting up on my skin and amping up to horrific levels. Instead, it's soft and subtle and pretty and plays in the background behind the myrrh. Will wonders never cease? I am simply stunned that I can wear this blend considering it has jasmine in it. Once I read the scent description and see there's rose in it, I can also detect t he slightest bit of rose, but I don't think I would have ever distinguished the rose note on my own. I have had several enthusiastic compliments on this scent and I am adding to my list of GC bottles I need to get. This is a 10 out of 10. [ETA: After I wrote this review, I did purchase a 5 ml bottle, and then a 10 ml bottle because it's that incredible.]

Villain – There’s nothing villainous in the least about this blend! It’s soft and beautiful! Based on the description, I thought it was going to smell like a variant of Whitechapel, but it really doesn’t at all. When first applied, the lavender is the strongest note, but that subsides quickly upon drydown. The lime is soft and lends just the slightest hint of crispness to the blend, but it doesn’t dominate as it usually does on me during its initial stages. The citrus musk and lilac are the notes that dominate this blend, but they don’t dominate with an iron fist. They are soft and subtle, and drop-dead gorgeous. This is a traditional masculine blend, and I can certainly imagine it smelling absolutely divine on my husband for daily use, but I also thinks it smells incredibly beautiful on me and I’m going to keep this one for myself! It has low throw and below-average staying power.

The Scales of Deprivation - I wasn’t impressed with this scent in the vial. It seemed very run-of-the-mill. However, once I applied it, I thought it might not be that bad, after all. It's a very clean and slightly citrus when I first apply it, but within the first 10 minutes, the citrus scent moves to the background and in its place is the clean, rain-washed scent of fresh air and herbs, which, when I read the scent description, I immediately identify as the white sage I also smell and love in Annabel Lee! This is an exquisitely-blended scent, and as I sniff my skin while reading the scent description, I can only barely detect the tiniest hint of vetiver and lavender – neither of which I would have identified had I not read the scent description. The rest of the notes completely elude me. This scent sticks very close to my skin and fades within 30 minutes, so it’s not one I’m going to choose to wear often at all, but on someone who can wear it stronger and longer (or for someone who adores subtle scents), I can’t recommend this one enough. It is really incredible.

The Hierophant - Ooh, frankincense! I've been wearing Faustus non-stop for the past few days, so when I applied The Hierophant, I recognized the frankincense in it instantly. When I first apply it, it's all frankincense, but as the blend dries down, it also takes on a somewhat peppery smell and also has the slightest touch of wood in the background that could be sandalwood or possibly even cedar. It's a nice scent with a light level of throw and really good staying power. However, as far as this particular scent family goes, Faustus kicks the ass of all other frankincense scents, which means I'll be passing this on to a more loving home while I cradle my beloved Faustus in my own arms.

Wheel of Fortune - The very first note I detect is wintergreen. It's strong, crisp and very minty. I smell just like a wintergreen Certs! Underneath the wintergreen is a highly herbal note, as well. Far below the wintergreen, I detect something dry and woody, so when the wintergreen fades around the 30 minute point, I'm not surprised at all to discover the remaining scent is that of a lovely, light wood. I swore I was smelling patchouli, but I checked all of the reviews, and no one noted patchouli in this oil. The only other combination that smells like patchouli on my skin is sandalwood with a hint of vetiver. So I'd say it's one of those sets of notes. The woody note has a lovely level of throw -- just enough that I can enjoy it without being overwhelmed by it. Below the woods, there is something I can only smell when I sniff my skin up close -- it's sweet, herbal, and possibly white musky. This is a beautiful blend. I never thought I'd say that about something that smells like wintergreen on me, but this one works out very, very nicely. It also lasts for a good six or more hours, which is great for my dry skin.

The Tower - This scent is the red of dragon's blood, but when I sniff the oil in the vial, all I smell is the scent of vetiver. When I apply it, the scent is still predominantly vetiver, but it's a very strange scent that reminds me a lot of The Coiled Serpent. I wouldn't wear this if it stayed that scent, but upon drydown, the dragon's blood disappears, and I'm positive there is frankincense blended in with the vetiver to create a really gritty, husky, and sexy scent. I didn't think I was going to like this one, but in the end, it's really sexy and definitely a keeper.

The Sun - When I smell this, I instantly get an image in my head of my kitty-cat laying in a sunbeam, warm, squinty-eyed, purring, and as content as can be. Wet in the vial and when first applied, it smells citrusy, like a light orange-lemon scent, but once it begins to dry down, it takes on a somewhat resinous tone, as if there is a light amber note. I would also not be surprised to find out there is a touch of vanilla in this blend, because after dry-down, the scent has a creamy sweetness that I generally only find in vanilla blends – but it’s light and subtle. Virtually everything about this scent is “light,” yet it’s a powerful scent, full of joy and radiance. I love it. It doesn’t have as much throw as I prefer, but it’s so gorgeous that I’m going to wear it anyway.

The Star - I made the mistake of testing The Star for the first time right before I was going to bed, having not taken into consideration the reviews I'd read on it. It is not an evening blend, despite the name. It is definitely a pick-me-up morning blend that is full of light, dazzling lemon/lime/verbena fragrance, and the tiniest hint of coconut. There is also the very distinct head-clearing scent of eucalyptus (or something else menthol-y), but I read the reviews and no one else mentions this. I should also mention that it didn't turn on my skin. I wore it in a scent locket, and the scent stayed as true on my skin as it did in the locket, although it didn't last very long on my skin. The scent has a lot of throw and a little goes a long way. It is a very clean and true citrus scent (no lemon wood polish scent here). I am not sure that I like it enough to buy a bottle since I would use it as a mood-lifting pick-me-up blend and currently, I am using Moxie for that, but who knows, when I run out of Moxie, I may very well replace it for a while with The Star – although, don’t get me wrong, they're very different from one another.

The Moon - At first sniff in the vial, this reminded me of the Celestial Luna. It smells like heady, white jasmine through-and-through. When I apply it to my skin, I'm instantly surprised that I am actually kind of enjoying the strong, heady, and almost-overpowering scent, and that's when I realize that what I'm smelling is not predominantly jasmine, but magnolia with a touch of jasmine in it and a touch of gardenia as well. And as I'm wearing it and going about my business, I keep smelling the uber-sweet, fruit-sweet scent of lotus. In fact, the longer I wear it, the more it becomes predominantly a lotus scent. When I sniff my skin up close, I smell the heady white florals, but they stick close to my skin, and the scent that wafts about me is actually a gorgeous sweet lotus with a thin ribbon of vanilla running through it. What a fascinating and complex blend. I never thought I'd enjoy something so much with magnolia, gardenia and jasmine in it -- three of my least favorite notes. Will wonders never cease? Fabulous scent. I look forward to enjoying it for a long time to come.

The Magician - When I first apply The Magician, it smells very lightly floral, herbal, and has a touch of something cool like light mints. I don’t normally care for mint, but in this blend, it is so light and sweet and cool, that I can’t stop sniffing my skin! It’s a gorgeous blend that is full of light. Oddly enough, after about an hour on my skin, the floral-herbal-minty qualities all disappear, and all that’s left is sandalwood. It’s a nice sandalwood, but nothing like the opening or middle notes. I’m incredibly surprised when I read the reviews where people mention that it smells like sassafras, lavender, anise, pine, etc. I don’t detect any notes along these lines at all! It doesn’t have any throw on my skin, and it only lasts about two hours, maximum. But I like it, and I think it’ll be the perfect scent when I want something very light and pretty.

The Lovers - In the vial, this is soft and floral, but the instant it touches my skin it turns to soap. I haven't figured out yet which florals turn to soap on me, so I can't even guess which florals are in this blend. It's got a light to moderate level of throw, and the staying power rocks -- the scent is as strong 3 hours after I applied it as when it was fresh on my skin. However, it's not going to get worn again because as much as I like being clean, I don't like to smell like soap!

The High Priestess - When I first apply this blend, the first note I detect is almond. Almost immediately, the almond is followed by a note that’s almost medicinal, and reminds me distinctly of Kathmandu. It’s herbal and has a touch of something that seems to be eucalyptus. Fortunately, as the oil dries down on my skin, the astringent smell dissipates, as does the strong almond scent. What is left is herbal and … well, flat. The scent doesn’t last on my skin for very long at all. I would say this blend passes through all of its phases within the first 20-30 minutes, and then it’s completely gone. Into the swap pile it goes!

The Hermit - This is predominantly carnation and herbs on me with the slight touch of something cloyingly sweet that seems almost aquatic in nature, but which I then decide is some type of melon due to its fruity sweetness. This scent has amazing throw and the tiniest drop leaves the scent wafting all about me. In fact, the waft is chock full of melon. I only smell the carnation and herbs when I sniff my skin up close. Up close, this scent is too cloyingly sweet, but the lovely wafts of sweet, fresh melon around me are quite nice, actually. I'm not exactly sure how I feel about this scent. I'm going to have to give it another test run and also use it in my burner before I make up my mind entirely.

The Hanged Man - When I first apply this, it seems like a heavy floral, but almost immediately lightens up and becomes a clean, clear, and pretty water-based floral. The floral is most definitely lotus and possibly delicate white flowers in the background. It doesn't smell salty like most aquatics do, but rather has the scent of a crystal clear brook bubbling and gurgling with cold ice melt. It's a very simple scent, very refreshing and really uncomplicated pretty. The throw is really light and the wear length is about average.

The Fool - At first whiff, it’s 100% minty. When I apply it to my skin, “mint” is again my first impression – but not a sharp, biting mint, more of a soft, rounded, clean mint that is fresh without being sharp. And then, about a minute after I apply, I suddenly detect lilac. The longer it’s on my skin, the lighter the mint becomes and the more I smell lilac. After about 10 minutes, something fruity becomes evident. It’s hard to tell what it is – apple? Pear? It’s difficult to distinguish the fruit because the mint keeps getting in the way. No matter what, this is a beautiful scent and one of the few mint scents I really, really like. I don’t foresee myself wearing this often because the mint makes just a tad too “foody” for me, but I will definitely hang on to my imp because I do believe there will be occasions when this blend will really fit my mood – especially on hot summer days spent outdoors. Really fabulous blend.

The Empress – This is an incredibly banal rose. There’s nothing novel or special about it in the least. It smells like every other rose scent out there. I’m really disappointed, considering how lovely BPAL rose notes usually are. This oil stays really close to my skin and has moderate staying power. I don’t really have any interest in wearing it again.

The Emperor - The oil is such a strong, bright red that I fully anticipated a dragon’s blood scent to the oil, but I detect no dragon’s blood in it whatsoever (although I’m still certain it’s there from the color of the oil!) Rather, on my skin, The Emperor is an incredibly subtle herbal floral that is so faint I can barely smell it. After 15 minutes, I can hardly tell where I’ve applied the oil, and within 30 minutes, it’s gone altogether. I read reviews on this scent that said it’s strong and manly, yadda yadda yadda, but I didn’t get any of that. Apparently, The Emperor and I just don’t have the right chemistry.