edenssixthday

Phantasm - I didn’t think it was possible like a blend with both green tea and jasmine in it, but I do! This is a lovely, light blend that’s just perfect for summertime wear. The lemon verbena is the dominant note, with the neroli not too far behind it. The green tea is a background scent that seems to be keeping the rest of the notes together, as if they would float off on their own without it. The jasmine is incredibly subtle and I can barely catch the lightest hints of it…until about 1 or 1.5 hours into the wear. That’s when the rest of the notes disappear and all I can smell is jasmine, which means it becomes a mostly unpleasant scent for me. Both the throw and the wear length of this blend are about average.

Pain - This is a very strong mint scent both in the vial and when initially applied to my skin. Mint is only second to jasmine as my olfactory nemesis, so I’m instantly reviled from the first moment I apply this blend until the mint finally fades. The mint reminds me strongly of the mint in Tulzscha that I strongly disliked and I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that there’s pennyroyal in Tulzscha, as well. I’m very familiar with the scent of BPAL lavender, but I can’t detect it at all in this blend. I believe the scent of the pennyroyal has completely overpowered it. The scent doesn’t last on my skin. At about the 90 minute point, I could barely detect it, and by the 2 hour point, it was completely gone from my skin. The only time the throw was strong was when I first applied it, and I find it overwhelming, but as soon as it dried down, it began to stick very closely to my skin.

Nosferatu - I am currently wearing this for the first time, and it’s so foul I have to go wash it off very soon. This, like most other earth/dirt/soil blends, is all dirt. And it’s a stinking, rotting dirt that makes me think of worms and decaying bodies. It just sooo does not work on me. I don’t smell the red wine in this no matter how hard I try. Perhaps it will come out over time, but I can’t wait that long and have to go wash it off NOW.

Nocnitsa is an incredibly earthy scent. It smells like the depths of a mountain forest. It’s predominantly woods, moss and dirt on me. It doesn’t smell anything at all like what I would want to smell like if I was trying to stay likeable. It has an obnoxiously long staying power, too. I frimped it to someone who liked moss, wood, and earth scents, but she didn’t care for this particular scent, either.

Nephilim - Oooh, I don’t like this one at all. It’s very earthy, and full of notes I don’t like. This scent reminds me of one of Beth’s many graveyard scents in many ways. When wet, the oakmoss, lavender, and rosemary dominate the blend. Once it dries down, however, it mellows out and while the lavender remains strong, the scents of hyssop and fig now join it in front of the other notes. It has average throw and its staying power seems to above average. However, it’s just not a scent I’m drawn to, as I don’t normally care for earthy, oakmossy, lavender-type scents.

Chaos Theory 2: XIV (14) - YOW! This is sharp, biting CIVET. It's the first BPAL blend with civet that I've encountered which I really don't like. I also think there's a bit of powdery orange blossom in this blend, and maybe a touch of ozone. It's a really strange, musky-sweet and floral-sweet with the unpleasant scent of civet. It has too much throw and makes me self-conscious around others. This is one for the swap pile. Last reviewed by slave1.

Catherine is a perfect example of why I try on every BPAL scent I get even if it doesn't smell good in the bottle. I opened my imp of Catherine, and it smelled like 100% cat pee. I doubt there's been another BPAL scent that I found as reviling upon first sniff. But I was determined to test it out, and I'm glad I did because the instant it touched my skin, it turned into the most incredibly beautiful scent. It's incredibly powerful both in it's throw and the general feel of it. It's full of strength, passion, and beauty. The scent is slightly bitter on me at first, but after 30 minutes or so, it subsides into a truly lovely floral. I love most BPAL rose scents, so I was very surprised to discover there is rose in this because it's blended so well that I don't smell any distinct rose scent at all. In fact, none of the notes are distinct to me. This is a beautifully crafted blend that's sweet and soft while maintaining its strength, dignity, and allure. Will be very tempted to buy a full size bottle of Catherine.

Carnal - The first time I tried this, I didn’t care for it. The second time I tried it, I didn’t care for it. But I tried it again about six months later, and I really dug it the third time around, and have continued to enjoy Carnal since then. This is such a bright citrus scent and I have discovered I’m absolutely in love with mandarin. The mandarin takes center stage when the oil is wet, and for about the first 45 minutes. At that point, the fig starts to come out and the scent takes on a deeper, fleshier sweetness. It is absolutely perfect for summertime. The throw is about average on me and I’m quite surprised that for a citrus blend, the staying power is pretty moderate.

Bluebeard - When first applied, all I smell is lavender and vetiver – two notes I don’t usually like so much. However, upon dry-down, I keep getting whiffs of something wonderful wafting around me, and I realize it's Bluebeard. The lavender has softened and moved into the background just above the soft bed of white musk. The violet has moved into the foreground and is weaving in and out with the slightest touch of vetiver, and I can’t believe I never thought to blend violet with vetiver before – the dark, bitter vetiver compliments the deep, sweet tones of the violet so incredibly perfectly and I think I’m in love! This oil has a lovely level of throw, and I keep catching soft wafts of scent about me every time I move my arm. The staying power is really good at about 4-5 hours. I’m hanging on to it. Love it!

A fiery Martial blend that embodies primal rage, lust for conquest, and all-encompassing desire. Dragon’s blood essence, heavy red musk, Indonesian patchouli and swarthy vetiver with a drop of cinnamon. Bloodlust is all Dragon's Blood and cinnamon. This is a beautiful, bold, and heavy scent. I think only a certain type of person could pull this scent off as it is about as bold as they come. The first time I tried this I meant to grab an imp of Psyche, but the lights were out and in the dark, I accidentally grabbed and applied Bloodlust. I had been expecting the soft, subtle scent of Psyche, but was instantly aware that I'd applied the wrong scent, as a thick, heavy, and resinous scent filled the entire room. The scent has incredible throw and is not something I could wear to work without affecting the couple of my coworkers who are sensitivite to fragrances. Fiery (just like the description says!), bold, and confident, this is a fabulous scent. Unfortunately, BPAL cinnamon burns my skin and so I had to wash this off before I had a chance to test its staying power. I will wear it, but only in a scent locket or in my hair.

Black Annis smells distinctly like anise/licorice and what I originally thought was myrrh, but which I know now is vetiver. Those two scents blend really well with together. I don't smell the other notes that are in this blend. It's deep and has just a touch of spiciness, and if I didn't know better, I'd guess there's a drop of patchouli in the blend, as well. I love the scent of anise/black licorice, and I'm really drawn to this scent, although I would have never guessed as much based on reading the lab description alone. I don't see myself wearing this scent often, but I want to have it on hand because I have a feeling that when I'm in the mood for a scent like this, nothing else is going to do and I'm going to need by Black Annis.

Black Phoenix - I am in absolute heaven wearing this! It is the second almond scent I’ve tried that turned to pure sexy deliciousness on my skin. In the vial and after first applying it, it’s incredibly sweet and smells almost entirely of almonds, but with a touch of something else that’s also very, very sweet, but I can’t put my finger on it. Maybe something fruity? It’s so hard to say. Upon dry-down, the sweet fruit scent completely disappears and while the almond is still present, it’s very faint. At this point, the notes that are the strongest are something very sharp and red-hot spicy, along with the faint sweetness of opium, and the slightest smoky touch of frankincense, grounded by a ribbon of dark musk that runs in between and throughout the other notes. This is an absolutely gorgeous blend. While it’s got powerful throw when wet, when it’s dry, it sticks very close to my skin. Still, this is such a beautifully complex blend that is simultaneously comforting and sexy, I’m going to keep on wearing it! I’m hoping that it will last longer in a scent locket or in my hair. If I can figure out a way to get a little more throw from it, this will definitely be a blend that makes a statement wherever I go.

Blood Countess - This is a gorgeous fruit/floral. The plum and berry mixed with the smoky opium are the dominant notes, and behind them the faint, faint scent of lilac. It’s hard to believe that such a pretty scent has been created as a tribute to such a beast of a woman. But it is a lovely scent and I look forward to wearing it many more times. It’s got the perfect amount of throw – enough that I regularly catch wafts of the scent, but not enough to be offensive to those around me. The staying power seems to be really good. The berry scent is a little on the too-sweet side, but it’s still something I could see myself wearing often in the springtime.

Chaos Theory 3: CCLXXXV (285) - I have no clue what is in this, but it's lovely! I'm trying my hardest to place the notes, but I'm sure that even my wildest guesses are way off base because this is such a complex blend. It's definitely got some floral in it, some very light woods (or is it simply incense?), maybe a bit of roman chamomile and a hint of (just another guess) black poppy. In some ways, this scent reminds me of the GC blend Rome, but only a bit. It's a smooth scent that is highly comforting and soothing. It has a lovely level of throw -- just enough to catch wafts of it without being overwhelmed by the scent. Too bad there's not more of this one. Chaos Theory 3: CDLXXXI (481) - I split a bottle with another person, and her initial comment about this scent is that it's "sweet fruity candy". My reaction is that it's "sweet candied fruit" -- so pretty similar to hers. It's fruity alright -- reminds me a lot of Forbidden Fruit. The notes in this that I distinctly smell are pomegranate, pineapple, orange, peach, and possibly apricot. I don't smell either the musk or the grapefruit that my friend smells in this blend. As it dries, I can't help but wonder if there isn't a bit of melon in this blend as well as (maybe???) the lightest hint of white ginger. As it dries down, I detect more and more the brown sugar note from Sugar Skull '05 that smells like a Yankee Candle Co. candle. This scent is very juicy and simultaneously tart and sweet. It's an incredibly summery fruit blend, but I just don't really see myself wearing it that much and think I'll try to swap at least some of it for a Chaos Theory I will hopefully enjoy a bit more. Previously reviewed by Jettcat.

Medea - a deliriously complex scent, full of seductive notes such as poppy and currant and orchid. This scent is a very dark fruity-floral, and oddly enough, the cypress and myrrh, both of which rarely work on me, blend together beautifully with the other notes to add depth and darkness to this scent. This is one of the BPAL scents that reminds me that in many cases, BPAL is about pleasing more than the olfactory senses, but the visual sense as well, because the scents contain so much color. This is definitely a mystical scent. I don't see myself wearing it to work, run errands, shop, etc. It's more of a night-time scent, one that is worn with the intention of creation a dramatic aire of mystery and seduction. It's definitely a dark, sexy, and very feminine scent.

Mata Hari - On my skin, none of the florals or the vanilla appeared. Even the the scent of jasmine, which is usually bold and confident on my skin, was completely absent. Rather, Mata Hari was a dry, woody scent. The mahogany took center stage on my skin, with the tiniest hint of coffee bean and tonka. It was not a scent that appealed to me in the least, so I passed along to my sister, who was able to give it a good, loving home.

Masabakes has got some of the most amazing throw of any BPAL fragrance. I can wear another strong BPAL on several pulse points and put the tiniest drop of Masabakes somewhere without a pulse point – like the point of my elbow – yet all I can smell is the Masabakes. It overwhelms everything else. The black currant is thick and heavy yet juicy and sweet and the myrrh note deepens and darkens the currant. The mimosa brings a sharp quality that, in juxtaposition with the juiciness of the currant – doesn’t work (in my opinion). It clashes and leaves a note that is almost pretty but in an unpleasant way. That hardly makes sense, but that’s the only way I can describe it! It’s hard to explain. Masabakes is one of the strangest BPAL scents I’ve encountered – juicy, spicy, bitter, sharp, and sweetly dark. As I mentioned before, the throw is simply astounding however, and it lasts a good, long while. In fact, mere soap and water won’t remove it. It takes a full shower to remove all traces of the scent. Unfortunately, I keep finding my face is screwed up in that look you give when you’re thinking, “I’m confused. I just really don’t understand! Are you sure?” This is an odd one. I can’t decide what to do with it - keep wearing it or pass it along to someone else?

Marquise de Merteuil - In the vial, it smells like a rich, heady, slightly-sweet floral, and when I breath in deeply, I can detect the tiniest hint of what smells like jasmine, and that scares me, for jasmine and I don’t get along too well. When applied, my skin instantly amps up whatever tiny bit of jasmine is in this blend, and that is pretty much all I can smell. Then, suddenly, the peach blasts through and I can smell the sweet, juicy scent of peach, and it’s actually stronger than the jasmine. Unfortunately, I can still smell the jasmine, and I can’t really say I like the blend of jasmine and peach at all. Upon full dry-down, the jasmine fades into the background, and becomes soft and subtle and actually pretty (as jasmine should be!) and the peach stands in the spotlight and takes all the glory. On my skin, this smells distinctly like Georgia Peach Single Note with just the tiniest drop of jasmine tossed in for kicks. I am very surprised that the vetiver, galbanum, and amber are completely indiscernible, as those are notes I’m usually very sensitive to and which have great staying power on my skin. In the end, I think I might actually like this scent.

Marie - Rose and Violet are two of my favorite florals. I was certain this would be a nice scent, but all I can smell is the faint, dry scent of tea rose and no violet whatsoever. This scent is very blasé compared to many of BPALs other rose and violet scents. It's common and unworthy of bearing the great Marie Antoinette's name. It sticks close to the skin, has moderate staying power, and generally leaves very little impression.

Malice - Wow! I had no idea what a pretty scent this was going to be. The very first thing I noticed was the strong, spicy scent of clove and in that respect, it reminded me a lot of Blood, except instead of blending with Dragon's Blood, the clove was blended with something woody and incense-like. After the clove mellowed out just a tad, I thought for sure the scent I was smelling was patchouli, but then it smelled kind of dark and husky, and I decided maybe I was somehow confusing patchouli and myrrh. Then I read the scent description and I was right: it's both patchouli and myrrh! The scent is gorgeous and I can't stop sniffing my skin! I notice around the 2-hour point that the blend begins to soften and mellow a bit, and the spicy clove has moved into the background of the scent. At this point, it's smells mostly like incensey wood and I occasionally get a lovely, unexpected waft of the scent despite the fact that it's faded a bit. Around the 3 hour point, I notice the scent is still there, but continues to fade. However, this is when I notice the bright and almost citrus-like crispness of the ylang ylang in the blend that I couldn't smell earlier when the other notes were overpowering it. Around the 3.5 hour point, the ylang ylang and myrrh are the strongest notes. Around the 5 hour point, I keep thinking I smell LUSH Karma. I was wearing it yesterday, but I have showered since then. I smelled in a restaurant at lunch and then I smelled it walking down the Pearl Street Mall and then I smelled it in my office. So I smelled my arm where I put the Malice, and I realized 5.5 hour old Malice smells remarkably similar to LUSH Karma. Guess who just found a new layering combo?! I really like Malice and will be hanging on to this one. It's über-sexy and I love it! Oh, and 9.5 hours after I applied it, I can still distinctly detect the scent on my skin, although it no longer wafts around me.

Maenad - Lovely scent! Maenad is a terrific fruity BPAL fragrance. It smells lovely in the vial, but when I first put it on, it takes on a terribly rank and stale odor, but that fortunately dies down within the first few minutes. After that, just the tiniest bit on my wrists, and my entire being is swathed in a veil of sweet (but not cloying because it's muted by the poppy) strawberry and orange blossom for hours. Staying power seems to be about 5 hours. If you're a fan of BPAL's Strawberry Moon or Bon Vivant you may find this a truly delightful oil.

Madrid - This is a sexy scent -- full-bodied wine with the spice of clove to give it some kick and deepen the richness of the fragrance. I've been to Madrid and while it doesn't remind me of my particular experience in Madrid, it reminds me of reading of Ernest Hemingway's time in Madrid in The Sun Also Rises. Whenever I've read that book, this is the general scent I associate with it: passionate and red-wine boozy, full of Spanish spice and flavor. If I were to name a scent after Ernest Hemingway, this would be it. This is a bold, confident scent and not for the faint-of-heart of wallflower type personality. The scent is astonishingly strong and has incredible throw, so if I don't want everyone around me to think I've been hitting the bottle, I need to use a modicum of this oil. It's not for daily use, but I can see it fitting certain occasions perfectly. I don't get any of the medicinal or grape qualities that other reviewers get. On me, it's pure wine and clove with a hint of mimosa to ground it. I think I'll always keep an imp on hand for the rare occasion that warrants the use of this particular blend.

Loup Garou is a traditionally masculine scent, but naturally, I wanted to try it out. The Lab's description says it has "the barest touch of eucalyptus," but I smelled Eucalyptus when I had only barely opened the vial. Strong and medicinal, like camphor, or Vick's Vap-O-Rub, this scent assaults both my nose and my eyes. Behind the camphor/eucalyptus scent is the barest touch of evergreen trees, a scent I normally don't enjoy, but which is refreshing and kind when juxtaposed with the harsh, biting eucalyptus. I won't be passing this one on my to my husband. It's incredibly unappealing and makes me think of nebulizers, vaporizers, and sick people.

Lampades is a nice, deep cranberry scent on my skin -- but not fresh and juicy as much as ... hmmm... like it's perhaps been mixed with something deeper and darker and warmer to ground it. It's very pretty, but I don't think it's the kind of scent I would normally wear on it' own. I feel like it needs to be blended with something, but I'm not sure what. As soon as I figure out what it's missing and what I can layer it with to find that "perfect match," I'll be back to edit this.

La Belle Dame Sans Merci - Whoa, this is incredibly sharp and bitter. It's a very green scent with the a strong touch of soapiness. I had really wanted to love this scent, but I don't even like it. It's way to pungent for my taste. The scent is quite powerful and a tiny bit gives off an amazing veil of scent. I don't think I would ever choose to wear this over any of the other amazing BPALs that I love.