edenssixthday

Uranus - Cinnamon! This is more of a sweet, candy-like cinnamon, and not the dry spice I often smell in Beth’s cinnamon scents. Behind it is something woody and almost meaty and fleshy, like bitter almond flesh. The cinnamon is the dominant note throughout the course of wear, but after about an hour, it becomes very soft and faint, and the background notes are even fainter. I’m not a big fan of cinnamon, so this isn’t something I’ll find myself using again. Low to moderate level of throw and pretty decent staying power.

And There Was A Great Cry In Egypt - This has so many notes in it that I love and a couple that don't work on me, so I was really curious to see how this one smelled. On my skin, it smells initially like a commercial perfume. It smells like any number of department store perfumes, actually, and I'm completely unimpressed. It's very woody and slightly sweet and trés "perfumey." Once the oil dries, it's not nearly as commercial-smelling. It's' now very much a sandalwood and saffron scent backed up by the husky scent of myrrh. It's very subtle on my skin, and has virtually no throw, and completely fades within 90 minutes. I'm afraid this one is definitely not for me, although I don't think I'd mind smelling this on other people or even walking into a room with this scent.

The Cracked Bell - I didn’t try this one for the very longest time because I was terrified of “the metallic tang of blood.” Well, I finally tried it, and I don’t smell any blood at all! I’m actually kind of disappointed, since it was a pretty anti-climactic olfactory experience to finally test this blend. This blend is very interesting – it’s incensey, but it does have a “metallic tang” (just not of blood) to it, making it very different from other incense blends. It does make me think of ancient bells clanging in the tower of some gothic, stone cathedral in Europe. The scent has a fairly low level of throw, and it lasts longer than most BPALs on me, although it is very soft after the 2 hour point.

Saturn - I love this blend! In the vial, it smells dark and menacing with the scent of vetiver being the first note I detect. When I first apply it, I’m not too keen on the scent – it’s all vetiver and musk. As the oil dries down, the scent of patchouli bursts forth, and it’s a surprisingly delightful scent. I kept catching whiffs of this scent and having to stop what I was doing to smell my wrist. I liked it so much that I decided to apply the scent not just to my wrists, but to several spots around my body, as well. The patchouli and vetiver blend gorgeously together, and create a husky and woody fragrance. This reminds me a lot of Capricorn and the TAL Determination. I only have one imp of this and I’m regretting not purchasing a bottle. The throw is strong and the staying power is amazing – this lasts all day on me. This is also a blend that I think would smell absolutely amazing on my husband. This blend is very, very well done.

Pumpkin Patch #5 - When I first apply this oil, it is creamy and butter pumpkin and is quite savory in quality; however, as it dries, it becomes very sweet, and I can’t for the life of me figure out what it is or why. The “five woods” in this blend are very much background notes, with the pumpkin and ivy in front of that, but center stage is reserved for a warm and sweet scent that I simply do not recognize. I know galangal root is in this blend and I understand it’s part of the ginger family and has a slightly camphoric scent, so I don’t know if that’s what I’m smelling or not, because what I smell is sweet and warm and almost juicy – like fig (although I don’t believe fig is in this blend). It’s really wonderful and a scent, but it’s not really appropriate for summer, so I’m going to set it aside and pull it out again during the coming autumn months, and I have a feeling I’ll get a lot of mileage out of my bottle. I am really enthralled by this scent. It has above-average throw and above-average staying power.

Pluto - When I first apply this scent, it smells strongly of camphor. Fortunately, that note fades within a few minutes, and a dry, woody scent upon drydown. Wet wood and air, come to think of it. The throw is amazing, even after the scent dries. The first time I wore it, I applied it, got in the car and drove to work. Parked in the garage underneath my building, got out of the car, and I caught a whiff of a really lovely fragrance and thought, "Wow, the garage at work smells like BPAL!" I instantly realized I'm a total dork and the scent I was smelling was just the scent of Pluto wafting around me. The scent lasts for hours, but after the first 60 minutes or so, the throw does start to decrease significantly. It's really not something I think I'd ever select to wear instead of all of the fragrances I'm head-over-heels about, but it's certainly not bad.

Detox - This is the prettiest and most pleasant of the Panacea blends. Detox is a combination of the lightest, prettiest lavender and a light, but bright and vibrant touch of lime. It is a surprisingly delightful combination and I'm just blown away by how well it works. I've had a really tough time lately dealing with illness among every single person in my family and all of them needing to dump their problems on me since I'm the only healthy person. It's been overwhelming, frustrating, and I've really felt myself get burdened down by all of their problems. Last night, I reached a point where I was so overwhelmed that I could hardly function, and I realized that was quite possibly a really good time to test out the imp of Detox I'd been hanging on to for a while. Sure enough, within seconds after applying the oil, I felt relaxed and so much lighter, like I wasn't carrying the burden of my family members' illnesses on my shoulders. I was instantly able to feel happy just being me and not get overwhelmed by everything I have to do over the coming days. It was extremely cleansing and purifying. I was able to go to bed last night quite easily and I fell asleep quickly (this is a rare thing). The scent didn't last very long on my skin, but the effects were very long-lasting. I think that with everything I'm dealing with these days, a full bottle may be in order.

Neptune - I didn't know what to expect with this one, and when I opened my decant, I instantly wished I had more. The scent arising from the vial was a bubblegum-sweet floral that was simultaneously watery and very, very calming. I put some on before bed, and found it perfect for relaxation. I'd had an extremely stressful evening, and after I put on Neptune, the worries of the day went away, and I was able to relax and smile. The scent is like a cross between Cthulhu, Thunderbird, Lotus Moon, and maybe even a bit of Sleepy Moon in there. It's highly aquatic and sweet-floral with the soft scent of woods wafting into the blend upon drydown. I am also about 80% certain that there is black poppy in this oil due to the soporific effect it seemed to have on me. The scent has incredible throw when first applied, but the throw decreases steadily with time. At the 4 hour point, I can still smell it on my skin, but just barely -- and I have to have my nose pressed against my wrist to detect it. I wish I'd bought a bottle of this. It's really lovely.

King of Clubs - When I first apply this scent, it’s a horrible musty and dusty scent that reminds me of The Rat King in the way it makes me recoil. This is exactly what Queen of Clubs smelled like on my skin. However, I’m quite surprised that after about an hour, this scent becomes an entirely different fragrance. I no longer smell dust. Rather, I smell many things: turned-up soil, the slightest hint of dark leather, the thickness of moss, and the sweetness of meaty fig! As time passes, the fig becomes the dominant note, and I end up absolutely adoring this blend! It’s so simultaneously earthy and sweetl I am really amazed at the difference between the top and bottom notes of this blend. Truly spectacular! (It reminds me somewhat of LUSH Figs & Leaves soap, for reference.) It does stick very close to my skin, but it lasts several hours.

Hearth 2004 - Wow, this smells nothing like what I expected. It's incredibly sweet -- almost cloyingly so, like syrup or something. It's also fruity and nutty. It's the strangest scent and I can't decide if I like it or not and then it hits me what it smells like. It does not smell like pipe tobacco, cherry wood, a leather chair and fireplace smoke. Rather, it smells like a holiday fruitcake pulled fresh out of the tin! I can smell the sweetness of the green and red maraschino cherries in it as well as the uber-sweetness of the rum the cake has been soaked in. The fleshy nuttiness of the walnuts that have been baked into it stands out as well as the sweet scent of the flour and other cake grains. No wonder I can't decide if I like it or not. After three and a half decades on this planet, the jury is still out about fruitcake, too. This scent has one of the strongest throws I've encountered. The tiniest bit on the back of my hand has everyone I encounter asking, "What's that smell?" every time I walk by. I am not sure if I can wear this one again or not. I'm thinking it might be a good seasonal scent, so I should put it aside for a few months and try it again later this year.

Harvest Moon 2004 is one of the most beautiful lunar blends. It is truly gorgeous. It’s a warm, autumnal scent. I don’t detect hardly any of the floral notes in this blend, despite it being full of florals. Rather, the amaranth is the front note on my skin and combined with a hint of pumpkin in the background, this blend smells buttery and grainy and has the slightest hint of mulled fruit wine. This was the last of all the lunar blends that I had not yet tried, and I have to say that it may very well be my favorite not just because of the beautiful scent, but because of how long it lasts on me and its terrific throw. The lunar blends usually stick very close to my skin and fade quickly. This one had about twice as much staying power, and a little dab on my arm had me swathed in the most lovely autumnal fragrance. I’m holding tight to this one!

Circe - Oy! On my skin, this is all gardenia. It may as well be a gardenia single note. BPAL Gardenia and I don't really get along too much, so I'm afraid I'm not a very good unbiased reviewer of this scent. It's got really amazing throw (gardenia always does on me) and lasts for waaaay too long considering how unpleasant the scent is.

Chesed - This smells like light woods and herbs on me. I noticed a lot of reviewers thought this smelled like cedar, but I really dislike cedar, and this doesn’t smell at all like cedar to me. It’s still a bit too woody and medicinal (from the herbs) for my taste. It has pretty light throw, but really good staying power.

Chaos Theory: CDLXXII (472) - Wow, I don’t remember where I got this, but I sure wish I had more. The oil is a light green, so I expected a scent that was herbal or Rappaccini’s Gardenesque. However, what I got instead is a blend that should be part of the Monster Bait line. It is so sweet and gorgeous, full of the scent of sweet buttercream, perhaps the tiniest bit of coconut, a hint of saffron, and something far beneath the other scents that is slightly tart, but which I can’t quite place. It may be a wood of some sort. Bakery scents usually turn to plastic on my skin, but this one doesn’t. It does fade completely within about 90 minutes. The throw is fairly light, as well. I’m thinking this is going to make one heck of a yummy fragrance oil if I use it in my oil burner. This makes me so excited to get my Chaos Theory III bottles that are currently on their way to my house! Made an educated guess and moved this review here from the original Chaos Theory topic. The original Chaos Theories ended around bottle #180. --Shollin

Hod - The dominant notes from beginning to end are amber and carnation. They combine to create an almost soapy-floral. In the background I’m smelling a few other notes that are hard to detect, but I think they might be the tiniest drop of clove, the tiniest hint of vetiver, and the teensiest weensiest bit of bitter almond. This is a really interesting scent that’s simultaneously golden, creamy, and floral-spicy. I normally adore carnation, but I’m not sure about it in this blend. One thing I do know is that this blend layers beautifully wish LUSH Skinny Dip buttercream! The throw is below average and the staying power seems to be about average.

Binah - Oh wow, this is gorgeous. On my skin, it's myrrh, myrrh, and more myrrh. I was really astounded by the reviews where people said they couldn't smell myrrh, because it's the first note I detected as well as the last. It's also got a slight bit of floral underneath the myrrh, and I'm inclined to believe there's a bit of rose in this blend along with a drop of carnation. I'm really in love with this blend and could easily wear it for daily wear or special occasions. The scent has really incredible throw for about the first 60-90 minutes, at which point it begins to stick a lot closer to the skin. Absolutely the best of the Sephiroth blends, in my opinion.

Beltane 2006 - What a lovely scent! It’s very soft and subtle, so much so that I rarely choose to wear it since I prefer stronger scents. However, it’s still pretty. It’s very clean and fresh, like a meadow after a rainstorm. I distinctly smell wet, green grass, but it’s not overwhelming and it doesn’t smell like freshly-mown lawn, but rather the scent of a field full of damp wild grasses and maybe a few delicate flowers. It really is pretty, but it’s just so subtle and it doesn’t last very long on my skin, so I never find myself selecting it above any of the other scents I prefer to wear. I will see if perhaps I start to wear it more, otherwise, I’ll probably just keep an imp and pass along the rest of the bottle. Beltane 2005 - I liked Beltane '06, but it wasn't really anything to write home about. I figured it would be about the same for the '05 version. In fact, the day I first tried Beltane '05, I had planned to try several BPALs and go on a testing frenzy. However, Beltane '05 was the first one I applied, and I loved it so much that I decided to forget about testing the others and just enjoy the Beltane '05 all day long. It's a bright, happy, springtime scent full of fresh, sweet grass and dandelions. It's captures the feel laying on your back on a green grassy knoll under the blue skies, and making shapes out of the white puffy clouds. You can almost hear happy worm-eating red-breasted robins twittering in this scent, that's just how damn springtimey it is. It's gorgeous and I just traded for a full bottle and I can't wait to get it!

French Creole - No other review I've read mentions lilacs, but to me, that is the dominant note: lilacs and lots of them! Lilacs on a bed of herbs, in fact. Far -- waaay far -- behind the lilac is the slightest hint of something spicy that seems to be just the tiniest hint of clove. I do detect the teeniest tiniest hint of the "cinnamon" or "red hots" scent that most other reviewers noted, but I really can hardly believe that's the dominant note for them. On me, it's just so much lilac. I'm loving it. It's a beautiful fragrance and makes me very happy. It reminds me of my life in New Orleans, and that is always a good bunch of memories. I can announce with absolute certainty that French Creole does not taste good. (I got a bit on my lips when sniffing my arm... yuck!). It has a moderate level of both throw and staying power.

Pulse Points - I was dying to try this blend since it has two notes in it that are simply divine on my skin (and one that I'm still not certain about). I can definitely smell a touch of sweet, warm, musky civet in this blend that seems to be backing up the lovely sweet, hypnotic murkiness of black poppy. The narcissus is lending a heady floral scent that reminds me a bit too much of jasmine, yet I find that this scent is still just gorgeous. This is a very sweet scent, but not in a cloying, foody-candy-sweet way. The huskiness of the black poppy definitely tempers the sweetness of the musk and the florals and brings it down a few notches. This scent is most definitely "lascivious" and "erotic." I wish it weren't discontinued. The throw is moderate, but it lasts longer than most BPAL does on my skin.

A highly sexual, passionately primal love oil for men. Haitian Lover - This smells like overly-ripe, sticky fruit and ... um ... condoms?! Yeah. Eww. Beyond that, nothing else really matters.

Tisiphone is a dark, powdery floral. The scent is heavy when first applied, but as it dries down, it manages to gain a soft, powdery facet without losing its depth. The sweetness of the oleander is balanced by the dark, dry patchouli. It’s a fascinating scent, but unfortunately, it reminds me too much of the scent of my great-grandmother’s bedroom – a scent that I haven’t forgotten since I was a tiny little girl. It’s not an unpleasant scent, but since I associate it with my great-grandmother, her bedroom, and her bedspread in particular, this scent isn’t going to work for me as a fragrance. Too many old memories are wrapped up in it. One last note – it has really nice throw and staying power.

Utrennyaya - On my skin, this is all white sandalwood and mint. As usual, both are notes which don’t compliment my skin chemistry well at all. I am very disappointed that I cannot smell any rose or violet, as those notes are the reason I wanted to try this scent. You win some and you lose some, I suppose. I only wore this once, as the scent was too dry and sharp for my taste.

Alecto - In the vial, it smells woody and slightly earthy and sweet, like a damp forest after the rain. But the moment it touches my skin, it smells like I shoved my head inside a Christmas tree. It’s very woody and deep, dark green, and reminds me of the musty smell of the cabins I stayed in when I was a kid and went to camp in the summertime. On my skin, it is not even remotely a pleasant scent, and I will be sending this off to the swap pile instantly.

Pele - I'm very disappointed with Pele. It's a pretty scent -- soft Hawaiian florals with a touch of Ginger -- but I expected it would smell more like Hawaii than it actually does. Hawaii has a distinct scent -- it's one of my favorite things about the place, and Pele captures none of it for me. It is pretty, but it's incredibly soft and subtle, and unless I'm shoving my wrist in my own or anyone else's faces, none of us can smell it. If it had more throw, was a bit stronger, and didn't fade so quickly, I might wear it more often. As it is, I feel like I'm wasting it when I wear it since I can barely even smell it when I first apply it.

Nemesis is a perfectly nice blend, but it doesn't really stand out to me. The cypress is the dominant note, but it's soft. The other notes are even softer, and some I can't detect in the least. I smell a bit of rose and fig, as well. This scent reminds me of what I imagine Greece would smell like (I've never been, but would love to someday!) It's has a strong Mediterranean scent to it. As soft as the blend is, the throw is fabulous, so I can smell the soft trees and flowers and fruits around me, but they are not overwhelming, they're just softly present. As I said, there is nothing wrong with this blend at all, but it doesn't jump out at me as being particularly unique or something that makes me stand up and pay attention.