edenssixthday

Sophia - Fresh out of the vial, the jasmine was so strong that my nose instantly screwed itself up in a big twist of disgust, and I thought I was going to have to wash the oil off my skin. Fortunately, it instantly started to mellow out, and at the point of dry-down, while the jasmine was still the strongest note, it wasn't nearly as overpowering, and the other florals were discernible, as well as something a tad bit spicy. Although it becomes a scent that floral-lovers might generally appreciate, the jasmine is just too much for me. It stays fairly close to the skin, but lasts a good long while.

Penthus - I wasn't sure at all what to expect from this blend, but when I first applied it, I immediately noticed a bright, clean scent, followed almost immediately by a soft, light floral, and it reminded me the tiniest bit of Havisham. It has a slight sweetness to it that I'm guessing is the calamus in the blend, and underneath all of that is the thinnest wisp of incense smoke. It's very faint -- almost like the smell of a room where incense burned a couple of days earlier. The scent is very strong on my skin when I first apply it, and it has a strong level of throw, but as soon as it dries down, the scent becomes significantly fainter and sticks very close to my skin. Once it has dried, the floral note disappears and it's entirely incense and salt. The salt note does exactly what it does in all other blends with salt/tears, and it turns into dryer sheet on me and makes me think of old, fuzzy, gray socks. This blend is apparently not for me.

Erato - I love most of BPAL's rose scents. So I wasn't surprised when I put this on, and the deep, pulsating, and uber-sexy red rose was the first note I encountered. As Erato dries down, the Sweet Pea moves to the forefront and the scent takes on a lighter, sweeter tone. The white floral scents dominate and the rose serves as a filler of sorts -- plumping up the scent. Lovely scent, but it's so incredibly similar to my favorite Whip that I don't believe I'll buy again.

Odin is a very masculine scent to me. It's woody, herbal, musky, and has a slight touch of a grain-type scent. It's the very distinct smell of an outdoorsman at the end of the day, coming home from the hunt, the fields, the lumberyard, etc. It's The scent is strong from the moment I put it on and it doesn't change over time, and still smells strong and manly at the 4 hour point. I won't wear this again, but I could see this easily smelling really fabulous on any number of men. I could definitely see this being an every day sort of men's cologne, and if only I could get my husband to wear BPAL, I'd love to smell it on him!

Peitho - With notes in this oil like jasmine and red sandalwood, I thought I was going to find it a highly unpleasant olfactory experience. I was really surprised at how light and pretty the fragrance was when I first applied it. I don’t know where the jasmine went, but since the slightest drop of jasmine usually amps up on my skin (or is at least unpleasantly discernable), I’m pretty sure the jasmine was left out of the imp I got. I can’t smell it as hard as I try! The red sandalwood is also nowhere to be found. This scent is softly and sweetly floral, with a touch of musk underneath it, and a creamy quality that I can only assume is from the bourbon vanilla. It is so pretty that as soon as I realize that my spot-test of it is going really well, I decide to apply it in several other places on my body. When I do that, it definitely seems stronger with a greater level of throw. I also notice the vanilla even stronger than before, and it has a quality that reminds me of Regan (probably the vanilla?). I really like it and look forward to wearing it again.

Vechernyaya - This is a really nice blend that changes a lot from the time I first apply it until it fades. When first applied, it smells strongly of patchouli, and it’s pleasant, but doesn’t particularly impress me. As the oil dries, it becomes musky, blending with the patchouli to create a sense of warmth and comfort, making me think of being wrapped up in animal skins by a bonfire. The muskiness is crisp and sweet, and I can’t stop smelling my skin where I applied this scent. After about 2-1/2 hours, the warm sweetness of the musk fades a lot, and the patchouli fades entirely. This is when I detect a lovely, warm floral scent on my skin – a scent I didn’t notice before. I am completely unable to identify the floral note until I look up the scent description and see that it’s poppy. The floral layered over the faint traces of musk is lovely. This is a scent that sticks very close to my skin from beginning to end, and the staying power seems to be about average on my skin.

Terpsichore - I was unsure whether or not to try out Terpsichore because of the iris note, as iris always turns bitter on me. But the other notes drew me in, and I ordered an imp. During the course of the two months it took to receive my order, I forgot what was in Terpsichore. The moment I put it on, the ever-offensive iris immediately smacked me in the nose, and I knew, without looking it up, exactly what was in this blend: iris. And lots of it. None of the other notes come through on my skin -- my skin ramps up the iris scent to the point that I can hardly believe this is not a single note and that there really are other (very pretty) notes in it. This blend is not for me. It is bitter and acrid on my skin. It has great throw and moderate staying power, and in the dry-down, the iris takes a few steps back and a soft, powdery sweat pea is able to get center-stage for a few minutes, but then it turns soapy. Based on its throw and staying power it gets a few points, but based on initial scent alone, I'd give a huge warning to stay away if you and iris don't mix well (too bad, because irises are such incredibly gorgeous flowers, but the iris scent is just awful!) This imp is in my swap pile.

Calliope - The first time I ever heard the word/name “Calliope” was when I was 12 years old and heard the calliope playing on the back of a New Orleans riverboat. I have never ceased to be enchanted by the bright, sparkly music of the calliope, and I’ve consistently said for years that “calliope” is one of my favorite words. I love the way it rolls off the tongue. For these silly reasons, I had high hopes for this scent; however, as soon as I smelled the oil in the vial, I was pretty sure it wasn’t going to be pretty on me, and sure enough, when I applied the blend, it was very not pretty. On my skin, it was a clash of chaotic notes. The lavender and verbena didn’t compliment each other, but thoroughly opposed one another. Mix in the sweetness of the almond, and another totally different type of scent added to the chaos. The thyme gave the scent a masculine quality that ricocheted off the other notes, bouncing around and not blending with any of them. It was a scent that wasn’t so bad that I had to wash it off, but as I wore it, I couldn’t wait for it to wear off. It faded after about 2.5 hours and never had much throw, so no one else had to be offended by the way I smelled. I honestly would love to read the reviews of people who liked this to see what about it appealed to them.

Polyhymnia – This is lemon, lemon, lemon! Then suddenly, I detect a soft floral, and something very faint, but very dry in the background. This blend is nothing like I expected it to be based on the bright lemon scent in the bottle, and also based on my poor luck with most of the other scents in the “Muses” line. About 15-20 minutes after application, sandalwood and myrrh become noticeable. This is also when the lemon begins to fade significantly. It is not long after that the rosemary is faintly evident – there doesn’t seem to be more than the tiniest drop of it in the blend, but any more and it would be too strong. The rosemary compliments the other scents surprisingly well. This scent is lovely. I’ve become really enchanted by this fragrance, despite the fact that from the notes listed, it’s not something I’d find myself drawn to. It’s fairly light on the skin, and sometimes, I think it’s completely faded because I can’t smell it even when I’m sniffing directly on my skin. Then suddenly, out of nowhere, I’ll catch a strong waft of the scent. It seems to fade in and out, and I really like that unexpected, surprising aspect of it. It’s a very fresh and clean scent, and most definitely enchanting.

Sacred Whore of Babylon - I usually wear light, fruity and floral scents. I don't usually like the scent of heavy, dark, floriental and spicy scents. This one, however, is different. It has a side of it that's very dark and decadent and brings to mind some distant, exotic Siren that Indiana Jones might encounter on his travels through the Middle East. But it also has a side that is almost Victorian in its sweetness. It's definitely an interesting and complex scent, and throughout the day, I pick up various notes -- all of them familiar but completely unidentifiable. It's not the kind of scent I can wear daily, but occasionally, it fits my mood perfectly, and it lasts almost all day.

Megaera - is nothing if it's not a simply lovely scent! It makes me feel so peaceful and content when I wear it. In a lot of ways, I would put it in the same category as Thierry Mugler's Angel -- not a smell-alike, but if you like Angel, you'd probably like Megaera. I was surprised to find bergamot in the ingredient list since I usually can't be within 10 feet of the vile stuff, but somehow, it blends perfectly with the other notes, and leaves a light, fruity, and woody-floral (from the orris?) veil of scent around me for hours. I do have to touch-up after about 4 hours, but it's worth it for such a nice fragrance.

Pannychis - Foiled again by that dastardly flower, jasmine! The jasmine in this completely eats up all the other scents, with the exception of the black currant. The jasmine is softer on me than most BPAL jasmines, but it doesn't change the fact that it doesn't work on me and that it masks the other scents in the blend. The black currant actually blends well with the jasmine and creates an almost lilac-like scent. If the jasmine weren't so strong, this blend would probably be a pretty, springtime fruity-floral. I definitely see the potential in this for anyone on whom jasmine works better than it does on me. Good throw and good staying power, but due to the way jasmine and I don't get along, I'll be swapping this away.

Himerus - the only notes that are revealed on my skin are that of orchid and lilac, which means this is a pleasant scent on me. I can imagine if the juniper, sandalwood or rosewood showed up on me, it would be a completely different (unpleasant) story. It’s sweet and reminds me of springtime, but very subtle and stays very close to the skin, although it does last for a good long while.

Old Scratch, you devil, you! If my man were to wear this scent, I would be all over him like white on rice! Old Scratch is sexy, sophisticated, and very gentlemanly. Upon first whiff, it smelled too... I don't know, too woody for me (rosewood and tonka combo, perhaps?) and slightly rancid. But as it dried down, the scent became so incredibly "dapper" and "genteel" just like the Lab's description. This is not a scent I would wear, as I prefer more "girly" florals and fruity scents, but I am so giving this imp to my husband to try out, and if he likes it, we'll get him a full bottle. I would love to have a man who smells like this -- even if it were Old Scratch himself!

Kali - When I first sniffed Kali out of the imp, and when it was first applied to my skin, it was way too heady and the chocolate and tobacco were incredibly overwhelming. But I tried a little on my wrists anyway. It's a warm scent, full of bitter chocolate and tobacco. Even after the initial dry-down, it was too dank and dark for me. But after about 90-120 minutes, it really mellowed and seemed to increase in complexity, and was finally bearable. Once it's been on my skin for a while, the tobacco and chocolate decrease significantly in intensity. Unfortunately, none of the other notes come through on me, and the tobacco and chocolate notes don't work with my skin -- either in their initial whap-you-in-the-nose intensity or their post-dry-down subtlety, which has absolutely no character nor appeal. Gotta say, this one's going in the swap bin.

Urania doesn't work on me. Perhaps it's the jasmine or iris, both of which are usually no-nos on my skin. There is something in it that I do find appealing, and I believe it's the mixture of moonflower, white musk, and ozone. But it has a slightly bitter scent (what iris tends to do to my skin) and it stays very, very close to my skin and has virtually no throw. I like wearing fragrances that don't knock other people out, but that softly and subtly let them know I'm around. This one definitely has no presence. It also doesn't last very long at all. Into the swap pile it goes.

Melpomene - yet another of the muses whose scent disappointed me. I used to drive down Melpomene Avenue in New Orleans every day on my way home from high school. I must have had some subconscious preconceived notions about what Melpomene was going to smell like, because when I put it on, I think I expected to be whisked back to those drives home through NOLA. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. The cypress was the strongest scent on me, followed close behind by the mint, and both are notes that I don’t like. The lavender was dry and gamey, and there was definitely something spicy in the blend, as well. The first time I wore it, I placed a drop in my cleavage, and for hours I kept getting a strong peppery scent wafting up toward my nose. It wasn’t the worst BPAL scent I’ve tried, but it was a far cry from anything I’d want to wear again.

Eve is a bright and effervescent scent. It’s full of light and energy and rejuvenating qualities. The ylang ylang is the dominant scent and after the oil starts to dry down, a touch of apple and rose start to shine through. Unfortunately, the ylang ylang never calms down on me and is too artificial and powerful for me to wear on my skin. It smells too much like a Glade Plug-In. I think I might try it in some bath salts or put it in my oil burner or just swap it away to someone who will love it more than I.

Baron Samedi - When I sniff the oil in the vial, all I smell is almond, with a possible hint of cherry (but I can't quite verify the cherry scent I may or may not be detecting). When I apply it to my skin, it is 100% almond. Bright, strong, sweet almond. And then I notice something spicy in with the almond that smells like clove. When it's wet, it smells somewhat similar to Port-au-Prince. As the scent dries, the almond completely fades, and I become aware of a really strong, dry, incense-like scent wafting all around me. It smells strongly of husky frankincense. For the next several hours, the frankincense is the dominant scent, and 4 hours after I've applied the oil, the scent is as strong as it was upon dry-down -- which is to say, I am still wrapped in a veil of one of the most enticing and thoroughly sexy scents I have ever encountered! Around the 3 to 3.5 hour point, when I sniff my skin up close, I c an now detect the sweet, boozy scent of Bay Rum for the first time. On my skin, this is overall not a Bay Rum scent, as the rum is very far in the background of the rest of the notes. It is around this point that I begin to wonder if the frankincense is entirely frankincense, or if it's blended with a bit of tobacco, as well. Needless to say, it doesn't really matter what's in it, as this blend has one of the highest turn-me-on factors of any BPAL blend and may rival only Amor (TAL) and Come To Me in sexual potency. Sure, this may smell good on my husband since it's such a strong, dark, masculine scent, but I'm not sure I'm willing to share. This is 10 ml bottle worthy, which I've only been able to say about 2-3 other GC scents. It's simply amazing and is going to become a staple in my fragrance repertoire.

Queen Mab is a scent I didn’t intend to ever try because of the jasmine and sandalwood components, both of which I don’t care for very much. However, I got frimped by the Lab, and well, suffice it to say that once again, my instincts have been proven completely wrong. Queen Mab is gorgeous. I don’t even remotely smell the sandalwood or the jasmine. On my skin, it’s all orchid and musk and I’m completely smitten. It stays fairly close to the skin, but the scent is strong and has moderate staying power. I will be wearing this one often. I could even see buying a bottle of this. It’s a stunning floral and I’m so glad I was "encouraged" by the Lab imps to give it a try!

Santa Muerte - This one is fabulous! Wow, I just can’t get enough of it. I positively adore the scent of cactus flowers and am thrilled to find a BPAL scent that is predominantly cactus flower on me. This means I can start wearing my favorite cactus flower body lotion again without the fear of clashing scents! I always said I hate vetiver, but the vetiver in this blend is proving me wrong. There is just the tiniest drop of vetiver, but enough to make this blend slightly dark without overpowering its prettiness. The scent is boldly floral, but not heady. The florals are soft, but they’re not shy in the least, if that makes any sense. It’s a scent that carries a lot of power with it. This particular blend has a lot of throw on my skin, which is something I love in an oil. The lasting power is phenomenal, as well. This may be bottle-worthy. In fact, I’m pretty sure it is. On my personal BPAL scale of 1-10 (10 being the best, of course), this rates a 9.5.

Gaueko really surprised me. In the vial, it just smelled like something dark, dry, and maybe even burnt. It’s not pleasant in the least. I almost didn’t try it on my skin. However, as it warms up on my skin, the dry scent becomes distinct as sandalwood, and it begins to mellow and doesn’t smell nearly as dry. As the oil dries, I also detect a light bit of lavender, which is a fascinating combination with the sandalwood. As it dries, it also gains the scent of something spicy and incense-like. This becomes the dominant scent, what I smell wafting around me. I don’t actually smell the sandalwood anymore unless I sniff my skin up close, but if I do that, the incense/smoke is too strong and unpleasant. After about 45 minutes, when I sniff my skin up close, I don’t smell sandalwood anymore, nor do I smell smoke. I smell Nag Champa! This is the scent that wafts out the door of the Tibetan/Buddhist/Hippie/New Age store down the block from where I work! I know this smell very well from the hundreds of times I’ve walked past the store and sniffed the lovely scent coming from it. This really isn’t the type of scent I normally go for, but I’m really drawn to it so I think I’ll hang on to it and wear it again when I’m in one of my “extremely bohemian” moods. And for the record, this layers beautifully with Othello!

Thalia - Oh, now this is so fresh, and fruity and pretty! When I put it on, a light, bubbly, fruity-floral scent fills the entire room. My skin smells so good that I can’t stop sniffing my arms and I tell myself I need to add this to the list of bottles I should buy. And then, 10 minutes later, it’s gone. GONE!!! Not a trace. I haven’t had a BPAL fruity-floral disappear on me. This is the first time. Unfortunately, It doesn’t last on my skin at all.

Skuld - I would have never guessed that I would like this scent. If someone hadn’t frimped it to me, I probably would have never tried it. When I received it as a frimp, I couldn’t remember anything about it, so I tried some on, and was instantly surprised by how fruity it smelled – the fresh scent of pomegranates and plums. I was even more surprised when I looked up the Lab description and discovered it was chock full of notes that don’t normally appeal to me – Ylang ylang, honey, musks and labdanum. There was no reason it should smell so fruity on my skin, but it does, and I’m not going to complain. I like it and will keep using it.

Euphrosyne - Initially, this blend is all vanilla and very soft jasmine with the lightest, faintest trace of tea rose. The gardenia is nowhere to be found, which I find odd since it's usually so strong and heady. The vanilla and jasmine blend very nicely together, which surprises me, as jasmine usually does horrid things on my skin. As the oil dries down, the gardenia comes out, but it's not "in your face" like gardenia usually is on me. It's not thick and heady, but rather lends a soft, gorgeous whiteness to the overall fragrance. After about an hour, the gardenia has moved to the forefront, but it's not the strong, heady gardenia of Sacred Whore. Rather, it's just very pretty and white and not remotely heady. At this point, the scent still has really good throw, and I am glad I only applied a tiny bit, because a little goes a very long way. After about 2 hours, I notice that the rose scent has completely disa ppears, as has the vanilla, and most of the jasmine. What is left is a very subtle gardenia, but now, the gardenia has taken on a slightly bitter quality, and reminds me much more of the gardenia that's found in Sacred Whore. The scent has completely faded by the end of hour 3. Overall, this is a nice floral blend, but I'm really not a fan of gardenia, so I don't see myself being drawn to this particular blend over some of my other favorite florals which don't incorporate gardenia into their ingredient list.