edenssixthday

Aunt Caroline’s Money Draw - to my untrained nose, Aunt Caroline’s Money Draw smells almost exactly like the Somnium blend Nanshe. It is orange and clove and I am 99% certain there’s a boatload of black pepper in it, as well. I’ve never done rituals with my oils, but I did a little one yesterday involving several financial situations I had going on, and they all turned out exactly as I had hoped, and some even better. Coincidence? I have no idea. But at least I didn’t have a bad financial experience after the Money Draw!

Lord of the Forest - this is a “men’s virility and sexual domination blend.” I only wanted to test it once because I know it’s for magickal purposes, not scent purposes, but I really like the scent of it … on me. It smells like it may have patchouli and vetiver in it plus a touch of something floral – lavender, perhaps (hard to say). It sticks close to my skin, but it’s very sexy and after experiencing it, I can’t quite put it into words, but I can understand how it might work for its intended purpose. Really great blend.

Blessings of Isis – I am basing this review on the scent alone, and not on its intended purpose. Sniffed fresh in the bottle, it’s strong and bitter, and to me, not remotely pleasant. When I apply it to my skin, it instantly becomes an herbal-patchouli blend. It’s strong, dark, and bitter. I don’t like this blend in the least. Herbs are fine in some blends. Patchouli is fine in even fewer blends. Herbs and patchouli together make for a blend that smells rank on my skin. After about an hour or so of wearing it, the scent starts becomes no more pleasant, but for some reason, I find that I’m oddly attracted to the scent. It is at this point, as well, that another dark note peeks through – I can’t tell if it’s frankincense, myrrh, or possibly even vetiver, but it’s dark and husky. The blend also becomes just the tiniest touch musky at this point, as well. It lasts for hours on my skin, although it stays very close to my skin unless I’m incredibly and my body warms up, and then I can smell light wafts of it around me. It’s definitely not my favorite blend, but I think I’ll probably keep an imp of it just in case I ever need to use it with intent.

Charisma - This scent is entirely frankincense on me. I'm sure there is other stuff in the blend, but I sure don't smell it. It's a gorgeous scent and if I place a tiny dab on my chakra points, the lovely scent wafts about me all day -- which is an extra bonus for a TAL oil! If I wear another BPAL oil with frankincense in it like Faustus or Rose Cross, the scents compliment each other perfectly. As for the charismatic effects -- oh my, yes, it works! At work in particular, I've found that people with whom I have a very professional relationship are suddenly warm, friendly, and joke around more than they do when I'm not wearing Charisma -- including people I talk to on the phone but not in person! I find that I also feel more charismatic and charming, and I notice that I'm a bit more witty and tend to not find myself at a loss for words in what would otherw ise be a possibly awkward situation. I lov e this oil -- both how it works and how it smells. I'm putting this at the top of my list of TAL bottles to purchase.

Attuning - I wasn’t quite sure how to use this scent, so I applied a tiny dab to my temples in the morning before what I anticipated would be a very hectic day at work. All day long, I managed to stay on top of everything I had to do, and I didn’t have any monkey-wrenches thrown in the middle of my projects (like I usually do on hectic days like that one). I don’t know if it was the Attuning helping me “tune in” to what I needed to do and how to get it done quickly and without difficulty, but it was a really productive day and I felt really on top of things – exactly the experience I was hoping for when trying Attuning. As for the scent, it’s hard to say. It’s a very soft floral and I’m pretty sure the main note is lavender, but it seems like there are also other soft florals in it that I can’t identify.

Determination - When I first sniff this in the vial, I almost gag from the wretched scent – it’s dark and deep patchouli with something else in it that causes my gag reflex to kick in – quite possibly vetiver? However, once I apply a bit to my skin, the gag-causing scent disappears, and it becomes a lovely, deep, woody, and resinous patchouli and ??? scent (musk? amber?) In the end, it turns out that I love the scent. As for intent purposes, I’d say it works! Every time I’ve tried it, I’ve found myself getting on top of tasks and projects that I’ve been putting off and that I don’t really want to do and can never bring myself to complete. I’ve completed so much in my life since I started using Determination that I think I may need to get a full bottle of this and get all my other unfinished projects finalized!

Milk & Honey - Before I got this blend, I assumed that it would be a milk and honey scent, based on the name. I was surprised when I sniffed it the first time and smelled really strong lemon, and then it hit me: "Milk and honey" is a phrase denoting prosperity! Duh, of course it's named after its intent and not its scent! Anyway, as for scent, it's a strong, thick lemon scent, not unlike lemon Pledge. Actually, it's more like a dust rag that I've just used along with lemon Pledge, as it has a bit of dustiness about the scent, as well. It's very strong when first applied, but becomes more subtle as it dries down, and after about an hour on my skin, I notice that the lemon is completely gone, and it's now taken on an herbal quality that blends with the dust. At about the 3 hour point, I notice something that smells like pepper, which blends with the herbal scent. This lasts for about an hour, and then all I can smell just nice, chunky herbs, which lasts until the blend fades, at about the 6 hour point. I don't really care for this s cent, but obviously, fragrance is not the purpose of it, so it doesn't really matter. I have not tried this scent with intent, but if I do, I will be sure to report back the results!

Perpetuum Bonum - First, the scent: it's fabulous! It has amazing throw, and reminds me a lot of Chakra: Sahasrara or Aunt Caroline's Joy Mojo. It's pink, bubble-green sweet (but not cloying), and herbal. It also lasts on my skin for about 3 hours before starting to fade, and 6 hours until it's completely gone. Now, as for it's intended purpose -- which is to shower you with blessings of good fortune, and to attract prosperity in all areas of your life -- I'd have to say it kicks some serious butt. Since I started using this, I have had two large salary increases within two weeks of one another, was provided primo parking at my office building (as opposed to the crappy parking I've had for the past 4.5 years), was told they're hiring me an assistant, and I've been told I qualify for an even larger bonus at the end of the year. All that within three weeks (since I received the Perpetuum Bonus, needless to say)! I'd say all of that falls under good fortune, at least in my book! I'm going to keep on using it and see what blessings I'm showered with. What I'm curious about is if I can use this on behalf of someone else who needs to be showered with blessings. Please let me know if you know the answer to that question.

Hymn to Pan - On my skin this is a light lavender that is very different from most of the blends I’ve tried with lavender in them. It’s light, soft, and sweet. Surrounding the lavender is a scent that I can only identify as somewhat musky. It’s just too hard to tell with the sweetness of the lavender that covers it. There may also be some soft herb or spice in this blend that gives it just the tiniest bit of “kick”, although I would never describe it as a spicy scent at all. In fact, as it begins to dry, I can’t help but wonder if it’s not the tiniest touch of eucalyptus that’s providing the “kick” to it, and when I sniff it, it feels cool and actually clears out my sinuses a bit. As it dries down even more, the lavender disappears, and all that’s left is a cool, herbal, white musk scent. I can see how this scent could clear away the things in life that bog us down and get in the way of creativity and inspiration. I have not used it to dress candles, but just put a dab on my skin on a couple of occasions. The scent actually fades so quickly, that the first time I tested it, I forgot I had applied it, and it took me a while to figure out why, in the middle of doing mundane chores around the house, I suddenly had a really impressive burst of energy, and all sorts of ideas about how to make my home an even happier home. The second time, I also forgot I was wearing it, and began to have all sorts of great ideas for cute “crafty” type things that I could do for other people – and I’ve never been a crafty-type person! I’m wearing it again right now, and I’m a little excited to see how it works today. I’ve been very careful with how much I use and the reason I haven’t dressed a candle with it yet is that I’m not quite prepared for any “rock star debauch” in my life right now – it’s just not the right time. But when the time is right, watch out!

Bastet’s Laughter - I got home to a package of TAL bottles in my mailbox this evening, and immediately put on Bastet's Laughter. I love it! I couldn't remember the description right off the bat, but the second I sniffed the bottle, I just knew it had to be a hope and happiness blend -- and sure enough, I was partially correct. Sniffed wet in the vial, it smells like orange and it's bubblegum sweet, but it's not cloying or sickeningly sweet. When I apply it, it's like wearing a nice, soft dessert. Orange crème brulée, perhaps. As it dries down, I begin to note the tiniest touch of spiciness that may be clove or cardamom, possibly even cinnamon, although it doesn't leave red marks on my skin like cinnamon usually does. As I go about my activities, I am continuously catching light wafts that remind me of orange chiffon with a hint of sweet spice. However, this isn't what I would classify as a typical "foody" scent -- probably because I don't usually like bakery foody scents. This is just gorgeous. The throw is terrific, but unfortunately, the lasting power doesn't seem to be the best, as it started to fade (but not completely disappear) right around the one-hour point. I don't do rituals with my BPAL, but it's going to be hard to resist doing one with this particular TAL. [Edit: I was going to have my nephew spend the night recently. He’s been having behavioral problems and acting out every chance he gets. Before he came over, and while he was here, I burned a candle with Bastet’s Laughter on it, and we had the most wonderful evening together that we’ve ever had. He was more well-behaved and obedient and good-natured than he had ever been with me before. I can’t help but think it’s at least partly due to the Bastet’s Laughter!]

Lionheart is sweet and warm. The sweetness smells like it could be date palm. It also has a powdery floral that reminds me a lot of what Jezebel does on my skin. I would also not be surprised if there is a hint of amber in this blend, because it is so warm. It is definitely an empowering blend, and when I wear it, I instantly feel uplifted. Due to events going on in my life that are tragic and out of my control, I feel like I will be using this blend a lot, as it does lift my spirits, and seems to keep me focused on positive things rather than all the “what ifs” and negative things. I think I’m going to get a lot of mileage out of this one in the near future, and I’m so grateful for the person who sent it to me.

Anthelion - This has a lovely scent. It’s a sweet French lavender scent that is slightly herbal in its quality, but also softly spicy. It’s a warm scent and very comforting, calming, and relaxing. I’ve used it quite a bit lately when I’ve become overly upset or stressed-out about some things going on in my life right now, and I’m finding it really does help soothe my soul and help me feel like I can laugh and be happy again. I highly recommend it.

Hurricane is definitely "high pitched" and "tangy". A bit too much so for my taste. I generally don't like aquatic/rain/ozone scents and this one doesn't appeal to me at all. There's nothing wrong with it, it's just doesn't fit in with my general fragrance preferences. There is something sharp and slightly acrid about the scent, and while it had moderate throw and reasonable staying power, I won't be wearing this again.

Burial - My first impression is that this oil is chock full of camphor, and I simply can’t stand it. I’m certain I’m going to have to wash it off, but I decide to just go about my business and try to ignore it and see if it improves at all, although my hopes aren’t high. Fortunately, it sticks fairly close to my skin. However, after about 40-45 minutes, I suddenly notice the most sultry, dry, woody fragrance coming from my skin, and I realize the camphor is gone and the most incredibly gorgeous patchouli has replaced it. Now I don’t normally like patchouli, and I even more rarely describe it as “sultry” or “gorgeous,” but in this blend, it’s positively phenomenal. I don’t smell any of the dirt/earth or floral notes that other reviewers have noted in this blend. In fact, it smells slightly herbal to me, like a Voodoo blend, and is in fact very similar to Van Van’s opening notes (Van Van is also my favorite of the Voodoo blends). Burial is such an incredibly gorgeous and exotic scent that I can’t stop sniffing my skin, and although the name is “Burial,” I’m not reminded in the least of death or graveyards; rather, I’m whisked away in my imagination to the Middle East, and imagine this to be the scent of a smokey-eyed, husky-voiced, belly-dancer at an oasis camp in the desert. This patchouli is so incredibly gorgeous that I’m actually going to put up with the first 40 or so minutes of foul-smelling camphor (or whatever the heck it is) in order to smell like the dry-down all day long. The lasting power is as phenomenal as the dry-down scent is gorgeous.

Undertow - When I first applied this scent, I thought, "Oh wow! Finally a mint blend I like!"... and then seconds later, the mint morphed into cat pee, as usual. Fortunately, the minty-cat pee note goes away upon full dry-down, and the mint once again becomes sharp and icy. This blend also has a dark and deep note to it, something that is extremely enticing and slightly malicious at the same time. I can't for the life of me identify the note. Overall, this blend is very green, crisp, and clean, yet it has a ribbon of darkness running through it, and I understand fully how Beth came to give this blend it's name. It’s also amazing how it instantly clears my head when I sniff it. It has a low level of throw, but the lasting power is decent.

Single Note: Bulgarian Lavender - This is one of Beth's unreleased single notes. It's really quite a stunning single note. I have tried the French Lavender in the past and the difference between these two lavenders is quite distinct. The French Lavender is very typical lavender -- it's the lavender I smell in scents like Dove's Heart and Psyche. The Bulgarian Lavender, however, is different. It smells like lavender, but is very strong and slightly medicinal, and I'm instantly aware that this is the lavender that's used in the Somnium blends. I use Somnus on a regular basis, and instantly recognized this single note as the lavender used in Somnus. The "very strong and slightly medicinal" aspect of Bulgarian Lavender SN dissipates upon dry-down and the scent becomes nothing more than an incredibly round, soft, and sweet herbal-floral. It has completely faded on me within about 30 minutes. This would also ring true to my use of Somnus, which is initially sharp, but fades to something soft and herbal-floral sweet, and then fades within 30 minutes.

Single Note: Bergamot - No one has stated (to my knowledge) if the Bergamot single note is the herb/flower of the name “Bergamot” or the citrus fruit of the name “Bergamot” (both of which smell quite similar, hence the reason the flower was named after the fruit.) Reading the reviews has me believing that most reviewers think this is the Bergamot fruit, but I am not so certain of that myself. The scent is very bright and clean and citrus-sweet, but it also has a touch of an earthy quality that is more herbal to me. (I also have noticed that Bergamot is listed as a “wildflower” in the Arkham Revisited description, which leads me even more strongly to believe this Bergamot is based on the flower, not the fruit.) Either way, this clears up a question I’ve had for a long time as to whether I like Bergamot or not, as I’ve suspected on many occasions that Bergamot doesn’t work well with my skin chemistry. It turns out, Bergamot SN works just fine with my skin, but that slightly herbal quality I detect in it is what I think must run afoul of my skin chemistry – but most likely only when it’s blended with certain other notes that don’t agree with me. So the question of Bergamot by itself has been cleared up for me, but I have no idea now what are the notes that offend so greatly when blended with Bergamot. This oil is really bright, sparkly, and crisp for the first 10-15 minutes, at which point it becomes slightly watery and fades very quickly. The scent has completely disappeared from my skin within 30-45 minutes.

King of Diamonds is light and surprisingly cool and clean, almost minty. It’s got a strong scent of white musk and the chypre is very faint. This reminds me a lot of Snow White, but just a tad more masculine. It’s a gorgeous scent, but on my skin it’s fairly faint (as musks usually are) and sticks very close to my skin, although the staying power seems to be good. I don’t believe I would wear this regularly, although it is a really nice scent. And I really can’t get over how similar it is to Snow White!

The Living Flame is one of the most complexly blended scents I’ve encountered. It smells distinctly perfumey and is warm, floral, and slightly spicy. This is a winter-time dress-up scent. It’s a truly gorgeous scent. I definitely sense musk and vanilla in it, as well as a pinch of mulling spices. The floral is very difficult to distinguish, but I can say with 99% certainty it’s not iris or jasmine, as they go all wonky on me. I think it might be orchid or stargazer lily. I detect nothing fruity or sweet in it, as some reviewers have noted, although the scent is softly sweet, but due to the vanilla and floral notes. This is such a very pretty scent and I’m thrilled that I've been able to track down a full-size bottle of this.

Sylph - This is the only one of the elementals (so far) that I remotely like. Initially, it’s a pleasant herbal and citrus. The citrus seems to be bergamot, but I could be wrong. As it dries, it gains an undertone of something soapy. It sticks close to my skin, but still manages to give me a headache. Yet another one for the swap pile.

The Rat King smells distinctly of dust. It smells like Miskatonic U. smells on me – without the pretty Irish crème. It smells like Queen of Clubs smells on me – without the floral. It smells like Rapture smells on me – without the dark myrrh. It smells like Gnome – without the dirt. It’s pure dust on my skin, and makes me feel like I have to sneeze. This is one that was not worthy of waiting it out. I had to wash it off ASAP.

Mistletoe - Hmmm… not for me. It’s a very true-to-life scent, and smells a lot like Yuletide smells on me, without as much juiciness. It’s very clean, sharp, and green, but evergreen-type scents are one that I don’t usually care for. It’s got a modicum of throw, and lasts for a very long time.

King of Spades - DING DING DING! WE HAVE A WINNER!!! After testing around 700 blends, I have found the most spectacular of them all (so far). King of Spades is a beautiful, sensual, and gorgeous blend. Wow. I did not read the list of notes before I put it on, and my first impression was that it was vanilla, but a sweet vanilla, almost like there's coconut in there. I also smell what I think is oakmoss and/or woods, which tames the sweetness of the coconut and vanilla. After it began to warm up on my skin, I could smell plum -- the distinct plum I've encountered in a few other BPAL blends, but there's some other fruit that's dark and sweet, as well, which having now read the description, I can identify as blackberry, and which eventually takes over as the dominant fruit note, blending gorgeously with the coconut. I’ve also discovered that if I wear my Coconut Hut Blackberry body butter and my Coconut Hut Coconut Kanantik body butter together underneath the King of Spades, it amplifies the scent even more, and I can’t stop swooning all over myself. I LOVE this! I understand it's supposed to be a masculine scent, but I am really amazed by that gender distinction because it's absolutely gorgeous on my skin, and very beautiful, sexy, and sophisticated. Simply stunning. Absolutely the most beautiful and complex BPAL blend I've encountered. On a scale of 1 to 10, this is easily an 11. I can't give such high honors to any of my other long-time favorite BPAL blends. King of Spades has the most lovely level of throw and lasts and lasts. Oh God, I desperately need more of this, and am tempted to give up the rest of my BPAL and spend the rest of my life with the King and only the King.

Wildfire - Ooooh, this is a really, really, really nice scent! It’s warm and sultry, and smells like a magical forest without the dreaded scent of pine or evergreen. It’s warm and woody, bright with the touch of berry, and softly floral. I wish this weren’t so hard to come by. It’s a lovely blend and stays on my skin for several hours before fading, although the throw is fairly light. Still…it’s so warm and such a happy scent. Love it! I’ll have to get more one way or another! Wildfire 2010 - This smells exactly the same as the original. Sadly, my skin chemistry has changed in the past 18 months with a medication change, and I can't wear dragon's blood much at all anymore. When I put this on now, the dragon's blood amps and overwhelms every other note, so that it comes across pretty much as a dragon's blood single note and I don't smell any of the other notes that made this blend smell so awesome to me before. This is sad.

Ides of March - I like this a lot! Sniffing it wet in the vial, it didn't smell like anything special at all, just another floral. However, after it started to warm up on my skin, it turns into the most lovely spring floral that has the slightest bit of spicy kick, which I'm guessing is from cardamom in the blend. I also believe I smell rose and something slightly herbal, but I can’t identify the note. This is a lovely springtime garden full of flowers and herbs, but I wouldn't say it's highly feminine, as I do with most florals. Because of the spiciness in this, I could see a man wearing it and being able to pull off "very sexy" while wearing it. It's gorgeous. I want more!