VelvetSky

sheelanagig, I've heard of lots of people who break a Vitamin E capsule into their mixture (of fragrance oil and carrier oil) in order to help preserve the shelf life, but I've never heard of Vit E used alone as a carrier. Of course, I'm sure if it can be, someone here will know.

Each and every time I've worn Sin, at least one man has complimented me. I think it might be the cinnamon. I read somewhere that men in general loooooove the smell of cinammon.

I just tried Tintagel for the first time yesterday, and this is just so Yule to me because of the bayberry. I'm loving it a lot. Big bottle!!!!!

This is one of the most compelling and interesting scents I've tried thus far. This is dusty sun-baked earth. I'm also getting something that's almost leathery and dry here. As it dries, peppery, herbal and musty. I'm having strong images of Africa right now in my mind as I smell this. This scent has a feeling of nature and antiquity. I don't really know yet what I think of Kweku Anansi as a perfume, but as a sensory experience it is quite amazing.

Wow. The Lab threw this in for me, and I'm so glad to have the chance to try this scent. This is my first Voodoo blend. This is "I am woman, hear me roar"! This is Girl Power. This is very no-bullshit femaleness. This is Mighty Aphrodite! Queen reminds me very much of O...sweet, powerful, sexy, and alluring. It is baby powderish, but there is definitely no innocence here. Warning: a tiny bit goes a very long way.

Straight out of the imp, Old Cairo reminds me a lot of Black Lotus. Very sweet and fruity, but with a smokey sharp figginess underneath. A few minutes later, I'm getting lemon. No honey, but golden raisins mixed in with the citrus. The lemon stays pretty sharp on my skin all the way thru to the drydown.

Everything everyone has already said in their reviews....except....the main thing I'm getting here is the bayberry. It supersedes almost every other note in this blend on my skin, except perhaps the dragon's blood resin. As a result, it reminds me very strongly of Yule. I'm definitely going to be using this as a room scent, especially during the holidays.

This scent is a silky gossamer veil of sweet freshness...something I'd imagine an angel would smell like. I can't pick out any one particular note, Empyreal Mist is just a wonderfully innocent and heavenly scent of floral greenness. I also want to say that at no point does this turn powdery on me, as so many lighter scents do. I think a big bottle is calling to me.

I have to agree that Old Kathmandu is very similar to both Cathedral and Aureus, with a handful of mint tossed in, some spices, and a drift of incense. I really love the freshness of this one...there is something so 'high' and elevated about this blend that just makes me feel so peaceful and calm. For me, this is the perfect meditation blend. This scent is more than just a perfume, it's an experience. This is one perfect example of why I love BPAL.

Ooooh definitely salty and slightly metallic. The Dragon's Blood in this one is very visceral and yes, bitter. Like quantum spice, this smells really familiar to me. This is bringing up a memory of something that I can't place. When Dragon's Tears dries down, it mellows and sweetens up a bit on my skin, ending up almost floral. I really like the way this smells after wearing it for a while.

Machu Picchu is soooo beautiful. It's tropical, but not totally. It's green and lush and woody, but it's not just that either. It's sweet, but with a touch of sharpness. It's fruity, but zesty. It's fresh, but it's also an extremely feminine fragrance. Some of Beth's blends are impossible for me to describe well enough to satisfy me (Old Venice is another), because there is just SO MUCH going on in this little imp. Basically, it's a wet, fruity floral with a touch of green. It's incredible and it's going on my big bottle list.

Dragon's Bone is my first experience with Dragon's Blood resin. This is indeed a very dry blend, yet rich and strong. The sandalwood gives quite a potent kick here, which I really didn't expect. What I really like about this is the orris, which I don't really pick up until the drydown. Orris reminds me of violet, and Beth included it so skillfully in this blend.

The famous "Play Doh" scent (we discuss this a lot on another fragrance board I post on) is actually almond. Lots of perfumes apparantly have the Play Doh thing.

Skallywag, I don't study or speak Gaelic, just love the sound of the words...so poetic! How fantastic that you're going to Ireland, you must be jumping out of your skin with anticipation!!! hahaaa...thanks for peeking in at my Journal (stop by anytime!). Aren't those pants hysterical? As for Adam Ant, he was quite dishy back in the day wasn't he, and the only person who could get away with a coat like that!

Yup, you got it exactly right Skallywag!! Loo-na-sah I think these names are all so beautiful and exotic.

I'm just really glad someone knows...some of Beth's names are tongue-twisters!

Hemlock causes a little bit of swelling in my sinuses and some sneezes, but I love it, so I keep wearing it. I know...crazy. It's called masochism.

I want to write a review of Red Moon, but words fail me this time, because it's soooo beautiful. I'm so glad I ordered this. ADDED Dec. 11: Red Moon is an incredibly wet, fullbodied, deep, sharp, RED perfume that makes my mouth water every time I wear it. Amber and myrrh usually take over a fragrance on my skin, but those notes are both a lovely backdrop to the florals and citrus. This is a very complex scent, full of twists and turns. One moment orangey. One moment dragon's blood. Then sweet and flowery. I find Red Moon to be an invigorating and lively blend, that makes me feel wonderful when I wear it. Like hot sun on a cloudless summer day.

I agree that this reminds me a lot of Old Venice, without the strong punch of red. This starts out as a creamy floral on my skin and dries down to a soft, sort of faintly herbal sweetness. I can pick up the sage and the sandalwood on the drydown, but it's mostly the white flowers that stand out in this blend. If white flowers get to your head (as others here), this might not be your best choice. If you love white flowers, this is it! Ave Maria is a nice, every-day kind of floral, something you could wear anywhere. I really appreciate the Lab giving me this a freebie to try.

Beth gave me this as a freebie. I love her deep, resiny scents and Torment is in that category. This is an extremely powerful blend, one of the strongest I've tested so far. The vetiver is uncompromising and strong. If you don't like vetiver, Torment will not work for you. The bay is actually quite subtle on my skin, and the gardenia lends a floral sweetness. Visceral is an excellent definition for this fragrance. Very primal.

Just simply a beautiful, true, silky rose blend with (I think) a tiny tiny touch of lemon. Know how a rosebud smells when it's still wet with dew and just beginning to open? Well, somehow Beth put that into a bottle.

An absolutely amazing fresh, white floral. Clean without being soapy, sweet without being cloying. When I first applied Zephyr from the imp, I was worried about the vanilla, which is one note that does not generally agree with my chemistry. I can faintly detect it, but it's blended so skillfully with the florals and the lemon, it's not turning weird on me. The neroli is just beautiful in this blend as well. The sandalwood comes out really slowly for me in this. I don't really get the sandalwood until the very bottom of the scent Zephyr goes on my big bottle list!

This is a scent that I'd be more likely to use in candle magick or ritual than to wear on my body. Incantation is an extremely dark scent...no, it's black. Even the little tang of lemon rind doesn't lift this for me, although I can definitely tell it's there. Even though it's dark, it's also smooth...like wrapping yourself in a jet-black velvet cape. I adore the vetiver in this blend, because it reminds me of being outdoors at night. It's green, but a deep, dark green. Normally sandalwood causes things to go soft and mellow on my skin. The sandalwood here seems a bit different. Still soft, but there is something sinister about this sandalwood. On the drydown, it's soapy, but not in an unpleasant way.

I so totally agree with all of the beautiful descriptions so far: dirty, piney, comforting, earthy, sweet, gorgeous. This is fertile, moist soil...the way I imagine the dirt in Middle Earth must smell. Wood is definitely at the forefront, with the sweet honesuckle toning down the sharpness of the pine . The patchouli and oakmoss don't really make an appearance on me until the final drydown. Ace of Pentacles makes me feel safe, solid...grounded! I think this will be my scent of choice when I feel as though I need to be on a solid footing about some issue. I ordered this imp on a whim, and I'm so glad I listened to my inner voice.

Ok, may I just say this about Hemlock: un-befreakin-lievable! I love this. Leaves, fresh young wood, grass, weeds, herbs and just the teeniest touch of lemon when freshly applied. Something in here is bothering my sinuses, but I DO NOT CARE! This is awesome green perfection. The lemon intensifies as the scent warms. The final drydown is soft and yes, resinous and a bit sweet. And here's the thing: something in Hemlock is dredging up a long-ago memory of something that I can't even define yet. This isn't a comfortable memory, this is something dark. If not from this life, maybe from some other. The tiny hairs on my arms stand up when I smell this.