Scorianelle

I tried this without checking the notes and I have to say I'm shocked. Looking at the ingredients this should've been so much win - the worst thing listed is the lemon peel, and maybe the anise which I haven't tried before. All the other notes work so well on me and I specifically wanted this because I love tonka. How did it end up such a muddle? From start to finish I could detect none of the individual notes and instead this was a like very strong, very unimpressive bundle of flowers. It was so floral and entirely reminiscent of bath products or soap and absolutely feminine. I know that my skin tends to sweeten everything so that scents everyone else feels are masculine become or dark become (at the very least) gender neutral and light, but how did I get flowers from leather, patchouli and tonka? I have no idea. He is off to the swaps. I'm glad actually as I don't want to be in love with a discontinued scent.

This is perhaps the most apt description I've ever seen! In the imp it smelled quite smoky. I was surprised at how recognisable it was! Once on Agnes becomes a dark, smoky, spicy scent. There is a definite metallic iron twang of the nails. The only note I can't find (or perhaps recognise) is the gunpowder. Overall Agnes isn't dry at all really, which I think is amazing for a 'charred wood and smoke' scent, but it is warm and interesting. A definite keeper, and especially good when layered with The Lights of Men's Lives. Think I'll wear some tonight! Colour association: Gold flecked with black ashes.

Hunter is a beautiful, soft, watery amber. I find this hard to explain - it didn't smell 'aquatic' but from the first sniff I could only describe it as 'watery' or sort of 'watered down'. I think this was the effect of the amber and sage. It started to smell drier after a few hours, when the leather mopped up the sage and the clove entered to spice it up just the tiniest bit. It was a very lovely scent overall, just not for me. I'm very glad I got to try it, though. Colour association: Lion's skin.

I should start by saying that I strongly suspect the imp I got of this was quite aged. My experience was of an abrasive and not really pleasant scent. The sassafras and black poppy dominated and together caused this to become dry and biting. The Myrrh and nutmeg didn't show, so there wasn't much colour or body to it overall. It wasn't terrible but certainly wasn't something I'd ever want to wear. Colour association: Black smoke.

I've seen people say 'this smells like an occult shop' or 'dirty hippy' in reference to patchouli before. I've never gotten that feeling from patchouli, but if there was ever a sent that screamed these things to me it would be Urd. When I opened the imp I almost gagged. Something in it smelled rotten to me, like it was decaying, and I almost decided to pass it on for good then and there. But as these perfumes can morph so drastically I steeled myself, took a deep breath, and opened the imp again. And it smelled... nice! Not great but certainly not gag worthy. On my skin Urd is a very strong, very odd appley resin. The nag champa or the muscadine (I'm not sure which) absolutely dominates. This is not a 'me' smell, but it was so evocative of being in occult shops and book stores that it is so far the first and only scent I have kept for my oil burner. It is much more subtle in the burner, and most importantly I feel I have learned something by trying it. Colour association: warm glowing amber.

I wanted to try November because that is my birth month. Of course, where I come from November is in spring so I don't have the association of snow and autumn leaves that Northern Hemispherers (what else to call them?) would. I was still interested to try. Unfortunately I didn't get these associations from the imp either. Really it just smelt like soap to me. A really white soap, but soap nonetheless. I thought it might just be one of those things (happens with some scents, you know) but I tried another Yule with a 'snow' note and it was exactly the same. On the plus side I don't have to worry about spending lots for Yule scents anymore. Colour association: White.

In the imp it smelt very strongly of lavender, but the first time I tried it the bergamot was the dominant note. However the second time it was straight Jasmine and it's been jasmine ever since. There's not much else I can really say about it. I didn't notice myself falling asleep or sleeping easier and I'm not super keen on jasmine. Perhaps someone else will like it better. Colour association: Burnt Orange.

I finally understand what people mean when they say a scent is 'boozy'. This had a distinct alcoholic spin like some sort of dark sugar rum. There was a fruity undertone but no tea for me unfortunately. I was pop-y and nice but not something I'd want to wear everyday. Certainly interesting as a novel scent. Colour association: Dark Brown Sugar. Word for the scent: Booze.

I was hoping this would be much darker on me but as my skin has a tendency to sweeten everything it ended up being a light stroll through the herb patch rather than a dark bowl of herbal offerings. One thing I can say for it though is that it certainly kept itself interesting. This thing morphed like crazy. At first when it went on it smelt like liquorice. Then after a while that changed to mint, then apple, then coconut. They're not exactly 'herbs', but it was very interesting nonetheless. Ultimately not interesting enough, as it was moved into my swap pile. Colour association: dried-herb green.

There is unfortunately not much I can say about this. At least it has helped me learn that I probably don't work with aquatics. From the moment I opened it through to when it was fading from my skin it smelled like 'Sea minerals'. You know, the 'sea mineral' smell that they put in handsoaps and bodywash? That. It's not bad, I even had that type of bodywash for a while. Ultimately though it was pretty boring. I think I'll have to rely on Anne Bonny for my Pirate scent. Colour association: Sea-glass green.

Well I should start by owning that this has three notes (White musk, Vetiver, Violet) I already knew I wasn't too hot on. I basically got it for the lavender and I have to say that, well, it was a surprise. I am not a flower girl so I was not surprised when I opened it and immediately disliked the way the Violet dominated. It was not the sickly sweet violet I was expecting though, instead it was stinging and sharp. Once on my skin it combined with the astringent lavender to become a really cold and aggressive scent. I have to say that it's description is very apt. In the latter stages the flowers faded and softened allowing the vetiver and musk to come forward which was pretty 'meh' for me. The vetiver definitely added a sort of oily dirty quality, but I would in no way describe this as a man's scent. It was actually quite unnerving and off-putting but not because it smelt bad. While I can't say for sure if I liked it I am keeping the imp as a very interesting, possibly dangerous scent. Colour association: Blue-Purple. I don't know the name for the colour that I'm thinking of. Word for the Scent: Angry.

I've not had much luck with BPAL lavender scents even though I've been looking. Lavender is my favourite flower but I find that my skin doesn't support it very well. In that respect alone, Gaueko is a godsend. Right from the forefront this starts out as a misty lavender on my skin. The sandalwood softens and disperses the normally astringent flower, making it ethereal and comforting. It isn't until the latter stages that the darker notes begin to creep in and it's like fog parting to reveal a dead black night. The 'blackened' note of the sandalwood strengthens. It's slightly abrasive but works well with the tobacco to give an impression of dark shadows that are kept warm by the slight incense of the Nag champa and laudanum. This is one of three GC scents I've ever considered getting a bottle for. It is not a bold scent but beautifully subtle and evocative. Colour association: Mauve mist. Word for the Scent: Ethereal.

Word of the Scent: Juicy First Sniff: Fruit! Stone fruits that are sharp, not sweet. Second Sniff: It's figgy and juicy with a high and windy feeling. Wet: Definitely fruity. The plum dominates but it has also warmed up a lot. Dry: It's sweetened up heaps (as all scents do on me). Honeyed plum and wine is what I'm getting. It's not bad but definitely not for me. I'm getting a headache. Throw: mild to medium. Colour association: Nut Brown and Plum Purple.

Plunder is definitely a spice scent. I was so sure this would work on me because I know I love spicy perfumes but Plunder was a bit too... waterlogged. Not in that it smelled aquatic, rather there was no bite to it. It was musty and muted. The main notes I got were cassia and allspice and overall there was a distinct 'powder' quality to it, like I was opening expired spice jars. Mostly powder with a hint of scent and not one I particularly enjoyed, although it wasn't terrible. Ah well, I shall pass it on.

Well I wasn't really sure what to expect from this so I can't say I was disappointed. In the imp Magus was like a sweet mild ginger (that would be the galangal). I'm not really a ginger fan but most scents morph on me and this was no exception. It morphed into... crayons? It has that waxy kind of smell of crayons, specifically a blue one, and I have no idea what is causing it. I know some people find that cedar smells like pencil shaving on them so it could be that but this is still a bit different... I don't know. Either way it's going to the swap pile. Colour association: Blue Crayon.

Well there is not really much I can say about this one. In the imp it smelt very strongly of pine but almost as soon as it hit my skin it morphed into a generic store-bought floral. I think my skin somehow sweetens whatever concoction I put on it, as even the darkest scents I've tried have still been relatively sweet. I'll try and pawn this off to my sister. She may like it for the name.

This has got to be one of the oddest BPALs I've had the pleasure of trying. I've worn it a couple of times now and I'm still not sure how I feel about it! First Sniff: Fascinating! Paper and a musty/musky smell with a touch of incense (amber) and menthol (bergamot or neroli?). Second Sniff: Terrible! Bitter, astringent dust and fumes. Wet: Uck. Musty tar (caraway). If I smell it too much I feel sick. Dry (30 mins): Welp it's definitely bounced back. There is an almost fruity note perched lightly atop dusty paper (amber and saffron). It's nice. Dry (1.5 hours): The first time I tried this the saffron and caraway had mixed to become a musty almost damp smell, that the amber saved by making it smell like old books! Like sitting in the rare books collection of the library. However the second time I tried it the musty caraway dominated, which was more like moldy old books - not as pleasant at all. Dry (3 hours): This was the nicest during both attempts. It's mainly amber and saffron there is no fruit aspect and little caraway. I think I like saffron. Throw: none: Colour: Burnished gold. I can definitely see where the name came from, and this is certainly one of the more interesting scents I've tried. I feel I've learned something from it, which is always good but as to whether I'll keep it.... I'll have to see. This is definitely an inside scent. For study perhaps?

One sniff of Mme. Moriarty and I could instantly see why it is so beloved. This is a complex scent, one in which the components work so well together that they become more than they are individually. First Sniff: On top it is light and breezy, almost insouciant. There is a minty crispness that is softened by the musk. And even with all this, underneath there is a dark, rich and indolent presence detectable even when in the tiny vial. Second Sniff: I think the crispness is the pomegranate and patchouli leaf. There is a background of burgundy resins. Wet: Plum jumps out on top. It is not sweet at all, just fruity and grounded very well by the leaf. The red musk is like the plush carpet on which they all dance. It pulls them together beautifully. Dry (30 mins): The plum drops back and the musk takes the fore, but it is lively and sensuous. The other notes don't dissapear, instead they all work in tandem to make this a soft but daring scent. Dry (3 hours): This has mellowed and faded, but is still very present as a lovely, soft perfume. The vanilla has finally made an entrance and she sits perched on top of her velvet throne. Throw: none. Colour Association: Deep purple, followed by burgundy red. I got this decant on a whim, purely because every other post mentions how fantastic it is. And it is certainly well deserving of it's reputation. While I can't say I'm as enamoured or entranced by the Madame as others, I certainly wouldn't object to getting a bottle during the next carnival. It is a very nice, well composed scent. Also I think I finally figured out the red note I loved from Czernobog - Red Musk. If you can get your hands on some then I would recommend you so so just to try it and know what everyone's talking about! Edit: Grammar

I got this as a frimp with my first order. Didn't work out for me, but at least I learned something from it. Before this I had tried to convince myself that I liked jasmine. Now I can finally fess up that, while it's not terrible on me, I don't really care for it or find it that interesting. Something else of note: I tried this blind and wrote the experience down in my Day Book. I've added in which notes I think caused which aspects. First Sniff: Jasmine. Absolutely jasmine, no other way to describe it. Second Sniff: Still jasmine. I can't make out any other scent, but the jasmine isn't pure. It's a little obscured and softened at the edges. Wet: Jasmine dominates but there are other notes coming through. A little menthol (I think this was the Myrtle) and some powder (that would be the musk) Dry (30 mins): Soft powdered jasmine. (musk and jasmine) Dry (1.5 hours): It's a bit sharper (clove), and more powdery in smell, but the strength of the perfume is faded. Dry (3 hours): Faint. Mostly powder with a Jasmine twang. Throw: none. Colour association: Mauve. Had you asked me what was in this when I tried it I would have said Jasmine and Myrrh (the other note that powders on me). I never would have guessed any of the other notes, and unfortunately they didn't have a strong enough presence on me to make this an enjoyable blend. This is off to the swaps.

I tried this blind and afterwards was surprised to discover what the listed notes were. I felt this was more fruity than floral, and the myrrh, which usually dominates on me hardly made an appearance. I think it was for the best actually as it made the perfume seem more unique than most other scents I've tried. First Sniff: Juicy fig and wine. It's very sweet with a little twang from the wine. Second Sniff: Tart wine with sweet fig. They've swapped places as to which is stronger. Interesting. Wet: Wow! Not sweet at all, it's like the juicy/honey note just disappeared. Instead there are dirty spices and sharp rum. With pepper. In a way it's good because I was worried it would be cloyingly sweet. Dry (30 mins): The fig is starting to come back, and the spices have mellowed so they don't bite so much anymore (just a little). I think there's clove. It's also a little powdery (that would be myrrh, which powders on me). Dry (1.5 hours): I keep getting whiffs of wine around me, but if I stoop to smell my wrist there lurks the fig, with a smidgen of spice (no bite, more like mulled spices) and honey. Dry (3 hours): Now there are figgy whiffs, but they are earthy and not juicy or sweet. At my wrist the honey is strongest, but some background note is morphing it to smell a bit chocolatey. Throw: Mild. Colour association: Sweet Red Wine. I'm shocked the florals didn't show up to ruin things. Flowers never seem to like me. I have no idea why I could smell fig - I think it must be an unlisted note. Also the myrrh really kept to the back seat - I'm amazed. Altogether this is an interesting scent and it is reminiscent of Greece to me - mostly because of the wine. That said, I'm still not sure if I'll keep the imp. It's not bottle worthy for me, but I'll give it another go or two before deciding whether or not to swap. For all it's interesting qualities, it is just okay overall.

I tried this one blind but after looking up the notes I wish I hadn't. It is so much easier to understand what I was smelling during each phase when I can put a word to it. Nevertheless, I wrote it all down in my day book, but I've gone and added in what I think I was smelling in some areas. First Sniff: Delicious. Honey and Nutmeg. Very recognisable nutmeg. This is a lot warmer than I expected. Second Sniff: Huh. This isn't as sweet or foody now. It's sharper - I think some sort of wood, and a spice like cinnamon. There is only the barest hint of the nutmeg. Wet: The wood has come to the fore. There's no sweetness, it is till warm spices/cinnamon (I think what I thought was cinnamon was actually part of the tonka). It is dry - orris? (I think this was the parchment), and again there is only a tiny hint of nutmeg. There is also something grounding - patchouli? (think this was sandalwood) This gets spicier and sharper as it dries. Dry (30 mins): The spices are dominant now. They tickle my nose a little but aren't overpowering anything else. There is a warm delicious layer of honey (tonka) and sandalwood. Dry (1.5 hours): It's changed again. It's like a spicy amber (this is the incense, I'm sure) and the wood has come back. It has a little buzz to it and is still quite dry/dusty. Dry (3 hours): Wood and something warm and sharp (this was the incense again). Throw: None. Colour: Deep golden honey. Dee turned out to be interesting and quite nice. The one note I'm sure I didn't get was the leather, which doesn't bother me either way. Still, I feel that this scent could be better. I'm thinking of getting a bottle to age and see how it evolves.

No tea. No tea for me. Such a pity, but I've not once in all the scents I've tried had a tea note manifest itself, and Dorian was no different. As usual I seem to have a different experience from the masses, which is not bad in and of itself but makes others' reviews pretty useless to me. First Sniff: Toffee, vanilla and apple. Definitely a foody scent. Second Sniff: Amber, a white flower and sugar. Well.... this is odd. Wet: Light fruits and flowers doused in sugared vanilla sauce. Dry (30 mins): Sugar (this is absolutely a sweet scent), vanilla, juicy citrus and a ripe green apple. There is nothing sinister about this scent, nor is it masculine in the least. Dry (1.5 hours): The mild sweet vanilla starts to dominate. It's like I'm at a tea party and I'm having vanilla cakes for desert. Dry (3 hours): Faded. Now just a soft sugared musk. Throw: None. Colour association: Caramel. Well, it certainly wasn't bad, but neither was it a rave-worthy scent on me. I half expected it, seeing as it included musk and vanilla, which are both notes I feel rather 'meh' about. I'll keep the imp, pass on the bottle, and fly off to try my next tea-scent.

Well! This was a pleasant surprise. I ordered it because I MUST try everything with a tea note in the vain hope that it will work on me. Then after ordering I discovered that battenberg cake is made of almonds - oh no! I hate almond smells, especially marzipan, and was suddenly sure that with my luck my skin would amp these to the Nth degree. Not so! This was much more pleasant, and just as interesting, as I'd hoped. First Sniff: Tea! Omigosh omigosh when I popped the lid off I swear there was a whiff of tea. It may be gone now (I'm getting cake and cool cucumber) but maybe it will come back? Second Sniff: No tea, instead there's wet green and juicy cucumber. So juicy. Wet: The bulk of this is a very interesting, very distinct wet cucumber, with a little bit of buzz. However there is a recognisable toasted sort of smell (I'm thinking the biscuits?) around the edges and at the base. Then just before it dries the cucumber slithers further forward to take over it all. Dry (30 mins): Juicy green is the dominant scent, but it gets fruitier towards the wrist. Super throw. Dry (1.5 hours): The cucumber has gentled a bit (less buzz), but is still dominant. It's more mallow/vanilla-y at the base. Is this the cake? Luckily there has been nary a whiff of almond, unfortunately there has been nary a smidge of tea. Dry (3 hours): Cucumber on top still, but the toasted/nutty base is back. Still going strong. Throw: Very Strong. Colour association: Glowing Green indeed. This should come with a warning: Super Strong Scent! The only problem I had with this was that it was overwhelming (trying to take over the world?). I tested this on ONE wrist and expected my skin to eat it as it does with everything but scents I hate, and instead my skin rejected the alien concoction and threw it back at me. First scent I like with a decent throw (and how!) but I'll have to watch how much I apply. Not sure if I'll buy a bottle (I've seen a couple of people selling theirs) but I'll definitely keep the vial. This is what I'm looking for in a perfume - something evocative and otherworldly. This is the scent to wear whenever I watch Stargate.

If I had to use one word to describe this scent it would undoubtedly be 'Jaunty'. First Sniff: Much softer than I was expecting. Vanilla, musk and small white flowers. Very floral Second Sniff: The same. I'm seeing lots of small, white, star-shaped flowers. Wet: Lemon is the foremost scent. Marshmallow and lemon at first and under them is something fizzy, something green. The scent is high and light. Dry (30 mins): Sherbet flowers form the main body of the scent, with the lemon twinge dancing on top of them. At the base there is a distinct foody smell - sour cream and an herb. Cumin, or perhaps dill seeds. Dry (1.5 hours): The same, although a little mellower. Dry (4 hours): A faded sherbet-musk. The other nuances have disappeared. Throw: Mild. Colour Association: Clean white and cat's eye yellow. Well, I can definitely see where that 'cat' association comes from, but this cat is certainly not black! It's a white cat with bright amber eyes, jaunty, energetic and just a tad haughty. This is certainly an interesting and even a pleasant scent. I could see how it might accomplish the tasks in it's description, but as a perfume it is unfortunately just not me. I'm going to go give my real black cat a hug now.

I love lavender and this was the first BPAL scent I've tried that includes it. Such a pity it didn't show up on my skin. I set myself up for a bit of dissapointment. First Sniff: Greeny scent. Lavender, soft and astringent. Overripe apple. Second sniff: A whiff of lavender, followed by jumbled herbs. Thick and a little sweet. Wet: Sharp green and medicinal. There's a lemon tang over a softer floral/herb, probably the rosemary. Dry (30mins): Starts with strong verbena on top, then turns smoky, dried herbs as the frankincense warms up. Dry (1.5 hours): Calmed to a mild, sweet herbal. The verbena is still the only individual thing I can make out and it's presence is a lemony twang. Dry (3 hours): The herbs have gone a bit dusty now, not as much of a smoky/vetiver scent, but it's still there. The lemony tinge is softened, but can be found relatively easily. Throw: None. Colour association: Sage Green. I'm not really a fan of lemon balm or lemon verbena. This isn't really me, but I'll try and find it a nice home and in the meantime keep a lookout for other lavender blends.