PirateMaggie

Wet: Ozone, wintergreen, and...wait, what?...Coppertone sport sunblock. Dry: All gone. No lily, no woods, no ozone, no sunblock, just the slightest hint of wintergreen.

This starts as a sharp, minty green blend with an almost ozone-like tang, and quickly settles down to a soft, warm herbal blended with the juicy, refreshing green tea note that I love so well in Shanghai. The berries barely make themselves known: they remind me more of a summer stroll through a berry patch than anything foody. The black musk adds an earthy note which adds to the foresty berry patch impression. Throw is light, but staying power is excellent, getting softer and gentler as it goes. After the initial minty phase, no one note really butts its head out; it's a quiet, lovely, girly blend. Yet another probable big bottle purchase. This blend is really soothing, the olfactory equivalent of curling up in favorite soft pajamas with a mug of green tea and a book of fairy tales.

I've yet to meet one of Beth's aquatics that I didn't like, and Undertow is no exception. Wet, it surges forward in an icy riptide of peppermint and juniper, and dries into a cool, calm lotus and mint with a hint of evergreen. The drydown is soft and soothing, pale, almost gentle, like the bones of the shipwrecked dead beneath a calm sea.

I was expecting something hot, lush, and tropical. Instead, I got dish soap. (At least it dried down to Dr Bronner's.)

I wouldn't describe this blend as sinful--it's not so much about carnal delight as it is about being happy because the sun is shining, the wind is blowing off the ocean, and you're sitting in a flower garden with someone you love. This is also a slap in the face to the old-school perfume snobs who like to claim that BPAL can't produce a classic perfume. Joyful as this blend is, it's also wonderfully sophisticated, suited as well to work and to elegant parties as it is to skipping through the bluebells. Scent-wise, the florals belnd together beautifully: the rose, jasmine, and fragipani all heighten and deepen each other; there is a smoky, spicy note in there that seems almost resinous. I'm strongly reminded of a less incensey Spellbound. Wet, Delight is almost tooth-achingly sweet but it quickly dries down to a rich, lush, fresh floral blend. Throw is medium; lasting power is great. It's been thirteen hours since I applied and while it's not nearly as strong as it was, there is still a noticeable floral sweetness at my pulse-points. Because I am so reminded of Spellbound, I won't be purchasing a big bottle until I use up my 5ml of Spellbound, but I do love this blend.

Wet, this had an odd dustiness to it atop the citrus, but dried down to candy-sweet lemondrops. Faded very quickly.

Wet, this is a more floral version of the green tea in Shanghai, but on drydown it turns into green tea and dryer sheets. They're very pretty, fresh-smelling dryer sheets, but there is a definite lundry quality there. This would be a lovely scent for clean clothes and bedding, but not as perfume. Oh, well. Time to convert the imp into linen spray.

This is the glorious smell of the sun-warmed Painted Desert. This scent doesn't morph much--it's warm and dry, the breeze through the grasses and sagebrush, with a slightly fruity hint like prickly-pear jelly. Musk often turns vile on me, but not so here. Instead, it adds a subtle feral sweetness. Throw is medium and it lasts well. Definitely a big bottle scent.

In the imp: spicy golden amber with a hint of musk. On my skin: This just didn't work for me at all. The amber turned into right into baby powder, the musk must be white musk which turns into armpit smell on me, and there was something throat-catchingly acrid somewhere in this blend, like burnt plastic.

In the imp, this is beautiful fresh apple blosson and green myrtle backed by golden amber. Wet, it stays this way with a slight hint of carnation. As it dries, it softens and blends and sadly disappears within half an hour. It's beautiful when wet and hints at a light prettiness, but it disappears too quickly. Hopefully it will have more staying power in my scent locket, but as is it just isn't lasting enough to order more.

A classic BPAL morpher. The Caterpillar starts with a swirl of incense borne on a jasmine and bergamot breeze. The neroli and carnation slowly sneak up together in a golden citrus-and-spice haze while the vetiver and moss cast a velvety shadow. The patchouli wafts in and out, whispering its presence ever so softly and grounding an otherwise heady blend. This is such a finely-crafted blend: no note overpowers the others, and each lends presence and complexity. By turns, the Caterpillar is ethereal and earthy, dark and bright, gentle and edgy. It's the olfactory equivalent of psychedlic summertime forest revels. Throw and staying power are similar to Snake Oil, though the scents are otherwise quite different. It truly shows Beth's skill and artistry as a perfumiere. Another 10ml winner.

I'd bathe in Alice if I could! Sweet, milky Earl Grey with pink tea rose and carnation. Very, very soft and light and youthful; I wore this with my leather jacket and combat boots to soften the rough tomboy edges. Though the throw is very light--definitely a second-skin scent--staying power is wonderful, lasting from early morning science lab through an early evening coffee and long walk. It begs others to get closer, but in a friendly way rather than a lecherous way. Tea isn't listed as an ingredient, but I'm definitely getting a hint of good darjeeling or oolong along with the bergamot. I'm not smelling Beth's usual honey note; rather, it's more like sugary tea. The sugar smell is light, though, rather than cloying or sticky, and seems to travel the most; I have to lean in closer to get the florals. This is everything I want in a rose smell (tea rose defies my skin's tendency to turn rosse into powdery antispetic soap) and the carnation lends it a slightly spicy depth. I ordered a 10ml unsniffed and I'm so glad I did, though I may have to order a second 10ml because I can see this going really fast (it's very light and I'm a slatherer). The world would be a much happier place if everything smelled like this. Alice is the antidote to feeling jaded.

A frimp from the lab, and one I thought I'd like given that I like Beth's dragon's blood and lotus notes. I was right in that I like this blend (no, scratch that, I love this blend), but it reacted in a completely unexpected way. I'm used to lotus being a mellow, dreamy, gentle aquatic with a candy-like quality. Mix it with dragon's blood, however, and whoa! This is a lush, juicy, steamy, spicy lotus that screams of seduction. Not what I was expecting on the subway this morning. This is an on-the-prowl or bedroom blend, probably not at all appropriate for work or school. Throw is pretty good, it lasts all day, and it is definitely a unique, attention-getting blend.

Smell sanctified! A blend of pure, pious frankincense and graceful myrrh. Wet, Penitence smells spiky (for lack of a better descriptor) and smoky: this is some weapon-grade myrrh and the frankincense smells like it's sizzling and popping in the brazier. Not unpleasant, but it smells more like a ritual oil than a perfume. This is very much like the incense blend I burn to clear a space of spiritual nasties. The spirit of BPAL compels you! On drydown, the resins mellow and blend, and surprisingly there is a slightly aquatic tinge. The overall impression is of incense smoke wafting through a cool, slightly damp cathedral. This damp quality is not at all unpleasant, but is rather refreshing, like entering a shady stone building on a warm, humid afternoon. Penitence goes from being fierce and hard to golden, ethereal, and contemplative. I love this blend. It isn't what I'd normally wear as a personal scent, but I will be making good use of it when I feel bogged down and in need of some extra cleansing and armour. edited to add BPAL description ADDED Jan. 1: In the bottle: frankincense and myrrh. Classic, resinous, golden frankincense and myrrh. Wet: More of the same, but better. My skin really amps the myrrh, which is fine with me as I like myrrh. Penitence is a surprisingly lush resin blend; wet there is a smell of wood and something that reminds me of the cherry in Blood. The frankincense keeps this blend from remaining too earthbound, and adds a cerebral, smoky quality. This has surprising depth for such a simple blend, and is really quite lovely. Drydown: Violins! I played the violin and viola when I was younger and am returning to it after many years of absence, and dry this blend reminds me of nothing so much as the scent of a fine, well-played violin. The woody smell dries down to fine, dry, almost powdery wood with bow rosin. This is a good thing: I've always loved the way my instruments smelled (I'd sniff them constantly, which people thought was a little odd) and it's one of my "comfort scents." I wore this blend to bed and the next day I still have gorgeous, spicy myrrh clinging to my pulse points. Throw is probably medium to strong, though never overpowering, and it lasts. Another winner. Those who enjoy incense or resin blends will probably enjoy this one; I certainly do.

I love Beth's pomegranate note. It's glorious, tart, and juicy on me in Swank and in Bella Donna Della Mia Mente. It's glorious, tart, and juicy in Persephone when wet, with a hint of lush red rose. On drydown, the pomegranate is completely overpowered by the rose which is doing that stomach-turning soapy-antiseptic-baby powder thing that it sometimes does with my skin chemistry. Darn. I was really hoping this one would work--it was so pretty when wet. I'll have to try wearing it in my scent locket so that my skin can't make the rose turn sickening. edited to correct an atrocity against punctuation

Kurukulla was another gift from the Lab. I doubt I'd have tried it on my own, but I'm glad to have it as a freebie. Wet, it's a sweet, almost fruity lotus in all its watery glory that I loved so well in Paris combined with the tart, lush rose from Spellbound. I sometimes suffer the curse of the soapy rose, but not in this blend. As it dries, the rose fades and the lotus remains sweet. Very sweet. It becomes a bit cloying after a while, though it remains pretty. An hour or so later, the rose comes back and blends softly into the lotus. This is a gentle, feminine blend--a little more cloying and "girly" than what I normally wear, but very pretty. It's definitely a happy smell. I'll certainly use up my imp, but it gets a little too sweet for my tastes as it dries so I doubt I'd get a big bottle.

This is definitely solar. Wet, it goes through an unfortunate and mercifully brief orange baby aspirin phase, but it soon dries down to bright golden sandalwood mixed with citrus and spice and something incensy and resiny (frankincense, perhaps, and or amber?). This is a very warm, dry scent, evoking the Sahara. It's uplifting and revitalizing and hopeful. Throw is soft--like many sandalwood blends, this hovers close as a second skin and isn't at all overpowering, and like most sandalwood blends, it agrees with my chemistry. I can see wearing this on days I need to kick the blahs or when I need extra energy, drive, and courage. Very nicely done.

A frimp from the Lab. I cannot believe I overlooked it in the catalogue. Lately, my beloved Tamora has been doing an unfortunate Play Doh thing on my skin and I've been looking for a blend to replace her that is similar in spirit. Regan fits the bill. It's also a sweet, golden scent that sounds as though it would smell foody but really doesn't. The vanilla orchid is sweet and lush but not at all sticky. Wet, it smells slightly fruity, but on drydown is most definitely a warm, soft, gentle vanilla orchid. I can't pick out the stephanotis (unless that is what was lending the fruity smell). Throw is slight to medium; it's noticeable close to me but isn't invasive. Regan reminds me of Snake Oil's virgin kid sister, and as such is a perfect daytime work/school partner of the Lab's number-one favourite. Regan sates my vanilla craving in situations when Snake Oil, Hunger, or Blood Kiss might be too much. Staying power is good--I touched up only once about halfway through an 18-hour day and was still getting wafts of it when I was finally able to go home and shower. This is not as complex as Tamora, but it's beautiful. I'm going to require a big bottle, as I've already used up half of my imp. edited for typo

Hunger is sexy and foody: dark vanilla-orange decadence. March Hare is bright, sweet, spicy, delicious apricot. Imp is a very naughty peach--slightly food, slightly bad-girl.

This was a frimp from the Lab. Not a scent I'd have tried on my own, but it turns out to be wonderful. Wet, it smells like a less alcoholic tej (Ethiopian honey wine) and incense smoke with a green-and-gold undertone (the laurels and bay). Throw is huge and the smell is strong; I was walking around in a cloud of honey-smell. Dry, the scents mingle. The smoky honey note is predominant without being cloying, and the laurel and bay give it a clean green woodsiness. Wonderful. I can't stop smelling my own wrist. This really lasts--I fell asleep with it on, and am still getting wafts of honey, and something that smells like a subtler version of the musk in Spellbound. Definitely a keeper and a big bottle smell. edited for clarity

This starts as the delicious incense-and-spice smell of a Middle Eastern Market and ends as...Pad Thai? Yep, that's Pad Thai all right, right down to the egg and onion. I love Pad Thai, but don't want to smell of it. Oh well, I have an imp of Baghdad for days when I want to evoke a spice bazaar.

This is a very dark, deep, spicy, seductive rose rose. It's far rosier than my beloved Spellbound with whom it shares ingredients--the amber and musk are definitely there, but whereas in Spellbound they seem fairly balanced, Black Rose is very definitely mostly rose. This isn't a bad thing since it's is not a sweet rose or a bright rose, and there is not a hint of the soap or powder that some rose blends morph into on drydown. It's pretty strong, with a lot of staying power and throw. I'd order a big bottle if I didn't already have a 5ml of Spellbound, and when I run out of Spellbound I might spring for more Black Rose just to switch things up a bit. Definitely one of the truest rose perfumes I've smelled, and one of the most interesting.

Wet, this is a lovely dusky purple, like dew on violets with a hint of grape and plum. Unfortunately, as it dries it turns into a dusty, powdery, musty smell, the very definition of "old lady perfume." The hunt for the perfect purple scent continues.

Spicy candy! I can't quite put my finger on it--it's like vanilla, spice, cinnamon, magnolia, and caramel, and pralines all mixed together--yet somehow not cloying. Love Me is playfully flirtatious and damned effective. I find I walk taller and have more confidence when I wear this and get all kinds of positive attention.

This is a very pretty, unobtrusive light floral. The carnation gives it a slightly spicy tinge while the water lily gives it a sweet, aquatic hint and the sweet pea lifts it and gives it a sense of innocence. Not my favourite BPAL light floral, but I'll certainly be using my imp. ADDED Dec. 24: This begins as a bright, clear white floral with both a strong spicy note from the carnation and a lovely aquatic undertone from the water lily. Unfortunately, as it dried my skin amped this one way up until I got a perfume headache, and it turned into an overly strong drier sheets-and-detergent smell.