kajacana

Got this as a frimp and it is boggling my mind!! From the imp, wet on my skin, and straight through drydown - this is LEMON. Sugary lemon, very similar to the way Lolita and Whitechapel smell on me. Also reminds me of Lemonhead candies. I'm not getting smoke or incense AT ALL. Super weird, considering the description - I expected this one to be very dark! Does not compute. It's not an unpleasant smell by any means - I quite like sweet citrusy blends - I'm just experiencing some cognitive dissonance because I was not expecting "the blackest of ritual incenses" to smell like I rubbed lemon candies on my arm!

In the imp this is really subtle- I practically had to stick my nose in the vial to smell it! But then I get a really light musk or vanilla, almost like a non-spicy Morocco. Not too impressive. And on my skin, it goes straight to baby powder. No thank you. I would love to smell the awesomeness some of the rest of you are getting, but alas.

In the bottle: A muddled mix of fruits. I can pick out the apple, orange, and cherry from the description if I really try, but it's definitely not a sweet or light fruity blend. The overall effect is sour/bitter. Wet on skin: The bitterness and sourness mostly go away, and it gains a little sweetness. There's still a sharp quality to it, like spices. Dry on skin: The drydown is the best stage of this one for me! The raspberry comes out - it smells a lot like Akuma on me, actually, only darker. After some time it turns to... fruity incense? ...which made my mom wrinkle her nose but I don't mind it at all. I probably won't wear this one very often, but it's a fun Halloween scent. ETA: This one is STRONG. I put on just one little dot with the cap, and woooaahh.

This is the first BPAL pumpkin blend I've ever smelled, and I'm definitely a fan. I love Dorian on its own, and this is like Dorian in a warm, fuzzy sweater on a cool fall day with crispy leaves swirling around and the scent of fresh-baked pumpkin pie wafting from a nearby window. The pumpkin is strong in the bottle- but more pumpkin spice than actual fleshy pumpkin. It's sweet and buttery, with a trace of cinnamon-esque spice. On my skin, Dorian appears, and the combination is gorgeous. That hint of lemon and the smoothness of the tea are an amazing background for the pumpkin and spice. It's a rich, comfy scent that reminds me of all the best non-spooky parts of autumn.

This is pure ash, both in the imp and on my skin. On drydown there's the vaguest whisper of spice, but I have to really try to detect it. Smells like I rubbed my arm in a campfire pit. And hey, some people love that smell - but I'm not one of those people. If your skin chemistry amps spice, maybe this one will turn out differently for you. But I'm not a fan.

Whitechapel (white musk, lime, lilac and citron) is like sugared lemons to my nose.

Akuma (blood orange, neroli, and raspberry) is one of my favorite BPALs. It does have that blood orange note that you may not like, but the neroli is definitely there. It's a light, kind of sweet-and-sour fruit scent - almost like fruit candy. Definitely worth a try!

Got this one as a frimp in my first order over a year ago. It didn't strike me as anything special at first, but I just re-tested it and WOW. This goes complex, incense-y vanilla on my skin and it is WONDERFUL. This might sound weird, but Morocco is more along the lines of what I was expecting from the famous Snake Oil. But where Snake Oil failed for me, Morocco delivers. It smells like... a more sophisticated version of the old Bath & Body Works scent Warm Vanilla Sugar... laced with church incense. (I have both Midnight Mass and Cathedral, and neither of them captures my familiar Catholic church incense - but this note in Morocco is spot on. It's a beautiful smell and it melds perfectly with the somehow-vanilla-but-not-vanilla.) I'll have to test this one during the day. It seems like a perfect blend for colder winter weather. I have a feeling this might end up being a bottle purchase.

I'm glad someone is finally asking about Tokyomilk Dark because #21 Yesterday (Asuka Rose, Linden, Ginger Root, Aged Wood) is one of my favorite scents ever... *whispers* and if anyone wants to throw in a rec for that one too, while we're on the subject, I would appreciate it! Anyway, for #62, these both have a floral note and a spice/wood note. Not sure how similar they'll be, but worth investigating? -Sybaris (Wanderlust): Bright violet with sweet clove, Mediterranean incense notes and tonka bean -Mata Hari (Bewitching Brews): Five roses with soft jasmine, warmed by vanilla, fig, tonka bean and mahogany, spiced with a drop of coffee bean

Try Whitechapel (lemon) or The Apothecary (green, herbal). Both definitely fall into the clean/fresh category. I've never burned Whitechapel as a room scent but it could potentially go Lemon Pledge on you, I'm not sure. On my skin it's a light, realistic, slightly sugary lemon, and if you're lucky and that translates well to an oil burner, that would be awesome! Worth trying I think. The Apothecary reminds me of the smell of a spa - all kinds of green, planty things crushed up.

I got this as a frimp, and I'm pretty sure someone was paying attention when they put it with my order. It's like they noticed I like aquatics, and noticed I like spice/vaguely foody scents, and thought... hmm... how about you try those together? Nailed it! In the imp: Very boozy - strong rum. Wet on skin: The sarsaparilla, leather, and salt emerge. Dry on skin: I get a vague whiff of the "men's cologne" thing that others have mentioned, and even a little potpourri if I try too hard to pick out the notes. But it all melts together so seamlessly that it just ends up smelling really good - the whole is better than the sum of its parts. I can see how some of the notes might be amped on some people and turn this one in a very unpleasant direction, but on me it totally works. General impressions: This blend is complex, rich, and warm without being heavy. It's kind of like a less boozy, spicier version of Hellcat (which I also like). Reminds me of a worn leather bag full of spices. It's one of only two BPALs I've ever worn that make me think, okay, this just smells like me (the other is Dorian). Definitely going to order a 5ml.

This blend is definitely grapefruit (one of my favorite scents of all time, perfume or no!), but somehow softer than I expected. It's more grapefruit peel than grapefruit flesh, as others have mentioned, but I don't get any bitterness at all, which is nice. It turns a little soapy on my skin, but remains very pleasant. Mostly the tang of the grapefruit fades a bit and the warmth of the - ginger? tea? apple blossom? - pushes through and slowly takes over until, alas, the entire scent evaporates into nothingness much too soon. I had to put quite a bit on to get any throw at all, and even then it was minimal and within an hour and a half I couldn't smell a thing even when my nose was against my arm. Really unfortunate. But if you like the smell of grapefruit, this one is definitely worth a try - maybe you'll have better luck with the staying power.

Received this one as a frimp and was pretty intimidated by the description! Any sort of smoke or burning thing is usually an automatic NOPE for me. But this blend really just reminds me of a big basket full of fruit and flowers. It's actually really pleasant and sweet in the imp and wet on my skin. It dries down to a soft floral that's juuuust one tiny step away from becoming baby powder, so it's not my favorite, but even then it's not bad.

Received as a frimp. Overpowering floral in the imp, dries down to pure violet. There's a strange depth under the floral notes that definitely doesn't agree with me. Maybe the moss? It's something earthy and it makes this blend more interesting than violet alone, but it's not for me.

Soooo I don't actually know what ambergris smells like. I ordered this bottle because a) I can't resist octopus-themed things, and b ) it sounded all kinds of ocean-y and that really appealed to me. This is such a unique scent, I can't even think of what to compare it to! It's much too strong sniffed straight from the bottle, unpleasant even, like a bad bathroom air freshener. But once it's dried on my skin, everything mellows out and it becomes soft, cool, smooth, vaguely plant-like, with a hint of salt. Honestly I'm looking at the list of notes and salt is the only one my nose can recognize, but the combination is really lovely. It makes me think of a beach - but not a tropical beach... more like a New England beach. Cold water, warm breeze, rocky shores. I probably won't wear it very often but I like it! [Edited for typo]

Zookeeper! What a fantastic job. ...for a cat lover and kindred spirit who's ok with toys strewn about the house... LIL' MENES FELINE ENTERTAINMENTS 2012 (YULE: THE MISKATONIC VALLEY YULETIDE FAIRE) A delightful selection of Ultharian cat toys and offerings, guaranteed to propitiate even the orneriest kitty! THE CAT Sleek, black, dark, and clever: benzoin, honey, cedar, and dark musk. BASTET Bast, Ubasti, Ailuros, Ba-en-Aset. Represented as both a domestic cat and a fierce lioness, she truly evidences traits of both. She is the Mother of All Cats, Goddess of Sensuality, Fertility, and a guardian and protector of women. She is also one of the Eyes of Ra, and in that aspect is an Avenging Goddess, seeking retribution and punishing enemies of her people. Luxuriant amber, warm Egyptian musk, fierce saffron and soft myrrh, almond, cardamom and golden lotus. WULRIC, THE WOLFMAN (CARNAVAL DIABOLIQUE) Friendly, charming, and cuddly, but possessing one hell of a mean streak: cocoa absolute, French vanilla, birch tar, lavender, bourbon vetiver, wild musk, clary sage, and cistus. THEODOSIUS, THE LEGERDEMAIN (CARNAVAL DIABOLIQUE) Earl Grey tea leaves, a white fougere, jasmine leaf, pearlescent white musk, and vanilla bean. ...and finally, one of my top BPAL scents of all time, because I think everyone should try it... WILF Warm fur coupled with red and black musk, vanilla bean, patchouli, champaca flower, juniper berry, chocolate peppermint, frangipani, browned sandalwood, ferntop ash resin, and massoia bark. eta- How could I have forgotten Bastet? Great suggestions, thanks!! Wulric sounds really interesting, I'll have to try and track some down. And the saffron and cardamom in Bastet are right up my alley!

I want to love this one but it lands somewhere around a 6 out of 10 for me. In the imp: Super light. I can smell the tea and that's about it. Wet on skin: If I could have this phase last a long time, this scent would be perfect for me. I recognize some Dorian-like tea, only without the lemon and with the addition of pepper. It's really soft and nice. Dry on skin: Goes back to being very light, barely there. The nice bite of the pepper and the smoothness of the tea completely disappear, leaving me with a pleasant but unremarkable almost-floral-but-not-quite smell. Bummer.

Can I try?! I'm 25 years old, 5'1", brunette - I look young and always get carded. Very much the quiet and observant type - people usually don't realize how much I'm taking in/mentally processing until suddenly I say something really witty or profound - I don't say much, but what I do say is meaningful. I tend to be very "tough love" when giving advice or opinions - I'm straightforward and hate to sugarcoat things just to make someone feel better. I can be a complete smartass and even a little mean sometimes, but I have an empathetic streak that runs deep. I probably spend more time joking around than being serious - when I'm around my friends or coworkers, I tend to lapse into singing, funny voices, lots of swearing, and making jokes about everything. I'm pretty fun once you get to know me but I definitely have a thick outer shell. I'll never be the first one dancing or contributing to a conversation among strangers, but once I get to know you I'm likely to be the perfect partner in crime for all types of shenanigans. Among my coworkers I'm clearly the "whimsical" one, as they never stop reminding me. Other stuff: I'm a zookeeper so obviously I love animals (cats of all sizes are kind of my area of specialization). I love to read and write fiction, and I find the presence of books very comforting - let me loose in a used bookstore and I'll be content for hours. I'm perfectly comfortable spending time by myself, and most nights after work I prefer to just unwind at home with a book or some TV, but I do enjoy the occasional night out, and I do love me some strong drinks! My room and my car are always messy. I love eye makeup and bright nail polish, and my clothes are usually dark and fairly casual. I've only tried a small fraction of BPAL scents, but my favorites so far are: Dorian, The Apothecary, Akuma, Hellcat, and Glasgow. I tend to steer clear of anything too heavy or too floral, but I'm open to new possibilities. (Any suggestions are welcome, but I'm especially interested in possible Carnival options since rumors are strong that it might be coming back sometime soon and I've never tried anything from the CD!) Thanks!

I was nervous about this one, because normally any trace of almond turns cloying and gross on me. In the imp, I don't like Hellcat - it's all sour cherry, which I'm assuming is the almond factor. But once I put it on, the hazelnut and buttercream and rum take over. It's sweet and warm, almost like a foody candle, without actually smelling like something I would want to eat. It reminds me of a hot alcoholic drink with all the sharpness of the alcohol totally removed - for some reason the boozy factor is almost undetectable on me. I get hints of cinnamon as well - not Red Hot candy cinnamon, more like a trace of cinnamon in a cookie. Okay - Hellcat is as close as you can get to a hazelnut sugar cookie dipped in warm spiced rum, without making you want to eat your own arm. I really like this one!

Wow this thread is old! But I was searching the forum for "Aveda," hoping to find a BPAL that smells like the Aveda Shampure Candle. If you've ever been to an Aveda salon or store, you'll know what I'm talking about - there's just this general, unmistakable Aveda smell that's sort of herbal, sort of flowery, vaguely spicy, overall very fresh and calming. Anyone want to second the recommendations that are already here, or have any new Aveda-esque BPALs come out in the 3 years since this thread was last active?