jessiesquash

Juicy and tart + sweet pink roses. Unfortunately, it never moves past being roses and fruit to reveal any depth, but it would make a fantastic addition to lotion or body cream. And I'd have to wear it like that because it just faded to nothing. Grr I hate my scent sucking skin sometimes! Verdict: Pretty but not extraordinary. To the swap pile with you!

In the bottle, I'm getting the plum and carnations. I love what carnations do in Alice so I'm hoping this one will work for me too. On I'm getting the same but the musk is coming through, giving it more depth. It's pretty but musk always does odd things to me so its not my favorite. Yep....sometime later, it's just too sweet. It's like the musk is amping the plum. Into the swap box it goes.

This is probably the sweetest rose I've found yet. Candy sweet. So much so that it's almost setting my teeth on edge. Despite that I really like it, I'm just hoping it will mellow about a bit. As it dries it does mellow quite a bit, to a soft soapy rose. Very pretty but I'm still loyal to Black Rose and Peacock Queen. I'd say this is perfect for those that like their roses softer and less decadent.

I love the dirt note in Burial and Penny Dreadful so I've been so excited to try Zombi! In the bottle, I smell dirt and a touch of the rose. On at first all I'm getting is dirt and it's kind of sickening....almost rotten even. Luckily that stage doesn't last long and something almost salty emerges, almost like sea kelp. That's kind of odd. It's also quite powdery and becoming more so I wear it. I kind of like it after it gets over the rotten stage but it kind of twinges my nose and makes my eyes water. I don't know if this is something I could wear but I might pour it in my bath because I really like that aquatic dry down.

I love roses (and particularly the Lab's rose) but I have yet to find THE rose blend. I should have known this was a no-go for me because of my experience with Parlement of Foules. There's something about the sweetness of the resin and the sharpness of the rose that turns my stomach. In the bottle I could already tell it wouldn't be good. There was something sticky sweet that made my nose wrinkle. On it was the same. Sacharine coated rose petals. Yuck. And the quest continues.......

I don't know the actual flowers in this scent but they remind me so much of whatever is in Berenice and House of Mirrors that gives me that lovely, dry floral yumminess. It blends in beautifully with my skin and drys down to a soft, feminine floral. This would be great for spring....or wishing for spring! I'm especially excited because my beloved Berenice is just disappearing WAY too fast. Hah talk about vague descriptions! It blends so nicely, it's impossible for me to pick out any notes. Sorry.

I love pumpkin and I was really excited about Jack.....until I tried it. It seems that there are those that Jack loves and those that Jack hates. I'm one of the latter. Jack literally turned my stomach when I sniffed it on my wrist; sickenly sweet pumpkin and rancid butter. Ew. So sad.

Obtained in a swap so I'm not entirely sure about the age of this one. Older label, blue bottle so I'm assuming it's not new new. In the bottle I get ORANGE with something else that is alternately sugary and spicy. It's hard to pin down. On I get more of the same but it's mostly sweet, like orange koolaid. It has pretty good throw and follows me around like a little cloud of sunshine. I'm still not sure if this is what I want to smell like but it does give me a bit of a boost. This might end up as a room scent or maybe I'll pass it on to someone who needs a little extra something. P.S. I haven't done anything ballsy yet but I'll be sure to edit this review if I do. EDIT: Just a quick edit to say that I am feeling more relaxed around people than is normal. My boss particularly. I normally avoid her like the plague (she's freaky and unpredictable) but today I've been chatting with her like we're old buddies. Yay Moxie!

2006 version. Let me start out saying that I REALLY wanted to like this. I'm mean, REALLY. In the bottle: Pure maple syrup. On my skin: Still maple syrup. Okay, maybe it will morph and surprise me by being amazing. Much later: Nope, still maple syrup. Sigh. *shakes fist dramatically at no one in particular*

Honey almost always equals powder on me but sometimes I'm okay with that. This one was no exception and turned immediately to powder. What really made me cringe was that it made my wrist smell like dirty diapers; powder, baby skin and spoiled milk. Yuck. This one's not for me. *runs to wash it off*

Fruity scents are generally pretty bad on me, sharp and migraine-inducingly bad. I tried Bordello simply because the name is so fantastic. "Why yes, I do smell like a Bordello!" On, it is sweet but not cloying, tart but not acidic. It's not boozy but candy sweet on me. It reminds me of a perfume I wore when I was a kid (Electric Youth embarrassingly enough ) but it has grown up and acquired an adult sensuality that is really very lovely. I think I love this enough to get a bottle!

This review is a bit late in coming so these are remembered impressions. I was able to test it as part of the Entire GC Circular Swap. I couldn't imagine loving the scent of rich earth but Burial is both accurate and lovely. It has a rich, herbal quality that evokes the rich virgin earth of a forest floor. The herbs and a breath of floral make this a very wearable scent where a pure dirt may not. I had a VERY hard time passing this imp on to the next person. It is definitely going on my list for future purchases.

I'm a sucker for vanilla scents, I'll admit but there is always that line drawn for me between just right and too sweet. This starts out just a bit too sweet on me but then the lily (and possibly the moss, orris and ambergis) starts to emerge it becomes a really beautiful balance of soft green and creamy vanilla. I didn't get the sandalwood or the musk at all but I think it was what was holding this blend just on the brink of being too sweet. I'm not sure if this is one I'll want more of but I'm keeping it for now for further tests because it's just so darn lovely.

It's an LE but Berenice is very melancholy to me. I notice that I won't wear it in the winter because that's too much bleakness for one day.

Mme Moriarty has just been bumped to the very tip-top of my favorites. I not only got my first bpal compliment today but I also may have enabled someone too. And not just anyone, my evil boss! How do we feel about enabling someone we don't even like. On one hand it's money for the lab but on the other, I hate her. Oh well, yay for me and my enabling ways. And yay for Mme Moriarty which proves everyday to be even more fabulous than before.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Anne Bonny! Or maybe its just me but I really get the salty ocean spray over rich old wood. I haven't had a chance to try Jolly Roger yet though. Ooh I'm so excited about Thalassa! I adore the smell of sea kelp and seaweed!

I have to second Red Lantern!!! It's my favorite and I adore vintagey perfumes. I'm surprised that no one has mentioned this but I wanted to add Penny Dreadful! You know, if you wanted that macabre twist. No, truthfully its very vintage and the earthiness of the grave loam doesn't detract from that. Someone else mentioned Stardust and even though its supposed to evoke the 70s, its still very vintage. It reminds me of a Saint Laurent fragrance my mom wears. Please keep us updated on what you finally choose and how it goes!! why yes I'm hopelessly single....why do you ask?

On me Alice smells a bit like Milk & Honey. You'll have to let us all know what comes closest for you.

I forget that Alice has rose in it....maybe because it blends so well on me. I second Alice, it's gorgeous and very subtle. I second Whip too. The rose in it is very pink and fresh which gives an interesting contrast to the leather! Edited: because someone else DID mention Whip already and I'm a dork!

I have to add Harlot; rose and cinnamon. It's very simple but really lovely. And I have to add that I have yet to find my perfect rose blend too. I like Peacock Queen, Black Rose, Blood Rose, Parlement of Foules, etc....but none of them are perfect. Luckily the fun is in the hunt!

My wishlist just got crazy out of control. It's like its grown, divided and had babies like a couple of springtime rabbits. The worst part is that I'm BROKE.....yes the kind of broke that deserves capital letters, bolding and color. It's a very sad situation indeed. I'm wearing Mme. Moriarty today and I may have fallen into deep deep love with it. It is an amazingly beautiful scent, with depth and incredible lasting power. I may have to hoard it. I have a feeling it will age in truly lovely ways. At the moment I have one lone decant so I'm being very selective. Its so strange that it even works on me at all. Plum smells like stewed prunes on me and fruit of any kind is usually a death wish anyway. And if everyone else is swooning over it, chances are its just not me. (Snake Oil, O and Smut anyone?) Who knew! What I'm really dying for right now (I mean besides the parade of fabulouness that is the current update.) is Penny Dreadful. I got a chance to test it at our Meet N Sniff and have fallen deeply in love. I really knew that I would love it because I just can't get over how fantastic the name, concept and notes are. I mean where else but at BPAL could you even dream of finding a perfume of rich graveyard loam and noir perfume? But I suppose that is what drew me here anyway. My true favorites are almost always the really unique blends like Loviatar and Underpants. Hah talk about preaching to the choir. Ooh I enabled the one person that I swore would never fall for BPAL! My best friend actually asked me for my imp of Delirium, which I was happy to pass along since it was in my swap pile. Unfortunately the lid broke and then I made matters worse by cracking the vial and in the end, it'll probably end up getting poured into my bath. I'm just glad that even she of the "oooooh Paris Hilton's perfume smells gooooooood" camp can be dragged in kicking and screaming. And just in case you're wondering I forbid her from buying the stuff and instead gave her one of my extra bottles of Lancome Miracle (which is smells exactly like I might add) and she is happy. Ooh Seduction fizzies! I must have one or two or 5 million!!!!! (someone get the straight jacket, quick!)

Red Lantern for Christmas Eve because its lovely and rich. Lick It Again (naturally) for Christmas morning and dinner. Thinking back I should have worn Mum Moon to dinner just because its so pretty but it really doesn't matter now. For New Years (not that I plan to do anything) I'm probably wearing Stardust or TAL Milk and Honey for a bit of new year's hope.

OMG LAVENDER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and a teeny tiny hint of bergamot but mostly lavender. Dang it. Apparently my skin likes to amp lavender.

Fresh flowers and clear waters indeed! Absolutely gorgeous! It's green and fresh and absolutely delicious. It has just the right amount of throw and a hint of sharpness. This will be perfect for summer!

This is what I was hoping Namaste would smell like, light lemon layered over a rich wood base. It's the smell of wealth and sophistication. This is very light and I think it would be perfect for the hot summer months. As it dries, it gets spicier and more refined. I really really like this and I didn't even expect to! I'll add this to my bottle list for this summer.