saralaughs

In the bottle: this smells like a woody/herbal (in a good way) warm scent. Wet on: Wood immediately asserts itself followed quickly by a minty scent (peppermint I believe) with moss intertwined. The moss almost gives off a moldy impression, like it's been too wet for too long. That sharpness quickly goes away (thankyoujebus). Drydown: Wow. The teak, redwood, and ambers are coming into play now. The mint has settled into the background but is still there...almost as an afterthought though. It's warm woods (amber+wood) mainly with this backdrop of sage/moss giving a bit of green headiness to it while the mint chills it a bit. A winter day in the forest where the sun is shining so brightly that it's a bit warm yet still cold. One of those days where you've only got a warm sweater to on to go outside yet you can still see your breath? Those days where you might actually like winter (if you hate it in the first place...like me)? Yeah. This is it. Totally thought this wasn't going to work on me when I first put it on. I was so, so wrong. I don't know that it will become one of my HUGE favorites but I'll keep the bottle and enjoy it. I do wonder something now though. I wonder what it would be like layered with The Snow Maiden??

Leo had this right on one. First, how have I not reviewed this scent? I love it. Second, it is like heady tropical heat. I can understand where the screams of OMG CANDY come from. The hibiscus in this is the main star and can really be sweet or sour based on your skin chemistry. On mine, she happens to be just right. A very heady floral that is a bit sharp when first applied, the blend calms down a bit into the drydown. The edges that hibiscus can have are smoothed out considerably with the additions of the other florals (even though I really can't pick them out individually...hibiscus is still main stage). The vanilla, musk and coconut are minor players yet they deepen and round out the blend on me...bringing a creamy, tropicalness to it without the addition of more florals. And it's gotten better since I originally purchased from the Lab. I'm so glad I got a bottle and it will be one that I treasure.

Oh how I had forgotten how gorgeous Her Voice is. Wet it is very green and stemy as others have said. I also get a burst of light floral, mainly the hyacinth, which I love...lots. After applying it, it starts to warm up. While the hyacinth stays in the forefront (and it does not smell fake in the least bit...if I close my eyes, it's like I have a fresh handful of flowers right in front of me), it is joined by the beeswax, which adds a bit of a honey-ish feel to it. Not so much straight up syrupy honey but a dry, crystaline sweet waxish scent. The hyacinth stays true throughout it all. I do go through about 5 minutes of something sour in the background but it then balances out again. The star is the hyacinth, backed up by the beeswax and a bit of amber/vanilla. The amber and vanilla isn't too present here but just adds a bit more warmth and creaminess. It's lovely and I'll cherish my bottle.

The weird thing about this blend (and I am a Scorpio) is that I really don't care for any of the notes. It is just a perfect example that Bpal blends are sometimes more a sum of its parts rather than individual notes. When I first apply, it is very sharp and bitter. Anise-like smells assualt me but it quickly fades into a sweet powdery musk for a bit. After a bit, I get warm incense wrapped up in deep, dark musk that is tamed by just the right amount of sweetness and a *hint* of floral. The powdery feeling mainly goes away. It ends up working very well on me. The blend screams purple. Dark, dank purple. Purple that is almost black. Very deep, mysterious, sexy and quite complex if you take the time to notice. Just like a scorpio.

This was a very promising scent for me as I like all the notes listed. I'm iffy on orange (or any citrus for that matter) though. I can take it in small doses. Unfortunately, this was not a small dose. The orange is the main player here and if I liked orange well this would be a beautiful blend for me. Orange with a bit of plumeria and other florals warmed up by the copal and incense smoke. It is very well blended and screams lushness to me. It's that citrus that gets me. If I loved orange, this would be an awesome blend for me.

Dirt. And then mold. Seriously. Mold. The mold takes over fast and does not let go. Imma pass on this.

Our Nightmarebane. Named after the Baku, benevolent Japanese spirits that eat nightmares. In Japanese tradition, nightmares are gifts from malevolent spirits; when you wake up from one, you may call, "Baku, please eat my dreams!", and if you are virtuous and merciful in spirit, the Baku will devour the evil, transforming it into a blessing of good fortune. Lavendar. The herbally, just picked fresh kind. Then EVILNESS of some sort of mint. I had to wash it off at that point as I was getting a headache!

Blood orange with a bit of raspberries when first applied. The neroli then comes into play making it a bit bitter for me. Weird. It also went a bit powdery candy. Not my thing.

This is a very light, close to the skin type of scent. It starts off with the cherry blossom in the front but as it dries, the moss does come out and adds a bit of a sharp, green edge. This helps the blend from going OMG I'M FLORAL. Further into the drydown the vanilla musk comes into play and wraps the whole thing together. It becomes a very warm, sweet green floral without that floral edge. It's flowery instead of floral, if that makes sense. I love it.

This is truly vanilla orchid on me. A very tropical vanilla (that is in no way foody) with a bit of a heady floral. The vanilla orchid really dominates after drydown, with the ginger adding just a bit of tropical umph to the blend. It is in no way bitter but just sweet, a bit floral, and heady. It starts out almost lemony on me though. Weird. Hardly any throw and average wearlength.

Prunella. What is strange is that I love the color purple but no blend that screams PURPLE seem to work on me.

For some reason, I'm getting a spiciness I was hoping would not be present as that is what ruined Midwinter's Eve for me. It goes on very plummy and juicy smelling. OMG lovely. About 2 minutes after that, I get spiciness (I'm thinking from the flowers?). That only goes away for a short time into the dry down when I get this rich creamy plum smell that I wish would stay. Alas, weird on me and I'm not a fan of spicy plum.

This is very nice. It goes on strongly metallic/herbally. When Beth said Halls of Gold, she meant it. This starts out as a kind of cold, metal scent and not warm at all like I first imagined when I read the description. It does warm up a bit from the resin and gets downright pleasant after awhile. The metallic zing is ever present but it totally is toned down a bit and melds well with the copal. It is really manly on me. While I do like to pull off manly scents this is one I just don't think I'll be able to do it with. I think maybe I'll try it on the fiance...

A bizarre blend of pineapple, tangerine, tobacco, apricot, and seltzer coated with hazy amber and heady sun-baked flowers. First applied, I get the fruit. It's very juicy and tangy in a way but there is this sweetness in the background tempering that tangy aspect. After a bit, there is a floral that appears. It's a warm low floral instead of one that screams its presence be made known. The tang and juiciness is still apparent but has melded together with amber and this lovely, light floral. Beautiful and well-blended.

This was really dry on me. Dry and brittle almost. The rose really came out on me where I had hoped that it would be rose-infused amber, it became ambery rose. After a bit it calmed down so it wasn't screaming ROSE at me but also turned powder. Rose and powder together just don't do it for me. Beautiful if you like rose and amber but definitely not for me.

I dunno but I really like this. It is a pretty scent. And I mean pretty, as in girlie pretty. First applied, there is a sweetness that comes with the musks and it definitely screams pink to me. Shortly it starts to get a bit sharp and dry (sandalwood and jasmine I suppose) but after a few it deepens a bit with the warmth of amber and the sharpness smooths out. I'm left with a very pretty, pink musky warmth. The sweetness is still there. It also has a bit of that "powdery" quality that comes with perfume but I believe that to be the musk and jasmine on me. This brings to mind a 16 year old on the verge of womanhood...finding her way. Beautiful. Innocent yet mysterious.

This. It's like a woody/green/creamy/spicy sex scent. Makes me wanna go make love where panda's do.

"Serious berry here. This serious bizness," says berry. The berry is the one doing all the talking upon first application in this blend. The acai is the only one present for a bit. In about 15-20 though, it's a different story. Vanilla speaks up along with some incense. I then get a sharp note that I really don't find appealing. Neroli and I do not get along that well. I hardly get any amber or cardamom.

A very sugary, resinous snake to be sure. It goes on very sugary but is quickly joined by the frankincense. After awhile there is a bit of Snake Oil peeking its head through the blend, but mainly it stays sugared incense on me for a long time. I definitely do not get any floral at all.

This is definitely smooth. I get oakmoss straight off when applied. Then a bit of an herbal (the olive leaf maybe?) comes out and deepens it even more. After a bit it smooths out and the Snake Oil is there to play. A gorgeous manly scent.

Um...Liz. Seriously. If you like leather and smoke (just a *bit* of smoke, not much), you need to try Liz.

This is a beautiful, comforting scent. When first applied, it's grass. Not sharp grass, but a sweet almost green grass. After a bit, there is this inclusion of musk (maybe?). It does smell sort of...furry...but good furry, like comforting furry. Warm and playful yet loving. This is that scent. As it gets further into the drydown, I get more wildflowers but it is still mainly grassy furry baby in the sunshine. Lovely and I'll keep it when I need to be warmed and comforted.

Oh killmenow. Liz is sweet, sweet vanilla with a bit of floral going on wet. You know that just applied Antique Lace smell? Yeah, that is Liz. Only Liz is naughty. As it dries, the vanilla stays nice and sweet (as in AL) but leather comes into play with a bit of smoke (not a lot...just a bit). Imma need a bottle. Or two.

This comes close to being wonderful on me. The musk is clear and a bit sharp in here, with the lavendar calming it down. The rose is barely noticable to me. The carnation, however, is the reason this is not going to be bottle-worthy for me. It mixes horrorably with a sharp note in the blend (I'm thinking the musks but I dunno for sure) and becomes strong, spicy, sharp baby power on me. Not pleasant.

Thanks for the list Ivy. I'll make my notes next to the list below... LEs Atrocious Attic - more floral, but with similar lineny notes I found this to be too understated. It was weird on me. Bearded Lady Never tried. I probably won't get the chance. Berenice I'll have to hunt it down. Black Lace - pretty hard to find so if you are new to BPAL, skip for now Total yuck on me. Boo (current Halloweenie) - vanilla with a little linen Total chemcially yuck on me. Cottonmouth (current Carnaval Diabolique) Must try now that you've said this. Enraged Bunny Musk This was too musky, not enough vanilla for my tastes. The Girl (current Halloweenie) This is nice but I don't get any vanilla out of it. More of a creaminess. I do get the comparison in some ways though. If you want to know more, my review is in the thread. Hope and Faith (current CD) - rose and violet AL respectively Haven't tried. Rose and violet just aren't my thing. La Fee Verte - another HTF one Haven't tried. From your note, I probably won't either. Love's Philosophy This didn't work on me like I wanted it to. I liked Her Voice more. Monsterbait: Underpants - if you don't have it now, pretend you didn't see this, but enough people mentioned it in reviews that I thought I'd note it. Yucky. I know, I know...blasphemy. Opuhi Love this. Love. But it doesn't remind me of AL. It's more of a tropical vanilla, if you will. The Oval Portrait Tried this. Don't remember it. *shrug* Pink Moon 2007 Snow White Didn't work on me. Went herby. White Rose I'll be back (tomorrow maybe?) to do the GC's.